Eternal Winter's Reign - Book 2 - Chapter 60 - The Attack on the Nest (Patreon)

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Alexander North

Our planning session goes on for two hours before the soldiers finish preparing the basecamp for our use. At which point we move to it and continue our discussion for another hour. With the lieutenant colonels and majors ranking at the top of this force repeatedly grilling me for all of the information I have on the frozen ones within the hive.

Whether it’s the various different types of frozen ones given birth to by the hive queens or the hive queens themselves.

Of course, I’ve already noticed that the frozen ones in this hive aren’t the exact same as the previous hive. Meaning that these two hive queens aren’t the exact same.

But what that exactly implies can vary.

Are they not the same type of frozen one? Did they just choose to create different frozen ones in their hive? Or did they somehow evolve to create different frozen ones?

Maybe the things they eat affect what they produce. Or maybe it’s the Frozen Lord’s doing.

So many different possibilities, and we all go through each one.

But at the end of the session, all we’re left with are possibilities and no confirmations.

Hypothesizes.

After another couple hours, we all just decide on a tentative plan before mobilizing all of the soldiers again. Having them surround the large, gaping hole leading down into the hive. But as I’m standing at the hole, I can’t help but notice two people who I wasn’t expecting to be here.

I frown at Alexia and Cynthia, both of whom are standing at the other side of the hole from me. With Alexia waving as if nothing were wrong.

What are those two doing here?

My first instinct is to call them over here and send them back to the bunker. But right as I’m raising my phone to do that very thing, I pause at the sight of the look on their faces.

At the sight of how serious they are.

Then I focus on their energy, and think about how strong they’ve grown over the time I’ve spent hunting both on my own and with them.

Eventually I find myself sighing before sending them a text telling them to only fight against the frozen ones closer to the surface. And to not go deep into the hive.

Both of them light up like Christmas tree lights after seeing the text. Especially Alexia.

I sigh again, shaking my head a little before focusing on the other soldiers all around the hole.

All of the soldiers are armed to the T with rifles, with some of them even having rocket launchers and the like. Meanwhile there are the four mechs that are stationed around, each with climbing equipment attached to their hands in order to let them go up and down the walls of the hive. What with them not having wings like me and the lieutenant colonel.

Wings make things so much easier.

All of the soldiers also have climbing gear on, and I can actually see several mutants amongst their numbers. Which is a nice sight to see as it means mutants aren’t being discriminated against or anything.

At least on the surface.

May be possible that the people who would normally do it are just too afraid to. What with the mutants having an easier way to get stronger than everyone else. Not to mention the homefield advantage within the Eternal Winter.

Not as much as the frost infused like me and Alexia though.

I turn my attention towards the commanding officers, who are currently dealing with last minute preparations for the assault. Then I focus on the hive itself, where I see the bug frozen ones all just roaming around down there. At least a few dozen meters deep in the hole.

The fact that none of them are coming out is interesting in and of itself. Likely means that they’re on the defense and are trying to protect their hive.

Probably because of the wounded hive queen down there.

Which implies that the hive queen in charge here is either at least partially aware and is controlling them, or the wounded hive queen can control the spawn of another hive queen.

Either way isn’t good.

But, regardless of the why, we need to deal with this hive before it grows more. And any other hives out there.

So, as soon as the commanders finally give the order, I jump straight down into the hole before anyone else and begin slaughtering the bugs with abandon. Meanwhile bullets fly down after me, straying relatively far away from me so as to not do any friendly fire.

And these bugs quickly prove to be rather weak to bullets in general. Weaker than most frozen ones I’ve come to know.

Probably because they’re just cannon fodder.

I slaughter one after another, going deeper than anyone else and not even killing them all in my wake. Simply because I have backup behind me to deal with the weaker ones.

My part of this plan is to deal with the stronger ones while the soldiers handle the small-fry.

Because at this point I am by far the strongest human, or former human, I guess, on this planet. What with my power nearing Tier 4 at this point.

Actually, I might reach Tier 4 by the time I even get to the hive queens down there. Then this will be a much more even battle.

A faint smile stretches across my face as I continue moving down the hive while slaughtering one frozen one after another. Proving to be moving quite a bit faster than I did in the previous hive simply because I’m not the only target for the bugs, and I’m not focusing on killing every last one of them.

And soon enough, I find myself making it down to the part of the hive that has Tier 3 bugs in it.

At which point I do finally start focusing on slaughtering them all.

Because if these fellas make it to the soldiers up top, the soldiers will have trouble.

Especially Alexia and Cynthia.

I don’t want either of them dying up there because I let a bug or two slip past.

So I start slaughtering the Tier 3s without focusing much on the Tier 2s beyond making sure none of them attack me.