Half {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} an hour later, the entire Third Battalion was transferred to a hidden grotto.The light of torches danced on the rock walls, reflecting the stalactites hanging from the cave ceiling, like inverted, sharp swords.Several Earth-element Spiritual Energy Users pressed their hands to the ground, chanting incantations. From outside the cave, dull 'crack-crack' sounds could be heard—thick earthen walls were closing in from both sides, sealing the cave entrance tightly. On the other side, several underground passages were opened up, serving as a retreat route for everyone."Everyone, eat this."Several company commanders laid out numerous porcelain jars, pouring out gray-black pills that emitted a faint, fresh scent of herbs.The soldiers reached out to take them, skillfully popping them into their mouths.The pill melted instantly upon entering the mouth, and a cool sensation slid down the throat. The spiritual energy in the Dantian immediately became docile, and even their breathing seemed to lighten by a few points.These were the special Concealment Pills developed by the military. Over hundreds of years of fighting demons in the Demon Suppression Abyss, humanity had long since developed a complete and meticulous system for dealing with demon tides.Lu Sheng chewed on his pill, his eyes darting towards Li Fei in the corner. The boy was huddled against the rock wall, hugging his knees, not saying a word."Battalion Commander Qin, how on earth did you get this kid to listen obediently?"Lu Sheng leaned over, his voice a mosquito's hum, his face full of disbelief. "This Li Fei is a loyal follower of Yan Song. No matter how we dealt with him before, he'd grit his teeth and curse, then still go and report the next day. You only said a few words—"To be honest, he had thought more than once about killing the boy. On the battlefield, it was simply too easy to let a soldier die in battle legitimately.However, former Battalion Commander Xu Xiong was a military man and never truly accepted harming a comrade, even if that comrade caused him a lot of trouble.Qin Tian was checking on the personnel. Hearing this, he looked up and smiled, "It's nothing more than appealing to his emotions and reasoning with him."Actually, he didn't have any ill will towards Li Fei. In the army, it was normal for superiors to send people to supervise subordinates, and Li Fei had fulfilled his duty.Ultimately, it was Yan Song's deliberate targeting of the Third Battalion that made Li Fei seem so hateful.Lu Sheng's mouth twitched. He didn't believe Qin Tian's nonsense at all. Clearly, the Battalion Commander had some unknown, peculiar methods that forced Li Fei to submit.Deep within the grotto, phosphorescent stones emitted a faint white light, stretching the shadows of the stalactites long. Soldiers sat in twos and threes, leaning against the rock walls, their breathing so light it was almost inaudible—the Concealment Pill not only suppressed spiritual energy fluctuations but also made their physiological presence as still as mountain rocks.Drip.Suddenly, a drop of water condensed on the cave ceiling and fell, hitting a small puddle with a crisp sound.In this extreme quiet, that 'drip' was like a heavy hammer striking everyone's heart. Several people abruptly opened their eyes, their hands instinctively reaching for the weapons at their waists. Only after seeing that the surroundings remained silent did they slowly relax, though vigilance still hung in their eyes.During the impending demon tide, this sealed grotto did not represent absolute safety. Everyone had to maintain full vigilance.To deal with dangerous situations that could arise at any moment.Outside the grotto, the wind was calm and the waves still; no demons passed nearby, but the concentration of demonic energy visibly climbed. The dark purple sky grew even more somber, as if a giant inkstone was pressing down overhead, and even the air began to thicken.Suddenly, Qin Tian's brow furrowed slightly. His mental power sensed a strange hum from the distant horizon.That sound did not come from any living creature; it was more like the trembling of the laws of heaven and earth, carrying a world-destroying pressure, sweeping in from the depths of the Demon Suppression Abyss."It's here!" Qin Tian whispered, his voice not loud, but like a giant rock thrown into a calm lake, instantly making the hearts of all the soldiers in the grotto leap.Almost at the instant his words fell, an earth-shattering roar came from outside the cave.That was not thunder, but an energy explosion triggered when the demonic energy concentration reached a critical point.Through his mental power, Qin Tian "saw" that the dark purple sky seemed to be torn by a huge gash. Demonic energy, thick as ink, poured down like a tsunami, engulfing even the light.The previously calm ground began to tremble violently. 'Crack-crack' sounds came from outside the earthen walls; that was the sound of demonic energy eroding the rock.Even more heart-pounding was the excited roars of demons coming from a distance.Those were no longer the ferocious cries of daily hunting, but a near-mad frenzy.The demons, previously scattered, now seemed to be drawn by some summons, gathering towards the place with the densest demonic energy.Their bodies grew larger under the nourishment of the demonic energy, their green faces and fangs gleamed with eerie light, and their claws and fangs also seemed to become sharper. The eyes of some low-level demons even glowed crimson, a symbol of their rage. Their combat power, boosted by the demon tide, had increased by at least thirty percent."Roar—!"A deafening roar came from the direction of the Demon Cave. It was the furious roar of a high-level demon, full of dominance and majesty.Immediately following, countless demon roars responded, converging into a terrifying sound wave, as if to overturn the entire Demon Suppression Abyss. They began to charge and tear aimlessly, not only against humans but also fighting amongst themselves for a territory rich in demonic energy.The entire Demon Suppression Abyss instantly turned into a giant slaughterhouse, chaotic and insane.Inside the grotto, the soldiers held their breath, listening to the terrifying sounds from outside. Everyone's face was etched with tension and solemnity.They knew this was only the beginning of the demon tide; greater dangers lay ahead."Everyone remain calm, do not make any sound," Qin Tian's voice resonated in the soldiers' minds, carrying a calming power."Although the demon tide is terrifying, as long as we remain hidden, we will definitely get through it."The soldiers nodded heavily, determination appearing in their eyes.Time passed bit by bit. The demonic frenzy outside continued, even intensifying. Many demons passed by the grotto, but still failed to detect any signs of life behind the earthen wall."Concealment Pills, they really are quite good~"Qin Tian secretly sighed with emotion. These pills were likely from the Oriental Family, and after so many years of research and improvement, the Concealment Pills were sufficient to block the perception of most demons.The demon tide entered its peak period and would last for several more hours.At this moment, Qin Tian did not dare to easily release his mental power to investigate, to avoid being detected by other demons. Fortunately, his heat sensing and magnetic field induction could help him capture the movements of all nearby demons.The grotto was very quiet, with only the occasional sound of water dripping.Suddenly, Qin Tian received a message in his mind, and his eyes flickered.Li Qi, who was monitoring the Demon Cave from outside, was in danger.Before the demon tide arrived, he had also asked Li Qi to enter the grotto to hide, but Li Qi was exceptionally confident in his stealth abilities and wanted to continue monitoring near the Demon Cave.After consideration, Qin Tian agreed to Li Qi's plan. After all, he understood the power of the Silver-level Night Demon Bloodline. When it came to concealing one's aura, it was far more effective than the Concealment Pills.But now it seemed he had still underestimated the demons during the demon tide."Li Qi is in trouble. I'm going. You all watch the fort."Qin Tian's voice echoed in the minds of the several officers. Immediately after, a faint silver light flashed, and he vanished from his spot.

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