I can upgrade the shelter-Chapter 804 - 702: The Counterattack Begins

Three months passed in a flash. 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

The excavation operations proceeded very smoothly. A tunnel that delves deep underground was more than 90% complete, with only a short distance left to break into the subterranean nest of the alien creatures.

The military side was also making intense preparations. The newly equipped laser assault vehicles had been deployed to the units set to be at the forefront of the attack. Over these three months, a method of use was explored and related tactics were formulated.

Although these laser assault vehicles have power equivalent to a heavy machine gun, the military concluded that laser weapons were far more effective than heavy machine guns after actual deployment.

Compared to the heavy machine gun that requires a large amount of ammunition and the potential risk of ricochet-induced casualties during use, laser weapons avoided all these drawbacks. They can provide continuous and stable fire support to the troops, effectively suppressing alien creatures, greatly enhancing operational efficiency.

After all, a heavy machine gun in a subterranean tunnel could fire tens of thousands of rounds per hour. Even without considering the ricochet-induced casualties, tens of thousands of rounds would need a truck to transport them.

With laser weapons, this particular ammunition consumption could be completely eliminated.

Due to their satisfaction with the laser weapons, the military even attempted to mount them on the Spider Robotic units previously provided by Chen Xin to the military.

Compared to assault vehicles, Spider Robots are evidently more suited for the tunnel environment. Chen Xin originally also provided a model equipped with heavy machine guns, and in practice, the military was very satisfied with their use.

However, compared to the current version re-equipped with laser weapons, the original heavy machine gun version naturally became less appealing.

If not for the fact that production of Spider Robots is more complex and time-consuming than assault vehicles, and that the modification process for the existing fire-support Spider Robots is somewhat troublesome, with laser weapon modules prioritized for assault vehicle production, the military likely would have wanted many more Spider Robots equipped with laser weapons.

But the three months’ time was truly too short. Even with factories working desperately, in the end, less than two hundred laser weapons were delivered to the military.

Approximately over a hundred were installed on assault vehicles, over fifty on Spider Robots, with the remaining dozens serving as spare replacements.

Among these dozens of spare laser weapons, some were experimentally installed by innovative technicians onto the Titan model. After a series of tests, the results were also impressive.

With these laser weapons, the military certainly couldn’t just wait around, selecting some of the most outstanding combat units, the military deployed them into underground tunnels that had temporarily switched to a defensive mode to test the effectiveness of these new weapons.

It must be said that laser weapons indeed delivered satisfactory results. In military tests, units equipped with laser weapons completed operations at a much higher attack efficiency, thoroughly clearing a tunnel.

If not for the military not planning to continue the attack, having them withdraw immediately after clearing the tunnel, they might have captured the tunnel already.

This was undeniably far more efficient compared to the previous struggles when the military had to tirelessly push back and forth against alien creatures.

This greatly boosted the military’s morale and gave them increased confidence in the counteroffensive plan. If they could maintain such efficiency in clearing the subterranean creatures, the military even believed that without relying on the excavation plan, they would have confidence in eradicating the underground alien creatures in the Dongting Lake Region within six months.

Of course, the premise is that the alien creatures don’t have unforeseen tricks.

But things often occur unexpectedly. According to Murphy’s Law, if something can go wrong, it will. And just when the excavation operation had nearly completed its final stretch, with construction crews expanding the tunnel for the forward base as planned, an unexpected incident still occurred.

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During the tunnel excavation, the area was constantly monitored by detectors to prevent breaking into an underground passage or cavern during the excavation process.

At the same time, it monitored the activities of alien creatures in surrounding tunnels and caverns to prevent them from breaking through the tunnel and interfering with construction.

Previously, the excavation proceeded smoothly, following a geological survey-confirmed route that entirely avoided existing underground passages and caverns, resulting in no interference from alien creatures.

But with less than one hundred meters remaining in the tunnel excavation, as the crew started expanding the tunnel into a forward base, the surrounding alien creatures went berserk and suddenly all started digging frantically towards the excavation site, determined to break through.

This undoubtedly triggered an alarm. The construction crew implemented emergency plans, promptly evacuating all workers. To protect the valuable tunnel boring machine, they dismantled it in the shortest possible time and retreated alongside the evacuated workers.

It took three months to dig down, but less than half a day to retreat.

After the construction crew withdrew, the military quickly entered the tunnel and prepared for battle based on the detected alien activity.

As the first work ant offspring broke through the tunnel wall and emerged, an invisible laser instantly focused on its head, and within less than a second, it exploded like a smashed watermelon.

Subsequently, more alien creatures surged into the tunnel, advancing upwards.

However, humans were already prepared, with dozens of laser weapons guided by fire control systems continuously sniping at these alien creatures. In an instant, the tunnel was piled high with the bodies of alien creatures, even affecting their offensive momentum.

Yet the alien creatures did not stop, continuously forcing through heavy casualties to completely breach the tunnel, allowing more combat offspring and work ant offspring to flood the tunnel.

Given that the tunnel was almost a straight line, humans were no longer restrained by the confined, curvy terrain of previous underground battles. The newly equipped laser weapons were stunning in their effect. At the same time, heavy machine guns and light autocannons unleashed a barrage of ammunition, dealing death to the alien creatures.

However, out of concern for collapsing the tunnel, the military refrained from using large-caliber artillery and powerful explosives.

Thus, the battle for Flame Country’s military to counterattack the underground alien nest in the Dongting Lake Region commenced, albeit unanticipated, yet thoroughly prepared.