The Bigshot's Superstar Wife

Chapter 116: More of Them

The sky above the frontline was a chaotic swirl of darkness and distant explosions, the faint glow of planetary defenses flickering in the distance.

Athena adjusted the strap of her tactical vest, her pulse steady despite the imminent danger surrounding them.

The wind carried the scent of scorched earth, metal, and something more putrid, the unmistakable stench of zerg carcasses left to rot under the cold moons of the Sinalta border.

She stood alongside Mors on the elevated ridge of their assigned sector, surveying the barren wasteland below.

The battlefield stretched endlessly, filled with jagged craters, rusted-out mechs, and the remains of former strongholds that had long since fallen.

In the distance, zerg activity stirred again. The horde was restless.

"This is worse than what I remember," Athena muttered, lowering her binoculars.

The cameras floating nearby continued to capture every moment, broadcasting their survival in real-time for millions of viewers.

Mors, standing beside her with his arms crossed, glanced at her with mild amusement. "Last time, you weren’t experienced. You were an ordinary contestant."

"Still am." She tapped her earpiece, adjusting the audio channel to the production crew.

"Athena Demerin, checking in. We’re at Sector Nine. No visual on enemy movement, but their energy signatures are clustering."

A reply came through immediately. "Copy that, Athena. Keep your guard up. We’ll send intel as soon as our satellites update."

Athena sighed and glanced at Mors, who had already started moving down the ridge. His presence was commanding even in the midst of destruction.

He carried his weapons with an ease that spoke of years of battle experience, and his dark uniform blended seamlessly with the shadows.

She followed, adjusting her gloves. The moment her boots hit the uneven terrain, she felt it, the subtle vibration beneath the earth. They were coming.

A sudden shriek tore through the night. The sound was guttural, inhuman, and too close. Athena’s instincts kicked in, her hand immediately reaching for her blade.

"Left flank," Mors said calmly, already drawing his energy sword.

Athena pivoted, and in the dim light, she saw them. A wave of zergs, some crawling, some leaping, their bodies glistening with thick exoskeletons.

Their elongated limbs ended in deadly claws, their mandibles clicking as they communicated in their guttural tongue.

But what caught her attention was the one at the center. A level-eight zerg.

Unlike the mindless drones, this one stood upright. Its chitinous body had a humanoid shape, and its two burning eyes locked onto Athena as it spoke in a low, hissing voice.

"Humans... die..."

The words were broken, but the intent was clear.

Her earpiece crackled with a sudden transmission.

"This is Command. Reinforcements are en route. Hold your ground for five more minutes."

Five minutes in a battle like this felt like an eternity.

The zergs screeched again, pushing forward with renewed aggression. Athena felt her energy-draining, but she refused to slow down.

She sidestepped an attack, flipping over a fallen carcass and slicing another enemy in mid-air.

Mors fought beside her, his strikes growing fiercer. Blood splattered against his uniform, but he didn’t waver.

Then, suddenly, the level-eight zerg moved.

It lunged straight for Athena.

She barely had time to react. A clawed hand slashed across her shoulder, sending her crashing into the dirt. Pain seared through her body.

Mors was beside her in an instant, his expression dark.

"Athena..."

"I’m fine," she gritted out, forcing herself up. Blood dripped down her arm, but she ignored it.

The level-eight zerg tilted its head, as if amused.

Then, in its broken voice, it spoke again.

"...Strong."

Athena narrowed her eyes. It was testing her.

Mors didn’t give it a chance to continue. He surged forward, his energy sword flashing. The zerg screeched and dodged, but Mors was relentless.

Their battle became a flurry of strikes, each move more aggressive than the last. Athena wiped the blood from her chin, gripping her blade tighter.

The reinforcements needed to hurry. Then, a loud explosion shook the ground. Athena turned just in time to see warships breaking through the clouds. The cavalry had arrived.

Relief flooded through her as the sky filled with gunfire, missiles raining down upon the zerg forces. The creatures shrieked in pain, their formations breaking.

Mors pulled back, breathing heavily. "Took them long enough."

Athena smirked despite her exhaustion. "Let’s finish this."

And with that, they charged back into battle, determined to end the fight before the next wave arrived. This war was far from over.