Fighting

"Hello!" Clark, in the water, waved to the zombie catfish he had once injured. The zombie catfish that had been chasing the Ark suddenly stopped and turned around. It looked at Clark, immediately recognizing him. 

Without hesitation, it charged towards him. At the same time, the other two zombie catfish followed suit.

The three zombie catfish rushed directly towards Clark and Charles, opening nine large bloody mouths. At this moment, the two of them seemed like mere flesh, not enough to satisfy the zombie catfish!

Charles was so scared that he foamed at the mouth and fainted.

"Good timing. I was afraid you wouldn't come!" Clark snorted and moved rapidly in the opposite direction of the Ark. His speed was astonishing, not like swimming but more like flying.

"This guy really knows what he's doing!" Inside the Ark, Richard watched Clark's actions on the screen, praising him, but his expression remained grim. In his eyes, even if Clark could move quickly, the chances of surviving from the mouths of the three zombie catfish in the water were always zero.

"What an interesting man. It's a pity I can't have some fun with him!" Ava said regretfully. Suddenly, she had a thought and spoke up, "Bro, the man I want to find in the future has to be like this!"

Daniel remained silent. Instead, he controlled the Ark to speed away. After today, whether there would be someone like Clark was unknown. There was no need to remember him or waste time reflecting on it.

As for Clark, when he saw that the Ark had pulled a sufficient distance from the zombie catfish, he slowed down, waiting for these creatures to catch up.

"It seems there's still one skill I haven't used!" Clark smirked, wondering what effect this skill would have. The three zombie catfish quickly closed in on him.

Clark directly used mind control on the zombie catfish he had once injured.

In an instant, the zombie catfish, which had harbored intense hatred towards Clark, unexpectedly turned around and started biting its own companions.

 The nearest one failed to react in time, instantly bitten on the head. With a tear and pull, a large chunk of flesh was ripped off, revealing gleaming bones, contaminating the surrounding river with dark, bloody water. The bitten zombie catfish struggled briefly before becoming motionless.

The third zombie catfish, sensing the scent of its companion's blood, lost its rationality. It engaged in a ferocious fight with the zombie catfish that Clark had controlled mentally.

Waves surged in the water, numerous large bubbles broke through the surface, carrying the scent of blood.

Inside the Ark, Clark's figure was no longer visible in the projection, only a mass of blood.

"He's done for!" Richard regretfully remarked and didn't say anything more.

The entire Ark rapidly disappeared into the darkness.

The two zombie catfish, tearing at each other, eventually both perished.

Clark exhaled a sigh of relief; he had managed to escape by a narrow margin and even turned the situation around.

In the blood mist, numerous bodies, flesh chunks, and debris scattered in all directions, attracting countless underwater creatures for a feast. Clark initially wanted to leave quickly, but not far away, it seemed like someone was drifting with the current in the water.

Clark quickly swam over, unsure if the person was still alive.

Approaching, he saw a little girl, around ten years old, dressed in red. Her eyes were closed, seemingly asleep, and her flowing hair danced with the water.

"Perhaps an unfortunate child who met her demise. I'll take her back and bury her to prevent her from being consumed by these things in the water!" Clark reached out to grab the little girl but felt a pulse and heartbeat.

"She's still alive?" Clark was surprised. Though he didn't know how she survived, the priority was to bring her back to the fortress.

Clark held the little girl in his arms and, with a rope tied to Charles, swiftly moved towards the fortress.

Little did he know, the girl in his arms slightly opened her eyes, bloodshot red. After glancing at Clark, she gently closed them again, as if nothing had happened.

Clark quickly returned to the fortress. When he emerged from the water, the sight before him almost made him think he had entered the wrong place.

The once partially destroyed fortress due to the Ark's attack now looked completely devastated. Signs of intense battles were everywhere, with almost no intact buildings. Corpses were scattered on the ground, bearing numerous wounds, as if cut by sharp weapons, and many of them were Alliance soldiers.

There had undoubtedly been a fierce battle here, and it appeared that the Alliance had suffered a complete defeat.

At a location near the Alliance base, Clark found Thomas's body, his eyes glaring in anger, undoubtedly filled with resentment and unwillingness before his death.

"You actually managed to come back?" A familiar voice emanated from the ruins.

"Who?" Clark untied the rope holding Charles and walked over, carrying the little girl. A midst the broken walls, the air was saturated with the smell of blood.

Michael was lying behind a collapsed wall, his left calf blown off at some point, covered in black blood. His right hand still held a laser gun, the muzzle deformed due to excessive heat. His gaze was somewhat unfocused, and he struggled to breathe, as if every breath was a challenge.

"What happened?" Clark hurried forward, wanting to help Michael up but also fearing worsening his injuries.

"Black Claws!" Michael gritted his teeth, "Those bastards are too strong; we couldn't beat them. I'm sorry... everyone died, all of them!" Michael closed his eyes, seemingly muttering to himself, his expression filled with sorrow, tears forming at the corners of his eyes.

Clark decided not to press for more information, afraid of upsetting him further.

"Is there anyone else alive? Come out now; it's safe!" Clark shouted loudly.

Gradually, scattered figures emerged from the ruins, all wearing fearful expressions. Survivors slowly gathered around Clark, looking at him with a mix of fear and sadness.

Clark handed the little girl to someone for care and arranged for others to find any remaining survivors and tend to the wounded.