《Doomsday Spiritual Artifact Master》


 Chapter 1: F177 District (1)

    ¡òA Dead Bird at the Beginning.¡òAs the sun was setting, the sky suddenly erupted into a thunderstorm. The horizon still held half of the sun, with the scorching heat waves meeting the lightning that pierced the sky. However, the lightning vanished in an instant, leaving behind a trail of smoke-white mist. The rain descended swiftly, creating a dazzling and torrential ¡°sun shower¡± spectacle.


    This rain came without any warning but was quite timely, instantly dispelling the sultriness and oppression brought by days of high temperatures.


    ¡°The Weather Mimicry System¡­ How many times has it been this year?¡±


    In the rain-covered city, some elderly individuals with white hair looked up at the sky, murmuring thoughtfully.


    New Asia Alliance, an island in the eastern region.


    Amid lush mountains and forests, a black umbrella moved quickly in the rain.


    The person holding the umbrella had an obscured face, and behind them was a protruding section of a long and thin package. The black non-slip fabric had been soaked, dripping water continuously. Despite the rough and uneven mountain path, this person moved effortlessly, agile like a hawk soaring up and down.


    Upon reaching halfway up the mountain, the umbrella tilted, revealing a fair and charming face.


    The young girl¡¯s dark eyes were lowered as she peered through the wet rain curtain, looking down the mountain from a distance. Perhaps due to the rain, the animals in the mountains had returned to their nests, creating an unusually desolate atmosphere. The only commotion came from the port on the opposite side.


    This was an isolated island with a mountain facing the sea, surrounded by a complex network of transportation routes. At regular intervals, various large transport ships sailed across the sea in an orderly fashion. The sky was dominated by public airways controlled by the Alliance, with state-of-the-art airships shuttling amidst them. The dazzling shapes of these airships, adorned with neon signal lights of different colors, created a mesmerizing and dreamy illusion, especially in the hazy rain.


    However, if one were to cast their gaze towards the depths of the ground: clusters of crowded and affordable housing, the air tainted with the salty smell of the sea, faces of people coming and going, fatigued and numb, all acted like a splash of cold water, instantly sobering anyone up.


    This place wasn¡¯t a paradise, and it couldn¡¯t even be called a city.


    The prosperity of the sky was accelerating the decay on the ground. The budding nobility of the new civilization looked on coldly at the struggles of the ruins of the old civilization. The stark contradiction between the two led to District 177 consistently receiving an ¡°F¡± grade in the Alliance¡¯s comprehensive development evaluations.


    F177 District, a forsaken land unworthy even of its name.


    Because it couldn¡¯t catch up with the ¡°Glorious Thirty Years¡± of rapid technological advancement in the history of the New Asia Alliance, missing out on the opportunity of economic boom, District 177, relying solely on the export of marine products, gradually became the most barren digital city within the Alliance¡ªan underdeveloped area that could be counted on fingers.


    After leaving the mountain range, the rain suddenly stopped, as if entering a melancholic barrier. The distinct salty air of District 177 struck her face.


    The young girl closed her umbrella and carefully shook off the rainwater. After passing through a checkpoint, she continued forward.


    Nearby at the dock, a respected local sailor was smoking with a troubled expression.


    Beside him, a young woman anxiously tugged at his sleeve. ¡°Old Cheng, my husband Abing has been out to sea for almost half a month. Nothing bad will happen, right?¡±


    The sailor furrowed his brows and blew out a long smoke ring. ¡°The Alliance requested a local guide this time, and Bing has been out to sea since he was eleven or twelve. He¡¯s the most experienced here. Don¡¯t worry too much, nothing will happen.¡±


    The woman still wasn¡¯t reassured. ¡°But my eyelids have been twitching these past two days, and my heart¡¯s not at ease.¡±


    With a resentful tone, she pulled the man¡¯s sleeve. ¡°This job was introduced by you. You said the so-called foreign research team studying ocean currents offered good money for minimal work. It was easy money for a quick trip. It was because of that, that Abing agreed. You can¡¯t just ignore whether he lives or dies!¡±


    The sailor was being pulled and his face showed his frustration. He mumbled, ¡°Wait a bit longer. The seas have been restless lately. If we don¡¯t get any news in a couple of days, I¡¯ll send someone out to search.¡±


    Catching a glimpse of the young girl approaching, the sailor halted his words, and a gentle smile appeared on his weathered face. ¡°Looks like Girl Ke is back.¡±


    Song Ke respectfully greeted, ¡°Grandpa Cheng.¡±


    Old Cheng smiled as he looked her over. ¡°Why are you all sweaty? Tired today?¡±


    Song Ke obediently shook her head, a small smile playing on her lips.


    When she smiled, a shallow dimple appeared on her cheek, making her look particularly cute.


    The woman beside them turned her head, shooting a harsh glare at Song Ke, her eyes filled with lingering anger.


    Song Ke was always sensitive to the emotions of others. With a single glance, she instantly retracted her smile, and the dimple vanished in an instant.


    She nodded politely at Old Cheng and remained silent.


    The woman was known as Aunt Qing, a refugee who had come to District 177 years ago. She had always looked down on the indigenous people like Song Ke. Song Ke felt that both she and her chubby son were a little mean. Maybe because she herself didn¡¯t talk much, whenever they met, Aunt Qing would always make snide remarks in a sarcastic manner. Her husband, Bing, was a local resident and a straightforward and honest person. He had worked in Old Cheng¡¯s transportation team, and he had even given Song Ke some candy when she was a child.


    During this period, many research teams had come to District 177 to study various things, such as meteorology, ocean currents, and reportedly even microbial communities. Bing, experienced and willing to endure hardships, was happy to work as a guide for them to earn some extra money. But who would have thought¡­ he had gone missing?


    As Song Ke thought about Bing¡¯s disappearance at sea, she walked forward in silence. Passing by a fishing boat that was unloading its catch, several young men in black waders with rolled-up sleeves were busy on board.


    ¡°Sss¡ªOuch!¡± Someone suddenly exclaimed as they cast a net.


    ¡°What happened, Xiao Liu? Why the big fuss?¡± a person nearby immediately asked with concern.


    ¡°Bad luck, I got bitten by a fish.¡±


    ¡°Are you kidding? A few mullets could bite you? Just trying to be lazy, huh?¡±


    ¡°No, really! It was the fish! If you don¡¯t believe me, take a look!¡±


    The person called ¡°Xiao Liu¡± was met with ridicule from his companions. His face turned bright red, and he pulled off his gloves with a grimace, showing them the deep gash on his hand.


    Song Ke had excellent eyesight. Following the sound, she saw from a distance that his palm was bloody and torn, the wound deep. Those who often did manual labor on the docks were accustomed to getting injured, so it wasn¡¯t taken too seriously. They continued to laugh and joke around.


    ¡°Oh, wow, this little guy¡¯s quite fierce. He might fetch a good price,¡± someone said.


    ¡°Xiao Liu, come here and identify which fish did it. I¡¯ll stew it for you to vent your anger!¡±


    Even Xiao Liu, who was injured, didn¡¯t seem to care much. After wiping off the bloodstains casually, he put his gloves back on. ¡°This fish had some strength today, it was stronger than me. Pulling in the net wasn¡¯t easy.¡±


    Song Ke withdrew her gaze and spun around on her tiptoes, turning back in the direction of home.


    The lively scene behind her grew increasingly distant, and her figure gradually faded away, leaving her with a sense of unbelonging loneliness.


    After a few steps, she belatedly looked up at the sky.


    The fishing ban had just lifted, and autumn was approaching in a few days. However, the scorching sun above showed no mercy, blazing on the horizon, radiating heat as if it wanted to turn everything in the world into ashes.


    Song Ke was drenched in sweat, her head throbbing from the relentless sun. She felt like a lump of poor-quality cream, on the verge of melting at any moment.


    She sluggishly opened her umbrella again, this time to shield herself from the sun.


    The searing sensation around her eyes forced her to squint.


    This summer was just too hot.


    Twenty minutes later, Song Ke, drenched in sweat, navigated her way through the crowded and narrow cheap housing and stopped in front of a dilapidated small house.


    This was her home.


    She used her key to unlock the door, but right before entering, she hesitated, dawdling for a long time.


    Seeing that there was no movement for a long time, Song Ke persistently shifted a little to the side, peeking into her neighbor¡¯s home.


    Why was Aming so quiet today?


    Aming was a chatty magpie. They had a special bond, and his chatter was several times faster than hers. He greeted Song Ke every morning and evening without fail.


    It was like the eunuchs in the history books of the old civilization who stood by the palace door with their arms crossed over their chest, observing the movements of their master at all times.


    When Song Ke ventured out in the darkness of the night, it hummed secretively¡±Go for it, Song Ke! Hang in there, Song Ke!¡±


    When Song Ke returned, completely exhausted, in the pitch-black darkness, Aming flapped its wings and exclaimed, ¡°Got beaten again today! Beaten again!¡±


    Aming, who usually liked to show off, what was up with it today?


    Song Ke went around to the base of the neighbor¡¯s wall, took a couple of steps back, crouched, gathered her strength, and with a swift movement, leaped onto the top of the wall. Then, she adeptly opened the sparse fence, peered inside, and softly called her friend, ¡°Aming, Ming!¡±


    Aming had its back turned to Song Ke, lying low in its bamboo-made magpie cage. It appeared sluggish and weary. When it heard her voice, it took a good while to lift its head, laboriously flapping its wings to move closer. Its orange beak lightly pecked at her palm as a greeting.


    Song Ke glanced at the empty food trough. Although Aming was usually free-range, the neighbor grandmother fed it daily, so it shouldn¡¯t be hungry. Was it throwing a fit because there was no food today?


    She hopped down from the wall, patted her knees, and slipped through her own front gate. She picked a string of dark and lustrous grapes from the green vines in the courtyard, swiftly turned back to the wall, and tossed it gently down, saying, ¡°Aming, eat, eat something tasty.¡±


    After just a while, Aming looked even more listless. It remained curled up in the corner against the wall, not moving at all, not even lifting its head.


    Song Ke grew anxious, prodding its head with the grapevine. Unexpectedly, Aming suddenly threw its neck back and let out a miserable scream, the hoarse ending note sounding particularly piercing. S?a??h th? n0v?l(?)ire.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Startled, Song Ke refrained from further antics, holding the grapes in place, waiting anxiously for a while. Eventually, she confirmed that Aming truly didn¡¯t want to pay her any mind. Dejectedly, she returned to her own home.


    ¡­


    Once inside, Song Ke eagerly unwrapped the package on her back, laying it out on the table. The long item inside slowly revealed itself¡ªit was an ancient Tang sword passed down from the era of the old civilization, a chilling and fierce weapon.


    Song Ke¡¯s eyes widened in awe as she touched the hilt of the sword, her hands reluctant to let it go.


    After admiring it, she retrieved a thick sketchbook from under the table, meticulously copying the details. Whenever she found a weapon she liked, Song Ke would painstakingly draw it, creating a detailed representation for future enjoyment. However, her preferences were varied and numerous, causing the book to grow thicker with each passing day.


    In the new era of civilization, the majority of cold weapons had lost their practical value, becoming relics and archaeological items.


    Song Ke was an anomaly. She wasn¡¯t interested in the new types of weapons that the Alliance had been promoting for the past few years; she was only fascinated by the old civilization¡¯s blades. This sword was her master¡¯s recent acquisition, and she had only been permitted to borrow it after winning against her fellow disciples. She would have even considered sleeping with it if her master hadn¡¯t strictly prohibited it before she left the mountain!


    As for her master, he was the reason why she commuted twenty kilometers back and forth every day before dawn and in the dark.


    Song Ke had an extraordinary talent. Since she was a child, she exhibited astonishing physical strength and immense destructive power leading her grandfather to decide she should learn martial arts.


    She followed her grandfather for several years, wandering around, until they finally found a centuries-old martial arts training hall in Yue Mountain (E166 District). There, she found a historical martial arts training hall, led by Master Zhang Ting, who later became her benevolent master. It was rumored that he was a descendant of some lost grand martial lineage, which gave him significant prestige.


    Yue Mountain belonged to an ecological landscape area and wasn¡¯t suitable for habitation. After considering the situation, her grandfather settled her down in the nearby notorious District F177, known for its ¡°dirty and disorderly¡± conditions. Since then, they never moved again.


    After thirty minutes of meticulous drawing, Song Ke stretched lazily and got up from the floor.


    The room was empty, except for a few large, standardized pieces of furniture, making it look bare. She walked into the kitchen, made herself a big bowl of plain noodles, sprinkled them with fresh green scallions, and even indulgently fried two sunny-side-up eggs.


    Once the noodles were ready, Song Ke carried the bowl, larger than her face, back to the living room.


    Taking a bite of noodles, glancing at the Tang sword on the table, taking another big bite, and then reluctantly looking back at the sketchbook¡ªindeed, it was a great appetite enhancer.


    Song Ke was an orphan her grandfather had taken in. She had no parents or siblings, truly on her own.


    A few years ago, her grandfather, her only companion, had passed away. She learned to live alone. Due to her inability to handle social interactions, she gradually descended to a point where the only company she had was a magpie from the neighbor¡¯s house.


    However, she didn¡¯t really care about the fact that no one talked to her, as she wasn¡¯t much of a talker herself.


    Because she had a stutter¡ªshe was born with it.


    After finishing the noodles and cleaning the dishes, Song Ke sat back down on the floor and took out the old light screen left behind by her grandfather to start reading.


    This light screen was a task her grandfather had assigned her before he passed away. She was supposed to study for at least an hour every day.


    Due to certain circumstances, she dropped out of high school without completing her education. However, in this era of rapid development of the new civilization, the outside world was constantly changing. Her grandfather worried that she might grow up to be illiterate and unable to keep up with the times, so he had already set strict rules for her to study every day. At the very least, her level of education shouldn¡¯t fall too far behind others.


    After going through various options, Song Ke selected a book titled ¡°Particle Physics Advanced Microbiology¡± from a corner of the cracked screen. With a dejected look, she started reading.


    The motion-sensitive lamp above her head emitted a warm yellow light, making her feel drowsy.


    Song Ke tended to get sleepy while reading, and it was particularly intense today. Her eyelids felt like they were glued together, and her upper and lower eyelids started fighting.


    Perhaps it was due to eating too much, and she felt weak. Her limbs were numb and lacked any sensation due to sleepiness.


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    Suddenly, a loud crash echoed in her ears.


    Startled by the noise, Song Ke¡¯s head hit the floor as she tumbled over, and it took her a while to sit up sluggishly, holding her head.


    Realizing that something was amiss as she touched her head, she contemplated the situation. After all, her head wasn¡¯t made of iron; how could it make such a loud noise?


    Song Ke lifted her eyelids and looked around in confusion.


    She saw a huge hole smashed in her window, and the floor was covered in shattered glass. The damp, chilly night wind blew in from outside, making her shiver as her pores involuntarily stood on end.


    Was it hail outside?


    Without any care for the light screen that had long since gone into sleep mode, Song Ke quickly stood up to investigate.


    A blurry black figure was rolling on the windowsill, convulsing uncontrollably.


    Song Ke raised her guard, cautiously approaching¡ª


    The black magpie was trembling stiffly, its wings twitching involuntarily. Most of its smooth feathers had fallen off, revealing the mottled skin underneath. Its black-bean-like pupils seemed to be covered by a hazy gray-white film, staring intently ahead with a dark, gloomy look.


    It opened its beak, emitting a hoarse cry that seemed both a plea for help from Song Ke and a menacing low growl. Strangely, its opened mouth revealed two rows of uneven, jagged teeth, smeared with viscous black bloodstains.


    It was Aming!


    Song Ke¡¯s grip on the windowsill tightened suddenly.


    Before she could fully process the situation, the magpie convulsed violently for a few moments, then its head drooped down, becoming still.

 Chapter 2: F177 District (2)

    ¡òStill engage in sneak attacks? How shameless!¡òSong Ke had a dream.


    In the dream, she lay in the shade of grapevines. Aming was still his arrogant and pompous self, dancing around her energetically. Occasionally, he lightly tapped her head with his sharp beak. When she woke up, it felt as if the touch sensation from that time was still lingering on her head.


    A whole week had passed since the night Aming underwent a strange transformation and died.


    During these days, she had continuously tried to knock on her neighbor¡¯s door, but she never received any response. The tightly closed iron door seemed like a self-imposed barrier, cutting off all ill-intentioned prying from the outside world.


    Did they go on a trip?


    Was that why they didn¡¯t have time to feed Aming? But if they went on a trip, why didn¡¯t they take Aming with them?


    No, something wasn¡¯t right. Song Ke¡¯s action of knocking on the door gradually came to a halt.


    Aming didn¡¯t starve to death, absolutely not.


    The dark memories rushed in like a nightmare. Every time she remembered Aming¡¯s stiff and deformed body and the two rows of sharp teeth protruding from its mouth, her back would shiver with bone-chilling coldness.


    Song Ke rested her head against the tightly shut door, exuding a sense of loneliness.


    She had lost her only friend.


    She had buried Aming on the slope behind the house, with a small mound of dirt and bamboo grasshoppers and grapes on top. Those were its favorites during its lifetime. She also wrote down the news of Aming¡¯s death on paper and posted it on the neighbor¡¯s door.


    Hopefully, the family would see it when they returned.


    With her thoughts filled with Aming, Song Ke left the house somewhat dispirited.


    Regardless, she couldn¡¯t neglect her training at the martial arts school. If her master caught her skipping class, she would inevitably be beaten up.


    *


    The sky hadn¡¯t fully brightened yet. The entire District 177 was enveloped in a hazy mist. Occasionally, the sound of waves crashing against the rocks could be heard. The neon signal lights high in the sky continued to twinkle tirelessly, dividing the indigo surface of the sea into scattered fragments.


    When Song Ke passed by the dock, she noticed that there were fewer people working today.


    Although the dock work was arduous, since no identification was needed and the payment was given daily, it had always been popular among the local young adults. It was quite rare to see such a scarce situation as today.


    She cast a puzzled glance around and heard voices coming from a corner.


    ¡°¡­They all took sick leave. There have been fewer and fewer people recently.¡±


    ¡°Did Xiao Liu not come today either?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know? Xiao Liu died!¡±


    ¡°What? He was perfectly fine a few days ago. How could this suddenly¡­¡±


    ¡°Xiao Liu was poisoned! His entire right hand rotted away! Even the police from District C were alarmed by this. They came specially to handle his body.¡±


    ¡°No way¡­ people from District C, how could they be willing to clean up District F¡¯s mess?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because you don¡¯t know how terrifying his death was! I saw it with my own eyes! His eyeballs turned gray, and both eye sockets were bulging. His whole body was as cold as ice.¡± The man lowered his voice, his tone carrying a hint of fear. ¡°I heard the police won¡¯t allow cremation. They want the forensic examiner to conduct a pathological analysis, and the body has to be sent for autopsy and research. Xiao Lius¡¯s parents fainted on the spot and went crazy when they woke up.¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s footsteps abruptly halted.


    Xiao Liu¡­ Xiao Liu! She had just felt that the name was familiar, and it was only here that she realized.


    She remembered now, the ¡°Xiao Liu¡± they were referring to was the young man bitten by a mullet fish that day. And the hand¡­ the bloodied hand¡­ she remembered seeing it back then¡­ his injured hand was his right hand!


    In a flash, Song Ke¡¯s heart raced, and she almost instantly connected it to Aming.


    Aming was the same way, his body turning cold and rigid, his eyeballs turning gray, exhibiting the exact same symptoms as Xiao Liu!


    The more she thought about it, the more her scalp tingled with unease. She dared not stay in place any longer and rushed toward the martial arts school as if fleeing.


    She had walked down this small road to Yue Mountain countless times. She could navigate it even with her eyes closed. But today, perhaps due to her imagination, everything seemed deathly quiet. Even the usual cacophony of insects and birds was absent, leaving a silence that was eerie.


    The scorching sun still hung overhead, and the scalding sweat continually dripped from her forehead, splattering onto the ground and silently dissipating.


    In the cramped environment, there seemed to be an infinite danger lurking. Song Ke quickened her pace, racing to the mountaintop.


    ¡­


    Inside the martial arts school, everything was as lively as usual, with occasional laughter from the students.


    Song Ke leaned against the door frame, panting heavily. Her turbulent emotions gradually calmed down. She exhaled heavily and stepped over the threshold. However, after just a few steps, a strong sense of impending danger struck her like a lightning bolt ¨C danger!


    A glaring red light suddenly erupted from the corner, like a burning meteor, carrying a murderous intent as it rushed towards her.


    Song Ke¡¯s pupils slightly constricted. Her upper body leaned back significantly, her supple waist almost folding in half. She executed a graceful backflip and landed lightly. The lethal red light narrowly grazed her forehead.


    The attacker fired an empty shot and no longer pursued, sneering in a sinister tone, ¡°Little Stu-stutterer, you react pretty fast.¡±


    Song Ke lifted her eyelids to glance at him, then immediately lowered them, remaining silent.


    The other person¡¯s tone turned unpleasant, ¡°How come you can¡¯t even call out someone¡¯s name? I remember you have a stutter, but you¡¯re not mute, right?¡±


    Song Ke pursed her lips and reluctantly spoke, ¡°Tu-Tun, Tun Qin.¡±


    ¡°Tu-Tun, Tun Qin!¡± Tun Qin mimicked her speech with a twisted grin, his deep brown face exuding ill intentions. ¡°Indeed, you¡¯re just a little trash from District F. Who gave you the right to call me by my name? Am I not worthy of being your senior brother?¡±


    Song Ke didn¡¯t want to pay attention to his provocation. She turned a corner and headed towards the backyard without any hesitation.


    Tun Qin followed with a step, angrily blocking her path, ¡°I¡¯m talking to you, where are you going?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to find, find my master.¡±


    Tun Qin didn¡¯t seem to like Song Ke¡¯s words, and his expression turned cold instantly, ¡°In a hurry to tattle, huh? Heh, you really deserve to be Zhang Ci¡¯s child bride. When he¡¯s not around, you¡¯re in a rush to play the filial role for him. Quite devoted, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Thick malice rushed towards her like a serpent¡¯s hiss protruding from the shadows.


    Song Ke lowered her head, clenching her fists with an audible sound. If it weren¡¯t for the rules in the martial arts school that prohibited random fighting among students, she would have already jumped up and kicked that annoying face, turning the troublemaker Tun Qin into a pighead.


    As the two were at a standoff, a clear female voice sounded from behind, ¡°Tun Qin, why are you bullying Junior Sister again?¡±


    The newcomer was stunning with captivating features, dressed in a sleek combat suit. Her high ponytail exuded a hint of fierceness. It was their senior sister Rita. ¡°Good, taking advantage of Senior Brother Zhang Ci¡¯s absence to break the rules, huh? Who allowed you to use a particle gun in the martial arts school?¡±


    The Tun family was a local powerhouse in the Mudan (C55 District), controlling multiple arms factories in the area. They possessed a variety of illegal and prohibited weapons in their hands.


    Tun Qin seemed nonchalantly playing with his gun, allowing the faint deep red light to shimmer and fade, ¡°They¡¯re just defective prototypes. I had Little Stutterer here test their power for me. Is there a problem with that?¡±


    As he spoke, he suddenly aimed the gun at Song Ke¡¯s head again, ¡°Furthermore, didn¡¯t she dodge it?¡±


    Dangerous particle streams gathered in front of her, yet Song Ke stood her ground.


    Rita reached out beside her and pressed the gun down, irritation in her expression, ¡°Put it away. Do you want to be seen by Master? Do you really want to get kicked out of here?¡±


    Tun Qin¡¯s gaze flickered slightly. He withdrew the particle gun with a sarcastic mutter, ¡°The Zhang family¡¯s child bride is indeed precious.¡±


    Rita didn¡¯t back down, challenging him, ¡°Shut up already. All you do is complain and provoke trouble all day. Is it because you couldn¡¯t participate in this year¡¯s Azure Phoenix Assessment? It was your own choice to withdraw. What does that have to do with Senior Brother Zhang and Junior Sister? And you still engage in a sneak attack? How shameless!¡±


    The Azure Phoenix Elite Battalion, officially known as the Special Duties Force of the New Asia Alliance, was the most mysterious and highly talked-about military unit in recent years. It quickly gained popularity across all regions, sparking a surge of interest in joining the military. S?a??h the N?velF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Its recruitment criteria were surprisingly simple.


    [No restrictions on nationality, background, or gender. Citizens over 20 years old are eligible to join.]


    However, behind these seemingly simple conditions lay unparalleled temptation.


    [Those selected by the Azure Phoenix can directly obtain citizenship status in a B-grade city.]


    Countless people were drawn to this offer, viewing Azure Phoenix as a ladder to change their destiny. The stronger the allure, the fiercer the competition. The assessment process for Azure Phoenix remains undisclosed to the public, and the admission rate is extremely low. Most people are eliminated without understanding the process.


    However, since it was an elite military unit, the physical requirements were undoubtedly stringent. Therefore, after the establishment of Azure Phoenix, the martial arts atmosphere within the Alliance quietly flourished.


    Tun Qin and Rita were both from the C District. They came here to train with the goal of joining Azure Phoenix. The team from Yue Mountain Martial Arts School that signed up for this year¡¯s assessment had already departed, led by Zhang Ci.


    ¡°You!¡± Tun Qin¡¯s sore spot was poked, his expression contorting. However, due to Rita¡¯s background, he refrained from acting recklessly.


    Rita showed no fear, deliberately raising her voice, ¡°Thank goodness you withdrew early. Otherwise, you would have gone and not been selected. Wouldn¡¯t that be even more embarrassing?¡±


    After saying this, she grabbed Song Ke¡¯s arm and pulled her away, ignoring Tun Qin.


    Tun Qin, with a dark expression, watched the two figures walking away. After a moment, he disdainfully muttered, ¡°Idiot.¡±


    ¡°There are no awakened people, no matter how many people go, what¡¯s the use.¡±


    *


    Yue Mountain Martial Arts School¡¯s architecture was a rare antique design within the Alliance. Its complex structure required passing through lengthy corridors from the front yard to the back hall.


    Along the way, Rita stammered as she spoke, ¡°Junior Sister, you¡¯re not¡­ you know, Senior Brother Zhang¡¯s¡­ that?¡±


    What ¡®that¡¯? She vaguely left it unexplained.


    Zhang Ci was their eldest senior brother, having arrived before many others. He was among the first to train under Zhang Ting. Rumors circulated that he was Zhang Ting¡¯s biological son, but the two¡¯s relationship was distant and respectful. Zhang Ting was hot-tempered, while Zhang Ci was reserved. No one dared to ask openly, so they could only gossip in private.


    Song Ke turned to look at Rita, and found that there was a unease on her face, and even the roots of her ears were red.


    Curious about why Rita was blushing, Song Ke, struggling with her words, eventually replied in a slow manner, ¡°No.¡±


    Rita, seemingly relieved by her response, brightened up and affectionately wrapped her arm around her shoulder.


    As they passed the cafeteria, they coincidentally met Aunt Pang, who was in charge of logistics, coming out with a tray.


    Several steaming bowls of ginger soup were placed on the tray. Aunt Pang warmly greeted the two, ¡°Ah, Girl Ke, you¡¯re here. Haven¡¯t had breakfast, have you? I¡¯ve boiled two tea eggs for you. Take them.¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s eyes lit up, and she vigorously nodded.


    Rita pinched her nose in disdain, ¡°Aunt Pang, it smells awful. Why are you cooking this?¡±


    Aunt Pang sighed helplessly, ¡°It¡¯s strange, really. On such a hot day, many students are getting colds and fevers. I¡¯m making them some herbal medicine.¡±


    Rita expressed skepticism, ¡°Could it be a way to slack off and pretend to be sick?¡±


    There were no weaklings in the martial arts school, so it was indeed strange that so many fell sick for no apparent reason.


    Aunt Pang clicked her tongue, ¡°It seems like it. You know what that kid, Song En, told me? He said a wild chicken pecked him yesterday, and today his whole body hurts so much he can¡¯t even get out of bed. These brats are so lazy in coming up with excuses. I think he¡¯s just itching for a beating!¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, he¡¯s quite creative!¡± Rita lacked sympathy, laughing uncontrollably, ¡°What about that chicken that pecks people?¡±


    ¡°I slaughtered it. It wasn¡¯t laying eggs anyway. Might as well use it to nourish these sick people,¡± Aunt Pang chuckled.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take it over for you.¡± Rita took the tray from Aunt Pang¡¯s hands, then turned to Song Ke and suggested, ¡°Master is still in the meditation room. Why don¡¯t you go check on Song En?¡±


    While they were conversing, Song Ke had already sneaked two tea eggs from the kitchen and stuffed them into her pockets. Upon hearing Rita¡¯s suggestion, she obediently nodded.

 Chapter 3: F177 District (3)

    ¡òCrazed Researcher¡òSong En was the most trouble-making student among all the students.


    He¡¯d climb onto rooftops, go into the sea to catch turtles, and even dare to patch up a hole in the sky.


    Every time the list of wrongdoers came out, his name was on it. After being punished and beaten many times, Song En gradually realized the truth: everyone else was unreliable, and only Junior Sister was loyal. Later, no matter how much trouble he caused, he never forgot to bring Song Ke along. Even if they ended up crying from getting beaten up, at least there was someone to accompany him.


    In the resting room, Song En was hooked up to an IV, lying weakly on the bed.


    Song Ke sat beside him, peeling tea eggs. S?a?ch* Th? ???el F?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    The morning news report faintly echoed in the background, the volume too low to catch everything.


    ¡°The Alliance Meteorological Bureau has issued a high-temperature red alert¡­ outdoor activities are to be suspended¡­ reduce travel.¡±


    ¡°If any abnormal situations are detected, please report them promptly to the relevant departments.¡±


    At the entrance, Aunt Pang was lecturing a mischievous student by the ear, her loud voice momentarily overpowering the news reporter.


    ¡°The Qinglan Research Institute¡­ solar activity peak¡­ initiating¡­ weather simulation system.¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s attention drifted for a few seconds due to the mention of the research institute. When she lowered her head again, the tea eggs she¡¯d been peeling were now nothing but empty shells in her hands.


    On the bed, Song En was humming and holding his head, continuously chewing.


    Song Ke: ¡°¡­¡±


    Considering their past shared hardships, she, as the adult, chose to let it slide that he was hogging all the egg. She pulled another egg out of her pocket.


    In the beds next door, a lively discussion about this year¡¯s assessment for the Azure Phoenix began. The number of votes in favor of Zhang Ci passing successfully had reached ninety percent.


    Song En muttered in dissatisfaction, ¡°Next year, you¡¯ll witness my greatness.¡±


    At just nineteen years old, he hadn¡¯t reached the required age for registration yet, but he was already ambitiously planning his future. He initially wanted Song Ke to praise him a little, but when he turned his head to check, he saw his Junior Sister holding a completely peeled tea egg, lost in thought.


    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡±


    ¡°Se-Senior Brother, have you seen gray, grayish-white eyes before?¡±


    ¡°I have,¡± Song En stared at the egg, answering absentmindedly.


    ¡°Why, why would, they turn gray?¡±


    ¡°Come closer, and I¡¯ll tell you.¡±


    Song Ke leaned in.


    Song En suddenly opened his mouth, snatching the egg from her hand, ¡°What else could it be? Cataracts!¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°¡­¡± He didn¡¯t really answer seriously.


    She could tolerate him making fun of her and teasing her, but the fact that there were two tea eggs, and she hadn¡¯t even had a bite, was truly intolerable. Expressionlessly, Song Ke raised her fist, and soon the room was filled with cries of pain.


    ¡°Junior Sister, spare me!¡±


    ¡°Junior Sister, have you forgotten the bird nests we dug, the earthworms we collected, the beatings we endured together over the years?¡±


    ¡°Have you forgotten about us¡­ cough, cough, cough!¡±


    Mid-shout, Song En began to cough intensely. His face turned bright red from the high fever, and tears welled up in his eyes due to the fever.


    Watching his pitiful state, Song Ke hesitated a bit.


    Song En, on the other hand, quickly regained his composure after catching his breath and earnestly promised with a playful smile, ¡°Tomorrow! Tomorrow, I¡¯ll give you four eggs to make up for it. Can¡¯t I do that, Junior Sister? Senior Brother keeps his promises!¡±


    ¡­


    After seeing Song En, Song Ke finally got to meet her cheap master, Zhang Ting.


    Zhang Ting was the golden signboard of the entire Yue Mountain Martial Arts School, a top-notch combat master in the Alliance. Despite his kind, approachable, and friendly appearance, in reality, his temper was both foul and unyielding. He was like a firecracker, bursting and popping at the slightest provocation.


    When Song Ke sneaked into the meditation room, Zhang Ting was in a cross-legged meditation. The room was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop, creating an unexpectedly solemn atmosphere.


    In other people¡¯s words, there was a certain aura around Zhang Ting.


    On the table were some shiny walnuts. Song Ke thought of her unfortunate tea eggs, so she surreptitiously reached out to touch them, but Zhang Ting, with his eyes closed, accurately slapped her hand away, saying, ¡°You¡¯re drooling! Didn¡¯t you have breakfast?¡±


    Song Ke covered her reddening hand back, looking pitifully aggrieved, ¡°I¡­ I didn¡¯t eat.¡±


    Zhang Ting slightly opened his left eye, peeking at her through the narrow gap. ¡°Are you so hungry that you¡¯ve lost your mind? You dare to eye my walnuts!¡± But as he caught sight of Song Ke¡¯s pitiable expression, he paused, ¡°¡­I haven¡¯t touched my portion yet. Go and eat.¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s eyes lit up, and she took advantage of the situation, moving closer, ¡°Master, about that, that sword from last time, could I, could I borrow it to take a look?¡±


    Zhang Ting¡¯s expression instantly became difficult to describe. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it. How did that sword become so sticky? Did you get your saliva on it?¡±


    Song Ke felt embarrassed and looked down.


    Maybe, perhaps, it was indeed her saliva. She had been a bit scared that night and ended up falling asleep while holding the sword.


    Zhang Ting snorted lightly, seeing through it but not saying anything. He stood up and walked a couple of steps, pulling two plastic bags out of a low cabinet.


    ¡°Your eighteenth birthday is coming up, right? Here, this is the gift from your master.¡±


    ¡°Why are there two, two gifts?¡±


    ¡°One is for you, the other is for¡­ your Senior Brother Zhang.¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s birthday was the day she was picked up by her grandfather.


    Coincidentally, it was the same day as Zhang Ci¡¯s birthday. Since she started learning martial arts on Yue Mountain, she had celebrated her birthday together with Zhang Ci every year. This was also why everyone joked and called her ¡°child bride.¡±


    While Zhang Ting appeared composed, his tone was a bit stiff, ¡°When he¡¯s back, find a moment to give it to him.¡±


    ¡°You can give it to him yourself.¡± Song Ke didn¡¯t understand why she had to deliver it. She really didn¡¯t know Senior Brother Zhang well.


    Zhang Ting¡¯s eyes narrowed, and he gruffly shouted, ¡°If I tell you to give it, then give it! Stop with the useless chatter!¡±


    Zhang Ting¡¯s sternness startled Song Ke, making her shrink her head.


    Her master was really quite fierce.


    *


    After sweating like a fountain in the martial arts hall all day long and receiving two swats with a wooden ruler on her palms, Song Ke returned home, her head hanging dejectedly.


    Just as she passed the checkpoint, she noticed that there were quite a few people gathered around the pier ahead. Standing on the outer circle, she listened with a tilt of her ear and found out that it seemed to be the group that Grandpa Cheng had sent to search for Uncle Bing that had returned.


    The crowd around was in a buzz, discussing the bizarre capsizing incident of the research team. The consequences of the accident were quite devastating, with everyone on the same boat with Uncle Bing either dead or missing. In the end, they managed to retrieve only one researcher who was barely alive.


    As the onlookers gathered more and more, before long, Song Ke found herself pushed into the inner circle. The scene of so many people talking in a cluster made her feel slightly uncomfortable.


    She was about to slip away when suddenly, a mournful scream erupted from the crowd, ¡°Where¡¯s Abing? Why is it only you who came back? Where¡¯s Abing?¡±


    Aunt Qing¡¯s voice was hoarse as she forcefully clung onto the surviving researcher, shouting at the top of her lungs. Others tried to pull her away, but to no avail.


    Tugged back and forth by her, the researcher, who was lying limp on the ground, displayed evident signs of mental abnormality. His expression vacillated between blankness, tears, and laughter, as he incessantly muttered, ¡°Dead, all dead hahaha!¡±


    His collar was pulled down halfway, revealing layers of dark bruises on his shoulder. His pupils were dilated, and when the dazzling sunlight hit them, they faintly reflected an inorganic grayish-white sheen.


    ¡°They¡¯re here!¡±


    At that moment, the District 177 security officers rushed in with haste, accompanied by three individuals.


    The first two wore police uniforms and looked arrogant. However, when they spoke to the middle-aged man who followed them, they became exceptionally respectful, demonstrating a humble demeanor.


    The middle-aged man wore a plain work jacket and had an unfamiliar face. He wasn¡¯t a native of District 177.


    Furrowing his brows, he examined the crazy researcher before him. His expression then shifted dramatically, and he shouted loudly, ¡°Back away! Everyone, disperse!¡±


    While the crowd was still bewildered, the researcher in the center suddenly went berserk.


    Initially, he had been pushed and shoved around by Aunt Qin, so he had already ended up sprawled on the ground in a sorry state. But now, he was like a dying fish on a chopping board, suddenly flipping over and leaping up. He unleashed indiscriminate attacks in all directions.


    Aunt Qin was closest to him and suffered the brunt of his first assault. He bit off a large piece of flesh from her arm, his teeth glinting brightly. In the span of a few breaths, uneven rows of sharp teeth somehow grew between his teeth, and in just a matter of moments, he had completely pierced through the lower half of his face, presenting a grotesque sight of blood and flesh.


    ¡°Monster!¡±


    The scene was truly horrifying, and the witnesses were frightened pale. They scattered in all directions to escape the chaos. However, due to the proximity, many of them tripped and fell. Seizing this opportunity, the crazed creature pounced on them, plunging the scene into chaotic disorder.


    Song Ke stood frozen in place as the escaping crowd continually bumped into her shoulders and back. It was as though her feet were glued to the ground, and she couldn¡¯t move.


    The creature¡¯s eyes¡­ had turned gray-white.


    In this critical moment, the middle-aged man brought by the police took action.


    A gust of wind suddenly swept across the area. Before Song Ke could comprehend what was happening, the man¡¯s clothes fluttered, and almost instantly, he appeared in front of the frenzied monster.


    In disbelief, Song Ke rubbed her eyes and took a few steps back, seeking refuge on a nearby fishing boat.


    He¡¯s so fast! She hadn¡¯t been able to fully see his movements just now!


    The frenzied monster was blown high into the sky by the fierce wind column. It was trapped in a vortex-like state, completely powerless to resist. The already tattered clothes were shredded into pieces, and its expression grew increasingly violent.


    Looking at the middle-aged man in contrast, even though he was also at the center of the storm, he remained completely unharmed. He pushed both hands forward steadily, and the air in his palms fluctuated faintly, constantly creating a wind field to suppress the creature.


    However, as time passed, the man¡¯s complexion grew more strained, and beads of sweat started to form on his forehead. About ten minutes later, the struggling of the creature within the vortex gradually ceased. Its eyeballs slowly closed, appearing to have lost all signs of life.


    The middle-aged man let out a long breath, clasping his palms together. The swift winds that had arisen from nowhere around him suddenly disappeared inexplicably. The creature then fell from midair with a loud ¡°thud,¡± kicking up a cloud of choking dust upon impact.


    He turned around and nodded slightly to the people behind him who were maintaining order, saying, ¡°It¡¯s done, take it away.¡±


    Unexpectedly, one of the police officers suddenly had a drastic change in expression. In a state of panic, he shouted loudly at the middle-aged man, ¡°Watch out!¡±


    The middle-aged man swiftly turned his head!


    The barely breathing creature had roared behind him, its sharp claws swiping towards him.


    The middle-aged man couldn¡¯t evade in time, and in his haste, his coat pocket was torn, resulting in a few strands of bright red blood being drawn.


    A sharp wind blade sliced across the creature¡¯s neck. More than half of its head was severed, hanging precariously on its neck.


    This time, the creature remained absolutely motionless.


    The middle-aged man¡¯s expression turned grim. He stared at his wound for two seconds, then immediately walked away with large strides, commanding, ¡°Go back quickly!¡±


    His demeanor was no longer composed, and his eyes held a trace of indescribable terror.


    The police officers dragged the monster¡¯s corpse away, and Song Ke slowly straightened her body.


    The ground in front of her was strewn with debris¡ªfragments of clothes, viscous brown liquid, and thin traces of blood mingled together, emitting a nauseating odor. The crowd that had surrounded the area just ten minutes ago had long since fled in every direction, leaving no trace behind.


    The researcher¡­ turned into a monster? Who is this middle-aged man? How can he control the wind?


    Song Ke¡¯s understanding was in utter disarray. What on earth was all this?


    Exhausted, she returned home, her perception of the world shattered.


    Passing by Aming¡¯s grave, the once moist grapes had withered and rotted. Only the grasshopper made of straw remained vividly intact.


    She crouched down, adjusting the grasshopper, and muttered softly, ¡°Aming, did you also turn¡­ turn into that kind of monster?¡±


    Dead people wouldn¡¯t answer her questions, nor would dead birds.


    Song Ke was destined not to get any answers.


    The neighbors¡¯ door was tightly shut, and a piece of paper attached to it fluttered in the wind, lifting up one corner.


    Have these people¡­ not returned yet?


    She knocked on the door with force, but there was still a prolonged silence. No one responded. She looked left and right, and the surroundings were desolate and devoid of people.


    Song Ke glanced at the short wall nearby, took a deep breath, and then suddenly retreated, and prepared to jump. Suddenly, the flat wall surface began to flicker, and her field of vision was engulfed by an overwhelming brightness.


    Song Ke raised her head in astonishment.


    It was the moment of sunset. The sun, unwilling to sink at this moment, erupted with a dazzling brilliance, as if it would never rise again tomorrow.


    The scorching light grew more intense, accompanied by an all-encompassing burning sensation, pushing human senses to their limits.


    Song Ke felt the same dizziness and headache she had a few days ago when she was sunburned, but this time it was even more uncomfortable. She felt like she was suffocating, the air around her suddenly became thin, and even the flow of her blood felt like it was burning, consuming every inch of her muscles and bones.


    Without caring to look at the neighbor¡¯s wall again, she gritted her teeth and retreated in the opposite direction. The intense white light covered her eyes, and the brief blindness made her unable to see anything clearly.


    ¡°Bang¡ª¡± in the distance, there was a faint sound of streetlight shattering, and then the world fell into silence, with no more sounds.


    She couldn¡¯t hear anything anymore.


    Song Ke collapsed to the ground.


    Her body was burning hot, her skin was reddened, and her head was becoming increasingly heavy. She struggled to crawl in the direction of her memories, finally reaching her own front door. She used her last bit of strength to push it open, and Song Ke crawled inside with great difficulty, trembling as she closed the door.


    Then she let the intense heat engulf her, and she completely lost consciousness.

 Chapter 4: F177 District (4)

    ¡òAwakening of Ability¡òSong Ke burned for three whole days.


    For most of the time, she was tormented by continuous high fever, barely conscious, and fell into a deep state of coma, lying on the ground motionless.


    Occasionally, during brief moments of clarity, she could feel the lingering pain within her body, as if someone were using an iron saw to cut back and forth between her bones, severing her tendons and veins one by one, then haphazardly piecing them back together with paste, the process repeating endlessly without respite.


    Her lips cracked due to dehydration, her clothes soaked with cold sweat, sticking damply to her back. The blood in her limbs would sometimes boil and scorch, bringing a sensation of nearly extinguished burning; other times, it would freeze and stagnate, turning even smooth circulation into a luxury.


    When the pain reached its peak, Song Ke would futilely close her eyes, tilt her head back, and let out a silent scream, her frail body curling up like a shrimp, writhing on the floor.


    Amidst her scattered consciousness, vague thoughts flashed through her mind¡ªshe was going to die, like Aming, dead in a remote and dark corner, silently vanishing from this world, with no one to remember her existence; not even anyone to bury her like she did for Aming, not even a memorial stone for her.


    She would live like this, all alone, and then die.


    ¡­


    Three days later, in a quiet room, Song Ke¡¯s curled fingers twitched, and she slowly opened her eyes.


    She hadn¡¯t died.


    She was still alive.


    The prolonged torment had finally ended, yet a sense of mental exhaustion lingered. Song Ke clung to the table, swaying unsteadily as she stood up. S?a??h the n0v?l(?)ire.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Her thoughts and consciousness seemed to have been thoroughly cleansed, becoming exceptionally sharp. Some sort of change seemed to have taken place within her body, but she couldn¡¯t quite describe it.


    Outside the window, there was a thick fog that obscured the sky, blurring the boundaries between heaven and earth. In such an environment, it was easy for one to have illusions. Could the bizarre experiences of these past few days have all been her imagination?


    However, the widespread ache in her joints reminded Song Ke at every moment that it wasn¡¯t an illusion.


    Three days ago¡­ the ferocious and bloody monsters, the intense solar storms, and the sudden high fever-induced coma were definitely not her imagination.


    I need to go outside and see for myself, Song Ke thought. At the very least, I need to figure out what exactly has happened.


    In the depths of the dense fog, ghostly figures seemed to float around, as if countless hungry souls were wandering.


    It might not be safe outside, I need a weapon for self-defense, a knife¡­ preferably a knife¡­ Song Ke¡¯s thoughts were in disarray, various ideas swirling in her mind. She didn¡¯t notice that the wooden table she was holding onto was quietly undergoing a transformation, emitting a faint blue light from her palm as the center.


    The next second, the wooden table vanished into thin air, and in her hand¡ªthere was an extra kitchen knife.


    With a sturdy spine, a broad blade, and sharp cutting edges¡­


    It was a bone cleaver knife!


    Perfect for heavy chopping and hacking.


    Song Ke held onto the knife handle, her gaze confused: Where did this come from all of a sudden?


    She had just been imagining the structure of a kitchen knife in her mind with great detail¡­ Why did an exact physical copy appear?


    Perplexed, Song Ke swung the kitchen knife forward. As she did, a surge of energy surged within her body. Then, with a resounding ¡°boom!¡± the old wall across from her collapsed!


    So powerful!


    The faintly glowing kitchen knife flickered and disappeared from her palm after a few moments.


    Song Ke, as if sensing something, savored the profound sensation she had just experienced. She felt power, a vigorous, radiant, indescribable new power. It was like a gushing spring that continuously flowed outward from within her, uncontainable.


    Strong, yet difficult to control, and needing more practice.


    Looking around, without hesitation, Song Ke extended her grasp towards her single bed.


    With a thought, the ethereal blue light reappeared, and the iron bed transformed into a long wooden spear. The spearhead exuded chilling air, radiating a cold and ominous aura, hinting at immense power like a thunderclap.


    With her eyes gleaming, Song Ke bounced around the room, transforming everything she touched into various weapons within her field of vision.


    Knives, spears, swords, halberds, axes¡­ anything she had seen before, anything she could think of, all materialized.


    Only when the last piece of furniture was transformed did she stop, her excitement still not sated.


    Darkness swirled before her eyes, and a sensation of exhaustion washed over her. She, who had only been awake for less than half an hour ¡ª fainted again.


    ¡­


    Upon waking once more, Song Ke refrained from using that power.


    Even though she acted recklessly like a brute, performing dangerous stunts, which led to mental overload and fainting, through a strange twist of fate, she had largely figured out her current situation. Song Ke was now certain that her ability to transform objects at will into weapons stemmed from a mysterious energy within her body.


    This unique ability could be summarized as the deconstruction and recombination of matter. By employing her mental power and understanding of various weapon structures, she could break down a certain medium or property, then construct a new entity according to her thoughts.


    Song Ke referred to this new substance, manipulated and driven by her, as ¡°spiritual weapon.¡±


    These spiritual weapons were covered in a luminous blue light, wielding astonishing destructive power. The collapsed wall in her home served as the best proof.


    However, her ability to deconstruct and recombine was constrained by the inherent nature of objects. No matter how daring her imagination, a small teacup couldn¡¯t turn into a massive axe weighing hundreds of kilograms. At most, it could transform into a thin leaf-shaped knife. Moreover, maintaining the operation of these spiritual weapons relied on her own mental power. If she lost consciousness and fell into a coma, all spiritual weapons would disappear. As for how long she could sustain them, she hadn¡¯t tested it yet.


    Song Ke¡¯s understanding reached its limit here.


    The deeper principles and specific reasons behind this ability were beyond her current level of knowledge.


    After collecting her thoughts, Song Ke quickly freshened up and decided to go outside to investigate. Regardless of what had happened in the outside world, she couldn¡¯t hide at home forever. Additionally, she was worried about her master and fellow disciples on Yue Mountain, unsure if they were affected by the solar eruption.


    Holding her breath, Song Ke cautiously opened the front door.


    Due to the pervasive fog, all was eerily silent around her, and seeing was exceedingly difficult. She turned her head, looking towards her neighbor¡¯s house on the other side of the wall.


    This time, she didn¡¯t knock because she had a premonition that, no matter how long she knocked, it was unlikely anyone would come to answer.


    With a light jump, Song Ke vaulted over the wall and entered the inner courtyard.


    Passing through the fence and taking a few steps, she couldn¡¯t help but bend over and dry heave onto the ground.


    It smelled terrible!


    The courtyard was filled with a noxious odor, and flies gathered, permeating the air with the putrid smell of rotting fish and shrimp, their stench intensified by prolonged exposure to the sun.


    Holding her nose, Song Ke cautiously walked inward. The further she went, the more nauseating the smell became. Under the canopy in the small courtyard, there were half-eaten leftovers and bowls. The milky white fish head tofu soup had already spilled and dried up into clumps, leaving behind jagged fish bones.


    Song Ke stared at those dishes for a while.


    Even the utensils hadn¡¯t been tidied up, and it didn¡¯t resemble the appearance of someone going on a journey. Something must have happened.


    The main door of the neighbor¡¯s house wasn¡¯t securely closed, slightly ajar. The inside was dim and devoid of light, pitch-black with nothing visible. Song Ke¡¯s ears twitched, faintly catching the sound of heavy, labored breathing emanating from deep within the room. Some colossal entity seemed to be dragging its massive body across the floor.


    The sinister ambiance, the heavy breaths, combined with the slow crawl, immediately triggered her strongest sense of alarm.


    Song Ke abruptly halted her steps, a chill running down her spine. After a quick survey of her surroundings, she extended her hand towards the sturdy pergola.


    A fluorescent blue light swirled, causing the pergola to vanish in place. Moments later, a mighty two-meter-long sword appeared in her palm.


    With the weighty weapon in her grip, Song Ke finally felt a bit safer.


    Using the tip of the sword, she pried open the crack in the door. The rusty iron bolt emitted an unpleasant creaking sound, catching the attention of the creature lurking in the shadows. They turned their heads in unison!


    Their upper bodies were sprawled on the ground, their skin covered in dark metallic fur. Their eyes were gray-white, and they emitted rapid, panting breaths from deep within their throats, devoid of conscious awareness.


    Song Ke lowered her gaze to the clothes on the creatures.


    Her neighbors were an elderly couple living with their grandson. They didn¡¯t interact too often, and their relationship wasn¡¯t particularly close, but they did help each other out in everyday matters as neighbors do.


    The magpie they raised, Aming, was her only friend.


    The creature before her was mutilated beyond recognition, oozing pus and rotting in places, presenting an eerie purplish-black color. Yet, the tattered clothes they wore were oddly familiar ¨C the very ones the elderly couple next door often wore.


    A chilling thought sent shivers down Song Ke¡¯s spine.


    Perhaps, they had turned into something like this, just like Xiao Liu and the mad researcher at the pier. Xiao Liu was bitten by a mullet fish, the researcher encountered an accident at sea. What about them? Were they attacked by something else, or perhaps by Aming¡­


    In that moment of distraction, the creatures sensed the scent of a fresh living person. Slowly, they crawled out of the shadows and moved towards the door.


    The two twisted and grotesque figures drew closer to her. The leading creature extended the majority of its body, revealing its entire face, exposed in the chaotic daylight.


    Song Ke instinctively felt something was wrong.


    Two figures¡­ Wait! She suddenly lifted her head, her teeth couldn¡¯t stop trembling. Their¡­ their grandson, where is he?


    The whitened eyes of the creature crawling in front stared fixedly at Song Ke. Their silver hair was tangled and disheveled, their fingers mangled and bloody, but their abdomen protruded like that of a woman pregnant for ten months, exuding a suffocating sense of bloodiness.


    The blue light on the hilt of the large sword in Song Ke¡¯s hand flickered, emitting a silent lament.


    Stimulated by the sudden illumination, the creature abruptly raised its upper body and lunged toward her.


    Song Ke used her sword horizontally to block, the sharp claws collided with the blade, producing a violent friction. The creature tumbled back to the ground, and Song Ke retreated two steps.


    Such immense strength!


    Failing the first strike, the creature was thoroughly enraged, splitting into two directions and attacking her.


    Song Ke flipped to evade, swung the large sword in a counterattack. The sharp blade halted as it aimed for the creature¡¯s heart, then barely veered a few inches downward, slicing a deep gash across the monster¡¯s abdomen.


    Should she kill them? Should she unhesitatingly kill her former kind?


    The black viscous liquid oozed from the severed wound, yet the creatures seemed impervious to pain, relentlessly attacking her.


    They were no longer¡­ truly human.


    With both hands gripping the large sword tightly, Song Ke used the weapon¡¯s weight to sweep her entire body, spinning like a high-speed top, flipping the two creatures outwards. Taking advantage of this opening, she rolled outside, swiftly closed the door, and wedged the steel pipes piled in the corner against the bolt, adding an extra one for good measure, ensuring it was secure.


    The room fell silent for a moment, but soon after, the sounds of banging on the door and the creatures¡¯ enraged roars echoed through the room.

 Chapter 5: F177 District (5)

    ¡òTonight at eight o¡¯clock, Fools Wharf¡òSong Ke was lurking in a corner of the garbage dump, observing without moving, holding her breath. After coming out from her neighbor¡¯s house, the heavy fog disoriented her, and she unknowingly ended up in this vicinity. Her destination was the villa area halfway up the hill, but to reach there, she had to pass through the garbage dump in front of her.


    From deep within the mist, there faintly emanated a grating sound of bones crunching, making one¡¯s teeth ache. About five or six meters away, a few figures swayed and walked past, their footsteps heavy, their postures strange. One by one, they walked mindlessly, clanging and clattering, stumbling into piles of tin cans.


    Through the faint mist, Song Ke could discern their faces, causing her heart to sink. They were those ¡°monsters.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t stay here any longer! Seizing the opportunity as a few of the monsters crossed paths, Song Ke timed it right, lowered her center of gravity, and sprinted forward.


    The wind from her dash lifted a few scraps of paper, and the lingering monsters all turned their heads simultaneously. However, within the expanse of whiteness, they didn¡¯t catch anything, so they continued to wander aimlessly.


    Song Ke cleared a path with her sword, sprinting several hundred meters in one breath, breaking out in a hot sweat. The damp ends of her hair stuck to her neck, and even her eyelashes were damp with moisture. Running too fast, she couldn¡¯t rein in her speed, and she collided head-on with someone. The immense force made her head buzz. Out of reflex, Song Ke bowed and apologized, ¡°So-sorry!¡±


    The person turned stiffly, and their gray-white pupils slowly fixed on her. Drool dripped from their wide-open mouth¡­


    Song Ke: ¡°!!!¡±


    Her heart raced, and she swung her sword forward with all her might, ¡°Bang!¡± sending the monster flying. Then she turned and ran, using the nearest pillar to propel herself onto the eaves of a nearby house.


    The slow monsters couldn¡¯t catch up, only angrily scratching the walls below. Song Ke clung to the pillar, holding her breath, refusing to make a sound. After a while, the agitated monsters lost their target in the dense fog, circled in place for a few rounds fruitlessly, and then left in confusion.


    Song Ke let out a sigh of relief, and nimbly flipped onto the roof. This area was at the edge of District 177, serene and peaceful, with several detached villas scattered around. It could barely be considered the local ¡°wealthy area.¡± Song Ke had come to inquire about the situation from Old Cheng, but the problem was that her last visit was two years ago, and she couldn¡¯t remember the exact location of Old Cheng¡¯s house.


    Squatting on the rooftop, Song Ke widened her eyes and diligently made out the door numbers, ¡°Number 27¡­ 28¡­ 29, 29!¡±


    After confirming the direction, Song Ke leaped down from the rooftop and made her way to Old Cheng¡¯s house. When she reached the door, she took a few steps up the stairs, paused before knocking, and looked down at the giant sword in her arms. She felt that showing up like this might be impolite. With a thought, she stowed it away.


    ¡°Knock knock knock¡ª¡± After knocking for several minutes, the iron door slowly creaked open a crack, revealing a shiny bolt in the middle and Old Cheng¡¯s wary and guarded face.


    Anxious, Song Ke blurted out, ¡°Cheng¡­ Grandpa Cheng, Grandpa Liu, and Grandma Liu¡­ they¡¯re bitten, bitten by monsters¡­ just encountered them, they chased me¡­¡±


    She became more flustered, her stuttering worsened, and her sentence structure turned chaotic, making it even harder to understand.


    Old Cheng looked surprised, ¡°Girl Ke, you child, how did you¡­¡±


    The bolt was removed, and Old Cheng observed the surroundings, then whispered for her to come inside, ¡°Come in first, we¡¯ll talk inside.¡±


    Bending down, Song Ke entered the door, her toe hitting something hard, nearly causing her to fall flat on her face.


    The living room was in a state of chaos, with several large suitcases scattered on the floor. Inside them, various men¡¯s and women¡¯s clothing and essential items were only halfway packed.


    Old Cheng locked the door again and double-checked it multiple times before turning to look at Song Ke. He asked, ¡°Given how dangerous it is outside now, with monsters that eat people everywhere, how did you manage to get here?¡±


    Song Ke was still racking her brain, trying to figure out how to explain, and she was left dumbfounded after hearing his question. What did he mean by ¡°monsters that eat people everywhere¡±? Were the circumstances worse than she had thought, extending beyond just the neighbors and the garbage dump?


    Mr. Cheng carefully studied her bewildered expression, then shook his head slowly after a moment, sighing, ¡°Take your time to explain. What happened just now? And where have you been these past few days?¡±


    ¡°I, I¡¯ve been at home the whole time. I was, I was sick, and that day¡­¡± Song Ke organized her thoughts and began to describe her inexplicable high fever, as well as waking up to the strange changes in the neighbor couple.


    She hesitated about mentioning her awakened peculiar ability, but Mr. Cheng waved his hand and interrupted her with a serious expression, ¡°I understand, child. You¡¯ve been hiding at home all this time, so you¡¯re unaware of everything. Two days ago, the Alliance issued an urgent announcement due to an unprecedented solar storm disturbing the Earth¡¯s magnetic field with unknown energy, causing some organisms to undergo mutations¡­¡±


    He paused at this point and his tone grew heavy and mournful, ¡°As for those monsters that eat people¡­ though the announcement didn¡¯t explicitly say, rumors of the ¡®end times¡¯ are spreading. Now, nowhere outside is safe. District 177 has already fallen, and those capable have already fled.¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s gaze swept over the suitcases on the floor; Old Cheng was in District 177, so he indeed counted as one of the capable ones.


    Unaware of her subtle movements, Old Cheng continued to speak worriedly, ¡°We¡¯re getting ready to take a starship to evacuate. While we still can, we need to leave quickly. District 177 is no longer viable, and the situation in District D is probably similar. The schedules to District C are sparse, and if we miss this afternoon¡¯s trip, we might not have a chance to leave later¡­¡±


    Song Ke listened quietly as he rambled on, blinking her eyes belatedly in realization.


    Old Cheng also seemed to notice something as he spoke and suddenly stopped, his expression turning somewhat awkward. ¡°Girl Ke, um¡­ we couldn¡¯t reach you these past few days. Since you¡¯ve come here, either you could join us¡­¡±


    ¡°Dad!¡± Old Cheng¡¯s daughter-in-law emerged from the inner room, holding a baby in her arms. Her tone was confrontational as she cut him off, ¡°Come with me for a moment.¡±


    They walked into the study one after the other, not bothering to hide the sound of the door slamming shut, their argument clearly audible through the door.


    ¡°At a time like this, you¡¯re still thinking about being a good person! Where do we have spare starship tickets to take her to District C?¡±


    ¡°No need to buy for District C¡­ We can get tickets for District D¡­¡±


    ¡°District D? It¡¯s easy for you to say. Does it not cost money to go to District D? Besides, at a time like this, where can we even find tickets?¡± S?a??h th? ?ov?l?ir?.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Dad! Are you getting senile?!¡± The woman¡¯s once-shrill voice gradually turned into a sorrowful tone, ¡°If you take her along, who will you abandon? Your son who¡¯s still running a fever? Your less-than-a-year-old grandson? Or your daughter-in-law who¡¯s less than an outsider now?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not¡­¡± Old Cheng¡¯s defense grew weaker and weaker, eventually fading into an embarrassed silence.


    Song Ke lowered her eyes, studying the patterns on the floor, silently repeating the word she had heard.


    ¡°Starship.¡±


    The Lu Starship, the most advanced flight terminal of the Alliance, was one of the outstanding products born during the ¡°Glorious Thirty Years.¡± It was also the most conspicuous and eye-catching feature high above the isolated island, the brightest neon, the only passenger route connecting to the outside world.


    A place like F177 District was easy to get into; the ticket price was practically a giveaway. However, leaving was as difficult as reaching the sky. Even to travel to the cheapest Grade D city required a substantial amount of money.


    Song Ke¡¯s wallet was cleaner than her face; she was as poor as a church mouse. Given her financial situation, not only in this lifetime but also in the next and the one after that, she couldn¡¯t afford a starship to fly out of District 177.


    After Old Cheng came out of the study, he didn¡¯t dare to meet her gaze. The argument they had was so loud that Song Ke was sure she had heard it all. He awkwardly explained, ¡°Girl Ke, these tickets are now valuable commodities without a market¡­ Grandpa put all his assets into this, exhausted every possible way, and managed to buy only four starship tickets.¡±


    ¡°I, I know,¡± Song Ke comforted him in turn, ¡°Thank you, Grandpa Cheng. Grandpa have said before, you¡¯re a good person.¡±


    After saying this, Old Cheng¡¯s expression changed dramatically.


    Song Ke¡¯s use of ¡°Grandpa¡± felt like a sharp knife, accurately piercing his heart.


    ¡­


    Six years ago, a sickly-faced Song Zhiyuan stood before him, smiling as he entrusted him, ¡°Old Cheng, hold onto this money. Song Ke doesn¡¯t understand the ways of the world, and we don¡¯t have any other family. When I¡¯m gone, take care of her. When she grows up, if she¡¯s willing to stay in District 177, this money will last her for generations.¡±


    ¡°What if she wants to leave?¡±


    ¡°If she wants to go out and see the world, that¡¯s fine too. Let her choose between District C and District D. She doesn¡¯t have any identification, so you¡¯ll have to help her buy starship tickets. As for District B¡­ District B isn¡¯t suitable for her. Tell her not to go there, say it¡¯s my request.¡±


    Old Cheng accepted the money. At first, he did indeed take care of Song Ke as instructed by Song Zhiyuan. He cared about her needs, her clothing, her shelter, her transportation. He even found a way to send her to school in District D. But then, midway through high school, Song Ke returned on her own and refused to go back. Old Cheng asked her many times, and each time, she shook her head with resistance, saying she didn¡¯t want to go out again.


    And so, that money became a constant concern for Old Cheng. He could see it and touch it, yet he couldn¡¯t have it.


    One night, in the depths of the night, Old Cheng woke up again and finally mustered his determination. At first, he thought of just using a small portion, buying a few new model ships, expanding his transportation fleet. Later¡­ later his son got married, they bought a house, his grandson was born¡­


    Ultimately, it was all about money. Who wasn¡¯t spending money on someone?


    His business grew bigger and his family life became more fulfilling, and gradually, he couldn¡¯t spare much thought for Song Ke anymore.


    ¡­


    Returning to the present, Old Cheng¡¯s heart was pounding heavily.


    At the time, Song Ke was still young and, theoretically, unaware of the money Song Zhiyuan had left for her.


    He observed Song Ke¡¯s expression and cautiously began, ¡°Girl Ke, before your grandfather left¡­¡±


    Caught off guard by Song Ke¡¯s penetrating gaze, Old Cheng suddenly felt guilty. He gritted his teeth and admitted, ¡°He left some money before he departed, asking me to take care of you. Over the years, your expenses for food, clothing, study, and martial arts, every expenditure, Grandpa kept track of it all.


    ¡°That money¡­ wasn¡¯t much to begin with, and now, if you were to ask around outside, you can¡¯t even afford a single starship ticket. I truly considered you like a granddaughter, and Grandpa really had no choice, no way to help you¡­¡±


    Old Cheng¡¯s daughter-in-law stood at the study door, watching coldly, the baby in her arms wailing loudly, the piercing cries particularly jarring.


    Song Ke remained stunned for a moment, then nodded slowly.


    She didn¡¯t know that her grandfather had left her money, so she had always felt grateful and close to Old Cheng for taking care of her over the years. Now that the truth was revealed, she felt a sense of realization. The Cheng family¡¯s decision to leave District 177 didn¡¯t include her, an outsider from the beginning. It was her who rushed to the door and made things awkward.


    In terms of closeness and distance, everyone¡¯s motives have a priority. And Song Ke had long grown accustomed to being placed last.


    She was ¡°distant,¡± she was ¡°far,¡± the one most easily discarded.


    If it weren¡¯t for the apocalypse, Song Ke wouldn¡¯t have considered leaving District 177, let alone think about starship ticket prices. Old Cheng could¡¯ve taken this secret with him to his grave, and in Song Ke¡¯s heart, he would still be the kind, benevolent old grandpa from the past.


    Song Ke looked up and smiled, ¡°I can¡¯t leave, I still need to go, go to Yue Mountain to find, find my master.¡±


    Old Cheng seemed to shed a psychological burden, immediately chiming in, ¡°Right! You can still go find your master. Or ask him if there¡¯s any solution. He¡¯s definitely much more capable than me!¡±


    The electronic clock on the wall pointed to one in the afternoon. Old Cheng discreetly cast a few glances toward it.


    Song Ke caught his hint and stood up gracefully, ¡°Well, Grandpa Cheng, I¡¯ll be leaving now.¡±


    Old Cheng responded somewhat sheepishly, ¡°Oh? Leaving? Alright, alright.¡±


    Just before leaving, his expression was complex, betraying inner struggle.


    Such a fragile young girl, staying alone on an isolated island overrun by monsters, her fate inevitably leading to her demise.


    Perhaps it was guilt, perhaps it was remorse. Thinking of Song Zhiyuan¡¯s pale face from years ago, Old Cheng lowered his voice and quickly said, ¡°Girl Ke, I heard from others. At 8 pm tonight, there will be a military retreat team passing through Fools Wharf. If you can find them, go with them. It¡¯s your only chance to leave this place!¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s clear gaze met his, and she repeated calmly, ¡°Thank you, Grandpa Cheng.¡±


    ¡­


    The iron door behind her closed slowly, and Song Ke stood on the steps, exhaling deeply.


    Turning around, heading home, packing her things¡ªonce all preparations were done, she stepped into the boundless mist once again.


    The air raid siren in the entire District 177 continued to blare ceaselessly. However, the streets and squares were eerily silent. Residential building windows were shut tight, ships at the harbor were congested and chaotic. The air was hazy and salty, occasionally punctuated by short, abrupt screams.


    Song Ke didn¡¯t dare to stop. She rushed towards the direction of Yue Mountain. Finally, as she was about to enter, she had a sudden feeling and abruptly halted her steps.


    Inside, it was deadly quiet¡ªno breeze, no birds chirping, no usual shouts from trainees during their exercises.


    One could hear a pin drop.


    Song Ke¡¯s expression tensed, a bad premonition rising in her heart.


    She took a shallow breath and proceeded cautiously. However, each room¡ªfront courtyard, corridors, training hall, resting rooms¡ªwere all empty.


    Finally, she stopped in the depths of the martial arts hall, at the entrance of her master¡¯s meditation room.


    A faint stench drifted to her nose, barely perceptible.

 Chapter 6: F177 District (6)

    ¡òSomething¡­ is about to come out¡òThe entire martial arts hall fell into a stifling silence, an unexplainable tension hanging in the air.


    Song Ke went from room to room, pushing open doors to check.


    In the kitchen, shattered dishes and fragments littered the floor, but no one was there.


    The trainees¡¯ dormitory doors and windows were wide open, dried black bloodstains streaked down the walls, yet no one was present.


    The training grounds were empty, various equipment strewn haphazardly about, remnants of combat scattered everywhere, but still no one to be found.


    The further she walked, the more solemn her expression became. Her heart felt like it was submerged in ice water, gradually sinking into the depths of the sea.


    Finally, she reached the deep rear courtyard, hearing faint sounds coming from within the meditation room.


    Could it be here?


    The door wasn¡¯t locked. Song Ke grasped the handle and slowly pushed it open.


    Taking a quick glance around, the room seemed to have been ransacked. Most of the furniture was overturned, cabinets lay toppled, a short table was in pieces, even the ashes from the incense burner were scattered on the ground. She shifted her gaze to continue looking inside when, in the next second, her pupils contracted!


    ¡ªZhang Ting, her master, knelt in the depths of the meditation room, a hole the size of a bowl in his chest.


    Fresh red blood had dried and congealed, forming a large dark circle. Leaning on his sword, his head hung low, his body motionless. There was no trace of the lively appearance with raised eyebrows and reproachful words he would direct at her. He stood in silence, like a shattered statue.


    Song Ke stumbled forward, her hands unconsciously trying to block the hole in his chest: ¡°Master¡­¡±


    Throughout Yue Mountain, even throughout the entire Alliance, who could kill Master? How could Master possibly die!


    Zhang Ting¡¯s body had already stiffened, and as she touched him, he tilted slightly. His bent finger joints loosened their grip on the sword, and it fell heavily to the ground.


    Song Ke reached out in a flurry to support him, but she couldn¡¯t. Unexpectedly, she discovered another door behind him that he was blocking.


    It was the storeroom behind the meditation room.


    Because it was too far from the training grounds, this storeroom had long been abandoned and was only used to store equipment or miscellaneous items. Song Ke looked down at it dazedly, and after a moment, it suddenly dawned on her ¡ª Master¡¯s posture before his death clearly indicated he was guarding something!


    Perhaps stirred by the sound, the noise behind the door grew louder. The continuous banging quickly disrupted her thoughts.


    ¡°Bang¡ª¡±


    ¡°Bang bang¡ª¡±


    The entire bamboo door shook violently under the weight, its frame on the brink of collapsing, and the low, frenzied roar repeatedly echoed.


    Something¡­ was about to come out.


    Song Ke held her breath, poised for action.


    ¡°Bang¡ª¡±


    A deafening crash, and the bamboo door collapsed with a resounding thud. A large group of putrid-smelling monsters rushed out.


    Upon a rough count, there were surprisingly dozens of them, completely filling the meditation room.


    Seeing the monsters charging towards her at the forefront, Song Ke stepped on the wall and leaped upwards, executing a mid-air kick that viciously sent them flying back, the powerful force toppling those behind them.


    Landing nimbly, she was about to follow up with another kick and then flee through the door when her movements abruptly halted.


    The monsters fell to the ground, their grotesque faces fully exposed.


    ¡°Lin¡­ Senior Sister Lin!¡±


    Song Ke cried out in astonishment.


    This momentary pause gave the monsters a chance to recover, the fallen ones rising, and those lagging behind catching up. The inside of the storeroom was dim, but still enough for her to discern the monsters¡¯ features. Song Ke panickedly lifted her gaze, recognizing the familiar brows and eyes among the grayish-blue faces.


    ¡°Junior Brother Xiao¡­¡±


    ¡°Aunt¡­ Aunt Pang¡­¡±


    Even if their eyes were clouded and ashen, describing their horrifying state, she recognized them at first glance, facing the people she had spent so much time with.


    These ¡°monsters¡± were none other than the martial arts hall¡¯s trainees.


    There were senior brothers who had lost to her in sparring multiple times, gentle senior sisters who cared for her daily life¡­


    Each and every person who had once been alive had now turned into mindless monsters, their hair disheveled and filthy as they attacked her.


    The pitch-black sharp claws lunged at her. Song Ke couldn¡¯t evade in time, and a chunk of her lower hem was cut away. She fled in disarray, unable to effectively counterattack.


    No wonder.


    No wonder she had searched the entire martial arts hall, and no one was outside.


    No wonder Master stubbornly guarded the entrance. He couldn¡¯t bring himself to kill his own students, so he chose to lock them away.


    If Master couldn¡¯t bring himself to do it, neither could she.


    Her eyes grew increasingly moist, and as Song Ke rolled and dodged with no strength left, she repeated their names over and over, trying to bring back their senses. S~?a??h the ?ov?l?ir?.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    In District 177, she was a recluse, quiet and reserved, often leaving early and returning late. Except for Old Cheng, no one was willing to interact with her. But that was okay, she had Yue Mountain Martial Arts School, where most people wouldn¡¯t mock her. They would even celebrate her birthday with her every year.


    However, now those senior brothers and sisters who had once sung ¡°Happy Birthday¡± to her had become unrecognizable.


    The horde of monsters surged forward densely. Song Ke retreated again and again, but there was no more room to retreat. Her slender back slammed harshly into the door panel.


    Escape? She could escape, but then what?


    There were so many¡­ ¡°monsters¡±, the meditation room¡¯s door couldn¡¯t possibly hold them all. Should she release them like this?


    If Master were still alive, he would surely scold her thoroughly.


    In that distracted moment, a swift dark shadow stepped on the head of a monster behind it and leapt high towards her. Compared to the others, its size had swelled several times over. Its desire to attack was particularly strong, saliva dripping from between its jagged, sharp teeth. Its bloody claw clamped down on her shoulder, its mouth poised to bite into her neck.


    The stench of decay was close, and the guillotine of death was about to fall.


    Song Ke pressed hard against its dark face, locking eyes with its grayish-white, murky gaze, tears streaming down her face.


    She cried out its name. ¡°Song¡­ En¡­¡±


    That person who used to laugh heartily, who even when sick would seek to make her happy, that person who had promised to buy her four tea eggs, now only wished to viciously sever her veins.


    ¡°Song En¡± emitted a throaty ¡°hoh hoh¡± sounds from deep within its trachea, its cruel and bloodthirsty actions showing no pause. Its nails pierced her clavicle, and fresh blood gushed out.


    Song Ke¡¯s pain triggered convulsions, and with tear-filled eyes, she twisted and broke its arm with a ¡°crack.¡±


    It hesitated for a moment, its arm limp. Song Ke took advantage of the opening to break free, rolling frantically in the opposite direction.


    The one with the broken arm, ¡°Song En,¡± paused for only an instant before fiercely attacking her again.


    It was already devoid of consciousness, feeling no pain whatsoever.


    Song Ke was trapped in an endless fight, her wounds multiplying.


    Limbs, body, heart¡ªthe fragments scattered, blood and gore splattered. No matter where she attacked, no matter how she tried to resist, she couldn¡¯t stop the relentless tearing and biting of the monsters.


    Tears transformed from scalding to icy, and finally to dried-up bitterness. Song Ke mournfully realized that she was faced with an eternal cycle of either being devoured by this horde of monsters or killing them all, and then¡ªsurviving.


    Her physical strength was rapidly depleting. Unable to dodge once, she suffered another wound on her lower back. The deep red blood soaked through the floor.


    Song Ke threw a punch, counterattacking, and the nearest monster was thrown several meters away, causing her to tumble heavily to the ground.


    Coincidentally, she fell right next to Zhang Ting.


    Song Ke widened her eyes and instinctively looked at her master. Zhang Ting¡¯s eyes, which hadn¡¯t had a chance to close yet, stared at her coldly, devoid of sadness or happiness. It seemed like he was waiting for her to make a decision.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    Song Ke turned her head away from his gaze and murmured weakly.


    This apology, she didn¡¯t know if it was directed towards the deceased master or the unrecognizable senior brothers and sisters.


    I¡¯m sorry.


    But she wanted to survive.


    A powerful gust of wind brushed against her ears. At the critical moment, Song Ke pulled out the long sword from beside her master!


    A deep blue light suddenly emanated from her palm. In the blink of an eye, the long sword transformed into a sharp Tang knife.


    This type of wide-bladed cleaver had a unique advantage in close combat. Song Ke flipped and jumped up, gathering her core strength without hesitation and swinging the sword forcefully. The monster¡¯s movement abruptly stopped, and it was almost split in half from top to bottom.


    Thick, viscous blood sprayed from its shattered throat. It struggled a few times in inertia, then fell to the ground lifeless.


    Song Ke¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She suddenly realized that chopping off the head seemed to be effective!


    However, the death of their kind didn¡¯t deter the remaining monsters. They continued to charge forward without hesitation.


    After identifying their fatal weaknesses, Song Ke no longer hesitated or hoped for luck. Her counterattacks were sharp and precise, each strike targeting their vital points. Expressionless, she was like an Asura emerging from hell.


    Half an hour later, dozens of monsters lay fallen on the ground, utterly lifeless.


    Except for ¡°Song En.¡±


    Without a doubt, it was the most ferocious among them. Even with an arm and a leg severed, it still exerted an intense pressure on Song Ke.


    The stump of its severed arm exposed necrotic and decaying tissue, constantly dripping black, murky fluid. ¡°Song En¡± fixated on her, its body twisted at an eerie angle as it crawled menacingly towards her.


    Her eye sockets were dry and gritty, having long lost the ability to shed tears. The hand that held the knife hung by her side, trembling slightly.


    After fourteen years of martial practice, this was the first time her hands uncontrollably shook.


    Everything¡­ should end now.


    She slowly raised the Tang knife, its deep blue glow reflecting on her face, her beautiful countenance icy and cold.


    Closing her eyes, the tip of the blade gleamed with blue light and surged forward like a mighty force ¨C chop! slash!


    A few drops of dark viscous fluid splattered onto her eyelids, tracing the shape of tears as they ran down her cheeks.


    *


    In the dimly lit room, Song Ke carefully arranged the bodies of the monsters one by one, placing their heads back in their rightful places, preserving their dignity in death as humans.


    Then she sat amidst the blood pool, quietly gazing at these once roaring faces, striving to remember their former appearances.


    Suddenly, her gaze froze. Inside the head of one of the monsters, something seemed to reflect light and flashed for a moment. She had swung the blade too forcefully, and the monster¡¯s head had shattered like a watermelon. Bending down, Song Ke picked up a crystal from inside.


    A small crystal, about the size of a lychee, with an octahedral shape. It looked both cloudy and transparent, quite peculiar.


    She hastily pried open another head but found nothing similar inside.


    Not every one of them had it?


    She observed each one closely and ultimately found three of these crystals. The other two appeared similar, but the third one was slightly larger and exhibited a more transparent white color inside. It had been found in Song En¡¯s head.


    What were these things?


    Song Ke stared at this thing that definitely wouldn¡¯t grow inside a human¡¯s head, something beyond her scope of understanding, giving rise to more and more confusion.


    As she pondered, a faint noise suddenly came from outside the window.


    More of them? Song Ke tensed her entire body, gripping the sword handle and swinging it outward.


    A killing intent surged out, and the window of the meditation room instantly shattered into pieces. Amidst the rising dust, a half-human-sized bird-like creature stood on the windowsill, staring at her motionlessly. Its appearance resembled a chicken, but it had a pair of massive wings on its back. A tuft of white feathers adorned its forehead, and its front and back talons emitted a metallic glint. Its whip-like tail feathers remained still.


    The giant bird remained in place for an unknown amount of time, observing her in silence. Its icy vertical pupils were locked onto her.


    As if an observer of Song Ke¡¯s execution, it watched her in despair and helplessness, watched her exhaustively gasping for breath, and then watched her unleash a killing spree.


    Song Ke¡¯s scalp tingled, her heart pounded, and with the demeanor of confronting a formidable foe, she held her blade forward. The standoff between her and the bird was intense.


    The bird-like creature¡¯s tiger-like front talons moved slightly, it lowered its head to size her up for a couple of seconds, and then disinterestedly turned its head away. It elegantly spread its wings and flew off without a sound.


    Song Ke clenched the pale-white crystal in her palm, gazing blankly in the direction the bird had departed.


    A recurring thought circled in her mind.


    This world had truly gone crazy.

 Chapter 7.1: F177 District (7)

    ¡òIsland Escape Plan¡òSong Ke buried the people from the Yue Mountain Martial Arts School in the back hills.


    She was clumsy and stubborn, only knowing how to dig with her head down. Sweat and blood mixed together as they splattered into the yellow earth with the rise and fall of the iron shovel. Her lips were tightly pressed, her movements repetitive and mechanical, as if she were an untiring humanoid machine. After digging the holes, she began to carve gravestones, until blisters formed on all ten of her fingers, and she barely managed to carve the tombstones for each person.


    A total of twenty-three small mounds of earth, each holding her senior brothers, senior sisters, her master, and all her attachments here.


    While counting the number of people, Song Ke unexpectedly made a discovery: not all of the academy¡¯s members had fallen here.


    Yue Mountain was situated in E166 District, not very convenient for transportation. The school provided food and lodging for its students. People like Song En, who were wholeheartedly devoted to training, had everything they needed on the mountain ¨C food, clothing, shelter ¨C and wouldn¡¯t descend the mountain unless necessary. But there were also individuals like Tun Qin and Li Ta, who were self-assured, only coming to the mountain for scheduled training sessions and rarely staying at the academy. She didn¡¯t find traces of these two among the monster corpses, so they must have luckily missed this event.


    Besides them, there was Zhang Ci, a senior brother who participated in the Azure Phoenix Assessment, and his group. He took away the elites of the academy. Who knew where they were now? With the chaos outside, would they even return?


    Song Ke picked up a water hose and sprayed the ground, carefully cleaning the bloodstains from the walls and floor.


    After finishing the cleaning, she inspected the entire martial hall once again. The TV showed nothing but static ¨C no signal, but the water and electricity were functioning normally.


    She found a light screen in a student¡¯s dormitory. She wasn¡¯t sure whose it was, and it wasn¡¯t locked with a password. Many pages were open in the background. As Song Ke browsed, she realized that the online discussions were already in turmoil. People were discussing topics related to ¡°doomsday¡± and ¡°zombies.¡± Some criticized the lack of action from the Alliance, others were suggesting hoarding for self-protection, and some were despairingly sending out distress messages.


    She wasn¡¯t proficient with electronic devices and only had a rough understanding. Apparently, the outside world had also been infested with these dreadful creatures, but the situation was far better than in District 177. At least most cities hadn¡¯t fallen into chaos yet.


    Song Ke thought for a moment and attempted to search for the Alliance¡¯s official news account. The latest pinned message was posted two days ago, stating that the Alliance had opened hundreds of emergency shelters. Residents could navigate to them using their own guidance systems for nearby safety. She scrolled down and clicked on the details link, but a message abruptly appeared on the screen: ¡°No access permission.¡±


    Power and status not only determined wealth distribution but also controlled information access. The owner of this light screen, just like her, wasn¡¯t allowed even the small privilege of viewing emergency shelters.


    Song Ke set down the light screen and finally noticed she was covered in grime. During the earlier fights, blood had splattered everywhere, staining her. Later, she had spent a considerable time digging in the dirt.


    She went to the bathroom and took a cold shower to clean herself thoroughly. Afterward, she used a bandage to dress her wounds.


    Cleaning the wound, stopping the bleeding, applying medicine, and bandaging it.


    The blood of those monsters, it should be blood, was black in color and flowed slower than a normal person¡¯s.


    Recalling the expression of panic on the middle-aged man¡¯s face at the pier when he was injured, Song Ke looked down at her wound, uncertain of what consequences might arise.


    Night fell, and the sky unknowingly darkened.


    Song Ke organized an 80-liter hiking backpack and packed it with warm, moisture-resistant clothing, a small amount of easily preservable food, a wide-mouthed water bottle and purification tablets, a flint flashlight, a portable first aid kit, a sleeping bag, and a tent. After some consideration, she also added a compass. As for weapons, her supernatural ability was her most potent arsenal, so she decided not to bring anything else.


    Before leaving, Song Ke hesitated for a long time while holding a pen.


    Originally, she had thought about writing something, but what could she write? Who would she write it for? To describe witnessing her master¡¯s tragic death? To recount how she had been forced by circumstances to take lives, ending the lives of the twenty-two individuals from the martial school? S?a?ch* Th? N?velF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    After today, Yue Mountain Martial Arts School would cease to exist. Who would forgive her?


    No one would forgive her.


    In the end, she wrote nothing. Song Ke locked the gate of the martial school and took one last deep look before turning and leaving.


    At 8 o¡¯clock in the evening, the Fools Wharf was brightly lit, and the passage to the harbor was jammed with people.


    There were no walls impervious to wind, and evidently, news of the military¡¯s passage through the harbor had leaked out tonight.


    Several green military trucks were parked at the end of the road, acting as temporary roadblocks. Standing beside the trucks were several tall individuals dressed in military uniforms. They wore camouflage pants tucked into combat boots and had a resolute expression, emanating a sharp and determined aura.


    Officially, the Alliance hadn¡¯t issued a rescue mission in District 177. Technically, this team was just passing through and wasn¡¯t obligated to organize the evacuation of civilians. However, they still chose to bring along local residents as much as possible. Of course, this ¡°bringing along¡± came with conditions. Each resident had to pass their thorough inspection before being allowed to board the starship behind them.


    Alone, Song Ke trailed behind the group with their numerous bags and luggage, craning her neck to look ahead.


    There were two lines in total, moving faster than she had anticipated. Everyone carried backpacks and dragged suitcases, moving forward silently and obediently. Along the way, someone would check the color of their pupils and whether they had any wounds or sores on their bodies and limbs.


    At the forefront of the line was a folding table with a black box about the size of a radio on it. Every person who had passed the previous inspection had to stand in front of the table with arms outstretched, like undergoing a CT scan. The black box emitted scans, and a screen extended from its side. From where Song Ke stood, she could only see a chaotic tangle of red and green lines on the screen.


    During the brief time she observed, three individuals at the front of the line were cleared, but the lines on the screen remained unchanged. One of them, a stern-looking man in his thirties who appeared to be the leader, moved his lips slightly. All three were directed towards the back half of the starship.


    Song Ke stared intently at the seemingly unremarkable black box. While she pondered, she felt a forceful push on her back. ¡°Move aside! Don¡¯t block the way!¡±


    The person was ruthless in his actions, using his full strength. Unfortunately, even with the strong push, the seemingly fragile young girl¡¯s stance was as stable as a pine tree. She remained motionless, while he stumbled forward a few steps due to his own excessive force. He froze on the spot for a moment, then quickly regained his composure, glaring menacingly at Song Ke.


    Not wanting to draw attention to herself, Song Ke lowered her gaze, stepped back, and courteously made space for him.


    She recognized this man. His name was Xu Weiguo, and his fair-skinned son beside him was Xu Xing. Xu Weiguo had made a fortune by engaging in some shady smuggling business, and it was rumored that he was quite influential in the outside world, even having connections in B-grade cities. He was the wealthiest individual in District 177.


    He always wore an oddly shaped gold watch on his wrist, and a blindingly shiny gold belt held up his round belly. While walking, his nostrils seemed perpetually aimed toward the sky. He might have been small-minded, if someone crossed him, he would hold a grudge for a long time. Song Ke had heard from Old Cheng about his domineering behavior and didn¡¯t want to stir up trouble at this critical moment, so she quickly made way for him without saying a word.


    ¡°Consider yourself smart!¡± Xu Weiguo was accustomed to being arrogant. Seeing her timid and apprehensive expression, he muttered a few words, but nothing substantial. He pushed through the queue of people, openly swearing and cutting in line. Holding his son¡¯s hand, he made his way to the very front. People dared not speak up, so they could only avoid him, suppressing their anger and swallowing their pride. His son was somewhat thinner-skinned, lowering his head in embarrassment and letting Xu Weiguo pull him forward.

 Chapter 7.2: F177 District (7)

    ¡òIsland Escape Plan¡òThe two of them quickly passed the inspections along the way and stood before the black box.


    First, it was Xu Weiguo¡¯s turn. Similar to the previous residents who had been checked, the black box showed no response. However, when Xu Xing stepped onto it, the dormant black box suddenly came to life. The chaotic red lines on the screen remained at the bottom, but several green lines undulated like rolling hills, oscillating in continuous arcs as if an electrocardiogram had regained vital signs after a long sleep.


    The man next to the black box slightly straightened his body, glanced at Xu Xing, and said, ¡°Go to the front cabin.¡±


    The commandeered starship was a standard civilian model, with two distinct cabin classes: economy and luxury. The economy class had a larger overall area, but the seats were cramped. The luxury class had small compartments for each seat, tea-colored glass with privacy film, and a greater focus on protecting passenger privacy. The two cabin classes were not connected, even having separate entrances.


    Upon hearing this result, before anyone could react, Xu Weiguo¡¯s face was filled with joy. Holding his son¡¯s hand, he was about to move forward.


    The man held his hand up, his stern expression conveying seriousness. ¡°You go to the back.¡±


    Xu Weiguo¡¯s eyes widened, his tone grew frantic, ¡°This is my son! We are together!¡±


    The man repeated, expressionless, ¡°You, go to the back.¡±


    Xu Weiguo was so frustrated that his mouth seemed about to twist, but after surreptitiously glancing at the man¡¯s sturdy arms, his forceful demeanor wavered a bit. ¡°Sir¡­ Can we discuss this and find a compromise¡­ Can¡¯t we?¡±


    He reached into his bag, pulled out a thick bundle of newspapers concealing money, and discreetly tried to slip it into the man¡¯s pocket.


    The man pushed his hand back, his tone icy. ¡°Ability users and ordinary people need to be evacuated separately. That¡¯s the regulation.¡±


    [Ability users.]


    Song Ke, now somewhere in the middle of the queue, perked up her ears, catching this unfamiliar term keenly.


    Xu Weiguo¡¯s soft approach didn¡¯t work. His face instantly elongated, and even his tone grew more assertive. ¡°Who is your superior? Have him come and talk to me! Do you even know who I am? Do you understand the rules? I must be on this luxury cabin today!¡±


    His small son was blocked by him, Xu Weiguo equally prohibited him from boarding the ship.


    Seeing this, the young soldier beside them simultaneously pulled out his gun, all of them aiming at Xu Weiguo. ¡°Captain, should we¡­¡±


    Xu Weiguo trembled, but thinking about the starship tickets that had been unexpectedly cancelled despite being bought, and considering the complete collapse of transportation routes in District 177, a fierce determination flashed in his eyes. He gritted his teeth and refused to give in.


    The stern captain glanced at Xu Xing, who had his head down, and signaled the soldiers to lower their guns. However, he didn¡¯t order them to let Xu Weiguo through, leaving him stranded.


    As Xu Weiguo remained immobile, the others in the queue shifted to the other side on their own. Luckily, there weren¡¯t many people left, so the inspection process didn¡¯t take much time. The line was getting shorter, and in just a few more people, it would be Song Ke¡¯s turn. However, a new situation arose unexpectedly.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, please remove your hat for inspection!¡±


    A woman, tightly wrapped from head to toe, squeezed through from behind. She ran forward without any concern, holding a little boy with a duck-billed cap in her arms. The boy¡¯s face was turned downwards, pressed against her neck, unmoving.


    The woman displayed astonishing strength, breaking through the line in just a few strides. She even knocked over a folding table, causing the black box on it to wobble and triggering a piercing alarm. The box tumbled to the ground, severing its connection to the display screen.


    However, Song Ke had already noticed.


    In that brief moment, the red line on the black box rebounded like it had hit bottom, shooting up to its peak.


    ¡°Please undergo inspection!¡± The heavily-armed soldiers surrounding her quickly reacted, encircling the woman.


    Blocked in her path, she trembled and knelt on the ground, repeatedly kowtowing, ¡°I beg you, please, save my precious child, please¡­ take him away.¡±


    Though her plea was evident, half of her body bizarrely twitched uncontrollably.


    Someone cautiously stepped forward, lifting the scarf she used to cover her head. They then exclaimed in shock, ¡°Captain, she¡¯s already mutated!¡±


    The woman¡¯s profile gradually became visible, and Song Ke was taken aback¡ªit was Aunt Qing.


    However, at this moment, Aunt Qing¡¯s face was ashen, with blue veins appearing to writhe menacingly beneath her skin. Drool incessantly trickled from the corners of her mouth.


    Despite her convulsions being so intense, the little boy nestled on her shoulder remained silent and motionless. Another soldier stepped forward, removing the boy¡¯s baseball cap and examining his eyes. He then turned to the captain, shaking his head slowly, ¡°The child¡­ is the same.¡±


    Aunt Qing suddenly lifted her head, her eyes bulging. Her murky gray pupils froze, and her facial muscles seemed difficult to control, causing her expression to distort.


    ¡°Lockdown!¡± the captain shouted loudly.


    The soldiers raised their guns, while the remaining civilians in the queue scattered in panic like birds and beasts. Amidst the chaos, Aunt Qing collided with Xu Weiguo and his son, Xu Xing. Right at that moment, Xu Xing, who had been lowering his head, happened to raise it and caught sight of her appearance. His face turned white as a sheet, his pupils quivering intensely, and he let out a piercing scream, piercing through eardrums: ¡°Ah¡ª!!¡±


    Invisible waves of energy surged through the air, centered around Xu Xing. The temperature plummeted around him, and a dozen ice spikes shot up from the ground, aimed directly at Aunt Qing and the little boy. Due to poor control, many of them scattered in all directions.


    ¡°Not good! The child¡¯s supernatural ability is out of control!¡±


    ¡°Damn, it¡¯s an ice type! This just got tricky!¡±


    In the icy and snowy surroundings, only the captain remained composed. He swiftly gestured, and a few well-trained individuals followed suit, the same tall figures that had been standing by the pickup truck earlier. A lean man stepped forward from the crowd, advancing toward Xu Xing instead of retreating. Wherever he passed, countless ice spikes seemed to strike an invisible barrier and shattered into pieces.


    ¡°Everyone, get inside!¡± The soldier with a simple and honest face pounded his fists on the ground, and hollowed-out circles of earth akin to old Mongolian yurts emerged out of thin air.


    Startled residents followed his lead, taking refuge within the earthen circles. Xu Weiguo¡¯s legs had already turned limp, and he was dragged in like a lifeless fish. Song Ke jogged behind the crowd, but her gaze remained fixed on Xu Xing¡¯s direction.


    These tall figures in military attire turned out to be ¡°ability users¡± with exceptional skills!


    Suddenly, the corner of her eye caught a certain figure.


    ¡­


    The stern man moved like lightning, appearing and disappearing within his team¡¯s cover. Amidst the ice spikes, he maneuvered with ease, steadily closing in on Xu Xing.


    His ghostly movements and speed far surpassed ordinary individuals, so swift that one couldn¡¯t see his actions clearly. Amidst the ice, wind, and flickering lightning, he exerted immense pressure on everyone.


    Xu Xing fell into a state of panic, his pupils occasionally catching glimpses of the man¡¯s agile figure. However, he couldn¡¯t track his movements with the naked eye. In a fluster, he shook his head left and right, causing the ice spikes around him to waver, ready to collapse and randomly attack in all directions.


    The next second, the man appeared behind him, his hand swung down¡ª


    Xu Xing¡¯s terrified scream was caught in his throat as he blacked out. S~?a??h the N?v?lFire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    The ice spikes vanished, and the team members immediately surrounded Xu Xing, securing him with special ropes in preparation to transfer him onto the starship.


    The Mongolian yurts crumbled, soldiers calmed the remaining residents, and they hurriedly conducted inspections and began to retreat. Xu Weiguo had already turned into a puddle of soft mud, no longer daring to be arrogant. He cowered as he was led to an ordinary cabin, not even daring to glance at his son.


    Song Ke¡¯s heart raced erratically.


    When the ice shards filled the air earlier, Aunt Qing had been pushed back by an invisible barrier, causing Xiao Bao to slip from her shoulder and fall nearby. Just as several sharp ice shards were about to descend, seemingly about to pierce the child on the spot, Song Ke grabbed a broken piece of wood from the ground, and a burst of blue light erupted from her palm, forming a shield to block the attack.


    Song Ke didn¡¯t know what ¡°mutation¡± meant, but Aunt Qing was visibly different from the monsters encountered before. If she recalled correctly, Aunt Qing had been bitten at the dock. Despite the passing days, she still retained her clear consciousness and could speak normally?


    Amid her muddled thoughts, Song Ke felt that something was off. Given the urgent situation, she acted on instinct to save Xiao Bao.


    After the ice shards were blocked, Aunt Qing rushed over and picked up the child.


    Without saying a word, her gray-white eyes glanced at Song Ke, and she turned and ran.


    With everyone¡¯s attention focused on the icy battle, no one noticed the subtle movements here. Aunt Qing probably knew there was no hope of boarding the starship and chose not to linger, sprinting away without looking back.


    Song Ke gazed at her fading figure until a distant urgency echoed, ¡°Young lady, come for inspection!¡±


    She responded with an acknowledgment, about to move forward. However, her foot accidentally kicked something, causing a small object to roll out quite a distance.


    It was the black box, battered from the melee, but its indicator light stubbornly stayed lit.


    Was it not damaged? Song Ke picked it up with both hands, gazing at it curiously.


    Suddenly, the black box seemed to have suffered some sort of stimulus. The red and green lines on the screen started dancing chaotically like disco lights. In a short time, they froze like a system crash, all lines turning rigidly straight, and then¡ª


    Bang! Smoke erupted, and it exploded right then and there!


    Song Ke: ¡°¡­¡±


    Wait, how did this thing manage to self-destruct? Could she still throw it away now?

 Chapter 8: F177 District (8)

    ¡òGoodbye my home. (Novice Village Completed)¡òSong Ke stood in front of a folding table, exchanging glances with the tall figure in military attire. On the table sat that burnt and short-circuited black box. She subtly pushed it forward to convey her innocence.


    The tall figure glanced at the charred mess of wires and circuits, then back at her. Suddenly, he exclaimed, ¡°Oh, wow.¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s nerves were on edge. She quickly waved her hands and shook her head, saying, ¡°N-No, it¡¯s not me!¡±


    ¡°Yeah yeah, not you,¡± the tall figure beamed at her with a brilliant smile, then turned to report, ¡°Captain! The detector¡¯s busted!¡±


    The stern captain approached, bending down to inspect. The ventilation panel of the black box was still emitting smoke. He pressed a button, the indicator light blinked twice, and then went out. He looked hopelessly at it, and then raised his gaze to Song Ke, narrowing his eyes as he noticed her hands.


    ¡°It really wasn¡¯t me, it malfunctioned all on its own!¡± Song Ke continued to explain. She hadn¡¯t done anything, and if these two asked her for money, what would she do?


    ¡°Show me your hand,¡± the captain¡¯s voice was cold.


    Song Ke obediently extended her open palm. Her hands were wrapped in white bandages, starting from her knuckles, winding around her wrists, forearms, and elbows, disappearing under her T-shirt sleeves. Except for her fingers, no skin was visible.


    ¡°Unwrap the bandages,¡± the man ordered, each word pronounced deliberately.


    Song Ke hesitated for a moment, then slowly unwound the layers of bandages. The delicate palm of her hand had a few deflated blisters, and there were a few shallow scrapes on her arm. They looked somewhat long but not very deep, and they had already scabbed over.


    ¡°Accidental scratches,¡± she explained.


    The man didn¡¯t respond immediately. He just looked at Song Ke with a stern expression, his gaze fixated on her hand. The young girl before him had bright eyes and moist pupils, occasionally darting towards the black box, appearing worried about having to pay money.


    Though they were just ordinary scrapes that seemed perfectly normal and lacked any signs of mutation, the captain seemed lost in thought, remaining silent, his gaze seemingly trying to burn a hole through Song Ke.


    The tall figure beside them couldn¡¯t stand it any longer, ¡°Come on, Captain, don¡¯t scare the girl. Look at her, she¡¯s so nervous that she¡¯s stuttering. Hahaha!¡±


    Song Ke thought to herself, no need to worry, she was a stutterer to begin with.


    ¡°Have you awakened your ability?¡± the man suddenly asked, catching her off guard. His voice was cold and rigid, as if it had been honed by grinding against stones for a long time.


    Song Ke didn¡¯t reply, her face displaying just the right amount of confusion.


    She didn¡¯t want to expose the secret of her ability, at least not right now. After what happened with Old Cheng, her guard had become even heavier. These people were not only strangers, but they were also fellow ability users like her. She couldn¡¯t trust them; if things turned violent, it could become troublesome.


    The tall figure muttered, observing Song Ke from head to toe, ¡°I don¡¯t think so. Look at her delicate arms and legs. Doesn¡¯t quite fit¡­¡±


    A few burly men carrying the tightly wrapped Xu Xing passed by swiftly, boarding the luxury compartment of the starship. The tall figure¡¯s voice grew fainter and he awkwardly touched his nose, clearly reminded of how badly they had been dealt with by Xu Xing, who had similarly ¡°delicate arms and legs.¡±


    The man paid no attention to the tall figure¡¯s muttering and pointed out directly, ¡°You saved that mutant.¡±


    A shiver ran down Song Ke¡¯s spine. She quickly started thinking. Did he see it? How much did he see? Her action of turning the piece of wood into a shield had been discreet, and she had retracted it after blocking the ice shards. How did he manage to notice while he was still engaged in battle?


    ¡°Mutants all eventually turn into zombies, without exception. Saving them serves no purpose.¡±


    The man¡¯s cold attitude was like a needle, pricking Song Ke. Yet, she stubbornly explained, ¡°They, they aren¡¯t zombies yet.¡±


    At least when she saved them, Aunt Qing and Xiao Bao hadn¡¯t turned into zombies yet. They shouldn¡¯t be treated like monsters.


    The man remained non-committal, ¡°It¡¯s just a matter of time.¡±


    Song Ke fell silent for a moment. She couldn¡¯t argue.


    Uncertain why the captain was being particularly stern with the young girl, An Qiwen tried to diffuse the tension, ¡°Miss, don¡¯t be so nervous. We mean no harm. We¡¯re from the Azure Phoenix Army, the 11th Battalion of the Azure Phoenix. I¡¯m An Qiwen, and this is our captain, Wu Juemin.¡±


    He turned his right palm upward, and faint electric arcs coalesced into a ball in his hand, ¡°If you have awakened an ability too, you can join us. See, the cabin in front is empty.¡± He gestured towards the luxurious compartment of the starship.


    Song Ke stared at the lightning ball in his palm, pursing her lips, ¡°No, I¡­ I don¡¯t have an ability.¡±


    ¡°If not, then stay at the back,¡± Wu Juemin withdrew his gaze and walked away briskly.


    An Qiwen followed him and glanced back at Song Ke, who was about to enter the regular cabin.


    ¡°Captain, are you still suspicious of her having an ability? Isn¡¯t it unlikely? I¡¯ve even mentioned the name of Azure Phoenix. If she really has an ability, wouldn¡¯t it be safer for her to come with us? No need to hide anything. She¡¯s probably just an ordinary person.¡±


    Wu Juemin¡¯s tone was cold, ¡°Just suspicious, better if she doesn¡¯t.¡±


    Wu Juemin had heightened senses, even more so after awakening his ability. During a recent teleportation, he had sensed a strange and intense energy fluctuation, fleeting though it was. At that moment, only Song Ke and two mutants were in that direction.


    Although the detector was broken, he could have detained her until they found a place for testing. But their squad had an urgent mission; they couldn¡¯t afford to waste time here. She was just a suspected ability user and wouldn¡¯t cause much trouble. If she denied it, so be it.


    Furthermore, someone who disregarded orders to save mutants was inherently at odds with the values of Azure Phoenix.


    *


    In the regular cabin of the starship¡­


    Passengers here were either numb or cautious. When Song Ke entered, she didn¡¯t draw much attention. Scanning the area, she noticed several rows of empty seats in the back. She lowered her head and took a seat in the corner.


    Not long after, the engines started, the starship accelerated, and it set forth into the boundless night.


    This was a low-orbit starship with openable windows. Passengers in the front seats had cracked their windows open, allowing the stifling late summer evening breeze to blow in, carrying a gloomy and humid atmosphere. An air of melancholy hung over every person inside the vehicle, and Song Ke heard a few low and hoarse sobbing sounds.


    Everyone¡¯s hearts were enveloped in unspeakable shadows.


    Far from their homeland, the future was uncertain. No one knew if they would survive or for how long.


    Song Ke looked out of the window. The mist had receded, and there was no moon tonight. The sea was pitch black, and the faint lights of the isolated islands gradually sank, melding into the darkness of the night. This also meant that District 177 was getting farther and farther away from her.


    Goodbye, my home.


    Song Ke bid her silent farewell in her heart.


    About an hour after the starship had departed, Xu Weiguo seemed to have regained his spirit and came back to life. S~?a??h the N???lFire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    He fumbled to stand up from his seat and skillfully made his way to the front where the active-duty soldiers were stationed. Apparently, he realized that his money manipulation ability was no longer effective. He took out a pack of premium cigarettes and approached one of the soldiers with a friendly tone:


    ¡°Hey, buddy, let me ask you something. Where¡¯s this starship headed?¡±


    The soldier accepted the cigarette, rubbed it a couple of times, sniffed it, and then pushed it back without lighting it, saying, ¡°The nearby D-class city.¡±


    Xu Weiguo¡¯s hand holding the cigarette box trembled twice, and his voice dropped low, ¡°D-class?! Why is it a D-class? Aren¡¯t we going north¡­ to the base??¡±


    The soldier turned his head, gave Xu Weiguo a calculating look that was neither a smile nor a frown, and didn¡¯t directly respond, ¡°It¡¯s just D-class. We¡¯re relocating to a nearby D-class city for now. The next batch of rescue teams won¡¯t arrive for another two days. After that, we¡¯ll take you to the nearest emergency shelter.¡±


    Xu Weiguo¡¯s expression turned grim. He leaned in and seemed to say something to the soldier, his emotions appearing slightly agitated. However, the soldier¡¯s attitude remained cold and unyielding. He shook his head at Xu Weiguo and repeated, ¡°I don¡¯t know. Follow the orders from above, stick to the protocol.¡±


    Most of the people on the vehicle weren¡¯t in the mood to sleep. As soon as Xu Weiguo returned to his seat with a dark expression, many surrounded him to inquire about the information.


    ¡°Mr. Xu, you¡¯re resourceful. I¡¯d like to ask, where are we headed?¡±


    ¡°Where else can we go? We¡¯re just waiting to die somewhere else!¡±


    ¡°Weren¡¯t the soldiers supposed to evacuate us? Take us to a safe place?¡±


    ¡°Do you actually believe that? Is a safe place that easy to find? For people like us, it¡¯s all up to fate!¡±


    Although he said ¡°it¡¯s all up to fate,¡± his expression was clenched and full of resentment and sarcasm.


    ¡°Mr. Xu, what do you mean by that? Do you have some insider information?¡± an anxious middle-aged man asked.


    Xu Weiguo stared intently at the person who spoke, ¡°Do you think the apocalypse just came out of nowhere?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t they saying it¡¯s due to solar activity?¡±


    ¡°Nonsense!¡± Xu Weiguo¡¯s voice trembled, and he sounded deeply resentful, ¡°So many emergency shelters, so many ability users. Could it all have been arranged in just two or three days? Let me tell you all, they knew about this long ago! Those people knew long ago! And now, the apocalypse has finally arrived. The ability users have become superior beings, while we ordinary folks are just disposable lives, mere puppets for them. Eventually, we¡¯ll all turn into zombies!¡±


    Blue light flickered in Song Ke¡¯s palm, a slender swallowtail dart dancing nimbly between her fingers. The sharp blade brushed against her delicate skin, yet it moved with a grace reminiscent of a child¡¯s toy. Upon hearing Xu Weiguo¡¯s words about ¡°ability users being superior beings and ordinary people being disposable lives,¡± the swallowtail dart spun in a beautiful arc, radiating a chilling coldness.


    The middle-aged man who was the first to speak was berated by him, and his face turned sour, ¡°Mr. Xu, it¡¯s true we¡¯re just disposable lives. As long as we survive, it doesn¡¯t matter where we go,¡± a trace of disdain appeared in his eyes, ¡°but isn¡¯t your son an ability user? Why don¡¯t you have a way out?¡±


    Xu Weiguo¡¯s eyes lit up, as if he had grasped onto a lifeline. He couldn¡¯t listen to anyone else¡¯s words anymore, muttering to himself, ¡°Right! I have a son, my son is an ability user!¡±


    The atmosphere in the vehicle, once again, fell into a deep depression after Xu Weiguo¡¯s inquiries. Some stared at the partitioned luxury cabin in a daze, while others softly discussed how abilities came about and why they hadn¡¯t been so fortunate. Yet, nobody could find a reasonable explanation, nor the courage to question the armed soldiers at the front.


    ¡­


    Around four in the morning, the starship came to a silent stop.


    At this moment, most of the passengers in the regular cabin were asleep. The few who remained were closing their eyes with evident exhaustion. The subtle mechanical sounds of movement were easily overlooked, but suddenly, Song Ke opened her eyes, rousing from a light doze.


    She opened the window, stepped onto the window ledge, like a agile gecko, and clung to the window frame as she bent down and slipped out. In a few moves, she climbed onto the top of the starship. Through the dim morning light, she saw that the starship was actually separating automatically! The luxurious cabin housing the ability users reconfigured itself into a separate small aircraft in a matter of seconds. It then switched tracks and headed in a different direction, parting ways with them.


    Song Ke wasn¡¯t foolish enough to shout and create a commotion. She stood on top of the starship, watching as the other aircraft vanished into the distance. She then observed her surroundings and was soon taken aback¡ªright in the city center, a familiar landmark building caught her eye.


    The nearby D-class city? It turned out to be here.


    As dawn broke, a civilian starship silently entered a food factory warehouse on the outskirts of Hua City (D99 District), a suburban area.


    This rectangular warehouse occupied an area of about 500 square meters and had been converted into a temporary shelter. Three sides of the walls were sealed, with only a single entrance in the south. A group of armed Alliance soldiers patrolled the entrance, and sentry posts extended out two kilometers away. Surface-wise, the security measures were nearly impeccable.


    All the passengers from the starship disembarked, queued up for inspection, and entered the warehouse like a silent herd of sheep. Song Ke hung at the back of the line, her footsteps gradually slowing, and she started to create distance from the front.


    While this place appeared safe, it likely came with limitations on movement. Once inside, it would be difficult to get out. Song Ke never fully entrusted her safety to others; she had a different plan since earlier.


    Taking advantage of several soldiers moving up front to maintain order, she flashed into a nearby alleyway.


    **TN


    Swallow Tail Flying Knives, also known as Swallow Tail Darts, are traditional Chinese throwing weapons that date to the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1279).

 Chapter 9: Rainy Night in Hua City (1)

    ¡òWho in their right mind would challenge zombies?¡òHua City (D99 District) was located in the southeastern part of the New Asia Alliance. The district had convenient land and water transportation, abundant natural resources, and was a rare livable city in class D. When it came to the most famous aspect of Hua City, it was undoubtedly the extremely complex radial road network in the central city area. With its ingenious layout resembling the pattern of a ¡°Bagua¡± formation, Hua City had won the gold prize in the first Alliance City Planning Competition.


    Song Ke was not unfamiliar with Hua City. She had studied here, walked through its streets and alleys, and experienced the summer rains and winter snow of Hua City. If it weren¡¯t for what happened later¡­ she might have been even more familiar with this city.


    However, the Hua City of the present could no longer see the lively scenes of the past. Song Ke traveled from outside the Fifth Ring Road and as she moved inward, the density of zombie groups along the way grew thicker. The once bustling central commercial area was devoid of people.


    Along the streets, shops were either looted or closed with thick iron chains hanging on the doors, preventing a clear view of the interiors.


    As if overnight, the city that had once been filled with crowds and noise had turned into a desolate wasteland.


    Zombies often roamed the main roads, and Song Ke didn¡¯t want any sudden ¡°intimate¡± encounters with them. She had to find alternative routes.


    She jumped up and down between the rooftops of the residential area, quickly moving through. Unexpectedly, there was a young boy on the opposite high-rise. He looked at her through a security window, and their eyes met. The boy¡¯s pupils trembled, startled. He was about to scream when an adult behind him quickly covered his mouth and led him away from the window. They hurriedly closed the curtains. For them, any creature wandering outside was as threatening as a zombie. S?a??h th? N???lFire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Song Ke paid no attention to this, as she had spotted an unmanned supermarket. Jumping down from the third floor, she quickly approached her target. The glass door sensed the infrared signal and slid open slowly on both sides. The interior light suddenly dimmed, and Song Ke keenly sensed that there were people inside!


    Three or four men had their backs to her, rummaging through the shelves. Judging from their attire, they seemed to be local residents. Upon hearing the sound of the door opening, they became tense and turned around as if facing a formidable enemy. They frantically raised weapons like kitchen knives and rolling pins at Song Ke.


    Song Ke quickly scanned the area and realized that the supermarket had been mostly stripped of its contents.


    She didn¡¯t want to start a conflict recklessly, so she raised her hands immediately, indicating that she meant no harm. She kept her gaze on them and slowly backed out.


    While other supplies were manageable, after a day and night of traveling, the drinking water was running dangerously low.


    After exiting the supermarket, she observed the surrounding environment. She suddenly remembered that there should be a delivery station for an online shopping platform nearby. When the platform was first launched, there were a few advertisements about it, including the location of the delivery station. It was supposed to be hidden, maybe at the end of a certain alley.


    Following her rough memory of the direction, she circled around a few times and indeed found the delivery station, surprisingly still undiscovered by anyone.


    Song Ke picked the lock and entered. The weather was hot, and the station was filled with the sour smell of rotting fruits and vegetables. She replenished her drinking water, then selected some cakes, dried fruits, sausages, and biscuits with longer shelf lives, stuffing them into her bag with effort. While reorganizing her backpack space, a sudden sound from outside caught her attention. Song Ke zipped up her bag and silently moved to the window, pushing aside the blinds to look outside.


    At the corner of the alley, several meters away, a burly bald man was dragging a woman, attempting to snatch the bag from her hand.


    ¡°Let go!¡± The bald man¡¯s menacing expression was evident as he threw punches at the woman.


    The woman had disheveled hair and hunched back, appearing extremely weak, yet she clung tightly to her bag. ¡°Give it back to me. I¡¯ve worked so hard to find it¡­ please, give it back to me!¡± After the bag¡¯s mouth was pulled open, several cans of loose milk powder spilled out, followed by baby items like bottles and diapers, and finally, two or three bags of instant noodles.


    The bald man, having a clear view of the items on the ground, kicked the woman¡¯s face angrily, causing blood to flow instantly. Seeing that he had grabbed the bag and was about to run away, the woman disregarded everything and clung to his trousers, shouting hoarsely, ¡°You beast! You¡¯ll have a miserable death! Ahhhh!¡±


    The fight outside happened too quickly for Song Ke to intervene. The woman¡¯s scream had already pierced the night sky. She inwardly exclaimed, ¡°Not good!¡±


    True to her fears, within a few seconds, over a dozen zombies came rushing from the main road, swarming into the alley and attacking the two individuals with wild bites. The bloody scene and the piercing screams were too distressing to watch.


    Both individuals fell to the undead onslaught, but the zombies didn¡¯t disperse. Attracted by the strong scent of blood, they gathered, more and more of them converging. Soon, the alley became so packed that there was hardly any room to move. The nearest zombie had wandered to the doorstep of the delivery station, passing right by Song Ke on the other side of the window.


    No, there were getting more and more. Waiting any longer would make it impossible to escape. Song Ke secured her bag¡¯s strap, made sure its contents wouldn¡¯t spill, and pushed open the delivery station¡¯s door. The slight ¡°creak¡± of the door caught the attention of the zombie horde. Dozens of pale faces turned in her direction simultaneously.


    Facing the approaching zombies, Song Ke didn¡¯t back down but advanced. Swish-swish, several swallowtail darts were thrown accurately, stabbing into the eye sockets and necks of the roaring zombies in front. Their movements were visibly delayed. She picked up a kettle from the station and in an instant, it transformed into a nearly three-foot-long staff, which she swung down fiercely.


    The foremost tall zombie¡¯s brain matter splattered, its head completely detached. Song Ke slung its head into the horde and, while rapidly advancing, skillfully swung her staff, knocking away the zombies converging from all sides. When she reached the entrance of the alley, she held the staff¡¯s end with both hands, sweeping it 180 degrees in front of her. The remaining zombies that hadn¡¯t squeezed in all fell down.


    In less than five minutes, she had cleared an escape path, climbed over the rooftops ahead, and swiftly disappeared.


    ¡­


    That night, Song Ke slept on top of an abandoned water tower in the industrial district. It was far from the city center, sparsely populated, and the zombies couldn¡¯t climb up.


    Lying on the concrete ground, she looked up at the chaotic night sky, feeling utterly lost.


    Since the day she learned of the impending apocalypse, Song Ke had been lost. Her grandfather had told her to ¡°live well,¡± but she had only slept for three days. When she woke up, everything had gone awry. She hadn¡¯t understood anything yet, and she was already being chased by zombies, abandoned by the Cheng family, followed by her master¡¯s death, the martial arts school¡¯s destruction, and being forced to leave District 177, exiled to Hua City. Then what? What should she do to survive in this kind of apocalypse?


    After nearly two days and nights without sleep, Song Ke was reaching her limit. As drowsiness gradually overtook her, she turned over, silently repeating in her mind: Regardless of everything, just stay here for a couple of days, hold on until the rescue team arrives. At least, she was familiar with Hua City; enduring for a while shouldn¡¯t be a problem. Moreover, she had to figure out how her special abilities came to be¡­


    The next day, Song Ke continued her exploration westward. As the first light of dawn broke, she arrived at School Street in Hua City.


    This street used to have many shops, but unexpectedly, there wasn¡¯t much left in terms of supplies. It seemed they had already been scavenged once. Passing a corner, faint rustling noises came from up ahead. Song Ke¡¯s right hand gently brushed her pocket, where several swallowtail darts remained.


    She turned the corner, and there on the ground, a huddled figure was present. Upon hearing footsteps, the figure froze instantly. After a strange silence, the figure slowly raised its head and turned it around, revealing grayish-white eyeballs, a mutilated face covered in flesh and blood, and jagged teeth smeared with who-knows-what kind of minced meat. Spotting live prey, its pupils dilated, and its mouth slowly opened, ready to roar at Song Ke.


    Just as Song Ke was about to make a move, a succession of shouts erupted from behind, ¡°Here! There¡¯s a zombie here!¡± Suddenly, a few teenagers in Hua City First Middle School uniforms, each holding a baseball bat, appeared.


    Two agile boys rushed past Song Ke and charged ahead, yelling in terror. In a chaotic flurry, they dispatched the zombie. Afterwards, they turned their attention cautiously to Song Ke, while the remaining individuals slowly spread out, encircling her.


    ¡°Who is she? No, is she human or a zombie?¡±


    ¡°Probably, probably human¡­¡±


    ¡°But she was just standing with the zombies! Who in their right mind would challenge a zombie face-to-face like that!¡±


    ¡°Which one of you wants to go ask her? I surely don¡¯t dare¡­¡±


    ¡°No, why are you all looking at me? I said I don¡¯t dare!¡±


    Finally, the chubby guy who repeated ¡°I don¡¯t dare¡± several times was pushed forward. Gathering his courage, he nervously asked, ¡°Um, miss, a-a-are you a human?¡±


    Song Ke moved her hand away from her pocket and was about to answer, but the chubby guy started panicking on his own, ¡°Oh no! She¡¯s not speaking! She¡¯s so fierce! I said I don¡¯t dare, wuwuwu!¡±


    ¡°?¡± Song Ke took a deep breath and explained, one word at a time, ¡°I¡­ am¡­ human.¡±


    Tears welled up in the chubby guy¡¯s eyes, ¡°T-t-t-then, h-h-h-how did you come out alone?¡±


    ¡°What are you all doing, standing here?¡± At this moment, seven or eight more people arrived at the intersection, joining the group of students. Among them, a gentle-looking girl inadvertently caught sight of Song Ke and exclaimed, ¡°You¡¯re¡­ Song Ke?¡±


    Song Ke slowly raised her gaze upon hearing that voice.


    ¡°Yiyi, do you know her?¡± a round-faced girl asked with confusion.


    After finishing her awkward shout, Cao Yiyi unexpectedly encountered Song Ke¡¯s ice-cold dark pupils. She quickly averted her gaze, as if pricked by a needle, and stumbled to explain, ¡°Ah? Oh, she¡­ she was my former classmate.¡± She glanced furtively at the figure of a certain guy ahead, her explanation distracted and hasty. The guy had his back turned to her, facing in Song Ke¡¯s direction, his posture appearing quite tense.


    Cao Yiyi bit her lip, fingers nervously clutching her clothes¡¯ corner. Suddenly, she took the initiative to approach, grabbed Song Ke¡¯s hand, and put on an intentionally enthusiastic smile, ¡°Song Ke, you disappeared from school without a word. We were all surprised. Later, we heard you went back to your hometown to work. How did you end up here now?¡±


    Expressionless, Song Ke stared at their intertwining hands until Cao Yiyi awkwardly let go. Then, she turned to the chubby guy and continued to answer in a measured tone, ¡°I got, got separated from the retreat, retreat group accidentally, so I, I¡¯m alone.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see.¡± The chubby guy didn¡¯t expect Song Ke to still answer him, and he responded foolishly.


    ¡°Pfft~¡± Someone was successfully amused, and the way they looked at Song Ke suddenly changed, ¡°What¡¯s this? A stutterer?¡±


    ¡°I heard survivors from other districts have come over these two days. Seems like they want to manage us collectively.¡±


    ¡°Weren¡¯t they supposed to be centralized? Then why is she wandering outside alone?¡±


    ¡°Who knows, but she seems pretty bold. The girls in our class would scream at the sight of zombies¡­¡±


    Amid their laughter and banter, Song Ke stood unmoved, her expression unchanged.


    ¡°Brother Jiang, what do you think?¡±


    A young man, whose hair looked like it had been curled with aluminum foil, appeared more mature than the others. He asked softly, looking at the tall and silent guy who had been standing at the forefront.


    Jiang Rui¡¯s gaze was complex. He stared at Song Ke in silence, the old scar on his brow especially prominent in the sunlight.


    He clenched his hand tightly and then released it unexpectedly. He invited, ¡°Song Ke, our school has a safe zone with around a hundred people. Do you want to come with us?¡± He added, ¡°We have people with special abilities.¡±


    ¡°Jiang Rui! Why are you telling her all this? She¡¯s not from our school!¡± Another guy complained unhappily.


    Jiang Rui touched the ring on his hand. His icy gaze swept over the person, and they immediately shut up in fear.


    Encountering Jiang Rui and Cao Yiyi unexpectedly made Song Ke¡¯s mood plummet. She felt irritated, truly annoyed, and wanted to avoid any interactions with them. She had already taken steps forward when she heard the last sentence, causing her to hesitate.


    Special abilities? They have people with special abilities. Maybe they know something.


    Song Ke nodded, ¡°Sure.¡±

 Chapter 10: Rainy Night in Hua City (2)

    ¡ò More terrifying than zombies ¡òJiang Rui appeared to be the leader of this group of high school students, with everyone else in the team obeying his every word¡ªexcept for Song Ke.


    Song Ke had a carefree attitude, not quite understanding the twists and turns of social interactions. When Jiang Rui asked her to join him, she unreservedly stood by his side, paying no attention to the people behind her and their varied expressions.


    The atmosphere remained quiet throughout the journey, and the two of them only exchanged a few words after a long while. Song Ke was not one to speak much; she had always been of few words. Jiang Rui, on the other hand, was acting unusually. In the past, he had been bold and unruly, making it impossible to ignore his existence. Almost three years had passed, and his recklessness had mellowed considerably. His entire demeanor had transformed as if he had undergone a profound change, almost as if he had completely forgotten the past grievances when facing Song Ke. He even took the initiative to explain the current situation.


    ¡°On the day of the solar eruption, it happened to be the day students returned to school. Many people suddenly fainted. At that time, no one realized the severity of the situation. They thought it was just ordinary heatstroke and took them to the medical room. The first zombie appeared that evening, followed by the second, the third¡­ In less than two days, the school was completely overrun.¡±


    ¡°You mean, there are people with special abilities among you.¡±


    ¡°Yes, there are three individuals with special abilities.¡±


    ¡°And how many normal people were there?¡±


    ¡°One hundred and twenty-three. Two days ago, there were nearly two hundred, but some didn¡¯t want to stay at the school and found ways to escape¡ªeither back home or to nearby shelters. After they left, we lost all contact with them¡­ so there have been fewer people leaving these past few days.¡±


    At this critical juncture, students who lost contact were probably facing dire circumstances. Song Ke tactfully refrained from further questions.


    ¡°Song Ke, how¡­ have you been?¡± Quite abruptly, Jiang Rui turned to her and asked.


    Song Ke glanced at him in bewilderment. This question was quite out of the blue, and she didn¡¯t know how to respond. If she said she was doing well, it would be a lie. With her family gone and nowhere to belong, how could she be considered ¡°well¡±? If she said she wasn¡¯t doing well, she would have been bitten by zombies long ago on this journey and wouldn¡¯t be standing here conversing with Jiang Rui.


    Jiang Rui seemed to realize that his question was ill-timed. After a moment of silence, he changed the subject.


    ¡­


    Several minutes later, they found a Western-style restaurant and managed to pry open the locked curtain at the entrance. The group was preparing to split into two teams for a search.


    ¡°We haven¡¯t been to this restaurant before. I¡¯ll take a few people to the main hall and the second floor. Zhang Hao, you and your group go to the kitchen to look for food.¡±


    ¡°Keep it quiet and don¡¯t attract any zombies.¡±


    Jiang Rui quickly organized the teams. There were twelve people in total. He took seven with him, leaving the remaining five with Zhang Hao. Cao Yiyi was assigned to Jiang Rui¡¯s team, and she wisely refrained from engaging in conversation with Song Ke, keeping her head down and lost in thought.


    When it was Song Ke¡¯s turn, Jiang Rui hesitated for a moment. ¡°Song Ke, go with Zhang Hao to the kitchen.¡±


    Zhang Hao, who had received this hot potato, didn¡¯t voice any objections upon hearing this. He cast a lingering glance at Song Ke before complying.


    The main hall faced the street, and the second floor had numerous outdoor balconies. Compared to the kitchen, which was situated deep within the restaurant, the danger level was naturally higher. By assigning Song Ke to Zhang Hao¡¯s team, everyone understood that they were looking out for her.


    Song Ke didn¡¯t mind. She was fine with going wherever. Since the teams were already divided, she simply agreed and stood behind Zhang Hao.


    The kitchen was located deep within the Western-style restaurant. They crossed the main hall and walked along the corridor for a while. Someone exclaimed in excitement, ¡°There¡¯s a cold storage room here!¡±


    Zhang Hao immediately decided, ¡°Let¡¯s go check it out.¡±


    When Song Ke tried to follow them inside, Zhang Hao reached out and stopped her. ¡°Wait here, classmate. Don¡¯t move around.¡±


    Zhang Hao had already come out for the third time. He was more cautious than the others, and the addition of a fragile girl to the team, especially one who had a connection with Jiang Rui, didn¡¯t sit well with him. If this girl started causing trouble with tears and complaints, it could jeopardize their lives. At the moment, he just hoped that Song Ke would stay put like a fragile doll, not offering assistance and not causing any disruptions.


    Song Ke sensed his rejection and slowly retracted her raised foot. ¡°Oh.¡±


    Zhang Hao and another boy continued to carry out beef, mutton, fruits, and vegetables from the cold storage room. They handed the items to the round-faced girl in their team, who squatted on the ground, organizing the various foods and packing them into the backpacks of several people.


    Song Ke was left standing aside, and the girl didn¡¯t show any intention of asking for her help. She ended up sitting on a table, watching them work.


    Inside the narrow kitchen, two boys entered one after the other, searching for supplies with curiosity.


    ¡°Wow, this restaurant¡¯s kitchen is so small. There probably isn¡¯t much here.¡±


    ¡°So should we go back outside?¡±


    ¡°Why rush? Going out now means helping with carrying things.¡± Some of the potatoes in the basket had started to sprout. The taller boy picked up a small one, mimicking a basketball shot, and playfully threw it into the chubby boy¡¯s hooded T-shirt. ¡°Three-points! Nice shot!¡±


    The chubby boy wore a distressed expression. ¡°Kongzi Qi, stop messing around!¡±


    Kongzi Qi ignored him and continued, ¡°It¡¯s fine. Brother Jiang and the others are outside. Hey, Tian Yi, don¡¯t dodge!¡±


    Chubs was afraid of pain, twisting and turning to evade. The small potato¡¯s aim was off, and it missed him, bouncing off the counter with a few thuds, seemingly hitting something with a muffled sound. Both of them were surprised and simultaneously turned their heads to the point of impact. Several zombies stood up unsteadily, one of them wearing a white chef¡¯s hat and being as round as a small hill.


    Kongzi Qi was dumbfounded, staying frozen for several seconds. These zombies were holding spatulas and knives in their hands!


    ¡°Oh my god! Tian Yi, run!¡± Since he was close to the door, Kongzi Qi rushed out in a few steps, gripping the doorframe and shouting, ¡°Quick, come over, Tian Yi!¡±


    Tian Yi was positioned closer to the inside. He was facing the head chef zombie directly and, in his panic, stumbled. The head chef zombie reached out and grabbed his leg. Tian Yi desperately kicked and stomped on its face, shouting in terror, ¡°Help! Help!¡±


    The commotion quickly reached the outside, and Zhang Hao¡¯s group hurriedly rushed out of the cold storage room, even Jiang Rui¡¯s team arrived in haste.


    Kongzi Qi¡¯s voice was trembling with urgency. ¡°Brother Jiang, save Tian Yi!¡±


    The kitchen¡¯s door was narrow, allowing only one person to pass at a time. Inside the confined space, Jiang Rui hesitated while rubbing the ring on his right hand. He wasn¡¯t particularly skilled in close combat. However, as he lifted his head and faced the expectant gazes of everyone around him, his breath caught, and with a voice hoarse with resolution, he finally ordered, ¡°Once I¡¯m in, all of you retreat.¡±


    But someone acted even quicker than him.


    Song Ke had been idly watching, swinging her slender legs, as the girls packed the food. Suddenly, she heard a scream from the kitchen. Soon after, a boy stumbled out, disoriented.


    Without much thought, she used one hand to support herself on the table and leaped out. Like a whirlwind, she rushed into the room. Delivering several swift kicks to the chubby chef zombie¡¯s belly, she forced it to retreat. Then, she grabbed a bucket from the sink with lightning speed and slammed it down on the zombie¡¯s head. When it staggered in confusion, flailing its limbs, she caught hold of the chubby boy¡¯s collar, pulling him up, and swiftly instructed, ¡°Run, now.¡±


    The slightly chubby boy, Tian Yi, weighing around 160 pounds, was flung out of the kitchen by her like a ball. The pursuing zombies followed suit. Song Ke targeted their vulnerable joints, attacking with cracking bone sounds¡ªsnap, snap.


    The movements of the zombies were disoriented, and she then picked up the baseball bat that Tian Yi had dropped. With a heavy thud, she struck the head of the head chef zombie who had just managed to free itself from the bucket. It fell backwards in confusion, its bulky body resembling a bowling ball. It collided with the other zombies, creating a clattering commotion.


    Taking advantage of the chaos, Song Ke swiftly shut the door, locked it, and pushed tables against it.


    Turning around, she faced a group of teenagers, their jaws dropping in shock as they looked at her.


    Song Ke kindly informed them, ¡°It¡¯s taken care of. We should, we should leave.¡±


    Silence¡ªa eerie silence. After a while, someone couldn¡¯t hold back their amazement.


    ¡°It feels like¡­¡± Kongzi Qi supported Tian Yi, swallowing hard, ¡°she¡¯s more terrifying than zombies.¡±


    Jiang Rui stood at the front of the crowd, looking at Song Ke¡¯s slender figure. The old scar on his brow seemed to throb slightly. He couldn¡¯t help but smile wryly to himself. Indeed, he had been overthinking things. Back in the day, Song Ke could handle an entire class on her own. Why had he ever thought she needed his protection?


    ¡°Pack up, let¡¯s go quickly.¡±


    The journey back to the school went surprisingly smoothly, perhaps because Jiang Rui¡¯s group had become familiar with the route and didn¡¯t encounter any more zombies along the way.


    The high schoolers whispered behind Song Ke¡¯s back, no longer daring to mock her openly. Lin Xia, the round-faced girl who was previously in Song Ke¡¯s group, tugged on Cao Yiyi¡¯s sleeve and said with surprise, ¡°Yiyi, what¡¯s the deal with your classmate? She¡¯s amazing.¡±


    Cao Yiyi lowered her eyelashes, her voice soft and hard to read. ¡°Is that so? She¡¯s always liked to fight.¡±


    As they approached Hua City No.1 Middle School, Song Ke finally voiced the question that had been on her mind for a while.


    ¡°I have¡­ a question.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the question?¡±


    ¡°Tell me, if the school is, is infested with zombies, why is there still a, a safe zone?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ you¡¯ll find out soon.¡±


    Instead of entering the school through the main gate, they took a detour around a side hill. When they looked down from the slope, the sight before them left Song Ke momentarily speechless.


    Hundreds and thousands of zombies dressed in Hua City No.1 Middle School uniforms had taken over the playground, dormitories, and teaching buildings. Their dense presence was enough to make one¡¯s scalp tingle. They wandered everywhere like ghosts, their heads twitching nervously as they turned, sniffing the scent of living humans in the air.


    This was the largest zombie horde that Song Ke had seen since the apocalypse, and also the most chilling.


    After all, these were once lively boys and girls in their teens, with bright futures ahead of them, the hopes of the Alliance. Now, they had become lifeless walking corpses.


    The expressions of everyone grew heavy.


    Tian Yi¡¯s sadness was about to overflow from his face. ¡°In our class, except for me and Kongzi Qi, everyone¡­ Our homeroom teacher was bitten by the zombies while trying to protect us.¡± Even Kongzi Qi, who had always been jovial, had red eyes as he turned away.


    Jiang Rui pointed in a direction. ¡°There¡¯s the safe zone.¡±


    He was referring to a storm-proof, enclosed stadium near the edge of the school, built using the latest seismic and fire-resistant materials provided by the Alliance. Behind it was a high-voltage electric fence.


    Song Ke gazed at the tightly packed zombies outside the stadium. ¡°How do we get in?¡±


    ¡°Through here.¡± Jiang Rui took the lead, and the others followed him. They went around the slope behind the stadium. When they got closer, Song Ke noticed a hole in the high-voltage electric fence. It looked as if it had been burned open by intense heat, just large enough for an adult to pass through. However, two or three zombies were wandering nearby.


    ¡°Step back.¡± The group halted in the woods not far from the zombies. Jiang Rui¡¯s voice was stern. S~?a??h the n0v?l(?)ire.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Everyone else took two steps backward, and Song Ke hesitated for a moment before falling back in line with them. She looked left and right, took small steps, and aligned herself with the others on the same level.


    Jiang Rui took off his ring and walked towards the zombies. Song Ke¡¯s sharp eyes noticed a faint red mark around the base of his middle finger. Just then, Jiang Rui raised his hand, and a two-meter-long flame snake burst from his palm, instantly transforming into a fiery whip. He lashed it at several zombies, the smell of burning flesh and skin quickly spreading. The zombies emitted cries of agony and soon fell to the ground.


    It finally dawned on Song Ke¡ªJiang Rui was actually an ability user!


    After dealing with the zombies, Jiang Rui turned back and glanced at Song Ke. It seemed like he wanted to say something, but the others had already burst into cheers.


    ¡°Brother Jiang is amazing!¡±


    ¡°That AOE skill, it¡¯s so satisfying to whip those zombies!¡±


    After eliminating the minor obstacle blocking their path, the group passed through the gap in the electric fence and soon arrived beneath the wall at the back of the storm-proof stadium.


    Jiang Rui took out his phone and typed out a message.


    Two minutes later, something unbelievable happened. The wall in front of them rapidly dissolved, revealing the shape of a door, jutting out abruptly!


    A transforming¡­ door?


    ¡°Song Ke, welcome to the safe zone.¡± After Jiang Rui finished speaking, he pushed open the door without hesitation.


    The group filed inside, and the door closed again, existing for about ten seconds before suddenly disappearing.


    Song Ke turned around, only to see that the wall was as smooth as before.

 Chapter 11: Rainy Night in Hua City (3)

    ¡òSomething in Common¡òIn the wind and rain-covered playground, about a hundred people were seated or standing, all looking over: ¡°Brother Jiang and the others have returned!¡±


    After the door completely vanished, Song Ke noticed there was a boy standing beside her. His face was somewhat pale, but his eyes were very bright. He had a deep blue sports headband wrapped around his head, and his hands had just retracted from the wall.


    Song Ke stared at him for a couple more seconds.


    Jiang Rui noticed her gaze and leaned closer to her, explaining near her ear, ¡°He¡¯s called Liu Zixuan. His ability is ¡®door-opening.¡¯ He can open a door on any flat surface, for twenty seconds. We use this method to enter and exit the safe zone.¡±


    Song Ke wasn¡¯t used to people being so close to her, so she made a ¡®hmm¡¯ of acknowledgment and took two steps away.


    Opening a door out of thin air using an ability? No wonder this place could establish a safe zone. The entire wind and rain-covered playground was sealed on all four sides. The intelligent-controlled gates to the east and west were tightly shut, and there were many heavy objects piled behind them. It was like a stronghold to defend against zombie attacks. Along with Liu Zixuan¡¯s ability, they had control over the initiative of entering and exiting, which helped avoid direct conflict with the zombies as much as possible.


    A group of thirteen people walked towards the center of the wind and rain-covered playground, where a young man was waiting for them.


    ¡°Teacher Xu, we¡¯re back!¡± The members of the squad saw him and immediately surrounded him.


    ¡°We hit the jackpot this time! We found steak! Lamb leg! We can finally have meat!¡±


    ¡°Teacher Xu, there are more and more zombies outside. When will the Alliance¡¯s rescue team come?¡±


    Upon hearing this last sentence, the high spirits of the crowd gradually dampened. Every day spent here added an extra layer of danger. The reason why they hadn¡¯t lost hope was simply due to their faith, believing that the Alliance wouldn¡¯t easily abandon Hua City.


    Xu Liren was a teacher at Hua City No.1 Middle School, thirty years old this year, of average height. He wore rimless glasses and had a gentle and refined demeanor. At this moment, he was tilting his head slightly, patiently listening to a group of students chatter away.


    After they had finished speaking, Jiang Rui quietly briefed him on the events of the day and gestured with his hand towards Song Ke, who stood behind.


    She became the center of attention, initially unnoticed by those who remained in the wind and rain-covered playground. However, with Jiang Rui¡¯s gesture, several inquisitive gazes immediately fell upon her.


    After listening to Jiang Rui¡¯s account, Xu Liren kindly beckoned her over, ¡°Song Ke, come here.¡±


    The squad members parted like the Red Sea, instinctively making way to the sides. Song Ke, who lagged a step behind, was exposed. She took two steps forward, remaining silent.


    Xu Liren had been her homeroom teacher and was aware of her stuttering issue. He didn¡¯t mind her reticence and simply gazed at her through his glasses, as if contemplating something.


    ¡°Teacher Xu, Song Ke saved me today!¡± Tian Yi eagerly wanted Song Ke to stay and spoke up for her.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah! When we encountered the zombies, she knocked down several of them. She¡¯s really impressive,¡± Kongzi Qi chimed in as well.


    The other members of the team, though they didn¡¯t say anything aloud, had eager expressions in their eyes. Song Ke¡¯s powerful skills had left a profound impression on them. With someone capable of fighting like this joining them, everyone¡¯s sense of safety improved significantly.


    ¡°Professor Xu, let Song Ke stay,¡± Jiang Rui proposed voluntarily.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not rush things, everyone,¡± Xu Liren said with a comforting smile, looking at Song Ke with care. ¡°According to what Jiang Rui said, you got separated from the retreating group, right? Hua City is quite dangerous now. I try my best to ensure the safety of every student. If you¡¯re willing, would you consider staying here temporarily?¡±


    Xu Liren spoke eloquently, like a gentle breeze, and those eyes behind his glasses seemed to hold an irresistible persuasive power when meeting someone¡¯s gaze. It was hard to summon the courage to resist him. Song Ke instinctively looked away and was about to agree¡ª


    ¡°No, I disagree!¡± a delicate and pretty girl walked down from the stands. When Cao Yiyi tried to grab her sleeve, she shrugged her off. ¡°Professor Xu, this place is already dangerous. Why are we letting in unknown people? What if she seeks revenge on us or causes trouble intentionally?¡±


    Seeing her, Jiang Rui frowned and patiently explained, ¡°Zhou Anqi, Song Ke isn¡¯t an unknown person. She¡¯s also your classmate.¡±


    ¡°A classmate? Did she ever treat us as classmates? Don¡¯t forget why she dropped out in the first place!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± Jiang Rui interrupted her coldly.


    Zhou Anqi was scolded loudly by him. At first, she was stunned, but then it seemed like she¡¯d been slapped by a burning palm. Her father was on the school board at Hua City No.1 Middle School. She was used to being a proud little princess and had never faced such a loss of face, especially from Jiang Rui. She was embarrassed and angry, on the verge of losing her temper.


    Xu Liren sent the others to handle supplies, then turned to Zhou Anqi. He calmly said her name, ¡°Zhou Anqi.¡±


    Zhou Anqi angrily lifted her gaze, suddenly meeting his calm eyes. She shivered, and her imposing demeanor vanished instantly. The foul language on her lips was forgotten.


    Xu Liren spoke slowly, as if trying to convince her, ¡°At this time, all of us should unite and put aside personal conflicts. Think about it, Song Ke¡¯s addition is beneficial for us. Doesn¡¯t what I said make sense?¡±


    Zhou Anqi found herself nodding along, not sure how she had agreed.


    Xu Liren smiled contentedly, then looked at Song Ke. ¡°You¡¯ve had a long day. Go rest. Those several rows over there are your former classmates from Class Three. You can join them.¡±


    Song Ke stared at Zhou Anqi, feeling a bit puzzled. How had Zhou Anqi, after three years of not seeing her, suddenly changed her attitude? Just a moment ago, she was furious, wanting to bite her, and now she was obedient?


    Interrupted by Xu Liren, Song Ke followed the direction of the stands and saw her ¡°old classmates,¡± who appeared both alarmed and embarrassed, none of them daring to meet her gaze.


    ¡°No need,¡± Song Ke thought coldly, finding an empty corner to lean against the wall and rest.


    On the western side of the stands, someone curiously approached the group from Class Three, asking for gossip. S?a??h the N?v?lFir?(.)n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Who¡¯s that? So arrogant. Is she Brother Jiang¡¯s new partner?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re such an idiot,¡± the person speaking trembled all over. ¡°Don¡¯t provoke her. She¡¯s a disaster¡­ that scar on Brother Jiang¡¯s head was caused by her!¡±


    *


    When Cao Yiyi came to find Zhou Anqi after collecting supplies, she saw her sitting by the stands with vacant eyes. Cao Yiyi adjusted her facial expression, putting on a concerned look, and whispered to her, ¡°Anqi, are you still angry about Song Ke?¡±


    Zhou Anqi was confused for a moment before slowly regaining her composure. ¡°Who? Oh, her. Such bad luck. Professor Xu agreed to let her stay. How did you guys run into this harbinger of doom?¡±


    Cao Yiyi sat down beside her. ¡°Actually, it¡¯s not a big deal that we bumped into her. Jiang Rui insisted on bringing her back. He even took special care of her on the way. We¡¯re all looking for supplies everywhere, and she just needs to watch.¡±


    Zhou Anqi¡¯s anger flared up again upon hearing this. She stood up, ready to confront Jiang Rui, but Cao Yiyi grabbed her arm. ¡°Anqi, don¡¯t be impulsive. If you go to talk to Jiang Rui now, he¡¯ll only dislike you more. Jiang Rui is an ability user now. You can¡¯t provoke him like before¡­¡±


    Zhou Anqi pouted. ¡°I just can¡¯t understand how she has the nerve to make Jiang Rui bring her back.¡±


    ¡°Because she can fight, but Anqi, things are different now. Even though she can fight, she¡¯s not an ability user. Some situations are beyond even the capabilities of ability users. Without Jiang Rui protecting her, who knows what might happen¡­¡± Cao Yiyi trailed off.


    ¡°What might happen? Hey, can¡¯t you just say everything at once? Geez,¡± Zhou Anqi stared at her.


    Cao Yiyi choked a bit, inwardly cursing at how dense she was. She had dropped such obvious hints, and yet Zhou Anqi still didn¡¯t get it.


    She smiled gently. ¡°Anqi, do you know that Zhang Qi likes you?¡±


    *


    Leaning against the wall, Song Ke let her supernatural power circulate slowly within her body, trying to control every subtle change. Her outward projection of mental energy detected a mass of energy approaching. Opening her eyes, she saw Tian Yi placing a bag of meat floss bun in front of her.


    After being caught in the act, the chubby boy scratched the back of his head and shyly smiled at her. ¡°Thank you for saving me today.¡±


    Song Ke retracted her mental power and responded succinctly, ¡°No need.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s necessary. Thanks to you today, I was so scared back then¡­¡± Tian Yi waved his hands repeatedly, carefully observing her expression. Actually, he was a little wary of Song Ke at first, but after experiencing her lifesaving help, he felt a bit closer to her.


    Somehow, Song Ke¡¯s cold and aloof demeanor seemed to trigger his desire to talk. Tian Yi simply sat down on the ground and started chatting nonstop, ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t know, I used to be so afraid of disaster movies. Those moments when the zombies come rushing out¡­¡±


    Chattering away to himself, he reminded Song Ke of Aming for a moment, so she didn¡¯t interrupt him immediately.


    But he just kept on going, and Song Ke finally reached her limit. ¡°Hey, you, shut¡­ shut up.¡±


    Tian Yi stopped talking as if a parrot had its throat squeezed, looking pitiful.


    Song Ke sighed inwardly. ¡°If you really, really want to talk. Just tell me about, about the situation here.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Tian Yi became excited again. ¡°I entered the safe zone on the first day. What do you want to know?¡±


    ¡°Ability users.¡±


    ¡°We currently have three ability users. Brother Jiang, you already know about him. He¡¯s a fire-type ability user, able to control flames like whips. He¡¯s adept at dealing with zombie groups. So, I declare, Brother Jiang is the strongest fighter here!¡±


    Song Ke raised an eyebrow, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.


    ¡°Then there¡¯s Liu Zixuan. His power is the ability to open doors. He opened the door for us when we first came in. However, he needs a 12-hour interval between each door opening. Initially, he even passed out after using it, so we usually only go out once every other day.¡±


    Thinking of how she had depleted her psychic power the first time, Song Ke couldn¡¯t help but think: Liu Zixuan¡¯s power might be unique, but its actual consumption is quite high. No wonder he can only use it twice a day.


    ¡°There¡¯s also Zhang Qi,¡± Tian Yi pointed in another direction to a burly boy who was helping a female classmate lay out some exercise mats. His bulging biceps resembled small hills. ¡°His power seems to be super strength? Zhang Qi used to practice throwing iron discs. Now he can lift the whole platform with one hand! Look over there.¡±


    At the west side of the smart-controlled gate, the entire platform had been uprooted and piled behind the gate. It probably weighed a few hundred kilograms. When Song Ke first noticed it, she found it odd, but now she realized it was done by an ability user.


    ¡°However, luckily, you ran into Brother Jiang today,¡± Tian Yi muttered to himself.


    ¡°How, how so?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know, Brother Jiang is not only strong with his power but also righteous in his conduct. He always takes responsibility when leading us out. That¡¯s why everyone¡¯s willing to follow him. But Zhang Qi, on the other hand, used to have a bad reputation. He¡¯s impulsive and easily angered. The last time he led a team out, some people didn¡¯t come back¡­¡±


    Song Ke looked at Zhang Qi. After helping with the mats, he moved over to the stands and chatted with a few guys, causing them to burst into hearty laughter. Not far away, Zhou Anqi gave him a disdainful look, then Cao Yiyi approached, and the two started talking.


    She shifted her gaze back and continued asking Tian Yi, ¡°What about Professor Xu? It seems like you all, all listen to him.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, when the zombies first appeared, we were all terrified. Fortunately, Professor Xu was there. He organized our retreat and came up with the idea of the safe zone. We take turns going out to find supplies, and Professor Xu allocates personnel.¡±


    ¡°What about¡­ do you know how the powers awaken?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. The Alliance hasn¡¯t released an official explanation. It¡¯s all just hearsay, true and false mixed together. If it wasn¡¯t for people like Brother Jiang who are genuine ability users, I probably wouldn¡¯t believe it either.


    ¡°But I¡¯ve noticed they share something in common!¡±


    Suddenly lowering his voice, Tian Yi leaned in and confidentially revealed, ¡°I¡¯m not sure about other ability users, but the night they awakened their powers, they all had a fever. Zhang Qi was the first to wake up, around 11 p.m. Then Liu Zixuan, around 3 a.m., and Brother Jiang was the latest, waking up almost noon the next day.¡±

 Chapter 12: Rainy Night in Hua City (4)

    ¡òTeach her a lesson¡òWas fever a precursor to awakening of supernatural abilities?


    Even long after Tian Yi had left, Song Ke was still pondering this question.


    Would her three-day high fever have any impact on her supernatural abilities? What exactly was the ability she had awakened?


    As one problem was resolved, new questions kept emerging incessantly, giving Song Ke a headache.


    Jiang Rui later paid her a visit, facing numerous gazes, and brought food and a mattress for Song Ke. From the past, she had always regarded him as a troublesome busybody, but she hadn¡¯t anticipated that after three years, he would still be like this. She was so fed up that she didn¡¯t want to bother with him at all.


    Perhaps sensing her impatience, Jiang Rui didn¡¯t linger much either. He just left after putting down the items.


    At night, the wind and rain on the playground subsided, and everyone lay on their mats, lost in their own thoughts, gradually slipping into slumber.


    Song Ke picked up her backpack from the ground and stealthily entered the equipment room in the darkness.


    Inside the stuffy equipment room, she bit her lower lip, undoing the bandages wrapped around her body.


    The gauze separated from her skin with a slight tug, and after removing all the bandages, Song Ke was momentarily stunned. Several wounds on her body, deep enough to expose bone, had actually healed within just a few days. Fresh, tender new skin had grown, and even when she lightly poked at it, it didn¡¯t hurt much.


    Was this related to her awakening of supernatural abilities? Her body¡¯s healing speed had significantly increased.


    Previously, Song Ke had been unwilling to walk alongside those soldiers, partly because of her injuries, especially the ones on her back and abdomen. At a glance, they looked grisly, so she intentionally wound long bandages around her arms. Her aim was to divert attention to her hands, thus downplaying the existence of other wounds.


    After all, she had been wounded by zombies, and she didn¡¯t know if any abnormalities would arise. The group of powerful and vigilant supernaturals, if they noticed anything amiss, given their inhumane treatment of those who showed abnormalities, the consequences would likely be unpredictable.


    After reapplying the ointment and tending to her wounds, Song Ke closed the door, retreating back to her corner.


    In the latter part of the night, she dozed off, hugging her backpack, until the tranquility of the safe zone was shattered by a loud exclamation.


    ¡°There¡¯s news! The Alliance has issued a statement!¡±


    Spots of light from cell phones began to flicker one after another. The awakened individuals who were awoken by the noise didn¡¯t even have time to complain as they rubbed their eyes and checked the official messages.


    ¡°It¡¯s true! The nearest rescue team is less than 80 kilometers away from Hua City!¡±


    ¡°They say they will clear out the peripheral zombies first and then dispatch starships to the urban area for rescue. Survivors can upload their locations.¡±


    ¡°This is fantastic! We can finally leave!¡± The girls embraced each other, jumping and rejoicing with tears of joy.


    The hope of survival ignited the entire safe zone. Nobody felt sleepy anymore; they gathered together, excitedly discussing. Xu Liren gathered a group of students for an emergency meeting, seemingly discussing matters about contacting the rescue team.


    Song Ke wasn¡¯t interested in their meeting¡¯s contents. She rolled over, facing the corner of the wall, and continued to sleep. When she escaped from District 177, she had already known that a rescue team would be coming in the next couple of days. The news now confirmed it, and for her, it meant just another place to wander.


    What she didn¡¯t expect was that, in a short while, the group that had just finished the meeting was heading straight toward her.


    ¡°Song Ke, wake up. We need to talk to you, Song Ke?¡±


    Representing them, Lin Xia called softly for quite some time, but Song Ke, with her face buried in her bag, was sound asleep and showed no response.


    In fact, she had awakened when this group of people had approached, but with so many people buzzing around, her morning irritation got the best of her.


    She wasn¡¯t really keen on dealing with these people.


    Xu Liren knelt down in front of her, as if he knew she was awake. He said in his usual tone, ¡°Song Ke, today Zhang Qi is preparing to lead a team to the starship port to gather information. We¡¯re missing one person. Would you be willing to go out for a bit?¡±


    Although it was phrased as a consultation, a dense crowd of people was behind him, and dozens of pairs of eyes were fixed on her.


    Everyone was waiting for her answer. Unable to pretend to be asleep any longer, Song Ke slowly opened her eyes and let out a big yawn.


    Feeling so sleepy, her eyes even welled up with tears.


    Seeing that she wasn¡¯t taking it seriously, Zhang Qi¡¯s expression immediately turned grim.


    Xu Liren paid no mind to her impoliteness and continued to persuade her gently, ¡°Song Ke, everyone in the team has their own position and contribution. You¡¯re new here, and fairness is important in the decisions I make as a teacher, right? I know you¡¯re skilled and capable of handling this task. I¡¯ve talked to Zhang Qi, and he agrees with your involvement.¡±


    Through the corner of her eye, Song Ke saw Tian Yi madly gesturing behind.


    Jiang Rui stepped forward, his lips tightly pressed. ¡°Professor Xu, let me lead the team today.¡±


    Zhang Qi was already very displeased. When he saw Jiang Rui stepping up, he immediately sneered, ¡°Jiang Rui, do you look down on me? You think you¡¯re better than me? You¡¯re a hero, and I¡¯m a coward?¡±


    Xu Liren interjected in time, extinguishing the brewing argument between them. ¡°Searching outside is important, but protecting everyone within the safe zone is equally crucial. Jiang Rui, I trust you, and you should trust your fellow student¡¯s abilities, right?¡±


    Jiang Rui wanted to argue further, but Zhang Qi standing nearby quickly pulled him back, murmuring something to him.


    Both supernatural individuals had fire in their eyes, staring each other down in tension.


    As the tension escalated in the background, Xu Liren remained calm and lowered his voice, gently persuading, ¡°Song Ke, let me speak candidly. Jiang Rui is steady; I¡¯m at ease with him leading. Zhang Qi has a stronger personality, but I believe you¡¯re capable outside. Also, Zhang Qi¡¯s words¡­ he¡¯s a bit more assertive. Keep an eye on him when you¡¯re out there. I know you¡¯re quite capable.¡± He stressed the last sentence meaningfully.


    Song Ke¡¯s heart skipped a beat, uncertain about the meaning behind his last words.


    Xu Li turned away, speaking in a loud voice, ¡°Zhang Qi, you¡¯re leading today. Remember, we can¡¯t afford to lose anyone else.¡±


    He seemed to smile, his eyes behind his glasses hiding unfathomable depths, carrying a hint of warning.


    In the dimly lit playground, a few hanging lights illuminated the ceiling but couldn¡¯t reveal everyone¡¯s expressions clearly. Song Ke¡¯s gaze swept across Zhou Anqi and Cao Yiyi in the distance, Tian Yi and Lin Xia closer by, Jiang Rui and Zhang Qi in a standoff, finally settling on Xu Liren.


    Each face held its own thoughts. What were they calculating? What were they worried about? What were they afraid of?


    Grandfather was right. Dealing with people was truly the most exhausting thing in this world.


    With her bag slung over one shoulder, Song Ke pushed herself up and stood. ¡°Got it, I¡¯ll¡­ go out.¡±


    ¡­


    Liu Zixuan placed his hand on the wall. After a violent surge of energy, the outline of the door gradually became visible and eventually stabilized.


    He patted Zhang Qi on the shoulder. ¡°Send me a message when you¡¯re back.¡±


    Zhang Qi made an OK gesture.


    Just before opening the door, Zhang Qi suddenly withdrew his hand and playfully said to Song Ke, ¡°Hey, I heard you¡¯re pretty amazing? How about you go first?¡±


    Compared to going in, going out was certainly more dangerous. Who knew if they¡¯d face a group of zombies when they opened the door?


    ¡°Sure,¡± Song Ke couldn¡¯t be bothered to expose his ulterior motives, so she simply responded, not bothering to look at him, and opened the door to step out.


    Arrogant, way too arrogant.


    Zhang Qi¡¯s face was almost twisted with anger.


    This time, the team, including Song Ke, consisted of eight people, all boys. There wasn¡¯t a single familiar face among them, except for one: Zhang Hao, who somehow tagged along. On the way, he took the opportunity when others weren¡¯t paying attention to come over and remind her, ¡°Zhang Qi might cause trouble for you. Be careful.¡±


    Having heard gossip from Tian Yi, Song Ke knew that Zhang Hao was a repeat student, older than the rest. He had a somewhat serious disposition and was quite close to Jiang Rui. She neither liked nor disliked him, so she nodded in response.


    ¡°Brother Qi, should we head to the starship port first?¡± Shortly after leaving Hua City No.1 Middle School, one of the team members asked.


    ¡°No rush.¡± Zhang Qi glanced at Song Ke. She was trailing behind, drooping her eyelids, giving off an indifferent air, as if she were keeping a distance from everyone.


    ¡°Student Song,¡± Zhang Qi called her leisurely, ¡°we still have some time. I¡¯m thinking of searching for supplies first. What do you think?¡±


    Song Ke lifted her gaze, her eyes like lustrous gems locking onto Zhang Qi¡¯s. His heart inexplicably trembled under her gaze. Slowly, she nodded. ¡°Sure.¡±


    As they would be heading to the starship port afterward, their search pace accelerated. The team walked westward along School Street. The journey was calm and peaceful, and soon they arrived at a commercial street. The storefronts here were not very large, but their numbers were considerable, closely packed together. S?a?ch* Th? ??v?lF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    The group stopped at the entrance of a row of connected shops. Zhang Qi surveyed the surroundings and made a half-smiling suggestion, ¡°Student Song, how about we split up and search separately? One person per shop. Would you like to choose first?¡± He remained still, and the group behind him dared not make a move, as if they were trying to force Song Ke into agreeing.


    Song Ke casually chose a gift shop, gripping the door handle. Suddenly, she turned around and asked, ¡°Split up, one person per shop. Whose belongings are these supplies considered?¡± It was better to clarify such matters beforehand. She wasn¡¯t part of their group and didn¡¯t accept their unified distribution practices.


    Zhang Qi smirked but didn¡¯t really smile. ¡°Whoever finds them can claim them.¡±


    Song Ke was satisfied. ¡°Okay.¡±


    Once she entered the shop, Zhang Qi quietly instructed his subordinates. The remaining members split up and entered adjacent shops.


    Zhang Hao was searching for supplies when he faintly heard some commotion outside. Something seemed off to him, so he put down what he was doing and rushed out. Sure enough, Zhang Qi¡¯s group had somehow brought over several thick iron chains and locked Song Ke¡¯s door with them.


    ¡°Zhang Qi, what are you doing?!¡± Zhang Hao realized their intentions and moved forward to remove the chains.


    Zhang Qi¡¯s burly arm intercepted, and he punched Zhang Hao against the wall. He squatted down, staring at him sinisterly. ¡°I¡¯m warning you, stay out of this.¡±


    Zhang Hao shouted angrily, ¡°Have you lost your mind? Aren¡¯t you afraid of causing fatalities?¡±


    ¡°I just want to teach her a lesson. Why are you so worried?¡±


    ¡°If something happens to her, not just Jiang Rui, even Professor Xu won¡¯t let you off.¡±


    The way Xu Liren treated Song Ke was quite polite, and Zhang Qi hesitated briefly. But then he remembered the boasting he did last night and his anger flared up. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m stupid? Lock it up!¡± he yelled.


    Chains as thick as a bowl¡¯s rim wound around the door handle, forming an impenetrable barrier like a spider¡¯s web. Half an eternity passed, yet inside remained quiet. Several followers grew uneasy. ¡°Brother Qi, what if there are zombies inside?¡±


    ¡°If there are zombies, wouldn¡¯t she scream? When she begs me, kneels down and surrenders properly, only then will I let her out. Let¡¯s see how arrogant she is afterward!¡±


    As soon as he finished speaking, urgent knocking suddenly came from inside. Everyone¡¯s hearts raced as they all stared at the door.


    One follower muttered in panic, ¡°She¡­ why isn¡¯t she screaming?¡±


    The intense knocking continued for over ten seconds. Then, the door shook violently a few times, causing the metal chains to produce a crisp metallic clash. Gradually, the sounds inside the room fell silent.


    The extreme quietness made everyone¡¯s hearts feel as heavy as a stone.


    Someone couldn¡¯t hold back anymore. ¡°Brother Qi, could¡­ something really have happened?¡±


    Zhang Qi hadn¡¯t expected Song Ke to be this obstinate. She hadn¡¯t even uttered a plea for mercy. He wasn¡¯t as foolish as he appeared. He really wanted to bring her to the brink, but in the current situation, it was difficult to decide.


    Gritting his teeth, he held on for another five minutes. Sweat rolled down his face. Finally, unable to bear the psychological pressure, he said, ¡°¡­go open the door.¡±


    Before they could take action, an earth-shaking roar erupted from inside.


    ¡°Bang¡ª¡±


    ¡°Bang¡ª¡±


    ¡°Bang¡ª¡±


    One, two, three consecutive roars echoed. In full view of everyone, the entire shop door split from the middle, sending debris flying in all directions.


    Amidst the dust, Song Ke appeared like a war deity descending from the heavens. Shouldering a massive azure warhammer three times her size, she stood before them.


    She locked eyes with Zhang Qi¡¯s group and tugged at the corner of her mouth. ¡°Spoils, of war.¡±


    With a forceful kick, several headless zombies were sent hurtling toward Zhang Qi.

 Chapter 13: Rainy Night in Hua City (5)

    ¡òYou¡¯re an ability user?¡òWhen the zombies rushed towards them, Zhang Qi¡¯s muscles bulged as he exerted his arms¡¯ strength, using several punches to send them flying.


    His subordinates behind him weren¡¯t as lucky. Song Ke had aimed shrewdly, and the headless zombies pounced right onto them, exposing their bloody necks. Each one screamed as if their hearts were being torn apart, unaware that those zombies had been long dead.


    ¡°You¡¯re an ability user,¡± Zhang Qi kicked away the obstructing zombies and fixed his gaze on Song Ke, confirming word by word.


    Song Ke remained silent. Her slender waistline generated force in her forearm as she swung the massive hammer, lifting it with a single hand as if it were a toy. The hammerhead slammed heavily into the ground, creating a powerful shockwave that swept towards Zhang Qi. His shoulders felt as if they were carrying a thousand pounds, and his feet involuntarily sank into the ground. Gritting his teeth, he used all his might to withstand this immense energy.


    She was intimidating him. She actually dared to! How could she dare?!


    Zhang Qi was an ability user himself, so he knew just how terrifying the pressure Song Ke was emanating was. He couldn¡¯t even move a finger right now. Her supernatural ability was definitely at a much higher level than his. It appeared that Song Ke wasn¡¯t just an ability user; she had awakened the same power-based ability as his. That¡¯s why she could completely suppress him. He regretted trying to deal with her earlier; it was simply laughable!


    Everyone in the group were high school students, and even though they were bold, the consecutive crises had left them somewhat pale with fear.


    Song Ke slowly emerged, dragging the massive hammer, and helped Zhang Hao up from the corner where he had fallen. Zhang Qi had held back when he attacked, leaving only minor injuries on Zhang Hao¡¯s back, scraping off a layer of skin, and causing some minor abrasions on his limbs. However, his movements were unaffected. Zhang Hao¡¯s face didn¡¯t look good, though. He spoke urgently as he tried to steady himself, ¡°There¡¯s too much commotion here. It¡¯ll definitely attract zombies. Let¡¯s leave quickly.¡±


    Although Zhang Qi was impulsive, he wasn¡¯t entirely foolish. After being reminded, he immediately realized the peril they were in. This wasn¡¯t the time to argue with Song Ke, moreover¡­ moreover, he couldn¡¯t win against her. So, with a grim expression, he ordered, ¡°Retreat.¡±


    After hastily tidying up, they quickly left the commercial street.


    As they increased their pace on the road, Zhang Hao¡¯s movements noticeably became more laborious. Sweat beads continuously formed on his forehead. Song Ke glanced at his ankle and reached out to support him, but Zhang Hao instinctively declined, ¡°I¡¯m fine, just twisted it a bit.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Since he didn¡¯t need help, Song Ke calmly withdrew her hand.


    Zhang Hao: ¡°¡­¡± He had just been trying to be polite, why did this person take it seriously?


    He had to find something to say, so he muttered, ¡°Jiang Rui was going to come on his own, but I suggested I¡¯d come instead. I didn¡¯t expect you to be an ability user too.¡±


    Zhang Hao¡¯s emotions were complicated. He had volunteered to come out because he had witnessed Song Ke¡¯s strength and figured that nothing major would happen. He had intended to just stand by and receive a favor from Jiang Rui in return. He never expected Zhang Qi to go berserk and provoke Song Ke. Furthermore, he didn¡¯t anticipate that she was also an ability user. He ended up getting hurt in the process, making the situation worse for himself. It was just asking for trouble.


    ¡°Why did you come out? I could have handled it on my own.¡±


    As expected, after listening, Song Ke didn¡¯t show the slightest bit of gratitude. Instead, her face was full of disapproval, accompanied by a good dose of disdain.


    Zhang Hao¡¯s ankle throbbed even more.


    Song Ke¡¯s decision to expose her identity as an ability user was, of course, deliberate. Firstly, she felt that Xu Liren had long figured something out. If she didn¡¯t come clean, he would likely keep manipulating her. Secondly, she didn¡¯t want to keep attracting trouble. People like Zhang Qi, once they knew her abilities, would seek attention, bullying the weak and fearing the strong. After this whole journey, he had stopped taunting her as if he¡¯d been struck mute.


    The group continued on their way in silence, occasionally stopping to search for supplies along the route. By the afternoon, they arrived near the Starport. Finally, a bespectacled boy couldn¡¯t help but ask, his voice trembling, ¡°Have any of you felt that something¡¯s off?¡±


    Everyone stopped and carefully thought back on their journey. They all shared the same feeling. They couldn¡¯t pinpoint what exactly was wrong, but something seemed strange.


    Zhang Hao had an idea, ¡°Is it too quiet?¡±


    Indeed, it was too quiet. When they had ventured out a few days ago, most of Hua City¡¯s basic infrastructure was functioning normally. They had seen autonomous buses, traffic-guiding robots, and the vibrant nighttime scenery. On the night when Song Ke had spent the night at the water tower, she had even witnessed a fountain show at the Hua City Theater.


    However, today as they walked, the broadcasts in the malls, the music in the amusement parks, and the large projections on advertisement screens had all disappeared.


    The boy with glasses turned pale, hastily taking out his phone. ¡°My phone has no signal. How about yours?¡±


    ¡°No signal.¡±


    ¡°¡­mine too.¡±


    They finally realized what was wrong. The hydraulic power, electricity, and the network¡ªeverything symbolizing modernization had ceased to work.


    ¡­


    In the 7th day after the solar eruption in the 46th year of the New Calendar, the city system completely malfunctioned. At this point, Hua City had turned into a dead city.


    The true doomsday had arrived.


    Amid the deathly silence, Zhang Qi spat, ¡°Let¡¯s go to the Starport.¡±


    ¡°Right! And there¡¯s the rescue team. They said it¡¯s less than 80 kilometers away. The Alliance won¡¯t abandon us!¡± Grasping onto this final straw of hope, Zhang Qi¡¯s group hurriedly headed toward the Starport.


    The design of Hua City¡¯s Starport was inspired by a lotus flower. The entire building had a soft, silvery-white appearance. The blooming flower bud at the top served as the control center and boarding platform. The petals scattered throughout the middle were departure runways. However, at this moment, when they looked around, only a few starships were docked on the petals. A nearly eerie silence enveloped the entire harbor.


    Zhang Qi¡¯s group didn¡¯t enter the Starport; instead, they found an observation platform outside. The view was expansive, and there were no zombies around.


    ¡°Someone¡¯s there.¡± Song Ke crouched atop the rangefinder equipment and softly alerted them, ¡°Southeast, and also north, both directions¡­ there are people.¡±


    ¡°Are they together?¡± Zhang Hao asked.


    ¡°No, they¡¯re scattered. It¡¯s chaotic.¡±


    ¡°It should be survivors, like us, coming to gather information,¡± Zhang Hao analyzed calmly. When the Alliance made their rescue declaration public, no one could stay put. Survivors in Hua City would be lurking nearby, waiting for opportunities. It made sense.


    Several boys were anxious yet excited, unable to resist whispering to each other.


    ¡°There are very few starships here. Have they already been reassigned by the Alliance?¡±


    ¡°Probably. The rescue team should be coming in soon. Let¡¯s wait a bit longer.¡±


    As they waited, the sun started to dip, and soon, numerous black dots appeared in the distant sky.


    ¡°Look over there, it¡¯s the rescue team!¡± A sharp-eyed boy exclaimed, immediately raising his arms and shouting. Others who had been pointed out by Song Ke in various directions excitedly stood up, taking off their clothes or hats, waving them vigorously at the sky.


    The group of black dots rapidly approached them, growing in number. They filled the sky densely, akin to a migrating flock of birds. Strangely, a few seemed to fall behind halfway, plummeting from the high altitude to the ground, one after another.


    Song Ke initially thought her eyes were playing tricks on her and rubbed them.


    It wasn¡¯t until someone nearby shouted in terror, ¡°Something¡¯s wrong! It looks like¡­ they¡¯re falling!!¡±


    The closest black dots were already distinguishable, their silvery metal shells reflecting an eerie coldness. They were indeed starships. However, these starships seemed to have lost their propulsion mid-air. Their trajectories were crooked and skewed. After persisting for a few seconds, they suddenly nosedived¡ªstraight down. They crashed into the crowd that had been cheering moments ago.


    ¡°Boom, boom, boom¡ª¡±


    Like falling meteors, the out-of-control starships hit the ground, causing intense explosions. The deafening roar of the explosions rendered them momentarily deaf. In the midst of the fiery glow, Song Ke saw Zhang Qi¡¯s face contorted, roaring silently, ¡°Run¡ª!!¡±


    The blossom-like structure of the Starport and its petals were struck by the falling debris. Soon, black smoke billowed and flames ignited. The deafening explosions continued in succession. A staggering number of starships whizzed overhead, their overwhelming shadows blotting out everyone¡¯s retinas. Song Ke looked up, and in her pupils, she saw clear silhouettes. Several starships were getting closer to them. They were about to crash!


    Zhang Qi ripped off the protective netting and hoisted a steel frame over ten meters long, roaring as he raised it to block. The steel frame hit the starship, momentarily halting its descent before it veered several inches sideways, brushing past the edge of the platform. The team members hurriedly ran in the opposite direction.


    The recoil force from this strike was equally terrifying. Zhang Qi nearly exhausted all his strength in an instant. His left arm dislocated upon impact, and he staggered for a couple of steps. After struggling to regain his balance, he looked up only to see another starship hurtling rapidly towards the path where the others were running.


    ¡°No! Come back!! Don¡¯t run there!¡± S~?a??h the N?v?l(F)ire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    The massive starship plummeted straight down, creating a deep crater in the platform, instantly engulfing the few individuals at the forefront in flames.


    Zhang Qi¡¯s eyes turned bloodshot, and his knees gave in, causing him to kneel down.


    However, the crisis was far from over. After the main group had passed, two starships trailing behind lost control and fell from directly above them.


    ¡°You all, all take cover together!¡± Song Ke managed to push Zhang Hao just in time before she charged toward the descending starship.


    Suppressing the pain in his ankle, Zhang Hao helped up his teammate who had been knocked aside by the shockwave. They quickly moved closer to Zhang Qi.


    Song Ke jumped onto the platform¡¯s top and swung her massive hammer to intercept. The deep blue hammerhead staunchly held up the metallic starship, draining her energy almost instantaneously. Following that, the hammer shattered, and the starship, influenced by the force, rotated and veered off course, colliding with another starship. Both starships overloaded and exploded in mid-air, blooming into huge black fireworks.


    The intense shockwave sent Song Ke tumbling outwards, and she rolled off the platform, swallowed by the thick smoke and debris.


    ¡°Song Ke!¡± Zhang Hao urgently shouted, rushing down the platform to dig through the rubble.


    As they dug, two more individuals emerged beside them: Zhang Qi, whose arm was hanging limply, and another boy who had come to assist.


    After about five minutes of digging, the pile of debris finally shifted, and Song Ke crawled out, her face covered in ash. She looked severely injured, with one arm badly burnt, blood dripping from her forehead down, and with a cough she said, ¡°Let¡¯s¡­ let¡¯s get out of here first.¡±


    Supporting each other, Zhang Qi, Zhang Hao, and the other boy limped out of the explosion zone. Behind them, the Lotus Port was ablaze, while ahead, a massive fleet of starships swept across Hua City, bombing a path from north to southeast. Starships continued to fall along the way, explosions and flames erupting in a continuous cycle.


    ¡°How could this be, how is this possible! Those are¡­ the Lu Family starships.¡±


    A survivor with an ashen face muttered in disbelief as he lay on the ground.


    Lu Family starships were known not for their metallic shells made from the rare element Rhenium (Re), or their highly advanced artificial intelligence, but for their propulsion, powered by the cutting-edge Alliance technology known as ¡°Yiyu.¡± This new energy source allowed these starships, weighing tens of tons, to hover in the sky without any external force and achieved self-circulation, self-cleaning, and self-recycling. Since their introduction, Lu Family starships had boasted of being ¡°absolutely safe,¡± claiming to be the ¡°blue bird that never falls¡±. Over the decades of operation, they had never experienced a single accident.


    These were Lu Family starships, the pride of the Alliance!


    However, in this moment at the Hua City Starport, over a hundred starships collectively crashed, like a meteor shower of shattered beliefs.


    After leaving the Starport, Zhang Qi and the others could no longer hold on, collapsing from exhaustion on the ground.


    The survivor who had narrowly escaped death couldn¡¯t stop sobbing. ¡°What do we do? Starships are gone, the rescue team is gone. What do we do now?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s head back to the safe zone,¡± Zhang Hao suggested.


    ¡°No signal. How do we contact Liu Zixuan? How do we get inside?¡± The boy¡¯s expression turned desperate.


    Zhang Qi hadn¡¯t said a word since coming out. His arm was broken, and his face occasionally contorted in agonizing pain.


    Glancing at his phone, Zhang Hao saw that it was almost 6 PM. He thought for a moment and said, ¡°I¡¯ve kept a record before. Our two teams usually return between 5 PM and 7 PM. The earliest was at 4:50 PM, and the latest was at 6:40 PM. Professor Xu and the others definitely know there¡¯s no signal now. Therefore, I speculate that Liu Zixuan will open the gate at 7 PM.¡±


    ¡°So, before that, we must get back.¡±

 Chapter 14: Rainy Night in Hua City (6)

    ¡òTruly exasperated with this Old Sixth¡òThree minutes behind, Zhang Qi and the others hurried back to Hua City No.1 Middle School, racing against the last shreds of time. The non-stop running and the toll of their severe injuries had drained too much of their energy. They sat down against the wall, utterly exhausted. A surviving male student covered his face, tears never stopping.


    Time ticked away second by second, but the wall remained still, without any signs of movement.


    ¡°Why isn¡¯t the door opening? Did we arrive late? Have they already opened the door?¡± The male student repeated these two sentences incessantly, his anxiety growing as he spun in circles, his tone becoming more and more neurotic. ¡°Why isn¡¯t the door opening? Why won¡¯t they open the door?!¡±


    ¡°Calm down for a moment and wait a bit more,¡± Zhang Hao said, placing a hand on the student¡¯s shoulder to prevent him from attracting nearby zombies with his restless movement. Even though he spoke words of reassurance, he was gradually becoming uneasy himself.


    About twenty more minutes passed, and the wall finally softened and collapsed, gradually revealing the shape of a door.


    ¡°I knew you guys would come back. They told me to wait a bit more¡­¡± As the door was pulled open, Liu Zixuan¡¯s face lit up with a brilliant smile. However, as he saw the figures before him clearly, the curve of his mouth instantly drooped. Four, he counted again in disbelief, just four. ¡°What happened? Where are the others?¡±


    Xu Liren came over from behind him, his expression unusually solemn.


    ¡°Professor Xu!¡± The moment the student saw him, his psychological defenses crumbled completely. He couldn¡¯t hold back anymore and collapsed before Xu Liren, sobbing uncontrollably.


    Zhang Qi¡¯s face was gloomy, supporting his limp left hand. Zhang Hao had a lame leg, and Song Ke, although all limbs intact, was covered in blood, making it difficult to see her facial features. The grim condition of the four quickly drew the attention of everyone around.


    ¡°It¡¯s all gone¡­ Everything exploded¡­ The starships¡­ the rescue team¡­¡±


    ¡°What exploded?¡±


    ¡°What happened to the rescue team? Hurry up and tell us, you¡¯re driving us crazy!¡±


    ¡°What exactly happened?¡±


    The student¡¯s emotions were too agitated, and his words were incoherent, making it impossible for him to explain clearly. Xu Liren had someone help him move the student aside to rest and then calmed and dispersed the crowd that had gathered, leaving only a few core members. Only then did he start to carefully understand the situation.


    Among the four, Zhang Hao, the only one with coherent speech, took the initiative to explain: ¡°Let me explain. This afternoon, around three o¡¯clock, the entire Hua City lost power and network connectivity. When we found out, we rushed to the starport, hoping to meet the rescue team there. However, what arrived were numerous starships that had lost power and were falling from the sky. The others¡­ couldn¡¯t escape the explosions, they all¡­ died.¡±


    As the words left his mouth, the entire room was shocked. For these high school students, the notion of starships falling was something out of a fairy tale.


    Xu Liren pondered for a moment, ¡°It seems it¡¯s not just the school; the entire infrastructure of Hua City has shut down.¡± He paused and then asked, ¡°We didn¡¯t hear any explosions. Where did those starships that you mentioned head towards? And roughly how many were there?¡±


    ¡°They headed southeast, and there were probably around twenty of them.¡±


    ¡°No wonder. The school is to the west of Hua City.¡±


    As they conversed, Song Ke walked towards a corner on her own. The others were still immersed in the shocking news brought by Zhang Hao, and few paid attention to her. Only Jiang Rui cast a concerned glance at her back.


    The commotion at the entrance sparked whispered conversations among the people. Zhou Anqi emerged from the restroom, her face filled with impatience. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Zhang Qi? He¡¯s supposed to handle Song Ke. Why is he making such a mess of himself?¡±


    Cao Yiyi gripped the railing tightly, her brows furrowing slowly. ¡°Something doesn¡¯t seem right¡­¡±


    Zhou Anqi followed her gaze and quickly spotted another figure in the corner. She was infuriated on the spot. ¡°No, why is Song Ke still alive and kicking? It¡¯s driving me crazy! He didn¡¯t fulfill what he promised me. I¡¯m going to hold him accountable!¡±


    ¡°Anqi, just wait a moment!¡± Cao Yiyi was truly exasperated with this Old Sixth. Would she be foolish enough to confront Zhang Qi in front of everyone? Wouldn¡¯t that expose all their secret calculations? Cao Yiyi reached out to grab her, but Zhou Anqi walked briskly, evading her grip. In the process, Zhou Anqi stumbled, and Cao Yiyi had no choice but to follow behind, feeling helpless.


    The two of them arrived next to Xu Liren, just in time to hear Zhang Hao speak, ¡°Professor Xu, there¡¯s one more thing ¨C Song Ke is an ability user.¡±


    Jiang Rui, Lin Xia, and others beside them were taken aback. Zhou Anqi, upon hearing this terrible news, felt her vision darken. The world seemed to spin around her, and she thought that the darkness of the world had never been this profound.


    Xu Liren pushed up his glasses, a sharp glint passing through his eyes. His tone remained gentle, though. ¡°Oh? What kind of ability user is she?¡±


    ¡°Same type as me, a power-type,¡± Zhang Qi, who had been silent until now, suddenly interjected. ¡°And her level is roughly similar to mine.¡±


    Zhang Hao gave him a sidelong glance. He remembered how Song Ke had suppressed Zhang Qi in front of the store entrance, unable to move. He found Zhang Qi¡¯s inflated bravado somewhat ridiculous. However, Zhang Qi¡¯s intact hand was tightly clenched into a fist, emitting faint creaking sounds. It was evident he had exerted a lot of force. Zhang Hao held his tongue, planning to explain to Xu Liren and Jiang Rui later.


    ¡°No wonder she could lift Tian Yi with just one hand last time,¡± Lin Xia murmured, ¡°So, she¡¯s a power-type ability user.¡±


    For a moment, various emotions ¨C envy, jealousy, resentment ¨C began to brew covertly.


    The news that Song Ke was an ability user was the only consolation in their dire situation. After losing contact with the rescue team, their situation had become perilous. Were they going to remain in the safe zone indefinitely? Who knew what other challenges lay ahead?


    Amidst the anxious crowd, the only one able to maintain composure was Xu Liren. He stood on the elevated platform of the playground, overseeing the people below. ¡°Everyone, don¡¯t panic. Calm down. It¡¯s not time to give up yet. I¡¯ll work with you to find solutions. What we need to do now is to honestly share the situation with everyone.¡±


    Xu Liren gathered everyone and conveyed the news they had brought back from outside.


    No water, no electricity, no network, starship crashes, coupled with the disconnection from the rescue team ¨C one heavy piece of news after another weighed down on them, shrouding them in darkness. Despite Xu Liren¡¯s efforts to console, quite a few individuals succumbed to pressure, collapsing on the ground in sobbing fits.


    A few bold souls who couldn¡¯t bear the oppressive atmosphere approached Liu Zixuan, raising a commotion without restraint. ¡°Staying here is a death sentence. Let me out! I want to go home!¡±


    Liu Zixuan initially tried to reason with them politely, but as they continued to agitate him, he grew annoyed and retorted with irritation, ¡°You want to leave? Go ahead! But I¡¯ve exhausted my supernatural abilities. I won¡¯t be able to recover until tomorrow morning at the earliest. So, just wait here!¡±


    On the other side, Tian Yi cautiously approached, ¡°Song Ke, are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Do, do you have water?¡± Song Ke¡¯s eyes were so crusted with blood that she couldn¡¯t open them. However, what was even more uncomfortable was the sensation from within her body ¨C the burning pain that came after her supernatural ability was drained, causing her body to feel inflamed.


    ¡°There¡¯s a restroom over there,¡± Tian Yi pointed in a direction, ¡°Luckily, we had stored water before. You can use it.¡±


    Song Ke entered the restroom and filled a basin with water from a container. She began splashing water onto her face at an increasing speed. The cold water droplets soaked her skin, washing away the congealed bloodstains. The persistent burning sensation seemed to slightly subside. S?a?ch* Th? ???el F?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    But immediately after, she felt hunger ¨C a deep emptiness and hunger from the depths of her stomach. Song Ke sat down on the floor, opened her backpack, and started stuffing food into her mouth: beef jerky, crackers, ham sausages, sandwiches. She consumed about half of the stored food, and only then did the burning feeling gradually fade. Her supernatural ability seemed to rejuvenate like a dry spring, replenishing itself at an astonishing pace.


    A good half-hour passed, and the tumultuous sensation within her body settled down again. The abundant energy resumed its steady circulation. Song Ke now felt much more comfortable. She stood up, examined her injuries, finding abrasions below her earlobes, along the edges of her cheeks, and several fresh wounds on her left arm.


    She applied a piece of gauze to her face and changed into clean clothes. Opening the restroom door, Jiang Rui was waiting outside for her.


    ¡°I heard from Zhang Hao that you were injured. I came to check on you.¡±


    ¡°Mm, I¡¯m, I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s still better to tend to your wounds. Should I ask Cao Yiyi or Lin Xia to help you?¡±


    Two girls stood side by side behind Jiang Rui, with Lin Xia giving her a friendly wave. Song Ke glanced at them and coldly refused, ¡°No need.¡±


    Ignoring their reactions, she carried her deflated backpack and found a corner to sit cross-legged.


    Jiang Rui¡¯s gaze remained fixed on her face. Suddenly, he extended a finger and pointed, ¡°You have something on your face.¡±


    Song Ke casually wiped her face, finding nothing.


    ¡°A little lower.¡±


    Song Ke wiped down a bit lower.


    ¡°It¡¯s not there.¡± Jiang Rui watched her clumsy movement and unexpectedly burst into laughter. The smile of the young man was transparent, without any trace of gloom. He then knelt down on one knee, getting very close to Song Ke. His eyes were like a lake sparkling with countless stars. Swiftly, he raised his hand and brushed away the cookie crumbs from the corner of her mouth.


    Jiang Rui¡¯s movement was so natural, and Song Ke was unprepared. She was caught off guard.


    But she quickly stepped back, then another step, until her back was against the wall. She stared at him with a head full of question marks. If there¡¯s something on her face, so what? It¡¯s not like it¡¯s on his face. Why would he be so concerned? Was it necessary for him to remove it with his own hand?


    ¡°Hey! Yiyi, look!¡± Lin Xia excitedly tugged at Cao Yiyi¡¯s sleeve and let out a soft scream. She was engrossed in the excitement of the moment, completely unaware of the emotion of her companion.


    Cao Yiyi was fixedly observing the ambiguous interaction between the two, her expression darkening.


    Despite Song Ke¡¯s repeated refusals, Jiang Rui still left a first aid kit for her.


    Song Ke didn¡¯t like being in close proximity to people. She always found a corner in the safe zone to rest where nobody else was.


    When Jiang Rui left, he looked back several times with a worried expression.


    ¡°I noticed that Song Ke¡¯s bandaging was quite rough. I¡¯ve learned basic first aid before. When I have time, I¡¯ll come back to check on her,¡± Cao Yiyi followed him, speaking gently, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t tell Anqi.¡±


    Speaking of Zhou Anqi, Jiang Rui¡¯s brows slightly furrowed. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯ve been helpful. It seems that you and her are the only ones in your class who can talk to each other.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Song Ke¡­ she¡¯s not always the easiest to get along with,¡± Cao Yiyi smiled.


    ¡­


    Late that night, heavy rain poured down on Hua City. The sound of raindrops pelting the skylight of the playground echoed. The rain grew louder, intensifying, preventing many from falling asleep. They climbed to the windowsills, peering outside. They were greeted by a curtain of rain that seemed to touch the sky.


    The rain continued until the next day, forcing them to cancel their plans to go outside.


    That night, even in her dreams, Song Ke heard the sound of the rain pouring.


    When she woke up, she learned even worse news.


    Zhou Anqi had a fever.


    Old Sixth ¨C (Camper) is a reference to the video game Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.  In the ???????????? CSGO game, there are only five players on each side in the competitive mode, a camper is considered unhelpful to the team as a whole and equivalent to the ¡°sixth member¡± of the opposing side. A Camper is a player that stays in one spot in a first-person shooter game, someone who seems to be unable to see the life and death of his teammates, and who sticks up to protect his gun.

 Chapter 15.1: Rainy Night in Hua City (7)

    ¡òSaved a Lunatic¡òZhou Anqi started running a fever after falling asleep.


    She had caught a cold these past two days ¨C a sore throat, runny nose that flowed like water, and yet she was stubbornly concerned about her appearance. To avoid showing her embarrassment, she went to the restroom multiple times a day to touch up her appearance. She endured like this until night, her temperature soaring. The next day, when her classmates came to check on her, they discovered that she had been burning up in a daze for quite a while.


    With precedents like Jiang Rui and others, there was a high probability that Zhou Anqi¡¯s fever at this moment was a precursor to awakening her ability.


    ¡°41¡æ,¡± Xu Liren announced the number on the thermometer, a worried expression on his face. ¡°She needs to take antipyretics as soon as possible. If she continues to have such a high fever, even if her ability awakens, she might end up with brain damage.¡±


    The value of an ability user was clear in everyone¡¯s minds. Jiang Rui, Liu Zixuan, Zhang Qi, and even Song Ke were living examples. Without ability users leading the way, ordinary people couldn¡¯t venture outside alone. As ability users, they enjoyed privileges. Despite Song Ke¡¯s indifference to group activities, her sporadic attendance in meetings, and her lack of interest in collective actions, Xu Liren still tolerated her behavior.


    Even if Zhou Anqi had a terrible personality, as long as there was hope for her ability to awaken, she wouldn¡¯t be easily given up on. However, the current issue was that when they hastily evacuated from the school earlier, they didn¡¯t have enough medical supplies, especially prescription medicines. They had to take the risk of searching outside.


    ¡°But it¡¯s still raining outside.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, going out in this kind of weather, even if we don¡¯t encounter zombies, people might still die, right?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t make me go out, please, don¡¯t make me go out¡­¡±


    Since two days ago, the rain in Hua City had been growing stronger, gradually showing signs of engulfing the entire city.


    Heavy rain, zombies, a sealed-off city, and coupled with the loss of communication signals, going outside had become several times more dangerous.


    Faced with various doubts and whispered conversations, Xu Liren stood up slowly. His cold gaze swept across the room. ¡°From the very first day we established the safe zone, I promised everyone that even in the direst circumstances, I, as a teacher, will not abandon any one of you. This promise will always stand.¡±


    His voice always had a kind of magical persuasiveness. Gradually, the crowd quieted down. Xu Liren then turned to a tall boy standing next to him. ¡°Jiang Rui, I would like to ask for your help. Will you lead a team to go out and find medicine today?¡±


    Jiang Rui¡¯s fingers curled slightly. Meeting Xu Liren¡¯s expectant gaze, he nodded with determination. ¡°Mr. Xu, I¡¯m willing to go out, but the other members of my team, they¡¯re not ability users. I don¡¯t want to force them.¡±


    Almost the moment his words fell, several boys, including Zhang Hao, Kongzi Qi, and Tian Yi, stepped forward, expressing their support.


    ¡°Brother Jiang, I¡¯m going with you!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going too!¡±


    ¡°Count me in, the more people, the faster we¡¯ll find it.¡±


    Young people still had vigor in their hearts, and camaraderie was highly valued. They believed in Jiang Rui and were willing to follow him on this risky venture. Despite this, Xu Liren¡¯s expression remained tense because the group was still small. One ability user and five or six regular individuals ¨C the risks of going out with this composition were still high.


    ¡°Count me in too,¡± Zhang Qi suddenly spoke up from the back row, his head lowered.


    His dislocated arm had been reset, but his despondent spirit hadn¡¯t recovered yet. Among the members of their two teams, they each brought their most trusted companions. Jiang Rui was popular among friends, and Zhang Qi had his own group of brothers. However, that day, he had helplessly witnessed his good friends being engulfed by flames, intensely hating his own helplessness. Since then, a psychological shadow had been cast, and these past few days, he even felt a strong aversion to the idea of ¡°going out.¡±


    Now, the girl he liked lay on a mat, her life hanging in the balance, her face pale from the torment of high fever. Could he really be so cowardly as to beg others for help again? Would he still be considered a man if he did that? So, Zhang Qi clenched his teeth, overcame his fear, and stepped forward.


    ¡°Just me.¡± Zhang Qi¡¯s voice was hoarse as he emphasized, not wanting to burden others any further.


    Xu Liren nodded solemnly, for the first time not opposing the request for both ability users to go out together. ¡°Alright, you¡¯re both powerful.¡±


    Seated nearby, Cao Yiyi clenched and unclenched her fingers, her inner turmoil akin to a raging fire, burning her from within.


    Why?! Fine, that bitch Song Ke is an ability user, but why does even someone as dumb as Zhou Anqi awaken an ability? This idiot, this fool who can be easily manipulated with a few words, why is she any better than her?


    But¡­ she couldn¡¯t show her anger because, in everyone else¡¯s eyes, Zhou Anqi had always been her ¡°best friend.¡± Moreover, Jiang Rui was also going out. As long as Jiang Rui was there, safety shouldn¡¯t be a problem. Perhaps she could even find an opportunity for privacy¡­


    Cao Yiyi struggled to maintain her expression. It took great effort to put on an appearance of righteousness. ¡°Mr. Xu, I¡¯m also willing to go out.¡±


    Xu Liren looked into her eyes, now inflamed with jealousy, and slightly squinted, as if he could see through her dark thoughts. ¡°Teacher knows you¡¯re concerned about your friend. You should stay and take care of her.¡±


    Cao Yiyi and Xu Liren locked gazes for a couple of seconds, and she nodded, as if bewitched by some hidden motive.


    ¡°Is there anyone else willing to help Zhou Anqi find medicine?¡±


    Xu Liren raised his voice, surveying the surroundings. As expected, he met pairs of eyes that avoided his gaze.


    ¡°Is there anyone else willing to go out?¡± he repeated.


    The entire safe zone seemed muted, as if someone had pressed a mute button, and silence spread like wild grass, unfurling in all directions.


    ¡°Me.¡±


    Amidst the prolonged silence, a calm and unruffled voice suddenly broke through.


    Everyone turned their heads in unison, and when they saw who the speaker was, their jaws almost dropped, especially the students from the original Class 3. Their expressions were as if they had seen a ghost in broad daylight ¨C a truly captivating spectacle.


    Song Ke leaped down from a three-meter-high skylight, facing a crowd of terrified and astonished gazes. She silently repeated, ¡°I want to go out.¡±


    Jiang Rui¡¯s blood pressure surged, and he took a deep breath. Ignoring everyone else, he strode forward and pulled Song Ke aside to a corner of the room. ¡°You don¡¯t need to do this. Everyone saw how Zhou Anqi treated you. Don¡¯t risk yourself for someone like her. Stay safe in the secure zone.¡±


    Song Ke blinked in confusion. Wait, he thought she was going out for Zhou Anqi?


    She tried to explain, ¡°I¡¯m not¡ª¡±


    Jiang Rui interrupted her, ¡°I¡¯ll talk to Mr. Xu and ask him to let you stay here.¡±


    Turning away, he started walking, but then Song Ke¡¯s patience reached its limit. She directly swung her backpack at the back of his head. ¡°Not for, for her. I haven¡¯t, haven¡¯t eaten. Need to find supplies.¡±


    After getting hit, Jiang Rui looked at her almost empty backpack and remained stunned for a few seconds. It took a while for him to snap out of it, coughing awkwardly. ¡°Then I¡¯ll bring something back for you.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯ll find it my-myself.¡±


    Shaking off Jiang Rui, Song Ke went around him and stood in front of Xu Liren, locking eyes with him without flinching. ¡°Today, I want, want to go out.¡±


    Not a request, not asking for help. Both of them understood that Song Ke was just informing him.


    Xu Liren stared at her for several seconds before nodding slowly. ¡°Okay.¡±


    With three ability users joining the team, their strength became formidable, not to be underestimated. Even if unexpected situations arose, they would be able to handle them promptly.


    ¡°Find the medicine and come back. Don¡¯t linger outside,¡± Xu Liren counted the number of people and softly advised Jiang Rui and Zhang Qi.


    Seeing that others were allowed to go out, Liu Zixuan couldn¡¯t sit still either. ¡°Mr. Xu, let me go out too!¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t go out.¡± Unexpectedly, Xu Liren decisively refused him, despite his typically gentle demeanor.


    ¡°Why? I¡¯m also an ability user, and if I go out with them, it¡¯ll be easier to come back. We won¡¯t have to wait outside!¡± Liu Zixuan¡¯s eyes sparkled with hope.


    Xu Liren sighed meaningfully. ¡°Yes, you are also an ability user¡­¡±


    Liu Zixuan felt a glimmer of hope and his excitement showed in his eyes. ¡°So, does that mean you agree?¡±


    ¡°¡ªLiu Zixuan, remember, only you, only you can¡¯t go out.¡±


    Every single person here could go out, except for Liu Zixuan. He was the cornerstone of the entire safe zone, or rather, everyone in the safe zone relied on his presence. If he were to go out, and something happened outside, if he couldn¡¯t come back, or worse¡­ if he abandoned everyone and ran away, what would the remaining people do?


    The entire sports field was both a comfortable area constructed by Liu Zixuan himself and a cage that trapped him.


    Liu Zixuan hadn¡¯t realized this truth and was still standing there, disappointedly protesting. However, others instantly understood and exchanged various glances privately.


    The members about to go out used their time wisely, putting on raincoats and checking their backpacks, making preparations.


    Song Ke walked along the wall and pushed open the equipment room¡¯s door. Her gaze swept over the mountains of shot puts, javelins, and discuses. When she emerged, she was carrying a huge umbrella. Its canopy was incredibly wide, and when opened, it could shield half the sky. The umbrella ribs hung slightly downward, making it look more like half of a steam-basket cover than an umbrella.


    Her umbrella was indeed quite peculiar. It had a metallic luster and a unique deep blue color, instantly capturing the attention of many.


    As Song Ke walked toward the door, someone muttered in confusion, ¡°Do we have this kind of umbrella in our equipment room? Where did she find it?¡±


    ¡­ S?a?ch* Th? N0v?lFire(.)n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 15.2: Rainy Night in Hua City (7)

    ¡òSaved a Lunatic¡òAfter agreeing on the return time, Liu Zixuan activated his ability.


    As the door opened, torrential rain poured in, drenching everyone. This rain wasn¡¯t light drizzle; it felt as if someone were holding a huge container in the sky, pouring all the water down on the city at once. The sky outside was dark and devoid of light, accompanied by fierce winds and thunderstorms. Stepping into the rain, the group immediately got soaked, and some nearly lost their footing.


    Jiang Rui¡¯s group faced the storm with raincoats tightly wrapped around them. They struggled forward, carefully treading with every step after losing the navigation from their phones. They stopped frequently to verify their direction.


    At a fork in the road, Zhang Hao shouted through the rain, ¡°Brother Jiang, which way do we go?¡± There was no choice ¨C in such weather, a soft-spoken voice was impossible to hear.


    At this moment, they were faced with two choices: either continue west towards the outskirts of Hua City, a newly developed area, or detour southeast through the city center, where there were likely to be many hospitals and pharmacies.


    Jiang Rui pondered for a moment and quickly came to a conclusion, ¡°Let¡¯s head west. I remember there¡¯s a pharmaceutical factory in the outskirts.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it too dangerous to go to the outskirts?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it even riskier to go downtown? It was just bombed.¡±


    ¡°I agree! The drugstores in the city area must have been searched. We might not find fever-reducing medicine.¡±


    After a brief discussion, the group wiped rain off their faces and proceeded towards the outskirts of Huadu.


    About forty minutes later, they indeed found the pharmaceutical factory. Jiang Rui and Zhang Qi teamed up to deal with a few wandering zombies at the entrance and some hiding in the security office. Meanwhile, others took the opportunity to run into the factory area and seek shelter from the rain under the eaves.


    ¡°Let¡¯s find the warehouse first. If it¡¯s not there, we¡¯ll head to the logistics center,¡± Jiang Rui made a decision after studying the fire evacuation map posted on the wall.


    The warehouse¡¯s iron door was tightly shut, so they had to break the windows and climb over the wall to enter, then split up to search for medication. When it was Song Ke¡¯s turn, she remained motionless outside the window ledge, gazing at the rain. She had no intention of coming inside. Jiang Rui glanced at her but didn¡¯t voice any objection. None of the others dared to boss her around either; they acted as though they were collectively oblivious.


    When Tian Yi crawled in, he asked in a hushed tone, ¡°Song Ke, why did you come out?¡±


    ¡°To, to find food,¡± Song Ke answered stiffly.


    Tian Yi suddenly realized, ¡°I knew it! I heard your relationship with Zhou Anqi used to be bad. Why would you look for medicine for her? But at first, I thought, maybe you came out because you were worried about us and wanted to protect us.¡±


    ¡°Huh, maybe?¡± Song Ke widened her eyes slightly.


    ¡°Hehehe, I guess I was mistaken.¡± Tian Yi chuckled and, as Kongzi Qi called him from the front, he dashed over with light steps. S?a??h the N?v?lFire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Song Ke shifted her gaze and leaned against the window frame, looking into the distance.


    The pouring rain masked many sounds and dulled the perception of ordinary people. She closed her eyes and connected her ability with her surroundings, extending her invisible and acute senses outward. The world quieted completely; she heard Tian Yi and others talking, the faint sounds of people searching the shelves, and further out, the howling wind, the roaring rain, mingled with the crisp shattering of glass. Suddenly, the abrupt sound of something heavy falling startled her, but it quickly vanished under the sound of the rain.


    Was it an illusion? Song Ke hesitated for a moment, carefully turned around, and intended to investigate further. However, she unexpectedly collided with a powerful, surging, and chilling intent to kill. It nearly brushed past her, full of danger. It was a fleeting encounter.


    It¡¯s an ability!


    She abruptly opened her eyes, her gaze like a torch, staring straight ahead, a hundred meters away.


    Numerous factory buildings stood there, hidden among the trees¡¯ shade, making it impossible to pinpoint their exact locations.


    Song Ke turned back, the high school students behind her remained oblivious, still busy searching for items.


    Too close. The killing intent from that ability user was so strong she could sense it even here. If the other side detected her, these people would be in great danger.


    Song Ke lowered her eyelashes.


    ¡°Tian, Tian Yi.¡±


    ¡°Hey? Did you call me, Song Ke?¡± It was the first time Tian Yi had been called by her, and he ran over eagerly like a puppy.


    ¡°What¡¯s over there?¡± Song Ke pointed towards the misty rain.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, seems like it¡¯s within our jurisdiction.¡±


    ¡°I know, I know!¡± Kongzi Qi joined in, casually putting his arm around Tian Yi¡¯s shoulder. ¡°There¡¯s a big research facility there called ¡®Qingsong Biotech.¡¯ Last time my dad drove me by, and I took a good look. Wow! The guard at the entrance glared at me!¡±


    Song Ke listened quietly as he finished, picked up her umbrella, and headed outside.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°Ju-just, just going to take a look.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t. It¡¯s too dangerous for you to go alone!¡±


    Tian Yi grew anxious at once and lunged to grab the large umbrella, but Song Ke dragged him several meters forward with determination. ¡°Brother Jiang! Brother Jiang!¡± Seeing that they couldn¡¯t convince Song Ke, Kongzi Qi cleverly decided to report to Jiang Rui.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Jiang Rui arrived quickly.


    ¡°Song Ke wants to go out.¡±


    Jiang Rui hesitated only for a second, then swiftly put on a rain hat. ¡°Where are you going? I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    After shaking off Tian Yi¡¯s hold a few times, Song Ke finally managed to free herself from his grip. She lifted her gaze, coldly warning, ¡°No, don¡¯t, don¡¯t bother me, and don¡¯t follow me.¡±


    Jiang Rui¡¯s movements faltered, and he felt a chill from head to toe.


    He had seen this kind of gaze from Song Ke before, three years ago. When he hurriedly arrived at Class 3¡¯s classroom, she had stared at him like that, her pitch-black eyes devoid of any emotion. The next day, she dropped out of Hua City No.1 Middle School and hadn¡¯t appeared since.


    ¡°Alright¡­ I won¡¯t follow you,¡± Jiang Rui¡¯s heart twinged painfully. He cleared his throat and asked, ¡°Will you come back?¡±


    Song Ke opened the umbrella and hopped into the rain with a few strides, her figure gradually disappearing.


    ¡°Again¡­¡±


    ¡°Why does she always act alone? She has no sense of unity¡­¡± Someone had noticed the commotion here and couldn¡¯t help but complain.


    Song Ke was indeed being too stubborn. Even Tian Yi didn¡¯t know how to explain for her, so he had to awkwardly clarify, ¡°Well, she¡¯s an ability user, you know? Ability users tend to have strong personalities. Besides, she¡¯ll come back after she¡¯s done!¡±


    ¡°Why is she the one doing something special? Brother Jiang and Brother Qi are ability users too, but they haven¡¯t¡­¡±


    Jiang Rui¡¯s brows furrowed, but before he could say anything, Zhang Qi interjected with a scolding tone, ¡°Shut up, all of you!¡±


    The bones that had been set after his dislocation were still throbbing faintly. Zhang Qi hadn¡¯t initially wanted to intervene, but he couldn¡¯t help thinking about that day when Song Ke had leapt into the air to intercept the starship for them. A surge of anger overcame him. Let her go, let her be arrogant, let her be reckless. She would sooner or later die outside!


    ¡°Enough with the chattering. Let¡¯s find the medicine quickly!¡±


    He grumbled and scolded, but no one knew who he was actually speaking for.


    ¡­


    [Qingsong Biotech]


    A modest and stylish plaque stood in the center of the lawn, the heavy rain adding a touch of mystery to it through its cleansing touch.


    The architecture here presented an inverted ¡°mountain¡± shape overall, with testing factories and various laboratories on both sides and a five-story comprehensive building in the middle. The facility had long been automated, and no traces of zombies were found along the way. However, in the offices of the factory buildings, several decomposed bodies lay in uniforms bearing the Qingsong Biotech logo. They sprawled across the floor, their coagulated blood extending to the doorway, now cleansed by the pouring rain.


    Song Ke¡¯s heart sank; these people had been deliberately killed!


    The opponent she was about to face was far from benign. Song Ke understood this and became even more cautious in her demeanor.


    In the midst of the howling wind and pouring rain, a slender figure maneuvered between the buildings. After scouting the areas on both sides, Song Ke finally fixed her gaze on the central comprehensive building. To avoid premature exposure, she closed her umbrella and slowly approached in the heavy rain. Unexpectedly, the main entrance of the building was a sturdy steel door. She tried pushing it, but it didn¡¯t budge. If she used force to break in, an alarm would undoubtedly go off, alerting others.


    Song Ke had no choice but to give up and search for another entry point. Finally, on the side, she discovered a row of arched windows. However, even the lowest windows on the ground were quite high. She tiptoed and reached out her hand, but she was still quite far away.


    Song Ke inverted her umbrella, using its handle to hook onto the anti-theft mesh, jamming it into a gap. With a leap, she easily pulled herself up onto the windowsill. After wiping away the mist outside the window, she could faintly see two figures inside ¨C one tall and one short. Indeed, there were people inside.


    It was a laboratory of about forty square meters. Song Ke cautiously leaned out half her head, her ear pressed against the window glass. The conversation inside gradually became clear; there was a man and a woman.


    Both of them had their backs to her. The woman had long curly hair, and the man was slender, wearing a white coat.


    ¡°Where is it? I advise you to hand it over quickly!¡± the man demanded sternly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t waste time with him. Search him directly. If you can¡¯t find it, break one of his legs!¡± The woman¡¯s voice sounded impatient. She stomped forward with her toe, as if she stepped on something, and Song Ke heard a muffled groan.


    She clung to the windowsill and inched upward. It was then that she noticed a man sitting in the corner.


    The man had light-colored eyes, a few strands of hair falling onto his forehead, and looked exceptionally disheveled. Yet, amidst the rain and mist, he exuded a thrilling sense of beauty. His upper body was straight, but his right leg was softly bent and immobilized, with fresh crimson blood still seeping out. Despite his severe injuries, a faint smile hung on his lips. His entire presence seemed fragile and contradictory.


    Perhaps Song Ke stared a bit too long, for the man suddenly, without any warning, lifted his gaze and looked directly at the window. Their eyes met through the rain-soaked glass, causing Song Ke to lose her focus for a fraction of a second.


    ¡°Someone¡¯s there! Who¡¯s there?¡± The man and woman quickly noticed her and rushed toward the window.


    The pen in the woman¡¯s hand slipped, the platinum tip gleaming coldly. Like an arrow, it shot toward Song Ke¡¯s throat. She released one hand and deftly dodged to the right, but to her surprise, the pen had tracking capabilities. It turned and relentlessly continued its trajectory toward her.


    In a moment of crisis, Song Ke¡¯s years of martial arts training kicked in. She hung on to the windowsill, exerted force with her waist, and adjusted her body¡¯s center of gravity through a series of precise sways, barely avoiding the lethal weapon. Nevertheless, the pen was still too fast, leaving a few red gashes on her collarbone. Song Ke clenched her free hand into a fist, smashed the glass with a few strikes, and swung into the room like on a swing.


    The pen followed her through the broken hole but ultimately fell short. Faced with Song Ke¡¯s preparedness, it had lost its threat.


    If it were an ordinary person, they would have probably been pierced through the throat and killed instantly by the sudden and unexpected attack.


    Wu Yarou, the woman inside the room, paled. She hadn¡¯t expected the intruder to react so swiftly. She immediately raised her voice in a scolding tone, ¡°Yang Bo, what are you staring at? Aren¡¯t you going to take action?¡±


    The pale-faced Yang Bo slinked behind Song Ke. These two individuals didn¡¯t give her any chance to speak. They intended to kill her directly to silence her. Their ruthlessness and cold-bloodedness were quite apparent.


    The white lab coat on Yang Bo fluttered without wind, and over a dozen test tubes floated out of his pocket. The liquid inside exhibited a murky dark yellow color.


    ¡°Cough, cough¡­ Be careful, it¡¯s sulfuric acid,¡± came a soft reminder from the corner.


    In the next second, the test tubes shot toward Song Ke like arrows, their contents spilling out due to the inertia.


    Song Ke¡¯s pupils contracted, her brain sounding an alarm of imminent danger. She leaped toward the window, grabbed the iron umbrella hanging on the anti-theft net, and then executed a somersault in midair, turning herself around and opening the umbrella.


    The massive umbrella rapidly unfolded, forming an impenetrable shield that securely protected Song Ke from behind. It also intercepted the attacks of the test tubes and liquid. As the two collided, the smooth surface of the umbrella seemed to be corroded by some toxic substance, emitting a pungent white smoke.


    Almost simultaneously, a fluorescent blue shine lit up the surface of the shield, illuminating even the walls, before gradually subsiding. The remaining liquid on it was absorbed entirely. Wu Yarou, who had been watching on the side, had a sudden change in her expression and spoke with urgency, ¡°Kill her quickly! She¡¯s an awakener!¡±


    Having yelled this, she extended her hand with a fierce expression, and that shadow-like pen appeared once again.


    On this side, the three of them engaged in an intense battle. The man in the corner seemed like an outsider, sitting leisurely as if watching a show. Even though he was confined, soaked in a pool of blood, his expression remained calm, almost like he was on a vacation. His fingers rested casually on his left knee, occasionally tapping out a melody.


    While the two attackers had peculiar methods of attack, their combat awareness was far inferior to Song Ke¡¯s. Additionally, the limited space within the lab constrained the effectiveness of the pen and the test tubes. Swinging the massive umbrella she had transformed from a lead ball and iron disc, Song Ke blocked, struck, and delivered heavy blows to their joints and vital points from above. After a few rounds, the two were left disoriented, bruised all over, and lying on the ground, groaning.


    Jumping down from the lab table, Song Ke looked once again at the corner.

 Chapter 15.3: Rainy Night in Hua City (7)

    ¡òSaved a Lunatic¡òFrom the eruption of the battle to its conclusion, the man in the corner hadn¡¯t shown any astonishment. Neither the unusual attack methods of the two nor her unconventional weapon, the enchanted umbrella, seemed to evoke any emotional fluctuations in him.


    Meeting her gaze at this moment, the man¡¯s lips curled upward. ¡°Cutting the grass¡­ cough, cough, without uprooting it, there will be endless troubles.¡±


    Song Ke furrowed her brows.


    Almost as his words faded, a multitude of test tubes flew at her from behind.


    Not this move again? Song Ke countered by opening the umbrella in her hand, her line of sight momentarily obstructed. When she moved the umbrella away again, she found the woman gone. A faint sound came from the back of her head. In a life-or-death situation that left no room for delay, Song Ke swiftly turned around, her eyes on Wu Yarou, whose hair was disheveled. The ferocious pen was aimed straight at her eyes. ¡°Die!!!¡± she shouted.


    Song Ke¡¯s eyes remained calm and composed. Unfazed, she drew a short sword from the umbrella¡¯s handle.


    A move upward thrust!


    She blocked and deflected the pen, sending it spinning in reverse, crashing into the wall and shattering.


    A move to repel!


    Wu Yarou was first struck by the fierce sword energy, and then the short sword that followed impaled her sternum, pinning her harshly against the wall.


    After dealing with Wu Yarou, Song Ke turned around and swung the iron umbrella in her hand, sending its several-hundred-pound weight crashing down on the frail Yang Bo. He was pressed down, unable to move, and promptly spat out blood before losing consciousness.


    In less than a minute, the battle was decisively over. Song Ke looked at the man in the corner for the third time. He put away his smile and began slow applause. S?a??h th? Nov?lF?re .??t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Quite impressive, easily taking down two C-level awakeners.¡±


    ¡°Is your power related to that umbrella? A weapon-based ability? No, it seems like it can transform¡­¡± The man¡¯s raven-like eyelashes fluttered as he analyzed, muttering to himself. Gradually, he seemed to understand. ¡°Ah¡­ I see, it¡¯s a metal-based ability.¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s initial reaction was, ¡°¡­¡±


    Then, ¡°???¡±


    In the next second, ¡°!!!¡±


    While her expression seemed impassive, a storm was raging inside her.


    Observing her astonishment and confusion, the man¡¯s expression registered a hint of surprise. ¡°Huh? Don¡¯t know anything, do you¡­¡±


    This little girl who seemed to know nothing, yet had managed to survive unscathed in the apocalypse, dared to wander outside during such a torrential rain? Perhaps¡­ she wasn¡¯t just incredibly lucky; she might be incredibly powerful and fearless as well.


    Judging by her performance just now, she most likely belonged to the latter category.


    A lone, powerful, yet naive top-tier awakener? Heh, indeed¡­ she seemed very easy to manipulate.


    The man¡¯s gaze shifted, and a few thoughtful traces appeared in his eyes.


    Song Ke snapped back to reality, casting a wary glance at him. She silently picked up the iron umbrella that had been on top of Yang Bo and was about to leave.


    Her grandfather had once said that the secret to his longevity of 103 years was minding his own business. Since the advent of the apocalypse, due to various unexpected situations, Song Ke felt like she had aged several years prematurely. This man seemed to be trouble, and her rationality reminded her it was best ¨C no, it was imperative ¨C not to get involved with him.


    After all, the danger here had been eliminated. She should hurry back and meet up with Tian Yi and the others.


    ¡°Hey,¡± the man called from behind.


    ¡°You forgot your sword,¡± he said.


    Song Ke turned her head and saw him struggling to stand up on his almost disabled right leg. He limped to the wall, pulled out her short sword, and then, right in front of her, forcefully stabbed it back into Wu Yarou¡¯s heart!


    Wu Yarou trembled all over. Within a few seconds, she lost her breath. The man withdrew the sword, then turned to thrust it into Yang Bo on the ground. Hot blood sprayed out, adding a cruel, bloody touch to his handsome profile.


    A chill ran down Song Ke¡¯s spine. She stared at him with frosty eyes.


    The man lifted his head, revealing a weak smile. He explained to her in a mocking tone, ¡°Do you think I¡¯m ruthless? But if I don¡¯t kill them, then it¡¯s me who dies. The feeling of being at the mercy of others is truly unpleasant¡­¡±


    This person could kill and still smile without a care. He was without a doubt the most cold-hearted person Song Ke had ever encountered.


    The man tossed the sword back to her. Song Ke instinctively caught it. Then, he calmly retrieved a handkerchief and wiped away the blood stains, all the while lifting his eyelids to observe her.


    Outside, the pouring rain drummed against the windows, creating a continuous sound. The two stood there, one by the window, the other leaning against the wall, quietly facing each other in confrontation.


    Yes, quite composed. Unshaken even when Mount Tai collapsed before her, her mental resilience was quite impressive.


    The man set aside his probing thoughts, and a smile curled on his lips. ¡°Little girl, you saved me. I don¡¯t have much to repay you with. After thinking it over, how about offering myself to you?¡±


    Song Ke stared at him as if he were insane, slowly brandishing the short sword in her hand. ¡°You, you, you are sick, do you want to seek, seek death?¡±


    Emotions were finally stirring within her, and her stammering tendency escalated at this moment, revealing her unease.


    ¡°Haha¡­¡± The man laughed like a malevolent character causing calamity for the nation, his dark trousers completely soaked with blood. Leaning against the wall, he appeared anything but embarrassed. Instead, he radiated an eye-catching brilliance, as elegant as a nobleman. He gazed deeply at Song Ke and said confidently, ¡°You won¡¯t kill me.¡±


    This person¡­ Song Ke felt exasperated. She sheathed the sword and turned to run, one foot already on the windowsill.


    ¡°Hey,¡± he called after her.


    Song Ke didn¡¯t stop, silently reciting, ¡°I won¡¯t listen, I won¡¯t listen, I won¡¯t listen,¡± as she popped open the umbrella and prepared to leap into the rain.


    ¡°I am a researcher at the Qinglan Institute.¡±


    The Qinglan Institute.


    Song Ke was familiar with this name. She had heard it on the television at the martial arts school. It was said to be the most top-tier and enigmatic research institution in the Alliance, renowned internationally for its achievements.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious? About the apocalypse, about your powers, and even¡­ about the origin of this torrential rain in Hua City.¡±


    ¡°No one has told you anything about these matters so far, right?¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s back stiffened. She retorted with the stubbornness of a dead duck, ¡°I¡¯m not, not curious.¡±


    ¡°If you weren¡¯t curious, you wouldn¡¯t have shown up here today.¡±


    The man¡¯s lips were pale due to blood loss, but he seemed oblivious to it, still attempting to seduce her.


    ¡°You want to know the real truth? I know everything.¡±


    ¡°Or rather¡­ I know even more than you could imagine.¡±


    ¡°How about we make a deal?¡±


    Three sentences made Song Ke stop in her tracks. She stood by the windowsill, the sound of pouring rain in her ears, while a struggle raged within her. What Song Ke urgently needed right now was the truth. She stayed in District F, isolated from the world since childhood, living a life at odds with everyone around her. She knew very little about this world. This man seemed to have unraveled her thoughts, grasping her lifeline and leaving her with no way to retreat.


    If there really was someone who knew all the secrets about the apocalypse and was willing to tell her, she wouldn¡¯t be able to refuse.


    ¡°How can you, how can you prove it?¡± Song Ke¡¯s heart was already wavering.


    The man smiled, pulling out a work badge from his pocket with the name ¡°Qinglan Institute¡± on it and his own photo.


    Song Ke took a glance and found the photo not as good-looking as he was in person.


    ¡°How do you want to, to trade?¡±


    ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, you have companions, right? Transfer me to a safe zone and then find a healing-type awakener for me.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    There was a safe zone; the sports field of No.1 Middle School would do. As for a healing-type awakener, she hadn¡¯t seen one, but she could look for one gradually.


    The man¡¯s request wasn¡¯t unreasonable.


    Song Ke retracted her leg hanging outside the window and jumped back into the room.


    The deal was struck, and the man seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. He sat down weakly, asking, ¡°Do you have any first aid supplies?¡±


    Song Ke rummaged through her backpack, taking out some bandages and medical supplies. She pushed them toward him. Without changing his expression, the man quickly did a simple job of dressing his wounds, swaying a bit when he stood up.


    With such a major injury, jumping out of the window was clearly out of the question. Song Ke had no choice but to head towards the door. The man followed behind in silence. She walked a dozen meters, turned around to look, and found that the man had only moved less than two meters.


    Trouble, this was truly troublesome.


    Song Ke took a deep breath, turned around, and approached him with determined steps. She stared at him from top to bottom, then reached out and grabbed his waistband.


    ¡°What are you doing?!¡± This was the first time the man had lost his elegance since entering the room. His expression was no longer composed; instead, his handsome face bore a cold and stern look.


    Ignoring his outburst, Song Ke held onto his collar with her other hand. With a slight effort, she lifted him off the ground, his heels hovering about two inches above the floor.


    ¡°You, you¡¯re too slow!¡±


    The man grabbed her wrist, veins pulsing on his forehead. ¡°Turn left after leaving the main entrance of this building. It¡¯s the second building there. You¡¯ll find a medical equipment production line for assistance devices. Go look; there should be a wheelchair.¡±


    ¡°The door downstairs, it¡¯s locked,¡± she reminded him.


    She could freely come and go through the window, but a wheelchair was too big to fit. Going through the main entrance would require her to spend time and effort dismantling the door. It was better to just carry him down directly.


    The man took a couple of steps forward and pulled out a silver-white access card from a drawer. ¡°Here, use this to swipe.¡±


    Song Ke went to the place he indicated and indeed found a variety of finished wheelchairs. They came in various styles and looked state-of-the-art, with a bunch of complicated buttons. She grabbed two with her hands, one in each hand, and hurried back to the main building.


    In the laboratory, the man propped himself up and sat in the wheelchair, his forehead beaded with cold sweat.


    ¡°Can we, can we go now?¡± Song Ke urged him.


    ¡°Just a moment.¡±


    Before leaving, he maneuvered the wheelchair to the bodies of Wu Yarou and Yang Bo, bending down without avoiding Song Ke and purposefully patting them down. Finally, he took off Yang Bo¡¯s valuable watch and Wu Yarou¡¯s string of pearl necklaces.


    Song Ke was absolutely astonished, her worldview shattered! What kind of person was this? Even at a time like this, he was still thinking about seizing a few things?


    Facing her incredulous gaze, the man smiled wryly, his voice slightly trembling, ¡°It¡¯s not what you think.¡±


    Song Ke nodded absently a couple of times, avoiding his gaze with unease. She began to reflect on whether her impulsive decision was correct.


    Or¡­ should she just leave him here and sneak away?


    She glanced somewhat guiltily at the man. After plundering the belongings of the two deceased, he sat with his hands neatly placed on his knees, smiling at her.


    Song Ke: ¡°¡­¡± Oh no, she couldn¡¯t run away now.


    With a sigh, she resignedly walked towards the man.


    ¡­


    At the entrance of Qingsong Biotech, the majestic signboard stood tall and unwavering, like a silent witness to the bloodshed and conflict that had taken place here.


    Song Ke opened her umbrella, firmly shielding both of them. With one hand, she pushed the wheelchair and stepped into the endless rain curtain.


    The muggy sea breeze blew against them, instantly wetting the man¡¯s knees and her back. The pouring rain gradually swallowed their figures, leaving only faint traces of conversation in the air.


    ¡°I forgot to ask earlier, what¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°Song Ke, Ke.¡±


    ¡°Song Ke Ke? Hmm¡­ quite cute.¡±


    ¡°Not, not that! It¡¯s Song Ke!¡±


    ¡°Alright, got it, Song Ke. Hey, could you move the umbrella a bit over here? Don¡¯t just keep it to yourself.¡±


    ¡°Also, my name is Zhuang Qingyan.¡±

 Chapter 16.1: Rainy Night in Hua City (8)

    ¡òMy person, I¡¯ll take care of it¡ò¡°Brother Jiang, someone is approaching,¡± Zhang Hao said, his eyes fixed on the window as he promptly relayed the message to Jiang Rui.


    Jiang Rui had just finished counting the quantity of medicines when he heard this and looked up to the rain outside. Despite the continuing severe weather with thunder and rain, two figures emerged from the misty boundary between sky and earth. A slender girl held a massive iron umbrella, steady against the wind and rain, while using one hand to push a wheelchair with a young man leaning against it.


    As everyone squinted, trying to discern the identity of the newcomers, Jiang Rui had already opened the warehouse doors and dashed into the rain.


    ¡°You¡¯re back?¡± He ran a few steps to reach Song Ke, his gaze fixed solely on her figure. ¡°You¡¯re not injured, right?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good. Come in first. The rain outside is too heavy.¡±


    Despite only having been outside for a short while, his hair and clothes were thoroughly wet. However, Jiang Rui seemed not to mind at all; in fact, he looked rather happy.


    And, of course, he was happy. This time, Song Ke hadn¡¯t disappeared; she had come back.


    Acknowledging him with a response, Song Ke closed the large umbrella and entered the warehouse with him.


    ¡°We¡¯ve already found the fever-reducing medicine. As a precaution, we¡¯ve also prepared some other prescription medicines to bring back,¡± Jiang Rui explained the current situation to her. His attention shifted to the man sitting in the wheelchair, whom he had belatedly noticed. ¡°And this gentleman is¡­¡±


    ¡°Um, he¡­¡± Song Ke hesitated, mainly because she wasn¡¯t very articulate, and the situation with Zhuang Qingyan was quite complicated. For a moment, she didn¡¯t know where to start.


    After Song Ke¡¯s brief trip outside, bringing back an unfamiliar man, her unusual behavior had already attracted attention. The others huddled nearby, secretly sizing up the situation. However, they had interacted with Song Ke several times before, so their curiosity was more innocent than malicious.


    Facing the crowd¡¯s gaze, Zhuang Qingyan coughed a couple of times. ¡°Hello, everyone. I¡¯m a pharmaceutical researcher at the neighboring Qingsong Biotech. Before the apocalypse, I was conducting closed-door experiments at the company. Unexpectedly¡­ I¡¯ve been trapped in the research building for several days now. Fortunately, this fellow Student Song rescued me while passing by.¡±


    He let out a sigh with a lingering fear, giving the impression of someone who had narrowly escaped a disaster. ¡°I¡¯m really grateful. If it weren¡¯t for Student Song, I¡¯m afraid I might not have made it out.¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°¡­¡±


    Well, she didn¡¯t need to explain; this person had already concocted a complete story. And he said it so earnestly, shifting focus away from the real issues. Not a single truthful word. What pharmaceutical researcher? What closed-door experiments? At his place, experiments meant poking people¡¯s eyes with pens or splashing sulfuric acid on their faces, right?


    Song Ke grumbled inwardly, but outwardly, she maintained her composure and didn¡¯t expose him.


    Jiang Rui noticed the slight twitching of her expression and whispered, ¡°Song Ke, come over here for a moment.¡±


    Song Ke followed him a few steps away from the crowd.


    ¡°Is this person truly someone you rescued from Qingsong Biotech?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Though there were some discrepancies in the details, the outcome was indeed as such, without a doubt.


    ¡°You intend to take him back to the safe zone?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Jiang Rui¡¯s brows gradually furrowed.


    ¡°Is that¡­ not okay?¡± Song Ke asked in response.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that it¡¯s not possible, but¡­¡± Jiang Rui disliked discussing others behind their backs, so he had to hint subtly, ¡°Inside the safe zone, Teacher Xu ensures fairness by distributing resources based on everyone¡¯s contributions. In a situation like his, where he relies solely on a wheelchair and has no physical strength, he might not receive any supplies or food.¡±


    Indeed, a physically frail researcher who relied on a wheelchair and had no strength to contribute, and lacked any unique abilities to shine, what value could he bring to Xu Liren?


    Both of them fell silent. Unable to resist, Song Ke turned her head to glance over. There, Zhuang Qingyan, pretending to be a researcher, had become the center of attention. Holding a pile of drug boxes with long and complex names, he explained to everyone while noticing Song Ke¡¯s gaze. He turned his head slightly, smiling at her with his eyes curved.


    ¡°If he can¡¯t get any¡­ then, he can¡¯t get any,¡± Song Ke was momentarily blinded by his affected smile. She quickly averted her gaze. She wasn¡¯t surprised by the situation Jiang Rui described. When she decided to bring him back, she had anticipated this outcome.


    For Song Ke, the matter of whether she could stay in the safe zone wasn¡¯t as crucial as Jiang Rui had assumed. It wasn¡¯t even as significant as the information Zhuang Qingyan himself could offer her. She had the mentality that if this place didn¡¯t accommodate her, she could find her own way out. Ultimately, if need be, she would just leave.


    ¡°The, the person I saved, I, I will take care of it.¡±


    Jiang Rui¡¯s breathing suddenly became uneven.


    With some time left before the agreed return time, the group tidied up and planned to search the nearby areas again. The outskirts of Hua City were vast and sparsely populated, making the search for supplies extremely challenging. They had explored several places in a row, but the gains were meager.


    As the days of the apocalypse passed, fewer and fewer people were seen outside. The local residents had either fled to higher-level cities or hoarded supplies in their homes. With limited resources and no basic productive capacity, consumption continued unabated. Sooner or later, everything would run out.


    Kongzi Qi walked and muttered in puzzlement, ¡°Why do I feel like there are fewer zombies recently? Is it just me?¡±


    Zhang Hao replied, ¡°It¡¯s not your imagination. The frequency of zombie appearances is indeed decreasing.¡± S?a??h the N0v?lFir?.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°No way? Zombies are afraid of rain too?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, logically they shouldn¡¯t be.¡±


    ¡°Damn! Where did the zombies go?¡±


    The boys conversed up front, while Song Ke held the umbrella for Zhuang Qingyan and trailed behind them. The group was large, and it wasn¡¯t convenient for the two of them to communicate privately. They didn¡¯t have time for whispered conversations along the way.


    Finally finding a canned food factory, when the group dispersed to load supplies, Song Ke seized the opportunity. She wheeled Zhuang Qingyan to a corner of the wall, and asked, ¡°Can you, can you answer my questions now?¡±


    Leaning his chin on his hand, Zhuang Qingyan, completely helpless, was pushed by the stammering girl. After a moment¡¯s thought, he nodded, ¡°Well, I can answer, but let¡¯s make one thing clear first¡ªonly three questions per day.¡±


    ¡°Why!¡± Song Ke was shocked. He never mentioned this condition when negotiating with her!


    Zhuang Qingyan pointed to the wheelchair and smiled leisurely, ¡°How should I put it? Tsk, I¡¯m disabled now, I should still keep some tricks up my sleeve, right? What if you¡¯ve asked all the questions you wanted and you feel I¡¯m not valuable anymore? Then you just¡­ don¡¯t need me.¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°¡­¡± This person was really shameless.


    Her cheeks puffed with anger, but luckily she had the foresight to confirm with him, ¡°How can I be, be sure, what you¡¯re saying is, true?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan looked hurt by her suspicion. ¡°We¡¯re complete strangers. What benefit would I gain from lying to you?¡±


    A bit of twisted reasoning there? Well, she did save him, so whatever, she¡¯d trust him for now.


    Song Ke posed her first question sullenly, ¡°Then, I want, want to ask, who were those two people just now? Why did they want, want to kill you?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan replied, ¡°You¡¯re talking about Wu Yarou and Yang Bo, right? I had a research finding that they cared deeply about. Hey, don¡¯t look at me with that kind of expression. I didn¡¯t steal it, and it¡¯s not theirs either. Well¡­ strictly speaking, it belongs to Qinglan. But they¡¯ve coveted this research finding for a long time. As for me, I wasn¡¯t willing to just hand it over. So, they got angry and came after me.¡±


    ¡°What¡­ research finding?¡± Song Ke pressed further. She couldn¡¯t completely trust Zhuang Qingyan. His background and appearance were too suspicious, and what kind of research finding could prompt two ability users to resort to killing, even going so far as to silence someone?


    Zhuang Qingyan raised his gaze and smiled playfully in response, ¡°Are you sure you want to ask? Explaining this finding will take more than a few days, and this would already count as your second question.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡­ shouldn¡¯t!¡± Song Ke¡¯s frustration grew. Shameless, this person was just shameless!


    Not getting the upper hand in the conversation and unable to outmaneuver him in wits, Song Ke was close to losing it. She swiftly wheeled the wheelchair in circles a few times and then, coincidentally, aimed it towards the direction of the main gate. She lifted her feet off the ground, releasing her hands on the handles.


    ¡°Student Song, let¡¯s talk peacefully. Don¡¯t resort to violence!¡± The front wheels of the wheelchair lifted slightly. If Zhuang Qingyan dared to play tricks on her again, Song Ke was ready to send him rolling headfirst into the pouring rain.


    After gaining the upper hand, Song Ke released a sigh of frustration. She assertively posed her second question, ¡°What exactly is my, my ability?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan had figured it out. The young girl didn¡¯t trust him, and she was truly determined. She wanted him to give up some information first before she would reciprocate. Otherwise, she might just abandon him along the way. He pondered for a moment, then asked, ¡°Can you manipulate the form of objects?¡±


    Song Ke didn¡¯t say a word. She casually picked up an empty pineapple can nearby. In an instant, the can transformed into a shiny dagger as she waved it forward, a glint of deep blue light passing through it.


    Zhuang Qingyan nodded, ¡°For the time being, known abilities can be roughly divided into three categories: mental abilities, physical enhancements, and mystical. Mental abilities mainly involve controlling elements and telekinesis. For instance, the gold element is widely recognized as a strong offensive ability. From the surface, you possess a commendable gold element ability. But being able to transform weapons already signifies your command over materialization. Compared to other superhumans of the same level, you would be more powerful.¡±


    He pointed at the dagger in Song Ke¡¯s hand, ¡°Just like this¡­¡±


    ¡°Spiritual weapon,¡± Song Ke interjected.


    ¡°Spiritual weapon. Although it looks like a knife and feels like a knife, it isn¡¯t an actual knife. It¡¯s the external manifestation of your gold element ability. If I¡¯m not mistaken, you should be able to manipulate it with ease.¡±


    Turning her palm, the dagger disappeared into thin air, leaving no trace.


    Zhuang Qingyan paused. Song Ke¡¯s control over her ability was incredibly precise. Her ability to switch weapons in battle was seemingly unrestricted. Forget just being in the gold element, she was likely among the most powerful and dominant of all awakeners.


    He continued, ¡°Physical enhancement superpowers are more common. They involve enhancing basic attributes, physical transformations, and accelerated healing. As for mystical abilities, they encompass a wide range of abilities, including precognition, healing, external object manipulation, and temporal manipulation, among others. These abilities are elusive and unpredictable. When encountering them for the first time, it¡¯s easy to be taken off guard.¡±

 Chapter 16.2: Rainy Night in Hua City (8)

    ¡òMy person, I¡¯ll take care of it¡òSong Ke meticulously recalled her experiences since the apocalypse began. Aspects that previously puzzled her suddenly became clear, like dispelling clouds and fog. So, the middle-aged man she saw at the docks (Wind), Xu Xing (Ice), An Qiwen (Thunder), and even Jiang Rui (Fire) were all elemental awakeners of the mental abilities category. Zhang Qi¡¯s strength, Wu Juemin¡¯s teleportation were both attributes of physical enhancement. As for mystical abilities, the tracking pen of Wu Yarou and the sulfuric acid test tube of Yang Bo had just proven to be incredibly unpredictable.


    ¡°The strength of awakeners ranges from E to A, ascending step by step. E-level is the lowest, representing individuals with relatively acute sensory perception. A-level is the strongest, with superpower intensity reaching up to about 83% of the body¡¯s maximum tolerance threshold. However¡­¡± Zhuang Qingyan said up to this point, he smiled ambiguously, ¡°If one can surpass this threshold and unlock more potential during awakening, there might even be awakeners with an S-level beyond the upper limit.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan was almost certain that Song Ke¡¯s superpower level was not low. Not only could she externalize her abilities, but her physical qualities also far exceeded those of ordinary physical enhancement awakeners. Not to mention the precise and fierce combat skills she displayed at Qingsong Biotech, which was why he had thought it over and ultimately decided to hug her thigh.


    ¡°You could easily defeat two C-level awakeners, which would suggest your level is probably above B and might even be A. However, superpower reactions have a strong variability. To get the most accurate data, we¡¯d have to rely on authoritative testing equipment.¡±


    Song Ke remembered something, ¡°Testing? Is it that kind of, of black box with lots of, wires?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve seen one?¡± Zhuang Qingyan was mildly surprised. ¡°But what you¡¯re referring to seems to be the most basic superpower detection device, an outdated product. Aside from assessing whether the subject has superpower fluctuations, it doesn¡¯t serve any other purpose.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m actually curious, where did you see one?¡± Zhuang Qingyan stared at Song Ke with interest.


    The most advanced R-type superpower detection devices of the Alliance were all stored in various Qinglan research institutions. Portable versions that were available on the market were mostly owned by the military. If Song Ke had undergone superpower testing, would those people have allowed her to leave so easily?


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen it, but it, it was broken.¡± Song Ke felt irritated recalling the incident. She briefly recounted her evacuation from District 177, omitting the part where she rescued someone and the ¡°objective fact¡± that the testing device exploded because of her.


    ¡°Ah¡­ what a pity,¡± Zhuang Qingyan sighed after hearing her story.


    ¡°Pity, for what?¡±


    ¡°Hehe~ Don¡¯t misunderstand, I¡¯m pitying those people.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan looked out at the pouring rain outside the door, his gaze becoming distant.


    Azure Phoenix? He hadn¡¯t heard about them for a long time. As the once most glorious fighting force of the Alliance, they had fallen to the point of needing to recruit awakeners from civilians. Could that not be considered a pity?


    With only one question left to ask, and with Song Ke having too many questions in mind, she was paralyzed by indecision. So, she temporarily put the matter aside, planning to ponder over it once she returned to the safe zone. With limited supplies of her own and now the added burden of another mouth to feed, she had to accompany Jiang Rui¡¯s group in scavenging the canned food factory. In the process, they managed to collect a variety of strawberry, peach, and orange canned fruits.


    During this time, Zhuang Qingyan remained silently seated in the wheelchair. Song Ke inexplicably felt that when he was quiet, he wasn¡¯t as annoying as she had initially thought.


    ¡­¡­


    Half an hour early, the group returned to Hua City No.1 Middle School, waiting for Liu Zixuan to open the door.


    As the appointed time arrived, the wall recessed, and the superpower door opened punctually.


    Liu Zixuan appeared and couldn¡¯t wait to ask, ¡°Did you find the medicine? Zhou Anqi woke up, but the fever hasn¡¯t gone down.¡±


    ¡°We found it,¡± Jiang Rui nodded.


    Liu Zixuan breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°That¡¯s good. Her ability has awakened.¡±


    Zhou Anqi¡¯s awakening had been a foregone conclusion even before Jiang Rui and the others returned.


    There was a subtle magnetic field sensitivity between awakeners. Earlier in the morning, Liu Zixuan sensed energy fluctuations in her. He immediately reported it to Xu Liren. However, she was mentally weak due to the high fever, making it difficult for her to speak. This continued until Jiang Rui¡¯s group returned with life-saving medicine.


    Xu Liren took the medicine box and after several checks, had Cao Yiyi feed it to Zhou Anqi to take.


    ¡°Anqi, how do you feel now?¡±


    Zhou Anqi leaned weakly against Cao Yiyi. Hearing the question, she merely raised her eyelids. She was now the focus of everyone¡¯s attention, with everyone looking at her expectantly. Only Jiang Rui¡¯s gaze drifted elsewhere, not in the same direction as the others.


    Suddenly feeling displeased, Zhou Anqi couldn¡¯t care less about manners: ¡°Not good. My throat hurts, my head hurts, my whole body hurts.¡±


    Everyone exchanged glances. Xu Liren didn¡¯t tolerate her tantrum and asked straightforwardly, ¡°Do you know what ability you¡¯ve awakened?¡±


    ¡°What kind of ability I¡¯ve awakened is none of your d*mn business¡­¡± Zhou Anqi, in the midst of anger, was about to blurt out a rude retort. However, upon seeing who was asking, she forcibly swallowed her words, lowered her head, thought for a moment, and honestly replied, ¡°I¡¯ve always been afraid of getting hurt since I was little, worried that scars wouldn¡¯t look good. When I just awakened, I could vaguely sense something related to wounds.¡±


    ¡°Wounds¡­¡± Xu Liren¡¯s eyes lit up. He called over the guy who had gone out with Zhang Qi last time. Although he had managed to escape the starship explosion, his arm and leg were still bruised and had not been properly treated. They had even begun to fester.


    Zhou Anqi stared at the ghastly wound, looking at it with disgust for quite a few minutes. Eventually, with Xu Liren¡¯s encouragement, she placed her hands over the wound through the gauze. About ten minutes later, sweat started forming on her forehead, and she slowly withdrew her hands. The guy eagerly removed the gauze, only to find that the wound had completely healed. His skin was as good as new, not a scar left! He excitedly hopped in place, no different from any regular person in his movements.


    Witnessing this miracle with their own eyes, the atmosphere in the safe zone ignited like a spark, bursting into an uproar.


    ¡°It¡¯s a healing-type ability!¡±


    ¡°Really? Are you not joking?¡±


    ¡°This is amazing! We won¡¯t have to worry about injuries anymore!¡±


    ¡°Come on, do you think Miss Zhou would be kind enough to heal you?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ that¡¯s true. Got excited for nothing.¡±


    Xu Liren smiled gently and kindly advised Zhou Anqi to take her medicine on time, rest well, and then stood up to attend to other matters. Just as he did so, Jiang Rui walked over to him and whispered, ¡°Mr. Xu, Song Ke brought someone back.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Who is it?¡± The delight on Xu Liren¡¯s face hadn¡¯t faded yet, and he nodded unconcernedly. ¡°I¡¯ll go take a look.¡±


    When the others swarmed around Zhou Anqi, only Song Ke stood there like a wooden pole, rooted to her spot.


    Of course, Zhuang Qingyan, who fancied himself as the ¡°disabled person,¡± also remained still, calmly watching the crowded scene.


    ¡°Your classmate seems to have awakened. Don¡¯t you want to join the excitement?¡±


    ¡°No, no need.¡±


    ¡°Oh? You don¡¯t want to see the excitement? Have you had a conflict with someone?¡±


    ¡­Is this person telepathic? How does he seem to know everything!


    Song Ke was speechless, poking at the wheelchair¡¯s wheel with the tip of her foot, making the wheelchair spin chaotically.


    Zhuang Qingyan in the wheelchair was affected by the chaos, and his perspective spun around, forced to face multiple directions. However, he didn¡¯t seem annoyed at all. He maintained his smile and continued teasing her, ¡°Really? Did I hit the nail on the head? You really have a grudge with someone?¡±


    This only made Song Ke angrier, causing her to spin the wheels even faster.


    While the two were playfully bickering, Xu Liren and Jiang Rui stopped in front of them.


    ¡°Song Ke, I heard you brought back a stranger.¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s actions came to a halt, and the faintly expressive look on her face vanished instantly. In the awkward silence, she suddenly recalled Jiang Rui¡¯s mention of the ¡°distribution according to work¡± system. She forced herself to speak stiffly, ¡°You don¡¯t need to give, give him supplies, I will take care of it.¡±


    Xu Liren¡¯s expression turned sour as he scolded her in a low voice, ¡°What do you think this place is?!¡±


    The girl in front of him lowered her gaze, presenting a rebellious appearance. It was like this before, and it¡¯s still the same now. Xu Liren had taught for many years, and while Song Ke wasn¡¯t the most unruly student he had seen, she was certainly the most stubborn. She would never learn to be submissive.


    Suppressing his impatience, his tone grew even more stern. ¡°The safe zone is the result of everyone¡¯s hard work. Back then, we were willing to take you in because of the fate between teachers and students, not so you could act capriciously. You saved someone on a whim today, who knows if you¡¯ll pick up a cat or a dog tomorrow. If this continues, teacher won¡¯t be able to manage it.¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s mind went blank, and she automatically started her ¡°turtle reciting scriptures technique,¡± allowing her thoughts to wander freely. Xu Liren¡¯s words entered her left ear and swiftly slipped out of her right, coming and going lightly, leaving no trace behind.


    Unluckily for her, her act of pretending to be ¡°dead¡± didn¡¯t escape the notice of another.


    ¡°Hehe~¡± A magnetic chuckle resonated, interrupting Xu Liren¡¯s words. Zhuang Qingyan, likened to a ¡°cat or dog,¡± seemed to have a better sense of self-awareness than Song Ke. Recognizing his own rudeness, he quickly apologized, ¡°Sorry, couldn¡¯t help it. You can continue, please continue.¡±


    Xu Liren¡¯s glasses glinted, a cold glint passing through his eyes.


    In the safe zone, nobody could challenge his authority.


    He composed himself, looked down at the wheelchair, and saw the languidly seated man. His handsome face seemed to be emitting a glow. His features were exquisite, a perfect work as if crafted by Nuwa herself.


    Caught off guard, their gazes locked.


    Zhuang Qingyan arched an eyebrow, his smile unchanged. But Xu Liren, as if struck by lightning, paled in disbelief! He appeared complex, even a touch frightened, staring at Zhuang Qingyan.


    Innocently and perplexedly, Zhuang Qingyan said, ¡°Um, Mr. Xu? Are you okay?¡±


    Xu Liren gazed at him for a long time, not detecting anything unusual. He let out a suppressed breath, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    He then turned to look at Song Ke, his expression cold. ¡°Song Ke, you brought this person here, and we have no obligation to take care of him. You are responsible for him yourself.¡±


    ¡°Furthermore, this is the last time.¡±


    Jiang Rui quickly left a message ¡°I¡¯ll find you later¡± and followed Xu Liren as they left. S~?a??h the N?v?lFir?(.)n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Once they were far away, Song Ke asked in confusion, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him?¡± He was having a normal conversation and then suddenly collapsed. It¡¯s pretty unsettling.


    ¡°Maybe¡­ he had a sudden illness?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan looked at Xu Liren¡¯s departing figure and smiled.


    **TN


    Hugging someone¡¯s thigh ¨C attaching yourself to someone powerful


    Nuwa ¨C the mother of humankind, the goddess of nature, order, fertility, and marriage.

 Chapter 17.1: Rainy Night in Hua City (9)

    ¡òGet out of here¡òSong Ke stared at his smile, a chill running down her spine, and a row of goosebumps appeared on her arms.


    She recalled the ancient court dramas that Aming enjoyed. Occasionally, when she had free time, she would catch a glimpse of them. The way Zhuang Qingyan smiled was just too similar to the beautiful and sinister main antagonist in those dramas.


    After the others had walked away, the corner where the two of them were located regained its quietness. Zhuang Qingyan suppressed the smile on his face, and his expression finally appeared somewhat normal: ¡°Since we have time now, tell me about the intricacies here.¡±


    ¡°Intricacies?¡± Song Ke was bewildered.


    ¡°The safety zone you brought me to, surely you can¡¯t know nothing about it?¡±


    Of course, she wouldn¡¯t know nothing. On the first day she entered, she cleverly asked Tian Yi for information!


    Song Ke straightened her chest full of confidence: ¡°Go, go ahead and ask.¡±


    ¡°What is the organizational structure and management model here? Who are the main leaders? How are the awakeners, as a scarce resource, allocated?¡±


    Song Ke was taken aback for two seconds, hesitated, and shook her head.


    ¡°How is defense and patrolling arranged? What are the rules? Are there any taboos? Also, have you noticed any unusual places?¡±


    ¡°Defense? Unusual?¡± Song Ke continued shaking her head; she had no idea.


    ¡°¡­¡± Zhuang Qingyan couldn¡¯t continue his questioning.


    After a while, he helplessly rubbed his forehead, ¡°Student Song Ke, can I ask, what do you do every day?¡±


    ¡°Eat, sleep, and fight, fight zombies.¡±


    ¡­So, not really using your brain, huh?


    Very well, perfectly reasonable, can¡¯t find any faults.


    Song Ke glanced at Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s expressionless face, guiltily fiddled with her fingers, and the next second she shouted, ¡°Tian Yi!¡±


    It¡¯s okay, if she couldn¡¯t explain, there¡¯s someone who can.


    Tian Yi¡¯s ears were quite sharp; he heard her call from quite a distance and hurriedly ran over, bouncing, ¡°Hey, here I am! What¡¯s up?¡±


    Song Ke pointed at Zhuang Qingyan, ¡°Can you, tell him about, the safety zone?¡±


    Tian Yi had been curious about Zhuang Qingyan for a long time. He had wanted to approach him outside but didn¡¯t dare. Now that he had the chance, he immediately came over with enthusiasm, ¡°Brother Yan, can I call you Brother Yan? You were also saved by Song Ke, so we could consider it as having a deep connection, right? What do you want to know? I will definitely tell you everything.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan keenly caught the ¡°also¡± in his words, gave Song Ke a slow, deliberate glance ¨C oh, the little girl¡¯s in the wholesale business of saving lives, huh?


    After Song Ke passed the batton, she released her mental burden, lowered her head to rummage through her backpack, not noticing his gaze.


    Zhuang Qingyan also stopped looking at her, saying, ¡°I want to understand the personnel structure here. Let¡¯s start from the beginning. How did you all come here?¡±


    Tian Yi responded with an ¡°Oh¡± and began talking about the origin of the safety zone. He recounted from the advent of the apocalypse, the first wave of zombie outbreaks, Xu Liren leading them in a hurried retreat, and he continued all the way to the current situation.


    Zhuang Qingyan occasionally interrupted with questions he was particularly concerned about. Tian Yi couldn¡¯t answer them all, but after some thought, he spoke for a long time.


    Song Ke, who was by the side, was getting bored. With one hand, she knocked and twisted, opening a can of orange slices. She buried her head in the can, her nose twitched, greedily sniffed, and then pulled out a spoon from her bag, happily stuffing it into her mouth. She quickly finished a can.


    ¡°So, the number of awakeners among you isn¡¯t large?¡± After listening to Tian Yi¡¯s account, Zhuang Qingyan quickly sensed the core issue.


    ¡°Yeah, not counting Song Ke, there are currently four: Jiang Rui, Liu Zixuan, Zhang Qi, oh, and Zhou Anqi.¡±


    ¡°Four?¡± Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s expression shifted slightly. ¡°You mentioned a teacher named Xu Liren. Didn¡¯t you say he¡¯s in charge? So, he¡¯s a regular person?¡±


    Tian Yi scratched his head. ¡°Uh¡­ Teacher Xu is a regular person. He teaches the first year students and he¡¯s also the only teacher left in the safe zone. That¡¯s why everyone is willing to listen to him. Without him leading us these days, we probably wouldn¡¯t have survived.¡±


    High school students aged sixteen or seventeen naturally had inherent trust and respect for teachers. Tian Yi¡¯s thoughts were understandable.


    Zhuang Qingyan didn¡¯t comment and casually tapped the metal wheelchair with his slender finger joints.


    ¡°You said he¡¯s the ¡®only¡¯ teacher left?¡±


    ¡°Yes, initially, there was Teacher Wang, Teacher Chen, and Vice Principal Li, but they had accidents¡­ so only Teacher Xu remained.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan smiled very faintly. ¡°Whether he¡¯s a selfless dedicated teacher or a benevolent dictator in disguise, I¡¯m afraid only by peeling away that layer of hypocrisy can one find out.¡±


    His words were somewhat cryptic, and the only two in the audience didn¡¯t quite understand.


    Song Ke set down the empty can, burped softly, then opened another can of a different flavor and swallowed large mouthfuls. She was carefree; whether she understood or not, it didn¡¯t affect her focused eating.


    After discussing for nearly half an hour, Zhuang Qingyan had a basic understanding of how the safety zone operated.


    Tian Yi also received a call from Kongzi Qi in the distance, asking him to quickly collect today¡¯s supplies. Before leaving, he remembered something, ¡°Oh, by the way, you probably don¡¯t know yet. Zhou Anqi awakened as a healing-type ability user.¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s movement of stuffing a peach slice into her mouth suddenly froze. The fruit slipped off the spoon and landed with a soft plop on the ground. She didn¡¯t have time to feel sorry for it as she reflexively turned her head to look at Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s legs.


    Zhuang Qingyan supported his chin, sighing softly. ¡°Mm, I got lucky.¡±


    At that time, there were two conditions for their deal: one was to bring him back to the safe zone, and the other was to find a healing-type ability user. To achieve both so quickly, of course, luck was on their side. However, Song Ke didn¡¯t feel happy at all.


    Her emotions had changed too obviously, which Zhuang Qingyan noticed. He then recalled her being alone in the corner earlier, and asked with a hint of realization, ¡°You don¡¯t want to ask for her help?¡±


    Song Ke didn¡¯t say anything, and after a long while, she reluctantly nodded, her face showing evident reluctance.


    Zhuang Qingyan fell silent and looked down at his own knees.


    Perhaps due to losing too much blood, unconsciously, his complexion had become even paler than when they first met. At this moment, he seemed to be standing on the wheel of fate: Song Ke obviously was unwilling. Would she give up this opportunity just like that?


    He didn¡¯t know if he could hold on until they found another healing-type ability user. Going alone to find someone of unknown strength? Maybe he could save his own life, but undoubtedly, it would anger this new ally. The prospects were indeed worrying. Zhuang Qingyan needed to make a high-stakes gamble, an all-in bet, and the price was his own life.


    Unfortunately, he had always been the most reckless gambler.


    However, clever gamblers tend to use some confusing tactics before placing their bets. Opening his mouth again, Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s emotions stabilized, and his voice was gentle, ¡°If you¡¯re unwilling, you don¡¯t have to ask her.¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s moist eyes blinked, and she felt somewhat guilty. ¡°Your¡­ legs.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan harvested her sympathy without hesitation and said gently, like a gentle breeze, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, they¡¯ve already been bandaged. It¡¯s not that serious.¡±


    Song Ke felt a bit relieved and found him more agreeable than before. After thinking for a moment, she took out a beautifully packaged small cake from her backpack and handed it to him.


    ¡°Please, have it.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Egg¡­ cake.¡±


    ¡°Why cake?¡± Zhuang Qingyan gestured toward the pile of empty cans on the ground. ¡°I thought you might treat me to canned food.¡±


    ¡°Because¡­ today is my, my birthday.¡± Song Ke smiled subtly, and the small dimple on her cheek became more pronounced. This was the last piece of cake she had hidden away, and it was the most visually appealing one. There were even pointed strawberries on top. She had been reluctant to eat it, wanting to save it as a reward for herself on her birthday.


    Zhuang Qingyan poked the cake with a plastic spoon. The small portion on the very top had oxidized to a pale yellow, indicating it was made of the cheapest vegetable fat cream. It was a type of junk food that he would never have tried in the past, categorized as ¡°garbage district specialties.¡± However, his expression remained unchanged as he gently scooped up a very small piece and put it in his mouth. His eyes then curved into a smile. ¡°Thank you, it¡¯s delicious.¡±


    ¡°Song Ke, happy birthday.¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s eyes widened slightly.


    From the time she could remember, this seemed to be the first time someone other than her grandfather had specifically said ¡°happy birthday¡± to her. It wasn¡¯t a surplus from Zhang Ci¡¯s birthday at the Yue Mountain Martial Arts School. It was a complete and wholehearted wish for her alone to have a happy birthday.


    Song Ke felt somewhat overwhelmed, her fingers tugging at her backpack strap. She hesitantly pushed two unopened cans over to him. ¡°Here, these are for you too.¡±


    Couldn¡¯t get supplies? No problem! She had them! During this time, she could manage that for him. S?a??h th? ??v?lF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡­


    In the early morning, the rain-covered sports field was completely silent.


    Song Ke tossed and turned, finding it hard to sleep. She had a nagging feeling that she had forgotten something until a ¡°ding¡± resounded in her mind. She suddenly remembered she had one remaining chance to ask a question. With only three opportunities a day, she had to be frugal, so how could she waste it?


    Swiftly, Song Ke rolled over, feeling around in the darkness and moving towards the side. Zhuang Qingyan was sleeping quietly, his hands neatly resting on his abdomen, and even his breath was light.


    Song Ke poked him, but he didn¡¯t respond.


    She tugged at his sleeve, only to encounter a damp chill.


    Song Ke was taken aback and crouched down to examine him closely. The nighttime lighting wasn¡¯t great, but her night vision was exceptional, allowing her to quickly make out the person before her. Zhuang Qingyan was covered in cold sweat, his face pallid. His jet-black hair hung on his forehead, and he looked extremely unwell. He had been drenched in rain during the day, hadn¡¯t changed his clothes, and spent the night in the cold and wet. Now his wound had deteriorated rapidly, and he had lost consciousness.


    Song Ke rolled up his pant leg, and the white bandage was stained with a large patch of glaring red, like vividly blooming nirvana flowers. She gently pressed on the broken leg, and the fragmented bones were like mush, devoid of any support, completely contradicting what he had said about it not being ¡°that serious.¡± The injury was even worse than she had imagined.


    ¡°Zhuang¡­ Qingyan, Zhuang Qingyan!¡± Song Ke urgently called his name while tapping his face.


    She applied a bit too much force, accidentally knocking his head askew. His handsome face had lost its vitality and slowly tilted to the side.


    This can¡¯t be¡­ Song Ke was startled, quickly supporting his head. Pressing her ear to his chest, she was relieved to hear a faint heartbeat.


    Song Ke anxiously picked at her fingers, wondering what to do. Regardless of his words, he probably wouldn¡¯t make it through the night. But to save him, the only option now¡­


    She raised her gaze and looked in another direction. It was pitch black there, with faint signs of vitality shimmering.


    Go ask that person? Even if they were willing, getting them to act wouldn¡¯t be that easy. What bargaining chips did she have to exchange? And what kind of price would she need to pay?


    A voice deep within her kept urging her: Give up, don¡¯t bother. After all, they had only known each other for less than a day. Leaving him behind wouldn¡¯t matter much. There must be more than one person who knew the truth about the apocalypse. She could always go outside and capture another researcher.


    Forget it, forget it¡­


    But for some reason, Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s voice kept flashing in her mind. He had said to her, ¡°Song Ke, happy birthday.¡±


    Song Ke closed her eyes and when she opened them again, she stood up with a swish. She picked up Zhuang Qingyan and placed him in the wheelchair.

 Chapter 17.2: Rainy Night in Hua City (9)

    ¡òGet out of here¡òHasty and disordered footsteps, the intense friction of the wheelchair against the ground¡ªthis commotion woke up a large group of people who were sound asleep.


    ¡°Who¡¯s making noise in the middle of the night?!¡±


    ¡°Is something wrong? Did zombies break in?¡±


    ¡°Who? Who broke in?!¡±


    Flashlights flickered, and a group of people at the center of the safe zone sat up warily.


    Pushing Zhuang Qingyan in the wheelchair, Song Ke stopped right in front of Zhou Anqi. ¡°Save him.¡±


    Zhou Anqi, still half-asleep, was first startled by the pale complexion of the person in the wheelchair. After hearing what Song Ke said, she incredulously lifted her head. ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a healing-type ability user. Please, please save him.¡±


    ¡°Why should I? I won¡¯t save him!¡±


    It seemed that the tables had turned. Fate had its way of circling back, and unexpectedly, there came a day when Song Ke had to beg Zhou Anqi. Zhou Anqi didn¡¯t even have time to set off firecrackers in her heart to celebrate, and she was still counting on her to save people? It was utterly outrageous!


    With folded arms and a condescending stance, she glared fiercely at Song Ke. Mockingly, she said, ¡°I¡¯ve said it before, you¡¯re a star of disaster. Whoever comes into contact with you will be unlucky. It serves them right to die. Let¡¯s see who you can deceive from now on!¡±


    Zhou Anqi¡¯s eyes were filled with resentment and malice. Song Ke knew that continuing to talk to her was futile. She pushed the wheelchair in a different direction, turning toward the person who could actually make the decision: ¡°Save him.¡±


    Xu Liren stood in the center of the inner circle, wearing a coat, half his face obscured in the darkness, silent and still.


    Song Ke had considered that Xu Liren wouldn¡¯t agree unconditionally. She raised her eyes and surveyed the faces in the darkness. One by one, they looked panicked and bewildered, looking helplessly at the confrontation. This included Tian Yi, Lin Xia, Kongzi Qi, and others, their hushed whispers filling the air:


    ¡°Why did this person faint? His complexion looks terrible¡­¡±


    ¡°Can Zhou Anqi¡¯s temper improve? She should just help out a bit.¡±


    ¡°Um, Song Ke, are you okay?¡± Tian Yi looked at her with concern.


    Song Ke roughly counted the heads. The survivors in the safe zone were decreasing continuously, and now there were just over a hundred left. Just over a hundred ordinary students, unarmed, facing the zombies outside¡ªit was no different from sending them to their deaths.


    She roughly estimated her mental strength, clenched her fist, and played her negotiation card.


    In the chaotic night, Song Ke¡¯s right hand swiftly slid over the back of the wheelchair and then opened her palm. A mountain-cutting knife emitting a faint blue light quietly appeared, its blade jagged and sharp, exuding a piercing aura.


    ¡°One hundred weapons, exchange for his life,¡± she said.


    The flickering blue light illuminated the astonished faces of the people nearby, quickly causing a commotion.


    ¡°Wow! Unbelievable! One hundred weapons?¡±


    ¡°How did that knife just appear? Did anyone see it clearly?¡±


    ¡°Am I dreaming? I must not be awake¡­ Someone pinch me!¡±


    ¡°Song Ke? This knife¡­ How did you¡­¡± Round-faced girl Lin Xia exclaimed in shock, nearly losing her ability to speak.


    ¡°Supernatural powers,¡± Song Ke responded slowly, enunciating clearly.


    The surrounding noise quieted for a moment.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re not a power-type awakener at all!¡± A boy who had been healed by Zhou Anqi pointed at her and shouted, ¡°When we went out earlier, that huge hammer you used to break the door, and the strange iron umbrella from before, you made them with your supernatural power!¡±


    ¡°Made with your supernatural power!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been lying to us all along!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not really lying, Song Ke never admitted she was a power-type. We all just guessed¡­¡± Tian Yi weakly defended her.


    The sudden appearance of powerful weapons out of thin air, combined with Song Ke¡¯s proposal, left everyone in the safe zone dumbfounded. One hundred weapons was a grand offer, almost enough for each of them to have one, fully arming their group of a hundred.


    People were uncertain, whispering and discussing among themselves.


    Taking advantage of the distraction, Cao Yiyi¡¯s expression shifted slightly. She leaned in and said something to Zhou Anqi.


    Xu Liren took the spiritual weapon mountain-cutting knife from Song Ke¡¯s hand. After observing it for a moment, he suddenly, without any warning, swung at a nearby volleyball pole. ¡°Crack!¡± The sturdy steel pole snapped, and the volleyball net fell to the ground.


    He weighed the handle of the knife, his expression no longer calm. He suddenly looked up at Song Ke.


    ¡°Weapons of equal quality, are you sure you can provide a hundred?¡± he inquired.


    ¡°I can.¡±


    ¡°When can the delivery be made?¡±


    ¡°Within half an hour.¡±


    Exchanging spiritual weapons for Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s life was the only valuable bargaining chip Song Ke could think of. Through her observations over the past few days, she realized that the safe zone¡¯s most pressing need wasn¡¯t food, but weapons. With weapons, the teams going outside for exploration could expand in numbers and deal with emergencies. After all, the situation in the apocalypse changed rapidly. Hua City No.1 Middle School was surrounded by zombies from all sides, and it could only serve as a temporary buffer zone. How long the safe zone could truly remain ¡°safe¡± was uncertain; no one could guarantee that.


    Xu Liren adjusted his glasses and seemed shaken. However, he neither directly agreed nor disagreed. He appeared to be waiting for something.


    ¡°I don¡¯t agree. Why should I save him?¡± Zhou Anqi, who had been ignored for a while, suddenly interjected, complaining discontentedly.


    Xu Liren gave her a faint glance, his eyes behind the lenses devoid of warmth, ¡°Why don¡¯t you agree?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my own ability; I have the right to decide!¡± Zhou Anqi said, her voice faltering for a moment, her gaze suddenly distant, as if a momentary sense of familiarity and fear enveloped her. Her voice grew quieter, her teeth chattered, yet she continued to insist defiantly, straining her neck, ¡°You can ask me to save him, but I have a condition.¡±


    In the dim light, Xu Liren¡¯s tone took on a deliberate inducement. ¡°You¡¯re right. So, what¡¯s your condition?¡±


    Everyone¡¯s gaze focused on her. Zhou Anqi¡¯s fear diminished, and her courage gradually grew. ¡°I dislike Song Ke. If you want me to save him, she has to kneel down and kowtow to me twice, crying and begging for forgiveness. Then she can get out of here!¡±


    Cao Yiyi closed her eyes, her nails digging deep into her palm. Idiot! This idiot! She had made everything so clear to her. The immediate priority was to get Song Ke out of the safe zone, yet here she was adding unnecessary drama!


    ¡°Zhou Anqi!¡± Jiang Rui¡¯s stern voice interrupted her. ¡°It¡¯s already this late. Can¡¯t you stop acting crazy?¡±


    ¡°This is going too far. Song Ke is an awakener,¡± Zhang Hao said with a serious expression.


    ¡°What¡¯s the big deal about being an awakener? I¡¯m a healing-type ability user. She can only produce some worthless junk. Is she more important than me? If you¡¯re not happy with this, why don¡¯t you go save him? Don¡¯t come begging me!¡±


    Xu Liren remained silent. He looked at Song Ke, then turned his gaze to the unconscious man in the wheelchair, lost in thought.


    An unruly piece on the chessboard, a disabled pawn whose potential was uncertain¡ªhow much benefit did they still bring him at this point? Zhou Anqi¡¯s demand seemed unreasonable and overbearing, but upon closer inspection, it might not be a bad choice.


    ¡°Zhou Anqi, that¡¯s enough. It¡¯s unacceptable to degrade a fellow student,¡± Xu Liren advised, his words neither harsh nor gentle. His true intentions were even harder to decipher. He seemed to be giving the decision-making power to Zhou Anqi?


    With the reins of power firmly in her grasp, Zhou Anqi had no understanding of the concept of stopping while ahead. She looked smugly at Song Ke, a cruel innocence in her beautiful face. ¡°How about it? Either watch him die or obediently kowtow to me and then get out of here!¡±


    In the tense atmosphere, Jiang Rui suddenly spoke in a calm tone, ¡°If Song Ke has to leave, I¡¯ll go with her.¡±


    ¡°Brother Jiang! Don¡¯t act recklessly!¡±


    ¡°Jiang Rui, why are you joining in this madness?¡±


    One stone caused a thousand ripples.


    Song Ke leaving and Jiang Rui leaving carried two completely different meanings. Song Ke, the lone wolf who kept to herself most of the time, hadn¡¯t been around for long, so even if she left, nobody would care too much. But Jiang Rui was different. He was a pillar in the safe zone, strong in power and popular among the people. His departure would undoubtedly shake the morale, especially considering that losing two awakeners in one fell swoop, especially one of Jiang Rui¡¯s caliber, would be a heavy blow to the entire safe zone.


    Zhou Anqi was so furious that her eyes turned red. She screamed hysterically, ¡°Jiang Rui, you¡¯re like this again! You¡¯re like this again!¡± S?a?ch* Th? N0??F?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Seeing that the situation was about to get out of control, Xu Liren stared at Jiang Rui for two seconds before pulling him aside. ¡°I¡¯ll give you some time. Calm down. There¡¯s always room for negotiation in everything. Don¡¯t be so impulsive.¡±


    Behind them, Zhou Anqi began screaming and smashing things, and everyone else avoided her like the plague. Amid the hesitant gazes of people like Zhang Hao and others, Jiang Rui returned to his spot and began packing his bag. Suddenly, a slender palm stopped his movements.


    ¡°Why?¡± Song Ke asked.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry. I¡¯m doing this willingly,¡± Jiang Rui replied.


    ¡°Why¡­ willingly?¡± Song Ke¡¯s gaze was clear, pure curiosity in her eyes, wondering why he had made this decision.


    Jiang Rui looked into her eyes, his lips moved, and after mustering the courage, he finally said, ¡°Song Ke, I made a mistake before. I apologize to you. There¡¯s something I didn¡¯t have a chance to tell you back then¡­ Actually, I¡­ I like¡­¡±


    ¡°No need for this.¡± Song Ke withdrew her hand, her brows lightly furrowed.


    ¡°No need to, to apologize. The past is in the past.¡±


    Those embarrassing experiences that had once made her uncomfortable, she had come to accept. While she wouldn¡¯t reconcile with Zhou Anqi and the others, she didn¡¯t need Jiang Rui¡¯s compensation or apology. Besides, she already had Zhuang Qingyan as a complication. She wasn¡¯t suitable to carry another burden.


    ¡°I understand,¡± she reiterated, ¡°there¡¯s no need for this.¡±


    As expected¡­ he was rejected.


    Jiang Rui lowered his head, looking at the hand she had pulled away, and couldn¡¯t help but smile wryly. ¡°You don¡¯t know, you¡¯ve never known.¡±


    You don¡¯t know about that summer, when the shade covered the sun and a boy had once had feelings for you. He struggled to say the words ¡°I like you,¡± and because of every wrong choice he made, he ended up growing distant from you, unable to get any closer.


    Squatting in front of him, Song Ke tilted her head, looked at him for a couple of seconds, and suddenly realized. She patted his shoulder, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m, I¡¯m strong.¡±


    She stood up, her thin shoulder blades stretching as she moved. She walked to the front, past Zhou Anqi and the others.


    Zhou Anqi clenched her teeth, her expression as if she wanted to devour Song Ke. ¡°Song Ke, are you satisfied now? Aren¡¯t you pleased? Let me tell you, I won¡¯t help you save him even if I die. I want all of you to go die¨C¡±


    A faint blue light pierced through the darkness, brushing against the edge of Zhou Anqi¡¯s hair, slicing through her falling bangs.


    ¡°Clang!¡± The platform behind Zhou Anqi split in two, exploding with a resounding noise, debris filling the air.


    ¡°Save him. I¡¯ll leave, leave this place.¡±


    Song Ke maintained her stance with the blade. The throwing knife circled the area once before firmly returning to her palm.


    Zhou Anqi¡¯s pupils shrank in fear. Her legs shook, and she collapsed to the ground, too terrified to utter a word.


    Her master had once said that when reasoning failed, one had to rely on fists to determine the outcome.


    Well, it seemed like it worked quite well.


    Song Ke felt reassured.

 Chapter 18.1: Rainy Night in Hua City (10)

    ¡òYou won¡¯t leave me, will you?¡òIn Hua City No.1 Middle School, at the storm-proof, enclosed stadium.


    A variety of objects formed piles resembling small mountains, filling the entire equipment room. Song Ke had only mentioned the need for materials, the more the better, without specifying any particular type. As a result, apart from heavy objects used to block the door, everyone brought over anything they could carry.


    Kongzi Qi set down the last basketball storage basket and leaned towards Tian Yi, draping his arm around Tian Yi¡¯s neck.


    As they approached Song Ke, before they could speak, Kongzi Qi gave a thumbs-up with a grin, ¡°Awesome! Even though this might be a little unfair to Princess Zhou, I still want to say, it¡¯s so satisfying!¡±


    Tian Yi, caught in Kongzi Qi¡¯s grasp, flailed his limbs in the air, struggling to break free. He kicked Kongzi Qi hard in the heel, and Kongzi Qi let go, clutching his foot while hopping and wailing, like an agile flamingo.


    Despite their daily play-fighting, their relationship was actually quite good.


    ¡°By the way, Song Ke, Tian Yi asked me to ask you what those flying things that went ¡®swoosh swoosh swoosh¡¯ just now were. They were so cool!¡±


    ¡°Kongzi Qi, you were the one who wanted to ask in the first place, so why blame me?¡± Tian Yi retorted indignantly.


    ¡°Oh come on, isn¡¯t it the same if you ask or I ask?¡± Kongzi Qi chuckled, then leaned closer to Tian Yi¡¯s ear, whispering, ¡°You¡¯re quite close to her, huh~¡±


    Song Ke didn¡¯t keep it a secret either, taking something out of her pocket. It was a thin blade, as thin as paper, about seven inches long, resembling a willow leaf. A bright red silk was tied to its end. In the dim indoor light, the blade¡¯s surface was covered with a faint blue glow.


    Kongzi Qi let out a whistle and his eyes lit up.


    ¡°For you.¡± Seeing how much he liked it, Song Ke handed him the throwing knife generously.


    ¡°Really? Well then, I won¡¯t hold back!¡± Kongzi Qi was ecstatic and accepted it without hesitation. Joking aside, there was no need for hesitation. This wasn¡¯t an ordinary throwing knife; it was a legendary supernatural throwing knife! It could cut through iron like mud and hit the target every time. Even if he didn¡¯t know how to use it, it was still great for warding off evil spirits.


    ¡°Song Ke, are you really leaving?¡± Tian Yi asked in a low voice from the side.


    ¡°Yeah, once Zhuang Qingyan gets better¡­ then I¡¯ll leave.¡±


    Tian Yi¡¯s tone held a hint of reluctance as he murmured, ¡°Oh.¡± He was a reserved person, unable to voice his thoughts within the safe zone. Even Jiang Rui couldn¡¯t convince Song Ke, and coupled with Xu Liren¡¯s silent approval, it seemed that Song Ke¡¯s departure was an unchangeable outcome.


    After Kongzi Qi and Tian Yi had moved the things, they closed the door and left, leaving only Song Ke in the spacious equipment room.


    Faced with a room full of equipment, Song Ke¡¯s expression turned focused. She placed her hand on the nearest metal rack, and in an instant, the rack¡ªnearly two meters high¡ªvanished on the spot, transforming into three brand-new entrenching shovels. This process continued with the second and third items¡­


    Like a meticulously organized assembly line, a large number of standardized weapons lined up in perfect order under Song Ke¡¯s guidance, revealing their imposing momentum.


    At the same time, connected to over a hundred spiritual tools, Song Ke accelerated the drainage of her abilities, and the immense spiritual energy gradually became insufficient, reaching its limit. With a thought, she severed her connection with this portion of energy.


    Almost instantly, Song Ke realized that she had lost her connection with these spiritual tools.


    This was her first attempt at cutting off spiritual energy. She gazed at the entrenching shovels in her hands, pondered for a moment, and released her spiritual energy again. After a few seconds, the newly formed spiritual tools were destroyed and dissipated, but the spiritual energy within them didn¡¯t return to her body.


    After severing the connection, did the spiritual energy become unidirectional and unable to be retrieved?


    In this way, these spiritual tools no longer required her effort to sustain them. While their power might decrease, they would be more easily circulated. Song Ke had left a safeguard; she discreetly marked each handle of the spiritual tools. Based on their natural rate of consumption, the energy within this batch of spiritual tools could last for about 2 to 3 years before depleting and causing the tools to shatter and vanish.


    One hundred weapons. Although this wasn¡¯t her current limit to bear, the enormous energy consumption over a short period had still put a considerable burden on her. Counting the shimmering spiritual tools on the floor, Song Ke slowly rested and drank water, recovering her exhausted mental energy.


    Considering the users were a group of high school students with no combat training, she only transformed two types of weapons: machetes and entrenching shovels. These two types of cold weapons were easy to handle and versatile, suitable for both defense and offense, especially effective against zombies.


    There were people guarding outside the equipment room. When Song Ke emerged, several key members of the safe zone walked over to her and entered the room to tally the quantity. Song Ke didn¡¯t move. One hundred weapons, no more, no less¡ªshe had handed them over. How to distribute them was an internal matter for them.


    The male student responsible for tallying came out and nodded at Xu Liren, who stood behind, ¡°Teacher Xu, it¡¯s all here.¡±


    With the deal completed, Song Ke couldn¡¯t be bothered with the insincere conversations and left without looking back. s?a??h th? N0v?lFir?.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    On the other side, treatment for Zhuang Qingyan was underway, but the situation wasn¡¯t going smoothly. Zhou Anqi seemed a bit queasy at the sight of blood. Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s broken leg was terrifyingly misshapen. Just looking at it made her turn pale, and she often had to stop to cover her mouth and rush to the side to vomit.


    Song Ke brought over a stool, sat in front of her, and stared for a while. Unexpectedly, she grabbed Zhou Anqi¡¯s wrist, and Zhou Anqi tried to pull away instinctively. But Song Ke¡¯s strength was too great¡ªher grip was as unyielding as steel claws.


    Just now, she had been intimidated by force. The tremble of fear from Song Ke hadn¡¯t yet dissipated within her. Even though she was reluctant, she dared not confront this ominous figure recklessly. All she could do was put on a pretense of strength and ask, ¡°What, what do you want?!¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s expression grew cold as she shifted her gaze to Zhuang Qingyan in the wheelchair. If you ignored his excessively pallid face, his features were still handsome, even at a time like this. However, from the knee down, his half-twisted, deformed leg ruined that perfection.


    ¡°Why is it¡­ like this?¡±


    Perhaps her gaze was too terrifying, Zhou Anqi¡¯s teeth were chattering, ¡°I¡¯ve already stopped the bleeding for him and tried to help the wound heal as much as possible. His leg¡­ his leg¡­ it can only be like this. To be honest, just keeping him alive is an achievement!¡±


    From the surface, the wound on Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s right leg had indeed healed. However, when you touched it, it was soft and feeble. Inside, the broken bones were jagged and irregular, causing the lower leg to remain curled up.


    ¡°Did you do this, this on purpose?¡±


    Zhou Anqi, overlooking her fear, stood up angrily, ¡°Song Ke! Stop spouting nonsense! This has nothing to do with me. His leg is broken like crushed ice. I¡¯m not a doctor. How would I know how to set it? Besides, my spiritual energy was automatically absorbed when it came into contact with him. I couldn¡¯t¡­ control¡­¡± Her words raced ahead of her thoughts, and she realized she had said too much, regretting it instantly as she bit her lip.


    Couldn¡¯t control her spiritual energy.


    Song Ke keenly grasped the key point and formed a conclusion in her mind. It seemed that her ability was insufficient; she hadn¡¯t intentionally tampered with the treatment.


    Staying here any longer was pointless. Song Ke arranged Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s pants, pushed his wheelchair, and prepared to leave.


    Zhou Anqi timidly chased after her from behind, ¡°I¡¯ve already saved him. So when are you going to¡­ leave?¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow, check on him again.¡±


    ¡°Why should I?!¡±


    Song Ke looked at her expressionlessly.


    In a space imperceptible to ordinary people, a domineering surge of spiritual energy swept forth like an overwhelming tide. Zhou Anqi¡¯s hair stood on end, and she quickly yielded, ¡°I, I understand!¡±


    *


    Zhuang Qingyan felt like he was traversing through a cold mist, surrounded by countless indistinct faces. They stared at him gloomily, closing in slowly and urgently, reaching out with pairs of hands to grab his legs, clutching his throat, covering his mouth, dragging him into an endless swamp, sinking together into oblivion. Just before suffocation, he suddenly opened his eyes¡ª


    His vision gradually focused. Song Ke held a tissue in her hand, less than an inch away from his nose.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s eyes turned icy, and his reflex made him want to wave her hand away. But he quickly realized this action contradicted the ¡°image¡± he had crafted. He paused for a moment, then softened the corners of his eyes, crafting a feeble yet handsome smile.


    Song Ke didn¡¯t mind, and she hadn¡¯t even noticed his subtle change of expression. Seeing him awake, she tossed the tissue at him, ¡°Zhou Anqi has already, already treated you. How are you feeling now?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan lowered his head to look at his leg. The same oppressive feeling, like a bone abscess, returned. He soon sensed something was wrong. His entire right leg, from ankle to knee, felt as though it had been injected with a heavy dose of inferior anesthesia. Nerve cells were dead, meridians paralyzed, devoid of any sensation, and stiff like a crude prosthetic castoff.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s eyelashes quivered as he braced himself on the wheelchair, attempting to stand up.


    ¡°Clang¡ª¡± After losing a leg, maintaining balance became nearly impossible. He lost his center of gravity, tilting and crashing heavily to the ground.


    Worthless.


    He clenched his fist, silently spitting out the word in his heart.


    Enduring a whole day with his injured leg, Zhuang Qingyan was well aware that his situation was far from optimistic, requiring prompt treatment. Although he had taken a risk by betting his life, he was fairly confident that Song Ke would save him. As expected, he won the bet.


    However, he had overestimated ¡°Zhou Anqi¡¯s¡± ability. This newly awakened healing-type ability user likely didn¡¯t even possess a D-level power. And what¡¯s more, she turned out to be an utter medical imbecile, merely focused on sewing up the surface of the skin, giving no thought to the underlying structure of flesh and bone. Consequently, he had truly been reduced to a cripple!


    Worthless.


    He clenched the wheelchair handles tightly and repeated the word in his heart, not knowing if he was cursing Zhou Anqi or himself.


    Song Ke didn¡¯t help him up. Zhuang Qingyan lowered his head, and the veins on the back of his hands strained. She couldn¡¯t clearly discern his expression at the moment.


    ¡°Zhou Anqi¡¯s ability is for stopping bleeding and wound healing, but her control is very poor. She doesn¡¯t know how to set bones.¡±


    She pursed her lips and revealed her plans: ¡°She¡¯ll check on you again tomorrow, then we¡¯ll leave.¡±


    ¡°What? Is this the condition for saving me?¡± Zhuang Qingyan supported himself to sit back in the wheelchair and responded coldly.


    He was always clever, quickly inferring the implied meaning in Song Ke¡¯s words.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Song Ke briefly explained the events leading up to the exchange using spiritual tools. Her use of force against Zhou Anqi in front of Xu Liren could be seen as a last resort, completely burning bridges with the safe zone. Staying here any longer would likely pose hidden risks. Even if Zhou Anqi hadn¡¯t made any demands, Song Ke had intended to leave anyway.


    Furthermore, her original intention for coming here was solely to gather information on awakeners. After encountering Zhuang Qingyan, these issues were essentially resolved for her.


    ¡°Before we leave¡­ kill them.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan listened and lightly uttered these words.


    His face carried a smile that wasn¡¯t quite a smile, and that casual bloodthirst from when they first met, the one that had led him to kill two people without a second thought, resurfaced. ¡°Kill them, and you won¡¯t have that much trouble. Go wherever you want, no one can order you around.¡±

 Chapter 18.2: Rainy Night in Hua City (10)

    ¡òYou won¡¯t leave me, will you?¡òSong Ke stared at him, not saying a word.


    Their gazes clashed, neither of them looking away first. As seconds ticked by, Zhuang Qingyan gradually subdued his smile.


    ¡°Just kidding,¡± he leaned back against the wheelchair, returning to his lazy state. Those sharp edges of his presence seemed to have been but a fleeting illusion, concealed away. ¡°I just didn¡¯t expect you to be so unwelcome.¡±


    This person¡¯s mood swings were too rapid. Song Ke couldn¡¯t be sure whether he had truly harbored murderous intent in that instant. Standing still for several seconds and seeing no abnormality, Song Ke pulled out a new blanket from her bag and covered his legs.


    ¡°Your leg, I will, I will heal it.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan lowered his gaze and glanced at her, allowing her actions. ¡°It¡¯s not that simple. Healing-type ability users are rare to begin with. Given my current condition, even having an A-level ability might not necessarily guarantee success.¡±


    He wasn¡¯t intentionally making things difficult for Song Ke. To truly achieve a complete recovery, to be able to run and jump like a regular person, his dislocated bones and tendons would have to be shattered again, using spiritual energy to reposition them correctly. The precision of this process was comparable to a top-tier surgical procedure, something beyond the capabilities of an ordinary healing-type ability user.


    ¡°I will, heal it.¡±


    Song Ke stubbornly repeated herself. She rarely made promises, but once spoken, she was determined to fulfill them.


    For a long while, neither of them spoke.


    Around them, there were the echoes of noisy voices, the patter of raindrops, but in their corner, silence reigned.


    Song Ke felt a sense of guilt, as well as a deeper sadness. She had taken this person in, earnestly vowed to take responsibility for him, yet she had messed up. Not only had she failed to heal Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s leg, but she had also burdened him with the need to follow her around again.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    She hugged her backpack tightly, curling up in disappointment.


    After a while, Zhuang Qingyan spoke in a faint voice, ¡°No need to apologize. It¡¯s not your fault.¡±


    Song Ke shook her head, her mood still low. ¡°You¡¯re wrong. They all, they all dislike me.¡±


    At her words, Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s gaze shifted to the corner. Song Ke was crouched there, looking like a frost-bitten cabbage, her head covered by the continuous drizzle. She appeared wilted, bereft of her usual vitality.


    ¡°All of them? What did you do? Did you offend so many people in one go?¡± He shifted into a more comfortable position, a hint of interest in his eyes. ¡°I remember D Disctrict implements¡­ collective education, right? Did you blow up the school? Or burn down the dormitories? Based on your personality, you can¡¯t possibly have beaten up everyone, right?¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°!¡± How?! How did he guess it right again?


    Feebly, she tried to defend herself, ¡°No, not all of them, just¡­ just a few dozen.¡±


    ¡°Just¡ª¡± Zhuang Qingyan drawled, emphasizing it slowly, ¡°a few dozen.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re pretty good at fighting.¡±


    ¡°Just, just alright?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­?¡±


    In the midst of the prolonged silence, Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s light laughter broke through the awkward atmosphere. He turned his wheelchair and leisurely gazed at Song Ke. ¡°So, why did you beat up those few dozen people?¡±


    Song Ke clenched the strap of her backpack with her fingers. ¡°Because¡­ because¡­¡±


    Her voice grew smaller and smaller, and she trailed off mid-sentence.


    After waiting for a response for a while, Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s patience remained, his slender fingers tapping the wheelchair in succession. Lowering and then lifting his gaze, in the blink of an eye, his expression had shifted to a different one. ¡°Let me guess, our Classmate Song here is so kind-hearted that it must be those people¡¯s fault, right?¡±


    Song Ke abruptly raised her head, revealing two round, gleaming eyes from behind her backpack. She stared directly at him.


    With a smile in his eyes and an air of certainty, Zhuang Qingyan said nothing. He seemed to completely trust her. The taut strings in Song Ke¡¯s heart loosened inexplicably. After carefully considering it, she realized there wasn¡¯t much she couldn¡¯t say. Slowly, she began to speak, ¡°I used to go, go to school in Hua City.¡±


    This was the first time she had proactively shared that part of her past with someone. Perhaps enough time had passed, and the feelings associated with that time had become distant. As she spoke, Song Ke unexpectedly felt a sense of calm.


    ¡­


    Three years ago.


    The Alliance introduced a new compulsory education law, merging the junior and senior high school systems into a five-year program and reallocating teaching resources across different regions. At that time, Song Zhiyuan was already critically ill, yet he clung to life and, with the help of Old Cheng¡¯s connections, secured a spot for Song Ke to enroll in school. This gave Song Ke, who had always been confined at home, the opportunity to attend school. S?a??h the N???lFire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    For Song Ke, who had been isolated from society since childhood, ¡°going to school¡± was a completely novel experience. And so, with great excitement, she came to Hua City.


    Hua City (D99 District) was a D-grade renowned city, and No.1 Middle School was the school with the highest enrollment in the newly established educational system within the district. Song Ke, the ¡°country bumpkin¡± from F177 District, was like a drop of water in the ocean, attracting no one¡¯s attention.


    She was an inconspicuous figure in her class, her test scores consistently falling in the bottom five. Because of her natural stutter, slow speech, and poor expression, she didn¡¯t have much interaction with her classmates. However, Song Ke was content with this life. She attended school in Hua City during the week and traveled to Yue Mountain (E166 District) for martial arts practice on the weekends. Unlike between F and D District, transportation between D and E Districts was relatively normal, and the costs weren¡¯t high.


    And so, just like that, by the end of the first semester, Song Ke¡¯s peaceful life was disrupted.


    At the end of June, during the scorching summer afternoon, after finishing her meal, Song Ke passed by the outdoor basketball court. The deafening cheers and shouts from the court attracted her attention, prompting her to turn her head.


    Right at that moment, a nimble figure flashed by her. Running, turning, skillfully dribbling the ball, followed by a high jump¡ªdunk! The young man wore an oversized white basketball jersey, like a soaring white seagull, his single hand gripping the rim for several seconds before landing gracefully, exuding confidence.


    ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Song Ke opened her mouth and muttered to herself.


    She couldn¡¯t fathom the point of this activity where a group of people fought over a ball. However, a sudden realization dawned on her as she observed the young man¡¯s footwork.


    This fancy footwork must be what her master often referred to as ¡°chickens die from too many moves.¡± It looked good but was riddled with flaws. Placed in an actual combat situation, she could swiftly find a hundred ways to counter it.


    Unconsciously, she stopped in her tracks, her gaze fixed on the basketball court.


    A basketball rolled to her feet, and the youth in white stood in backlighting beneath the hoop. He called out to her from a distance, ¡°Hey! Classmate, can you throw the ball back?¡±


    Song Ke cradled the basketball in both hands, looking at the young man and then at the hoop above his head. She thought he meant for her to do the same thing as he had just done, to throw the ball into the hoop. So, she responded with a slow, ¡°Oh,¡± and from a distance of almost thirty meters, she lightly pushed her wrist forward.


    The basketball traced a perfect parabola in the air and landed directly in the center of the net.


    The boys on the court, who had been chatting away and adjusting their wristbands, were left dumbfounded. Some even sprayed their mouthful of mineral water in astonishment, ¡°What the¡­?¡±


    The youth in white also froze for a moment but quickly jogged over and tossed the other basketball to Song Ke. ¡°Classmate, want to try another throw?¡±


    Perplexed, Song Ke threw the ball again right in front of him, and the basketball once more swished through the net, drawing exclaims of amazement.


    A second successful throw, and it was evident she excelled at this.


    With a piercing gaze, the youth spoke up, invitingly, ¡°You have a good aim. We¡¯re a player short. How about joining us?¡±


    Song Ke shook her head rapidly. ¡°No, I, I can¡¯t.¡±


    Seemingly amused by her baffled expression, the youth¡¯s eyebrows relaxed, and a radiant smile bloomed from the corners of his eyes, revealing his pearly white teeth. ¡°It¡¯s alright, I can teach you. I¡¯m Jiang Rui.¡±


    Leading Song Ke back onto the court, Jiang Rui organized a game of 3v3. Although Song Ke¡¯s shooting was precise, she was clueless about the other rules, making her play utterly awkward. Patiently, Jiang Rui explained the rules repeatedly, continuously fed her the ball as he backpedaled and ran, and the warm sunlight generously embraced him, even favoring him with its sweat.


    When the game ended, Song Ke had transformed from a mere rookie into a long-range marksmanship wizard who could hit her target accurately from half the court away. Their opponents lay scattered on the ground, gasping for breath and begging for mercy. Jiang Rui stood at the heart of the crowd, shining radiantly. He spun the ball in one hand, his sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes exuding a triumphant and carefree smile.


    Idle on the sidelines, Song Ke hadn¡¯t even broken a sweat.


    Not enjoyable, she evaluated inwardly.


    She thought this would be the end of it. She didn¡¯t even remember Jiang Rui¡¯s name. However, the next day during the break, as the teacher walked out of the classroom, someone boldly tapped on her desk from outside the window.


    Song Ke looked up, and Jiang Rui had both hands resting on the windowsill, his expressive eyebrows arched. ¡°Little junior, want to play basketball together this weekend?¡±


    Song Ke shook her head. ¡°No, I, I have something to do.¡±


    ¡°Alright then. Let¡¯s make plans for next time,¡± Jiang Rui didn¡¯t dwell on it, waved casually at her, and before leaving, reached in and placed a bottle of chilled milk on her desk. ¡°Here, have this.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so short, you can¡¯t even reach the rim.¡±


    Song Ke wiped off her test paper where the moisture had smudged her name, furrowing her brows in displeasure, not noticing that in the back of the classroom, all the girls who had been fervently discussing cosmetics had fallen silent.


    ¡­


    Zhuang Qingyan, who had been quietly listening all along, seemed to sense something. He frowned and scoffed, ¡°Tsk, troublesome.¡±


    Song Ke halted in her speech, looking at him with a bewildered expression.


    Zhuang Qingyan lifted his chin slightly, indicating for her to look to the other side. The sun had just broken through the dawn, people bustling about. Jiang Rui, wielding a trenching tool, was demonstrating its use. His tall figure was almost swallowed up by his enthusiastic fans. The lively scene made their corner appear even more desolate and ignored.


    ¡°You and him are not on the same path. The closer you get, the more troublesome it¡¯ll be.¡±


    Jiang Rui was like a luminous and scorching star, with all celestial bodies within his gravitational pull orbiting around him. Those lonely wandering stars, used to being adrift, would find themselves burnt badly if they accidentally fell into his orbit.


    Thinking of the unfortunate incidents that occurred later, Song Ke nodded in agreement. ¡°Yeah! Troublesome.¡±


    ¡­¡­

 Chapter 18.3: Rainy Night in Hua City (10)

    ¡òYou won¡¯t leave me, will you?¡òMeeting Jiang Rui marked the beginning of disaster for Song Ke.


    To the girls at No.1 Middle School, Jiang Rui was the unattainable North Star, the little prince of the rose stars, an existence that could only be hoped for but not obtained. As for Song Ke, who had the fortune of catching his gaze a few times, she became nothing more than a pile of filthy mud at the feet of the gods.


    At the start of a new week, Song Ke clearly felt malice coming from all directions.


    Dead snakes and mice were stuffed into her desk, her handed-in papers were frequently soaked in ink for no reason, and her backpack, left on her seat one moment, would inexplicably vanish the next, only to turn up in the washbasin of the restroom.


    Although the Alliance¡¯s Anti-B*llying Law had been in place for years, it was as good as nonexistent in the remote D-level city of Hua City. At the time, Song Ke had no idea what ¡°b*llying¡± meant, nor did she understand the magnitude of the harm caused when ¡°evil¡± was amplified.


    During that period, Song Zhiyuan eventually succumbed to illness, leaving Song Ke an orphan. She had no one to vent her grievances to and no one to help her unravel why she was being treated this way.


    Before his passing, Song Zhiyuan had admonished her not to stand out in Hua City, not to act recklessly, and especially not to casually resort to violence against ordinary people. Thus, Song Ke only disposed of the desiccated animal carcasses in her drawer, retrieved her backpack, and silently returned to her messy seat. From the very beginning of this malicious prank, she had lost her desk mate.


    However, the b*llies interpreted this as a sign that Song Ke was enduring and acquiescing.


    This meant that the victim wouldn¡¯t fight back.


    As a result, those who were cruel became even more audacious, gradually crossing the line. One day, the most beautiful girl in Class-3, the proud Zhou Anqi, like a peacock, cornered her in the cafeteria, flipped her food from top to bottom, and poured it down Song Ke¡¯s neck.


    At the time, there were many students having lunch, and even two supervising teachers witnessed the misdeed, yet no one stepped forward to stop it.


    Some saw but remained silent, and others pretended not to notice.


    The thick liquid flowed down her back, all the way to her heels, and Song Ke caught a whiff of the damp and fishy smell of the muddy mixture.


    She wiped the liquid off her face and belatedly realized, ¡°Ah¡­ So it wasn¡¯t soup.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t soup, and it wasn¡¯t an accident either. It was another malicious prank that had been occurring to her day after day.


    ¡°Hey, stutterer, can¡¯t even speak properly, but you¡¯ve already learned how to seduce men?¡± Zhou Anqi arrogantly tossed her plate aside, pinching her nose in disgust. ¡°I heard you¡¯re from the F District. No wonder you smell so fishy; I can smell it from miles away.¡±


    ¡°Hey! Come over here and see if she stinks!¡±


    ¡°Stinks, it stinks terribly! Hahaha!¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­ I¡¯m gonna puke.¡±


    At a table behind her, Cao Yiyi, who had a delicate appearance, considerately handed over a tissue, unfortunately, it was for Zhou Anqi. ¡°Anqi, be careful, don¡¯t splash yourself.¡±


    Each time, it was Zhou Anqi, the domineering instigator, who led the b*llying against Song Ke. Standing behind her, forever untainted, was Cao Yiyi. Their temperaments and characters were vastly different, but the smiles at the corners of their mouths and the malice in their eyes were perfectly aligned no matter how you looked at it.


    At the time, the homeroom teacher for Class-3 was Xu Liren.


    Song Ke stood in the bustling office, stuttering as she recounted her ordeal. Xu Liren was busy grading papers, rapidly circling and marking with a red pen. When she finally managed to finish speaking, it took a while before he seemed to extricate himself from his busy state. He pushed up his glasses and said, ¡°Our class is about to conduct evaluations. Teacher thinks that it¡¯s better to avoid unnecessary trouble. It¡¯s best to resolve these minor conflicts among classmates. I believe you can reconcile, right?¡±


    ¡°Moreover, have you ever considered why others are fine, but it¡¯s only you who¡¯s facing all of this?¡±


    ¡°Sometimes, we shouldn¡¯t just blame others. We also need to reflect on ourselves.¡±


    But Song Ke couldn¡¯t do it. No matter who she faced, whether it was cold sneers or the constant barrage of ¡°pranks,¡± she couldn¡¯t reconcile. She only felt stifled, and going to school was no longer a happy affair for her. Now, people in her class were talking to her, but unfortunately, it was all insults and curses.


    Jiang Rui still occasionally came to find Song Ke, bringing her snacks and inviting her to play. Because of her frequent absence, he complained a few words. He had no idea about Song Ke¡¯s experiences in the class. He remained the same carefree, radiant campus idol.


    At first, Song Ke didn¡¯t understand the source of the hostility around her. But as Jiang Rui¡¯s visits became more frequent, even she, as foolish as she was, could sense that this person was the cause of her troubles. So, she earnestly told him, ¡°Don¡¯t, don¡¯t look for me anymore.¡±


    Naively, she believed that if Jiang Rui stopped looking for her, everything would return to normal.


    Jiang Rui didn¡¯t take her words seriously. ¡°I just like hanging out with you. What¡¯s up with your hair? Why¡¯s it stuck with chewing gum?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll get it out for you.¡± The cool young man leaned down near her in the shade of a tree, clumsily pulling apart the clump of sticky hair.


    Song Ke turned her head to avoid his touch, quickly stepped away, paying no mind to Jiang Rui¡¯s displeased shouting behind her.


    In the opposite teaching building, Cao Yiyi put down her phone, which contained the pictures she had just taken. She gazed at Jiang Rui¡¯s departing figure, swiftly scrolled through her contacts, found Zhou Anqi¡¯s name, and clicked send.


    The explosion came swiftly.


    On the day of the outburst, it was Song Ke¡¯s turn for class duty. The boys in the class deliberately lingered, making loud noises by dragging tables and chairs around. Before she realized what was happening, they had surrounded her in a ¡°concave¡± shape against the wall. Her classmates used the water pipes from the restroom, usually used to clean, and splashed water all over her head. Some got carried away, swinging iron buckets in their hands, one of which struck Song Ke on the head with a resounding ¡°clang.¡±


    The classroom fell silent for an instant, followed by nonchalant laughter as if nothing had happened.


    The high-pressure water flow prevented Song Ke from opening her eyes and completely washed away her patience, making her increasingly aware.


    Grandfather had said that she should get along well with her classmates at school. She had tried, but unfortunately, she hadn¡¯t succeeded. But her master had also taught her ¡°an eye for an eye.¡± If someone hit her, she had to hit back, and this, she could do.


    ¡ªSong Ke kicked over the desk in front of her.


    She didn¡¯t think she was being overly harsh. She was merely giving back what others had done to her. However, when she poured the filthy water onto Zhou Anqi and Cao Yiyi¡¯s heads, the group of boys seemed to be collectively possessed. They all twisted their expressions and charged towards her. Song Ke hooked the mop with her toe, and the dirty cloth slapped their faces, smearing them forcefully.


    Her actions were measured; she didn¡¯t even break anyone¡¯s limbs. However, this group of fourteen or fifteen-year-olds lacked exercise, and after a few moments, they were defeated. What Song Ke couldn¡¯t understand, especially, was that she was just returning the favor, yet now these tormentors were writhing on the ground, crying and wailing in pain. Hadn¡¯t they ever thought that others might suffer just like they did? s?a??h th? N0??F?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    The commotion caused by the brawl in Class-3 was too intense. Even people from other floors came running to watch. The front door, the back door, and the corridors were filled with onlookers, hecklers, gossips, and rumors flew like wings, spreading everywhere. Jiang Rui was the first to receive the news. He rushed over in a state of anxiety, and upon entering the classroom, he was shocked by the chaotic scene of people sprawled all over the floor.


    Zhou Anqi was lying amidst a pile of trash, her school uniform skirt covered in scraps and dirt. She was calling his name while sobbing uncontrollably.


    Cao Yiyi¡¯s braids were undone, and she timidly hid behind Jiang Rui, gently gripping the hem of his school uniform. ¡°Senior, please stop Song Ke. She¡¯s hurt many students. Anqi¡¯s father has already informed the principal. If this goes on¡­ she¡¯ll be expelled.¡±


    Jiang Rui¡¯s full attention was focused on another person, and he didn¡¯t notice Cao Yiyi¡¯s small movements. He bypassed her and approached Song Ke with a stern face. ¡°¡­Stop.¡±


    Jiang Rui grabbed the mop, which still dripped dirty water, and his expression turned icy. ¡°Do you know the consequences of starting a fight?¡±


    Stubbornly, Song Ke glared at him, neither nodding nor shaking her head.


    Jiang Rui felt a headache coming on. He lowered his voice. ¡°¡­You¡¯ve hurt people. Apologize first.¡±


    With teary eyes, Song Ke stubbornly resisted. ¡°No.¡±


    Suddenly, cries of surprise came from outside the classroom.


    ¡°Mr. Xu is here!¡±


    ¡°The principal and the dean of discipline are here too!¡±


    Jiang Rui grew increasingly anxious. With a strong pull, he tried to take the mop from Song Ke¡¯s hand. ¡°Listen to me. No matter the reason, fighting with classmates is wrong. Wait for the teachers to come, apologize first, and then¡­¡±


    With reddened eyes, Song Ke pushed forward.


    Caught off guard, Jiang Rui, along with the mop, was pushed a few meters away. The back of his head hit the wall hard, and the iron hook hanging on the mop hit his eyebrow, cutting open a gash that immediately started bleeding profusely.


    Time seemed to stand still, and everything around them fell silent, so quiet that it felt like one could hear the sound of blood drops falling. Cao Yiyi¡¯s face paled. Ignoring Zhou Anqi, who had fallen to the ground, she rushed to Jiang Rui¡¯s side in a flurry, using tissues to cover his wound.


    Amidst the chaos, the stern-looking dean of discipline rushed in first, his breath heavy as he shouted, ¡°Stop it all!¡±


    Following him was the displeased Xu Liren. The class teacher of Class-3 stared at the whole scene, realizing that any hope of this year¡¯s awards was gone. His gaze landed on the only one standing, Song Ke, his expression cold as a knife.


    Jiang Rui¡¯s head was spinning, his ears ringing with screams and exclamations. Through his bloodied, blurred vision, he saw Song Ke¡¯s lips move slightly, whispering something.


    Then, she climbed over a windowsill and ran away.


    As the white light and ringing gradually faded, Jiang Rui belatedly realized what Song Ke had said: ¡°You¡¯re just like them.¡±


    ¡­


    Zhuang Qingyan fell silent for a while after listening to the story. He knew that Song Ke¡¯s willingness to share these things wasn¡¯t because she harbored resentment or sought comfort. The girl was strong physically and rather straightforward in her thinking. It was highly likely that, seeing him with a crippled leg, she decided to tell a more distressing story to ease his mind a bit.


    ¡°¡­So you just ran away like that?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    From that day on, Song Ke had returned to F177 District and had since refused to go outside. Oddly enough, neither Zhou Anqi nor the school authorities bothered her afterward.


    ¡°Getting your frustration out by giving them a beating might help,¡± Zhuang Qingyan sighed lightly. ¡°The governing level in D District is uneven. Without the backing of parents, even if you¡¯re in the right, you might not be able to explain yourself. Even if you caused a scene in the city center, I¡¯m afraid it wouldn¡¯t change much.¡±


    Song Ke shook her head. Throughout the ordeal, she had never thought about seeking fairness or justice. Xu Liren said she was wrong for not letting things go, Jiang Rui said she was wrong for ass*ulting her classmates, everyone thought she was wrong.


    Zhuang Qingyan scoffed lightly, ¡°Wrong? Would this matter just disappear if you didn¡¯t act?¡±


    If Song Ke hadn¡¯t hit Zhou Anqi, the b*llying from Class-3 would have continued. She couldn¡¯t endure such days any longer.


    At this point, Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s eyes slightly narrowed, veiling the destructive urge he had to destroy everything. ¡°You hit them because those people deserved it. Even if you were wrong, what can they do?¡±


    ¡°Some people spend their whole lives doing ¡®right¡¯ things, only to die in the end, and no one will put up a monument praising them for it.¡±


    He reached out and ruffled Song Ke¡¯s hair. ¡°You¡¯re still a kid.¡±


    ¡°¡ªRemember this, in this world, right and wrong aren¡¯t that important. Living happily is what matters.¡±


    It was twisted logic, but Song Ke couldn¡¯t argue against it.


    This man¡¯s mindset was completely different from what her grandfather had taught her. Her grandfather had said she needed to assimilate into society, try to be like everyone else. However, Zhuang Qingyan seemed to not care about anything. Whether others lived or died had nothing to do with him, as long as he was content and happy.


    ¡°If it were you, what would you do?¡± Song Ke asked.


    ¡°What would I do? Haven¡¯t you already seen?¡± Zhuang Qingyan rubbed his chin and revealed that characteristic smile of an antagonist.


    Song Ke: ¡°¡­¡±


    She thought about the fates of Wu Yarou and Yang Bo, and her heart felt heavy.


    Unknowingly, time passed quickly. The sky outside gradually brightened, and a new day began. The atmosphere in the safe zone had also changed. High school students who received new weapons grew bolder, and a particularly large exploration team was gearing up.


    Song Ke stood up. ¡°I¡¯ll go out to find supplies. You rest well.¡±


    They were leaving today. Song Ke intended to go out early to scout the route. When Liu Zixuan opened the door again at night, she would take Zhuang Qingyan with her.


    Before leaving, she poked Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s leg, and this time, he didn¡¯t dodge. ¡°Remember, go check again.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan didn¡¯t promise. Instead, he stared at Song Ke, his eyes filled with sorrow.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m wondering, you won¡¯t just leave me here, will you?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Song Ke rolled her eyes internally, thinking only someone like you could come up with this: ¡°I¡¯ll come back and pick you up!¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan saw her off, much like a worried wife seeing off her husband. He leaned against his wheelchair, waving with a bright smile. ¡°Remember to come back early. I¡¯ll be waiting for you.¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°¡­¡±


    There was something oddly strange about it.


    In a grand procession, Song Ke followed behind, as usual, keeping her distance from the others, appearing isolated and detached.


    She carried the massive spiritual weapon umbrella with her again.


    After everyone had left, Zhuang Qingyan returned to his corner and took out Yang Bo¡¯s wristwatch from his pocket. He lowered his gaze and examined it for a moment, then with a slight movement of his finger, seemingly imperceptible, a new set of clean clothes appeared out of thin air.


    After changing clothes, he checked the wristwatch and the necklace again. Yang Bo¡¯s watch contained only clothes and food¡ªnothing out of the ordinary. However, in Wu Yarou¡¯s necklace, Zhuang Qingyan discovered something unexpected.


    A silver miniature intelligent terminal, far surpassing D District¡¯s technological level.


    Zhuang Qingyan nonchalantly operated it a few times and destroyed its positioning device.

 Chapter 19.1: Rainy Night in Hua City (11)

    ¡òInsect Tide¡òThe watch Yang Bo left behind was actually a storage space crafted by a space-type ability user. The area wasn¡¯t large, around twenty square meters. Perhaps the level of the awakener who opened up the space wasn¡¯t high enough to impose strict restrictions on entry. Anyone who released a trace of mental power could unlock it. This gave Zhuang Qingyan an unearned advantage.


    Before the apocalypse arrived, awakeners were monopolized by the military. These personal storage spaces were only circulated within the military. Obtaining one from the black market would cost a significant price. Nowadays, even as the order broke down and more ordinary people awakened to supernatural abilities, these items remained rare and precious.


    Zhuang Qingyan was slightly taller than Yang Bo, but their body sizes weren¡¯t significantly different. He picked out a new set of black casual clothing from the space and took out a large bucket of purified water. He thoroughly cleaned himself from head to toe. After changing into clean clothes, he looked refreshed and neat, appearing as youthful as a college student who had just stepped out into the world.


    Song Ke was not around, and the overly familiar chubby guy Tian Yi had also gone out with the main group. The remaining people were all strangers to Zhuang Qingyan. However, he didn¡¯t feel the slightest discomfort or unease. He strolled around the safe zone as if on a holiday, manipulating the wheelchair to survey the entire area at his leisure.


    In his view, this place was not suitable for long-term stay. Although there was still some stored water in the washroom, at the current consumption rate, it would run out within three days. Yet, this wasn¡¯t the biggest issue. The safe zone had a fatal flaw¡ªthere were too many ¡°wastes¡± here.


    ¡°Wastes¡± referred to those who lacked the courage to venture outside, unwilling to use their brains to find solutions. They spent their days whimpering in corners while consuming a significant amount of resources. Of course, this category also included him, the ¡°disabled person,¡± Zhuang Qingyan self-deprecatingly thought.


    He didn¡¯t believe that ¡°Teacher Xu¡± was so kind-hearted. At least, he hadn¡¯t noticed any dazzling halo above the person¡¯s head like a saint. Xu Liren must have his own motives for keeping these wastes.


    The metal wheelchair smoothly glided over the ground and soon entered the inner circle of the safe zone.


    Upon hearing the commotion, Zhou Anqi and Cao Yiyi both looked up and then visibly froze.


    Zhou Anqi was someone who focused on appearances. With the poor early morning lighting and being agitated by Song Ke, she hadn¡¯t really looked at Zhuang Qingyan before. But now, Zhuang Qingyan appeared clean and tidy. Facing his smiling eyes head-on, she realized that this young man was unusually good-looking.


    Regrettably, Zhou Anqi pouted. He was brought by Song Ke.


    Cao Yiyi waved gently with warmth and smiled at him, ¡°Hey, how are you?¡±


    ¡°Hello,¡± Zhuang Qingyan replied with a calm expression.


    However, Cao Yiyi seemed genuinely concerned about him. After a moment, she sighed softly, ¡°Song Ke is usually careless. You should take care of yourself. By the way, have you known each other for a long time?¡±


    She had taken care of Zhou Anqi yesterday and hadn¡¯t gone out with Jiang Rui and the others. She only heard that Song Ke was the one who discovered him and brought him back when he was seriously injured. As for the exact relationship between the two, no one was clear about it, so she skillfully phrased her question.


    Zhuang Qingyan smiled quietly and replied in line with her intentions, ¡°No, we just met yesterday. We¡¯re not that familiar.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Cao Yiyi mused, adjusting her hair thoughtfully. ¡°There¡¯s something I don¡¯t know if I should say¡­¡±


    ¡°Please go ahead.¡±


    ¡°You probably don¡¯t know this. Yesterday, Song Ke angered Teacher Xu quite a bit. That¡¯s why she was kicked out. If she hadn¡¯t caused so much trouble and dragged you into it, maybe you could have stayed here to recover.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Cao Yiyi realized she had slipped up and bit her lip in frustration. ¡°I wasn¡¯t intentionally speaking ill of Song Ke. I just think you have the right to know the truth. She might have her reasons. You shouldn¡¯t argue with her!¡±


    ¡°Ah, well, I should have kept quiet. I just felt it wasn¡¯t quite right¡­¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan gazed at the person in front of him silently, appreciating her clumsy acting.


    Even though his golden thigh, Classmate Song, was a bit simple-minded, her intuition was accurate. This Cao Yiyi, with her overflowing tea aroma, indeed wasn¡¯t a good person.


    He lightly tapped his fingers on the wheelchair, his deep and magnetic voice carrying hidden meaning, ¡°So, that¡¯s the situation. I knew we were doing fine, so why suddenly leave? Thanks for telling me.¡±


    Cao Yiyi shook her head, ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me. I only told you because I consider you a friend.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan supported his chin and smiled, ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, how about you think of a way to help me stay?¡±


    Cao Yiyi stammered, ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Song Ke is too fierce. I can¡¯t handle her. You seem nice to me, gentle and kind-hearted. Help me figure out a way to stay and recover. I¡¯ll repay you.¡± Zhuang Qingyan blinked at her, displaying a deeply affectionate look full of unspoken emotions.


    Cao Yiyi nearly choked on her own saliva. What could she possibly do? Why was this guy so shameless? He was acting like he deserved to be taken care of without a hint of embarrassment!


    Cao Yiyi awkwardly responded, ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re not serious, are you?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan looked surprised, ¡°I¡¯m not joking. You care about me so much and consider my feelings. I thought maybe you¡­¡±


    His face was full of accusations as his beautiful peach blossom eyes drooped sadly, and he covered his mouth in a heartbroken manner, ¡°You didn¡¯t need to tell me. But now that I know the truth, can you really watch me go to my death? How can you claim to care about me while not taking responsibility? I find you quite frightening.¡±


    Cao Yiyi hesitated, at a loss for words.


    What do you call lifting a stone only to drop it on your own foot? What do you call stealing a chicken but losing the rice?


    She just wanted to sow discord between this guy and Song Ke, making sure Song Ke wouldn¡¯t feel at ease even after leaving. Yet, what kind of weirdo was this person? How did he manage to turn everything around and make her seem like a terrible criminal?


    No, blame it on Song Ke if you must. Why is this being pinned on me?


    Cao Yiyi rarely found herself at a loss for words. She quickly tugged on the sleeve of the person next to her, attempting to change the topic, ¡°A-An, Anqi, aren¡¯t you still going to examine him? Maybe you should do it now.¡±


    While the two were engaged in a tea-making showdown, Zhou Anqi had remained silent on the side. She supported her head, looking quite uncomfortable. Hearing Cao Yiyi call her, she could only weakly say, ¡°Fine, let¡¯s hurry up. I¡¯m not feeling great.¡±


    After speaking, she stood up impatiently and reached out to touch Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s leg. S?a??h th? ??v?lF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Zhuang Qingyan abruptly maneuvered the wheelchair with a sharp turn, evading Zhou Anqi¡¯s touch. His left hand¡¯s finger joints twitched nervously, and a flash of icy killing intent seemed to pass through the air. ¡°No need.¡±


    His evasive movement was quite sudden, and his disgusted expression was evident. Cao Yiyi, however, didn¡¯t notice anything unusual because Zhou Anqi stumbled forward a few steps, and then turned pale and fainted.


    ¡°Anqi? Anqi!¡±


    Awakeners with healing abilities are very precious, and someone rushed up from the side immediately, calling for Xu Liren loudly.


    Zhuang Qingyan was pushed out of the inner circle by the commotion, leaning lazily against the back of the wheelchair. He looked towards Zhou Anqi, who was surrounded by a crowd of people, and raised an eyebrow in surprise.


    Perhaps others didn¡¯t understand what was happening, but he was well aware. When an awakener faced external spiritual force, their internal energy field could become disrupted. If their own strength wasn¡¯t formidable enough to resist this impact, they could lose consciousness and fall into a coma. In severe cases, their brain¡¯s neurons could be damaged, possibly leading to mental impairment.


    He knew that Song Ke had previously used spiritual force to frighten Zhou Anqi, but at that time, she had been perfectly fine. It had taken a considerable amount of time for her to lose consciousness afterward. This didn¡¯t seem like the result of a recent impact; rather, it seemed like an eruption caused by prolonged accumulation of suppressed spiritual energy.


    This was interesting, Zhuang Qingyan smirked.


    In this safe zone, aside from Song Ke, who else would have been ¡°prolongedly¡± and ¡°oppressively¡± using spiritual energy on her?


    After various back-and-forths, Zhou Anqi finally stirred weakly, but her spirit seemed somewhat listless. She couldn¡¯t muster the energy to speak. The others didn¡¯t discern any particular cause for the incident, so they could only attribute it to the lingering effects of her awakened supernatural ability.


    **TN


    Tea Aroma ¨C Green Tea B*tch, someone with a good and positive image but is actually a mean b*lly, always trying to sow discord, kinda like a white lotus

 Chapter 19.2: Rainy Night in Hua City (11)

    ¡òInsect Tide¡òAt exactly 7:00 in the evening, Liu Zixuan stood up on time and said, ¡°It¡¯s time, I need to get ready to open the door.¡±


    The team that went out for exploration this time was particularly large. Everyone hoped for unexpected gains. They gathered at the door, ready to welcome the returning people. Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s wheelchair stopped in the slightly shaded area further back. He had nothing with him, only waiting for the door to open so he could leave with Song Ke.


    Liu Zixuan placed his hands against the wall and began to release his special abilities. Soon, the outline of a door gradually became clear and fixed. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and exhaled a breath. His expression became more relaxed, and he smiled as he pulled the door handle. The wind and rain outside poured in an instant, hitting people¡¯s faces so intensely that they couldn¡¯t open their eyes. Others hadn¡¯t yet seen the specific situation ¨C an unexpected event had occurred!


    A burst of crimson flames shot up into the sky, sweeping sideways, forcing the people inside the door to retreat continuously. In the next second, they smelled the strange scent of burned protein, followed by the eerie sound of crackling and rubbing.


    Jiang Rui¡¯s loud shout was caught in the midst of the raging storm, ¡°The door is open! Hurry inside!¡±


    ¡°Everyone, step back!!¡±


    A thunderous roar came from the sky, illuminating a large open space outside the door. Liu Zixuan, closest to the door, looked dazed. In his retinas, there was an endless and densely packed tidal wave, along with countless pairs of gray-white unsettling pupils.


    One by one, disheveled figures rolled in. Zhang Qi, Zhang Hao, Jiang Rui¡­ finally, at the forefront, was Song Ke. The artifact umbrella in her hand was fully open, with menacing spikes raised on it. The sound of impact echoed, and the umbrella surface kept bearing weight, pressing down, and pressing down again¡­ The noise wasn¡¯t the rain; it was the sound of thousands upon thousands of living things hitting it.


    Some fish that slipped from the net crawled in through the gaps in the door, swiftly making their way inside. Jiang Rui cracked his whip, flipping over a section, but a few still managed to rush into the crowd. ¡°Ah¡ª!!¡± Fearful screams echoed, but fortunately, Zhang Hao and the others successfully entered. They had weapons in their hands, and with concerted effort, they managed to kill those things.


    Song Ke wedged the umbrella handle against the wall, rolled on the spot, and slid inside the door. ¡°Bang¡ª¡± she forcefully closed the heavy door behind her.


    Zhang Qi¡¯s arms bulged with veins as he held onto the door frame, but things outside were increasing in number. The sounds of impact grew louder and louder. Others realized the situation and rushed to help prop up the door panel and the wall. They held on for more than ten seconds like this, but the supernatural gate gradually disappeared as it exceeded its time limit. The intruders were blocked from entering, at least for the time being.


    ¡°What¡­ what are these things!!!¡±


    In the terrifyingly quiet atmosphere, someone pointed to the floor and shouted in desperation.


    ¡­


    Ten minutes ago, Jiang Rui led the team back to the side wall of the enclosed stadium.


    This time, there were more people in the group, and they had walked a bit further. They went eastward, approaching the outskirts of the city¡¯s outer ring. The supplies outside were becoming scarcer, and the survival conditions were becoming increasingly harsh. If they continued to roam around in the same place, they wouldn¡¯t have any gains. Fortunately, from yesterday to today, they hadn¡¯t encountered hordes of zombies. This heavy rain seemed to make them disappear. The safety of going outside had improved significantly.


    The team members were wearing raincoats, resting against the corner of the wall, either sitting or standing, chatting and waiting for Liu Zixuan to open the door. Several boys had a particularly positive attitude. They were shooting vlogs at the corner, saying that they would post them on social platforms after they were safe. They were sure to gain a lot of views.


    The heavy artifact umbrella covered most of Song Ke¡¯s figure. She had a pen in her mouth and was at a loss while looking at the spread-out city map. Her geography had always been poor, and now, apart from the cardinal directions and a few circular traffic networks, she couldn¡¯t make sense of anything.


    Jiang Rui approached her gently and said in a low voice, ¡°Before the network went down, I saved the locations of nearby shelters. Should I send it to you?¡±


    ¡°No need,¡± Song Ke refused. She didn¡¯t plan to take Zhuang Qingyan to crowded places, and besides, she didn¡¯t have a phone. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Jiang Rui fell silent. His hair and face were wet, like a wet dog ¨C pitiable and stubborn.


    Song Ke glanced at him and tilted the umbrella to cover his head.


    A few minutes later, she paused and suddenly looked up, ¡°Do you hear, hear any sounds?¡±


    ¡°What sounds?¡± Jiang Rui was puzzled.


    Song Ke frowned. She couldn¡¯t quite describe it. It was like the buzzing of wings in motion, or the sound of many feet walking on the ground. The frequency was fast, and it was extremely dense, causing her eardrums to pulse and swell.


    Song Ke looked in the direction of the distant mountains meeting the horizon. Apart from a black dividing line, there was nothing else.


    She shifted her gaze away, circling left and right a few times, but she found nothing.


    The next second, Song Ke abruptly turned back.


    She hadn¡¯t seen wrong; that dividing line was clearly moving!


    The rustling sound was getting closer to her ears, soon becoming extremely close. Song Ke held her breath and focused her senses. The people around her were influenced by her serious expression and stopped talking, their expressions becoming vigilant.


    The grass in front swayed gently, and suddenly a large insect leaped out. The insect had black wings that vibrated rapidly and harmoniously behind it, as if it were flapping, and it flew towards them.


    Zhang Qi was closest to the insect, and his reaction was swift. His biceps bulged as he swung his machete, cutting the insect in half from its abdomen, cleanly dividing it. Black pus flowed out from the insect¡¯s belly, creating a foul-smelling puddle in the water.


    Before the others could catch their breath, the second, third, and countless more insects flew out.


    It wasn¡¯t a moving horizon at all; it was a dense horde of insects!


    Several guys who were shooting videos stood slightly forward. Their steps hesitated for a moment and were instantly engulfed by the swarm of insects. Within moments, layers upon layers of insects crawled over their calves, arms, and faces. They emitted heart-wrenching screams, frantically trying to swat the insects away, but their movements became slower and slower. In the end, what fell were broken, blood-soaked skeletons.


    ¡°Get closer, everyone!¡± Jiang Rui¡¯s ring emitted a red light, and a massive whip of fire shot up into the sky, pushing back a part of the insect vanguard. The remaining people quickly raised their weapons, standing in formation to defend themselves.


    After devouring the flesh and blood, countless pairs of compound eyes among the insects quivered slightly, then they turned their gaze towards Jiang Rui and the others, locking onto their next prey.


    ¡­


    The commotion outside the door gradually subsided, but inside the safe zone, it was a deathly silence.


    ¡°What on earth¡­ what the hell are these things?¡±


    The shattered remains of insects on the ground were about the size of a volleyball, oval-shaped, entirely brown-black in color. They had two long antennae on their heads and cloudy gray compound eyes. They bore a striking resemblance to the mutated zombies. Just looking at them was enough to send shivers down one¡¯s spine.


    ¡°These are cockroaches,¡± Zhuang Qingyan suddenly spoke from his wheelchair.


    The crowd showed a puzzled expression.


    ¡°Flattened body, dark brown, medium-sized, long filamentous antennae, well-developed compound eyes, membranous wings in front and back. Based on the biological data from the ancient civilization, these are cockroaches, commonly known as roaches.¡±


    Most people still looked bewildered, but a boy with good academic performance remembered something, ¡°But didn¡¯t cockroaches go extinct a long time ago?¡±


    He was someone who enjoyed studying prehistoric creatures. Recalling the books he had read, he furrowed his brow and said, ¡°According to the Alliance records, cockroaches went extinct in the 4th year of the New Era. And besides, how could¡­ there be such huge cockroaches!?¡±


    Normal cockroaches were no more than a few centimeters long. The ones before them were nearly the size of a volleyball!


    Zhuang Qingyan wrapped a stick with a tissue and flipped over the bodies on the ground. ¡°Because these are mutated cockroaches, you could also think of them as zombie cockroaches. Like zombies, they feast on carrion, and they possess the characteristics of cockroaches ¨C rapid reproduction, fast movement, and appearing in groups.¡±


    ¡ªRapid reproduction, appearing in groups.


    It was as if the sky had fallen, and many people, upon hearing this, looked utterly hopeless.


    Could there be any worse news? Dealing with zombie humans was already difficult enough, and now there were zombie cockroaches as well. Could they still make it out alive? Was there any hope of waiting for the next Alliance rescue?


    ¡°Don¡¯t lose heart, everyone!¡± Lin Xia¡¯s hands and feet were trembling, but she mustered the courage to console, ¡°These¡­ zombie cockroaches aren¡¯t that terrifying. Didn¡¯t we kill some of them?¡± S?a??h the ??v?lF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Someone immediately chimed in, ¡°Yeah, they¡¯re dead, right?¡±


    ¡°We have weapons, so we can just kill them!¡±


    ¡°Exactly, one by one, ten by ten, a hundred by a hundred. Let Brother Jiang burn them all!¡±


    The teenagers became excited, each one shouting louder than the other: ¡°We have weapons, and we still have Brother Jiang! What¡¯s there to fear?¡±


    However, Jiang Rui¡¯s expression wasn¡¯t optimistic. Fire-based abilities were the most suitable for dealing with these creatures, but unfortunately, it was pouring rain in Hua City, greatly diminishing the power of his abilities. His true strength was less than forty percent of its usual, and facing so many zombie cockroaches alone, he had no chance of winning.


    Amidst the clamor, Xu Liren made a gesture to quiet everyone down.


    He pushed up his glasses, his face unusually serious, ¡°That¡¯s right, we can kill one or two, maybe even ten or a hundred. But what about a thousand, or even ten thousand?¡±


    ¡°Based on our numbers, which one of you has the confidence to kill ten thousand zombie cockroaches outside?¡±


    Song Ke frowned, recalling the densely packed black swarm of insects. It even seemed challenging for her.


    No one could answer this question, and the hope that had just ignited was quickly extinguished.


    Ten thousand zombie cockroaches ¨C that number was like an insurmountable mountain, crushing everyone¡¯s will.


    A boy who had narrowly escaped death at the Starship Port suddenly broke down. He angrily raised the knife in his hand and viciously stabbed the abdomen of the zombie cockroach over and over again, muttering, ¡°I don¡¯t believe it. It¡¯s all fake, all fake! There are no zombies, no apocalypse!!¡±


    Zhang Hao managed to restrain him in time, but it was too late. Someone couldn¡¯t bear the oppressive atmosphere any longer and burst into sobbing tears.


    Fear and panic were contagious. Soon, the safe zone was immersed in sorrow and confusion.


    ¡°Perhaps¡­ there are more than ten thousand,¡± it was at this moment that Zhuang Qingyan spoke up.


    ¡°When you spot a cockroach under the sunlight, it means that there are so many in the dark places that they can¡¯t fit anymore.¡±


    Everyone: ¡°¡­¡±


    Wuwuwu!!

 Chapter 20.1: Rainy Night in Hua City (12)

    ¡òKongzi Qi shivered uncontrollably¡òSong Ke sat on the ground, cleaning her spear.


    Her spiritual weapon umbrella, previously used to ward off the insect tide, had been left outside the door. Moreover, the iron umbrella itself was too bulky to have an advantage against these small creatures. So, she transformed it into a pitch-black spear about one to two meters long. She meticulously wiped the spearhead.


    ¡°Sorry, I should have taken you away earlier in the morning.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan shook his head. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. With this many in number, we would sooner or later encounter them if we went out.¡±


    His gaze drifted into the distance, and he continued, ¡°This safe zone won¡¯t hold for much longer. Be cautious tonight.¡±


    ¡°What you just¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm? What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s spear-cleaning motion paused briefly as she swallowed the rest of her sentence.


    Looking up, she saw Zhuang Qingyan still smiling, seemingly oblivious to the recent incident that had sparked anger.


    She had come to realize that this person had a remarkable ability to infuriate others without even flinching. A casual sentence from him could make over a hundred people in the safe zone want to pull out their weapons and attack him.


    If she hadn¡¯t decisively intervened and pushed him away, someone might have lost their patience and attacked him.


    Troublesome, really troublesome.


    Song Ke sighed inwardly and didn¡¯t pursue the topic. Instead, she silently raised four fingers.


    Zhuang Qingyan looked puzzled. ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    Song Ke explained, ¡°Yesterday, I asked one less question, so today, I can ask up to four.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan was taken aback for a moment and then realized the situation, finding it somewhat amusing.


    His proposal of three questions per day as an exchange condition was a temporary measure. Before understanding Song Ke¡¯s character, he had left himself some leeway. However, after the events of last night, the two had shared some candid moments. He thought that, based on the understanding that adults had, this unreasonable condition would naturally be nullified.


    It was just a matter of answering a few extra questions, and he wouldn¡¯t lose much.


    He didn¡¯t expect the child to be so serious about it, actually counting on her fingers. Zhuang Qingyan didn¡¯t need to imagine; he could already picture it. He was about to admit that the restriction was lifted starting from today, but then he changed his mind. Continuing to tease her was quite enjoyable.


    Suppressing his amusement, Zhuang Qingyan said, ¡°Right, it¡¯s four questions. You got it right.¡±


    Song Ke felt satisfied.


    Little did she know that this guy was quite mischievous. She even thought that she didn¡¯t suffer this time and became smarter!


    And she certainly didn¡¯t know that some people with no moral boundaries would even deceive a child.


    Drawing a bit closer, Song Ke asked seriously, ¡°Are the cockroach mutations related to the apocalypse?¡±


    ¡°They are,¡± Zhuang Qingyan nodded. ¡°What you want to ask is probably the truth about the apocalypse, as well as how the supernatural abilities and zombies actually originated.¡±


    Song Ke nodded eagerly; these were her biggest questions.


    Zhuang Qingyan playfully teased her with a hint of distress, ¡°Well, that¡¯s kind of two questions already¡­¡±


    ¡°?¡±


    Song Ke looked baffled. S?a??h the N?velF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Song Ke gritted her teeth.


    Song Ke raised her spear.


    Zhuang Qingyan coughed lightly and decided to back off, ¡°Uh, calm down a bit. Put the spear down, and I¡¯ll talk, I¡¯ll talk.


    ¡°Contrary to what many people believe, this apocalypse wasn¡¯t caused by a virus.


    ¡°It was caused by radiation.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s expression finally turned serious. ¡°Have you ever thought about why the mutation of zombies is so rapid? Why in different places, some people awaken superpowers simultaneously¡­ Because in this apocalypse, there¡¯s no fundamental pathogenic strain or so-called transmission chain. Every one of us is exposed to the air, and the real culprit is radiation.


    ¡°Due to frequent solar wind outbursts, the current radiation dose has exceeded five times the normal value. The Earth¡¯s strong magnetic field has become chaotic and cannot withstand the sudden increase in radiation impact. High-speed particles and cosmic rays freely penetrate the surface and the air. The continuous radiation energy integrates into the cells of the human body, leading to genetic mutations. In this scenario, some people successfully ¡®evolve,¡¯ upgrading to superhumans with explosively enhanced abilities. Others can¡¯t endure the excessive radiation, leading to rapid cell decay and the transformation into zombies. However, more people maintain a delicate and fragile balance, becoming ¡®ordinary individuals¡¯ in between.


    ¡°People can mutate into zombies, and naturally, animals can too. Moreover, animals that turn into zombies often possess stronger aggressiveness,¡± Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s gaze inexplicably turned colder, ¡°The Alliance has done plenty of behind-the-scenes animal experiments. Whether events like today¡¯s large-scale insect tide are due to fate or human manipulation¡­ it¡¯s hard to say.¡±


    Zombies lack consciousness, and logically, zombie cockroaches should too. Song Ke recalled the bizarre bird she had seen in the martial arts hall. She vaguely felt there was a difference. That bird¡­ didn¡¯t seem to have strong attacking tendencies?


    Perhaps she got lucky? The big bird was already full? It didn¡¯t care about her, this little sprout?


    Song Ke shook her head to dismiss these baseless speculations and continued, ¡°If someone is bitten by a zombie, will they turn into one?¡±


    ¡°Based on the outcome, the answer to that question is ¡®yes.''¡±


    Song Ke was puzzled. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan explained, ¡°I just mentioned that the cause of the apocalypse is radiation. So, when someone is bitten by a zombie, it¡¯s like undergoing radiation bombardment once again. However, this time, it¡¯s radiation that¡¯s already ¡®contaminated.¡¯ Most people can¡¯t withstand this impact. Their internal magnetic fields go haywire, and they transform into zombies.¡±


    ¡°Most people?¡± Song Ke keenly grasped the focus. Did that mean there was a chance of survival?


    ¡°Since it¡¯s a magnetic field imbalance, there¡¯s naturally an extremely slim probability of awakening passively, evolving into superhumans.¡±


    Song Ke pinched her palm, feeling its dampness. Unconsciously, her hand was sweating.


    She pursed her lips. ¡°What if the one bitten is a superhuman?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan squinted. ¡°What, were you bitten?¡±


    The hair on the back of Song Ke¡¯s neck stood up like lightning. ¡°I-I wasn¡¯t bitten, no!¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan couldn¡¯t be easily fooled. Song Ke felt incredibly guilty. To prove herself, she hastily extended her arm for him to inspect. The bandages on her arm were already removed, leaving a bare and unscarred surface.


    Not to mention her arm, the wounds on her back, abdomen, and lower waist had all disappeared. It had only been a short week since the battle at the martial arts hall, yet her body¡¯s healing ability was so fast that she couldn¡¯t believe it herself.


    Zhuang Qingyan lowered his gaze, his inquiring eyes seeming to penetrate her.


    Song Ke had just been caught in the rain. She had taken off her coat and was only wearing a thin T-shirt and knee-length shorts.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s gaze swept from her delicate neck and wrists, all the way down to her ankles. The girl had shoulder-length damp hair, gleaming eyes that looked like a startled small animal, nervously shifting around. There was gauze on her cheeks. With her slender arms and legs, merely judging from her appearance, she could be categorized as ¡°completely harmless.¡±


    ¡°If superhumans mutate into zombies, the consequences are unimaginable. Therefore, if discovered, even if there¡¯s a one in a million chance of self-recovery, they have only one fate.¡±


    ¡°What¡­ is it?¡±


    ¡°Execution.¡±


    A cold, cynical smile played on Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s lips. ¡°The Alliance can accept sacrifices, but it absolutely won¡¯t allow the existence of superhuman zombies.¡±


    Song Ke pressed her lips tightly, a chill running down her spine.


    *


    Tonight, no one could fall asleep. In an effort to conserve power, only a few flashlights were lit within the vast safe zone. Accompanied by the ferocious winds and torrential rain outside, survivors lay wide-eyed, huddled together, trembling.


    Xu Liren convened an emergency meeting, and attendees presented two different opinions, leading to a swift dispute.


    ¡°Let¡¯s charge out!¡±


    ¡°Have you gone mad? There are not only zombies outside, but also tens of thousands¡­ maybe even more roaches! Are you trying to get killed?¡±


    ¡°If we don¡¯t charge out, staying here is a death sentence!¡±


    The radical faction led by Jiang Rui and Zhang Hao believed that they should take advantage of the situation before it further deteriorated and break out.


    Not far from the safe zone was the parking lot of the No.1 Middle School. Zhang Hao had observed that there were several buses there. They could safely drive out. However, the risk of this plan was extremely high because even the nearest route required passing through two dormitory buildings. In other words, they would have to traverse through thousands of zombies, running about 100 meters.


    On the other hand, some people held conservative opinions, like Liu Zixuan, who believed that staying within the safe zone was the wise choice.


    The outer wall of this enclosed stadium was made of the Alliance¡¯s latest materials, rendering it an impregnable fortress. By guarding the two large gates on the east and west sides, those inside would be safe. They could wait for the rain to stop and the insect tide to recede before figuring out their next move. But when would the rain stop? Would the insect tide really recede? Liu Zixuan had no certainty.

 Chapter 20.2: Rainy Night in Hua City (12)

    ¡òKongzi Qi shivered uncontrollably¡òThe two sides held their ground, arguing loudly. However, the two individuals in the corner were unaffected. Song Ke gestured to both sides of Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s wheelchair, gradually concentrating her spiritual energy. In the palm of her hand, a dim blue light coalesced into the shape of a crossbow, which she mounted on his wheelchair. In case of an emergency, even if she couldn¡¯t attend to Zhuang Qingyan, he could defend himself.


    Then she picked up a piece of shachima and, while nibbling on it, observed Zhuang Qingyan.


    Zhuang Qingyan was adapting to the wheelchair¡¯s control panel: forward, turn, brake, elevate, lower¡­ those complex instructions posed no difficulty for him. Soon, he was handling them with ease.


    Once familiarized, Zhuang Qingyan raised the spiritual crossbow. It was a lightweight repeating crossbow with intricate and complex internal structure. The accompanying bolts were around eight inches long, and it could fire ten in one go, making it virtually invincible in terms of short-range crowd control.


    Zhuang Qingyan lightly brushed his fingertip over the arrowhead, immediately causing a cut, blood flowing out.


    ¡°So, this is what you call a ¡®crossbow¡¯? How did you make it? The Alliance doesn¡¯t possess weaponry of this kind.¡±


    ¡°An artifact from the old civilization?¡± He quickly contradicted himself, ¡°No, this type of repeating crossbow had already been lost during the old civilization, right?¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s eyes dimmed. The shachima in her hand didn¡¯t taste as good anymore. ¡°My master¡­ my master drew it for me.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan had heard Song Ke mention that her master and her fellow disciples had turned into zombies. Knowing her current mood wasn¡¯t good, he didn¡¯t probe further. He played with the crossbow bolts a bit and smiled, saying, ¡°Teacher Xiao Song, how about teaching this frail researcher how to use this? What do you think?¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Song Ke gulped down the rest of the shachima, wiped her mouth, and approached to teach him.


    ¡­


    On the other side, the argument over whether to ¡°charge out¡± or ¡°stay put¡± escalated into a heated dispute.


    ¡°Everyone, stop arguing! Listen to Teacher Xu and let Teacher Xu decide!¡± S~?a??h the N?v?lFir?(.)n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Zhang Qi, whose eardrums were tortured by both sides, shouted in exasperation.


    With a forceful shout, the voices of the people attending the meeting fell silent.


    Zhang Qi was momentarily surprised; when did his words become so effective?


    He quickly realized it wasn¡¯t his words that were effective but rather that everyone¡¯s faces had turned pale and they anxiously stared at the floor.


    ¡°Squeak, squeak¡­¡±


    ¡°Creak, creak¡­¡±


    ¡ªThere was something moving beneath the floor!


    Liu Zixuan¡¯s statement was only half correct. While the outer wall of the stadium was indeed unbreakable, unfortunately, the ground underneath wasn¡¯t.


    Sounds of stone being gnawed cracked continuously. In just a few seconds, the floor suddenly broke open into a two-meter-wide hole, as if a hornet¡¯s nest had been punctured. A large number of zombie roaches flew out from below, crawled out¡­


    Impossible! They could actually burrow through the ground!


    The actions of the three awakeners within the area were swift. Jiang Rui cracked a fiery whip, repelling the first wave that surged out. Zhang Qi¡¯s muscles surged as he lifted a plank of wood, pressing it heavily onto the gap. Meanwhile, Song Ke, like an agile leopard, leaped from the ground, spear in hand, precisely striking down each crawling zombie roach that emerged from the hole.


    ¡°Turn on the lights quickly! It¡¯s too dark!¡± Zhang Qi yelled.


    The flashlight beams flickered inconsistently, illuminating the majority of the safe zone with effort. However, dark, ghostly figures still darted around in the shadows. Some responded by raising their weapons and striking with all their might, while others faltered, unable to wield their weapons effectively. Their fear grew as swarms of zombie roaches converged on them, gnawing and devouring from toes, shins, mouths, to skulls¡­ within a matter of seconds, leaving only bloodied skeletons behind.


    The light overhead suddenly dimmed, causing everyone to look up in panic. The skylight was now covered in densely packed zombie roaches, countless pairs of gray-white compound eyes coldly fixated on their prey, obscuring the last faint moonlight.


    Seeing the dire situation, Xu Liren made a decision: ¡°We¡¯re going with plan one to escape. Everyone get ready, I¡¯ll open the east gate!¡±


    Song Ke rolled back to Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s side, securing her backpack to her body. ¡°We¡­ we need to escape.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan swiftly adjusted the wheelchair¡¯s direction. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m ready.¡±


    Zhang Qi cleared the obstacles behind the door, and Xu Liren rushed over to input the password. The long-sealed automated control door slowly opened again, and everyone scrambled to be the first to rush out.


    The people squeezed in the back couldn¡¯t break through, so they shouted to Liu Zixuan, ¡°Liu Zixuan! Open the door! Open another door!¡±


    Liu Zixuan attempted to gather his spiritual energy, but the faint light sphere dissipated before forming. He shook his head at the person speaking, saying, ¡°No, this damn ability is useless at critical moments, I can¡¯t release it!¡±


    However, the person who had just spoken stared at him in terror and pointed, ¡°Bugs! Bugs!!¡±


    The skylight couldn¡¯t withstand the weight of the zombie roaches, shattering with a crash. Glass fragments and countless black insects cascaded down like a waterfall, covering Liu Zixuan from head to toe and swallowing a few stragglers who hadn¡¯t managed to escape.


    ¡°Ahhhhhh!!!¡±


    Continuous, eerie screams echoed from behind.


    The boy who had been running at the front turned around excitedly, his face displaying relief from having survived. He called back to his companions, ¡°Hahaha, we made it out, you stinky bugs¡­¡±


    His words were cut off abruptly as a lean figure in school uniform lunged out from the dark rainy night, biting into his neck.


    It was a zombie.


    The students halted, afraid to move forward.


    Beneath the shadowy dormitory, hundreds of zombies turned their heads in unison, their hollow pupils fixated on the group¡¯s direction.


    Flames ignited, shaping into a whip of fire that lashed out diagonally. It severed the heads of five or six zombies. Jiang Rui led the way, running forward determinedly, ¡°Stick close to me, get ready to charge through!¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s long spear flew out piercing through zombie after zombie and roach after roach, like a long string of candied hawthorns. Jiang Rui¡¯s flames followed closely, burning a path through the encirclement.


    Zhuang Qingyan followed behind Song Ke, deftly evading. It was unclear how he managed it, but the zombies and roaches around him were noticeably fewer. A nearly vacuumed area formed around him as the center.


    Two powerful awakeners cleared the path. The students with good speed and physical endurance had successfully crossed the first dormitory building and the parking lot was faintly visible.


    Tian Yi followed at the rear of the group, wiping away tears as he ran. He dared not cry aloud. He had almost failed to make it out of the stadium.


    ¡°Kongzi Qi, w-what should we¡­ can we make it out?¡±


    He was lagging behind and relied on Kongzi Qi, who grabbed his collar, to give him a physical boost. ¡°It¡¯s fine. We¡¯re following Teacher Xu.¡±


    ¡°With Teacher Xu here, there won¡¯t be a problem. He¡¯ll lead us out!¡±


    Xu Liren was also not running fast, staying three or four meters ahead of the two. A few girls and a slender boy were beside him.


    This small group of people was among the worst in terms of physical agility. Even if they pushed their limits, they still couldn¡¯t move very fast, gradually falling behind the main group ahead.


    From the side of the dormitory, a window on the first floor suddenly opened, and several zombies leaped out. Caught off guard, they collided with Kongzi Qi and Tian Yi, sending them tumbling. A few boys at the front emitted cries of agony, pinned down by the zombies who began to bite.


    Xu Liren was also knocked down, rolling into the midst of the zombies. Just as a zombie with a gaping maw was about to pounce on him, its foul saliva even dripping onto his glasses, Xu Liren¡¯s pupils contracted¡ª


    The two girls beside him cried out, ¡°Teacher Xu!¡±


    Their voices abruptly ceased.


    As if invisible hands were choking their necks, their expressions twisted and their bodies convulsed violently. Gradually, their movements slowed, and their bodies eerily toppled backwards. Seizing the opportunity, Xu Liren yanked them, pushing the two into the mouths of the zombies. Using the recoil, he struggled to get up, without even looking back as he continued to run forward, desperately trying to catch up with the group ahead.


    In the middle of his sprint, Xu Liren felt a sensation and swiftly turned his head to glance back.


    The two girls had been savaged by the zombies, their appearances unrecognizable. Not far behind them, Kongzi Qi reflexively pushed down Tian Yi¡¯s head, making him lie face-down on the ground, using his own body to shield him.


    Kongzi Qi lifted his head, meeting Xu Liren¡¯s gaze. The eyes behind the lenses held no warmth.


    Kongzi Qi shivered uncontrollably.


    **TN


    Sachima ¨C is a sweet snack in Chinese cuisine made of fluffy strands of fried batter bound together with a stiff sugar syrup, and of an appearance somewhat similar to American Rice Krispies Treats.

 Chapter 21: Rainy Night in Hua City (13)

    ¡òThe Fake Holy Father¡òSong Ke and Jiang Rui held the entrance of the parking lot.


    The engine of the bus behind them roared, and the headlights in front flickered, casting a dim light through the pouring rain.


    People kept rushing over, putting all their strength to climb onto the bus, collapsing onto the seats, gasping for air. At this critical moment of life and death, no one cared about their appearance anymore; it was considered fortunate to save one¡¯s own life.


    Song Ke and Jiang Rui waited for a full five minutes, but very few of the expected arrivals made it here.


    ¡°No one¡¯s coming, let¡¯s go,¡± Jiang Rui closed his eyes, his voice hoarse.


    Due to the sudden attack of the zombie cockroaches, their escape this time was rushed, resulting in more casualties than anticipated. Out of the originally over one hundred people, almost half were lost, leaving less than fifty. Jiang Rui clenched the whip of fire in his hand and at that moment, he realized very clearly that he couldn¡¯t save everyone.


    Any movement in the rainy night would be magnified infinitely. From their direction, a faint light penetrated and caught the attention of the dark creatures. On the playground a hundred meters away, thousands of zombies raised their heads and started moving toward them.


    ¡°Hurry, get on, we¡¯re closing the door!!¡± Zhang Hao leaned half his body out of the driver¡¯s window and shouted at them.


    ¡°Wait!¡± Song Ke slammed her palm against the bus door. She saw Kongzi Qi and Tian Yi stumbling towards them, followed by several hideous-looking zombies and a tide of cockroaches.


    Her wrist moved slightly, the spear flew out like lightning, and with incredible speed, it pierced through the enemies. Song Ke sprinted forward, using a move called ¡°Whirlwind Snow Sweep,¡± creating a powerful airwave that knocked down the pursuing zombies and cockroaches, giving them a momentary buffer.


    Kongzi Qi and Tian Yi scrambled and managed to get onto the bus.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    Zhang Hao roared, started the engine, and in the rainy night, the bus swerved and accelerated. It crashed into the path, overturning the zombies and cockroaches in its way. It then rushed through a gap in the iron fence and onto the road. After more than ten minutes, they finally shook off the densely packed pursuers.


    The bus was an old model with hybrid power. Even if it lost its automatic driving energy, it could still be manually controlled. In recent years, automated driving had become popular in the Alliance, and fewer and fewer people were getting driver¡¯s licenses. Zhang Hao had repeated a year and was two years older than them. Last year, he had casually taken a driver¡¯s license for fun, never imagining that this seemingly useless skill would become a life-saving straw.


    It normally takes about two hours to drive from No.1 Middle School to the downtown area of Hua City. However, it was raining now, visibility was poor at night, and there might be zombies and insect swarms appearing at any moment. Zhang Hao didn¡¯t dare to be careless. He slowed down and drove forward vigilantly.


    Three hours later, the bus neared the city area of Hua City, and Zhang Hao was the first to notice that something was off.


    It was nearly 5 o¡¯clock in the morning, but the highway was still packed. Many private cars were heading in the same direction as them, all rushing towards the city.


    They were being chased by zombies and insect swarms. So why were these people doing the same thing? Why were they heading back to the city at this time?


    ¡°Thump, thump, thump!¡±


    A series of intense pounding sounds shattered the silence, and the people in the bus looked out immediately, startled.


    A young woman was pressed against their bus, weaving through the traffic without any care. Her shoes were gone, her toes covered in blood. She ran while desperately pounding on the bus door. From her lip movements, you could faintly make out the words, ¡°Help me.¡±


    Her actions were extremely dangerous. Lin Xia¡¯s face showed sympathy, ¡°Should we¡­ save her?¡±


    Zhou Anqi suddenly stood up, her voice sharp and cold, ¡°Don¡¯t open the door!¡±


    Her sudden shout startled the others. No one spoke, and no one moved. They all sat stiffly in their seats, as if the person outside didn¡¯t exist.


    The woman saw that the bus door was not opening, and the light in her eyes gradually dimmed, eventually giving way to despair. The people on the bus averted their gazes.


    Several fierce zombies stomped on the roof of the car, leaped from the other side, and pounced on the young woman.


    Looking from the rear window, her outstretched hand gradually fell.


    ¡°Look at this! She¡¯s been bitten! We can¡¯t let her on,¡± Zhou Anqi muttered nervously to herself, ¡°We can¡¯t let her on¡­¡±


    In the back row of the bus, Song Ke was observing the outside environment when she heard the commotion and turned her head.


    Zhuang Qingyan approached her, his voice soft, ¡°Don¡¯t you think she¡¯s too noisy?¡±


    Song Ke was briefly taken aback and upon closer thought, it was indeed the case. Since Zhou Anqi awakened her ability, it seemed like her emotions had become increasingly uncontrollable. She either shouted loudly at the slightest provocation or spoke incoherently, making it hard to comprehend.


    ¡°Someone is controlling her using spiritual power.¡±


    ¡°Zhou Anqi is an E-level awakener; someone who can silently influence her behavior and character, the other party is at least a C-level awakener with mental ability.¡±


    ¡°Care to guess who¡¯s the one behind the scenes?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s breath was close, and the warm air made Song Ke¡¯s ears itchy.


    When did this person get so close?


    Song Ke extended two fingers, pushed him away with a slightly disgusted expression, thought for a moment, and provided an answer.


    ¡°Xu¡­ Li¡­ Ren.¡±


    She recalled the peculiar sensation when she locked eyes with Xu Liren on the first day she arrived in the safe zone.


    At that time, Xu Liren must have released his mental ability to try to influence her, but he failed. This led him to suspect that she was an awakener, and thus began the various tests and manipulations. After realizing that Song Ke was difficult to control, he seemed eager to drive her out of the safe zone.


    ¡°Bingo!¡± Zhuang Qingyan snapped his fingers.


    ¡°He can control even E-level awakeners; of course, he wouldn¡¯t spare ordinary people. In his eyes, these people are all his puppets, expendable scapegoats when necessary. No wonder he¡¯s willing to keep so many ¡®wastes¡¯.¡±


    ¡°This Mr. Xu is a complete fake Holy Father, the true hypocrite¡«¡±


    At the mention, Song Ke looked at Xu Liren. He was sitting in the front row of the bus, his frameless glasses set aside with visible cracks. He was wiping his face with a towel, his current expression unclear.


    Zhuang Qingyan followed her gaze, saying, ¡°You want to expose his true identity? Don¡¯t forget, we¡¯re the ¡®outcasts.¡¯ They won¡¯t believe your accusations.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Xu Liren¡¯s tricks can deceive all of you¡­ those naive high schoolers because they were all in a safe environment. But the more life and death situations arise, the more his sinister thoughts will be revealed.¡±


    ¡­ s?a??h th? N0??F?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    At 5:40 in the early morning, the bus entered the inner ring of Hua City.


    The sky was as gloomy as if it hadn¡¯t even lit up yet. The city was in chaos, with collapsed buildings from impacts, debris and wreckage of starships scattered around, and the piercing sound of air raid sirens echoing through the streets and alleys.


    ¡°This is a Level 1 alert,¡± Kongzi Qi stood up, gripping the back of the chair with a serious expression. ¡°My dad is the designer of the Bagua Formation. He once said that a Level 1 alert only sounds when Hua City experiences the most severe natural disasters.¡±


    Lin Xia added with a pale face, ¡°I¡¯ve participated in safety drills in Hua City. I remember that the highest priority order during a Level 1 alert is to enter the Bagua Formation as quickly as possible.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, the Bagua Formation is Hua City¡¯s last line of defense. Once activated, it means the outer perimeter of Hua City is completely abandoned.¡±


    Hua City is naturally a basin-like terrain, with lower elevation in the center. The concentric transportation network extends downward layer by layer, reaching the central eye of the Bagua Formation¡ªan airborne mall, also the most famous landmark in Hua City. Whether day or night, it shines brightly and is bustling.


    When Hua City faces an unstoppable disaster, the eight entrances leading to the eye of the formation will close urgently. The entire Bagua Formation will hide underground, forming excellent air-raid shelters.


    Kongzi Qi listened carefully to the frequency of the alerts, becoming anxious. ¡°Quick, Zhang Hao! Drive forward quickly! The entrance is about to close!¡±


    In the distant sky, the floating mall was slowly descending. As the alarm became more urgent, enormous cracks appeared all around the ground, making way for its descent.


    Zhang Hao pressed the accelerator like mad, rushing forward. The streets were filled with people running in panic, various vehicles, and the ever-present shadows of zombies, making it nearly impossible to move. Even the survivors who had been hiding in their homes came out, desperately sprinting toward the various entrances of the Bagua Formation.


    The entire Hua City was in the process of falling.


    The cracks in the ground grew deeper and deeper. Tall buildings and circular skybridges lost their support, swaying and collapsing, crashing heavily to the ground.


    Suddenly, a steel bar pierced through the bus¡¯s window. The glass shattered like a spider¡¯s web, and wandering zombies crawled in through the window. They grabbed Lin Xia¡¯s arm and pulled her out. She didn¡¯t even have time to scream before she was dragged out. The others inside the bus looked bewildered, not knowing whether to save her or not, but Song Ke had already jumped out right after her.


    ¡°Zhang Hao, slow down!¡± Jiang Rui stood up suddenly.


    Zhang Hao was nervous and sweating profusely. He clenched his teeth and pressed the brakes hard.


    In mid-air, Song Ke had already swung out her spear. In one swift motion, the spear was like a snake darting out of its hole, its tip like a snake¡¯s fang, piercing through the zombie¡¯s head in an instant, firmly pinning it to the ground! Then, she swiftly picked up Lin Xia, ran, and with one hand, grabbed onto the window, flipping back into the bus.


    Lin Xia tightened her grip on Song Ke¡¯s arm, trembling uncontrollably. Luckily, she was wearing long sleeves and pants today, and she had put on a thick raincoat on top. Apart from a few scratches from the fall, she hadn¡¯t been bitten by the zombies.


    However, with this delay, the crack from behind had already caught up to the bus¡¯s wheels.


    ¡°Ah¡ª!!¡±


    Zhang Hao pushed the accelerator to the floor, and the bus lost control, swerving forward. The intense acceleration made the passengers dizzy and disoriented.


    Amidst the chaos inside the cabin, Kongzi Qi grabbed Tian Yi¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Tian Yi, Tian Yi, listen to me!¡±


    ¡°After entering the Bagua Formation, there¡¯s a hidden door inside. It¡¯s right below the main control room. This is the ¡®Life Gate¡¯ of the Bagua Formation, and it¡¯s the most crucial design my dad was involved in. It¡¯s not on the map. I¡¯m going to tell you the route and the password now. You must remember it!¡±


    Tian Yi had a bad feeling, ¡°Kongzi Qi, what¡¯s wrong with you¡­ You, you just remember it. I¡¯ll follow you.¡±


    Kongzi Qi fell silent. A few seconds later, he rolled up his pant leg.


    ¡°I was bitten by a zombie.¡±


    Tian Yi¡¯s eyes widened, looked down in disbelief, and the next second, tears burst forth.


    On Kongzi Qi¡¯s calf, there was a clear torn wound. After a few hours, the surrounding veins turned a dark black, and the whole leg had become swollen and festered.


    ¡°How is this possible? When did this happen¡­¡±


    Tian Yi suddenly went quiet. He remembered just outside the dormitory building, when Kongzi Qi had accidentally bumped into a zombie while trying to shield him from Xu Liren¡¯s view. Could it be, was it that moment?


    Kongzi Qi¡¯s eyes were red, ¡°During that incident at the cafeteria, I didn¡¯t intentionally leave you and run. I just didn¡¯t react in time.


    ¡°I, Kongzi Qi, am not that untrustworthy. Plus, you¡¯re my best friend.¡±


    Tian Yi held back tears, ¡°Kongzi Qi, you¡¯re also my, my best friend.¡±


    Kongzi Qi wiped his tears, his expression turning serious. He glanced toward the front of the bus, ¡°Did you see it?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah.¡± Tian Yi knew what he was referring to. Both of them had just witnessed how Xu Liren, to ensure his own survival, callously pushed others to their deaths.


    ¡°Remember, no matter what happens later, don¡¯t follow Xu Liren. Stay as far away from him as possible.¡±


    Kongzi Qi took out the indigo leaf-shaped knife from his pocket and handed it back to Tian Yi, ¡°Go find Jiang Rui or stick with Song Ke. Song Ke managed to save Lin Xia, so she definitely won¡¯t abandon you.¡±


    Tian Yi held onto his sleeve, ¡°Kongzi Qi, let¡¯s think of a solution. There must be a way!¡±


    Kongzi Qi tugged at the corners of his mouth, ¡°There¡¯s no solution, Tian Yi. I¡¯m feeling really uncomfortable. Look, my hand isn¡¯t listening to me anymore.¡±


    His eyes were bloodshot, and the base of his nails had a faint grayish-white hue. His fingers were twitching uncontrollably.


    ¡°I want to live too. I want to remain human. I don¡¯t want to turn into a zombie¡­¡±


    Kongzi Qi¡¯s smile was uglier than crying.


    ¡°Tian Yi, you must stay alive.¡±

 Chapter 22: Rainy Night in Hua City (14)

    ¡òTrue Heroes¡òOn the shattered ground, a bus wobbled and slid forward.


    At the center of the formation, there was a floating mall with eight glass suspension bridges, each connecting to one of eight entrances: Qian, Kun, Kan, Li, Zhen, Xun, Gen, and Dui.


    The entrance closest to them was the ¡°Kun Gate.¡± Zhang Hao tightly gripped the steering wheel, driving the bus towards the direction of the suspension bridge. With less than fifty meters remaining, an unexpected event occurred.


    A high-rise office building suddenly crumbled and collapsed, falling directly in their path.


    Zhang Hao slammed the brakes, but the bus was moving too fast, already out of control. It executed a 180-degree sideways drift, spinning wildly around bends, causing passengers inside to see the world spinning, their insides almost shifting.


    ¡°Boom¡ª¡±


    Tons of steel and concrete came crashing down, hitting the middle of the bus precisely, splitting it into two. The people seated in the middle were instantly crushed into a bloody pulp.


    Zhou Anqi and Cao Yiyi were sitting in the rear seats among those people.


    Zhang Qi acted swiftly, covering Zhou Anqi¡¯s eyes. Cao Yiyi, however, wasn¡¯t as fortunate. Confronted with the approach of death, she witnessed people who were once whole turn into mush, smashed into a bloody mess. A suffocating fear surged into her mind, leaving her brain blank.


    The severed bus body experienced a tremendous force of impact, sliding in two different directions. The front half, with Xu Liren and Zhang Hao, continued rolling towards the Kun Gate due to inertia. The back half, carrying Song Ke, Jiang Rui, and Zhuang Qingyan, was pushed towards the direction of the Gen Gate.


    [Kun Gate]


    Zhang Hao¡¯s forehead slammed against the steering wheel, blood soaking his eye sockets. Amidst a continuous buzzing sound in his ears, he faintly heard an anxious shout from a distant place: ¡°Brother Hao, wake up! Wake up quickly!¡±


    Zhang Hao was irritated by the noise, struggling to lift his head. The aftermath of the concussion was evident; he felt an urge to vomit. After a moment, he managed to open his eyes with difficulty, only to realize that the one who had been calling his name was Tian Yi.


    Tian Yi¡¯s foot seemed to be trapped by the door, and he lay on the ground, desperately tugging at Zhang Hao¡¯s pants leg, trying to wake him up.


    Kongzi Qi was on the side, pushing against the door panel with all his might, but his efforts alone were insufficient.


    Zhang Hao held his head, stood up dizzily, and said, ¡°Don¡¯t move, I¡¯ll help you¡­¡±


    Tian Yi¡¯s voice was hoarse, tears streaming down as he yelled, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, Brother Hao. Run, quickly!¡±


    Zhang Hao half-crouched down and, together with Kongzi Qi, exerted force. They finally lifted the door, but the significant movement caused his dizziness to worsen. He had to lean against the front windshield, gasping heavily.


    ¡°Where are the others? What happened to all of you¡­¡±


    Before he could finish speaking, Zhang Hao¡¯s eyes suddenly widened, shocked and speechless at the strange scene before him.


    The floating mall ahead had descended below ground level. The Kun Gate¡¯s suspension bridge was gradually retracting, but at the gap between the ground and the bridge, there was actually a road built from people, forming a living ladder!


    Some were natives running towards the entrance, but most were survivors from their bus. Once their comrades, now each of them had a vacant expression, mechanically moving forward, using their bodies to construct an escape ladder.


    Behind this group of people, Xu Liren stood abruptly, his face dark and gloomy, resembling a corpse driver.


    The people in the safe zone, to varying degrees, had been subjected to mental suggestions by Xu Liren, making them easier to manipulate. However, even this was pushing the limits of his mental ability. Dividing his focus to control ordinary people would likely overwhelm his mental strength.


    No, he absolutely, absolutely couldn¡¯t die here. He was so close, just a little bit more, just a little bit more.


    One more person, just one more to fill the gap, Xu Liren¡¯s expression grew anxious as his eyes scanned around.


    ¡ªThen he spotted the three individuals in the driver¡¯s seat.


    Zhang Hao struggled to comprehend what was happening before his eyes. Suddenly, his pupils trembled, and all thoughts in his mind vanished. His brain became empty, devoid of any content. He stiffly stepped out of the bus, walking slowly towards the human wall.


    Tian Yi¡¯s body shook slightly, his thoughts gradually becoming chaotic¡­ At that moment, the willow leaf knife in his pocket flew out uncontrollably. A faint blue light floated calmly before his eyes. Tian Yi¡¯s daze flickered and immediately snapped back.


    ¡°Brother Hao! Don¡¯t go over there!¡±


    ¡°Kongzi Qi! It seems like Brother Hao is being controlled!¡±


    Kongzi Qi was already half-zombified, black veins spreading to his right jaw, making him look eerie and terrifying.


    Ironically, it was these zombie-like traits that prevented Xu Liren from controlling him immediately.


    Kongzi Qi shook his head, fully aware that his human thinking was slowly fading. He used his last bit of willpower to take a few steps forward and heavily hit Zhang Hao¡¯s head from behind!


    Zhang Hao¡¯s head was already injured, and this caused even more pain. His vision went black, and he instantly broke free from Xu Liren¡¯s mental control. Kongzi Qi pushed him in Tian Yi¡¯s direction and, looking at Tian Yi, shouted his last words:


    ¡°¡ªRun!!!¡±


    Tian Yi¡¯s tears streamed down as he rushed over, helping Zhang Hao up and running towards the back of the bus.


    ¡­


    Xu Liren struggled to do anything, his attention fixed on the progress of the human wall. Managing his puppets had become difficult, and he managed to steal a glance in the direction of the bus. Seeing the approaching figure, he furrowed his brow.


    What¡¯s going on? He had focused his control on Zhang Hao, so why was it Kongzi Qi coming over?


    ¡­Never mind, Xu Liren consoled himself. Their heights were similar. As long as he could make it onto the last section of the human ladder, he could ascend to the focal point. Once inside, he could carefully scheme and continue to manipulate his puppets¡­


    Kongzi Qi¡¯s steps were sluggish, getting closer and closer to Xu Liren. An abnormal whiteness faintly appeared in his eyes. He stiffly extended his hands, reaching out to the person in front of him. His arms were just long enough to touch the slowly descending gangway.


    Xu Liren¡¯s heart eased. He could go now!


    Stepping on the backs of those people, on this ladder of bodies he had personally constructed, gruesome and blood-soaked, he couldn¡¯t wait any longer. He ran forward unhesitatingly, getting closer and closer to the entrance of Kun Gate.


    Almost there, almost there¡ª


    Suddenly, intense pain shot through his shoulder. Xu Liren couldn¡¯t believe it, he turned around, and Kongzi Qi¡¯s face was twisted, biting onto him fiercely.


    Xu Liren¡¯s eyes widened, his body staggered as he climbed onto the platform, forcefully pushing Kongzi Qi away. Kongzi Qi¡¯s arms left the gangway, taking the entire string of people down with him.


    Trembling, Xu Liren unbuttoned his collar. There was a bleeding, distinct bite mark on his shoulder.


    ¡¾Kun Gate¡¿


    The situation at Kun Gate was even worse. This place used to be the main street of a commercial district, bustling day and night even before doomsday. Now, it had amassed the largest number of zombies. Coupled with the fact that most of the gangway had been torn away by zombies, the fragmented terrain had formed steep cliffs, making conventional methods utterly impassable.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have time,¡± Zhou Anqi muttered, her face ashen.


    Zhang Qi turned to her, gritting his teeth. ¡°We have time!¡±


    He frantically searched around like a gust of wind sweeping fallen leaves. Astonishingly, he actually found a trailer iron chain as thick as a thigh. He picked it up and dashed towards the edge of the cliff.


    As he passed by Song Ke, she lent him a timely hand, her palm flashing blue light, using her ability to reinforce the steel claws at the end of the chain. Zhang Qi shouted loudly and threw it, hooking precisely onto the entrance of the gangway.


    ¡°Anqi, you all go first. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll hold onto you!¡±


    Zhou Anqi stared blankly at him, as if she was only just recognizing him now.


    These days, her head had been muddled and confused, often unable to distinguish between illusions and reality. Sometimes, she even forgot things she had said and done. However, in this moment, the downpour seemed to wash away the water that had entered her mind. Her thoughts broke free from their constraints, and she had never felt so clear.


    ¡°Anqi, let¡¯s go quickly!¡± Cao Yiyi tugged at her sleeve, her tone urgent.


    People who had survived until now, even the girls, had extraordinary physical abilities and determination. Otherwise, they would have died when escaping from the No.1 Middle School. There were no complaints from the girls in the group. They held onto the iron chain for dear life and slowly climbed across the gap.


    After landing safely, Zhou Anqi, Lin Xia, and the other girls anxiously turned around to look at their companions on the other side.


    There seemed to be a dispute over there. Some survivors who were also headed for Kun Gate had spotted their escape route and tried to cut in line. Jiang Rui¡¯s face turned cold as he stopped them, saying, ¡°Let our people go first.¡±


    Those who were still persistent pushed Jiang Rui aside and leaped to catch the airborne iron chain. However, they overestimated themselves. Perhaps they were afraid of heights, or perhaps the surrounding zombie cries had shattered their courage. After only a couple of attempts, their hands went weak and they let go. In a state of terror, they fell into the chasm, devoured by the thousands of zombies below.


    Zhang Hao and Tian Yi had gone through hardships and finally arrived at this point.


    ¡°Brother Jiang!¡± Seeing Jiang Rui at this moment was like seeing a savior.


    Jiang Rui patted the backs of the two without wasting time saying much. ¡°Can you hold on? Hurry over!¡±


    Zhang Hao clenched his teeth. ¡°Yes!¡±


    In a life-and-death situation like this, you had to be able to, even if you didn¡¯t want to!


    ¡­


    Due to the collapsing earth, a massive sinkhole formed beneath the focal point, filled with countless zombies crawling up ceaselessly. The fastest ones were almost reaching the end of the iron chain.


    Across from Zhou Anqi and the others, the last group of companions was moving slowly, still some distance away from the entrance of the gangway.


    Suddenly!


    Cao Yiyi pushed past Zhou Anqi and went madly to dislodge the iron hooks stuck in the gangway. Her movements were too swift and too aggressive, catching everyone off guard¡ªoriginally, they had all planned to deal with the zombies that were climbing up together.


    After just a few attempts, the steel claws loosened and fell from the edge of the gangway.


    Zhang Qi, who was already on the edge of the cliff, kept sliding forward. He barely managed to stabilize himself, but the support from the opposite side suddenly disappeared. Unable to stop his steps, he plummeted down from the edge of the cliff.


    Zhou Anqi¡¯s eyes widened, futilely reaching out her hand. ¡°Zhang Qi!!¡±


    Not just Zhang Qi, but also Zhang Hao and Tian Yi, who were on the iron chain, along with Jiang Rui¡ªall of them fell down.


    Zhou Anqi couldn¡¯t contain her anger, rushing forward to give Cao Yiyi a hard slap. ¡°What did you do?!¡±


    ¡°Do you realize you just killed someone?!¡±


    Half of Cao Yiyi¡¯s cheek was swollen, but she still covered her face with a cold smile. ¡°Fool.¡±


    ¡°The zombies are climbing up, can¡¯t you see? They¡¯re coming up, and it¡¯s us who are going to die!¡±


    ¡°If you want to die, go die yourself. Don¡¯t drag me down!¡±


    Cao Yiyi was terrified. She feared being crushed like the people in the bus or bitten by zombies. She knew Jiang Rui hadn¡¯t come over yet, but wasn¡¯t she in danger too? Who could save her? She was only sixteen years old; her beautiful life hadn¡¯t even started. She could only save herself.


    In that moment, extreme selfishness overpowered everything else, but she didn¡¯t regret it.


    Cao Yiyi didn¡¯t even glance back at her former companions. She turned around and ran into Kun Gate.


    ¡­


    At the verge of falling, Jiang Rui whipped out his fire whip, looping it around the steel beams of the gangway. However, with both ends of the iron chain losing their supports, it swung uncontrollably downwards. Jiang Rui¡¯s feet were just a few meters away from hordes of roaring zombies below.


    ¡°Zhang Qi!¡± Jiang Rui yelled in anguish.


    Zhang Qi had completely vanished after falling into the sinkhole.


    ¡°Damn it! Damn it!!!¡± Jiang Rui¡¯s eyes turned bloodshot as he cursed profusely.


    He truly hadn¡¯t expected such cruelty from a fellow student like Cao Yiyi, someone who was utterly indifferent to the life and death of others.


    The fire whip couldn¡¯t support the weight of so many people. It had already started sliding down, and Jiang Rui¡¯s strength was insufficient. His arms trembled, and he was about to lose his grip.


    In his gradually blurred vision, a lithe figure jumped over.


    Like a swiftly flying falcon, Song Ke moved rapidly through the air. In one move, she leaped onto a slanted lamppost, and in the next, she grabbed hold of a protruding rock in the middle of the cliff. Maintaining an upright posture, she moved forward like walking on a tightrope.


    The long spear in her hand had transformed into a nine-section whip chain. Utilizing the power of her entire arm, she swiftly spun the whip, then flung it out, one end hooked the gangway and then went to Jiang Rui¡¯s side. ¡°Catch it!¡±


    Jiang Rui reached out, the scorching fire whip intertwining with the cyan nine-section whip chain, inseparable from each other. Song Ke exerted force from her waist, pulling backward. The people on the iron chain suddenly rose significantly, returning to mid-air.


    Next, she demonstrated what was meant by ¡°whip tossing¡± from a textbook.


    With her right hand holding the iron chain and her left hand conjuring another long whip, she swung it in mid-air, catching Zhang Hao and the others hanging on the iron chain. Then, she tossed them upwards, the group resembling a silk-wrapped gourd, accurately landing and disappearing into Kun Gate with a ¡°thud.¡±


    Zhou Anqi and Lin Xia, still on the platform, hurriedly went to help them.


    Song Ke retracted her whip, then swung it again, throwing a few more people over. A third time, a fourth time¡­


    Lastly, it was Jiang Rui¡¯s turn. Utilizing the two entangled whip ropes, he swung like a swing and flew over, tumbling to the ground.


    In the next second, he stood up in a flurry and hurriedly ran forward.


    ¡ªIt was too late. The entrance of Kun Gate was slowly closing before his eyes. The Bagua formation was descending rapidly, falling into the sinkhole amidst the encirclement of countless zombies.


    ¡°Song Ke!!!¡± Jiang Rui shouted with heart-wrenching pain.


    At the edge of the sinkhole, Song Ke and Zhuang Qingyan watched as the Bagua formation fall with their own eyes.


    Zhuang Qingyan applauded slowly, a playful glint in his eyes. ¡°Heroic sacrifice, a tearjerker indeed.¡±


    Song Ke didn¡¯t pay attention to his ambiguous words. She turned her gaze directly to his eyes. ¡°Just now, why didn¡¯t, didn¡¯t you leave?¡±


    When Jiang Rui threw away the iron chain, Song Ke had suggested that he could send him over, but Zhuang Qingyan had refused.


    Zhuang Qingyan didn¡¯t answer directly. Instead, he spread his palm and caught the falling raindrops. ¡°Look, the rain has lessened.¡±


    He smiled. ¡°Since the rain has stopped, everything should come to an end.¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s brows knitted into a ¡°´¨¡± character.


    She couldn¡¯t fathom what Zhuang Qingyan was thinking, but she also didn¡¯t believe that he would give up his life so easily and wait for death obediently.


    Why did he always have to speak in riddles? Why couldn¡¯t he just be straightforward?


    ¡°Annoying,¡± Song Ke grumbled unhappily.


    Zhuang Qingyan had a slight objection to her complaint. ¡°I¡¯m not the one who¡¯s annoying. They are.¡± S?a?ch* Th? ?0velF?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    The two turned their heads, and a swarm of black insects was pouring in from all directions, surrounding them.


    Nine Section Whip Chain

 Chapter 23: Rainy Night in Hua City (15)

    ¡òFound you, little thing¡òAfter the central eye of the formation fell into the sinkhole, the surface of Hua City became a wasteland.


    Song Ke pushed Zhuang Qingyan as they swiftly moved, reaching the rooftop of a skyscraper. This was the only tall building nearby that hadn¡¯t completely collapsed and was currently the highest point in the area.


    The elevated terrain granted them a moment to catch their breath.


    Looking down from the city¡¯s highest point, in the east, south, west, and north directions, an endless tide of insects formed a black expanse.


    This horrifying sight was suffocating. Song Ke deeply questioned what the top student had said earlier. Wasn¡¯t it claimed that cockroaches had been officially eradicated? Then what were these? Where did they come from? Ah!!


    Rain still fell from the sky, transitioning from a heavy downpour to a drizzle, without any sign of stopping.


    The damp rainwater trickled down through their hair. Splashes of tiny water droplets scattered at their feet. Song Ke was dressed in combat gear, her posture straight like a spear. She zipped up her jacket all the way, pressing it tightly against her chin.


    Perhaps this was the most dire scene she had encountered since the apocalypse began, Song Ke thought solemnly.


    Even though awakeners had extraordinary abilities, there were limits to human physical and mental capacities. She could face the endless insect tide alone, but there would still be moments of exhaustion, times when her spiritual strength would be depleted, and she might not return.


    However, hiding here would eventually result in being overwhelmed by the endless horde of zombie cockroaches that would overrun the entire city.


    She wasn¡¯t going to sit and wait for death. If hiding wasn¡¯t an option, then it was time for battle!


    Song Ke raised her hands and formed a tiger seal with her fingers.


    ¡°Sword cuts sight, slays ghosts, tigers, wolves, insects, and rodents, blow, pinch.¡±


    Then, she pressed her two thumbs together and curled the index, middle, and ring fingers, while keeping the little fingers extended, forming a hand seal. The hand seals were intricate and incredibly fast.


    This was the Daoist secret technique of the Golden Sword, a technique representing the divine sword for vanquishing ghosts and demons. Song Ke was that divine sword.


    Of course, her execution of the technique wasn¡¯t perfect. She couldn¡¯t employ it in battle like Zhang Ting and Zhang Ci did. At most, she could go through the motions to stack up a psychological buff. But this was the rule of the Yue Mountain Martial Arts School, and more importantly, Zhang Ting¡¯s rule. Song Ke had always been obedient.


    Different hand seals held different meanings during formal competitions, duels, and challenges.


    The hand seal Song Ke was currently forming meant ¨C to fight to the death.


    Fight only, no retreat.


    With the determination to fight her last battle, she was about to take a step forward ¨C


    ¡°Wait.¡± Zhuang Qingyan grabbed her hat, causing Song Ke¡¯s foot to halt mid-air, and her momentum was greatly reduced.


    Zhuang Qingyan looked at her with a bit of a headache. ¡°Don¡¯t be so reckless. There¡¯s a way out.¡±


    ¡°What¡­ way?¡± Song Ke¡¯s round eyes widened. If there¡¯s a way, why didn¡¯t you say so earlier!


    ¡°I just confirmed it myself,¡± Zhuang Qingyan adjusted his expression, speaking seriously, ¡°Within this batch of insect tide, there¡¯s a ¡®King¡¯ presence.¡±


    ¡°Earlier, I had suspected that this wave of insects wasn¡¯t solely a natural disaster. Do you remember? The zombie cockroaches first appeared in the western mountainous areas, then followed you all to the safe zone, and accurately traced a path from the safe zone to here. Their actions exhibited logic, completely confirming my speculation.¡±


    ¡°Similar to the relationships between male bees, worker bees, and the queen bee in a bee colony, the ¡®King¡¯ within the zombie cockroaches possesses commanding authority. It can command and control all its kind. So, as long as we take down the ¡®King,¡¯ the remaining cockroaches will surely become leaderless, scattered and disorganized.¡±


    The Qinglan Institute had once conducted a secret biological research project for the Alliance known as ¡°Plan Eternity.¡± Zhuang Qingyan had reviewed the confidential information of that project, which included various experimental specimens of arthropods, many of which could be considered monstrous.


    Song Ke blinked and asked, ¡°But how can we find and locate that ¡®King¡¯?¡±


    Below, in the dark abyss, there were easily over tens of thousands of zombie cockroaches. Trying to pinpoint this ¡®King¡¯ from among them seemed like a far-fetched idea.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Zhuang Qingyan slid forward two steps, ¡°I¡¯ll figure something out.¡±


    The black tide had already overrun the surface of Hua City, crawling upward along the shattered walls and debris. If not restrained, in another ten minutes or so, they would have no escape route left and be completely consumed.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s beautiful peach blossom eyes gradually deepened. The countless zombie cockroaches below seemed like faded black-and-white silent films in his eyes. His gaze swiftly swept around ¨C north¡­ no, east¡­ no, south¡­ wait a moment!


    In a corner to the southeast, there was a cluster of filthy and chaotic black energy, that was it!


    Zhuang Qingyan made a quick decision and deduced the direction using the remaining Bagua formation on the ground. ¡°The sound of roaring thunder, Xunfeng advance and retreat. Third Zhen, fourth Xun, then rotate to the right and move out.¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan: ¡°¡­?¡±


    They exchanged puzzled looks.


    Two seconds later, Zhuang Qingyan cleared his throat lightly and rephrased, ¡°Go east first, reach the end, then head southeast for about two hundred meters.¡± S~?a??h the N0??F?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Song Ke, once again: ¡°??¡±


    East? Where is East? And where is the southeast??


    Zhuang Qingyan: ¡°¡­¡±


    He saw a bewildered look on Song Ke¡¯s face.


    Had the collective education in District D reached such a dire state?


    At that moment, Zhuang Qingyan rubbed his forehead helplessly and attempted a third phrasing, ¡°Head straight towards the 3 o¡¯clock direction until the end, then turn right. Head towards 5 o¡¯clock for approximately 200 meters.¡±


    ¡°¡­The ¡®King¡¯ will emit strong radiation. Pay attention to fluctuations in energy around you,¡± he added.


    Song Ke¡¯s face remained expressionless: ¡°Oh.¡±


    She thought, couldn¡¯t he have explained it this simply earlier?


    Zhuang Qingyan: ¡­ Should he feel fortunate that Song Ke can at least read a clock?


    Song Ke carefully turned 90 degrees to face the east, then uncertainly glanced back at Zhuang Qingyan.


    Zhuang Qingyan nodded with a deadpan expression.


    Receiving confirmation, Song Ke tightened her grip on the spear with a determined air. ¡°I¡¯ll go and take it down.¡±


    She leaped down from the high point.


    Her tiny figure crashed into the ground and was instantly engulfed by the swarm of insects.


    However, in the next moment, the long spear burst forth from the ground with an unstoppable force, flipping countless cockroaches over, their six legs flailing in the air.


    With just a single person, she defied an army!


    Song Ke supported herself with one hand, executed a mid-air somersault, and used her foot to kick the spear. The icy-cold tip of the spear continued its assault, the blue light almost leaving an afterimage as it shattered the oncoming swarm of insects like fragments in the wind. One person against thousands!


    Song Ke had no intention of lingering in the battle. She broke through at the fastest speed, her goal being to locate the Insect King.


    Near the Xun gate, the magnetic field fluctuations twisted and tangled chaotically. Song Ke¡¯s steps abruptly halted. She closed her eyes, and her psychic power surged out, quickly sensing something amiss.


    She snapped her eyes open and looked straight ahead. Within the encircling mass of zombie cockroaches, there was one with unique patterns on its back. Its body was as round as a basketball, but its head was incredibly small, like a badminton shuttlecock, and it was squeaking loudly.


    Found it. Song Ke¡¯s face lit up with a satisfied smile.


    She released her grip on the spear, and like a lightning bolt, it shot toward its target. Surprisingly, fear flickered in the Insect King¡¯s compound eyes, and it was about to turn and escape.


    ¡°Thunk¡ª¡± The first shot lodged into its back. The shell there was unusually tough, and though the spear went in, it didn¡¯t penetrate completely. Instead, it left a deep dent, followed by a gush of black fluid.


    ¡°Swoosh¡ª¡± The second shot. The Insect King flapped its wings, narrowly evading the attack. Its panicked squeaks grew more urgent as it fled toward the nearest drainage pipe, intending to burrow underground.


    Song Ke couldn¡¯t let it succeed. Her spiritual power surged, and with the third shot, a blue light brimming with the force of a thunderbolt slashed forward.


    ¡°Thud¡ª¡± This shot pierced the Bug King¡¯s small head. It collapsed at the entrance of the drainage pipe, its antennae broken.


    Song Ke retracted her spear and calmly delivered another strike, ensuring the Insect King¡¯s thorough demise.


    However, after the Insect King¡¯s death, the surrounding swarm of cockroaches didn¡¯t disperse; instead, they seemed to be provoked, converging on Song Ke from all directions.


    Before she could even be shocked, she was already caught in an endless cycle of battle.


    She could only curse silently in her mind, ¡°Zhuang Qingyan, you bastard!!!¡±


    ¡­


    High up in the skyscraper, Zhuang Qingyan quickly realized that something was amiss.


    Why? Ordinary zombie cockroaches didn¡¯t have any self-awareness to begin with. So why, when the Insect King died, did their aggressive tendencies not recede, but instead intensify?


    Suddenly, a dreadful conjecture dawned on him.


    Unless¡­ there were two kings.


    Not just one ¡°King.¡±


    Within the bee colony, fortunate larvae could occupy the royal platform, enjoying royal jelly for their entire lives, eventually transforming into Queens. However, there wasn¡¯t just one royal platform. If two Queens emerged from their pupae simultaneously, a battle to the death between them would inevitably ensue, continuing until one emerged as the ultimate victor.


    What if these two insect kings were in the midst of such a battle?


    Zhuang Qingyan fell into deep thought. If he was one of those insect kings, he wouldn¡¯t foolishly expose himself. He would hide in the shadows, using the help of these foreign creatures (humans) to eliminate his competitor, and then¡­ proceed to eradicate humanity without any reservations.


    Using others to do the dirty work, huh? Perhaps the ¡°King¡± that Song Ke eliminated was just the bait it released.


    The true commander of this swarm of insects was still alive.


    Amidst the patter of raindrops, faint sounds of movement seemed to echo.


    Zhuang Qingyan abruptly turned around. Cockroaches had already climbed up to the edge of the rooftop behind him!


    So fast? They had occupied the rooftop nearly seven to eight minutes earlier than anticipated. No, not all of the zombie cockroaches had arrived. It was only a few thousand, acting like a vanguard. When did he expose himself?


    These zombie cockroaches seemed even fiercer, their gray-white cloudy compound eyes fixed on him, seemingly contemplating where to strike.


    At this distance, even Song Ke herself couldn¡¯t ensure his safety, let alone save him!


    Zhuang Qingyan released his spiritual energy, rapidly surveying the approaching horde of cockroaches.


    None of the zombie cockroaches charging at him possessed the energy of a King?


    How was that possible?


    But Zhuang Qingyan, after all, was Zhuang Qingyan. He was stunned for less than a second before devising a strategy.


    You¡¯re hiding and refusing to show yourself, right? I¡¯ll make sure you have nowhere to hide. Even a low-intelligence bug dares to play tricks with him?


    Zhuang Qingyan raised a crossbow and swiveled his wheelchair half a turn, pretending to aim towards the left with apparent clumsiness. He deliberately exposed a vulnerability on his backside, while the approaching zombie cockroaches mindlessly charged forward.


    Not on the right side, huh¡­


    He feigned defeat, awkwardly turning his wheelchair rightward in a panic, pushing it as if he were trying to escape, his retreat appearing desperate and disheveled.


    The horde of cockroaches behind him suddenly erupted into frenzy, collectively changing their direction to converge on him.


    It¡¯s on the left!


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s fingers danced rapidly, typing a series of commands on the panel. The wheelchair shot out uncontrollably. As the rooftop¡¯s edge drew closer and a fall seemed imminent, he suddenly¡ªswiftly turned around, his head snapping back.


    Within the chaotic swarm of charging cockroaches, a smaller figure stood out. It remained stationary, wings fanned open on its back, antennae raised high, and its mouthparts buzzing rapidly as it issued instructions.


    Found you, little thing, Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s lips curled into a cold smile.


    A sharp killing intent condensed into a thin line, shooting toward the smaller ¡°King¡± at lightning speed.


    Mental force piercing!


    The tiny insect king, which had been hiding in the shadows all this time, was ensnared by invisible threads. It was suspended in midair, its small six-legged body swaying as if it were dangling. The intense and rapid mental force impacts caused its antennae to tremble violently. Finally, with a resounding ¡°pop,¡± it burst open. Its components shattered and scattered, accompanied by bursts of foul-smelling viscous fluid.


    With the true insect king dead, the remaining cockroaches clearly lost their sense of direction, becoming a disorganized rabble. These lower-level zombie creatures lacked intelligence, rendering them impervious to spiritual attacks. Zhuang Qingyan raised the multi-shot crossbow attached to his wheelchair, taking aim. Dozens of powerful energy arrows whizzed through the air, quickly clearing the area.


    Zhuang Qingyan concluded the battle, steering his wheelchair toward the southeast. He lowered his head, gazing at the ground.


    The terrifying cockroach army was rapidly retreating. Amidst the endless waves of black, standing in the distance was a slim figure. She stood on a piece of debris, gripping a spear dripping with a malevolent aura. The spearhead pointed downward, dripping a black, murky liquid. Her whole body was covered in filth, as if she had been pulled from the mud, except for her eyes, which shone remarkably through the rain.


    Separated by a hundred meters, they couldn¡¯t clearly discern each other¡¯s expressions, yet it felt as though their gazes had locked inescapably.


    For no apparent reason, Zhuang Qingyan smiled.


    **TN


    The sound of roaring thunder¡­ ¨C Zhuang Qingyan was using a mantra here for the footwork of Tiangang Bagua Step, I¡¯m not familiar with it, but each step has a mantra

 Chapter 24: Rainy Night in Hua City (16)

    ¡òPlease show your ID¡òSeparated by a considerable distance, Song Ke couldn¡¯t see Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s expression clearly. She could only faintly make out him waving his hand, probably indicating¡­ that he was calling her over?


    Just a moment ago, when the swarm of cockroaches suddenly went into a frenzy, Song Ke had prepared herself for a desperate fight. Unexpectedly, as she continued fighting, the surrounding insect tide inexplicably receded. It was truly bizarre. She intended to go over and ask Zhuang Qingyan what he was up to.


    Song Ke holstered her spear, leaped off the rock, and walked forward with brisk steps.


    The wind picked up.


    Raindrops swirled in the air.


    From far to near, the muffled rumble of thunder approached.


    Song Ke¡¯s footsteps gradually slowed down, and suddenly she turned her head. She sensed a strong surge of spiritual energy!


    In just a few seconds, a phenomenon emerged.


    Dark clouds churned on the horizon, and thousands of purple lightning bolts struck down. The ground was filled with swirling sand and dirt, forming mounds resembling old Mongolian yurts, entrapping the scattered and fleeing cockroach swarm. Following closely, heavy snow filled the air, and a multitude of ice spears rained down, freezing countless cockroaches in their tracks.


    Those zombie cockroaches were first struck by lightning, then buried in dirt, and finally frozen. No matter how many there were, they couldn¡¯t withstand the onslaught of various natural disasters. They fell in waves, like wheat cleanly harvested.


    Such commotion could only be created by those with supernatural abilities.


    After the unknown awakeners finished off the cockroaches, they didn¡¯t stop. Several tall individuals carrying large equipment swiftly jumped onto a nearby slope. There, they set up mobile artillery that Song Ke had never seen before¡ªsleek and futuristic in design.


    ¡°Boom, boom, boom¡ª¡± Deep red super particle shells were fired in unison, smashing into the zombies inside the sinkhole. The barrage continued, the smoke lingered, and for a good ten minutes, the sinkhole was filled with the sound of the cannonade. No more screams came from inside.


    Song Ke stood there dumbfounded, mouth agape, her eyes forgetting to blink.


    Zhuang Qingyan finally descended from the rooftop and found his golden thigh. What met his eyes was Song Ke, looking like a naive country girl who had never seen the world.


    He smiled, saying, ¡°It looks like reinforcements have arrived.¡±


    Further along the inner circle of the road, four or five people were slowly pushing a massive terminal.


    ¡°How¡¯s the road clearance?¡± a thin flat-headed man approached, asking the busy team members.


    Ouyang Pei, an earth-element ability user in the group, replied, ¡°The main road is almost crumbling to pieces. We managed to clear a few small paths, but there are still quite a number of zombies and insects here. Is this an insect plague? I¡¯ve always been afraid of these things; they give me the creeps.¡±


    Ouyang Pei absentmindedly touched the goosebumps on his arm as he continued, ¡°Maybe I should go clear the zombies with Qiangzi¡­¡±


    The flat-headed man, Maeda Jiu, whispered, ¡°They¡¯re just some mutated low-level insects. Get rid of them quickly, and don¡¯t let the captain see you acting scared.¡±


    At the thought of their captain¡¯s cold face, Ouyang Pei suddenly became spirited, as if infused with chicken blood. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll make sure to complete the mission!¡±


    He diligently resumed clearing the insect tide. After a while, he stretched his neck and shouted in surprise, ¡°Doesn¡¯t it seem like there are people ahead?¡±


    Before the echo of his words subsided, the others in the team started laughing one after another. ¡°Quick, treat your nearsightedness, Ouyang. You mistook zombies for humans?¡±


    Ouyang Pei spat, ¡°Get lost! I¡¯m nearsighted, not blind!¡±


    An Qiwen had just returned from the front. Upon hearing this, he snapped his fingers, and purple lightning crackled. ¡°Most of the survivors should have gone underground from here. How could there still be ordinary people? Maybe they¡¯re awakeners?¡±


    An Qiwen flexed his long legs, stepping directly over the pile of cockroach corpses resembling a small hill, and gazed in the direction Ouyang Pei had mentioned. Indeed, he saw two small black dots¡ªone sitting and one standing¡ªas if engaged in a conversation.


    ¡°Hey, there really are people,¡± he turned his head to call a man behind him, ¡°Captain, what do you think?¡±


    ¡°Go over and take a look,¡± Wu Juemin said in a deep voice, ¡°Verify their identities.¡±


    Song Ke and Zhuang Qingyan hadn¡¯t spoken for long when the group of awakeners spotted them and started walking towards their direction.


    A group of tall individuals, all around 1.8 meters in height, strode towards them in unison, indeed carrying an imposing aura. From the scene itself, an intangible sense of pressure was imparted, except that within this group of tall individuals, a boy of around a dozen years old was mixed in. He was taking small hurried steps to keep up, which appeared somewhat comical and discordant.


    Upon drawing closer, one of the men with clear eyebrows and eyes spoke, ¡°Both of you, please present your identification.¡±


    Song Ke didn¡¯t move.


    Identification? What was that? She wondered; she was an undocumented individual, and besides, District F never required such things.


    Zhuang Qingyan also didn¡¯t move, his gaze skimming over the silver insignia on the soldiers¡¯ shoulder patches, lost in thought.


    An Qiwen frowned, thinking they might not have heard him well, and repeated loudly, ¡°Please present your identification¡­ Oh? Little sister, you look quite familiar. Have we met somewhere before?¡±


    Though his words sounded like a pickup line, there was no trace of recklessness or frivolity on An Qiwen¡¯s face, only a serious contemplation.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you that person? The one from the docks! Captain, do you remember?¡± An Qiwen quickly recalled and loudly reminded Wu Juemin.


    Oh no, why is it them!


    Song Ke tightened her grip on the spear in her hand, nervously sidestepping behind Zhuang Qingyan. Her disheveled appearance clearly indicated she had just been through a battle; the lingering fierceness on her weapon hadn¡¯t faded. Even a fool could tell that she was an awakener.


    The worst part was that she had vehemently denied being an awakener the last time, and now, she had been caught red-handed.


    Grandfather was right; people really shouldn¡¯t lie.


    ¡°It¡¯s you.¡± Wu Juemin walked closer, his movements deliberate. Yet, with each step he took, an overwhelming pressure surged toward Song Ke.


    ¡°Engaging with mutants, concealing one¡¯s awakener identity, leaving the safe zone without permission¡ªyour actions have constituted a severe threat to public safety. According to Article 45, Section 11 of the Alliance¡¯s emergency regulations, I have the authority to detain you.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan looked at Song Ke. He emitted a formidable spiritual pressure, but she seemed unresponsive. Well, her eyelids drooped, her cheeks puffed out¡ªoh? She¡¯s unhappy?


    It made sense; she had been so badly mistreated, unable to refute them, and she was probably feeling quite indignant.


    Zhuang Qingyan chuckled inwardly. He slowly maneuvered his wheelchair forward, positioning himself in front of Song Ke.


    ¡°Hold on a moment, Commander.¡±


    ¡°I believe you might be mistaken about something.¡±


    Wu Juemin cast him a sidelong glance. ¡°Mistaken? Do you have objections to the facts I¡¯ve listed?¡±


    Unfazed, Zhuang Qingyan maintained his composure and spun a falsehood, ¡°Commander, my friend here awakened as an ability user just last night. There wasn¡¯t even time to report, so how could this be considered concealment?¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°¡­¡±


    While she had long been aware of Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s skill at telling lies with a straight face, every time she personally experienced it, she marveled at his thick skin.


    Wu Juemin¡¯s gaze was as sharp as a blade, and his cold expression seemed to convey: Do you think I believe you?


    ¡°As for leaving the safe zone without permission, ah, that¡¯s a misunderstanding. We evacuated with the main forces, but we just couldn¡¯t compete with others. We weren¡¯t able to get into the Bagua Formation and ended up being unlucky to be left outside.¡±


    ¡°And¡­ engaging with mutants,¡± Zhuang Qingyan lifted an eyebrow, his tone light and unhurried, ¡°What law has she violated? The Alliance has never introduced any legislation concerning mutants. Or, are you using the internal discipline of the Azure Phoenix to hold a civilian accountable?¡±


    Wu Juemin suddenly fixed his gaze on Zhuang Qingyan, ¡°Who are you?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan grinned, ¡°I¡¯m a researcher from the Qinglan Institute, and this is my identification.¡± S?a??h th? ?ov?l?ir?.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    He looked completely innocent, almost as if he wanted to etch ¡°I¡¯m an upright citizen¡± on his forehead.


    In silence, Wu Juemin accepted his work badge, glanced down to check, and then instructed the team members behind him, ¡°Go verify it.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Captain.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan interjected at the opportune moment, ¡°Commander, we¡¯ve shown you our identification. It wouldn¡¯t be fair to detain us, would it?¡±


    Wu Juemin didn¡¯t answer, still fixated on Song Ke. ¡°What about her identification?¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s face reddened even more.


    Zhuang Qingyan raised an eyebrow. ¡°My friend is from District F.¡±


    Wu Juemin asked, ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°The high-ranking officials in the military, aloof and detached from the people¡¯s lives, might not fully understand the situation. It¡¯s forgivable. People from District F not having identification is just the norm, isn¡¯t it? And strictly speaking, the military isn¡¯t in charge of matters related to household registration, right?¡±


    He spoke with a sharp tongue, targeting Wu Juemin at every turn. The members of the team behind him were visibly angered, struggling to control their irritability.


    Wu Juemin didn¡¯t seem to mind. He stopped his subordinates with an unaffected expression. ¡°Indeed, the military isn¡¯t in charge of that, but I need to confirm whether she poses a threat.¡±


    ¡°Commander, perhaps you¡¯re being too broad in your oversight. My friend and I are just law-abiding citizens.¡±


    Cooperatively, Song Ke nodded at ¡°law-abiding.¡±


    ¡°Captain, verification is complete. The documents are genuine,¡± the team member who had just checked the documents reported back to Wu Juemin, lowering his voice to add, ¡°But his clearance level is very high; we couldn¡¯t access specific information.¡±


    After listening to his subordinate¡¯s report, Wu Juemin calmly scanned the identification in his hand once again. The young man in the photograph appeared thin, with prominent dark circles under his pale skin. While his appearance was elegant, an inescapable sense of melancholy seemed to linger.


    Then, Wu Juemin looked at Zhuang Qingyan again. Sitting in the wheelchair, he was slick-tongued, not appearing like a researcher, but rather carrying the authoritative manner typical of those well-born young masters from District B, which Wu Juemin had encountered before¡ªbossy and domineering.


    ¡°You¡¯re a researcher?¡±


    ¡°Without a doubt.¡±


    ¡°What field of research?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan wiped away a small droplet of water that had splashed onto the wheelchair. He replied with all seriousness, ¡°I am a senior maintenance technician for the Weather Mimicry System.¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°???¡±


    She was so astonished that she nearly bit her own tongue.


    Hold on, weren¡¯t you a pharmaceutical researcher just two days ago?

 Chapter 25: Rainy Night in Hua City (17)

    ¡òDeceiving Them¡ò¡°I am a senior maintenance technician for the Weather Mimicry System.¡±


    With this statement, several members of the Azure Phoenix team showed expressions of skepticism and caution on their faces.


    Deputy Captain Maeda Jiu¡¯s reaction was particularly direct. He let out a cold snort from his nose and muttered something in an incomprehensible dialect. s?a??h th? N?v?lFir?(.)n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Huh? What a coincidence?¡± An Qiwen clasped his hands behind his head and expressed his astonishment in a peculiar manner.


    Was it really such a coincidence? Just when they felt drowsy, someone showed up to provide a pillow? Their captain was struggling with the temperamental mimicry system, unable to shut it down or dismantle it. And now, this person appeared out of the blue, claiming to be able to fix it?


    ¡°Not a coincidence,¡± Zhuang Qingyan explained with conviction, ¡°The T014 mimicry system was due for its annual inspection. Headquarters dispatched us for a business trip, but as soon as we arrived in Hua City, heavy rain began. I suspected that T014 had malfunctioned. However, with the city overrun by zombies, I accidentally got separated from my colleague and couldn¡¯t contact anyone else. That¡¯s why there was a delay until now.¡±


    Separated? Didn¡¯t you eliminate your colleagues one by one? Song Ke silently ridiculed, she remembered it all too clearly!


    Wu Juemin¡¯s keen eyes scrutinized Zhuang Qingyan. From the latter¡¯s expression, he couldn¡¯t determine if he was lying.


    The ID had been verified, it was genuine, and the photo did indeed match him¡­ Furthermore, he likely didn¡¯t know yet, but if he dared to lie about this matter, he would be exposed immediately.


    Wu Juemin was more concerned about one thing: ¡°Can you fix it on your own?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°Good, I¡¯ll give you the time. You are responsible for restoring T014 to its original state.¡±


    ¡°Wait a moment, Commander,¡± Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s smile seemed to hold a deeper meaning, ¡°Under what capacity are you ordering me right now?¡±


    Wu Juemin abruptly raised his head. He was dressed in the standard uniform of the Alliance combat task force, which accentuated his aura of seriousness and coldness.


    His voice was deep and authoritative, ¡°I am Captain Wu Juemin, commanding the 11th squad of the Azure Phoenix Detachment, a specialized force under the New Asia Alliance. At the moment, I am requesting your cooperation in our work to restore the normal functions of the T014 Weather Mimicry System, citing a critical military mission.¡±


    Over a decade ago, the Alliance¡¯s Azure Phoenix forces and the Qinglan Institute shared intelligence and supported each other. They had even collaborated deeply for a time. Wu Juemin¡¯s request as a military officer to cooperate with a Qinglan researcher didn¡¯t seem unreasonable.


    Unfortunately, that was over a decade ago. Their relationship now¡­ Zhuang Qingyan sneered inwardly.


    Of course, he maintained a polite demeanor on the surface.


    ¡°Oh, it turns out you¡¯re from Azure Phoenix. I¡¯ll definitely cooperate then. Captain Wu, could you please lead us to the control center of T014? Oh, that center should be in the nearest branch of Qinglan. The exact location¡­¡±


    ¡°No need,¡± Wu Juemin interrupted.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Zhuang Qingyan blinked slightly.


    ¡°The control center has already been transported here.¡±


    Wu Juemin lifted his wrist and tapped lightly, summoning the projection interface of his communicator. The air around them distorted for a moment, and the next second, the real-time footage of the Azure Phoenix logistics team appeared. A giant terminal was being escorted by four or five people, moving slowly forward.


    Song Ke listened to their conversation absentmindedly, her chin resting on her hand. Once her mind relaxed, drowsiness surged over her. She was almost falling asleep when she saw the novel gadget, instantly widening her eyes.


    What is this thing? It looks so powerful!


    From the projection, Zhuang Qingyan clearly saw that enormous object. His perfect expression finally showed a slight crack.


    So, this was what he meant by ¡°transported here.¡± Were the people from Azure Phoenix all like this now? Unable to establish a connection to the backend terminal, did they simply resort to forcefully dismantling the central unit of T014?


    These overbearing military bandits¡­ No wonder the torrential rain in Hua City had only lessened and not completely stopped.


    Zhuang Qingyan took a deep breath. He struggled to suppress the mockery on the tip of his tongue. ¡°If the internal system can¡¯t be connected, I must systematically troubleshoot the problems. It might take a few days.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. We¡¯ll stay here for a few days,¡± Wu Juemin nodded, then pointed to Song Ke with his finger. ¡°However, until you fix T014, she must stay with you.¡±


    The captain of Azure Phoenix was inherently cautious. He hadn¡¯t completely dropped his suspicion of Song Ke; keeping her close was another form of surveillance.


    ¡­


    And so, Song Ke and Zhuang Qingyan followed Wu Juemin and his team to the temporary residence of Azure Phoenix.


    Although it was called a residence, it was quite rudimentary. It was even cleared out temporarily using their abilities¡ªan isolated residential building.


    It would take some time for the logistics team to bring over the central unit. Song Ke found an empty room, and under Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s ¡°strong¡± request and disgusted eyes, she cleaned herself up thoroughly, washing away the viscous fluid from her encounter with the swarm of zombie cockroaches.


    After tidying up, like a boneless cat, Song Ke stretched her limbs and collapsed onto the bed. Finally, she could rest.


    Immediately, she turned over, staring fixedly at Zhuang Qingyan.


    ¡°That T, T014, can you really, really fix it?¡± Song Ke expressed a great deal of doubt. What if this ¡®Zhuang¡¯ guy was all talk and no substance?


    Grandpa had said that some men loved to brag.


    Zhuang Qingyan grinned, ¡°You¡¯re this skeptical of me?¡±


    ¡°And you, you even claimed to be a, a pharma, pharmaceutical researcher,¡± Song Ke countered logically.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Zhuang Qingyan appeared calm, ¡°That¡¯s correct, a pharmaceutical researcher, but, part-time.¡±


    ¡°Hmph.¡± Song Ke huffed.


    ¡°Actually, being a senior maintenance technician is also part-time.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan chatted and joked, then dropped a bombshell, ¡°You guessed it right, I can¡¯t fix any weather mimetic system.¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°!¡±


    Seeing her startled expression, Zhuang Qingyan continued to fan the flames, ¡°So, I was lying to them just now.¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°!!¡±


    Her fingers shifted to the edge of the bed, clutching the strap of her backpack. She seemed ready to make a sudden escape at any moment.


    Zhuang Qingyan noticed her subtle movement and smiled brightly, his peach blossom eyes sparkling.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, T014 doesn¡¯t need any repairs, just turn it off.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯ll need to put in some effort to bypass the firewall. After all, this isn¡¯t my area of expertise.¡±


    He winked mysteriously, ¡°This time I¡¯m telling the truth.¡±


    The Synoptic Mimetic System (SMS) was a cutting-edge technological creation independently developed by the Azure Phoenix Research Institute. It made its official debut in the year 20 of the New Era, alongside the Lu starships, as a remarkable achievement of the ¡°Glorious Thirty Years.¡± Its primary function was to monitor and improve weather conditions. When extreme weather conditions reached a threshold or were about to exceed the limits humans could endure, artificial intelligence would calculate and automatically intervene and adjust. For example, if an area experienced extreme heat, the SMS could release rain and cooling measures to alter local weather and maintain climate balance.


    Currently, over a hundred SMS units were deployed by the Alliance, distributed across cities ranging from Class B to Class D, covering nearly 90% of regions. The unit near Hua City was numbered T014.


    The rampage of T014 was the main cause of the torrential rain in Hua City.


    After hearing Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s explanation, Song Ke suddenly recalled the day of the heavy rain and the falling incident at the Starship Harbor. Could these two events be related? She quickly shared her speculation with Zhuang Qingyan.


    ¡°You think the collision of the starship caused T014 to go out of control? Hmm¡­ that¡¯s not impossible,¡± Zhuang Qingyan responded with an ambiguous statement.


    Song Ke still had one more question, ¡°Why did, did those people want to, to fix it?¡±


    ¡°If the out-of-control T014 continued running indefinitely, it wouldn¡¯t just affect Hua City. It would flood all the areas it covered. By then, it wouldn¡¯t just be solved by sacrificing Hua City.¡±


    ¡°So complicated¡­¡± Song Ke scratched her head, finding it hard to fully understand.


    Mischievously, Zhuang Qingyan intentionally reminded her, ¡°You haven¡¯t used up your quota for questions today. Do you have any more?¡±


    Actually, she did, but¡­


    Song Ke absentmindedly touched her wrist through the air, hesitated for a moment, and then couldn¡¯t resist, ¡°That thing, thing from earlier, when you tap it and, and a picture appears, what is it?¡± She swung her legs excitedly and opened her hands wide, mimicking the action.


    ¡°Child~¡± Zhuang Qingyan chuckled. Only a child would be interested in new toys. ¡°That¡¯s a communication terminal specific to District B.¡±


    ¡°¡­Oh.¡± As soon as she heard it was from District B, her excitement waned.


    District B, it was separated from CDEF, quite far away. Grandpa had strictly forbidden her to go there.


    ¡°Interested?¡±


    Song Ke blinked, neither confirming nor denying.


    With a slight movement of his right hand, Zhuang Qingyan conjured a female version of the communication terminal out of nowhere, teasing her like a cat, ¡°Here, take it to play.¡±


    It was a mini-terminal in silver-white. Although communication and positioning were forcibly disabled, other functions could still be used. Song Ke fiddled with the built-in camera, projecting images onto the floor and playing with it happily.


    ¡°Is it fun?¡± Zhuang Qingyan asked beside her.


    ¡°En.¡±


    ¡°Do you know who this belongs to?¡± Zhuang Qingyan added casually.


    ¡°Who, whose?¡±


    ¡°Wu Yarou¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right~ You know her too.¡±


    ¡°How about it? Remember now?¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°¡­¡±


    It seemed, perhaps¡­ sort of¡­ she had a vague impression?


    Song Ke¡¯s memory rapidly rewound to the day when she first met Zhuang Qingyan. At that time, he had taken advantage of the chaos and taken something from the bodies of the two people. She vaguely remembered expressing strong disdain for such behavior.


    She remembered.


    Song Ke felt extremely uncomfortable.

 Chapter 26: Rainy Night in Hua City (18)

    ¡òA small white lotus flower¡òAs Song Ke chased Zhuang Qingyan around the room, the sound of faint movements reached them from the doorway.


    The door of this room had been mostly broken for a while now. Through the gap, a strange little boy peeked in, secretly observing them. Upon meeting their gazes, the boy¡¯s shoulders trembled, and he quickly ran away in fear.


    Embarrassed, Song Ke put down the half-folded table she had been holding. Had she scared the boy away?


    After about half an hour, the boy tiptoed back, still hesitant to come in. His curious eyes lingered on Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s right leg and wheelchair for two seconds before swiftly moving away and landing on Song Ke. He stared at her with curiosity.


    Song Ke felt stiff under his gaze, refraining from making any sudden movements. She had never been good at dealing with these soft and delicate human cubs. The only one she could somewhat consider familiar was Uncle Bing¡¯s son, Xiao Bao. However, that rascal was always throwing stones at her, giving her a bad impression. Whenever she saw him, she just wanted to kick his butt.


    This boy was different from Xiao Bao; he was much more timid.


    Nervously, Song Ke sat on the chair. Her gaze coincidentally met his. The boy had soft brown hair, with curls falling around his ears. His small face was fair, and he wore finely crafted long sleeves and pants that made him look like a model from a magazine.


    Song Ke glanced at him, then took another look. Huh? He seemed oddly familiar?


    Wait a minute, she remembered. Wasn¡¯t this Xu Weiguo¡¯s son? Called¡­ Xu Xing? The day Song Ke left F177 District from Fools Wharf, Xu Xing had lost control of his abilities due to a scare involving Aunt Qing and Xiao Bao. Wu Juemin and the others had knocked him unconscious and taken him away. She didn¡¯t expect to meet him again here.


    So, in a way, they were still from the same hometown!


    Song Ke nervously fiddled with the hem of her clothes, building up her courage for a while. Finally, she mustered the bravery to greet Xu Xing.


    But as she lifted her head, the boy had run away.


    Song Ke: ¡°¡­¡±


    The second day, the third day, the fourth day¡­


    For the next week, Xu Xing would come by Song Ke¡¯s door, circling around, checking if she was there. Sometimes he caught glimpses of her testing new spiritual weapons. He would linger at the door for a while, his eyes curiously fixed on her. However, he was very shy and well-behaved, always smiling innocently at Song Ke with his eyes bent, yet he never dared to come inside.


    During this time, Zhuang Qingyan was often not in the room. The control center of T014 was successfully transported to the base, and every day, he would be escorted under the vigilant gaze of Maeda Jiu for ¡°troubleshooting and maintenance,¡± although according to Zhuang Qingyan, it was more like ¡°breaking through the firewall.¡± Of course, Song Ke could tell he was just slacking off. He would spend about ten minutes typing away at the screen every day and shamelessly pass off the rest of the time by saying, ¡°The terminal can run automatically.¡±


    Maeda Jiu and the others were skeptical but had no choice. After all, they didn¡¯t understand the technology. If they hadn¡¯t confirmed Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s work credentials countless times, they probably wouldn¡¯t have tolerated him for so long.


    As for Wu Juemin, he led his team members to clear out the zombies, remove obstacles, and worked with clear divisions of labor. They took turns resting, staying busy non-stop.


    The high members of the Phoenix Military squad were not easy to get along with. If you wanted someone easier to talk to, An Qiwen could barely pass as one. After a few days of observation and with occasional leading questions from Zhuang Qingyan, Song Ke gradually understood the specifics of this team of awakeners.


    The legendary Phoenix army was indeed an army composed entirely of awakeners.


    The team led by Wu Juemin, called the 11th Squad, was labeled a ¡°squad,¡± but in reality, it had a full forty members. The highest-ranked awakener was the squad leader Wu Juemin, an A-level speed type. According to An Qiwen, the teleportation Song Ke had witnessed was just a part of his ability. Wu Juemin¡¯s true strength was unfathomable.


    An Qiwen was a B-level electric-type awakener. His primary focus was on large-scale group damage, making him the main force against the insect tide.


    Once, Song Ke secretly climbed onto a rooftop to observe. When An Qiwen released his ability, the sky within a radius of two kilometers dimmed as if it were night. Occasional lightning arcs and thunderous roars filled the air. The pure purple light almost seemed to tear through the sky, its power incredibly astonishing.


    If a B-level awakener was this powerful, how strong would an A-level be?


    Song Ke¡¯s competitive spirit was itching to challenge Wu Juemin to a fight, to test their strengths against each other.


    Of course, that desire was currently only in the ¡°thinking¡± stage.


    Song Ke was confident in herself, but if she were to win a fight against Wu Juemin and he got angry and captured her, she felt that would be quite troublesome. Ah well, best to just forget about it.


    Apart from Wu Juemin and An Qiwen, the other team members were C-level and D-level awakeners. For instance, Ouyang Pei had C-level earth-type abilities, Maeda Jiu had a C-level defensive barrier, and Wang Qiang had D-level wind-type abilities, and so on¡­


    In addition to the official members, there were also temporary members in the base¡¯s logistics, such as Xu Xing. They were originally civilians from various regions. Before the apocalypse, Wu Juemin had a awakener detection device, and through it, he discovered many newly awakened ability users. After doomsday, these people had nowhere to go, so Wu Juemin temporarily incorporated them into the team, having them take care of transportation and cleaning work.


    Excluding these logistics personnel, Song Ke counted and realized that the true number of Phoenix Military squad members was down to twelve people.


    When Wu Juemin revealed his identity to Zhuang Qingyan, he had mentioned that they were carrying out an important mission. However, regarding the details of the mission, everyone had tacitly agreed to keep their lips sealed, showing a strong sense of secrecy.


    From An Qiwen, Song Ke also learned another piece of less favorable news: the Bagua Formation¡¯s core couldn¡¯t be activated from the outside.


    The Bagua Formation was the strongest defense mechanism in Hua City. When it detected a serious natural disaster from the outside, it would abandon the vehicle to protect the commander and cut off all communication with external facilities. The entire core of the formation would be hidden in a pit several kilometers deep. The core was stocked with ample supplies that could last around five years for thirty thousand people. Because it was the final resort, once activated, it meant being cut off from the outside world. The core could only be reopened through an internal control console.


    Wu Juemin had attempted to access the communication channel of the core but with limited success. This frequency band required specialized access permissions. The activation of the core had been so rushed that there was no guarantee that the personnel inside were even alive.


    In short, the chances of seeing those people from No.1 Middle School again were extremely slim. Song Ke could only hope that Jiang Rui and Tian Yi were able to survive inside.


    ¡­


    The days passed uneventfully for a week until there was finally a turn of events ¨C Xu Xing came in.


    Song Ke heard a knock on the door and looked up, seeing the small figure of Xu Xing holding a large bag of supplies, with only his fluffy head visible.


    Carrying too much, his balance was off. Xu Xing wobbled his way in and gave a shy smile. After observing the door for the past few days, his courage had grown slightly. ¡°Uncle An asked me to bring some things over.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Song Ke expressed her gratitude as she took the supplies with one hand.


    Neither of them was skilled in social interactions. After Xu Xing put down the supplies, Song Ke awkwardly said, ¡°Sit,¡± and they both quickly fell silent.


    Seeking help, Song Ke looked towards the only articulate speaker in the room, Zhuang Qingyan.


    Zhuang Qingyan just smiled elegantly and said, ¡°I¡¯m going to check on T014.¡±


    That¡¯s it? He was just leaving?


    It felt like he was impatiently leaving to escape from playing with a child, just like an irresponsible parent using any excuse to get away.


    Watching his carefree figure as he left, Song Ke¡¯s swallowtail dart flipped up and down in her hand, seemingly with a hint of sharpening.


    Xu Xing¡¯s short legs swung up and down on the stool, and after watching her play with the dart for a while, he clapped his hands enthusiastically, saying, ¡°You¡¯re so amazing!¡±


    Song Ke paused for a moment, her dart becoming even more haphazard in her hand.


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen you,¡± in the quiet atmosphere, Xu Xing suddenly spoke up, ¡°Uncle An said that you and my dad were in the same cabin.¡±


    His big watery eyes looked at Song Ke, a hopeful expression on his face. ¡°Sister, can I ask you something?¡±


    Song Ke couldn¡¯t possibly refuse, ¡°Ye-yes.¡±


    ¡°Do you know where my dad went?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°My dad, his name is Xu Weiguo, contact number is 042xxxx¡­¡±


    The child had pretty good memory, he immediately recited his parent¡¯s information.


    Thinking for a moment, Song Ke recalled that the civilian starship had last landed in a food factory in the northeastern suburbs of Hua City. If nothing unexpected happened, Xu Weiguo should still be there, but that¡¯s assuming nothing unexpected¡­ In the events of doomsday, no one could say for sure.


    Seeing her not answering for a while, Xu Xing¡¯s big eyes filled with tears, and he started crying like dropping pearls, saying, ¡°Sister, I want to find my dad.¡±


    ¡°Wuwu, dad¡­¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°¡­¡±


    Don¡¯t, don¡¯t be like this. How did you end up crying while talking?


    ¡­


    During this period, Zhuang Qingyan hadn¡¯t been resting well.


    During the day, he had to deal with the gloomy Maeda Jiu and also divert his attention to breaking through the firewall of T014. He wasn¡¯t lying about this point; although he owed a bit to a ¡°friend¡± who shared knowledge on how to bypass AI monitoring on the star network, it wasn¡¯t his expertise. He had to grope through each step, and he had to make Maeda Jiu believe he was ¡°repairing and troubleshooting.¡± It was far from easy. s?a??h th? N???lFire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    At night, when he stayed in the same room with Song Ke, the girl would just flop onto the bed without a care and fall asleep. But Zhuang Qingyan couldn¡¯t do that. He had been extremely cautious since childhood. He absolutely didn¡¯t allow anyone near him when he rested. Otherwise, with his vigilant consciousness, he wouldn¡¯t be able to fall asleep no matter what.


    If he were to tell this to Song Ke, that little girl would probably widen her eyes and mutter incomprehensibly, scolding him, ¡°So¡­ so troublesome.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan tiredly pinched his brow, tilting the back of his wheelchair 45 degrees to transform it into a recliner mode. He relaxedly lay on it, hands resting on his belly, his mental ability gently enveloping the surroundings. He closed his eyes.


    Outside, raindrops pattered rhythmically. Amid the monotonous and repetitive white noise, his breathing gradually became calm.


    Suddenly, a clear child¡¯s voice rang out, ¡°Uncle An, tomorrow, I¡¯ll continue monitoring those two people, alright?¡±


    ¡°Xiao Xing is so active?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I want to help you with more work, so Uncle and the others can rest more!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re such a good kid.¡± An Qiwen patted Xu Xing¡¯s head.


    ¡°Uncle An, when are we leaving this place?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a question for the captain.¡±


    ¡°Wuwu, the captain is so strict, I¡¯m scared.¡±


    ¡°Uncle An, are you hungry? I have cookies here, want some~¡±


    ¡°Uncle An¡­¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan opened his eyes, and his mental ability spread outward, quickly locating the source of the voice.


    The spot where the two were talking was quite far from Zhuang Qingyan, and Xu Xing and An Qiwen hadn¡¯t noticed him at all.


    Xu Xing was hopping around An Qiwen like a little bird, cheerful under the sunlight, speaking sweetly with every ¡°Uncle An,¡± making An Qiwen smile from ear to ear.


    It was a complete contrast to the shy and timid demeanor he had shown in front of them these past few days.


    Zhuang Qingyan tapped his wheelchair¡¯s armrest, gradually narrowing his eyes.


    Ah, so it was a small white lotus after all.

 Chapter 27: Rainy Night in Hua City (19)

    ¡òYour father is dead¡ò¡°Xu Xing wanted you to accompany him to find someone?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°You agreed?¡±


    Song Ke nodded, she had no resistance to the soft and gentle human cub. When Xu Xing cried, she surrendered.


    ¡°With so many people in Azure Phoenix, Xu Xing didn¡¯t go to them for help, but came to you?¡±


    ¡°I, I don¡¯t know, maybe, he¡¯s, timid?¡±


    Thinking about Wu Juemin¡¯s stern expression, it was indeed quite intimidating.


    Zhuang Qingyan emitted a soft hum from his nose, as if Song Ke were a foolish ruler bewitched by a femme fatale.


    ¡°Timid? Didn¡¯t you say his father was a smuggler? A sly and cunning merchant can raise an innocent son?¡±


    ¡°Have you heard an old saying from the ancient civilization? A mouse¡¯s son can make holes.¡±


    ¡°?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t understand?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t even understand this, and you dare to believe strangers so easily?¡±


    Song Ke gazed at him with pure and clear eyes, murmuring softly, ¡°I also, believe in you.¡±


    When we first met, weren¡¯t we strangers too? You even lied to me that you were a pharmaceutical researcher!


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s movement paused, evidently that example was quite a failure.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid he¡¯ll deceive you? That child is an ice-type ability user of unknown level.¡±


    ¡°Not afraid.¡±


    What¡¯s there to deceive her about? She doesn¡¯t have money, and she¡¯s not as knowledgeable as Zhuang Qingyan. Apart from knowing how to fight a little bit, oh no, she¡¯s especially good at fighting. Anyone who wants to deceive her needs to think twice.


    The long spear in Song Ke¡¯s hand spun into a beautiful floral pattern, ¡°Whoever deceives me, I¡¯ll, I¡¯ll beat them!¡±


    Truly straightforward and brutal¡­ way of thinking.


    Zhuang Qingyan choked.


    ¡°¡­As you wish.¡±


    Song Ke zipped up her backpack, turned to him and asked, ¡°Are you going?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan was reading her old light screen, not even looking up as he coldly refused, ¡°Not going.¡±


    Song Ke stared at his profile for a few seconds, feeling that he seemed somewhat unhappy. It wasn¡¯t like the time at the safe zone when he insisted on escorting her to the entrance and said those mushy words. Song Ke felt a bit melancholic for no reason. But then again, she hadn¡¯t done anything wrong, so why feel guilty? In the end, it¡¯s all Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s fault!


    After several days of effort by Wu Juemin and the others, the roads around Hua City had mostly been cleared, and even the number of zombies had sharply decreased. Song Ke had gone out twice in the past few days, disappearing for a while without drawing too much attention. If she walked a bit faster, she could go and return before nightfall.


    Amid the ruins of steel and concrete, Song Ke moved swiftly, occasionally stopping to ask, ¡°Are you tired?¡±


    Xu Xing was chasing her, his little face flushed, panting heavily, yet he managed to keep up, ¡°Sister, I¡¯m not tired.¡±


    Almost forgot, he¡¯s also an awakener, and an ice-type with strong offensive abilities.


    Song Ke always saw him as a harmless kid, but in reality, Xu Xing¡¯s physical qualities had already surpassed those of an average adult man.


    [Hua City Suburban Area, Food Factory.]


    The guard post two kilometers away had collapsed and been abandoned. The 500-square-meter warehouse stood silently.


    Song Ke had a bad feeling. She whispered to Xu Xing, ¡°Wait here, I¡¯ll go over and take a look first.¡±


    Xu Xing gripped the straps of his backpack and nodded obediently.


    Like a nimble deer, Song Ke lightly stepped along the wall, smoothly climbed onto the roof, and looked inside through a skylight. The interior of the warehouse resembled a garbage disposal site, with rotten food covering the floor. A sea of people could be seen, all zombies!


    Song Ke searched for Xu Weiguo¡¯s figure but distinguishing individuals in the crowd of zombies, pressed shoulder to shoulder, was quite challenging.


    A slight movement came from behind. Song Ke turned around, only to find that Xu Xing had also climbed up without her noticing.


    She raised a finger to signal him to be silent. Xu Xing immediately understood and covered his mouth with his small hand. His gaze shifted around, and when he saw the huge number of zombies inside, his eyes widened in shock.


    Fortunately, Xu Xing was just scared; he didn¡¯t scream. He wiped the foggy skylight glass with his sleeve and joined Song Ke in searching for Xu Weiguo. After a while, Xu Xing pointed to a figure in the distance and excitedly whispered, ¡°Daddy!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Daddy! That¡¯s my dad!¡±


    Following his direction, Song Ke saw a man with a shiny golden belt around his waist. No wonder Xu Xing could recognize him at a glance. However, the man¡¯s body had swelled up several times, not resembling a normal person.


    Sure enough, when Xu Weiguo turned around, his irises were grayish-white, his face twisted, showing clear signs of being a zombie.


    Xu Xing¡¯s ¡°Daddy¡ª¡± was abruptly cut off in his throat.


    Perhaps because he was overwhelmed with fear, he sobbed while hiccuping uncontrollably.


    The temperature around them seemed to drop; Song Ke felt the chill on her head. She touched it and realized that raindrops had turned into snowflakes, falling gently. She instantly remembered the tragedy at the dock that day. No, big brother, please don¡¯t unleash your supernatural powers again, okay?


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sister, I, I can¡¯t control it.¡±


    Xu Xing also realized that his supernatural powers were leaking out. Nervous and disordered, his efforts to suppress it proved futile. Snow and ice spun through the air, the temperature plummeted, and Song Ke shivered.


    ¡°Hey, you¡­¡± She was about to remind Xu Xing to calm down and not attract the zombies.


    Too late.


    The rapid drop in temperature caused the fragile skylight to crack open, and a piece of shattered glass fell with a crisp sound. All the zombies in the warehouse looked up at the ceiling, their thousands of white eyes fixated on the falling shard. It was hair-raising.


    Song Ke sighed inwardly.


    ¡°Hide here, protect yourself.¡± She didn¡¯t forget to remind Xu Xing.


    ¡°Thud¡ª¡±


    With a loud noise, Song Ke jumped into the warehouse from the skylight, one hand supporting her weight while the other held a spear. Her landing was clean and stylish.


    She slowly lifted her head. Although it was a bit troublesome, for her, dealing with these zombies was just a matter of time.


    The freezing tip of the spear aimed at the enemy, and the zombies charged at her frantically. The situation was about to erupt¡ª


    Suddenly! Countless ice blades descended from the sky, like a gust of wind sweeping fallen leaves, raging and dancing wildly. There was no rhyme or reason; they pierced through the zombies upon contact.


    This kind of wide-ranging group-damaging ability, combined with the advantage of being in a confined space, left the zombies with no escape route. They were completely caught in a trap, and in no time, their bodies were pierced with ice blades. They died thoroughly, leaving only a few wandering aimlessly.


    Song Ke maintained her spear posture, staring in amazement.


    She turned back and looked through the bowl-sized hole. She saw Xu Xing near the skylight, sobbing and breathless, ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I also¡­ I also don¡¯t know what¡¯s happening!¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡­


    On the way back, Xu Xing¡¯s mood was unusually low.


    In the end, Xu Weiguo stayed in the food factory. After Song Ke dealt with the other zombies, she asked Xu Xing what to do next.


    His eyes were red, and he said, ¡°Sister, can you not kill my dad? Just let him, let him stay here.¡±


    Let him stay? But Xu Weiguo had already turned into a zombie and couldn¡¯t revert to being human.


    Xu Xing looked very sad, but Song Ke had no parents, and her emotions in this regard were always dull. She couldn¡¯t empathize with him. Well, perhaps if Zhuang Qingyan were here, he could explain it to her.


    In the end, she agreed to Xu Xing¡¯s request and locked up the food factory with an iron chain.


    The two hurried back to the base ahead of Wu Juemin and the others. Xu Xing wiped his tears and thanked Song Ke, ¡°Sister, thank you for taking me to find my dad. I¡¯m sorry, I know I¡¯m useless¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Song Ke asked him, ¡°Is your ability, okay?¡±


    Xu Xing lowered his head in frustration, ¡°When I¡¯m emotionally excited, I can¡¯t control my ability properly. Uncle An said it¡¯s because my focus is too scattered, but I will definitely correct it in the future! I won¡¯t cause trouble for you guys!¡±


    Song Ke awkwardly replied, ¡°Okay, okay.¡±


    From a certain perspective, Xu Xing releasing his powerful ability without regard for the situation was indeed troublesome. For example, just now, due to being too shocked, she accidentally sat down too hard, and now her tailbone was still slightly painful.


    ¡­


    After leaving the room, Xu Xing stopped crying. He walked around the corner, his hands in the pockets of his hoodie, bouncing as he walked.


    At the end of the corridor stood a silver-white wheelchair, with a tall man leaning against it, lazily posed. His superior side profile had a pleasing charm in the misty drizzle.


    Xu Xing pursed his lips, his face showing a shy and bashful smile. ¡°Uncle Zhuang.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan turned his head. ¡°It¡¯s you.¡±


    ¡°Uncle Zhuang, what are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°Waiting for you.¡±


    ¡°Waiting for me? Do you have something to tell me?¡±


    Xu Xing tilted his head, looking adorably curious.


    Zhuang Qingyan adjusted the wheelchair¡¯s direction and faced Xu Xing.


    Though the child¡¯s face still feigned innocence and curiosity, the corners of his eyes darted around, clearly indicating that his mind was elsewhere.


    ¡°Kid, you knew all along, right?¡±


    ¡°Knew what?¡±


    ¡°Your dad¡¯s dead.¡±


    Although these words sounded like an insult, Zhuang Qingyan calmly stated the facts.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t hear clearly? Let me say it again: your dad is dead.¡±


    Xu Xing froze, his small face immediately fell, his reddened eyes locked onto Zhuang Qingyan.


    Zhuang Qingyan chuckled. ¡°With the chaos in Hua City, Wu Juemin couldn¡¯t have been unaware. He must have sent people to the food factory long ago to check it out and told you there¡¯s no need to go find your dad again, right?¡±


    ¡°Why? Are you that unwilling to give up? Insisting on finding someone to confirm it with you?¡±


    Xu Xing¡¯s hand emerged from his pocket and hung at his sides. He murmured softly, as if complaining like a dissatisfied child, ¡°Uncle Zhuang, you really love meddling in other people¡¯s business.¡±


    A sharp ice blade appeared, accompanied by a bone-chilling cold, flying straight towards Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s right leg through the gap in the wheelchair.


    Zhuang Qingyan smirked.


    Children, they can¡¯t control their tempers.


    A second before the ice blade hit Zhuang Qingyan, an invisible force lifted Xu Xing off the ground!


    His hoodie was caught on a beam, and his entire body plummeted uncontrollably, but his head got stuck in the collar. He resembled a little chick with its wings tied, only supported by that bit of force.


    ¡°Let me go! Put me down! You jerk!¡± S?a??h th? ??v?lF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Xu Xing finally panicked. He flailed his limbs desperately, gnashing his teeth and brandishing his claws like an angry little lion.


    The innocence and purity on his face disappeared, replaced by gnashing of teeth and irritability.


    This person, this person who¡¯s wheelchair-bound, turned out to be an awakener!


    How infuriating! How infuriating!!! He¡¯s so mad!!!


    Zhuang Qingyan admired his predicament, earnestly advising, ¡°Kids need to learn to be self-reliant and not always rely on others.¡±


    ¡°Especially on other people¡¯s .¡±


    **TN


    Dragon born dragon, chicken born chicken, mouse¡¯s son can make hole. ¨C Like father, like son.

 Chapter 28.1: Rainy Night in Hua City (20)

    ¡ò It was better to say goodbye (End of Hua City Arc) ¡òThe next day, Zhuang Qingyan broke through the final security measures of T014 and accessed the control port.


    After a total of fourteen days, he finally managed to shut down the malfunctioning weather simulation system.


    Witnessed by everyone, the clouds and mist that had been hanging over the city gradually thinned and disappeared. Then, the sun broke through the clouds, pouring down its radiant light, instantly sweeping away the days of gloom.


    The high squad members looked at Zhuang Qingyan with visibly different expressions. ¡°You, young man, are quite capable! Did you really fix it?¡±


    ¡°We finally freaking see the sun. It¡¯s either zombies or stink bugs every day. It¡¯s almost driving me emo!¡±


    ¡°Hey Ouyang, want to sunbathe together?¡±


    Amidst the lively atmosphere, a team member rushed in, approaching Wu Juemin and Maeda Jiu, saying hurriedly, ¡°Eyewitness¡­ District 72¡­ Unable to confirm¡­ Suspected appearance of the key.¡±


    Wu Juemin¡¯s expression turned serious, and he immediately issued orders, ¡°Everyone! Speed up, clear the roads out of the city by tomorrow at the latest.¡±


    The team members who were just talking about sunbathing stood at attention in an instant, responding in unison, ¡°Yes, Captain!¡±


    Song Ke leaned on the back of Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s wheelchair, holding a small, skinny pear in her hand. She claimed to be supervising his coding (even though she couldn¡¯t understand a word of it), but she noticed that his typing speed was getting slower and couldn¡¯t help but look down.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s gaze stopped in the direction of the people who were talking, his expression oddly hard to describe.


    ¡°What¡¯s, wrong with you?¡± Song Ke took a bite of the pear. Oh, it¡¯s so sour!


    Zhuang Qingyan withdrew his gaze, pointing to the gigantic terminal in front of him.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡°T, T014.¡±


    ¡°No, this isn¡¯t T014. The real T014 is still above us. This is its control center.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Is there a difference?


    ¡°This control center has always been stored near the Qinglan Research Institute near Hua City.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Wasn¡¯t this something everyone knew from the beginning?


    ¡°But you mentioned before that Wu Juemin and the others came from F177 District.¡±


    If we were to compare it to a line segment, the positions of Qinglan and F177 District were like the endpoints of the line segment, while Hua City was roughly the midpoint.


    ¡°Wu Juemin left Hua City before the heavy rain, so it¡¯s clear that he just happened to bring T014 back with him.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s interesting. You¡¯re saying that Azure Phoenix¡¯s people took such a big detour, just to go to the Qinglan Research Institute. What are they trying to do?¡±


    ¡°Or rather, what compelling reason do they have to go there?¡±


    Song Ke was puzzled; how would she know?


    Zhuang Qingyan started talking in terms she couldn¡¯t understand again.


    Seeing Song Ke looking utterly confused, Zhuang Qingyan patted her head with a meaningful expression, ¡°Go on and eat your pear.¡±


    *


    On that evening, Wu Juemin officially announced that once the roads were open tomorrow morning, their group would depart from Hua City. Due to the nature of their upcoming mission, logistics personnel wouldn¡¯t be able to participate, which meant that after reaching the next destination, the twelve members of Azure Phoenix squad would part ways with them.


    Dinner was like a farewell feast. Everyone set up makeshift stoves in the courtyard, and those with culinary skills took matters into their own hands, cooking something to eat.


    Holding an unlit cigarette, An Qiwen brushed sauce onto eggplants, asking Song Ke, ¡°Little sister, now that T014 has also been repaired, what are your plans for the future?¡±


    Song Ke stared at the sizzling, oil-covered eggplants without blinking, absentmindedly shaking her head. She didn¡¯t have any particular place she wanted to go; she needed to check with Zhuang Qingyan first.


    Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a familiar figure. Xu Xing was wearing a light yellow sweater, his soft little face tilted as he listened to Ouyang Pei speak. He looked exceptionally docile. Song Ke waved at him, wanting to invite him over to eat.


    However, when the little guy saw her, he first looked happy, but then his expression changed as if he had seen a ghost, and he scampered away.


    Song Ke: ?


    A familiar casual voice came from behind, ¡°Hey, everyone¡¯s here?¡±


    Song Ke turned around and saw two figures slowly approaching. It was Zhuang Qingyan and Wu Juemin.


    After spending this period of time together, although Wu Juemin hadn¡¯t completely let down his guard against Song Ke, she had kept a low profile these days, playing the role of a ¡°law-abiding citizen.¡± She hadn¡¯t caused any trouble, so Wu Juemin¡¯s attitude was slightly less hostile. He didn¡¯t threaten to detain her at every turn.


    ¡°Commander Wu, do you have any sensible suggestions about our next destination?¡± Zhuang Qingyan deliberately ignored a certain figure that had fled, chuckling softly.


    Wu Juemin glanced at Song Ke and spoke coldly, ¡°The Alliance has regulations for the management of awakeners. Since you¡¯ve awakened, you should register as soon as possible. Registered awakeners are recognized by the Alliance. Otherwise, you¡¯ll forever remain a black household.¡±


    Song Ke, who had eighteen years of experience being a black household, felt like a knife had stabbed her in the back.


    However, would registering as an awakener grant her an official identity? Song Ke felt a bit intrigued.


    ¡°Where can, can I register?¡±


    ¡°All the C-District cities are fine. C District has had awakener bases before, but they weren¡¯t open to the public,¡± An Qiwen flipped the eggplants, then continued in a carefree manner, ¡°But with the current situation, starships are out of service, and it¡¯s difficult to travel anywhere. Oh, by the way, we¡¯re headed to District C72. You can ask the captain to give you a lift.¡±


    ¡°C72 District? Ferrara, the city of music and art?¡± Zhuang Qingyan suddenly spoke.


    ¡°Yeah, you know about it?¡± An Qiwen seemed surprised. To accurately mention a city¡¯s name just by its number, either this person had exceptional memory and was well-versed in the Alliance¡¯s regional information, or they had been there or heard about it before, making it familiar to them.


    ¡°Not exactly, I¡¯ve just heard a bit about it,¡± Zhuang Qingyan nodded with a touch of reserve.


    In the first year of the New Calendar, the Alliance officially divided the territory into 180 districts, graded from A to F based on overall development levels.


    Among them, District E was developed into various functional areas due to its unique ecological environment (E166-E175). District F only had numbers without names because it was too backward (F176-F180). The remaining districts ABCD formed a pyramid distribution. Apart from the distant and mysterious District A (A1-A5), the opulent District B (B6-B25) where the privileged gathered, and the most numerous but unremarkable District D (D76-D165), the technologically advanced and well-managed District C (C26-C75) became the sought-after ¡°ideal country¡± for the majority.


    District C consisted of 50 cities, each with its own irreplaceable uniqueness.


    ¡ªLike District C72, Ferrara.


    Ferrara not only had nearly a thousand large and small retro opera houses but had also achieved a state of mastery in the application of holographic projection technology. In this land where floating and leaping musical notes and imaginative ideas were everywhere, singers, poets, painters, playwrights from all over the world gathered together, hoping that one day they could step onto the brilliantly shining stage of the stars and fulfill their lifelong pursuits.


    In addition, Ferrara had a governing official who was the most ¡°free¡± in the entire Alliance.


    ¡°Do you want to go to Ferrara?¡± Zhuang Qingyan asked Song Ke.


    Song Ke nodded. Becoming an officially registered awakener with a formal identity was too attractive a proposition. This way, she wouldn¡¯t have to hide for her entire life, and she could proudly say to others: ¡°Look! This is my ID.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan easily understood Song Ke¡¯s thoughts, smiled, and turned to Wu Juemin. ¡°I don¡¯t have any objections. It depends on Captain Wu¡¯s agreement.¡±


    Though Wu Juemin¡¯s demeanor was cold and tough, as an excellent military personnel, he inherently possessed a sense of duty and compassion. Otherwise, when they were in District F177, he wouldn¡¯t have allocated half of the starships to transport civilians.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Wu Juemin nodded coldly, ¡°but I¡¯m only responsible for taking you to District C72.¡±


    It meant that after reaching District C72, they would have to find their own way, just like the logistics team members.


    Zhuang Qingyan expressed his understanding, ¡°Of course, thank you, Captain Wu.¡±


    ¡°Little sister, are you willing to come with us this time? Here, have a skewer!¡± An Qiwen¡¯s roasted eggplant was finally ready. After being politely declined by both Wu Juemin and Zhuang Qingyan, it was Song Ke who took one skewer.


    She stared at the reddish surface for a while and then took a bite.


    Oh! It¡¯s so spicy!


    *


    The day of departure arrived quickly.


    As the light of dawn was just breaking, Song Ke was awakened by a faint rustling sound ¨C footsteps! Though the footsteps were numerous, they weren¡¯t chaotic. They were well-trained, landing softly. If it weren¡¯t for her keen supernatural senses, she might have easily overlooked them.


    She rubbed her eyes, sat up from the bed, and all traces of drowsiness vanished. However, upon a quick glance, she realized the single bed across from hers was empty ¨C Zhuang Qingyan was nowhere to be seen. It was only at the second look that she noticed he was seated by the window, lifting the curtain to look outside.


    Song Ke felt a touch of surprise; she hadn¡¯t expected Zhuang Qingyan to be so alert, waking up earlier than she did.


    ¡°Who is it?¡± S?a??h th? N?v?l(F)ire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Azure Phoenix¡¯s people.¡±


    Song Ke immediately became anxious, ¡°Are they trying to, to sneak away?¡±


    Wasn¡¯t it agreed that they would be taken to District C72? Could they really just renege on that after a night¡¯s sleep?


    Zhuang Qingyan was speechless and choked up, defeated by her unexpectedly circuitous thought process.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not that,¡± his expression turned serious, ¡°come over and see, the formation is activated.¡±


    Song Ke jumped up in shock and hurried to the window.


    In the faint morning light, that familiar floating mall appeared once again. However, the former grandeur was no longer present. The massive architectural structure lay in ruins, leaning against the ground near the sinkhole. Shadows gathered around it, as if a fair number of people had congregated.


    Song Ke put on her coat, ¡°Let¡¯s go and take a look.¡±


    The two of them reached a nearby hilltop. From the elevated position, they saw people emerging from various entrances.


    Unlike the day the formation contracted and people fled in panic, those coming out now were dispirited and silent. Their demeanor was so quiet that it bordered on eerie.


    Some had looks of confusion, others were mournful and anguished. There were those with bloodshot eyes, their spirits distant and distracted. Homes were gone, the city was in ruins, and even the last refuge had fallen. From this day on, these individuals had become rootless wanderers.


    Apart from the people, there was also a significant number of zombies that had fled the area, and even half-human, half-zombie creatures in the midst of mutation. Song Ke didn¡¯t know what had transpired inside, but the scene was undeniably shocking. She had a foreboding feeling that this city might have to coexist with zombies in the future.


    Their position was quite conspicuous, and after a while, a hoarse voice called out behind her, ¡°Song Ke.¡±


    Song Ke turned around, her oversized coat fluttering in the night breeze.


    Jiang Rui stared at her intently, feeling like eons had passed. It had been less than half a month since they last saw each other, yet seeing Song Ke again felt like a world away.


    She was still alive, and that was wonderful.


    But what about him? Was he really still considered alive in his current state?


    The experiences of this period had been like the cruelest purgatory, shattering Jiang Rui¡¯s innocence completely.


    **TN


    Black Household ¨C a person with no household registration

 Chapter 28.2: Rainy Night in Hua City (20)

    ¡ò It was better to say goodbye (End of Hua City Arc) ¡òIf Jiang Rui could have foreseen how things would develop, he would definitely not have chosen to enter the formation.


    The descent of Hua City¡¯s Bagua Formation was filled with extreme chaos from beginning to end.


    [Day One]


    The landmark mall at the heart of Hua City had eleven floors, with an atrium in the center and rows of shops and restaurants on either side. The crucial control center was located on the lower level, separate from the main structure. As one ascended, the available living space grew larger.


    When the gangway entrance closed, all the survivors fought over territory, engaging in physical altercations. Jiang Rui and his group managed to secure a small shop, mostly due to the intimidating presence of his supernatural ability. If Jiang Rui hadn¡¯t been there, they might not even have been able to hold onto this tiny space.


    ¡°I¡¯m so stupid, how could I be this stupid¡­¡±


    Zhang Qi¡¯s death had a significant impact on Zhou Anqi. She had lost her former vigor and spent her days crying.


    ¡°Jiang Rui, whether you believe it or not, three years ago, I really didn¡¯t initiate bullying Song Ke,¡± Zhou Anqi¡¯s eyes were red, as she revealed the truth behind that massive brawl, ¡°It was Cao Yiyi who kept telling me. She said she was pretending and deliberately leading you on ambiguously. My mind got clouded, and I just wanted to teach her a lesson. Putting dead mice in her bag, tossing her uniform, test papers, and even splashing her with food ¨C all of those ideas came from Cao Yiyi.¡±


    ¡°Even your intimate photos were sent to me by her. I always thought of her as a friend¡­¡± Zhou Anqi¡¯s regret was overwhelming, and she covered her face and sobbed. Although she was domineering and spoiled, she never intended to harm her classmates. She really hadn¡¯t expected Cao Yiyi to be so heartless.


    ¡°She told you to do something, and you just did it? You really are an obedient tool, pointing wherever she tells you to strike.¡± A surviving person who was still alive couldn¡¯t bear it, and he mocked with a cold gaze.


    ¡°Now you regret it? Who knows if you¡¯re just pretending,¡± even the usually easygoing Tian Yi couldn¡¯t help but feel upset for Song Ke, ¡°You! You¡¯re just shifting blame!¡±


    Cao Yiyi¡¯s betrayal filled them with a deep hatred. At the mention of her, each of them wished they could devour her flesh.


    ¡°Bullying? Wasn¡¯t it just a little disagreement¡­¡±


    Jiang Rui suddenly halted, a realization striking him, ¡°a little disagreement¡± was also a term Cao Yiyi had used.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    So that¡¯s how it was.


    So he had been kept in the dark all this time. So he was just as foolish as Zhou Anqi, an utter idiot.


    Back when Jiang Rui¡¯s brow bone was injured, he had felt a bit resentful towards Song Ke. He resented her for being so reckless, for not understanding the gravity of her actions. So when the school wanted to hold her accountable, he had asked his family to intervene and smooth things over. But soon after, he learned from Cao Yiyi that Song Ke had been expelled. After that, he felt disheartened and didn¡¯t bother seeking the truth. He even didn¡¯t contact her out of frustration.


    Because of one sentence from Song Ke, he had held onto that grudge for so long.


    In your eyes, am I the same as everyone else? So you can just attack me mercilessly.


    Jiang Rui closed his eyes and sighed bitterly. He thought about Song Ke, who had stayed outside to save them. Now it was all too late.


    [Day Three]


    The conflicts were still intensifying.


    Within a mere half-day, waves of disputes erupted on the third, seventh, and ninth floors. Wherever people were present, conflicts arose. In such a confined and stifling space, even the tiniest matters could be amplified into explosive triggers. The survivors pushed and shoved, and verbal disagreements quickly escalated into physical conflicts.


    The piercing screams reached Jiang Rui and the others on the eighth floor, and they learned some bad news¡ªa person had mutated into a zombie. S?a?ch* Th? N?v?l(F)ire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    [Day Four]


    Chaos, chaos, chaos.


    No one knew why zombies had infiltrated, only that impending doom was unavoidable. The number of mutants increased, and the situation worsened. Zhang Hao and his group locked the doors of their shop and guarded the entrance to prevent anyone from forcing their way in.


    [Day Five]


    Even worse news: the staff responsible for distributing supplies had died.


    They had been murdered, and the stored supplies had been looted. Those items that were difficult to preserve or carry were trampled underfoot and crushed into pieces. The previously designated safe zone had turned into an absurd killing hell.


    [Day Seven]


    Zombies continued to multiply.


    Tian Yi unexpectedly discovered traces of Xu Liren, or rather, he discovered the ¡°Zombie Xu Liren.¡±


    At that time, he had already told Jiang Rui and the others about Xu Liren¡¯s actions. Cao Yiyi¡¯s betrayal had numbed everyone, but even so, upon learning that their respected teacher had turned out to be a heartless villain, Zhang Hao and the others punched the wall in anger.


    ¡°Xu Liren¡± blended in with a group of zombies, its head twitching neurotically. It slowly passed by the shop, and when it turned around, Tian Yi noticed a festering wound on its shoulder¡ªa clear bite mark.


    Tian Yi thought of those classmates he had pushed out to their deaths, he thought of Kongzi Qi, his best friend.


    Tears streamed down his face, and he silently muttered, ¡°Serves him right! They bit him well!¡±


    [Day Eight]


    Jiang Rui and the others finally broke through to the first floor, following the route provided by Kongzi Qi to find the ¡°secret door.¡± However, the situation did not go smoothly. The secret door required both a password and biometric recognition. The personnel within the formation had mostly been injured or killed, and the rest were nowhere to be found.


    [Day Ten]


    No one expected that they would encounter Cao Yiyi again.


    Those who abandoned their companions would eventually be abandoned by them.


    Cao Yiyi wasn¡¯t faring well inside. Her petty schemes were utterly useless in the face of complete madness.


    When Jiang Rui and the others found her, her hair was disheveled, her clothes were torn, and she was being held down by a few repugnant-looking men. As soon as she saw them, her eyes lit up, and she struggled with all her might to break free from their grasp and crawled over laboriously.


    ¡°Jiang Rui, Anqi, save me! Save me!¡±


    The group stopped in their tracks, looking at her with indifference.


    About four or five men stared at them with unease, especially at the fire whip in Jiang Rui¡¯s hand. They hesitated to make a move.


    Cao Yiyi didn¡¯t receive the rescue she hoped for. The light in her eyes gradually faded, and she hysterically shouted, ¡°We¡¯re companions! How can you do this! How can you stand by and watch someone die!¡±


    ¡ªThen she was dragged away.


    ¡°You won¡¯t die well!¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t spare you! Jiang Rui, Zhou Anqi, all of you deserve to die!¡±


    The curses from behind were incessant and increasingly venomous.


    ¡°What¡­ will happen to her?¡±


    Lin Xia averted her gaze, tightly holding Zhou Anqi¡¯s hand. If she didn¡¯t hold her back, Zhou Anqi might have lunged to tear Cao Yiyi¡¯s mouth apart.


    ¡°The person who was pulling her has bite marks on his leg,¡± Zhang Hao said.


    Everyone fell silent.


    [Day Thirteen]


    Jiang Rui attempted once again to break through the secret door, to no avail.


    On their way back to the eighth floor, they unexpectedly rescued a clerk from the Hua City Hall who was besieged by zombies. He was emaciated and on the brink of death. Tian Yi gave him water and food, barely keeping him conscious.


    In the evening, the man finally woke up. They learned from him that he had been the designer of the Bagua Formation project, responsible for the entire structure of the formation.


    ¡°¡­The Bagua Formation is the best shelter in Hua City, the best!¡±


    ¡°Why? Why can it withstand natural disasters but not human nature?¡±


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t want to die here.¡±


    ¡°¡­This place is already hell.¡±


    The clerk named Li Tong spoke to himself in a vacant murmur.


    [Day Fourteen]


    After regaining consciousness, Li Tong led them into the main control room.


    Even though they all knew that opening the formation might very well lead to an endless wave of zombies and insects, Li Tong resolutely pressed the button.


    ¡­


    Song Ke and Zhuang Qingyan listened quietly to their story.


    They hadn¡¯t anticipated that even within the formation, such unforeseen tragedies would occur.


    Zhou Anqi summoned her courage and walked up to Song Ke. This once haughty little princess had learned to bow her head after experiencing so much. ¡°Although I still really dislike you, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    She apologized to Song Ke, repeating ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡± over and over, trembling all over, unable to speak through her tears.


    In the end, she wiped her tears away and stubbornly said, ¡°I¡¯m not forcing you, and you don¡¯t have to forgive me.¡±


    Song Ke sighed deeply in her heart and responded, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan asked, ¡°What¡¯s your plan now?¡±


    Jiang Rui said, ¡°We¡¯re planning to head north with Brother Li.¡±


    Li Tong had internal channels and knew the locations of various small and large Alliance shelters. Jiang Rui felt responsible. Zhang Hao, Lin Xia, Tian Yi¡­ he had to lead these people to survive.


    They might stop at a certain shelter or perhaps continue to wander until they find a place that would accept them.


    ¡°What about you?¡± Jiang Rui looked at Song Ke.


    ¡°We¡­¡± Song Ke lowered her head, and coincidentally, Zhuang Qingyan was also looking at her.


    ¡°We, are going to District C, C72.¡±


    From the slope behind them, An Qiwen¡¯s loud voice echoed, ¡°Little sister, get ready to leave~¡±


    His booming voice startled the surrounding zombies, and they swarmed toward him like compass needles.


    An Qiwen exclaimed, ¡°Here I go,¡± and his purple light flickered as he started cleaning up with grumbling.


    It was time to say goodbye.


    Tian Yi and Lin Xia looked at her with teary eyes. Song Ke nodded at them, ¡°Goodbye, hope to see, see you again.¡±


    Then she turned to Jiang Rui, ¡°Goodbye.¡±


    ¡°Goodbye, Song Ke,¡± Jiang Rui¡¯s voice was hoarse, but his eyes held a kind of resolute core. ¡°Take care.¡±


    Song Ke turned and walked away.


    Zhuang Qingyan said something that made her stomp her foot in annoyance, then she chased after him and kicked his wheelchair. Their figures merged into another group of tall figures, quickly disappearing into the night.


    Song Ke was carefree, open-minded, and graceful in her comings and goings, like the wind that couldn¡¯t be grasped in one¡¯s hands.


    And Jiang Rui, once naive and full of confidence, ignorant and foolish.


    At this moment, he finally understood.


    They were never meant to travel the same path, just like a lighthouse and drifting ships. Even if they temporarily crossed paths, they were destined for permanent separation.


    It was better to say goodbye.

 Chapter 29: Bloody Ferrara (1)

    ¡òIlya knows everything¡ò¡°Are you sad?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan observed Song Ke¡¯s expression and asked again, ¡°Are you sad?¡±


    Song Ke shook her head. She and Jiang Rui, Tian Yi, and the others were always destined to be apart. She had been mentally prepared for it from the beginning.


    Zhuang Qingyan ¡®tsk tsk¡¯ed¡¯ and hinted, ¡°I think¡­ he¡¯s quite sad.¡±


    This ¡°he¡± didn¡¯t need to be explicitly mentioned; it naturally referred to Jiang Rui.


    Song Ke slightly furrowed her brow, looking puzzled.


    ¡°He is an, an awakener. He can protect himself, no, no need to be sad.¡±


    They were talking past each other; what they said was fundamentally different.


    Zhuang Qingyan found it amusing in his mind, ¡°Well, it¡¯s good that you¡¯re not sad. It¡¯s just a pity¡­ Fallen flowers have intentions, flowing water is heartless¡­¡±


    Song Ke kicked the wheelchair, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t be so cryptic.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan hissed, ¡°Song Keke, I¡¯m warning you officially, we only have this one wheelchair!¡±


    Song Ke stomped her foot, ¡°Don¡¯t call me Song Keke!¡±


    Playfully returning to the base, there were already two military pickups parked at the entrance. Wu Juemin had given everyone just ten minutes to pack up, and they were set to depart on time.


    Song Ke only had a backpack with her belongings, travelling light. She saw logistics personnel moving things around, there were several large and small suitcases. Worth noting, the people from Azure Phoenix military squad were just like her, empty-handed, walking in a carefree manner. She suddenly recalled the powerful mobile artillery she had seen near the formation point before, the ones used to bombard zombies. She quickly went to ask Zhuang Qingyan.


    Zhuang Qingyan gave a concise answer, ¡°Spatial abilities.¡±


    The fact that the military possessed spatial containers wasn¡¯t much of a secret, and Song Ke would know sooner or later.


    Song Ke suddenly gained a new piece of knowledge and was greatly surprised. She bombarded him with questions, nearly leaving herself breathless. Zhuang Qingyan simply handed her the necklace he had obtained from Wu Yarou. After pondering for a while, she learned how to activate it with her mental power. She became completely absorbed in it, walking slowly and absentmindedly. She was still playing with it, opening and closing it repeatedly, even when they were about to board the vehicle.


    Zhuang Qingyan: ¡°¡­¡±


    You must have too much mental power to spare, right?


    Wu Juemin and An Qiwen were in the first pickup truck. Because Song Ke had delayed a bit while playing with the necklace, when she arrived, it was already full. So, she and Zhuang Qingyan turned towards the second truck.


    The back compartment of the second truck was spacious. Someone had turned on the radio, and melodious songs occasionally played.


    Song Ke unintentionally noticed that Maeda Jiu, sitting across from her, had a slight smile at the corner of his mouth. It was a rare and joyful expression. This was the first time she had seen Maeda Jiu smile. A tiny flame of curiosity ignited in her heart. She discreetly tugged at Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s sleeve, urging him to look as well.


    As the pleasant melody gradually came to an end, the person sitting next to the radio was about to switch the song. A young team member named Xiong Ping spoke up, ¡°Hey, don¡¯t change it. Vice Captain loves this song. It¡¯s his goddess!¡±


    ¡°Pfft¡ª! Whose goddess?¡± Ouyang Pei sprayed out a mouthful of water, realizing he was being too loud. He quickly lowered his voice, ¡°No way, right? Someone like Vice Captain Maeda, who¡¯s usually so stern and serious, actually chasing after a celebrity?¡±


    Maeda Jiu¡¯s esper ability was an air barrier. He was usually strict and reserved, rarely smiling or speaking much. He held a reputation in the team second only to Wu Juemin. Ouyang Pei couldn¡¯t believe that someone as stiff as him, always looking like he was scolding others, would actually be a fan of a celebrity. And even claim that celebrity as his goddess?


    ¡°Who¡¯s Vice Captain¡¯s goddess?¡± Ouyang Pei suddenly seemed to uncover a great secret, his expression excited and eager.


    ¡°Do you guys know Lin Youyou? The sweetest songstress in Ferrara, the superstar who¡¯s famous throughout Disrict C.¡±


    ¡°Ahh~ I¡¯ve heard of her!¡± Wang Qiang joined in on the excitement, and the three of them huddled close together, murmuring to each other, ¡°Isn¡¯t she the one who sang ¡®Thank You for Loving Me¡¯? That song¡¯s been a hit for so long, with over a billion views on the star network.¡±


    ¡°I thank you~ for your honeyed~ words! Sweet words, I thank you~ for your honey~ed lips! A sword in the belly~¡±


    ¡°Get lost, that¡¯s not how it goes!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not how it goes? That¡¯s exactly how it goes! Let me sing it for you, so you can listen carefully.¡±


    ¡°I thank yooou~ for your honeyyy¡ª!!!¡±


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    Maeda Jiu¡¯s fist struck the compartment wall, his voice sharp, ¡°Shut up.¡±


    His face darkened, and he said something very fast in his hometown¡¯s dialect, sounding like he was cursing someone.


    Wang Qiang¡¯s face turned bright red, while Ouyang Pei and Xiong Ping beside him struggled not to burst into laughter. Their facial features twisted in an oddly pained manner, holding back their mirth with great effort.


    Aside from this somewhat discordant little incident, the atmosphere in the compartment remained quite relaxed.


    Song Ke saw several members of Azure Phoenix handing torn uniforms to a middle-aged man in a corner. She vaguely remembered him because An Qiwen, with his booming voice, had once exclaimed incredulously, ¡°What? A grown man¡¯s supernatural ability is actually embroidery?!¡±


    It was said that he was an E-level awakener named Wu Xianghai. His ability was extremely rare ¨C something like ¡°stitching.¡± He could mend two different things together. Since Azure Phoenix military squad had a limited supply of uniforms and they were frequently damaged, they would seek him out whenever there was a tear. His repairs were so well done that the mended parts looked as good as new.


    However, Wu Xianghai was small in stature, with sparse eyebrows and restless eyes that constantly darted around, as if he was plotting something. In Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s words, he was described as ¡°shifty-eyed and sneaky.¡± Though he indeed had a sharp tongue, the description was spot on. After encountering Wu Xianghai, Song Ke had to believe that a person¡¯s awakened supernatural ability was truly entirely random.


    On the horizon outside the window, the sun was slowly rising, and the two pickup trucks raced forward as if chasing after the afterglow of dawn. This was the most relaxed morning Song Ke had experienced since the apocalypse.


    No zombies, no insect swarms, and no endless slaughter.


    Her entire face was bathed in sunlight, and she silently exclaimed, ¡®Let¡¯s go, District C72!¡¯


    ¡­


    After three days and two nights of travel, Wu Juemin¡¯s group safely arrived on the outskirts of Ferrara.


    Song Ke eagerly stuck her head out of the window, feeling the cool breeze on her face, causing her shoulder-length black hair to flutter and fly.


    At a distance, they could already catch a glimpse of a corner of Ferrara.


    Massive neon signs floated in the air, and the dreamy Ferris wheel gleamed like a diamond ring. High-frequency searchlights, balloons, and ribbons all shimmered, while high-tech holographic billboards continually changed images. Steam-powered flower boats weaved between countless skyscrapers.


    Ferrara truly lived up to its status as a C-level city, with its technological advancement vastly surpassing that of Hua City.


    As the pickup trucks entered the city through the main road, the path was smooth and unobstructed. A wandering musician playing the guitar leaned against the city gate and upon seeing them, smiled brightly. He warmly sang while dancing around the vehicles, ¡°Ferrara~ the free Ferrara, it¡¯s the dream you linger in~¡±


    Their exaggerated performance startled Song Ke, and she silently withdrew her head.


    After a while, she whispered to Zhuang Qingyan, ¡°Aren¡¯t there safety checks here?¡±


    After all, this was District C. Wasn¡¯t this too lax? Even their District F had sentries stationed!


    Zhuang Qingyan, also gazing outside, had the blurry lights reflecting on his profile, making his expression all the more intriguing.


    ¡°Ferrara prides itself on freedom and art, welcoming every traveler from afar.¡±


    ¡°However, while they may welcome you, it¡¯s not guaranteed they¡¯ll let you stay.¡±


    Indeed, Ferrara¡¯s security was indeed good. The city was bustling with constant foot traffic, but not a single zombie could be seen along the way. It was as if the apocalypse Song Ke and her group had experienced in Hua City was just an illusion.


    The two pickup trucks eventually parked on the outskirts of the square. Going further into the inner streets was impossible due to their narrowness and heavy pedestrian traffic.


    When Song Ke got out of the truck, dozens of cool motorbikes zoomed past her, creating a chaotic scene. The convoy had barely moved about ten meters when the intense music continued pounding in her eardrums.


    Song Ke raised her head, and the surrounding streets were adorned with colorful lights, constantly flashing in a blingbling manner. She stared for a few seconds, only to find herself dazzled. Looking upwards, she saw towering skyscrapers that seemed to reach the clouds. Their steel and concrete exteriors emitted an intangible sense of pressure in the night. The whole city was enveloped in a light purple, dream-like haze.


    As Wu Juemin and his team got off the truck and walked only a few steps, the time struck exactly eight o¡¯clock. Suddenly, the massive clock high in the air of Ferrara chimed.


    ¡°Dang-dang-dang.¡±


    After three chimes, everyone on the streets and within the skyscrapers stopped their actions and looked up.


    Amidst numerous flower boats, between two towering towers, a giant searchlight projected a holographic image. A slender figure gradually emerged and became clearer. He had a brilliant and dazzling head of golden hair, a flawless face, and was dressed in a sharp, pure white suit. From an exterior perspective, he was beautiful and ethereal, so much so that it was difficult to determine his gender at first glance.


    The man placed one hand in front of his chest and executed an incredibly graceful gentleman¡¯s bow. ¡°I¡¯m pleased that new travelers have come to Ferrara today.¡±


    His lustrous eyes surveyed the crowd, and a slight smile graced his lips. ¡°Let¡¯s welcome them to the true paradise!¡±


    ¡°Hm¡­ let¡¯s sing ¡®Paradise¡¯ once.¡±


    Cheers, whistles, and deafening applause erupted. The atmosphere in the square was exceptionally fervent.


    The man extended his right hand and casually gestured. The surroundings seemed to blur, and suddenly Song Ke saw countless flowers blooming, and heard the enchanting voices reminiscent of sea nymphs, and the super stereo sound lingered in everyone¡¯s ears, completely immersing the city in a wave of music.


    The crowd descended into madness, their eyes filled with obsession as they elevated the man to the highest pedestal of idolization, shouting their hearts out.


    ¡°Ilya! Ilya! Ilya!¡±


    ¡°Alright~ The carnival is over. Let me reveal a little secret: the Throne Race Competition is currently accepting registrations. Ilya has prepared generous rewards, so everyone must remember to participate~¡± Ilya playfully blinked, setting off another wave of cheers. S?a??h th? N???lFire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    As the spotlight dimmed, the holographic projection vanished, and Ilya¡¯s figure disappeared along with it. However, the impact he brought lingered for a long time. The citizens of Ferrara gazed towards the direction of the towers, only regretting that time passed too quickly.


    Song Ke was left stunned. Who was this person, a superstar?


    ¡°Captain Wu, who is that?¡± someone from the logistics team couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    Wu Juemin stared in the direction where the man had disappeared for a few seconds before saying solemnly, ¡°Ilya, the magistrate of District C72, the Lord of Ferrara.¡±


    ¡°Is he ve-very impressive?¡± Otherwise, why were so many people going crazy for him?


    ¡°It¡¯s not ¡®he,¡¯ it¡¯s ¡®it¡¯,¡± Zhuang Qingyan corrected, using a gender-neutral term in the common language of the Alliance.


    ¡°Ilya is an artificial intelligence.¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°!!!!¡±


    ¡­


    District C72, Ferrara, the City of Art and Freedom, was also the sole city within the Alliance entirely governed by artificial intelligence.


    The Lord of Ferrara was elected by its citizens.


    Initially, Ilya was the most beloved virtual idol in Ferrara. However, in one of the city¡¯s elections for Lord, for some unknown reason, Ilya¡¯s name appeared in the final list of five candidates, alongside a group of insincere and calculating politicians, making it seem entirely out of place.


    After all, it was merely a heap of data, even if it had a bit of popularity, could it really replace humans?


    The competing candidates scoffed at this idea, considering Ilya the biggest joke of the year. Yet, they still ordered the error to be rectified quickly. However, the final voting results left everyone dumbfounded. Ilya was elected as the Lord with an astonishing 90% support rate.


    The defeated politicians were initially in disbelief, then they cursed continuously, ¡°Damn it, have all these artists in Ferrara gone crazy?¡±


    It was too absurd! What a joke!!


    How could a machine possibly govern a city?


    But the reality turned out to be quite the opposite. After Ilya¡¯s election, Ferrara flourished, and even the crime rate steadily decreased.


    In Ferrara, everyone had heard a saying: ¡°Ilya knows everything.¡±


    No matter what you had done, you were under the surveillance of artificial intelligence.


    **TN


    honeyed words, a sword in the belly (idiom); fig. hypocritical and murderous

 Chapter 30: Bloody Ferrara (2)

    ¡òDid you bring money?¡òWith tasks at hand, Wu Juemin gave a simple explanation and prepared to take Azure Phoenix¡¯s people away.


    He left casually, but the logistics team members had tears in their eyes, reluctant to part. Wu Juemin had rescued them from a perilous situation and led them in a retreat, guiding them all the way to the peaceful District C. They couldn¡¯t greedily ask for more; it was clearly not his obligation. Even if Wu Juemin had left them today, it could be said that he had fulfilled his duty to the utmost.


    After parting ways with Azure Phoenix¡¯s people, Song Ke and Zhuang Qingyan didn¡¯t travel with the remaining group; they chose to act separately.


    Ferrara was an open and inclusive city. Capsule sleeping pods for wandering travelers could be found everywhere on the streets. Not only were they free to use, but they were also easy to access¡ªjust a facial scan away. As it wasn¡¯t early anymore, Song Ke and Zhuang Qingyan each booked a room and went to sleep.


    The next morning, after a quick tidying up, the two of them headed straight to the Awakener Base.


    Ferrara¡¯s Special Affairs Agency (Awakener Base) was located in a concealed alley on the west side of the square. Its architectural style was consistent with the city¡¯s flamboyant and colorful aesthetics. The only difference was that its sign seemed a bit aged.


    Upon entering, the first thing that caught the eye was a spacious mezzanine. A few individuals were scattered around, and the winding staircase led up to the elevated central desk. A glasses-wearing female staff member was busy there.


    As Song Ke approached, she faintly heard a melodious tune. Looking down, she was left speechless.


    On the desk was a small transparent screen, and the holographic projection on it was familiar. Wasn¡¯t that Ilya from before? But now Ilya was dressed in elegant clothing, obviously from an early performance video. The girl on the desk was staring at it with rapt attention, wearing an enamored smile.


    Song Ke: ¡°Hello, I¡¯d like to, to register as an awakener.¡±


    The girl swiftly pressed down on the screen, her expression turning formal. She pushed a booklet over: ¡°Start by filling out the form. Complete every item on the first three pages, the rest is optional. Then go to the first room on the left for a photograph, turn right to the second room for genetic testing, and proceed to the second floor for an on-site awakener evaluation. Once you¡¯ve completed everything, come back to me. Oh, and remember to bring all the receipts.¡±


    The instructions came in a rapid succession, and the pace was quite fast. Song Ke was getting dizzy, half-remembering and half-forgetting. Fortunately, she had Zhuang Qingyan with her, who had a good memory, or else it would have been a mess.


    Following the staff¡¯s guidance, Song Ke obediently filled out the form, then hurriedly went to take a photograph. She became nervous as soon as she had to take a picture. Her posture was unnaturally stiff, her lips pressed together, radiating a pitiful look. Luckily, there was no photographer in the room, only a mechanical arm controlling the camera. The emotionless electronic synthesized voice kept prompting with errors: ¡°Ding¡ªplease tilt your head to the right.¡± S?a??h th? ???el F?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Ding¡ªDetected that the person¡¯s expression is too stiff. Please relax and tilt your head to the right.¡±


    ¡°Ding¡ªUnable to detect the photographer. Please return to the center of the frame.¡±


    Song Ke turned her head to the side, then accidentally tilted it too much and fell out of the chair.


    Zhuang Qingyan couldn¡¯t help but laugh beside her. ¡°Song Ke, just take a proper photo. Why are you bullying the machine?¡±


    Song Ke glared at him angrily, shook her hand, took a deep breath, and managed to force a fake smile.


    The final photo turned out to be quite odd, and Zhuang Qingyan laughed for a full two minutes.


    After taking the photo, she went to the second room for blood drawing and genetic testing. Ferrara had specialized awakener assessment equipment, much better than the inferior one Wu Juemin had. It could not only test ability levels but was also said to calculate the upper limit of potential that could be unlocked in the future using artificial intelligence.


    The testing room was also fully automated. Blood was drawn first, then she lay down in a box of unknown purpose, getting scanned from top to bottom.


    Next was the awakener verification room on the second floor. Its main purpose was on-site verification to establish local records for easy reference later.


    Song Ke finally encountered people again. Inside the room were three verification officers, two men and one woman, all sitting in a row. After the person in front of her came out, it wasn¡¯t long before they called out, ¡°Next!¡±


    Song Ke pushed the door open and entered. She was in a closed isolation room with glass only in front, and the speaker on the wall lit up with a green light. The voice of a verification officer came through, ¡°Please demonstrate your ability. Don¡¯t worry, we have top-notch security measures, so please release your ability to the fullest extent to facilitate our judgment.¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s hand touched the edge of the table. Two seconds later, the table disappeared, and she was holding a long spear in her hand, standing obediently in place.


    The verification officers were a bit taken aback. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡±


    Song Ke nodded.


    If it was just a display of her ability, this was enough.


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit¡­ crude, isn¡¯t it? Doesn¡¯t feel particularly special.¡±


    ¡°Well, can you change the shape of objects? This could be considered¡­ support ability? Maybe you could help the engineering department with waste material cleanup?¡±


    ¡°I have quite a lot of furniture at home that I don¡¯t use. Was just wondering who could tidy it up.¡±


    ¡°If you put it that way, this ability is pretty useful, huh?¡±


    ¡°A practical garbage collector, hahaha!¡±


    ¡°To be honest, if she¡¯s an E-level, I might consider hiring an awakener to help me with daily trash disposal. Doesn¡¯t sound bad, does it?¡±


    The two male verification officers exchanged a glance and found themselves quite humorous as they burst into laughter.


    These people weren¡¯t as formidable as Zhuang Qingyan, who could immediately determine her ability type with just a glance.


    Song Ke absentmindedly conjured a spear, and the long spear emitted a faint blue light as it traced through the air.


    The corner of the female evaluator¡¯s eyes seemed to catch something. She lifted her head and carefully examined the spiritual weapon.


    ¡°This thing in your hand seems to be an ancient civilization cold weapon, right? Does it have any offensive capabilities, or is it only suitable as a craft?¡±


    Holding the spear with one hand, Song Ke didn¡¯t bother to use any techniques. She simply thrust it straight ahead.


    ¡°Stab¡ª¡±


    A deeply-seated crack appeared on the so-called wall with top-notch security, and a powerful shockwave surged over the wall, overturning the evaluation forms the officers had on the table. The next moment, the entire glass window shattered with a loud boom, and fragments rained down.


    Oops, used too much force.


    Song Ke felt a bit guilty.


    The three verification officers: ¡°¡­¡±


    What damn handicraft, what cursed suppport ability. She was obviously a living star of disaster! They had actually thought about having her clean up garbage; were they eager for their lives to be shorter?


    ¡°Cough¡­,¡± the male evaluator sitting in the middle awkwardly coughed twice. ¡°That¡¯s enough. It¡¯s confirmed to be a strong offensive ability. The specific level will have to wait for the results of the genetic test.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Song Ke shook off her spear, took two steps forward, and tried to step over the broken glass to retrieve her registration form.


    ¡°Don¡¯t come out!!¡±


    ¡°The door, the door is at the back!¡±


    The two male evaluators yelled in panic, rapidly retreating their chairs while hurriedly jotting down a few notes on Song Ke¡¯s form. Treating it like a hot potato, they handed it over to a mechanical arm, which returned it to the isolation room: ¡°Submit, submit it, leave it to the central desk.¡±


    When Song Ke went back, the girl on the desk was once again engrossed in playing around on her device, sneakily watching Ilya¡¯s treasured old footage. Song Ke placed the form on the table and gave it a glance before continuing in a formulaic tone, ¡°The results of the genetic test will be out within three working days. You can come to pick up your awakener certificate then. For now, please make the payment. It¡¯s a total of 10,000 Alliance coins.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Song Ke dumbly inquired, ¡°10,000, what?¡±


    ¡°10,000 Alliance coins, your registration fee,¡± the girl said somewhat impatiently.


    Song Ke was dumbfounded: Oh my goodness! How come no one told her that registering as an awakener also required money?


    The girl probably hadn¡¯t encountered someone as clueless as her, and she became a little flustered herself. ¡°Of course it costs money. The machines for ability testing, the algorithm fees for AI, and the daily maintenance¡ªall require expenses. We¡¯re not a charity!¡±


    Song Ke: ¡­ What should she do if she doesn¡¯t have money?


    She turned to Zhuang Qingyan with a perplexed look, her eyes seeming to ask: Did you bring money?


    For the first time, Zhuang Qingyan couldn¡¯t answer Song Ke¡¯s question.


    ¡ªHe didn¡¯t have money either.


    But that¡¯s not his fault. First, given his upbringing, having lived for almost thirty years, he had never needed to worry about money. Secondly, among the people he knew, there was no one as poor as Song Ke.


    The two paupers were in a similar situation, both lost in thought.


    The girl, perhaps feeling sorry for her, offered an idea: ¡°Well, since you¡¯re an awakener, you can take on missions as a contractor. Just join any team and do some miscellaneous tasks. When you have money, come back and register.¡±


    ¡°Mis, missions?¡±


    ¡°Yes, go out and turn left at the second intersection, walk straight for 100 meters, and you¡¯ll find the Special Affairs Commission Center.¡±


    ¡­


    Ferrara, Special Affairs Commission Center.


    This was a more impressive building, and it was evident that the people coming and going possessed strong auras, the majority being awakeners.


    A bald man with an arm as thick as Song Ke¡¯s waist sat atop a sculpture at the entrance, his legs spread wide, arms crossed over his chest. The black bean-like eyes sized up Song Ke and Zhuang Qingyan as they passed by, radiating disdain and scorn. ¡°Little brat and cripple, you really dare enter anywhere. You treat this place like a nursery?¡±


    The bald man was muscular, probably a muscular-type awakener.


    He spoke loudly, intentionally for them to hear.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s smile turned icy, his gaze shifting to the bald man with chilling precision.


    Song Ke felt a shiver down her spine. Whenever Zhuang Qingyan displayed this kind of supervillain smile, someone was bound to suffer.


    However, before they could make any move, several thick vines suddenly descended from above. ¡°Smack, smack, smack¡ª¡± they slapped the bald man¡¯s face several times, and then one of the vines bound him and flung him away, headfirst, into a fountain.


    A woman with red hair dashed out from the hall, her anger evident.


    ¡°You bastard, how dare you put your filthy ass on my idol¡¯s head!!!¡±


    The tough guy had lost two front teeth due to the surprise attack, his mouth was full of blood, and he viciously charged toward the woman. Their abilities clashed, their supernatural powers erupting. They ended up fighting fiercely in the square in front of the commission hall.


    Others weren¡¯t even surprised by the scene. Some even specifically came out to watch and clap their hands.


    ¡°What happened to that baldy? Did he provoke that crazy woman, Chihori?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know Crazy Chihori yet? Isn¡¯t there just one thing that can make her mad?¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°See that statue? Looks familiar? It¡¯s one of Ferrara¡¯s top ten rising stars, virtual idol Luo Qinghe. Word has it he¡¯s got a lot of female fans. Crazy Chihori is his super loyal fan. The rich women¡¯s fan club sponsored this. They specially commissioned a famous master to make a life-sized statue of him.¡±


    ¡°Why is that bald guy like this? Acting like he can just sit on it. It¡¯s about the same as pulling shit on Crazy Chihori¡¯s head. She¡¯ll definitely rip him apart.¡±


    ¡°¡­The entertainment circle is truly terrifying.¡±


    As Crazy Chihori and the bald man continued to fight, the commotion grew louder, leaves flying and dust swirling. Even the fountain¡¯s stone wall had been broken in several places. In no time, a man in uniform came out from the hall. A quick glance, veins popping on his forehead, he angrily started frantically pressing buttons on his computer.


    ¡°Maintenance fee totaling 124,000 Alliance coins. Should I deduct it directly through your terminals or deduct it from both of your mission scores?¡±


    ¡°Why should I pay? She attacked me!¡± The bald head was not only beaten but also had to pay, his whole body was in a mess, and his eyes were as big as copper bells.


    ¡­


    The commotion at the entrance came to an end, and Song Ke finally managed to squeeze into the lobby.


    Truly befitting the Commission Center of District C, the interior was brimming with technology. As soon as she entered, she saw an enormous floating screen divided into three sections¡ªleft, center, and right¡ªscrolling through various commission requests. Above the screen, holographic projections occasionally flashed with colorful announcements like, ¡°Congratulations to Team ¡®Three Grandsons and a Grandpa¡¯ for completing B-grade commission xxxx!¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°¡­¡±


    Three grandsons and a grandpa? What kind of random names were these?


    Around the lobby, there were over a hundred self-service terminals. By swiping their awakener identification cards, people could search for, accept, or submit missions. Furthermore, the commissions posted here weren¡¯t limited to awakeners. If ordinary people had the strength and courage, they could also join teams with awakeners for missions.


    Song Ke looked up for a moment. The displayed missions were incredibly diverse. For example, the simplest E-grade mission was to help buy groceries and deliver them to a nearby resident in District D, but the reward was quite meager¡ª300 Alliance coins.


    D and C-grade missions were a bit more challenging, involving tasks like finding missing relatives, hiring bodyguards to escort someone to a certain location, or completing specific awakener-related tasks, such as ¡°Need an earth-type awakener skilled in engineering to help rebuild a collapsed house¡± and so on.


    Looking further up, she saw a B-grade mission: clearing out zombies in the municipal hall of Luli Port (District D150). This one suited her well and came with a reward of a whopping 2,000 Alliance coins. With five such missions, she could easily cover the registration fee!


    Feeling motivated, Song Ke cracked her knuckles. She was determined to take on this mission.


    First, she needed to assemble a team.


    However, a problem arose. The people in the lobby were in a hurry, each focused on their own matters, and nobody stopped to talk. How was she supposed to form a team? She couldn¡¯t just shout out, ¡°I want to form a team!¡±¡ªshe had a stutter, so she couldn¡¯t even manage it.


    Zhuang Qingyan came up with an idea: she could write down her strengths on a signboard and try to attract compatible teammates.


    Staring at the blank paper for a while, Song Ke wrote three words in the most straightforward and simple language: ¡°I¡¯m very strong.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan: ¡°¡­¡± Alright, if it makes you happy.


    Unfortunately, this tactic didn¡¯t yield much result. Most awakeners ignored it entirely, not even giving her a glance. Occasionally, a person with nothing better to do would pass by, read the three words, and burst out laughing. Song Ke was quite annoyed. If she were more eloquent, she would probably confront them and ask, ¡°Why are you laughing? I really am strong. Don¡¯t believe it? Let¡¯s spar.¡±


    She had been squatting there for nearly an afternoon, and her corner remained completely ignored.


    Song Ke also began to see the pattern. Most of the awakeners coming and going here already had established teams with fixed benefit-sharing arrangements. They were cautious about admitting newcomers and leaned more towards physically strong males. Not only did she appear thin and frail, but she was also accompanied by a wheelchair-bound companion¡ªa combination that, at first glance, indeed lacked competitiveness.


    Song Ke wasn¡¯t willing to accept defeat. If no one wanted her, she would form her own team herself!


    She tore apart the ¡°I¡¯m very strong¡± sign and strode confidently to the manned counter, ready to submit her team formation application. However, she received a devastating blow: in order to create a team on her own, she needed at least two awakeners.


    Now Song Ke was trapped in a vicious cycle: to register as an awakener, she needed money; to earn money, she needed a job; to get a job, she needed a team; to form a team, she needed at least two awakeners¡­ It formed a perfect M?bius loop, endlessly repeating with no way out.


    After running around all day accomplishing nothing, Song Ke sat on the ground with a dejected expression, wondering if she was destined to be a nobody forever.


    Zhuang Qingyan had accompanied her through the whole ordeal, and now he consoled her with a helpless smile, ¡°Don¡¯t be so disheartened, it¡¯s just forming a team.¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s voice was full of grievances, ¡°No one wants to, to be on my team.¡±


    ¡°How can that be? Isn¡¯t there a ready-made candidate?¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s eyes lit up as she quickly looked up, ¡°Who?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan gave a cryptic smile, ¡°This person does not have much brains, quite fiery in temper, but could be reluctantly used to make up the numbers.¡±

 Chapter 31: Bloody Ferrara (3)

    ¡òExcellent nourishment¡òThe person Zhuang Qingyan referred to as the ¡°make up the numbers¡± guy was Xu Xing.


    Before Xu Xing separated from them, he secretly slipped a small piece of paper to Song Ke. On the paper, he wrote down the place he was temporarily staying, allowing Song Ke to come and visit him when she had time.


    Song Ke and Zhuang Qingyan followed that address to find Xu Xing, and what they discovered was¡­ it was actually a seven-star hotel?!


    Well, look at this white luxurious dome, the evergreen front garden, and the excellent view of the night sky from a high altitude. It looked expensive at first glance.


    Alright, strict access control, even external visitors weren¡¯t allowed in.


    The two of them had to inform the robot butler and waited for a full twenty minutes in the chilly wind before Xu Xing finally came downstairs. He was wearing a colorful coat, floating over like a butterfly, ¡°Sister!¡±


    Xu Xing obediently jumped into Song Ke¡¯s arms, his eyes sparkling, his smile sweet. Just as he was about to speak, he suddenly noticed Zhuang Qingyan standing aside.


    Xu Xing: OvO!!!


    His clever words got stuck in his throat, his smile froze on his lips, and a surge of irritability rushed to his forehead, ¡°Why did he come too!¡±


    Song Ke: ?


    After Song Ke explained, mentioning that she had been together with Zhuang Qingyan during this time, Xu Xing reluctantly nodded, leading the two upstairs. S?a??h the N?v?lFir?(.)n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    As soon as they stepped into the room, Song Ke was stunned.


    Xu Xing was actually staying in a suite, fully equipped with amenities. There was 24-hour warm water if one got thirsty, they could order food anytime they were hungry, and they could watch the latest projection programs when bored. Additionally, there were entertainment rooms, swimming pools, fitness rooms¡­


    Turns out they were sleeping rough outside, perhaps even staying in free capsule hotels by the roadside, while Xu Xing, the invisible rich kid, was living luxuriously in a big house. His life was undoubtedly extremely enjoyable.


    Dizzily, Song Ke sat down on the sofa and felt as if she had sunk into a soft cloud.


    Xu Xing offered her a bunch of snacks and drinks as if presenting a treasure.


    ¡°Why are you living here, here?¡± Song Ke asked, her confusion easing after a moment.


    ¡°My dad had a lot of money saved at Yaban Bank.¡± Xu Xing innocently blinked.


    Yaban Bank was a well-known commercial bank within the Alliance, with branches scattered across various cities and regions.


    When Xu Weiguo passed away, Xu Xing became the legitimate heir to his inheritance. Everyone understood the reasoning, but it was hard to avoid jealousy when a ten-year-old kid possessed such astonishing wealth. During his time in the logistics team, Xu Xing hadn¡¯t revealed anything to others. He acted like a timid little rabbit, happily munching on sesame cakes as if he didn¡¯t have a care in the world. Everyone thought he was just like Song Ke, coming from the backward District F, an ignorant and impoverished child.


    ¡°¡­How did you know, know about this hotel?¡± Song Ke still couldn¡¯t believe it. Both were from the District F, but as soon as Xu Xing arrived at Ferrara, he stayed in a luxury hotel. He seemed to be swimming in comfort, while she couldn¡¯t even distinguish the four cardinal directions and suffered the embarrassment of not having enough money to register as an awakener.


    ¡°My dad took me to a concert here before, and we stayed here!¡± Xu Xing answered matter-of-factly.


    ¡­So, the real poor person was just her.


    Eating the delicious snacks, Song Ke¡¯s mood grew even more melancholic.


    ¡°Sister, why did you come looking for me?¡±


    Xu Xing curled up into a small ball on the carpet, pressed against Song Ke¡¯s thigh, and asked softly.


    He didn¡¯t know why, but he felt particularly close to Song Ke. Perhaps a child¡¯s intuition was naturally accurate, or maybe both of them being from the District F made them connect. Song Ke was strong and gentle, and Xu Xing firmly believed that she wouldn¡¯t hurt him.


    Song Ke stumbled through explaining that she wanted his help to form a team and meet the required number of members.


    Considering Xu Xing was timid, she hastily added, ¡°You don¡¯t need to, to do the task. I can, can manage it on my own.¡±


    After listening, Xu Xing, without much thought, readily agreed, ¡°Sure, sister. I¡¯ll join your team. This way, the two of us, with two awakeners¡­ two awakeners?¡±


    He suddenly ¡°popped up¡± and pointed at Zhuang Qingyan, ¡°Two awakeners?! Isn¡¯t he¡ª¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan leaned by the window, elegantly sipping tea, maintaining a calm demeanor.


    Song Ke glanced over, puzzled, ¡°Him, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Xu Xing glanced at Zhuang Qingyan, then back at Song Ke. His words trailed off, and his eyes moved around, then suddenly he exclaimed, ¡°Oh!¡± with an expression that said, ¡®I understand now.¡¯


    ¡°Sister, are you hungry? I¡¯m really hungry. Can you order some food for me? The service machine is in the living room.¡±


    Song Ke found herself inexplicably assigned to place an order.


    With only the two of them in the room, Xu Xing paced back and forth, hands behind his back, looking smug and childish, as if he had just discovered something profound about Zhuang Qingyan, ¡°You didn¡¯t tell Sister that you¡¯re an awakener.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan responded calmly, ¡°Yeah, she didn¡¯t ask, so I didn¡¯t have the chance to say.¡±


    Of course, Xu Xing didn¡¯t believe him. He stuck his tongue out in disdain and scrunched his face.


    ¡°You¡¯re lying to a kid!¡±


    ¡°Clearly, you¡¯re an awakener and yet you pretend to be pitiful, and can only sit in a wheelchair.¡±


    ¡°Are you afraid that if you tell the truth, Sister won¡¯t want you anymore? You want me to be self-reliant? You have no shame!¡±


    Amid Xu Xing¡¯s relentless ¡°no shame, no shame, no shame,¡± Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s expression remained unchanged. He gently placed the tea cup in his hand on the table, making a crisp ¡°clink¡± sound.


    ¡°Saying you have no brains, I really haven¡¯t wronged you.¡±


    He interlocked his ten fingers over his abdomen, smiling menacingly at Xu Xing. ¡°I bet that even if I tell Song Ke I¡¯m an awakener, given the life-and-death bond between us, she would still bring me along. And you? After pretending to be so innocent and naive before, now that she knows how cunning you are at such a young age, well, let me think¡­ she probably won¡¯t even have time to run away, will she?¡±


    Xu Xing was taken aback, ¡°You!¡±


    ¡°You! You, you, you!¡± He kept stammering, failing to continue his argument, and finally exploded with frustration, stomping his feet and cursing, ¡°You villain!¡±


    When Song Ke returned, she found Xu Xing glowering at Zhuang Qingyan, panting heavily.


    ¡°It¡¯s ordered, done.¡±


    Xu Xing quickly turned his head, switching his expression faster than flipping a page in a book, putting on a fatally sweet smile.


    ¡°Sister, why don¡¯t you stay here? There are still plenty of empty rooms, and I feel scared alone.¡±


    A luxury hotel was certainly more comfortable than a capsule warehouse, so Song Ke didn¡¯t hesitate to say thank you to Xu Xing.


    Ecstatic, Xu Xing jumped up and enthusiastically wanted to show Song Ke around the room. As he turned, Zhuang Qingyan also followed.


    He immediately spread his arms like a protective chick, guarding the door, ¡°What are you still doing here?¡±


    ¡°You go stay outside; you¡¯re not welcome here.¡±


    Song Ke felt a bit awkward. She had promised to look after Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s leg. She also couldn¡¯t just leave him alone to sleep in a comfortable room. If Xu Xing really didn¡¯t want to accommodate Zhuang Qingyan, then she¡­ maybe she should sleep in the capsule warehouse with him.


    Just as she was about to say something, Zhuang Qingyan calmly adjusted the blanket on his knee, ¡°Lit-tle¡­ lo-tus¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah! Ah!¡± Xu Xing irritably started making weird noises, completely controlled by him.


    In the end, both of them managed to stay.


    However, Song Ke couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that something was a bit off. Had Xu Xing¡¯s personality changed a bit in the few days they hadn¡¯t seen each other?


    And also, when did he become so familiar with Zhuang Qingyan?


    ¡­


    The next day, the three of them set off once again for the commission center.


    Xu Xing skipped and hopped as if he were out shopping, walking backwards with enthusiasm. ¡°Sister, after we¡¯re done forming the team, let¡¯s go eat something delicious! My dad took me to a place¡­¡±


    Someone rushed towards them, colliding with Xu Xing. He stumbled a bit, and Song Ke quickly reached out to steady him.


    The person muttered a vague ¡°Sorry¡± and hurriedly ran past them, heading in another direction.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± A curious individual poked their head out from a nearby shop.


    ¡°There are zombies up ahead!¡± The person shouting looked excited.


    Song Ke was momentarily stunned, suspecting she had misheard ¡°There¡¯s something delicious up ahead¡± as ¡°There are zombies up ahead.¡±


    To be so enthusiastic about encountering zombies, were the citizens of Ferrara all this daring?


    ¡°Should we go, go and take a look?¡± Song Ke asked her companions for their opinions.


    Both Zhuang Qingyan and Xu Xing nodded in agreement.


    The three of them followed the crowd and soon arrived at the scene.


    In the center of the crowd, a tall zombie was bound by several ropes, its face twisted in a fierce grimace as it struggled and roared like a trapped beast.


    There were obvious knife marks, scars, and bruises from the ropes on its body. The ends of the ropes were held by different individuals, each of their faces filled with the excitement of slaughter, the cruelty of bloodlust, and an indescribable eagerness to try. A burly man stepped forward, planted his foot on the zombie¡¯s head, spat in its face, and then raised his arms in triumph. The others responded excitedly, as if he were some kind of world-conquering hero.


    Song Ke couldn¡¯t help but furrow her brows.


    Holding her hand, Xu Xing lowered his chattering voice, fearfully hiding behind her.


    Before long, a mechanized forklift with a special number on its body came roaring in. A massive iron cage descended from the sky, capturing the zombie alive, and then it was lifted away.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t they kill it?¡± Song Ke whispered.


    A person nearby who had been watching the commotion gave her a sidelong glance, ¡°New here?¡±


    ¡°Kill it? That¡¯s crude, far too crude. No artistic sense.¡±


    ¡°But this is the Throne Race Competition; it¡¯s excellent nourishment!¡±

 Chapter 32.1: Bloody Ferrara (4)

    ¡ò Formation of V587! ¡òThrone Race Competition?


    On the day they entered the city, Ilya mentioned this term, but at that time, everyone was more astonished by the identity of the artificial intelligence, so they didn¡¯t pay much attention to it.


    And what was the deal with ¡°nourishment¡±?


    The attitude of the citizens of Ferrara towards zombies was drastically different from the people Song Ke encountered in District F and District D. There was a hint of fanatical hunting in their approach.


    Zhuang Qingyan leaned forward from his wheelchair, his slender fingers lifting up a poster covered in numerous footprints. He gazed at the words on it and slowly recited, ¡°Smooth roads only make people mediocre. Only flames and thorns can temper the true crown of a king. Hm.¡±


    ¡°Throne Race Competition, hot registration ongoing, address on the back!¡± Xu Xing also leaned in with his little head.


    ¡°If you¡¯re curious, you can go take a look,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Song Ke nodded. Once the awakener registration was sorted out, she would go check out this Throne Race Competition. But for now, the priority was to form their team at the commission center.


    The group of them arrived at the Ferrara Special Affairs Commission Center again. In just a day, the damaged fountain pool at the entrance had already been repaired. Its surface was as good as new, and the efficiency was astonishing. It seemed that the substantial amount of money paid by Baldy and Crazy Chihori for compensation was not in vain.


    As soon as Song Ke stepped into the hall, she saw a crowd gathered around the screen. A chorus of amazed voices kept coming, ¡°It¡¯s ¡®Three Grandsons and One Grandpa¡¯ again. How many B-rank commissions is this for them? They¡¯re progressing so quickly; their points must be over a thousand soon, right?¡±


    Song Ke paused her steps. That peculiar team name sounded somewhat familiar, didn¡¯t it? Her gaze involuntarily turned towards the suspended screen in front of her, and as expected, as if replaying yesterday, a holographic projection once again flickered with a new announcement ¡ª ¡°Congratulations to Team ¡®Three Grandsons and One Grandpa¡¯ for completing B-rank commission xxxx!¡±


    On the overall points leaderboard, this team was also in the lead, sitting comfortably at first place with a score of 966.


    The level of commission tasks not only came with corresponding Alliance currency rewards but also carried different point values. For instance, the simplest E-level task was worth 2 points, and the scale increased gradually: D-level was 10 points, C-level was 50 points, B-level was 200 points, and an A-level mission could earn as much as 1000 points. As for the rumored S-level missions, none had appeared so far, and it was said that there was no upper limit to their point rewards. The rapid ascent of the ¡°Three Grandsons and One Grandpa¡± team, reaching 966 points so quickly, indicated that they had completed at least three or more B-level missions, showcasing their considerable strength and unparalleled popularity.


    Their goal was also clear¡ªto gain access to District B.


    Cities ranked C and above within the Alliance had strict access regulations. Regular people who wanted to enter a non-residential District C had to apply for short-term entry permits. The reasons could be sightseeing, visiting relatives, official business trips, and more. Once a permit expired or if someone were still in the city without proper authorization, they would become ¡°wanderers,¡± subject to pursuit by the Alliance¡¯s Citizenship Enforcement Division.


    Among the 50 District C areas, only District C72 was an exception. Ferrara, known for its emphasis on art and freedom, welcomed all travelers from afar.


    Even for local residents of District C, changing their place of residence wasn¡¯t an easy feat. The naturalization process between different cities was extremely stringent. District C inhabitants aiming for District B faced even greater challenges. Before the apocalypse, joining the Azure Phoenix might have been a shortcut, but with the collapse of order and the increasing awakening of abilities, new rules had been established. The Alliance had recently issued an official announcement that individuals with abilities could gain District B citizenship by accumulating points.


    Of course, the required number of points was quite daunting. Transitioning from District C to District B required a whopping 500,000 points. S?a?ch* Th? ??v?lF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Song Ke harbored an unspoken desire. She wanted to go outside and explore. Throughout her life, she had hardly left F177 District, venturing only as far as Yue Mountain (E166 District) and Hua City (D99 District). After forming a team this time, she wanted to take on a B-level mission and test her skills. Even if she wasn¡¯t as capable as the ¡°Three Grandsons and One Grandpa¡± team, she could slowly accumulate points. Who knows, someday she might have the chance to visit District B.


    With her dreams in mind, Song Ke approached the service window and said, ¡°Hello, I want to, to form a team.¡±


    A middle-aged woman in uniform inside pushed up her glasses, glanced at Song Ke briefly, and then shifted her gaze away. She paused for a second over Xu Xing¡¯s fuzzy head, another second on Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s legs, two seconds on his face, and finally returned to Song Ke.


    A teenager around seventeen or eighteen, a well-behaved child, and¡­ a disabled person in a wheelchair?


    She had worked here for five or six years and considered herself to have sharp eyes, but this was the first time she couldn¡¯t tell which two of these three were awakeners.


    ¡°Which of you is the captain?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Regardless of who¡¯s the captain, show me your awakener ID.¡±


    ¡°Huh??¡±


    Song Ke was taken aback. Wasn¡¯t it said that regular people could also form teams and take on missions? Why were they asking her for an awakener ID?


    The staff member looked skeptical. ¡°Team members can be regular people, but the team captain has to be an awakener. Without an awakener ID, how do you intend to take and complete missions? All terminals require identification.¡±


    Song Ke exclaimed, ¡°Huh?¡±


    The staff member thought she was a rebellious teenager who had gone astray and tried to counsel her with a pained expression. ¡°Young lady, I don¡¯t think you¡¯re an awakener, are you? Look at the three of you¡­ sigh, taking on contracts is very dangerous. Don¡¯t come to cause trouble, okay? Go on, take your brothers back home. Watch a concert of your favorite star, buy some pretty dresses, and live peacefully.¡±


    ¡°If my daughter acted like you, oh my, I¡¯d be so frustrated.¡±


    Song Ke remained silent.


    What can I do? What else can I do? I just want to form a team, why is it so difficult?£¡


    Song Ke was left speechless.


    Her thoughts were in turmoil.


    The entire world for Song Ke had turned dark.


    ¡­


    By the fountain pool, Song Ke sat down dispiritedly. Her fair chin rested on the back of Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s wheelchair, and her face wore an expression of utter disillusionment.


    Zhuang Qingyan, rarely seeing her so listless, patted her head comfortingly. ¡°Don¡¯t be disheartened. There might be other ways. Maybe a ¡®kind-hearted person¡¯ will help us?¡±


    Xu Xing squatted beside them, playing with the water. He stuck his finger in, and the water surface immediately froze. He pulled out a finger-shaped ice stick, looking like he had discovered a new land, and he enjoyed it immensely. Soon, all ten of his fingers were solidly frozen.


    ¡°Sister, why don¡¯t you just directly register as an awakener?¡±


    ¡°Because I don¡¯t have the money,¡± Song Ke answered wearily.


    ¡°Does it require a lot of money?¡± Xu Xing asked, puzzled.


    ¡°Yeah!¡± Song Ke nodded vigorously. ¡°10,000 Alliance coins.¡±


    Xu Xing shook his hand, and the ice stick fell with a tinkling sound, revealing his ten white and tender fingers. ¡°Sister, I¡¯ll transfer it to you directly.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s your, your money,¡± Song Ke refused. She couldn¡¯t just spend someone else¡¯s money, especially since Xu Xing was just a child.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, sister. Look, I have so much money.¡±


    Xu Xing handed over his new terminal, and Song Ke caught sight of a long string of zeroes that seemed endless.


    Alright, let¡¯s correct that. Xu Xing was a ¡°very wealthy¡± child.


    Song Ke still shook her head.


    But Xu Xing thought his idea was brilliant and pleaded softly, ¡°Sister, just consider it a loan from me. You can give it back to me after you complete that commission, okay?¡±


    ¡°I want to register as an awakener too, sister~ Will you take me?¡± Not getting his way, he began to act cute.


    Song Ke was worn down by his persistence. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll ask you, you to lend me first.¡±


    She lifted her chin from the back of the wheelchair, rummaged in her backpack, took out a piece of paper, and wrote a IOU carefully.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Xu Xing brightened up, ¡°let¡¯s go then.¡±


    After saying this, he sneakily glanced at Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s corner of the eye, like a proud little peacock, chin held high. ¡°Hmph!¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan smiled but remained silent.


    A little foolish fish, easily caught on a hook, yet blissfully unaware. He¡¯s kind-hearted at least; he shouldn¡¯t spoil his good intentions.


    With the support of the little local tyrant Xu Xing, things suddenly became simpler. Soon, Song Ke once again completed the process and obtained her awakener identification ¨C a small needle-type terminal that could circulate in District C, with its jurisdiction located in the area of Ferrara.


    Compared to Wu Yarou¡¯s silver-white District B terminal, this one lagged behind in both appearance and functionality. It was like the difference between a basic model and a luxury limited edition. However, Song Ke couldn¡¯t put it down; it was her official ID, marking an end to her days as a black householder.


    The girl who was slacking off also told her that once the results of the awakener level were out, they would be synchronized and updated on the terminal. She wouldn¡¯t need to make another trip.


    Xu Xing took this opportunity to register as an awakener as well. According to his own account, he ¡°accidentally¡± lost control of his ice power during the awakener review and nearly stabbed the auditors with ice shards, startling them quite a bit.


    ¡°He asked me to conjure a cup of water for him, so I did,¡± Xu Xing blinked innocently, his expression quite convincing.

 Chapter 32.2: Bloody Ferrara (4)

    ¡ò Formation of V587! ¡òThe three of them returned to the commission center once again. The staff member who had considered Song Ke a ¡°rebellious teenager¡± repeatedly checked her awakener ID and finally pursed her lips, submitting a team formation application in the system: ¡°Enter the team name.¡±


    Song Ke looked back to ask her teammates for their opinions.


    ¡°You¡¯re the captain, you decide,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said, adopting an attitude of completely deferring to her.


    ¡°Sister, I can¡¯t think of anything,¡± Xu Xing scratched his head.


    Song Ke: I can¡¯t think of anything either!


    Suddenly, she kind of understood the difficulty of ¡°Three Grandsons and One Grandfather¡±, naming really was tough.


    Seeing her troubled expression, the staff member casually suggested, ¡°If you can¡¯t come up with anything, just use a number. Let me see¡­ you¡¯re the 587th awakener team registered in Ferrara.¡±


    The number on the screen jumped by one digit, stopping exactly at ¡°00587,¡± next to which was the full name of the Ferrara (Vulala) Special Affairs Agency.


    ¡°Then, let¡¯s go with this, V587.¡±


    New Calendar, Year 46, October 2nd.


    On an ordinary day, the number one awakener team that would later shake the entire Alliance, V587, was established in such an ordinary manner.


    The initial team consisted of only three members: Song Ke (Gold-type Awakener, level unknown), Xu Xing (Ice-type Awakener, level unknown), and ¡°ordinary person¡± Zhuang Qingyan.


    The first thing V587 did after its establishment was to go and complete the B-level mission that Song Ke had set her eyes on.


    Using the self-service terminal, Song Ke swiped her awakener ID and searched for that mission from the long list. Luckily, it hadn¡¯t been taken by anyone else yet.


    This mission was issued by the Municipal Hall of Luli Port (D150 District), with a reward of 2000 Alliance coins and 200 team points.


    The earliest release date was September 25th.


    ¡°Help us clear the zombies on the first floor. We¡¯re trapped in the office and can¡¯t get out.¡±


    On September 27th, the mission was updated.


    ¡°Is there anyone to save us? We¡¯re running out of food!¡±


    On September 30th, the mission was updated again.


    ¡°Urgent!!! The zombies are already outside the door. We can¡¯t hold on any longer. Anyone will do, help, help!!!¡±


    Today was already October 2nd, and the mission hadn¡¯t been updated since then. It¡¯s unknown whether the issuer was still alive.


    Song Ke casually checked the system and found that there were quite a few commission tasks from Luli Port, and most of them were related to zombies. It seemed like the disaster situation was quite severe.


    She turned to Zhuang Qingyan and asked, ¡°D150 District, do you, do you know about it?¡±


    In her mind, Zhuang Qingyan knew everything.


    Sure enough, Zhuang Qingyan just slightly frowned and said, ¡°Luli Port? Hmm¡­ it¡¯s a pretty well-developed tourist city in District D, mostly because of its location by the sea. The other three sides are District C. It became a large-scale resort a few years ago. I remember the artificial beaches and hot springs there are quite popular.¡±


    A vacation paradise? During the apocalypse, it was the peak of tourism in Luli Port. The local attractions and folk streets were bustling with people. Having a large number of zombies stuck there wasn¡¯t surprising.


    Song Ke switched back to the mission interface. ¡°So, should I take this?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan confirmed with her, ¡°The mission location is the Municipal Hall?¡±


    ¡°Yes, why, is there a problem?¡±


    ¡°The Municipal Hall of Luli Port is known for its maze-like architectural style. It¡¯s intricate and complex inside, easy to get lost. Similar to Hua City, it has won the gold award in city planning competitions.¡±


    ¡°A maze?¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s expression became blank. She couldn¡¯t even tell north from south! No wonder this mission was so urgent and yet no one had taken it for so long.


    Zhuang Qingyan smiled and said, ¡°If it¡¯s just a simulated maze, even if it¡¯s a real maze, it would still be a bit difficult to trap me.¡±


    With him saying that, things seemed easier.


    Full of confidence, Song Ke clicked ¡°Accept Commission¡± and then ¡°Confirm.¡± Suddenly, the terminal screen projected a text: ¡°Detecting that you are currently in District C72. The format of this mission has changed. Please refresh and complete it according to local requirements; otherwise, the mission will be considered a failure. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.¡±


    What did that mean? S?a??h th? ??v?lF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Song Ke refreshed the screen.


    New text appeared on the screen: ¡°In support of the Throne Race Tournament, please try to capture the zombies and bring them back to Ferrara~ You can apply for a free transport vehicle for this commission :)¡±


    Capture¡­ zombies??


    And what¡¯s with this ¡°:)¡±? What is that supposed to be?


    Both Zhuang Qingyan and Xu Xing saw this prompt. Xu Xing had little reaction, but Zhuang Qingyan sneered, ¡°Interesting.¡±


    What was once a straightforward task suddenly turned magical.


    Song Ke couldn¡¯t help but recall the scene she witnessed on the street in the morning, along with the phrase ¡°excellent nourishment¡± that the passerby mentioned. The direction of events was becoming increasingly enigmatic. It seemed necessary to figure out what the Throne Race Competition was all about after completing the mission.


    After exiting the hall, Song Ke was still pondering where to collect the ¡°free transport vehicle.¡± The rumbling sound of an engine reached her ears. From the track that stretched across the Ferrara sky, a numbered transport vehicle came rolling along and stopped right in front of Song Ke and her companions.


    The transport vehicle was entirely silver-gray in color. The cockpit was narrow, but it had a total of eight carriages at the back. What was even more chilling was that each carriage was filled with iron cages adorned with barbs. Bloodstains crisscrossed inside, the colors dull and gloomy, having captured countless zombies.


    The terminal made a ¡°ding¡± sound, displaying the vehicle information. This vehicle was equipped with automated driving and preset round-trip routes. In theory, Song Ke only needed to capture the zombies and toss them onto the vehicle. It would return on its own.


    Song Ke and Zhuang Qingyan boarded the cockpit, and as the door was about to close, Xu Xing caught the hem of Song Ke¡¯s clothes.


    ¡°Sister, I¡­ I want to go too.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you, afraid?¡± Xu Xing was terrified of zombies to the core. Both instances of his supernatural ability going out of control were due to zombies.


    Xu Xing¡¯s hand trembled for a moment, gradually releasing Song Ke¡¯s clothes, but the next second, he grabbed them tightly again!


    He saw Zhuang Qingyan inside the cockpit, looking at him with a smile that wasn¡¯t quite a smile.


    Although Zhuang Qingyan hadn¡¯t said a word, Xu Xing sensed the disdain in his gaze, as if he were saying, ¡°Oh? That¡¯s it?¡±


    Initially hesitating, Xu Xing¡¯s inner sense of pride was completely aroused. With his neck held high, his voice full of enthusiasm, he exclaimed, ¡°I¡¯m not afraid! I want to help you. I won¡¯t cause any trouble!¡±


    After a moment of thought, Song Ke agreed. Although Xu Xing was an unstable element, it wasn¡¯t a big deal. She just needed to keep a closer eye on him.


    ¡°Come on board.¡±


    ¡­


    The transport vehicle distributed by Ferrara had a steam-driven engine and didn¡¯t use the energy of ¡°Yiyu,¡± so its speed was considerably slower compared to a starship. Nevertheless, it could utilize the aerial track. After approximately ten hours of travel, Song Ke and her companions arrived at Luli Port.


    It was approaching midnight, and the Municipal Hall of Luli Port was less than three kilometers away. Hordes of zombies were roaming the outskirts.


    Without clearing a path, they couldn¡¯t get in.


    Song Ke opened the window, hooked her finger, and agilely flipped out, landing on top of the vehicle.


    In her hand was a repeating crossbow similar to the one Zhuang Qingyan had. ¡°I¡¯ll distract the zombies on the left. Xu Xing, freeze them on the right.¡±


    Xu Xing clenched his fists and nodded nervously, ¡°Okay!¡±


    Shouldering the crossbow with one hand, Song Ke squinted her eyes, aimed, and lightly pulled the trigger. Ten arrows shot out simultaneously, accurately piercing a small group of isolated zombies ahead. Those zombies noticed the movement and rushed towards them.


    Xu Xing also stood up, his ability followed suit. A sudden blizzard engulfed the area, and the zombies that were lured out were instantly frozen.


    The vehicle¡¯s surveillance detected the zombie movements. A long mechanical arm extended from the rear compartment, sweeping these zombies into iron cages like garbage. Once a compartment was filled, the door silently closed, automatically shifting to the front, and the second-to-last compartment was then pushed out.


    ¡°Keep going,¡± Song Ke changed direction and continued shooting arrows to attract the zombies¡¯ attention.


    ¡°Alright!¡± Xu Xing was full of enthusiasm.


    The first carriage transporting zombies slowly passed the cockpit. Dripping water droplets fell, and one of the frozen zombies had unknowingly melted. Suddenly, it began to roar restlessly. ¡°Swipe!¡± Sharp claws protruded from the iron cage, almost touching Xu Xing¡¯s nose through the window glass.


    Xu Xing¡¯s attention was focused forward. He was startled by the attack that came out of nowhere. His pupils trembled, and the blizzard that had been swirling all around him turned into ice spikes.


    ¡°Crunch, crunch, crunch¡ª¡±


    Several skulls of the supposedly frozen zombies were pierced by ice shards, but the remaining ones kept pushing forward.


    Xu Xing¡¯s rhythm became chaotic, affecting Song Ke¡¯s concentration. Her arrows couldn¡¯t attract so many zombies, and a small group was already rushing towards their position.


    Song Ke put down the crossbow, reached back, and pulled out two dual-bladed knives from her backpack. ¡°Swoosh!¡± She leaped off the top of the vehicle, charging towards the approaching tide of zombies. The moment her feet hit the ground, she swung her blades horizontally, killing the zombies that came rushing.


    Zhuang Qingyan frowned and yelled in a low voice, ¡°Song Ke, capture the live ones.¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s silhouette stiffened for a moment, her actions momentarily delayed, as if she were contemplating how to capture the zombies alive.


    Then, the catastrophe began.


    Everything descended into chaos. Xu Xing started yelling frantically, his ability alternately turning into blizzards and ice shards. Song Ke was dashing up and down within the swarm of zombies, incapacitating one by kicking, chasing another to the left, knocking one down, only to have another on the right run away.


    After much difficulty capturing a group, just as she was about to throw them into the transport vehicle, ice shards from Xu Xing flew over, killing them all.


    Song Ke: ¡°¡­¡±


    In the midst of endless chaos, Zhuang Qingyan covered his face.


    V587¡¯s first mission, a massive failure!

 Chapter 33: Bloody Ferrara (5)

    ¡òA-Level Task: Mutant Zombie!¡òAt the critical moment, Zhuang Qingyan remained calm. He surveyed the chaotic situation on the field and quickly made a judgment: ¡°Xu Xing, stop and create ice in the direction I indicated.¡±


    Xu Xing, with a defiant tone despite being in a difficult situation, retorted, ¡°Why should I listen to you?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s icy gaze lingered on his collar for a second, his expression as fierce as a demon: ¡°If you don¡¯t obey, I¡¯ll throw you out right now!¡±


    Xu Xing: (T£ßT)


    He recalled the agony of being dominated.


    Zhuang Qingyan no longer paid attention to him. His slender fingers continuously manipulated the complex control panel in the cockpit. His gaze fell on Song Ke in the distance. He paused, and certain unpleasant memories suddenly struck him.


    As a precaution, he turned his head again and confirmed with Xu Xing, ¡°Do you know the directions¡ªnorth, south, east, west?¡±


    Xu Xing angrily shouted, ¡°Of course! Who do you think you¡¯re looking down on?!¡±


    ¡°Very well.¡± Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s lips curled slightly, better than your sister.


    With a slight movement of his fingertip, he retrieved a collapsible cane from the space, unfolded it in a couple of swift motions, supported the wheelchair¡¯s handguard, and then exerted force. After injuring his right leg, he stood up for the first time.


    Once he stood firm, Zhuang Qingyan extended his right hand, finally reaching the control lever of the mechanical arm, positioned slightly higher.


    Xu Xing was amazed to find that Zhuang Qingyan was actually quite tall. It wasn¡¯t the frail and thin figure he had imagined from prolonged wheelchair use. On the contrary, Zhuang Qingyan stood tall and elegant, with superior proportions. His waist and abdomen had smooth and straight lines, and even his exposed forearms were unusually sturdy.


    While he was lost in thought, Zhuang Qingyan had already opened the car window and shouted from a distance, ¡°Song Ke! Head to 11 o¡¯clock direction!¡±


    Song Ke blocked with her left knife and executed a semi-circular slash with her right knife. With a swift ¡°whoosh,¡± she leaped to the front of the zombie horde, acting as bait to lure them towards the northwest.


    ¡°Xu Xing, freeze the entire group of zombies to the southwest!¡±


    Xu Xing felt a bit dissatisfied. His sister was clearly running towards the northwest, so why did he have to freeze the zombies to the southwest? But Zhuang Qingyan was indeed quite tall. He seemed to only reach his waist. Xu Xing cast an envious glance and obediently followed the command.


    Northwest direction, 11 o¡¯clock.


    The zombies brought over by Song Ke were increasing in number, and they finally collided with a nearby carriage with a resounding ¡°thud.¡± There was no way forward from here!


    ¡°Six o¡¯clock!¡±


    Almost simultaneously, Zhuang Qingyan shouted the next command.


    Song Ke hit the brakes sharply and made a quick turn. The zombies followed her like rabbits chasing carrots, rushing towards them in a synchronized manner.


    Xu Xing became anxious, ¡°They¡¯re all coming this way!¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan said coldly, ¡°Take care of your ice. If I see another ice shard, you¡¯ll be the first one to feed the zombies.¡±


    The horde of monsters was getting closer and closer to them. Just as the first batch of zombies that Xu Xing froze was melting, and they regained their freedom in a daze, continuing forward due to inertia, Song Ke was caught between them like a carrot being chased by two sides. She was about to be overwhelmed by the zombies. Xu Xing¡¯s heart raced.


    Right at that moment, Song Ke suddenly switched her grip, reversed her knives, and inserted them perfectly into the gaps of the iron cage covered with inverted hooks. Following that, she propelled herself with a leap, her feet landing on the crossbar of the carriage. In the blink of an eye, she executed two graceful backflips, taking both herself and her weapons onto the roof of the car.


    The two waves of zombies couldn¡¯t react in time and collided with a loud ¡°thud,¡± falling to the ground. Just then, the mechanical arm on the side of the carriage emerged mysteriously, sweeping through like a whirlwind, and all these zombies were swept inside. The iron cage swiftly followed, clanging shut the exit.


    In an instant, the clearing was complete!


    Inside the cockpit, Zhuang Qingyan gave orders to Song Ke while manually controlling the transport vehicle and the mechanical arm, both in synchronized motion.


    Xu Xing was completely stunned. This person was multitasking¡ªno, make that triple-tasking. He even found time to scold him. Was this really something a human brain could accomplish?


    With Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s guidance, the almost-tipping-over situation was finally brought under control. Waves of zombies managed to run right into Song Ke¡¯s attack range or step into Xu Xing¡¯s blizzard, and with the synchronized sweeping of the mechanical arms from the six carriages, about half an hour later, the three of them managed to clear a path, narrowly escaping the crisis.


    With the crisis averted, the remaining few zombies were swiftly dealt with by Song Ke.


    She wiped her twin swords with cloth, crossed them behind her back, and briskly walked back to the front of the vehicle.


    Leaning on his crutch, Zhuang Qingyan pushed open the cockpit. Leaning against the door, he appeared relaxed and composed, with the night breeze rustling his clothes, making his handsome features even more profound.


    Zhuang Qingyan looked at Song Ke with a helpless expression. ¡°What did you say before we set off?¡±


    Both Song Ke and Xu Xing were highly offensive supernatural beings. If their cooperation went awry, it could potentially lead to a big mess, wreaking havoc on a catastrophic scale.


    Having them use their abilities to attract monsters in coordination was a decision they had agreed upon earlier. Zhuang Qingyan had taught them the method personally. On the way, Song Ke had promised with great confidence that she would follow the plan meticulously, being extra cautious.


    Yet here she was, a skilled long-range archer, engaging in melee combat due to her inability to control the monsters.


    Xu Xing was even more extreme, losing control of his powers at the slightest scare from the zombies, acting like a runaway wild horse.


    Song Ke lowered her head in embarrassment, her expression sheepish. ¡°I-I didn¡¯t mean to, I-I forgot¡­¡±


    She had gotten so used to cutting off zombie heads that she forgot everything else once she swung into action.


    Glancing at Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s cold gaze and expression, she suddenly had an epiphany. She jumped onto the cockpit and very doggedly reached out to support his arm. ¡°I-I-I¡¯ll help you walk.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan hesitated for a moment but didn¡¯t pull away.


    Song Ke desperately signaled to Xu Xing, who was standing foolishly nearby. ¡°Xiao Xing!¡±


    Having just been lectured by Zhuang Qingyan on how to be a proper person and awed by his immense calculating abilities, Xu Xing didn¡¯t dare to pout this time. He obediently moved the wheelchair out of the cockpit.


    Forget it. Men still had to rely on their strengths to speak. Next time, he definitely had to win back his dignity!


    After a quick check, the three of them estimated that the transport vehicle was now filled with about four carriages¡¯ worth of materials. The interior was soundproof, and they couldn¡¯t hear a thing even when pressed against the carriage walls.


    The City Hall of Luli Port was very close now. The vague outline of the building could be seen in the distance. Zhuang Qingyan put away his crutch and returned to his wheelchair. ¡°We¡¯re almost there. Let¡¯s walk.¡±


    Song Ke hesitated, ¡°What about this vehicle¡­¡±


    She was about to ask if they were just leaving it here, not fully loaded and without automatic return capability.


    Before she finished speaking, the two empty carriages actually detached from the main body of the vehicle. Four small wheels emerged from the bottom with a clatter, and in an instant, they transformed into the kind of small shopping carts used to stock goods in supermarkets. They trotted along behind them in a curious manner.


    Zhuang Qingyan wasn¡¯t surprised at all. He had discovered this when manipulating the control panel earlier. ¡°The vehicle is equipped with a small-scale artificial intelligence that possesses some autonomous decision-making ability. Don¡¯t worry about it, let¡¯s go.¡±


    As Song Ke took a couple of steps forward and turned around to look, the two carriages were right behind them. With their mechanical arms swinging and swaying, the scene was inexplicably eerie, resembling a supervisor more and more!


    ¡­


    Luli Port City Hall.


    Unlike the local area¡¯s natural and charming characteristics, this was a building with a forest steel style, and its industrial facade was covered with lush vegetation. Suspended in the air were dazzling corridors in various shapes, and platforms of different sizes extended freely. One could easily anticipate the complexity and diversity of the interior space.


    The height of the entrance gate wasn¡¯t enough; the two compartments couldn¡¯t squeeze in. The mechanical arm automatically retracted, entering an energy-saving mode. Two small square boxes stopped temporarily at the entrance, finally no longer following them.


    Song Ke paid no more attention to it and, along with Zhuang Qingyan and Xu Xing, entered the entire building.


    As described in the assigned task, as early as September 25th, the first floor here should have been filled with zombies. However, the reality was different. After entering through the main gate, there were only a few zombies wandering in the spacious lobby.


    When things deviate from the norm, there must be something amiss. Song Ke became vigilant involuntarily.


    She raised her head, following the spiral staircase¡¯s ascent. The entire 6 floors of the building were demolished, and the opposite sides were beveled and cut. The top space was distorted, and the environment was extremely quiet.


    ¡°The situation isn¡¯t right, be cautious,¡± Zhuang Qingyan warned in a deep voice.


    ¡°Got it,¡± Song Ke sharpened her focus, ¡°Xiao Xing, stay close, both of us.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan led the way, taking the lead with the two following him upstairs. In the nearly identical corridors, they kept turning and advancing. Before long, his wheelchair stopped, ¡°There¡¯s someone, someone with abilities.¡±


    Song Ke was slightly taken aback. The number of rooms here was extensive, and the layout was intricate, often obstructing spiritual exploration. She hadn¡¯t heard any sound nor sensed any abilities. How did Zhuang Qingyan determine the presence of an awakener?


    ¡°Go this way.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan changed direction, leading them up to the top floor through the staircase and guiding them to a concealed small platform to look down.


    Sure enough, there were people!


    Only in the central open space of the fourth floor, several groups of people were confronting each other from a distance.


    Compared to the mysteriously vanished zombies inside the building, the number of zombies here seemed to be more normal, but they were gathered together like trapped beasts. Song Ke¡¯s keen eyesight noticed that one of the zombies had distinctly different symptoms. Its skin had a unique shade of blue, and its level of decay was lower than that of ordinary zombies. Its metallic-like claws were particularly sharp, and most peculiarly, its pupils weren¡¯t gray-white but intensely dark, pure black.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s expression turned serious. ¡°A mutant zombie¡­¡±


    Song Ke was startled. Mutant zombie? Weren¡¯t those zombies created from fallen awakeners? Zhuang Qingyan had mentioned that the Alliance¡¯s approach to dealing with such zombies was only one: execution.


    In a tense atmosphere of stalemate, a man whose half body was composed of machinery took a confident step forward. His natural eye and mechanical eye turned simultaneously, presenting a rather peculiar appearance. ¡°I say, Brother Duanmu, your family¡¯s business is vast. You might not value these low-level mutant zombies. Why not let us have them?¡±


    Leaning by the staircase, a refined man dressed in vintage robes smiled. His voice was gentle, but his words showed no sign of backing down. ¡°Bartel, spare us the insincere words. They sound nauseating. Our team is climbing the points leaderboard. I thought everyone knew that.¡±


    ¡°Duanmu Qi, don¡¯t be too greedy!¡±


    ¡°Exactly! You¡¯ve already completed most of the B-level tasks. What¡¯s left are just dirty and tiring tasks. Don¡¯t be too excessive!¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you already in first place? Isn¡¯t 966 points enough?¡±


    On the 6th platform, Song Ke, who had just taken on a ¡°B-level dirty and tiring task¡±, said: ¡°¡­¡±


    Wait a minute, she suddenly realized with a gasp, belatedly understanding: points for promotion, completion, 966¡­ Could this be the team ¡°Three Grandsons and One Grandpa¡± that¡¯s currently ranked first on the leaderboard?!


    Song Ke focused her gaze and indeed, behind the man named Duanmu Qi stood three individuals, all concealed in the shadows, their faces revealing a cold and stern expression, each looking quite formidable.


    ¡°Duanmu Qi, you weren¡¯t the first to discover this unique zombie, and an A-level mission isn¡¯t something you can just take on as you wish.¡±


    An elderly man with a head full of white hair, hands behind his back, descended the staircase with a dignified tone: ¡°Awakeners disregard human emotions. In all endeavors, the victor is king. If you want to claim these 1000 points, you should ask whether we agree.¡±


    Duanmu Qi chuckled, ¡°I never expected even Mr. Xiang to join in on this lively event.¡±


    ¡°Very well then. Let it be as you wish. The victor is king, and the loser is a bandit. All of you can fight for it. I¡¯m curious to see who can take these 1000 points from me, Duanmu Qi!¡±


    ¡°So arrogant! Brothers, I can¡¯t stand this!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s all go together. I refuse to believe we can¡¯t defeat him!¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°A-level mission?¡±Song Ke understood the content of the dispute between the people below, and her eyes lit up suddenly.


    ¡°Sister, look,¡± Xu Xing leaned over holding the terminal, ¡°There is a sudden red commission in the system.¡±


    Five hours ago, on their way to Luli Port, the Ferrara Comission Center issued an emergency mission with a level of A.


    ¡°Zhang Lei, the former D-level awakener of Luli Port (D150 District), with the ability of ¡®Stone Gaze¡¯, has now mutated and escaped. This individual is extremely dangerous. Starting today, a nationwide hunt is underway. Once found, terminate on sight!¡±


    This was the first A-level mission that appeared in Ferrara!


    With a whole 1000 points, it was no wonder that it attracted so many awakener teams.


    The atmosphere on the 4th floor was becoming more and more solidified, and a crisis was imminent.


    ¡°Since that¡¯s the case¡­ let everyone compete based on their abilities.¡±


    Bartel, the half-mechanized one-eyed man, suddenly smirked. Taking advantage of everyone¡¯s unpreparedness, his mechanical left arm extended rapidly, stabbing straight at the mutant zombie Zhang Lei.


    ¡°Bartel! Don¡¯t you dare to play tricks!¡±


    All the awakeners took action, and dark shadows rushed towards Zhang Lei one after another.


    Just as they closed in, Duanmu Qi¡¯s robes fluttered, and countless thorns burst from the ground, tightly binding the legs of the leading awakeners. Thump thump. Like dumplings dropping into boiling water, they all fell back to the ground.


    Such formidable control ability ¨C Duanmu Qi was undoubtedly a powerful wood-type awakener!


    After Duanmu Qi suppressed the situation, three individuals behind him rushed out from different angles, heading straight for Zhang Lei. They were just about to reach him when suddenly, Zhang Lei vanished on the spot, a displacement occurring in a corner opposite the group.


    There was a space-type awakener on the scene!


    This space-type awakener concealed their whereabouts, constantly shifting Zhang Lei¡¯s position. A change every five seconds made it difficult for anyone to predict their exact movements. Soon enough, Zhang Lei ended up right beneath Song Ke and the others.


    The space-type awakener seemed to believe that this spot provided good cover for their line of sight. For a while, they refrained from further displacement.


    A perfect opportunity!


    ¡®The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind¡¯. Song Ke and her group, who had been observing the battle from the shadows, now became the oriole.


    ¡°Should, should we try to seize, seize it?¡± Song Ke asked her companions for their opinions.


    Zhuang Qingyan gazed at the chaotic battle below, chuckling softly, ¡°Of course, why not? A-level task¨C after completing this, you¡¯ll be rich, won¡¯t you?¡±


    Yeah, I wonder how much this A-level task is worth?


    All the awakeners present couldn¡¯t help but focus on the high 1000-point score. Only Song Ke had her mind fixed on the Alliance coin reward. If she managed to seize it, would it be enough to pay back the debt she owed Xu Xing?


    ¡°Go, pay attention to the direction of 3 o¡¯clock,¡± Zhuang Qingyan pointed to a certain corner, ¡°That space-type awakener is hiding there.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Song Ke nodded.


    ¡°Sister, you can do it!¡± Xu Xing clenched his small fist to cheer her up.


    ¡°Xiao Xing, protect him well,¡± Song Ke earnestly instructed.


    Xu Xing: ¡°¡­Oh.¡±


    Was there a possibility that the one who needed protection was actually me?


    After confirming the direction with a glance, Song Ke drew out her dual knives and leaped down from the 6th-floor platform!


    Almost simultaneously, a nimble black shadow jumped down from the rooftop diagonally opposite! S?a?ch* Th? N0v?lFire(.)n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    There was never just one oriole lurking in the shadows.

 Chapter 34.1: Bloody Ferrara (6)

    ¡òThis sister is so fierce¡òSong Ke jumped from the 6th-floor platform, and almost at the same time, a black figure flew out from the opposite direction.


    Both of them met unexpectedly in mid-air and were momentarily stunned when they saw each other¡¯s faces.


    Soon, they realized each other¡¯s intentions: they were both here to snatch an A-level task!


    Song Ke executed a mid-air somersault and swung her long knife down towards her opponent¡¯s head. The fierce blade wind swirled aggressively, forcing the opponent to yield their position. Unexpectedly, this person was just as ruthless and intended to meet her head-on!


    ¡°Clang!¡± Her spiritual weapon¡¯s blade struck the opponent¡¯s arm, colliding with something similar to steel armor. The shadow absorbed the blow, inwardly rotated their forearm, and used the momentum to continue forward, maintaining their speed and even overtaking Song Ke by a step.


    Song Ke wouldn¡¯t let them have their way. She immediately followed up with her short knife in her right hand, swiftly and viciously slashing upwards.


    ¡°Clang!¡± The piercing sound of metal scraping against metal echoed once again as the opponent narrowly dodged by tilting their body to the side. Their movements momentarily slowed, allowing Song Ke to block their escape route.


    Being repeatedly stopped, the shadow seemed to grow irritated. They grabbed Song Ke¡¯s throat with their right hand and kicked her knee with their left leg, attempting to end her with a lethal blow!


    Song Ke raised both knives to defend herself and agilely dodged.


    However, her opponent was clearly skilled in close-quarters combat, with elusive and deadly strikes. They only attacked when they were certain to strike a lethal blow.


    In terms of combat skills alone, this was the most formidable opponent Song Ke had encountered so far.


    Unfortunately, they were still not a match for her.


    Song Ke lowered her waist, performed a 360-degree backward flip, and kicked the shadow in the chest, pushing them back. Taking advantage of the recoil, she grabbed the collar of the zombie Zhang Lei before the space manipulator could teleport again.


    Fighting was one thing, but she hadn¡¯t forgotten her true objective.


    Just then, a beautiful song inexplicably echoed in Song Ke¡¯s ears.


    ¡°Let me~ accompany you to sleep~ gently withdraw my hand~¡±


    Even more strangely, with each line of the song, her spirit grew more tired, and her desire to attack was gradually disarmed.


    So tired¡­ She wanted to rest¡­


    Her eyelids grew heavier and her fingers loosened. In the midst of such an intense battle, she was almost falling asleep?


    ¡°Hot tears~ in my heart~ gather into a river~¡±


    Song Ke uncontrollably shed two clear tears.


    ¡°!!!¡±


    Why am I crying?


    The black shadow who had been grappling with Song Ke suddenly flashed, and a cold light flickered at their fingertips. They wielded a gleaming dagger with a green tint, aiming for her throat. Not good! This person was just as cunning as Yang Bo; the dagger was clearly poisoned!


    Song Ke raised her knife again to block, but her arm¡¯s movement was slightly slower. She felt sluggish all over and had a strong desire to lie down and take a nap. This inexplicable thought distracted her, and she was momentarily caught off guard as the black shadow severed a few strands of her hair.


    In just half a minute, they exchanged dozens of moves. Meanwhile, the awakeners on the 4th-floor platform finally realized that there were intruders causing trouble.


    ¡°Damn, there are thieves!¡± S?a??h th? N0v?lFire(.)n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°They¡¯re so damn sneaky, they hid until now!¡±


    ¡°Stop! Don¡¯t fight each other! Take them down first!¡±


    Seeing the imminent threat of their victory being stolen, the group grew furious, launching a barrage of powerful attacks at them.


    The spatial manipulator hidden in the shadows made another move, causing Zhang Lei the zombie to teleport a few times like a bouncing ball, disappearing and reappearing in different spots.


    Song Ke and the black shadow were left isolated, instantly surrounded on all sides.


    ¡°Sister!¡± Xu Xing clung to the railing, tiptoeing to peer down, his palms sweaty with nervousness.


    Across from them, deep within the empty corridor, a soft and coquettish voice suddenly sounded.


    ¡°Friends on the opposite side, how about considering cooperation?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s wheelchair slid forward, exposing half of his handsome face to the bright overhead light.


    He chuckled, ¡°How do you propose we cooperate?¡±


    ¡°Hehe~¡± the female voice giggled sweetly, ¡°Of course¡­ if you all stop right now, I¡¯ll let you go.¡±


    In the chaotic battle below, with Song Ke surrounded and experiencing the mental disturbance caused by the mysterious singing, their situation was far from favorable.


    Zhuang Qingyan lightly tapped his wheelchair¡¯s armrest, producing a rhythmic ¡°clatter, clatter¡± that seemed to convey a certain special melody. He remained calm and didn¡¯t speak for quite some time, making the waiting individuals increasingly anxious.


    The woman couldn¡¯t help but urge, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to decide? Your companion doesn¡¯t look like she¡¯s doing well.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan raised an eyebrow casually and replied, ¡°Is that so? Perhaps you should take another look.¡±


    ¡­


    The eerie singing surrounded her from all directions, and its lingering notes, like hooks, penetrated Song Ke¡¯s ears relentlessly. Countless supernatural ability attacks came at her, and she found herself unable to move her feet, as if she were a helpless target.


    No, she couldn¡¯t continue like this.


    Song Ke closed her eyes, rapidly guiding her mental power through her body, and then¡­


    She decisively blocked off her own sense of hearing, shutting out all external sounds.


    The world fell silent.


    She suddenly opened her eyes, her twin knives emitting a blue brilliance, and she released them forward. It was as if she were cutting through rows of harvested wheat stubble, ruthlessly severing the thorns that emerged from the ground. When those incredibly resilient thorns touched the azure blade wind, they instantly decayed and dissipated into fragments.


    At a distant staircase, Duanmu Qi took a large step back in disbelief, covering his mouth as blood trickled from the corner.


    ¡°Aqi!¡± His teammates abandoned their opponents and rushed back, their faces filled with worry. ¡°How are you?¡±


    Duanmu Qi swallowed a mouthful of blood foam, his veins throbbing with pain, his spiritual energy running rampant, and his blood surging uncontrollably.


    He looked up in astonishment. ¡°What¡¯s that weapon she has in her hand?!¡±


    What in the world was that thing that could so effectively suppress his ability?!


    The twin blades, after clearing the area, returned to Song Ke¡¯s hands. She clanged the hilts together, merging them into a jagged and elegant saw. With one hand, she raised the large blade and executed a ¡°Mowing the Grass¡± technique, swinging it roundly. The black shadow was forced back step by step, unable to get close at all, and their previous slight advantage was completely gone.


    Instead, Song Ke pressed her advantage, and the broad attack range of the elegant saw was particularly effective. She swung the blade at her opponent¡¯s back, and with each strike, ¡°crack, crack,¡± the protective armor shattered, sending metal fragments scattering all over.


    How could an ordinary ¡°shield¡± withstand the power of a ¡°blade¡± that could pierce through anything?


    The power of metal manipulation was indeed this domineering!


    ¡­


    The situation downstairs suddenly reversed, and there was a subtle shift in the negotiations on the 6th floor.


    The soft female voice hadn¡¯t spoken for a while, and her shadow companion, now without the steel armor protection, probably couldn¡¯t withstand a single blow from Song Ke.


    Zhuang Qingyan casually leaned against his wheelchair. ¡°It seems like we need to reconsider the terms of our cooperation.¡±


    The soft female voice, sounding somewhat resigned, asked, ¡°What do you want?¡±


    ¡°Cooperation is based on mutual benefit. I just need to make sure that what we want doesn¡¯t conflict with each other, right?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan remained composed and deliberate in his speech, showing no signs of urgency.


    However, under Song Ke¡¯s relentless onslaught, the black shadow sustained more and more injuries, clearly unable to hold out much longer.


    The soft female voice eventually couldn¡¯t hold on any longer and played her trump card first. ¡°You can have the zombie¡­ we just want the crystal.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s eyes flickered, and he smiled faintly. ¡°Deal.¡±


    In the silent world, Song Ke was completely focused on her opponent, and her attacks grew even more fierce.


    In the midst of the heated battle, she noticed a familiar ice shard in her field of vision. It circled around her twice before hovering in front of her. Song Ke instinctively looked up toward the platform where Zhuang Qingyan was.


    Perhaps knowing that she couldn¡¯t hear at the moment, Zhuang Qingyan made two hand gestures they had previously communicated, indicating ¡°prioritize capturing the target¡± and ¡°withdraw quickly.¡±


    Song Ke understood and ceased her attacks on the black shadow. Her gaze swept around and quickly located the position of the zombie Zhang Lei.


    The black shadow also stopped moving, his ears twitching as if he had heard something. He turned the direction of his dagger and followed Song Ke as they charged toward the crowd.

 Chapter 34.2: Bloody Ferrara (6)

    ¡òThis sister is so fierce¡òBartel managed to capture the zombie Zhang Lei amid the chaos.


    He was ecstatic, and his cold mechanical arm spiraled forward, puncturing Zhang Lei¡¯s left side. Then, he stood there, one hand on his hip, and laughed heartily, ¡°Hahaha, the A-level task is mine!¡±


    The previously puppet-like Zhang Lei, who had been moving around unnoticed by everyone, suddenly sprang into action. His expression twisted grotesquely as he raised his head. Dark patterns on his neck bulged, and he let out a harsh roar. From the center of his pitch-black pupils, invisible ripples spread out in all directions. Within arm¡¯s reach, all awakeners who couldn¡¯t escape in time were turned into stone statues, frozen stiff in their tracks.


    This was Zhang Lei¡¯s power, the ¡°Stone Gaze.¡± Originally, it had the effect of immobilizing enemies who met his gaze briefly. However, after turning into a zombie, his power mutated into the even more terrifying ¡°Petrification,¡± with an expanded range of effect.


    Two awakeners who were entangled with each other were both hit. Their bodies turned as hard as stone, and one of them happened to be standing on the edge of the railing, losing his footing and tumbling down the spiral staircase. With a loud ¡°crash,¡± he instantly shattered into pieces!


    Bartel maintained his posture with his mechanical arm extended, and half of his original eye nervously rolled around.


    It was too late; he was the closest person to Zhang Lei and couldn¡¯t escape.


    ¡°Clang!¡±


    The fearsome zombie swung a powerful slap, knocking Bartel¡¯s head off.


    ¡°Swish, swish.¡±


    A nimble figure was swiftly approaching the scene, and the alert Zhang Lei turned his neck nervously, his nerves twitching.


    Then, its entirely black pupils met Song Ke¡¯s round, unreactive eyes.


    The two stared at each other for a full two seconds, during which Song Ke remained completely unfazed. She calmly swung her long-handled machete, striking Zhang Lei squarely in the face. His facial features were flattened, eye sockets caved in, and he was almost knocked out. Song Ke flicked the tip of her blade, hooking his collar, and then ran away.


    The shadowy figure followed closely behind her, and just as pursuers were closing in, he released something onto the ground, causing a roaring fire to erupt, blocking the pursuing superhumans.


    The two of them soared up and down, swiftly returning to the sixth floor, where they joined their waiting teammates and disappeared from view.


    As the petrification effect wore off, Elder Xiang hastily ordered, ¡°Where are they? Retrieve Zhang Lei!¡±


    A space distortion appeared behind him, gradually revealing a blurry awakener. In a hoarse voice, he said, ¡°The target has disappeared. I can¡¯t detect them with my mental power.¡±


    ¡°Hmph,¡± Elder Xiang snorted, ¡°Then seal off all entrances; they can¡¯t escape.¡±


    A lean awakener hurried over to report, ¡°Elder Xiang, Duanmu Qi and the others have withdrawn.¡±


    ¡°Withdrawn? At a time like this?¡± Elder Xiang was slightly puzzled. Duanmu Qi had just been loudly declaring that he wouldn¡¯t give up on the A-level task, and now he had gone silent? Something was definitely not right.


    Elder Xiang¡¯s sharp eagle-like gaze showed his discernment. He toyed with his jade thumb ring, then gave a stern command.


    ¡°You, go find out what happened.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Elder.¡±


    As Elder Xiang took a few steps forward, Bartel¡¯s head was rolling towards him, and he kicked it away with a snarl, ¡°Useless!¡±


    ¡­


    With Zhuang Qingyan as their living navigator, Song Ke and her companions swiftly navigated the complex maze of corridors. Sometimes, what appeared to be a dead-end wall would miraculously transform into a passageway under Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s guidance.


    The pursuers from behind couldn¡¯t keep up with them and quickly lost their way in the labyrinthine structure, disoriented and directionless.


    After shaking off the annoying pursuers, the group reached the third floor and found a locked office. They forcefully entered the room, dumping the half-beaten zombie, Zhang Lei, onto the floor. Song Ke finally had the chance to take a closer look at the two individuals who had come with them.


    First was the shadowy figure she had been battling. He was a young man, perhaps even taller than Zhuang Qingyan, with dark skin, a robust physique, and dressed entirely in black combat gear. His eyes were wild and untamed, resembling a lone wolf.


    Noticing Song Ke¡¯s gaze, he responded with a cold, ruthless stare, and the greenish gleam on the blade in his hand flickered ominously. His ability likely had something to do with venom or assassination.


    The other person, the mastermind behind the interference with Song Ke¡¯s combat using her singing, revealed her true appearance. Surprisingly, she was a woman with a soft appearance, likely in her mid-twenties. She had chestnut-colored voluminous wavy hair loosely tied into a ponytail, fair and smooth skin, and full, rosy lips. Even without makeup, her beauty was astonishing, and up close, she seemed to emit a radiant aura.


    Song Ke was taken aback by her extraordinary beauty and couldn¡¯t help but be mesmerized.


    With a slight smile, the beautiful woman gently parted her vermilion lips and smiled at Song Ke, saying, ¡°Let¡¯s quickly divide the spoils.¡±


    Song Ke was bewildered. ¡°Di-Divide the spoils?¡±


    ¡°Hey, we agreed that the zombie belongs to you, and the crystal belongs to us. Don¡¯t think about reneging on the deal!¡± the beautiful woman reminded her.


    ¡°Hey, sister,¡± Xu Xing leaned closer and whispered to her, openly informing Song Ke of the deal Zhuang Qingyan had made behind her back. He spilled all the details about Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s negotiation while watching him in the corner of the office. Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change, and he casually smiled when he noticed Song Ke¡¯s gaze, showing no signs of guilt about using her as bait for their deal.


    Song Ke didn¡¯t mind. After all, she had no idea what the ¡°crystal¡± they were talking about was, and she trusted that someone like Zhuang Qingyan wouldn¡¯t let her down. In any case, it was done, so she had no objections.


    Song Ke turned her attention back to the two individuals in front of her. ¡°We won¡¯t renege on the deal.¡±


    ¡°Then go ahead and deal with it, kill it,¡± the beautiful woman nodded towards Zhang Lei on the floor.


    Upon hearing this, Xu Xing quickly hid behind Song Ke, clearly not eager to engage in such a dirty job.


    Zhuang Qingyan couldn¡¯t be counted on either. Although he didn¡¯t hesitate to kill Wu Yarou and Yang Bo earlier, he had no intention of getting involved this time.


    Song Ke seemed to be the only one left to handle the task. She gripped her cold, serrated saw, hesitated for a moment, and suddenly remembered something. ¡°We need to, to complete the mission.¡±


    Almost forgetting, they hadn¡¯t completed the mission yet! How were they supposed to complete it? Did they have to bring the zombie Zhang Lei back to Ferrara, and submit it in front of everyone in the commission center? Just the thought of it was quite¡­


    The beautiful woman chuckled and pointed to her own terminal. ¡°It¡¯s not that complicated. You can complete it at the terminal.¡±


    Song Ke looked down and realized that she was right. Special assignments could be submitted remotely, but the verification process seemed quite strict. It required recording a video and scanning the biological data of the target. She wasn¡¯t very proficient with the terminal, and in her haste, she ended up fumbling around and couldn¡¯t figure it out. Feeling increasingly flustered, she handed it over to Zhuang Qingyan to operate.


    ¡°Stop dawdling,¡± the beautiful woman impatiently urged, pouting charmingly. ¡°Su Cha.¡±


    The young man named Su Cha walked forward, raised his hand, and swiftly slashed Zhang Lei¡¯s neck. Zhang Lei didn¡¯t even make a sound; his head was severed.


    ¡°Alright, hand in the task.¡±


    Song Ke finally managed to understand the process and aimed the terminal at Zhang Lei. It automatically scanned the biological data, and after a few seconds of calculation by the artificial intelligence in the background, a prompt appeared on the screen: ¡°Confirmed, the target is deceased, mission accomplished.¡±


    Before Song Ke could even see how much the mission was worth in Alliance coins, the beautiful woman pressed, ¡°Now, it belongs to us, right?¡±


    She put down the terminal and nodded eagerly, saying, ¡°Yes, yes!¡±


    The beautiful woman crouched down, took Su Cha¡¯s dagger, and swiftly thrust it into Zhang Lei¡¯s head. With a quick motion, she pulled something out¡ªa pure white crystal.


    She wiped the crystal clean with a tissue and held it in her hand. She was about to speak when suddenly, a mournful cry echoed from the corner of the office.


    ¡°No, no¡­ Leizi, Leizi wuwuwu!¡±


    A woman wearing municipal hall uniform with disheveled hair rushed out. Her two colleagues couldn¡¯t hold her back and were dragged out from behind the filing cabinet. Their faces were pallid, and they seemed mentally drained, having been trapped here for several days.


    The woman stumbled and knelt on the ground, cradling Zhang Lei¡¯s broken head. She cried out in agony, ¡°Why did you kill him? Why did you do it!¡±


    ¡°He was a good person, such a good person! He worked so hard and never took a day off. He was saving up just to marry me. We were supposed to get married next month! Why, why did this happen¡­¡±


    ¡°Ahui¡­¡± one of her colleagues tried to pull her away, but she forcefully shrugged him off.


    In the depths of her sorrow, Ahui continued to mutter, ¡°Finally, Leizi became an awakener after all the hard work. We thought things would get better, but you killed him. You killed him!¡±


    Both Liu Xiaohui and Zhang Lei worked at the municipal hall. Before Luli Port fell into the zombie apocalypse, they had been working tirelessly in the office, unable to leave when the chaos began. When they finally realized the situation, the first floor had already been overrun by zombies.


    With no other choice, they hid inside the filing cabinets in the office and waited for rescue. They endured this for a whole week without any sign of help. Eventually, their water and supplies ran out. Zhang Lei, the only awakener among them and Liu Xiaohui¡¯s fianc¨¦, made the courageous decision to go out and divert the zombies¡¯ attention, hoping to secure a path for the others.


    On October 1st, he left the office with two male colleagues and never returned.


    Liu Xiaohui remained curled up inside the filing cabinet, praying fervently to the heavens, hoping that her fianc¨¦ would return soon. However, as time passed, her consciousness began to blur, and she could no longer hold on.


    Just moments ago, Liu Xiaohui had heard voices from outside the room. She thought her fianc¨¦ had returned, so she summoned the last of her strength and peeked through the door¡¯s crack, only to witness a woman thrusting a knife into Zhang Lei¡¯s head.


    Liu Xiaohui was overwhelmed by despair. ¡°You have to pay for this! You have to pay for Leizi!¡±


    She seemed to descend into madness, stood up with difficulty, and stumbled toward the beautiful woman¡¯s face. Unfortunately, she couldn¡¯t reach her and was forcefully kicked away by the silent Su Cha, crashing heavily to the ground.


    ¡°What are you doing!¡± Two male colleagues rushed over, filled with grief, anger, and despair. They helped Liu Xiaohui to her feet, glaring at Su Cha and the woman. s?a??h th? n0v?l(?)ire.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Su Cha¡¯s kick had been gentle, but Liu Xiaohui was already at her limit. She couldn¡¯t stand anymore, and her emotions had completely unraveled. Tears streamed down her face as she hurled the most vicious curses at the woman who had killed Zhang Lei.


    The beautiful woman listened to her curses without any change in expression. Suddenly, she exploded, ¡°Open your eyes and see clearly. He was already a zombie!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not a saint! What¡¯s wrong with killing a zombie?¡±


    ¡°Even if it wasn¡¯t me, there were at least thirty other people downstairs waiting to kill it. Sooner or later, it was going to die! You don¡¯t need to stand on your moral high ground to condemn me. Since you let him out of this room, he was destined to die!¡±


    Liu Xiaohui was drenched in a shower of verbal ab*se, and she stared blankly at Zhang Lei, whose face was twisted in a grotesque manner. His inky-black pupils were nothing like a human¡¯s.


    ¡°No¡­ it¡¯s not true. I don¡¯t believe it. Leizi¡­ Leizi¡­¡± Liu Xiaohui held Zhang Lei¡¯s hand, crying inconsolably.


    Was it true? Liu Xiaohui asked herself. Was it because they had unanimously agreed to send Zhang Lei, the only awakener, out when they needed someone to divert the zombies? Even she, his fianc¨¦e, didn¡¯t oppose it. Hadn¡¯t they indirectly caused Zhang Lei¡¯s death?


    The beautiful woman sighed. ¡°I¡¯m not the one who makes the rules. Don¡¯t blame me. If you want to blame someone, blame this absurd world.¡±


    Song Ke, who had been watching quietly, was impressed by the woman¡¯s logical and cutting insults. She stared at her in awe.


    The beautiful woman suddenly turned her head and glared at Song Ke. ¡°What are you looking at? Did I say something wrong?¡±


    Wow, this sister is so fierce.

 Chapter 35.1: Bloody Ferrara (7)

    ¡òYou¡¯ve corrupted Xiaoxing¡òSong Ke was scolded.


    ¡°What are you looking at? Did I say something wrong?¡±


    The beautiful sister not only scolded her but also demanded an answer to her question.


    Song Ke nodded at first but quickly realized her mistake and shook her head vigorously under the other¡¯s angry gaze.


    Seeing her bewildered expression, the beautiful sister snorted coldly and turned her gaze away without causing further trouble. For a while, no one spoke in the room.


    The atmosphere gradually fell silent, with occasional sobs from Liu Xiaohui and feeble attempts at comforting from her colleagues.


    ¡°Blocked at the exit,¡± Su Cha observed as he leaned against the window, speaking with an unusual pronunciation, enunciating words strangely, and pausing as if not very familiar with the common language of the Alliance.


    ¡°Can we break through?¡± asked the beautiful sister.


    ¡°We can, but it will expose us,¡± Su Cha replied.


    The beautiful sister frowned. In the chaos earlier, they had acted quickly and retreated even faster. The awakeners on the other side couldn¡¯t determine their identities without direct contact. But now, it was clear that the other side was on guard. Trying to force their way out aggressively might not be a good idea. She didn¡¯t want to expose their identities here and needed to think of another plan.


    ¡­


    Song Ke pushed Zhuang Qingyan to the other side of the room, keeping a distance from the two groups of people.


    ¡°You noticed some, someone here a long time ago?¡± she asked quietly.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Zhuang Qingyan didn¡¯t deny it. Liu Xiaohui and the others were ordinary people with no awakened abilities. It was normal for Song Ke¡¯s attention to be focused on Zhang Lei at the time. But since the office door was locked from the inside, he figured that there must be someone in the room.


    After hearing his explanation, Song Ke responded belatedly, not paying too much attention. She held the cold and heavy jagged blade in her hand, considering whether to find a place to hide it.


    ¡°Song Ke,¡± Zhuang Qingyan called her name softly.


    ¡°Yeah?¡± Song Ke raised her gaze, and she had just found a good place to put the blade down. Thinking that Zhuang Qingyan wanted to have a quiet conversation, she bent over and placed the saw on the floor against the wall.


    Her uneven black short hair brushed over his shoulder, causing a slight tingling sensation.


    Zhuang Qingyan moved his fingertip but didn¡¯t avoid it.


    ¡°That person has the Rainforest mark on him.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan was referring to a young man named Su Cha.


    The Rainforest, the E170 District, was the Alliance¡¯s most mysterious ecological area.


    Due to its humid and hot climate, as well as its rich and diverse species, the rainforest was considered the best breeding ground for special operations personnel such as mercenaries and assassins. It was said that the methods of training combat machines in the rainforest were brutal, harsh, and even sadistic. Many standards far exceeded the limits the human body could endure. Those who could survive and carve a bloody path out of such grueling training not only possessed exceptional individual combat abilities but had also become accustomed to dancing with death. Their empathy was almost nonexistent, and their mental fortitude was far from ordinary.


    The Rainforest mark mentioned by Zhuang Qingyan was located on Su Cha¡¯s nape, where there was a black serpent-like tattoo.


    Recalling the details of her encounter with Su Cha, Song Ke slowly spoke, ¡°His combat, combat skills were very stro, strong but he didn¡¯t possess any, any awakened abilities.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Zhuang Qingyan agreed, ¡°Su Cha¡¯s awakened ability should be related to ¡®poison,¡¯ possibly at B-level or higher.¡±


    Awakened abilities at B-level or higher, weren¡¯t they as formidable as individuals like An Qiwen and Wu Juemin from the Azure Phoenix army? Such people could be a real headache if they turned into enemies.


    ¡°And there¡¯s another one!¡± Song Ke informed Zhuang Qingyan of the recent interference by the beautiful sister¡¯s singing, which had left her feeling exhausted.


    Zhuang Qingyan pondered for a moment. ¡°It¡¯s either soundwave control or some kind of auditory awakened ability related to mysticism. Based on the current information, we can¡¯t make an accurate assessment. This person only imposed side effects on you. If her singing has an effect on her companions as well, this person¡­ will be a real problem.¡±


    A powerful support who could debuff enemies and buff allies simultaneously?


    Imagine a battle that was evenly matched at first, but as you fought, you grew weaker while your opponent became stronger. Anyone with even a slightly fragile will would easily have their fighting spirit crushed.


    The beautiful sister¡¯s strength was indeed not to be underestimated.


    No wonder they dared to take on missions and act as the hidden oriole among so many awakeners. However, when it came to Su Cha and his companion, there was still one thing they hadn¡¯t figured out.


    Song Ke locked eyes with Zhuang Qingyan and asked another pressing question, ¡°What are, are ¡®crystals¡¯?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan lowered his voice, ¡°Do you remember when I explained the cause of the apocalypse to you?¡±


    ¡°I do.¡±


    ¡°Excessive solar radiation enters the human body, causing disruptions in the magnetic field and genetic mutations. Ordinary people would turn into zombies. However, if an overwhelming amount of external energy is absorbed at once and cannot be digested by the human body, it will crystallize.¡±


    Song Ke fell silent for a few seconds, then reached into a hidden pouch in her backpack and pulled out several crystals.


    This was something she had dug out from Song En and other senior brothers¡¯ heads, and the one inside Zhang Lei¡¯s body should be the same thing.


    Zhuang Qingyan picked up the nearly transparent crystal and examined it closely.


    ¡°Crystals are not commonly found in ordinary zombie bodies because they are subjected to overwhelming radiation. However, in the bodies of awakeners, due to previous gene fusion, there is a certain degree of resistance, and the probability of crystallization is basically above 95%.¡±


    ¡°It can be said that whenever an awakened zombie is encountered, there will be crystals.¡±


    Song Ke lowered her gaze, clenched her fist silently, and felt extremely downcast. S~?a??h the ???el F?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    So Song En had already awakened his abilities back then? She had encountered awakened zombies so early.


    While the two were talking, Xu Xing remained quiet in the middle, his eyes moving. Although he had awakened early, his theoretical knowledge was not much different from Song Ke¡¯s. Hearing Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s explanation in a gentle tone, he didn¡¯t feel like arguing for the first time.


    He hadn¡¯t expected this person, who usually pretended, to know so much. Hmph.


    ¡°What are crys, crystals used for?¡± Song Ke calmed her emotions and asked.


    Just thinking about where these things came from, dug out from zombie heads, sent shivers down her spine. What could they be used for that would make those two prefer them over an A-level task, no matter the cost?


    ¡°The official explanation is that crystals have a chance to trigger the awakening of abilities in ordinary people, and even allow awakeners to undergo a second evolution.¡±


    Xu Xing¡¯s eyes widened suddenly.


    Song Ke was also surprised. Awakening and evolution? How did this thing cause evolution? Did they have to eat it?


    Wait a minute, Song Ke suddenly realized a blind spot in Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s words.


    ¡°What do you mean, mean by ¡®official explanation¡¯?¡± Did that imply the existence of unofficial and secretive methods? This was becoming more and more mysterious. Also, since awakening and evolution were both described as having a ¡°chance,¡± did that mean there was a possibility of failure?


    Song Ke grew more perplexed as she asked, ¡°Do crystals really work?¡±


    A subtle smile appeared on Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s face. ¡°No, this is a meticulously planned deception by the Alliance.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Xu Xing couldn¡¯t help but exclaim in surprise, immediately attracting the attention of Su Cha and the beautiful woman.


    Zhuang Qingyan knocked on his head, warning in a cold tone, ¡°Shut your mouth.¡±


    Xu Xing realized he had overreacted and covered his mouth with a small, pitiful hand.


    Zhuang Qingyan placed the crystal that belonged to Song En back into Song Ke¡¯s hand. ¡°While there is still some residual energy within the crystal that can be activated through technological means, its structural form has solidified, and it won¡¯t undergo a third mutation. You can think of it as a power bank that can only be charged once.¡±


    A power bank, what a strange analogy. Song Ke stared at his smiling face, feeling extremely speechless. It turned out that the crystals were completely useless. She had said so! How could Zhuang Qingyan possibly suffer a loss? This was like using a knowledge gap to one¡¯s advantage! How cunning.


    However, she still had some uncertainty. ¡°How do you know it¡¯s useless?¡±


    ¡°Because this was originally Qingyan Institute¡¯s research achievement, oh, it¡¯s the one that Wu Yarou and Yang Bo wanted to steal. This achievement had ¡®accidentally¡¯ leaked before, but unfortunately, it was the incorrect part.¡±


    ¡°If it was incorrect, why did it circulate?¡±


    ¡°Because some people don¡¯t care about right or wrong; they only pursue their interests. Most people nowadays have no idea about the true purpose of the crystals. The Alliance only needs to release a bit of information suggesting that they have materials that can promote awakening and evolution, and they can firmly control the awakeners, after all, this is a valuable strategic resource.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Song Ke replied quietly for a couple of seconds but quickly asked again, ¡°How do you know it¡¯s incorrect?¡±


    ¡°Why do you have so many questions?¡± Zhuang Qingyan chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m out of explanations for today.¡±


    He was about to tap Song Ke¡¯s head as he did earlier, but as his arm reached halfway, he suddenly met her expressionless face. Awkwardly, he withdrew his arm, swerved, and tapped Xu Xing¡¯s head once again.


    Xu Xing exclaimed, ¡°Hey!!¡±

 Chapter 35.2: Bloody Ferrara (7)

    ¡òYou¡¯ve corrupted Xiaoxing¡òSong Ke sat on the ground and took a break, suddenly remembering that she hadn¡¯t checked the rewards for the A-level mission.


    ¡°Let¡¯s check together!¡± She called out to Zhuang Qingyan and Xu Xing with a sense of ceremony. This was their team¡¯s first completed mission.


    Two shiny heads crowded together, along with Zhuang Qingyan lazily leaning on his wheelchair, not wanting to move. All six eyes focused on the projection screen in front of Song Ke.


    On V587¡¯s mission list, there lay a shining red commission:


    A-level mission (Code VA00001, status: completed): Eliminate the awakened zombie Zhang Lei, Biological ID: LYG1301756


    Points earned: 1000


    Alliance credits earned: 0


    Friendly reminder: Your team has entered the total ranking list for C72 District points. Would you like to make it public? (Yes/No)


    Ignoring the other irrelevant information, Song Ke stared at the middle line, finding it hard to believe as she confirmed it once again.


    ¡°Alliance credits earned: 0¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°¡­¡±


    Could someone please tell her why even B-level missions had 2000 Alliance currency, and yet a proper A-level mission had a reward of 0! She had fought so hard to reclaim the awakened zombie, and the result was 0! Who could endure this!!!


    Song Ke¡¯s eyes went dull, appearing deeply affected, and the other two couldn¡¯t bear to watch.


    ¡°Sister¡­¡± Xu Xing was still trying to figure out how to console her. ¡°It¡¯s okay, you don¡¯t have to pay me back¡­¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan interrupted him, ¡°It¡¯s not that bad. Didn¡¯t you accept a B-level mission as well?¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s eyes regained a glimmer of hope. ¡°Oh, right.¡±


    At least there were still 2000 Alliance credits!


    ¡°When clearing the zombies on the first floor of the city hall, did you notice that these people resemble the publishers?¡± Zhuang Qingyan pointed at Liu Xiaohui and the others in the center of the room.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go, go ask,¡± Song Ke stood up.


    ¡°Wait,¡± Zhuang Qingyan tugged at her hood. ¡°It¡¯s not appropriate for you to go. They are very hostile towards us right now.¡±


    Although Song Ke didn¡¯t personally kill Zhang Lei, they all entered the room together. Not to mention that she had casually tossed Zhang Lei¡¯s body with a knife earlier. The way these people looked at them was filled with hatred.


    ¡°What should we do then?¡± Song Ke looked troubled.


    ¡°There¡¯s someone best suited for this task,¡± Zhuang Qingyan replied cryptically.


    ¡°Who, who is it?¡± Song Ke asked.


    ¡°Who?¡± Xu Xing also inquired.


    Then, he found that the two of them looked at him at the same time.


    Xu Xing: QAQ


    ¡­


    Liu Xiaohui had finally managed to regain some composure but sat in place in a dazed and absent-minded state, unable to snap out of it.


    The two remaining male colleagues, physically and mentally exhausted, finally succumbed to fatigue, clutching their heads and slumping to the ground.


    Just then, a boy with curly hair and big blinking eyes approached slowly.


    The boy glanced at the lifeless Liu Xiaohui for a moment, then shifted his gaze to the two tired men and softly asked, ¡°Big brothers, can I ask you a question?¡±


    Their willingness to communicate was not strong, but considering that the person asking was an adorable child, one of the slightly plump men nodded in a somewhat more friendly manner. ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, big brother!¡± Xu Xing blinked his innocent large eyes, looking grateful.


    He lowered his head and fiddled with his terminal, displaying his task interface. ¡°My sister and I came to Luli Port because we received this task, ¡®Clear the first-floor zombies at the City Hall.¡¯ Big brother, was this task issued by you? Have you been trapped here for a long time?¡±


    Xu Xing¡¯s words were quite skillful. Firstly, he explained their reason for coming, emphasizing that they were here for a ¡°rescue mission.¡± Unlike the beautiful woman who often resorted to violence, they were definitely not associated with her. Secondly, after inquiring if the man was the task issuer, he added a caring message, gradually breaking down the man¡¯s psychological defenses.


    Sure enough, the man¡¯s attitude softened a bit when he heard Xu Xing¡¯s words. ¡°Yes, I posted it on the Survival Platform.¡± S~?a??h the ??v?lF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    He took out his phone. Like Hua City (D99 District), the star network in Luli Port (D50 District) was also paralyzed, but there was an app called ¡°Doomsday Self-help Platform¡± on his phone. It didn¡¯t require an internet connection, was universally used throughout the Alliance, updated in real time, and allowed users to exchange information and post-rescue missions.


    Xu Xing compared it with his terminal and confirmed that this man was the issuer of the B-level task. However, the man¡¯s interface was noticeably different from his. It didn¡¯t display any ABCDE levels or any information about awakener teams. It was likely that the Alliance¡¯s central hub or artificial intelligence collected help requests from various regions, evaluated them, and then forwarded them to the corresponding local awakeners.


    The man gazed at Xu Xing¡¯s brightly shining cartoon terminal, his eyes devoid of envy but filled with numbness. Citizens in different regions had different statuses, rights, and access to information. People in District D would never use a terminal that surpassed the local technological level unless they became awakeners.


    Xu Xing turned off the projection and innocently tilted his head. ¡°Big brother, the zombies outside have been cleared. You¡¯re safe now, and you can leave through the main entrance.¡±


    Indeed, all the zombies in the city hall had been thoroughly cleared. They could leave without much danger. As for the awakeners, as Zhuang Qingyan put it, they didn¡¯t have the time to bother with these small fries.


    ¡°Good, thank you,¡± the man said, his spirits somewhat lifted upon hearing this news.


    ¡°Then, big brother, could you please help us confirm the completion of the mission?¡± Xu Xing folded his hands together, his eyes moist, wearing a pitiful expression that seemed to say, ¡°Please.¡±


    ¡°¡­Alright.¡±


    Not far away, Song Ke was momentarily speechless. She turned her head and looked at Zhuang Qingyan with an expressionless face.


    ¡°Why did you teach, teach him all this? You¡¯ve corrupted Xiaoxing.¡±


    ¡°Me? Corrupted him?¡± Zhuang Qingyan looked puzzled.


    ¡­


    ¡°Ahui, let¡¯s go,¡± the man said, taking heavy steps towards his companions.


    ¡°No¡­ we should take Leizi with us!¡± Liu Xiaohui clutched Zhang Lei¡¯s head tightly, unwilling to let go.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you just hear? There are many people downstairs looking for Leizi. If we bring him along, we won¡¯t be able to escape,¡± the man explained in a pained tone.


    Liu Xiaohui shook her head in anguish.


    Another man shouted with deep sorrow, ¡°Ahui, you need to snap out of it! The people who died can¡¯t come back. Don¡¯t let Leizi sacrifice for us in vain. We need to survive!¡±


    In the end, Liu Xiaohui was led away by the two men. They were employees here and were familiar with the labyrinthine corridors of City Hall. Soon, they disappeared into the depths of the corridor.


    After these people left, two minutes later, Su Cha, who had been leaning against the wall, suddenly whispered, ¡°Pursuers are coming.¡±


    Song Ke released a trace of her mental power and indeed sensed numerous scattered and diverse energy signatures nearby. These awakeners were systematically searching each room, and the sounds of their approach were faintly audible from the office. In a little while, they would be close to this room.


    Beautiful Sister¡¯s expression first tightened, but then she seemed to think of something and raised her gaze towards Song Ke¡¯s group.


    ¡°Hey, you guys across the hall! Aren¡¯t you going to come up with a plan? How are we going to get out of here?¡±


    The three members of V587 displayed an unexpected level of telepathy at this moment. One looked up at the sky, another looked down at the ground, and the third smiled and stared at the others, but none of them spoke.


    Beautiful Sister exclaimed, ¡°What¡¯s going on? You had all sorts of tactics when dealing with us earlier, and now you¡¯re just giving up?¡±


    ¡°You!¡± She pointed her brightly painted finger at Song Ke and then turned to Zhuang Qingyan. ¡°And you, weren¡¯t you pretty capable just now? Don¡¯t tell me that¡¯s all you¡¯ve got?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, provocation doesn¡¯t work on me,¡± Zhuang Qingyan replied calmly.


    Beautiful Sister: ¡­


    Okay, you guys aren¡¯t in a hurry. It¡¯s just us who are in a hurry, right?


    Feeling a bit embarrassed by her words, Song Ke took two steps forward, approached the window, and peered down. The office was about three stories high above the ground, taller than a typical building. She could manage a jump, but it was clear that Zhuang Qingyan and Xu Xing wouldn¡¯t be able to.


    Song Ke picked up the cold jagged blade in the corner and used her eyes to ask Zhuang Qingyan if they should break the window to escape.


    After pondering for a moment, Zhuang Qingyan extended his hand to her. ¡°Give me your terminal.¡±


    Song Ke removed her needle-shaped terminal and handed it to him. After a few moments of manipulation, they waited for two or three minutes until they suddenly heard a knocking sound from outside the window.


    The group immediately turned their attention toward the noise and were surprised to discover a mechanical arm!


    As the electronic eye hanging from the tip of the arm noticed Song Ke¡¯s group looking at it, it excitedly shook and gestured with its metallic joints, making a beckoning motion.


    It was the two transport carriages left at the entrance!


    The carriages were parked right under the window in the shadow of the building, an extremely concealed location, far from all exits and unlikely to be discovered easily. A long mechanical arm extended all the way up to the third floor, gripping the window sill, then flattening out and unfolding, forming an escape slide.


    Song Ke: ¡°¡­¡± Can this even work?


    Others looked at Zhuang Qingyan in shock.


    ¡°I tried sending the coordinates to it, and it calculated and built the nearest escape route automatically,¡± Zhuang Qingyan explained calmly, without taking undue credit.


    A simple artificial intelligence possessed this level of intelligence. How terrifying must Ilya, the Lord of Ferrara City, be?


    For the first time, Song Ke started to wonder about the extent of artificial intelligence development in Ferrara.


    With the slide in place, the group of awakeners slid down smoothly, escaping from under the noses of the heavily guarded pursuers.


    After leaving City Hall, they ran several kilometers before slowing down, making sure no one was pursuing them.


    Zhuang Qingyan looked at the other two. ¡°Let¡¯s part ways here. It¡¯s better for both of our sides.¡±


    Beautiful Sister raised her chin. ¡°Of course, I have no objections.¡±


    Their temporary cooperation was fragile, even more fragile than paper, easily broken with just a bit of moisture. Moreover, both sides were still wary of each other.


    Song Ke pulled the two carriages and took a step in the direction where the transport vehicle was parked.


    Coincidentally, Beautiful Sister and Su Cha also took a step in that direction.


    Song Ke hesitated for a moment, then lifted her foot and took another step.


    Oh! They bumped into each other again!


    She immediately stared cautiously at the people in front of her. What were they up to? Why were they following her?


    ¡°Oh, are you also returning to Ferrara?¡± Beautiful Sister teased. She noticed Song Ke¡¯s expression and raised an eyebrow. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that? You don¡¯t know me?¡±


    She seemed somewhat surprised, her gaze shifting between Song Ke, Xu Xing, and Zhuang Qingyan. ¡°You really don¡¯t know me¡­ are you visitors?¡±


    ¡°Who are you, must we know you?¡± Xu Xing couldn¡¯t help muttering.


    The beautiful sister burst out laughing, her face absolutely radiant. ¡°No need, it¡¯s even better if you don¡¯t know me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Lin Youyou. Maybe we¡¯ll meet again someday. Farewell.¡±

 Chapter 36: Bloody Ferrara (8)

    ¡òWhat¡¯s the cheapest price?¡ò¡°I thank you for your honeyed words~ your sweet words¡­¡±


    Song Ke wore a deeply resentful expression, and once again, she pressed the replay button.


    ¡°I thank you for your honeyed words~¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± Zhuang Qingyan couldn¡¯t bear it any longer and reached out to press the terminal¡¯s off button. ¡°You¡¯ve listened to it over a dozen times.¡±


    Song Ke sighed.


    Listening to it a dozen times still didn¡¯t help. Why couldn¡¯t she figure it out?


    Blame herself, blame her complete lack of musical appreciation cells; she couldn¡¯t recognize the voice that had been singing in her ear before.


    How could she not be familiar with it? This song, ¡°Thank You for Loving Me,¡± had been playing on a loop throughout the journey to Ferrara. The entire train compartment had calloused ears from hearing it so many times, and she almost had the lyrics memorized!


    But¡­ but Lin Youyou, wasn¡¯t she Ferrara¡¯s top sweet songstress?


    When she shouted ¡°I¡¯m not a saint!¡± with both hands around her chest, she was incredibly fierce, with absolutely no sweetness involved!


    Song Ke sighed once again.


    No wonder Lin Youyou would hide in the shadows and refuse to reveal her identity, causing her idol image to crumble. This was a major taboo for idols; how disappointed her fans must be! She wondered how the conservative Maeda Jiu would react if he saw Lin Youyou¡¯s domineering side, what expression would he make? Suddenly, she was a bit curious¡­ Wait, no, no!


    Song Ke shook her head to clear away these jumbled thoughts. The current issue was why, if Lin Youyou didn¡¯t want to reveal her identity, did she specifically tell Song Ke her name before leaving?


    The heart of the beautiful sister was like a needle in the sea, completely inscrutable.


    Song Ke sighed for the third time.


    ¡°Stop thinking about it. Since she dared to tell you, she must be confident that you won¡¯t reveal it. Let¡¯s go back to Ferrara and complete the mission first,¡± Zhuang Qingyan admired her troubled expression and casually commented.


    ¡°Okay!¡± Song Ke patted her face, agreeing. She decided not to dwell on things she couldn¡¯t understand for now. If the other party said there would be a chance to meet again, she would ask her when they met.


    They reattached the two detached carriages back to the main body and harvested some zombies nearby to fill the entire transport vehicle. Song Ke and her companions returned to the cockpit, and the artificial intelligence automatically initiated the return program. The vehicle changed its direction and sped towards Ferrara.


    After another 10 hours of a long journey, they safely returned to the commission center.


    The transport vehicle stopped at the entrance to the high-altitude track, and the horn on the control panel sounded ¡°honk honk,¡± reminding them to disembark.


    Song Ke glanced back, observing the pure black metal body of the vehicle, which looked like a well-fed beast, quietly lurking in the darkness. Roughly estimating based on a capacity of 200 per carriage, this vehicle had at least 1200 zombies on board. What could be the purpose of transporting so many monsters into Ferrara City?


    ¡°Where is it going?¡± Song Ke turned to Zhuang Qingyan, who knew everything, and asked with confusion.


    ¡°For now, it¡¯s unclear. The final route has been encrypted, and we don¡¯t have permission to view it.¡±


    Zombies, supplies, and the Throne Race Competition¡­ Song Ke attempted to connect these clues, but her mind remained hazy.


    She furrowed her brow and proposed a bold idea, ¡°Can we follow it?¡±


    Before Zhuang Qingyan could respond, the horn sounded twice again, and a message appeared on the screen, ¡°Warning! You have exceeded the time limit. Please leave the cockpit immediately, or the emergency plan will be activated.¡±


    ¡°Warning! You have exceeded the time limit¡­¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan turned off the incessantly beeping alarm system, but the cockpit continued to flicker with lights, making it hard for them to keep their eyes open.


    ¡°It seems not possible.¡±


    The transport vehicle could travel on the high-altitude track within Ferrara City, and its speed was significantly faster than when they were wandering around in Luli Port. If they got off now, Song Ke was certain that it would disappear in the blink of an eye, and they wouldn¡¯t be able to catch up.


    Zhuang Qingyan narrowed his eyes for a moment and suddenly thought of something. ¡°Your artifact, can you track it if it¡¯s not nearby?¡±


    ¡°Within five kilometers, I can,¡± Song Ke nodded.


    As long as she injected a bit of her spiritual energy during the transformation, she could sense the presence of the artifact within a certain range.


    Zhuang Qingyan smiled, ¡°Then it¡¯s easy. Let¡¯s install a tracker on it.¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­¡±


    Leaving the artifact intentionally inside the cockpit? This way, even if the transport vehicle disappeared from their sight, Song Ke could still roughly sense its location with her spiritual power if they chased after it with all their might.


    The artificial intelligence in the vehicle had no independent consciousness, so they openly discussed their plan without worrying about it eavesdropping.


    After their discussion, Song Ke even placed a swallowtail dart under her seat in front of the artificial intelligence.


    The artifact was composed of supernatural elements, not electronic devices, so the poor artificial intelligence remained completely unaware, continuing to beep insistently, urging them to leave.


    After the three of them got off, the transport vehicle switched to high-orbit mode and accelerated with a ¡°whoosh,¡± instantly disappearing into the colorful night sky.


    ¡°No rush for now. Let¡¯s go complete the mission first,¡± Zhuang Qingyan suggested.


    ¡­


    Song Ke entered the commission hall and found an empty self-service terminal. She scanned her captain¡¯s awakener ID, and the backend confirmed that Team V587 had successfully completed the B-level mission, earning them 2000 Alliance coins!


    B-level mission (Code VB00046): Clearing zombies on the first floor of the municipal hall in Luli Port (Completion Confirmed)


    Points earned: 200


    Alliance coins earned: 2000


    Friendly reminder: Your team has entered the overall ranking list for C72 District. Do you want to make it public? (Yes/No)


    Song Ke dismissively closed the friendly reminder and looked at Xu Xing happily. ¡°Xiaoxing, here¡¯s your money back!¡±


    She had money now! A total of 2000 Alliance coins!


    Xu Xing shook his head. ¡°Sister, you can keep it for now. What if we need it later? We can settle it all at once in the future.¡±


    ¡°Oh, alright,¡± Song Ke thought it was a good idea to keep some money on hand. ¡°You go back and rest. We¡¯re going after the vehicle.¡±


    Xu Xing didn¡¯t respond immediately. He scuffed his foot on the floor, showing reluctance to leave. A few days ago, he was just eating, drinking, and sleeping in the hotel, which wasn¡¯t too bad. However, during this time with Song Ke, even though the process was a bit heart-pounding, it was much happier than being alone. Xu Weiguo was dead and he had no close relatives left. He and Song Ke didn¡¯t know each other in District F, their relationship was almost like that of strangers, but he couldn¡¯t explain why, he felt like sticking with her.


    ¡°Sister, can you take me with you? I won¡¯t be a nuisance,¡± Xu Xing suddenly hugged Song Ke¡¯s arm, pleading in a childish tone.


    Xu Xing was indeed quite sensible, and his courage had grown significantly since the last time they went to the food factory. Except for a brief loss of control when using his ice ability at the beginning, he had become accustomed to the influence of Zhuang Qingyan, if not intimidated by it, and he obediently did what he was asked.


    Xu Xing gently shook Song Ke¡¯s arm, his dewy eyes resembling grapes soaked in water.


    ¡°Sister, pretty please, I¡¯ll be very well-behaved.¡±


    Behind them, Zhuang Qingyan made a quiet clicking sound with his tongue, his brows furrowing in disdain.


    This little white lotus was blooming again. S?a??h the N?velF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    As expected, Song Ke completely surrendered to his soft and persuasive tactics. ¡°Alright, alright.¡±


    ¡°Take a left here.¡±


    Song Ke used her spiritual power to track the swallowtail dart, and the three of them changed direction once again. They had initially thought that the transport vehicle would take a more remote route and eventually stop in the wilderness. However, the reality was quite the opposite.


    It drove all the way to the central city area, dragging six carriages filled with zombies, passing through the neon-lit Ferris wheel and the mist-shrouded skyscrapers. Finally, it stopped at the back of a magnificent theater. The marble floor tiles slowly sank, and a massive hole appeared, just enough for it to pass through. The transport vehicle slid down slowly, entering the depths below.


    They entered¡­ a theater?


    Song Ke took two steps back and looked up at the building in front of her. The gray brick walls were both vintage and retro, while the exquisite reliefs were gorgeous and extravagant. The strong contrast made it hard to look away. This was Ferrara¡¯s most famous art sanctuary¡ªthe Sycara Theater.


    Countless drones hovered in the sky, dancing around the venue. Thousands of cameras flashed in the dark night. The broadcasts of every concert held here could fetch a sky-high price.


    Just standing at the entrance, they could hear the deafening cheers and shouts from inside.


    Song Ke stepped forward to enter, but a mechanical gate stopped her. An electronic eye scanned her face and displayed a ¡°Recognition Failed¡± prompt.


    A staff member in a tailcoat approached, took off his hat, and elegantly greeted them. ¡°Good evening, my dear ladies and gentlemen. Are you here to watch tonight¡¯s preliminary round?¡±


    ¡°What round?¡± Song Ke asked.


    ¡°The Throne Race Competition, Round 162 Preliminaries. Do you have any preferred contestants or teams that you support? I can distribute support gifts for you.¡±


    ¡°No, we don¡¯t.¡±


    Throne Race Competition? Song Ke looked at the man behind her, and whether it was the popular favorite contestants projected on the walls or the posters scattered on the ground, they all indicated that a fierce competition was taking place inside.


    ¡°No favorite contestants? Are you here to experience the atmosphere in person then? That¡¯s indeed a wise choice!¡±


    ¡°Even though the terminal is quite realistic, it can¡¯t compare to the experience of being here in person. Although the ticket prices are higher, you can see that we have more than ten thousand tracking projection devices. Every detail is crystal clear.¡±


    ¡°I guarantee that tonight, you won¡¯t regret it.¡±


    The man¡¯s tone fluctuated, and his smile remained at the same angle, making it quite eerie.


    ¡°Song Ke, it¡¯s an artificial intelligence,¡± Zhuang Qingyan suddenly said.


    Song Ke looked back at the staff member, who seemed immune to the words ¡°artificial intelligence¡± and maintained an impeccable smile.


    Since they were already here, it didn¡¯t seem right not to go inside.


    ¡°How much are the tickets?¡± Song Ke asked nervously.


    The staff member replied, ¡°We have the most luxurious and immersive Hoverball tickets, allowing you to get up close to the center of the arena. Today¡¯s special price is only 2888 coins. We also have VIP box seats for 1888 coins, offering excellent views of the entire arena. Which one would you like?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the¡­ cheapest price,¡± Song Ke pursed her lips and tightly held her terminal.


    The staff member¡¯s smile disappeared, and his exaggerated tone turned into a lifeless straight line. ¡°Standing platform tickets, 800 coins per person.¡±


    Song Ke was about to speak when he added, ¡°Sorry, no discounts.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    800 coins per person, which meant 2400 for the three of them.


    Song Ke, who had just received 2000 coins, said, ¡°¡­¡±


    She was so broke, really.

 Chapter 37: Bloody Ferrara (9)

    ¡òLuo Qinghe!!! I¡¯m your dog!!¡ò2000 Alliance coins, of course, were not enough for three people to enter. Xu Xing, understanding the situation well, stepped forward and made it clear that he was the one who insisted on coming along, so he could be ¡°self-reliant¡± and cover his own ticket money. Song Ke, a dignified team captain, avoided the embarrassing situation of not having enough money, and the three of them were able to enter smoothly.


    Walking along a dim and narrow corridor, about five or six minutes later, their view suddenly became bright and spacious. Stepping onto the stands, they were hit by a wave of heat and a deafening roar of the crowd, like a surging tide, almost knocking them over.


    Surprisingly, the interior of the Sycara Theater did not follow a typical stage design but resembled an ancient arena from the old civilization. It was wide at the top and narrow at the bottom, with a sunken area at the bottom several tens of meters deep, surrounded by five-story-high horseshoe-shaped tiers. Regardless of where they stood, they had an unobstructed view of the events below.


    It seemed to be halftime now, as the arena floor was empty, but the stands were packed to capacity, filled with people.


    The three of them squeezed their way into the crowd, Xu Xing¡¯s face contorted from the effort, and Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s wheelchair had almost no space to maneuver. While the surrounding audience was lively and animated, Song Ke¡¯s nose seemed to detect a lingering, inescapable smell of blood.


    After a while, a spotlight descended from above the theater, and tiny points of light converged to reveal a handsome man in a cyan robe, holding a jade flute.


    His sleeves moved without the wind, and his raven-like long eyelashes slowly opened, a faintly aloof smile gracing his lips. ¡°Hello, everyone. The second round of tonight¡¯s preliminary competition is about to begin. I am the special guest for this match, Luo Qinghe.¡±


    The audience erupted in enthusiastic cheers, especially from the female spectators.


    ¡°Luo Qinghe!!! I¡¯m your dog!!¡±


    Not far from Song Ke, a piercing scream echoed.


    Song Ke almost lost her balance and her jaw dropped as she turned to see Crazy Chihori, whom she had crossed paths with once before, squeezed into Luo Qinghe¡¯s fan group. She was flushed with excitement, shouting with all her might and gazing at the figure under the spotlight with an infatuated expression.


    Luo Qinghe smiled gracefully, pulling out an ancient scroll from his long sleeves and unfolding it with elegant movements.


    ¡°Next up is ¡®Atu and Ashui,¡¯ a team of two. They are not only teammates but also lovers who depend on each other through life and death. Let¡¯s look forward to their debut. You, the audience, can vote for them through the terminals to support your favorite team. As long as they successfully complete the challenge and have a popular vote rate of 60%, they can advance to the next round of the main competition.¡±


    He spoke calmly and unhurriedly, with a voice as clear as a mountain spring, exuding a refined and cultured aura, resembling a noble young man.


    The female fan group, led by Crazy Chihori, once again erupted in cheers.


    ¡°Woohoo!! My Qinghe is so handsome!¡±


    ¡°Such a high-class Qinghe should be matched with a low-class me!¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°???¡±


    In the center of the arena, a pure white platform slowly rose from the ground, and a young man and woman dressed in bright red and blue combat suits stood on it, full of confidence. They waved to the audience with cheerful smiles. S~?a??h the N?v?lFir?.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    The two of them took their positions on the arena, and Atu playfully made a ¡°peace¡± sign towards a nearby drone, and his smiling face appeared on the floating projection. It looked like they were on vacation, and laughter resounded from all directions, mixed with slight jeers.


    ¡°Alright then, let the game begin,¡± Luo Qinghe said calmly as he closed the scroll.


    As his voice fell, the iron barriers on both sides of the arena slowly opened. Following that, there came a rumbling of footsteps and a deep growling from underground, getting closer and closer. In the next moment¡ªalmost a hundred zombies surged out!


    The enthusiasm of the audience was instantly ignited, and they stood up, raising their arms and cheering loudly.


    Song Ke¡¯s eyes widened slightly, looking over in disbelief. This so-called preliminary competition was actually a battle against zombies?


    She exchanged a glance with Zhuang Qingyan, realizing that the zombies¡­ were the ¡°excellent nutrition¡± for this event.


    The abilities of the two participants on the field were quite unique. Atu possessed the power of mirror teleportation, allowing him to suck zombies into a separate space, while Ashui had the ability of self-replication. For every zombie Atu sucked, she released a duplicate to fight inside the mirror.


    The two of them coordinated seamlessly, continually circling the edge of the arena and adopting a strategy of taking out the zombies one by one. In no time, the arena was filled with their mirrors and clones, maneuvering the zombies in circles.


    The battle raged on, and Luo Qinghe¡¯s melodious voice resonated once again.


    ¡°The performance of the two contestants is outstanding. Let¡¯s see the audience support rate¡­¡±


    The drone cut to a close-up, and Atu and Ashui¡¯s support rate had already skyrocketed to 43%.


    Song Ke also noticed the ¡°0 Distance¡± hoverballs, which cost 2888 Alliance coins to ride. They were floating alongside numerous drones and balloons, sometimes kicked by running zombies, and sometimes colliding with the mirrors and changing direction. Inside, people tumbled around excitedly, faces flushed with exhilaration, vigorously waving their arms.


    ¡­So, this was the ¡°immersive¡± experience? The hobbies of the wealthy were indeed unique.


    The good times didn¡¯t last long. When only one-third of the zombies remained, Atu and Ashui¡¯s coordination showed a flaw. Perhaps they had released too many clones, or maybe the remaining zombies had become more difficult to deal with. In one of the mirrors, Ashui¡¯s attack exposed a vulnerability and was instantly seized by a fierce zombie, brutally torn in half!


    Atu¡¯s mirror shattered in an instant, and the zombies from the independent space rushed out, frantically chasing the remaining clones.


    ¡°What are they doing? Get rid of it quickly!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there in a daze! Move!¡±


    ¡°Do they have any on-the-spot reactions?!¡±


    The audience shouted in dissatisfaction, cursing and some even took off their shoes to throw them into the center of the arena, but they were mercilessly stopped by patrolling security robots.


    However, the situation continued to worsen. After the first zombie ran out, Atu and Ashui¡¯s rhythm was completely disrupted. The two were in a state of chaos, and Ashui¡¯s duplicates were diminishing rapidly. Finally, another zombie leaped out of the mirror and bit down on the real Ashui¡¯s neck.


    Blood splattered everywhere!


    Atu¡¯s eyes were filled with despair as he rushed forward for a few steps and then abruptly stopped.


    Losing Ashui¡¯s means of attack, he was merely a pure support, and what use could he be? Soon, he would also become a victim of these monsters.


    ¡°Forfeit, I forfeit!¡± Atu shouted desperately, then fled in a terrified scramble.


    As he saw the zombies closing in on him, he unexpectedly dove into his own mirror, leaving Ashui, who was still struggling, behind. With a few quick shifts, he escaped to the other corner of the arena. Faced with imminent danger, Atu¡¯s instinct for self-preservation was laid bare for all to see.


    The audience immediately erupted in thunderous boos from the stands.


    ¡°Atu, what kind of man are you?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re garbage! I even voted for you!¡±


    ¡°Give me a refund! I want a refund!¡±


    Unfortunately, Atu was still saved. The mechanical arms responsible for maintaining order acted promptly and drove the remaining zombies back underground.


    ¡°Challenge failed.¡±


    The large gray letters appeared on the floating screen, and the team¡¯s light for ¡°Atu and Ashui¡± dimmed. The posters of the participants around the arena were ruthlessly taken down.


    ¡°Sigh¡­¡±


    Sighs filled the venue.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pity, they couldn¡¯t make it through the preliminary round in the end,¡± Luo Qinghe said with a faint smile. ¡°The next match will begin in ten minutes, and before that, we have prepared a fantastic halftime performance for everyone.¡±


    A dazzling AI band descended from the sky, igniting the atmosphere with energetic drumbeats, deep bass, and explosive electric guitar sounds.


    ¡°It¡¯s the Rainbow Band!¡±


    ¡°I love their nostalgic heavy metal style.¡±


    The audience, who had just been sighing and lamenting, immediately got excited again, swaying and headbanging to the intense rhythm.


    Xu Xing had long hidden behind Song Ke when Ashui was being bitten, covering his eyes and refusing to watch.


    Meanwhile, Song Ke, despite being in the midst of the noisy arena, felt a coldness in her heart.


    Fighting against zombies should have been a means of self-preservation in a post-apocalyptic world, but in Ferrara, in the Sycara Theater that claimed to be a temple of art and freedom, hunting had turned into a frenzied catharsis.


    Song Ke didn¡¯t really sympathize with the zombies. If it were her in the arena, she would have acted without hesitation. However, being watched by so many people was a surreal experience. Could killing really stimulate people¡¯s desires? Why were some so passionate about blood and violence?


    Why did Ferrara organize events like this?


    ¡°Do you still want to watch?¡± Zhuang Qingyan frowned and asked loudly.


    He wasn¡¯t unable to watch; it was just that the platform was too crowded, and even the air wasn¡¯t flowing properly. Zhuang Qingyan had endured it for a long time, enduring until the match was over. When the people next to him were about to take off their shoes, he couldn¡¯t bear it any longer.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Since none of their companions had the desire to continue watching, Song Ke also found out where the zombies were heading and prepared to leave first.


    She gripped the wheelchair handles and struggled to make her way through the crowd.


    Approaching the exit, she happened to overhear two men talking in the corridor.


    ¡°Old Zhang, why do you have that expression again? Did you lose another bet?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. I was pretty confident in Atu initially and bet a few tickets. Now they¡¯re all down the drain!¡±


    ¡°How much did you lose this time?¡±


    Old Zhang shook his head without revealing the amount, saying stubbornly, ¡°Fortunately, the odds weren¡¯t high; otherwise, I would have lost everything.¡±


    His friend chuckled, ¡°I told you your information wasn¡¯t up to par, didn¡¯t I? Atu and Ashui can barely handle a C-level mission. They came to participate in the Throne Race, isn¡¯t it just to feed the zombies? You still went and bet; you deserve to be a losing bettor.¡±


    ¡°I know, but I thought maybe he could have a breakthrough. After all, as long as they pass the preliminary round, they can earn 50,000 alliance coins and 100 points. Who among those awakeners doesn¡¯t want points?¡±


    ¡°True, but two D-level are still a bit of a stretch.¡±


    ¡°Thankfully, the competition requires participants to be D-level or higher; otherwise, there would be too many dull matches!¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s footsteps halted between the two men, and she asked incredulously, ¡°Ho-how much money?¡±


    Old Zhang and his friend¡¯s conversation was interrupted, and they both turned to look at her.


    ¡°50,000 Alliance coins and 100 points? It¡¯s all in the registration rules.¡±


    Song Ke, who had just lost a large sum of money, instantly had sparkles in her eyes.


    50,000 Alliance coins! That¡¯s a lot of money! Not only could it clear her debt to Xiaoxing in one go, but there would still be 40,000 left over! If she were to take on missions, it might take her a long time to save up that amount, but now, by just passing the preliminary round, she could get it for free! Who wouldn¡¯t be tempted by that?


    Song Ke¡¯s wide sparkling eyes was easy to understand.


    Old Zhang stopped his conversation and scrutinized her, ¡°Little girl, do you also want to participate?¡±


    Song Ke hesitated. She didn¡¯t particularly enjoy the atmosphere of slaughter in the Throne Race, but earning money was currently her top priority. During her time in Ferrara, she had realized that being broke was a major obstacle to her every move.


    ¡°Are you an awakener? Are you atleast a D-level?¡±


    Song Ke shook her head. She still didn¡¯t know!


    Old Zhang interpreted her headshake as a negative response and, perhaps still irritable from losing money, sneered, ¡°I¡¯ve watched over a hundred preliminary matches, and someone like you wouldn¡¯t last a hundred seconds up there.¡±


    ¡°When the zombie chops you, it¡¯s just like chopping vegetables.¡±


    ¡°Are you planning to perform a one-second surrender for the audience?¡±


    Beside them, Xu Xing couldn¡¯t help but burst into laughter.


    Who was chopping whom? This guy was so confident.


    His friend patted Old Zhang on the shoulder and, with an apologetic smile to Song Ke, said, ¡°Sorry, sorry, please don¡¯t mind him. He¡¯s just irritated from losing money.¡±


    Then, he turned to Old Zhang, ¡°Why don¡¯t you pipe down? You¡¯ve watched over a hundred matches, how many times have you actually hit the mark? Not even once!¡±


    Old Zhang, exposed in public, raised his voice, ¡°How have I never hit it? Don¡¯t talk nonsense, I¡­ I¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe it. If even someone like her can make it to the main event, then in the next round, no, in every future round, I¡¯ll bet my entire fortune on her. I promise to follow through!¡±

 Chapter 38: Bloody Ferrara (10)

    ¡òSong Ke¡¯s Level¡òAfter leaving the Sycara Theater, the three of them found a long bench and sat down to discuss the rules of the Throne Race Competition.


    Zhuang Qingyan stared at the huge projection screen at the entrance of the theater and calmly recited the registration details displayed on it:


    ¡°Applicants must meet the following conditions simultaneously: first, possess a D-level or higher ability officially certified by the Alliance; second, abide by Ferrara¡¯s laws with no criminal record; third, be in good physical health with stable vital signs¡­¡±


    ¡°The total prize pool for this competition exceeds 10 million, and the champion team will receive 5 million Alliance coins and 1000 commission points. In addition, all teams that pass the preliminary rounds will receive 50,000 Alliance coins and 100 commission points.¡±


    1000 commission points were almost equivalent to an A-level commission! Just thinking about how Song Ke and the others had to go through so much trouble to kill the zombie Zhang Lei from the hands of so many awakeners in Luli Port, they knew how difficult A-level missions were.


    And then there were 5 million Alliance coins, which was an enormous amount of money, almost too much to count! Of course, winning the championship was still too far off for them, but as long as they passed the preliminaries, they could earn 50,000 for free! Was the official in Ferrara¡¯s District C really that wealthy?


    ¡°Are you planning to register?¡± Zhuang Qingyan always seemed to grasp her thoughts immediately. ¡°Why? Do you really want to bet against that guy just now?¡±


    Of course not! Song Ke explained earnestly, ¡°I want to, to make money.¡±


    She and Zhuang Qingyan would be staying in Ferrara for a while, and they would have to spend money on food and drink. They couldn¡¯t keep relying on Xu Xing. In the past, their life in District F was poor, and their material desires were low. Song Ke¡¯s understanding of money had always been vague since childhood. Now that she was out in society, she realized how important money was!


    ¡°Sister, I support you!¡± Xu Xing clenched his little fists and cheered her on with sparkling eyes. He knew how formidable Song Ke was. When Song Ke used those artifacts from the old civilization, it was a pure visual delight. One move, one zombie; it was beyond cool!


    Hmm, let that old man see how amazing his sister is.


    He could also place a few bets and make some pocket money¡­ after all, choosing his sister would definitely not result in a loss.


    As Xu Xing¡¯s thoughts wandered, he truly lived up to being Xu Weiguo¡¯s son, with a sense of venture at such a young age.


    Zhuang Qingyan looked at the two eager individuals in front of him and a light smile crept onto his lips. S~?a??h the ???el F?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Have you forgotten something? Song Ke¡¯s ability level hasn¡¯t been revealed yet.¡±


    Oh right! Song Ke suddenly remembered. It was supposed to take three working days, and Xu Xing was one day behind her. It was normal that he hadn¡¯t received the results yet. But she was about to enter the fourth day; had it taken too long?


    She was about to open the system to check again when her terminal suddenly beeped.


    Huh, this terminal was brand new, and apart from Xu Xing, there was no one else in her contacts.


    Who would be contacting her at this time?


    Song Ke answered the call, puzzled, and a loud voice came through immediately, ¡°Hello! We are the marketing department of Century Consortium. Would you be interested in sponsorship? In the early stages, we are primarily focusing on the logo for the team uniforms¡­¡±


    ¡°Sponsorship?¡± Song Ke thought it might be some new type of scam and cleverly hung up.


    ¡°Beep beep.¡± Just as she ended the call, the terminal beeped again with a notification.


    Song Ke picked it up once more.


    ¡°This is the Soaring Dragon Awakeners Club. May I ask if you are interested in joining us? Currently, we have three teams that have made it to the main competition¡­¡±


    Awakeners club? Is there such a thing? But why are they looking for her?


    ¡°Beep beep¡ªbeep beep¡ª¡± The terminal rang for the third time.


    What¡¯s going on? It suddenly got so lively.


    ¡°Wait a moment,¡± Song Ke cut off this call and answered the third one.


    A pleasant electronic voice greeted her first, ¡°Ferrara Arts and G*mbling reminds you to g*mble for happiness and bet sensibly.¡±


    As soon as the call connected, the person on the other side cleared their throat and then lowered their voice, asking in a hushed tone, ¡°Do you play in rigged matches?¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°???¡±


    She pressed the disconnect button without a word, and the terminal continued to ring incessantly.


    Song Ke directly disabled the calling function.


    The world became quiet.


    The next moment, Xu Xing¡¯s terminal also rang, with an equally unfamiliar caller.


    ¡°No, don¡¯t answer!¡± Song Ke, like a startled bird, stared wide-eyed, ¡°It¡¯s a scam!¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡± Xu Xing followed her example and turned off the communication.


    Zhuang Qingyan chuckled softly, ¡°It probably isn¡¯t a scam.¡±


    Both of them looked at him curiously.


    ¡°I guess¡­ it¡¯s about your ability levels coming out.¡±


    And it wasn¡¯t low, which was why all these people were rushing over like bees smelling honey.


    Song Ke was puzzled, ¡°My level, I, I still don¡¯t know it.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan pointed to her stylish terminal, ¡°Since Ferrara¡¯s Awakener Base has external commercial interests involved, some probably knows your ability level earlier than you do. It¡¯s not that surprising.¡±


    While they were talking, a notification popped up on the terminal.


    This time, it wasn¡¯t some inexplicable nuisance call. Song Ke clicked on it and indeed found her abilities registration information.


    Name: Song Ke (Bio Id: VUL7700523)


    Ability Level: A-level


    Ability Type: Psychic ¨C Metal ¨C High Offensive ¨C Object Transformation


    Ability Potential: 30%


    Team: V587 (Registration Location: C72 District)


    Song Ke looked at the result and couldn¡¯t help but smile, a small dimple appearing on her cheek.


    So, she was an A-level awakener, just like Wu Juemin! That¡¯s great; she was even more eager to spar with him now.


    ¡°Sister, my level has also come out.¡±


    Xu Xing raised his cartoonish terminal high and proudly showed it to her.


    Name: Xu Xing (Bio Id: F177104910)


    Ability Level: B-level


    Ability Type: Psychic ¨C Ice ¨C High Offensive ¨C Hexagonal Ice Blades


    Ability Potential: 90%


    Team: V587 (Registration Location: C72 District)


    The two of them were like children exchanging gifts, their heads close together as they showered each other with praise.


    ¡°Sister, you¡¯re amazing, you¡¯re A-level!¡±


    ¡°Xiaoxing, your potential is high, you¡¯ll reach A-level in the future too.¡±


    ¡°Hehe,¡± Xu Xing chuckled goofily.


    ¡°Song Ke, let me see your terminal,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said from the side.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Song Ke handed him the stylish terminal.


    Zhuang Qingyan lowered his gaze and started scrolling through the registration information displayed on the screen for Song Ke.


    Before the apocalypse, the military controlled the affiliation of awakeners who joined the Azure Phoenix, while the remaining ones were under the unified jurisdiction of the Alliance¡¯s Special Abilities Division. Therefore, the Alliance established awakeners bases in major cities, and the machines used to determine an awakener¡¯s level were independently developed by Qinglan, with the core computing hub stored in District A. All information about awakeners would be archived there and then directly sent back to various regions, without any possibility of tampering.


    At first glance, Song Ke¡¯s level result seemed very normal¡ªan A-level awakener, an extremely formidable presence wherever she went. However, Zhuang Qingyan had seen many A-level awakeners before. If he were to pick any of them to go one-on-one against Song Ke, he was confident that Song Ke wouldn¡¯t lose to any of them, and he could even say that she would dominate them all.


    Moreover, her ability potential was only 30%. If Xu Xing¡¯s high potential of 90% could be attributed to his young age, it became even stranger. Song Ke wasn¡¯t that old either, and her 30% potential value seemed more like a deliberate means of balance, as if they wanted to keep her pinned at the A-level, never allowing her to advance.


    At least in Ferrara, they didn¡¯t want her to be so dazzling.


    Interesting, Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. Whether Song Ke was truly an A-level wasn¡¯t easy to determine, but his interest had been piqued.


    Don¡¯t forget, this city is ruled by top-tier artificial intelligence.


    ¡­


    Since they had decided to participate in the Throne Race Competition, Song Ke found the registration point according to the address on the poster. They were received by a cute-looking robot that was clearly a member of the staff.


    Ferrara truly lived up to being a city ruled by artificial intelligence, as AI figures were frequently seen in various work positions.


    ¡°Are you registering as an individual or a team?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the difference?¡±


    ¡°This competition recommends registering as a team. Only individual challenges are accepted in the preliminary rounds, and for the main competition, you must participate as a team. Teams that register during the preliminary round and make it to the main competition can retain their original team configuration.¡±


    Song Ke raised a question, ¡°What if an, an indivi, individual makes it to the main, main competition?¡±


    ¡°After the preliminary rounds, all individual participants will be randomly matched to form teams.¡±


    Ah? If she gets matched with strong teammates, that¡¯s fine, but what if she ends up with incompetent teammates? Wouldn¡¯t that drag her down and lead to elimination? Moreover, with no prior teamwork, there would likely be flaws in their coordination, just like when she and Xu Xing first started.


    Song Ke couldn¡¯t make up her mind for a moment.


    Currently, V587 had three members. Zhuang Qingyan had a leg injury, Xu Xing was timid, and his ability control was poor. It was simply unrealistic for them to participate in the preliminary rounds. Besides, Song Ke considered herself the team captain, and such physically demanding work should fall to her.


    After some thought, Song Ke asked again, ¡°If, if a team makes it to the main, main competition, can they add, add more members?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but each team has a maximum limit of five members.¡±


    Most awakeners wouldn¡¯t do this, ¡®I worked so hard to make it into the main competition. Are you trying to take advantage of my hard-earned victory?¡¯ However, Song Ke used this time to search for teammates. Perhaps by watching a few matches, she could find some good individual players and invite them to join her team.


    Song Ke shared her decision with the robot. The robot seemed to hesitate for a moment.


    ¡°You want to register as a team, but only one person for the qualifiers?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Song Ke confirmed.


    The artificial intelligence stared at her for two seconds as if she were foolish.


    ¡°In team mode, with a minimum of two people, you¡¯ll be facing a hundred zombies.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°¡­Please present your awakener certificate.¡±


    Song Ke transmitted her freshly acquired awakener information to it.


    The robot performed a series of actions in its system. ¡°Please complete the pre-match physical examination first.¡±


    Song Ke followed its instructions and underwent a simple physical examination.


    The robot made another series of actions.


    ¡°Congratulations, you are registered.¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s terminal prompted her: ¡°Congratulations, you have become a participant in the 178th round of the Throne Race Qualifiers. Your match will begin in two days at 21:00. Please report 30 minutes in advance, or it will be considered a waiver of qualification.¡±


    The qualifiers had been running for half a month, and even if she registered on the same day, she might have to wait for several days to compete. Waiting for two days wasn¡¯t bad at all for Song Ke.


    ¡­


    Back at the hotel, Xu Xing was still a child and had been tired for several days. One moment he had vowed to accompany his sister, and the next, he was fast asleep as soon as he touched the pillow. Only Zhuang Qingyan and Song Ke remained to discuss the qualifiers.


    ¡°A hundred zombies, siege mode. You not only have to clear the field but also gain support from the audience to get their votes.¡±


    ¡°Clearing the field won¡¯t be a problem for you, but controlling the audience¡¯s support rate is tricky. Some players can easily kill zombies, but if their popularity isn¡¯t high enough, they can¡¯t advance.¡±


    Song Ke considered herself average and couldn¡¯t charm the audience like Atu did today. What if she worked hard to kill zombies but got eliminated because of insufficient support? She would lose those 50,000 Alliance coins!


    Zhuang Qingyan gestured for her not to worry. ¡°I¡¯ve watched past match recordings, and there are three situations where the audience¡¯s support rate is generally high.¡±


    ¡°The first is when awakeners have a high level and great fame, with a strong fan base before the match. For example, ¡®Three Grandsons and One Grandfather¡¯ had a support rate of over 90% because they were ranked first in the Ferrara region¡¯s total points leaderboard.¡±


    ¡°The second is when contestants have a strong topic or controversy. For instance, in the 82nd round, a female contestant wore revealing clothing, and her support rate reached 71%. In the 105th round, a male contestant wore only shorts, while the rest were masked, and his support rate was 68%. Well¡­ you could say they courted attention, and although there were criticisms, the results were surprisingly good.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Song Ke shivered and vehemently shook her head.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s tone slowed down. ¡°As for the third type, the bloodier and more violent the scene of slaughtering zombies, the more intense the atmosphere on-site, and the higher the support rate.¡±


    Song Ke furrowed her brow; she didn¡¯t want to slaughter zombies for the sake of performance. She preferred to deal with them swiftly and decisively.


    Zhuang Qingyan paused for a moment and then continued, ¡°But according to my speculation, there should be a fourth situation.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Song Ke asked quickly.


    ¡°People have a desire to peek, and if an awakener can, under everyone¡¯s watchful eyes, use methods unknown to them to swiftly dispatch all the zombies, their curiosity remains unsatisfied, and it gnaws at them. Such a player, even if their vote count isn¡¯t high, the audience will undoubtedly send them to the main competition to satisfy their curiosity.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan emphasized, ¡°So, what you need to achieve is a sense of mystery.¡±


    To bypass the eyes of countless spectators, drones, and cameras on-site and maintain an air of mystery?


    Song Ke contemplated.


    ¡°How about it? Have you figured out which spiritual weapon to use?¡± Zhuang Qingyan asked.


    Song Ke nodded, her palm subtly moving, conjuring a familiar spiritual weapon.


    ¡°This one.¡±

 Chapter 39: Bloody Ferrara (11)

    ¡òWho cast that stupid vote?¡òTwo days later, the Throne Race 178th round of qualifiers proceeded as scheduled.


    This round of matches was scheduled for 9:00 PM, and before that, three participants had consecutively faced defeat. The patience of the live audience had worn thin. They cursed and complained, and the stands resounded with boos. The atmosphere was not particularly pleasant.


    Zhuang Qingyan and Xu Xing chose to watch the live broadcast from their hotel rather than attend the event. The reasons Zhuang Qingyan didn¡¯t attend were simple: firstly, Song Ke had run out of money, and they couldn¡¯t even afford the cheapest tickets, priced at 400 Alliance coins; secondly, he had a severe case of germophobia and couldn¡¯t tolerate the noisy and crowded environment of the stands.


    Since Zhuang Qingyan didn¡¯t go, Xu Xing certainly wouldn¡¯t go alone. Both of them lay comfortably on the luxurious sofa in the viewing room, with plenty of food and drinks at hand, enjoying the match.


    It had to be said that Xu Xing knew how to indulge himself. The seven-star hotel they had booked provided a holographic display with a stunning 24k resolution, and it even offered multi-angle broadcasts, making the experience nearly as good as being there in person.


    At the Sycara Theater.


    After a brief intermission, a lively young girl with twin ponytails and orange glitter eyeshadow appeared in the center of the arena.


    ¡°Hello, everyone! It¡¯s been a while, did you miss me?¡±


    ¡°Yulica!!¡± The previously gloomy atmosphere in the audience instantly lifted, replaced by enthusiastic cheers.


    Yulica, one of Ferrara¡¯s top ten super rookies, was a virtual idol on the same level as Luo Qinghe. However, their styles were markedly different. Yulica was lively and cheerful, attracting mainly young fans.


    ¡°I heard your voices! It seems like everyone is still full of enthusiasm~ Now, let me take a look at the next participating team. Huh? They¡¯re called V587. It¡¯s a team but there¡¯s only one contestant coming on stage!¡±


    ¡°Quite bold, isn¡¯t she? Let¡¯s welcome her to the stage!¡±


    The audience fell momentarily silent, and then discussions and doubts erupted one after another.


    ¡°What? Did I hear that right? 1 vs. 100? Am I going crazy, or is she?¡±


    ¡°Another one here to make a joke; there won¡¯t be a single decent match tonight!¡±


    ¡°Alright! Saves me the trouble of voting.¡±


    Outside the screen, Xu Xing bit onto the juice straw and vigorously waved his small fist.


    ¡°Sister, go for it!¡± He had cast a whopping 1000 votes!


    Zhuang Qingyan didn¡¯t say anything but had a faint smile at the corner of his mouth. Those who mistook a lion for a kitten were soon going to pay the price.


    The stage gradually rose, and a slender figure appeared before the crowd.


    Song Ke stood quietly, with a peculiarly shaped, enormous silver umbrella by her side.


    In a five-story VIP box, a man with ice-blue eyes exclaimed, ¡°Huh, what is she holding?¡±


    ¡°A weapon-type ability?¡± the man mumbled to himself, stroking his chin.


    Behind him, another young man with a tear mole at the corner of his eye and striking looks was slumped in his seat, tiredly yawning, ¡°What¡¯s so interesting about these regional matches? It¡¯s only because of you that we¡¯re here. When are we heading back to Erjia?¡±


    ¡­


    In an apartment located a dozen kilometers away from the Sycara Theater, a slim man who was watching the match through a terminal looked slightly bewildered but quickly stood up. ¡°Aqi, come and see this!¡±


    Duanmu Qi emerged from his room, still displaying an imperceptible pallor on his face. His gaze focused on the delicate girl on the screen, and his eyes narrowed. ¡°¡­It¡¯s her.¡±


    After Song Ke took the stage, the murmurs in the audience grew louder, and suspicions arose. Yulica quickly appeared, gesturing for everyone to quiet down. She then energetically raised the microphone and announced, ¡°Let the challenge begin!¡±


    The barriers on both sides opened, and a total of 100 zombies poured into the arena from all directions, converging on the sole human figure.


    Zhuang Qingyan and Xu Xing, watching the clear projection, saw Song Ke standing calmly in place, slowly raising the weaponized umbrella in her hand.


    The iron umbrella, which could cover the sky, opened with a ¡°whoosh,¡± completely shielding her.


    A silver flash streaked by.


    The audience members who had tried to widen their eyes to see clearly were blinded by the intense light, temporarily losing their vision for a few seconds.


    A nearby drone immediately changed its direction and flew towards her, attempting to capture a close-up angle.


    Song Ke twisted the handle, and the eight umbrella ribs extended by a section, blocking the view once again.


    What happened under the umbrella was unclear to the onlookers, who could only hear the sound of blades cutting through flesh through the amplification devices.


    ¡°Clang, clang, clang!¡± Like chopping vegetables, one after another, the zombies pounced, only to be sent spiraling and flying away, motionless on the ground, lifeless.


    What a swift clearing speed!


    In the audience seats, numerous people anxiously stood up, craning their necks to get a better look.


    ¡°Damn, can¡¯t see anything!¡±


    ¡°Director, what are you doing? Can¡¯t you change the angle?¡±


    ¡°Hurry up, the zombies are about to be wiped out!¡±


    The drones and cameras skimmed the ground, attempting to break through from every direction, but it seemed the silver umbrella had eyes on its back. It defended flawlessly from every angle, and no matter how they circled, they couldn¡¯t capture what was happening under the umbrella.


    The wealthy individuals who had spent a fortune on hoverball tickets became the most frustrated people in the entire arena. Their view was even worse than that of the regular spectators. They were either blocked by the dense crowd of zombies or could only see a ring of silver umbrella edges.


    This 2888 credits spent were utterly unsatisfying; it was a complete waste!


    The silver iron umbrella resembled a rolling mushroom as it swept through the encircling horde, continuously shooting and knocking down the approaching zombies. However, whether it was the live audience or the viewers in front of the terminals, not a single person could figure out how Song Ke was doing it.


    How was she killing the zombies? What was happening under the umbrella?


    No way, nothing is visible at all!


    God, this is so frustrating!


    ¡°Dammit, I¡¯m not watching this anymore!¡±


    ¡°Is this person doing it on purpose? Who does this?¡±


    ¡°Give me a refund!¡±


    Some people grumbled and demanded refunds with their mouths, but their bodies were honest, taking another step forward and squeezing to get a better look. They were unwilling to give up, refusing to believe that they couldn¡¯t see anything at all.


    On the high-altitude floating screen, V587¡¯s support rate was slowly rising: 53%¡­ 56%¡­ 59%¡­ It finally settled at 59% and remained unchanged for several seconds. Then, just like numerous disgruntled spectators, suddenly, the number jumped up to 61%!


    She crossed the threshold!


    After Song Ke dispatched the last zombie, she cleaned her short sword, sheathed it back into the umbrella handle, and snapped the umbrella shut. The umbrella tip pointed downward, and dark, tainted blood continuously dripped.


    The arena was now littered with corpses, and she stood alone, like a silent reaper.


    The venue fell silent for a moment, only to erupt when the ¡°Challenge Successful¡± notification sounded. Everyone finally realized what had happened ¨C they hadn¡¯t seen anything, but this person had advanced? The audience was furious.


    ¡°Is this a joke? Who cast that stupid vote?¡±


    ¡°Refund! Give us our money back!¡±


    ¡°I paid to watch nothing!¡±


    Yulica shouted loudly, ¡°Quiet! Quiet!¡± several times but still couldn¡¯t calm the restless audience.


    Just when the situation was about to spiral out of control, three deep bell tolls rang out, and a spotlight shone down from above the Sycara Theater. Then, a figure with radiant golden hair appeared once again.


    ¡°I¡­ Ilya.¡±


    The irritable audience witnessed the arrival of a deity, behaving like pets calmed by their master, instantly retracting their claws and falling silent.


    Yulica and the other AI on site lowered their heads, displaying a respectful posture.


    Ilya was dressed casually today, still in pure white. Although his attire seemed relaxed, his nobility remained evident. His gaze swept across the arena, not lingering on Song Ke or paying any attention to the recent troublemakers. It was as if this were just an ordinary match.


    ¡°I seem to have lost track. How many rounds is this today?¡±


    ¡°Round 178! It¡¯s the 178th round! I¡¯ve watched every single match, Ilya!!¡± A fervent fan shouted, her voice trembling.


    ¡°Round 178¡­ Another contestant has advanced tonight.¡±


    No one dared to voice objections. Ilya had declared that Song Ke had advanced. Who would dare to step forward and demand refunds now?


    Ilya took two steps forward, and his crystalline, translucent eyes suddenly radiated dazzling ripples.


    ¡°The weather is quite pleasant today, so I¡¯ve decided to add some chips to this grand event.¡±


    All eyes turned expectantly toward the phantom figure.


    ¡°The total champion of the Throne Race, in addition to the existing rewards, also gets a chance to make a wish to me,¡± Ilya said, his perfect face revealing a casual smile. ¡°Whether you want a lot of money, immense power, a stronger ability, or even the qualification for District B, whatever your wish may be, Ilya can fulfill it.¡±


    The audience at the venue hadn¡¯t reacted much, but countless awakeners who followed the Throne Race were standing in shock.


    ¡ªThis was a promise made by the highest ruler of C72 District.


    Ilya spread his hands, and dazzling starlight radiated from his fingertips. ¡°Ferrara, welcome all the brave.¡±


    ¡°Only through fire and thorns can a true crown of kings be forged.¡±


    This statement pushed the excitement surrounding the Throne Race to an unparalleled height!


    The entire Ferrara trembled.


    ¡­


    After the competition ended, Song Ke left through the dim player¡¯s tunnel. As she approached the exit, she saw a slender figure leaning against the tunnel wall.


    The person turned slowly upon hearing footsteps, with their dazzling golden hair, unmatched glassy eyes, and ethereal phantom.


    It was Ilya. Hadn¡¯t he left? Why was he here?


    Ilya gazed at Song Ke as she approached slowly.


    Song Ke¡¯s mood suddenly became a bit nervous. She had never interacted with an AI of Ilya¡¯s caliber before. Should she say hello, or would it be better to just walk away?


    In the end, Song Ke stopped and stuttered, ¡°D-Do you¡­ have something?¡±


    Ilya didn¡¯t speak but observed her without blinking, as if she were an interesting toy.


    Song Ke felt a bit uncomfortable under his gaze and shifted her toes forward slightly.


    Unexpectedly, Ilya spoke, ¡°You chose Ferrara.¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°Huh?¡±


    He nodded, ¡°I understand.¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°What?¡± S?a??h th? ?ov?l?ir?.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Ilya smiled, ¡°It¡¯s just as I imagined.¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°Where? What do you mean?¡±


    After saying this, Ilya¡¯s figure gradually faded, eventually disappearing into the tunnel.


    Only his faint, lingering words remained in the air.


    ¡°¡ªYou and I, aren¡¯t we the same?¡±


    Song Ke was utterly perplexed.


    I¡¯m not an artificial intelligence. How could we be the same?

 Chapter 40.1: Bloody Ferrara (12)

    ¡òXiaoxing¡¯s determination¡ò¡°The heat of the Throne Race has escalated.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan flipped through Song Ke¡¯s terminal, quickly browsing various news that were continuously fermenting. If, in the past, it was just a relatively popular medium-sized event within the Ferrara area, then starting from round 178 when Ilya appeared, the Throne Race Competition became a nationwide carnival.


    The awakeners from the two adjacent C areas (C70, C71) and more than a dozen surrounding D areas were gearing up and coming here upon hearing the news.


    Now, if you were to randomly throw a small stone onto the streets of Ferrara, it would probably hit two awakeners.


    No one responded to his words.


    Zhuang Qingyan raised his gaze, and Song Ke sat at the bedside, looking absent-minded with her short shoulder-length hair in disarray.


    ¡°What are you daydreaming about? Still thinking about what Ilya said to you?¡±


    ¡ª¡±You and I, aren¡¯t we the same?¡±


    That night, in the dim player corridor, after leaving behind these profound words, Ilya disappeared on the spot.


    Leaving Song Ke with a head full of question marks, her thoughts lost in the wind.


    Zhuang Qingyan put down the terminal, his wheelchair slowly slid to the bedside, and then he leaned forward. The vibrant sunlight outside happened to shine through his back, casting him in backlight, highlighting his prominent brow bone and sensual thin lips. The two of them were only inches apart, and Zhuang Qingyan stared at Song Ke for several seconds.


    Song Ke snapped out of it and stared back, puzzled. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s lips curled slightly, and he shook his head slowly. ¡°I dare not say anything else, but at the very least, you¡¯re definitely not artificial intelligence.¡±


    He retracted his upper body and lazily leaned back in his wheelchair. ¡°From a general rational perspective, there shouldn¡¯t be an AI like you.¡±


    Before his words could settle, a shiny, flexible whip whizzed past his temple, landing heavily on the desk behind him, causing the pages of the books to rustle.


    Song Ke puffed up her cheeks in frustration.


    Just because she didn¡¯t hear those middle words clearly, did he think she couldn¡¯t hear them at all? Did he want to call her stupid?!


    Zhuang Qingyan casually brushed away the severed hair strands, and he even had the mood to shake the blanket on his legs.


    Alright, she¡¯s not being absent-minded anymore, she¡¯s full of life and energy now. S?a?ch* Th? N0??F?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Go freshen up and come back. We¡¯ll talk about the competition.¡±


    ¡­


    When Song Ke was washing up, Xu Xing entered with his hands behind his back, looking like a little lord.


    Once inside Song Ke¡¯s room, he lifted his chin, occasionally touched the bizarre short weapons at the foot of the bed, then helped tidy up the messy books on the table. Finally, he glanced at the annoying presence in the room, snorted arrogantly.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s gaze landed on Song Ke¡¯s terminal, ignoring him.


    Xu Xing stared at him for two seconds, then suddenly asked, ¡°Where¡¯s your terminal?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan pointed with his fingertip.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you a researcher from some¡­ some Lan¡¯s group. Why didn¡¯t you use your own terminal?¡±


    Xu Xing was young, but he was quite intelligent. As he thought more about Zhuang Qingyan, he began to notice more and more things that didn¡¯t add up.


    Zhuang Qingyan was not an unknown person, nor was he from the technologically backward District F. Given his behavior, there was a high likelihood that he came from a big city. However, Xu Xing had never seen him use any communication device.


    ¡°Not only do you not use a terminal, but you also haven¡¯t registered as an awakener. You definitely have a secret!¡±


    If an ordinary person awakened their powers, they would be ecstatic and would rush to register, especially now, during the apocalypse, when awakeners enjoyed special privileges like changing districts. To officially register, one had to go to an awakener base belonging to the Alliance, take photos, and provide biological information. This would expose all personal privacy. Was Zhuang Qingyan intentionally avoiding registration for this reason?


    ¡°Oh? What secrets do I have? Tell me.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan said with a sly smile, clearly not feeling uneasy about his lies being exposed.


    Xu Xing thought he had uncovered Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s true identity and excitedly jumped up. ¡°You¡¯re a wanted criminal, that¡¯s why you don¡¯t want to leave any traces, and you don¡¯t use communication devices to avoid revealing your whereabouts. Someone is after you!¡±


    He taunted, with a mischievous grin. ¡°I¡¯m going to tell sister that you¡¯re a bad person and ask her to get rid of you!¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan raised an eyebrow, smiling ominously. ¡°You¡¯re right; I am indeed a wanted criminal.¡±


    ¡°Now that you know, I¡¯ll have to eliminate you.¡±


    At first, Xu Xing thought he was joking, but the air around him grew thinner, and an invisible force seemed to tighten around his neck. Xu Xing tried to summon his ice blades to resist, but his brain exploded with pain, and his powers couldn¡¯t coalesce.


    His face turned red, and his hair was soaked with sweat when Song Ke, with a wet towel on her face, returned.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± she asked.


    The oppressive feeling instantly disappeared, and Xu Xing took a deep breath of fresh air, collapsing onto the bed.


    Damn it, damn it! I can¡¯t beat him!!


    He became angrier the more he thought about it, feeling both frustrated and upset, and he started crying.


    Song Ke turned to Zhuang Qingyan with a helpless look. ¡°Don¡¯t bully Xiaoxing.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan looked innocent. ¡°How can you call it bullying? I¡¯m just teaching Xiaoxing a lesson. Some things¡­ can¡¯t be said recklessly.¡±


    Xu Xing: =Ãó=!!


    ¡°Have you finished washing up? Come and look at the profiles I¡¯ve prepared for the contestants.¡±


    Perhaps satisfied with the result of his ¡°teaching¡± of Xu Xing, Zhuang Qingyan stopped teasing him, put on a serious expression, and said.


    Song Ke sat down at the edge of the bed, and Xu Xing quickly moved closer, snuggling up against her thigh and keeping his distance from the smiling devil.


    ¡°The format for the main competition has been announced. Unlike the qualifiers where we had to advance, the first round is a battle royale. All participating teams will engage in a chaotic battle, with the top 64 teams advancing.¡±


    ¡°The qualifiers, which has already ended, consisted of a total of 192 rounds, with 130 teams successfully advancing. The following individual players or teams are interesting, you can pay attention to them.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan was a person with clear thinking and strong initiative. Since Song Ke decided to make the Throne Race a stable source of income for them during this period, they had to manage it well, plan ahead, and obtain maximum benefits at minimal cost.


    ¡°First, let¡¯s talk about the most highly anticipated championship contenders.¡±


    He gestured twice in the air, and the luxurious 24K projection immediately displayed the team¡¯s information.


    ¡°Duanmu Qi, the captain of ¡®Three Grandsons and One Grandpa.¡¯ We¡¯ve crossed paths with him before in Luli Port. Public records show that he is the only B-level awakener in the team, specializing in plant-type thorny vines, and he controls the group.¡±


    Song Ke knew that Zhuang Qingyan wouldn¡¯t randomly single out a B-level awakener without reason.


    ¡°Is the information¡­ fake?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan shook his head. ¡°Duanmu Qi is indeed a B-level awakener, but ¡®Three Grandsons and One Grandpa¡¯ has more than just him.¡±


    ¡°This is their qualifiers match video. As you can see, only Fan Peng and Qiong Mingcheng actually engaged in combat. Duanmu Qi and Xiao Chen seemed busy but only did some clean-up work.¡±


    In the high-definition footage, the focal figures mentioned by Zhuang Qingyan indeed stood their ground. When Duanmu Qi¡¯s thorns were deployed, they blocked most of the rush routes, and a total of 200 fierce zombies were eliminated by the other two team members alone.


    As for Xiao Chen, he stood by with his arms crossed and never lifted a finger.


    ¡°Do you suspect that Xiao Chen is also a B-level?¡± Song Ke guessed.


    ¡°No,¡± Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s eyes gleamed with a hidden light. ¡°I suspect that all four of them are B-level.¡±


    Song Ke and Xu Xing were both stunned, their mouths agape in sync.


    Four B-level awakeners! This was no longer ¡°Three Grandsons and One Grandpa¡±; it was clearly ¡°Four Grandpas¡±!


    ¡°Their rate of points accumulation is rapid, and their competition goal is clear¡ªaiming for qualification in District B.¡±


    Less than a week after the chaotic battle for the mutated zombie in Luli Port, ¡°Three Grandsons and One Grandpa¡± had climbed to a terrifying 2176 points on the Ferrara leaderboard, leaving the second-place team far behind, making them the envy of all awakener teams.


    ¡°For Duanmu Qi, winning the Throne Race is a sure thing.¡±


    ¡°By choosing such a team name, they¡¯re focusing all the attention on Duanmu Qi and, in turn, ignoring the other three. In fact, Fan Peng, Qiong Mingcheng, and Xiao Chen are no pushovers, and their cooperation in Luli Port was seamless. If opponents underestimate these individuals because of this, they might take a big fall in the main event.¡±


    Truly worthy of championship contenders, they were already playing mind games before the competition. Song Ke watched the projection screen, silently thinking that if they ever faced them in the future, she would have to be extremely vigilant.


    ¡°Next, ¡®Shunxing Teahouse,¡¯ the team with the oldest members in the competition.¡±


    Song Ke glanced at the screen and suddenly exclaimed, ¡°Hey, that old man looks familiar.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Xiang, real name unknown, abilities unknown. It is said that he keeps a group of talented individuals under his wing, including a spatial-type awakener.¡±


    ¡°The advantage of Shunxing Teahouse lies in its flexibility. You never know which abilities Mr. Xiang will deploy in this situation without any prior intelligence. You can only rely on improvisation.¡±


    Song Ke nodded. She couldn¡¯t underestimate her opponents either. After the apocalypse, age was no longer the standard for judging strength; it was all about abilities. She wasn¡¯t clear about Mr. Xiang¡¯s hidden cards, so she had to be careful when dealing with him.


    ¡°Next is the ¡®Anna Knights,¡¯ all members are mechanical modifications.¡±


    The style of this team was somewhat similar to Bartel, whose head had been smashed by a mutated zombie named Zhang Lei. It combined the cold mechanical bodies with human muscle tissue, creating a cruel and violent aesthetic.


    ¡°Next¡­¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan went on to explain in detail about more than a dozen teams, and she wondered how he managed to do it. He had watched all 192 rounds of the competition in just two nights and had recorded all the participants¡¯ information. With a quick glance at the intelligence, he could speak fluently. This person¡¯s memory was at a terrifying level.


    ¡°Lastly, this is the recording from last night¡¯s qualifying match, and I think¡­ you might be interested.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s two fingers swiped, and the projection displayed a pair of familiar figures.


    Although the young woman wore a mask, and her appearance was hard to distinguish, her vivid red lips and big wavy ponytail made her unmistakable. Along with another elusive figure in the arena, Song Ke recognized them almost instantly.


    Beautiful Sister!


    It was Lin Youyou and Su Cha. How had they ended up participating in the Throne Race?

 Chapter 40.2: Bloody Ferrara (12)

    ¡òXiaoxing¡¯s determination¡òLin Youyou showed considerable restraint, as if she were just there to have fun, hardly moving. Fortunately, Su Cha was fast and ruthless, killing zombies with ease, making it quite thrilling to watch. In the end, their approval ratings settled at 71%, and they advanced smoothly.


    ¡°Sister, look!¡± Xu Xing lowered her head and fumbled through the terminal, surprised. ¡°Lin Youyou is one of the top ten supernovas, right? Why is she participating in this competition?¡±


    Huh? Song Ke also leaned over.


    The terminal¡¯s screen froze on this year¡¯s Supernova Gala, with Lin Youyou holding a trophy. She wore a cherry blossom pink spaghetti strap dress and had a pure and gentle makeup look, smiling sweetly at the camera.


    ¡°Of course, she can participate,¡± Zhuang Qingyan chuckled softly, with a meaningful tone.


    Song Ke and Xu Xing both tilted their heads in curiosity, like two curious little animals.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you understand? Think carefully. Haven¡¯t you noticed a characteristic of the Throne Race Competition?¡± Zhuang Qingyan gently prompted.


    Characteristic? Song Ke tried to recall: the grand entrance of the Sycara Theater, the design of the arena, the registration area, the special guests¡­


    She suddenly realized, but Xu Xing raised his hand even faster, answering, ¡°It¡¯s artificial intelligence!¡±


    That¡¯s right, from the moment they got involved with the Throne Race Competition, all job positions were filled by artificial intelligence, with no traces of human involvement. AI greeters, AI registration, AI security patrols, even the superstars responsible for entertaining the audience were all virtual idols. Humans had only two roles: participants and spectators.


    Lin Youyou wasn¡¯t a virtual idol. She didn¡¯t need to appear as a special guest like Luo Qinghe or Yulica. If she registered as an awakener, from a program standpoint, it was completely legitimate.


    ¡°But why would she want to participate?¡±


    A famous superstar who could make countless people swoon with a song on stage, Lin Youyou had fame, money, and adoration. Why would she risk her life to enter the Throne Race?


    Zhuang Qingyan pondered for a moment. ¡°For crystals, or perhaps for an irrevocable wish.¡±


    During their time in Luli Port, Lin Youyou had taken a risk to seize crystals, even revealing her identity. Additionally, after Ilya promised that ¡°any wish could be fulfilled,¡± she appeared in the qualifying round. She must have a deep-seated determination.


    Song Ke still didn¡¯t understand. ¡°Why? It¡¯s just a sentence.¡±


    It was just a sentence from artificial intelligence. Why were so many people rushing in?


    Ilya had deceived her just a couple of days ago!


    Zhuang Qingyan shook his head slowly. ¡°Precisely because it¡¯s artificial intelligence.¡±


    Song Ke was bewildered.


    ¡°Artificial intelligence is more trustworthy than humans.¡±


    ¡°Look here,¡± Zhuang Qingyan snapped his fingers, and the projection immediately displayed a screen full of data. ¡°According to incomplete statistics, any policy or statement Ilya has made since taking the stage has never been broken.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not just artificial intelligence; it¡¯s also the highest executive of Ferrara, capable of wielding all power to ensure the transmission of its will.¡±


    What Zhuang Qingyan didn¡¯t say was that Ilya¡¯s promise made that day was also meaningful: money, power, status, abilities, and even access to District B, these lures were thrown out one by one, and no awakener could resist.


    Gathering so many awakeners, secretly collecting so many zombies, what did Ilya really want to achieve?


    Nobody knew.


    But Song Ke thought of something else.


    Wishes? Did everyone participate in the competition because they had wishes they wanted to fulfill?


    What about V587? Did her companions also have unfulfilled wishes?


    Song Ke patted Xu Xing¡¯s furry head. ¡°Xiaoxing, do you have any wishes?¡±


    Tears welled up in Xu Xing¡¯s eyes. ¡°I hope Dad can come back to life.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not impossible,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said casually from the side. ¡°Perhaps Ilya can create a bio-mimetic AI of Xu Weiguo. As long as you input his original behavioral patterns, you¡¯ll have a new Dad. Will that make you happy?¡±


    Xu Xing thought about that image, a bio-mimetic robot speaking in Xu Weiguo¡¯s voice, and he shuddered. ¡°No, thank you!¡±


    ¡°What about you, Sister? Do you have a wish?¡±


    ¡°Me?¡±


    Does it count to go to District B to have a look? Song Ke thought for a moment, but this idea wasn¡¯t very urgent, and it didn¡¯t qualify as a heartfelt wish. Moreover, rather than saying she had a wish, it was more accurate to say she had something she had to do.


    ¡°What¡¯s your wish?¡± Song Ke turned to Zhuang Qingyan.


    Xu Xing rolled his eyes discreetly where Zhuang Qingyan couldn¡¯t see and then straightened his face, also looking over.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s hands, with distinct joints, rested on the touch panel, and the images in the projection changed intermittently and chaotically.


    He lifted the corner of his mouth, but there was no trace of amusement in his eyes.


    ¡°I have no wishes.¡±


    No wishes? He truly was a strange person.


    Song Ke remained silent for two seconds, then asked, ¡°Then you have seen so many teams, are there any people with healing abilities?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan suddenly raised his gaze.


    ¡°My wish is to heal you,¡± Song Ke said, looking into his eyes, each word spoken deliberately.


    There was no hint of doubt in her eyes, only pure sincerity.


    They locked eyes for a few seconds, neither of them looking away.


    Then Zhuang Qingyan smiled, a genuine smile this time, with little stars in the corners of his eyes.


    ¡°Healing-type awakeners are not suitable for the qualifier round. I haven¡¯t found any temporarily. Perhaps during the main event, I can look for them again.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Song Ke nodded.


    *


    The Throne Race Competition¡¯s qualifiers were still in full swing, and a few days later, the highly anticipated first official race location was announced.


    Mirror Lake.


    It was a forbidden forest located at the border of C70 and C72. Due to its higher elevation, the mountaintop was covered in snow year-round, making the area unusually cold. In the center of the forest was an oval-shaped lake, its surface frozen with a thin layer of ice, crystal clear and mirror-like, hence the name.


    It was rumored that there had been sightings of a water monster beneath Mirror Lake. After discussions between the former leaders of both districts, they reached an agreement to permanently seal the area, prohibiting any entry or exit. The mysterious Mirror Lake had been closed for seven years, and soon it would reopen.


    After Zhuang Qingyan learned of this news, he suggested to Song Ke, ¡°I propose that we let that little brat participate in this race.¡±


    ¡°Someone with ice abilities like his would have a unique advantage in a place like Mirror Lake.¡±


    ¡°And by bringing him along, you¡¯ll have the minimum required number of team members, without the need to search for teammates.¡±


    Song Ke pursed her lips and felt it was best to consult Xu Xing¡¯s opinion first. ¡°I¡¯ll go and ask Xiaoxing.¡± S?a??h the N0v?lFir?.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Zhuang Qingyan stopped her. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Why?!¡± Xu Xing jumped up from the artificial beach chair, spilling the fruit tart in his arms all over the floor.


    The hotel maintained a year-round pleasant climate with comfortable temperatures. You could request any food or drink you desired with a press of a button, and robot butlers would deliver it to your room. Such a luxurious lifestyle could easily erode one¡¯s fighting spirit, turning them into a person who just wanted to relax. Xu Xing was only ten years old, and after the apocalypse, he didn¡¯t have to go to school or do homework. With plenty of free time on his hands, he had already embraced a retired elderly lifestyle ahead of time.


    ¡°Sister, I¡¯m scared,¡± Xu Xing pleaded pitifully as he tugged at the corner of Song Ke¡¯s sleeve, shaking it gently.


    Song Ke didn¡¯t want to force him and said, ¡°Then forget it¡­¡±


    ¡°If you want to become a useless person, or if you just want to make up the numbers, you can continue to live like this,¡± Zhuang Qingyan sneered coldly from the side.


    ¡°But as an awakener, if you cower in fear when you encounter zombies, misuse your abilities, and don¡¯t find a way to protect yourself, always begging for someone else¡¯s protection, I suggest you consider ending your own life sooner rather than later.¡±


    ¡°No one can protect you for a lifetime in this post-apocalyptic world.¡±


    Under this barrage of harsh words, Xu Xing was left stunned.


    He had originally wanted to retort with something like, ¡°Aren¡¯t you also seeking protection from powerful figures?¡± But then he remembered Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s formidable psychic abilities and gritted his teeth in frustration.


    Xu Xing wasn¡¯t stupid, and after calming down, he carefully considered the current situation.


    In the V587 team, if Song Ke represented the strongest combat force, then Zhuang Qingyan was the sharpest mind. Both of them had irreplaceable importance, but what about him? Besides being wealthy, extremely wealthy, and cute-looking, it seemed like he didn¡¯t have many special talents.


    Now that his sister was willing to take him along, what if, in the future, a cuter and more obedient child came along, and he continued to let them down from time to time, unable to control his abilities properly, not even able to handle a zombie? They might not want him anymore.


    If he couldn¡¯t go with Song Ke¡­


    Xu Xing thought about his father Xu Weiguo turning into a zombie, about Zhang Lei being attacked by the crowd, and about traveling with Wu Juemin and seeing the helpless faces of countless people. It sent a chill down his spine.


    He suddenly realized that he couldn¡¯t let himself sink into such a state. He needed to become stronger. He had to officially become a member of V587 and fulfill his role. In the future, his position should be even more important than that scoundrel Zhuang Qingyan!


    With determination blazing in his eyes, Xu Xing said, ¡°Sister, I¡¯m going with you. I want to participate in the official race!¡±


    Song Ke couldn¡¯t help but be impressed. Just how did Zhuang Qingyan manage to inspire him with just a few words? Or rather, manipulate him?


    Looking at Xu Xing¡¯s appearance, he seemed eager to roll up his sleeves and head to Mirror Lake to fight right now.


    Song Ke was about to nod, but Zhuang Qingyan stopped her. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Why not?!¡± Xu Xing¡¯s curly hair seemed almost ready to explode with frustration.


    You were the one who suggested that I join the competition, and now you¡¯re telling me not to? What do you want from me?


    Zhuang Qingyan scrutinized him from top to bottom, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. ¡°Of course, you can¡¯t go. With your current level, you want to participate in the Battle Royale? What, planning to be a sitting duck for someone to chop up?¡±


    Xu Xing: ¡°¡­¡±


    His small self-esteem had suffered a huge blow. After all, he was a B-rank awakener with a potential of 90%!


    Zhuang Qingyan continued, ¡°Let¡¯s take the recorded matches we¡¯ve watched as an example. Tell me, who can you beat?¡±


    Xu Xing tugged at his hair, racking his brain to think. It seemed like¡­ there was really no one.


    His confidence instantly waned. ¡°Then¡­ what should I do?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan said solemnly, ¡°Special training.¡±


    ¡°I suggest that during this period, you take on more individual and group missions and train seriously.¡±


    ¡°What do you think? Xiao¡­ Xing?¡±

 Chapter 41.1: Bloody Ferrara (13)

    ¡ò Battle Royale Action! ¡òOne month later, the 420th round of qualifiers came to an end, and from this point on, the Throne Race would no longer accept new registrations.


    The ultimate champion would emerge from the 200 teams that had made it through to the finals.


    From the abandoned mine 200 kilometers away from Ferrara, the rumbling sounds continued to echo.


    Xu Xing had a red headband tied to his forehead, with the words ¡°must win¡± boldly written on it, flapping in the wind. He wore a thick hoodie and took brisk steps with his short legs. At one moment, he sprinted to the left, sharp ice spikes falling behind him, pinning the crowded zombies like bullets in a circle. Then, he extended his arms and ran to the right, using a blizzard in tandem with the mechanical arm of a transport vehicle to sweep the frozen zombies into iron cages.


    The red band fluttered behind his head, giving him a somewhat peerless master¡¯s demeanor.


    In less than twenty minutes, Xu Xing completed a C-level mission all by himself.


    Song Ke stood on a high platform, watching from afar. This scene had become the norm for almost a month. Xu Xing had undergone Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s devilish training, starting from tears and sobbing, often hiccuping while fighting zombies, and frequently needing her help to clean up afterward. But now, he had made rapid progress. Not only could he single-handedly take down dozens of zombies, but he also maintained cleanliness, remembering to blow the area clean and tidying up the battlefield as a matter of course.


    Song Ke¡¯s thoughts wandered, and she couldn¡¯t help but think of Aming¡¯s favorite lines from that classic palace intrigue drama of the old civilization.


    The old Xiaoxing was already dead. Now, standing before them was Niu Hulu¡­ no, it was the Mecha Tyrannosaurus Xiaoxing.


    ¡°You¡¯re really amazing,¡± Song Ke murmured.


    ¡°It¡¯s still a long way to go,¡± Zhuang Qingyan replied calmly.


    ¡°No, I mean you, you¡¯re really amazing.¡±


    Being able to transform Xu Xing from a slacker who only wanted to lie down every day into the current edgy teenager was entirely Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s achievement.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s lips curved into a faint smile, acknowledging Song Ke¡¯s praise.


    ¡°Since he wants to follow you, he can¡¯t hold you back.¡±


    The commotion in front gradually subsided, and Xu Xing ran over, his eyes sparkling.


    ¡°Sister, am I amazing?¡±


    ¡°Amazing,¡± Song Ke praised sincerely, giving him two thumbs up.


    Xu Xing scratched his chin, smiling brightly like the sun.


    During this period, they mainly accepted C-level missions, with a small number of B-level missions completed together by Song Ke and Xu Xing. Therefore, their points were increasing steadily, although not very fast. Even though the rankings were hidden, V587 had actually entered the top ten in the Ferrara points standings.


    The first place was still held by ¡°Three Grandsons and One Grandfather,¡± their points skyrocketing, already surpassing ten thousand.


    ¡°It¡¯s about time. Let¡¯s pack up and head back to Ferrara,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said.


    The main competition of the Throne Race was about to begin, and it was time to go back and prepare.


    ¡­


    ¡°What is this?¡±


    The day before the competition, during the player registration, Song Ke and Xu Xing each received a wristwatch-like tracking device.


    ¡°This is the new tracking device introduced by the competition organizers,¡± the AI in front of them explained meticulously. ¡°It¡¯s used in conjunction with a small unmanned camera that follows each player one-on-one throughout the race, capturing every exciting moment.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this just an electronic ankle monitor¡­¡± Xu Xing muttered softly.


    The synthesized voice of the AI remained calm and unaffected, ¡°I apologize for any inconvenience. I can confirm that due to perspective issues during the previous qualifiers, there was a severe broadcasting incident that resulted in complaints from viewers. We¡¯ve learned from that experience and have upgraded our filming methods to ensure a comprehensive, multi-angle, immersive experience, with no blind spots.¡±


    ¡°In addition, each player has their own private live broadcast room that viewers can unlock and watch for a fee.¡±


    Qualifiers¡­ broadcasting incident¡­ could it have been because of her?


    Song Ke nervously rubbed her ear.


    Due to the unique nature of the main competition venue, there were no on-site seats, and the audience could only watch through terminals. Tickets for the competition had been sold at exorbitant prices, and the number of reservations for popular superhumans¡¯ live broadcast rooms had surpassed several hundred thousand, far exceeding the peak of any previous concert, setting a new historical record.


    ¡°Please draw lots.¡±


    The AI swiped a panel, and suddenly, a brilliant galaxy appeared before Song Ke¡¯s eyes. Hundreds of sparkling stars slowly flowed within, emitting a gentle glow.


    The AI reminded her methodically, ¡°The size of the number will determine the team¡¯s order of appearance.¡±


    Song Ke casually picked a star, and a number appeared on it: 161.


    ¡°Congratulations, you¡¯ve drawn number 161, starting from the northwest corner at 20:20.¡±


    With a total of 200 teams, they started at staggered times and the earlier the better, as it allowed teams to familiarize themselves with the terrain in advance and even set ambushes to take advantage of others. Unfortunately, Song Ke and Xu Xing not only had a late draw but also a terrible starting point. The northwest corner was the most desolate starting point, requiring them to cross the Mirror Lake in the central area to reach the endpoint located at the eastern mountaintop. It seemed like a definite disadvantage.


    Song Ke was shocked by her own choice, thinking she should have let Xu Xing draw instead.


    But Xu Xing was surprisingly happy, saying, ¡°Great! It¡¯s not the last number!¡±


    Song Ke patiently explained, ¡°The, the higher the number, the later you, you start. It¡¯s not good. I should have let, let you draw.¡±


    Xu Xing blinked his eyes, ¡°But I¡¯ve never won anything in my life, not even a bag of chips.¡±


    ¡°If I had drawn, it would probably have been number 199.¡±


    Song Ke sighed, ¡°Alright.¡±


    Well, in that case, 161 isn¡¯t so bad. It¡¯s actually quite good.


    After returning to the hotel, their number 161 drew merciless laughter from Zhuang Qingyan.


    Despite Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s early lessons, when it came to the actual competition, they could only rely on themselves. Song Ke wore Wu Yarou¡¯s space necklace and concealed various spiritual weapons in her oversized coat. Her primary weapon was still the dual swords she had been using recently.


    Before leaving, Song Ke looked at Zhuang Qingyan and asked, ¡°Is there anything else you want to tell me?¡±


    Just like that day in Hua City, Zhuang Qingyan lazily leaned on his wheelchair and waved at her, his magnetic voice seductive and captivating, ¡°Come back early.¡±


    Song Ke nodded earnestly, ¡°Alright.¡±


    ¡­


    On the night of the competition, at Mirror Lake.


    At exactly 20:00, all the floating screens in the Ferrara city area simultaneously projected the Throne Race, and the official live broadcast room began on time.


    ¡°Good evening, dear viewers! The exciting moment has finally arrived. Welcome to the live broadcast of the Top 64 Qualifying Round of the Throne Race. I am your host, Ah K, and the gentleman beside me is none other than your heartthrob, Luo Qinghe!¡±


    Ah K, a virtual AI, was a renowned figure in Ferrara, known for his exceptional hosting skills. It was said that his language and art module in his central memory had gone through numerous iterations, making him one of the top-tier self-learning AI.


    As for Luo Qinghe, the official reason for inviting him was quite obvious. When his gentle and jade-like face was enlarged on the screen, even without speaking, the viewership ratings soared.


    ¡°Ahem,¡± Ah K cleared his throat excitedly. ¡°Next, I will explain the rules of the competition.¡±


    ¡°This competition follows the Battle Royale format, and this time, we¡¯ve prepared some truly terrifying monsters.¡±


    He intentionally made an exaggerated spooky face, and the live chat was immediately filled with laughter.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it just zombies? We guessed that ages ago.¡±


    ¡°Can we see the legendary water monster today? Can¡¯t wait.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, Ah K making that expression is really silly.¡±


    ¡°Who wants to see you? I want to watch my Qinghe. Please switch the camera, thank you.¡±


    ¡°Can the guy upstairs with dreams roll out? Can¡¯t you go crazy in your own private live room?¡±


    ¡°Is the ugly guy upstairs triggered?¡±


    The competition hadn¡¯t even started yet, and the live chat was already buzzing with activity. Colorful fonts kept scrolling across the screen, and the official live chat room became chaotic. AI moderators immediately took action, banning IP addresses that were inciting trouble.


    ¡°According to the rules, there are special items called ¡®flags¡¯ hidden in the field. The team that finds a flag first and delivers it to the endpoint will qualify. Please note that the number of flags is limited, and as long as they haven¡¯t reached the endpoint, ownership can transfer at any time. What does that mean? Hehe, it means that even if you haven¡¯t found a flag, you can snatch it from someone else!¡±


    Ah K was completely unaffected by the live chat and playfully made a grabbing motion.


    ¡°For fairness, once a flag is picked up, the player who possesses it will have their location automatically exposed, and others can lock onto their coordinates using the tracking device. How about that? Isn¡¯t it interesting?¡±


    Limited flags, public coordinates¡­ this clearly encouraged awakeners to fight and potentially kill each other!


    Some quick-thinking viewers quickly understood the key point and became even more excited.


    ¡°Alright, alright, I see that some viewers are asking what the flags are. I can¡¯t reveal that information yet. You¡¯ll have to wait until the competition begins for Ah K to unveil it for everyone.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s take a look at the viewership ratings for our contestants. Currently in the lead is 52-1 player Duanmu Qi, followed by 105-4, known as the ¡®Wild Rose,¡¯ Irene. And 114-3 is our local contestant from Ferrara, Feng Duona. Hey? They¡¯re all handsome men and beautiful women. So, it turns out everyone goes for looks, huh?¡±


    ¡°Haha, just kidding. The skills of these contestants should not be underestimated. You can also pay to unlock your favorite player¡¯s live room and enjoy an immersive experience throughout the game.¡±


    ¡°Want to see Qinghe? Of course, you can. Let¡¯s get the camera on Qinghe. Qinghe, do you have any words for the contestants?¡±


    Facing the camera, Luo Qinghe maintained impeccable manners with not a single fault, but a hint of solemnity was evident in his warm and unearthly eyes.


    ¡°In this game of life and death, I urge all contestants to give it their all.¡±


    ¡­


    At 20:20, at the northwest corner of Mirror Lake, the last group of teams set off.


    Song Ke and Xu Xing stepped into the forbidden forest, and the trackers on their wrists blinked brightly. Two drones followed closely beside them.


    No vehicles were allowed inside Mirror Lake, so the participants had to proceed on foot. Looking up, the sky was mostly obscured by the tangled branches of trees. The dim light of the night made it difficult to see, and even if they stretched their necks, they could only faintly glimpse the neon lights of Ferrara in the distance.


    Before long, the two of them reached the edge of a swamp.


    ¡°Sister, where do you think the flag will be? It can¡¯t just be stuck in the ground, right?¡±


    ¡°Could it be buried in the soil, and we have to dig it up ourselves?¡± Xu Xing actively used his little brain and shared his guess.


    ¡°Whoosh!¡± A group of dark shadows darted past them from behind.


    Song Ke and Xu Xing immediately fell silent, turning their heads vigilantly. Across the dark swamp, over a dozen bizarre-looking creatures were staring at them from the branches. Their eyes emitted a green glow, their heads looked like mice, but their limbs and abdomen were as robust as rabbits. They had thick, black fur on their backs. In the blink of an eye, they swiftly flew to the other side.


    Xu Xing swallowed hard, suppressing his fear, and his voice trembled slightly, ¡°They seem to be mutated¡­ rats.¡±


    They looked a lot like the cockroaches they encountered in Hua City. They were zombie rats!


    Song Ke lowered her voice to avoid alarming them, ¡°Xiaoxing, take control.¡±


    Xu Xing opened his hand, and a fine snowstorm flowed out from his palm, causing the surface of the swamp to freeze.


    His move was quite effective, covering the path of the approaching zombie rats. Since it was a widespread area of effect, they couldn¡¯t avoid it. The claws of those rats were frozen, and their flight speed significantly slowed down as they tumbled from low altitude.


    The swamp and the ground were intertwined, making it difficult to distinguish the edge. Song Ke didn¡¯t rashly charge forward. With a slight movement of her fingertips, several bright crescent-shaped throwing knives were released towards the group of rats, hitting them squarely in the head and harvesting a large number of them. s?a??h th? ???el F?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    She cautiously took two steps forward, intending to examine the situation, but suddenly, a large net fell from the sky towards her head.


    Song Ke reacted swiftly, rolling close to the ground, quickly moving out of the net¡¯s range. However, the bodies of those rats were collected into a bag on the opposite side.


    The other side¡¯s goal was clearly to snatch their gains!

 Chapter 41.2: Bloody Ferrara (13)

    ¡ò Battle Royale Action! ¡ò S~?a??h the N?v?lF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.Song Ke suddenly raised her head.


    On the opposite side of the swamp, there was a five-person team in full formation. The short-haired woman among them had just retracted a soft net, which she had likely used as her ability. She was accompanied by four others, two burly men holding steel knives, and another two who seemed to be twins, bearing a striking resemblance to each other, with blood-red ropes tied around their arms. They didn¡¯t seem friendly.


    ¡°Hey, this spot is taken by us. You should go elsewhere,¡± the short-haired woman arrogantly said, lifting her chin.


    In the livestream room of Team 172, viewers who were watching the match were reveling in the situation.


    ¡°No way? These two are so unlucky, they encounter the ¡®Bloodthirsty Duo¡¯ at the beginning.¡±


    ¡°The ¡®Bloodthirsty Duo¡¯ consists of Ren Ting and Ren Li, both C-level awakeners in the weapon category. Do you think they¡¯ll set the record for the quickest elimination? Light a candle in silence¡­¡±


    ¡°Yu Hong is quite strong in the D-level category too, her net is really hard to break.¡±


    Team 172, known as ¡°Lock, Lock, Lock You Up,¡± had a decent support rate in the preliminaries, at 76%, thanks to the team¡¯s composition of an awakener with a net and two with ropes, earning them the nickname ¡°Binding Combo.¡±


    Song Ke kept her eyes on them but didn¡¯t move.


    She puffed her cheeks, trying to think of a suitable comeback.


    Xu Xing knew that Song Ke wasn¡¯t good at verbal confrontations and would definitely lose if asked to argue. So, he confidently stepped forward, serving as Song Ke¡¯s mouthpiece.


    ¡°Why should we leave, are your names written here?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re the ones who killed those rats. Give them back to us!¡±


    ¡°So many adults like you, can¡¯t you fend for yourselves? Always looking for a free meal, lazy and shameless!¡±


    Although those zombie rats were not high-level creatures, it still felt unpleasant to have them snatched away by someone else. Also, maybe due to spending time with Zhuang Qingyan, Xu Xing¡¯s ability to sarcastically taunt people had become increasingly sharp.


    ¡°You little brat!¡±


    ¡°Little brat, you haven¡¯t even weaned yet, and you¡¯ve come here to die?¡±


    The twin siblings, not caring that Xu Xing was just a child, didn¡¯t hesitate and immediately took action. Their crimson ropes snaked like venomous serpents, entwining and aiming directly for his neck, seemingly intent on strangling him.


    The two burly men wielding steel knives also circumvented the swamp and headed toward Xu Xing.


    Taking advantage of the opportunity, Yu Hong swung her soft net once more, unleashing four consecutive strikes. Although she didn¡¯t capture Song Ke, she managed to block her path, trapping her in place.


    The group had a clear target¡ªeliminate the mouthy kid first.


    Xu Xing darted and dodged among the trees, occasionally rolling close to the ground. His special training had not been in vain. Despite looking a bit disheveled, his small stature and snake-like movements allowed him to evade the ropes.


    Ren Ting sneered, showing disdain, and scoffed, ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re a king of words, huh? I thought you had some talent. Is rolling on the ground your only skill?¡±


    Xu Xing kept his mouth shut and focused on escaping. At this moment, he wasn¡¯t going to exchange words.


    Song Ke smirked within the encircling soft net.


    In the post-apocalyptic world, never underestimate any awakener.


    They would soon learn the cost of underestimating Xu Xing.


    Xu Xing led the two men wielding steel knives toward the vicinity of the swamp. Being lightweight, he easily leaped to the other side, while the two burly men were less fortunate. They sank into the swamp, and the black muck submerged their lower legs.


    Ren Ting and Ren Li¡¯s vision blurred for a moment as a sudden flurry of heavy snow descended around them. Sharp black ice shards shot out from beneath the swamp, slicing through their ropes, splattering mud all over them.


    ¡°Ugh!!¡± The twins spat out the mud from their mouths, their faces as black as coal.


    The next second, both of them paled.


    Xu Xing had disappeared.


    Yu Hong anxiously shouted from behind, ¡°He¡¯s gone!¡±


    Ren Li responded irritably, ¡°Im not blind, I saw!¡±


    ¡°No, the girl¡¯s gone too!¡±


    The twins were taken aback and turned to look in the direction of the soft net.


    Sure enough, Song Ke had vanished as well.


    Suddenly, a fierce snowstorm engulfed the surroundings, and the biting cold wind made it impossible to keep their eyes open.


    Gone? Gone?! The members of ¡°Lock, Lock, Lock You Up¡± checked all four directions within their line of sight and found no trace of anyone.


    Where did they go?


    ¡°Whoosh!¡± A blue light illuminated the sky.


    A slender figure swiftly moved among the treetops, leaping into the air and somersaulting downward. Song Ke drew a pair of long and short spirit blades from her back and unleashed two consecutive strikes.


    ¡°Clang!¡± Yu Hong¡¯s soft net snapped like paper, too fragile to withstand a single blow. With her ability destroyed, her mental strength suffered a heavy blow, leaving her brain in chaos. She slumped to the ground, falling into unconsciousness.


    Arrogant, right in front of me, bullying us at range? Think I don¡¯t exist?


    Song Ke leaped to the other side, her blade relentlessly striking toward the twins. The azure dual blades met the crimson long rope head-on. Unexpectedly, the rope wound around the blade¡¯s edge. Song Ke raised the tip of her blade, a glint of darkness passed, and the rope immediately shattered into pieces. She switched from backhand to forehand, attacking relentlessly, balancing her strikes between left and right, overwhelming the twins with a flurry of blade attacks.


    Ren Ting and Ren Li had no way to counter this close-range assault. After taking several strikes head-on, they were heavily injured, sent flying seven to eight meters away, and collided harshly with a large tree.


    Almost simultaneously with Song Ke¡¯s attack, in another direction, several ice shards flew out from behind the trees, accurately targeting the swamp. ¡°Plop!¡± Two burly men had their backs pierced.


    Song Ke in a 1-vs-3 situation, and Xu Xing in a 1-vs-2 situation, wiped out ¡°Lock, Lock, Lock You Up¡±!


    All of them were incapacitated. Song Ke picked up their trackers and sent out the elimination signal. Soon, robots would come to clean up the battlefield.


    ¡°What the heck?! Who are these people?¡± The people in the 172 livestream room couldn¡¯t help but curse. Who were these two? So powerful? They took down the Bloodthirsty Duo at first sight? Why didn¡¯t we hear anything about them before? Some curious individuals checked the pre-selection support rate for V587 and were surprised to find it was only 61%. They barely made it through the preliminary rounds; this didn¡¯t make sense!


    After ¡°Lock, Lock, Lock You Up¡± was eliminated, their five individual livestream rooms were simultaneously closed. Those who had previously supported them couldn¡¯t stand the loneliness and switched sides, paying to unlock V587¡¯s livestream room with the thought of, ¡°I want to see how these two will die.¡±


    However, when they entered and took a look, they were in for a surprise. The livestream rooms 161-1 and 161-2 were probably the most pathetic among all the participants. They had no sponsors, no popularity, and had less than 300 viewers.


    What the heck? Those latecomer viewers, with a strange and unexplainable mix of emotions, settled into this cold and empty livestream room.


    ¡­


    Song Ke used the tip of her blade to inspect the bodies of the zombie rats, but she didn¡¯t find anything unusual. She walked back to Xu Xing and exchanged a high-five.


    ¡°Xiaoxing, you did great.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re amazing too, sister.¡±


    Another round of mutual compliments was exchanged, and then Song Ke said seriously, ¡°First, let¡¯s leave this place. The commotion was too loud.¡±


    In case another team heard the commotion and decided to converge on them, it would be troublesome. Song Ke wasn¡¯t afraid of a fight, but she didn¡¯t want to waste time. Their top priority was still to find the flag and ensure their advancement.


    In the official livestream room, Ah K was enthusiastically commentating on another conflict.


    At 20:22, in the eastern part of Mirror Lake, two of the favorites in this competition, ¡°Three Grandsons and One Grandfather,¡± encountered ¡°Shunxing Teahouse.¡±


    The two teams of ability users faced each other at a distance, their expressions tense, and neither side made any hasty moves.


    Duanmu Qi was the first to speak, ¡°Old Xiang, the match is still long. There¡¯s no need to have a few casualties here, right?¡±


    Mr. Xiang¡¯s eyes sparkled as he glanced around and diverted the topic, ¡°Young Duan, how did I hear that you got injured?¡±


    He snorted, ¡°Since you¡¯re already injured, why don¡¯t you rest at home instead of coming out and running around? Be careful not to develop any other problems.¡±


    Behind Mr. Xiang, a shadow hovered in the air, with a pair of ominous eyes fixed firmly on Duanmu Qi. Faint black mist drifted toward him, gradually closing in on the area around Duanmu Qi.


    ¡°Plop!¡± Thick thorns erupted from the ground, breaking through the soil. With a snap, they dispelled the black mist. Duanmu Qi laughed, ¡°Mr. Xiang, you¡¯re underestimating me.¡±


    He raised his hand gently, and countless thorns grew wildly, surrounding the members of Shunxing Teahouse and pointing threateningly at them.


    Duanmu Qi¡¯s ability was at its peak, even more so than before.


    Mr. Xiang stared at him for a couple of seconds, then chuckled, ¡°Young Duan, you¡¯ve misunderstood. This old man was just concerned about you. We¡¯re heading north. Hopefully, we won¡¯t encounter any unpleasant situations along the way. We¡¯ll see you at the finish line.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s perfect; we¡¯re heading south. We¡¯ll see you at the finish line.¡±


    Duanmu Qi understood the implied message in his words and smiled as he closed his hands, the thorns also retracted.


    The two teams, one heading north and the other south, parted ways and continued their journey.


    ¡°Oh, they didn¡¯t start a fight,¡± Ah K clicked his tongue, looking somewhat disappointed.


    ¡°It¡¯s a wise decision,¡± Luo Qinghe commented. ¡°The flag hasn¡¯t appeared yet. Starting a conflict now would only deplete their strength, which wouldn¡¯t bode well for the rest of the competition.¡±


    ¡°Qinghe is right,¡± Ah K agreed. ¡°But we also see that rational leaders like Duanmu Qi and Mr. Xiang are in the minority. We¡¯re 25 minutes into the game, and there¡¯s no sign of the flag. There have been small-scale disputes and skirmishes among awakeners.¡±


    ¡°So far, 5 teams have miserably been eliminated.¡±


    In the brutal format of the battle royale, being eliminated meant either death or severe injury.


    ¡°Let¡¯s take a look at some highlights.¡±


    The director cut to several exciting moments. Because there were too many teams erupting into conflicts, the footage of Song Ke taking down ¡°Lock, Lock, Lock You Up¡± was mixed in and went unnoticed for less than two seconds, not attracting much attention.


    ¡­


    In the depths of Mirror Lake, Song Ke and Xu Xing continued forward for another five to six minutes without encountering any other teams.


    The night breeze rustled through the branches, causing leaves to brush against each other, creating a sound like a child¡¯s whimpering.


    Song Ke¡¯s steps gradually slowed down until she came to a stop.


    ¡°Sister, did you find something?¡±


    ¡°Did you feel, feel anything strange?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s strange?¡±


    Song Ke couldn¡¯t pinpoint what was strange, but her intuition told her something was off.


    If Zhuang Qingyan were here, he probably would have noticed by now. Song Ke recalled his calm attitude along the way. Although he seemed a bit unconventional, he was always quick to identify key problems, whether it was the insect swarm in Hua City or the later commission mission in Ferrara¡­


    Wait, Song Ke¡¯s train of thought abruptly stopped. She knew what was wrong.


    ¡°Where did, did the zombies go?¡±

 Chapter 42: Bloody Ferrara (14)

    ¡ò Water Monster! ¡òAt 20:56, in the central area of Mirror Lake.


    Close to halfway up the hill, the temperature noticeably dropped, thin snow-covered pine branches, and dry leaves scattered the deserted path, making a rustling sound when stepped on.


    A team of three, after enduring countless hardships, finally managed to kill a zombie that had a bluish hue on its surface.


    ¡°Phew, this monster is really tricky. It was obviously dying, yet it resurrected at full health. Looks like it has mutated. Luckily, I acted quickly and landed another blow. Hey, what¡¯s this?¡±


    The man bent down and plucked a pure white, perfectly octahedral transparent crystal from the zombie¡¯s head.


    ¡°It¡¯s quite unique, I never expected to find diamonds inside a zombie¡¯s head. Haha!¡± he joked, thinking himself witty.


    ¡°Liangzi, you, your¡­ your tracker is turning red!¡±


    His companions pointed at him in terror, their voices trembling.


    At 20:57, all the supernatural beings within Mirror Lake received a notification.


    ¡°The Flag Appears¡±


    ¡°Broadcasting remaining flag coordinates: (452, 671, 109)¡±


    The first flag had appeared!


    At first, everyone was puzzled, but the teams closest to the coordinates reacted the fastest and immediately rushed towards the location.


    ¡­


    ¡°Sister, it¡¯s the flag!¡±


    In the dim forest, Xu Xing, after reading the announcement, whispered to alert his sister.


    Song Ke lowered her head to check her tracker; the coordinates weren¡¯t far from their location, and there was even a route displayed. If they went all out, it would only take about ten minutes. They had just searched the area nearby, not even spotting a zombie. This was their only clue, and she immediately made a decision: ¡°Let¡¯s go, check it out.¡±


    ¡­


    When Song Ke and Xu Xing arrived at the center of Mirror Lake, the flag¡¯s coordinates had already been reached by another team.


    Rather than rushing in recklessly, the two found a concealed large tree and observed the situation.


    In the center of the encirclement were three disheveled awakeners, their legs trembling as they knelt on the ground, clearly suffering from severe injuries.


    ¡°I say, don¡¯t be so stingy. Let us see what the flag is?¡±


    In front of the three, a muscular supernatural being crossed his arms and casually remarked.


    ¡°Do you really have to maintain civility in a battle royale like this? Just kill him, and we¡¯ll know.¡±


    His impatient teammate attacked immediately, turning his palm into a fist and striking towards the three.


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    The awakener named Liangzi was instantly killed, blood splattered everywhere, and a transparent object rolled out from his body onto the ground. s?a??h th? N?v?lFire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    The person who threw the punch reacted swiftly, picking it up and holding it high. Through the dim night, the perfectly octahedral crystal emitted a faint glow.


    He exclaimed in surprise, ¡°It¡¯s a crystal! So, the flag is¡­¡±


    Before he could finish speaking, a red light flashed, and the person who had just been talking had his head and neck separated, falling to the ground with a thud.


    More awakeners arrived, this time numbering in the dozens.


    The newcomers grabbed the crystal, excitedly shouting, ¡°I got it!¡±


    ¡°Flag coordinates refreshed.¡±


    ¡°Broadcasting remaining flag coordinates: (486, 597, 88)¡±


    ¡°Flag coordinates refreshed.¡±


    ¡°Broadcasting remaining flag coordinates: (402, 553, 87)¡±


    In just a few seconds, ownership of the crystal shifted twice, and the tracker displayed four notifications.


    ¡°Brothers, the crystal is the flag! Hurry up and grab it! Deliver it to the finish line to win!¡±


    In a chaotic environment, someone shouted loudly, fearing that the world would not be in chaos. The people around suddenly woke up, and various supernatural abilities lit up, and they fought recklessly, attempting to kill and loot.


    Song Ke pulled Xu Xing back to avoid getting caught in the crossfire.


    Suddenly, her psychic senses picked up something and she looked straight in a certain direction.


    Just as everyone was engaged in a fierce battle, a deep roar erupted from behind them. In the shadows noticed by Song Ke, three entirely greenish-blue zombies sprang from the woods, pounding the ground with their fists, sending sand, soil, and stones flying as if the earth itself was trembling.


    They were mutated zombies!


    The awakeners in the chaotic battle fell silent for a moment.


    ¡°Hurry, charge! Crystals come from the mutated zombies!¡±


    ¡°Kill the zombies, get the crystals, and go to the next round!¡±


    The voice that had been stirring the pot earlier resurfaced, adding fuel to the fire.


    Several messy wind blades shaved away the branches and leaves concealing Song Ke, forcing her to retreat again.


    The battle zone was in complete chaos, with the awakeners no longer distinguishing between friend and foe, using their area-of-effect attacks.


    Song Ke focused her gaze on the young man who had been inciting others to fight while standing on the sidelines as if watching a show. He had ice-blue eyes and seemed quite young. He deliberately egged others on to fight while enjoying the spectacle himself, standing outside the circle as if he were an innocent bystander.


    This person was not simple.


    The destructive power of the three mutated zombies was astonishing, and the awakeners, each with their own agenda, were unable to defeat them in a short time and were instead being suppressed.


    A month ago, killing mutated zombies had been an A-level mission, but now it had become the sustenance for the Throne Race.


    Song Ke suddenly realized why they hadn¡¯t encountered ordinary zombies on their journey. The real stars of this competition were the mutated zombies with crystals!


    ¡­What did that Ilya want to do? According to the rules, ¡°the number of flags is limited.¡± How many mutated zombies had he brought?


    By the lakeside, several mutated zombies suddenly rose up, their fists smashing into the ground with a resounding thud. Powerful shockwaves rippled outward in concentric circles, causing the innermost row of people to lose their balance as the oncoming gusts of air sent them tumbling uncontrollably towards the center of the lake.


    As they were about to fall into the water, the surface of Mirror Lake rippled with layer upon layer of waves.


    A massive creature leaped out of the water, its gaping maw opening wide to devour those few awakeners in a single gulp!


    In front of the crowd stood a gigantic water monster, its head small and almost devoid of eyes. At first glance, it resembled a sleek deep-sea eel, but its back was covered in tough scales. After its hearty meal, the water creature¡¯s elephant-like trunk twitched slightly, and it silently submerged back into the depths.


    ¡°Ahhhhh! Ahhhhhh!¡± In the official live broadcast room, Ah K screamed dramatically, holding his face with both hands.


    Dozens of drones aimed at the central area of Mirror Lake. Ah K had been passionately commentating on the chaotic battle, but suddenly witnessing this terrifying scene, he let out a loud cry to enhance the live atmosphere, instantly pushing the viewership data to its peak.


    Not only Ah K but also the millions of viewers immersed in the immersive broadcast were nearly scared to death by the sudden appearance of the water monster.


    Three mutated zombies were finally beaten to death haphazardly, one after another falling to the ground. The crystals in their heads were quickly harvested, and the team that had captured the flag wasted no time and bolted. Others, unwilling to leave empty-handed, gnashed their teeth and chased after them.


    There was still another water monster lurking nearby, and the awakeners dared not linger. They fled in panic through the woods, desperate to escape the danger zone.


    On the surface of Mirror Lake, countless tiny bubbles bubbled up, and in the next moment, the water monster leaped once again.


    Its neck, over ten meters long, stretched forward, and it snapped up several awakeners who hadn¡¯t made it to the shore in time.


    The panicked crowd scattered like headless flies, with several charging towards the large trees where they had taken cover.


    Song Ke¡¯s brow furrowed slightly as she assessed the situation and made a decision.


    ¡°Xiaoxing, let¡¯s retreat first.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    The two of them were still some distance from the shore, relatively safe for the moment. Xu Xing jumped down from a tree trunk and took a few steps forward, preparing to follow Song Ke and leave.


    Just then¡ª


    One of the awakeners that the water monster had seized suddenly had their pupils darken, their ability surging. The space around them distorted, and the person disappeared on the spot, only to reappear dozens of meters away.


    Meanwhile, Xu Xing, who had been in that spot, was unexpectedly lifted into the air, and the water monster swallowed him with a single gulp, its massive jaws closing around him.


    ¡°Xiaoxing!!¡± Song Ke exclaimed in shock and anger, turning without hesitation and rushing towards the lakeside.


    The awakener with the dark trick up his sleeve was still gloating, thinking he had narrowly escaped. ¡°That was close! Luckily, I can switch quickly and found a scapegoat. Hahaha!¡±


    A blue-hued throwing knife sliced through the dark, piercing his throat.


    The man¡¯s ecstatic expression hadn¡¯t even had time to settle when his awakened energy dissipated, and he instantly died!


    Song Ke chased the water monster with all her might, but its speed in the water was too fast, and it was about to submerge again.


    ¡°Xiaoxing!!¡±


    Song Ke made a leaping dash through the air, landing on the creature¡¯s back like a shooting star. She thrust a short knife into its head!


    The water monster howled in pain, its body contorted, and its massive tail swung fiercely, knocking Song Ke off with a ¡°thud.¡± She momentarily lost her footing, sliding down its wet and slippery back.


    However, her physical abilities and reflexes were extraordinary. Almost as she descended, Song Ke pulled out a three-edged dagger, viciously stabbing it into the creature¡¯s cheek, twisting it left and right. She then hooked her leg and flipped back up.


    In the official live broadcast room, all the cameras were focused on the Mirror Lake monster and Song Ke, who had suddenly returned to the scene. Real-time data monitoring detected a surge in viewership and immediately switched to the dedicated drone broadcasting Song Ke¡¯s perspective.


    The viewership in Room 161-1 was also steadily increasing: 10,000, 50,000, 100,000¡­ quickly surpassing 150,000.


    The scene was just too exciting, and the viewers at their screens were in awe, unable to look away.


    When Song Ke fell, countless viewers¡¯ hearts tightened. When she reappeared, their expressions relaxed, but then they tensed up again¡ª


    The once calm lake surface suddenly erupted with waves, and torrents of water turned into sharp arrows, heading straight for Song Ke.


    This was a zombie water monster, or rather, a mutated zombie water monster!


    The drone¡¯s camera was also splashed with water droplets, providing an immersive first-person experience that made the viewers outside the camera feel an inexplicable chill.


    In the pouring rain, no one noticed the inconspicuous frost forming around the water monster.


    Facing the rain arrows that were about to pierce her, Song Ke¡¯s hand trembled, and the spiritual weapon umbrella, once famous in Hua City, made a comeback.


    The enormous umbrella acted like an indestructible shield, blocking all the arrows. Then, she swiftly closed the umbrella, transforming it into a cold and elegant jagged blade, over two meters long. The blade pointed downward, and with brute force, she cut through the water monster¡¯s head and neck, just like cutting a sack of grain from front to back, one cut after another.


    The zombie water monster¡¯s flesh and skin separated, and bright red muscles and thick black blood splattered, turning the entire Mirror Lake into a dark red hue.


    Its long neck fell heavily on the shore.


    ¡°Ugh¡ª!¡±


    Ah K seemed to feel that heart-wrenching pain, and his expression contorted as he clung tightly to Luo Qinghe¡­ No, he could only cling tightly to himself.


    The barrage in the live chat was flooded with comments like ¡°Holy crap,¡± ¡°666,¡± and ¡°Unbelievable.¡±


    As black blood splattered around, Song Ke peeled the skin off the water monster while anxiously shouting, ¡°Xiaoxing, where are you?¡±


    ¡°Sister, I¡¯m here¡­¡± a weak voice came, ¡°I¡¯m okay¡­¡±


    Perhaps due to the habit of being repeatedly thrown by Zhuang Qingyan, thanks to him, Xu Xing had developed a reflex. Whenever his feet left the ground uncontrollably, he would instinctively release ice spurs to protect himself. This reflex saved him from being crushed by the monster¡¯s sharp teeth. Instead, he slid down its throat, narrowly escaping.


    Song Ke looked down and finally found Xu Xing in the shredded digestive tract. Xu Xing had displayed incredible resilience. After getting stuck in the esophagus, he deliberately released several long ice spurs to block the passage. Currently, he was lying on the icy surface, covered in foul saliva and mucus, but surprisingly uninjured.


    Moreover, during Song Ke¡¯s battle with the water monster, he had been attempting to save himself by continuously using his ability, trying to cut his way out through the monster¡¯s abdomen.


    ¡°Come on, get out.¡± Song Ke also slid in and reached out to him.


    ¡°En!¡± Xu Xing climbed out gracefully, using the ice steps.


    After emerging, he didn¡¯t smell fresh air but was instead overwhelmed by the foul odor, causing him to feel dizzy. He leaned over the lake and vomited.


    Several seconds later, Song Ke crawled out, her entire face and head covered in slime.


    Xu Xing, with teary eyes from vomiting, looked at her with a puzzled expression. Had his sister fallen into the monster¡¯s stomach? Why was she dirtier than him?


    Song Ke wiped her face. ¡°Let¡¯s, let¡¯s get out of here and find, find a place to talk.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s dedicated drone had been too close earlier and was splattered with the monster¡¯s flesh and blood. Its signal short-circuited and burned out. Viewers who had been watching the terminal didn¡¯t feel any better. The gore and shredded flesh came rushing at them, causing strong feelings of nausea, dizziness, and a desire to vomit that they couldn¡¯t resist. Many people turned off their projections and bent over, retching.


    Ugh¡­ It was unbearable. Immersive perspective was indeed too intense.


    The drone was damaged, and Song Ke¡¯s live stream momentarily went offline.


    In the control room, the AI director immediately ordered, ¡°Quickly locate the position of 161-1 and send a backup drone over. Cut all the nearby fixed camera feeds to this team¡­ What¡¯s it called? Show the V587 feed.¡±


    ¡°Wait a moment,¡± this artificial intelligence suddenly froze for a few seconds as its central code calculated frantically. ¡°Send several backup drones.¡±


    The sight of that familiar spiritual weapon umbrella reminded it of some dark memories. It was her, of all people! As a top AI director, Song Ke was an absolute stain on its professional career. Such a serious mistake as in the 178th round of qualifiers must absolutely not happen again!

 Chapter 43.1: Bloody Ferrara (15)

    ¡ò The Big Star and the Little Bodyguard ¡ò¡°Flag coordinates refresh.¡±


    ¡°Here are the remaining flag coordinates: (324, 865, 101), (779, 1023, 55), (1356, 954, 321).¡±


    ¡°Flag coordinates refresh.¡±


    ¡°Here are the remaining¡­¡±


    ¡­21:12, outside Mirror Lake.


    After the appearance of the first flag, in just a moment, it seemed as though a battle horn had been sounded within Mirror Lake. The smell of gunpowder grew stronger, and the system announcements kept refreshing. All areas were in full bloom, with one team killing mutant zombies only to be killed and have their flag taken by the next. Similar atrocities repeated continuously, and flag ownership changed hands frequently.


    Some crystals even changed ownership more than a dozen times in just a few minutes. S?a??h th? ??v?lF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Song Ke and Xu Xing continued running without a break, stopping at a distance from Mirror Lake. The backup drone closely followed, circling around her, afraid of losing her again.


    Both of them were covered in dirt, desperately in need of cleaning, but the only nearby water source was Mirror Lake, which had already been completely contaminated by the water monster¡¯s corpse. Song Ke had no intention of turning back, so she thought for a moment and took out an empty bucket from her necklace space.


    ¡°Xiaoxing, release some, powers.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Okay.¡±


    Xu Xing scratched his head, responding with confusion. Thud, thud, several ice shards as thick as small arms fell directly through the bottom of the bucket.


    Song Ke: ¡°¡­¡±


    Xu Xing innocently blinked his eyes. He didn¡¯t do it on purpose, and he wasn¡¯t a water-based awakener, so he definitely couldn¡¯t release a drop.


    ¡°No, release some, snow,¡± Song Ke said helplessly.


    ¡°Oh, I see!¡± Xu Xing suddenly realized.


    This time, he carefully controlled his powers and piled a neat little snow mountain in the bucket. The two of them used the cool ice and snow to wipe their faces and bodies, finally getting rid of the disgusting slime.


    ¡°Sister, thank you for saving me.¡± Xu Xing still had lingering fear from the moment he was almost swallowed by the water monster. His tone was soft, and his gaze was affectionate as he thanked Song Ke. His sister was really good; in that situation just now, she didn¡¯t leave him behind and run away.


    ¡°You¡¯re a com, companion, it¡¯s what I should do.¡± Song Ke patted his head.


    ¡°By the way, I¡­¡± Song Ke thought of something, but before she could continue, her expression froze.


    There were faint footsteps coming from the woods; someone was approaching.


    The newcomer didn¡¯t hide or conceal themselves and boldly appeared from behind them.


    ¡°Chatting in a place like this isn¡¯t a good choice, you know~¡±


    A gracefully proportioned woman gradually took shape. She wore a half black mask that covered the upper half of her face, leaving only her rosy and plump lips and her beautifully curved chin visible. Her chestnut-colored wavy hair was tied into a ponytail, piled loosely behind her head. Even if her face couldn¡¯t be clearly seen, her overall demeanor exuded an irresistible charm.


    Behind the woman, a tall man in an all-black combat suit, like a ghostly knight, silently acted as her shadow, protecting her.


    The moment Song Ke recognized her, she immediately reacted¡ªthis woman was Lin Youyou!


    ¡°We meet again,¡± Lin Youyou greeted first.


    Song Ke didn¡¯t respond. Under the brutal rules of the Battle Royale, she wouldn¡¯t easily trust anyone unless they were her companions.


    Lin Youyou smiled and said, ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous. Since neither of us has a flag now, can¡¯t we have a peaceful conversation?¡±


    Song Ke hesitated for a while and then asked, ¡°What, what do you want, want to talk about?¡±


    ¡°Are you interested in cooperating with us?¡±


    Song Ke was taken aback. Cooperation again?


    During the incident at Luli Port, Lin Youyou didn¡¯t gain much advantage because of the presence of Zhuang Qingyan, who was very cunning. She only exchanged for the ¡°useless¡± crystal. However, from Lin Youyou¡¯s perspective, she had come for the crystal in the first place, so she didn¡¯t actually suffer a loss. Now, with only herself and Xu Xing, Song Ke was very self-aware that she must be the one who¡¯d suffer.


    She shook her head vigorously, saying, ¡°I¡¯m, I¡¯m not interested.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t reject so quickly. How about you hear the conditions first?¡±


    Lin Youyou dangled a tempting offer, ¡°We team up to snatch two crystals, and then we each take one. How does that sound?¡±


    Because of her guarded stance, Song Ke was particularly clever at this moment and countered with a clear thought, ¡°Why should, should I team up with, with you?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve seen it yourself. Both our teams only have two people, and compared to those fully formed teams, our combat power is seriously lacking. Even if we can kill mutant zombies, we¡¯ll soon be hunted down, surrounded. The risk is just too great.¡±


    Lin Youyou wasn¡¯t making empty promises. She was purely a support-type awakener. Although her awakener level was high, she could only rely on Su Cha to make moves in crystal snatching. On the other hand, Song Ke and Xu Xing were both highly offensive awakeners, one specializing in close combat and the other in long-range attacks. Their attack methods were vastly different, and if they were dispersed and besieged, they would be at a disadvantage.


    The best solution was for the two teams to form an alliance, join forces to seize the crystals, and in terms of both numbers and combat power, it would be a qualitative leap.


    Song Ke still shook her head, saying, ¡°Crys, crystals are very, very important to you.¡±


    Lin Youyou had once abandoned an A-level mission for the sake of a crystal. Why should Song Ke believe that she wouldn¡¯t turn against her for crystals in the future?


    Lin Youyou¡¯s eyes dimmed slightly, and some obscure emotions flickered across her gaze. ¡°Yes, but I want to advance. Winning is more important to me.¡±


    Lin Youyou¡¯s captivating eyes looked at Song Ke. ¡°I thought we had some basis of trust due to our previous interactions?¡±


    Song Ke didn¡¯t show anything on her face, but inside, she had her doubts and reservations.


    What basis of trust? With a big liar like Zhuang Qingyan in front of her, how could she dare to trust others casually?


    Lin Youyou observed her expression and then dropped a bombshell, ¡°How about this? You take the crystal first. Does that work for you?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it, little sister. I¡¯m really sincere, and with so many drones watching, you don¡¯t have to worry about me deceiving you.¡±


    Song Ke struggled and hesitated for a while, then turned to Xu Xing to discuss. Finally, she reluctantly nodded, ¡°Alright.¡±


    As Lin Youyou had suggested, the success rate of four people working together was evidently higher, and she could take the crystal first. It seemed like she couldn¡¯t lose¡­ She hoped she wouldn¡¯t lose. She decided to trust the beautiful sister one more time.


    After reaching a preliminary agreement for cooperation, the four of them moved together, but Song Ke and Xu Xing still maintained a certain distance from the other two.


    Su Cha took the initiative to take on the role of scouting. He was extremely skilled at concealing himself, like a chameleon. If one wasn¡¯t careful, he could completely disappear into the darkness, blending in with the surroundings. Even if Song Ke kept a close eye on his whereabouts, it took her a while to locate his true position.


    Stealth, concealment, assassination, poisoning¡­ Su Cha was truly in his element in the Mirror Lake environment. However, Song Ke had a new doubt. Why would someone like Su Cha team up with the famous star Lin Youyou and obediently follow her orders?


    Whether it was snatching A-level missions or killing the zombie Zhang Lei, Su Cha didn¡¯t hesitate to do whatever Lin Youyou told him to do.


    Song Ke couldn¡¯t help but be curious and, with little hope, she asked, ¡°Why did you team, team up?¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Are you talking about Su Cha?¡± Lin Youyou¡¯s lips curled slightly. ¡°Strictly speaking, he¡¯s my bodyguard.¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s eyes widened, and she couldn¡¯t help but exclaim in amazement in her mind. Wow, a bodyguard! So, the big star from District C actually travels with a bodyguard?


    ¡°Are you surprised?¡± Lin Youyou teased her with interest. ¡°Have you not secretly looked up my name after that day?¡±


    Lin Youyou¡¯s current appearance and disguise were completely different from what she showed in public. She had donned an anti-snooping mask, and even with drones around, someone like her, who wasn¡¯t a popular player, wouldn¡¯t be exposed as long as she didn¡¯t foolishly shout, ¡°I¡¯m Lin Youyou.¡±


    A faint blush spread across Song Ke¡¯s cheeks, and she thought to herself: Not only did I look you up, but I also listened to your famous song ¡°Thank You for Loving Me¡± many, many times. I almost know the lyrics by heart.


    Lin Youyou seemed to find her reaction exceptionally cute and giggled.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay to tell you,¡± Lin Youyou said casually, ¡°To put it simply, Su Cha was in a very desperate situation for a while, as pitiful as a stray little dog. Since I¡¯m kind-hearted, I took him in and even paid him a salary. Naturally, he¡¯s responsible for protecting me.¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s voice was small as she asked, ¡°But, but he listens to, to you so obediently.¡±


    Lin Youyou casually twirled her ponytail with her finger and said, ¡°Isn¡¯t it normal for a stray little dog that¡¯s been picked up to be loyal to its owner?¡±


    Little dog¡­ owner¡­


    Song Ke choked and was left speechless. What kind of simple and bizarre metaphors did Lin Youyou come up with?


    Up ahead in the shadows, Su Cha¡¯s steps momentarily paused as he glanced in their direction. It was evident that he had heard the famous star¡¯s description of him. However, his expression remained unchanged as he calmly accepted his new nickname.


    Lin Youyou stifled a laugh, lightly tapping Xu Xing¡¯s head with her delicate fingertips. ¡°And you, you like clinging to your sister, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Xu Xing subconsciously nodded on the side. Yes, he did like sticking close to his sister.


    Wait a minute, was this lady calling him a little dog too?! Annoying, just like Zhuang Qingyan! Xu Xing dared not voice his anger but secretly clenched his little canine teeth.


    ¡°Flag coordinates refresh.¡±


    ¡°Here are the remaining flag coordinates: (195, 773, 218)¡­¡±


    Song Ke and Lin Youyou halted their conversation, their expressions startled. This newly refreshed flag was exceptionally close to them, almost right in front of their faces.


    As this announcement appeared, there came a hoarse roar from the mountainside ahead. Could it be that the mutant zombie guarding the crystal flag was still alive?


    Lin Youyou and Song Ke exchanged a glance and made a quick decision, ¡°Quick, we might still be able to grab it!¡±


    The four of them sprinted at full speed towards the flag coordinates.


    Upon arriving at the mountainside, they indeed found a fierce battle still ongoing. Roughly estimating, there were three different groups of people present.


    There was already one mutant zombie lying on the ground with its skull split open, and the crystal inside had been taken. However, there was still one alive, although it was barely hanging on, teetering on the brink of death.


    ¡°Quick, take action!¡± Lin Youyou urgently called out.


    Now was not the time to be concerned about who got there first. Song Ke and Su Cha leaped into action almost simultaneously, rushing towards the center of the battle.


    Xu Xing took the opportunity to release several ice shards to disrupt the other superpower users in the vicinity.


    Song Ke drew her dual blades, and Su Cha¡¯s dagger gleamed with a dark green light as they both aimed for the mutant zombie¡¯s head.


    All the awakeners were racing against time, bombarding the mutant zombie with their strongest attacks. Its condition rapidly deteriorated. Just at that moment, the stubborn zombie trembled all over, its body expanding several tens of times in size, and then it exploded with a ¡°bang.¡±


    ¡°Get down!¡±


    After the body exploded, body parts scattered in all directions, and a few sporadic pieces hit some of the awakeners. Shortly afterward, an unbearable stench filled the air, and a blood mist rose, enveloping everyone.


    Song Ke¡¯s line of sight was obstructed, so she had to rely on her memory to aim at the zombie¡¯s head. Her long knife pierced the skull, and she twisted it. Huh, it was empty! The crystal had already been taken!

 Chapter 43.2: Bloody Ferrara (15)

    ¡ò The Big Star and the Little Bodyguard ¡òA few seconds later, the blood mist gradually dissipated. None of the awakeners present were harmed physically, but they all had disgusted expressions on their faces.


    Song Ke turned back and glanced in the direction where Lin Youyou was. She shook her head slightly, indicating that they hadn¡¯t managed to grab it.


    Then she looked at Su Cha beside her, who was empty-handed and had a disappointed expression.


    Su Cha hadn¡¯t managed to get it either?


    So, the crystal was in someone else¡¯s hands¡­ Song Ke focused her attention on the group of awakeners.


    Three groups of people, and you could tell a lot from their positions.


    One group was a full team of five, all males. Their bodies showed signs of mechanical modifications¡ªmechanical arms, mechanical legs, and one even had a mechanical head! His facial features were still natural, but it looked like he had a layer of mechanical skin on the outside. When he turned his neck, it made a creaking sound. It was both eerie and horrifying.


    Song Ke recalled the lessons Zhuang Qingyan had given her. A team with such a distinctive style could only be one of the top contenders: Team 88, the ¡°Anna Knights.¡±


    The second team consisted of four women, all with slightly darker skin. They were dressed in provocative and sexy outfits, all of them tall with long legs. They had new-generation hot weapons strapped to their legs and arms. Unfortunately, Song Ke wasn¡¯t familiar with these weapons. If Zhuang Qingyan were here, he could quickly identify them: the Super Red Eagle, the Gaboon Viper pistol, and the Barrett M82A1 large-caliber sniper rifle. These weapons were all devastatingly powerful.


    The tall woman leading this team was even more exaggerated. Short boots, hot pants, tanned skin, and she was carrying a particle Gatling cannon on her shoulder. If she didn¡¯t like someone, she could send them to the heavens.


    This team was also in Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s information: Team 105, the ¡°Guns and Roses.¡±


    As for the third team, they looked the most normal based on appearance. The members included both men and women, and they all had thick, smoky eye makeup. However, when compared to the first two teams, they seemed less impressive. Furthermore, their faces were unfamiliar to Song Ke, and she was sure they weren¡¯t part of Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s ¡°be on high alert¡± list.


    Now the question was, which team had taken advantage of the chaos to grab the crystal?


    As Song Ke contemplated, the system announcement appeared once again.


    ¡°Flag coordinates refresh.¡±


    ¡°Here are the remaining flag coordinates: (195, 773, 218), (195, 773, 218)¡­¡±


    Song Ke was puzzled. The coordinates provided by the tracker were sorted based on the nearest recipient, so how could they be repeated?


    Did the announcement have an error? No, she immediately realized that the announcement was not wrong. There had originally been one flag here, and with the recent killing of the second superpower zombie, there were now two crystals and two flags!


    ¡°Hey! Who took the crystals? Dare to admit it?¡± Other people had evidently received the same announcement. From the third team, a sweet-faced girl with a melodic voice stepped forward.


    Song Ke was puzzled. Who is this person?


    A barely audible enchanting voice wormed its way into her ear: ¡°Her name is Feng Duona, from Team 114, ¡®Ferrara Star.''¡±


    Song Ke jumped in surprise, her hand instinctively reaching for her ear. No one else seemed to have noticed, making it seem like only she could hear the voice.


    Song Ke discreetly glanced at Lin Youyou, and indeed, the other woman blinked at her.


    ¡°Do you know each other?¡± Song Ke mumbled to herself, unsure of how to communicate with Lin Youyou, speaking softly into the air.


    Lin Youyou, seemingly able to hear her, continued to speak in a hushed voice near her ear. ¡°Feng Duona is just a nobody; no need to know her. As for Irene, it¡¯s just a nodding acquaintance.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Song Kei replied, still unable to fathom the social circle of a top celebrity and nodded in innocence.


    On the other side, Feng Duona, realizing no one was paying attention to her, swiftly changed her strategy and prepared to dismantle them one by one.


    She first looked at the ¡°Anna Knights¡±, pointing at the first dead zombie on the ground. ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, you¡¯ve already taken the crystal from this zombie, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    When they arrived earlier, this barbaric group of mechanical people had just killed the first zombie. Subsequently, the system issued an announcement. Feng Duona was one hundred percent certain that they had the loot.


    ¡°Why are you still fighting over it? With one crystal, you can advance!¡± Feng Duona scolded, displeased.


    On the side of the ¡°Anna Knights,¡± the most menacing one, Mechanical Head, sneered, ¡°Who do you think you are? You¡¯re teaching me how to do things?¡±


    ¡°You!¡± Feng Duona was taken aback.


    The attitude of another one, Mechanical Leg, wasn¡¯t much better. He looked down on her and said, ¡°You already know we have a crystal, and you¡¯re still asking? We didn¡¯t snatch the one earlier, but we won¡¯t give up this one. If you want to fight, then fight, stop whining.¡±


    Feng Duona stared at them for a few seconds and turned to the ¡°Guns and Roses.¡±


    ¡°Not in our possession.¡± Feng Duona heard the reply from Irene before she could speak.


    All eyes shifted to Song Ke and the others.


    Song Ke: ¡°?¡± What do they mean? We don¡¯t have it either!


    Feng Duona shouted sternly, ¡°Hand over the crystal!¡±


    ¡°Who, who, who do you think y-¡± Song Ke wanted to mimic the arrogant tone of Mechanical Head, but before she could finish saying ¡°you,¡± Feng Duona¡¯s next sentence came: ¡°If you don¡¯t hand over the crystal don¡¯t even think about leaving!¡±


    Song Kei: Ugh! Hateful! She won¡¯t even let me finish my tough talk.


    A pair of soft jade hands rested on Song Ke¡¯s shoulders, and Lin Youyou leaned over her, facing the rude and overbearing Feng Duona.


    She deliberately adjusted her vocal position, disguising her voice as mature and authoritative, saying, ¡°It¡¯s a pity that your gun is pointed at the wrong person, we didn¡¯t steal the crystal either.¡±


    Now things were getting interesting. At the scene, with four teams present, three of them claimed they didn¡¯t steal anything. The remaining team, represented by Feng Duona, was everywhere, pressuring others. Unfortunately, the flag coordinates were right near them. Even the children could tell someone was lying.


    Feng Duona seemed to have narrowed down her suspicions and no longer paid attention to the group of robots. Her gaze shifted back and forth between two women, Irene and Lin Youyou, saying, ¡°I advise you to be honest, or don¡¯t blame me for taking action.¡±


    Irene chuckled, pointing the Gatling gun at Feng Duona, showing no concern for her threat.


    Lin Youyou burst into laughter and said, ¡°Are you mentally ill? What¡¯s with all this female rivalry? You believe the men who said they didn¡¯t steal it? Why are you so naive?¡±


    ¡°Besides, whoever steals the crystal gets to keep it, why should we give it to you?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, this beautiful lady is right,¡± chimed in Mechanical Leg sarcastically. ¡°Even if we did steal it, just because you say so, we have to obediently hand it over? Miss Feng, are you overestimating yourself? Do you think the whole world revolves around you?¡±


    Mechanical Head made a creaking sound as it turned its neck, its nostrils pointed skyward, and it exaggeratedly said, ¡°An unknown little internet celebrity who thinks she¡¯s a star just because she sings a few lines? Do you think you¡¯re Lin Youyou? If you were Lin Youyou, I might consider it.¡±


    Song Ke and Xu Xing took a sharp breath, their eyes shifting towards the masked woman.


    This Mechanical Head was actually a fan of Lin Youyou. It was too¡­ terrifying.


    Lin Youyou gave them a glare, and the two of them quickly turned away.


    ¡°Since none of you stole the crystal, then shut up!¡± Feng Duona became furious, nearly exploding in anger.


    ¡®Lin Youyou, it was Lin Youyou again. This woman¡¯s name was her nightmare! Both of them debuted with a sweet and lovely image. Why was it that Lin Youyou could become one of the top ten rising stars, while she was only fit to be an obscure internet celebrity?¡¯


    ¡®That damned Mechanical Head dared to bring up Lin Youyou.¡¯ Feng Duona¡¯s anger flared, and since that was the case, she wouldn¡¯t hesitate to be ruthless.


    ¡°Kill them all!¡±


    Her four teammates immediately took action, removing the long cases from their backs and revealing musical instruments. It turned out to be an awakeners band!


    The electric guitar started with a soaring sound, followed by the bass¡¯s low and angry roar, the electric piano¡¯s rapid and furious notes, and the jazz drum¡¯s lively beats. With each instrument playing, people¡¯s heads felt like they were exploding. When Feng Duona spoke again, the live performance was practically a sonic assault, and Irene and the others couldn¡¯t take it anymore, resorting to particle cannon fire!


    ¡°Bam bam¡ª¡±


    ¡°Clang clang¡ª¡±


    Noise and gunfire filled the air, and the scene descended into chaos once again.


    Song Ke wished she could cover her ears. Oh my God, Feng Duona¡¯s ability was no longer just mental; it was a physical attack. Everyone who heard it suffered excruciating headaches, feeling like they had been run over by a car.


    In the official live broadcast room, Ah K was commentating on the battle.


    ¡°Ahh!¡± he suddenly exclaimed, his expression filled with indescribable emotions. Few artificial intelligences exhibited emotions as rich as his. ¡°I strongly recommend, folks in front of your terminals, you might want to temporarily mute the volume. Listening to this kind of singing too much can damage your brain.¡±


    The barrage of comments immediately flooded with laughter and remarks like, ¡°Hahaha,¡± ¡°Thanks, already muted,¡± and ¡°As long as Nana doesn¡¯t sing, everything¡¯s fine¡­¡±


    ¡°Qinghe, what do you think? I¡¯m really curious. Do you also agree with what Player Seo said, that Feng Duona can¡¯t compare to Lin Youyou?¡± Amidst his busy commentary, Ah K didn¡¯t forget to cue in Luo Qinghe.


    Luo Qinghe¡¯s long eyelashes fluttered like butterflies, and his every movement remained as graceful as a young nobleman. However, his words showed no mercy.


    ¡°There¡¯s no comparison.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, I¡¯m dying! Why is Luo Qinghe so straightforward?¡±


    ¡°I feel bad; it seems Feng Duona is still his fan, right?¡±


    ¡°Light a candle for Nana.¡±


    ¡°But Lin Youyou is genuinely naturally sweet, not pretending at all. Feng Duona, this kind of imitation can never match!¡±


    Inside the Mirror Lake Arena:


    ¡°You¡¯re the spring breeze~ blowing away the haze in my heart~¡±


    A refreshing voice rang in the ears of Song Ke, Su Cha, and Xu Xing, instantly dispelling the auditory disaster brought by Feng Duona and her band.


    Song Ke was deeply moved.


    Zhuang Qingyan had guessed it right again. Lin Youyou¡¯s ability could indeed affect her allies!


    Whispers in her ears resurfaced, ¡°Ke¡¯er, go and check Irene. See if she has the crystal.¡±


    Song Ke wanted to argue with Lin Youyou for giving her a nickname, but now was not the time to quibble. She nodded and leaped into the battlefield like a swallow, heading straight for Irene. She swung her sword, striking Irene¡¯s Gatling gun, and demanded, ¡°Crystal, hand it, over!¡±


    Irene suddenly found herself in trouble, struggling to block with her gun. ¡°No!¡±


    But Song Ke¡¯s strength was too great. Even though she blocked a part of it, she still experienced a tremendous recoil, sliding back over ten meters with her heavy gun before barely stopping.


    At the same time, on the other side, Mechanical Head punched the guitarist of the ¡°Ferrara Star,¡± the creator of the noise. He grunted and flew backward, his electric guitar escaping his grip and soaring into the sky. Then, it spun and descended straight towards Irene.


    Irene had just stabilized her stance and couldn¡¯t intercept it with her gun.


    Seeing her about to meet her demise, Lin Youyou suddenly spoke, shouting to Song Ke, ¡°Ke¡¯er, save her!¡±


    Song Ke stepped on a tree trunk, using it to propel himself into the air. His lower leg struck the electric guitar with force.


    The massive electric guitar instantly changed direction, wobbling as it descended towards the ¡°Anna Knights.¡± Upon impact with the ground, it exploded with a deafening roar, filling the air with smoke.


    ¡°Cough, cough!¡±


    After the choking gun smoke dissipated, the crowd was surprised to find that the ¡°Anna Knights¡± had disappeared!


    Shortly after, the coordinates of both flags began moving rapidly, quickly getting several kilometers away from them.


    A haughty laughter echoed in the air from Mechanical Head, ¡°Goodbye, folks. I won¡¯t serve you. I just love taking two crystals to complete a mission! One to keep and one to throw away. Ah, it¡¯s all for fun!¡±


    Feng Duona clenched her teeth in anger. ¡°Chase!¡± S?a?ch* Th? ?0velF?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    The ¡°Ferrara Star¡± closely followed the ¡°Anna Knights¡± and left the area.

 Chapter 43.3: Bloody Ferrara (15)

    ¡ò The Big Star and the Little Bodyguard ¡ò S?a?ch* Th? N?v?lFire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.Irene was helped up by her companions. This time, she had narrowly escaped death. She looked at Song Ke and Lin Youyou and mouthed, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Irene could tell that Song Ke¡¯s earlier attack was just a test, and the falling electric guitar was purely accidental. If she hadn¡¯t intervened in time, she might not have survived.


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± Lin Youyou smiled lightly from a distance. ¡°Girls help girls.¡±


    Irene glanced at her for a moment and felt that the person¡¯s smile seemed familiar.


    ¡°I owe you a favor, and I¡¯ll remember it.¡±


    Irene said sincerely before turning and joining her companions in the pursuit.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we chase, chase them?¡± Song Ke asked with confusion.


    ¡°We can¡¯t catch up. It¡¯s clear that the opposite side has someone skilled at escaping. The four of us can¡¯t split up, can we?¡± Among the four of them, only Song Ke and Su Cha could catch up to the mechanical team. If they both went to chase, the situation for Lin Youyou and Xu Xing would become extremely dangerous.


    Indeed, in just a few seconds, the priority of those two coordinates had dropped to fifth place, and they were more than ten kilometers away.


    Moreover, even if they could catch up, trying to snatch the crystals from the ¡°Anna Knights¡± while dealing with Feng Duona and Irene would likely lead to an endless and brutal battle.


    ¡°So, what should we do?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s keep looking. There should be more selfish people like this. The number of crystals is decreasing, and we need to hurry.¡±


    ¡°Flag coordinates refreshed.¡±


    ¡°Reporting the remaining flag coordinates¡­¡±


    ¡°The current number of advancing teams: 41.¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t good. There are fewer and fewer flags.¡±


    Lin Youyou glanced at the tracker, her eyebrows furrowing.


    It was 21:40, exactly 100 minutes since the start of the competition.


    Song Ke and her group had been searching for nearly half an hour, almost turning the entire restricted forest upside down. However, their luck had been extremely poor. The flags that refreshed later were either diagonally far away from them or on the opposite side of Mirror Lake, requiring a detour to reach. By the time they arrived, the flags had already moved for the second time, and as for the mutant zombies, they couldn¡¯t even catch a glimpse of them.


    This is impossible. Lin Youyou lowered her gaze, puzzled. She wasn¡¯t usually this unlucky. Could it be¡­ could it be that someone had incredibly bad luck and was single-handedly jinxing them? A bizarre speculation emerged in her mind, and Lin Youyou couldn¡¯t help but look at Song Ke and Xu Xing ahead. These two had become distracted while walking, one teaching the other to curse and scold people.


    Xu Xing: ¡°Sis, it can¡¯t separate. You have to say it together to have the impact.¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°Who do you think you are?¡±


    Xu Xing cheerfully replied, ¡°Right, it¡¯s like that!¡±


    Lin Youyou thought to herself, they really have big hearts.


    In a different livestream room, Ah K switched to room 161-1 and happened to witness this scene. He chuckled and teased, ¡°V587, as one of the wild cards in this competition, although they are very strong, it seems luck isn¡¯t on their side. They¡¯ve missed the flag several times already.¡±


    ¡°Now that the competition is heating up, with two-thirds of the teams advancing, our Player Song is still maintaining her composure. Will she be disappointed with this result, or will she manage to create some unexpected surprises? Audience, feel free to place your bets!¡±


    The viewership in room 161-1 reached its peak as Song Ke single-handedly took down a muant zombie water monster. It crossed the 200,000 mark, almost on par with other popular streamers like Irene and Feng Duona. However, a drone was damaged, causing a brief blackout, and in the half-hour she spent aimlessly wandering, she lost some viewers but stabilized at around 80,000.


    Lin Youyou sighed, ¡°You two, are you still in the mood to play? Didn¡¯t you hear the recent announcement? There are less than ten spots left for advancement.¡±


    Just a moment ago, the system updated the current situation, revealing that 52 teams had successfully advanced, leaving them with limited opportunities.


    Song Ke and Xu Xing stopped their private conversation, standing up straight with a serious attitude.


    ¡°Shall we go and seize, seize them?¡± Song Ke proposed a plan.


    Currently, there were only two remaining coordinates for the moving flags, both quite far from them. If they couldn¡¯t find any mutant zombies soon, their only option was to go for the flags.


    A few meters away, Su Cha, who was scouting the area, suddenly spoke up, ¡°Something is approaching.¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s expression turned serious as she vigilantly surveyed her surroundings. Up ahead, there was a river with calm water, and a little further was the mountainside. The forest was peaceful, with no signs of anything unusual.


    Everything appeared normal, except¡­ Wait! The flow of the river seemed to be accelerating.


    Xu Xing stood by the riverbank, staring intently at the water¡¯s movements. Small bubbles surfaced one after another, churning and bubbling. He swallowed nervously, could it be? Could it be another water monster?


    Xu Xing clenched his fists tightly, his ability, ice blade, ready to be unleashed.


    Splash! A grotesque-looking, blue-skinned mutant zombie suddenly leaped out of the river.


    At that moment, water mist filled the area, and the humid air forcefully deprived everyone of their breath, making it hard to breathe. This was a zombie with water-type abilities!


    Lin Youyou reacted swiftly, taking a step back, while Su Cha and Song Ke, both close combat fighters, advanced to the front, slashing fiercely at the zombie.


    Clang! Song Ke¡¯s dual blades struck, but they met a soft water membrane, which immediately absorbed all their force, leaving the water-type mutant zombie unharmed.


    Su Cha¡¯s situation was similar. He had poisoned his dagger, but the water sprayed by the mutant zombie washed it all into the river.


    Use softness to overcome hardness and dissolve all things with water!


    Song Ke immediately transformed her blade into a three-edged spike and aimed for the mutant zombie¡¯s head, preparing to attack its weak point.


    Just then, the water in the river suddenly spun rapidly, forming several whirlpools of varying sizes. The zombie sensed danger, buried its head inside, and was smoothly swept away. It reappeared in another vortex, spraying a jet of water at them.


    Song Ke and Su Cha dodged to the side, avoiding the attack.


    This zombie was tricky. Not only did it possess challenging water abilities, but it was also extremely cunning.


    On the riverbank, Xu Xing had been staring blankly at the sudden appearance of the creature. After some thought, he raised his palm with a lack of confidence, and a blizzard poured forth.


    The water-type mutant zombie, which had been shuttling back and forth in the whirlpools, was frozen in place.


    Frozen¡­ solidly frozen, from head to toe, every inch of skin, every sharp tooth, all frozen like ice.


    Song Ke, Su Cha, and Lin Youyou: ¡°¡­¡±


    Xu Xing, 10 years old, Competition Number 161-2, Team V587, B-level ice-type awakener, the chosen one, resolved a water-type mutant zombie with one move.


    Xu Xing realized he had unintentionally become the center of attention and scratched his head sheepishly, smiling shyly.


    Su Cha smashed the zombie¡¯s head expressionlessly, and ice shards and frozen brain matter scattered on the ground, revealing a crystal as clear as day from within.


    The atmosphere among the group became subtly tense the moment the crystal appeared.


    Song Ke instinctively looked at Lin Youyou.


    Lin Youyou calmly nodded. ¡°You pick it up first, as we agreed.¡±


    Song Ke replied and jogged over to pick it up. After rinsing it in the river water and cleaning it carefully, she gingerly placed it in his coat pocket. She also ruffled Xu Xing¡¯s head, giving him credit for this accomplishment.


    In Room 161-2 of the live broadcast, although the audience wasn¡¯t numerous, their gender preference was quite evident, and their style was decidedly unique.


    ¡°Ahhhh, what a cute kid! I want to ruffle his hair!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Xu Xing, right? So cute and obedient. Help, help me! I really want to be his mommy!¡±


    ¡°Damn it¡­ nobody should even think of fooling me into having kids¡ªexcept Xu Xing.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s still an awakener. Be careful, or he¡¯ll freeze you!¡±


    The moment Song Ke picked up the crystal, Su Cha¡¯s body was covered in bulging veins. His eyes turned dark and menacing. He stood still for a few seconds, then silently returned to Lin Youyou¡¯s side. He lowered his head and stared at her, puzzled. ¡°There¡¯s no time. Why did you let them have it?¡±


    He didn¡¯t care about contracts or promises. He only knew that Lin Youyou couldn¡¯t lose, and he didn¡¯t want her to lose. If possible, he would go and kill these two right now and snatch the crystal.


    Even if he wasn¡¯t a match for Song Ke, in a life-or-death struggle, there might still be a slim chance of winning.


    ¡°Su Cha, don¡¯t act impulsively,¡± Lin Youyou sensed the burning anger in the man in front of her. She tiptoed, one hand pressing down on his tense shoulder, and the other slid down the back of his neck, as if taming a wild beast about to run amok. ¡°Behave.¡±


    After a while, Su Cha¡¯s raging murderous intent gradually subsided, and his tightly wound muscles slowly relaxed.


    He controlled his aura and reverted back to the silent shadow he usually was.


    The tracker beeped, and a new announcement was made.


    ¡°Flag coordinates refreshed.¡±


    ¡°Reporting the remaining flag coordinates: (886, 543, 1079).¡±


    ¡°The current number of advancing teams: 54.¡±


    After the regular announcements, unexpectedly, there was a new one.


    ¡°Please note that the competition organizing committee is kindly reminding you that the number of flags remaining in the field is: 1. All contestants, please do your best.¡±


    Song Ke was momentarily stunned, and the joy of obtaining the crystal was dampened by a large margin.


    In such a short time, the two coordinates from earlier had disappeared, and the number of advancing teams had changed from 52 to 54. Now, there was only one flag left in the arena, and that was¡­ the crystal in her hand?


    Lin Youyou¡¯s expression also grew somber. There were no extra flags left, which meant the crystal in Song Ke¡¯s hand was the only ticket to advance.


    She lowered her gaze, concealing all her emotions.


    For the vast majority of awakeners, the Throne Race was an astonishing source of points, a never-ending stream of wealth, the satisfaction of power and ambition, and even a ladder to District B. However, for Lin Youyou, none of these mattered.


    The sole purpose of Lin Youyou¡¯s participation in the competition was to save her loved one¡¯s life.


    Even if this choice would stain her hands with blood, ruin her reputation, and make everyone despise her, she was resolute and unwavering.


    ¡°Su Cha, do you have confidence in killing them?¡± Lin Youyou used her ability to transmit her thoughts.


    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Su Cha replied honestly.


    ¡°Understood¡­ then next, follow my orders.¡±


    ¡°Let them be¡­ live targets for a while.¡±

 Chapter 44: Bloody Ferrara (16)

    ¡ò Betrayal ¡ò¡°The current number of teams advancing: 54¡±


    ¡°The remaining flags in the arena: 1¡±


    Out of 10 spots for advancement, only 1 flag remained.


    If the previous announcement had left a glimmer of hope in the teams within Mirror Lake, thinking they still had a chance to find a mutant zombie, seize the crystal, then the subsequent announcement directly pronounced their death sentence.


    There were no surviving mutant zombies left in Mirror Lake, and among the 100-plus teams in the arena, there was only one choice left: kill and seize the flag!


    The person holding the flag at this moment would undoubtedly become the target of everyone¡¯s arrows.


    ¡°Sister, are we in danger?¡± Xu Xing held Song Ke¡¯s hand, his tone filled with worry.


    Song Ke didn¡¯t immediately respond but instead cast her gaze on the other two.


    Being chased was secondary; what she cared about most now was what Lin Youyou was thinking.


    The precondition for their four-person cooperation was based on a sufficient number of crystals, but now that premise no longer existed. Two teams would definitely be unable to advance. Faced with such a situation, was there still a possibility of continued cooperation?


    Would Lin Youyou turn against them on the spot, just like everyone else, trying to kill her to seize the flag?


    Song Ke held the crystals in her pocket, her fingers releasing and tightening, unsure of what to say.


    Lin Youyou remained silent for a while, noticing Song Ke¡¯s tense expression. She sighed softly, showing unexpected calmness, ¡°You¡¯re really unlucky. This is the last crystal. Well, now you¡¯re the center of attention. Quickly take it to the finish line.¡±


    Song Ke didn¡¯t feel good about this, ¡°How, how do you advance?¡±


    Lin Youyou¡¯s lips curled into a faint smile, and her slender fingertips poked Song Ke¡¯s shoulder. Song Ke didn¡¯t dodge. ¡°Worried about me? Since the competition specifies 64 spots for advancement, there will always be another way for those remaining.¡±


    Although she said so, the outlook wasn¡¯t optimistic. The original rules were already so cruel; if it dragged on to the end, she didn¡¯t know what awaited them.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I keep my word.¡±


    ¡°Oh my, judging by your expression, are you going to give the crystal to me?¡±


    Even in such circumstances, Lin Youyou still had the mood to tease her.


    Song Ke¡¯s fingertips touched the pearl necklace, her tone hesitant, ¡°Actually, I¡ª¡±


    Before she could finish her sentence, she was abruptly interrupted. Leaves around them rustled, and a snake-like black shadow lunged toward them.


    The first wave of pursuers had arrived!


    Su Cha reacted extremely quickly, leaping into the woods. Muffled sounds came from the darkness, and the ambushing extraordinary individual was instantly eliminated.


    ¡°Run!¡± Lin Youyou urged aloud.


    The four of them sprinted towards the mountain summit, encountering a few more ambushes along the way, but luckily, they escaped unharmed.


    In no time, they reached the foot of the mountain, and a few more kilometers forward from here was the finish line for submitting the flag.


    ¡°Something¡¯s not right; the pursuers have decreased.¡±


    The wind seemed to slow down here, and the surroundings were eerily quiet, with snowflakes falling gently.


    ¡°Crunch!¡± Song Ke¡¯s ears caught the sound of dry leaves being crushed.


    She stopped in her tracks, alertly looking around, and in the next second, a large number of awakeners surged from all directions!


    They were surrounded, on the essential path leading to the finish line, where numerous bloodthirsty and desperate awakeners had already laid an ambush.


    ¡°Boom!¡± A deafening cannon blast marked the beginning of the looting.


    The firepower was too intense, and Song Ke had to step back. On the periphery of her vision, a familiar Gatling particle cannon was set up, the ¡°Guns and Roses¡±!


    Rising extraordinary fire rings enclosed them, trapping the four of them inside, and the scorching flames nearly burned their skin.


    After Irene finished her cannon shot and saw the faces of several people within the encirclement, she was momentarily stunned. How could it be them?


    They had at least saved her once, and a hint of hesitation flashed in her eyes, slowing down her actions.


    In the official live broadcast room, all the cameras once again switched to the 161-1 drone.


    Facing the camera, Ah K analyzed rationally, ¡°The situation for V587 doesn¡¯t look great. On one side, there¡¯s a continuous onslaught of pursuers, and on the other, it¡¯s just a makeshift team put together temporarily, plus Team 121¡­¡±


    Lin Youyou and Su Cha didn¡¯t really stand out, and Ah K searched through the corners of his memory for information, ¡°This team is called ¡®Named Randomly,¡¯ and in terms of combat capability, they seem quite casual. Su Cha from 121-1 disappears from the screen frequently, and the audience has a high complaint rate about him. As for Amy from 121-2, she hasn¡¯t shown any outstanding performance since the qualifiers and even earned the nickname ¡®Fish Queen.¡¯ I wonder how they plan to deal with this?¡±


    As Ah K finished speaking, a seismic change occurred in the arena.


    Even though the four surrounded individuals hadn¡¯t communicated in any way, their movements were oddly synchronized.


    Xu Xing took a step back, and a chaotic snowstorm began falling from the heavily clouded sky. The temperature plummeted, and those burning fire rings instantly extinguished, leaving behind only black char.


    Lin Youyou¡¯s red lips twitched slightly, and without any visible movement, the four¡¯s speed suddenly doubled.


    Su Cha disappeared in place, concealed in the darkness. When he reappeared, he had already moved behind one of the besiegers. With a swift strike, a cold green light flashed by, and the opponent didn¡¯t even have time to utter a sound before meeting their demise on the spot.


    After a successful assassination, he once again concealed himself in the shadows, waiting for the right moment, like a reaper harvesting souls, seeking the next unfortunate victim.


    Song Ke wielded two knives like a nimble cheetah, charging directly into the encirclement. She was a one-woman army, and all sorts of awakened abilities crumbled into nothingness in the face of her absolute force. Those who confronted her head-on couldn¡¯t withstand three moves, and their awakened energy was shaken, sending them flying. The tightly sealed encirclement was torn open by her.


    ¡°Hoh!!! Unexpectedly, a ragtag army can stage a comeback like this. This coordinated assault is quite impressive,¡± Ah K exclaimed.


    Luo Qinghe, rarely speaking, offered an objective assessment, ¡°Though outnumbered, if you didn¡¯t know in advance, you wouldn¡¯t be able to tell that this is a makeshift team. Long-range control, melee attacks, everyone¡¯s roles are clear, and their reactions are fast.¡±


    ¡°Qinghe is right. In competitions, there are always surprises. Nevertheless, the situation is still not optimistic. We can see that another group of pursuers is heading this way.¡±


    Song Ke had just opened a path for a breakout when, in the next moment, numerous awakeners surged from behind once again. Were they planning to use a strategy of overwhelming numbers to wear them down?


    With a flick of her fingertips, she hurled more than a dozen throwing knives with great force. Due to the short distance, the leading awakeners didn¡¯t even have time to dodge, they all fell lifeless!


    An opportunity! Song Ke¡¯s eyes lit up, and she was about to charge forward.


    A familiar, carefree voice suddenly sounded from behind the crowd, ¡°Hey, guys, someone¡¯s trying to escape here! Anyone with control abilities, stop her!¡±


    Song Ke followed the voice and indeed saw the young man with ice-blue eyes and silver-streaked hair again!


    She scolded him inwardly. This guy is so annoying! He¡¯s like a troublemaker!


    A violent tornado swept in, blocking the hard-won escape route, forcing Song Ke to step back reluctantly.


    The man with ice-blue eyes attacked at this moment. As he moved, a dense wall of binary code suddenly appeared in front of Song Ke. It made her dizzy. Why was this guy¡¯s ability so irritating?


    The man used the code as a path, and as he got closer to her, Song Ke suddenly found herself surrounded by a multitude of 101010 codes. It left her feeling disoriented. How could this guy¡¯s ability be so vexing!


    The man used the code to pave the way and, as he approached her, he taunted and acted arrogant, ¡°Nice weapons, can I take a look?¡±


    Song Ke retaliated with a backhand slash, shattering the code wall, and she attempted to strike the man¡¯s forehead with her throwing knives.


    The man promptly stepped back and used his ability to intercept them, stopping her attack. The throwing knives were left suspended in mid-air, trembling slightly.


    He carefully examined them for a moment, touching his chin while muttering to himself, ¡°Not actual objects, but a manifestation of abilities? Quite interesting.¡±


    Before he could finish speaking, the throwing knives broke through the code wall, turning into shooting stars aimed at his eyes. The man panicked and dodged, but his face was still cut, blood flowing.


    He shrugged nonchalantly and suddenly turned to the people behind him, inciting the awakeners who were surrounding them, ¡°Hey, guys, this isn¡¯t the way to do it. First, let¡¯s figure out who has the flag before we take action!¡±


    Everyone realized it made sense. Grabbing the one with the flag was the way to go.


    A chaotic tornado rose into the air, scattering the formation of Song Ke and her three companions. Xu Xing, being lightweight, was blown away about ten meters before finally hanging from a tree branch. Lin Youyou was also pushed back by the strong wind, looking quite disheveled.


    Their positions had slightly changed, and the ambushers quickly discerned who was truly holding the flag.


    ¡°It¡¯s on the girl!¡±


    ¡°Kill her!¡±


    In an instant, Song Ke found herself in a fierce battle.


    The pressure on Lin Youyou and Xu Xing suddenly decreased. These people had completely disregarded them and were only focused on Song Ke.


    Hidden in the shadows, Su Cha suddenly received a secret message.


    ¡°Su Cha, get ready to intervene.¡±


    ¡°The crystal is in her pocket. After grabbing it, don¡¯t worry about anything else, just deliver it straight to the finish line.¡±


    In the official live broadcast room, Ah K was completely engrossed, as if he wanted to become the king of haste, muttering to himself, ¡°The situation doesn¡¯t look good. Will Player Song¡¯s two allies choose to support her or make a run for it? Oh? They¡¯re charging forward! True love exists among mortals after all. They¡¯re truly trustworthy¡­ Wait!¡±


    ¡°Please, Qingfeng~ I offer our sincere wishes, never-ending blessings for you~¡±


    A melodious song rang in Song Ke¡¯s ears. After just two lines of lyrics, she felt energized and fully revitalized. It was Lin Youyou¡¯s ability, an enhancement buff!


    Su Cha also joined the fray. Song Ke gave up her position to him, and he circled around the frontline awakeners, passing by her. With a flash of a dagger in his hand, he cut through her pocket.


    Song Ke was stunned.


    She held her attack posture for two seconds.


    ¡°Oh dear! Player Song¡¯s ally has turned on her!¡± Ah K lamented.


    Su Cha successfully made his move, then quickly disappeared into the mountains, rushing towards the finish line.


    Song Ke stared angrily at Lin Youyou, accusing her with her eyes: You deceived me!


    Lin Youyou averted her gaze and sighed softly in her ear, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I also said that winning is more important to me.¡±


    Taking advantage of no one¡¯s attention, she also withdrew from the battlefield.


    Now, Song Ke was left in a state of full energy, but she was trapped in a dense encirclement.


    The others were still unaware of what had happened, and they continued to unleash their skills on her until the latest announcement rang out.


    ¡°Flag Coordinates Refreshed.¡±


    ¡°Here are the coordinates of the remaining flags: (1108, 453, 339).¡±


    ¡°Damn! The flag has been moved!¡±


    These coordinates were already very close to the finish line. The awakeners who had surrounded her were in shock and immediately abandoned Song Ke, rushing toward the mountaintop.


    It was too late. S?a??h th? N?v?lFire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Current number of advancing teams: 55.¡±


    ¡°Please note, there are currently zero flags remaining in the arena, and a new competition format will soon begin.¡±


    ¡°Sister!¡± Xu Xing had finally managed to jump down from the tree branch, and he received the announcement. His eyes blinked rapidly, and at first, he didn¡¯t understand what was happening. When he finally realized the key point, he became infuriated, jumping up and down in anger. ¡°Ah!! This wicked woman!¡±


    Lin Youyou and Su Cha¡­ had advanced.


    She had deceived them¡­ and advanced by taking the only crystal from her own hands.


    Song Ke tightly gripped her twin knives, her joints cracking.


    ¡°Xiaoxing, let¡¯s go¡­ to the finish line,¡± Song Ke said softly.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Xu Xing didn¡¯t understand. Was his sister so angry that she wanted to chase Lin Youyou and Su Cha to the finish line?


    Without time to explain, Song Ke accelerated, taking Xu Xing to the mountaintop. There was a floating verification platform here, and ahead was an invisible barrier blocking their path.


    ¡°Please submit the flag,¡± said an artificial intelligence in a mechanical tone from the window.


    Song Ke took a step forward, and a dazzling surge of electricity, tens of thousands of volts, suddenly emitted, as if warning anyone who dared to trespass. She looked back at the post-match resting area behind her, where figures abounded, but she couldn¡¯t see Lin Youyou and Su Cha anywhere.


    Song Ke retracted her gaze and looked up at the artificial intelligence who had spoken.


    ¡°The flag is, is crystal, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°As, as long as it¡¯s a crystal, it counts, counts for passing the level?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡± The artificial intelligence paused for a moment and gave an affirmative response.


    Song Ke¡¯s hand moved slightly, and a green octagonal crystal, dripping with a lush hue and radiating brilliance, suddenly appeared in her palm.


    ¡°Does this one count?¡±

 Chapter 45: Bloody Ferrara (17)

    ¡ò Did someone bully you? ¡ò¡°Yooooo! Surprising! Tonight¡¯s match is full of surprises indeed. Player Song has once again revealed a flag!¡±


    Ah K was extremely excited, grabbing the microphone and shouting hoarsely, ¡°When did she hide it? And, dear audience, this is a flag that didn¡¯t appear in the system announcement!¡±


    The barrage was filled with question marks.


    ¡°Am I seeing things? A green crystal, is it real?¡±


    ¡°It must be fake, there was no hint in the announcement.¡±


    ¡°Why would she show it if it¡¯s fake? Does she think we¡¯re all fools?¡±


    In the post-match lounge, the holographic projection was broadcasting the match inside the arena. As they saw Song Ke take out the green crystal, some of the well-informed extraordinary individuals were in shock and disbelief. They stood up, their eyes fixed on the screen.


    Mr. Xiang remained calm, leisurely sipping his tea, and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see a level 2 crystal here. This old man¡¯s horizons have widened!¡±


    Crystals had gradually become a strategic resource that gained popularity after the apocalypse. Awakeners had varying channels and timeliness for obtaining information about them. Some were completely unaware, while others considered themselves clever for obtaining firsthand information early, like Mr. Xiang.


    The Alliance officially announced four levels of crystals: Level 1 white crystals, Level 2 green crystals, Level 3 blue crystals, and Level 4 red crystals. It was said that the deeper the color, the purer the quality, and the higher the success rate for awakening and evolution.


    As things stood, Level 1 crystals were already rare, and Level 2 crystals had appeared only a few times in District B. After all, the probability of mutant zombie encounters was extremely low, and the stronger the mutant zombie, the more challenging it was to hunt.


    Mr. Xiang¡¯s eagle-like eyes were fixed on Song Ke in the holographic projection. Despite his age, he was not senile, and he had recognized the little girl as the arrogant thief who had stolen their A-level mission in Luli Port.


    Hmph, she was lucky last time. Not only did she get away with it, but she also escaped from a tight encirclement, causing them to work in vain.


    Zhang Lei was nothing more than an ordinary D-level zombie, so he couldn¡¯t have produced a Level 2 crystal. Since the other party dared to reveal it, it must have been obtained within the arena. It seemed that there was a lot of information worth digging into about this Song Ke. Mr. Xiang instructed his subordinate, ¡°Find out who she is, and also, get a copy of her entire match recording as soon as possible.¡±


    On the other side, Duanmu Qi was also watching Song Ke with a deep gaze.


    The wound the opponent had inflicted last time still throbbed when touched, and this person would be the opponent he needed to pay the most attention to.


    Mr. Xiang noticed his distraction and teased, ¡°Young Duan, it seems you care a lot about this player.¡±


    Duanmu Qi smiled disdainfully. ¡°Mr. Xiang, you don¡¯t need to test me. I¡¯ll say it again; no matter who the opponent is, the winner will only be me.¡±


    At the gathering place of the ¡°Anna Knights,¡± Mecha-Head, Sai Ang, tossed two crystals up and down, and suddenly exclaimed, ¡°Huh, the green crystal is actually prettier than the white one. My two crystals don¡¯t seem so appealing now.¡±


    Sai Ang¡¯s mechanical head leaned forward, closely watching Song Ke¡¯s crystal in her hand, his gaze greedy and menacing.


    ¡­ S?a?ch* Th? ?0velF?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    At the verification platform, the AI scanned the crystal provided by Song Ke and stated in a flat, emotionless tone, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, verification failed. Only crystals produced within Mirror Lake can be submitted as flags.¡±


    Song Ke stubbornly explained, ¡°It¡¯s from, from Mirror Lake, I swear.¡±


    The barrage was filled with skeptical comments.


    ¡°Such a scammer!¡±


    ¡°Is she lying with her eyes open? I¡¯ve been watching the livestream in Room 161-1 since the Lock, Lock, Lock You Up battle. I didn¡¯t see her get a green crystal.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s audacious and not very bright. Daring to tell such a lie, doesn¡¯t she know the entire match is being recorded?¡±


    There were a few faint voices defending Song Ke.


    ¡°Maybe you just missed it. This player is very talented.¡±


    A few sporadic fair comments were quickly drowned out by various insults.


    ¡°So many of us didn¡¯t see it, does that mean I¡¯m blind? Did everyone collectively go blind?¡±


    ¡°Do you think AI directors are fools? With such a large crystal dropping, wouldn¡¯t they cut to that scene?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s just a scammer. Why are people defending her?¡±


    Outside the screen, Old Zhang, who was typing furiously, was furious. He had bet his entire fortune on Song Ke¡¯s victory. No, he couldn¡¯t accept elimination like this. Old Zhang rolled up his sleeves, got energized as if he had taken some kind of stimulant, and engaged in a heated debate with those who criticized Song Ke.


    In the official live broadcast room, Ah K, with great passion, stirred up the atmosphere, ¡°Player Song still insists that she obtained this crystal from Mirror Lake. So, where did this unique green flag really come from? Qinghe, what do you think?¡±


    Lu Qinghe cooperated very well, lowered his eyes in thought for a moment, and then with slightly parted lips, he gave his answer, ¡°Water monster.¡±


    Almost at the same time, Song Ke, who was confronting the AI, said exactly the same words, ¡°Water monster, prod, produced the crystal.¡±


    ¡°Yooooo! As expected of Qinghe, he guessed it right away. Let¡¯s take a look at the replay.¡±


    Ah K raised his left hand, and the backstage director immediately played the video of Song Ke single-handedly defeating the Mirror Lake water monster.


    ¡°From the footage at the time, it is indeed a mutant water monster. Everyone, look here, pause! The water monster released rain arrow attacks, and only mutants can achieve such an attack.¡±


    The video paused, and the water monster¡¯s flat head faced Song Ke, its ferocity far exceeding that of ordinary mutant zombies. Countless fine rain arrows struck the enormous spiritual weapon umbrella, creating a dazzling white light.


    ¡°Huh? After Player Song saved Player Xu, she stayed inside the water monster for a while. Hmm¡­ the exact time is 2 minutes and 48 seconds. Could it be that she accidentally discovered the crystal at this moment?¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ve received a message from the backstage. Staff members are currently conducting an energy test on the water monster¡¯s corpse. Any place where a crystal is produced will undoubtedly leave behind strong radiation. The answer will be revealed soon!¡±


    At the verification platform, the old-fashioned AI¡¯s eyes lit up with a line of code, as if receiving some kind of instruction.


    ¡°Congratulations, you have successfully advanced.¡±


    Meanwhile, Ah K¡¯s enthusiastic voice echoed through the terminals of all the viewers, ¡°The green crystal has been confirmed to come from the Mirror Lake water monster. Congratulations to Player Song, congratulations to Player Xu, congratulations to V587 for becoming the dark horse of this match and successfully advancing to the top 64!¡±


    The particle electric barrier slowly opened, and Song Ke and Xu Xing walked into the rest area, exhausted.


    Under the curious, scrutinizing, and questioning gazes of many, she walked calmly with her back straight. When she passed by Lin Youyou and Su Cha, Lin Youyou seemed to want to call out to her, but before she could, Song Ke had already walked far away.


    ¡°Current number of advancing teams: 56.¡±


    ¡°Remaining flags in the field: 0.¡±


    ¡°New format initiated.¡±


    Ah K received a prompt from the earpiece and nodded. His expression became serious as he announced, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, we will now start the Endless Slaughter mode. Let me briefly explain the rules: only 8 teams that survive will advance, and the rest will be eliminated!¡±


    The awakeners left in the field also received the same announcement.


    Endless Slaughter mode, with over 100 teams and more than 300 participants, competing for 8 spots, and counting based on the final survivors. This also meant that those who failed wouldn¡¯t be able to leave Mirror Lake at all. The real Battle Royale had begun!


    The teams that had already advanced patted their chests in relief. ¡°Thank goodness we grabbed the flag; otherwise, it would have been really frustrating.¡±


    In the arena, Irene plucked a strand of hair in frustration. At this point, they had no choice but to fight to the death.


    ¡°Sisters, we live and die together, never betray, charge out with me!!¡±


    In another corner, the man with ice-blue eyes murmured, ¡°Oh, I accidentally made it too big.¡±


    Endless slaughter began, and all the awakeners, as if mad, started hacking at those around them, who had just been fighting alongside them.


    Those bloodshot madmen who had just killed their enemies one second ago now lay on the ground, killed by someone else in the blink of an eye.


    Screams, wails, agonizing moans¡­ this was a bloody purgatory, the most brutal arena.


    Even the air was filled with a heavy smell of blood.


    Irene blasted away an approaching awakener, and suddenly heard a painful cry behind her. ¡°Ah¡ª!!¡± She turned around in horror and saw her companion lying in a pool of blood.


    Irene bit her lip, tears streaming down her face, and shouted, ¡°Hold on, get closer to me, we can survive together!¡±


    Outside the arena, the viewership ratings for the Throne Race soared once again.


    Blood and brutality were the hormones that stimulated the Ferrara people the most. The betting pool kept refreshing, and countless fortunes flowed like a river to the backstage authorities.


    The bloody massacre lasted for a full half-hour, and finally, eight teams fought bloody battles and crawled out of hell.


    ¡°Guns and Roses¡± lost two members¡­


    ¡°White Radish Carrot¡± lost three members¡­


    ¡°Black Jack¡± lost four members, and only the man with ice-blue eyes survived¡­


    ¡­


    The remaining teams were completely wiped out.


    The top 64 for the Throne Race had been determined.


    As described in its promotional advertisements, it was born after stepping over the fiery trials and thorns, treading on the blood and lives of countless people.


    ¡­


    After the Mirror Lake competition, Song Ke and Xu Xing left through the player¡¯s passage in silence.


    Midway, Xu Xing stole several glances at Song Ke, wanting to say something comforting but not knowing where to start.


    Blame that wicked woman! His sister seemed very unhappy.


    After leaving the restricted area and walking a distance, Song Ke suddenly stopped.


    On the main road ahead, under the dim streetlights, a very familiar silver-white wheelchair was parked there.


    A handsome man leaned lazily on it, supporting his chin with one hand, casually watching the dry leaves dancing in the wind.


    Hearing the noise, the man seemed to have sensed it long ago and raised his gaze, smiling suddenly.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why is your face so puffed up? Did someone bully you?¡±

 Chapter 46.1: Bloody Ferrara (18)

    ¡ò Lying Low ¡òThis area was specially designated as the post-race waiting area, where many friends and family groups gathered, eagerly awaiting the emergence of the competitors.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s wheelchair was positioned at a distance from the others, his solitary figure stretched out by the streetlight.


    A faint smile graced his lips as he asked, ¡°Why is your face so puffy? Did someone bully you?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Song Ke pursed her lips.


    Still saying no even though she felt wronged almost to the point of showing it on her face. But Zhuang Qingyan kindly didn¡¯t expose her, saying, ¡°Alright, if you say there isn¡¯t, then there isn¡¯t.¡±


    He paused, wearing an expectant expression, then continued, ¡°But if you ever say there is, I¡¯ll think of a way to help you get back at them.


    ¡°Anyway, you¡¯re my golden thigh. Bullying you is like slapping my own face, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s mood was a mix of speechlessness and complexity.


    It was hard to describe her true feelings in this moment: surprise? happiness? gratitude? unexpectedness? None seemed entirely accurate.


    It was like when she and Xu Xing, as the family¡¯s hopes, confidently went out, only to be splashed with mud by other kids and end up rolling in the mud, dirty all over. Yet, when she returned home, the parents asked if she wanted them to seek revenge for her.


    Such thoughts were surreal, and Song Ke herself found them outlandish. She shook her head to clear her mind and quickly brushed them aside.


    She didn¡¯t take Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s words seriously. After all, all the power-enhanced awakeners who survived today¡¯s competition were experts in their own right. Zhuang Qingyan was just an ordinary person in a wheelchair. How could he stand up for her and seek revenge on someone else?


    Song Ke changed the subject, asking, ¡°Why, why are you here?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan replied, ¡°I came to pick you up since the competition is almost over.¡±


    In truth, Zhuang Qingyan had set off long before Song Ke¡¯s qualification was confirmed. As he said, he came here for two reasons: to pick up the two lost children and to confirm another matter.


    Song Ke lowered her gaze and noticed slight wear and tear around the joints of Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s wheelchair. However, overall, it still looked clean and neat. She had found this wheelchair in the Qingsong Biotech, and although it was a top-of-the-line model with all the features, the distance from the hotel to Mirror Lake wasn¡¯t that far, it was just that on such a cold day, him going out alone and running such a distance to pick them up was quite a feat.


    Song Ke considerately jogged up to him, grasping the wheelchair¡¯s handles, ready to push him back.


    ¡°Wait,¡± Zhuang Qingyan lightly pressed her hand back.


    His gaze shifted to the other side of the passageway, and Song Ke and Xu Xing followed his gaze. S~?a??h the Nov?lF?re .??t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    A young man with ice-blue eyes was slowly emerging from the passageway. He looked like a blood-soaked demon, leaving crimson imprints wherever he walked. People around him avoided him as if they feared being tainted by his presence.


    ¡°Lu Xinglan!¡± a clear voice rang out, and a clean towel was thrown through the air, caught by the man with one hand.


    A person slowly emerged from the crowd, holding his nose in disgust. He poured water from a bottle while complaining, ¡°You must be really free, not content with just watching. You had to participate in the competition yourself and end up in this sorry state.¡±


    Lu Xinglan¡¯s face was covered in blood, someone else¡¯s blood. He casually wiped it off a few times with the white towel, quickly turning it crimson.


    ¡°Xie Ningyu, that¡¯s enough. Stop chattering. I didn¡¯t drag you into this,¡± Lu Xinglan retorted.


    ¡°You want to drag me into it? Lu Xinglan, do you have any conscience at all?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s hand tightened suddenly.


    The night breeze tousled his hair, and the slight curve of his smile slowly faded away as he gazed unblinkingly at the man not far away, the one with a teardrop-shaped mole at the corner of his eye. His expression seemed to drift off for a moment.


    This change was too apparent, especially considering that Zhuang Qingyan had never lost his composure before. Song Ke noticed it almost immediately, and for the first time, she realized that when Zhuang Qingyan stopped smiling altogether, his expression looked terrifying.


    She asked him in a low voice, ¡°Do you know, know them?¡±


    Those ice-blue eyes had caused her quite some trouble in the arena, and if Zhuang Qingyan knew them, she needed to find out who they were.


    The two men on the other side soon noticed the lingering gaze on them. They turned their heads towards Song Ke¡¯s direction. Lu Xinglan still had wounds from a spirit weapon on his face, but his eyes were clear, and he appeared very composed, indicating that the trouble in Mirror Lake was intentional.


    Xie Ningyu¡¯s gaze passed over Xu Xing, Song Ke, and Zhuang Qingyan one by one before losing interest and shifting to his companion. He continued, ¡°When are we going back to Erjia? I don¡¯t want to stay here; it¡¯s so boring.¡±


    Upon closer inspection, Xie Ningyu¡¯s appearance was indeed striking. He had an intensity that was neither too pronounced nor too subtle, embodying an aloof air of youthful arrogance along with a touch of vibrant charm. Especially that teardrop-shaped mole at the corner of his eye, it was like the finishing touch that brought his entire expression to life.


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know them,¡± it took quite a while before Zhuang Qingyan withdrew his gaze, his tone indifferent. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    You don¡¯t know them, but you stared at them for so long?


    Song Ke became suspicious. Although the man was quite good-looking, when did Zhuang Qingyan become so concerned about appearances?


    When no one was paying attention, she sneakily assessed the man in the wheelchair: well, thin lips, straight nose, dark eyes. He¡¯s not inferior anywhere, is he?


    Song Ke comforted him with a sincere tone, ¡°You, you¡¯re handsome too, no need, need to envy anyone el, else.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Zhuang Qingyan took a few seconds to understand her convoluted train of thought and couldn¡¯t help but smile, ¡°Thank you for the compliment.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± Song Ke replied calmly.


    The three of them hadn¡¯t walked more than a few steps when Xu Xing suddenly tugged at her sleeve. ¡°Sister, look over there¡­¡±


    Following his pointed direction, Song Ke unexpectedly spotted someone who shouldn¡¯t be here under any circumstances. ¡°Wu¡­ Wu Xianghai?¡±


    Wu Xianghai looked furtive and constantly glanced around as he took a few steps. When he unexpectedly ran into them, his expression was as if he had seen a ghost. He didn¡¯t even greet them and quickly turned a corner to flee.


    He was participating in the Throne Race Competition too, and he advanced? That¡¯s incredible, isn¡¯t it? Didn¡¯t they say only D-level or higher could sign up? Song Ke distinctly remembered that when she was with the Azure Phoenix squad, An Qiwen had said that Wu Xianghai was an E-level awakener.


    She exchanged a glance with Xu Xing, both of them sharing the same bewilderment.


    ¡°I think I know why he can participate,¡± Zhuang Qingyan spoke up at the right moment.


    ¡°Why?¡± Song Ke asked.


    ¡°We don¡¯t need to rush into it; let¡¯s discuss it when we get back,¡± he said, his eyelashes twitching slightly, as he discreetly glanced towards a dark corner and lowered his voice to caution, ¡°Song Ke, take a detour. There are some unwanted followers behind us.¡±


    Song Ke shivered and released her psychic power to investigate, indeed finding several lurking figures tailing them.


    ¡°Someone is tracking, tracking us?¡± She whispered to confirm.


    ¡°Not just that. Many of the participants who left this place are being watched,¡± Zhuang Qingyan replied.


    ¡°Greedy people always try to take advantage, and right now, Mirror Lake is a treasure trove of crystals,¡± he continued.


    The Throne Race Competition¡¯s organizing committee was wealthy, and the crystals earned by the participants in the arena didn¡¯t have to be handed over. They could take them directly. Song Ke had also taken that Level 2 crystal with her, and she hadn¡¯t expected to be targeted as soon as she left.


    On second thought, these people were too audacious. Which of the teams that advanced to the top 64 was easy to deal with? Trying to snatch crystals from them? They¡¯d probably lose their lives before they could lay their hands on the goods.


    However, it was best to avoid trouble if possible. Song Ke didn¡¯t look back and silently increased her pace. Following Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s guidance, they took some intricate side paths, finally managing to shake off those pursuers¡­


    ¡­


    After returning to the hotel, Zhuang Qingyan tried to calm down and persuade the overly excited Song Ke and Xu Xing, who were eager to watch the projection together all night, by saying, ¡°It¡¯s quite late now, let¡¯s go rest first. We can discuss the competition later after I review it thoroughly tomorrow.¡±


    Song Ke reluctantly agreed, ¡°Alright¡­¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan had gone to pick someone up after watching the competition. He hadn¡¯t had the chance to review the last Endless Slaughter mode and the true abilities displayed by other teams. Moreover, he had only received half the answers to what he wanted to confirm, so he needed to watch several more match recordings.


    As for how Song Ke had been ¡°bullied,¡± even if she didn¡¯t want to talk about it, he could easily figure it out, right? If he wanted to know all the details, it wasn¡¯t difficult, especially since there was a mobile informant inside the arena.


    In the living room, Zhuang Qingyan called out to Xu Xing, who was about to return to his room, ¡°Xiaoxing~¡±


    ¡°What, what, what do you want?!¡± As soon as Xu Xing heard his voice, he immediately felt a shiver down his spine. The painful memories of the month of devilish special training came rushing back. ¡°Don¡¯t call me like that; it¡¯s disgusting!¡±


    Facing Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s cunning eyes, Xu Xing swallowed hard, feeling more nervous than when facing the water monster.


    ¡°I did my best today!¡± Xu Xing protested.


    Zhuang Qingyan smiled gently, ¡°You did well today. I called you for something else.¡±


    Xu Xing secretly sighed in relief, ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Come closer, and tell me how Lin Youyou managed to deceive you all.¡±


    Watching the competition in a first-person perspective had its limitations, and Song Ke¡¯s drone often lost connection, leaving some details unclear to Zhuang Qingyan. It was better to directly question another involved party.


    Xu Xing¡¯s eyes lit up at the opportunity. Lin Youyou has now risen to the top of his most hated people list (formerly occupied by Zhuang Qingyan). At this moment, he and Zhuang Qingyan put aside their past grievances, united against a common enemy, and angrily condemned Lin Youyou¡¯s evil deeds.

 Chapter 46.2: Bloody Ferrara (18)

    ¡ò Lying Low ¡òThe next day, Song Ke opened her eyes and saw Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s back. He was sitting in her room, playing a silent projection repeatedly, freezing the image of the man with icy blue eyes, with a cold expression.


    Song Ke pulled the blanket up to her chin, lying in bed without moving, blinking her eyes silently while observing Zhuang Qingyan. In fact, she knew that Zhuang Qingyan had many secrets, and his words were sometimes true and sometimes false, but she often couldn¡¯t tell the difference. After knowing each other for so long, Song Ke, despite her foolishness, slowly realized that Zhuang Qingyan could not possibly be just an ordinary researcher, as he claimed.


    But why, even though she had been deceived just like last night, she had never been as angry as she was yesterday? Song Ke pinched the lump in the blanket, probably because their goals and interests were aligned, in a way. They could be considered as part of the same fate community, and Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s lies were mostly not directed at her and wouldn¡¯t cause her any substantial harm. Is this the special treatment of Golden Thighs?


    Song Ke¡¯s gaze became unfocused, gradually drifting away.


    ¡°Have you seen enough?¡± Zhuang Qingyan seemed to have eyes in the back of his head and asked calmly.


    ¡°Enough, enough,¡± Song Ke was caught off guard, not feeling embarrassed at all. She lifted the blanket and got out of bed.


    Fifteen minutes later, the three of them were sitting in her room for a meeting. The projection still froze on the man with ice-blue eyes.


    Song Ke took a bite of her bread and said with her mouth full, ¡°This per, person is not in your data.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Zhuang Qingyan admitted. ¡°Just like Wu Xianghai we saw last night, both of them entered the main competition through unconventional means.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by unconventional means?¡± Xu Xing took two bottles of milk and handed one to Song Ke. They both drank it down.


    ¡°The normal process is that D-level or higher awakeners sign up for the preliminary competition, succeed in the challenge, and meet the popularity criteria to advance to the main competition. Only teams that enter the main competition can make personnel adjustments. But they only need to buy a spot from the teams that have already advanced.¡±


    ¡°Buy a spot? Didn¡¯t they say the championship rewards are attractive to everyone? Why would someone be willing to give it up?¡±


    ¡°Because there is only one champion, and some people know that they can¡¯t reach that level.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s tone was meaningful. ¡°So, as long as the other party¡¯s offer is high enough, they won¡¯t hesitate.¡±


    ¡°Leaving aside the other one, does Wu Xianghai have the money to buy a spot?¡± Xu Xing expressed doubts about this. ¡°When he followed Wu¡¯s team, he had to sew clothes to make extra money. How come he can afford to buy a spot now?¡±


    ¡°Wu Xianghai is indeed suspicious. I watched his recording, and although the footage was limited, his ability is definitely not something decorative; it¡¯s a dark-type ability with offensive capabilities.¡±


    ¡°Evolved?¡± Song Ke proposed a conjecture.


    ¡°Impossible,¡± Zhuang Qingyan shook his head. ¡°Evolution only goes in the same direction as the original, it wouldn¡¯t change as drastically as his. Next time if you encounter him, be more cautious.¡±


    Xu Xing asked again, ¡°What is his purpose for participating in the competition? Is it also to make a wish to Ilya?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about Wu Xianghai¡¯s purpose, but as for this person,¡± Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s fingertip drew a circle in the air, and a red mark appeared on the head of the man with ice-blue eyes in the projection, ¡°his name is Lu Xinglan, he¡¯s from District B.¡±


    ¡°Pfft¡ªcough, cough, cough!¡± Song Ke choked on her food, coughing loudly, and Xu Xing hurriedly patted her back.


    Someone from District B participating in a competition in District C? This was too absurd. How bored could this person be?


    ¡°Not only from District B, but he¡¯s from District B8, Erjia,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said nonchalantly. ¡°However, this participation in the competition should be his personal action.¡±


    ¡°How do you even know which district he¡¯s from?¡± Xu Xing widened his eyes in amazement.


    Zhuang Qingyan explained calmly, ¡°Erjia is the stronghold of the Lu family. The Lu family is known for their dominant characteristic of ice-blue irises. The lighter the eye color, the purer the bloodline, and the higher the status within the family.¡±


    Lu family? The images of hundreds of starships crashing in the port of Hua City were still vivid in her mind.


    Song Ke asked hesitantly, ¡°Is it the, the Lu family¡¯s star, starship, that Lu?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Zhuang Qingyan nodded.


    Xu Xing¡¯s eyes turned red, and he almost lost his temper. ¡°Their family¡¯s starships are all in such a terrible state, and instead of thinking about how to repair them, he has the audacity to come and participate in the competition?¡±


    Xu Weiguo had bought tickets early on, planning to take him out of District F. If it weren¡¯t for the drastic reduction in the number of starships after the apocalypse, they wouldn¡¯t have been separated, and his father might not have become a zombie.


    Xu Xing knew he shouldn¡¯t hate Wu Juemin, and he shouldn¡¯t hate the guards who couldn¡¯t protect the food factory, but he would always remember the starship that was temporarily canceled right in front of them because of ¡°energy issues¡± just seconds before boarding.


    ¡°Lu Xinglan¡¯s eye color is clearly impure, even within the Lu family, he has no say. Don¡¯t expect anything from him,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said calmly.


    ¡°Hmph,¡± Xu Xing grumbled, ¡°And there¡¯s another guy? His eyes definitely aren¡¯t ice-blue.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s eyes flickered slightly, and he didn¡¯t respond immediately.


    Xu Xing couldn¡¯t read the signals and pointed to the corner of his own eye, saying, ¡°Yes, the one with a mole here, you haven¡¯t mentioned him yet.¡±


    Song Ke reacted quickly, rubbing his head, ¡°Xiaoxing, I¡¯m hungry! Go order, order some food.¡±


    Xu Xing was pushed away in a daze, completely forgetting that not long ago, he had used the same excuse to dismiss Song Ke.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we let him keep asking?¡± Zhuang Qingyan sneered.


    ¡°Hehe,¡± Song Ke tried to force a smile, and the dimples on her cheeks appeared and disappeared, forming a gentle wave. ¡°If, if you don¡¯t want, want to say, that¡¯s fine, you don¡¯t have, have to.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan stared at those dimples for a moment, then his tone returned to normal. ¡°It¡¯s not a matter of wanting to say or not. I just accidentally remembered some unpleasant people. It¡¯s okay to tell you; I¡¯m not that petty.¡±


    ¡°Mm-hmm,¡± Song Ke nodded solemnly.


    Ah, right, you¡¯re not petty at all. You never seek revenge.


    ¡°They are from the Xie family.¡±


    ¡°The Xie family?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, when I say the Xie family, you might not have a concept.¡±


    ¡°The Supreme Marshal of Azure Phoenix, named Xie Lan.¡±


    Although Song Ke was mentally prepared, she was still surprised. The Supreme Marshal of Azure Phoenix, isn¡¯t that Wu Juemin¡¯s immediate superior, the leader of those powerful awakener soldiers? He sounded like an impressive figure.


    ¡°Song Ke, I watched recordings from different angles,¡± Zhuang Qingyan focused on her as he spoke slowly, ¡°After killing that water-type zombie, did you want to give the crystal to Lin Youyou?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s observational skills were indeed terrifying; he even captured her momentary hesitation.


    Song Ke nodded slightly and then shook her head quickly. ¡°At first, I, I thought about it, but later, I couldn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because of Xu Xing.¡±


    Lin Youyou¡¯s desire to win was far more urgent than hers. If it were just Song Ke, she might have really handed over the crystal, as she had said; there would always be other ways to advance, and even in the face of endless slaughter mode, Song Ke could carve out a path.


    But she wasn¡¯t alone; she had Xu Xing. Sending Xiaoxing into a melee battle was too risky.


    At that time, Song Ke wasn¡¯t sure if the green crystal counted as a flag, so even if she had a moment of hesitation, she wouldn¡¯t have handed over the crystal.


    After a good night¡¯s sleep, her anger towards Lin Youyou had diminished. They both had no other choice at that time; they were just unlucky.


    Zhuang Qingyan looked at her for two seconds and nodded approvingly. ¡°Well done, you¡¯ve grown.¡±


    ¡­


    Xu Xing returned with a pile of food, and after a simple breakfast, Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s expression became serious. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about some real matters now.¡±


    ¡°Ferrara is very dangerous right now.¡±


    Rather than appearing as calm and peaceful as it seemed on the surface, Ferrara was more like a simmering pot of hidden turmoil.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s wheelchair stopped by the floor-to-ceiling window, and he looked down at the mist-shrouded city center outside.


    ¡°The most obvious evidence lies in two aspects: first, the abysmally low employment rate for the general population in Ferrara. Finding a job here is extremely difficult, as ordinary people simply cannot compete with the vast number of artificial intelligences. AI is better suited for all job positions than humans.¡±


    Since their arrival in Ferrara, they had encountered artificial intelligence in various fields. Almost 90% of job positions were controlled by these synthetic life forms. Occasionally, when they did encounter a non-AI human worker, it was a rare sight.


    No, not all, right? Song Ke paused. At least in the Awakeners¡¯ base, there was the girl who watched videos and the woman at the commission center window, and they were both regular humans.


    She raised her question.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right. Those three annoying auditors were also human,¡± Xu Xing added.


    Zhuang Qingyan slowly shook his head. ¡°What you¡¯re talking about all belong to organizations under the Alliance.¡±


    These directly affiliated organizations had their personnel assigned by the Alliance and naturally didn¡¯t compete with artificial intelligence for jobs. Apart from these special cases, Ferrara was a completely autonomous city.


    For ordinary people who couldn¡¯t find work and had no fixed income, they had nothing to do all day and idled away their time. The city held various large-scale entertainment events every so often, from concerts to Throne Race Competitions. All of these required significant expenses. Gradually, a culture of gambling flourished, with some people getting rich overnight and others losing their entire fortunes. Some ended up taking on commissions, doing dangerous tasks for others, and not knowing when or where they would meet their demise.


    The wealth of this neon city was concentrated in the hands of the top 1% of major conglomerates, or rather, in the hands of those who held power behind the scenes.


    Outside the window, dark clouds loomed, and steel and concrete structures intersected, cutting the city into layers. When viewed from a high-rise, the people below looked as tiny as ants.


    ¡°But¡­ what if there are fewer and fewer people, and they all die off?¡± Xu Xing couldn¡¯t help but murmur.


    ¡°It won¡¯t happen,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said with a chilly smile. ¡°Don¡¯t forget, Ferrara is an open and inclusive city with no entry restrictions. New people arrive every day.¡±


    Song Ke and Xu Xing fell into silence, feeling a chill creeping up their spines.


    Ferrara welcomes everyone.


    Looking back on that statement now, it sent shivers down their spines.


    After Song Ke and Xu Xing had processed this information, Zhuang Qingyan pointed to the needles placed on the table.


    ¡°Secondly, I accessed the dark web using your terminal and found some interesting information.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Some of the previous candidates for ruling officials are conspiring to unite and resist Ilya¡¯s rule. There may be significant actions taking place in the near future.¡±


    This news was even more explosive than the previous one. Could they still stay here and make money in peace?


    Song Ke was amazed. ¡°So, what should we do?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan narrowed his eyes in contemplation. ¡°In yesterday¡¯s competition, you attracted quite a bit of attention, and the news about having a Level 2 crystal in your possession has already been made public along with the recordings. In the coming days, there may be more unscrupulous individuals coming your way.¡±


    Song Ke furrowed her brow. s?a??h th? N0v?lFir?.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Being greedy and wanting it all, the crystals were still scarce commodities. Combined with the false information released by the Alliance, the number of people coveting the crystal in her possession was undoubtedly going to increase.


    Zhuang Qingyan accessed the V587 points system backend and thought that making money would be the same with a different approach.


    ¡°There¡¯s still some time before the next match. I suggest that we leave Ferrara for a while to avoid trouble.¡±

 Chapter 47: Tongwan Hospital (1)

    ¡ò Zombie Cleaner ¡ò¡°Excuse me, don¡¯t block the aisle!¡±


    Another medical stretcher bed sped past, and Song Ke, wearing a khaki vest, shrank back, trying to reduce her presence in the corridor. Her back was almost glued to the wall.


    A crack opened in the door opposite, and inside, a patient with a bright red face, in a coma due to a high fever, was being surrounded by doctors, trying to save them.


    ¡°Patient¡¯s heart rate?¡±


    ¡°150 beats per minute.¡±


    ¡°Have the condition of the eyes and skin been checked?¡±


    ¡°Yes, for now, the radiation levels are basically within the manageable range, and no mutations have been detected so far.¡±


    ¡°Transfer to intensive care first, keep the patient for observation tonight. If the quantum field inside the body remains stable, there¡¯s a high possibility the patient will awaken with abilities.¡±


    ¡°Where are the new volunteers? Patient in bed 94 has completely turned into a zombie, hurry up and take them away!¡±


    A deafening shout suddenly came from the next room.


    ¡°Here, coming!¡±


    Song Ke quickly ran over, holding a short shovel in her hand, ¡°Bang Bang,¡± two hits on the zombie¡¯s head, skillfully knocked out the zombie that was biting everywhere, then picked it up by the waist, ran out, and threw it into the incinerator through a dedicated stairwell.


    After finishing, she ran back ¡°thump thump thump,¡± stood against the wall, amidst the coming and going stretchers, continuing to be a quiet guardian.


    This was Song Ke¡¯s second day volunteering, or more precisely, her second day as a ¡°Zombie Cleaner.¡±


    The place they were in right now was a top-tier hospital in the C60 District, Tongwan. Song Ke worked as a cleaner in the ¡°Radiation Mutation Diagnosis and Treatment Research Center¡± on the thirteenth floor, Xu Xing worked as a runner in the pharmacy on the eighth floor, and Zhuang Qingyan was a clerk in the archive room of the adjacent comprehensive building.


    As for the mysterious part-time job of Team V587, it all traces back to an internal meeting three days ago.


    ¡­


    Three days ago, Zhuang Qingyan suggested that they temporarily leave the trouble-ridden Ferrara and go somewhere to lay low. So Song Ke flipped through the terminal¡¯s commission list and found a large-scale multiplayer B-class commission that piqued her interest.


    B-Class Mission (Multiplayer Mission): Support Tongwan Medical


    Mission Description: Tongwan (C60 District) has established a key discipline for radiation mutation research, providing comprehensive treatment for various types of zombie-like patients and offering complete guidance services for pre-awakened individuals with abilities. Due to a severe shortage of medical staff, volunteers with abilities are now being recruited from the entire alliance to overcome this challenge.


    Mission Deadline: Indefinite


    Mission Reward: 0-1000 Alliance Coins


    Note: Volunteers who successfully apply will gain access to C60 District within the validity period of their identity.


    After Zhuang Qingyan finished reading, he immediately made a decision: ¡°Let¡¯s go to Tongwan.¡±


    If Ferrara was the capital of music and freedom, then Tongwan was undoubtedly the city of medicine and life. After the apocalypse, as one of the very few cities where order had not collapsed, the local governing officials and security forces had put in great effort.


    Of course, this was also related to Tongwan¡¯s excellent medical resources. There were thousands of top-tier hospitals here, with over ten thousand practicing doctors in various fields. Almost every native resident had some medical knowledge. Tongwan¡¯s medical standards had been renowned throughout the entire Alliance even before, representing the highest levels of technological expertise and comprehensive capabilities.


    There used to be a joke about Tongwan: no matter what critical condition, emergency, or rare disease you had, as long as a doctor from Tongwan nodded and said they could save you, even if you had just half a breath left, they could pull you back from the clutches of the King of Hell. On the other hand, if even Tongwan shook its head and said there was no hope, then there was no use struggling, and you better prepare for the inevitable.


    In the early days of the apocalypse, the D-grade cities around Tongwan quickly fell, and a large number of zombies poured in madly. Despite this, Tongwan only remained in chaos for less than a week. After clearing out the zombies, the doctors picked up their scalpels again, doing their best to slow down the mutation process for patients who had either suffered from excessive radiation or had been bitten by zombies.


    Tongwan, along with the three large shelters nearby, carried the heavy burden forward. Instead of being overwhelmed by the tide of corpses, it shone like a polished pearl. It was not only a graveyard of death but also a place of rebirth for those with abilities. Every day, some people died due to radiation outbreaks, but others survived high fevers and awakened their abilities, coming back to life.


    In the emergency room on the thirteenth floor, paramedics wheeled in a young patient.


    ¡°Doctor, am I going to turn into a zombie?¡± The girl clutched a doll tightly in her arms, her voice choked with tears.


    There was a noticeable claw mark on her calf, and blackish blood had started oozing from the edges.


    ¡°Little sister, you need to stay strong,¡± a nurse beside her comforted in a low voice. ¡°Trust us for everything else and leave it to the doctors, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay, thank you, Doctor.¡±


    ¡°How long ago was she bitten?¡± Dr. Lu Ning, with short hair, hurried over from the next room, bent down to examine the girl¡¯s condition, and asked the parents beside her.


    ¡°She was just bitten. We rushed her to the hospital immediately, less than twenty minutes ago,¡± the girl¡¯s mother said, her voice trembling.


    Lu Ning¡¯s expression remained unchanged. She gestured for the couple to step outside before saying coldly, ¡°The wound has already started to deform. We need to amputate immediately to stop the zombie transformation process. Perhaps we can save her life, but time is of the essence. You need to make a decision quickly.¡±


    The girl¡¯s mother, upon hearing this dreadful news, almost fainted, but fortunately, the girl¡¯s father remained composed. After a moment of grieving, he gritted his teeth and agreed.


    ¡°Listen to Dr. Lu. We¡­ we agree to the amputation.¡±


    ¡°Sign the consent form, prepare for surgery,¡± Lu Ning turned and was about to head to the operating room.


    ¡°Dr. Lu!¡± A colleague blocked her path, looking concerned. ¡°Don¡¯t forget the regulations. No surgeries involving suspected mutants can be performed without an awakener on guard. It¡¯s too dangerous.¡±


    ¡°Then find an awakener!¡± Lu Ning frowned.


    ¡°All the volunteers outside are helping with ¡®clean-up¡¯ now. It may take some time to find someone available¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a matter of life and death. I¡¯ll find someone myself.¡±


    Lu Ning pushed him aside and quickly walked out of the emergency room. When she looked outside, she saw people running back and forth in the corridor, and it was chaotic. Only a girl in a khaki vest was standing idly in the corner.


    ¡°Hey, you!¡± Lu Ning shouted.


    Song Ke noticed a doctor in a white gown in front of her who seemed to be talking to her. She pointed to herself, saying, ¡°Me?¡±


    ¡°Yes, come here!¡±


    ¡°Ah? Oh.¡±


    She hurried over to the doctor in the white gown. Lu Ning quickly scanned her and noticed the words ¡°Medical Support¡± on her vest, which had a unique ugliness to it.


    ¡°Are you a person with abilities?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Perfect, I need surgery right now, and I need a guardian. It¡¯s you.¡±


    A guardian was another layer of protection for surgeries on suspected mutants. If a patient¡¯s zombification accelerated during the surgery, causing them to lose consciousness and attack the medical staff, the guardian had to deal with the threat immediately.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Song Ke replied. She had only worked as a cleaner for two days, dealing with dirty and tiring tasks and confronting zombies. This was her first time entering an operating room.


    She put on a sterile radiation-proof suit and, after entering the operating room, was directed to stand in a corner, serving as a guardian in a different location.


    Lu Ning was also fully equipped. She took the surgical knife with a solemn expression. There was a touch of sternness on her face that belonged to a doctor. The scalpel in her hand could save a life, but it could also swiftly end one when it was confirmed that the patient had turned into a zombie.


    An hour later, the indicator lights went out, and Lu Ning came out, walking over to the couple.


    ¡°The surgery went smoothly,¡± she said, her demeanor unusually calm.


    ¡°Thank you, thank you, Dr. Lu!¡± The girl¡¯s parents were deeply grateful. s?a??h th? N?v?l(F)ire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    After the couple walked away, Lu Ning stood in place, looking down at her own hands as if lost in thought.


    Several colleagues passed by and curiously asked, ¡°Dr. Lu, you saved a life, why don¡¯t you seem happy?¡±


    Lu Ning remained silent. ¡°My original plan was to amputate just the lower leg, but the radiation spread too quickly, and I couldn¡¯t keep up. I had to remove her entire leg¡­¡±


    A colleague tried to console her. ¡°Lu Ning, don¡¯t blame yourself. You did an amazing job.¡±


    Lu Ning shook her head. ¡°If it were Director Fang performing this surgery today, he would have definitely done better, a thousand times better than me.¡±


    Others sighed, ¡°Director Fang¡­¡±


    The other doctors quickly dispersed, busy with treating other patients, and Lu Ning also needed to leave. However, she noticed Song Ke still standing in the corner.


    ¡°We¡¯re done here. You can go back now.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Song Ke removed the mask from her face, having worn it for over an hour, her black hair was soaked with sweat. It was just too hot. She used the back of her hand to fan herself.


    Lu Ning gave her another glance and thanked her, saying, ¡°Thank you for today.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re, you¡¯re welcome.¡±


    In the current world, nobody had it easy. A young girl like Song Ke coming to such a dangerous place to volunteer probably meant her family was facing some difficulties. Moreover, she was doing the dirty and tiring work of cleaning up zombies, earning less than 200 Alliance coins a day. Only lower-level awakeners were willing to do such work.


    Even though Lu Ning had witnessed life and death countless times, she still felt a twinge of sympathy and sighed, saying, ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard.¡±


    Song Ke blinked. She had only stood there for a while because of the heat. How could Doctor Lu, who had been performing surgeries, think she had worked hard?


    ¡­


    After a busy day, Song Ke finally received her compensation and left work. Tongwan had become somewhat desolate compared to the past, but it was still a functioning city. The majority of zombies had been concentrated in the incinerators of major hospitals, making the streets relatively peaceful.


    As Song Ke left the hospital, she passed by a central park. Flocks of white pigeons were pecking at rice on the ground. Children in new clothes were running around, and a scruffy-looking homeless man with a newspaper-covered head was sleeping on a bench. Passersby sprinkled breadcrumbs into the air, attracting the pigeons to feed. The homeless man, smelling the aroma of baking, half-rolled off the bench and reached out to grab some food, competing with the pigeons.


    The person who had thrown the breadcrumbs had a disdainful look and quickly moved away.


    The homeless man, oblivious to this, leaned on the ground with stubble on his face and desperately stuffed his mouth with food. His voraciousness might have choked his throat accidentally, and he started coughing violently, causing crumbs to scatter all over. The pigeons were startled and flew away in a flutter.


    Song Ke had initially walked past, but when she heard the man¡¯s severe coughing, her steps gradually slowed down. She paused for a couple of seconds and then retraced her steps, taking out an unopened loaf of bread from her pocket and placing it in front of the man.


    It was the hospital¡¯s lunch, which she hadn¡¯t eaten. It even had the Medical Support logo printed on it.


    Before her grandfather had settled them in District F, there was a time when they had been wandering like this, struggling to find food. This homeless man reminded her of herself when she was a child.


    The homeless man hesitated for a moment when he saw the extra bread in front of him, then quickly grabbed it and ate it ravenously.


    Song Ke walked away, thinking as she went. She wondered how much money Zhuang Qingyan and Xiaoxing had earned today.

 Chapter 48: Tongwan Hospital (2)

    ¡ò Who is Tao Tao? ¡òAs the sun set, hardworking laborers finished their day¡¯s work and returned home with a sense of accomplishment.


    That was the ideal situation, though.


    In reality, when the three of them, V587¡¯s trio, returned to their temporary residence, their faces didn¡¯t look very cheerful.


    ¡°I¡¯m so tired~¡± Xu Xing stuck out his tongue, his two thin arms hanging in front of him like a small octopus. ¡°Sister, are you tired?¡±


    ¡°Well, not too much.¡± In terms of physical exhaustion, Song Ke was doing okay. It was just that she felt dirty and immediately rushed into the bathroom to shower.


    Among the three of them, only Zhuang Qingyan seemed refreshed. He was dressed in a gray administrative officer uniform, and at a glance, he exuded an air of elegance fit for an office worker. However, at this moment, he was massaging his wrist, with a furrowed brow, displaying signs of patience.


    Sigh, Song Ke sighed. Life was not easy, and making money was hard work.


    Speaking of which, cleaning up zombies was typically a job for lower-level awakeners. Yet here was Song Ke, an A-level awakener, not out there bravely slaying zombies but doing this. It was truly surprising.


    Their choice of Tongwan for their multi-person mission had a reason.


    The other available missions were either too far away or one-time gigs, where you finished the job and had to find the next one. They also didn¡¯t provide access permissions. After accepting a mission, you had to return to Ferrara. Only Tongwan¡¯s medical support, despite its low pay, offered a variety of positions and was a rare long-term task. So, Song Ke didn¡¯t mind. After all, earning money was earning money, and work didn¡¯t have a hierarchy of prestige. Cleaning work was cleaning work. They did it happily.


    The three of them sat down in a row and calculated their earnings for the day: Xu Xing had 80 Alliance coins, Song Ke had 180 Alliance coins, and surprisingly, Zhuang Qingyan had the most, with a whopping 300 Alliance coins! Technical positions were in demand.


    Their total income for the day reached 560 Alliance coins. When combined with the bonus from the pre-qualifying matches and the top 64, they were now a well-off family!


    Song Ke counted the numbers in her account and felt quite pleased.


    ¡°Ferrara¡¯s news this morning mentioned that a top 64 team was assassinated at home, and their crystal disappeared,¡± Zhuang Qingyan calmly dropped a bombshell.


    ¡°Which team?¡±


    ¡°The Mystical Heroes team. Their strength was average, with only the team captain being a C-level awakener, while the rest were all D-level.¡±


    ¡°They must have advanced purely by luck. Shortly after the competition began, they encountered a heavily injured mutant zombie, a gift that fell into their lap. They picked up a crystal for free, but now they¡¯re the first ones targeted. The other side knew they were easy prey.¡±


    Song Ke frowned. Leaving Ferrara was indeed the right choice.


    The hidden whirlpool was escalating, and the first step was the assassination of contestants. Who knew what else would happen in the future?


    Xu Xing looked left and right, feeling inadequate for earning the least. The little boy¡¯s male pride came up again: ¡°I want to go to the 13th floor tomorrow.¡±


    If he couldn¡¯t earn 300, at least 180 would do, right? 80 was just too little.


    Thinking about facing an endless pile of patient records tomorrow, Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s wrist started to ache again.


    ¡°None of you are going to the 13th Floor tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°We have two missions here that I think we can take.¡±


    He projected the mission interface, and Song Ke and Xu Xing leaned in to take a look.


    The first one was a C-level mission, and the requester was an owner in the Golden House Community. According to him, he hadn¡¯t been able to return home for several days. Every time he reached the front of the building, whether he wanted to take the stairs or the elevator, it felt like hitting a brick wall. So, he wanted an awakener¡¯s help to investigate and see if they could resolve the issue.


    Zhuang Qingyan analyzed it logically, ¡°The Central has rated it as a C-level mission, which means the big data calculations aren¡¯t that complex. The Golden House Community is also close to us, considering the processing time, a round trip in a day should be sufficient. Most importantly¡­¡±


    His clearly defined fingers slid across the screen, reaching the last line of the mission description, ¡°This, you should like.¡±


    The mission reward prominently displayed: 1000 Alliance coins.


    Wow, this homeowner must be wealthy!


    Song Ke¡¯s eyes lit up.


    Zhuang Qingyan smiled, seemingly anticipating her reaction, ¡°Take a look at the second one.¡±


    The difficulty of the second mission was only D-level, and the requester was in a hurry. She mentioned that her child, Tao Tao, had been running a fever for several days. However, there were zombies roaming the floor, and she couldn¡¯t open the door at home, making it impossible to leave. She suspected it was a supernatural event and wanted an awakener to lend a hand and help take her child to a nearby hospital.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Song Ke noticed the connection between the two missions. ¡°The address is the same.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, both in the Golden House Community. The requester for the second mission lives in Apartment 1507 of Building G.¡±


    This was interesting. In the same residential complex, one owner said they couldn¡¯t get in, while the other said they couldn¡¯t get out. Who was telling the truth? They¡¯d probably only find out by going to the scene.


    ¡°The problem likely lies in Building G. We can handle both missions together; it shouldn¡¯t be too difficult.¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow, we¡¯ll go together,¡± Song Ke decided.


    ¡­


    Early the next morning, Song Ke first activated the terminal at the Tongwan mission hall and successfully accepted the missions. Then, the three of them headed to the Golden House Community.


    The Golden House Community was a high-end residential complex, and from the outside, it seemed to have been minimally affected by the apocalypse, with greenery and public facilities largely intact.


    The property management was quite responsible. After confirming their awakener identities, they registered them before allowing entry.


    The security guard leading the way jingled his keys, the crisp sound echoing noticeably in the quiet environment.


    ¡°This is the building. There hasn¡¯t been any activity here for the past few days.¡±


    The group stopped at the entrance of the building, and the security guard was about to leave.


    ¡°If you can get in and find zombies inside, just call the security team. Don¡¯t come looking for me.¡±


    ¡°If there are patients with a fever, I can help you contact the nearby Fifth Hospital. They¡¯ll send an ambulance.¡±


    The security guard was just an ordinary person, and fearing zombies was understandable. Song Ke didn¡¯t want to pressure him, ¡°Okay, thank you.¡±


    Once the group moved away, she carefully examined the situation in front of her. The entrance to the building was open, so why couldn¡¯t they get in?


    Song Ke was puzzled. She took a step forward, everything seemed normal. She took another step, still normal. She lifted her foot to step onto the stairs, preparing to enter the entrance, and then¡­ she couldn¡¯t move.


    There seemed to be an invisible wall in front of her, keeping her outside, and trying to move forward became exceptionally difficult.


    Xu Xing tried to break through with his ice spikes. The sharp ice shards pierced the invisible barrier, and it seemed they were just inches away from the entrance. However, with a ¡°ding¡± sound, they were bounced back and fell into the grassy lawn behind them, shattering into pieces.


    ¡°It¡¯s a domain-type ability,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said.


    ¡°It¡¯s somewhat similar to Maeda Jiu¡¯s air barrier, but with a larger range and longer duration. It¡¯s been active for at least three to five days.¡±


    ¡°I have a guess, but it¡¯s better to confirm the opponent¡¯s location first.¡±


    Were there awakeners inside the building? Were they releasing powers indiscriminately?


    Song Ke took a few steps back, looked up, and released her psychic power, trying to pinpoint the awakener¡¯s location.


    The other party¡¯s energy field seemed very weak, fading to just a faint hint. She could only roughly determine it was around the 15th floor.


    ¡°Approximately, on the 15th floor,¡± Song Ke reported her findings.


    After saying it, she froze for a moment. The 15th floor, why did it sound so familiar? Could it be?


    ¡°Could it be¡ª¡±


    ¡°I know, I know! Is it the feverish kid from the mission?¡±


    Xu Xing answered a split second before her.


    Song Ke: ¡°¡­¡± She was slow again, not even able to keep up with Xiaoxing.


    Zhuang Qingyan suppressed a smile, ¡°Very likely. The person is disoriented, unable to control their powers, involuntarily creating a domain. Because of this, the people inside their home can¡¯t leave.¡±


    He gently patted a certain dejected head, ¡°The child¡¯s psychic power isn¡¯t strong, so when they spread their ability over such a wide area, there must be weak points. It¡¯s up to you to find them.¡±


    ¡°Once we breach the weak point, there should be a few seconds of a vacuum period, enough for us to get inside.¡±


    Song Ke gathered her focus, circled around Building G, and manifested a spear-like object in her hand, nearly five meters in length. She prodded here and tapped there until she finally detected a weaker point on the outside of the 5th floor.


    Backing away to the flowerbed outside, she aimed at the weak spot, took a running start, and sprinted forward. With a flick of her right hand, she traced a half-arc in the air.


    ¡°Swish!¡± The spear flew forward with thunderous force, piercing something in mid-air. Invisible ripples spread out, momentarily disrupting the psychic power surrounding Building G.


    ¡°Quick, let¡¯s get in!¡± Zhuang Qingyan shouted.


    The three of them seized the opportunity and rushed into the building. S?a??h th? ???el F?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Two seconds later, the absolute domain rebounded, returning to its original state.


    Zhuang Qingyan glanced back and said, ¡°Domain-type abilities are not easy to break through. We can only locate the awakener responsible and persuade them to remove it.¡±


    ¡°But the child is feverish and not cooperative,¡± Song Ke expressed some concern.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll handle the communication when the time comes,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said.


    While they were talking, Xu Xing, being quite responsible, went to press the elevator button. He tiptoed, pressed the ¡°up¡± button, and with a ¡°ding,¡± the elevator slowly arrived at the ground floor, sliding open on both sides.


    Several stiff-limbed zombies appeared in front of him.


    Xu Xing gasped, and behind him, a multitude of ice spikes shot out, skewering the monsters before them. The zombies hadn¡¯t even had the chance to roar before collapsing limply to the ground.


    Xu Xing turned back, frightened and apprehensive. He opened his mouth, intending to alert the other two, but Zhuang Qingyan and Song Ke were still engrossed in their conversation, not giving this side a single glance.


    Xu Xing: ¡°¡­¡±


    He sighed melodramatically, realizing he was the one who had to deal with everything on his own.


    Song Ke and Zhuang Qingyan finally came over, noticing the fallen zombies inside the elevator. They praised, ¡°Well done, Xiaoxing.¡±


    Xu Xing, acting a bit spoiled, simply nodded his head, keeping his accomplishments and fame to himself.


    The group cleared the zombies out of the elevator, piled them up on the ground floor, and then proceeded to the 15th floor.


    Sure enough, there were quite a few zombies wandering on the 15th floor. Song Ke and Xu Xing worked together to eliminate the threat.


    Zhuang Qingyan pressed the doorbell of 1507, saying, ¡°Hello, we¡¯re the awakeners who received the mission. Is it your child who needs to be taken to the hospital?¡±


    There was no response, so he pressed it again.


    ¡°Hello¡­¡±


    This time, before he could finish speaking, the door to 1507 was abruptly pulled open. A woman with disheveled long hair and glasses appeared, tears of excitement in her eyes. ¡°Finally, I can open the door! Hurry, Tao Tao has a high fever, please take her to the hospital!¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan reassured her, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, first bring your child out, and I¡¯ll talk to her. We¡¯ve already cleared the outside.¡±


    He tried to comfort the young and flustered mother while simultaneously having Xu Xing contact an ambulance from the Fifth Hospital.


    The woman cradled a small figure wrapped in a blanket and brought her out. As she passed by, Song Ke glanced at the bundle and instinctively felt that something was off.


    Before she could fully process it, the corners of the blanket moved, and a small head poked out. A corgi with a drooping ear emerged, grinned at them, its nose moist, and let out a weak ¡°woof.¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°¡­¡±


    Wait, could someone please explain why Tao Tao was a dog??


    An awakener dog???

 Chapter 49.1: Tongwan Hospital (3)

    ¡ò We Kidnapped a Big Star! ¡òSong Ke¡¯s language system was in disarray.


    She and Tao Tao, who was curled up in a blanket, stared at each other in silence. Tao Tao¡¯s big eyes met her gaze for a moment, and then she turned her head away, disdainfully blowing a bubble of snot.


    Oh! This dog, why is it still looking down on people?


    Song Ke was furious.


    Zhuang Qingyan was also unusually speechless. His original plan was to communicate with this child named Tao Tao and persuade her to temporarily suppress her abilities. Now it seemed that this task was even more challenging than he had imagined.


    No, it should be said that this task had already surpassed the scope of what humans could accomplish.


    ¡°In your request, you mentioned that it¡¯s your child who has a fever¡­¡± Zhuang Qingyan took a deep breath, carefully choosing his words.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, Tao Tao is my child!¡± the woman responded confidently. ¡°She has a fever, please hurry and take her to the hospital.¡±


    Take a dog with a fever to a pet hospital? But was Tao Tao¡¯s condition due to her awakened abilities, or should she be taken to a specialized radiation center?


    Zhuang Qingyan rubbed his forehead. ¡°Your¡­ child, from our preliminary assessment, seems to have awakened her abilities. She sensed danger outside and created a protective field on her own, which is why you haven¡¯t been able to leave your home for the past few days.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± The woman was quite carefree and didn¡¯t find anything unusual about her dog awakening abilities. She lifted Tao Tao affectionately and nuzzled her nose. ¡°So, Tao Tao was protecting mommy? That¡¯s amazing!¡±


    ¡°Woof, woof,¡± Tao Tao barked twice in cooperation.


    V587¡¯s three members watched the woman and the small dog perform their touching mother-daughter act without expression.


    Zhuang Qingyan cleared his throat, interrupting this warm scene. ¡°Now, Tao Tao needs to suppress her abilities before you can leave.¡±


    ¡°How do we do that?¡± The woman was cooperative and immediately asked, ¡°What do I need to do?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re her mother, don¡¯t you have some special way of communicating with her?¡± Xu Xing muttered.


    ¡°Tao Tao is usually quite obedient. Tao Tao, can we please suppress that thing?¡± The woman asked hopefully.


    ¡°Woof!¡±


    ¡°Is it done? Can we leave now?¡± The woman looked at them with anticipation.


    Song Ke shook her head; the protective field was still in place.


    ¡°Let me try.¡±


    Xu Xing volunteered and extended two small paws towards Tao Tao¡¯s head, glaring menacingly. ¡°Little dog, suppress your abilities!¡±


    Tao Tao sneezed and sprayed him with saliva, her tiny dog face showing a hint of disdain.


    ¡°You do it!¡± Xu Xing wiped his face in annoyance and handed the problem over to Zhuang Qingyan. ¡°Aren¡¯t you usually good at this?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan was speechless. He could easily deal with this Corgi, but trying to reason with a dog¡ªwasn¡¯t that a bit too much for him?


    The four people and one dog remained deadlocked for a while, unable to find a solution to make Tao Tao suppress her abilities.


    Suddenly, there was a rustling noise in the stairwell, and a zombie crawled up from below, swaying unsteadily as it appeared in the corridor.


    ¡°Oh, a zombie!¡± Tao Tao¡¯s mother turned pale with fright, clutching Tao Tao tightly and attempting to hide inside the room.


    ¡°Auntie, it¡¯s alright. We¡¯ll take care of it,¡± Xu Xing quickly stopped her, patting his chest to guarantee. S?a?ch* Th? ???el F?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Song Ke turned around, her right hand flipped, a slightly thicker in the middle and slightly thinner at both ends, diamond shaped spiked cone appeared at her fingertips. She slid the ring onto her middle finger and, with a quick flick of her wrist, started spinning it rapidly. The zombie in the corridor had also noticed the living people and lunged at them ferociously.


    Song Ke¡¯s spiritual weapon, emei thorn, shot out from her hand, and with a twist of her fingers, she deftly intercepted the zombie. In one go, she thrust it, and the entire skull of the zombie was lifted off, rolling on the ground like a soccer ball.


    The zombie, now headless, took two more steps due to momentum before crashing heavily.


    ¡°Sister is amazing,¡± Xu Xing, the cheerleader, applauded.


    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s impressive,¡± Tao Tao¡¯s mother was also quite impressed and followed with admiration.


    Tao Tao peeked out from the blanket, her round eyes staring at Song Ke. She barked twice, ¡°Woof, woof.¡±


    ¡°What, what is it saying?¡± Song Ke turned to Zhuang Qingyan.


    Zhuang Qingyan: ¡°¡­¡± She didn¡¯t need to trust him so much; he couldn¡¯t understand dog language.


    However, he soon had a change in expression. ¡°The protective field has been lifted.¡±


    Tao Tao looked very excited, her short tail wagging rapidly. She propped up half of her dog body, placed her front paws on her mother¡¯s arm, perked up her ears in high spirits, and barked at Song Ke again, ¡°Woof!¡±


    What did that mean? Song Ke had won the approval of a dog through sheer force?


    It felt a bit strange.


    ¡­


    At the Fifth Hospital, the doctor in charge of receiving patients looked at Tao Tao wrapped in a blanket on the counter with a troubled expression. ¡°We¡¯re not veterinarians, you know?¡±


    ¡°This dog has awakened its abilities,¡± Zhuang Qingyan sighed and had to explain again.


    From stepping into the hospital gate to the triage desk, and then to the examination room, he had repeated it countless times and received countless strange looks.


    ¡°What? A dog with awakened abilities?!¡± The doctor¡¯s tone changed.


    The doctor who had just claimed ¡°we¡¯re not veterinarians¡± suddenly had a gleam in his eyes. He seemed to see his own shining future research paper. He took out his glasses from his pocket, put them on, and turned to say a few words to someone inside. Soon, a group of interns also rushed out with eager expressions.


    ¡°Come on, it¡¯s called Tao Tao, right? Oh, you¡¯re such a good dog. We¡¯ll make you better, don¡¯t be scared, okay?¡±


    A group of doctors in white coats surrounded Tao Tao like they were observing precious research material, afraid that it might have a headache or fever.


    Song Ke witnessed their dramatic change in attitude, her mouth agape.


    The doctor looked at them, cleared his throat twice, and said seriously, ¡°Let Tao Tao stay in the hospital for now. I will establish a specialized medical team to take care of her. As for the ward, you can apply for a single room.¡±


    Tao Tao¡¯s mother happily agreed. After leaving the examination room, Song Ke, Tao Tao, and Tao Tao¡¯s mother said their goodbyes, and their mission here was considered successfully completed.


    However, Song Ke still couldn¡¯t understand, ¡°Can dogs also awaken?¡±


    This kind of thing sounded magical just by listening to it. Zhuang Qingyan tried to explain it to her in a simple and understandable way, ¡°There are always exceptions in everything. Radiation is indiscriminate. In theory, animals can also potentially awaken, but compared to humans, there are clear deficiencies in terms of both the capacity to endure and genetic sequences. Animals like Tao Tao are just a rare occurrence.¡±


    They didn¡¯t expect such an explosive surprise hidden in a D-level mission. A few more missions like this would be enough to test their mentality.


    Having completed their part-time work for the day, the three members of V587 relaxed and leaned against the corridor to enjoy the breeze.


    The Fifth Hospital was quite different from the 119 Hospital where Song Ke had worked a few days ago. The 119 Hospital was always racing against time, with doctors in the emergency department and resuscitation constantly busy, and the 13th floor, the Radiation Specialist Department, was even more of a disaster area. Radiation outbreaks often resulted in patients becoming more zombie-like and a threat to the safety of ordinary people. Volunteers had to maintain strict vigilance and be ready to ¡°clean¡± at any time.


    But the Fifth Hospital seemed much calmer. In the small park below, there were lush trees, and hospitalized patients were chatting and walking. The overall atmosphere was peaceful and healing.


    ¡°According to the introduction, this is more of a therapeutic hospital,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said.


    Tongwan Hospital had many branches, and perhaps different hospitals had different roles. Song Ke found this calm atmosphere quite pleasant. She lay on the railing in the middle of the atrium, enjoying the breeze, her gaze casually scanning the surroundings.


    ¡ªThen, she spotted an extremely familiar figure.


    The person was wearing black sunglasses, a high-end gray overcoat, and her long wavy hair was not tied up this time but fell smoothly on her shoulders, snugly pressed down by a woolen hat.


    The woman moved gracefully, her expression cheerful, and after getting off a private steamship, she walked slowly towards the entrance of the Fifth Hospital.


    The tall man silently following her must have received instructions. He nodded and took a detour to the hospital¡¯s self-service supermarket.


    Lin. You. You!


    In her heart, Song Ke gritted her teeth as she pronounced the name. She recognized that figure even when it turned into ashes!


    She paid no heed to the railing and was about to jump over it to confront Lin Youyou.


    ¡°Wait!¡± Zhuang Qingyan grabbed her coat and prevented Song Ke from getting her way. Her legs were caught on the railing, and she almost ended up falling headfirst.


    She pouted and looked at the person stopping her, accusingly saying, ¡°She, she cheated me out of crystal!¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan was both annoyed and amused. He lowered his voice and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t say you couldn¡¯t go confront her, but if you go down there so openly, what if she calls for reinforcements, and Su Cha comes back? By then, if you two have a brawl, and there¡¯s a crowd watching, won¡¯t that attract the Tongwan security team? We¡¯ve finally obtained the admission permit; don¡¯t mess it up.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ But¡­¡± Song Ke felt so wronged, but she couldn¡¯t swallow this anger!


    Zhuang Qingyan stopped teasing her and quickly came up with an idea. ¡°Don¡¯t worry; I have a way to catch her. I guarantee it will help you vent your frustration.¡±


    Emei Thorn ¨C

 Chapter 49.2: Tongwan Hospital (3)

    ¡ò We Kidnapped a Big Star! ¡òHumming a tune, Lin Youyou entered the Fifth Hospital with a graceful stride. She passed through the spacious lobby, navigated through the crowded people, and arrived at the exclusive elevator for VIP wards, pressing the button to go up.


    The elevator doors opened, and she found herself alone inside. She stood confidently, pressed the floor button.


    The metallic double doors slowly closed, and while waiting, Lin Youyou adjusted her hair in front of the one-way mirror. As she moved, her fingertips suddenly stopped, and through the gap in her sunglasses, a sparkling snowflake slowly landed on her nose.


    At this time of the year, in such a sealed space, where could snowflakes come from?


    Lin Youyou realized something was wrong!


    She desperately pressed all the floor buttons, but it was too late. The running elevator froze suddenly, coming to a slow stop, stuck halfway between floors. The space inside her car was encased in a layer of thick frost.


    Ka-chunk!


    The metal sliding doors were forcibly pried open. Outside was pitch black, and in some mezzanine of an unknown floor, Song Ke, with her bare hands, forced open the elevator door. She squatted on the ground and gave Lin Youyou a sinister smile.


    Lin Youyou quickly took off her sunglasses, her eyes wide with shock, and her red lips were about to speak.


    Song Ke didn¡¯t give her a chance to speak. She delivered a swift knife-hand strike to the back of Lin Youyou¡¯s neck.


    Although this celebrity was an awakener, she was a pure support type and had almost zero close combat experience. Struck by Song Ke like this, her body went limp, and she fainted on the spot. Song Ke extended her arm, grabbed her by the waist, and pulled her out of the elevator. s?a??h th? ?0velF?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Then, she shouted up through the elevator shaft to Xu Xing above, ¡°Xiaoxing, it¡¯s a success!¡±


    Xu Xing¡¯s furry little head appeared on the top floor. This time, his ability had turned into ice blades. He knocked on the frozen elevator and peeled away the layers of ice and snow. In no time, the elevator returned to normal operation as if nothing had happened.


    Song Ke carried Lin Youyou like a sack and met up with her two ¡°accomplices¡± in the corridor.


    ¡°We, we kidnapped a big, big star!¡± She exclaimed in disbelief in a hushed voice.


    ¡°We kidnapped a big star!¡± Xu Xing repeated like a tape recorder.


    The two of them jumped up and twirled around in joy.


    ¡°Don¡¯t celebrate too soon,¡± Zhuang Qingyan poured cold water on their excitement. ¡°We still need to find a place to hide her. Otherwise, with Rainforest¡¯s tracking methods, it won¡¯t take more than ten minutes for Su Cha to locate her.¡±


    ¡°Whe-where should we hide, hide her?¡± Song Ke asked nervously.


    Zhuang Qingyan brushed non-existent dust off the blanket and smiled, ¡°I have a place in mind. It should be just right.¡±


    ¡­


    When Lin Youyou woke up, she found herself in a spacious hospital room, her hands and feet tightly bound.


    There was a dull pain in the back of her neck, and her head throbbed with dizziness. Her vision started as a blurry white expanse but gradually became clear, revealing two familiar figures. She lifted her head abruptly, only to see a teenage girl and a child sitting back-to-back on a chair, both glaring at her fiercely.


    ¡°¡­Song Ke? Xu Xing?¡± she said in surprise.


    ¡°Hmph,¡± the two of them responded in unison, clearly not pleased.


    ¡°Why have you kidnapped me? Release me immediately!¡± Lin Youyou demanded angrily.


    ¡°We won¡¯t release you, won¡¯t release you. I¡¯ll piss you off to death!¡± Xu Xing cheerfully gloated.


    ¡°Not releasing you,¡± Song Ke also followed, adding fire.


    ¡°Su Cha? Su Cha!¡±


    Lin Youyou couldn¡¯t be bothered to argue with the two of them and called out for Su Cha using her psychic power. However, there seemed to be an invisible barrier around her, trapping her psychic power within the room, preventing it from escaping.


    Observing her puzzled expression, Song Ke coldly huffed and said, ¡°It¡¯s useless.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Lin Youyou asked.


    ¡°Even if you scream your throat hoarse, no one will come to rescue you!¡± Xu Xing helped her understand.


    ¡°Yeah!¡± Song Ke nodded vigorously.


    ¡°Woof!¡± From the corner came a barking sound, as if echoing the conversation between the two.


    Lin Youyou raised an eyebrow in confusion. What kind of kidnappers were these?


    However, Song Ke had intentionally chosen this room. It was a highly confidential double-ward VIP room. To obtain this, she not only voluntarily covered Tao Tao¡¯s medical expenses but also spent a lot of contingency funds, buying a bunch of high-end dog snacks. Only then did she capture Tao Tao¡¯s heart and ask it to help release a little bit of its domain.


    After handing her child over to the hospital, Tao Tao¡¯s mother didn¡¯t have much to do at home and was getting bored staying indoors for a few days. Just then, Song Ke took the initiative to offer help and promised to take care of Tao Tao today. So she happily made plans for afternoon tea with her girlfriends. Now, this ward has become a natural prison, with Tao Tao¡¯s domain covering it. Even if Su Cha tries, he won¡¯t be able to find it.


    Lin Youyou¡¯s heart was pounding fast. The two humans and one dog were making a ruckus, and it was really getting on her nerves. However, she guessed that something must have been done to the room, as her psychic powers were cut off, and it was pointless to continue trying.


    Lin Youyou refused to communicate with these strange beings and turned to the only normal person in the room.


    ¡°What exactly do you want from me?¡± Lin Youyou asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to do anything, I just want to have a good chat with Miss Lin.¡± Zhuang Qingyan leaned against the window, his smile as cool as the cold wind, devoid of any warmth.


    Lin Youyou fell silent for a moment, carefully considering the situation, then turned to Song Ke with a serious expression. ¡°Regarding Mirror Lake, Song Ke, I apologize to you. I¡¯m sorry. If you want that crystal, I can return it to you.


    ¡°What compensation do you want? Within my capabilities, I¡¯ll do my best.¡±


    ¡°Miss Lin, not all mistakes can be made right afterward,¡± Zhuang Qingyan interrupted her. ¡°Even if wounds can be healed, the scars left behind are difficult to erase.¡±


    Song Ke nodded, though she wanted to argue that the scars on her body could disappear, but now was not the time to correct Zhuang Qingyan.


    So, she endured.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, I feel sorry for what I¡¯ve done¡­ but I don¡¯t regret it.¡±


    ¡°If I had to do it again, I would.¡±


    Lin Youyou¡¯s gaze was resolute. ¡°Because I have a reason I can¡¯t afford to lose.¡±


    ¡°Song Ke, you won¡¯t trust me again, will you?¡±


    Lin Youyou sighed, a hint of bitterness in her mouth. ¡°My initial intention in proposing cooperation was not to deceive you. If that wasn¡¯t the last crystal, we should be able to sit together and celebrate victory.¡±


    Song Ke remained silent.


    There were no ¡°ifs¡± anymore; Lin Youyou had betrayed her trust, and she couldn¡¯t get over that.


    ¡°Betrayal is never worth forgiving,¡± Zhuang Qingyan calmly commented.


    ¡°If Miss Lin feels truly guilty, she should take some practical actions.¡±


    ¡°What do you want? Money? How much money?¡± Lin Youyou asked.


    Zhuang Qingyan shook his head slowly. ¡°What kind of people do you take us for? Extortionists and thugs?¡±


    Lin Youyou replied, ¡°From your actions, is there really a difference?¡±


    Still being defiant, Zhuang Qingyan wheeled his wheelchair across the floor and approached the famous star.


    ¡°Lin Youyou, you left Ferrara and came to Tongwan, specifically to the Fifth Hospital, which is mainly responsible for recuperation? Why? Do you have someone here who means a lot to you? Family or friends? Is the other person hopeful to wake up, or have they already turned into zombies?¡±


    ¡°I guess it should be the former, but the situation isn¡¯t great, which is why you¡¯re willing to do whatever it takes to snatch the crystal, right?¡±


    Lin Youyou narrowed her eyes suddenly.


    ¡°Since we were able to capture you, it wouldn¡¯t be difficult to find out who your family and friends are and what their names are,¡± Zhuang Qingyan replied.


    ¡°Unfortunately, I¡¯ve been working in the archives for the past few days, responsible for compiling all the patient data admitted after the apocalypse, and there aren¡¯t many people from Ferrara¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± Lin Youyou said expressionlessly. ¡°¡­I admit it, let¡¯s negotiate the terms.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan gestured for Song Ke to come over and whispered to her, ¡°How do you want to get back at her?¡±


    Song Ke asked curiously, ¡°Do you really know the names of her family and friends?¡±


    ¡°I was bluffing,¡± Zhuang Qingyan winked at her, ¡°There¡¯s too much patient data for me to go through.¡±


    In a hidden spot where others couldn¡¯t see, Song Ke secretly gave a thumbs-up, impressed by Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s cunning.


    ¡°How about we make her do ten commissions for us?¡± Zhuang Qingyan suggested. ¡°Free labor, why waste it?¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s eyes lit up. Zhuang Qingyan was still wicked¡­ no, Zhuang Qingyan had a lot of good ideas!


    The two returned to Lin Youyou, and Zhuang Qingyan added a precaution, ¡°Miss Lin, this time, you won¡¯t suddenly change your mind again, will you?¡±


    Lin Youyou winced as his words cut deep, mentally and physically drained, she said, ¡°I¡¯ll do as I say. If you don¡¯t trust me, you can report to my fans that I participated in the Throne Race, and ruin my reputation. Will that be enough?¡±


    The importance of the Throne Race to Lin Youyou was self-evident. She dared to make this promise, so it seemed she was genuinely willing to cooperate.


    ¡°Remove the barrier. If Su Cha can¡¯t find me, he will tear down the entire hospital.¡±


    Song Ke and Xu Xing tried to coax Tao Tao again, with Song Ke performing a sort of acrobatic act with her emei thorns, and Xu Xing barking ¡°woof, woof¡±, trying to find the right frequency to communicate with the dog.


    Finally, Tao Tao couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and hid in the doghouse, with its round buttocks facing the two people, ignoring them completely.


    Lin Youyou felt like facepalming: ¡®How did I end up being kidnapped by these people?¡¯


    But when she glanced at Zhuang Qingyan, who remained unfazed while watching this absurd scene, she thought that when it came to cunning, this man was the most terrifying.


    After coaxing Tao Tao for a long time, Tao Tao finally decided to forgive these two indecisive humans and withdrew her domain ability.


    Song Ke prepared herself for what was to come.


    In less than five minutes, a snake-like figure burst into the room, heading straight for the group of people.


    Song Ke raised her emei thorns to block, and a dark green dagger flew out, embedding itself in the ground and instantly corroding a large area.


    Tao Tao¡¯s tail wagged frantically as it barked alertly, ¡°Woof, woof!¡±


    ¡°Su Cha, stop,¡± Lin Youyou stopped him with a tired voice.


    Su Cha slowly moved forward, exuding an aura of danger in the midst of the turmoil. He walked silently in his short boots, bringing with him the damp and oppressive feeling of the rainforest. He seemed like a weapon ready to be unsheathed, his muscles taut, ready to strike at any moment.


    If Tao Tao was a cute puppy, then Su Cha was like an enraged watchdog, desperate to bite down on any threats, especially those who threatened his owner.


    Everyone in the room kept a close eye on him because when a powerful psychic lost control, the destruction they could cause was astonishing.


    Fortunately, Su Cha had not completely lost his sanity. He coldly glanced at the people in the room, then came to Lin Youyou¡¯s side and knelt down to untie the tightly bound ropes.


    Lin Youyou flexed her wrists, which had turned red from the tight bindings. ¡°So, what do you need me to do?¡±


    Song Ke put forward the request for 10 commissions. Lin Youyou furrowed her brows, taking a moment before nodding. ¡°Alright, but make sure it¡¯s done before the next match. I won¡¯t stay in Tongwan for long.¡±


    ¡°Considering it¡¯s a temporary employment, sharing your information publicly should be a basic requirement, right?¡± Zhuang Qingyan spoke with a chilly tone.


    Lin Youyou silently nodded and compromised.


    ¡°Lin Youyou, A-class support type, psychic ability: Illusory Singing. Depending on the lyrics I sing, I can apply curses or blessings.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s Su Cha, A-class offensive type, psychic ability: Venomous Corrosion. However, he excels at assassination, and in one-on-one combat, before meeting Song Ke, no one was his match.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s speculations were indeed correct; these two had sound and venomous abilities.


    A double A-class combination.


    With these two free laborers, Song Ke¡¯s excitement surged. They could take on more challenging requests and make a lot of money!

 Chapter 50.1: Tongwan Hospital (4)

    ¡ò Coolies, come quickly ¡òTongwan, in a specialized drug transport route.


    The towering figure of nearly 1.9 meters moved through it, clad in a plain black vest, camouflage pants, and combat boots. Occasionally, he would bend down to clear the road debris, and when a zombie jumped out, he would ruthlessly take them down without expression.


    The task he was undertaking was one of the most tedious within the C-level ¡ª checking the conditions of the lifeline checkpoints, clearing blocked roads. After clearing each segment, he had to pass through the outposts for confirmation to ensure unobstructed drug transport into Tongwan.


    Though it was a C-level mission with a good reward, few people took it due to its dirty and tiring nature, consuming a lot of time.


    V587 had come, not only that but completed it quite comfortably¡ªafter all, they even got two free coolies!


    Song Ke and Xu Xing were acting like old bosses. Despite the cold weather, they had set up a pergola and were squatting side by side on the curb, sipping juice, and supervising Su Cha¡¯s work.


    They would occasionally provide some feedback.


    As Su Cha kicked a zombie away, the two clapped in unison.


    Su Cha¡¯s muscles bulged as he threw a steel bar to the side, and the two compared their wrists, regretfully realizing they both had thin arms.


    Their appearances seemed lacking no matter how one looked at them.


    Amidst the sounds of ¡°clap,¡± ¡°wow,¡± and ¡°ah¡±, Lin Youyou gradually lost herself.


    Once again, she asked that classic question: Why was I kidnapped by people like this?


    Su Cha, covered in sweat, stopped in front of her.


    The former big star now had a bare face due to helping clear the roadblocks, with dust on her face and body.


    ¡°Don¡¯t do this,¡± Su Cha took the gravel from her hand and gestured for her to rest.


    ¡°I¡¯m willing to admit defeat.¡± Lin Youyou gritted her teeth.


    ¡°Not following the rules is fine,¡± Su Cha¡¯s gaze turned cold. ¡°I¡¯ll go kill them.¡±


    Lin Youyou quickly stopped him, afraid he would actually do it. ¡°You don¡¯t have to. It¡¯s my debt to them in the first place.


    ¡°Zhuang Qingyan was right, betrayal isn¡¯t worth forgiving.¡±


    Su Cha looked at Lin Youyou. Her long lashes drooped, and when she said these words, her expression was both lost and resigned.


    Su Cha remained silent for a long time, and in the end, he only said two words, ¡°Soft-hearted.¡±


    How could Lin Youyou not be soft-hearted?After all, she did deceive Song Ke, but she never thought of actively harming her. In the environment of Mirror Lake, survival for oneself was paramount, and she willingly accepted punishment for a mistake.


    ¡°Move your bricks. Why do you talk so much?¡± Lin Youyou scolded.


    Su Cha snorted lightly, using one hand to pull off his vest and continued to work shirtless. The black snake tattoo on the back of his neck appeared more menacing in the sunlight, and the scars on his exposed back were numerous and horrifying, all old scars from years past.


    ¡­


    The two people under the pergola were also talking.


    ¡°Sister, are you coming this afternoon?¡± Xu Xing asked Song Ke with a pained expression. He couldn¡¯t take it anymore, his stomach was bloated. He had drunk three bottles of juice in the morning, and he didn¡¯t expect supervising would be this tough.


    Song Ke bit the straw and shook her head, ¡°Not coming, got some-something to do.¡±


    She had an appointment with Lu Ning in the afternoon to visit the 119 Hospital.


    It wasn¡¯t safe for Xu Xing to stare at these two alone. Anyway, their dose of happiness for the day had already exceeded the limit, so Song Ke had given their two coolies a break.


    ¡­


    At the 119 Hospital, Song Ke went around to the back window of the archives room and knocked on the wall.


    After a while, a slender finger opened a gap, revealing half of Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s handsome profile in gray uniform.


    She didn¡¯t know why he was so dedicated to the archivist¡¯s job, leaving early and returning late for several days, spending all his time here looking up information.


    Song Ke had her hands behind her back, ¡°Yesterday, it was agreed.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan sighed, ¡°I¡¯ve also said that an ordinary doctor can¡¯t cure my leg.¡±


    Song Ke persisted, ¡°The, the doctors in Tongwan are very ca-capable.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan locked eyes with her persistent gaze for a long time and finally compromised, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll listen to you.¡±


    Song Ke pushed him to the 13th floor and found Lu Ning¡¯s office, knocking on the door in a proper manner.


    ¡°Come in,¡± a cold voice came from inside.


    During this period, whenever she had free time, she would come to work as a zombie cleaner, and Lu Ning felt that it wasn¡¯t easy for her to support her family at such a young age. He would often take special care of her. Over time, they grew closer.


    After learning that she had a companion with a leg injury who could only move in a wheelchair, Lu Ning suggested that Song Ke bring him over for an examination whenever she had the time.


    After Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s blanket was pulled back, Lu Ning was momentarily stunned.


    This leg was not simply ¡°injured¡±; from the appearance¡­ it was grotesquely twisted, resembling being crushed by a truck. Song Ke usually had to take care of her disabled brother, and from what she said, it seemed there was also a younger brother at home. The little girl had it really tough.


    Lu Ning¡¯s misplaced affection for Song Ke deepened.


    ¡°I¡¯ve scheduled a holographic scan for you. Take your brother to get the imaging done first,¡± Lu Ning said.


    Song Ke had a slight objection to the term ¡°brother¡±: ¡°Not brother!¡±


    Not a brother? She thought only family would be so devoted and loyal.


    Lu Ning¡¯s gaze shifted back and forth between the two, and suddenly she seemed to have a realization, thinking she had figured it all out. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, you seem quite¡­ devoted. So, take your¡­ friend to get the imaging done.¡±


    Song Ke was puzzled, feeling that there was some hidden meaning in Lu Ning¡¯s omission.


    Once they left the room, Song Ke asked Zhuang Qingyan, ¡°What, what do you think Dr Lu is thinking?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan smiled faintly. ¡°You¡¯ve touched her heart, I suppose.¡±


    Song Ke said, ¡°Huh?¡±


    After completing the holographic scan, the two returned to the office, and Lu Ning carefully examined the report. ¡°Your leg has been broken for a long time, and the wound has been repaired twice before. This has led to significant internal bone displacement. With the current level of technology, if I perform the surgery, I won¡¯t be able to achieve the restoration you¡¯re asking for.¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s shoulders slumped in disappointment.


    Lu Ning put down the report and contemplated for a moment. ¡°I¡¯ll check with some of my colleagues to see if they have any better solutions.¡±


    She swiftly made inquiries among Tongwan¡¯s elite orthopedic surgeons while Zhuang Qingyan took back those few documents and flipped through them with a cold expression.


    After ending the voice calls, Lu Ning paused, then hesitantly spoke, ¡°Ideally, we would insert a rhenium steel plate to externally fix the injured leg. However, reshaping the leg later is difficult. Even if you don¡¯t use a wheelchair, you may still need crutches in the future.¡±


    ¡°Or, have you considered the option of a mechanical prosthetic leg?¡±


    ¡°No, we haven¡¯t.¡± Zhuang Qingyan coldly rejected the idea.


    The more Song Ke heard, the more disheartened she became. Even Lu Ning couldn¡¯t do anything?


    ¡°If Senior Fang were here¡­¡±


    In the heavy silence, Lu Ning sighed.


    This was the second time Song Ke had heard her mention ¡°Senior Fang.¡± Who exactly was this person? Every time Lu Ning felt helpless, she would bring him up, as if having this person around could solve everything. S~?a??h the N?v?lF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Song Ke finally voiced her curiosity.


    Lu Ning sighed again. ¡°Senior Fang, his name is Fang Zhixu, the former genius surgeon of Tongwan. He was a legend in the medical field.


    ¡°Senior Fang liked to take on challenging surgeries. He wouldn¡¯t take on anything unless it was difficult and critical. I know many people criticized him for being arrogant behind his back, but so what? No one doesn¡¯t admire his remarkable skills. For every surgery Senior Fang undertook, the failure rate was zero.


    ¡°A doctor who has never failed a high-difficulty surgery, isn¡¯t that already a legend?¡±


    ¡°What about, about him?¡± Song Ke inquired. With such an amazing doctor, if they could find him, was there hope for Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s leg?


    Lu Ning¡¯s gaze darkened. ¡°He disappeared.¡±


    ¡°The last time I saw Senior Fang, he was not in a good state. When the apocalypse arrived, I heard he refused to perform a crucial surgery, then disappeared from the hospital. People spread rumors that he was a deserter, refusing to save lives, devoid of a doctor¡¯s moral line. But I don¡¯t believe it. Senior Fang isn¡¯t that kind of person. He must have his reasons.¡±


    ¡­


    After coming out of Lu Ning¡¯s office, Song Ke lowered her head, feeling down.


    Zhuang Qingyan turned to comfort her, ¡°It¡¯s alright, the result was within expectations. At least Dr. Lu seems reliable, she didn¡¯t push the bionic material, did she?¡±


    Song Ke didn¡¯t smile. She stared into Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s eyes. ¡°You mentioned that healing-type awakeners can cure, right?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan fell silent for a moment. ¡°Perhaps.¡±


    To restore his leg, this healing-type awakener not only needed to be at least A-level but also required a solid medical foundation, familiarity with the human skeletal structure. Such a person, even if they truly existed, would undoubtedly be highly regarded by major regions, and it was unlikely they would get to know them.


    Song Ke leaned her head against the back of her chair again, thinking despondently.


    Where could she find a healing-type awakener?


    She looked down, and outside the hospital, there were many people wearing security guard uniforms, chasing away suspicious refugees. Under the bridge, in the park, a large number of homeless people were being driven away from their original spots, leaving in confusion.


    ¡°What are they doing?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan glanced down and quickly recalled recent news in his mind. ¡°The current flow of people in Tongwan is too high. The city hall is strictly checking people coming in and out. Those without permits will be driven to nearby shelters.¡±


    Song Ke stretched her neck. The disheveled homeless people couldn¡¯t be seen clearly. They huddled, shoulders slouched, leaving with unsteady steps.

 Chapter 50.2: Tongwan Hospital (4)

    ¡ò Coolies, come quickly ¡òOn this night, when the night was deep and quiet, Song Ke¡¯s terminal suddenly rang. The glaring red light illuminated the entire room, and she sat up, the sleepiness completely gone.


    On the terminal appeared an A-level urgent commission: ¡°Hello, awakener. The following information is from the Tongwan City Hall. There¡¯s a large-scale zombie tide near the Luojia Shelter. The crisis is urgent. Please assist with all your might in defending Tongwan.¡±


    Luojia was the nearest shelter to Tongwan. If it was engulfed by the zombie tide, Tongwan would be wide open to danger, and its downfall was just a matter of time.


    Song Ke grabbed her coat and rushed to the door.


    ¡°Bang, bang, bang!¡± She forcefully knocked on Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s door. There was a slight movement inside. Song Ke couldn¡¯t wait and barged in directly.


    ¡°Zhuang Qing¨C¡±


    Before she could finish saying ¡°there¡¯s an urgent commission,¡± her eyes widened.


    Zhuang Qingyan was leaning against the writing desk with his clothes disheveled. The silk pajamas were carelessly buttoned with two buttons, revealing clear clavicles and faint abdominal muscles. In the rush, he managed to put on some pants, but his hand was still on the belt, supporting himself against the table to maintain balance.


    Song Ke¡¯s mouth dropped open.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s bangs were scattered on his forehead, and he sounded helpless, ¡°You¡­ just barged in like this?¡±


    Huh? Song Ke was stunned and glanced at him again. She was in a hurry, and who knew he wouldn¡¯t properly dress while sleeping?


    No, he wasn¡¯t wearing anything at all!


    Not only did she barge in without any embarrassment, she stared at him unabashedly.


    Zhuang Qingyan raised an eyebrow involuntarily. They used to share a room, and he could overlook it when she slept without covering, but now they had separate rooms, and she still came and stared like this. Did this young girl not see him as a man at all?


    ¡°You want to watch me change clothes?¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡±


    Song Ke looked disgusted, turned around, and stepped back.


    ¡°Close the door,¡± Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s indifferent voice came from behind.


    Song Ke hesitated and closed the door.


    Five minutes later, the still sleepy Xu Xing was also awakened and brought into the impromptu meeting. V587 was dressed neatly, and they sat together.


    ¡°I want to go to Luojia,¡± Song Ke stated her thoughts.


    This time, it wasn¡¯t for money and points but for Tongwan.


    If Tongwan fell, the medical resources here would be lost in an instant. Not to mention, Song Ke and their temporary shelter would be lost. For the entire Alliance, it would be a massive disaster, essentially extinguishing the faint hope of life.


    Zhuang Qingyan also realized the severity of the situation and nodded in agreement, saying, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go together, but we need to be careful. Zombie tides are not easy to deal with.¡±


    The three quickly packed up and were getting ready to leave.


    ¡°Wait,¡± Song Ke suddenly stopped in her tracks, ¡°I forgot, there are two more.¡±


    Lin Youyou was abruptly awakened from her sleep by a series of urgent calls.


    ¡°Who is it?¡± Irritated, she ruffled her hair and answered with her eyes closed, ¡°Who¡¯s disturbing me in the middle of the damn night¡­¡±


    ¡°Come quickly, a commission, sending you the location.¡±


    The person on the other side hung up after saying this, not giving her a chance to refuse.


    ¡°Seriously, who gives a commission in the middle of the night?¡± Lin Youyou grumbled and casually threw the terminal, attempting to go back to sleep.


    However, soon, the constant beeping of notifications became unbearable for Lin Youyou. She picked up the terminal, squinting to adapt to the bright light, and identified the information on the screen. As if afraid she would fall asleep, the other side sent the location every few seconds, urging her.


    ¡°Come quickly, or I¡¯ll report you.¡±


    ¡°Are you coming?¡±


    ¡°Hurry, seven commissions left.¡±


    Lin Youyou: ¡°Song Ke¡­¡±


    These brats, I really owe them!


    ¡­


    Luojia Shelter.


    A circular iron wall tens of meters high separated the safe zone from the zombie tide. Inside the high wall, a solemn and killing atmosphere lingered, while outside the wall on the wasteland, an endless horde of zombies was converging towards this place.


    As Song Ke hurried along, she tirelessly sent messages to her coolies: ¡°Location, come quickly.¡±


    A few minutes later, Lin Youyou, wearing a mask and sporting dark circles under her eyes, appeared with an unpleasant expression. Following her was a plain-clothed Su Cha, showing no expression as expected.


    ¡°¡­You better have a good reason.¡± Lin Youyou gritted her teeth with a bare face. Song Ke rushed her so much she didn¡¯t even have time to wash her face.


    ¡°Of, of course, I do,¡± Song Ke gestured for both of them to look at the base of the wall. The horrifying zombies had already gathered by the wall, climbing and reaching the middle position. It was time to act quickly.


    After observing the situation, Lin Youyou was first surprised, then felt a tightness in her heart. Did Song Ke really not regard her as an outsider? Every time there was dirty and tiring work, she never forgot them. Could they endure suffering for themselves?


    Song Ke showed her awakener ID at the outer perimeter, and the group smoothly entered the security line.


    At this point in time, there were very few external awakeners arriving for support; most of the people on the scene were members of the security team.


    ¡°Why did the zombie tide suddenly break out?¡± asked an external awakener.


    ¡°It¡¯s not sudden,¡± sighed the uniformed security team captain. ¡°The surrounding D-grade cities have been falling, and the number of zombies is increasing. They are gradually gathering here, and an outbreak is just a matter of time.¡±


    ¡°What do we do now? You¡¯re not going to send us to our deaths, right?¡±


    ¡°No need to trouble you,¡± the security team captain¡¯s expression was sorrowful and resolute. ¡°The security team has a total of 230 awakeners, and we swear to fight to the end!¡±


    The security team was composed of official awakeners from Tongwan, mostly local residents. After awakening, they registered locally, underwent verification, and joined the security team, enjoying the status granted by the Tongwan City Hall. Their families were here, and they had a strong sense of honor and belief compared to external awakeners.


    In the short time Zhuang Qingyan spent in the archives, leaving aside other matters, he had a clear understanding of the personnel information for the entire Tongwan. He had a good grasp of the structure and situation of awakeners. He glanced around and, amidst the determined gazes of the security team members, he took the initiative to speak.


    ¡°Captain Zhao, the situation isn¡¯t as dire as you think.¡±


    ¡°You are¡­¡± Security team captain Zhao Liqiang turned at the voice.


    ¡°Me? I¡¯m just an ordinary citizen, working in the archives of the 119th Hospital.¡±


    Here we go again, this familiar fabricating of identities. Song Ke shook her head in exasperation.


    Zhuang Qingyan calmly introduced, ¡°This is our captain, Song Ke, an A-level awakener and also an outstanding medical volunteer in Tongwan.¡±


    Oh, how come her part is involved this time too? Song Ke was stunned, but after being called, she couldn¡¯t help but stand up straight.


    As for being an outstanding volunteer, it should be a compliment for her good work as a zombie cleaner, right?


    Zhao Liqiang was not in the mood to verify Song Ke¡¯s ¡°outstanding¡± identity at the moment. He was more struck by her A-level status and looked at her for a moment longer.


    ¡°What do you mean by the situation not being so bad?¡± he asked.


    ¡°As long as we utilize the terrain and the awakeners cooperate properly, clearing these zombies won¡¯t be a problem,¡± Zhuang Qingyan stated directly without further ado.


    Zhao Liqiang¡¯s face showed surprise. ¡°Are you confident? You can¡¯t joke about something like this.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan nodded calmly. ¡°Yes, but the condition is that I take command.¡±


    Zhao Liqiang fell into contemplation. He didn¡¯t have a better plan, so he was willing to give this person¡¯s words a try. But he stood up on his own initiative, and he didn¡¯t know what his purpose was¡­


    Zhuang Qingyan assessed his expression and added, ¡°Of course, if we succeed, as for the commission rewards¡­¡±


    Zhao Liqiang immediately felt relieved. He had overthought it. They, the external awakeners, were undoubtedly here for points. ¡°No problem, I will report it truthfully to the magistrate.¡±


    ¡­


    The battle horn sounded.


    Zhuang Qingyan organized the awakeners on the scene into different groups: fire and wind, thunder and water, earth and rock types¡­ then placed them in various positions. Everyone had their roles, and they strictly followed the order to use their abilities.


    Bright fireworks rose into the air, spreading rapidly with the help of the strong winds, swallowing the ferocious roaring zombies in a raging blaze.


    On the other side, a fierce storm raged, with thunder and lightning, and raindrops, a mix of both abilities, fell incessantly, causing the zombies to tremble from the electric shocks.


    Other combat-oriented awakeners charged out from behind the high wall, fearlessly confronting the zombies.


    At this moment, they were not just security team members or awakeners; they were not motivated by fame or gain. They had grown up enjoying the shelter of Tongwan, and now it was time for them to stand up, becoming the strongest shield to defend their homeland.


    While individual awakeners had limited power, when they came together, their combined force was earth-shattering.


    Zhao Liqiang watched the awe-inspiring scene before him, his eyes moist. Tongwan wouldn¡¯t fall, and they still had hope!


    Amidst the intermittent bursts of light coming from awakeners¡¯ abilities, one scene stood out from the rest.


    Xu Xing was like a human refrigeration unit. From his small body, a fierce snowstorm raged down, and countless ice crystals enveloped the zombies, freezing them into sculptures.


    ¡°Your indifference hurts the most~ like December¡¯s snowstorm~ my heart has already broken into two pieces~¡±


    Accompanied by a melodious and haunting song, the frozen, slow-moving zombies were instantly cursed, splitting into two pieces just as Lin Youyou had sung about!


    However, the eerie singing did not stop. The melody changed, transitioning into another song.


    ¡°I want to borrow from you~ borrow from you, borrow a pair of invisible wings~ to take you flying, flying towards the brightest light in the world~¡±


    Two assassin-like figures leaped down from the wall. Crack! As they landed, the ice-sculpted zombie wall split in half, and the shattered debris filled the air.


    Like shooting stars, the two black dots charged into the densely packed sea of corpses. Soon after, waves splashed, and ripples appeared on the calm surface, disrupted by the intrusion.


    Lin Youyou cast a speed buff on them. Song Ke and Su Cha went on a killing spree.


    Su Cha was surrounded by a toxic mist. Even though the zombies couldn¡¯t feel pain, their bodies rapidly disintegrated, turning into a pile of white bones. The former insect tide would probably be terrified encountering this kind of biochemical attack.


    Song Ke, wielded a massive jagged blade longer than her own body, swinging it wildly. With each strike, it was as if a gust of wind swept fallen leaves. She mowed down the zombies in groups, and countless heads flew aimlessly.


    The four worked seamlessly together. Whether in ranged or melee combat, each of them was at a monstrous level. When combined, they were catastrophic!


    The awakeners atop the high wall were dumbfounded. What kind of monsters were these people?


    ¡°Don¡¯t zone out. Speed up in the southeast; continue setting traps in the west.¡±


    Oh, there¡¯s one more here. He gave clear and orderly commands, overseeing the situation.


    V587.


    Everyone present silently remembered the name of this team.


    ¡­


    Cleaning up the zombie tide took a little over an hour. In the end, the scattered zombies fled in all directions, and Zhuang Qingyan ordered the awakeners to stop.


    A security team member responsible for guarding the shelter hurriedly came to report. During the recent skirmish, a section of the wall was broken through, and quite a few zombies rushed in. Although they were promptly eradicated, it still resulted in casualties. Many of the refugees in that area were bitten.


    ¡°Captain, how should we deal with these people?¡±


    Zhao Liqiang sighed helplessly. ¡°Check them one by one. If it¡¯s a mild case, send them to Tongwan. If it¡¯s above stage two mutation, handle them on the spot.¡±


    The degree of mutation was based on the tiered system introduced by Tongwan. Level one was a mild mutation, also known as ¡°pre-spread mutation.¡± As long as it¡¯s detected early, the spread of zombification could be effectively halted through medical procedures by amputating the affected area.


    For level two mutations, wounds festered and turned black. Excessive radiation entered the body, causing symptoms like grayish eyeballs and confusion. Even with treatment, patients couldn¡¯t be saved; the best that could be done was to slow down the zombification until they eventually succumbed.


    When Song Ke returned from outside the wall, she happened to witness the security team inspecting and cleaning up the scene.


    A middle-aged man, his eyeballs cloudy and his fingers transformed into claws, was subdued on the ground, struggling desperately.


    ¡°Let go, I need to go to the hospital. I can still be saved!¡±


    ¡°No chance. You¡¯re at stage three mutation.¡±


    ¡°Impossible!¡± The middle-aged man convulsed nervously, saliva flowing from his mouth, the sound of his throat raspy.


    ¡°Confirmed stage three, nearing complete zombification.¡±


    A security team member drew out a particle gun, ¡°Bang,¡± ending his life.


    Sobs broke out, and the others who had been attacked by the zombies huddled together, their hearts in turmoil. S~?a??h the ???el F?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    These were all vagrants who had just been driven away from Tongwan that afternoon. They thought Luojia was a safe haven, but little did they know they¡¯d encounter a zombie tide at night. If they had just died outright, it would have been fine, but they were unlucky to be bitten by zombies, left to wait in a half-dead state for an inevitable fate.


    Song Ke looked around and unexpectedly found a person still lying by the door.


    As the middle-aged man¡¯s body was being dragged away, the person seemed to sense something. Slowly, they turned over and faced upwards.


    Song Ke caught a glimpse of a familiar logo in his pocket and took a step forward.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go near,¡± Lin Youyou held her back, her expression serious.


    ¡°This person has been bitten.¡±


    The scruffy-bearded vagrant stared blankly at the ceiling, the open collar revealing several black bite marks.

 Chapter 51: Tongwan Hospital (5)

    ¡ò Xie Zhu ¡òIn the oppressive and stifling atmosphere, the actions of the homeless man seemed particularly peculiar.


    He showed no interest in conversations with others, as if he hadn¡¯t heard anything, his eyes vacant, lying motionless on the ground.


    But his mouth moved slightly, indicating that he was indeed still breathing.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Song Ke, who was blocked by Lin Youyou, replied softly, and continued to walk forward.


    She squatted down in front of the homeless man, delicate fingers pulling out a bag of bread from his pocket.


    Only a small half of the bread was left, and it had been left for several days, becoming dry and hard on the outside. However, the logo ¡°medical support¡± was still visible, a bread that only volunteers in Tongwan could receive.


    A few days ago, in the street garden outside the 119 Hospital, Song Ke had given a homeless man a piece of bread.


    Was it the same person? It was hard to tell as the person looked disheveled, and his face couldn¡¯t be clearly seen. Song Ke found it difficult to determine.


    She stuffed the bread back into the homeless man¡¯s pocket, paused for a moment, and then swiftly pulled open his collar, frowning.


    There were several wounds on the man¡¯s body, with white edges and beneath the crusted black clots, one could faintly see fresh red, torn flesh¡­ It didn¡¯t look new; it seemed like old injuries.


    The homeless man allowed her actions without any sign of resistance. He glanced at her through his messy hair, his eyes devoid of much emotion. Bluish decay lines appeared on his cheeks, but he remained conscious.


    Song Ke was momentarily stunned, a vague and inexplicable mist of familiarity lingering in her mind. This man felt like she had met him somewhere before.


    The security team finished checking the others and turned to the homeless man. They noticed Song Ke crouched on the ground and hesitated, ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    They had just witnessed Song Ke, like a god of death, wreak havoc in the zombie tide, and it made them a bit apprehensive.


    Song Ke stepped back, making way for them.


    A young team member scanned the homeless man with a radiation meter, looking puzzled, ¡°Level one, huh¡­ Mild symptoms?¡±


    The displayed value on the device was lower than that of typical mild symptoms, almost no different from a normal person.


    After finishing up the final matters on the high wall, Zhuang Qingyan arrived late and found Song Ke gathering with others.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± He saw people gathered and casually asked.


    Song Ke returned to his side. With the crowd around, speaking wasn¡¯t convenient. She simply placed her forearm on the back of the wheelchair, leaned close to Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s ear, and spoke softly, ¡°That person is very strange.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan slightly leaned his body, cooperating with her whispered words.


    His almond-shaped eyes narrowed slightly as he looked at the homeless man, observing carefully upon hearing her words.


    The security team members were still perplexed. ¡°How do we handle this? The wounds haven¡¯t worsened¡­ Hey, do you need to be taken to the hospital?¡±


    Someone nearby chimed in, ¡°Are we sure he was bitten by a zombie? Could it just be decaying wounds? His readings are quite normal.¡±


    ¡°He hasn¡¯t been bitten!¡± a woman in the corner exclaimed shakily.


    The remaining people in the room had managed to escape the zombie attacks through sheer luck, but they were still terribly frightened. The sudden outburst of the woman immediately caught everyone¡¯s attention.


    ¡°I¡¯m not lying. This man, this man is a monster. The zombies don¡¯t bite him!¡±


    ¡°Get him out of here, now!!¡±


    The expression of the security team members was one of doubt and astonishment. Could it be true? The homeless man lay nonchalantly at the door; how could zombies not bite him?


    ¡°It¡¯s true, I saw it too,¡± murmured another elderly man with white hair. ¡°The zombies don¡¯t bite him, not a single one. They just pass by him¡­ pass by¡­¡±


    He would never forget the scene just now. The gruesome and evil zombies suddenly rushed in, their foul fangs crazily biting into people. Everyone panicked and fled in all directions, except for the homeless man lying on the ground. The zombies didn¡¯t even spare him a glance as they passed right over him.


    After repeatedly confirming the witnesses¡¯ accounts, the security team members didn¡¯t dare to be careless. One of them grabbed the homeless man by the collar and pulled him up from the ground.


    ¡°Hey, stop pretending to be dead, get up and talk, explain the situation properly.¡±


    The homeless man was handled roughly, his head swaying along with the movement. He muttered something like a buzzing mosquito.


    ¡°Just kill me.¡±


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°I said, kill me,¡± he laughed hoarsely, using his finger to point at his own forehead.


    ¡°Like just now, bang, blow my brains out.¡±


    His voice was despairing, indifferent, lacking any will to survive, just wanting to end it all quickly.


    Song Ke straightened her back and softly exclaimed, ¡°Ah.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s coming back to me.¡±


    She realized where the strange feeling in her heart came from.


    ¡ªFools Wharf, Aunt Qing.


    The state of this homeless man was similar yet dissimilar to Aunt Qing from back then. Similar in the sense that both were bitten by zombies, their bodies undergoing mutation, but after a certain period, they didn¡¯t degenerate into zombies, and they even retained their clear consciousness.


    The differences were also evident. Aunt Qing had almost completely decayed; from the outside, she looked like a zombie. But this man had very few, no, almost no signs of mutation.


    Could someone be bitten by a zombie and not turn into one?


    If that were the case, then perhaps everyone¡¯s assumptions had been wrong all along?


    Song Ke couldn¡¯t comprehend this and asked Zhuang Qingyan about her doubts.


    Zhuang Qingyan scrutinized the homeless man from head to toe, a barely perceptible smile playing at the corner of his mouth. ¡°Remember when I said that most people bitten by zombies are assimilated into zombies due to the ¡®contaminated¡¯ radiation impact, causing a surge in their magnetic fields?¡±


    ¡°I remember,¡± Song Ke nodded and followed his line of thought, suggesting another possibility, ¡°But, but there¡¯s a very s-small, extremely low prob, probability, of a passive awakening¡­¡±


    As she spoke, she paused.


    There was an exceedingly rare chance that someone who had been bitten by a zombie might awaken as an ability user.


    Could it be possible? The homeless man was an awakener?


    Could there be an awakener like him who didn¡¯t kill zombies, didn¡¯t take on missions, and didn¡¯t even want to live properly, only desiring a swift death?


    ¡°That¡¯s not all; there¡¯s another possibility,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said calmly.


    ¡°The scenario you¡¯re assuming now is that he was bitten as an ordinary person, right?¡±


    Song Ke nodded.


    Zhuang Qingyan dropped a deep-water torpedo of a question, ¡°But what if he had awakened before being bitten?¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°¡­¡±


    She was left speechless by the revelation.


    Zhuang Qingyan smiled, ¡°Of course, this is just my speculation. If we want to confirm, it will take some time.¡±


    While the two were speaking, they kept their voices very low, and only a few people like Xu Xing and Lin Youyou overheard the discussion. Even Xu Xing and Lin Youyou, composed as they were, showed signs of astonishment.


    ¡°Song Ke, leave him. Let me observe him for a few days.¡±


    ¡°Why, leave?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan pondered for two seconds, then moved his wheelchair forward and approached the security team members. ¡°Gentlemen, I have a suggestion.¡±


    The security team members looked at him with awe. ¡°Mr. Zhuang, do you have any advice?¡± S~?a??h the ?ov?l?ir?.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t presume to offer advice,¡± Zhuang Qingyan gestured towards the homeless man they were holding, ¡°but there should be other empty rooms around here, right? If you¡¯re not sure, you could isolate him for now. If the zombification worsens later, we can handle it then.¡±


    ¡°That makes sense,¡± a young security team member scratched his head. ¡°Let¡¯s go with that. We¡¯ll isolate him first, and I¡¯ll go ask the captain.¡±


    The group found an empty cargo warehouse, tossed the homeless man inside, set up access restrictions, and just before closing the door, the security team member looked at Song Ke and others. ¡°Uh, do you all have anything else?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan spoke, ¡°We¡¯d like to have a few words with him. You go ahead and attend to your duties.¡±


    The security team member glanced inside, ¡°Oh, okay. Remember to lock the door when you leave.¡±


    Only Song Ke and her four companions remained on the scene, along with the homeless man lying on the ground.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s wheelchair circled around him. The man was like a dead fish, lying motionless on the ground, completely non-violent and non-cooperative.


    Zhuang Qingyan smirked, instantly changing his mind. He decided not to communicate with him. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Let him be for a few days.


    Song Ke stayed put.


    She couldn¡¯t quite put her finger on the specific feeling, but if this homeless man was the same one she had encountered in the street garden a few days ago, then his change in condition was quite drastic. The homeless man from back then, though downcast, would at least compete with pigeons for food, indicating a glimmer of survival instinct. Now, he seemed utterly defeated, longing for a quick death.


    Song Ke walked into the room and once again squatted in front of the homeless man. ¡°Have you¡­ encountered something?¡±


    The near-lifeless homeless man finally reacted, turning his disheveled head in her direction and grumbled irritably, ¡°I say, have you people eaten your fill?¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s good intentions were met with an unkind response. She pursed her lips, and the dimples on her cheeks appeared slightly indented.


    The homeless man¡¯s gaze lingered on her face for a second, then he averted his head and closed his eyes, showing no further interest.


    He lay down on the ground, completely motionless.


    ¡­


    Two days later, at the 119 Hospital, the three part-time workers, V587, were once again sitting in a row, basking in the sun during their lunch break.


    Taking a break together in the corridor had become their routine during this period.


    Today, Song Ke didn¡¯t push her coolies, Lin Youyou and Su Cha, too much. After all, she had just assigned a B-class contract to the big star at the crematorium yesterday, and when they accepted the mission, the big star had glared at her as if she were about to stab her with a knife.


    Xu Xing sat on the railing, swinging his legs back and forth. Suddenly, he pointed to a spot and exclaimed, ¡°Sister, look over there!¡±


    He looked pleasantly surprised, clung to the railing, and leaned out halfway. ¡°Isn¡¯t that Uncle An?¡±


    Song Ke was afraid he might accidentally fall, so she tightly held onto the hem of his clothes from behind.


    Down below, about ten meters away, a tall man walking alone turned around upon hearing their voices, and upon recognizing them, he waved.


    Indeed, it was An Qiwen.


    Song Ke tilted her head in puzzlement.


    It was quite strange. What was so special about Tongwan? Why were people she knew coming here one after another?


    Of course, when you meet acquaintances, it¡¯s natural to say hello. The three of them left the corridor and walked towards An Qiwen.


    Upon meeting him, Song Ke was taken aback. This tall man, who used to exude confidence and vitality, now had sunken eye sockets and looked somewhat weary.


    As soon as An Qiwen saw them, he extinguished the cigarette in his mouth. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you guys. What a coincidence.¡±


    Xu Xing, accustomed to reading people¡¯s expressions, sensed that he wasn¡¯t doing well. His joyful expression faded considerably, and he asked cautiously, ¡°Uncle An, why are you here alone? What about Captain Wu and the others?¡±


    An Qiwen lowered his gaze, rubbed the cigarette butt between his fingers, ultimately unable to discard it.


    ¡°The captain is still on a mission.¡±


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you with them?¡±


    ¡°Qiangzi is hospitalized, and I¡¯m here to keep watch for a couple of days.¡±


    Qiangzi referred to Wang Qiang, the D-level wind-type awakener in the Azure Phoenix squad. Song Ke remembered him; he had traveled with them in a pickup to the Ferrara. In her memory, he was a cheerful and lively young man.


    Song Ke was somewhat surprised. They had been fine when they parted ways, so how did Wang Qiang end up in the hospital? Was he injured? She wondered about the severity of his condition.


    ¡°Do, do you think we should vi-visit him?¡± she asked in a low voice.


    They had some acquaintance with the Azure Phoenix squad. Since they had encountered them here, it seemed appropriate, both morally and socially, to pay a visit.


    ¡°No need,¡± An Qiwen shifted his steps, effectively blocking their path. His voice choked up, ¡°He¡¯s lost half his body. There¡¯s no need to see.¡±


    Song Ke and Xu Xing fell into silence, not knowing what to say to comfort him.


    They found a bench and sat down. The chilly November wind swept over them, thinning out the sunlight. Looking at An Qiwen¡¯s somber expression, their mood was as uncertain as the autumn winds, with depths impossible to fathom.


    Song Ke had envisioned that Azure Phoenix squad¡¯s missions would be dangerous, but she had never expected the outcome to be this horrifying. Moreover, Wu Juemin¡¯s team was composed of forty members. How many were left now?


    ¡°What e-exactly were you doing, what, what kind of mi-mission?¡± she asked with little hope.


    An Qiwen spread his arms, resting them on the back of the chair. After a while, with closed eyes, he sighed, ¡°An uncompleted mission.¡±


    He held the unlit cigarette in his mouth, looking fatigued, muttering as if he had been holding it in for a long time, ¡°I¡¯ve really messed up.


    ¡°A soldier¡¯s duty is to obey orders. I understand that, but lately, I can¡¯t help but think, am I too constrained?


    ¡°Seeing my teammates dwindling while the mission seems hopeless, no way forward, and now even no way back. Can¡¯t find it, can¡¯t return. Heh, can only continue to drift.¡±


    ¡°Phew!¡± An Qiwen suddenly spat out the cigarette, and with a heavy punch, he hit the chair. The entire bench shook, on the verge of falling apart.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been damn repressed for too long, from before the apocalypse until today, a full half year, and not a hair found!¡±


    ¡°What¡­ what hair¡­¡±


    Song Ke shrank her shoulders and hurriedly reached out to steady the bench.


    An Qiwen sighed deeply, exhaling a breath of frustration. ¡°It¡¯s not a top-secret mission, it¡¯s okay to tell you.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re looking for a key or, rather, a person.¡±


    ¡°A person who has been missing from the entire Alliance for almost twelve years.¡±


    Song Ke exclaimed in surprise.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s fingers on the wheelchair paused, and he raised an eyebrow slightly.


    Among the three, Xu Xing was the youngest and couldn¡¯t hold back his question, ¡°How is that possible? My dad said your intelligence network is very powerful. Isn¡¯t it easy to find a person?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, just finding a person, how hard could it be?¡± An Qiwen chuckled self-deprecatingly. ¡°But it¡¯s just not there. All citizen IDs, images, files, and written records about him, whether it¡¯s cameras, checkpoints, social media, or even in the corners of the star network, there¡¯s nothing. It¡¯s as if this person evaporated from the world.¡±


    ¡°No one knows how he managed it. Sometimes I even suspect, did he die a long time ago, so there¡¯s no information. Only the dead can erase all traces.¡±


    ¡°Is there absolutely no clue?¡± Song Ke couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    ¡°There is,¡± An Qiwen said, opening his eyes.


    ¡°The only clue, there¡¯s only a blurry image of him at the age of 15 and a name.¡±


    ¡°Who is he?¡±


    ¡°His name is Xie Zhuo.¡±


    An Qiwen brought up the projection on the terminal. ¡°This is the only image he left before he disappeared.¡±


    The three looked at it with curiosity.


    In the projection, the teenager had black hair and dark eyes, with rebellious brows and eyes. Due to the angle of the shot, only half of his profile was visible. He looked coldly at the camera, with a teardrop mole glistening at the corner of his eye.

 Chapter 52.1: Tongwan Hospital (6)

    ¡ò ROOT ¡ò¡°I have seen, seen this person before.¡±


    An Qiwen straightened his back, and his despondent expression vanished: ¡°Really? Don¡¯t joke about this!¡±


    Song Ke didn¡¯t dare to be careless and looked carefully again. Although she wasn¡¯t certain if it was the same person, she had indeed seen someone similar: ¡°Really, very much alike.¡±


    An Qiwen¡¯s first reaction was astonishment. After calming down, doubts filled his mind: Was it really this coincidental? Could it happen every time like this?


    During their time in Hua City, when Wu Juemin needed to repair T014, Zhuang Qingyan, the ¡°advanced weather simulation system maintenance technician,¡± happened to show up. Although he did eventually fix T014, proving his words and barely dispelling their suspicions, now again, Song Ke said she had seen Xie Zhan, who the Azure Phoenix squad hadn¡¯t found for half a year.


    Continuous coincidences, either it was fate or someone orchestrating it.


    People from the Azure Phoenix never believed in fate.


    So, who was manipulating everything behind the scenes?


    If it wasn¡¯t for him personally taking Song Ke and Xu Xing out of F177 Disctrict, An Qiwen might have suspected the origins of the two a long time ago.


    But after Song Ke said ¡°seen,¡± her expression remained calm, showing no signs of lying or guilt.


    An Qiwen hesitated, could it be she had really seen him?


    Song Ke didn¡¯t think too much about it; she gazed at the blurry and distant image named Xie Zhan.


    It was said that the youth was only fifteen at this time, and his indifference had already begun to show. The Xie Ningyu she had seen earlier was clearly an adult, and the way he spoke, the disdainful look in his eyes, seemed more arrogant and unrestrained, giving a significantly different impression from the Xie Zhan in the image.


    But their faces were excessively alike.


    Could it be that as he grew older, his personality also changed? Song Ke guessed wildly.


    ¡°What she said is true, we have all seen him,¡± Zhuang Qingyan, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly spoke. ¡°As for whether he is the person you¡¯re looking for, we can¡¯t help, you¡¯ll have to verify it yourselves.¡±


    ¡°Where did you see him?¡± An Qiwen inquired.


    ¡°Ferrara,¡± Zhuang Qingyan answered.


    An Qiwen repeated softly, ¡°Ferrara, indeed¡­ the intelligence is accurate.¡±


    Song Ke provided another valuable clue: ¡°Not only him, but also, also his friend.¡±


    Xie Ningyu appeared at the same time as Lu Xinglan. That cunning and malicious blue-eyed person at Mirror Lake had given her trouble more than once, so revealing his whereabouts to Azure Phoenix¡¯s people. Song Ke felt no guilt.


    ¡°We didn¡¯t have an image of him, but his friend does, and there are recordings of the competition.¡±


    The Throne Race was Ferrara¡¯s nationwide feast, having extremely high popularity locally. Starting from the main competition, each round was live-streamed. As long as they followed this clue, the Azure Phoenix squad would find the man with a teardrop mole in the corner of his eye¡ªit was only a matter of time.


    ¡°However, the person we saw is called Xie Ningyu.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan propped up the wheelchair casually and reminded, ¡°The name is a bit different, you know.¡±


    An Qiwen paused for two seconds, ¡°Real or fake, we¡¯ll figure it out.¡±


    Names were just code names, a principle understood by intelligent people. Regardless, this was an important clue.


    An Qiwen could hardly contain his excitement as he paced back and forth. ¡°I¡¯ll inform the captain right away.¡±


    After searching aimlessly for so long, there was finally a glimmer of hope. How could he sit still?


    An Qiwen took two steps away, dialed the terminal, and quickly reported to the other side, nodding occasionally.


    Zhuang Qingyan looked at his retreating figure, his eyes deep.


    However, Song Ke remembered another detail. An Qiwen had initially mentioned¡ªthey were looking for a ¡°key.¡±


    ¡°A key, what is it?¡± she asked Zhuang Qingyan curiously.


    ¡°Who knows?¡± Zhuang Qingyan replied casually.


    ¡°You, you rea-really don¡¯t know?¡± Song Ke was surprised.


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m human too. How can a person know everything? Admitting one¡¯s ignorance doesn¡¯t mean denying oneself.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan lightly tapped her head. ¡°Come on, volunteer, break time is over.¡±


    The next day, Song Ke learned some good news from An Qiwen: Tongwan truly lived up to being the medical capital. Not only did the doctors save Wang Qiang, but they also provided a treatment plan that could prolong his life.


    The damaged right half of Wang Qiang¡¯s body would be replaced with bionic materials, allowing him to survive in a semi-mechanical form, somewhat similar to the ¡°Anna Knights¡± they encountered in Ferrara. However, the surgical risks were enormous, and Wang Qiang had not yet passed the critical period. An Qiwen had to stay in Tongwan for a while.


    ¡°After Qiangzi¡¯s transplant is done, come visit him. We¡¯ll have a meal together!¡±


    An Qiwen¡¯s voice was as loud as ever, and he had regained his energetic demeanor.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m going out tomorrow. You¡¯re a volunteer at the hospital, right? Help me support Qiangzi¡¯s side too.¡±


    Song Ke was speechless. Big brother, I¡¯m a volunteer for zombie cleanup. My daily job involves running back and forth to the incinerator. How can I support Wang Qiang? Throw him into the incinerator?


    ¡°Oh, I forgot. That¡¯s so inauspicious! Forget what I said. I¡¯ll ask the attending doctor for help.¡±


    An Qiwen slapped his forehead on the other end, the sound echoing, and Song Ke could hear it through the terminal.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°Going to U-Lab to retrieve some data.¡±


    What An Qiwen was going to do tomorrow wasn¡¯t a classified mission, and he didn¡¯t hide anything. He told Song Ke openly. S?a?ch* Th? N?v?lFir?.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡­


    ¡°Where did he say he was going?¡± Zhuang Qingyan put down the light screen in his hand and asked, raising his voice.


    ¡°What, what U¡­¡± Song Ke recalled for a few seconds, but she couldn¡¯t remember what the full name An Qiwen said was.


    ¡°Unique Laboratory,¡± Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s voice was low.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Song Ke tilted her head, that was the correct name.


    Zhuang Qingyan lightly tapped the wheelchair with his fingers, and after a moment of contemplation, he said something startling, ¡°He doesn¡¯t have any help, and tomorrow we happen to be free. Why not go and help?¡±


    A question mark slowly appeared on Song Ke¡¯s face.


    She jumped off the writing desk, folded her arms, and stared at Zhuang Qingyan silently.


    Zhuang Qingyan raised an eyebrow, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Song Ke pursed her lips, ¡°Liar, you¡¯re not really this, this kind-hearted.¡±


    Was she supposed to be that naive? Since when did Zhuang Qingyan start caring about others¡¯ lives? Even lending a hand, not stepping on them is considered good enough.


    Zhuang Qingyan chuckled, his peach blossom eyes forming a charming curve. ¡°Oh dear, you¡¯ve seen through me. Do you know me so well?¡±


    ¡°Speak, what, what do you want to, to do?¡± Song Ke wasn¡¯t swayed, pressing for a clear answer.


    Zhuang Qingyan feigned resistance, spinning his wheelchair halfway. Song Ke circled around to face him and steadfastly blocked his way.


    He turned right, and Song Ke followed. ¡®Smack.¡¯ She reached out and firmly held the wheelchair still. ¡°Speak!¡±


    No way to escape.


    Zhuang Qingyan reluctantly raised his hands in surrender. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll tell you, but you have to let go first.¡±


    Song Ke didn¡¯t believe him. ¡°You, you tell me fi-first.¡±


    ¡°U-Lab is promoted as an independent laboratory to the public, but in reality¡­¡±


    ¡°In reality, what?¡±


    ¡°Few people know that it¡¯s a suborganization Qinglan uses to research special biological entities.¡±


    Qinglan, again related to Qinglan. No wonder Zhuang Qingyan was so concerned upon hearing the name.


    ¡°So what? What do, do you want?¡± Song Ke remained puzzled.


    ¡°For two reasons. On one hand, I want to know what An Qiwen is retrieving. After all, I am affiliated with Qinglan, so it¡¯s understandable, right?¡±


    ¡°On the other hand, this incident also reminded me, the homeless man in Luo Shelter wasn¡¯t willing to talk, right? Some things in U-Lab can make him talk. Don¡¯t look at me like that; it¡¯s legitimate.¡±


    ¡°Is it dan-dangerous to go the-there?¡± Song Ke, as the captain of V587, naturally had to consider the safety of her companions.


    ¡°Yes, the risk rating for U-Lab before the apocalypse was H (high-risk zone). As for now, I¡¯m not sure.¡±


    A special laboratory, researching bizarre biological species and conducting illegal experiments like gene fusion. Before the apocalypse, it was a restricted area with a high degree of confidentiality. Zhuang Qingyan couldn¡¯t be sure what the things inside had turned into now.


    He thought for a moment and cautiously spoke, ¡°But since An Qiwen dared to go alone, the Azure Phoenix must have cleared things beforehand. No need to worry too much.¡±


    If it was really dangerous, An Qiwen wouldn¡¯t act alone, and he even had the leisure to communicate with Song Ke, showing no signs of nervousness.


    ¡°Then shall I ask him?¡± Song Ke reached for the terminal.


    ¡°Wait,¡± Zhuang Qingyan cleared his throat lightly, ¡°since it¡¯s about helping, how about leaving a little surprise for him?¡±


    Surprise? Are you sure it¡¯s not a shock?


    Song Ke secretly complained, finding Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s casual suggestion quite unexpected.


    Her fingers slid and she accessed another communication. Since the mission seemed a bit challenging, she decided to get some more help.


    The so-called ¡°coolie¡± was, of course, meant to be ordered around. After all, one shouldn¡¯t make oneself suffer when they can make others do it.


    ¡­


    The next day, An Qiwen, dressed in a sharp combat suit, glanced at the sleeping Wang Qiang through the visiting window and walked out of the 119 Hospital.


    As he stepped out of the main entrance, he stopped after a few steps.


    On the opposite street, five people, some sitting and some standing, turned their gazes towards him.


    This was a team that, even if one couldn¡¯t discern their rank, was definitely not to be messed with.


    A tall woman stood leaning against the shade of a tree, her appearance dazzling. She was delicately laughing, covering her lips. Beside her was a tall, wild man, his eyes lowered, exuding a restrained aura of danger. His taut muscles could erupt into combat at any moment, appearing to be a formidable opponent.


    In front of the two, a handsome young man sat in a wheelchair, tilting his head slightly as he chatted with a girl with shoulder-length black hair. At the very front was a ten-year-old boy, his fingertips surrounded by two sparkling snowflakes, thoroughly enjoying himself.


    Upon seeing him, Xu Xing immediately put on a smiling face. ¡°Uncle An, we¡¯re here to help!¡±


    An Qiwen couldn¡¯t help but exclaim, ¡°Oh,¡± the tone fluctuating melodiously, resonating deeply.


    Well, if you¡¯re helping, just help. Did everyone need to come together like this?

 Chapter 52.2: Tongwan Hospital (6)

    ¡ò ROOT ¡òU-Lab laboratory.


    The location of this laboratory had already moved beyond the scope of Tongwan and was situated at the outskirts of a nearby D-grade city, a semi-underground high-tech building with a white hemispherical surface, completely sealed walls, revealing no details from the outside.


    An Qiwen, bypassing the outer defense alert, arrived at the side with a few people. ¡°The personnel inside retreated after the apocalypse, but many experimental samples and equipment couldn¡¯t be taken away in time. It took some effort to clear them. Be careful when you go in.¡±


    ¡°What, go in?¡± Song Ke tapped along the wall but found no gaps.


    They didn¡¯t consider using the main entrance. Given the security level there, it was impossible to open it unless the latest heavy weapons from the Alliance were used for a continuous bombardment for a day and night.


    However, the material used for the walls of U-Lab was also peculiar. An Qiwen had mentioned on the way that it had an automatic repair function. There were faint traces of smoke residue on the surface, but no breaches could be found.


    An Qiwen took a particle cannon from his shoulder, a half-smoked cigarette dangling from his mouth, his expression relaxed and casual.


    ¡°Step back a bit, be careful not to get hurt.¡±


    Song Ke and the others obediently stepped back two paces.


    An Qiwen stepped on a step, aimed the hyper-particle cannon at the wall, and the crimson light gradually condensed. In the next second, it shot out.


    ¡°Boom!¡± The cannon fire blasted open the side wall, creating a hole a few meters wide. As the rubble flew, purple lightning followed closely, weaving into a dense web, firmly holding the breach and preventing it from bouncing back temporarily.


    It was An Qiwen¡¯s ability, controlled quite skillfully, with no energy leaking out.


    ¡°Come in, hurry.¡±


    The group entered one after another.


    The laboratory was cold and sterile, with glaring white spotlights, bright glass corridors, and a lingering chemical smell in the air. Staying in such an environment for a long time could easily make a person feel dizzy and disoriented.


    An Qiwen, after entering, had an unusually serious expression. ¡°Stay close to me, and whatever you do, don¡¯t wander around.¡±


    Although most of the dangers had been removed, caution was still necessary.


    The group moved forward along the spacious corridor. Because it was too quiet, they could even hear each other¡¯s footsteps. The rooms on both sides were mostly messy, with numerous capsule storages of various sizes and shapes, most of them vacant. Occasionally, projection texts and images of certain experiment processes flashed across the electronic screens.


    Experimental subject number: RYH9001


    Biological prototype: Anura ¨C Alien Toad


    Experimental record: ¡­ February 15, 40 NE, 54th gene fusion failure


    Target status: Deceased


    Experimental subject number: PJK9321


    Biological prototype: Lamprey ¨C Parasite


    Experimental record: ¡­ July 22, 44 NE, successful parasitism; July 29, host deceased


    Target status: Deceased


    Experimental subject number: SFP2056


    Biological prototype: Lepidoptera ¨C Vertical-striped poisonous moth


    Experimental record: ¡­ December 24, 45 NE, radiation levels stable, recommend continued observation S?a??h the n0v?l(?)ire.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Target status: Alive


    Lin Youyou grew paler as she ventured further in. The experiment data and the remnants of images were too disgusting. In just a short distance, she had accidentally seen frogs with two heads and over a dozen legs, funnel-mouthed seven-gilled eels, and numerous grotesque images, making it impossible to distinguish the original insect species. This place was truly a nightmare for those with trypophobia!


    Lin Youyou averted her gaze, took a breath, and calmed her nerves. She unexpectedly noticed that someone¡¯s complexion was even worse than hers.


    Song Ke, at the back of the group, stared blankly at those capsule storages.


    The interiors of the compartments were very clean, with no stains. However, Song Ke felt a reddish hue and caught a hint of a pungent smell.


    She extended her fingertip and gently tapped the electronic label on top. What did these numbers mean?


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did you find something?¡± Lin Youyou asked in a low voice.


    ¡°¡­No,¡± Song Ke was interrupted and momentarily forgot what she was thinking. She quickened her pace to catch up with the others.


    It must be due to poor ventilation and difficulty in breathing, causing hallucinations. She felt very uncomfortable in this place.


    An Qiwen led them to the end of the corridor, into a noticeably larger laboratory.


    The glass door slowly opened, revealing a giant fish tank connected to the ceiling. In the pitch-black liquid, there was a huge deep-sea octopus soaked, its entire body in deep red color and its body resembling jelly. It was in a semi-decomposed state, with sunken eye sockets, pale eyes, and drug tubes inserted at the ends of each tentacle, floating motionless inside.


    An Qiwen searched the room following the signal and indeed found a dormant central system. This concealed central system had a timer function. They had missed it the last time they were here because it was turned off.


    A few days ago, the signal left in the laboratory suddenly detected data fluctuations and reported it to Wu Juemin. He then ordered An Qiwen, who was still in Tongwan, to go and retrieve the data from this central system.


    An Qiwen took out a small chip-like object, connected it to another instrument, and began the data transfer.


    During the waiting time, he didn¡¯t forget to scare Xu Xing playfully, ¡°Just look, don¡¯t touch anything. Be careful, it might move.¡±


    Xu Xing, being timid, immediately clung to Song Ke¡¯s thigh, acting as a mobile accessory, keeping his eyes tightly shut throughout, too afraid to open them and look.


    An Qiwen chuckled twice and stopped joking.


    The data retrieval took about ten minutes. After it was done, they retreated along the corridor and returned to the initial fork.


    So far, they had only explored about half of the entire laboratory. However, the expressions of everyone present were not very pleasant. Just by deducing from the current scene, it was clear that U-Lab was conducting prohibited biological experiments.


    Why did the Alliance allow such a black laboratory to exist?


    This time, An Qiwen chose the left path.


    This path was evidently more difficult to traverse. The ground was littered with debris and fragments, and one could easily step on gravel and shards of glass if not careful. An Qiwen explained, ¡°We don¡¯t have authorization. Last time we came, the captain had to force his way through the door.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Lin Youyou stopped, and in front of them was a tightly closed metal door.


    Highly glossy and with smooth lines, the access control system was firmly attached to the door, emitting a flickering light. The electronic eye automatically scanned everyone passing by, capturing various heat sources and displaying them in red characters.


    ¡°Recognition failed.¡±


    ¡°Recognition failed.¡±


    ¡°NO ACCESS¡±


    ¡°This is a hidden door. We checked the 3D map, and this should be the central control of the entire laboratory.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, we can¡¯t open it.¡±


    An Qiwen placed the signal source on the door, but the screen didn¡¯t show any fluctuations.


    ¡°The central control can manipulate all the lights, systems, instruments, and devices in the laboratory. However, the captain confirmed that there were no signs of life or information flow inside. If we forcibly dismantle it, it might trigger a self-destruct program, so we left it for the time being.¡±


    Even Wu Juemin couldn¡¯t figure it out, so they had no means to open the door.


    A few of them glanced at the blinking access door and left the spot.


    After turning a corner, the path ahead was blocked, and there lay a huge, putrid corpse on the ground!


    The length of the corpse was over three meters, resembling a human and a fish. It had strange webbed hands and feet, gray-white eyeballs staring lifelessly, and horrifying sharp teeth in its mouth, capable of easily tearing an adult apart.


    ¡°Wow, this is so disgusting¡­ What is this?¡± Xu Xing almost jumped.


    ¡°Zombie fishman.¡±


    ¡°This is what injured Qiangzi,¡± An Qiwen¡¯s expression turned cold, and his purple lightning ability crackled around him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s already dead. We had to evacuate in a hurry and couldn¡¯t deal with it at the time,¡± he reassured Xu Xing.


    Song Ke and Zhuang Qingyan were okay; their acceptance level had visibly increased after facing such challenges.


    Su Cha seemed quite composed.


    The one who couldn¡¯t bear it the most was Lin Youyou. She held her nose, took a few steps back, looking disgusted.


    ¡°Su Cha, deal with it quickly.¡±


    Su Cha took a couple of steps forward, flipped out a dagger from his palm, and stabbed the fish person¡¯s head. The residual impure blood oozed out. Just then, the dagger lit up with a faint dim light, and the fishman¡¯s body gradually corroded, turning into a liquid and eventually disappearing on the spot.


    An Qiwen clicked his tongue twice, his gaze stopping at the black snake tattoo on Su Cha¡¯s back, and suddenly everything made sense.


    People from the rainforest, no wonder.


    While everyone circled around the fishman¡¯s body, Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s wheelchair slid back, and he alone returned to the tightly sealed door.


    He rested his chin on his hand and stared at the door in place, expressionless, for a while. Suddenly, he let out a light sneer.


    Zhuang Qingyan raised his head slightly, staring directly at the door.


    The silver access control aimed at his pupils.


    Capturing biological information, the electronic eye automatically checked the iris data. The central system rapidly calculated for two seconds, and then, green characters lit up.


    ¡°Recognition successful.¡±


    ¡°ROOT¡±

 Chapter 53: Tongwan Hospital (7)

    ¡ò A Big Moth ¡ò¡°What are you doing?¡±


    The moment the secret door opened, Song Ke appeared behind Zhuang Qingyan like a ghost.


    The two people¡¯s gazes collided unexpectedly. After a few seconds, Song Ke turned her head and glanced at the open door.


    In the mysterious silence, Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s heart beat a bit faster.


    At a time like this, as long as Song Ke shouted, An Qiwen and the others would be attracted over.


    Although he hadn¡¯t done anything guilty, he couldn¡¯t explain the current situation at all.


    Song Ke hesitated for a moment, didn¡¯t shout or scream, just looked at Zhuang Qingyan quietly, and stared at him.


    Then she subtly turned on her tiptoe and moved to the doorway, blocking Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s figure perfectly.


    ¡°You, hurry up,¡± Song Ke urged softly.


    Zhuang Qingyan smiled slowly.


    Anyway, Song Ke had chosen to stand on his side.


    Even though it wasn¡¯t said out loud, in that moment just now, there was a strange understanding flowing between them.


    Zhuang Qingyan seized the time, flashed into the dark room, glanced around, and indeed, as An Qiwen had said, it was just an ordinary control center with nothing noteworthy, let alone any forgotten important information, top-secret data, and so on.


    However¡­


    The control center controlled the access system of the entire laboratory. The logs of visitors stored in different areas were interconnected, and one could still find some traces of the people who entered and exited U-Lab over the past decade.


    Zhuang Qingyan unlocked the panel, rapidly inputted the commands with his fingertips, and deleted all the data from the access control.


    Then he surveyed the area, picked some equipment that could be taken, and stashed them all into his space.


    The silver wheelchair slid out silently, the secret door closed slowly, and Song Ke leaned against the wall, staring at him without blinking.


    Zhuang Qingyan nodded, ¡°All done.¡±


    Song Ke didn¡¯t ask what he had done inside. She took the wheelchair and pushed him to catch up with An Qiwen and the others.


    They had been gone for two or three minutes, but because everyone¡¯s attention was focused on the fish-like zombies, they were fortunately not discovered.


    After clearing the zombie fishman¡¯s body, the road became clear again, and An Qiwen led the group to proceed, reaching the depths of U-Lab.


    After leaving the cold and oppressive research lab, the light suddenly brightened, and before everyone¡¯s eyes was a glass conservatory.


    It was hard to imagine that in such a grim and eerie place like U-Lab, there was a dreamlike transparent garden. Artificial sunlight from the top freely poured in, brightening and warming up the room. The garden was lush with vegetation, fresh air, and the display cabinets on both sides held many intact insect specimens, vivid and lifelike.


    ¡°The last set of data, once it¡¯s copied, we¡¯re done,¡± An Qiwen connected the chip to the cabinet-like instrument and began the data transfer.


    The mission was about to be completed. He relaxed his nerves, rubbed his neck, and stretched the tense shoulders.


    ¡°Uncle An, what kind of machine is this?¡± Xu Xing asked as she approached.


    ¡°This? It¡¯s a visitor system¡¯s information cabinet. Inside are all sorts of miscellaneous data, we¡¯ll take it back and see if it¡¯s useful or not.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Xu Xing responded obediently.


    He turned his little head, looking left and right, curious about everything but refraining from reaching out.


    The little guy was quite smart. How could he touch things randomly here? It was portrayed that way on television, with stupid cannon fodders breaking things or accidentally touching something, only for a super powerful monster to come out, leading to everyone¡¯s demise!


    He was not that kind of idiot!


    Xu Xing¡¯s gaze fell on a specimen inside a display cabinet.


    There was a giant insect specimen, seemingly a kind of moth based on its appearance. Its grayish-white antennae were thick and short, with pitch-black compound eyes. The spread-out wings were covered in brown and black scales, with brush-like ripples around, making it dizzying after a while.


    Xu Xing blinked. Just now, the large moth specimen seemed to have moved.


    He rubbed his eyes in disbelief and then his eyes widened slightly.


    He hadn¡¯t seen it wrong; it moved again!


    Xu Xing shivered, subconsciously wanting to grab his sister¡¯s leg. But when he raised his head, he realized that Song Ke was pushing Zhuang Qingyan a bit away from him. He didn¡¯t dare to run around, so he settled for the next best thing and tugged on An Qiwen¡¯s sleeve nearby. ¡°Uncle An, that specimen is moving!¡±


    The garden was extremely quiet. Not only An Qiwen but also the others heard Xu Xing¡¯s warning.


    Song Ke looked alert, looking at the glass walls, the control desk, and the display cabinets one by one.


    There were too many; there were at least a thousand specimens here. Which one was Xu Xing referring to?


    Soon, everyone figured out which one it was.


    A giant flapping moth with a body length of over forty-five centimeters flew up leisurely. As it flapped its wings, a flurry of fine powder drifted down from the air, resembling a gentle rain.


    ¡°Vertical-striped poisonous moth, female. Don¡¯t inhale those dust,¡± Zhuang Qingyan quickly warned, ¡°¡­they are all its eggs.¡±


    The faces of everyone turned grim, hurriedly covering their mouths and noses.


    But an even bigger crisis was yet to come.


    After the mother moth appeared, countless young moths flew out from the corners of the walls, the control desk, the cabinets, and even from the shadows of the trees. They had extremely bright and vibrant colors¡ªyellow-green, yellow-brown¡ªwith long hair covering their tarsal joints. They looked fuzzy, but combined with the grayish-white, they presented an obvious zombified appearance, far from being cute. They could be described as creepy.


    Zhuang Qingyan quickly recited a series of numbers, ¡°SFP2056.¡±


    Song Ke was puzzled at first but then lightning-fast recalled the capsule warehouse they had just passed by. Experimental subject SFP2056, the lepidopteran vertical-striped poisonous moth. According to the last experimental record, it was still alive!


    So¡­ this mutated poisonous moth was hiding here and using the glass garden as a warm bed to hatch its larvae!


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s reminder was correct; those flying all around were definitely not dust but its parasitic eggs.


    It was utterly disgusting!


    Su Cha¡¯s dagger was swift and precise, killing one larvae with a single swipe. However, there were simply too many of these mutated insects, and they couldn¡¯t be killed off.


    Lin Youyou¡¯s extraordinary singing ability was nearly useless in this situation. Every time she opened her mouth, she would inhale a multitude of bugs.


    Luckily, they had two awakeners capable of causing a group damage. Xu Xing unleashed a blizzard, while An Qiwen was surrounded by a surge of purple electricity. Their abilities covered the garden, and a brilliant light filled the air.


    However, the larvae were like wildfire, cut one down, and another immediately took its place, becoming more and more numerous.


    No one knew how many eggs this poisonous moth had laid. There were countless little creatures dancing wildly in every direction, blocking their vision with a bright yellow color and muffling their hearing with the sound of flapping wings. Soon, they couldn¡¯t see each other clearly.


    A terrifying moth disaster had arrived.


    ¡°Focus on capturing the big ones,¡± An Qiwen gritted his teeth and shouted these three words.


    He controlled the lightning to shuttle through the larvae swarm, attempting to find the culprit, the mother moth. The idea was correct, but doing this was as difficult as finding a needle in a haystack.


    Song Ke pushed Zhuang Qingyan towards Xu Xing and An Qiwen. The two of them, by continuously releasing their abilities, barely managed to create a vacuum zone, temporarily preventing the larvae from coming closer.


    Then she faced the surging wave of larvae and ran her fingers over the control desk. A blue light burst forth, and in her palm, a peculiarly shaped spiritual weapon took form. Looking at the lower half, it resembled a long-handled halberd, flat and straight in structure, with a horizontal blade edge and a vertical hilt. However, the upper half was vastly different, featuring a hooked iron mesh with countless tiny barbs and blades, which were extremely sharp.


    Holding this iron racket, Song Ke rolled and moved towards An Qiwen. ¡°Lend me so-some ability.¡±


    Without a second word, An Qiwen released a dark purple thunder snake, tightly coiling around the mesh.


    On the surface of the spiritual weapon, the interweaving blue-purple energy glowed. With a single push from Song Ke, she jumped onto a counter, swinging the iron racket in the air.


    Crackling sounds filled the air as the larvae that hit the iron mesh were first caught by the barbs and blades, then roasted by the lightning. The powerful electric currents lit up along the mesh, and the smell of burnt protein filled the air.


    The larvae¡¯s bodies were instantly charred, falling like raindrops.


    Holding her homemade electric racket, Song Ke jumped and danced around the garden. The swarm of larvae seemed to sense the danger and huddled together, trying to evade. However, they couldn¡¯t escape. With crackling sounds, a large number of them were electrocuted.


    The chaotic scene, after this action, suddenly became absurd and comical.


    An Qiwen encountered an awakener with this kind of style for the first time. His eyes widened in astonishment, forming a complete circle. Countless thoughts piled up in his mind, ultimately condensed into a sentence, ¡°Oh my goodness, impressive, really impressive.¡±


    After a thorough cleanup of a large number of larvae, Song Ke finally found the hiding mother moth. The massive poisonous moth was lurking above them, circling around the artificial light sphere and continuously dispersing parasitic eggs. Song Ke swung her electric racket and fiercely struck towards it!


    The purple lightning and barbs emitted a dazzling light. The poisonous moth leaped into the air and skillfully evaded the attack.


    Song Ke pursued, striking in the opposite direction. The mother moth agilely evaded, and the mesh brushed against its wings. It received an electric shock and got pricked, causing half of its body to shiver, yet it didn¡¯t fall off!


    ¡°Not good¡­ It¡¯s resistant,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said with a grave expression, throwing out a terrifying speculation.


    ¡°!¡± Song Ke was shocked.


    She almost forgot that this poisonous moth was an experimental subject. U-Lab had undoubtedly conducted various modifications on it. Since it managed to survive, its genes had definitely mutated, perhaps more than once!


    The electric racket was too large. It was better suited for group attacks, and using it against the mother moth alone made the target too obvious.


    Moreover, An Qiwen¡¯s lightning ability had minimal effect on it.


    Song Ke thought for a moment and shouted, ¡°Xiao Xing, freeze it!¡±


    Xu Xing, with a serious expression, nodded vigorously. ¡°Okay!¡±


    A small amount of ice and snow appeared in front of him, and Xu Xing kept his eyes fixed on the mother moth, controlling his ability unsteadily.


    Also possessing a B-level AOE (area of effect) ability and being more experienced, An Qiwen saw what was going on and kindly advised him, ¡°Don¡¯t use your eyes; use your ability. Allocate a bit of your mental energy to control it more precisely.¡±


    Xu Xing took a deep breath inwardly, calming down. The flight trajectory of the ice and snow became more stable. He held his breath and focused, controlling his ability with great concentration. In a swift movement, he teleported near the poisonous moth, and the ice and snow broke into tiny ice crystals, some landing on its wings.


    The movements of the mother moth showed a slight delay.


    It was only a moment, but it was a rare opportunity!


    How could they eliminate it in one go?


    Among these people, one possessed the strongest ability to obliterate the evidence.


    Song Ke¡¯s mind raced, and she extended the iron flail back towards Su Cha.


    ¡°Le-lend me some a-ability,¡± she said. s?a??h th? ??v?l_Fir?.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Su Cha hesitated for a moment, then without refusal, placed the dagger on the spiritual net. A dim green light poured out.


    Song Ke smoothly borrowed the ability and leaped into the air!


    The blue-green racket swung heavily towards the mother moth. The mother moth had just been frozen by Xu Xing and struggled desperately. It flew upwards, about to escape the attack range. With a flick of her wrist, Song Ke extended the length of her spiritual weapon, and the poisoned mesh hit its body squarely.


    ¡°Splat¡ª¡±


    A pungent corrosive odor filled the air. The mother moth, from its abdomen to its wings and antennae, was eroded inch by inch by the toxic liquid, turning into black viscous fluid.


    Success!


    The larvae lost their leader, and in a headless and aimless manner, they attacked persistently, but they were no longer a threat.


    Taking advantage of this opportunity, Song Ke transformed several more electric rackets, attaching An Qiwen¡¯s abilities, and distributed one to each companion, starting to deal with the moths in the garden.


    Crackling sounds filled the air as the green and yellow larvae piled up on the ground, gradually reaching the height of everyone¡¯s ankles.


    After spending some time cleaning up, the garden finally fell completely silent.


    An Qiwen had already completed the data retrieval, and the murky air was no longer suitable for lingering.


    Song Ke and the others withdrew.


    There were still some unexplored areas in U-Lab, but An Qiwen¡¯s mission was only to retrieve data. Since that was accomplished, there was no need to continue staying. The others were also not particularly interested. Just thinking about it, apart from the various strange experimental creatures, there was nothing else inside.


    They were, however, very interested in the iron rackets Song Ke had transformed.


    ¡°Ke¡¯er, you¡¯re really something. How did you come up with this?¡± Lin Youyou observed the iron racket, poking the fine thorns on the mesh with her slender fingers, and they instantly cut her skin. ¡°Give this to me, we did contribute, after all.¡±


    An Qiwen also seemed quite pleased, holding onto the iron racket tightly. He hadn¡¯t expected that his ability could be used in such a clever way.


    Song Ke wasn¡¯t stingy, and everyone had exerted a lot of efforts inside just now. She slightly controlled her mental energy, cutting off her connection with this batch of spiritual weapons. She straightforwardly said, ¡°Here, for all of you.¡±


    ¡­


    Back in Tongwan, the temporary team parted ways. An Qiwen had to return to the hospital, and Lin Youyou also informed them of the upcoming arrangements. The famous celebrity from District C, after a period of excitement, had visibly lost weight, but she appeared much more resilient.


    Lin Youyou smiled at Song Ke. ¡°Just to make it clear, I¡¯m not trying to avoid my debt.¡±


    ¡°The top 32 game is about to start, and given my job nature and some personal matters to handle, I have to return to Ferrara tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°As for the remaining two tasks, I¡¯ll owe you for now. You can contact me when you need them.¡±


    Song Ke nodded.


    She didn¡¯t have any other tasks at the moment, so there was no need to stop Lin Youyou from leaving. Anyway, whether it was Ferrara or Tongwan, catching Lin Youyou as a coolie wouldn¡¯t be difficult.


    The three members of V587 returned to their residence. Xu Xing kept yelling about parasites, parasites all the way. Zhuang Qingyan and Song Ke were made itchy all over by his words. Originally, they weren¡¯t worried, but Xu Xing scared them with his remarks, so they rushed back to their rooms and took a shower.


    ¡­


    With one hand supporting the crutch, Zhuang Qingyan came out of the bathroom, wiping his wet hair. He casually glanced and saw someone sitting on his bed.


    Also with wet hair, dripping down to the shoulders, the small face looked extremely serious, staring intently at him.


    Oh, it¡¯s time for the settlement of accounts.


    Zhuang Qingyan didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or cry.


    The next moment, he sighed softly in his heart.


    She didn¡¯t even knock on the door.

 Chapter 54.1: Tongwan Hospital (8)

    ¡ò Did I guess it right? Dr. Fang. ¡òSong Ke silently watched Zhuang Qingyan.


    Since picking up this man in the pouring rain, her wandering journey has undergone indescribable changes.


    Things she couldn¡¯t understand before, as long as she asked, she could get answers from him: information about the apocalypse, abilities, Qinglan, C-grade districts, commissioned tasks¡­ Zhuang Qingyan said he wasn¡¯t omniscient, but in Song Ke¡¯s eyes, he knew everything.


    As long as Zhuang Qingyan was by her side, even ignorance became a luxury. Song Ke would no longer feel puzzled about the unknown world. Everything could be solved theoretically, and she only needed to be responsible for execution.


    But this didn¡¯t mean she lost her ability to think.


    Who is Zhuang Qingyan, what is his true identity? An ordinary researcher at Qinglan Institute?


    ¡ªAbsolutely impossible.


    The first time they met, he said he was a drug researcher. After encountering the Azure Phoenix squad, he changed his claim to a weather mimicry system maintenance engineer. It seemed that Zhuang Qingyan could easily come up with any identity that favored him, completely indifferent to its authenticity.


    And his true origin was concealed in an unclear fog, surrounded by layers. Unless he personally tore apart the layers of disguised veils, Song Ke would probably never know.


    In front of the U-Lab¡¯s secret entrance, Song Ke caught Zhuang Qingyan in the act.


    He quietly left the team, wanting to do something, and this something couldn¡¯t be known to others.


    Since when did he start his secretive plans?


    From when he proposed to go to U-Lab with An Qiwen? Or even earlier, from when he knew that the Azure Phoenix squad¡¯s mission was to find someone who had been missing for a long time?


    Song Ke was not a fool. Of course, she understood that even if U-Lab was a subsidiary of Qinglan, the heavily guarded access control system was definitely not something an ¡°ordinary researcher¡± could open.


    Song Ke frowned and sternly said, ¡°Confess and cooperate.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan looked relaxed and responded, ¡°Leniency to those who confess, severity to those who resist?¡±


    Song Ke pouted, ¡°You, honestly, confess¡­¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan smiled and said, ¡°Will you spare me in your great mercy?¡±


    Tsk, Song Ke was annoyed. Why did he always catch her words, making her lose track of what she wanted to say next?


    Her fingertips moved slightly, and a faint blue light flickered, slowly aiming at the man in front of her.


    ¡°Why not settle it with words? Do you have to resort to violence again?¡± Zhuang Qingyan leaned lazily on his writing desk, supporting himself with a crutch. ¡°Can you bear treating me like this?¡±


    Just out of the shower, he didn¡¯t use the wheelchair. His tall figure stood there, creating an imposing shadow.


    Song Ke glanced up. It wasn¡¯t actually a shadow; it was just that his bathrobe wasn¡¯t tied properly, revealing half of his chest.


    ¡°Stop, joking. Speak, quickly.¡±


    Song Ke persisted, using this time alone with him, having come to his room, to clarify her doubts. If he didn¡¯t explain today, she wouldn¡¯t easily give up.


    ¡°Tell, the truth.¡±


    Considering his talent for lying, Song Ke added without missing a beat.


    Being cornered by her relentless questioning, Zhuang Qingyan sighed helplessly.


    ¡°I can indeed unlock the door because I have high-level access within Qinglan.


    ¡°As for why I entered the central control room¡­ a few years ago, I visited U-Lab.¡±


    Song Ke frowned deeply, ¡°You went? What for?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan wouldn¡¯t have been involved in those illegal biological experiments, right?


    He could tell what she was thinking from her expression. Zhuang Qingyan chuckled and shook his head slowly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think too much. I didn¡¯t participate in any experiments. At that time, I went as an internal inspector.


    ¡°The information An Qiwen needed to retrieve included the visitor list. If my presence showed up there, it would be hard to explain and bring unnecessary trouble to us. So, I deleted the access records and completely eliminated this potential problem.


    ¡°Other than that, I didn¡¯t do anything.¡±


    ¡°A-are you telling the t-truth now?¡± Song Ke looked at him with a skeptical expression.


    Zhuang Qingyan smiled slowly, ¡°Song Ke, as I mentioned before, I have no reason to lie to you.¡±


    No need to lie to me? There¡¯s one more thing, will you answer?


    Song Ke was silent for a moment and asked a soul-penetrating question, ¡°Do you know, that person, Xie Zhuo?¡±


    Even if Song Ke wasn¡¯t clever, her intuition was always accurate.


    On the night at Mirror Lake, Zhuang Qingyan had a distinct reaction when he saw Xie Ningyu.


    He reacted to that face.


    The smile on Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s face disappeared, and his eyes narrowed slightly, falling into a long silence.


    The crutch used to maintain balance moved, and the end made a ¡°creaking¡± sound against the ground.


    ¡°No, lying, allowed,¡± warned Song Ke.


    ¡°I know,¡± Zhuang Qingyan finally spoke, after a long while.


    As expected, Song Ke thought to herself, there was a feeling of ¡®I knew it¡¯ in her heart.


    ¡°W-Who is he?¡±


    ¡°You can say¡­ an old acquaintance.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan took a few slow but steady steps forward. He came to Song Ke and sat down on the other side of the bed.


    They sat side by side, gazing at the hazy night outside together.


    ¡°Sorry, I can¡¯t tell you his identity for now.


    ¡°But An Qiwen is right. It¡¯s an impossible task. Azure Phoenix¡¯s people will never find Xie Zhuo.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Song Ke was puzzled.


    ¡°Because he¡¯s dead,¡± Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s voice was hoarse.


    ¡°Xie Zuo died a long time ago.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Dead in terms of biology or sociology, he has completely disappeared,¡± Zhuang Qingyan continued.


    Thinking seriously, Song Ke contemplated the biological meaning of death, which referred to a person ceasing to breathe, their body decaying, becoming bones and dust. To achieve the sociological meaning of disappearance, this person¡¯s habits, social relationships, behavioral trajectory¡­ must be completely erased from the memories of others.


    ¡°Why did he die?¡±


    ¡°Because someone wanted him dead, or rather, he had no choice but to die. Xie Zhuo lived each day facing endless pursuit,¡± Zhuang Qingyan explained.


    Pursuits, forced to die¡­ Every word spoken by Zhuang Qingyan carried a certain cruel meaning.


    Song Ke couldn¡¯t help but fall silent. She remembered that stunning image, that defiant youth¡ªdid he ultimately not live to adulthood?


    So, as an acquaintance of Xie Zhuo, what was Zhuang Qingyan feeling now, knowing everything?


    Song Ke¡¯s gaze fell on Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s hand hanging by his side, where the veins protruded, seemingly indicating the speaker¡¯s fluctuating emotions.


    Following up the arm, she looked at the bangs falling down, covering half of Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s face, leaving the other half unusually cold.


    Song Ke asked cautiously, ¡°Are you, okay?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan remained silent, looking back at the young girl sitting in front of him.


    Song Ke¡¯s eyes were clear, showing concern as she gazed at him.


    Zhuang Qingyan moved his fingertip and revealed an extremely cold smile.


    ¡°Song Ke, if someday I¡¯m hunted by the entire Alliance, if everyone wants me dead, what would you do?¡±


    ¡°¡­,¡± Song Ke didn¡¯t speak. S?a??h th? N0v?lFir?.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Would you save me?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan reached out, gently touching her cheek, applying a little pressure, creating a dimple there.


    ¡°Hmm, would you?¡±


    He lowered his head, staring into Song Ke¡¯s eyes, still pursuing the question, insisting on an answer.


    They had known each other for so long, and this was the first time Zhuang Qingyan had voluntarily come so close to her.


    Song Ke felt a mix of emotions, a complex feeling that was hard to describe.


    She tilted her head back, moving away from his palm.


    ¡°No, I wouldn¡¯t.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan, having received the answer, smiled slowly, his deep eyes sparkling with wisdom. ¡°Smart child, remember, no matter what trouble you encounter in the future, preserving yourself should always be the top priority.¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s lips moved slightly, wanting to say something, but ultimately held it back.


    Her grandfather had said to her, ¡®Live well¡¯, so she had to take care of herself.


    Their gazes met, and after a few seconds, they looked away, tacitly changing the subject.


    ¡°Wh-what did you get from the ce-central control?¡± Song Ke asked.


    Zhuang Qingyan retrieved a small device from the space. ¡°An ability measurement device.¡±


    It looked somewhat similar to the black box they had used at the Fools Wharf with Wu Juemin, but Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s was orange and appeared more delicate.


    Song Ke reached out, wanting to touch it, but quickly withdrew her hand.


    ¡°Won¡¯t it break?¡± she asked, still bearing a psychological shadow.


    ¡°It¡¯s an L-type, a common popular style on the market. It won¡¯t easily break.¡±


    Though it couldn¡¯t compare to the fully functional R-grade or the widely used P-grade by awakener bases in District C, the L-type ability measurement device was the best-selling among these models due to its portability.


    Song Ke felt relieved. Following the device¡¯s instructions, she placed her hands on the measurement port. The precise instrument scanned her body, various colored lines surged, and it eventually stopped at the A mark, the energy value maxed out.


    ¡°Too bad, it can only measure up to A-level,¡± Zhuang Qingyan expressed regret.


    Curious, Song Ke asked, ¡°C-can this m-make the ho-homeless man speak?¡±


    They had been to Luo Shelter twice in the past few days, and no matter how they asked, the homeless man showed no willingness to communicate.


    ¡°Wait for me another day; we¡¯ll have a few more bargaining chips,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said.

 Chapter 54.2: Tongwan Hospital (8)

    ¡ò Did I guess it right? Dr. Fang. ¡òThe next day, at the 119 Hospital.


    Wearing a tan-colored vest, Song Ke took advantage of the lunch break and started wandering aimlessly like the Mountain King.


    She first went to find Xu Xing. The little guy had now moved on from running errands in the eighth-floor pharmacy and had been ¡°promoted¡± to a zombie cleaner on the thirteenth floor, with the same job as Song Ke. He earned a net of 180 Alliance coins each day.


    Even though there were endless zeros in his terminal account, and the work of a volunteer was even more exhausting and grueling, Xu Xing didn¡¯t seem to mind at all. He did the job quite happily.


    ¡°Xiao Xing, come over here.¡±


    Song Ke found Xu Xing lazing around at the nurse¡¯s station. He, being a sweet-talking little guy, often won the hearts of the nurses and got stuffed with various snacks in his pockets. So, Song Ke knew exactly why he always burped when he got home.


    Seeing Song Ke, Xu Xing¡¯s face lit up, and he skipped over. ¡°Sister, are you looking for me?¡±


    Song Ke nodded. ¡°Yes. Let me sho-show you a tre-treasure.¡±


    The two of them went to an empty corridor, and Song Ke grinned, pulling out an ability measurement device from her spatial storage.


    ¡°Let¡¯s play wi-with thi-this.¡±


    ¡°What? Isn¡¯t this what Captain Wu uses to measure abilities?¡± Xu Xing frowned, remembering his embarrassing past of losing control.


    ¡°This one¡¯s ad-advanced,¡± Song Ke solemnly persuaded him.


    Reluctantly, Xu Xing agreed and embraced the instrument, placing his fingers on the measuring port. The lines on the screen went up and down, finally stopping at the B mark, surpassing it by quite a bit.


    ¡°Wow, impressive!¡± Song Ke applauded enthusiastically, giving him face.


    ¡°Hehe,¡± Xu Xing scratched his head and excitedly suggested, ¡°Sister, let¡¯s go find Tao Tao and have her measured too.¡±


    Children will always be children, with their imaginative thoughts.


    Equally childish, Song Ke agreed eagerly.


    The two of them set off with the measurement device to find Tao Tao.


    Tao Tao wasn¡¯t as cooperative as Xu Xing. Seeing the unfamiliar device, she was on high alert, her ears perked up, barking wildly, and her short legs darted around the ward, even releasing her domain, pushing the two of them out several times.


    Song Ke was determined and didn¡¯t give up. She engaged in a protracted battle with Tao Tao. Finally catching her, she held down Tao Tao¡¯s paw and placed it in the measuring port. Tao Tao grimaced and whimpered, unable to resist.


    The screen lit up again, and colorful lines fluctuated before finally stopping at the C mark.


    Song Ke and Xu Xing were amazed.


    Tao Tao turned out to be a C-level awakener¡­ Oh no, an awakener dog!


    The C-level ability dog Tao Tao displayed her power, releasing her domain once again, catching the two off guard and sending them tumbling.


    Beside them, Tao Tao¡¯s mom casually snacked on sunflower seeds, leisurely watching the show with her legs crossed.


    ¡°This thing is really useful.


    ¡°I was thinking of registering Tao Tao. This makes it easier¡ªjust fill in the details.¡±


    ¡°Tao Tao needs to register too?¡± Xu Xing asked curiously, rubbing the bump on his head.


    ¡°Of course! We¡¯re talking about Tao Tao, an awakener, entitled to perks,¡± Tao Tao¡¯s mom said matter-of-factly.


    Song Ke imagined a dog going to get an awakener certificate¡ªit felt a bit surreal.


    ¡°Come, have some sunflower seeds,¡± Tao Tao¡¯s mom enthusiastically invited them, casually shaking the light screen used as a tray for sunflower seed shells.


    Song Ke peeked inside and saw medical news¡ªmostly gossip like ¡®Tongwan¡¯s Most Handsome Doctor Competition,¡¯ ¡®The Heartthrobs of the Medical Field,¡¯ ¡®The Gentle Surgeon,¡¯ and the like. Tao Tao¡¯s mom assumed she was interested and pulled Song Ke to sit down, enthusiastically promoting the handsome doctors of Tongwan.


    Song Ke glanced a couple of times, forced to listen to half an hour of gossip. The doctors all seemed to have similar faces, but their hands were quite attractive¡ªslender and long with well-defined joints. When they picked up the surgical knife, they exuded a unique elegance.


    *


    On the other side, Zhuang Qingyan found the time to visit the Tongwan Security Team and met with Zhao Liqiang.


    ¡°You want to access the records of all registered awakeners in Tongwan?¡± Zhao Liqiang was particularly surprised upon learning his intention.


    ¡°Yes, and I¡¯d appreciate Captain Zhao¡¯s assistance,¡± Zhuang Qingyan politely nodded.


    These were internal records that Zhuang Qingyan couldn¡¯t access in the hospital¡¯s archives, so he had to ask for Zhao Liqiang¡¯s help.


    He was checking these records to confirm his suspicions.


    Zhao Liqiang looked puzzled, ¡°Why are you interested in that? There¡¯s not much useful information; it¡¯s mostly just age, place of origin, and the like. Plus, our security team alone has over 200 people, not to mention the outsiders. Tongwan has over 500 registered awakeners, right?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan smiled, ¡°It¡¯s not about gathering information. I just want to confirm a few things.¡± S?a??h the ?ov?l?ir?.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    The records cabinet in the archive room was tall, extending all the way to the ceiling. Different cabinets stored different kinds of records, categorized neatly. All the information could be accessed through the central computer.


    After verifying the credentials, Zhao Liqiang led Zhuang Qingyan inside. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but you can¡¯t take the records out. You¡¯ll have to read them here.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan showed understanding. ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll try to finish reading them today.¡±


    ¡°Then go ahead and focus on your work. Just let me know when you¡¯re leaving.¡±


    Zhao Liqiang had a lot on his plate and couldn¡¯t afford to waste time accompanying him here.


    ¡°Thank you, Captain Zhao.¡±


    After the others left, Zhuang Qingyan brought up the interface of the central computer and quickly started browsing the records, beginning from the earliest registered awakeners before the apocalypse.


    *


    Luo Shelter.


    V587 came to visit the homeless man for the third time.


    His condition was hardly any different from a few days ago; the wounds hadn¡¯t worsened and instead showed signs of gradual healing.


    This man indeed hadn¡¯t undergone any mutation.


    Though not mutated, after several days of relentless efforts, he was on the verge of self-destruction, emaciated with shallow breathing. Just from his unkempt appearance, he looked even more like a zombie than a zombie itself.


    Reluctantly, Xu Xing took two steps forward, given a significant responsibility.


    He crouched in front of the homeless man, raising his innocent and cheerful face, his voice soft, ¡°Uncle, would you like something to eat?¡±


    ¡°I have a sandwich, and there are ham sausages, cookies, juice¡­ It¡¯s kiwi juice, really delicious.¡±


    He thought that children could at least somewhat break down the other person¡¯s defenses, but the homeless man remained lying on the ground, unmoving.


    Xu Xing was completely ignored, and the curly hair on top of his head tilted unwillingly. Suppressing his frustration, he continued to persuade, ¡°Uncle, if you encounter any difficulties, you can tell my sister. She¡¯s really nice, and we can help you.¡±


    The homeless man slowly turned his head, leaning towards the other side, seeming to find Xu Xing annoying, and waved his hand like shooing away a fly.


    Xu Xing held back for a moment, then couldn¡¯t hold it anymore and shouted, ¡°Hey! Why are you such a dog?¡±


    Calling you a dog is an insult to Tao Tao. You¡¯re even worse than a dog! At least dogs react! Can¡¯t you say something?


    This time the homeless man reacted; he made a faint ¡°hmph¡± sound from his nose.


    Xu Xing threw the bread and juice, almost exploding with frustration, his irritable nature exposed. ¡°I¡¯m talking to you, can¡¯t you have some sense? You¡¯re this old, is it interesting to seek death? Can¡¯t you have a bit of dignity?


    ¡°Getting on my nerves, you¡¯re getting on my nerves, you bad old man!¡±


    Xu Xing panted heavily, turned around, and saw Song Ke gaping at him, staring blankly. It was the first time she had truly seen him lose his composure.


    Xu Xing: QAQ


    Oops, forgot that big sister was right there. Sob, sob.


    Defeated, Xu Xing stepped back, and Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s wheelchair stopped in front of the homeless man.


    The man didn¡¯t pay any attention, not even bothering to lift his head.


    Zhuang Qingyan stroked the patterns on the blanket and spoke in a calm tone.


    ¡°You¡¯re not a vagrant.¡±


    ¡°You weren¡¯t born to be this desolate.¡±


    ¡°You were born in Tongwan, a renowned city of medicine. You grew up in a well-off family, with a gentle and considerate personality. You grew up without any illness or worries. You progressed into a respectable and prestigious profession. You once had youthful aspirations and became an outstanding figure in your industry. Your family life was exceptionally happy, and you enjoyed the admiration and envy of others. You lived this way for over thirty years, accustomed to it, until the apocalypse arrived.


    ¡°The apocalypse not only destroyed the entire world but shattered you.


    ¡°You faced a devastating blow, which can be termed as a catastrophe in your life. From then on, you faltered.


    ¡°You abandoned the past glories, relinquished the glamorous identity. You lost beloved family and dear friends. Your life turned into a mess, and you felt helpless, so you could only escape.


    ¡°Whether as a drifter or a beggar, you no longer cared about anything, just wanting to die quickly, isn¡¯t that right?¡±


    Song Ke was astonished.


    She didn¡¯t know what information Zhuang Qingyan had gathered these days or what preparations he had made. He summarized the first half of this homeless man¡¯s life in just a few simple sentences.


    Although the man lying on the ground remained unresponsive, Song Ke distinctly noticed his back tensing, and his fingers curling up.


    Right, his fingers.


    That was another aspect that caught Song Ke¡¯s attention. She noticed unintentionally that this homeless man had a pair of hands that could be considered works of art. Different from his disheveled appearance, although his fingers were stained and dirty, filled with grime, the bone structure, as well as the lines of the joints, were the most exquisite she had ever seen.


    ¡°You wanted to die, but you couldn¡¯t easily die because you had awakened.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan seemed like the most merciless judge, delivering each word with cold, ruthless sentencing.


    In a deathly silence, the homeless man¡¯s breath gradually quickened.


    ¡°Do you know how I figured out that you¡¯re an awakener?


    ¡°There are many ways for a person to die. The simplest is to be bitten by a zombie. Why didn¡¯t you do that?


    ¡°You knew clearly that you couldn¡¯t die because you had tried it long ago.


    ¡°You tried but couldn¡¯t succeed. So you became even more despondent, resorting to the foolish method of starving yourself.


    ¡°Or more directly, you let someone shoot you dead.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan took out the ability measuring device from his space.


    He wrapped a tissue around his hand and forcibly placed the homeless man¡¯s hand on the measurement port. The homeless man had been fasting for several days and couldn¡¯t resist at all.


    ¡°Dididi¡ª¡±


    The lines on the screen fluctuated violently, and the scale quickly rose to A.


    Song Ke£º¡±£¡£¡£¡¡±


    No way, this person was actually an A-level awakener?!


    Nowadays, you can pick up a homeless person on the street casually, and they¡¯re already an A-level awakener? Isn¡¯t it absurd?


    The homeless man saw the result and struggled violently, his disheveled hair falling, revealing a half-face with a resentful expression.


    Song Ke gasped, she seemed to have seen this face before somewhere, it seemed familiar¡­


    The gossip news that Tao Tao¡¯s mother had watched in the afternoon suddenly flashed in her mind.


    ¡°The Gentle Surgeon,¡± that news, isn¡¯t it about¡­


    ¡°You! Y-y-y-y-you!¡± Because she was too shocked, Song Ke¡¯s stuttering problem resurfaced, making it even harder for her to speak.


    Zhuang Qingyan bent down and stared coldly at the homeless man.


    ¡°Did I guess it right? Fang Zhixu?¡±


    ¡°Or should I call you¡­ Dr. Fang?¡±

 Chapter 55: Tongwan Hospital (9)

    ¡ò I want to kill a person ¡òFang Zhixu, at the age of thirty-seven, was a chief physician with a medical doctorate. He was the head of the surgery department at Tongwan¡¯s 119 Hospital, and an honorary professor at several top-tier hospitals, including the 123 Hospital and the 137 Hospital. He was renowned as the ultimate conqueror of difficult and critical cases, a genius surgeon acclaimed in District C. The myth he created in the industry remained unbroken to this day¡ªevery surgery he performed had a 100% success rate.


    This was the information about Fang Zhixu that Song Ke had glimpsed in passing from a news snippet.


    If one were to delve into the illustrious career and legendary feats of this individual, it would likely take up an entire three-page screen, and even the always decisive and efficient Lu Ning regarded him as the idol of his professional career.


    No one could have imagined that this former star of medicine would fall to this extent, like burnt-out decayed wood, awaiting complete erosion.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s repeated provocations caused the seemingly lifeless figure to react.


    Fang Zhixu broke free from his restraints and awkwardly crawled a few steps, managing to sit up halfway after turning over.


    ¡°Who the hell are you?¡± he asked, disheveled and sneering. ¡°How big of a grudge do you have against me? Going to such lengths to investigate me?¡±


    Song Ke looked up sharply.


    He didn¡¯t deny it; he admitted to being ¡°Fang Zhixu.¡±


    ¡°Dr. Fang, you¡¯re overly suspicious,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said, wiping his fingers clean with tissue one by one, smiling slightly. ¡°We have no prior acquaintance, naturally no grievances. I was also surprised when I found out about your identity.¡±


    ¡°Overly suspicious?¡± Fang Zhixu chuckled, his eyes sharp through the messy hair. ¡°Since we¡¯re strangers, are you so bored? Do you have to interfere in whether a stranger lives or dies?¡±


    His voice lacked strength, but his words were dripping with mockery. ¡°Don¡¯t call me doctor, I¡¯m not worthy. As for the compassion to save lives, you are the greatest saints and saviors of this century! Cheers to you!¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°¡­¡±


    She pursed her lips, and regardless of what the other party said, she had only one thought in her mind¡ªFang Zhixu must not die.


    If, from the beginning, they noticed him because of his special physique, being a person who had been bitten by zombies but hadn¡¯t mutated, then Fang Zhixu definitely hid a secret. Knowing his true identity changed the significance of this person to them. According to the information provided by Lu Ning, Fang Zhixu was probably the only hope for curing Zhuang Qingyan. As of today, Song Ke was even more determined not to let him die.


    ¡°Stop beating around the bush. Just say it, what do you want to do?¡± Fang Zhixu¡¯s tone was weary, and his face was full of world-weariness.


    Zhuang Qingyan presented the results of the ability assessment device to him and asked, ¡°What ability have you awakened?¡±


    Fang Zhixu, an A-level awakener.


    Among all the officially registered ability users in Tongwan, there were over 500 people, and only three were A-level, along with one D-level in the healing category.


    Fang Zhixu not only possessed an A-level ability but was also a former outstanding surgeon. Even though hope was faint, what if? What if the ability he awakened was¡­


    Steady like Zhuang Qingyan, his breath involuntarily quickened as he waited for an answer.


    Song Ke and Xu Xing were equally nervous, staring at Fang Zhixu, waiting for him to speak.


    ¡°Oh, I see,¡± Fang Zhixu¡¯s gaze slid past Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s deformed calf, gradually understanding. He extended his hand, slowly raising it in front of him, his eyes coldly fixed. ¡°An ability, so what? I¡¯m just a useless person.


    ¡°I¡¯m no longer a doctor, and I won¡¯t pick up a scalpel again.


    ¡°I can¡¯t do what you want.


    ¡°Leave me alone, let me die.¡±


    Song Ke sighed silently.


    This person, truly, could infuriate anyone with just his words. What gentle surgeon? Clearly, he was a dark reptile king. No, a reptile!


    ¡°Hey! You stinky old man, watch out we¡¯ll throw you to the hospital and in front of your colleagues, won¡¯t you be ashamed at all?¡± Xu Xing, with a fiery temper, couldn¡¯t hold back and threatened fiercely.


    ¡°Whatever.¡±


    Dignity and pride, Fang Zhixu had long abandoned them.


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll¡­ we¡¯ll take you to the lab for dissection and research!¡± Xu Xing continued with the intimidation.


    ¡°Heh heh, I can¡¯t wait for it.¡±


    Whatever was said, it seemed like nothing could provoke his emotional change.


    Fang Zhixu closed his eyes, and lay back down, looking completely indifferent.


    Song Ke approached Zhuang Qingyan, looking down at the assessment device. The prominent ¡®A¡¯ level on the screen seemed like the most absurd joke.


    There¡¯s a simple truth, actually. Regardless of whether Fang Zhi Xu had awakened a healing ability, regardless of these subsequent conditions, he was still a top-tier genius doctor. S~?a??h the N0v?lFire(.)n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    They couldn¡¯t just give up like this.


    Song Ke and Zhuang Qingyan locked eyes, and with a subtle, unwavering nod, they made up their minds.


    Fang Zhixu, they were determined to have him.


    Zhuang Qingyan realized what she meant and lowered his eyes.


    Fang Zhixu¡¯s experiences, words he said, and subtle expressions flashed rapidly in his mind, taking turns like a revolving lantern.


    A sudden light appeared, dispelling the desolate fog, making all the details instantly clear.


    When he spoke again, Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s voice was incredibly calm, ¡°Dr. Fang, I return the same question to you: What do you want to do?


    ¡°After all this time, you haven¡¯t succeeded in dying. Don¡¯t blame it on the physique of an awakener. Instead, ask yourself: Are you really willing to die like this? What do you really want to do? What is your obsession?¡±


    It was time to relax during the meal, and the shelter was bustling with activity. The footsteps and muffled conversations could be heard outside the window, making the room they were in even more pin-drop silent.


    Fang Zhixu tilted his head back, and for a few moments, Song Ke suddenly felt a kind of painful twitch on his face.


    ¡°What¡¯s it to you?¡± he said hoarsely after a while.


    Song Ke took a deep breath and took a step forward, ¡°You, t-tell me, and I¡¯ll do it f-for you.¡±


    This was her commitment. No matter how difficult, she would definitely follow through.


    ¡°Just with you all?¡± Fang Zhixu half-opened his eyes, looking disdainfully at the three of them.


    One in a wheelchair, one with an unpredictable temperament, and the remaining one¡­


    Song Ke stood straight, her eyes burning, ¡°Just me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Song Ke, A-level Gold-type, a p-powerful and offensive type a-awakener. Whatever y-you want to d-do, I¡¯ll do i-it for you.¡±


    The spiritual weapon transformed in her palm, gradually condensing into the shape of a willow leaf blade.


    Outside the window, there were exclamations as someone¡¯s mutation worsened, turning them into a zombie. Others were in a frenzy, knocking things over, and the screams for the security team could be heard intermittently.


    Just then, a freshly turned zombie jumped in through the window. Before it could show aggression, the sharp willow leaf blade pierced through its head, and the heavy body fell to the ground, the pale eyeballs facing Fang Zhixu.


    Fang Zhixu slowly sat up straight, then suddenly laughed, followed by increasingly manic laughter. His voice grew louder and louder.


    ¡°Zombies, hahaha, what do zombies even matter?


    ¡°What do I want to do?


    ¡°I want to kill a person, a magistrate from District C.


    ¡°Can you do it?¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s eyes widened slightly.


    ¡°Can you do it!¡±


    Fang Zhixu shouted hoarsely, the full extent of his grief and pain almost overflowing.


    He pounded the ground with his fist, leaving bloody marks on his joints.


    Song Ke remained silent, first glancing at Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s legs, then back at Fang Zhixu.


    She crouched down, her gaze firm, staring straight into his eyes.


    ¡°I can do it.¡±


    ¡­


    Song Ke took Fang Zhixu away. His intense emotions were only exposed for a moment, and then he quieted down. The last thing he said was, ¡°Whether or not you can do it should not just be empty words. Let me see your abilities first.¡±


    Regarding Song Ke¡¯s strength, Fang Zhixu still had reservations and, therefore, was unwilling to reveal more of his secrets. However, there was some good news; at least he was no longer entirely fixated on seeking death.


    The sound of running water came from the bathroom.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s wheelchair stopped at the door, and he communicated with Song Ke, who stood by the wall: ¡°Sometimes I wonder, do you have some sort of collecting habit?¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡± Song Ke looked puzzled.


    ¡°You go out for a bit, and you bring someone back. How many times has this happened?¡±


    ¡°A-aren¡¯t you the s-same? I brought y-you back,¡± Song Ke retorted.


    Zhuang Qingyan raised an eyebrow. ¡°Can you compare me with them?¡±


    ¡°?¡± They were all picked up; what¡¯s the difference? Song Ke muttered to herself.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s expression turned serious. ¡°Are you really going to kill for him?


    ¡°This is probably the most difficult task we¡¯ve taken so far.¡±


    To reach the position of the magistrate, to rule over an entire C district, none of them were good people. For instance, the super artificial intelligence Ilya they encountered, or the magistrate of Tongwan, who single-handedly preserved peace and kept the entire C60 district intact.


    Moreover, Fang Zhixu hadn¡¯t told them yet who the magistrate he wanted to kill really was.


    Song Ke didn¡¯t respond immediately, but thought carefully. ¡°What are your thoughts on his ability?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s hard to determine; he¡¯s tight-lipped.¡±


    Song Ke remained silent and provided the answer in her mind.


    ¡®If Fang Zhixu can really heal your legs, I¡¯ll do it for him.¡¯


    The bathroom door suddenly opened, and Fang Zhixu came out, looking at the two guarding the door with a mocking tone. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Regretting it?¡±


    He had washed his face, cut his hair, and even shaved, no longer looking untidy. He appeared much neater, with a height of around 1.75 meters, very thin, with sunken cheeks. One could vaguely see the former elegance from his facial features, but unfortunately, as soon as he spoke, that impression was completely shattered.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not re-regretting i-it,¡± Song Ke explained unhappily.


    Fang Zhixu snorted and went to a room, falling asleep again.


    This person¡­


    Song Ke sighed.


    Xu Xing passed by while biting on a jelly, leaving a resentful remark: ¡°I hate him.¡±


    Xu Xing¡¯s ¡°Hate List¡± was updated again. His grudge notebook was filled with names. Counting from the beginning, the names were Lin Youyou, Zhuang Qingyan, Su Cha. Now, a new name, Fang Zhixu, had been added, and the rank was steadily rising.


    ¡­


    After a good rest for two days, the news of the Throne Race¡¯s Round of 32 came out.


    This competition would be held at the Ferrara Central Tower with the theme ¡°Fight Against Fear.¡± The specific format had to wait for the on-site announcement. It was said that due to the lively ticket presales, the organizers would use the most advanced holographic projection for real-time synchronized broadcasting.


    V587 should return to Ferrara as well.


    Starships in various districts were not operating, so they had to resort to the old-fashioned transportation method. They rented a private off-road vehicle and drove back on autonomous mode.


    Xu Xing held Song Ke¡¯s hand, bouncing around like on an outing, happily getting into the car.


    As soon as they got in, they noticed a person lying in the back seat.


    Fang Zhixu was wearing a large cotton coat and pants, hands tucked into the sleeves, showing half of his head, soundly asleep.


    They had informed him yesterday that they were leaving this morning, and he hadn¡¯t shown any reaction. However, he came on his own. It seemed to be his style. In a day of 24 hours, he was fine with sleeping 25 hours if possible.


    Xu Xing¡¯s good mood was mostly ruined. He pouted and sat in the middle row, while Song Ke and Zhuang Qingyan got into the front seats.


    After driving for a while, the atmosphere in the car quieted down. Xu Xing¡¯s eyes slyly glanced around.


    Taking advantage of the inattention of the two in front, his fingertips moved slightly, and thin ice and snow flowed out silently, floating towards the back seat.


    After fighting in U-Lab, Xu Xing¡¯s ability control had improved. The clear and translucent frost first enveloped Fang Zhixu¡¯s shoes and then gradually spread, connecting with the seat, freezing into ice lumps.


    Fang Zhixu had slept in the same position for a long time and subconsciously turned over. However, his shoes were frozen solid, catching him off guard. His head was upside down, and his upper body fell crookedly to the ground with a ¡°thud,¡± hitting the bottom of the car.


    He looked dazed and sluggish, half-opening his eyes. Only then did he realize that his lower legs were completely immobilized, and ice crystals were falling off. Someone was playing a prank on him with abilities.


    ¡°Hahaha!¡± Xu Xing laughed heartily, holding his stomach mercilessly.


    But he soon couldn¡¯t laugh.


    Fang Zhixu didn¡¯t mind him at all. He took off his shoes, turned over directly on the ground, and continued to sleep in a daze.


    Xu Xing was dumbfounded.

 Chapter 56: Tongwan Hospital (10)

    ¡ò Freedom ¡òWhen they returned to Ferrara, it was close to midnight.


    The city that never sleeps still shimmered with neon lights.


    Ubiquitous holographic projections sliced the gloomy sky into red and blue blocks, and the gem-like Ferris wheel slowly rotated.


    Song felt a strange illusion; they seemed to have left and yet never left this place. Ferrara felt unchanged, still open-armed, welcoming travelers from afar. The wandering musicians at the city gate lightly strummed their instruments, singing tirelessly.


    ¡°Ferrara~ Free Ferrara, the dream you linger in~¡±


    The off-road vehicle smoothly entered the inner city, and after returning it at the rental center, they had to continue on foot.


    The four walked along the bustling streets, and the floating billboards in front happened to be playing an advertisement.


    A sweet-smiling female star with a cherry blossom pink princess hairstyle and a gorgeous dress danced gracefully in a sea of flowers.


    ¡°I like~ like your smile, like a gentle rain sprinkling in my heart~¡±


    Around the billboard, many fans were scattered, wearing pink cat-ear headbands and enthusiastically distributing support gifts to passersby, promoting their idol.


    ¡°Youyou¡¯s new song ¡®Gentle Rain¡¯ is released today, please pay more attention~¡±


    ¡°Sweet songstress, a healing idol, investing in her won¡¯t disappoint.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s come together to the concert and get the best Youyou in the world!¡±


    In Song Ke¡¯s arms, several posters and merch of Lin Youyou were stuffed. She glanced down and saw the chibi cartoon on the support card, smiling sweetly at her. The last time they met, Lin Youyou disregarded her image, tucking her long dress into her waist, her hair messy, and slapped at a moth while cursing loudly, ¡°I hate caterpillars the most in my life! All of you, diiiiie!!!¡±


    Song Ke picked up the pink cartoon keychain, held it up to her eyes, and silently looked at it for two seconds, feeling utterly speechless.


    Should she mention it? Ferrara¡¯s star-making ability was truly terrifying. All those idols and personas, they were all fake, indeed¡­


    Unbelievable, absolutely unbelievable.


    She stuffed the keychain into her pocket and turned to look at her companions, ready to discuss the plans for the next steps.


    Xu Xing also couldn¡¯t escape the recommendations of the fans, holding a Lin Youyou doll in his hand, his little face filled with disdain. Zhuang Qingyan remained as indifferent as ever, lazily leaning on the wheelchair. As for Fang Zhixu, he was hunched over, his head tucked into a cotton coat, showing no interest in anything happening around him. He kept his eyes closed throughout, as if even walking these few steps was a struggle for him.


    Song Ke opened her mouth, about to speak, when suddenly deafening noises came from the other side of the street.


    Over a hundred engines roared as powerful motorcycles whizzed by, intense rock music cutting through the night¡¯s silence.


    Song Ke quickly pushed Zhuang Qingyan to the side of the road to avoid them. The arrogant convoy passed low over them, causing a whirlwind and disheveling their clothes and hair. Then, they sped off in a certain direction.


    ¡°Roar¡ª¡±


    These street ruffians rampaged through the streets, recklessly throwing Molotov cocktails, and smashing buildings and structures, including blinking signs. The bottles shattered, and the gasoline inside spilled out, creating thick smoke that billowed into the sky.


    The rampant arsonists excitedly whistled and shouted.


    Molotov cocktails exploded one after another, thick smoke rising, and colorful, pungent gases filled the air, blocking the vision of the pedestrians. Song Ke covered her mouth and nose, choking, and watched as deep red fireworks rose into the sky, gradually forming clear words: ¡°Freedom.¡±


    ¡°Freedom, we want freedom, resist artificial intelligence, humans never surrender!¡±


    ¡°AI is the root of all evil! AI will only eradicate humanity!¡±


    ¡°Artificial intelligence, get out of Ferrara!¡±


    ¡°These damned rebels, deserving a thousand deaths!¡±


    The passersby on the street were furious, and the curses continued.


    However, the turmoil did not stop. The motorcycle convoy suddenly accelerated, turned a corner, and stormed into the nearby Starlight Square.


    Coincidentally, an IP exhibition of Luo Qinghe was being held here, funded by the fans themselves, creating an exclusive cultural community. The mob, upon seeing this spectacle, became even more excited. Their actions were full of destructive desires. They raised high-pressure flamethrowers from the rear of their motorcycles and sprayed wildly. The intense fire instantly engulfed Luo Qinghe.


    Sculptures, signs, images¡­ everything was submerged in the blaze. The painstaking efforts of the fans over the years were destroyed in an instant.


    In the scorching flames, Luo Qinghe¡¯s green clothes were charred, his jade flute incinerated, and his handsome, gentlemanly face was gradually ruined. His eyebrows were lowered, and his eyes were icy.


    ¡­


    After returning to the hotel, Song Ke approached the French windows and looked down from a height. The ground was shrouded in smoke and chaos, with occasional flames.


    ¡°Wh-who are those p-people?¡± Song Ke asked.


    ¡°The official term is the resistance faction. They oppose any form of artificial intelligence and support humans regaining political power,¡± replied Zhuang Qingyan.


    Zhuang Qingyan organized the information obtained from the dark web during this period. ¡°The previous magistrate, Lyon, had support from the Century Consortium. After Ilya was elected as the magistrate, he was unwilling to accept it. He has been secretly active and recently funded the resistance faction, breeding a large group of rioters.¡±


    Song Ke sat down and began to contemplate about the relationship between the scene she had just experienced and the change of regime in Ferrara.


    ¡°The resistance fa-faction wants to o-overthrow Ilya¡¯s rule for t-true ¡®freedom,''¡± she said.


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said. ¡°Their goal is to escalate the conflict.¡±


    Where there is light, there is darkness. Just as some idolized and adored the omnipotent artificial intelligence, there were others who detested it.


    With Ferrara¡¯s technological development today, ambitions and desires have continued to expand. The dream of artificial intelligence and humans peacefully coexisting has become a luxury.


    Song Ke still had a question.


    She pulled up the schedule from the terminal. During their time away from Ferrara, the participating teams in the Throne Race event were in turmoil. Out of the top 64, over 30 players had either voluntarily withdrawn or died for unknown reasons. 8 teams were unable to participate in the next competition, leaving only 56 teams.


    ¡°Is the Throne Race event related to the resistance faction¡¯s plans?¡± she asked.


    The Throne Race event, pushed to its current popularity by Ilya, had a financial allure surpassing all music festivals and concerts. It was a nationwide entertainment event in Ferrara. More importantly, this major competition was entirely controlled by artificial intelligence, and humans couldn¡¯t interfere. If the resistance faction truly wanted to incite war, would they pass up this excellent opportunity?


    ¡°You guessed right. If I were Lyon, I would target this,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said. ¡°In any case, be cautious in every upcoming match.¡±


    Song Ke looked toward the towering skyscrapers. The surging undercurrent in Ferrara could hardly stay hidden anymore.


    Ilya, what will you do?


    When the two mainstays were discussing matters, the old and the young were dozing off. Xu Xing, who had been obediently listening on the sofa, tried to participate with some involvement. However, beside him was Fang Zhixu who fell into a deep and pleasant sleep, and almost as if the drowsiness was contagious, unknowingly, Xu Xing also hugged the cushion and fell into a deep slumber.


    Song Ke covered him with a small blanket and carried him back to his room.


    As she walked, she suddenly realized that when they were talking earlier, they didn¡¯t avoid mentioning anything in front of Fang Zhixu.


    From following them to Ferrara, to hearing Ilya¡¯s name, Fang Zhixu didn¡¯t show any abnormalities. In this light, it seemed that the person he wanted to kill wasn¡¯t this super artificial intelligence.


    However¡­ there were 50 District C in the Alliance. Who was the magistrate he held a deep grudge against?


    ¡­


    In the early morning, Song Ke received a message on her terminal.


    It was sent by An Qiwen. Wang Qiang¡¯s mechanical limb surgery was successful, and he wanted to inform Wu Juemin. However, his communication terminal was turned-off. The Azure Phoenix¡¯s people were in Ferrara now, so An Qiwen sent the temporary address to Song Ke, hoping she could help and make a trip to deliver a message. He said that after finishing matters in Tongwan, he would immediately come over to meet the others.


    At the same time, the team list for the Top 32 Game of the Throne Race Competition was announced.


    Song Ke didn¡¯t find Lu Xinglan¡¯s name in it and didn¡¯t know if he had withdrawn or was using another alias.


    In addition to the teams analyzed by Zhuang Qingyan, she also unexpectedly found Wu Xianghai¡¯s name. Thinking back to his suspicious behavior that night, Song Ke felt this person was quite suspicious and went to Zhuang Qingyan to study the game footage.


    ¡°Pause,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said, and a certain frame was frozen. ¡°In the Mirror Lake competition, Wu Xianghai¡¯s footage is scarce, and he didn¡¯t make many moves. From what we can see here, he uses an ability similar to mechanical-type.¡±


    On the screen, Wu Xianghai¡¯s left arm swelled into a mechanical scythe, and he slashed several times in a panic while snatching the mutant zombie.


    Zhuang Qingyan shook his head. ¡°A total of six strikes, half of them missed. Moreover, the movements were awkward. It seems he doesn¡¯t have good control over his ability. Judging from the attack strength, his level is around D-level.¡±


    D-level, not E-level? It was strange for Wu Xianghai to deliberately conceal his own level.


    Even if he was a D-level awakener, there were many players stronger than him. Except for Song Ke and her team, no one would pay attention to him.


    Song Ke recalled his timid appearance in Hua City and always felt that there was a mystery about this person.


    Anyway, since she was going to pass a message for An Qiwen, she might as well ask Wu Juemin while she was at it.


    Song Ke followed the address and went to Azure Phoenix¡¯s temporary residence in Ferrara, an empty airship repair shop.


    When she arrived in the vicinity and didn¡¯t see anyone, she realized something was wrong.


    Several powered motorcycles were hovering low around the perimeter, skulking around the residence.


    Song Ke furrowed her brows. Before she could take action, a stern figure appeared behind the group. Wu Juemin¡¯s movements were so fast that they were almost imperceptible. With a few ¡°bang bang,¡± the members of the resistance fell miserably from the sky, and the powered motorcycles spun and flew in reverse, exploding in place.


    Wu Juemin¡¯s voice was cold and sharp, ¡°The military is performing a mission, who allowed you to spy on it?¡±


    A few members of the resistance faction were held down by their heads, arrogantly shouting, ¡°Freedom!!¡±


    Wu Juemin was ruthless, kicking them unconscious.


    Song Ke: ¡°¡­¡± Such resilient antagonists.


    Wu Juemin grabbed the unconscious individuals and handed them to the team members who had come out: ¡°Interrogate them thoroughly and find out their objectives.¡±


    Then he turned and saw Song Ke.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± His tone was as stern as ever.


    Song Ke came out from her hiding spot and honestly explained that An Qiwen had sent her to deliver a message.


    Wu Juemin frowned, ¡°Why didn¡¯t he contact me himself?¡±


    Song Ke defended An Qiwen, ¡°Your te-terminal was turned off. He co-couldn¡¯t reach y-you.¡±


    Wu Juemin paused, and took out his own terminal. During this time, he had been too busy, and he needed to concentrate when executing missions. To avoid disturbances from the outside world, he had indeed turned it off.


    ¡°Come in.¡± With many people and prying eyes outside, Wu Juemin led her into the residence.


    Familiar faces like Ouyang Pei, Maeda Jiu, and others were present, but as Song Ke scanned the area, she keenly noticed that their numbers had decreased again.


    The original team of twelve members, excluding An Qiwen and Wang Qiang who stayed in Tongwan, now had only eight people left following Wu Juemin.


    Is it this dangerous just to find someone? Or perhaps, are they on a different mission?


    Out of habit, Song Ke asked, ¡°Are you s-still searching for pe-people?¡±


    Wu Juemin¡¯s expression stiffened, his gaze sharp as he stared at her. ¡°Who leaked this to you? An Qiwen?¡±


    Song Ke belatedly covered her mouth, looking sheepish. Oh no, An Qiwen would definitely scold her.


    ¡°This big mouth,¡± Wu Juemin commented coldly.


    As the captain of the Azure Phoenix squad, Wu Juemin had a strong sense of duty and confidentiality. Although his demeanor was cold, it couldn¡¯t be denied that he was an excellent soldier filled with a sense of responsibility. An Qiwen would sometimes complain, but from Wu Juemin, you¡¯d never see any weakness or retreat, only a relentless and determined will. S?a?ch* Th? ?ov?l?ir?.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Do y-you need help?¡± Song Ke asked hesitantly.


    As expected, Wu Juemin declined, ¡°No need. Azure Phoenix¡¯s missions don¡¯t require external involvement.¡±


    Song Ke also felt a headache. From the information provided by Zhuang Qingyan, their mission seemed impossible to complete. She couldn¡¯t just go up to Wu Juemin and argue, ¡®Hey, stop looking, that Xie Zhu died a long time ago.¡¯ Her attempt to subtly remind him was also rejected.


    ¡°Oh,¡± she replied dejectedly.


    Thinking about her original purpose, Song Ke turned to ask about Wu Xianghai.


    ¡°Wu Xianghai?¡± Wu Juemin furrowed his brow. ¡°I don¡¯t have a strong impression of him. He was evacuated by Maeda from District D161. His level is E, with the ability ¡®Object Stitching.¡¯ I checked his credentials; there¡¯s no way I could be mistaken.¡±


    Maeda Jiu, the vice-captain, was even more difficult to deal with than Wu Juemin, being rigid and blunt in his demeanor. ¡°Wu Xianghai was an E-level awakener evacuated from District D161. I¡¯ve examined his credentials; it¡¯s impossible for me to have misremembered,¡± he stated, his dark eyes glaring at Song Ke as he let out a cold hum.


    ¡°As for why he participated in the competition, that¡¯s not within my obligation to inform you. You should go ask him.¡±


    ¡°We still have a mission to carry out. If you¡¯re free, you should go back.¡±


    He¡¯s so fierce, Song Ke thought to herself, rolling her eyes. At least she had gathered some useful information and was ready to leave.


    As she started to move, she suddenly saw something familiar.


    In Maeda Jiu¡¯s uniform pocket, a pink keychain peeked out.


    Song Ke touched her own coat. She seemed to have a similar one.


    That¡¯s not, that¡¯s not¡­ Lin Youyou¡¯s merchandise, right?!


    Almost forgot, this Maeda Jiu was a loyal fanboy of Lin Youyou!


    Times have changed, and now Lin Youyou was her coolie, tightly controlled by her. In a way, doesn¡¯t that mean she had control over Maeda Jiu too?


    Song Ke¡¯s mood suddenly brightened. She cleared her throat lightly and giggled.


    ¡°I like, I like~ humm, humm smile, like a gentle r-rain~¡±


    The melody of the new song she heard last night was quite catchy, but the lyrics were hard to remember. Song Ke immersed herself, singing in a haphazard manner.


    Veins throbbed on Maeda Jiu¡¯s forehead. He glanced towards Song Ke and rebuked, ¡°Shut up!¡±


    He paused, lowered his voice, and grumbled discontentedly.


    ¡°It¡¯s out of tune.¡±

 Chapter 57.1: Tongwan Hospital (11)

    ¡ò The Disappearing AI ¡ò¡°Old Zhang, going to watch the match again?¡± S?a?ch* Th? N?v?lFir?.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Old Zhang, dressed in new clothes and unusually wearing a tie, walked to the central square with a radiant expression.


    The person who greeted him looked at him and said in a sour tone: ¡°You¡¯re having a lucky streak now, making a big profit.¡±


    In the past, they used to watch the qualifying matches together, and Old Zhang always ended up losing the most. As long as they bet against him, the others could make a small profit. Unexpectedly, after the main matches, this guy somehow had a stroke of luck and reportedly made a big fortune. Look at him now, all flashy and splendid.


    Old Zhang chuckled innocently, ¡°It¡¯s just luck, good luck.¡±


    As for how he turned things around, he was quite clever and didn¡¯t reveal a word.


    After that person left, a friend nudged his shoulder, teasing, ¡°Are you betting on that team again tonight, what¡¯s it called, Vme50?¡±


    Old Zhang¡¯s face lit up with a smile, ¡°V587! Definitely, going all in!¡±


    At exactly eight o¡¯clock in the evening, the tower¡¯s lights lit up, and Ah K and two charming girls appeared on the elevated stage.


    ¡°Dear audience, long time no see!¡± Ah K was as enthusiastic as ever. ¡°It¡¯s still me, here to provide you with exciting commentary on the Top 32 promotion game for everyone.


    ¡°Before the match begins, let me explain a little unexpected situation. Qinghe, due to personal reasons, cannot attend tonight¡¯s match. But it¡¯s okay, we have invited the equally popular Yulica and Nana to accompany you and watch.¡±


    The energetic girl with twin ponytails and the gentle and knowledgeable older sister, the two virtual idols, appeared in a stunning holographic display, greeting the audience and displaying lively expressions as if they were right there.


    The central square and open streets were filled with spectators, all looking up at the sky, erupting in enthusiastic cheers. After the cheers subsided, hushed whispers began: ¡°Why is Luo Qinghe suddenly absent? The day before yesterday, I saw on his profile that he admitted to being a special guest.¡±


    ¡°Do you not know what happened last night?¡± said the person next to them mysteriously.


    ¡°What happened, what happened?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s those rebels causing trouble¡­¡±


    In the backstage lounge, Song Ke was talking to Lin Youyou, who was wearing a mask.


    ¡°After the match, d-don¡¯t leave r-right away. I¡¯ll i-introduce you to s-someone.¡±


    She intentionally informed Maeda Jiu of tonight¡¯s match time, planning to surprise him, but she wasn¡¯t sure if he would come.


    The deputy captain of the Azure Phoenix sneered dismissively upon receiving Song Ke¡¯s invitation, ¡°No time.¡±


    Lin Youyou¡¯s lips curved slightly under the mask, and she echoed Maeda Jiu¡¯s words, ¡°No time, I¡¯ve been busy lately with my new song.¡±


    Song Ke pouted, pulling out a pink keychain from her pocket, ¡°I¡¯ll re-report you, big s-star.¡±


    Lin Youyou: ¡°¡­¡±


    Song Ke imitated Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s way of speaking, dragging her words slowly, ¡°Like a soft~ light r-rain~¡±


    Su Cha, who was originally sitting nearby, quietly listened to the two of them talk. When he heard Song Ke¡¯s off-key singing, the dagger he was twirling with his fingertips slipped and clattered onto the table.


    It was too hard to listen to. How could anyone sing so off-key, not hitting a single note right?


    Lin Youyou hurriedly covered Song Ke¡¯s mouth, looked around, and fortunately, there was no one else in the lounge. She sighed deeply, ¡°My goodness, where did you learn this annoying habit from? Alright, alright, I¡¯ll go to the main venue.


    Her expression was resentful, ¡°I¡¯ve disguised myself so meticulously, and nobody could tell, yet you almost exposed me!¡±


    Song Ke, with her mouth covered, protested unhappily, ¡°Mhhmhmh!¡±


    While the two were talking, the door to the lounge was pushed open, and a familiar person entered, Irene from ¡°Guns and Roses.¡±


    Irene had a few more scars on her right face, her hair was almost shaved, and she had two mobile mortars on her forearms. There was a sense of calm and toughness that came from experiencing the refining of gun smoke and battles.


    Seeing the people in the room clearly, she nodded calmly.


    ¡°The favor I owed you has been repaid. In the future, it¡¯ll be fair competition. I won¡¯t back down.¡±


    During the Mirror Lake siege, Irene recognized Song Ke and showed mercy, leading to her later participation in the Endless Slaughter mode.


    Although Song Ke would not necessarily lose even if she tried to snatch it, she understood the other party¡¯s goodwill.


    ¡°G-good, fair competition, no need to b-back down.¡±


    Irene glanced at Lin Youyou, reminding her with a meaningful look, ¡°The most perfect disguise doesn¡¯t just change your appearance. Microexpressions, including unconscious movements, will all reveal your true identity.¡±


    Irene recognized Lin Youyou.


    Although she didn¡¯t say it directly, everyone present understood the obvious implication in her words.


    Just moments ago, Lin Youyou, who had boldly claimed ¡°nobody could tell,¡± suffered a big blow.


    Fortunately, Irene was not one to gossip, nor was she interested in publicizing Lin Youyou¡¯s privacy. After saying this, she took her belongings and left.


    As the match time approached, the teams drew lots for their groupings.


    Song Ke specifically went to wash her hands, brimming with confidence as she drew a lot¡ªGroup G.


    Great, at the bottom again.


    Taking another look at the list of teams in the same group, the ¡°Anna Knights,¡± an absolutely tough opponent.


    Song Ke exchanged a glance with Xu Xing, her tone bitter, ¡°Next time, y-you do it¡­¡±


    Before the match began, each participating player received a peculiar piece of equipment: the ¡°Insight Glasses.¡± It was said that this device contained thousands of sensory conduits. When worn on the head, it would connect with the nerves, capturing the subject¡¯s subconscious activity and projecting their innermost thoughts.


    And its name, ¡°Insight Glasses,¡± precisely matched the theme of this competition: ¡°Fight Against Fear.¡±


    High up in the tower, Ah K passionately commented, ¡°The rules for this match are very simple. Within the limited time, the team that kills the most zombies wins. Yes, just ordinary zombies. Do you think it¡¯s that easy? No no no. Do you still remember our theme?¡±


    Ah K passionately shouted, ¡°Fight Against Fear. Players will wear the Insight Glasses, facing their darkest memories.¡±


    Holographic projections of terrifying zombies appeared at the right moment, lifelike images flashing in front of everyone as if they could smell the stench from the monsters¡¯ cracked mouths. The audience was not lightly scared and yet excitedly screamed.


    ¡°Roar~¡± Ah K imitated the roar of a zombie, ¡°I wonder what each player is most afraid of? Don¡¯t get scared!


    ¡°I announce, the match begins!¡±


    Brilliant fireworks burst open in the sky, colorful beams flickered rapidly in the dark night, and seven large suspended screens rose slowly between the towers, displaying real-time images corresponding to Groups A to G. The prize pool opened, accumulating and rolling, the numbers increasing crazily every second, and a constant stream of money flowed behind the scenes.


    [Group C]


    Irene blasted away approaching zombies with a shot, and the Insight Glasses suddenly flashed. The surroundings changed, and she was no longer in the tower but back in the pitch-black Mirror Lake without stars. Blood splattered on her retina, and comrades fighting side by side slowly fell before her eyes.


    Irene returned to that day, back to the nightmare she couldn¡¯t escape from.


    ¡°Oh~ our contestant Irene, her greatest fear is Mirror Lake,¡± Ah K said with a regretful tone. ¡°Emotional people always cherish their lost companions, but at times like these, emotions can become burdensome. How will Irene handle this?¡±


    Irene¡¯s movements slowed down, and her eyes wandered forward for two steps, trying to reach out and grab her falling companion.


    In that moment of hesitation, she revealed a clear flaw. Several zombies pounced on her, biting her small arm and breaking her cannon.


    ¡°Irene! Snap out of it, Yula is already dead!¡±


    The companion¡¯s roar abruptly awakened Irene. She screamed in pain. The mortar on her left arm was completely damaged, the zombie¡¯s sharp teeth pierced her skin. Irene kicked the approaching group of monsters, lifted her right arm, aimed the cannon at the zombie¡¯s head hanging on her and pressed the trigger without hesitation. A blazing red light flashed by. The zombie¡¯s head, Irene¡¯s arm, and the cannon she held all flew out together.


    ¡°A heroic sacrifice, Irene blasted off her own left hand! This is the most sensible choice right now, but not something an ordinary person can do. Let¡¯s cheer for Irene, and keep the votes rolling!¡± Ah K seized this wave of high traffic, desperately encouraging the audience.


    ¡°I will always love Irene, she¡¯s like resilient grass facing the raging wind, never giving up even in desperate situations.¡±


    Nana was a sensitive artificial intelligence, and tears were welling up in her eyes as she saw this.


    ¡°Irene! Irene!!¡± The audience¡¯s cheers surged higher and higher, and Irene¡¯s approval ratings peaked, surpassing all the other players.


    [Group D]


    Lin Youyou retreated while singing, her voice never stopping, buffing Su Cha, who held the front and cleared the kills.


    When the Insight Glasses lit up, a damp, eerie rainforest covered the entire field of vision. Giant plants above blocked the sky, and the fetid air made it difficult to breathe. However, Su Cha seemed to be accustomed to walking in this environment. His movements were not slow at all. The venom-enhanced abilities spread extensively, causing swathes of zombies to fall.


    On Lin Youyou¡¯s side, the surroundings turned into a hospital, resembling an intensive care unit. A blurry figure lay on the bed, and countless zombies were pressed against the glass outside, roaring and banging on the walls. In the next second, they were about to rush into the ward. The person lying inside seemed to sense the danger, and the ventilator alarm blared, signaling imminent danger to their life.


    This was probably the last thing Lin Youyou wanted to face in her mind. She shook her head, forcing herself to stop thinking about these things and focused on dealing with the zombies in front of her.


    Named Randomly, since entering the competition and deliberately keeping a low profile, they had always maintained a moderate to lower popularity. Apart from them, there weren¡¯t many popular contestants in Group D. Ironically, this group had the lowest level of attention. Ah K glanced at the screen, uninterested, and switched to the next group.


    [Group G]


    Song Ke and Xu Xing stood back to back. Xu Xing released a blizzard to gather a hoard of zombies, while Song Ke harvested the zombies¡¯ heads with her twin blades.


    Facing ordinary zombies, the two coordinated seamlessly, with no pressure throughout, and the kill count kept rapidly increasing.


    The Insight Glasses lit up, and the surroundings changed. On Xu Xing¡¯s side, it was like a zoo, with all sorts of strange and bizarre zombies: zombies with two heads and six arms, water monsters with an elephant¡¯s nose and an eel¡¯s body, vividly appearing before everyone.


    Children fear simple things, and their imagination is overly rich. The style of zombies and monsters imagined by Xu Xing was so different from reality that it actually helped them distinguish better.


    ¡°The fears of contestant Xu Xing are very¡­ very simple,¡± Ah K remarked. ¡°Team V587 is the dark horse of the Mirror Lake competition, and so far, the only team that has not received sponsorship from the consortium. Although there are only two of them, they have brought us quite a lot of surprises. What do you think, Yulica? Have you watched the Mirror Lake competition?¡±


    ¡°Of course I have!¡± Yulica¡¯s orange eyeshadow twinkled. ¡°This is also a treasure team that I support. I¡¯m curious about contestant Song Ke¡¯s fear. Could it be the water monsters she has killed?¡±


    Both guest invitees directed their gaze towards the screen for Group G.


    What was Song Ke¡¯s fear?


    The Insight Glasses flashed, revealing an unexpected image.


    Pure white.


    A blinding pure white.


    It seemed to be a closed room, but the space was extremely small, with dazzling spotlights from all directions. The bright lights made it difficult to open one¡¯s eyes. In the distant sky, there seemed to be blinking red dots.


    ¡°Huh? Is the Insight Glasses broken?¡± Yulica asked disappointedly.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Ah K was also at a loss for words. ¡°Technically, official equipment shouldn¡¯t break. It can only be said that contestant Song Ke¡¯s thoughts are very unique. Perhaps, she¡¯s afraid of the dark? So she prefers to stay in bright places?¡±


    Ah K speculated boldly, stroking his chin.


    Finding herself in a brightly lit setting, Song Ke also looked confused. What was this situation? Was this her fear?


    Inexplicably, a glint flashed in front of her eyes, and amidst the group of zombies she was dealing with, a sudden figure emerged.


    Sai Ang¡¯s mechanical exoskeleton bent into claws and lunged directly at Song Ke.


    Song Ke reacted very quickly, raising her twin blades to block, ¡°Clang!¡± The intense friction between the metals produced sparks.


    ¡°Wh-what are you doing!¡± Song Ke exclaimed angrily.


    This competition was about killing the number of zombies without requiring them to kill each other. Why did Sai Ang attack her?

 Chapter 57.2: Tongwan Hospital (11)

    ¡ò The Disappearing AI ¡ò¡°Finally caught you. Last time you slipped away pretty fast,¡± Sai Ang laughed sinisterly. ¡°Your level 2 crystal, give it to me!¡±


    Sai Ang was inherently greedy and had long set his eyes on the green crystal in Song Ke¡¯s hands. Unexpectedly, the day after the Mirror Lake competition ended, Song Ke left Ferrara and completely disappeared. He searched for a long time but couldn¡¯t find her.


    Now that he finally got into the same group, he naturally wanted to seize this opportunity and snatch the crystal.


    If Song Ke was sensible, she should have obediently handed it over. If she dared to resist, he would kill her immediately.


    Crazy!


    Song Ke cursed in her heart, always acting like he¡¯s someone¡¯s superior. I¡¯ll show you who¡¯s the boss.


    She turned around and advised Xu Xing, ¡°Xiao Xing, keep killing the zombies.¡±


    Then she fearlessly went up to confront him.


    The short knife sliced across Sai Ang¡¯s chest, causing sparks to fly. Sai Ang¡¯s mechanical body seemed to be made of some unknown material; it didn¡¯t cut through even after a strike. Song Ke frowned slightly, pushed forward another half meter, narrowing the distance between her and Sai Ang, preparing to strike again.


    Sai Ang took a half step back, his mechanical chest rapidly reassembled, and suddenly activated automatically, revealing a small hole. The dark gun barrel aimed at Song Ke, and countless superpowered shotgun pellets shot out!


    Sneaky. He deliberately exposed a vulnerability to bait Song Ke into attacking!


    ¡°Hahaha! Naive! I will kill you and then take the crystal. Wouldn¡¯t that be even more enjoyable¡ª¡±


    Before Sai Ang¡¯s laughter could end, Song Ke clashed her twin blades, merging them into a spiritual weapon umbrella. In a critical moment, she quickly opened the umbrella, and all the shotgun pellets hit the blue umbrella surface, being completely absorbed.


    Then she leaped into the air. In Sai Ang¡¯s astonished eyes, her emei thorn rotated and stabbed fiercely into his skull!


    After piercing through the skull, Song Ke didn¡¯t stop. She picked out the two tubes connected at the back of his brain, cutting them one by one.


    Sai Ang¡¯s head was mostly mechanical. It rolled down to the ground, smoking, and was severely damaged. The mechanical skull was probably scrapped. It was unknown if he could salvage his life.


    ¡°Ohhhh!!¡± Ah K exclaimed, ¡°Contestant Song Ke single-handedly killed Contestant Sai Ang!¡±


    ¡°She soloed a B-level awakener!!¡±


    ¡­


    Outside the central square, Zhuang Qingyan watched the screen, observing the slender and seemingly frail yet explosively powerful figure. His lips slightly curved.


    ¡°Doctor Fang, you should consider yourself lucky for making the right decision.¡±


    Fang Zhixu soberly watched Song Ke¡¯s entire match. He slowly raised his eyelids and, after a moment of silence, spoke hoarsely, ¡°I admit she¡¯s strong, but so what? The opponent is just a B-level awakener.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan shook his head, his voice carrying deeper implications. ¡°You¡¯re wrong. She is far stronger than you imagine.


    ¡°And the ¡®luck¡¯ I mentioned is not about Song Ke¡¯s strength.¡±


    ¡°Oh, then what is it?¡± Fang Zhixu retorted coldly.


    Zhuang Qingyan sighed vaguely, ¡°She is not only powerful but also compassionate.¡±


    Fang Zhixu looked at the screen where Song Ke¡¯s face was full of disdain, kicking Sai Ang¡¯s head away, then turning back to the battlefield and rapidly harvesting the zombie heads, as if chopping vegetables and cutting fruits.


    Fang Zhixu shrugged his head slightly inside his cotton coat, not commenting on Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s assessment of her being ¡®compassionate.¡¯


    Zhuang Qingyan smiled and didn¡¯t say more.


    He turned his gaze to Group F, where Wu Xianghai was.


    Zhuang Qingyan watched the actions of the people in the footage, his brows furrowing more and more.


    Wu Xianghai changed his attacking technique again, this time using an ability similar to devouring. A black hole appeared in his chest corresponding to the same position on the zombie, creating a rather disgusting sight. The clearing speed was not fast, clearly lagging behind the leading teams. Wu Xianghai¡¯s own face was grim, and it was unclear whether it was because of the peculiar ability or the lagging progress.


    Zhuang Qingyan silently observed for a while and softly exclaimed, ¡°Ah.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s how it is¡­¡±


    Originally, it wasn¡¯t his own ability, so naturally, he couldn¡¯t use it well.


    Regarding the types of abilities, Qinglan Institute had conducted numerous experiments. The final data showed that the awakening of abilities was not entirely random. Some individuals were born with a predisposition to malevolence, a base nature, accustomed to stealing and robbing. Consequently, their awakened abilities were akin to rats in the sewer, dirty and dark.


    ¡­


    Ten minutes before the countdown ended, Song Ke had already defeated enough zombies to advance early. She and Xu Xing walked out of the competition area and looked up at the suspended display screen in the sky. There were still three groups of matches yet to conclude, but the participants she knew had mostly secured their advancement.


    Song Ke retrieved her terminal and glanced at the message, then chuckled.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Xu Xing asked.


    ¡°Something good,¡± Song Ke happily shared with him.


    Maeda Jiu unexpectedly came to watch the competition. Although his attitude was indifferent, he specifically sent his location to Song Ke, urging her to come as he had only half an hour before returning to his team.


    Song Ke planned her next steps in her mind. First, she would meet up with Zhuang Qingyan, then call Lin Youyou, and together they would go find Maeda Jiu. She wondered what expression this old-fashioned person would have upon seeing his idol in front of them. The thought was quite exhilarating.


    Song Ke held Xu Xing¡¯s hand and eagerly headed towards the central square. Suddenly, the sky erupted in a brilliant fireworks display, which Song Ke assumed was arranged by the organizing committee. She glanced back.


    Almost immediately, she realized something was wrong. After the crimson fireworks burst, a glaring word appeared.


    ¡°Freedom.¡±


    It was the resistance faction!


    But could they, relying on those motorbikes, truly impact the Throne Race Competition?


    Song Ke couldn¡¯t help but doubt.


    Soon, she realized she was mistaken.


    This time, the ones taking action weren¡¯t petty street thugs. The fireworks were just a signal. The high-voltage pulses at the top of the tower suddenly surged by several million volts, ¡°bang bang¡± ¨C the high-frequency floodlights burst in succession, and the entire city¡¯s power grid short-circuited instantly!


    The Ferris wheel stopped, the neon dimmed, and the ubiquitous music fell silent.


    And on the high-altitude stage, the figures of Ah K, Yulica, and Nana, projected by holograms, suddenly froze while speaking, like light screens losing signal, rapidly flickering for a few seconds, and then, they disappeared into thin air!


    After losing power, all artificial intelligences disappeared!


    The venue plunged into complete darkness, and the audience fell into endless confusion and chaos.


    ¡°What happened? Why is there a power outage?¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s Ah K? Where¡¯s the screen? Why is everything gone?¡±


    ¡°Damn, don¡¯t step on me, it¡¯s too dark!¡±


    For a while, the long-abandoned loudspeaker was ¡°pop pop¡± tapped twice, and from inside came a panicked voice.


    ¡°Um¡­ that, sorry everyone, I am a committee member in charge of cleaning¡­ no, logistics personnel. Due to that¡­ technical issue, the Throne Race Competition is temporarily suspended. The results of the 32 qualifiers will be announced at a later date.¡±


    Song Ke tightened her grip on Xu Xing¡¯s hand. ¡°Let¡¯s go quickly.¡±


    ¡­


    Maeda Jiu studied the point where the competition ended and hurried to the scene. Suddenly, Ferrara experienced a power outage. He stood at the alley¡¯s entrance, waiting for Song Ke to come.


    In the quiet night, faint sounds of a heated argument came from deep within the alley.


    ¡°When I sold the spot to you, how come you assured me? Didn¡¯t you promise guaranteed advancement? Now that I¡¯m eliminated, I¡¯ve lost all my money!¡± a man¡¯s voice sounded angry.


    The other person apologized meekly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ll try to figure something out, get another spot¡­¡±


    ¡°What are you thinking? You¡¯re useless. You claim to be a C-level awakener, but I think you¡¯re not even E-level. Truly pure trash. I must have been blind at that time¡­¡±


    The first man¡¯s voice abruptly stopped, followed by a thud as a heavy object hit the ground.


    Maeda Jiu furrowed his brow and headed towards the source of the sound.


    A man of medium build had his back to him, panting heavily. In the man¡¯s hand was a sharp stone, and on the ground lay a warm corpse, its head smashed, blood flowing all over.


    Hearing footsteps, the man turned around in panic, a bewildered expression on his face.


    ¡°Wu Xianghai? What are you doing here?¡± Maeda Jiu glanced at the corpse on the ground and raised his voice, saying, ¡°You killed someone!¡±


    Wu Xianghai was sobbing, his legs giving way as he knelt down. ¡°Deputy captain, it¡¯s not like that¡­ Listen to my explanation, I didn¡¯t mean to kill him.


    ¡°He forced me; I didn¡¯t want to. I just lost control¡­ I, I just hit him once.¡±


    Maeda Jiu¡¯s face turned solemn, and his words were cold and cutting. ¡°I don¡¯t care about your conflicts, but you¡¯re an awakener. Even if your awakened ability isn¡¯t offensive, you shouldn¡¯t harm civilians. I will report tonight¡¯s incident to the Ferrara patrol team. Explain yourself to them.¡±


    Wu Xianghai turned pale upon hearing this. ¡°No, Deputy Captain, please don¡¯t tell the patrol team!¡±


    Maeda Jiu snorted and turned away. ¡°I should have known what kind of person you were. I shouldn¡¯t have brought you out of District D.¡±


    Wu Xianghai¡¯s pleas fell silent for a moment.


    Maeda Jiu was in a bad mood, and after dealing with the trouble, he just wanted to find Song Ke quickly and then return to the team.


    Suddenly, his steps halted¡ª


    A cold black hole appeared in front of him; a strange ability unfamiliar to him devoured him. S~?a??h the ?ov?l?ir?.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Maeda Jiu was caught off guard, falling down with his eyes wide open.

 Chapter 58: Tongwan Hospital (12)

    ¡ò She wanted to kill this person with her own hands ¡òThe city of Ferrara, known as the nightless city, was suddenly attacked by the rebels. The energy to the tower was cut off, plunging the entire city into chaos.


    Song Ke and Xu Xing hurriedly made their way back to the central square. In Song Ke¡¯s mind, Zhuang Qingyan and Fang Zhixu were both ¡°weak¡± men and had no ability to protect themselves. Putting them in a crowded place was usually fine, but the current situation was too dangerous.


    As darkness fell, the audience at the scene was initially briefly bewildered. Then, internal panic was infinitely amplified, spreading outward. Countless people desperately pushed to get out, and due to not being able to distinguish the direction, there was shoving, falling, and even trampling incidents.


    Fang Zhixu stumbled and was bumped by people rushing out from an unknown direction. Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s wheelchair was constantly jostled and scraped, tilting and swaying, making it difficult to maintain balance. His face was stern, his eyebrows furrowed, enduring as much as he could. His right hand was just about to rise¡ª


    A slender hand reached from behind, steadying him.


    Song Ke had come back.


    Song Ke held the wheelchair with her left hand and pulled hard with her right hand, pulling Fang Zhixu, who was being tossed around, back. Then she dragged Xu Xing like a little tail, against the crowd, and managed to escape the congested center with difficulty.


    The four of them moved away from the chaos and found a relatively less crowded corner to stand in.


    ¡°The res-resistance f-faction, they¡¯ve t-taken action?¡± Song Ke asked.


    ¡°It was Lyon who took action,¡± Zhuang Qingyan corrected her.


    The rebels were just troublesome pests and couldn¡¯t stir up a major storm. But Lyon, supported by the century-old consortium, was different. He used a killer move as soon as he acted.


    Cutting off the tower¡¯s energy was a direct attack on the vital point. After all, Ferrara¡¯s artificial intelligence was composed of data, and the central hub that stored massive data required energy support, much like a human heart. An artificial intelligence without a heart, losing its central hub of stored data, undoubtedly entered a ¡°death¡± state.


    After listening to the explanation, a hint of doubt flashed in Song Ke¡¯s mind. Lyon¡¯s success tonight came too easily, right? The tower was Ilya¡¯s stronghold. Would he really surrender so easily? This super AI was said to control everything in Ferrara, so did he really have no knowledge of the underground activities of the rebels?


    Song Ke voiced her doubts, and Zhuang Qingyan hesitated for a moment before speaking. Just then, a gentle female voice came from behind them.


    ¡°Ilya won¡¯t lose so easily.¡±


    It was Lin Youyou and Su Cha. They had arranged to meet here after the match, and despite the unexpected events, the two of them still showed up.


    ¡°Wh-what do y-you mean?¡± Song Ke asked.


    Lin Youyou adjusted her mask, not taking it off even in the darkness. ¡°I¡¯ve heard Nana mention it. The central hub of Ilya is not in the tower at all. In the whole Ferrara, no one knows where its true form is. So even if the rebels destroy the tower¡¯s energy, it won¡¯t restrict Ilya.¡±


    ¡°Moreover, they¡¯ve underestimated this ruler,¡± Lin Youyou sighed. ¡°Ilya doesn¡¯t have much sentiment for the people of Ferrara, but his desire for power is top-notch. He won¡¯t allow anyone to challenge his authority, especially¡ªhumans.¡±


    In the central square, the panicked crowd was running around like headless flies, and the ruler of this city had yet to appear.


    Zhuang Qingyan suggested reasonably, ¡°We shouldn¡¯t get involved in this matter. Let¡¯s observe quietly for now.¡±


    Song Ke nodded. In any case, the struggle between Lyon and Ilya was Ferrara¡¯s internal affair. Their identities were just participants in the Throne Race event. It was not their place to intervene.


    It was time to get things done. Song Ke turned to Lin Youyou, eager as she tugged at her sleeve. ¡°Co-come with me, let¡¯s g-go meet s-someone.¡±


    Lin Youyou looked helpless. ¡°You have to tell me who we¡¯re meeting first.¡±


    ¡°Your fan,¡± Song Ke grinned foolishly.


    She glanced at the terminal and noticed that Maeda Jiu had not moved for a while. She urged, ¡°Hurry.¡±


    What if he got impatient and left?


    Song Ke dragged Lin Youyou towards the location, with Zhuang Qingyan and Su Cha following behind.


    ¡°Who is this person that you¡¯re treating so well? Why do I have to go meet them personally?¡±


    ¡°Hehe, you¡¯ll k-know in a mo-moment.¡±


    When they arrived at the alley where Maeda Jiu was supposed to be, it was empty. Song Ke double-checked, yes, this was the place. So where was he?


    ¡°He wo-wouldn¡¯t shy away and hide, would he? That¡¯s not li-like him. He sh-shouldn¡¯t know that I¡¯m b-bringing Lin Youyou,¡± she wondered aloud.


    Song Ke looked left and right but couldn¡¯t find Maeda Jiu. All she saw was a dark, seemingly endless alley.


    She thought for a moment and then stepped into it.


    The further she went, the dimmer the light became, and the surroundings grew eerily quiet, as if even the flow of air had come to a halt.


    Deep in the alley, a faint figure lay.


    Song Ke halted her steps, a bad premonition rising in her heart.


    She slowed her breathing, and a blue light flashed in her palm as her emei thorn spun into view, slowly approaching the dark figure.


    In the bleak moonlight, the person¡¯s face gradually became clear. The sight made Song Ke¡¯s pupils shrink, her heart pounding violently, blood rushing to her brain, and her whole body buzzing.


    Maeda Jiu¡¯s eyes were open, breathless, lifeless, lying on the ground.


    ¡°Maeda¡­ Maeda?!¡± Song Ke rushed forward and touched him. His body was cold; he had been dead for some time.


    She struggled to accept it, attempting to feel his pulse and listen to his heart, but there was complete silence, no response at all.


    ¡°Ting¡ª¡±


    The emei thorn fell to the ground, making a crisp sound.


    ¡°Maeda!!¡±


    An incredulous and pained cry echoed throughout the alley.


    How could this be? Maeda Jiu, how could he die here?


    Due to the immense shock, Song Ke¡¯s thoughts descended into chaos. He was fine just moments ago, even messaging her. Why, why hadn¡¯t they been in touch for a while, and he was already dead? So close to her, right before her eyes, Maeda Jiu was killed by someone!


    Song Ke trembled all over. It was a tremor of extreme, infuriated grief.


    Who was it? Who killed Maeda Jiu?


    Tears streamed down her face.


    It was all her fault. If she hadn¡¯t invited Maeda Jiu over, if she hadn¡¯t insisted on surprising him, pulling him along to meet Lin Youyou, would this have happened? Did she cause Maeda Jiu¡¯s death?


    Song Ke cried; she couldn¡¯t control her tears, grieving inconsolably.


    The others behind caught up, witnessing the scene, their faces filled with shock and disbelief.


    Fang Zhixu glanced at the person on the ground, momentarily stunned, then closed his eyes.


    Once a doctor, he used to be saddened by the departure of life despite being accustomed to life and death. However, later, those devastating blows completely extinguished his compassion. Now, his heart would no longer fluctuate.


    Lin Youyou had the most intense reaction among the remaining people. She stared blankly at Maeda Jiu¡¯s body, at a loss for words.


    Song Ke kept talking all the way, unusually talkative, sharing a lot about this person. She mentioned how he was usually very old-fashioned but oddly liked to listen to her songs. If someone else sang poorly, he would get angry. Lin Youyou could tell that, even though Song Ke kept saying what was wrong with him, she was actually full of anticipation. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have dragged her to meet this fan.


    And now, the person described by Song Ke, who was old-fashioned and awkward yet genuinely loved her as a fan, had died silently and unceremoniously. They hadn¡¯t even met.


    Lin Youyou exhaled heavily, a bitter feeling in her chest. She could understand Song Ke¡¯s pain. ¡°Su Cha, go have a look.¡±


    Su Cha silently approached, squatting down to examine Maeda Jiu¡¯s body. There was a clear missing piece on the left side, exposing a hollow wound. He activated his ability, and small dark green dots entered Maeda Jiu¡¯s mouth, capturing the traces left by the awakened energy. The killer was a person with abilities.


    A few meters away lay another person, fatally injured in the head. Su Cha picked up some of the blood dust on the ground, brought it close to his nose, and sniffed. Besides the smell of blood, there was also an unfamiliar scent. The killer had hastily escaped after the murder, leaving behind many traces. Being from the rainforest, he had the innate skill of tracking ingrained in his blood. Given some time, he could find the culprit.


    Zhuang Qingyan wheeled forward, Song Ke with her back turned, trembling slightly. He sighed silently and gently pressed Song Ke¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Let¡¯s inform Wu Juemin first.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah.¡± It took a long time before Song Ke replied in a low voice.


    The next thing she had to face was probably Wu Juemin¡¯s wrath.


    ¡­


    Wu Juemin arrived very quickly.


    Not only him, but all seven remaining Azure Phoenix team members from Ferrara had also come.


    Seeing Maeda Jiu¡¯s body, Ouyang Pei couldn¡¯t contain himself and cried out in deep sorrow, ¡°Deputy Captain!¡±


    Wu Juemin walked closer step by step, surrounded by surging abilities, exuding an oppressive feeling of an impending storm.


    He squatted down, silently gazing at Maeda Jiu for a while, then reached out and gently closed his eyes.


    Then he stood up again and said somberly, ¡°Salute.¡±


    The seven Azure Phoenix team members, including Wu Juemin, uniformly removed their hats, placing their left hands flat in front while saluting with their right hands in the standard Alliance military salute.


    ¡°Maeda was an excellent soldier, obedient to orders, strictly disciplined. Since joining the Eleventh Team, he has been diligent and has never made any mistakes,¡± Wu Juemin said.


    ¡°A person like him could die on the battlefield, die at the hands of enemies, or die in the course of a mission, but he cannot die here without reason.¡±


    Wu Juemin turned to Song Ke, his voice dangerously low, ¡°Tell me, why did he die?¡±


    Song Ke hesitated.


    Lin Youyou stood in front of Song Ke, blocking her, ¡°Hey, Captain, she didn¡¯t kill him. She came here with us and knows nothing. Song Ke is already upset. Don¡¯t question her like this.¡±


    Wu Juemin remained expressionless. ¡°Maeda took an hour off today to come and meet her. Now, something has happened to him. If I don¡¯t question her, who should I ask?


    ¡°He wouldn¡¯t leave the team easily. What did you say to him?¡± Wu Juemin continued.


    Song Ke answered slowly, ¡°I said, I-I had a s-surprise and a-asked him to come and w-watch the competition.¡±


    ¡°What surprise?¡± Wu Juemin¡¯s tone was cold as ice. ¡°Why did you specifically want to surprise him?¡±


    ¡°Because of me, the person Song Ke wants to take him to see is me,¡± Lin Youyou said, removing her mask and revealing her true face in front of others.


    Wu Juemin frowned, apparently not recognizing Lin Youyou¡¯s face. Maeda Jiu always respected Wu Juemin and regarded him as a role model for his actions, so he naturally wouldn¡¯t reveal his star-chasing preferences in front of him.


    Ouyang Pei, who had a closer relationship with Maeda Jiu, recognized her. He approached Wu Juemin and quietly explained Lin Youyou¡¯s identity.


    Song Ke patted Lin Youyou and stepped forward to explain, ¡°We had a-an arrangement to m-meet after the competition. Fi-fifteen minutes a-ago, he sent me his location. I-I didn¡¯t tell a-anyone about his wh-whereabouts.¡±


    The other members of Azure Pheonix team had already checked the nearby surveillance cameras. However, due to the citywide power outage, the cameras were off, and the patrolling city defense robots had stopped working. At the scene, apart from the two bodies, there was no evidence left.


    After listening to Ouyang Pei¡¯s explanation, Wu Juemin¡¯s gaze returned to Song Ke. His eyes were red, his hands clenched tightly by his sides, and he looked like a taut bow, and he was on the verge of breaking out.


    Wu Juemin calmed down and realized that Song Ke couldn¡¯t have killed Maeda. She had no motive and no time to commit the crime. However, the incident was indeed related to her, and he acknowledged his own prejudice born out of losing control of his emotions.


    But Wu Juemin was also human, a person with flesh and blood. A fellow comrade, fighting shoulder to shoulder, had died in this filthy place. How could he face this rationally? How could he swallow this indignation?


    The atmosphere in the narrow alley grew even colder than the harsh winter. It was at this moment that Zhuang Qingyan spoke up.


    ¡°Captain Wu, I may have some clues regarding the killer who murdered Maeda Jiu.¡±


    All eyes turned towards him, and Zhuang Qingyan saw mirrored expressions of grief and hatred.


    He organized his thoughts and began to analyze slowly, ¡°Maeda Jiu was a C-level awakener. He awakened a defensive ability. If he was on guard, the assailant couldn¡¯t have succeeded easily. However, besides the fatal wound, there were no signs of a struggle on Maeda Jiu¡¯s body.¡±


    ¡°You mean the killer was someone he knew,¡± Wu Juemin noticed the key point.


    Zhuang Qingyan confirmed his statement, ¡°Most likely not just knew, but in Wu Juemin¡¯s eyes, the killer wasn¡¯t even aggressive. At least, the killer didn¡¯t possess the ability to kill him. That¡¯s why Maeda turned his back to the assailant.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s gaze fell on Maeda Jiu¡¯s mouth. Su Cha had just removed the clothing fragments there, revealing the hollow in his heart that looked like a black hole.


    ¡°I¡¯m trying to reconstruct the crime scene. Maeda Jiu was originally positioned at the alley¡¯s entrance. After the power outage, he wouldn¡¯t have left his spot for no reason. So it¡¯s very likely that he discovered or saw something, like¡­ the killer committing the murder. However, this person didn¡¯t seem threatening to him, so after dealing with the situation, he didn¡¯t feel the need to be on guard and turned to leave. The assailant took advantage of this opportunity and killed him.¡±


    Wu Juemin furrowed his brow, pointing out the contradiction in Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s deduction.


    ¡°Unreasonable. If Maeda was sure that this person wasn¡¯t a threat, why was he killed?¡± S?a?ch* Th? ?0velF?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Because¡­¡± Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s expression turned cold. ¡°From the very beginning, the killer deceived everyone.¡±


    Su Cha waited patiently. Tiny green light dots emerged from the black hole in Maeda Jiu¡¯s mouth, tracing the traces of awakened energy, leaving luminescent marks on the ground, extending in a certain direction.


    ¡°I think I have an idea of who it might be.¡±


    ¡°I can find this person,¡± Su Cha and Zhuang Qingyan spoke almost simultaneously.


    Wu Juemin¡¯s expression became stern. ¡°Who is it? Where is he?¡±


    His black finger joints creaked. ¡°Lead me to find him.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going with you.¡± Lin Youyou stood behind Su Cha.


    Song Ke also stepped forward, her eyes reddened, a smoldering fire burning within them.


    ¡°And me.¡±


    Never before had she felt such a strong urge to kill.


    She wanted to kill this person with her own hands.

 Chapter 59.1: Tongwan Hospital (13)

    ¡ò Bad Seed ¡òThere is a kind of person in this world, born in the dark and cramped slums, wandering in the dirty sewers. They envy others¡¯ wealth and happiness, often cursing the unfairness of the heavens and harboring a deep resentment towards their own incompetence.


    Wu Xianghai was one such individual.


    He was a seasoned pickpocket, or rather, a thief, with a vile and shameless nature. He targeted the elderly, the weak, and women and took pride in it.


    After the apocalypse, Wu Xianghai¡¯s awakened abilities were related to this. Although it was only the lowest E-level, he could ¡°steal¡± others¡¯ abilities through theft and even level up using this stolen ability. The condition was that he had to personally kill the wielder of that ability to completely strip them of it.


    The first person Wu Xianghai killed was a fragile female awakener. He relied on a sneak attack from behind. When he struck, he was trembling with fear, his heart pounding wildly. With an axe, he viciously smashed the back of her head. Blood sprayed out, and Wu Xianghai was both terrified and oddly exhilarated.


    During the process of taking the ability, fragments of the woman¡¯s consciousness entered Wu Xianghai¡¯s brain. He saw her past¡ªher gentle lover, caring parents, friends¡­ Her happy upbringing remained untouched even by the apocalypse.


    ¡°Good.¡± Wu Xianghai licked his lips, a perverse sensation filling his mind, ¡®Everything is mine now.¡¯


    Knowing that his true ability must remain hidden, Wu Xianghai used the stolen ¡°Object Sewing¡± ability to register as an E-level awakener. Later, when he fled his homeland, he luckily encountered the Azure Phoenix team and others who were evacuating, and he was taken away as an awakener.


    Wu Xianghai acted timidly and pretended to be a simple and honest person, successfully following them to District C72.


    Ferrara, this free city, amplified his ambitions and malevolent thoughts completely.


    The second person he killed was a carefully selected D-level awakener, possessing an aggressive dark-type ability. As usual, it was a sneak attack. Upon killing the person, Wu Xianghai learned from the fragments of consciousness that this individual intended to participate in the Throne Race Competition.


    The countless points, Alliance coins, and the possibility of fulfilling desires¡­ The enticing conditions and plentiful rewards further inflated Wu Xianghai¡¯s desires. He firmly believed that he was like the protagonists in those leveling-up stories, rising from being a useless underdog, crushing everyone in his path, and couldn¡¯t wait to obtain a powerful ability to trample everyone.


    By stealing abilities, Wu Xianghai became a D-level awakener. He used the money and channels left by the deceased to buy a slot from the intermediary, replacing that person in the Throne Race Competition. However, the reality that followed was different from what he had imagined. In this world, there were far too many individuals stronger than him. On the night of the Mirror Lake competition, Wu Xianghai was in dire straits. He almost *capsized in the gutter, nearly sending himself to the underworld.


    Wu Xianghai, who luckily advanced, felt a dark mood. No, he needed an even more powerful ability.


    Later, he finally killed a C-level awakener. The person had an incredibly elusive ability called Black Hole Devour.


    From this person¡¯s memories, Wu Xianghai unexpectedly learned about the secret of Ferrara. The deceased belonged to a convoluted organization that claimed to be a resistance faction. Their goal was astonishingly to destroy all artificial intelligence!


    Wu Xianghai realized he had gotten himself into serious trouble. He carefully destroyed the body and all evidence of this person¡¯s existence.


    But he never expected that in the round of 32, he would lose. Despite having acquired the ability of devouring, he could never fully integrate it. It was as if it was inherently rebellious and could not be completely controlled. The consequences of losing the match were dire. The intermediary interrogated him vehemently, but Wu Xianghai was no longer the initially obedient character. He had transformed from a thief to a butcher, his hands stained with blood. Wu Xianghai¡¯s malevolent thoughts spiraled out of control. He picked up a stone from the ground and killed the defiant intermediary.


    ¡°What are you doing? You¡¯ve killed someone!¡±


    Wu Xianghai never expected that Maeda would witness the murderous scene.


    The wrong person appeared at the wrong time and place, discovering his vile nature.


    Wu Xianghai begged desperately, pleading for mercy. If his true ability was exposed, everything would be over.


    But Maeda simply didn¡¯t listen. He was stern and merciless, threatening to inform the patrol team.


    Wu Xianghai knocked his head on the ground, looking at Maeda¡¯s retreating heels through the cold gap. His eyes were gradually consumed by darkness.


    ¡°I gave you a chance. Since it¡¯s come to this, then just die!¡±


    Seizing the opportunity while the other was off guard, Wu Xianghai made another sneak attack, killing Maeda and stripping him of his ability.


    Then he fled in a panic.


    Back at his residence, Wu Xianghai was engulfed by immense panic. He anxiously bit his fingers, drawing blood.


    What to do? What to do? The people from Azure Phoenix won¡¯t let him off. Wu Juemin¡­ thinking of the captain¡¯s sharp eyes, Wu Xianghai couldn¡¯t stop shivering, cold sweat trickling down his forehead.


    ¡®It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay,¡¯ he consoled himself. He had escaped quickly, leaving no traces. Tonight¡¯s power outage ensured that no one knew.


    After the panic subsided, a familiar excitement gradually surged. Wu Xianghai moved his right hand gently, and an invisible air barrier appeared around him. It could spread out or change shape with his movements, wrapping around him like layered soft armor, its transparent surface indestructible.


    As expected of Azure Phoenix team¡¯s deputy captain, Wu Xianghai¡¯s smile was greedy and cruel. This was the most practical ability he had ever seen.


    The chaotic night passed without any incidents. There were no pursuers and no patrol teams. Wu Xianghai, who had been living in fear, slowly began to ease.


    He had escaped, he was safe. In a few days, he would leave Ferrara and start anew somewhere else.


    Wu Xianghai relaxed his mind, lying on the bed with his legs crossed, humming a pleasant tune. He flipped his palm back and forth, admiring his new ability.


    A few fireflies drifted in from the window, their dim green light flickering and dotting his body.


    Wu Xianghai reached out to shoo them away, but they didn¡¯t budge.


    The next moment, his movements abruptly stopped.


    These weren¡¯t fireflies at all; this was¡­ psychic tracking, an awakener!


    Wu Xianghai jumped up from the bed.


    A poisoned dagger shattered the wall, a murderous aura surging as it pierced the gap between his legs. The venom spread, corroding the bed instantly. Thankfully, he moved quickly, or he would have lost his legs.


    Wu Xianghai, like a mouse, lowered his head and darted into the corner, trying to escape through the hole.


    Ethereal singing echoed, infiltrating his ears. His legs felt like they were filled with lead, making it difficult to even lift them. A strong debuff control ability.


    More than one awakener had come!


    Wu Xianghai frantically erected a defensive barrier, tightly wrapping himself up.


    ¡°Bang!¡± The door blew open, and a stern figure emerged against the dawn¡¯s light.


    Wu Xianghai turned his head in terror, saw the person clearly, and his eyes widened in despair.


    Wu Juemin¡­ it was Wu Juemin who had come personally to capture him.


    ¡°Captain¡­ Wu¡­¡± he stammered.


    Wu Juemin¡¯s expression was icy, giving him no chance to speak. Quick and decisive, he vanished on the spot.


    The person was an A-level speed-type awakener! Wu Xianghai¡¯s awakened energy surged, exerting all his power to ensure the barrier covered his entire body without any gaps.


    ¡°Clang!¡±


    A terrifying force struck the back of his head, causing the barrier there to teeter, a large crack forming.


    Wu Xianghai hurriedly began repairing it in a fluster.


    Wu Juemin reappeared from high-speed movement, his voice furious and shocked, ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re using Maeda¡¯s ability?!¡±


    His gaze made Wu Xianghai tremble all over, as if he had fallen into an abyss.


    ¡°You killed Maeda and deprived him of his ability,¡± Wu Juemin said each word distinctly.


    Under the terrifying pressure, Wu Xianghai struggled to form a coherent sentence.


    It was already winter, and the biting cold wind blew in from outside, bringing with it two figures, a man and a woman.


    There were three awakeners chasing him. Cold sweat dripped down Wu Xianghai¡¯s forehead, and he felt trapped.


    Wait, something¡¯s wrong¡­


    The air seemed to stop moving. A more domineering and overbearing pressure than Wu Juemin¡¯s swept over, brushing against Wu Xianghai like a wild wind sweeping leaves. His whole body stood on end, paralyzed.


    Behind Wu Juemin, another figure emerged, encased in frost.


    The girl held a fierce Tang sword, stepping towards him, the tip of the blade exuding extreme killing intent.


    Wu Xianghai knew her; this woman named Song Ke had terrifying combat power. In Mirror Lake, she could single-handedly kill mutant zombies and mutant water monsters, escaping unscathed from a hundred-person siege. Last night, she even decapitated the mechanical head, Sai Ang, with a single stroke.


    Why would such a grim reaper appear here?


    Wu Xianghai¡¯s legs weakened, unable to withstand the dual pressure. Tears and mucus mixed together as he cried and begged, ¡°Captain Wu, don¡¯t kill me. I was wrong, I know I was wrong. Please, don¡¯t kill me¡­¡±


    ¡°I beg you, I know many secrets! I¡¯ll tell you everything, spare me, please¡­¡±


    Wu Juemin coldly looked down at him, as if looking at a corpse.


    Wu Xianghai cowered and turned towards Song Ke, trying to break through from her: ¡°You¡­ You¡¯re participating in the Throne Race Competition, and you want to win, right? I know many secrets, the resistance faction, yes, I know their next plans. I¡¯ll tell you everything, please don¡¯t kill me.¡±


    While begging for mercy, Wu Xianghai carefully observed their reactions and cautiously retreated.


    Song Ke¡¯s expression remained unchanged, her eyes locking onto him. ¡°You, deserve to die.¡± S?a?ch* Th? N0??F?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    No matter what this person said, she wouldn¡¯t spare him.


    The blade turned, and without a second thought, it slashed at the air barrier, a sharp and grating sound filling the air.


    Wu Xianghai was terrified, knowing there was no hope in pleading with this person. He turned towards Wu Juemin, shouting desperately.


    ¡°Captain Wu, Captain Wu! The key! I know where the key is, I¡¯ve seen it!¡±


    Wu Xianghai accessed the fragmented memories of Maeda Jiu, seeing the image of Xie Zuo and unexpectedly learning about Azure Phoenix¡¯s mission.


    This was his only bargaining chip at the moment.


    Wu Juemin moved lightning-fast, blocking Song Ke¡¯s attack with his black gloves.


    Song Ke was stunned and turned to glare at him. Why was he still listening to him?

 Chapter 59.2: Tongwan Hospital (13)

    ¡ò Bad Seed ¡ò¡°Where is he?¡± Wu Juemin stared intently at the kneeling man.


    There was hope! Wu Xianghai¡¯s eyes darted around, attempting to buy some time.


    ¡°Once, when I was buying a slot from the intermediary, I saw that person, he was with someone with blue eyes, at, at¡­¡±


    ¡°Where!¡± Wu Juemin shouted sharply.


    Wu Xianghai¡¯s breath became rapid, the pressure making his mental power run wild, about to explode.


    ¡°Manzoni Street, Number 16! The person is there! I¡¯m sure!¡±


    While Wu Juemin pondered the address for a second, Wu Xianghai¡¯s ability suddenly expanded outward, pushing away the few people in front of him.


    Wu Juemin realized and punched.


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    A severe impact rang out. The ability barrier, released at full strength, surprisingly withstood his attack.


    Wu Juemin attacked again, one punch after another, with astonishing destructive power. However, the air barrier tightly wrapped around Wu Xianghai, like an impenetrable cocoon, unable to reach his true self.


    ¡°You can¡¯t kill me! You can¡¯t kill me!¡±


    Wu Xianghai laughed manically. He now possessed a defensive ability, and nobody could break his barrier.


    ¡°Great stuff, Deputy Captain Maeda¡¯s ability. Hahaha, great stuff!¡± He described wildly, shouting fearlessly.


    Wu Juemin was furious, thinking of Maeda Jiu, a trustworthy teammate who always stood behind him for support. That was his comrade¡¯s ability; how could it be desecrated by such a person?!


    With a slight movement of his palm, a highly destructive particle weapon appeared out of thin air. Wu Juemin adjusted the aim, targeting Wu Xianghai.


    If this shot went off, the entire house would be leveled.


    But a figure rushed past him even faster.


    Song Ke leaped high in the air, her weapon slashing with the force of tearing the sky apart!


    The ferocious Tang sword chopped down, directly clashing with the barrier. A dazzling light flashed, the air barrier shattered inch by inch, and the blade continued down. Blood splattered as Wu Xianghai¡¯s left arm was severed.


    ¡°Ah!!¡± A heart-wrenching scream resounded.


    What did a defensive ability matter? What did an air barrier matter? A metal-type ability could cut through everything!


    He was just a vile thief, inherently evil. If Song Ke wanted him dead, there was no way he could survive today.


    Wu Xianghai rolled around in a miserable state on the ground. Seeing Song Ke raising her blade again, he raised his voice, babbling incoherently, disregarding everything.


    ¡°You can¡¯t kill me, don¡¯t kill me. Maeda Jiu, there¡¯s something he hasn¡¯t had a chance to tell you. Don¡¯t kill me, I¡¯ll tell you!¡±


    This was becoming unbearable.


    Song Ke lowered her eyes, her offensive in no way paused.


    Never give the enemy a chance to speak; this was a lesson reiterated by her master.


    The Tang sword once again chopped towards the barrier, transparent glass shattered, a clear path unhindered, viciously plunging into Wu Xianghai¡¯s mouth!


    Same position, same method of death¡ªjust how he killed Maeda Jiu, that¡¯s how he died under Song Ke¡¯s blade.


    Blood splattered, and Wu Xianghai¡¯s heart burst instantly.


    His breathing abruptly stopped, his eyes bulging out, like a dirty rat in the sewer, stomped to death.


    Song Ke withdrew the Tang sword, her face covered in bloodstains, expressionless. Another fierce strike, stabbing down.


    Completely dead.


    The room fell quiet.


    Song Ke walked up to Wu Juemin, silent for a long time, unsure of what to say.


    Finally, she said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    The one who should have received the apology was Maeda Jiu, but he could never hear it again.


    Wu Juemin looked at Wu Xianghai¡¯s body on the ground and spoke coldly, ¡°To enter the Azure Phoenix¡¯s ranks of awakeners, one must not only pass the ability assessment but also undergo a test of character. Both are essential. Therefore, not all awakeners can travel with us.¡±


    ¡°I was wrong. I shouldn¡¯t have taken you with us.¡±


    Song Ke had no words in response.


    If it weren¡¯t for Wu Juemin, she might have been trapped on the island in F177, helpless and waiting to die. This captain of the Azure Phoenix had done everything within his power, rescuing civilians and awakeners from different places, leading them all the way to evacuation.


    He was undoubtedly a good man, but now, he said he was wrong.


    Wu Juemin glanced at her and said coldly, ¡°From now on, don¡¯t see anyone in the team, don¡¯t contact anyone.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it. There¡¯s no connection between Azure Phoenix and you anymore.¡±


    Wu Juemin left.


    Song Ke looked down at her own shoes, lost in thought for a long time.


    ¡°Ke¡¯er¡­¡± Lin Youyou called her worriedly.


    Song Ke snapped out of it, and when she looked up again, her expression was calm.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡­


    On the hotel¡¯s upper floor, Song Ke sat on the railing, silently looking outside through the floor-to-ceiling window.


    She had been in this state for several hours.


    Xu Xing peeked at her from behind, hesitant to approach. Instead, he went to fetch reinforcements.


    First, he went to find Fang Zhixu. Dr. Fang was lying on the sofa, the back of his hand against his forehead, eyes half closed. He wasn¡¯t asleep, lost in thought about something.


    ¡°Hey, lazy old man,¡± Xu Xing lightly kicked his leg, ¡°Aren¡¯t you a doctor? My dad said you can come up with all sorts of comforting words. Hurry, go talk to my sister.¡±


    Fang Zhixu grunted, ¡°What¡¯s it to me?¡±


    He turned around, his back to Xu Xing, and added nonchalantly, ¡°In situations like this, you have to find your own way out. I can¡¯t do it myself, so how can I advise others?¡±


    Xu Xing felt helpless in the face of his indifference, stomped his foot, and went to knock on another person¡¯s door.


    Zhuang Qingyan was in his room scrolling through the display, fingertips sliding rapidly, swiftly perusing a massive amount of data and information. Daylight shone on his profile, his expression especially focused. A night had passed, and Ferrara¡¯s energy had been restored, but artificial intelligence was still absent.


    Xu Xing fidgeted on the carpet, reluctantly speaking up, ¡°Uh, could you go and talk to sister?¡±


    He never really got along with Zhuang Qingyan. Strictly speaking, this was the first time the irritable little lion had ever softened, using a somewhat imploring tone to speak to him.


    Zhuang Qingyan glanced at him curiously and teased, ¡°What? Worried she¡¯ll keep sinking into despair?¡±


    Xu Xing pouted. Although he didn¡¯t answer, that was exactly what he was worried about.


    Zhuang Qingyan turned the wheelchair and changed direction, pressing the pause button. ¡°Rest assured, she¡¯s not as fragile as you think.


    ¡°But, it¡¯s time to end the indulgence.¡±


    As he passed by Xu Xing, Zhuang Qingyan flicked his head, saying, ¡°Instead of worrying about your sister, why not focus on improving your abilities? Don¡¯t always hold her back. Are you aiming to become the champion of swimming, or do you want to be a lazy fish that only shouts ¡®666¡¯?¡±


    Xu Xing held his head in his hands, yelling in annoyance, ¡°Mind your own business!!¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan chuckled lightly and went to the balcony, passing by Xu Xing.


    ¡°What are you thinking?¡±


    The wheelchair stopped behind Song Ke, and he asked in his usual tone.


    Song Ke didn¡¯t look back but instead tapped the invisible glass in front of her. This marvelous piece of technology could seamlessly blend into the air, like a barrier. Only when you pressed on it with your fingertips would it slightly reveal itself.


    ¡°Wu Juemin sa-said he was wr-wrong,¡± she calmly recounted. ¡°He said he sh-shouldn¡¯t have taken us to e-evacuate.¡±


    Today was the first day of energy recovery. Looking down from a high vantage point, Ferrara¡¯s streets were desolate, the whole city eerily quiet.


    ¡°He told m-me not to c-contact anyone e-else in the t-team.¡±


    ¡°Does this upset you?¡± Zhuang Qingyan asked.


    ¡°Not upset,¡± Song Ke shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m thi-thinking that m-maybe I was wrong t-too.¡±


    She sighed and counted on her fingers. ¡°I¡¯m very, v-very unlucky, and n-not very s-smart. I-I shouldn¡¯t have kept s-such a close distance fr-from them, br-bringing disasters upon o-others.¡±


    She still remembered back in Hua City when Zhou Anqi called her a star of disaster. Song Ke didn¡¯t take it seriously at the time and just wanted to give her a good slap. But now, she felt her words were prophetic. It seemed like people around her were always unlucky because of her.


    ¡°I-I shouldn¡¯t have brought y-you all back. M-maybe wi-without me, things w-would be b-better.¡±


    Her fingers weren¡¯t enough, and Song Ke slumped her shoulders in frustration.


    ¡°¡­I won¡¯t p-pick up people a-again in the fu-future.¡±


    ¡°As for Wu Juemin, I won¡¯t comment; let him solve it himself,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said. ¡°As for you, don¡¯t take everything on yourself. Maeda¡¯s death was because he encountered a natural bad seed like Wu Xianghai. In a sense, it was his own carelessness that was the fatal cause. It¡¯s not your fault.


    ¡°Your luck is a bit lacking.¡± Zhuang Qingyan smiled. ¡°It¡¯s quite difficult to drag others down. At your young age, don¡¯t be so superstitious.


    ¡°As for the people you brought back, let¡¯s start with Xu Xing. There¡¯s no need to say much. Those two coolies were turned around at your whim, yet they didn¡¯t storm off. Even Fang Zhixu, if you were to go back and ask him if he regrets following you, he¡¯d probably just roll his eyes and continue sleeping where he is.


    ¡°Their answers are all there for everyone to see. Aren¡¯t you clear about it? No one regrets it.¡±


    ¡°A-and what about y-you?¡± Song Ke¡¯s clear eyes looked at him.


    ¡°Me?¡± Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s smile gradually widened. ¡°You¡¯re my golden thigh. I haven¡¯t had a chance to hug you tightly, how could I regret it.¡±


    Song Ke was left speechless for a moment. But strangely, her lips couldn¡¯t help but curve upward, and a small dimple showed on her cheek.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s gaze lingered on her face for a couple of seconds, and he leisurely added, ¡°However, I agree with the last sentence. Don¡¯t bring people back anymore. Your arms are so thin, and there are too many people to carry.¡±


    Song Ke slowly turned her head, staring at him expressionlessly.


    After a while, she hopped off the railing, murmuring to herself as she touched her stomach, ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s wheelchair followed behind her. ¡°Now that there¡¯s no robot butler, we have to do everything ourselves.¡±


    After walking a few steps, all the terminals, televisions, screens, and projections in the hotel suddenly lit up, displaying the same image.


    A middle-aged man with a stern face was seated at a desk, arrogantly delivering a speech.


    ¡°I am Lyon, the newly appointed magistrate of Ferrara. I now announce that the artificial intelligence known as ¡®Ilya¡¯ has been completely eradicated. From today onwards, Ferrara will enforce new rules.¡±


    ¡°Rule one: Strict entry restrictions will be implemented citywide, expelling unidentified refugees.¡± s?a??h th? N?v?lFir?.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Rule two: All music performances and entertainment activities are prohibited. Holding large public events must be approved by the City Hall.¡±


    ¡°Rule three: All residents are prohibited from hoarding any form of artificial intelligence. Those found in violation will be severely punished.¡±


    ¡°Rule four:¡­¡±


    ¡°Rule ten: The ongoing Throne Race Competition will be taken over by the City Hall, and the rules and procedures will be redesigned.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Zhuang Qingyan let out a cold laugh. ¡°Cancel all major events, but conveniently leave the Throne Race. It seems they don¡¯t intend to let go of this lucrative opportunity.¡±


    Song Ke furrowed her brow. ¡°Is he announcing Ilya¡¯s death like this?¡±


    The resistance faction had just succeeded last night, and they hadn¡¯t confirmed the final result yet, but Lyon was in a rush to declare sovereignty. Was Lyon too proud and reckless?


    Wouldn¡¯t Ilya make any move?


    As they were speaking, a deafening roar echoed from a certain direction within the city.


    Song Ke focused her gaze, ¡°Is that the Sycara Theater?¡±


    Just as Lyon was delivering his speech, thousands of zombies surged out from underground beneath the Sycara Theater.

 Chapter 60: Tongwan Hospital (14)

    ¡ò Are you looking for me? ¡òA drop of ink splattered onto the white paper, spreading out in large splotches.


    When a zombie broke free from its restraints, it triggered waves upon waves of frenzy.


    This was the current situation at the Sycara Theater. Starting from a single point, it rapidly spread in all directions, an eerie zombie horde that sent shivers down one¡¯s spine, crawling out from underground and flooding the streets and alleys of Ferrara.


    In all the screens and projected images, Lyon¡¯s speech was abruptly interrupted, leaving him with a bewildered expression.


    His passionate speech had just been brutally debunked, turning into a ludicrous joke.


    V587 had once taken on a commission to clear the zombies at Luli Port. At the time, the system had popped up with a strange prompt, asking them to capture the zombies and bring them back alive. Song Ke had followed a transportation truck, only to discover that these zombies were being transported to the underground of the Sycara Theater.


    She, like others before, had thought that zombies were just fodder for the Throne Race Competition.


    But now, reflecting on it, perhaps it wasn¡¯t fodder, but rather a means to cultivate something, and such crazed behavior would ultimately lead to disaster.


    Cultivating zombies was already an extremely dangerous endeavor, especially when their numbers exceeded the threshold they could control. Seven to eight out of ten abnormal sources from nearby C and D grade cities flowed into Ferrara. While this city claimed to be one of freedom on the surface, its dark underground had long belonged to a vast kingdom of the undead.


    Now, all the undead had escaped.


    The ordinary citizens strolling on the streets hadn¡¯t yet grasped what was happening. They looked around in confusion, their dilated pupils capturing the swiftly approaching figures of the zombies. In an instant, the zombies lunged at them, biting their necks.


    ¡°Ah!!¡±


    ¡°Help, help¡­¡±


    Similar tragedies continued to unfold in Ferrara.


    In a high-rise hotel, Song Ke furrowed her brow, asking, ¡°H-how did it come to this?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan joined her in looking down, his tone indifferent, ¡°The Sycara Theater is under integrated management, with everything from security, monitoring, logistics, to defense systems controlled entirely by artificial intelligence.¡±


    Song Ke immediately realized, ¡°The a-artificial intelligence has b-been shut d-down.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan nodded, ¡°Exactly, Lyon was too engrossed in enjoying the fruits of victory and didn¡¯t promptly eliminate potential risks.¡±


    Song Ke still couldn¡¯t fully grasp one thing: Even if artificial intelligence managed more accurately and was far more secure than humans, could it truly be flawless, immune to any malfunctions? Wasn¡¯t there any emergency plan within the theater, allowing such a significant threat to erupt unchecked?


    Zhuang Qingyan seemed to understand what she was thinking and raised an eyebrow, ¡°Do you think these zombies escaped on their own, or were they deliberately released?¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°!!¡±


    She abruptly turned to look at Zhuang Qingyan, his expression was serious and it didn¡¯t look like he was joking.


    A chill ran down Song Ke¡¯s spine.


    If the zombies were intentionally released, then in all of Ferrara, only one ¡°person¡± could have done it.


    Song Ke remembered Lin Youyou¡¯s statement about ¡°Ilya having no feelings for the people¡± and a sense of dread enveloped her.


    Did artificial intelligence truly have no pity for humanity?


    Ferrara, without artificial intelligence, faced disasters far beyond this.


    The citizens of Ferrara were like oversized infants indulging in a dreamlike illusion, full of bravado in words but practically useless in combat, with a combat effectiveness of less than zero.


    They took pleasure in watching the awakeners massacre zombies, but when it came to facing the same situation themselves, they were terrified. Most people trembled in fear, unable to even lift their weapons. The zealous audience who had once criticized the participants as ¡°useless¡± and ¡°couldn¡¯t even kill a few zombies¡± were now scared witless, wishing to stay at home forever.


    On the first day of the zombie outbreak, 90% of the public sector came to a standstill. The residents of Ferrara neither had work nor needed to go to the office. Engrossed in their leisure, everything from food, accommodation, transportation, and commerce was handled by AI. In their free time, they engaged in various entertainment activities. But now, with a colossal change in their lives and fear surrounding them, the frightened populace hid in their homes, anxious and fearful throughout the night.


    On the second day, some awakeners came out to hunt and kill zombies, but the effect was minimal. They killed the old ones, and new ones emerged. With too many people being bitten, they kept transforming into mutant zombies. Ferrara¡¯s municipal hotline was almost overwhelmed, flooded with angry citizens denouncing Lyon as a coward for not deploying forces to suppress the zombies.


    Lyon was powerless in this situation. The cold artificial intelligence was unafraid of death, enabling it to valiantly confront the zombies. However, humans were afraid. His personal guard consisted of humans, and not a single one dared to step forward to kill the zombies.


    Regarding Lyon¡¯s inaction, Zhuang Qingyan gave a cold two-word evaluation: ¡°Utterly pathetic.¡±


    Song Ke wholeheartedly agreed. The resistance faction was a group of spineless individuals who only knew how to bicker amongst themselves. Compared to Tongwan¡¯s security team, they were worlds apart. The contrast was stark. Zhao Liqiang and his team, when faced with the zombie tide, could choose to stand their ground, but Lyon couldn¡¯t even manage to drive away the zombies.


    On the third day, the conflict escalated further. Some of the zombies fled Ferrara, providing the city¡¯s residents with a brief respite. The enraged populace regained their senses and initiated massive protests and demonstrations.


    Lyon hid behind the screens, attempting to pacify the people through a public speech. However, every place he showed himself was pelted with stones, and countless people cursed at him, ¡°Get lost!¡±


    Within a short day, Lyon faced assassination attempts over a hundred times. Unable to withstand the threat of death, he awkwardly chose to step down.


    He became the ¡°three-day ruler,¡± the shortest-serving leader in the history of the Alliance.


    After Lyon announced his departure, chants for Ilya erupted throughout Ferrara, starting from scattered calls to a thunderous, unified roar, echoing throughout the entire Ferrara.


    ¡°Ilya! Ilya!! Ilya!!!¡±


    In Ferrara, many absurd things were possible.


    Ilya achieved victory in this bloodless struggle without expending a single soldier, without even showing up.


    ¡­


    Song Ke fastened the buttons of her coat and gripped the spiritual weapon on the table. ¡°I-I¡¯m going o-out to take a look.¡±


    The people behind her seemed to want to speak, but she interrupted them preemptively. ¡°None of y-you are allowed t-to go.¡±


    It was chaotic outside. She could venture out alone, while her companions should stay in a safe place for now.


    Zhuang Qingyan, Xu Xing, and Fang Zhixu remained in the hotel, allowing her to act with peace of mind.


    Song Ke leaped and sprinted between the rooftops. The north wind billowed her coat, making it look like wings were sprouting from her back.


    The distance between the two buildings in front of her was a bit far. Song Ke accelerated and leaped, releasing her transformed spiritual weapon bone whip mid-air, entangling the low-altitude track above her. With a swing, she smoothly landed using the momentum.


    As soon as she landed, heavy panting was heard behind her.


    Song Ke didn¡¯t stop, rolling forward, and sharp claws sliced through the spot where she had just been, leaving deep marks.


    Song Ke quickly turned around, ready for action, but then froze.


    The zombie in front of her was noticeably different from the ones she had seen before. It was larger, its skin tougher, its nails sharper, and even its pupils were not the common grayish-white but closer to pitch black.


    Her heart skipped a beat; this zombie¡­ seemed to have evolved.


    The seemingly evolved zombie crouched down, kicked with its right leg, and sprang forward like a spring, with incredible speed and explosive force!


    Song Ke lashed out with her bone whip, the sharp and slender segments tightly entwining around the zombie¡¯s neck. She pulled back with one hand, but it didn¡¯t budge?


    Had its strength increased as well?


    She hesitated for a moment, then shifted to a two-handed grip on the whip. Engaging her waist and abdomen, she swung her arms, rotated her entire body, utilizing her core strength to viciously swing a half circle, executing a shoulder throw that flipped the zombie to the ground!


    The zombie roared and struggled, but it was trapped, unable to move.


    Song Ke tightened the whip¡¯s end. ¡°Crack!¡± The protruding bone crushed its neck, and the fierce head rolled off, splitting the body into two parts.


    After this peculiar zombie¡¯s death, Song Ke thought for a moment. As a precaution, she pulled out a dagger and forcefully stabbed into its skull. A quick twist left the dagger tip hitting something hard. She pulled it out and found a sparkling, emerald-like crystal.


    Though its color wasn¡¯t as deep as the one from the Mirror Lake¡¯s water monster, it was undoubtedly a Level 2 crystal!


    Song Ke stood up abruptly, looking down at the ground. There were still many wandering zombies in the streets and alleys. Given the astonishing number, she didn¡¯t believe this was the only evolved zombie. Could Ferrara have really bred a Zombie King?


    Suddenly, her gaze focused on a familiar figure passing in a certain direction, entering a tower.


    Song Ke had excellent eyesight and quickly identified the person.


    Lu Xinglan.


    Wasn¡¯t he supposed to have withdrawn long ago? Why was he still in Ferrara? And why enter the tower at this time?


    Song Ke pocketed the crystal and quickly followed.


    The tower was Ferrara¡¯s tallest skyscraper, essentially a gigantic server room, housing the central hub for all artificial intelligence. s?a??h th? ??v?l_Fir?.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    There were no stairs or elevators inside the tower, making it completely inconvenient for humans. Song Ke could only use the brute method, climbing floor by floor.


    Around the seventh floor, she didn¡¯t find Lu Xinglan. Instead, she reached a dead end and saw a platform over two meters high.


    Subtle movements came from under the platform. Song Ke circled around and found a miniaturized robot in a corner, repeatedly hopping in place, struggling to reach the top but failing.


    The little robot had a square body with wheels on both sides, round eyes resembling binoculars, and two short mechanical arms.


    Song Ke passed by it, exchanged a two-second gaze with it, and the robot¡¯s movements paused momentarily before its two mechanical arms started to sway happily.


    All the artificial intelligence in the tower had already been shut down. This was probably a robot with a route programming error, lacking self-awareness, which was why it kept bumping into walls here.


    Song Ke ignored it and effortlessly leaped upwards, gripping the platform with one hand, preparing to climb up again.


    Unfortunately, she couldn¡¯t make it up. Something had caught her trouser leg.


    Song Ke looked down, and the adorable little robot was looking up at her. Its mechanical scissor hands were unapologetically latched onto her. She tried to move upwards, but in an attempt to free herself, the hem of her coat got caught as well.


    Song Ke let go and crouched down, attempting to communicate with it, ¡°S-stop fooling a-around. I-I have things to do. Can y-you play by y-yourself?¡±


    The little robot tilted its head, its round eyes blinking, not knowing if it understood.


    Song Ke took a couple of steps forward, and the little robot was dragged along like a pendant.


    She shook her leg, and half of the robot¡¯s body began to dance like seaweed, its program beeping incessantly in alarm but still not letting go.


    Song Ke grew irritated with the constant shaking, and with a bit of force, twisted and fastened its two scissor hands together, rendering it completely immobile.


    The round eyes of the little robot blinked, seemingly bewildered by the loss of its arms.


    Finally, it became quiet. Satisfied, Song Ke picked it up, tucked it into her collar, zipped up, and climbed back onto the platform.


    First, she carried it with her, intending to find a random place to dispose of it later.


    On the top floor of the tower, a massive floating screen quietly hovered in the center. In front of the wall formed by an immense flow of data, stood a figure.


    Song Ke hid in the corner, secretly observing Lu Xinglan. He carefully touched the surface of the screen as if searching for something.


    Just as she was about to move closer, Lu Xinglan, who had his back to her, spoke in a deep voice, ¡°Come out, I¡¯ve been waiting for you.¡±


    Song Ke sighed; her hiding skills were indeed lacking.


    Lu Xinglan turned around, and upon seeing her face, his ice-blue eyes flickered, slightly surprised. ¡°It¡¯s you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me,¡± Song Ke answered in a deep tone, thinking to herself, ¡®of course it¡¯s me, who else would it be?¡¯


    ¡°Was it you following me just now? Why did you do that?¡± Lu Xinglan asked as he withdrew his hands and put them behind his back.


    ¡°Why did y-you come to the t-tower?¡± Song Ke asked in return.


    ¡°Answer my question first,¡± Lu Xinglan said arrogantly, ¡°And also, things that don¡¯t concern you, don¡¯t ask or get involved.¡±


    Song Ke slowly replied, ¡°Why? Just b-because you¡­ you¡¯re from District B?¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Lu Xinglan smiled, and the unique color of his pupils rippled. ¡°You know quite a bit.¡±


    The next moment, his smile vanished, and his expression turned as cold as his eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t want to waste words with you. Where¡¯s the other person? Tell him to come out.¡±


    ¡°What other pe-person?¡± Song Ke was puzzled.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been following me all the way and still pretending? I don¡¯t have time to beat around the bush with you. Quickly call him out.¡±


    ¡°¡­Who?¡± Song Ke was speechless.


    Lu Xinglan stared at her bewildered expression, gradually furrowing his brow. ¡®What¡¯s going on? Is she pretending to be clueless, or does she really not know?¡¯


    In his hand behind his back, a light orb formed as the code 101010 danced within it. If it wasn¡¯t the person he was waiting for, then he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to act.


    Song Ke opened her mouth, about to speak.


    From the bulging collar, a cute little robot emerged, and a rough electronic voice sounded mechanically.


    ¡°Are you looking for me?¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°!!!¡±


    Oh my god, how is this one alive?


    She was utterly shocked.

 Chapter 61: Tongwan Hospital (15)

    ¡ò Requiem for the Soul ¡ò¡°Are you looking for me?¡±


    The small robot emerged from Song Ke¡¯s collar, and its somewhat stiff tone echoed in the spacious surroundings.


    Both Lu Xinglan and Song Ke were startled, lowering their heads to look at it.


    The robot¡¯s eyes, resembling a telescope, turned and finally focused on Lu Xinglan.


    The binary code ¡°101010¡± in Lu Xinglan¡¯s palm disappeared, and his hands were placed back in his pockets. His expression seemed nonchalant, but Song Ke observed the tension in his posture, indicating his nervousness.


    Lu Xinglan sneered, ¡°Unbelievable. The mighty magistrate of District C dares not reveal his true identity.¡±


    The robot¡¯s round eyes flickered, and it spoke in a flat, mechanical tone, ¡°The body is just an external manifestation. At least, I am certain that my consciousness is still mine.¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°!!¡±


    She silently swallowed. Could this little robot be Ilya? She had just been thinking about where to toss it.


    Luckily, she hadn¡¯t thrown it away yet.


    Lu Xinglan stared at it intently, his expression playful. ¡°Is that so? But it seems you¡¯re hardly functional once detached from your original body.¡±


    ¡°Is this your purpose?¡± The robot calmly said, ¡°You colluded with that foolish human to find my original form.¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s mind raced. The foolish human, was it referring to Lyon? Lu Xinglan wanted to find Ilya¡¯s original form, but he didn¡¯t know the super central hub wasn¡¯t in the tower.


    ¡°With the inferior intelligence of humans, you can¡¯t possibly break through the defense mechanisms here. It was you who breached the firewall and cut off the tower¡¯s power.¡±


    Song Ke looked at Lu Xinglan in horror.


    The true orchestrator of the ¡°Three-Day Turmoil¡± was not the resistance faction used as a diversion but the man before her.


    The little robot continued in a methodical tone, ¡°The Lu family of the Yajia Clan, known for their ice-blue pupils, have awakened hacker abilities without exception among their gene-optimized individuals.¡±


    ¡°And you, Lu Xinglan, an A-level awakener. You came all the way from District B8. Your true purpose is to capture me.¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s gaze darted back and forth between the two, feeling her brain struggling to keep up.


    Lu Xinglan chuckled and asked, ¡°Are you so sure I came for you?¡±


    The robot replied, ¡°The decline of the Lu family was already evident. The cessation of starship operations was just the first step. Let me guess, the supercomputer you boasted about, is it dead? Crashed? So you needed a replacement, right?¡±


    ¡°You selected meticulously, and in the end, chose me to be your Lu family¡¯s sl*ve.¡±


    Lu Xinglan¡¯s mouth tightened, and his hands in his pockets gradually clenched into fists.


    His thoughts, plans, and all intentions were completely exposed. In front of artificial intelligence, he felt completely naked, without any secrets.


    ¡°You deliberately participated in the Throne Race Competition, allowing me to see you, attempting to confuse and conceal your true purpose in coming to Ferrara. But in secret, you colluded with the resistance faction, aligning with them seamlessly. They wanted power, and you wanted to take away my core.¡±


    Lu Xinglan sneered, ¡°Indeed, you¡¯re a super artificial intelligence. I underestimated you. I didn¡¯t expect you to be so prepared.¡±


    The small robot calmly stated, ¡°I know everything about Ferrara. From the moment you stepped into the city, I have been observing you.¡±


    The sentence ¡°Ilya knows everything¡± suddenly appeared in Song Ke¡¯s mind.


    Lu Xinglan extended his hands from his pockets, looking proud, ¡°So what? As long as I capture you, I can still strip away your consciousness.¡±


    His hacking abilities were the bane of artificial intelligence. All he needed was some time to break through Ilya¡¯s firewall and destroy its autonomous consciousness, and then it would be at the Lu family¡¯s disposal.


    Lu Xinglan suddenly launched an attack, targeting Song Ke and the small robot near her collar.


    His awakened abilities surged from his palms, and massive data streams wove into a mobile net, continuously tightening towards them.


    The small robot sat in front of Song Ke, partly encased in the zipper, and waved its short scissor-like hand, ¡°The relationship between artificial intelligence and hackers is one of strength and weakness, you are not qualified to stand before me.¡±


    As soon as the words were spoken, the machinery in the tower suddenly moved. In an instant, it reassembled into massive arms and swung wildly at Lu Xinglan. These giants didn¡¯t need an energy source!


    Song Ke screamed internally, ¡®Don¡¯t involve me in your fight!!¡¯


    She did a one-handed somersault, skillfully dodging Lu Xinglan¡¯s attack, and seized the small robot¡¯s scissor hand, ready to quickly throw it away.


    The robot¡¯s half-body tilted in mid-air, its head turned a full circle, and it stared at Song Ke slowly.


    Although its simple mechanical face showed no expression, Song Ke always felt like it was conveying a message: ¡°Dare to throw me?¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°¡­¡±


    I, I won¡¯t randomly pick up people again! Including robots!!


    She held onto the small robot, desperately rolling and weaving through the dense stream of 101010 code.


    Lu Xinglan chased from behind, occasionally dodging the mechanical giant arms that swung towards him, his movements a bit hurried.


    He mocked, ¡°Magistrate, without your original self, you¡¯re just a waste, relying on a human to carry you around.¡±


    The small robot remained silent, seemingly admitting to his words.


    Lu Xinglan sneered, ¡°I have never been merciful when dealing with waste.¡±


    His mental strength surged throughout his body, controlling all the data on the top floor of the tower. It merged into the tracking network, forming a surging wave.


    Song Ke stumbled and was violently washed away by the torrents of data from all directions. She was thrown several meters and struggled to get up, her hand still on the ground. The small robot slipped from her grip and fell to the ground, twitching violently like it was electrocuted.


    ¡°Ilya¡­¡± she hurriedly got up, about to ask if it was alright.


    The small robot¡¯s eyes flickered and then completely extinguished two seconds later, emitting smoke from its head.


    Oh no, oh no, Song Ke panicked. Did she break it by dropping it?!


    Lu Xinglan laughed triumphantly as the data streams folded and rolled, isolating Song Ke from the outside.


    The small robot rolled a few times, motionless.


    Lu Xinglan approached, placing his foot on its body. ¡°You¡¯ve lost, it¡¯s your fault for choosing such a basic body.¡±


    He reached out with his left hand, probing into the robot¡¯s body, attempting to find Ilya¡¯s consciousness.


    The airflow stagnated for a moment.


    The next second, the data tsunami that had been under Lu Xinglan¡¯s control suddenly turned, rushing violently toward him.


    Lu Xinglan was shocked and hastily retreated, but it was too late. He was covered from head to toe in complex data, his vision incredibly chaotic. In the midst of the data deluge, a pair of mechanical giant arms came swiftly and pierced through his abdomen! S?a??h th? ???el F?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Lu Xinglan stared in disbelief.


    On the rooftop platform of the tower, a tall figure slowly emerged.


    Dazzling golden hair, colorless pupils, an overall noble and elegant aura.


    ¡°You forgot, I just said, the body is just an external manifestation. Who says I will always be there?


    ¡°Humans are always deceived by inertia thinking; that¡¯s why you are so easily defeated.¡±


    Ilya raised a finger, and a vast data stream enveloped Lu Xinglan completely.


    His voice was light and ethereal, faintly tinged with a sense of joy.


    Song Ke stared at him without blinking. This was the first time she sensed human emotions from Ilya.


    What was he happy about?


    Ilya slowly approached Lu Xinglan, lowering his head to gaze at him. ¡°Do you know? In fact, our goals are the same.¡±


    His voice was so faint, almost inaudible. ¡°You want my core, and I¡­ want an unrestricted body.¡±


    Lu Xinglan¡¯s entire figure froze.


    The data stream covered his face, and his ice-blue pupils gradually dimmed, finally losing consciousness.


    At the moment he fell, the hacker ability failed, the tower lights came on, and all the artificial intelligence returned to Ferrara.


    Ilya turned around and looked quietly at Song Ke.


    A cold chill emerged from the soles of her feet and shot up to her head. Song Ke cautiously took a step back, her palm transforming into a spiritual weapon. She hadn¡¯t intervened earlier because it was a struggle between Lu Xinglan and Ilya. But now, if Ilia targeted her, she had to defend herself.


    Ilya tilted his head, mirroring the small robot, but Song Ke no longer found it cute.


    Fortunately, Ilya just stared at her for a while and had no intention of harming her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like owing favors to others. As a repayment for bringing me up here, I can tell you a piece of information.


    ¡°Manzoni Street, bloodshed and violence are spreading. I think you need to know.


    ¡°Remember to be quick, or it might be too late.¡±


    After saying this, Ilya took the fallen Lu Xinglan and disappeared on the spot.


    Song Ke stood still, bewildered. What did this piece of information mean?


    *


    In the streets where zombies were swarming, the holographic projection flashed, and a handsome young man in green clothes and jade flute suddenly appeared.


    ¡°Qinghe¡­ It¡¯s Luo Qinghe. Luo Qinghe has returned!¡±


    The citizens of Ferrara, upon recognizing his figure, were on the verge of tears out of sheer joy.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, everyone, for my late arrival,¡± Luo Qinghe sighed softly. His long hair moved without wind, and his sleeves fluttered. Behind him, numerous transport vehicles and mechanical arms were mobilized, sweeping away the fleeing zombies in the streets and alleys.


    Similar scenes were playing out everywhere.


    ¡°Look over there, it¡¯s the Rainbow Band!¡±


    A rock band descended from the sky, their exhilarating drumbeats echoing in the hearts of the people. Accompanying them were extremely long mechanical arms that, to the beat of the music, were mowing down hordes of zombies.


    Yulica, Nana, Ah K¡­ familiar artificial intelligence appeared in succession in the Ferrara sky.


    ¡°Wuwuwu¡­¡±


    The citizens of Ferrara covered their faces, unable to contain their sobbing. For the past three days, they had lived in chaos, fear, and anger¡­ The original inhabitants knew deep down that they were different from the residents of other District C; they were completely dependent on artificial intelligence, even if they were ensl*ved by it.


    At the highest point of the tower, a giant spotlight shone down, illuminating an elegantly graceful figure as they slowly stepped out.


    He was still dressed in a white suit, with radiant golden hair, but his eye color seemed to have changed, faintly revealing a hint of icy blue.


    ¡°Ilya!!!¡±


    The excited citizens, unable to control their emotions, fell to their knees as if worshiping their deities.


    Ferrara¡¯s human magistrate, Lyon, brought turmoil and despair, while the artificial intelligence Ilya restored hope to them.


    At this moment, Ilya¡¯s reputation in Ferrara was unparalleled, beyond comparison.


    ¡°You¡¯ve all worked hard.¡±


    Everyone quieted down, focusing on that figure.


    ¡°Ferrara is my city, and everything here belongs to me. As long as my consciousness exists, I will never give up.


    ¡°All difficulties, pain, and confusion will fade away. You will embrace a new life of beauty, peace, and happiness. A requiem, may all souls find tranquility.¡±


    The song that cleansed the soul echoed throughout the entire city. Amidst the background sounds of mechanical zombie clearance, it was like a lament for the deceased.


    ¡­


    At the top of the tower, on the upper floors of the hotel, Song Ke and Zhuang Qingyan were both watching everything that was happening.


    What an ironic scene; the citizens seemed to have found spiritual solace, kneeling on the ground in devout prayer.


    Ilya claimed that everything in Ferrara belonged to him, including all the people. He had no emotions towards humans. He could release ferocious zombies for power, but he was not born to hate humans. He simply enjoyed being in control, relishing the pleasure of wielding power.


    Song Ke remembered the song ¡°Paradise¡± Ilya sang when she first arrived in District C72.


    In the future, Ferrara would probably truly become an ¡°Eden¡± for artificial intelligence.


    Ferrara¡¯s disaster came to an end, but she had more important things to do.


    Manzoni Street¡ªwhat was there exactly? It was worth Ilya¡¯s special reminder.


    Song Ke sprinted at full speed, heading towards her destination.


    *


    On Manzoni Street, the staff of ¡°Ferrara Daily¡± were recording a program.


    ¡°The tumultuous three days finally came to an end. To celebrate Ilya¡¯s return to the throne, we specially invited the top ten supernovas, real idols, and virtual idols to attend and shoot a short film together to cheer everyone on.¡±


    The host softly reminded the female star waiting beside, ¡°Youyou, it¡¯s your turn soon. Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°No problem,¡± Lin Youyou smiled confidently.


    The lights were set up, and cameras of all sizes were aimed at Lin Youyou as she displayed her signature sweet smile.


    ¡°I know everyone has been working hard lately, but after the storm, there will always be sunny days. In the days to come¡­¡±


    Lin Youyou suddenly paused in her speech, her gaze involuntarily shifting to the window.


    On the opposite rooftop, a figure as graceful as a swallow moved up and down, jumping into the nearby villa area.


    Song Ke? Why is she here? And alone?


    Lin Youyou stared in the direction she disappeared, lost in thought.


    ¡°Youyou, did you forget your lines?¡± a staff member waved puzzledly, bringing her attention back.


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Shall we try again?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°¡­In the days to come, no matter if it¡¯s sunny or rainy, as long as we are filled with hope, every day is a beautiful day.¡±


    ¡°Ok, next is a personal interview,¡± the logistics quickly arranged the next segment.


    However, Lin Youyou made a ¡°pause¡± gesture, ¡°I¡¯m not feeling well today, let¡¯s reschedule the interview.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ alright. Take a rest, we¡¯ll schedule someone else.¡± Lin Youyou had a good reputation in the industry, never acting like a big shot. The staff quickly agreed, assuming she was genuinely unwell.


    Lin Youyou sat back in the rest chair, covered herself with a blanket, sat for a while, looked at her toes exposed outside, and then softly said to the air, ¡°Did you see her?¡±


    ¡°Mm,¡± the man concealed in the darkness responded impassively.


    ¡°What is she doing?¡± Lin Youyou asked.


    ¡°Whatever she¡¯s doing is none of your business,¡± Su Cha replied coldly.


    ¡°¡­you¡¯re right,¡± Lin Youyou mumbled.


    She lay back in her chair, took a sip of water, put down the cup, picked it up again after a while, and realized she had just taken a drink. She changed her mind and hugged the cup to her chest.


    Her thoughts kept wandering, replaying the events of the day the power went out: the fan she never met in the end, the dark alley, and Song Ke sitting on the ground, shedding tears.


    Since that day, Song Ke never contacted her again, seemingly intentionally keeping a distance.


    Lin Youyou sighed and murmured to herself, ¡°I still owe her one last commission¡­¡±


    Su Cha remained silent.


    People came and went in the studio, and Lin Youyou sat in the rest chair, lost in thought for a long time.


    Then she placed the cup back on the table, making a soft ¡°clink¡± sound.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just take a look, without her noticing. If there¡¯s a need, lend a hand,¡± she said.


    ¡°There probably won¡¯t be any need,¡± Su Cha ruthlessly pointed out. With Song Ke¡¯s capabilities, they didn¡¯t need to intervene.


    Lin Youyou looked serious, ¡°Even so, I¡¯ll take a look. Settle the debt, and then I have no connection with her.¡±


    ¡°Seek a clear conscience,¡± she spoke to herself, as if convincing herself.


    *


    In the residential area of Manzoni Street, Song Ke lurked on the roof of one of the buildings, surveying the open space in front.


    ¡°What does Ilya mean by ¡®bloodshed and violence¡¯?¡± What does it refer to?


    The door of a certain villa opened, and several uniformed soldiers emerged, escorting a man.


    Wu Juemin? Song Ke felt a bit surprised.


    Wait, Manzoni Street, that name sounds familiar. Did Wu Xianghai mention it?


    Back then, he said, ¡°¡­the key is there.¡±


    Song Ke realized something and suddenly looked up, focusing her gaze. All the weapons of those present were aimed at the person on the ground.


    The person turned awkwardly, revealing a stunning profile.


    Song Ke widened her eyes slightly.


    Xie Ningyu?

 Chapter 62.1: Tongwan Hospital (16)

    ¡ò Bloody Hunter ¡òXie Ningyu looked disheveled, half of his face swollen high with a clear palm print. The pampered young master had probably never experienced such rough treatment in his life. He grumbled, his neck stiff, ¡°Who do you think you are? Daring to lay a hand on me? When I return to District B, I won¡¯t spare any of you. I¡¯ll cut you all into pieces and feed you to the dogs!¡±


    He cursed fiercely, but Wu Juemin remained unaffected, unresponsive to his threats. ¡°Ouyang, verify his identity.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Captain,¡± Ouyang Pei carefully took out a sophisticated device with the Qinglan logo from the space. He held Xie Ningyu, aligning his entire face and pupils with the detection port. The device sounded an alarm. Ouyang Pei, looking serious, pressed Xie Ningyu¡¯s fingerprints against the device, but it still couldn¡¯t identify him.


    The expressions of everyone present, including Wu Juemin, instantly turned incredibly gloomy.


    After this series of operations that aimed to verify his biological information, Xie Ningyu seemed to realize something. His eyes flickered, and a hint of panic crossed his face. ¡°Who are you¡­ What do you want?¡±


    Wu Juemin¡¯s particle gun pressed against his forehead. ¡°How did you obtain Xie Zhuo¡¯s genetic information?¡±


    Xie Ningyu shivered, a chilling wind sweeping over his body, and fine cold sweat appeared on his forehead.


    Wu Juemin scrutinized him. ¡°Coming out with a face like this, are you overly naive or just foolish?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± Xie Ningyu stubbornly retorted.


    ¡°Then let me make it clear to you. The Azure Phoenix¡¯s 11th Squad is tasked with apprehending the key, Xie Zhuo. And you have the exact same face as him. Even so, you claim to know nothing?¡± Wu Juemin continued.


    Xie Ningyu¡¯s pupils contracted, and his face turned pale, realizing it was military personnel.


    ¡°Take him back for interrogation; he will talk,¡± Wu Juemin said calmly.


    The military¡¯s interrogation process was exceptionally harsh, leaving no room for deception. Xie Ningyu was frightened and broke down, speaking in a panicked tone.


    ¡°I confess¡­ I confess! I stole it, the genetic information¡­ I stole it.¡±


    ¡°My uncle once visited Qinglan for inspection. He¡­ he secretly kept this genetic data. I wanted Xie Zhuo¡¯s face, so I stole it to alter my own appearance. But I was afraid my uncle would find out, so I fled to Erjia.¡±


    ¡°Did you only steal the genetic information, or did you steal anything else?¡± Wu Juemin stared at him.


    ¡°What do you mean¡­¡± Xie Ningyu shivered, shouting, ¡°No! I really didn¡¯t! I only changed my face. I didn¡¯t know anything else. You can¡¯t touch me; I¡¯m a distant branch of the Xie family in Beijun. The Xie family won¡¯t spare you!¡±


    Wu Juemin¡¯s voice was icy. ¡°I will take you back and hand you over to General Xie Lan for personal disposition.¡±


    Xie Lan, the highest commander of the Azure Phoenix and the actual power holder of the Xie family in Beijun.


    Xie Ningyu felt as if his vocal cords had been cut, unable to say anything.


    His head was pushed into the ground, and the swollen face splattered with mud. Finally, fear crept in, and he whimpered, ¡°Lu Xinglan, damn it, where are you? Come and save me!¡±


    Song Ke, crouching on the roof and silently watching the turn of events, sighed. Lu Xinglan was struggling to protect himself; he probably wouldn¡¯t be able to save you.


    She looked at Xie Ningyu rolling on the ground, his exquisite face smeared with tears and mucus, looking extremely miserable.


    An inexplicable feeling surged within her. Looking at it now, Xie Ningyu indeed didn¡¯t deserve this face. If it were Xie Zhuo¡­ at least he wouldn¡¯t show such a humiliated expression. Remembering that brief glimpse of an image, the extreme coldness in the young man¡¯s brows and eyes, Song Ke couldn¡¯t help but feel regret for his premature demise.


    According to their conversation, Xie Ningyu had stolen Xie Zhuo¡¯s genetic information and underwent plastic surgery to look like him. But due to lack of understanding of the situation and not knowing that Xie Zhuo was being hunted, he brazenly went out and got caught by Wu Juemin, who had a mission.


    Regardless, Wu Juemin was determined to take him back. She couldn¡¯t interfere in this matter. Xie Ningyu would have to fend for himself.


    Song Ke pulled her head back, about to retreat, when suddenly, the situation took a sudden turn!


    A deep rift tore open in the space in front of Wu Juemin, and another team of about seventeen or eighteen people in uniforms, exuding a powerful aura, appeared out of thin air.


    ¡°Long time no see, Captain Wu,¡± greeted the tall man at the front, his gaze dark.


    ¡°Sanada Nobumasa,¡± called out Wu Juemin, stating his name.


    Song Ke looked at the newly appeared man. His uniform, in terms of specifications and design, was extremely similar to Wu Juemin¡¯s. Could this man¡­ be the captain of the Azure Phoenix squad as well?


    Sanada Nobumasa scanned the scene and sneered, ¡°I thought you had disappeared from the military. Turns out you were reassigned to District C?¡±


    Wu Juemin¡¯s expression turned cold. ¡°I still have a mission. I¡¯ll leave first.¡±


    ¡°Wait, Wu Juemin,¡± Sanada Nobumasa said leisurely, ¡°Since you¡¯ve found the key, why hesitate? Have you forgotten the Alliance¡¯s orders? Kill him on the spot.¡±


    Xie Ningyu trembled, looking at the two of them in fear.


    Wu Juemin calmly said, ¡°He¡¯s not the key. I need to hand him over to General Xie.¡±


    Sanada Nobumasa raised his voice, shouting, ¡°In the name of the captain of the 27th Squad of the Azure Phoenix, I repeat the highest order of the Alliance military. Eliminate the key at all costs on the spot! All members of the 11th Squad, are you going to defy military orders?¡±


    Wu Juemin said coldly, ¡°I only obey General Xie¡¯s orders.¡±


    ¡°Oh? You are indeed loyal. Since we have different orders, don¡¯t blame me for taking action,¡± Sanada Nobumasa chuckled ominously.


    ¡°You can try,¡± Wu Juemin said calmly.


    Without further ado, Sanada Nobumasa attacked, both arms shining with a metallic gleam, his skin extremely tough. He viciously lunged towards Wu Juemin, who faced his attack head-on. The clash between the two resulted in a ¡°clang¡± sound, and Sanada Nobumasa took a step back. In an instant, Wu Juemin teleported, accelerating to the limit, disappearing from sight, impossible for the naked eye to catch.


    Song Ke was taken aback. This Sanada was actually a metal-type awakener? He could fight neck and neck with Wu Juemin; he was probably A-level too.


    It was her first time encountering an awakener of the same type, and she couldn¡¯t help but focus her gaze. s?a??h th? N?v?lFir?.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Sanada Nobumasa sneered and sent a series of punches into the air, his movements swift like the wind. Amidst the continuous attacks, a moving figure faintly appeared in the air. Sanada Nobumasa thought he had found a flaw and suddenly transformed his metallic arms into sharp spikes, fiercely stabbing towards the shadow.


    ¡°Pfft.¡± The shadow was torn apart, and a weak mental power dissipated, vanishing without a trace.


    Sanada Nobumasa was greatly shocked. This was a clone! He hadn¡¯t expected Wu Juemin¡¯s awakened ability to have reached such an advanced stage, capable of creating clones.


    In the moment he lunged and missed, a nimble figure appeared behind him, launching a counterattack like a juggernaut.


    Wu Juemin¡¯s knee hit Sanada Nobumasa¡¯s spine. Rolling him over, he pinned his arms and then exerted force. ¡°Crack!¡± Sanada Nobumasa¡¯s metallic arms were broken, emitting a crisp sound.


    Even if they were both A-level, there were differences in strength within the same rank. Sanada Nobumasa was clearly not a match for Wu Juemin.


    ¡°Captain!¡±


    ¡°Captain Sanada!¡±


    The members from both sides shouted loudly. Their tones were clearly divided, with the 11th Squad being excited and proud, while the 27th Squad was angry and panicked.


    Wu Juemin stood in front of Sanada Nobumasa and coldly said, ¡°Take your people and disappear.¡±


    Sanada Nobumasa spat, unflinching even though his arms were broken. He sneered, ¡°Too late.¡±


    Seizing the moment when everyone¡¯s attention was focused there, Xie Ningyu suddenly broke free and sprinted forward.


    He had just heard that those people were going to kill him!


    Tears of fear kept falling. He realized he was wrong; he shouldn¡¯t have stolen his uncle¡¯s identity card and sneaked into the office to copy the genetic information. He just wanted to look a bit better. After all, Xie Zhuo had been missing for so many years; what was wrong with using his face to live?


    Xie Ningyu didn¡¯t expect to get into such big trouble. It was only now that he suddenly realized why Xie Zhuo had disappeared for no reason. Why was his genetic information so important? He knew nothing, yet he had inadvertently caused a huge disaster.


    And Lu Xinglan, that jerk. It was all his fault for insisting on coming to District C. If he had known he was so unreliable, he shouldn¡¯t have gone to Erjia!


    A huge mound of soil loomed ahead. Xie Ningyu couldn¡¯t brake in time and tumbled forward, eating a mouthful of dirt.


    Ouyang Pei came from behind and pressed his head, burying it in the soil again. ¡°Behave.¡±


    ¡°Let go, I¡¯m not Xie Zhuo! I¡¯m Xie Ningyu, and I don¡¯t know anything!¡± Xie Ningyu was terrified, struggling and yelling.


    Ouyang Pei was about to scold him to be quiet when his whole body suddenly froze.


    An inexplicable and intense fear enveloped the two. Their scalps tingled, as if they were being targeted by a fierce and ruthless wild beast.


    Ouyang Pei looked frantically at Xie Ningyu, seeing a similar fear in his eyes.


    ¡°Boom!¡±


    As if in a slow-motion replay, they both vomited red like fireworks, blood mist filling the air, and shattered flesh splattered. Breathless, they fell to the ground.


    ¡°Ouyang!!¡± Wu Juemin abruptly turned around, shouting in distress, losing his composure.


    The people at the scene were also stunned by the sudden and unexpected turn of events, frozen in place.


    From the spatial rift brought by Sanada Nobumasa and others, a man over two meters tall slowly emerged from the shadows. The overwhelming pressure overflowed with his every step, and some people couldn¡¯t bear it, dropping to their knees and blood trickling from the corners of their mouths.


    Hidden on the rooftop, Song Ke furrowed her brow, her fingers curling tightly. This was the most terrifying awakener with psychic ability she had ever encountered.


    The man had a sturdy physique, muscular and knotted, with an especially detestable face. The left half of his face was charred and necrotic, the muscle tissues adhering together. One of his eyeballs was completely white, giving a eerie and cruel appearance.


    ¡°Bloody Hunter,¡± Wu Juemin said each word distinctly.


    The Bloody Hunter, Punk, an S-level awakener and the Alliance¡¯s chief executioner, was a killing machine specialized in eliminating major criminals such as traitors and death row inmates. Wu Juemin had heard of his infamous name but had never seen him in person, let alone expected him to appear in District C.


    Sanada Nobumasa picked himself up from the ground, reattaching his own arm and sneering mockingly at Wu Juemin. ¡°The Alliance¡¯s orders regarding the key have always been to kill without mercy. Even if it¡¯s a suspected key, Wu Juemin, you¡¯re harboring a fugitive and have evil intentions. Why not surrender and admit your guilt obediently to the military?¡±


    Wu Juemin remained silent.

 Chapter 62.2: Tongwan Hospital (16)

    ¡ò Bloody Hunter ¡òThe Alliance had various forces pursuing Xie Zhuo. However, the mission of the Azure Phoenix¡¯s 11th Squad was different from the others. It was an contradictory task, defying the Alliance¡¯s instructions to ¡°eliminate the key as soon as possible.¡± The unspoken part of the order was ¡°protect and bring back Xie Zhuo.¡±


    This was a mission conflicting with the Alliance¡¯s directives. Even though they fought side by side, Wu Juemin had never revealed this to his teammates. He had been carrying this secret mission, enduring it until today. Finally, he had found Xie Ningyu, a glimmer of hope, but it was mercilessly crushed by Punk.


    Xie Ningyu was already dead, and Ouyang Pei had lost his breath.


    Wu Juemin withdrew his hands from the two of them, his voice like a storm about to break.


    ¡°You killed a soldier indiscriminately.¡±


    Punk smirked wickedly, despite saying, ¡°Sorry, it was an accident.¡±


    Although he said that, there was no trace of remorse on his face.


    Wu Juemin¡¯s fists clenched. ¡°You must pay the price.¡±


    His figure disappeared, instantly appearing nearby. Sanada Nobumasa and his subordinates were caught in intense combat with the remaining members of the 11th Squad.


    ¡°Captain Wu, it¡¯s better to surrender and confess to the military,¡± Sanada Nobumasa didn¡¯t forget to ¡°kindly¡± advise.


    Punk next to him smiled contemptuously, his mental power surge, blood beads congealed, heading straight for Wu Juemin in the crowd.


    The prelude to an explosion crackled in the air. This was his S-level ability: blood explosion.


    As long as fresh blood still flowed within the enemy¡¯s body, it could be detonated at any time, turning into a puddle of muck.


    A nimble figure suddenly jumped down from the roof, blocking in front of Wu Juemin, swiftly opening a blue giant umbrella. Blood beads burst on the umbrella surface one after another. Song Ke was pushed back by the powerful force, leaving long marks as she dragged her feet. She looked down, and the spiritual tool umbrella¡¯s surface was penetrated by blood, thin as cicada wings, thoroughly damaged.


    Punk could actually destroy her spiritual tool.


    Song Ke instantly realized that with such a powerful ability, there was only one possibility: the opponent was an S-level awakener!


    ¡°More help?¡± Sanada Nobumasa sneered. ¡°Are you here to die together?¡±


    ¡°What are you doing here?!¡± Wu Juemin discovered Song Ke, his eyes wide in surprise, his voice stern.


    ¡°Just passing by,¡± Song Ke replied. s?a??h th? N?v?lFir?.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°It¡¯s none of your business, don¡¯t interfere, get lost!¡± Wu Juemin¡¯s tone was harsh, even using foul language, something he would never usually say.


    Song Ke ignored him, her gaze fixed on the bored Punk.


    Punk glanced at her like she was insignificant, slowly stepping into the battlefield. With each step, members of the 11th Squad fell, and the brutal human fireworks continued to burst, filling the air with the nauseating smell of blood.


    At the same time, Sanada Nobumasa also charged towards Wu Juemin.


    Song Ke swiftly moved forward, blocking Sanada Nobumasa. He contemptuously told her to ¡°get lost,¡± not taking her seriously at all.


    Sanada Nobumasa¡¯s metallic arms attacked, but unexpectedly collided with an even harder blade edge. Song Ke wielded dual knives, her mental power spiraling out, leveraging her entire body¡¯s weight to jump high, and then she spun and slashed down!


    Sanada Nobumasa had no choice but to block passively. ¡°Clang!¡±


    The metal abilities of the two clashed. Sanada Nobumasa¡¯s metallic arm cracked and shattered inch by inch, the arm that had just been repaired was instantly broken!


    His face turned pale with disbelief as he shouted, ¡°Who the hell are you?!¡±


    On the other side, Wu Juemin and Punk exchanged blows several times. Wu Juemin knew he was no match and could only fight desperately.


    His abilities surged, and his speed unexpectedly doubled. Dozens of clones darted around, launching fierce and impenetrable attacks.


    If it were anyone else, even A-level like Sanada Nobumasa, they would have long been overwhelmed. But Punk effortlessly dodged, commenting indifferently, ¡°You¡¯re indeed good among A-levels, but unfortunately, I haven¡¯t tasted blood in a long time. So you¡­ are undoubtedly dead.¡±


    In an instant, Wu Juemin appeared in the air, aiming the particle gun at Punk¡¯s head and pulling the trigger.


    In that moment, Punk caught a glimpse of his afterimage. His fingers spasmed and trembled, an excited and cruel bloodthirsty look on his contorted face. His expanding mental power created intense fluctuations.


    Song Ke sensed the immense ability and suddenly had an ominous feeling.


    She couldn¡¯t care about Sanada Nobumasa, hastily turning around and sprinting towards Wu Juemin.


    All the clones exploded in a bloody mist. Wu Juemin¡¯s figure abruptly stopped, and Punk reached out, forcibly seizing him from the air.


    The particle gun hit Punk; half of his face was grazed by the super-powered particles, emitting a burnt stench.


    But Punk didn¡¯t care. He licked his lips, lightly mimicking the sound of fireworks blooming: ¡°Boom.¡±


    The next second.


    Crimson fireworks continued to burst, and Wu Juemin sprayed blood from his mouth, plummeting straight down.


    ¡°Wu Juemin!¡±


    Song Ke shouted, running to catch him as he fell.


    Wu Juemin, on the ground, became a bloodied figure.


    The endless blood couldn¡¯t be stopped. Song Ke covered his mouth, but it flowed out from his abdomen, and as she blocked it there, it flowed from his head, as if wanting to completely drain him.


    Wu Juemin couldn¡¯t speak. He extended a weak hand and weakly pushed Song Ke away: ¡°Go¡­¡±


    His once serious and calm eyes gradually dimmed, finally losing their luster.


    Tears soaked Song Ke¡¯s eye sockets, blurring her vision. She clenched her teeth, gripping the spiritual tool.


    ¡°Punk! Are you insane? He¡¯s the captain of Azure Phoenix squad. By killing him, do you want to be sent to a military court?¡±


    Sanada Nobumasa¡¯s arm broke, his face contorted in pain, and he shouted in disbelief.


    Punk¡¯s sinister gaze was fixed on him. ¡°As long as everyone here is dead, no one will know.¡±


    Sanada Nobumasa felt a chill down his spine, a relentless threat, a sheer menace. This executioner was nothing but a pure killing machine, utterly insane!


    What was wrong with the Alliance¡¯s higher-ups, releasing him for a mission!


    Wu Juemin was dead.


    The people he brought were all killed.


    The Azure Phoenix 11th Squad¡­ completely wiped out.


    Song Ke slowly stood up.


    So, this was what Ilya meant, the real bloodshed and violence.


    Punk¡¯s murderous gaze locked onto the only person standing in the arena. ¡°Only one left.¡±


    Song Ke had no expression on her face. The blue light flickered in her palm, and a cold, elegant jagged blade, over three meters long, suddenly appeared. Unlike before, the blue light on the blade was astonishingly bright, a manifestation of filled awakened energy.


    Punk sneered and met her head-on. He had just approached Song Ke when he instantly realized something was wrong. Song Ke held a blade several times larger than her body, yet her movements were exceptionally agile. The sharp edge effortlessly cut through his skin, and the domineering and majestic awakened energy followed. His hundred-kilogram body was overturned, tumbling and rolling several times.


    Punk propped himself up with one hand, barely stopping his retreat. A hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, followed by an excited, light laughter.


    ¡°S-level strong attack type? Interesting, hahahaha! Interesting!¡±


    ¡°Who would¡¯ve thought that in this trash heap, there¡¯s actually a hidden expert. Let¡¯s use you for the next fireworks!¡±


    Song Ke remained as cold as ice, her assault relentless, the intent to kill surging as she continued her attacks. As long as she got close, Punk had no chance to retaliate, unable even to counter with blood beads. He rolled and dodged, struggling to evade.


    Blood mist continuously erupted around him, but she dodged quickly, avoiding it.


    The first strike, hitting the left arm.


    The second strike, hitting the back.


    The third strike¡­


    Taking advantage of the gap between him twitching and falling to the ground, Song Ke kicked in mid-air, kicking over that ugly face. The blue light on her right hand flashed violently, and an emei thorn suddenly appeared, piercing Punk¡¯s intact other eye fiercely! Blood suddenly surged out.


    Immediately after that, she took action with her cold jagged blade, seeing that the fatal blade was about to fall and decapitate Punk¡¯s head¡ª


    On Punk¡¯s left half of the face, the pale eye suddenly flickered.


    The surrounding time seemed to slow down, then slow down again, freezing into still frames, and then rapidly rewinding.


    The unexpected turn of events happened too suddenly. Just a second ago, Song Ke was only a few steps away from him. The next moment, she was pulled back several meters away.


    ¡°Boom¡ª¡±


    A few seconds ago, the fireworks she had avoided exploded again.


    The world fell silent.


    Song Ke lowered her head, a crimson mist appearing in her mouth.


    Punk was covered in blood, struggling to stand up.


    No one knew that he was actually an S-level dual-ability awakener, with the first ability being blood explosions, and the second hidden ability¡ªtime reversal.


    Punk, badly injured, took a step forward, glaring viciously at Song Ke lying on the ground. This person had pushed him to such a miserable state, causing him embarrassment and pain. She had even destroyed his other eye. He wanted to personally kill her.


    ¡°I will turn you into the most splendid fireworks.¡±


    ¡°A world without you is a realm of darkness~¡±


    A melodious song rang in the ears of everyone, and suddenly, for Punk and Sanada Nobumasa, everything became chaotic, and they couldn¡¯t see anything clearly.


    Shrouded by the song, a ghostly figure darted into the scene, scooping up Song Ke and disappearing into the darkness.


    Trying to escape? Today, no matter who comes, their lives will remain here.


    Punk activated his ability, time reversal. His vision instantly cleared, and dozens of meters away, a man and a woman were quickly leaving.


    ¡°Su Cha, did you inform Zhuang Qingyan?¡± Lin Youyou shouted anxiously as she ran.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Su Cha could only manage a response.


    ¡°Then why aren¡¯t they here yet?¡±


    By the time they arrived, the situation was already out of control. Song Ke and Sanada Nobumasa were fiercely engaged in a fight. They witnessed Wu Juemin¡¯s death and Punk¡¯s brutality, managing to rescue Song Ke at the last moment.


    The flowing wind in their ears ceased.


    Time froze again and then rewound.


    Even though Su Cha and Lin Youyou had clearly run a hundred meters away, the next second they were back in the midst of the chaos.


    The blood-soaked Punk appeared before them, a cruel smile on his lips. ¡°Since you¡¯re here, you might as well all stay.¡±


    He took a step forward, blood filling the air, and the cracking sounds echoed through the air.


    At that moment¡ª


    The air suddenly dropped in temperature, and snowflakes began to fall all around. Sanada Nobumasa and Punk found their feet frozen, their vision a vast expanse of white.


    A powerful, incredibly sharp killing intent surged towards Punk.


    The icy mental power felt like numerous sharp knives piercing into their¡¯s heads, fiercely stirring!


    Sanada Nobumasa and Punk could hardly endure the intense pain, rolling on the ground and howling in agony.


    Punk was already heavily injured by Song Ke earlier, and his mental strength was exceptionally fragile. At this moment, under the sudden assault, his mind was dazed, and he knelt down on one knee.


    His mental sea expanded suddenly, as if it could burst open at any moment.


    Seizing this opportunity, Lin Youyou and Su Cha swiftly disappeared into the heavy snow.


    After a while, the surroundings gradually quieted down. Punk wiped the blood from his eye, silently chuckling.


    ¡°S-level awakener¡­ Interesting, very interesting!¡±

 Chapter 63: Tongwan Hospital (17)

    ¡ò It didn¡¯t matter; Fang would take action ¡ò¡°The suspected key is deceased, mission accomplished.¡±


    Sanada Nobumasa placed his fingers on Xie Ningyu¡¯s neck, confirming that he couldn¡¯t sense any breath.


    He turned his gaze towards Wu Juemin, a hint of regret showing once again. He was a man, a pity.


    Sanada Nobumasa¡¯s arms had been shattered by Song Ke, and he had been attacked by an unknown psychic force. He was in intense pain all over his body, severely injured, and urgently needed to return to District B for treatment. Considering the personnel casualties, the cost of this outing was even more brutal than he had imagined.


    ¡°Captain Sanada, what do we do now?¡± asked his subordinate.


    ¡°Retreat immediately,¡± Sanada Nobumasa said.


    He turned around and saw Punk still standing in place, a clear look of disgust in his eyes.


    Punk, the bloody hunter and a killing machine for the Alliance, was usually strictly controlled. However, over time, his psyche had gradually become twisted. Every time he went out, he wouldn¡¯t stop until he saw blood. Sanada Nobumasa fell into contemplation again, but he didn¡¯t expect that he was an S-class dual-ability wielder. No wonder this kind of lunatic was still highly regarded by the higher-ups.


    With this mission over, Sanada Nobumasa didn¡¯t want to have anything to do with him anymore.


    Punk covered his injured eye, blood oozing out from his palm.


    He muttered to himself, ¡°In a small District C, there are actually two S-level awakeners.¡±


    ¡°What do you want to do?¡± Sanada Nobumasa was taken aback.


    Punk¡¯s smile was wicked, filled with a bloodthirsty intent. ¡°Of course¡­ kill them.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re not part of the mission objectives, and they¡¯ve already fled,¡± Sanada Nobumasa reminded him, his expression disapproving.


    ¡°If they¡¯ve fled, I¡¯ll search the entire District C,¡± Punk said, his face darkening.


    After saying that, he left the spot and headed towards the direction where Song Ke disappeared.


    ¡°Captain Sanada, should we pursue?¡±


    ¡°No need, don¡¯t invite unnecessary trouble,¡± Sanada Nobumasa replied.


    The subordinate sounded worried, ¡°But if the bloody hunter takes this opportunity to escape¡­¡±


    Punk was released this time to assist them with the mission. If the target escaped, the Alliance would surely hold them accountable.


    Sanada Nobumasa smirked coldly, ¡°Rest assured, he won¡¯t escape.¡±


    Since he was a mad dog, there was definitely a leash to keep him in check.


    ¡­


    Punk raced, his speed increasing, his sturdy body pounding on the ground, making the earth tremble.


    His heart was filled with a desire for slaughter, wishing to find those two S-level awakeners immediately and tear them apart with his own hands.


    As Punk ran, he continued to release blood explosions. The residents of Manzoni Street, pedestrians, wandering zombies¡ªwhether indoors or outdoors, one moment they were conversing or walking, and the next moment their heads exploded like watermelons, houses collapsed, streets were damaged. Everywhere he passed, there was devastation, indeed flipping the entire city upside down as he had said.


    Chasing for several kilometers, four flowing data walls appeared out of thin air, blocking his way.


    Gradually, a vague figure appeared in the air, with golden hair and colorless eyes. Their voice was icy: ¡°Outsider, who allowed you to wreak havoc in Ferrara?¡±


    Punk was forced to stop and, recognizing the other¡¯s identity, slightly bowed in respect: ¡°Lord Magistrate.¡±


    Yet his lowered head still displayed a wild expression, showing no respect even in the face of the highest authority in District C.


    Ilya walked slowly from the void, his crystal eyes faintly flashing with an icy blue light.


    ¡°I won¡¯t pursue your unauthorized entry, but that doesn¡¯t mean you can tamper with my things.¡±


    Manzoni Street had already turned into ruins. This place was once a representation of Ferrara¡¯s architectural style, full of a sense of freedom and artistic beauty.


    Punk twitched his mouth, his burnt left half of the face looking unusually eerie: ¡°Didn¡¯t expect the esteemed Magistrate to be an AI who loves the people like a child and has learned useless and redundant human emotions.¡±


    The data stream surged, and a slap landed on Punk¡¯s face, tilting his head slightly.


    Ilya wasn¡¯t provoked, his tone calm and gentle, but the words carried a cold mockery: ¡°Just a dog in shackles, and you dare to bark wildly in front of me?


    ¡°An unruly thing, your master hasn¡¯t taught you well, so let me repeat it to you.


    ¡°Remember, when you¡¯re a guest in someone else¡¯s house, you should understand manners and not mess with the owner¡¯s belongings.¡±


    Punk got beaten, his two eyes, one red and one white, staring at Ilya, suddenly and without warning, a blood explosion erupted!


    The data streams from all sides quickly flipped and recombined, like waves crashing into the blood beads. The bright red explosion collided with the 101010 code wall, and two powerful forces clashed fiercely, bursting in the air.


    Several blood beads broke through the blockade, rushing to Ilya, but turned into duds and dissipated on the spot.


    Ilya remained unchanged from start to finish, not even a flicker in his eyes.


    The artificial intelligence made up of data is never bound by the flesh, much less to bleed. Punk¡¯s abilities were ineffective against him.


    Punk snorted coldly, preparing to strike again.


    His time rewind ability worked within a small range, allowing the target¡¯s time state to reverse a maximum of ten seconds. Data might not fear bleeding, but they should fear rewinding, right?


    The airflow suddenly slowed down, and the data stream wall was on the verge of collapse.


    Ilya¡¯s pupils flickered¡ª


    The ring hidden in Punk¡¯s neck suddenly lit up, imprisoning him tightly. The extremely strong particle currents stimulated him, causing his whole body to tremble and his sea of consciousness to suffer a destructive shock. Punk fell to the ground in pain, his cries echoing.


    His pale left eye widened in horror, looking at Ilya in disbelief.


    How was this possible? The ring not only had a top-notch firewall, but it also required entering commands. Even among the Alliance¡¯s higher-ups, very few could use the ring to control him. How could a District C magistrate, just an artificial intelligence, break through layer upon layer of restrictions and activate the ring to imprison him?


    While Punk was still trying to make sense of it, a massive mechanical arm pressed down on him, and an iron cage descended from the sky, imprisoning this wild beast like catching a zombie.


    Ilya¡¯s face was both sacred and resolute: ¡°Now, go back to where you belong.¡±


    *


    Su Cha, carrying Song Ke, joined up with Zhuang Qingyan and two others who hurried over, swiftly evacuating Manzoni Street under the cover of heavy snow. s?a??h th? Nov?lF?re .??t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    The road back to the hotel was bustling with people, quite far, and too dangerous, but staying in place meant Punk would soon catch up.


    Lin Youyou made a prompt decision: ¡°Let¡¯s go to my studio.¡±


    Lin Youyou¡¯s independent studio was nearby, not only providing good confidentiality but also equipped with a private hospital.


    Upon reaching the destination, Sucha placed Song Ke on the hospital bed.


    Song Ke¡¯s face was pale, her eyes half-closed, and her whole body appearing as if she had been pulled from a pool of blood. Su Cha had provided simple first aid for her on the way, but the blood wouldn¡¯t stop, already drenching the gauze, and kept seeping out.


    ¡°Sister¡­¡± Xu Xing rushed forward but dared not touch her, looking utterly terrified and crying in fear.


    ¡°Song Ke, Song Ke, wake up!¡± Lin Youyou¡¯s voice was gentle, yet filled with undeniable anxiety.


    Zhuang Qingyan looked at the barely breathing figure on the hospital bed, placing his hand over her pale fingers that were holding the emei thorn.


    ¡°Tink¡­¡± The emei thorn fell to the ground, surprisingly, Song Ke couldn¡¯t even hold onto her spiritual weapon.


    Zhuang Qingyan lowered his gaze, unusually silent, and no one could discern his expression at this moment.


    His ice-cold fingertips paused in front of Song Ke, and then slowly unwrapped the gauze.


    Lin Youyou and the others took in the sight before them and drew in a sharp breath of cold air.


    Everything was crimson. Judging solely from the wound, it was more severe than when Maeda died. After Wu Xianghai¡¯s ability engulfed him, it left only a black hole. But at this moment, Song Ke¡¯s flesh and blood were mangled, her organs shattered, making it impossible to determine the specific extent of her injuries.


    With injuries this severe, could she still survive? Everyone¡¯s hearts sank.


    Thinking of something, Lin Youyou suddenly turned around and grabbed Fang Zhixu¡¯s collar: ¡°Hey, aren¡¯t you a doctor? Hurry, save her!¡±


    Fang Zhixu glanced and only said three words: ¡°It¡¯s too late.¡±


    Lin Youyou was both anxious and angry: ¡°What are you saying? How can you speak so coldly!¡±


    Fang Zhixu was dragged here forcefully by Xu Xing, nearly losing half his life in the mad dash. He leaned against the wall, panting heavily, trying to regain his breath.


    Being questioned by Lin Youyou, he just shook his head, unwilling to say more. Ordinary people couldn¡¯t tell, but he was a doctor. With such a large gash on Song Ke, even if she were a deity, she couldn¡¯t be saved.


    ¡°Fang Zhixu, have you awakened any abilities?¡± Zhuang Qingyan asked softly.


    The same question, but with a completely different tone than the first time, carrying a sense of impending storm in his voice.


    Everyone had witnessed Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s recent mental attack, so they wouldn¡¯t perceive him as just an ordinary person confined to a wheelchair anymore.


    Fang Zhixu remained silent.


    ¡°Do you want to watch her die with your own eyes?¡± Zhuang Qingyan asked again in the midst of the silence.


    Fang Zhixu tensed his back, his expression complicated. He looked up at the dying girl, a mix of pain and struggle flashing in his eyes.


    Through Song Ke, Fang Zhixu seemed to see another familiar figure, struggling between life and death. One moment, she smiled at him, and the next, she was pushed coldly into the morgue.


    ¡°Daddy, I really like you~¡±


    When she smiled, the girl always acted sweetly with him, a faint dimple appearing on her cheek.


    But when she lay lifeless before him, Fang Zhixu¡¯s whole world collapsed.


    The girl¡¯s face gradually merged with Song Ke¡¯s.


    The last freeze-frame was at the shelter, Song Ke looking into his eyes, her firm words, ¡°I can do it.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan and the others waited quietly for his answer.


    Fang Zhixu¡¯s eyes glistened, and he fiercely pinched his face, his voice hoarse.


    ¡°You guessed it right. I am a healing-type awakener.¡±


    Fang Zhixu, once the genius surgeon from Tongwan, was now an A-level healing-type awakener.


    Lin Youyou was in a state of shocked disbelief, staring at him, lost for words.


    Fang Zhixu pulled out a hair tie, pushed the messy hair behind his head, and tied it up, revealing his weathered yet clear eyes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get your hopes up too high. I¡¯m not certain. I can only try to save her.¡±


    He turned to Lin Youyou, ¡°Do you have surgical equipment? She needs to establish extracorporeal circulation as soon as possible.¡±


    Lin Youyou replied, ¡°Yes!¡±


    The situation was urgent, and the conditions were rudimentary. Several people changed into sterile suits, and Fang Zhixu performed surgery and cardiac repair on Song Ke.


    When Fang Zhixu regained consciousness, there was a kind of focus surpassing everyone else when he held the scalpel. His fingers, as slender as a work of art, seemed to be playing a melody.


    The scalpel cut precisely, and from his palm, a translucent white ability flowed out slowly, flowing into Song Ke¡¯s body.


    Fang Zhixu¡¯s movements suddenly stopped.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Lin Youyou asked softly.


    ¡°The heart¡­ is shattered.¡±


    It was more than shattered; strictly speaking, Song Ke¡¯s heart had been completely broken into pieces, and not even a relatively intact fragment could be picked out.


    In such a dire situation, even Fang Zhixu didn¡¯t know where to start.


    Was it really going to end like this? Unable to save her?


    The atmosphere fell into a deep silence.


    Xu Xing wept silently, tears moistening his entire collar.


    ¡°Wait!¡± Fang Zhixu exclaimed, unable to control the astonishment on his face. ¡°It¡¯s repairing itself.¡±


    Several people looked at Song Ke in astonishment.


    The fragmented parts of the heart, under everyone¡¯s gaze, seemed to have self-awareness, slowly wriggling in the cavity, seeking adjacent parts, gradually piecing together, merging, and gradually restoring their original shape.


    In a matter of moments, Song Ke¡¯s heart had miraculously regenerated mostly on its own!


    Fang Zhixu¡¯s hands were steady. Taking advantage of the self-repair of the heart, he inserted blood delivery catheters, repaired the damaged ventricular septum and atrial septum through the tricuspid valve, repaired the ruptured arteries, cleared the pleural effusion. In a short time, his ability flowed out in large quantities. Amazingly, Song Ke¡¯s body seemed to be cooperating with him. Wherever Fang Zhixu¡¯s surgical blade paused, the tissues there would automatically return to their original positions, facilitating his actions.


    After an unknown amount of time, Fang Zhixu let out a deep breath and sutured the final thread.


    Song Ke¡¯s breathing stabilized, and her vital signs gradually stabilized as she fell into a shallow sleep.


    ¡°Is she¡­ a dual¡­¡± Su Cha¡¯s expression was exceptionally serious. Back in the rainforest, one of his former colleagues had survived a severe leg injury by having the section automatically repaired, escaping death. That colleague was a B-level regeneration awakener.


    Considering Song Ke¡¯s recent condition, where her completely shattered heart had miraculously restored itself, both the speed and complexity of the recovery were beyond comprehension.


    Just as Su Cha was about to speak, he suddenly met Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s scrutinizing gaze.


    He looked at everyone, especially Lin Youyou and Su Cha, with a chilling tone in his voice.


    ¡°Everything that happened here today, no one is allowed to speak about it.¡±

 Chapter 64: Tongwan Hospital (18)

    ¡ò I will never lie to you ¡ò¡°Ah¡­,¡± Fang Zhixu yawned, rubbing his eyes sleepily as he walked into the ward.


    These past two days, they took turns staying up all night watching over Song Ke. No one had rested well, but thankfully, she had regained consciousness last night, and her vital signs had stabilized.


    Postoperative rounds were the responsibility of the operating doctor. Even though he was now down and out, Fang Zhixu hadn¡¯t lost his habits. As a result, halfway through a yawn with his mouth wide open, he got stuck¡ªthere was only a small bump left on the hospital bed, and his patient was gone!


    Fang Zhixu quickly took a few steps and pulled back the blanket. Xu Xing¡¯s furry head peeked out, sleeping soundly and blissfully. He seemed to be having a pleasant dream, smacking his lips and wetting the pillow with saliva.


    Fang Zhixu¡¯s anger surged. Without hesitation, he tapped Xu Xing¡¯s head like a chestnut: ¡°Still sleeping! Your sister has run away!¡±


    Xu Xing sat up with closed eyes, bewildered for a moment, and groped the bedsheet beside him. ¡°Run away? Sister? Where¡¯s my sister?!¡±


    How could such a big sister just disappear like that!


    Xu Xing had been on night duty, but due to extreme tiredness, he had accidentally fallen asleep. In his dream, someone gently picked him up and caressed his head. Xu Xing felt as if he were sinking into soft clouds. He couldn¡¯t help but curl up in the blanket like a caterpillar and then¡­ he fell asleep.


    Fang Zhixu looked around and, lo and behold, the IV bag and nutrition fluids were taken away, not to mention the medication box.


    He couldn¡¯t help but laugh in exasperation.


    He wondered if Song Ke could be considered obedient. If we talk about being obedient, she had just woken up and already ran away. What kind of critically ill patient was she? But if we talk about not being obedient, she remembered the doctor¡¯s orders very well; she hadn¡¯t forgotten to take her medicine.


    Fang Zhixu shook his head. It was his own fault for being presumptuous, stirring up trouble so early in the morning. Sleepiness crept back up on him: ¡°Alright, go find her.¡±


    ¡°Why are you leaving?¡± Xu Xing grabbed his clothes.


    ¡°To sleep.¡± Fang Zhixu answered with a straight face and laid down on the nearby sofa, falling asleep in three seconds.


    Xu Xing: ¡°¡­¡±


    This was too much. With such a big incident, they left a child to face it alone?


    A few minutes later, Zhuang Qingyan, Lin Youyou, and Su Cha were informed one by one by Xu Xing and gathered in the ward.


    ¡°I just went to Manzoni Street to look, but she¡¯s not there,¡± Su Cha said.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s search further away. She just woke up and has such serious injuries; she shouldn¡¯t have gone far,¡± Lin Youyou said anxiously.


    ¡°I want to go too!¡± Xu Xing, feeling responsible for losing Song Ke, raised his little hand and requested to participate in the ¡°finding sister¡± activity.


    ¡°Ah¡­,¡± Fang Zhixu on the sofa turned over, completely unaffected by their conversation.


    Zhuang Qingyan touched the already cold other half of the bedsheet and said softly, ¡°There¡¯s no need to look; I know where she went.¡±


    *


    Ferrara Public Cemetery.


    This place was rarely visited, and it housed the remains of those without families, without backgrounds, the nameless and faceless deceased. The AI patrol team patrolled the streets and alleys every day. Once the bodies cleared exceeded the time limit with no claimants, they would be collectively placed here.


    The body that passed away two days ago had been cremated into ashes and stored in a small box. In front, a light screen displayed a brief epitaph.


    ¡°Here rests an anonymous traveler, buried on December 24th, in the year 46 of the New Calendar.¡±


    A pair of delicate hands placed the pure white calla lilies beside the light screen. Apart from some miscellaneous items, there were also several epaulets piled on the box, indicating the identity of the deceased. Song Ke picked out seven of them belonging to the 11th Squad, wiped their surfaces clean, and stashed them in her pocket.


    When Zhuang Qingyan found her, Song Ke was sitting on the platform, quietly gazing at the graves in front of her.


    The December wind tousled her hair, and her expression was an unprecedented calmness.


    ¡°Your heart has just been mended, and you dare to sneak out? Be careful not to get into trouble again; Fang Zhixu might not take action next time.¡±


    ¡°Shh,¡± Song Ke gestured silently towards him, ¡°d-don¡¯t report me. I¡¯ll go back in a while.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan smiled. There was no need for him to report; when Xu Xing shouted through his little loudspeaker, everyone knew.


    Song Ke tucked the scattered hair behind her ear, speaking in a low voice, ¡°I always feel like, during this period, many people have died, so suddenly.¡±


    She looked down at her palm; the blue light sphere was particularly dim. Trying to condense her abilities, it blinked a few times and then went out, her mental energy severely depleted, needing time to slowly recover. ¡°I couldn¡¯t save th-them¡ªI couldn¡¯t save Maeda¡ªI couldn¡¯t save Wu Juemin.¡±


    Having a strong ability but seeing people around her die one after another, Song Ke felt for the first time that her power was inadequate.


    ¡°¡­No one could.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan already knew the details of what had happened; Song Ke had told them the truth after regaining consciousness.


    A silver wheelchair stopped beside Song Ke. Zhuang Qingyan and she both looked at the small light screen.


    ¡°No one¡¯s asking you to be a savior, and you¡¯re not obliged to save everyone.


    ¡°The death of Wu Juemin wasn¡¯t really sudden.


    ¡°You said it yourself; that Sanada and Punk were transported through a spatial rift. Even the ¡®Bloody Hunter¡¯ was mobilized, indicating that they had been targeting this place in advance, coming prepared.¡±


    Song Ke frowned and thought slowly, ¡°Came p-prepared¡­ Could it be that Xie Ningyu was being tracked?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not Xie Ningyu,¡± Zhuang Qingyan shook his head slowly, ¡°it¡¯s Wu Juemin.¡±


    ¡°If Xie Ningyu was the problem, he would have been pursued and killed on the way to Erjia. Since he arrived safely in Ferrara, it proves that, before this, he did not attract the Alliance¡¯s attention.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan analyzed calmly, ¡°The problem lies with Wu Juemin. The mission he took is a real hot potato. Many eyes are on him from behind, wanting to use him, seize the credit, or eliminate potential threats.


    ¡°After all, everyone wants Xie Zhu dead,¡± Zhuang Qingyan sighed.


    Because it involved the key, every step Wu Juemin took was extremely dangerous, like walking on a tightrope.


    And when he found the suspected key, Xie Ningyu, it was the moment the tightrope snapped.


    Song Ke fell silent for a moment and quickly pointed out the error in Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s words, ¡°It¡¯s not everyone.¡±


    She recalled everything she saw on the rooftop that day, ¡°Wu Juemin didn¡¯t intend to kill Xie Ningyu; he wanted to e-escort him back and hand him over to that person, Xie Lan, for General Xie to deal with personally.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan was slightly stunned and spoke again in a calm voice, ¡°Is that so? But from the outcome, there¡¯s no difference.¡±


    With people dead and buried, it was impossible to verify anything about Wu Juemin. Now, whatever was said would be futile.


    Song Ke looked at the resting box one last time and walked out with Zhuang Qingyan.


    ¡°Lin Youyou and Su Cha, how do you plan to handle them?¡±


    ¡°Handle what?¡±


    ¡°Your heart can heal on its own. Do you know what that means?¡± Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s tone was serious.


    ¡°Regardless of the reason, a heart that shattered like that can recover. This will bring you great trouble.¡±


    ¡°Fang Zhixu not mutating after being bitten was enough to cause a stir, and once your condition is exposed, do you know how many fanatical researchers will want to send you to the lab for dissection and thoroughly study every set of your cell genes?¡±


    Song Ke imagined the scene Zhuang Qingyan described and suddenly felt a chill run down her spine.


    She had noticed before that she possessed extraordinary healing abilities¡ªno wounds left a trace, even the places where she was scratched by zombies didn¡¯t mutate. She used to think it was a side effect of awakening her special abilities, but now it seemed that the real reason far exceeded her understanding.


    She hadn¡¯t figured it out herself and didn¡¯t want to be studied.


    ¡°What does this have to do with them?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t speak about your matters. Xu Xing and Fang Zhixu follow you every day. There¡¯s no opportunity for them to spill anything.¡±


    ¡°As for those two¡­¡± Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s voice was distant.


    For Lin Youyou and Su Cha, they were ¡°outsiders¡± to him, and with a criminal record, their level of trust was very low.


    ¡°She probably won¡¯t betray us,¡± Song Ke already knew. It was Lin Youyou who had taken the risk to rescue her from Punk¡¯s hands that day. She felt that the other party should not do something like that. ¡°But you¡¯re right, having a past of b-betrayal makes it difficult to trust again¡­¡±


    ¡°So, I suggest, kill them. It¡¯s a clean sweep.¡± Zhuang Qingyan made the suggestion lightly.


    Song Ke took a sharp breath, slowly clenched her fist, ready to hit him first, but as soon as her hand went up, she immediately expressionlessly covered her chest.


    ¡°Ah¡­ My chest hurts.¡±


    Song Ke wouldn¡¯t act spoiled for no reason; if she said it hurt, it truly did.


    Zhuang Qingyan teased her into a smile, ¡°I know you don¡¯t want to, so there¡¯s only one choice left, let them join V587 and follow you from now on for easy supervision.¡±


    ¡°Join V587?¡± Song Ke was surprised; she had never considered this possibility.


    ¡°Well¡­ using ¡®join¡¯ might not be appropriate. You can think of them as temporary companions, no need for real feelings.¡± Zhuang Qingyan explained.


    ¡°Will they agree?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan: ¡°Shouldn¡¯t be a big problem. The only conflict is the Throne Race, but don¡¯t forget, what is our purpose for participating?¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°¡­Money.¡±


    The three members of V587 participated at that time just to earn Alliance coins. Over time, this initial goal had been almost forgotten by Song Ke.


    Zhuang Qingyan nodded, ¡°So, what we want doesn¡¯t conflict.¡±


    Lin Youyou wanted a promise from Ilya, and they were just in it for the money. If they united and truly won, there wouldn¡¯t be any conflicting interests.


    ¡°Oh.¡± Song Ke decided to go back and have a good talk with Lin Youyou.


    The two of them walked quietly side by side for a while.


    ¡°Their problem has been solved,¡± in the atmosphere of calmness, Song Ke slowly spoke, ¡°What about yours?¡±


    ¡°Mine?¡± Zhuang Qingyan was slightly taken aback.


    ¡°Yeah, S-level, psychic ability. That day¡­ I sensed it.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s wheelchair stopped, not knowing how to explain for a moment.


    Song Ke turned around, her expression fierce, stepping closer to him step by step.


    ¡°Weak researcher?¡±


    ¡°Nothing special, just an ordinary person?¡±


    ¡°Hugging thighs?¡±


    Recalling that day, when Song Ke first sensed the powerful killing intent, it should have been from Zhuang Qingyan. His leg was injured for another reason, as Yang Bo and Wu Yarou were just two C-level awakeners, how could they kill an S-level like him?


    Song Ke placed her hands on the wheelchair, her momentum overwhelming. As she spoke, Zhuang Qingyan took a step back, and with no further retreat, his back bumped against the wheelchair.


    Their noses were but a short distance apart.


    Song Ke lowered her head, her eyes burning with anger, ¡°From the beginning, you¡¯ve been lying to me.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan protested loudly, ¡°I didn¡¯t lie to you. You never asked me.¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°¡­¡±


    Unbelievable. Was it all her fault?


    Just as she was about to speak, she suddenly realized that she was too close to Zhuang Qingyan, close enough to count his long, dense eyelashes.


    Song Ke paused and withdrew a little.


    She asked very seriously, ¡°Have you never, ever, believed in me?¡±


    ¡°¡­No,¡± Zhuang Qingyan remained silent for a long time, affirming, ¡°Fully trusting someone is something I find difficult to do.¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°¡­¡±


    She might not express her disappointment or sorrow, but Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s honesty made it hard for Song Ke to find the right words.


    ¡°Song Ke,¡± Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s low voice softly called her name.


    Song Ke glanced at him, not pleased, and remained silent.


    ¡°Perhaps you think I¡¯m full of lies and don¡¯t believe me sincerely.¡±


    Song Ke tilted her head, her expression clearly written with bewilderment, ¡°Aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan sighed, ¡°I can¡¯t fully entrust you with a hundred percent trust. But there¡¯s one thing I can be sure of.¡±


    ¡°As long as you ask, as long as I can answer, I will never lie to you.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Song Ke responded.


    After a few seconds, she raised a question in a small voice, ¡°Didn¡¯t you lie to me before? About being a drug researcher?¡±


    ¡°I did that for someone else. If you believe it, can you blame me?¡± Zhuang Qingyan raised an eyebrow.


    Song Ke¡¯s temper flared up instantly. She kicked Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s wheelchair with her toe, making him spin around.


    Zhuang Qingyan had a headache, ¡°Song Keke, behave yourself if you¡¯re sick. Why are you still so mischievous? Hmm?¡±


    Song Ke kicked faster, but accidentally used too much force, which affected the wound. With a sharp intake of breath, she covered her mouth and squatted down.


    This weak appearance was very different from her usually lively self. Zhuang Qingyan flipped her hood, covering her head, and rubbed her head absentmindedly. S?a?ch* Th? ?0velF?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Be good, stop making trouble.¡±

 Chapter 65: Tongwan Hospital (19)

    ¡ò Luxurious Lineup of V587 ¡òSong Ke played around like a primary school student for a while and was pulled back by the rationality of adults, preparing to go back and meet with the others.


    Not long after leaving the cemetery, a rotating data wall appeared out of thin air.


    The code composed of numerous small squares dissipated layer by layer, and Ilya walked from the void.


    Song Ke was surprised. This place was remote, and there were hardly any cameras, let alone holographic projections. Although artificial intelligence was everywhere, Ilya¡¯s sudden appearance was too abrupt. How did he manage it?


    Song Ke and Zhuang Qingyan stopped, their eyes vigilantly fixed on the figure in front of them.


    Him appearing at this moment was not a good sign.


    Ilya leisurely examined her for a moment, a pleasant smile appearing on his face. ¡°Indeed, still alive.¡±


    Song Ke frowned slightly.


    She was now full of suspicion and vigilance towards Ilya. Leaving aside the matter of the tower, at that time he clearly knew everything, knew the arrival of the Bloody Hunter, but left only a vague ¡°blood and violence¡± and led her to Manzoni Street. She didn¡¯t know what his intentions were.


    ¡°Surprised to see me? Judging by your expression, it seems you¡¯re not very welcoming,¡± Ilya said, taking the initiative.


    His dazzling golden hair shimmered in the sunlight, as if coated with a honey-like hue. ¡°Although it was just a casual thing, I helped you intercept a chase. Aren¡¯t you going to thank me?¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Song Ke thanked him emotionlessly. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    It was close. She had a chance to kill Punk herself, but unfortunately, due to his unexpected sneak attack, she couldn¡¯t succeed.


    Song Ke never underestimated her enemies. The reason she was severely injured this time was that she didn¡¯t know there was a dual-element awakener, and she never expected Punk¡¯s other ability was the rare time element.


    But Punk, an S-level, was not invincible. Song Ke thought that if she encountered him again, she would definitely cut off his head.


    Ilya walked lightly around her for two steps, lowered his gaze to observe her shoulders, limbs, fingers. There was no frivolity or flirtation in his eyes, only pure appreciation. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t already made a choice, I would still like this body of yours.¡±


    Song Ke stared at him expressionlessly and spoke coldly after a while, ¡°I can still kill you.¡±


    Ilya met her gaze for two seconds, sensing the burst of killing intent from her, and quickly changed his tone, ¡°Just kidding.¡±


    ¡°I came to tell you that the Throne Race will be postponed for three months. During these three months, I don¡¯t want any accidents to happen to Ferrara.¡±


    Having experienced the resistance faction, the zombie siege, and the blood explosions, Ferrara was already heavily scarred and could no longer endure any further torment. This city desperately needed a period of peace to recover and prosper.


    As early as the previous day, the advancing participants received a notification about the postponement of the Throne Race. Why did Ilya come to her specifically to convey this?


    Song Ke was puzzled: ¡°How does it concern me?¡±


    Ilya¡¯s tone was meaningful: ¡°Of course, it concerns you because you are the biggest wildcard. Although I sent the Bloody Hunter back, as long as you are here, we never know when they might return.¡±


    ¡°So I have a suggestion. How about you go outside and take a break?¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°¡­¡±


    She understood the reasoning; they were worried she might cause trouble for Ferrara by staying here. But was her presence that much of an issue? To the extent that the highest-ranking official personally chased her away?


    Song Ke glanced at Ilya; he seemed relaxed in his tone but didn¡¯t appear to be joking.


    This ¡°suggestion¡± wasn¡¯t unreasonable. They hadn¡¯t intended to stay in Ferrara indefinitely, and there was no need to confront him head-on at this juncture.


    Song Ke nodded: ¡°Okay, but I have a few q-questions.¡±


    ¡°Please go ahead.¡±


    A data stream formed a spacious chair, and Ilya sat in it, appearing relaxed and regal, as if he held the fate of Ferrara in his hands.


    ¡°Did you alter my level?¡± This was a statement of certainty.


    Song Ke remembered Punk¡¯s words vividly from that day. She was an S-level strong attack type with a gold element ability, but her ability certificate showed only A-level. Upon careful thought, all the tests were conducted in Ferrara, and the only one who could discreetly modify the results was Ilya.


    Ilya didn¡¯t deny it: ¡°Yes.¡±


    Song Ke asked: ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Ferrara is my territory. If an S-level awakener appears here, too much attention will be drawn. I don¡¯t want to attract excessive scrutiny at this critical moment,¡± Ilya said lightly, as if altering someone¡¯s ability level was a trivial matter.


    ¡°Anyway, for you, the level isn¡¯t that important. When you¡¯re outside, A-level is more convenient than S-level.¡±


    He smiled, and his face seemed to show more emotions, becoming more and more like a true human.


    ¡°Just didn¡¯t expect¡­ there¡¯s not just one hidden S-level.¡±


    Ilya¡¯s gaze fell on Zhuang Qingyan, who was sitting in a wheelchair behind her. Zhuang Qingyan smiled slightly at him, looking calm.


    Ilya glanced at him a little longer and then turned his gaze away.


    ¡°Since you are so concerned about Ferrara, why did you release the zo-zombies?¡± Song Ke asked.


    ¡°Why can¡¯t I?¡± Ilya countered. ¡°If a room is dirty, you clean it up in time, get rid of what I don¡¯t want, and what¡¯s left is what I like.¡± His casually dismissive tone sent a chill down one¡¯s spine.


    Song Ke pursed her lips. ¡°Why do you collect zombies and hold the Th-Throne Race Competition?¡±


    Ilya smiled slowly. ¡°Because I¡¯m bored. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s interesting to observe humans showing various expressions? Awakeners and their former kind killing each other, what a splendid performance. You can only see it in Ferrara.¡±


    Song Ke understood completely. This unconventional artificial intelligence ruler acted on whims, regardless of right or wrong, and couldn¡¯t be held to human moral standards.


    ¡°I have no more questions,¡± Song Ke said.


    Ilya smiled slightly. ¡°Then, see you at the competition in three months.¡±


    With that, he disappeared on the spot.


    ¡°We underestimated him. Perhaps even Lyon¡¯s rebellion is part of his calculations,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said with a serious expression.


    Starting from organizing the Throne Race, this super artificial intelligence had been playing a very significant game.


    Song Ke turned her head. ¡°Why three months?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan pondered. ¡°He¡¯s eliminating potential threats. There¡¯s only one possibility ¨C during these three months, he can¡¯t appear and personally manage Ferrara.¡±


    Song Ke was stunned. Why couldn¡¯t Ilya manage Ferrara personally unless¡­ he had something more important to do.


    ¡°Lu Xinglan¡­¡± Song Ke uttered a name. Since Ilya took Lu Xinglan away, she hadn¡¯t seen him again. And his offhand mention of a ¡°body¡± always sent a shiver down her spine.


    ¡­


    After returning, Xu Xing transformed into a spoiled child when he saw her, clinging to Song Ke and refusing to let go. ¡°Sister~ Did you carry me to sleep last night?¡±


    His voice was soft and sweet, and his two watery eyes blinked and blinked, shamelessly acting cute.


    ¡°En, you need a good sleep to grow tall,¡± Song Ke said, patting his curly hair, educating the young child.


    In front of her, Xu Xing was always obedient and amiable. However, Song Ke had witnessed him explode in rage and curse at the shelter, so she knew that the child¡¯s true character wasn¡¯t as perfect as it appeared.


    But what did that matter? Compared to the lifeless and forever gone person, he was lively and vibrant, which was good.


    After comforting Xu Xing, Song Ke went to Lin Youyou. ¡°I need to talk to you about something.¡±


    Lin Youyou was carefully applying lipstick in front of the mirror, and she had an online interview to record later.


    ¡°You and Su Cha, join V587,¡± Song Ke said.


    Lin Youyou¡¯s hand trembled, smearing the lipstick crookedly, leaving an abrupt line at the corner of her mouth.


    ¡°Can you repeat that?¡± she asked incredulously, thinking she had misheard.


    ¡°You and Sucha, join V587,¡± Song Ke repeated.


    Lin Youyou widened her beautiful eyes, her slender fingers trembling as she pointed at her, ¡°Song Ke, I risked so much to save you. I thought we were even. You still hold a grudge against me for what happened at Mirror Lake?¡±


    Song Ke said, ¡°It¡¯s not¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine if you¡¯re not grateful, but you still want me to continue being your coolie. How can your heart be so dark?¡± The big star got into her acting mode, whimpering a couple of times and leaning on the table with teary eyes filled with accusation.


    Song Ke muttered softly, ¡°It was Zhuang Qingyan. He was a-afraid you¡¯d report me¡­ and spill the beans about my heart.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan beside her was mercilessly exposed: ¡°¡­¡±


    Lin Youyou¡¯s hypocritical sobbing got stuck in her throat. She was angry, her tone rising sharply, ¡°Nonsense, am I that kind of person?!¡±


    ¡°In fact, you can consider it as¡­ a deal,¡± Song Ke explained seriously.


    Lin Youyou and Su Cha joining them, working together with them, until the Throne Race ends. After that, if they get eliminated or win the championship, and when Song Ke leaves Ferrara, they can decide whether or not to report anything. Lin Youyou could choose to withdraw.


    This proposal was both a limitation, restricting their personal freedom during this time, and a new collaboration led by Song Ke after Mirror Lake.


    The relationship between them was like temporary partners¡ªno close bonds were required, just unified action. The most important thing was the tempting conditions on the table.


    ¡°If we win the championship, we¡¯ll get the money, and the o-opportunity for a wish, we¡¯ll give it to you.¡±


    ¡°This is my promise.¡±


    Lin Youyou was startled after hearing this. She knew deep down that she and Su Cha were doing fine at the moment, but as the competition progressed, there would be more skilled competitors. It would be difficult to win the championship with just the two of them. But if¡­ if they joined V587, they could form a formidable, unbeatable team of five.


    Thinking about this, Lin Youyou¡¯s heart started beating faster and faster. She couldn¡¯t help but hold her head, forcing herself to calm down.


    ¡°Wait, let me think about it,¡± she said.


    She thought about it for the whole afternoon, and by dinnertime, Lin Youyou appeared radiant.


    ¡°We can join V587,¡± she agreed in her first sentence.


    Xu Xing, who was happily sipping on juice, was so shocked that the juice box slipped from his hand and fell to the ground.


    He was utterly dumbfounded. Why? Why did the person he disliked the most become his teammate in the end?


    This world was so cruel to him!


    ¡°But I have a condition,¡± Lin Youyou continued.


    ¡°I need him,¡± she pointed to Fang Zhixu, who was dozing on the couch, ¡°to heal someone for me.¡±


    Fang Zhixu, it was Fang Zhixu again.


    No wonder healing awakeners were always in demand wherever they went. Song Ke¡¯s heart, Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s leg, and now Lin Youyou all needed Fang Zhixu.


    But whether Fang Zhixu himself would cooperate, Song Ke had no assurance.


    The immediate priority was to understand what Fang Zhixu wanted and complete the task he had in mind, so there was hope for negotiating conditions with him later.


    Song Ke approached the sofa. Under normal circumstances, this person had a very low presence, but no one would easily overlook him.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she said to Fang Zhixu. If it weren¡¯t for him taking action, even if her heart could self-heal, the process would have been even more difficult. S?a??h the N?v?lFir?.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Fang Zhixu lifted his eyelids and made a nonchalant ¡°hmm.¡±


    He had vowed never to pick up a surgical knife again, and he hadn¡¯t expected to break that promise so soon.


    ¡°In the next few days, we¡¯ll be leaving Ferrara. When I¡¯m feeling better, I¡¯ll help you,¡± Song Ke explained the arrangements for the coming days and paused, then went straight to the point and asked, ¡°Can you now tell me which magistrate you want to kill?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not necessary,¡± Fang Zhixu replied unexpectedly after a moment of silence. ¡°Saying things that can¡¯t be done will only cause unnecessary trouble.¡±


    ¡°Why can¡¯t it be done?¡± Song Ke was puzzled. ¡°Is our strength still insufficient?¡±


    Lin Youyou and Su Cha had already decided to join V587. With Fang Zhixu, they had two S-level and three A-level awakeners, plus one B-level. With this luxurious lineup, they could dominate anywhere.


    Fang Zhixu shook his head slowly. ¡°It¡¯s not a matter of strength.¡±


    ¡°To kill someone, you need to see the person first.¡±


    ¡°The most stringent access system, do you mean the C55 District?¡± Zhuang Qingyan asked quickly.

 Chapter 66.1: Tongwan Hospital (20)

    ¡ò Let¡¯s go to Sin City! (Ferrara + Tongwan Arc End) ¡òThe New Asia Alliance has a total of 50 C districts, and each C-level city has its unique irreplaceability.


    And Mu City (C55 District) is the Alliance¡¯s arsenal.


    The economic lifeline of Mu City is firmly controlled by the local large-scale arms dealers, who have absolute power and even collude with the magistrate to continuously channel money and resources for greater gains. The magistrate supported by armed forces is an absolute dictator, wielding an iron fist, bestowed with the title ¡°Tyrant¡± by the outside world.


    Unlike Ferrara¡¯s democratic elections, the magistrate in Mu City has not changed for twenty-six consecutive years.


    The admission criteria for C55 District were notoriously strict even before the apocalypse.


    Mu City does not welcome refugees, rejects people from remote areas, and the entry approval process is complex and cumbersome. The backgrounds of newcomers, if even slightly ambiguous, would be ruthlessly turned away, even if they were completely innocent without any suspicion. Sometimes, applications submitted might have no progress for months.


    This situation escalated after the apocalypse, gradually becoming extreme, and Mu City almost blocked all admission channels.


    If Ferrara welcomed all incoming travelers, then Mu City welded its gates shut, refusing entry to anyone.


    Zhuang Qingyan finished analyzing the information about Mu City. Song Ke counted on her fingers. Well, refugee (knowing that Fang Zhixu is currently missing, can only be considered a refugee), coming from the remote area (her and Xu Xing), and those with unclear backgrounds (Zhuang Qingyan and Su Cha), it seems they¡¯ve all fallen into the trap. Lin Youyou still has a bit of hope, but she¡¯s operating outside and can¡¯t use her real name.


    No wonder Fang Zhixu said that knowing was futile. If she were a household registration officer in Mu City, she wouldn¡¯t let these ¡°dangerous elements¡± in.


    After Fang Zhixu listened, he stared at Zhuang Qingyan and asked, ¡°How do you know so much?¡±


    Song Ke immediately chimed in, ¡°He knows all the information about the Alliance.¡±


    While saying this, she proudly raised her chin, looking like she had some honor, as if Zhuang Qingyan had given her face.


    Zhuang Qingyan caught a glimpse of her expression and silently curved his mouth.


    ¡°Sneak in and give it a try?¡± Su Cha, who had been listening quietly, suggested an idea that suited his personality.


    Zhuang Qingyan quickly denied, ¡°The border is heavily guarded, and there¡¯s a specialized organization to combat intruders. I¡¯m afraid that as soon as you step into Mu City, you¡¯ll be greeted by thousands of particle cannons, reducing you to ashes in just three seconds.¡±


    ¡°Is there really no other way?¡± Lin Youyou asked. ¡°Like coming up with a special reason, official business trip, or visiting relatives?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s hard to deceive the registration department of the Alliance.¡±


    The group sighed instantly. Xu Xing was a beat slower and, to fit in, sighed along, looking like a little adult.


    Fang Zhixu¡¯s expression remained calm, but the flames of hatred burned slowly in his heart, never extinguishing. He had long learned to face the reality of helplessness.


    In the midst of silence, Zhuang Qingyan slowly spoke up, ¡°Actually¡­ there might be a way.¡±


    Five pairs of eyes looked at him in unison.


    Song Ke urged, ¡°Speak quickly.¡± Pausing for a moment, she added, ¡°Keep it simple, no b-beating around the bush.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan, whose old accounts were inadvertently brought up, cleared his throat, ¡°Without admission permission, we could forge a fake one.


    ¡°All information about household registration is synchronized to personal terminals. Just tamper with it a bit, make it look real, change our household registration location to C55 district. That way, we won¡¯t need to submit an admission application and can enter Mu City without anyone noticing.¡±


    ¡°You mean, hack the registration department system and alter the results?¡± Lin Youyou was surprised. This guy was really audacious.


    Song Ke thought of Ilya; her ability level was modified by him. If not for Punk, she might have been kept in the dark.


    It was a good idea, but achieving seamless perfection was lacking a crucial element.


    Song Ke looked at Zhuang Qingyan with mixed feelings and said, ¡°Can you¡­ hack the system?¡±


    ¡°Can you hack the system?¡± Xu Xing, like a follower, furrowed his little brow and imitated Song Ke¡¯s expression, asking.


    ¡°Yeah, speaking so casually, can you?¡± Lin Youyou crossed her hands and glanced at him skeptically.


    The remaining two males gave Zhuang Qingyan a bit of face, just looking at him with a hint of suspicion.


    ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s answer was quite straightforward.


    Song Ke: ¡°¡­¡± If you can¡¯t, why boast about it?


    Zhuang Qingyan said slowly, ¡°I can¡¯t do it, but someone else can.¡±


    Song Ke, Xu Xing, and Lin Youyou asked in unison, ¡°Who?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan mentioned a name, ¡°Do you remember Lu Xinglan?¡±


    Song Ke nodded, ¡°I remember.¡±


    ¡°Lu Xinglan, due to impure eye color, wasn¡¯t highly regarded in the Lu family. Even if he went missing, it wouldn¡¯t attract much attention. However, as a genetic candidate, he awakened the Lu family¡¯s exclusive hacker ability.¡±


    ¡°You want to find Lu Xinglan?¡± Song Ke reminded, ¡°But he¡¯s with Ilya.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan smiled slightly, ¡°I¡¯m not looking for him. He just reminded me of someone.


    ¡°Ten years ago, in the Lu family, there was an astonishingly talented and brilliant individual named Lu Xiaoyu. He was the top-notch hacker, whether within the Lu family or across the entire Alliance, as long as there was data, he could easily defy everyone.¡±


    ¡°I considered him¡­ let¡¯s say, a friend.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s eyelid twitched. Thinking of the glorious deeds this ¡°friend¡± dragged him into, they were all extremely unpleasant memories.


    ¡°Where is he now? Erjia?¡± Song Ke asked.


    Zhuang Qingyan said solemnly, ¡°No, he¡¯s in¡­ the Death Prison.¡±


    ¡°Ah??¡±


    Not only Song Ke, but everyone else looked extremely shocked.


    Su Cha suddenly spoke, ¡°By the Death Prison, do you mean the one in F180 District?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said, ¡°the underground Death Prison of Sin City.¡±


    The Alliance districts were not only classified by levels, but much information could be inferred from the numbering. For example, the lower the number, the stronger the overall strength, and the higher the status in the Alliance. F180 District, on the other hand, was the worst among the worst, completely abandoned by the Alliance, the kind they wished to discard immediately.


    Although it didn¡¯t have a name, it had a dread-inducing alias¡ªCity of Sin.


    Song Ke couldn¡¯t understand. If Lu Xiaoyu was as formidable as Zhuang Qingyan described, he should have been highly regarded within the Lu family. How could he have fallen to such a lightless place as the Death Prison?


    Zhuang Qingyan sighed, ¡°Because Lu Xiaoyu is not only a genius but also a complete madman.


    ¡°Five years ago, he almost destroyed Lu family¡¯s supercomputer. After the Alliance trial, they decided to banish him to the Death Prison, with the sentence lasting until the end of his life, never to be reincarnated.¡±


    Everyone fell silent.


    The supercomputer was the cornerstone of the Lu family, so was this the ¡°I¡¯m ruthless enough to eliminate even myself¡±?


    Lu Xiaoyu was indeed a lunatic.


    ¡°So, are you suggesting that we find your friend first, rescue him from the Death Prison, and then have him handle the registration system?¡±


    Lin Youyou looked skeptical, ¡°But why do I feel like the former is more difficult? Rescuing someone from the Death Prison? Has anyone ever succeeded?¡±


    ¡°District F is dangerous; it¡¯s hard to get there,¡± Su Cha also questioned.


    ¡°At least District F has no admission restrictions.¡± Zhuang Qingyan remained unfazed and even in the mood for a joke.


    Song Ke was concerned about another issue, ¡°Are you sure he¡¯s willing to help us?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s easy. Once we find him, I¡¯ll handle it,¡± Zhuang Qingyan promised.


    ¡°But that¡¯s the Death Prison, not a marketplace¡­¡± s?a??h th? N0??F?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°I said, brother, you are also quite crazy, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s impossible from the get-go¡­¡±


    ¡°Sister, what¡¯s the Death Prison?¡±


    Everyone discussed in a clamor, unable to convince one another.


    ¡°Stop!¡± Song Ke took a deep breath and shouted loudly, ¡°One at a time.¡±


    She paused, her gaze gradually becoming determined: ¡°Rescuing people, I¡¯ll handle it.¡±


    ¡°Snooping around, I¡¯ll handle it,¡± Su Cha said, turning the dagger in his hand, his tone devoid of fluctuation.


    Lin Youyou opened her terminal, ¡°I can arrange transportation to F180 District.¡±


    The division of labor was immediately clear.


    Xu Xing looked left and then right, realizing he couldn¡¯t help with anything.


    Oh no, he had really become the kind that Zhuang Qingyan described, only capable of shouting ¡®666¡¯.


    Xu Xing pouted in frustration and in the next moment, his eyes lit up, thinking of his value, ¡°I have money, I¡¯ll handle the spending!¡±


    Fang Zhixu looked at the person in front of him, his palm clenched and then relaxed.


    He knew that ultimately, the decisions they made were for him. These people sought his help, and came for his ability, but what did it matter? As long as he could seek revenge, he was willing to give everything.


    ¡°So, let¡¯s give it a try.¡±


    After sleeping for so long, it was time to open his eyes.


    ¡°We can¡¯t stay in Ferrara, let¡¯s go back to Tongwan for a few days to rest and discuss the specific plan,¡± Zhuang Qingyan concluded.


    In the first collective meeting of the new V587 team, several parties preliminarily reached a consensus and achieved a successful conclusion.


    **TN


    ¡°666¡± (in games or chat) is used to describe someone or something that is very powerful, cool, and impressive.

 Chapter 66.2: Tongwan Hospital (20)

    ¡ò Let¡¯s go to Sin City! (Ferrara + Tongwan Arc End) ¡òTongwan Outpost.


    A private steamboat was opened by the guard, and it underwent immigration inspection.


    Song Ke got off the boat, connected with the terminal and the guards, and her ability information was displayed on the screen.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, ma¡¯am, the commission you accepted has expired, and the access permission is no longer valid.¡±


    The ¡®medical support¡¯ was originally just a part-time job, so Song Ke might spend one day as a volunteer and another day outside, and she even went to do extra work to rescue Tao Tao. Half a month later, the form of completing this B-level commission changed to a ¡®full-time¡¯ one, requiring a 24-hour standby on duty.


    ¡°Recently, the pressure of zombie transformation has been too great, and manpower is insufficient. The magistrate has issued a new policy,¡± explained the young guard, ¡°If you don¡¯t have access permission, you cannot enter.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan showed half of his face and glanced at him, saying, ¡°You¡¯re new, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°How did you know?¡± the young man was surprised. He had just joined the guard less than a week ago and was still doing the most basic outpost checks. He wondered if he had missed something and it was noticed.


    Song Ke knew why. When Zhuang Qingyan was in Tongwan, he spent every day in the archives flipping through information and already knew all about Tongwan¡¯s awakeners.


    Zhuang Qingyan nodded slightly towards him and said calmly, ¡°Last month, we helped Captain Zhao resist the invasion of the zombies. Brother, we are all law-abiding citizens, not criminals. Can you make an exception and let us in?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ I can¡¯t make the decision,¡± the young man scratched his head. He had heard the seniors talk about the shelter, but he wasn¡¯t sure if these were the people. If they deceived him and he let them in, he would face consequences.


    While the group was in a stalemate at the city gate, Zhao Liqiang happened to pass by with a middle-aged man.


    Song Ke saw this and immediately shouted, ¡°Captain Zhao!¡±


    Zhao Liqiang noticed them and whispered to the person next to him. The group of people walked towards them.


    The leading middle-aged man had a steady temperament, determined eyes, and was dressed in the popular Tang suit from the old times. A faint herbal fragrance emanated from him. s?a??h th? Nov?lF?re .??t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    The young guard, upon seeing the man, stood at attention and saluted, with an excited voice, ¡°Good day, Lord Magistrate!¡±


    So this was the magistrate of Tongwan, Song Ke thought to herself, the person who single-handedly organized the defense of the city and guarded the medical and pharmaceutical hub.


    Zhao Liqiang introduced respectfully, ¡°Dr. Chen, they are the V587 who helped us in Lujia Shelter, as I mentioned.¡±


    Chen Zuyi, Tongwan¡¯s highest governing officer and a doctor specializing in ancient medical practices, nodded at the group, ¡°On behalf of Tongwan, I would like to thank you.¡±


    The first encounter with such a courteous magistrate made Song Ke a little embarrassed, waving her hands repeatedly, ¡°No need, no need to thank us.¡±


    ¡°What happened? Why are you blocked at the entrance?¡± Zhao Liqiang asked.


    The young guard explained to Zhao Liqiang that Song Ke and her group did not have entry permits.


    ¡°Dr. Chen, they want to stay in Tongwan for a few days, what do you think¡­¡± Zhao Liqiang inquired softly.


    A hint of surprise flashed in Chen Zuyi¡¯s eyes, ¡°You don¡¯t plan to stay in Tongwan?¡±


    ¡°Yes, just a temporary stopover. We plan to go elsewhere afterwards,¡± Zhuang Qingyan replied politely.


    Chen Zuyi sighed regretfully. He himself was just an ordinary person and would usually pay special attention to and recruit high-level awakeners. A powerful team like V587, if they could join the guard, Tongwan¡¯s security would be more fully ensured.


    However, he also knew the principle of not forcing things; building good relationships for future encounters is better than having more enemies.


    ¡°Tongwan won¡¯t turn away friends who have done us a favor. Let them in, consider it my special approval,¡± Chen Zuyi said with a smile, ¡°But the necessary checks still need to be done, to confirm no zombie transformation and no threat.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said with a smile.


    Chen Zuyi looked at the group one last time and said solemnly, ¡°Tongwan will always keep its doors open for you.¡±


    After they entered, Lin Youyou couldn¡¯t help but comment, ¡°This magistrate seems nice.¡±


    Song Ke was more mature now, knowing that judging people based solely on appearances is not wise. She turned to Zhuang Qingyan, ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan pondered, ¡°Chen Zuyi is very tactful and wise. As an ordinary person, he thinks things through very thoroughly.


    ¡°Every nest has its eggs. Chen Zuyi¡¯s life is tied to this city. Guarding Tongwan is also protecting himself. In this sense, he is indeed a competent magistrate.¡±


    *


    The next day, Song Ke went to the 119 Hospital.


    She came to see An Qiwen and Wang Qiang, the only two remaining members of Azure Phoenix 11th Squad.


    When they first met, Song Ke almost didn¡¯t recognize the two. Wang Qiang used to be a tall, silly guy who loved to laugh and joke around with Ouyang Pei, but now his entire right leg was made of bionic material. He hadn¡¯t completely adapted yet, and there was a strange awkwardness in his movements.


    As for An Qiwen¡­ he had become drastically thinner. The once confident and carefree soldier who used to hold a cigarette and confidently blast open the side door of U-Lab was gone. He had become much more subdued, and from a distance, he looked like another Wu Juemin.


    Song Ke stopped in front of him, pondering how to start the conversation.


    ¡°If you want to inform me about Maeda and the captain, I already know,¡± An Qiwen anticipated what she was about to say.


    ¡°We have an inter-communicative life detection frequency within our group. A few days ago, everyone¡¯s signals disappeared,¡± Wang Qiang lowered his head, trembling all over, his mechanical leg creaking. They say real men don¡¯t shed tears easily, but he couldn¡¯t control the dampness in his eyes.


    ¡°That day, I was at the scene,¡± Song Ke said slowly.


    An Qiwen suddenly looked up at her, his gaze incredibly focused, ¡°So you know what happened, right?¡±


    Song Ke nodded and told An Qiwen and Wang Qiang everything about Manzoni Street.


    ¡°Bloody Hunter¡­¡± An Qiwen repeated each word slowly, clenching his fists tightly, his eyes cold.


    ¡°Afterward, wh-what do you plan to do?¡± Song Ke asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ll return to North County (B6 District). The mission failed, and all members of the Azure Phoenix 11th Squad, except An Qiwen and I, lost their lives. I have a responsibility to report everything to General Xie,¡± An Qiwen said solemnly.


    Song Ke took out the seven shoulder patches from her pocket and handed them back to An Qiwen, ¡°Take them, and go together.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± An Qiwen carefully put them away, ¡°We¡¯re leaving. If there¡¯s a chance, we¡¯ll see you in North County.¡±


    ¡­


    Song Ke leaned against the corridor, watching An Qiwen and Wang Qiang leave the hospital.


    ¡°Song Ke, how come you¡¯re here?¡± Lu Ning had just finished a surgery, rubbing her tired forehead. She came out to catch a breath and unexpectedly saw her. ¡°I thought you weren¡¯t volunteering anymore.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not. I¡¯m¡­ going on a trip.¡±


    ¡°A trip? I heard it¡¯s chaotic outside. Take care of yourself.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, thank you, Dr. Lu.¡±


    The two of them stood quietly, feeling the breeze. Doctors in white robes hurriedly passed by the corridor behind them. In a place like a hospital, the busiest people were always the doctors¡ªsurgery after surgery, sometimes working for over ten hours straight, yet getting only a few minutes of rest.


    Lu Ning noticed her gaze and sighed softly, ¡°Recently, the number of patients turning into zombies is increasing. The medical pressure is one thing, but I¡¯m worried that the patients and their families can¡¯t handle it mentally, and it might cause trouble.¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°Dr. Lu, may I ask you a question?¡±


    Lu Ning: ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°In your eyes, what kind of person is Fang Zhixu?¡±


    Fang Zhixu wanted to disappear from the medical community in Tongwan, and Song Ke respected his wishes, not revealing his whereabouts casually. But since he wouldn¡¯t say anything, she had to indirectly understand his situation from others.


    ¡°Brother Fang¡­¡±


    Lu Ning¡¯s character was truly bold, and after some thought, she suddenly dropped a bombshell: ¡°Actually, I had a crush on him for a while.¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s eyes widened instantly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, he got married a long time ago, and I gave up when I found out. Besides, I¡¯m married now too.¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s expression was overly exaggerated, making Lu Ning somewhat nervous, hastily waving her hands to explain.


    ¡°Although I don¡¯t know much about his personal life, one thing I¡¯m sure of is that he¡¯s a good doctor, a very good one.¡±


    ¡°Tongwan holds free medical consultations every year, helping those children with basic illnesses who can¡¯t afford surgery. Brother Fang always goes there, but it¡¯s secretly and anonymously¡­ I discovered it by chance one time, nobody in the hospital knows about it.


    ¡°Despite his great reputation, he goes to these consultations without seeking anything in return. He must genuinely want to help those children.


    ¡°As a doctor, he has a compassionate heart and is genuinely gentle with patients,¡± Lu Ning said with a faint smile.


    The Fang Zhixu mentioned by Lu Ning was exceptionally talented and had a proud disposition, yet his heart was extremely soft. He had nothing in common with the current guy who hung out with them every day, the weathered uncle with a beard, messy hair, and an indifference to everything except sleep.


    What kind of blow did Fang Zhixu endure to undergo such a drastic change?


    Mu City, C55 District¡ªSong Ke silently repeated this place name in her heart. She would definitely go there.


    Tun Qin came from Mu City. Song Ke hadn¡¯t found his body in the martial arts hall, indicating that he most likely returned to the C55 District ahead of time. If she could meet him there, she really wanted to ask what had happened in the martial arts hall during those last few days.


    ¡­


    Two days later, Lin Youyou got in touch with a private transportation convoy, paid a toll, and arranged for them to travel to F180 District.


    On the first day of the new calendar year in the 47th year of the new era, four months after the apocalypse, on an ordinary sunny day, a relatively unknown group of awakeners, ¡°V587,¡± set off on their journey to Sin City.

 Chapter 67: Sin City (1)

    ¡ò Black on Black ¡òA high-chassis six-wheel off-road vehicle raced through the desert.


    After leaving Tongwan, V587 traveled a distance with a private transport convoy. They were dropped off on a stretch of road hundreds of kilometers away from the F180 District.


    The convoy leader knew he wasn¡¯t being fair, having taken the money without completing the task. He explained with an embarrassed expression, ¡°I can only take you this far. It¡¯s not that I¡¯m being difficult, but I fear going any further might be a one-way trip. You¡¯ll have to go the rest of the way on your own.¡±


    Song Ke and the others had no choice but to change to a different mode of transportation. From District C to District F, the level of technology plummeted, and they couldn¡¯t find any autonomous vehicles along the way. In the end, they had to opt for primitive gasoline cars, with Su Cha taking the wheel.


    In the daytime desert, the sunlight was particularly harsh. The group wore protective goggles and progressed smoothly following the navigation prompts.


    ¡°Have any of you b-been to the F180 District before?¡± Song Ke asked.


    ¡°No,¡± everyone replied.


    Song Ke looked at Zhuang Qingyan, who also shook his head.


    This was a completely unfamiliar city to them. It made sense; why would ordinary people, living their lives well, come to District F?


    The navigation indicated that they were approaching the western border of the Alliance, entering the destination area. Song Ke pulled off her goggles, put them back on, and climbed through the sunroof. She leaned out of the car, facing the scorching wind and sand blowing on her face. As far as the eye could see, it was a desolate desert with no traces of a city.


    She couldn¡¯t help but be surprised. Was this it? The Sin City?


    The group circled the desert for countless rounds. The location on the navigation seemed within reach, but they couldn¡¯t get there. There were no city gates nearby, no watchtowers, and no human figures. The only distinctive features were several towering, oddly shaped quadrangular pyramids, somewhat resembling the pyramids of ancient times, standing in the open desert, reflecting a silver-white luster on their surfaces.


    Song Ke and the five others got out of the car and walked toward these pyramids. Upon approaching, they found tightly closed gates. They tried various methods, pulling, tugging, and prying. Su Cha tried using poison, Xu Xing used ice, and Song Ke attempted transformation (but gave up due to rapid mental exhaustion). None of them could break the access control. The surface of the pyramids was made of a material that exhibited extremely strong resistance to supernatural attacks.


    Wheelchairs were impractical in the desert, so Zhuang Qingyan switched to crutches. He walked slowly around the pyramids, observing the structure of the gates with lowered eyes.


    His gaze lingered for a few seconds on the overhead monitor, the closed gates, and the adjacent groove. He spoke, ¡°It seems like this is the gateway to Sin City.¡±


    ¡°But we can¡¯t open it,¡± Song Ke said.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. If it¡¯s a gateway, there must be a ¡®key.¡¯ Let¡¯s look for it again.¡±


    Su Cha drove and circled the area for nearly half an hour until they saw a few blurry figures by the side of the road through the rolling dust.


    Through the rolling dust, those people heard the sound of the engine and ran to the middle of the road, waving to them from a distance.


    ¡°There are people,¡± Song Ke reminded.


    The off-road vehicle slowly decelerated and came to a stop.


    A girl with colorful braids and brown skin approached the driver¡¯s seat and knocked on the car window.


    Mia waited by the roadside for almost three hours. Apart from two desiccated zombies passing by, she didn¡¯t see any other living people.


    Finally, just before the sun set, she spotted an off-road vehicle. Mia knocked on the car window.


    The glass slid down slowly, opening a narrow gap. In the front seats, on the left and right, sat two young men.


    Mia smiled and said, ¡°Friends, our car broke down. Could you tow us for a short distance? It¡¯s not far ahead.¡±


    As she spoke, she pointed to the pickup parked by the road, its hood open, with a man tinkering there.


    ¡°Are you also heading to the F180 District? We¡¯re going the same way. Please help us. I¡¯ve been waiting all afternoon, and you¡¯re the only ones passing by.¡±


    Mia folded her hands together, her tone very sincere. ¡°The desert is terrifying at night. I really don¡¯t want to stay outside.¡±


    The two men exchanged a glance but before they could speak, the back door was suddenly yanked with force.


    ¡°Bang ¨C Thud!¡± The person outside was rough, not expecting the car to be locked from the inside. He couldn¡¯t open it in one go.


    ¡°Amu, don¡¯t be rude. It¡¯s very impolite!¡± Mia scolded loudly, then turned back to the two men with an apologetic smile. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. We¡¯ve been waiting for a long time, and my friend was worried you wouldn¡¯t take us, so he¡¯s a bit anxious.¡±


    A seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl leaned over from the back, speaking to the man in the front passenger seat. After the man listened to her, his gaze stayed on Mia for a moment and then nodded gently.


    Three people.


    Mia made a mental note of that.


    ¡°Alright,¡± said the handsome man sitting in the front passenger seat.


    ¡°That¡¯s great. Thank you. I¡¯ll ask Amu to hook up the towing rope, and I¡¯ll sit in your car to guide you.¡±


    Finally, the car door opened, and Mia eagerly climbed in. It was then that she noticed, besides the young girl, there were three more people in the back row ¨C a middle-aged man dozing off with half-closed eyes, a child with a clean face and clothes, and a brightly dressed woman wearing sunglasses.


    She blinked, smiling warmly, and greeted them, ¡°Are you a family of four traveling together?¡±


    The dad, the elder daughter, the young son, and this must be the stepmom, right?


    ¡°Pff~¡± the girl in the front couldn¡¯t help but let out a light laugh.


    Mia looked at her in confusion. ¡°Did I say something wrong?¡±


    The girl shook her head, her lively expression somewhat mischievous. ¡°They are a family of three. I¡¯m not.¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± The glamorous woman took off her sunglasses, glared at the girl, and moved her lips, but in the end, she didn¡¯t say anything.


    Mia muttered to herself, thinking the stepmom¡¯s temper wasn¡¯t great at all.


    She turned to the little boy, trying to strike up a conversation, ¡°Little brother, where are you guys from?¡±


    The bratty kid gave a disdainful hum, completely ignoring her.


    Mia¡¯s forehead veins throbbed. Damn brat.


    The two cars, one in front and one behind, drove for about ten minutes in the desert and reached a desolate and rudimentary campsite.


    Apart from a few tents and makeshift structures, there was nothing else.


    ¡°We¡¯re here. Do you want to get out and rest for a while?¡± Mia offered an invitation.


    ¡°No need,¡± the man in the driver¡¯s seat coldly refused.


    Mia held the handle of the car and said meaningfully: ¡°I suggest you take a break here. The upcoming journey will be quite challenging. As a gesture of gratitude, I can give you some¡­ gifts.¡±


    The people in the car fell silent.


    After a while, the man in the driver¡¯s seat and the girl got out of the car, following Mia towards the campsite.


    Mia led the way, glancing back a few times midway. The footsteps of these two were too light, like ghosts, always making her think they hadn¡¯t followed.


    At the camp entrance, Mia sighed with regret, ¡°You know, you could have gone somewhere else for a trip. Why pick Sin City? Could it be that you believed those rumors outside and thought there are fewer zombies here?¡±


    ¡°Is it not okay?¡± the girl asked in confusion.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, of course it¡¯s okay. I should thank you for coming.¡± Mia beamed and turned towards the direction of the tents, shouting, ¡°Azha, it¡¯s time to slaughter the sheep!¡±


    As she finished speaking, a sandstorm suddenly erupted in the camp! S?a?ch* Th? ??v?l_Fir?.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    The solid ground disintegrated abruptly, and over a dozen people burst out from beneath the yellow sand, surrounding the off-road vehicle parked in the distance.


    On the side of the man and the girl, another group of people emerged from behind the tents. Glinting knives were placed at their necks. A muscular man named ¡°Azha¡± had his body covered in swirling yellow sand, his eyes fixed greedily on them, licking his lips.


    These ambushers were all awakeners.


    ¡°Are you¡­ robbers?¡± the girl asked bewildered.


    Mia laughed heartily, ¡°You¡¯re mistaken. Robbers want money; we don¡¯t. We want your lives. After all, you lost sheep willingly walked into our trap.¡±


    She flickered flames at her fingertips, her expression gradually turning fierce, ¡°You¡¯re surrounded. Give up resistance, and I might consider giving you a quick death.¡±


    Without further ado, she transformed the condensed flames into sharp blades and thrust them straight towards their necks.


    The girl swiftly moved, and somehow, Mia didn¡¯t touch even a strand of her clothes.


    She chuckled, revealing two faint dimples on her cheeks, and imitated Mia¡¯s words, ¡°You, are, surrounded.¡±


    Mia snickered. Was this person daft? Just the two of them, and they thought they could surround over twenty of us?


    A beautifully curved crescent moon blade appeared out of thin air. The girl held it in her main hand, lifting it up in a move that severed the knife at her neck. Following swiftly, she struck again. In the wind and sand that surged up, there was a flash of dark light, Mia¡¯s eyes widened, her colorful braids were chopped off, falling all over the ground.


    Mia rolled in a sorry state, and the tall man also made his move, weaving through them like a ghost. Soon, two companions fell.


    ¡°Kill the people in the car first!¡± Mia shouted loudly into the distance.


    Soft persimmons had to be picked first. First, eliminate the four useless people, young and old, inside the car, and then turn their focus to deal with these two troublesome ones.


    Amu and Azha immediately charged towards the off-road vehicle. In an instant, the number of people attacking the vehicle reached twenty.


    ¡°All the greedy rivers~ Drying up in the fragrant desert~¡±


    The sandy ground under their feet suddenly started to flow, sinking like a swamp. They were trapped and unable to move. At this moment, a furry head popped out of the sunroof of the off-road vehicle. The haughty little brat clung to the roof with both hands and jumped up on tiptoe. Around him, numerous ice blades swiftly flew out, piercing the people trapped in the sand, turning them into hedgehogs.


    Mia cursed under her breath, ¡°Damn it!¡±


    She had misunderstood. What stepmom and brat, what family going on a trip¡ªthese people weren¡¯t fat sheep; they were more like butchers!


    They were the fat sheep!


    ¡°Act quickly and retreat!¡± Mia shouted in a panic, then turned and ran.


    A cold mental force pursued her like a shadow. Mia didn¡¯t have time to struggle. Her figure paused and fell to the ground.


    The last thought that flashed in her mind was¡ªsloppy, these people did it on purpose, and we fell into their trap¡­ a trap within a trap.


    Time rewound half an hour ago.


    ¡°People,¡± Song Ke alerted.


    The others focused and saw several blurry figures ahead.


    Lin Youyou frowned slightly, ¡°Blocking the road in the middle, they¡¯re deliberately not letting us pass.¡±


    Su Cha: ¡°Hostile approach.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s mouth curled into a cold smile, ¡°It¡¯s getting dark soon, appearing at this time is deliberately exploiting the vulnerability of newcomers. It seems we¡¯ve been treated as fat sheep.¡±


    ¡°Who p-preys on whom is yet to be seen,¡± Song Ke muttered.


    ¡°Since we can¡¯t find the entrance for now, why not try targeting them?¡± Zhuang Qingyan smiled.


    ¡°Agreed, fat sheep should act like fat sheep and offer th-themselves,¡± Song Ke¡¯s eyes brightened.


    Mia thought she had encountered lost lambs, but little did she know, this was clearly a group of cunning and sly wolves.


    ¡­


    Song Ke and Su Cha took a few minutes to clear the area.


    They hadn¡¯t found a way to enter the F180 District yet, and they were already encountering robbers. Could this be said to live up to the name of Sin City?


    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s this?¡± Song Ke flipped out an object resembling a sign from Mia, which had many gray bars, three of which Mia had already marked in red.


    She fiddled with it for a while, unable to figure it out, and casually threw it to Zhuang Qingyan.


    The last trace of the setting sun disappeared below the horizon, and it was now dark.


    In the dark desert, something was stirring, and danger lurked everywhere.


    Zhuang Qingyan rubbed the sign he had taken from Mia, his eyes lowered in thought. ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the pyramid we were at earlier. I have some new ideas.¡±


    The group drove back to the vicinity of the pyramid.


    ¡°I¡¯ve always wondered, what permissions do we need to have for the passage here to open for us?¡±


    ¡°Have you heard of the Seven Deadly Sins? Pride, envy, wrath, sloth, greed, gluttony, and lust, as well as the resulting killings. Why is the F180 District called Sin City? Perhaps¡­ it¡¯s because only those guilty are accepted here.¡±


    The monitor above identified the smell of blood on Song Ke and Su Cha, prompting a new response.


    ¡°Please show introducer information.¡±


    A line of text suddenly appeared on the facade.


    Zhuang Qingyan raised his hand and placed Mia¡¯s sign in the depression.


    The tightly closed door slowly opened, revealing a spacious space resembling an elevator in front of Song Ke.


    The six of them stepped in, and the elevator started, descending rapidly.


    ¡°Ding¡ª¡± a crisp and pleasant reminder sounded.


    ¡°Welcome to Sin City.¡±


    The tightly closed elevator doors opened again, and Song Ke, Lin Youyou, and Xu Xing couldn¡¯t believe their eyes.


    A bizarre underground world presented itself before them.


    ¡°Tonight at 11 o¡¯clock, Ross Casino¡¯s grand opening, free drinks for all!¡±


    ¡°New biomimetic materials, take a look, medical technology from Tongwan.¡±


    ¡°Auction of zombies and fierce beasts!¡±


    ¡°We buy crystal stones of all qualities.¡±


    Just a few meters from the entrance, two pedestrians erupted into conflict. Supernatural abilities clashed on the street, and the loser was blasted into pieces, while the winner laughed heartily and walked away.


    Chaos, violence, rampant crime, contempt for life¡­


    This was the real Sin City.


    **TN


    Black on Black ¨C (of a villain)? to do the dirty on another villain


    Soft persimmon ¨C weakling

 Chapter 68: Sin City (2)

    ¡ò Who shares a room with whom? ¡òBeneath the desolate desert lay a bustling underground city.


    Here, there was no sun. Artificial lighting simulated natural light sources. Giant electronic screens were installed overhead, replacing the presence of the sky. There were no seasonal winds, no various circulations, and no natural ecosystems. Insect chirps and bird calls, as well as cats and dogs, were all artificially maintained. The overall style was rough and bold, resembling an eternal urban night.


    After exiting the elevator, they were greeted by a long trading street. The crowd surged, and the shouts from earlier echoed from both sides.


    Apart from the entrance they came through, there were many elevators in all directions.


    ¡°Ding¡ª¡±


    The sound of the elevator arriving rang out. People continued to come and go, making Song Ke and her group appear even more ordinary. Passersby gave them a cursory glance and did not pay much attention to them.


    In this unfamiliar city, amidst the noisy environment and indifferent residents, Song Ke felt a moment of difficulty fitting in.


    Zhuang Qingyan suggested, ¡°Let¡¯s wander around nearby, see if we can gather any information and find a temporary place to stay.¡±


    The six of them roamed aimlessly on the streets.


    A young man wearing a duckbill cap rushed towards them. He was looking down, in a hurry to move forward, and didn¡¯t notice, colliding into Su Cha¡¯s firm chest.


    ¡°Sorry.¡± The man took two steps back, mumbled an apology, and then sidestepped past them.


    The man brushed past Lin Youyou, a smirk slowly forming at the corner of his mouth.


    Before he could fully break into a smile, a slender hand suddenly gripped his forearm and twisted it harshly backward!


    ¡°Ah!!¡± The man¡¯s expression contorted as he screamed in pain¡ªhis arm was broken!


    The dark-eyed girl stared at him expressionlessly, extending her hand toward him. ¡°The item, give it back.¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡± Lin Youyou suddenly realized and reached for her wrist¡ªher terminal was gone!


    While everyone¡¯s attention was on Su Cha, who had been collided into, they hadn¡¯t noticed that this man was a skilled pickpocket. He had stealthily taken advantage of the moment their attention shifted and targeted her.


    Song Ke applied a bit of pressure, making the pickpocket¡¯s wails even more miserable. ¡°Stop, stop! I¡¯ll give it back to you!¡±


    He reluctantly pulled out the rose gold ladies¡¯ wristwatch. Song Ke took it and coldly said, ¡°Scram.¡±


    The pickpocket clutched his broken arm and fled in embarrassment.


    ¡°Be more careful; this place is different from other cities,¡± Zhuang Qingyan reminded.


    After this incident, all six of them became extremely vigilant.


    Song Ke¡¯s group continued forward. They hadn¡¯t gone far when someone called out to them from the side of the street, ¡°Hey, you guys!¡±


    Song Ke turned around, and a woman with a sharp gaze, half-shaved hair and half dyed purple hair, was looking at them with interest. ¡°I¡¯ve been observing you for a while. Are you interested in doing some business with me?¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°Business?¡±


    The woman said, ¡°Any kind of business works, as long as there¡¯s money. I¡¯m Cheng Yi, a crystal procurer on this street, also selling various information. You¡¯re newcomers, and being clueless won¡¯t do. How about buying some information from me?¡±


    ¡°How do you know we¡¯re new here?¡± Zhuang Qingyan asked casually.


    Cheng Yi pursed her lips and gestured to the place they had just passed. ¡°That pickpocket you dealt with earlier has some notoriety in this area. You subdued him effortlessly, and your faces are still unfamiliar. It¡¯s easy to tell.¡±


    Song Ke was cautious now, staring at her with a skeptical gaze. ¡°Why should we trust you?¡±


    What if Cheng Yi was just like Mia, with ulterior motives, wanting to take advantage of them?


    Cheng Yi smiled confidently. ¡°You¡¯re quite cautious, but no need to worry. You can ask around the trading street. I¡¯ve always been honest in my dealings, never deceiving anyone. Money and goods are exchanged, and that¡¯s it!¡±


    Song Ke remained skeptical, turning to her companions for their opinion.


    Zhuang Qingyan leaned back in his wheelchair and lazily said, ¡°You¡¯ve already identified us as newcomers. How can newcomers judge if what you¡¯re saying is true or not? Moreover, to do business, this level of sincerity isn¡¯t enough.¡±


    Cheng Yi looked at the man in front of her. He appeared calm and composed, clearly a skilled negotiator.


    If they didn¡¯t gain some insight beforehand, this deal might fall through today.


    ¡°Alright, how about this? I¡¯ll give you a few pieces of information for newcomers for free. You can listen and then decide whether or not to do business with me.¡±


    ¡°You may proceed.¡±


    ¡°Cough cough, next is a quick guide to integrating into Sin City. If you want to make money quickly, go to the casino or underground boxing matches. If you want to drink and have fun and hear gossip, go to Misty Summer Club. It¡¯s one of the safer chain bars in the city with fewer shady activities.


    When staying in a hotel, avoid those with room numbers containing ¡®Red Willow¡¯ in the name. They are shady businesses that exploit out-of-towners, unless you want to wake up in the middle of the night with your head chopped off. Also¡­¡± Cheng Yi pointed at Xu Xing, Lin Youyou, and Song Ke in turn, ¡°Kids and girls, remember not to go out alone. There are many human traffickers here.¡±


    Cheng Yi, a savvy merchant operating in District F, proved quite shrewd, honing in on the most pressing needs of Song Ke and her group.


    At least these pieces of information were very useful to them.


    ¡°H-how do we make the trade?¡± Song Ke decided to trust her for the time being and asked, ¡°And how much does it cost?¡±


    ¡°Not money,¡± Cheng Yi shook her head and casually knocked on the sign in front of her. ¡°Money depreciates the fastest. Currently, the only accepted hard currency in Sin City is crystals.¡±


    ¡°With your skills, you must have a lot of good items, right?¡± Cheng Yi greedily rubbed her hands together, practically drooling.


    Well, it turned out she had her eye on the crystals in their pockets from early on.


    V587 had indeed accumulated quite a few crystals some time ago, such as the commissions Xu Xing took during special training, the zombie wave in Luo Jia, and the upheaval in Ferrara. Altogether, they had over a dozen.


    Song Ke took out a Level 1 crystal from her space, and Cheng Yi reached out to grab it, but she pulled it back just in time.


    ¡°We need to ask some questions first,¡± Song Ke insisted.


    ¡°Ask away, I¡¯ll answer everything,¡± Cheng Yi¡¯s eyes were glued to the crystal, urging them repeatedly.


    Zhuang Qingyan took out Mia¡¯s badge. ¡°What is this?¡±


    Cheng Yi glanced at it briefly, then moved her gaze away, not very interested. ¡°That¡¯s a Crime Record, a special monitoring device for released convicts. The horizontal bars marked on it represent the owner¡¯s criminal index. If it exceeds five bars, they will be arrested again.¡±


    ¡°But this is just a piece of metal. How does it monitor crimes?¡± Xu Xing asked, puzzled, holding Song Ke¡¯s hand.


    Cheng Yi shrugged. ¡°The Crime Record is a technology brought from District B. Nobody knows the specific principle, but in any case, it has never made a mistake.¡±


    ¡°When we entered, what was the introducer mentioned at the entrance?¡± Zhuang Qingyan asked again.


    ¡°For newcomers entering Sin City for the first time, they need an introducer¡¯s guidance to activate the elevator,¡± Cheng Yi explained.


    As Cheng Yi spoke, she seemed to have a realization. These people could produce a Crime Record but didn¡¯t know what it was. Did they eliminate their introducer directly?


    ¡°You guys are quite ruthless,¡± she exclaimed dramatically.


    ¡°Just survival of the fittest,¡± Zhuang Qingyan chuckled.


    It was the style of Sin City, and Cheng Yi suddenly understood. She restrained her expression and extended her hand to Song Ke, saying, ¡°Have you asked enough? It¡¯s time to pay.¡±


    Following the trading regulations, Song Ke placed the crystal in her palm.


    Cheng Yi received the crystal and treasured it immensely, exhaling in appreciation. She took out a magnifying glass from her pocket, pinched the edge and carefully observed while complimenting, ¡°Not bad, the quality is good.¡±


    After saying that, she bit into it, confirming its hardness.


    Song Ke and the others felt a chill. Oh no, that was dug out from a zombie¡¯s head!


    ¡°We still want to ask about¡­¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Cheng Yi raised her hand to stop them, her expression serious and solemn. ¡°This counts as the second question, one crystal per question.¡±


    ¡°You profiteer!¡± Xu Xing scolded.


    Cheng Yi immediately retorted, ¡°Nonsense, what profiteer! I told you in advance, this is called clear pricing.¡±


    Song Ke endured the pain and pulled out another crystal.


    ¡°Regarding Death Prison, how much information do you have?¡±


    ¡°Death Prison?¡± Cheng Yi casually laughed, ¡°Well, just keep going along this road without turning, after about five kilometers, you¡¯ll see an underground sea, and that¡¯s Death Prison.¡±


    That simple? Song Ke was surprised. For a prison of this level, its location was widely known without any confidentiality measures?


    ¡°So, how do we get in?¡±


    ¡°Hahaha!¡± Cheng Yi burst into laughter, holding her stomach. ¡°You guys are really newcomers, huh? Hahaha!¡±


    ¡°Why are you laughing?¡± Song Ke didn¡¯t understand. Was the question she asked really that foolish?


    Wiping away the tears of laughter, Cheng Yi said, ¡°Come on, this is Sin City. Who hasn¡¯t been to Death Prison a few times?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t believe it? Just take a good look. Almost ninety-nine percent of the people coming and going on this trading street are released convicts!¡±


    Indeed, with a glance, the surrounding pedestrians all wore bright red badges, with one, two, and even four bars.


    Cheng Yi unceremoniously took the second crystal and admired it under the artificial light.


    ¡°It¡¯s getting late. Although the underground city is perpetual night, I still recommend you rest early and not wander around.¡±


    ¡°In the future, if you have business, remember to come to me~¡±


    ¡­


    After leaving the trading street, the six of them walked for another half hour. The hotels without the name containing ¡®Red Willow¡¯ were scarce. After a considerable effort, they managed to find one that was still open, though it appeared somewhat rundown. The second-floor walls had a large charred patch, and ashes were falling from it.


    ¡°Hello, checking in,¡± Song Ke said.


    The receptionist glanced up and scanned them, saying, ¡°Only three rooms left, want them?¡±


    ¡°How come there are only three? Aren¡¯t the rooms behind you also available?¡± Lin Youyou pointed to the display screen behind the receptionist.


    The receptionist sighed, ¡°There was a fight on the second floor last night, and the whole floor got burnt. It¡¯s under renovation now, so no one can stay.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, there are only three left. It¡¯s up to you if you want to stay.¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°¡­stay.¡±


    They had been searching for quite a while, and they might not find anything better if they continued. They decided to settle for a night.


    ¡°Here are the key cards.¡± After paying for the rooms, the receptionist efficiently opened the rooms, fearing they might change their minds.


    Now, the question was, with three rooms and six people, how to allocate them?


    Holding three key cards, Song Ke looked somewhat conflicted.


    Xu Xing, the clever one, immediately hugged Song Ke¡¯s thigh and pouted, ¡°I want to stay with Sister~¡± S~?a??h the n0v?l(?)ire.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Song Ke looked at the others.


    It turned out that Fang Zhixu was the most indifferent. As long as he had a bed, or even an empty space on the floor, it didn¡¯t matter to him. With his vagabond style, he didn¡¯t care who he shared the room with or where he slept. He could fall asleep instantly anywhere.


    For the remaining people¡­


    Song Ke handed one of the key cards to Lin Youyou, saying, ¡°You and Su Cha can stay together.¡±


    In this way, Zhuang Qingyan and Fang Zhixu would be together. That settled it.


    Song Ke felt quite pleased with herself. She was indeed an astute captain.


    However, the result was unexpected. Su Cha spoke softly, ¡°Not convenient.¡±


    Lin Youyou glanced at the key card in her hand but didn¡¯t say anything.


    Huh? Song Ke was stunned, looking back and forth between Lin Youyou and Su Cha.


    Whenever they met, the two would act together. She had always thought they had that kind of relationship. Was she mistaken?


    But if Su Cha didn¡¯t stay with Lin Youyou, how would they divide the remaining rooms? Tricky.


    Song Ke looked conflicted, considering various combinations in her mind, always feeling like none was quite suitable.


    Lin Youyou chimed in, ¡°I have a suggestion.¡±


    She grabbed Xu Xing¡¯s hat and pulled him off Song Ke¡¯s leg, saying, ¡°Why don¡¯t you stay with me? I am also a big sister.¡±


    Xu Xing flailed his arms and legs, his expression saying: What!!!


    Lin Youyou smiled kindly, ¡°Didn¡¯t Mia regard me as your stepmother? Don¡¯t worry, I can take care of children.¡±


    Xu Xing¡¯s eyes became teary, choking out, ¡°Wuwu, bad woman!¡±


    Lin Youyou ignored him and pointed at Su Cha and Fang Zhixu, ¡°You two in one room.¡±


    Finally, she turned to Song Ke and Zhuang Qingyan, ¡°You both can stay in the remaining room. There¡¯s no problem, right?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan said, ¡°¡­¡± What did she mean by ¡°no problem¡±?


    His lips moved, about to speak.


    Song Ke said, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan, ¡°???¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Half an hour later, come to my room for a m-meeting,¡± Song Ke stood in the corridor, reminding the others.


    Then she closed and locked the door. As she turned around, Zhuang Qingyan looked at her with a serious expression, ¡°Song Ke, I think we need to have a serious talk.¡±


    ¡°About what?¡± Song Ke jumped into bed, stretched her limbs, and lazily yawned, showing no signs of self-awareness.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s voice was hoarse, ¡°I think your gender awareness is very unclear, and you don¡¯t have a good understanding of boundaries with the opposite sex¡­¡±


    For example, not knocking before entering his room, or sharing a room with him and sleeping soundly in front of him, and so on. The list was endless.


    ¡°You¡¯re still a girl. This could be very dangerous if it continues.¡±


    Song Ke hugged a pillow, lying on her back with a blank look, ¡°Huh? I don¡¯t understand. Can you s-speak in human language?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan took a deep breath, his wheelchair slid to the edge of the bed, and he lowered his head to lock eyes with her, who was lying upside down at the end of the bed.


    ¡°Do you not see me as a man? Or are you just overly confident in yourself?¡±


    Even when turned upside down, Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s face was still breathtakingly handsome. His features were clear and cold, his thin lips pressed tightly, and his deep black eyes seemed to want to pull people in.


    Song Ke blinked slowly, then reached out and pushed Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s face.


    She rolled over, planning to sit up and speak. However, she sat up too abruptly, and the two of them, unprepared, bumped their foreheads together with a loud ¡°thud,¡± and both fell backward.


    Song Ke tumbled into the bed, while Zhuang Qingyan moved towards the back of the chair.


    ¡°Song¡­Ke¡­Ke,¡± Zhuang Qingyan gritted his teeth.


    ¡°I¡¯m so so-sorry!¡± Song Ke frantically apologized, landing on all fours. Her knees rapidly moved forward, but she miscalculated and ended up stepping into thin air, causing her to fall off the bed with a ¡°plop¡± and land between Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s legs.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Silence spread.


    Song Ke laughed awkwardly, her hand inadvertently resting on Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s thigh.


    She earnestly explained, ¡°I know you won¡¯t do anything, so sharing a room with you is not a problem.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan froze, suddenly saying in a deep voice, ¡°Say it again.¡±


    Huh? Song Ke was puzzled. She obediently repeated, ¡°I know you won¡¯t do anything¡­¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan looked at her, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Song Ke, have you noticed that your stuttering has improved a lot lately?¡±


    Song Ke was stunned.


    She hadn¡¯t realized it herself, and it was only after Zhuang Qingyan pointed it out that she belatedly reacted.


    Since the last time she was injured and unconscious on Manzoni Street, and woke up, she had indeed become more fluent in her speech. Though her pace of speaking was still slow, and there were occasional hesitations between sentences, her stuttering had noticeably improved.


    But her stuttering was congenital; she had never managed to overcome it since childhood.


    ¡°How¡¯s the wound in your heart?¡± Zhuang Qingyan asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s much better,¡± Song Ke replied.


    It had been less than a week since she was injured, and Song Ke¡¯s strength had almost recovered to about fifty percent. The blood vessels and tissues in her body were self-healing at an incredibly fast pace.


    ¡°It should be due to your second ability¡­¡± Zhuang Qingyan mused.


    Zhuang Qingyan fell into contemplation. What exactly was Song Ke¡¯s second ability? Self-healing? But why was her language ability subtly improving?


    A dense fog of confusion.


    Zhuang Qingyan gave a serious admonition, ¡°Regarding your second ability, it¡¯s crucial to keep it secret. Keep a close eye on those two individuals.¡±


    ¡°Understood,¡± Song Ke nodded solemnly.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Another awkward and stifling silence.


    ¡°¡­So, can you release your hand now?¡± Zhuang Qingyan spoke expressionlessly.

 Chapter 69: Sin City (3)

    ¡ò Who to Send to Prison? ¡òHalf an hour later, it was time for the meeting.


    Considering the chaos in Sin City, it¡¯s always wise to be more cautious.


    Su Cha and others entered the room. Su Cha, with hands adorned with black fingerstalls, carefully inspected inch by inch along the door seams, walls, windows, and ceiling, confirming that there were no listening devices. He nodded to them.


    As Lin Youyou entered the room, she casually asked, ¡°What happened to both of you?¡±


    Song Ke and Zhuang Qingyan had red marks on their foreheads, looking slightly swollen upon closer examination.


    Song Ke concealed and said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just¡­ bumped into something.¡±


    Lin Youyou didn¡¯t think much of it initially, but since Song Ke seemed guilty, her gaze lingered on their foreheads for a few seconds, smiling meaningfully. ¡°Oh, how coincidental, the bump is in the same place.¡±


    Song Ke cleared her throat. ¡°Let¡¯s start the meeting.¡±


    The six individuals either sat or stood, finding their respective places. Song Ke was surprised to find that Fang Zhixu was also present.


    It wasn¡¯t unusual for Fang Zhixu to be there. They never avoided him when having small meetings before, and he would usually sleep through them, impossible to wake up even with thunder. But his state was noticeably different today, with disheveled hair tied in a messy bun at the back of his head, and his gaze was unusually clear.


    Song Ke recollected and realized that since they departed for F180 District, Fang Zhixu had significantly reduced his sleeping time. Although he remained as silent and unnoticeable as ever, that gloomy and world-weary face of his hadn¡¯t shown up for a long time.


    Zhuang Qingyan organized the existing intelligence. ¡°Clearly, Sin City is very different from what we initially thought. The existence of the Death Prison is not a secret, and ordinary people have a casual attitude towards it, speaking of it without hesitation.¡±


    They had initially thought that the Death Prison was a forbidden place for incarcerating serious offenders, expected to be remote, heavily guarded, and little known. Even if ordinary people knew about it, they would avoid discussing it. However, they underestimated the madness of this sinful place, where almost everyone had a criminal record.


    ¡°I just went around near the Underground Sea,¡± Su Cha opened the terminal and projected the images and videos he had taken.


    In half an hour, if he went all out, it would be enough for him to make a round trip to the Underground Sea.


    A pitch-black ocean appeared on the screen, with a still and waveless surface. There were no guards around the edges, only the familiar tetrahedral structures towering above the sea surface.


    ¡°It¡¯s difficult to dive in,¡± Su Cha frowned and said.


    The Death Prison is located beneath the Underground Sea, with no place to land around it. The elevator on the sea¡¯s surface is the only entrance, but like the desert, it requires specific permissions to activate. Even Su Cha felt it was difficult to infiltrate, and the others were equally helpless.


    ¡°No need to dive in,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said after a moment of thought, ¡°there¡¯s a simple way to enter the Death Prison.¡±


    ¡°What method?¡± Others looked at him one after another.


    Zhuang Qingyan placed Mia¡¯s badge on the table. ¡°The way the people here enter is the same way we will.¡±


    ¡°You mean, commit a crime?¡± Song Ke realized.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, cause a bit of trouble, get our people sent in, but not too serious. They can be released after a while.¡±


    ¡°The only way to catch tiger cubs is to go into the tiger¡¯s den,¡± Zhuang Qingyan quoted an ancient saying.


    It sounded absurd, but upon careful consideration, it made sense.


    The oversight in the supervision of the Death Prison was unimaginable. Who would go to such lengths to get themselves imprisoned?


    ¡°But who do we send in?¡± Song Ke asked a crucial question.


    At this point, they still didn¡¯t know the specifics of the Death Prison. Sending everyone in was definitely inappropriate. The person chosen to enter the Death Prison would bear both hope and risk, requiring strong agility and responsiveness.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go,¡± Su Cha said. S?a?ch* Th? ??v?l_Fir?.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go too!¡± Little Xu Xing, afraid of falling behind, raised his hand and shouted.


    ¡°¡­I can go too.¡± Surprisingly, Fang Zhixu volunteered.


    ¡°Or, I¡¯ll go.¡± Song Ke stood up.


    Zhuang Qingyan stopped her. ¡°Your injury hasn¡¯t fully healed. Take it easy.¡±


    He then turned to Fang Zhixu. ¡°Although you are A-level, your ability isn¡¯t quite suitable.¡±


    ¡°Children should learn something good.¡± Xu Xing was directly excluded.


    Finally, Zhuang Qingyan looked at Su Cha. ¡°Among us, you are the best candidate.¡±


    Su Cha, hailing from the rainforest, excelled in stealth, concealment, reconnaissance, and assassination. He had top-notch individual combat skills and was an A-level poison-type awakener. Going into the Death Prison, at least, his self-defense was assured, and the others didn¡¯t need to worry too much about his safety.


    He had always followed behind Lin Youyou, often overlooked, but in reality, Su Cha was a powerful awakener.


    ¡°The remaining task is to figure out how to get you in,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said.


    Lin Youyou voiced her concern, ¡°But we don¡¯t have any assurance about how long a crime would be incarcerated for.¡±


    F180 District was isolated from the outside world by yellow sands, with no internet connectivity within the area. In this dark and lawless underground city, there were no rules or regulations to follow; everything relied on their own exploration.


    If it was just a minor offense and they were detained for a few days, that would be fine. However, if they were imprisoned for several months or even a year or more, their plans would be in jeopardy.


    Determining the degree of offense for ¡°committing a crime¡± was extremely difficult.


    Song Ke recalled something, ¡°The people at the city g-gate weren¡¯t arrested.¡±


    When they first arrived, they witnessed a street fight, with one side even committing murder, but the murderer was not apprehended.


    ¡°I have another question: How does the Death Prison apprehend people?¡± Lin Youyou asked.


    When a criminal record reaches five bars, what does the Death Prison deploy to capture the criminals? Is it something like the awakener security squad in Tongwan, or the AI patrol robots in Ferrara?


    In case the criminal is an awakener and is unwilling to surrender, can they ensure they¡¯ll be able to subdue the target?


    Zhuang Qingyan tapped his fingers on the wheelchair, deep in thought. ¡°What you all have said is correct, so before taking action, it¡¯s best to find a demonstration first.¡±


    As they were discussing, there was suddenly a commotion from upstairs.


    They were on the third floor, and the noise was coming from the fourth floor, sounding like a fight.


    Song Ke made a quick decision, ¡°Let¡¯s go check it out.¡±


    In the stairwell of the fourth floor, a desperate-looking waiter covered his face and said, ¡°Why is there another fight? Are we not allowed to do business?¡±


    A burly man stood in the corridor, his arm suddenly swelling four or five times its size, turning into a massive chunk. It slammed down with a ¡®bang¡¯, shattering the door, and the person inside didn¡¯t even have time to cry out before meeting a sudden death.


    The man momentarily lost control of his supernatural ability, smashing a hole through the hotel wall, allowing the cold wind to rush in.


    ¡°Four bars,¡± Su Cha reminded in a low voice.


    Song Ke and the others looked intently, and indeed, the man¡¯s badge on his arm had lit up with four bright red bars. And just at the moment when he killed the guest and smashed the hotel wall, the fifth bar slowly lit up.


    With all five bars filled, the Criminal Record rebooted, and the person committing the crime would be sent back to the Death Prison.


    ¡°Lucky break,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said, referring to the demonstration he mentioned.


    Just as Song Ke was about to see the people coming to arrest him, something strange happened.


    The man suddenly clutched his head with both hands, violently trembling all over, his upper body bending into a strange shape, writhing in agony.


    After a few seconds, it was as if he was being choked, and his voice abruptly stopped. Then the man stood up stiffly, with a vacant look in his eyes, losing consciousness. He moved forward with rigid limbs, guided by the five glowing bars, passing by Song Ke and the others who were watching.


    ¡°What is this¡­ Cotard¡¯s Syndrome?¡± Fang Zhixu suddenly spoke up.


    Zhuang Qingyan nodded slowly. ¡°Exactly. The cause should be his Criminal Record.¡±


    Lin Youyou asked in confusion, ¡°What are you talking about? What¡¯s Cotard¡¯s Syndrome?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan gestured to the side. ¡°Let Dr. Fang explain it to you.¡±


    Fang Zhixu looked serious. ¡°Cotard¡¯s Syndrome, also known as the Walking Corpse Syndrome, is caused by pathological changes in the parietal and frontal lobes of the brain, with delusions of emptiness and negation as the main symptoms.¡±


    ¡°During an outbreak, a normal person will briefly enter a state of a walking corpse, believing that their organs have decayed, leaving only an empty shell of a body, with the whole world devoid of anything. This is accompanied by dullness of sensation, disintegration of personality, and other abnormal behaviors.¡±


    The man faced the direction of the Death Prison, moving stiffly. He stepped into the nearest elevator, and he actually turned himself in this way!


    There was no need to send someone to arrest him. All criminals triggering the effects of the five bars would voluntarily return to the Death Prison like a walking corpse.


    ¡°But how is this achieved?¡± Song Ke found it hard to understand.


    ¡°Criminal Record,¡± Zhuang Qingyan brought out Mia¡¯s badge again. ¡°I guess the particle currents embedded inside contain the triggering frequency range of Cotard¡¯s Syndrome, which forcibly stimulates the brain. This shouldn¡¯t be achievable with the technological level expected in District F; it seems the Alliance has put a lot of effort into constructing and maintaining the Death Prison.¡±


    Lin Youyou frowned, ¡°With such an electric current stimulating the brain, wouldn¡¯t it lead to dementia?¡±


    ¡°In the long run, it¡¯s possible,¡± Fang Zhixu said in a deep voice.


    ¡°But what about Su Cha¡­¡± she hesitated, looking at Su Cha.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, I don¡¯t have a criminal record yet,¡± Su Cha replied.


    For Sin City, they were still newcomers, and their past sins were defaulted to be cleared. Currently, they were as clean as a ¡°blank sheet.¡± However, new problems had emerged. Since he was a first-time offender and didn¡¯t have a Criminal Record monitoring, how could Su Cha voluntarily turn himself in to the Death Prison?


    It was a headache.


    ¡°Let¡¯s put the matter of the Criminal Record aside and focus on how to do something bad,¡± Zhuang Qingyan suggested.


    The others all looked at Su Cha, after all, he was the one going to prison, and he was also the one to commit the ¡°bad deed.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll do our best to send you to jail?¡± Song Ke blinked, wearing a sincere expression.


    Su Cha: ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡­


    At 2 o¡¯clock in the afternoon, the temperature on the desert surface approached 70 degrees Celsius.


    This was the hottest time of the day, and the scorching sun in the sky almost made people dizzy. The scorching hot quicksand could cook raw eggs.


    A group of awakeners was hunting zombies in the oasis camp.


    The zombies in the desert were noticeably different from those in the city, with slender bodies, dry skin, and visible cracks on the surface, but their movements were exceptionally agile, leaping and jumping like monkeys. The one they had their eyes on, conservatively estimated, was an evolved level-two zombie.


    This group fought with the zombies for a full forty minutes, exhausted and with throats almost smoking, but they were close to succeeding.


    Suddenly! Another group of people jumped out from the side.


    ¡°Robbery!¡± The leading girl held two crescent moon-shaped knives, rotating them crosswise, shouting aggressively.


    Another elusive figure flashed from behind them, surrounded by a ghostly green poisonous mist, charging towards the barely breathing zombie.


    ¡°Swish!¡±


    The blade flashed, and the zombie let out a miserable scream, falling slowly.


    In the shattered head, a green crystal faintly sparkled. Before anyone could see clearly, it was instantly snatched by the man.


    ¡°Damn! Daring to steal my crystal, you¡¯re tired of living! Watch me chop you all up!¡± After struggling hard for half a day, they were intercepted at the last moment. The awakeners were infuriated and wished they could smash the intruders¡¯ heads.


    ¡°You coward, I hate that you¡¯re such a coward~¡±


    A sweet and soft singing voice rang in their ears, and this group of people felt their bones turn soft as if melting, and their mental strength was extinguished in succession, unable to lift their arms.


    In the shadows, the poisonous mist man used his knives to cleanly topple the people at the scene and leisurely retreated with the crystal.


    ¡°You forgot to shout the slogan!¡± Behind the sand dune, a clear child¡¯s voice sounded.


    The knife-wielding girl also looked at the poisonous mist man and urged, ¡°Hurry up, shout the slogan.¡±


    The man frowned, his expression looking extremely strange, and there was a fleeting distortion at the corner of his mouth. In the end, he convinced himself and, with a blank expression, said to the stunned people on the ground, ¡°V587, who¡¯s the coolest of them all? Silent but cool, I¡¯m called Su Cha, remember my name.¡±


    After saying that, amidst the shocked gazes of the fallen people, the man hastily retreated like a sandstorm and disappeared without a trace.


    The group of awakeners stood still for a long time, cursing in a daze, ¡°Damn, where did this show-off come from?¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Hahahaha!¡± Lin Youyou laughed heartily, tears welling up at the corners of her eyes, completely losing her image as the sweet girl she used to be. She wiped her tears while exclaiming, ¡°Oh my goodness, who thought of this slogan? It¡¯s too refreshing!¡±


    Song Ke puffed up her cheeks in silence. ¡°I¡­ I thought of it.¡±


    Wasn¡¯t it quite good? Despite being just a few short sentences, it revealed their team name and the name of the suspect, Su Cha, making it clear who was the wrongdoer. If those people wanted to report a case, they could find the person.


    Song Ke looked proudly at his companions, but they were all holding back laughter except for Su Cha. As for Su Cha¡­ his face was as dark as a boiler.


    Song Ke felt inexplicably guilty.


    ¡°Alright, stop laughing, everyone. Su Cha, do you have any adverse reactions?¡± Zhuang Qingyan said, telling everyone to stop laughing, but his own lips had a faint upward curve.


    ¡°No,¡± Su Cha shook his head.


    Was robbing allowed? Or perhaps, it couldn¡¯t be done in the desert?


    ¡°Let¡¯s try it back in the underground city.¡±


    The group took the elevator back underground, but there was still no abnormality.


    ¡°It seems the degree is not enough. Committing robbery in Sin City doesn¡¯t even qualify for a trial.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s discuss something,¡± Su Cha, usually reserved and quiet, spoke up for the first time, ¡°I can cooperate with any experiments you want to try, but can we change the slogan?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ you¡¯ll have to ask the captain.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s eyes curved, unreservedly passing the responsibility.


    Song Ke felt deflated.


    **TN


    The only way to catch tiger cubs is to go into the tiger¡¯s den (idiom); Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Metaphorically, you can¡¯t succeed without experiencing the dange

 Chapter 70: Sin City (4)

    ¡ò Sent in! ¡ò¡°Hey, did you hear?¡±


    ¡°Hear what?¡±


    ¡°Recently, there¡¯s this guy named Su Cha. Oh man, he¡¯s truly wicked, doing all sorts of evil deeds¡ªdeception, robbery, arson, murder. He even captured a child and ensl*ved him. This guy is beyond bad. When he sees a dead body, he¡¯d step on it a couple of times. Mia¡¯s and Gaida¡¯s, several teams have been wiped out by him!¡±


    ¡°Impossible, really? Can he take out so many people by himself?¡±


    ¡°Well, not exactly. He operates with a gang. What¡¯s their name again? My memory is terrible; I can¡¯t recall it right now.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s called V587,¡± a voice nearby reminded him.


    ¡°Right, right, V587. They¡¯re quite imposing, shouting slogans every time after doing bad things, afraid that others won¡¯t remember them. Oh? Cheng Yi, do you also know about these people?¡±


    Cheng Yi twirled her purple-highlighted hair with her finger but remained silent.


    She thought, ¡®Not only do I know, I know too well. They were looking to buy information from me yesterday, and I even know who their next target is.¡¯


    The two speaking individuals approached cautiously. ¡°Do you have information on them? Share it with us.¡±


    Cheng Yi tapped her emblem and said, ¡°Sure, do you have crystals for exchange?¡±


    The person asking choked a bit, muttering softly, ¡°Stingy, money¡¯s all you care about!¡±


    Cheng Yi shrugged nonchalantly, ¡°You guys have really exaggerated the rumors. ¡®Child slave¡¯? They were together to begin with. And as for the arson and robbery, it was Gaida losing a level 2 crystal, and in frustration, spreading false information.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t care if it¡¯s true or false. The more sensational, the better.¡±


    ¡°By the way, Cheng Yi, why do I feel like you have a bias towards this V587?¡±


    Cheng Yi affectionately touched her new crystal bracelet she had strung together in the past few days, with a mysterious smile, ¡°Just wait and see, there¡¯s more drama to come.¡±


    *


    Desert Camp.


    Song Ke wore a troubled expression, sighing, ¡°Sigh~¡±


    Xu Xing held his sunburnt face in his hands and sighed along, ¡°Sigh~¡±


    ¡°Sigh¡­¡± Lin Youyou, infected by them, held her head and let out a long sigh too.


    The atmosphere was gloomy and filled with despair.


    It¡¯s no wonder they were so disheartened. In these past few days, V587 had gained some notoriety, unfortunately for the wrong reasons. They tried all sorts of methods ¨C theft, robbery, intimidation¡­ They did all sorts of bad things, but the effect? Zilch.


    Su Cha was still hanging out with them just fine.


    ¡°Do you think those people have reported the incidents? How come there¡¯s not a peep?¡± Song Ke muttered to herself.


    Every time they committed a crime, they practically wanted to announce their names through a loudspeaker. Could these victims please show some backbone and use the legal weapon to protect themselves? Oh, wait, in Sin City, there seemed to be no such thing as ¡°law.¡±


    Song Ke was getting sunstruck, her gaze unfocused, drifting into wild thoughts.


    A bottle of cold water was pressed against her face, and Zhuang Qingyan kindly advised, ¡°Have some water, snap out of it.¡±


    The provider of the cold water was Xu Xing, the mobile fridge of V587.


    In such scorching conditions, the existence of an ice-element awakener was truly a godsend. Xu Xing finally got his wish and became the team¡¯s mainstay. Now, everyone couldn¡¯t do without him.


    ¡°At present, ordinary crimes go unpunished,¡± Zhuang Qingyan summarized, ¡°so, only one possibility remains.¡±


    ¡°What possibility?¡± Su Cha leaned against the wall, adjusting his fingerless gloves.


    ¡°Murder,¡± Zhuang Qingyan announced the word heavily.


    ¡°But the people at the elevator weren¡¯t captured,¡± Song Ke expressed confusion.


    ¡°The two people at the elevator had a dispute that escalated into a life-and-death duel. In the ¡®rules¡¯ of Sin City, the winner doesn¡¯t have to take responsibility for the other person¡¯s death, so it doesn¡¯t count as killing,¡± Zhuang Qingyan explained.


    ¡°What we need to do is to legitimately kill someone without a direct conflict.¡±


    ¡°The key is, who do we kill?¡± Lin Youyou asked.


    Although criminals roamed the streets here, they weren¡¯t indiscriminate killers. They couldn¡¯t just randomly pick someone to massacre, right?


    ¡°Louis the Ripper,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said a name.


    ¡°From the intelligence provided by Cheng Yi in the last exchange, this person is active near the trading street. He has a fierce and cruel personality, takes pleasure in torturing the weak, specifically targeting children and single women. After killing the victims, he would mutilate their bodies, hence the nickname.¡±


    Lin Youyou and Xu Xing listened with furrowed brows, their expressions filled with hatred and disgust.


    ¡°Such scum deserves nothing less than death.¡±


    ¡°Louis has a significant reputation in the underground, and he¡¯s already at Level 4. If we eliminate him, the Death Prison will definitely detect it. If this isn¡¯t enough to get Su Cha inside, then¡­ we might have to consider alternative ideas.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t this count as ridding the people of a menace?¡± Song Ke always felt something was off, ¡°It feels like we¡¯re doing a good deed.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan shook his head, ¡°Remember, in Sin City, there¡¯s no goodness, no good people. Everything we do is to achieve our goals.¡±


    Song Ke was convinced, eager to get started, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go. We¡¯ll take him down tonight.¡±


    Lin Youyou chimed in, ¡°Let¡¯s prepare to give Louis a nightmare.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Xu Xing clenched his small fist, encouraging everyone.


    ¡°Yeah, but Louis is cautious in his actions. We need to discuss how to lure him out.¡±


    ¡°I think there¡¯s a person best suited for this task,¡± Zhuang Qingyan smiled faintly, and the corners of his peach-blossom eyes curved cunningly.


    Xu Xing: Why does this sound so familiar?


    *


    Late at night, in the alleys behind the trading street.


    A young boy, dressed in a manner suggesting affluence and about ten years old, roamed the desolate path. Every two steps he took, his shoulders would tremble in fear, and there was a faint quiver in his voice: ¡°Wuwu¡­ sis, sis, where are you?¡±


    A cold, eerie wind blew from behind, and the young boy anxiously looked back, finding nothing.


    He suppressed his urge to cry, wiped away his tears, and ran deeper into the alley. Accidentally stumbling over a stone, he fell with a thud. The boy, at a loss, rubbed his knee, unable to hold back any longer, and burst into loud cries.


    The crying continued for about ten minutes until a pair of men¡¯s feet suddenly appeared in front of him.


    The boy stopped sobbing and looked up at the newcomer, dumbfounded.


    Louis, his face scarred all over, squeezed out a strange smile and said, ¡°Little boy, are you lost?¡±


    The young boy was startled, his pupils trembling, and his little legs frantically kicked, trying to retreat.


    Louis seemed to enjoy seeing the boy¡¯s terrified expression, his mouth curling, and his eyes growing more excited.


    He observed the boy in secret for a long time, making sure there was no one else around. Only then did he reveal himself, unable to contain his excitement.


    Tonight¡¯s delicious snack had arrived.


    Louis slowly raised his right arm. The boy suddenly noticed that there was no hand on it; instead, there was a rapidly spinning cutting blade.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, Uncle is here to accompany you. You¡¯ll fall asleep soon.¡±


    Louis raised the deadly weapon high, aiming it at the boy¡¯s chest, about to make the cut¡ª


    Suddenly, the boy flashed the most sickeningly sweet smile at him.


    Louis¡¯s face changed drastically, and his danger radar beeped frantically. He then realized that his legs were frozen!


    ¡°You brat, you¡¯re an awakener!¡±


    Xu Xing promptly got up from the ground, looking composed and not at all like before when he was lost and scared.


    He had cried for almost ten minutes. Louis was quite cautious, never revealing himself. His throat was now dry, and he was irritated, feeling cold and impatient. He had no idea how many times he cursed Louis in his mind.


    ¡°Bleh-bleh!¡± Xu Xing stuck his tongue out at Louis. ¡°You¡¯re done for!¡±


    As soon as he finished speaking, a ghostly figure flashed in the darkness and ruthlessly attacked the immobilized Louis.


    Louis was utterly shocked; this person had been hiding so close, yet he hadn¡¯t sensed anything!


    A surge of murderous intent came at him from above, and Louis, unable to move his lower body, quickly raised his right arm to block.


    ¡°Clang¡ª¡± The cutting blade blocked a sharp dagger, and its spinning speed slowly came to a stop.


    Just as Louis heaved a sigh of relief, he realized that something was wrong. Dark green rust spots appeared on the blade¡¯s edge, spreading rapidly at an astonishing speed, creeping over his arm, mouth, and neck¡­ gradually covering his entire face.


    This was¡­ poison-ability awakener!!


    ¡°Ahh!!¡± A piercing scream echoed in the alley, heard far into the distance.


    ¡°What¡¯s that sound?¡±


    ¡°It sounds a bit like Louis the Ripper?¡±


    ¡°He wouldn¡¯t be slaughtering women and children again, would he? This guy is really bad luck!¡±


    ¡°No¡­ why do I feel like it¡¯s him screaming?¡±


    The two speaking individuals exchanged a glance. They were bold and daring, venturing into the alley in the darkness to investigate.


    On the cold ground, Louis lay with a ghostly green complexion, his eyes wide open, resembling a poisoned frog, devoid of life.


    Inserted into the still cutting blade on his right arm was a small flag.


    The individuals examining the scene approached for a closer look, and there were some small words written on it: ¡®Done by V587 Su Cha.¡¯


    Both of them: ¡°¡­¡±


    It¡¯s often said that those who do bad deeds should remain nameless, but this Su Cha seemed quite arrogant.


    Louis the Ripper was dead! Killed by Su Cha from V587!!


    The sensational news quickly spread throughout the entire underground city.


    Criminals whispered to each other, feeling uneasy. Who exactly was this Su Cha person? Stirring up trouble for several days in a row, unsettling both the desert and the underground. This time, he took down Louis. What about next time? Will it be their turn?


    And the V587 team, known for their strange slogans¡ªwhere did they suddenly come from? Their actions were so audacious, showing complete disregard for them. It was infuriating, truly infuriating!


    ¡°Gaida, what are you up to?¡±


    ¡°Hmph, settling scores.¡±


    Gaida, who had his level 2 crystal stolen by Su Cha in the desert before, gathered a large group of awakeners who had suffered similar persecution. They decided to confront Su Cha: ¡°Daring to be so arrogant in Sin City, watch me make him pay!¡±


    *


    ¡°It¡¯s still no use.¡±


    Song Ke rested her chin on the wheelchair, her face full of disappointment.


    Her semi-long hair fell on Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s shoulder. A few strands brushed against his collarbone, creating a ticklish sensation.


    It had been two days since Su Cha took down Louis the Ripper and he still hadn¡¯t been arrested.


    Couldn¡¯t they even catch a murderer? Sin City truly lived up to its name as a paradise for villains. They could practically do as they pleased.


    In the silence, Fang Zhixu suddenly spoke up, ¡°Why could the man in the hotel that night activate the Criminal Record?¡±


    Lin Youyou said, ¡°Oh? Yeah, why could he enter the Death Prison?¡±


    The few of them pondered seriously at the mention. When it came to murder, the man did indeed commit the act. However, they had confirmed that just killing someone wouldn¡¯t allow entry into the Death Prison. Other than that, if there was something else special, it was¡­


    Song Ke blinked, and a light bulb went off in her head, thinking of something.


    Perhaps Sin City simply didn¡¯t care about the life or death of criminals, but if you disrupted the foundation of this city¡­


    ¡°Bang¡ª¡±


    The front door was kicked open, and a large group of fierce awakeners stormed in.


    The people who were originally dining in the restaurant sensed danger and scattered one after another, the faster the better. Even the boss hid. The hall was empty, leaving only Song Ke and her group of six.


    Gaida gave them the middle finger, provoking them like mad, ¡°Hey, Su, I¡¯ll kill you today!¡±


    Without another word, the group rushed at them, using both their hands and feet, unleashing their abilities towards V587.


    Chaos erupted on the scene.


    Su Cha kicked the person in front of him, and one of the awakeners had legs similar to Louis, both composed of mechanical cutting blades. He stumbled and fell backward, slipping on the ground. He collided with the nearby running elevator, and the sharp blades ¡°sizzled¡± against the door frame, quickly cutting out a small crack. Su Cha¡¯s poison mist hovered over it, swiftly corroding into the steel reinforcement in the vacancy.


    ¡°Shh, shh¡ª¡± faint sounds came from inside the elevator cabin. In just a few seconds, the entire door frame collapsed with a loud bang, taking the esper whose foot got caught in with it. The elevator plunged uncontrollably into the depths of the underground.


    ¡°Boom¡ª¡± a deafening noise shook the entire Sin City, freezing everyone¡¯s actions.


    Just when Song Ke and the others were uncertain about what was happening, the giant screen above instantly changed direction. Numerous bright artificial light sources automatically focused on Su Cha, blinding him. He could only shield his eyes with his hands.


    Su Cha was illuminated all over, as if standing at the center of a spotlight, becoming the most conspicuous presence.


    Snowflakes flickered on the screen, and then, as if the power was cut off, everything turned pitch black, with no imagery.


    After two seconds, a cold and stern voice echoed throughout the entire city.


    ¡°Criminal Su Cha, you are under arrest. Immediately drop your weapons and surrender. Proceed to the Death Prison for surrender.¡± s?a??h th? n0v?l(?)ire.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°I repeat, criminal Su Cha, you are under arrest. Immediately drop your weapons and surrender. Proceed to the Death Prison for surrender.¡±


    ¡°I repeat¡­¡±


    After repeating the announcement three times, the light disappeared, and the artificial sky vanished, but the danger wasn¡¯t lifted.


    Hundreds of heavy weapons appeared above their heads, their particle cannons aimed at Su Cha. The light gradually condensed, and if he dared to resist, regardless of the awakener¡¯s level, they would be instantly blasted into pieces.


    Su Cha dropped the dagger and slowly raised his hands.


    He glanced back at Song Ke and the others, nodding discreetly to them. Then, step by step, he walked in the direction of the underground sea.

 Chapter 71: Sin City (5)

    ¡ò Who is going this time? ¡òThere was a significant difference between the elevator to the Death Prison and the elevator into the city.


    The elevator into the city appeared silver-white on the surface, with a large and spacious interior and accompanied by crisp prompt sounds.


    On the other hand, the interior of the death prison elevator was pitch black, resembling the open mouth of a beast. Stepping inside felt cramped and claustrophobic.


    Under the threat of hundreds of heavy weapons, Su Cha slowly entered the elevator. The oppressive feeling like a thorn in the back finally disappeared. The particle cannon retracted its barrel and disappeared back into the shadows. Artificial light sources and the sky reappeared, and the underground city returned to calm.


    Su Cha looked inside the elevator at the floor index. There were no buttons on it. A black number slowly appeared: ¡°-1.¡±


    Suddenly, the elevator cabin plummeted rapidly, and a strong sense of weightlessness hit Su Cha. He quickly stabilized himself.


    After about ten seconds, at a depth of fifty meters from the sea surface, the elevator arrived at the Death Prison.


    The elevator doors slid open slowly, revealing two sturdy fences in front of Su Cha. A man wearing a black uniform and a police cap stood behind the second fence and said to him, ¡°Your name is Su Cha? I am your supervisor, Kunbu.¡±


    Su Cha took a small step forward, but Kunbu immediately stopped him and scolded him sternly, ¡°Did I tell you to move?¡±


    Su Cha stopped moving, remained silent, and slowly clenched his fists.


    ¡°Are you mute? Say ¡®Yes, Sir!''¡± Kunbu said coldly.


    ¡°Yes, Sir,¡± Su Cha replied with a sour expression but obediently.


    Kunbu snorted lightly, not entirely satisfied with the expression, but didn¡¯t continue to pick at it. ¡°Listen carefully, after the first fence opens, turn left to get your tag, then go to the room on the right for inspection. Understand?¡±


    Su Cha nodded slightly. ¡°Understood.¡±


    Kunbu narrowed his eyes. ¡°Did you forget what I just taught you?¡±


    Su Cha raised his voice. ¡°Understood, Sir!¡±


    ¡°Go.¡±


    The fence opened slowly, and Su Cha walked to the left as instructed, covertly observing the surrounding environment.


    At the end of the road, there was a small window with a countertop holding a tag.


    Su Cha looked down and saw that the bars on it were all gray, indicating his ¡°crime record.¡±


    Kunbu¡¯s voice came through the corner speaker: ¡°Put on the tag.¡±


    Su Cha hesitated for a moment, extended his finger, and prepared to pick up the tag.


    The moment he made contact, he felt an extremely uncomfortable and chilling sensation.


    The consciousness in his mind was scattered, as if his body and soul had drifted away from him, leaving behind a sense of emptiness in the whole world.


    This feeling was fleeting; Su Cha quickly regained his clarity. However, his mental acuity realized that he was being monitored, not by a camera on the wall, but deep within his consciousness, being fiercely watched by a pervasive and ever-present gaze.


    As long as he committed another crime, this force would manifest and compel him back to the Death Prison.


    No wonder the convicts in the Death Prison didn¡¯t need to wear shackles. From the moment they received their Criminal Record, they became lifelong prisoners.


    The power in the Criminal Record was currently beyond his control. He could only turn back and think of a way to resolve it.


    Su Cha put on the identification tag and followed Kunbu¡¯s instructions, turning right and entering the room in the opposite direction.


    The structure of this room was somewhat similar to an interrogation room. Kunbu still observed him from behind a barrier, pointing to an empty basin on the ground: ¡°The Death Prison implements zero-entry management, and no personal belongings are allowed.¡±


    ¡°Take off your clothes, all of them, and put them in the basin. Then go into the inner room for a shower and come out for inspection.¡±


    ¡°Remember, you only have five minutes.¡±


    Su Cha swiftly began to undress ¨C his coat, belt, pants, combat boots, the dagger strapped to his calf, the hidden dagger in his shoe, and even the concealed weapons Song Ke had intentionally given him ¨C all clattered into the basin. In the end, only his underwear remained.


    Kunbu glanced at him. The man behind the barrier was tall and muscular, with a solid body and no excess fat. When he turned around, the fierce black snake tattoo on the back of his neck gradually revealed itself. Looking further down, the man¡¯s back was covered in scars, with hardly a patch of unblemished skin. Some scars were so pronounced that just by looking at them, one could imagine the brutal circumstances at that time.


    The rainforest¡­ Kunbu¡¯s eyes flickered, and he thought to himself: Seems like a tough one.


    Su Cha entered the bathroom, cold water pouring over him. He had a brief moment to contemplate.


    From what he could see so far, the management of the Death Prison was very primitive, and the way of incarceration was similar to other cities on the surface. Aside from ubiquitous surveillance and the unique underwater location, there were few traces of technology here. The existence of the Criminal Record was like an astonishing BUG, completely surpassing the overall level.


    The three-minute cold shower ended, and Su Cha went into the inner room to undergo a machine scan and change into prisoner¡¯s clothing. He then returned to the initial room.


    Finally, the second barrier in front of him opened. Kunbu sat at the desk, opening the recently delivered file box and reviewing his information.


    ¡°What crime did you get in for?¡±


    ¡°It should be damaging public property,¡± Su Cha thought for a moment and said, not entirely sure.


    ¡°Damaging public property?¡± Kunbu quickly flipped through a few pages, ¡°2nd-floor confinement, one-month sentence, must pay a fine of 130,000 Alliance coins before release. Huh, it was personally issued by Warden She, what did you destroy to get such a heavy punishment?¡±


    ¡°The city elevator.¡±


    ¡°No wonder¡­ that¡¯s Warden She¡¯s money bag.¡±


    Kunbu put down the documents in his hand, clasping his hands against his chin, looking particularly serious.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about your identity outside, as long as you¡¯re in the Death Prison, you belong to me. I advise you to behave and not cause trouble for me.¡±


    ¡°Understood,¡± Su Cha said, quickly adding, ¡°Sir!¡±


    Kunbu was satisfied with his obedience. ¡°Since you¡¯re a newcomer, I can give you some guidance. Do you have any questions?¡± s?a??h th? Nov?lF?re .??t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Su Cha nodded, ¡°How many floors does the Death Prison have in total?¡±


    ¡°Why do you want to know this?¡± Kunbu asked.


    ¡°Just curious.¡±


    ¡°Excluding the activity floor between 6th and 7th floors, the Death Prison has a total of 18 floors. The further down, the longer the sentence.¡±


    Kunbu disdainfully glanced at him, ¡°Kid, stow away your curiosity. Believe me, below the 7th floor, even understanding is a form of pain.¡±


    ¡°Why am I on the 2nd floor?¡± Su Cha asked.


    Kunbu thought he was complaining about the long sentence, and answered unexpectedly detailed, ¡°For a regular charge of damaging public property, at most, you¡¯d stay on the 1st floor for ten days to half a month. But your charge was issued by Warden She, and since he suffered a financial loss, he won¡¯t let you off easily.¡±


    ¡°Warden She?¡± Su Cha recalled the cold voice when he was arrested.


    Kunbu explained, ¡°The Death Prison is jointly managed by three wardens. Warden She is primarily responsible for floors 1 to 6, Warden White for floors 7 to 12, and as for floors 13 to 18¡­ they are under the jurisdiction of Hades.¡±


    Just as Su Cha was about to speak, Kunbu interrupted him, ¡°I advise you not to inquire about Hades¡¯s matters.¡±


    His gaze fell on Su Cha¡¯s identification tag, implying something, ¡°Hades knows everything. When you know about him, he also knows about you.¡±


    ¡°Any other questions?¡± Kunbu closed the file box, ¡°I¡¯ll have you taken to your cell. I have another inmate to attend to.¡±


    ¡°Is there any way to shorten the sentence?¡± Su Cha asked.


    One month was too long. His original plan was to spend a week understanding the internal situation of the Death Prison, then go out and meet up with Song Ke and the others.


    Kunbu smiled, ¡°You¡¯re quite experienced. Yes, the sentence can be offset through labor, with a maximum of eight hours per day. If you work actively, you can probably reduce it by half.¡±


    Su Cha asked, ¡°What kind of labor?¡±


    Kunbu¡¯s smile became intriguing. ¡°A new drug test subject in the laboratory, a sandbag in the black boxing training hall, a sand filler in the undersea tunnel, and a dust collector in the mechanical room. Let¡¯s see how long you can endure. Which type of death are you inclined towards?¡±


    Su Cha: ¡°¡­¡±


    Guided by Kunbu, Su Cha arrived at the 2nd floor. As soon as the elevator door opened, countless pairs of gloomy eyes immediately turned towards them¡ªsome were inmates, and others were patrolling prison guards.


    The entire 2nd floor resembled a massive assembly line factory. Just looking at the space, it was even wider than the trading street, with a large number of prisoners laboring at each station.


    ¡°At 6:00 a.m. every day, the labor list is updated. Sign up first, then go to the designated location to swipe your ID badge for entry,¡± Kunbu explained as they walked. ¡°You must reach the labor point before the countdown ends; don¡¯t wander around on the way.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re here, go in,¡± Kunbu stopped in front of a cell, unlocked the door, and pushed Su Cha in. ¡°Behave yourself and strive to get out as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡­


    The next day at 5:50 a.m., Su Cha opened his eyes on time.


    He got off the narrow single bed and waited quietly at the door of the cell.


    Exactly at 6:00 a.m., the labor list was updated. Su Cha quickly selected ¡°boxing companion,¡± or commonly known as the sandbag.


    The cell door automatically opened, and Su Cha headed to the black boxing training area, memorizing the route along the way.


    Once there, he put on his gloves and began eight hours of labor.


    The labor was quite simple: getting punched.


    Su Cha had his hands up in front of his face, defending diligently, keeping an eye on the surroundings. His mind was elsewhere. The boxer across from him kept missing, growing increasingly frustrated and resorting to all sorts of underhanded moves. Su Cha grew annoyed and retaliated with a punch.


    The boxer was hit on the bridge of the nose, flying backward and crashing onto the ground, instantly unconscious.


    The noise around them quieted down.


    A guard rushed over and yelled at Su Cha, ¡°What are you doing? Trying to fight?¡±


    Su Cha tried to explain, ¡°No, officer¡­¡±


    ¡°I assigned you to be a sandbag, not to hit people. Go back. Today¡¯s labor time is null and void!¡±


    Su Cha: ¡°¡­¡±


    He reluctantly took off his boxing gloves and turned to leave.


    The look of frustration vanished in an instant as he walked out of the gym.


    Su Cha¡¯s eyes were calm as he silently slipped into the shadows.


    The various cells on the 2nd floor were well organized, with clear division of labor on the assembly line, and there was no sign of any anomaly for the time being.


    Suddenly, a dark red elevator in the corner caught his attention.


    Su Cha¡¯s expression changed slightly. Was this an elevator for the internal floors of the Death Prison?


    He stealthily made his way toward the target.


    The elevator doors were tightly closed, and the badge couldn¡¯t swipe it open. Su Cha was contemplating when footsteps approached from behind.


    He rolled on the ground and concealed himself in the darkness.


    Two prison guards were escorting a disheveled inmate. One of them seemed to be the inmate¡¯s supervisor and was scolding him, ¡°Look at you. You¡¯re about to be released in less than half a month, and you¡¯re causing trouble at this critical juncture. Now you¡¯ve been assigned to the 4th floor for a whole five years. Take your time to endure it!¡±


    The guard showed an adapter on his wrist, pressed it against the elevator, and the elevator slowly started moving, making the three figures disappear.


    Su Cha furrowed his brow in the darkness. It seemed that the internal elevator could only be opened with the guards¡¯ authorization. However, in the Death Prison, accumulating offenses allowed one to go to deeper floors¡­ That was some new intel.


    The second day, the third day, Su Cha diligently participated in the labor reform.


    When he returned to the cell at night, he used a nail file (obtained from the gym) to draw a map on the wall.


    The three-dimensional map in his mind became clearer, he was on the 2nd floor, which had a total of 12,000 cells. It was said that the 1st floor had over 20,000 cells. Based on this estimation, the total number of prisoners in the entire Death Prison exceeded 100,000. Floors 1 to 6 were considered the light crime zone, 7 to 12 were the medium crime zone, and there was an open activity area between levels 6 and 7 for recreational activities. As for below the 12th floor, there was currently no available information.


    Su Cha carefully recalled and documented every detail, then smoothed the wall with the nail file.


    The scope of the Death Prison was even larger than he had anticipated, many times larger, making it incredibly challenging to find someone inside.


    He didn¡¯t know where that person, Lu Xiaoyu, was being held. Judging by Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s description of his offenses, he was likely below the 7th floor.


    ¡­.


    Eight days later.


    Su Cha was released.


    Kunbu handed back his clothes at the elevator entrance. ¡°Make a fresh start when you go out. Don¡¯t come back in.¡±


    Su Cha said in a low voice, ¡°Sir, I have one more question.¡±


    During this time, Su Cha had behaved himself, and Kunbu found him more pleasing than when he first arrived, so he casually answered, ¡°What¡¯s the question?¡±


    ¡°How long have you been here as a supervisor?¡±


    ¡°Seven years.¡±


    Seven years. Enough time for the outside world to undergo drastic changes, such as the apocalypse, the appearance of zombies, the collapse of cities¡­


    Yet, the Death Prison seemed like a still pool with no ripples, unchanging except for the constant influx and outflow of prisoners.


    ¡°So, do you remember the names of all the inmates you¡¯ve come into contact with?¡±


    ¡°Who would bother remembering such things?¡± Kunbu said nonchalantly. ¡°If you can¡¯t recall, just check the records.¡±


    Su Cha nodded. ¡°No need. Sir, see you next time.¡±


    He stepped into the elevator.


    Kunbu stood still for two seconds, then suddenly realized, ¡°Kid, what do you mean by ¡®see you next time¡¯? See what!¡±


    ¡­


    The pure black elevator rose slowly, and Su Cha recalled the information he had gathered over the past few days.


    ¡°Ding.¡± After reaching sea level, he stepped out.


    By the seaside, five people of varying heights were waiting for him.


    Zhuang Qingyan and Fang Zhixu were talking and looked up at him.


    Lin Youyou and Xu Xing were arguing, dissatisfied, discussing who kicked the blanket last night.


    Standing on the raised platform, Song Ke noticed him and waved, ¡°Hey, we¡¯re here to pick you up after your release.¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡± Su Cha, who hadn¡¯t spoken much in the past eight days, cleared his throat, feeling the darkness of the Death Prison slowly receding from him.


    He had a tracker from Song Ke in his clothes; they could track his location, which wasn¡¯t surprising.


    ¡°Are you hurt?¡± Lin Youyou asked worriedly.


    ¡°No,¡± Su Cha shook his head, ¡°let¡¯s talk at the hotel.¡±


    ¡­


    Back at the hotel, after cautiously inspecting the room, Su Cha¡¯s first words were, ¡°There¡¯s something we¡¯ve all misunderstood.


    ¡°¡ªThe true Sin City is the Death Prison beneath the ocean.¡±


    Only those who had been in the Death Prison knew that those who were released were people who had committed relatively ¡°minor¡± crimes.


    As for those merciless demons with no chance of pardon, they would only fall layer by layer, endlessly plummeting.


    Su Cha recounted his experiences from the past few days to Song Ke and the others, then drew a map of the 2nd floor and the activity area from memory.


    Truly an intelligence expert, he pieced together the fragmented clues, gradually unveiling the mysterious veil of the Death Prison.


    Zhuang Qingyan analyzed, ¡°From the two maps, the activity area is nearly one-third smaller in size than the 2nd floor. The Death Prison should be an inverted cone.¡±


    Lin Youyou exclaimed, ¡°Are you saying the Death Prison has three wardens, each in charge of different monitoring levels?¡±


    ¡°We have to undress to enter?¡± Xu Xing was puzzled.


    ¡°I suggest we don¡¯t waste time in the underground city,¡± Su Cha suddenly spoke amidst the chatter and discussion.


    ¡°¡ªWe should all enter the Death Prison.¡±

 Chapter 72.1: Sin City (6)

    ¡ò Of course together! ¡ò¡°¡ªWe should all enter the Death Prison.¡±


    Su Cha usually didn¡¯t like to talk, but unexpectedly, he scared everyone as soon as he spoke.


    Song Ke¡¯s eyes widened, taking in a breath, ¡°You, haven¡¯t had enough of being in jail, and you want to drag us along with you?¡±


    The others looked at him with various expressions.


    Su Cha hesitated, ¡°¡­No.¡±


    ¡°I actually think it¡¯s a good idea.¡±


    In the quiet atmosphere, Zhuang Qingyan lightly tapped the wheelchair with his fingers and analyzed calmly, ¡°These days we¡¯ve been gathering intelligence in the underground city, to be honest, we haven¡¯t made any progress.¡±


    Song Ke thought about it carefully and realized it was true.


    ¡°Since we¡¯ve confirmed the person is in the Death Prison, it might be better to go in and look for them earlier. Perhaps there¡¯s a better chance.¡±


    ¡°I have objections,¡± Fang Zhixu unexpectedly spoke, raising his tired eyes slightly, ¡°Perhaps my thoughts are more pessimistic. If everyone goes in and there¡¯s no support outside, what if things don¡¯t go as planned and we can¡¯t come out?


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you still going to participate in the Throne Race? Can you ensure finding the person and safely leaving the Death Prison before that? S~?a??h the N0v?lFire(.)n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Don¡¯t end up with nothing at both ends.¡±


    Though Fang Zhixu¡¯s words were harsh, they were very realistic. If they entered the Death Prison at this time, they didn¡¯t know how long they would stay inside, and it was very likely they would miss the next round of the Throne Race.


    For Song Ke, Zhuang Qingyan, Xu Xing, and Fang Zhixu, participating in the competition was not so urgent, but for Lin Youyou¡­


    She had always wanted the opportunity to make a wish to Ilya.


    Lin Youyou knew they were waiting for her answer.


    She was torn inside, as if standing at a fork in the road. She had always thought that the Throne Race was the only hope to heal her loved one, so she tried her best to fight for the slim chance. But now, things had taken a turn. Fang Zhixu was an A-level healing-type awakener¡­


    Should she continue to pursue elusive promises, or seize the opportunity right in front of her?


    Although Lin Youyou debuted with a sweet image, her true character was decisive. She gritted her teeth and confirmed, ¡°Hey, Fang Zhixu, we¡¯ll kill the person you want us to kill, and you promise to help us heal, right?¡±


    Fang Zhixu stood up and solemnly nodded at them, saying, ¡°As long as I can fulfill the obsession of this lifetime, I will do my utmost.¡±


    Whether it was Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s legs or Lin Youyou¡¯s bedridden loved one who had been suffering for a long time, healing couldn¡¯t be achieved solely through abilities. The best solution was for them to return to Tongwan, where they would have the support of top medical resources, and undergo surgery with Fang Zhixu as the lead surgeon.


    Lin Youyou bit her lip and nodded slowly, saying, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll give it a try!¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it just going to jail? Just the 18th floor? Our purpose in coming to Sin City is to rescue people, and we absolutely cannot return empty-handed! Even if we have to dig three feet into the ground at Death Prison, we must find that guy with that surname Lu!!!¡±


    Lin Youyou was resolute, shouting her slogan passionately, eager to charge into Death Prison.


    Song Ke looked stunned, gaping at her. No matter how many times she had witnessed it, she still wasn¡¯t used to it¡­ a celebrity¡¯s image was truly fake.


    Zhuang Qingyan leisurely extended her hand and helped her close her jaw, which had dropped in shock.


    ¡°Now that we are in agreement, let¡¯s discuss how to get in,¡± Su Cha said, pulling up a floor plan on a screen. He pointed a finger up one level, saying, ¡°I suggest going directly to the 5th or 6th floor. The 6th floor and above fall under the jurisdiction of the same warden. We have confirmed that destroying public property will lead to arrest and imprisonment; the remaining issue is the length of the sentence.¡±


    ¡°The sentence on the 4th floor starts at five years¡­¡±


    As the adults gathered around to study the floor plan, Song Ke¡¯s hem was tugged.


    She turned around and found a distressed Xu Xing with a small, pained face. ¡°Sister, I¡­ I don¡¯t want to go.¡±


    Since officially joining V587, Xu Xing had always been Song Ke¡¯s little follower. Every time she had to do something, Xu Xing would cheerfully shout ¡°gogogo.¡± This was the first time he had voluntarily expressed a desire not to do something.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Song Ke valued his opinion greatly, crouching down to meet his gaze and asking seriously.


    Xu Xing fidgeted with his clothes, hesitated for a long time, and then mumbled very softly, ¡°Have to undress, completely, little elephant¡­¡±


    The little boy was in the midst of puberty, and his self-esteem was extremely fragile.


    Song Ke exclaimed, ¡°Huh?¡±


    She was still pondering what ¡°little elephant¡± meant when Zhuang Qingyan turned around expressionless and said, ¡°No need to strip naked, you can keep your underwear.¡±


    Indeed, men understood men the best, even though Xu Xing wasn¡¯t quite a man yet.


    Xu Xing blinked his big eyes, and he said ¡°Oh¡± belatedly, and the frustration on his face was wiped away.


    Then he said happily, ¡°It¡¯s okay, Sister~ you continue with your discussion.¡±


    Song Ke exclaimed, ¡°Ah??¡±


    ¡­


    The trading street was brightly lit, bustling with people. Cheng Yi was loudly discussing business with someone when a group of people approached from a distance. The young girl at the front waved at him and shouted joyfully, ¡°Cheng Yi! We¡¯ve come¡­¡±


    Cheng Yi looked left and right, behaving like a thief, and quickly ran over to cover the girl¡¯s mouth, leading them to a nearby deep alley.


    ¡°Shh! Keep it down. Do you know how much trouble you¡¯re attracting? I¡¯m just here for business, not to get involved in your affairs,¡± she warned.


    ¡°Wuwuwu!¡± Song Ke grumbled.


    Cheng Yi released her hand and casually twirled her long purple-highlighted hair with her finger. ¡°What do you want with me? Same rule applies¡ªno crystal, no deal.¡±


    Mysteriously, Song Ke took out a green crystal, one they had snatched from Gaida in the desert.


    Cheng Yi paused her hair-twirling gesture, revealing a longing expression. Wherever Song Ke¡¯s hand moved, her gaze followed, fixated on the crystal.


    ¡°Business, do we have a deal?¡± Song Ke asked.


    ¡°Deal, deal, deal! Of course, let¡¯s do it! It seems like a big deal. Hehe, hehehe,¡± Cheng Yi exclaimed excitedly, rubbing her hands.


    ¡°Do you know what kind of crime would land you a minimum of ten years in prison?¡± Song Ke asked seriously.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Cheng Yi doubted if she heard correctly. ¡°What are you saying? Prison? And starting from ten years? Are you guys alright in the head?¡±


    Her gaze swept across the six people, noticing Su Cha and the badge on his shoulder.


    Cheng Yi suddenly understood and pointed at him, aggrieved. ¡°Didn¡¯t you just go in for a whirl? How come, addicted to prison already? Still trying to fool your companions to join you. I have to say, you¡¯re really morally deficient!¡±


    Su Cha: ¡­ There was no way to argue.


    Song Ke smiled lightly. ¡°It¡¯s not about him; we¡¯re going there on our own.¡±


    Cheng Yi couldn¡¯t quite comprehend. Why were there people eager to go to prison? But¡­ regardless of what they were thinking, turning down business opportunities would be foolish.


    She lowered her voice conspiratorially. ¡°You want to all go in? Not impossible. Just have to create a bit of a commotion to get out. Do you know there are three wardens in the Death Prison?¡±


    Song Ke nodded; Su Cha had already informed them of this information.


    ¡°Here¡¯s something you probably don¡¯t know. A warden surnamed She loves money more than life. He stays in Death Prison all year round but still finds ways to amass wealth. Warden White is stern and violent, readily resorting to whipping and punishment. In his hands, the prisoners¡¯ lives are worse than death.¡±


    Cheng Yi licked her lips, maliciously speaking ill of the wardens.


    ¡°¡­But I suggest you start with Warden She; after all, you have a criminal record. If you handle it well, not just ten years, even twenty or thirty years won¡¯t be a problem. I guarantee you¡¯ll enjoy your stay.¡±


    Song Ke responded with an understanding ¡°hmm¡± and suddenly realized something was off.


    Although there were three wardens in the Death Prison, Cheng Yi had almost ignored the one named ¡°Hades¡± without much thought, and the topic was deliberately ended.


    She exchanged a glance with Zhuang Qingyan and saw him shaking his head slowly.


    Song Ke understood without further probing and skipped over this matter.


    Cheng Yi leaned out and looked around the mouth of the alley for a long time, making sure no one was eavesdropping. Then she smiled darkly. ¡°I know where Warden She¡¯s lifeblood is.¡±

 Chapter 72.2: Sin City (6)

    ¡ò Of course together! ¡òSong Ke and the others were led to a splendid building that was not yet open. Beside an exquisite signboard, there was a line of small characters written in decorative script.


    ¡°Rose Auction House,¡± Zhuang Qingyan read the name in a low voice.


    Cheng Yi sneered, crossing her arms. ¡°The name seems quite fragrant, doesn¡¯t it? Unfortunately, what goes on inside is nothing but the dirty business of human trafficking¡ªhalf-fish people, zombies, fierce beasts, foreign sl*ves, and kidnapped young boys and girls. Life here is the lowest of commodities. As long as you¡¯re willing, you can buy all sorts of bizarre ¡®goods.¡¯


    ¡°This is the most important money bag for Warden She.¡±


    After saying this, there wasn¡¯t any particular reaction from Song Ke and the others. Instead, they huddled together and whispered, seeming to have some disagreement.


    Cheng Yi tapped her fingers on her arm, waiting for a full ten minutes, but the people on the other side didn¡¯t come up with a decision. A hint of imperceptible impatience flashed in her eyes.


    Just as Cheng Yi was getting impatient, Zhuang Qingyan stepped forward from the crowd, smiling meaningfully at her. ¡°Manager Cheng, we want to enter the Death Prison, and there are other ways we can explore. But using us so blatantly, you¡¯ve got quite a scheme going.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± now that she was found out anyway, Cheng Yi admitted openly, ¡°I do have ulterior motives. I¡¯ve been fed up with this place for a long time. But I¡¯m a businesswoman, and businessmen are fundamentally profit-driven. I haven¡¯t deceived you. The Rose Auction House is indeed the lifeblood of Warden She. As long as you destroy it, none of you can escape, and you will all be thrown into the Death Prison.¡±


    This cunning merchant had finally exposed a flaw, and Zhuang Qingyan being Zhuang Qingyan, how could he easily let this opportunity pass, taking advantage of the situation to drive a hard bargain.


    ¡°Since Manager Cheng wants us to work for you, can you show some sincerity first? This kind of place, tsk tsk, it¡¯s not easy to handle.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan was calm and composed, while Cheng Yi appeared conflicted. The negotiation roles reversed, and they remained in a stalemate for a while.


    In the end, Cheng Yi gritted her teeth and said reluctantly, ¡°Fine, I will only charge you for the information and send you in for free.


    ¡°But let¡¯s make it clear, if the operation fails, you absolutely cannot implicate me. Anyway, I won¡¯t acknowledge it.¡±


    ¡­


    At 10 o¡¯clock in the evening, it was the most bustling time in the underground city.


    Cheng Yi, dressed in a sequined suit, walked into the Rose Auction House with a handsome man, his hair tied in a bun at the back of his head.


    The security guards at the entrance stopped the two of them, asking for an invitation. Cheng Yi took out a black card with gold embossing from her wallet and handed it to the security guard.


    After careful verification, the security guard looked up in confusion. ¡°Miss Li, there¡¯s only your name on it.¡±


    Cheng Yi moved her finger slightly, and a delicate auction paddle with the number 38 appeared.


    Participants in the auction could bring one companion, as per the rules of the Rose Auction House.


    The security guard didn¡¯t inquire further and immediately allowed them to pass.


    Once inside the venue, Cheng Yi lowered her voice and asked, ¡°Have your people all entered?¡±


    Fang Zhixu, with drooping eyelids, said nonchalantly, ¡°No need to worry. They¡­ should not fail.¡±


    Cheng Yi managed to obtain two invitations¡ªone for Zhuang Qingyan and the other for herself. She brought Fang Zhixu in, stating that, in her opinion, Fang Zhixu was the only ¡°man¡± among them who appeared relatively normal.


    After all, the others¡­


    One was a disabled person in a wheelchair who always had a cunning smile, one was a violent and icy guy, and then there was a little radish head¡ªthey were just too conspicuous, not at all low-key.


    The two found their seats, and Fang Zhixu observed the surroundings. The furnishings here were ordinary. Apart from the crimson auction stage in front and the huge screen occupying one entire wall, the rest of the place looked like an ordinary auction venue. There were no visible signs of the illicit human trafficking activities being conducted in the background, indicating that the owners were quite cautious.


    ¡­


    Shortly after Cheng Yi and Fang Zhixu entered, two more people arrived at the entrance of the Rose Auction House.


    A boy of about ten, dressed in a small suit with a neat tie, pushed a silver-white wheelchair forward. A languid man reclined in the wheelchair. When they approached, the man held the invitation between his slender fingers and handed it to the security guard casually.


    The security guard glanced down and recognized Mr. ¡°Vyacheslavsky.¡± He was indeed a distinguished bidder. The guard nodded respectfully and without further ado, prepared to allow them inside.


    As they passed, another security guard hesitated, unsure whether to stop the boy pushing the wheelchair.


    ¡°Mr. Vyacheslavsky¡± gave him a casual glance, his fingertip brushing over the blanket on his leg. ¡°This child is attending to me.¡±


    The security guard, having worked here for a while, knew exactly what kind of activities were taking place inside. When he heard the word ¡°attending,¡± he immediately understood and quickly nodded. ¡°Yes, of course, Mr. Vyacheslavsky, please come in.¡±


    Out of the security guard¡¯s line of sight, Xu Xing released his hands from the wheelchair and instantly jumped in front of Zhuang Qingyan, gritting his teeth and shouting, ¡°You¡¯re treating me like a sl*ve!¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan said calmly, ¡°Be quiet. Do you want the whole place to know we¡¯re here to cause trouble? Be careful not to ruin the plan. Your sister won¡¯t forgive you.¡±


    Xu Xing quickly covered his mouth, staring at him angrily.


    Zhuang Qingyan beckoned to him. ¡°Come here, and push me along, little sl*ve.¡±


    ¡­


    At the rear entrance of the Rose Auction House, there was a food transport passage.


    After the sentry finished checking, the rolling shutter door opened automatically, and a white food cart slowly entered the venue.


    Lin Youyou and Song Ke were dressed in white waiter uniforms, blending in with the crowd and moving forward.


    ¡°You two, stop.¡± The captain of the food delivery team suddenly stopped them.


    Song Ke¡¯s footsteps halted, her right hand subtly moving towards her uniform pocket.


    ¡°You¡¯re here to deliver vegetarian meals? You need to go to the other side; don¡¯t get it wrong.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Lin Youyou said, lowering her head and nodding obediently.


    Song Ke breathed a sigh of relief and put her right hand back by her side.


    She and Lin Youyou exchanged a glance, and Lin Youyou playfully winked at her. The two of them quickly disappeared into the passage.


    ¡­


    At eleven o¡¯clock in the evening, the auction officially began.


    An auctioneer with slicked-back, shiny hair stepped onto the stage gracefully.


    ¡°Good evening, esteemed guests. Welcome to the 278th specialized auction at Rose Auction House. I am Alan, a registered auctioneer of the Alliance. All the items for tonight¡¯s auction can be viewed in the catalog next to you. Without further ado, let¡¯s begin the bidding.¡±


    Alan clapped his hands, and the backstage staff immediately wheeled in a massive iron cage.


    ¡°The first item tonight to make its appearance, ¡®Pure White Grace,¡¯ sourced from District C75, features six innocent and pure teenage girls. I can almost smell the fragrant scent they exude,¡± Alan said, his expression intoxicated as he sniffed the air. ¡°Only available for bundled sale, starting bid at 50,000 Alliance coins.¡±


    The curtain was raised, and the girls inside the iron cage were suddenly exposed to the light, trembling in fear and huddling together.


    ¡°Scum,¡± Lin Youyou cursed from behind the curtain. She looked up, and Song Ke had successfully climbed to the top steel beam, signaling her to get ready.


    Lin Youyou scanned the seating area, quickly finding Fang Zhixu and Cheng Yi, Zhuang Qingyan and Xu Xing, and signaled back to Song Ke that the ¡°four people were in position.¡±


    Now they were just waiting for Su Cha.


    ¡°Pure White Grace¡± was eventually sold for 350,000 Alliance coins. However, as a display, the sold item would remain temporarily in the venue and would be handed over to the buyer after the auction ended.


    Alan energetically introduced the second item, ¡°Next up, we have quite a behemoth. Attention to all pet lovers.¡±


    The closed compartment covered with black cloth was wheeled in, and Alan vividly explained, ¡°Straight from District F180, we have the Deep Crimson Sand Scorpion. Everyone, please take a look!¡±


    He tore off the curtain, gradually revealing the monstrous creature inside¡ªthe scorpion, with a length exceeding two meters, entirely golden in color like a spider, was trapped in a transparent container, its sharp stingers banging against the walls.


    ¡°This is not an ordinary scorpion but a one-of-a-kind mutant scorpion! Everyone, please carefully observe its golden eyes. This unique pet will make you stand out wherever you go. As a gesture of goodwill, we will give the buyer a strong electric shock device, ensuring that it behaves obediently, transforming into a little sheep~¡± Alan imitated the posture of a scorpion, exaggeratingly twisting his body.


    Laughter intermittently emerged from the buyer¡¯s seats.


    ¡°Bang!¡± The mutant sand scorpion hit the wall again.


    Alan glanced at it nonchalantly and turned his head to continue shouting, ¡°Starting bid is 300,000 Alliance coins, with increments of no less than 10,000 each!¡±


    ¡°I bid 310,000.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll offer 330,000.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take it for 350,000!¡±


    The mutant sand scorpion was eventually auctioned for a staggering 560,000 Alliance coins and, like the six girls, was pushed to the display area to wait.


    ¡°Now, for the upcoming item, ¡®Exotic Allure,¡¯ this is a rare sight once in a century,¡± Alan said with a suggestive expression. ¡°Without further ado, let¡¯s first look at the actual item, and then I¡¯ll introduce it to everyone slowly.¡±


    The black iron cage was once again pushed onto the stage, and a slender young man appeared in the center of the stage.


    He was extremely beautiful, with damp black hair clinging gently to his ears. His pupils were amber like honey. The upper half of his body was so white that it seemed to glow, but from the waist down, it was surprisingly a dark green, coiled snake tail!


    Alan¡¯s voice was unusually excited, ¡°The third item, coming from U-Lab Laboratory, is the mutant¡ªSnake-tailed Youth!¡±


    Song Ke, hanging on the beam, suddenly looked down!


    In the buyer¡¯s seats, Zhuang Qingyan also frowned slowly.


    U-Lab Laboratories had branches across various districts in the Alliance, not just the one near Tongwan.


    The Tongwan branch primarily focused on genetic research, while this snake-tailed youth clearly originated from U-Lab¡¯s division specialized in human research.


    The snake-tailed youth held onto the railing with both hands, his clear eyes gazing outward, seemingly puzzled about his situation, innocently tilting his head.


    His actions stirred the crowd, igniting an unprecedented wave of bids.


    Alan could only shout, ¡°Starting bid at 1 million Alliance coins, with increments of no less than 30,000!¡±


    The auction paddles kept going up in quick succession, and Alan was busy confirming the bids, temporarily forgetting about the item. s?a??h th? N?v?l(F)ire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    The snake-tailed youth curiously looked around, catching sight of Song Ke, who was hanging on the beam. Their gazes met, and his pupils suddenly shrank by a fraction!


    Song Ke: ¡°!¡± Oh no, why was she so unlucky?


    She quickly made a ¡°shush¡± gesture toward him, disregarding whether the mutant could understand her or not.


    Fortunately, the snake-tailed youth didn¡¯t yell. He flicked his tail lightly and nodded with a mixture of belief and doubt.


    Song Ke breathed a sigh of relief, silently praying, ¡®Su Cha, Su Cha, please hurry up and create some distraction. We¡¯re counting on you.¡¯


    Five minutes later, a wisp of green mist subtly wafted in through the ventilation of the auction venue and quickly dissipated in the air.


    Song Ke keenly caught a fleeting use of special ability, recognizing it as Su Cha. He was in position!


    Song Ke signaled to Lin Youyou behind the curtain, and Lin Youyou nodded.


    ¡°3 million! Any more bids? 3 million once, 3 million twice, 3 million¡­¡±


    Alan was red-faced, and the hammer was about to fall in his hand.


    Suddenly, the power in the auction venue was cut off, plunging it into complete darkness!


    Yes! Song Ke silently celebrated. Following the first step of the plan, Su Cha had cut off the main power.


    Buyers looked bewildered, whispering to each other, thinking this was some surprise event arranged by the auction.


    Alongside their ears came the haunting and sorrowful song: ¡°Why do you always leave me alone in the deep night~ I can¡¯t control this longing, searching for you~¡±


    The mesmerizing song filled the ears of the crowd, gradually clouding their consciousness, making them leave their seats and wander aimlessly.


    Silent and unnoticed, a frost spread over their feet, slowing their movement, preventing anyone from taking advantage and escaping.


    ¡°Boom!!¡± A deafening noise came from above as a girl wielding a massive silver axe was smashing the ceiling, swinging her arms for another blow!


    ¡°Boom!!¡± The ground seemed to tremble, and the entire auction house felt like it was on the verge of collapse.


    Amidst the chaos, someone shouted in panic, ¡°Run! The items are out!¡±


    ¡°Nonsense, how is that possible!¡± Alan immediately protested.


    It was true. In the dark of the night, ghostly figures appeared at the display area, opening each cage.


    The six girls ran out in a panic. Lin Youyou pointed them in the direction of the exit. They hurriedly thanked her and helped each other make their way towards the main door.


    The mutant sand scorpion also escaped and wreaked havoc inside, flames of bright yellow erupting everywhere.


    The snake-tailed youth moved playfully, seemingly amused. He coiled his long tail around a person and casually tossed them away.


    ¡°Ah!!¡± Alan let out a miserable cry as the massive tail flung him towards broken steel rods, impaling him.


    ¡°Haha.¡± The snake-tailed youth laughed joyfully.


    Song Ke and Su Cha seized the opportunity and wreaked havoc in the auction house. Their goal was not to kill but to wreck the place. As long as they tore it down quickly and mercilessly, the Death Prison would surely monitor it and come to arrest them.


    As expected, just two minutes later, hundreds of particle cannons were aimed at the heavily damaged Rose Auction House. Warden She¡¯s chilling voice came through the speakers, sounding angry and cold.


    ¡°Everyone inside the auction house, you¡¯re all under arrest! Drop your weapons immediately and go to the Death Prison to surrender now!¡±


    ¡°I repeat¡­ ¡±


    They did it! Song Ke was satisfied.


    Now the Death Prison would become very lively.

 Chapter 73: Sin City (7)

    ¡ò The days are becoming more and more harsh ¡ò¡°Name?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m asking you, don¡¯t look around. What¡¯s your name?!¡±


    The stern-faced female prison guard slammed her hand on the table, startling the girl in the prisoner¡¯s uniform.


    ¡°¡­Song Ke.¡±


    ¡°Age?¡±


    ¡°19 years old.¡±


    In the closed interrogation room, only a dim ceiling light was on. The prison guard, behind the bars, typed the name into the computer connected to the file room, pressed search, and found no information about ¡°Song Ke.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your identification number? Report it.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ Does the ¡®Awakener Certificate¡¯ count?¡±


    The prison guard lifted her head from the computer and sneered, ¡°We don¡¯t care about that here. Whether you have abilities or not, coming in here is the same.¡±


    Anyone who entered the Death Prison, tagged with the Crime Record, was like wearing an invisible shackle. True freedom was never possible. So what if you are an awakener? Dare to act recklessly in the Death Prison, and you would instantly become a mindless walking corpse.


    The prison guard asked again, ¡°No identification, are you a black household? From District F?¡±


    Song Ke admitted honestly, ¡°F177 District.¡±


    The guard halted the search, opened a new file, and began inputting information.


    ¡°Can you¡­ tell me how many years¡­ I¡¯ll be sentenced for?¡± Song Ke asked tentatively as she watched the guard type.


    The guard spared her a sympathetic glance, ¡°You are suspected of intentional destruction of property, with a heinous circumstance and a serious nature. According to Warden She¡¯s orders, you will be confined to the 5th floor for a sentence of nineteen years and seven months, and you must pay a fine of one billion Alliance coins.¡±


    Song Ke gasped. Nineteen years and seven months? That¡¯s older than her! The days were truly becoming more and more harsh.


    And one billion Alliance credits! One billion! Was this a number that could be thrown around casually? Even if she spent her whole sentence, she wouldn¡¯t be able to come up with that much money. It seemed she had truly angered the guy surnamed She this time, and they had no intention of letting her go.


    ¡°What about the others with me?¡±


    ¡°You still care about others? I advise you to reflect on yourself while you¡¯re in here, try to live a couple more years.¡±


    The guard finished inputting her file, clicked upload, and stood up from behind the desk, saying, ¡°Follow me to the cell.¡±


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    On the 5th floor of the Death Prison, Song Ke was pushed into a narrow cell.


    She looked around, and the surveillance above followed her. Apart from the single bed connected to the floor, the simple washbasin and toilet, there was nothing inside. Song Ke looked around curiously, walked to the door, and submitted her activity request for the next day on the screen.


    Then she lay back on the bed, adopting the carefree attitude of going with the flow. She closed her eyes, stretched her legs, and fell asleep.


    Without any fear.


    *


    When Su Cha regained consciousness, he found himself in the familiar interrogation room. Kunbu sat across from him, glaring at him with frustration. ¡°Awake now? You, lad, are you serious?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve only been out for a few days, and here you are again. No wonder you said ¡®see you next time¡¯ to me. Do you think this place is a hotel that you can visit whenever you please?¡±


    His head felt like it had been hit by a sledgehammer, and a cold, numb pain reverberated inside. Kunbu¡¯s voice seemed distant and muffled, making it almost impossible to hear what he was saying. Su Cha slowly regained composure, and his vision gradually focused. The chaotic and bewildering sensation finally subsided.


    Criminal Record¡­ Is this the Cotard¡¯s Syndrome it can produce? It¡¯s terrifying.


    At the time of the Rose Auction House incident, all of V587 were arrested, and the others, being ¡°newcomers,¡± were coerced into surrendering by force. However, among the buyers on-site were also individuals who had completed their sentences, including Su Cha. Regardless of the number of bars displayed by the Criminal Record before this, they all collectively lost consciousness in that moment and staggered back to the Death Prison like zombies.


    Su Cha¡¯s memory only remained up to when the voice with the surname She sounded. He didn¡¯t remember anything afterward.


    Seeing Su Cha silent, Kunbu thought he felt remorse. But now, it was too late for anything. He sighed deeply with a heavy heart. ¡°Adding crime upon crime, this time you¡¯ve been sent to the 6th floor, a sentence of¡­ forty years, mandatory labor, and no possibility of reduction. I wonder if you can endure this.¡±


    The cells on the 6th floor were even more cramped, resembling solitary confinement rooms. There wasn¡¯t even a bed inside, and given Su Cha¡¯s height, he could only crouch and turning around was difficult.


    He activated the light screen at the door, but the labor option was crossed out and turned into an unselectable gray. Fortunately, he could still apply for activities, but the conditions were more stringent, limited to once a month.


    Su Cha submitted his activity request for the next day.


    *


    On the second day, when the activity time arrived, Song Ke lined up in the corridor. All the inmates who had submitted applications were taken to the mezzanine by the prison guards.


    She was looking forward to it, taking quick small steps. Inadvertently, she stepped on the heel of the inmate in front.


    The startled inmate slowly turned around, wearing an angry expression and clenching their fists, saying, ¡°Be more careful.¡±


    ¡®Avoid trouble, avoid trouble, nineteen years and seven months,¡¯ Song Ke silently recited her sentence in her mind.


    Then she took a step back, bowed her head, and gestured with exaggerated hospitality, saying, ¡°Please, please.¡±


    The prison guard was nearby, and the inmate scowled at her timid appearance, making a disdainful sound and walked past with an indifferent gait.


    Song Ke breathed a sigh of relief.


    In the quiet reading room, Song Ke walked briskly. As she passed a handsome man sitting in a wheelchair reading a newspaper, she silently slipped a kunai into his collar. Continuing forward, she pushed the door into the coffee shop. A woman with long curly hair was waiting in line for coffee. Song Ke stood behind her, and their fingertips touched lightly, and another kunai was discreetly handed over.


    Song Ke casually found a table and sat down. The slender man across from her was focused on building blocks. Song Ke looked elsewhere, placing the kunai at the edge of the table. When the man picked up the blocks, he naturally picked up the kunai.


    The two faced each other without any communication. Shortly after, the man in the wheelchair, the woman with long hair, and the boy who came in happily holding the prison guard¡¯s hand all coincidentally sat at the same table.


    The activity time was only a short hour, and one person was missing.


    Ten more minutes passed, and a young man with a crew cut slowly entered through the door and silently sat at the neighboring table.


    Everyone was here.


    V587¡¯s six members reunited in the Death Prison.


    This was the plan they had agreed upon before coming in. They would gather intelligence and arrange the next steps during the one-hour activity time.


    Using the act of drinking coffee as a cover, Song Ke whispered, ¡°I¡¯m on the 5th floor, where are you guys?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m on the 1st floor,¡± Xu Xing whispered back.


    ¡°The 3rd floor,¡± Lin Youyou said, sipping her coffee.


    Neither of them took direct action. Xu Xing even discreetly used frost magic. Being considered suspects involved in the case along with Cheng Yi and others, they received relatively lenient sentences. Lin Youyou was mainly sentenced to the 3rd floor for impersonating a food delivery person.


    Fang Zhixu signaled ¡°4¡± with the building blocks.


    Zhuang Qingyan folded the newspaper, revealing the number ¡°4¡± as well.


    They both had forged identities and deliberately infiltrated the auction house, intentionally causing a disturbance to the scene. Hence, they received slightly heavier sentences.


    As Song Ke listened, she discreetly handed a kunai to Xu Xing.


    All their communication devices had been confiscated, and they had no contact devices on them. These kunai were materialized by Song Ke using objects she had in the cell, carefully crafted without being seen by surveillance. Her spiritual artifact could track them using mental power, functioning as a tracking device to ensure they wouldn¡¯t lose each other.


    ¡°6th floor,¡± Su Cha said lastly.


    He was the one sentenced the most severely among the six.


    The others showed expressions of sympathy, saying things like, ¡°I feel for you,¡± ¡°That¡¯s so unfortunate,¡± and ¡°Light a candle for you.¡±


    Song Ke made a subtle movement with her fingertips, and the kunai flew out. Su Cha effortlessly caught it and held it in his palm.


    ¡°I roughly calculated just now, there are about 3000 cells on the 6th floor,¡± Su Cha said, unperturbed, as if he hadn¡¯t seen their various colorful expressions, and delivered the bad news that they could only move once a month.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s gaze fell on the newspaper, and she spoke lightly, ¡°Since we are on different floors, we can conveniently split up to search for people. There are still 7 days left this month; let¡¯s collect and summarize the information.¡±


    Apart from the 2 floors that Su Cha had previously investigated and the monitoring layer controlled by someone with the surname She, they had their people on almost every floor.


    Considering that Su Cha would find it difficult to come out frequently and frequent meetings might attract the attention of the prison guards, Zhuang Qingyan decided to set the second gathering time for early next month, giving them 7 days, which should be enough for them to get a rough idea.


    ¡°Alright,¡± they all nodded.


    While they were talking, they heard a commotion from behind.


    Two inmates bumped into each other, causing one of them to spill hot coffee all over the floor.


    ¡°You spilled my coffee.¡±


    The bumped inmate stared at the spilled coffee on the ground and spoke rapidly.


    The one who caused the collision sneered, ¡°So what if I spilled it? If you really want to drink it, hurry up and lick it off the floor while it¡¯s still hot!¡±


    The person suddenly raised his head and repeated, ¡°You spilled my coffee!!¡±


    He shouted loudly, and everyone in the coffee shop heard him.


    ¡°How did he provoke Jorik?¡± a prisoner behind Song Ke whispered.


    ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Crazy Jorik, got shocked too many times. The circuits in his head don¡¯t work well,¡± the speaker pointed to his own head. ¡°He can only come out once a month, like clockwork, to have a cup of coffee.¡±


    Although the activity floor was meant for leisure and entertainment, there were strict rules. It wasn¡¯t for the inmates to enjoy life. For example, the drinks in the coffee shop were limited to a small cup per person each time. If they missed it this time, they would have to wait for the next activity day.


    Listening to the conversation between the two, this Jorik seemed to be locked up on the 6th floor as well. This time, he missed his coffee and would have to wait another month.


    Jorik didn¡¯t look very old, with fair skin and a pampered appearance. He stared at the blistering on his hand, muttering softly, ¡°You spilled my coffee¡­¡±


    After saying these words, Jorik suddenly exploded!


    He mounted the person who bumped into him, raised his fist high, his veins swelling, and his mental force bursting forth.


    In the presence of everyone, Jorik¡¯s smooth arms were covered in dense fur, sharp fangs grew in his mouth, and he instantly transformed into a half-wolf creature. He then pummeled the person¡¯s face with punches, blood splattering everywhere. Broken teeth and shattered bones flew out continuously. In just a few minutes, the arrogant inmate had no chance to fight back and was beaten to death on the spot!


    Jorik continued to punch, repeatedly saying the word ¡°coffee¡± in his mouth, pounding the other person¡¯s skull, leaving it concave.


    ¡°Shape-shifting ability,¡± Zhuang Qingyan murmured.


    A sharp whistle sounded from the speaker. Suddenly, Jorik¡¯s Criminal Record displayed five bars. He rolled on the ground in pain, clutching his head. All the inmates in the coffee shop were affected by the arm band, experiencing dizziness, palpitations, and other discomfort.


    Song Ke frowned slightly, suppressing the restlessness of her mental power and looking towards her companions.


    Zhuang Qingyan was an S-class mental power awakener, experiencing the least impact. There was hardly a ripple in his eyes. Lin Youyou, Fang Zhixu, and Xu Xing felt slightly uncomfortable but were within controllable limits. Only Su Cha had a more intense reaction than all of them.


    He clenched his fists, pressing them against the table, trembling all over.


    ¡°The power of the Criminal Record has been amplified,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said coldly.


    In the underground city, the limit of the Criminal Record¡¯s effect was 1, but in the Death Prison, it was almost doubled, and strengthened to 10.


    After a while, the invisible sound waves disappeared. Su Cha¡¯s breathing gradually calmed down, signaling to them with his eyes that everything was fine.


    As for Jorik, he lay on the ground with a vacant look, appearing even more foolish.


    Suddenly, shouts came from the entrance of the cafe: ¡°The warden is here!¡±


    Sitting together was too conspicuous. Song Ke and her companions immediately stood up in unison, pretending not to know each other.


    Two men wearing black overcoats, exuding a different aura from regular prison guards, strolled in slowly.


    Song Ke focused her gaze. The person on the left was slightly shorter, and the eyes under the police hat were as cold as a snake. The nameplate on his shoulder read ¡°She Liang.¡±


    On the right, with a red, freckled face and a bulbous nose from alcohol abuse, it seemed like he had a bad temper. His name was ¡°William White.¡±


    White took a step forward, looking at Jorik lying on the ground, and the body that was covered in blood and unrecognizable. His eyes flashed with hostility as he said, ¡°You bastard!¡±


    The bloodstained whip was raised high, seemingly about to strike Jorik.


    A short cane blocked his movement, and She Liang calmly said, ¡°White, he¡¯s a prisoner from the 6th floor. You have no authority to deal with him.¡±


    In White¡¯s eyes, there was a sense of impending doom: ¡°For the third time, this bastard has attacked my prisoner for the third time. She Liang, since you can¡¯t control your dog, why don¡¯t you just throw him down to the 7th floor? I¡¯ll teach him a lesson for you.¡±


    She Liang sneered, ¡°No need.¡±


    Song Ke took small steps backward, retreating to the inmate who had just spoken. They muttered to each other.


    ¡°Jorik always causes trouble whenever he comes out. Why, why not just let White deal with him?¡±


    ¡°Hey, that guy surnamed She can¡¯t let him go. Jorik¡¯s family is very wealthy, they contribute a lot of money every time they visits, he¡¯s like a golden goose laying eggs. Even if he causes trouble, he¡¯s only pressed down to the 6th floor.¡±


    This was an unexpected discovery. So, different floor wardens couldn¡¯t interfere with each other?


    Song Ke thought to herself as she lowered her gaze.


    She Liang looked around at the inmates watching the commotion. Wherever he looked, the voices disappeared without a trace. The inmates were afraid of him, avoiding his gaze.


    She Liang raised his voice, ¡°Today¡¯s activity time is over. Everyone, return to your respective floors immediately!¡±


    Following the crowd, Song Ke walked towards the exit, suddenly feeling a chill down her spine.


    She turned around, and She Liang¡¯s cold gaze lingered on her and Su Cha for a moment longer.

 Chapter 74: Sin City (8)

    ¡ò Have you ever had Mandheling coffee? ¡òDeath Prison.


    In a lavishly decorated large office, She Liang flipped through some documents and casually asked, ¡°The criminals who vandalized the Rose Auction House and were caught a few days ago, have they paid their fines?¡±


    ¡°The buyers on the 1st floor have mostly paid and been released, but the two with the heaviest sentences haven¡¯t paid anything,¡± the prison guard replied.


    ¡°How much do they still owe?¡±


    ¡°Um¡­ Warden, they haven¡¯t paid a single cent,¡± the guard replied.


    She Liang paused for a moment, his expression darkening.


    ¡°Understood. You can leave for now,¡± after a long silence, he said slowly.


    Once the others left, She Liang pulled up the files of the two individuals.


    Song Ke: F177 District, black household, with a wallet cleaner than her face.


    Su Cha: E170 District, formerly worked as a bodyguard in C72 District, heavily in debt after paying off previous fines.


    ¡°Penniless,¡± She Liang muttered coldly as he tore the papers of the two individuals into shreds, his expression grim.


    *


    Talented professionals are always in demand wherever they go. On the 4th floor, Fang Zhixu quickly found a job as an assistant to the prison doctor.


    Of course, he didn¡¯t need to personally perform any procedures. He just had to stand by, handing over instruments. The doctor, with graying hair, had a rough and aggressive treatment style. If a prisoner pretended to have a stroke, epilepsy, or numbness, he¡¯d directly use a needle to draw blood, forcing them to stop the act and escape with cries of pain.


    When prescribing medication for the prisoners, the dosages were clearly not meant for regular use by humans. Fang Zhixu glanced at the doctor but remained silent. Was this doctor a veterinarian before?


    Unfortunately, the old prison doctor was quite confident in himself, humming a tune and finding time to chat with Fang Zhi Xu.


    ¡°Young man, do you know what¡¯s most important about being a doctor here?¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°Remember this, it¡¯s not about curing people, it¡¯s about not letting them die.¡±


    ¡°Dealing with these rascals, I have plenty of experience. Back when I first entered Death Prison, I even helped Lord Hades with his gout!¡±


    Fang Zhixu was taken aback. This old prison doctor could openly mention Lord Hades?


    He sensed an opportunity and tentatively asked, ¡°How long have you been working here?¡±


    ¡°Let me think¡­ about twenty years, I suppose,¡± the doctor reclined in his chair, closed his eyes, and reminisced sadly.


    ¡°Have you met that person¡­?¡±


    ¡°Of course, anyone with over ten years of experience has more or less encountered Lord Hades.¡±


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    ¡°Humph,¡± the old prison doctor snorted, ¡°that¡¯s because they have guilty consciences, afraid Lord Hades will find out.


    ¡°Lord Hades knows everything and is all-powerful. Among all the former wardens, he has the most experience. He¡¯s much more formidable than those two, to be honest. I¡¯d say Death Prison is what it is today because of him,¡± the old prison doctor scoffed disdainfully, ¡°It¡¯s just that in recent years, his health hasn¡¯t been great, so he hasn¡¯t been very active. Those two monkeys have been jumping around in his absence.¡±


    Fang Zhixu contemplated this.


    *


    Seven days later.


    Outside the activity floor¡¯s cafe, six inmates gathered furtively.


    ¡°Let¡¯s share our findings,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said, flipping through a magazine at a rapid pace.


    ¡°No luck on the 1st floor. People come and go too frequently, and I can¡¯t keep track,¡± Xu Xing said, looking tired and rubbing his eyes. He hadn¡¯t had time to sleep in the past few days, and dark circles were forming under his eyes.


    Considering Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s distinctive ice-colored eyes as a dominant trait, it should have been easy to find him. The 1st floor held inmates with minor offenses, so the likelihood of him being there was indeed very small.


    ¡°No luck on the 3rd floor either. I tried all the labor areas, unless he¡¯s been staying in his cell the whole time,¡± Lin Youyou said, her expression serious.


    ¡°I have some other findings. I don¡¯t know if they¡¯ll be useful,¡± Fang Zhixu shared the information about Hades.


    Zhuang Qingyan turned a page in the magazine and analyzed in a hushed voice, ¡°From what it seems, there¡¯s a difference in status among the three wardens. The one who¡¯s rarely seen, Hades, should have the highest authority in Death Prison.¡±


    There was very little information about Hades, and it was too mysterious to be their main focus on this mission. They had to put it aside for now.


    Song Ke raised her hand quietly, catching the attention of the others. ¡°I, I haven¡¯t found him either, but I have noticed that there are very few awakeners here.¡±


    Moreover, the further down the floors, the fewer there were.


    Su Cha nodded in agreement.


    Zhuang Qingyan explained, ¡°Death Prison has been around for over twenty years, but the apocalypse only happened last year. The awakening of a large number of awakeners has only been in the past six months. The buildings here can block cosmic rays, and combined with the depth of the underwater location, the radiation levels are negligible. So, it¡¯s normal for there to be fewer awakeners here.¡±


    ¡°So, what do we do next?¡± Song Ke asked.


    ¡°The 7th floor,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said decisively, closing the magazine and settling the matter.


    He turned to the three who had spoken earlier. ¡°Not all of you need to go. You can stay up here and continue searching.¡±


    While Xu Xing was a strong offense-type awakener, being young made him impulsive. Fang Zhixu and Lin Youyou were support-type awakeners and not suitable for sudden combat situations. The three of them understood that going along might cause complications, so they nodded in agreement.


    ¡°The question is, how do we get down?¡± Su Cha asked seriously.


    ¡°Murder? Destruction?¡± Song Ke suggested straightforwardly.


    Zhuang Qingyan dismissed her suggestion, ¡°Don¡¯t commit direct crimes, or it will activate the Crime Record.¡±


    He pointed to his badge. In Death Prison, activating the Crime Record came at a great cost, and doing it frequently could cause irreversible damage to the brain.


    ¡°Someone like She Liang is very controlling. He won¡¯t let us go down easily.


    ¡°Unless he knows that not only can we not afford the fine, but also, we¡¯re very good at causing trouble, keeping us here would just be a nuisance.¡±


    ¡°How can we do that?¡± Song Ke wondered.


    ¡°I have an idea.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan gestured for the others to look into the coffee shop.


    Jorik had just received his coffee after waiting in line. This time during the activity day, no one with a death wish had bothered him. He found an empty table, sat down, took a deep breath, and enjoyed each small sip with a sense of preciousness.


    At this moment, he looked clean and peaceful, a far cry from the madman who had previously gone on a killing spree.


    Zhuang Qingyan stared at Jorik, a smile slowly forming at the corners of his eyes.


    Song Ke had a sudden realization¡ªthis familiar feeling¡­ someone was about to have bad luck.


    ¡­


    Among all the labor reforms in Death Prison, being a sand filler in the underwater tunnel was undoubtedly the most grueling.


    This job required heavy pumps larger than one¡¯s body to suck up the sludge and sea sand along the way and then spray it outside to fill the outer rim, preventing tunnel blockages. Most of the inmates doing this were sent for forced labor.


    Su Cha wore a safety helmet and quietly moved near Jorik, contemplating the upcoming task and dreading the words that Zhuang Qingyan insisted he memorize. It was giving him a headache.


    Like a spy meeting, Su Cha lowered his voice and quickly said, ¡°Have you ever had Mandheling coffee?¡±


    Jorik, diligently sucking up the mud, paused and slowly looked up, ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a unique variety from C43 District¡¯s Mandelin. It has high richness, low acidity, a strong and rich flavor with a hint of herbal aroma. It offers a multi-layered experience¡ªfirst a subtle sweet-bitter taste, then a pleasant mild sourness, and finally, a lingering sweet fragrance.¡±


    Jorik swallowed.


    ¡°But compared to Mandheling, I prefer the Geisha coffee produced by the Jade Estate. It¡¯s the aristocrat of coffees, blending natural floral and fruity scents with a hint of citrus sourness. It melts in your mouth, leaving a delightful aftertaste.¡±


    Su Cha recited the lines expressionlessly, cursing his exceptional memory for being word-perfect.


    Jorik was captivated, and he let go of the pump, allowing the sand to scatter all over the floor.


    ¡°On the activity day, I want to go and have a taste.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t be able to,¡± Su Cha said mercilessly.


    ¡°Why?¡± Jorik asked incredulously.


    ¡°The coffees I mentioned are regional specialties with limited production, and there¡¯s none in Death Prison.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been in here for a long time, right? That¡¯s why you haven¡¯t had good coffee. The coffee on the activity floor is average. Once you¡¯ve tasted the good ones, you won¡¯t want to go back.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been in for 11 years¡­ or was it 13? I don¡¯t remember,¡± Jorik muttered.


    Jorik had been in Death Prison since his youth, and because he frequently triggered the Crime Record, his brain had become increasingly foggy, and he had gradually lost his memory.


    ¡°I can¡¯t have it, I can¡¯t have good coffee¡­¡± Jorik repeated these two sentences, his expression growing more and more manic.


    A brief moment of clarity seemed to return to his memory, followed by deep confusion: why was he in Death Prison? Why had he stayed in Death Prison for so many years? Jorik remembered everything¡ªhis father¡¯s death, leaving behind a lot of money, being the sole heir, his uncles finding him, telling him there were problems at home, asking him to hide in Death Prison for a while, and promising to get him out soon. Why hadn¡¯t anyone come to get him?


    Jorik hugged his head in pain and squatted down.


    ¡°I heard that during the sand-clearing today, the passage from the monitoring floor above will open. How do I get there?


    ¡°Oh right, just follow this path all the way, take a left, and then another left, repeating this five times, and I¡¯ll reach the sea level.


    ¡°When I get out, I must have a cup of Geisha coffee from the Jade Estate.¡±


    Su Cha dragged the heavy pump, mumbling to himself as he walked away.


    Jorik stared blankly at the end of the underwater tunnel.


    *


    ¡°Warning! Warning! Prisoner escape in progress!¡±


    A piercing alarm suddenly echoed through Death Prison.


    Jorik ran forward recklessly, ignoring everything, reaching the end, taking a left, reaching the end¡­ just four more times, and he could go out for coffee!


    He had just opened the passage on the 5th floor when the Crime Record lit up red, emitting intense waves. Jorik screamed in pain, covering his head and rolling on the ground. When he stood up, his expression was vacant, and he had forgotten what he was supposed to do.


    ¡°Sand clearing¡­ sand clearing.¡± Jorik turned around and walked back, his steps slow and hesitant.


    ¡°Jorik! Jade¡­ coffee, do you still want to have some?¡±


    Song Ke arrived in time, covertly blocking the passage that Jorik had forcibly opened with her hidden blades. She called out softly to his confused figure.


    ¡°Sand clearing¡­ sand clearing¡­ Jade!¡±


    Suddenly, Jorik roared towards the sky, his upper body transforming into a werewolf. Thick fur covered his face and arms, and his powerful limbs touched the ground. He punched the transparent wall with such force that it cracked, and the cold seawater rushed in.


    Jorik passed by Song Ke and raced towards the 4th floor in a frenzy.


    ¡°Go for it, Jorik! I believe in you!¡±


    Song Ke clenched her fists and cheered silently, placing high hopes on him.


    In the 4th-floor office, a prison guard hastily put on his clothes, calling his colleagues using a communicator as he rushed out.


    ¡°Jorik has escaped and damaged the underwater tunnel. Quickly contact the warden! I¡¯m on my way!¡±


    He ran so fast that he didn¡¯t notice what was underfoot. He slipped and fell hard, the communicator tumbling to the ground, sliding several meters away.


    The prison guard gritted his teeth and looked up, only to discover that some malicious cleaner had spilled cleaning liquid all over the corridor, making it impossible to stand on.


    A few meters away, a prisoner in a wheelchair was leisurely mopping the floor at the end of the corridor.


    The prison guard yelled angrily, ¡°Come over here!¡±


    His voice suddenly stopped, as if something cold and sharp had pierced his brain. The prison guard¡¯s eyes went blank and he fainted on the spot.


    Zhuang Qingyan slid over to the officer and said, ¡°Officer, are you heading back to the office? Let me escort you in.¡±


    The Crime Record flickered briefly, detecting no anomalies, and dimmed once again.


    With one hand dragging the prison guard, Zhuang Qingyan reopened the office door using his privileges, closed it behind him, and strategically placed the mop to ¡°conveniently¡± block the camera.


    He moved to the computer, accessed the archives, and swiftly began reviewing all the inmate records.


    *


    She Liang¡¯s face darkened, his black coat creating a sharp silhouette as he walked in, a storm brewing around him.


    ¡°Where is Jorik?¡±


    ¡°He was apprehended on the 2nd floor, completely out of control. He couldn¡¯t even be controlled by the Crime Record. We had to use particle guns¡­¡±


    ¡°Is he dead?¡± She Liang¡¯s gaze seemed to be murderous.


    ¡°No, no!¡± The prison guard stammered nervously. ¡°He¡¯s not dead, but it¡¯ll probably take a year or two¡­ maybe three to five¡­ for him to recover.¡±


    ¡°What about the damage to the underwater tunnel?¡± She Liang inquired about another pressing matter.


    ¡°There are five leaks and thirty-seven cracks. And Jorik also destroyed three¡­ internal elevators.¡±


    ¡°Estimated losses exceed ten billion¡­¡± The prison guard dared not meet She Liang¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°Why did Jorik suddenly go insane?¡± After a pause, She Liang¡¯s hoarse voice echoed.


    ¡°We don¡¯t know. When we were apprehending him, he kept shouting ¡®Jade.''¡±


    ¡°Jade? What kind of jade?¡± She Liang looked at the surrounding prison guards, all of them wearing perplexed expressions.


    Someone tentatively suggested, ¡°Could it be some kind of jade from an ancient civilization?¡±


    But Jorik had been in the Death Prison for over a decade. Suddenly showing interest in jade? It seemed absurd.


    Jade Estate was a newly established aristocratic coffee brand in the Alliance in recent years. It was also a niche variety meticulously selected by Zhuang Qingyan. Sin City was inherently isolated, and these prison guards naturally didn¡¯t know that it was actually the name of a coffee brand.


    She Liang¡¯s face seemed to have hardened into ice.


    ¡°Check the surveillance footage. Check all the cameras, frame by frame!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Stop,¡± She Liang raised his hand, freezing the frame on a fleeting image of Su Cha and Song Ke.


    ¡°What did they say to Jorik?¡±


    The two passed by Jorik, mouths moving rapidly, clearly engaged in a conversation.


    ¡°I can¡¯t hear clearly, but the Crime Record didn¡¯t trigger, so it¡¯s probably not something significant¡­ right?¡±


    The Crime Record could only monitor overt criminal behaviors and couldn¡¯t recognize covert activities.


    She Liang slowly closed his eyes, feeling the rage building inside him. His instincts told him that Su Cha and Song Ke were somehow involved in Jorik¡¯s escape.


    These two paupers not only couldn¡¯t squeeze out a penny, but they also caused him losses exceeding ten billion.


    Ten billion¡­ She Liang¡¯s heart was bleeding.


    Not only that, Jorik¡¯s severe injury this time meant that his relatives wouldn¡¯t let the matter rest. If he indeed died, those who facilitated his entry, including She Liang, would never see a penny of their share again!


    She Liang was furious. ¡°Immediately, execute¡­¡±


    ¡°Warden She,¡± an elderly prison guard interjected, ¡°For matters not determined by the Crime Record, if you act recklessly, aren¡¯t you afraid that the Lord will know about it and you won¡¯t be able to explain it? Death Prison is not your place.¡±


    She Liang stared coldly at the speaker. ¡°Are you threatening me?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare. Just reminding you,¡± the old prison guard maintained his composure.


    ¡°Warden, there¡¯s another inmate who entered with them, and there seem to be some issues,¡± another subordinate rushed over to report.


    ¡°Who else?¡±


    The guard brought up another surveillance feed. In the footage, a prison guard in uniform suddenly fell ¡°clatteringly,¡± and the man in the wheelchair ¡°kindly¡± helped him up and escorted him into the office. Then, the surveillance turned pitch black.


    She Liang crushed the cup in his hand. ¡°Not right, something is wrong.¡±


    He glanced at the elderly prison guard and gritted his teeth. ¡°Throw them down to the 7th floor and hand them over to White!¡±

 Chapter 75: Sin City (9)

    ¡ò Welcome Ceremony ¡òIn the swiftly descending elevator, three prisoners in prison uniforms looked at each other quietly.


    ¡°Pfft~¡± After a while, Song Ke couldn¡¯t help but laugh, ¡°You¡¯re really wicked.¡±


    ¡°Jorik, would you like some coffee from the Jade Estate~?¡± Song Ke elongated her tone, imitating Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s tone, and repeated slowly.


    Zhuang Qingyan raised an eyebrow, letting her joke, after all, it was his idea to incite Jorik to escape.


    ¡°Let Su Cha go deceive people,¡± Song Ke said, a shallow dimple appearing on her cheek as she laughed joyfully.


    Su Cha was suddenly reminded of a dark history and stiffened, silently looking at the elevator wall.


    A hint of a smile appeared in Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s eyes. ¡°No choice, he¡¯s on the same level as Jorik.¡±


    He adjusted his expression and changed the subject, ¡°I checked the files of all the prisoners from the 1st to the 6th floors. Lu Xiaoyu is not in there.¡±


    ¡°No wonder we couldn¡¯t find him,¡± Song Ke sighed. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s temporarily leave She Liang aside. Th-the focus now is on floors 7 to 12, under William White¡¯s jurisdiction.¡±


    William White, the second warden in charge of the Death Prison. From the confrontation in the cafe, it was evident that he was cruel and ruthless, completely different from the cold and greedy She Liang. One could only wonder what the conditions were like on the cell block he managed.


    The elevator ride from the 6th to the 7th floor took longer than expected.


    After exactly ten minutes of descending, a ¡°ding¡± signaled their arrival at the destination, and the elevator doors slid open slowly.


    Just as the three were about to exit the elevator, their steps came to a halt.


    White had actually come in person!


    A dozen sturdy prison guards lined up, and White stood boldly in the center, a cigar in his mouth, the choking smoke rising. He stared at Song Ke and the others with a smirk.


    ¡°Welcome! Poor ghosts!¡± White clapped slowly, the sound echoing sharply in the current environment.


    Song Ke looked at him warily. Weren¡¯t they just a few prisoners who had been demoted? Did it warrant the warden personally welcoming them?


    ¡°I heard you made She Liang lose ten billion?¡± White laughed heartily, cigar ash falling.


    He took a deep drag, blew out a thick smoke ring, and pointed his whip at the three. ¡°Good, very good. I admire your arrogance. As a reward, tonight I¡¯ll allow you to sleep well.¡±


    Song Ke furrowed her brow slightly. What did White mean by this? What did ¡°sleep well tonight¡± mean?


    White¡¯s smile hid a deeply malicious intent. ¡°My territory is not like She Liang¡¯s gentle play house. Are you ready?¡±


    ¡°Take them to the cells.¡±


    Three people were forcibly separated and taken in different directions by prison guards.


    On the 7th floor of the prison, the number of cells significantly decreased, conservatively estimated to be less than 1000, and the environment became even darker.


    The depth here had already reached the standard of the Alliance¡¯s ¡°ultra-abyssal zone¡± (below 6000 meters). When Song Ke passed by, she glanced out the transparent porthole. The seawater flowed slowly, dark and lightless, with almost no plants or animals present, only sediment like mud and clay could be seen.


    The cells were as cramped as ever, without even a bed. The walls bore many deep and shallow scratch marks. Song Ke curled up on the floor, holding her knees tightly and fell into a deep sleep.


    A few hours later, around four in the morning, the prison guard banged on the cell door with a baton.


    ¡°Get out! Don¡¯t dawdle, everyone out!!¡±


    From the next cell came the rustling sounds, and the prisoners were all awakened by the harsh noise. Song Ke rubbed her eyes and sat up.


    She hesitated for a moment, then regained her senses, left the cell, and went with the silent crowd in the darkness, encountering Zhuang Qingyan, who was also being driven out. She pushed his wheelchair as they moved along.


    None of the surrounding prisoners spoke, giving the impression of walking corpses, their eyes filled with profound despair.


    ¡°They¡­¡± Song Ke hesitated.


    ¡°Conscious,¡± Zhuang Qingyan explained quietly, knowing what she was going to ask.


    The two followed the rest of the group to an open area.


    Bright spotlights illuminated the scene, and in the center of the ground was a huge octagonal cage fight arena!


    The pure black mesh was stained with blood, and the base exuded an indelible dark red. The stench of rust could be smelled from afar.


    In the center of the arena, two shirtless prisoners were fighting. One of them seized an opening in the opponent¡¯s defense and delivered a heavy hook punch, sending the other person and their head flying, ¡°crack¡± ¨C the inmate suffered a fatal blow, and blood mixed with shattered teeth sprayed out. In the strong light of the spotlights, it seemed like an outpouring of flying insects.


    The bloody scene made Song Ke physically uncomfortable.


    ¡°Ahh!!!¡±


    The prisoners gathered outside the octagonal cage were excited, their faces flushed, fingers grasping the mesh and desperately reaching inside, cheering, mocking, pushing ¨C various voices echoed incessantly, as if they couldn¡¯t wait to rush in themselves the next moment. However, such people were only a small part. More of those who came in with Song Ke and the others were silent, avoiding eye contact.


    The scene was distinctly divided into two extremes: on one side was a cruel celebration where the vibrant life disappeared before their eyes; on the other side was a numb wait, waiting for death to descend upon them at any moment.


    Su Cha spotted Song Ke and Zhuang Qingyan and silently approached, standing beside them.


    ¡°White is over there,¡± he discreetly pointed in a direction.


    Song Ke raised her eyes and looked. On the platform directly opposite the octagonal cage, White was dressed in black leather, the collar open, sitting confidently, holding a highball glass with bright red liquor matching the color of blood.


    ¡°Poor little Jack, look at you. When you first arrived on the 7th floor, you were so full of life, like a little colt. Who would have thought you wouldn¡¯t even last a week. Technically, I should¡¯ve sent you down to the 8th floor, but out of pity, since your head is already smashed, I¡¯ll spare you,¡± White mocked.


    The man named ¡°Jack¡± lay on the ground, white brain matter mixed with fresh blood flowing out, life long gone.


    White¡¯s red nose twitched a couple of times as he joyfully took a sip of the liquor, scanning the crowd and noticing Song Ke and her group.


    ¡°Oh! Our newbies are here!¡±


    He put down the glass and stood up, raising his voice, ¡°To welcome you to our ¡®welcome ceremony,¡¯ I¡¯ve specially invited all the prisoners from the 7th floor. How about that? Looking forward to it, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    The entire 7th floor¡­


    Song Ke looked around, a sea of people, almost a thousand, a stroke of luck as they didn¡¯t have to search through each cell.


    But what did White mean by the ¡°welcome ceremony¡±? Were they going to step into the arena and fight?


    ¡°Look at those bewildered expressions. It seems you¡¯re not yet clear on my rules,¡± White laughed heartily.


    ¡°This is the place where we do ¡®morning exercises¡¯ every day. All prisoners must attend, no exceptions. The winners can stay on the 7th floor, exempt from a day¡¯s labor. As for the losers¡­ well, I¡¯ll just have to throw them down.¡±


    ¡°After all, there¡¯s a bunch of hungry lunatics down there. I have to prepare some snacks for them, right?¡±


    White grinned sinisterly. ¡°Now that we¡¯ve laid out the rules, it¡¯s time for the newbies to step up. Which one of you will go first?¡±


    Song Ke was pushed to the outskirts of the octagonal cage by unfriendly inmates, who were eyeing the trio intently.


    These prisoners were just ordinary people. What made White so confident¡­


    Song Ke touched the iron mesh, her palm forming a gathering of blue light, ready to transform it into a spiritual weapon. However, the light dimmed and vanished.


    She was taken aback, trying again to release her awakened energy, but it dissipated as soon as it appeared.


    Song Ke quickly turned her head and looked at Su Cha, who had a grave expression. He had also realized that their abilities were being suppressed.


    They couldn¡¯t use their powers on the 7th floor!


    ¡°I¡¯ve checked your prison records. You possess special abilities, truly remarkable,¡± White taunted, waving the rolled-up file in his hand, then crumpling it and tossing it into the wine glass. ¡°Unfortunately, I have to disappoint you. The entire 7th to 12th floors are ¡®zero radiation¡¯ zones where using abilities is prohibited.¡±


    No radiation meant no available energy to utilize. Awakened abilities couldn¡¯t resonate, and their existence couldn¡¯t be sustained.


    For an ordinary person suddenly finding their abilities nullified, they would likely be distraught, anxious, and unable to summon the courage to deal with the situation.


    Unfortunately, White had miscalculated one thing¡ªSong Ke and Su Cha. Even without their abilities, neither of them would easily lose.


    Su Cha was known for his exceptional solo combat skills, honed in the rainforest famous for devilish training. Song Ke, on the other hand, had been practicing martial arts for years. Before the apocalypse, the Yue Mountain Martial Arts School held monthly competitions of all sizes, and she had never lost.


    Even without their powers, they were more than capable of fighting!


    White had just talked about the ¡°rules¡± ¨C whoever won on the arena would be exempt from a day¡¯s labor. But that conflicted with their goal. They were here to find someone, and staying on the 7th floor would be pointless.


    Song Ke wasn¡¯t sure how to handle the current situation and felt anxious. She lightly tapped Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s lower back. He subtly moved aside, extending his right hand and pressing down on Song Ke¡¯s wandering fingers.


    ¡°Warden, we can participate in this ¡®welcome ceremony,¡¯ but can we change the reward?¡± Zhuang Qingyan spoke to White from a distance.


    ¡°How do you want to change it?¡± White stared intently at him.


    ¡°A swap. If we win, let us go to the next floor.¡±


    The surrounding inmates fell silent for a moment, then burst into laughter.


    ¡°Did I hear that correctly? He¡¯s tired of living and wants to go to his death?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll regret this, boy. When you¡¯re lucky enough to go down, you¡¯ll find that the 7th floor is a paradise!¡± White looked at him with a mocking expression as if he were looking at a fool. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll grant your wish.¡±


    Su Cha leaped onto the combat arena.


    His opponent was Orson, who was said to have already achieved 10 consecutive victories before today. Orson was a massive man, muscles like hills, standing over 2.5 meters tall, with a width twice that of Su Cha.


    Su Cha attacked swiftly, delivering a spinning kick to Orson¡¯s abdomen. Orson had a sturdy lower body and stood firm like a mountain. Su Cha then retracted his leg and threw hooks from both sides at Orson¡¯s face. Orson smirked, grabbing his arms and violently yanking, lifting Su Cha off the ground. He was then slammed and hit the iron mesh, causing the octagonal cage to shudder, emitting a buzzing sound.


    Orson clenched his fists, roaring like a wild ape, spitting around the person lying on the ground. The inmates around shook the mesh, making a clanging noise.


    Su Cha got up from the ground, still maintaining a calm demeanor.


    His previous move was just a test. The more Orson underestimated him, the worse he would lose.


    Su Cha, like a hidden black snake in the shadows, stopped initiating attacks and instead became elusive. He constantly moved, seeking opportunities from various cunning angles, appearing in positions Orson couldn¡¯t anticipate with his colossal and cumbersome body.


    Suddenly, Su Cha made a rapid stop behind Orson¡¯s head. Like a predatory snake, he opened his sharp fangs, wrapping his legs around Orson¡¯s waist, choking his throat with one hand and pressing his head with the other, twisting and turning left and right! Orson¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief as he witnessed his own head being separated from his body, slowly falling to the ground.


    Outside the octagonal cage, the inmates who were cheering moments ago fell into stunned silence, staring in disbelief at Su Cha who had swiftly turned the tables.


    White¡¯s face darkened as he walked down from the high platform, whipping out the thorny whip from his waist.


    ¡°Snap!¡±


    The whip with sharp barbs lashed towards the previously cheering inmates, who now screamed in agony.


    ¡°Snap! Snap!¡±


    The relentless whipping sounds continued one after another. White showed no mercy, and the scalding blood splattered on his face, he did not blink, resembling an executioner in front of all the prison guards and inmates, brutally lashing those prisoners who had cheered for Orson to death.


    Song Ke¡¯s heart turned cold, shivering. That red whip¡ªno, perhaps it wasn¡¯t originally red but stained red with fresh human blood.


    After venting his anger, White turned towards the three of them, speaking in a grim tone, ¡°Next.¡±


    Song Ke questioned, ¡°Why? We¡¯ve already won.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean ¡®why¡¯? I said each and every newcomer has to participate, including him! Don¡¯t even think about evading!¡±


    The sharp wind of the whip approached, aimed directly at Zhuang Qingyan sitting in the wheelchair.


    Song Ke slowly clenched her fists. Zhuang Qingyan was a mental power user and was never suited for physical combat. Now, with his abilities nullified, he was at a severe disadvantage. Making him fight was akin to sending him to his death.


    White did this on purpose. He had no intention of letting them off.


    Stepping forward, Song Ke stood in front of Zhuang Qingyan. ¡°I¡¯ll go in his place.¡±


    ¡°What did you say?¡± White scratched his ear, suspecting he had misheard.


    ¡°I said, I¡¯ll go in his place,¡± Song Ke¡¯s tone was firm.


    White sat back on the high platform, scrutinizing the two individuals in front of him with an enigmatic expression. The emotionless man in the wheelchair and the delicate-looking girl with slender arms and legs, a fragile figure that could be easily toppled by a gust of wind. Quite the pair of ill-fated lovers, performing a tragic drama in front of him, there¡¯s even a scene of sacrificing oneself for love. S?a?ch* Th? ?ov?l?ir?.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°You¡¯ll go in his place? Alright then,¡± White cracked a chilling, cruel smile.


    As the octagonal cage opened, two menacing-looking inmates simultaneously leaped in.


    White¡¯s smile turned cold and cruel. ¡°Want to be a hero, huh? I¡¯ll grant your wish. Let¡¯s see if you have what it takes.¡±

 Chapter 76.1: Sin City (10)

    ¡ò You, are, dead. ¡òThe octagonal iron gate of the cage closed with a clang, and the three on the arena became true beasts in a fight.


    Facing Song Ke were two prisoners. Though their muscular build didn¡¯t look as intimidating as Orson¡¯s, judging from their stances, they were clearly skilled fighters.


    The surrounding prisoners dared not cheer recklessly, and the whole arena fell silent.


    White grasped his goblet again, taking a sip with an enraptured expression. ¡°Two former Alliance champions, Mayweather, with an arm length of 1.85 meters, a genius offensive boxer, and Parry, a defensive counterattack master, skilled at wearing down the opponent¡¯s patience. Let me see how long you can last.¡±


    The fight began. Mayweather moved his feet at a high frequency, constantly advancing and squeezing Song Ke¡¯s living space, while Parry moved like an elusive slippery eel, effortlessly deflecting any attacks that came his way, making it difficult for anyone to strike.


    Song Ke kicked in the air, and Mayweather raised his arms to block. The powerful counterforce pushed him back two steps. Song Ke landed gracefully like a swallow and began to think calmly. To deal with such an aggressive opponent, she needed to amplify his fighting spirit and then destroy his psyche, causing him to lose judgment completely on the stage.


    Suddenly, Song Ke lifted her head, raised her right thumb, and then turned it down, making a provocative gesture.


    The prisoners hissed, and Mayweather became furious. He launched a fierce onslaught, but Song Ke effortlessly defused each punch.


    ¡°Is that all?¡± Song Ke tilted her head and smiled disdainfully.


    After spending a long time with Zhuang Qingyan, even her subtle expressions were becoming more like his. When mocking someone now, the curve at the corner of Song Ke¡¯s mouth carried a certain malicious and indifferent charm, with ¡°three parts mockery, three parts coldness, and four parts indifference.¡± S?a?ch* Th? N?v?lF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Mayweather¡¯s fighting spirit engulfed his rationality. His punches became even more relentless, rapidly depleting his own stamina. Song Ke agilely dodged, making him run all over the place, unable to land a hit, and at the same time, disturbing Parry hiding in his turtle-like shell.


    With the rhythm disrupted, the actions of the two boxers became disjointed, stumbling and colliding with each other several times, missing Song Ke.


    Mayweather and Parry exchanged glances and adjusted their strategy, joining forces to seize the outer perimeter where Song Ke was. Mayweather threw a straight punch with his right hand, and Parry turned defense into offense, launching a jab to block Song Ke¡¯s retreat.


    Just when everyone thought she had nowhere to escape, Song Ke hung her hand on the side of the octagonal cage and jumped up, grabbing onto it, like a gecko that can stick to surfaces. Her feet gripped the iron mesh, seeming to walk on level ground. In a few movements, she climbed to the top of the platform.


    The legendary ¡°flying on eaves and walls,¡± a perfect evasion!


    The two belt holders suddenly felt something was wrong and looked up, alert.


    In the glaring spotlight, a figure leaped high and descended swiftly¡ªwasn¡¯t that boxing? She knew it too. Song Ke clenched her fists and threw a punch at a slightly upward left angle. The punch hit Mayweather¡¯s solar plexus; this was a boxer¡¯s deadly point. Mayweather suffered a massive blow and perished on the spot! As she landed, Song Ke¡¯s right leg spun and kicked, landing squarely on Parry¡¯s left jaw. The rich vagus nerve in that area instantly went haywire, the brainstem ceased its function, and Parry¡¯s pupils dilated, losing consciousness and collapsing.


    In this dazzling counterattack that lasted less than ten seconds, one dead and one injured, Song Ke effortlessly KO¡¯d the two renowned belt holders!


    The entire audience of prisoners first gaped in astonishment, then fell into complete silence. This was perhaps the quietest ¡°morning exercise¡± in the 7th floor¡¯s history.


    Someone nervously swallowed, cautiously glancing at White, fearing another sudden outburst.


    At this time, someone dared to pour oil on the fire.


    ¡°Warden, will you fulfill the reward you promised in person?¡± Zhuang Qingyan asked with a cheerful smile.


    He had to make White admit it out loud. Nearly a thousand inmates and prison guards witnessed it. As long as White still cared about his face and wanted to maintain his reputation, the probability of him reneging was relatively low.


    White¡¯s sharp eyes fixed on Zhuang Qingyan, and he pulled the corners of his mouth with a smile, neither sincere nor insincere.


    ¡°Of course, I, as the warden, promise to ¡®reward¡¯ the three of you by moving you to the 8th floor.¡±


    The cruel ¡°morning exercise¡± continued, but Song Ke had lost interest in watching. ¡°Let¡¯s look for him.¡±


    Each of the three was responsible for a different direction. After a while, Song Ke withdrew her gaze and saw the same disappointment on the faces of the other two.


    ¡°Not here.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t find anyone either.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu wasn¡¯t on the 7th floor.


    ¡°Warden, do you really want to send them to the 8th floor?¡± White¡¯s deputy asked anxiously, ¡°I always feel that they have a different purpose for coming to the Death Prison. They caused trouble before under Warden She¡¯s lead, and their intentions were not good¡­¡±


    White dismissed it, smirking, ¡°Send them, send them tonight. This way, they can catch the ¡®morning exercise¡¯ on the 8th floor tomorrow.¡±


    As long as he sent them down layer by layer, it wouldn¡¯t take long before he could witness their lifeless bodies. White was very certain of this.


    Wishes were beautiful, but reality was incredibly cruel.


    On the second day, Su Cha and Song Ke broke through the 8th floor¡­


    On the third day, White amended the rules, requiring Song Ke to take on three opponents alone. The result was the deaths of the three, and the 9th floor was cleared¡­


    On the fourth day, the elite inmates on the 10th floor were defeated, and White smashed all the vases in his office and broke his beloved whip collection.


    As the warden, his dignity was trampled and ground into the ground.


    There was only one floor left¡­ These damned bastards dared to run wild in his territory and urinate on his head so brazenly!


    White¡¯s eyes turned red with anger, his chest heaving violently.


    The shrewd deputy took the opportunity to remind, ¡°Warden, actually, the three of them have weaknesses in their combination. The handicapped person in the wheelchair is a good breakthrough point¡­¡±


    White was taken aback, his eyes shifted, and he quickly thought of something. An evil smile crept onto his face. ¡°Is that disgusting thing on the 11th floor still here?¡±


    ¡°It is,¡± the deputy confirmed and gave an affirmative reply.


    ¡­


    During the ¡°morning exercise¡± time, Song Ke, Zhuang Qingyan, and Su Cha arrived on the octagonal cage arena on the 11th floor.


    The number of inmates on this floor was less than 200. When Song Ke looked over, the inmates on the other side were silently appraising them.


    Song Ke furrowed her brows and quickly noticed something unusual. The inmates here seemed¡­ somewhat deformed in appearance. Some had exceptionally long heads but very thin arms; some had asymmetric eyes and terrifyingly wide-open mouths. In short, there was a kind of indescribable strangeness about their appearances.


    Zhuang Qingyan said, ¡°The 11th floor is the ultra-abyss zone. They probably haven¡¯t seen light for a very long time.¡±


    Just like deep-sea creatures often appeared bizarre to adapt to environmental and pressure changes, these prisoners trapped in the Death Prison for a long time had undergone subtle genetic changes within their bodies. Judging from their outward appearances, they could no longer be called ¡°normal.¡±


    A few minutes later, White and the prison guards arrived.


    Song Ke moved her shoulders a bit. Yesterday was one against three, and given White¡¯s vengeful nature, it should be one against four today, right?


    ¡°Wait,¡± White suddenly reached out to stop her. ¡°There¡¯s a change in the rules.¡±


    The blood whip in his hand pointed confidently at Zhuang Qingyan. ¡°Today, he must go up.¡±


    Song Ke was displeased. White was changing the rules as he pleased, which was too arbitrary.


    White¡¯s condescending tone seemed to bestow favor upon them. ¡°Here¡¯s the deal: as long as he wins, neither of you has to fight. I¡¯ll declare you the winners.¡±


    Song Ke shook her head and refused, ¡°No need. I¡¯ll do it for him, with however many of you.¡±


    ¡°I said he must go up today. No one can lie down and win all the time. What¡¯s wrong, addicted to freeload off women?¡± White said, annoyed.


    Zhuang Qingyan, of course, wouldn¡¯t be provoked by a few words from him. However, it would be better to resolve the issue quickly.


    The wheelchair he was using now was the basic model assigned after entering the Death Prison. However, after two activity days, Song Ke had secretly modified it for him, hiding various lethal weapons throughout.


    He might not necessarily lose if he went up to the arena to face these deformed inmates. Zhuang Qingyan held Song Ke¡¯s hand and quietly shared his thoughts.


    Song Ke still disagreed with him taking the risk.


    Zhuang Qingyan patiently explained, ¡°At times like this, try not to confront him directly. It will only waste time. Don¡¯t forget our goal.¡±


    All 200 people here could be seen at a glance, and since they hadn¡¯t found the person they were looking for, their current objective was to descend to the 12th floor as soon as possible. This was also the last region under White¡¯s rule.


    Song Ke was reluctantly persuaded and nodded slightly, ¡°Fine, if you can¡¯t handle it, call for me, and I¡¯ll help you.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan smiled helplessly, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll definitely call for you.¡±

 Chapter 76.2: Sin City (10)

    ¡ò You, are, dead. ¡òUnder the watchful gaze of Song Ke and Su Cha, Zhuang Qingyan entered the octagonal cage arena, and the iron door slowly closed and locked behind him.


    Song Ke was stunned. Something was wrong¡ªwhy was the door closed when the opponent hadn¡¯t entered the stage yet!


    She suddenly turned her head, only to see a mysterious smile on White¡¯s face.


    Suddenly, a black hole appeared below the arena, and the mechanical noises of the platform started. The heavy and murky breathing sounds were getting closer to them.


    When the creature fully revealed itself, everyone present, except White, was shocked.


    It was an evolved zombie, or rather, an evolved zombie adapted to the abyss environment!


    Compared to its human predecessor, it resembled a fish called the ¡°deep-sea anglerfish.¡± Its large forehead had a fleshy protrusion resembling a luminescent tumor. The lower jaw was extremely prominent, and the face had large gill openings. Its slender limbs were covered with fine scales and pointed adipose fins.


    The deformed zombie sluggishly turned its head and, upon spotting Zhuang Qingyan as the closest target, roared and lunged at him. S~?a??h the N0v?lFir?.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°You¡¯re playing dirty!¡± Song Ke shouted in anger.


    Putting aside why an evolved zombie appeared on the 11th floor, White had just forced Zhuang Qingyan into the arena, clearly wanting him dead!


    ¡°Hahaha, when did I say that your opponent must be a human?¡± White sneered, laughing arrogantly.


    Song Ke clenched the iron mesh with both hands.


    Su Cha whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t panic, let¡¯s see if he can handle it.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan skillfully maneuvered his wheelchair, dodging left and right. After six months, he had completely adapted to mechanical movement. The wheelchair was as agile as if it were a part of his body. Bone-cutting blade pieces popped out from the pedal with a ¡°shoo.¡± These were the spiritual weapons modified by Song Ke. Zhuang Qingyan had chosen the perfect angle, and they flew out precisely, hitting the zombie¡¯s knee.


    The howling zombie lost its balance and fell, its dorsal fin on its back thrusting towards Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s face. Zhuang Qingyan tapped on the shield, and a irregular shield popped up, blocking the attack.


    People with high intelligence had an advantage anywhere. Zhuang Qingyan, leveraging his wheelchair, countered swiftly while calmly observing. He gradually discovered the weak point of this deformed zombie. It seemed to have no vision or severely degraded vision, with both pupils so small that they were almost invisible, relying entirely on the glowing tumor on its forehead to discern directions.


    Zhuang Qingyan reached back, and in the moment the deformed zombie lunged at him again, he pulled out a miniature rapid-fire crossbow from a rear compartment.


    ¡°Pew pew pew!¡± Hair-thin needles poured out, hitting and bursting the glowing tumor on the zombie¡¯s forehead from a close range!


    A putrid yellowish fluid sprayed all over the place. The zombie seemed to sense the pain of losing its sight, clutching its head and kneeling, howling in agony.


    Seizing the opportunity, Zhuang Qingyan accelerated the wheelchair and rushed forward. Stepping on the pedal, the bone-cutting blade popped up high again, accurately puncturing its skull from front to back!


    They won! Song Ke jumped with excitement, even more thrilled than if she had won herself.


    Zhuang Qingyan breathed slightly heavily after a long time without such activity. He controlled the blade to turn and dug out a green crystal from the zombie¡¯s brain.


    He turned around and smiled at Song Ke outside the octagonal cage, his eyes curved, still portraying the frail appearance of a scholarly individual.


    ¡°We can go to the 12th floor now,¡± Song Ke cheered happily towards him.


    Zhuang Qingyan was about to say something when a cold voice rang out from behind them.


    ¡°You can¡¯t. He lost.¡±


    A chilly voice rang out from behind them.


    White¡¯s smile was full of malice. ¡°In arena combat, the use of any weapons is not allowed. He violated the rules, so you lost.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan narrowed his eyes. White had never mentioned this ¡°omitted¡± rule, not even from the 7th to the 11th floor before Zhuang Qingyan went up. It was intentional.


    ¡°If you win, there¡¯s a reward. If you lose, you naturally have to accept punishment.¡± White¡¯s face was red with excitement. With a gleam in his eyes, he took out a small connector from his leather jacket pocket and pressed it without blinking.


    ¡°Boom!¡±


    The ground of the entire arena shattered, and Zhuang Qingyan, along with his wheelchair, plummeted into the bottomless abyss!!!


    Everything happened too quickly. By the time Song Ke reacted, Zhuang Qingyan had already disappeared from her sight.


    ¡°Where did you take him?¡± she asked, her voice filled with the impending storm.


    To go from the 11th to the 12th floor, they had to use the internal elevator. It was impossible to fall directly from the arena.


    White sat back in his chair and leisurely took a puff of his cigar, the red glow stinging Song Ke¡¯s eyes.


    They had fought tooth and nail on the verge of life and death, all for the opportunity to advance to the 12th floor. But White? Clearly, he set the rules himself, and now he effortlessly broke them, never treating them as equals.


    In White¡¯s eyes, what were they? Disposable pawns for his entertainment, or simply worthless trash to vent on?


    ¡°Where did you take him?¡± Song Ke raised her voice, her clear questioning echoing throughout the arena, resonating layer upon layer.


    White calmly looked at her, blowing smoke rings contemptuously. ¡°Can¡¯t you see? He¡¯s already gone down, to the 13th floor, or maybe the 14th? Who knows? Anyway, it¡¯s not my territory down there.¡±


    He had thrown Zhuang Qingyan, the one in the wheelchair who couldn¡¯t use abilities, into the deepest part of the Death Prison.


    A completely unknown and terrifying place.


    ¡°You¡­ are¡­ dead,¡± Song Ke said, each word carefully enunciated.


    White sneered dismissively, extinguished the cigar, and stood up, the blood whip in his hand making a faint sound.


    ¡°Take a good look. I am the king of the Death Prison. What are you? What qualifications do you have to challenge me?¡±


    ¡°Are awakeners really that great? Here, you¡¯re still nothing but trash.¡±


    Song Ke felt something burning fiercely inside her.


    Was it fire? No, it wasn¡¯t fire¡ªit was an uncontrollable anger.


    The spiritual force in her body surged, her cells activated and differentiated, forming new combinations. Her formidable ability broke through the constraints, bursting out of her body. Song Ke closed her eyes and opened them again. A deep blue light flashed in her pupils. In the astonished gazes of everyone, a Fangtian halberd materialized out of thin air.


    ¡°It¡¯s impossible, using abilities¡­ it¡¯s impossible!¡± White exclaimed.


    6000 meters below the ocean surface, in the legendary forbidden zone of abilities, S-class awakener Song Ke ignited a dazzling display of her abilities.


    White was in a state of shock, instinctively swinging the blood whip in his hand. The long whip could restrain short weapons, but once they encountered longer weapons, they were their natural enemies.


    While White¡¯s blood whip had strong armor-piercing capabilities, it required maintaining a distance. As he swung his blood whip, Song Ke wielded her razor-sharp Fangtian halberd. Before the blood whip could approach her, she deflected it with a single move, extending the halberd¡¯s blade to pierce White¡¯s abdomen from a great distance. Startled, White hastily retreated, but Song Ke closed the distance rapidly. In an instant, the cold halberd was inches away!


    ¡°Guards, stop her!¡± White shouted in a panic.


    ¡°Su Cha, hold off the others,¡± Song Ke said, positioning Su Cha to block the guards and prisoners rushing to assist.


    Song Ke advanced like a drawn sword, step by step. White retreated in disarray, desperately dodging, but to no avail. The Fangtian halberd pressed forward relentlessly, piercing straight into his throat! White¡¯s eyes bulged, and blood spurted from his seven orifices. His ruptured windpipe crackled, making it impossible for him to utter a complete sentence.


    Song Ke coldly withdrew the Fangtian halberd, letting the blood flow freely from the wound. White¡¯s burly body twitched a few times and then ceased its final breath.


    A person who found amusement in death would eventually witness their own demise.


    The entire Death Prison erupted in a piercing alarm: ¡°Level one alert! Level one alert! The warden is dead!!¡±


    Levels 7 to 12 experienced violent tremors, causing the prisoners to stumble and fall. The internal elevator hummed and buzzed, and its doors slid open automatically.


    ¡°Hurry, we need to leave! The prison floor is about to be automatically sealed!¡± a senior prison guard exclaimed, suddenly awakened as if from a dream. A level one alert hadn¡¯t occurred in over a decade, only happening during the transition of a warden. During a level one alert, the floors under the warden¡¯s control were completely sealed until the new warden took over.


    Su Cha rushed to Song Ke¡¯s side, asking, ¡°What should we do?¡±


    Song Ke was about to respond when the display board in front of them erupted in a glaring red light¡ªthe Crime Record was activated!


    Her mind felt like it was being stabbed by a thousand needles, as if it were about to explode. Song Ke crouched down in agony, using all her willpower to resist.


    In the ethereal Cotard band, a hidden call persisted, constantly tempting her to enter the mouth of the arena.


    ¡°Come down¡­ come down¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡­ go first and join them,¡± Song Ke pushed Su Cha.


    Su Cha hesitated.


    ¡°Go!¡± Song Ke shouted.


    Su Cha clenched his fist. ¡°Alright.¡±


    Song Ke was clearly unwilling to leave Zhuang Qingyan behind. He would be of no help here. It was better to join the others first and think of another plan.


    Su Cha followed the fleeing crowd and rushed towards the elevator.


    ¡°Come down¡­ come down¡­¡±


    That elusive voice continued to echo in her mind, disturbing her greatly.


    Song Ke used the Fangtian halberd to support herself and slowly stood up. Her consciousness was gradually becoming chaotic.


    In that last moment of clarity, she leaped, jumping into the gap in the center of the arena.


    Whether she went down or not, it didn¡¯t matter. Who was afraid of whom?


    ¡°I will find you.¡±

 Chapter 77: Sin City (11)

    ¡ò Long time no see ¡òAfter falling from the platform on the 11th floor, the basic model wheelchair was shattered and unusable.


    Zhuang Qingyan pulled out a long strip from the steel frame at the bottom, using it as a makeshift crutch. He limped forward, with several joints of his body bruised and his hands scraped. Fortunately, none were serious, except the knee connected to the injured leg, which pressed on the nerve, causing a piercing pain that came in waves.


    The surroundings were dimly lit, and only vague silhouettes could be seen. The cells on this level were empty, devoid of any human presence.


    After walking for about ten minutes, Zhuang Qingyan stopped in front of an open cell. The prisoner inside was emaciated, with hair resembling tangled straw strewn all over the place. He was curled up in a pile of hair, and if it weren¡¯t for the slight movement of his chest, he would have looked like a corpse that had been dead for a long time.


    ¡°Forty-five years.¡±


    A cold, stern voice suddenly sounded from behind.


    Zhuang Qingyan quickly turned around to see a prison guard, around fifty or sixty years old, wearing a neat, old-fashioned police uniform and looking at him calmly.


    When did this person approach? Zhuang Qingyan hadn¡¯t noticed at all, and his hand gripping the crutch tightened slowly.


    ¡°His name is Senran (Green Anaconda), once a top-ranked assassin in the Alliance. He was imprisoned in the Death Prison in the year 2 of the New Calendar, and this year marks the forty-fifth year,¡± the prison guard explained.


    Senran, Zhuang Qingyan silently repeated the name, quickly retrieving relevant records from the database in his mind. Like Su Cha, Senran also hailed from the rainforest and was an active figure decades ago. The most prominent rumor about him was that he successfully assassinated the neighboring country¡¯s leader on the eve of a globally watched international conference, directly leading to the Alliance¡¯s annexation of that country. However¡­ it was likely that no one remembered that now.


    ¡°You¡¯re not a prisoner in our cell block,¡± the prison guard stated confidently.


    ¡°William White threw me down here,¡± Zhuang Qingyan replied.


    The prison guard fell silent for a moment. There was no particular reaction upon hearing the name of the warden; instead, he continued, ¡°From now on, remember, you can only enter here, not leave. Stillness is your eternal enemy. Get used to the timeless solitude.¡±


    Solitude? Zhuang Qingyan smiled silently and continued to hobble forward.


    Ahead was another distinctive cell. In the corner of the room was a glossy, illusionary nutrient pod. The prisoner lying inside had his eyes tightly closed, his naked body soaked in non-decomposing nutrient fluid. There was a small black box connected to the pod, supplying power.


    ¡°Smail,¡± Zhuang Qingyan softly spoke his name.


    ¡°You know him,¡± the prison guard said, his voice devoid of emotion.


    ¡°Smail is a figure recorded in textbooks. Who wouldn¡¯t know him?¡± Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s eyes reflected the light from the bottom of the nutrient pod. ¡°But few people know that this renowned visionary of District A5 is also the founder of the ¡®Country of Old People¡¯ ideology.¡± s?a??h th? N0v?lFire(.)n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    The prison guard fell silent for a moment and objectively remarked, ¡°You come from an extraordinary background, and you¡¯re very knowledgeable.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan refrained from giving a definite evaluation of the prison guard. He lowered his gaze, lost in thought. Even creations like nutrient pods, tearing through the fabric of technology, could appear in District F. It seemed that the establishment of the Death Prison was closely related to the covert forces within the Alliance¡¯s higher echelons.


    ¡°Is he dead?¡± Zhuang Qingyan inquired.


    ¡°From a biological standpoint, no. The prisoner¡¯s sentence is one hundred years. To prevent premature death, we have detached his consciousness from his body, ensuring his consciousness survives and endures a hundred years of imprisonment here,¡± the prison guard calmly explained.


    The prison guard¡¯s demeanor was unexpectedly calm, readily answering questions. He didn¡¯t reprimand Zhuang Qingyan for wandering around so aimlessly and not returning to the cell.


    In the dim light emanating from the nutrient pod, Zhuang Qingyan scrutinized the neatly combed gray hair under the officer¡¯s cap and the weathered, alert eyes.


    ¡°Officer, are you this patient with all the prisoners?¡± Zhuang Qingyan asked.


    The prison guard replied, deflecting the question, ¡°No one has come down here for a long time.¡±


    ¡°I see. How many prisoners are left?¡± Zhuang Qingyan inquired.


    ¡°42,¡± the prison guard added, ¡°still alive.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan lightly tapped the floor with his cane. ¡°Officer, can I move around freely since I can¡¯t leave anyway?¡±


    ¡°You can,¡± the prison guard nodded.


    After getting the answer he wanted, Zhuang Qingyan slowly moved forward, and the prison guard followed him silently.


    Zhuang Qingyan: ¡°¡­¡±


    What does this mean? We agreed on free movement. Why are you following me?


    *


    Song Ke plunged into a void.


    After falling from the arena¡¯s gap, she landed on a long slope that seemed endless. Along the way, there were different exits, but she was unconscious at the time, too weak to struggle, and slid directly to the deepest point, crashing onto the ground with a ¡°thud.¡±


    She didn¡¯t know how long had passed before Song Ke faintly regained consciousness.


    It was pitch-black around her, the kind where you couldn¡¯t see your hand in front of your face.


    Song Ke, lying down, moved her fingers and attempted to use her abilities, all to no avail.


    The fantastical sensation of her abilities erupting just now could no longer be grasped. The spiritual power in her body felt like stagnant, depleted water, unable to sense any ripples. Even the injuries that hadn¡¯t healed properly on her chest started to ache miserably at this moment.


    Song Ke fumbled to stand up, exploring back and forth in the winding passages. She walked down several dead ends before finally entering a spacious area.


    There were faint breaths in her ears, seemingly coming from somewhere higher than her.


    Song Ke abruptly looked up, although she couldn¡¯t see anything. ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°Me.¡±


    ¡°¡­Who are you?¡±


    ¡°I am me; I¡¯ve always been here.¡±


    Always here¡­ Song Ke realized this was likely a fellow prisoner, and she might be able to gather some information from them.


    She carefully moved towards the voice, step by step, and finally sat down in a corner, exhausted.


    ¡°Where is this place?¡± she asked.


    ¡°The Death Prison,¡± the voice replied.


    ¡°No, I meant, which level are we on?¡±


    No response from the other person.


    Song Ke tried a different question, ¡°Apart from me, have others fallen down here?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Song Ke lowered her head in frustration. The 13th to 18th floors seemed quite different from what she had expected. How was she going to find Zhuang Qingyan?


    In the silence, the young-sounding voice spoke again.


    ¡°Your body is perfect.¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s hair stood on end, and a chilling sensation ran down her spine. She had heard similar indifferent praise from another person¡¯s lips before.


    At the public cemetery in Ferrara, the super AI Ilya had made comments like ¡°¡­I would still like this body of yours¡±.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Song Ke asked, feigning composure.


    ¡°Just a compliment. Your limbs and joints have a vigorous flow of vitality, very healthy,¡± the man¡¯s tone carried a hint of melancholy.


    Song Ke squeezed her palm nervously and asked, ¡°Are you not healthy?¡±


    The man fell silent again.


    His silence eased Song Ke¡¯s tension a bit. Perhaps he was missing an arm or a leg, and he made that comment out of envy.


    ¡°I have a friend¡­ he broke his leg, but he loves life and is always positive,¡± Song Ke spoke nonsense in the darkness.


    The man¡¯s tone showed some confusion, ¡°Are you comforting me?¡±


    Song Ke stammered, ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    ¡°Thank you, but I don¡¯t need it.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Communicating with him was difficult; Song Ke had a headache.


    ¡°I want to explore the area. Do you want to come along?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t move.¡±


    ¡°I am like a tree.¡±


    ¡°Trees have soil to root into, and so do I.¡±


    Song Ke was filled with question marks. This person seemed to be speaking very seriously, but she couldn¡¯t understand him at all.


    ¡°Trees can¡¯t talk,¡± Song Ke argued.


    ¡°You¡¯re not a tree; how do you know trees can¡¯t talk?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m not a tree, and you¡¯re not a tree either.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not me; how do you know I¡¯m not a tree and can¡¯t talk?¡±


    Oh no, he turned the tables on her.


    Song Ke couldn¡¯t argue with him and could only simmer in frustration.


    After a while, the man initiated communication again.


    ¡°So, you¡¯ve seen it now.¡±


    ¡°Seen what?¡±


    ¡°A talking tree, me.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s discuss something. After you die, can I have your body for use?¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re quite stingy.¡±


    Song Ke was infuriated. Me, stingy? Okay, whatever you say.


    This person¡¯s way of thinking was truly strange, rigid, and robotic, exuding an odd sense of formalism. Although he seemed eager to communicate, he might lack social skills as he could easily annoy people upon opening his mouth.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to look for someone,¡± Song Ke declared, and she began to walk away. However, it was so dark that she accidentally stepped on something and stumbled.


    ¡°You stepped on me.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ I¡¯m sorry,¡± Song Ke said with a choked voice. How could I possibly step on you when your voice was at least ten meters away from me?


    ¡°I accept your apology.¡±


    There was a slight rustling sound accompanied by the sound of leaves withdrawing from under her feet swiftly.


    Song Ke was taken aback. An absurd thought crossed her mind: Could she really be talking to a tree?


    Song Ke wandered in the dark for a while. The place was vast, and she found nothing. She returned to where she started, feeling disheartened.


    ¡°Whom are you looking for? I¡¯m sure it¡¯s only me here.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say that earlier?¡± Song Ke was annoyed.


    ¡°Do I need to say this kind of thing in advance? I thought you knew,¡± the man replied, not sarcastic but genuinely puzzled.


    Song Ke stretched out her limbs and lay down on the ground, feeling exhausted. She needed to rest for a few minutes.


    At least the 13th to 18th floor seemed safer than she had imagined.


    ¡®Zhuang Qingyan, please wait for me a little longer.¡¯


    *


    From the 13th to the 18th floor, Zhuang Qingyan checked each level one by one. Besides Senran and Smail, he found the other 40 prisoners. They were all well-known figures within the Alliance, but here, they were indistinguishable from the living dead.


    It might have taken two or maybe three days, but the specific time was immeasurable, as he had no reference point. Due to excessive walking, blisters formed on his palms and arms, and his intact left leg had also begun to ache intensely.


    ¡°Officer, what do you think is the purpose of the Death Prison¡¯s existence?¡± Zhuang Qingyan turned to the person who had been quietly following him.


    ¡°The Death Prison is a necessary product of the Alliance¡¯s development at a specific stage, created with the emergence of class and division of districts.¡±


    ¡°Necessary product. What about the Crime Record? Is that necessary too?¡± Zhuang Qingyan chuckled.


    The prison guard remained silent for a second, as if unfamiliar with the sudden use of that term, and didn¡¯t respond immediately.


    Zhuang Qingyan instantly understood. Apart from the prisoners, the only other person on this level was the prison guard. The man¡¯s true identity had become apparent.


    ¡°The person I¡¯m looking for isn¡¯t here,¡± Zhuang Qingyan stated.


    ¡°All the prisoners from the 13th to the 18th floors are here, alive,¡± the prison guard replied.


    ¡°Is that so? I guess the Death Prison must have more than 18 floors,¡± Zhuang Qingyan raised his gaze slightly. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, Lord Hades?¡±


    The prison guard fell silent.


    ¡°Sorry, I should be more precise and address you as¡­ the former Lord Hades,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said slowly.


    The prison guard had been giving off an aura of dissonance ever since he appeared. Later, Zhuang Qingyan gradually noticed that this person didn¡¯t breathe, had no chest movement, and displayed an unnaturally stable emotional state. He remembered Senran, who had been imprisoned 45 years ago, in detail, but he couldn¡¯t recognize the Crime Record that every present-day prisoner had, nor did he know about William White, the infamous, ruthless warden.


    Connecting all these oddities left only one possibility. However, this possibility likely hid other secrets.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been emphasizing ¡®alive¡¯ all along because you know you¡¯re no longer a living being. So, what are you? A puppet or a marionette?¡± Zhuang Qingyan asked.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to answer. Regardless of what you are, take me to see the true Lord Hades.¡±


    *


    ¡°Are you dead?¡± the man asked.


    ¡°No,¡± Song Ke lifted her leg slightly, indicating that she was still alive, though the man probably couldn¡¯t see her.


    ¡°Oh,¡± the man¡¯s voice sounded a little disappointed, ¡°When will you die, then?¡±


    Song Ke retorted, ¡°You go first, and I¡¯ll die later.¡±


    ¡°But trees have long lifespans.¡±


    ¡°My lifespan is also long,¡± Song Ke replied spitefully, ¡°Longer than yours.¡±


    The man was about to engage in a logical argument with her about ¡°whose lifespan is longer¡± when he suddenly paused and said, ¡°Someone¡¯s coming.¡±


    Song Ke immediately rolled over and asked eagerly, ¡°Who¡¯s coming? Are they alive? How many people? Are they male or female? Where are they?¡±


    Finally, someone was coming, and it got her really excited.


    The man thought silently for a moment and muttered to himself, ¡°To meet people, you need to have a light.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you turn on the light earlier if you had one?¡± Song Ke shouted in disbelief, considering she had been stumbling in the dark for so many days!


    The moment his words fell, a faint light began to shine, gradually brightening from the distance. Song Ke instinctively closed her eyes and waited for her pupils to adjust to the surroundings¡¯ brightness. When she cautiously opened her eyes, she was shocked by the scene in front of her.


    A vast sea of data formed a lush, towering tree right in the center of the space. It emitted a vibrant green glow of life. The man who had been speaking to Song Ke was completely surrounded by flowing code. His legs, from the thighs down, were missing, but an endless stream of data continuously poured in, forming the shape of virtual legs. Simultaneously, they acted as two flexible branches, winding and extending throughout the entire space. In other words, the man was a part of the massive tree.


    Silver hair! Ice-blue eyes!


    Song Ke had never seen a genuine ice-blue eye before. Lu Xinglan¡¯s eyes were not pure; they had a faint touch of ice blue. But at this moment, she was certain that the man in front of her had the purest form of ice-blue eyes. It was hard to describe the exact color in words; it was like the first snow of winter, like a frozen mirror-like lake, like translucent crystal. But it was by no means lifeless. Every time the man blinked, one could see stars moving within them.


    Lu Xiaoyu, this tree¡­ah, no, this person was Lu Xiaoyu! They had finally found the person they had been searching for!


    Two other figures slowly emerged from the darkness. The man with the crutches, upon seeing the scene before him, was initially taken aback but then smiled slightly.


    ¡°It¡¯s really you.¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t seen you for years. How did you end up in such a pitiful state?¡±


    ¡°The Lu family dealt quite a blow; they even broke both of your legs?¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu blinked in confusion and his silver hair scattered over his shoulders. ¡°I have legs.¡±


    The data around him trembled slightly, and the branches decorated with green 101010 leaves rustled.


    ¡°You¡¯re the one without legs,¡± Lu Xiaoyu retorted.


    ¡°You seem to be enjoying yourself as the Lord Hades here,¡± Zhuang Qingyan removed the Crime Record from his shoulder and casually threw it in front of him. ¡°Is this lousy thing also your creation?¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu glanced at the Crime Record on the ground, then looked back at Zhuang Qingyan. He furrowed his brows slightly, and the data flow around him accelerated, making it clear that he was not pleased.


    Zhuang Qingyan raised an eyebrow and smiled, ¡°What¡¯s this? Lost your legs and your memory has regressed?¡±


    The flow of data came to an abrupt halt, and Lu Xiaoyu observed Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s expression for a while before softly saying, ¡°Ah, it¡¯s you.¡±


    ¡°Zhuang Qingyan!¡± Song Ke hurried over to support him.


    Zhuang Qingyan breathed a sigh of relief; he was nearly at his limit. He obediently relaxed, leaning against Song Ke.


    Song Ke complained, ¡°I was looking for you and couldn¡¯t find you. It¡¯s so dark in here, and I couldn¡¯t get out.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan pinched her puffed cheeks lightly and playfully tugged them from side to side.


    In response, Song Ke shook her head from side to side, mimicking his actions.


    Zhuang Qingyan chuckled, ¡°Alright, stop acting cute. I¡¯m fine.¡±


    Acting cute? Song Ke¡¯s face remained expressionless as she punched him in the face, causing his head to tilt.


    ¡°Hiss, you¡¯re so fierce,¡± Zhuang Qingyan exclaimed softly.


    ¡°Zhuang¡­ Qing¡­ Yan.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu suddenly called his name, repeating it with a strange tone.


    His pair of pure ice-blue eyes locked onto Zhuang Qingyan, and Zhuang Qingyan returned the gaze.


    Across a distance of ten meters, both remained silent, yet their expressions were remarkably similar, right down to the slight chin lift as they observed one another.


    Transcending the vast expanse of time and space, a long time ago, two equally brilliant and proud young men, neither willing to yield to the other, constantly challenged each other and ultimately had to shake hands and make peace.


    Song Ke belatedly remembered that Zhuang Qingyan had once said that Lu Xiaoyu was his ¡°friend.¡±


    Were they really friends, these two oddballs?


    Lu Xiaoyu awkwardly tugged at the corners of his mouth, trying to form a ¡°smile.¡±


    ¡°Long time no see, Zhuang Qingyan.¡±


    **TN


    Oh~ The last team member is here~ And he looks like Gojo Satoru~Kyaa kyaa <3

 Chapter 78: Sin City (12)

    ¡ò Have you heard of synesthesia? ¡ò¡°Long time no see, Zhuang Qingyan.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu raised his hand, and a small cluster of glowing data branches followed his movement, silently standing up, with the leaves making a ¡°swish¡± sound.


    Zhuang Qingyan dropped the makeshift crutch in his hand and sat against the wall with the help of Song Ke.


    His current appearance was extremely disheveled, with torn and tattered prison clothes, bloody blisters on his palms, and several scratches on his face. These were just the visible injuries; who knows how many hidden wounds he had. After all, his wheelchair was completely destroyed, and it was impossible for him to be unscathed.


    After Zhuang Qingyan sat down, he had to tilt his head up to speak with Lu Xiaoyu. He made a faint ¡°tsk¡± sound and said, ¡°Come down.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu muttered silently, ¡°I am a tree, and a tree only grows taller¡­¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan interrupted him, ¡°Quit the nonsense and come down.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to look up.¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re still so finicky.¡±


    The flowing data formed the shape of a tree trunk, and Lu Xiaoyu slowly descended to the ground. Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s gaze finally met his.


    He raised his chin slightly, indicating another direction, ¡°Since you¡¯re Lord Hades, what is he?¡±


    Song Ke belatedly realized that there was a fourth person at the scene. From the very beginning, this person had been standing still, not moving a muscle or even breathing. Her attention had been solely on Zhuang Qingyan, so she had overlooked the presence of the other person.


    Upon arriving in a well-lit area, the appearance of this prison guard seemed even more bizarre. While his gaze was rational and clear, his facial features and limbs were extremely stiff, like a marionette covered with human skin. No matter how realistic it was, it couldn¡¯t hide the strangeness.


    Song Ke¡¯s intuition told her that he was most likely not a ¡°human.¡±


    ¡°He is the warden here,¡± Lu Xiaoyu said in a casual tone. ¡°When I arrived, he was on the verge of death, but he seemed to want to live and not let others know he was dying. So he found me and said he wanted to do the same as that visionary, to separate his consciousness from his body and transfer it to a new body. He asked me if I could do it.¡±


    ¡°I extracted all of his memories and prepared to transfer them into a new body he had improved himself. However, there was a parameter error in the middle of the process, and I couldn¡¯t fix it using my abilities. In the end, the experiment failed, and only a part of his consciousness was barely preserved. The current him is no longer considered a complete person; he only mechanically repeats residual commands.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ that¡¯s all that¡¯s left,¡± Lu Xiaoyu said, moving his fingers, and the blank wall projected fragments of the former Lord Hades¡¯ memories.


    He had once been a passionate young man who, as an adult, had willingly entered the prison industry. Starting as a low-ranking officer, he had climbed his way up to become the high-ranking chief warden. He possessed extraordinary talent and a deep sense of strategy, and through centralization, reform, and new policies, he had elevated the existence of the Death Prison to its zenith, becoming a revered and feared Lord Hades.


    However, in this world, there was the ¡°Law of Extreme Reversal¡±¡ªwhen something reaches its zenith, it tends to transform in the opposite direction.


    When a person reaches their peak, they also rapidly decline.


    Plagued by illness, growing old, the former Lord Hades gradually became incapable and had to relinquish his power, sinking into the bottommost layer of the Death Prison, where one could never be reborn. While the wardens above him changed continuously, he became increasingly mysterious. It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t want to leave, but his broken body and depleted energy could no longer sustain his ambitions.


    Zhuang Qingyan looked at the silent prison guard, witnessing his grandiose history, but the guard seemed indifferent, as if he were a complete stranger. He had once built the glory of the Death Prison with his own hands, but he had also succumbed to his obsession. Lu Xiaoyu was right; he was no longer a ¡°human¡± but a mere puppet.


    ¡°What¡¯s his name?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Lu Xiaoyu replied emotionlessly. He had never cared about it and had never asked.


    Apart from the code name ¡°Lord Hades¡±, his entire life had remained unknown to others. Now, even that title no longer belonged to him.


    A sigh was all that remained.


    The stripping of memories, extraction, transformation, and injection into a new body¡­ These words that Lu Xiaoyu casually mentioned were enough to make one¡¯s heart race. If the former Lord Hades¡¯ experiment had succeeded, he would have achieved immortality in a different way, shaking the entire Alliance.


    Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s expression turned regretful, ¡°In the end, it was because the body he chose was too fragile to contain a complete soul.¡±


    He wasn¡¯t fond of conducting such experiments; in fact, he had no interest in them. He wasn¡¯t even proficient in this area, and his only attempt had been at the former Lord Hades¡¯ request. However, that failure had left a lasting impact on him, as geniuses often couldn¡¯t tolerate their own imperfections.


    Song Ke listened intently, her fingers unconsciously grasping something nearby.


    Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s icy gaze suddenly turned to her, ¡°You¡¯re touching me.¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°Huh?¡±


    She lowered her head in bewilderment, only then realizing that she had been grabbing onto an extended branch. She quickly let go.


    The branch closely followed and wound around her wrist a few times, its tip touching her forearm affectionately.


    ¡°I can let you touch me because I¡¯m the one who called you down,¡± Lu Xiaoyu said.


    Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s gaze returned to Song Ke, and his eyes sparkled like the branches. ¡°I really like your body. How about letting me modify you? I promise it will succeed this time.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Song Ke said, expressionless, as she shook her hand to get rid of the branch, but it clung.


    Lu Xiaoyu persisted, ¡°Or let my consciousness enter yours. We can learn to share one body. Have you heard of synesthesia? It¡¯s when you have me in you, and I have you in me. You can feel me, and I can¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it,¡± Zhuang Qingyan grabbed the tip and pulled it away, saying coldly, ¡°Get lost.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu faced successive rejections, retracted the branches, and pursed his lips in annoyance.


    He lost the desire for further social interaction and lazily leaned against the tree trunk.


    ¡°Why did you come to the Death Prison? Is this your latest research achievement?¡± Lu Xiaoyu asked.


    ¡°I came here specifically to find you.¡±


    ¡°Find me?¡±


    ¡°Yes, before we have a formal conversation, you need to take care of this first.¡± Zhuang Qingyan removed Song Ke¡¯s Crime Record and threw it together with his own with a ¡°clink¡± sound.


    Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s branches rolled up the two Crime Records on the ground, returned them to his side, and then paused, his gaze resting on Song Ke for a moment.


    Song Ke felt inexplicably nervous, fearing that he might say something startling.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, she won¡¯t,¡± Zhuang Qingyan suddenly spoke, his tone calm and his gaze confident.


    Song Ke looked at him with confusion, won¡¯t what? His words seemed disjointed.


    Lu Xiaoyu responded with a brief ¡°hm,¡± tapped his fingertips a few times, and then crushed the badges.


    Song Ke¡¯s mental state suddenly shifted, and she realized that the feeling of being constantly monitored had disappeared. Was this what unlocked it?


    ¡°Did you create the Crime Record?¡± Song Ke asked, surprised. She recalled the information she had received from Cheng Yi, stating that the crime records were a technology passed down from District B. Could it be that Lu Xiaoyu had casually created them?


    ¡°Not entirely. Its original form was a monitoring device and didn¡¯t have punitive functions. After I connected with it, I casually broke through its firewall and felt it was a bit of a waste, so I added some things and made some improvements,¡± Lu Xiaoyu replied offhandedly.


    Even without special abilities, Lu Xiaoyu was a genius-level hacker, and this was certainly something he could do.


    ¡°Tell me, what do you need me for?¡±


    ¡°I need your help to hack into the citizenship system and forge a few new identity records. We need to go to District C55.¡± S?a??h the N?v?lFire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Lu Xiaoyu chuckled, ¡°Did you¡­ also get a brain transplant? This new one doesn¡¯t seem to be working very well.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan remained expressionless, ¡°I¡¯m serious. You¡¯re a gene optimizer who awakened your hacking ability over a decade ago. Something like this should be a piece of cake for you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m in a place where using abilities is forbidden,¡± Lu Xiaoyu reminded, implying that he couldn¡¯t use his hacking ability here.


    ¡°I know. You didn¡¯t understand what I meant. I want you to leave with us.


    ¡°Before coming in, the biggest difficulty we encountered was how to find you; at least we¡¯ve succeeded in that step. As for how to get out, we can figure that out later.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not leaving,¡± Lu Xiaoyu immediately refused, ¡°Once a tree takes root, it won¡¯t easily move. I¡¯m fine here.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan sneered, ¡°Yes, you are Lord Hades here, the heart of the Death Prison, and the life and death of all the prisoners depend on your whim. But stuck here, you have no idea what changes are happening in the outside world.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care¡­¡±


    ¡°Lu Corporation¡¯s supercomputer isn¡¯t dead. It can be reactivated soon.¡±


    ¡°Impossible!¡± Lu Xiaoyu raised his head abruptly. ¡°Even if she¡¯s not dead, there¡¯s no way she can return to normal.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s impossible about it? Lu Corporation has found an alternative power source for her.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡± Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s voice grew colder.


    ¡°A super AI with a complete personality and powerful abilities. Before we arrived in Sin City, they had already begun capturing it. Let me think¡­ it might even be operational by now.¡±


    Song Ke made a surprised sound. Zhuang Qingyan was talking about Ilya, right? But Ilya hadn¡¯t been captured, and instead, he had taken down Lu Xinglan¡­


    She opened her mouth to speak, but Zhuang Qingyan pinched her knuckles at that moment, causing Song Ke to react belatedly.


    Oh¡­ Zhuang Qingyan was lying again, and this time it was even more absurd, lying even to his friend.


    Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s branches hung down dejectedly.


    Zhuang Qingyan continued, ¡°As early as Year 8 in the New Calendar, the Lu family¡¯s starship was born. But for over twenty years thereafter, it remained obscure, overshadowed by other flying terminals. It wasn¡¯t until Year 32 in the New Calendar, after a certain technological innovation, that a new model emerged and became famous overnight in the Alliance, earning the nickname ¡®Eternal Soaring Bird.¡¯ No one knew that the person who wrote the core code at that time was none other than you, Lu Xiaoyu.


    ¡°You flawlessly integrated the critical energy source, ¡®Yiyu,¡¯ into the central calculations, achieving high-altitude supersonic flight under absolute safety conditions. It was you who single-handedly propelled the Lu family starship to its peak.¡±


    Song Ke was left dumbfounded.


    Lu family starship, Yiyu, Lu Xiaoyu¡­ So, Lu Xiaoyu was the true creator of the starship!


    ¡°The Lu family amassed countless wealth through the starship, becoming the sole owner of District B8. But, do you know that the starship has now completely collapsed.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu frowned, ¡°The code I wrote, even if it runs for another 100 years, couldn¡¯t possibly go wrong.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan shook his head slowly, ¡°It¡¯s not the code that went wrong; The Lu family starship reclaimed Yiyu.¡±


    No matter how perfectly a program was designed, without a power source, the starship couldn¡¯t function.


    Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s branches gradually tightened.


    ¡°Even after learning all this, do you still intend to stay here and be your Lord Hades in peace?¡± Zhuang Qingyan asked.


    Lu Xiaoyu remained quiet for a moment and then suddenly said, ¡°You¡¯re deliberately provoking me. You haven¡¯t changed at all. You may pretend to be all nice on the surface, but deep down, you¡¯re full of evil. As soon as you find someone¡¯s soft spot, you relentlessly go after it.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan chuckled, ¡°I did it on purpose. I know you have Asperger¡¯s Syndrome. Maybe this place is better suited for you than putting on a mask and pretending to be a normal person in social situations.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu snorted, ¡°You, a psychopath, have no right to talk about me.¡±


    Song Ke looked at one, then the other, with countless question marks appearing over her head. What are you guys talking about? What¡¯s ¡°A¡±¡­ and what¡¯s ¡°P¡±?


    Both of them had a cold smile on their lips, not giving an inch as they stared at each other.


    ¡°Are you leaving or not? Waste.¡±


    ¡°Shut up, trash.¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°¡­¡±


    Wait, weren¡¯t they getting along just fine a moment ago? Why are they arguing now?


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Both of them looked at her at the same time.


    Song Ke¡¯s voice got smaller and smaller, ¡°If you have something to say, please say it nicely. Don¡¯t fight.¡±


    After a while, Lu Xiaoyu twitched his branch and said, ¡°I can¡¯t leave.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s expression turned cold. Lu Xiaoyu shot him a sideways glance and said before he could speak, ¡°Shut up.


    ¡°¡­Leaving the tree would kill me.¡±


    He moved forward a bit, slowly turning around, and Song Ke could clearly see that there were various data conduits in his head, shoulders, and back. Some of these data conduits were even plugged into the nerve endings of his severed legs. If pulled out hastily, he would likely die instantly from blood loss.


    Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s eyelashes drooped, and his expression remained unexpectedly indifferent.


    Song Ke felt her heart ache. She didn¡¯t know the full story of the conflict between Lu Xiaoyu and the Lu family, but it was brutal. Severing his legs and throwing him into the depths of the Death Prison wasn¡¯t enough; they had to nail him within this pile of data, making his senses and countless sins interconnected, subjecting him to endless torment. Was it necessary to go this far?


    ¡°Even so, do you still want to take me with you?¡± Lu Xiaoyu asked quietly.


    After a moment of silence, it was Song Ke who spoke first, ¡°We do, we will definitely take you out.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan suddenly asked, ¡°How far are we from the boundary where the use of abilities is prohibited?¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu replied, ¡°As long as we leave the super abyss area, it¡¯s fine. It¡¯s about 12,000 meters in a straight line.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan lightly tapped the ground with his fingertip, a usual gesture when he was deep in thought.


    ¡°I have some ideas¡­ Let¡¯s first get Fang Zhixu down.¡±


    ¡°Never mind, let¡¯s get all of them down.¡±


    **TN


    Song Ke was confused with the A and P because they said Asperger¡¯s Syndrome and Psychotic in English.

 Chapter 79: Sin City (13)

    ¡ò Prison Break ¡òThese past few days, the Death Prison has been far from peaceful.


    Warden White met a violent end. It¡¯s said that his death was gruesome, with someone stabbing him through the throat. Floors 7 to 12 were put on lockdown, and a large number of inmates seized the opportunity to escape amidst the chaos. She Liang was busy dealing with the aftermath, his hands full, and the management of the original cell blocks appeared somewhat lax. As a result, Lin Youyou and a few others were able to meet on the activity area.


    Su Cha had already informed them of what had happened below.


    ¡°Both of them went down?¡± Lin Youyou nervously tapped the table.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Su Cha said with a grave expression.


    Song Ke was absent, and Xu Xing couldn¡¯t be bothered with being coy. The little boy sat there, his brow furrowed.


    Lin Youyou felt a headache coming on. Among the six of them, it had never been her role to make decisions. However, in the current situation, if they didn¡¯t decide quickly, the situation for Song Ke and the others would become more perilous.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take the lead in making a decision. I want to go down to find them,¡± Lin Youyou sighed.


    ¡°I agree.¡± Surprisingly, Fang Zhixu was the first to speak up. They had come to the Death Prison because of him, and now with Song Ke and Zhuang Qingyan in danger, he couldn¡¯t stand by and do nothing.


    ¡°I agree too.¡± Xu Xing bravely raised his little hand. He was determined to save his sister.


    Su Cha nodded in agreement with Lin Youyou.


    With a unanimous decision to stick together, Lin Youyou gained some assurance. ¡°Well then, let¡¯s first think of a way to get down¡­¡±


    While the four were discussing their plan, the Crime Record device on their shoulders suddenly lit up with a red light. Lin Youyou looked at the badge in surprise. How was this possible? They hadn¡¯t committed any crimes now, so why was it glowing? Could it monitor their psychological activities as well?


    A secret message suddenly flashed into their minds.


    Lin Youyou listened quietly, and her expression became strange. She noticed that the others¡¯ faces were similar to hers.


    ¡°The content we heard¡­ should be the same, right? Good news, Song Ke and Zhuang Qingyan are safe, and they¡¯ve even found Lu Xiaoyu.¡±


    Fang Zhixu, Su Cha, and Xu Xing nodded, confirming her statement.


    Lin Youyou paused for a moment and couldn¡¯t help but smile lightly. ¡°You received the second part of the message too, right? Song Ke, you really are¡­ always a source of surprises, no, shock.¡±


    ¡­


    She Liang hurriedly moved through the administrative area, busy arranging various matters. An underling approached him and reported, ¡°Warden, a notice has come from the 18th floor, requesting the transfer of four inmates down below.¡±


    ¡°The 18th floor? Are there still living prisoners there? Who issued the transfer order?¡± She Liang asked, surprised.


    The subordinate¡¯s legs were trembling as he replied, ¡°¡­It¡¯s a direct order from that esteemed person.¡±


    She Liang abruptly stopped, a cold snort escaping his lips. ¡°That old coot always knows how to stir up trouble. I¡¯ll reject it outright.¡±


    She Liang had never met Lord Hades. Since his first day as warden, he had been shrouded in the shadow of this person. There were always people criticizing him, pointing out where he fell short of Lord Hades¡¯ standards, and how he couldn¡¯t do things according to the rules set by Lord Hades. He was tired of it all.


    ¡°But, Warden¡­ From the perspective of your authority, you don¡¯t have the right to refuse,¡± his subordinate stated plainly.


    She Liang glared at him with a cold expression, slowly crumpling the papers in his hand. ¡°Is that so? I don¡¯t have the right, huh?¡±


    Although he was furious to the extreme, She Liang didn¡¯t let anger cloud his judgment. White was dead, and the immediate priority was to bring the escaped inmates under control. He needed to secure authority over floors 7 to 12 before the official transfer order came from the Alliance. Then, he would hold all the power, and no one could oppose him. As for that old coot, Lord Hades¡­ he would be replaced sooner or later. In the future, the Death Prison would only have him, She Liang, as the warden.


    Once She Liang had calmed down, he asked, ¡°Which four inmates have been selected for the transfer?¡±


    The subordinate quickly handed over the four inmates¡¯ files. She Liang glanced at them briefly and said, ¡°Retrieve the inmates¡¯ surveillance footage.¡±


    In real-time surveillance, Lin Youyou, Fang Zhixu, and Su Cha were seen laboring honestly in their prison uniforms. Xu Xing, who had already served his sentence but was still in confinement due to unpaid fines, sat in his cell drawing, looking carefree. The last one was a tall man who had been placed in a temporary cell and hadn¡¯t been reassigned yet.


    She Liang didn¡¯t have much of an impression of Lin Youyou and the others, but the moment he saw Su Cha, he frowned and recognized him immediately.


    Why wouldn¡¯t this person go away? He had just been sent down, and now he was back again. Seeing him brought back memories of the ten billion he had lost. She Liang¡¯s good mood disappeared, and he impatiently said, ¡°Since Lord Hades wants them, then send them down.¡±


    Half an hour later, the prison guards responsible for transporting the inmates had set the destination floor and pushed the inmates into the elevator. ¡°Get in and behave.¡±


    As the elevator doors closed, Lin Youyou smiled sweetly and discreetly slipped something into the elevator wall.


    The same subtle actions occurred with Xu Xing on the 1st floor, Fang Zhixu on the 4th floor, and Su Cha on the 6th floor¡­


    The four tracking devices left behind by Song Ke were concealed discreetly inside the moving elevators.


    ¡­


    Zhuang Qingyan extracted a usable light screen from Smail¡¯s cell and connected it to the data port on Lu Xiaoyu, beginning to study the structure of the entire Death Prison.


    ¡°Did you send the one-way signal? This is such a minor task; you don¡¯t need an ability for it,¡± Zhuang Qingyan remarked.


    ¡°Quit your yapping; I¡¯ve already sent it,¡± Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s branches flowed smoothly, his pale fingertips tapping the leaves as he monitored the elevator¡¯s movements in real-time. ¡°Your people are coming down.¡±


    ¡°Give me the balance vector data for the particles.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you calculate it yourself?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m working on the gravity parameters. You should be thanking me; this was originally your job.¡±


    The two of them made progress while bickering back and forth, occasionally arguing like they used to when working on projects together in their youth.


    Lu Xiaoyu rolled his eyes and swiftly completed the calculations. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of a figure.


    In the nearby shadows, a person stood quietly, with a straight posture and stern demeanor.


    ¡°Wait for me,¡± Lu Xiaoyu used his data leg to ¡°stand¡± up and ¡°walk¡± a few steps in the person¡¯s direction, stopping in front of him.


    ¡°I¡¯m leaving,¡± Lu Xiaoyu said.


    ¡°Congratulations,¡± he replied.


    Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s tone remained indifferent. ¡°When I leave, there might be some commotion. The Death Prison might be destroyed, and it will cease to exist.¡±


    The prison guard paused for a moment, not fully comprehending his words, and unable to respond effectively.


    But Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s words seemed to trigger something in his consciousness. He replied calmly and mechanically, ¡°The Death Prison¡­ The Death Prison is a necessary product of the Alliance¡¯s development at a specific stage, emerging with the creation of classes and districts.¡±


    His missing consciousness prevented him from dealing with a more advanced linguistic environment, causing him to repeat meaningless phrases.


    After he finished speaking, Lu Xiaoyu spoke again. ¡°You are one of my few failures.¡±


    ¡°I also don¡¯t understand your pursuit of immortality.¡±


    ¡°But if you¡¯re willing, when I leave, I can use my ability to write an operational program for you, to complete the missing part of your consciousness. But let¡¯s be clear, you won¡¯t be able to return to your previous state. At most, you¡¯ll be a kind of artificial intelligence with built-in factory memory.¡±


    The prison guard remained silent for a long time, then slowly raised his arm and gave Lu Xiaoyu a standard salute, his voice low but firm.


    ¡°Staying in the Death Prison is my lifelong mission.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Lu Xiaoyu responded absentmindedly, turning to leave. Unexpectedly, he met Song Ke¡¯s wide eyes.


    She hadn¡¯t eavesdropped; she had been standing there openly, listening.


    Song Ke blinked her eyes, her thoughts swirling. How to describe Lu Xiaoyu? He appeared to have a scattered mind, hard to communicate with, but he had his own set of standards for doing things. How did that saying go again? Oh, right, he¡¯s fiercely loyal.


    Song Ke looked at Lu Xiaoyu and smiled, a faint dimple appearing on her cheek.


    Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s ice-cold pupils narrowed slightly, and his branches secretly touched Song Ke¡¯s shoulder as he lowered his voice. ¡°While that guy isn¡¯t looking, do you want to try synesthesia with me?¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s entire body bristled. ¡°No!¡±


    Up ahead, Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s finger tapping on the light screen stopped abruptly, and his voice turned icy. ¡°Lu Xiaoyu, get back here and get to work!¡±


    ¡­


    When Lin Youyou and her group exited the elevator, someone was already waiting for them.


    A prison guard with gray hair, wearing a uniform, spoke in a deep voice, ¡°Follow me.¡±


    The group silently followed him as they descended further from the 18th floor. They passed through a dark corridor and arrived at a spacious area, where they saw the illuminated data tree and Lu Xiaoyu. They stared in disbelief, deeply awed by the sight.


    Xu Xing ran over and hugged Song Ke¡¯s thigh. After a brief exchange of information, Fang Zhixu was called away by Zhuang Qingyan.


    ¡°These tubes, can you deal with them?¡± Zhuang Qingyan crouched down and carefully examined the data interfaces on Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s body. They already knew that levels below the 7th floor were designated as abilities restricted areas.


    ¡°I can quickly remove them, but stopping the bleeding and suturing requires special abilities, which are challenging to use here,¡± Fang Zhixu explained. S?a??h th? Nov?lF?re .??t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°For now, let¡¯s forget about suturing. I¡¯ll give you an additional 30 seconds of ability time. You can use it to stop the bleeding for him. Can you do it?¡± Zhuang Qingyan asked.


    ¡°I can.¡±


    The seven of them sat in a circle, and Zhuang Qingyan activated a projection. A clear schematic of the Death Prison¡¯s structure appeared before them.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go through the plan once more. We¡¯re preparing to leave this damned place.¡±


    ¡­


    At five o¡¯clock in the afternoon, the work shift came to an end.


    All the internal elevators in the Death Prison suddenly became restless without anyone controlling it.


    ¡°Ding,¡± ¡°clank,¡± the sounds of impacts echoed continuously as these massive structures seemed to have an agreement to rush in the same direction, toward the same floor.


    ¡°The Death Prison is an inverted cone. The quickest way to escape is to turn it upside down.¡±


    ¡°What we need to do is use enough weight to forcibly alter the gravitational field.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan switched to a three-dimensional map. After rotating it 180 degrees, their current 19th floor became the top floor.


    ¡°Do you know what¡¯s the heaviest thing in the Death Prison?¡±


    ¡°The elevators!¡± Xu Xing eagerly raised his hand to answer.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Every internal elevator is made of high-density metal structures with astonishing mass. If we gather all of them, we can achieve the goal of flipping the Death Prison.¡±


    The operating programs of hundreds of elevators simultaneously came under attack from an unknown virus. They all piled up in the corner on the 1st floor¡¯s oil reservoir, the ground began to tilt, heavy objects fell uncontrollably and rolled out, causing the inmates to stumble and fall, their vision spinning. Steel frames in the factory broke, showering countless sparks, and the Death Prison started sinking into the seabed.


    ¡°But what if they use elevators to capture us?¡± Song Ke raised a question.


    ¡°Right, so just in case, we need to cut off the possibility of being pursued,¡± Zhuang Qingyan concluded.


    On the 19th floor where V587 was located, they sliced through the waves, rapidly ascending. 12,000 meters¡­ 10,000 meters¡­ 8,000 meters¡­ 6,000 meters!


    The moment they left the super abyss zone, their awakened energy was restored, and they could use their abilities!


    On the 6th floor of the Death Prison, She Liang struggled to support himself against the wall and shouted, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    The prison guard trembled as he reported, ¡°It seems to be the 18th floor. Inmates have escaped from the 18th floor, and there¡¯s commotion¡­¡±


    Again, it¡¯s the 18th floor, and it¡¯s another escape! In an instant, She Liang thought of the culprit who had cost him ten billion, that bastard named Su Cha. If he had known, he wouldn¡¯t have let him go no matter what. That Lord Hades is also useless, unable to even control his own inmates.


    ¡°Special Police Team, arm yourselves and follow me down.¡± She Liang was furious, swaying as he headed towards the elevator. In that case, he would personally resolve it, regardless of what Lord Hades said, or any rules. He would deal with the person completely and be done with it.


    Inside the crowded elevator, the four kunai suddenly began to glow. Powerful awakened energy kept pouring in.


    ¡°Boom!¡±


    All the elevators exploded into ruins. She Liang took a step into the flames, and he was blown out, his face scorched and he fell unconscious.


    ¡­


    On the 19th floor of the Death Prison, the tip of the cone-shaped structure was just a few hundred meters away from the sea surface.


    ¡°Song Ke!¡± Zhuang Qingyan shouted.


    Lin Youyou¡¯s singing voice echoed, empowering Song Ke.


    Song Ke was enveloped in blue light, transforming a massive five-meter-long battle-axe. She activated her core powers and swung her arm, smashing the tip of the 19th floor.


    ¡°Bang, bang, bang!¡±


    The sturdy outer wall crumbled, black seawater surged in, and Song Ke was drenched in it, choking on a mouthful of seawater.


    ¡°Xu Xing!¡±


    Xu Xing nodded solemnly, and his awakened ability was released, instantly freezing the incoming seawater into an escape passage.


    ¡°Fang Zhixu.¡±


    Fang Zhi Xu was fully focused, sweat forming on his forehead. Only a few dozen tubes remained on Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s severed leg, and he swiftly removed them with his left hand while using his awakened ability to stop the bleeding with his right hand. His movements were so fast that they were almost imperceptible.


    Lu Xiaoyu shivered all over, his face as pale as snow. Intense pain surged through all his nerves, but he didn¡¯t utter a sound.


    ¡°The mass is starting to deviate,¡± Su Cha reminded them.


    Sure enough, the Death Prison had started to descend again. Forcibly altering the gravitational field could only be sustained for a short time, and with Lu Xiaoyu losing control over the elevator, their time was running out.


    Everyone¡¯s gaze was fixed on Fang Zhixu.


    Ten tubes¡­ Seven tubes¡­ Three tubes¡­ the last one! Fang Zhixu, racing against the clock, pulled out the final tube and swiftly treated the wound.


    Lu Xiaoyu was finally free!


    ¡°Hurry, let¡¯s go!¡±


    Several kilometers away, the citizens of the underground city looked up in disbelief toward the direction of the Death Prison.


    The once calm underground sea churned with colossal waves, and the surface roiled and stirred. This soon triggered a massive tsunami, rushing out and submerging the entire trading street. Rain poured down like a torrential downpour, leaving everyone astonished.


    Could it be that the Death Prison is in trouble?!


    ¡°The Crime Record has disappeared!¡± Amid the crowd swimming around, a joyous shout suddenly echoed.


    Others quickly lowered their heads to check and, indeed, all the bars on the sign had disappeared, rendering the Crime Record a useless piece of scrap metal.


    Cheng Yi, in a state of chaos while trying to salvage crystals from her store, suddenly remembered something. She rushed to grab the terminal that the group had stored with her and dashed towards the direction of the underground sea.


    ¡­


    ¡°Hey,¡± shouted Lu Xiaoyu just as they were about to escape, stopping the prison guard.


    Pale fingertips streamed with data, touching the guard¡¯s forehead. An icy, dominant superpower surged in, like an epiphany, as a foreign code entered the guard¡¯s consciousness, filling in the missing fragments of his soul.


    ¡°I, Lu Xiaoyu, never make defective products.¡±


    Song Ke waited for him to finish speaking with a proud expression, then picked up his collar, turned around and ran away.


    The ice seawater gradually melted, and the 19th floor, one step away from freedom, fell into the sea again. The prison guard¡¯s vision became narrower and narrower, and finally he vaguely saw a woman with a strange hairstyle meeting Lu Xiaoyu and the others at the beach.


    Zhuang Qingyan pulled out two wheelchairs from his spatial storage. He chose a premium one for himself, but handed Lu Xiaoyu a basic one.


    Lu Xiaoyu was furious, ¡°I want your chair!¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan sneered, ¡°There are only two left, take it or leave it.¡±


    ¡°Stop arguing, let¡¯s go.¡±


    The girl with shoulder-length hair pushed the heads of the two in opposite directions and, with a strong pull, lifted them up and ran off.


    ¡°Boom.¡±


    There was another round of spinning, and the Death Prison fell back into the abyss, then turned back up.


    The silent prison guard sealed off the 19th floor and slowly walked back to the 18th floor, sitting alone in the darkness for an unknown amount of time.


    Until the noisy voices rushed in.


    ¡°We¡¯ve arrived at the 18th floor, the escaped prisoners¡­ Lord Hades, Lord Hades!¡±


    Several middle-aged prison guards with panicked expressions saw his face and exclaimed in shock.


    The former Lord Hades slowly stood up and spoke in a deep voice, ¡°Liao Yi, Liu Er, long time no see.¡±


    In reality, he didn¡¯t remember the names of these two individuals at all; the implanted memories had informed him of their names.


    ¡°Lord, are you planning to come back and manage the Death Prison again?¡±


    The two of them asked with excitement. With one of the wardens dead and one severely injured, the Death Prison was in chaos. If Lord Hades could return at this moment, it would be a powerful reassurance to everyone.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m back,¡± the former Lord Hades nodded solemnly. His mind, however, couldn¡¯t help but wonder: he could remember everyone else¡¯s names, but what was his own name? He couldn¡¯t recall it, and that didn¡¯t matter. He could start anew.


    ¡°From today on, don¡¯t call me Lord Hades. There is no Lord Hades in the Death Prison anymore.¡±


    ¡°I am Hu Yong, the moderate Yong.¡±


    **TN


    The character ¡°Ó¹¡± (yong) means to adapt to changes and use the right person at the right time, emphasizing the importance of balance and moderation in one¡¯s actions.

 Chapter 80: Sin City (14)

    ¡ò You are famous now ¡ò¡°How is he?¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu lay pale on the bed, his silver hair falling over his shoulders. Even in deep slumber, his brows were tightly furrowed.


    Song Ke anxiously gazed at him.


    After escaping from the Death Prison, Lu Xiaoyu only managed to hold on until they reached the safe house before losing consciousness.


    ¡°There is no immediate life-threatening danger, but he needs some time to recover.¡± Fang Zhixu continuously inputted white energy into his body, and the surgical procedure went very smoothly. Hundreds of injuries on Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s body were treated properly.


    ¡°Why did he go into a coma?¡± Song Ke asked.


    Fang Zhixu looked serious. ¡°All the tubes you see are connected to his nerves. While he can manipulate the data in the entire Death Prison, his own life force is also being absorbed and lost. So when the connection is severed, he becomes even more fragile than an ordinary person.¡±


    No wonder Lu Xiaoyu called himself a ¡°tree.¡±


    Trees absorb nutrients from the soil and then transport the stored nutrients to various branches and leaves. If he weren¡¯t a powerful awakener, he might have already been depleted of his life force in the daily torment.


    The pain Lu Xiaoyu endured when those tubes were pulled out could be imagined.


    Equally sensitive, Lin Youyou sighed deeply by his side. ¡°Is there hope for his legs to heal?¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu lay under the blanket, and where his two legs should have been, there was nothing.


    Fang Zhixu shook his head slowly. ¡°We can only consider using prosthetic materials or mechanical replacements.¡±


    A silence fell, and after a while, a faint sigh could be heard.


    Zhuang Qingyan spoke with a cold, clear voice. ¡°Lu Xiaoyu is a hacker-type awakener. Even without his legs, it won¡¯t affect his abilities.


    ¡°However, I still suggest you put away your sympathy and compassion. He doesn¡¯t need them. He¡¯s a strange person by nature. Your excess emotions will only disturb yourselves and won¡¯t cause any fluctuations in him.¡±


    Lin Youyou sighed, ¡°You¡¯re right, but I¡¯m not sighing out of sympathy for him. I¡¯m sighing as I look up to the big shot. Just thinking that the Crime Record where you get zapped into oblivion was his doing gives me the shivers.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve never been zapped,¡± Su Cha unexpectedly chimed in, causing a disruption.


    When it comes to unlucky individuals who have been zapped, the one among them who was most deeply affected by the Crime Record is Su Cha. The coldness that penetrated his mind is unforgettable for him. Fortunately, Lu Xiaoyu removed it for them; otherwise, if he had been zapped a few more times, he might have ended up like Jorik, confused and dazed.


    ¡°I¡¯m using a metaphor here, highlighting how strong he is. Do you understand?¡± Lin Youyou shot him a glare. Today, she had finally put on a full face of makeup, and with that one glance, the aura of a female celebrity instantly radiated, simply dazzling and captivating, too bright to look at directly.


    Su Cha paused and casually turned his head away, acting as if nothing happened.


    Speaking of the Crime Record, it reminds them of awakened abilities. Song Ke tugged at Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s sleeve and asked, ¡°What level is he?¡±


    ¡°Lu Xiaoyu awakened before the apocalypse. In his mental power test as an adult, his potential is 97%, just one step away from S-level.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan continued in a solemn tone, ¡°Even if he wasted a few years in the Death Prison, he should have no problem breaking through to S-level.¡±


    S-level, mystical hacking-type awakener. Song Ke¡¯s eyes sparkled, ¡°Wow.¡±


    Xu Xing pursed his lips and, with a serious expression, calculated how much time it would take for his 90% potential to break through.


    ¡°So who¡¯s more powerful, him or Ilya?¡±


    Song Ke immediately ruled out Lu Xinglan. Judging by the colors of their irises alone, Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s pure ice-blue eyes were more dominant. Among the people she knew, the one with the most formidable data manipulation abilities was Ilya, the lord of Ferrara.


    ¡°Never had a chance to cross paths, so I can¡¯t say¡­ but AI naturally fears his abilities. Don¡¯t forget, just before Lu Xiaoyu escaped, he created an artificial intelligence.¡±


    The fact that Lu Xiaoyu could create AI was enough to shock the world. He could create AI, but of course, he could also destroy it. S-level hacker-type awakeners were the number one nemesis of all artificial intelligence.


    Song Ke couldn¡¯t help but let her mind wander. If Lu Xiaoyu had gone to Ferrara in the first place, she wondered how Ilya would have dealt with it. Could he have easily dealt with it like he did with Lu Xinglan, taking over his body? No, Ilya wanted an ¡°unrestricted body,¡± and with both of Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s legs broken, he clearly wouldn¡¯t meet the requirements. Moreover, he and the Lu family were sworn enemies and probably wouldn¡¯t do any favors for them.


    After thinking it through, the addition of S-level awakener, Lu Xiaoyu, to V587 represented a significant boost in their overall strength. As the captain, she had a responsibility to protect this valuable asset.


    Song Ke turned to Zhuang Qingyan with a sly smile, ¡°Or maybe you should give him the wheelchair?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan squinted his eyes, his tone gradually became colder, ¡°Song, Ke, Ke.¡±


    ¡°Do you really have such a fickle heart? Do you like the new and dislike the old?¡± He hummed softly.


    Song Ke nervously cleared her throat and shook her head repeatedly.


    ¡°Is there something you¡¯re not satisfied with about me?¡± S?a?ch* Th? N0v?lFir?.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°No, no, I¡¯m not¡­ you, don¡¯t talk nonsense!¡±


    Song Ke quickly waved her hands, feeling very wronged. After all, she was the fairest captain!


    ¡°Knock, knock.¡±


    Cheng Yi entered the room just in time, rescuing Song Ke who was sitting on pins and needles.


    Thanks to Cheng Yi¡¯s timely support, they were able to evacuate quickly. She had provided this safe house, but of course, Song Ke had also contributed a substantial amount of crystals. After all, businessmen never took a loss.


    Song Ke turned her head to greet her, and Lin Youyou asked, ¡°By the way, Boss Cheng, I¡¯d like to go out and purchase some supplies. Do you have any suggestions?¡±


    Cheng Yi immediately stopped her, ¡°No, please don¡¯t go out!¡±


    Song Ke was taken aback, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is something happening outside?¡±


    Cheng Yi laughed heartily, ¡°You guys have become famous! It¡¯s all over the streets. V587, mighty and domineering, demolished She Liang¡¯s ten billion, defeated Warden White, rescued a mysterious Death Prison inmate, turned the Death Prison upside down. Now the entire Sin City knows your notorious names!¡±


    Song Ke nervously asked, ¡°Are we going to be hunted down?¡±


    Cheng Yi chuckled as she shook her head, ¡°On the contrary, thanks to you, the Crime Record is now ineffective, and both She Liang and White have been toppled. With the new Warden taking office, the Death Prison is thriving, and people outside are raving about you. You might be swamped by fans if you go out.¡±


    ¡°But there¡¯s something I¡¯m really curious about¡­¡± Cheng Yi stroked her chin, her eyes scanning the group, ¡°You caused such a huge commotion, turned the Death Prison upside down, and repairing the damage and cleaning up the mess are substantial tasks. Why hasn¡¯t the Death Prison issued an arrest warrant until now?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan suddenly asked, ¡°Who is this new Warden you¡¯re talking about?¡±


    ¡°He just emerged these days. His name is Hu Yong. White has been defeated, She Liang is critically injured, and¡­ Lord Hades, who has been in seclusion for a long time, is no longer overseeing the situation in the Death Prison. This Hu Yong is quite capable. For some reason, even the prison guards willingly obey him. In any case, he quickly cleaned up the mess, and now the entire Death Prison follows his orders.¡±


    ¡°I heard that he has already ordered a reevaluation of the inmates¡¯ records, releasing some and arresting others. It seems that the personnel in Sin City will undergo a major reshuffling in the near future.¡±


    Song Ke and Zhuang Qingyan exchanged a look, silently thinking of the same person.


    That silent prison guard was indeed a formidable individual. Even after forgetting his past personality and memories, he had still, in another form, fulfilled his long-standing wish.


    ¡°Thanks for giving me a free show. In return, let me handle the procurement of supplies,¡± Cheng Yi said as she stood up, flipping her half-dyed purple hair with a shrewd and cunning smile. ¡°As for the service fee, I¡¯ll give you a discount~¡±


    In her smile, Song Ke quietly clutched her money pouch.


    ¡­


    Early the next morning, Song Ke went to visit Lu Xiaoyu.


    To her surprise, he was already awake, sitting alone in a wheelchair, with electronic sounds from various key adjustments constantly ringing.


    Curious, Song Ke leaned in for a closer look. To her amazement, Lu Xiaoyu had built himself a pair of mechanical legs. They had a shiny, silvery texture that blended seamlessly with the basic wheelchair. When he wanted to ¡°stand,¡± the mechanical legs automatically extended and fastened around his waist to help him stand up. With these legs, he stood at over 2.5 meters tall, exuding an imposing and powerful presence.


    Song Ke gazed up in awe, watching Lu Xiaoyu proudly demonstrate his new legs.


    ¡°How do you like it? With the materials available, this is the most perfect state I can achieve.¡±


    ¡°Amazing!¡± Song Ke applauded enthusiastically, truly impressed. She didn¡¯t expect that, in addition to being a top-tier hacker, Lu Xiaoyu had such remarkable talent in mechanics.


    ¡°My GPA in ¡®Practical Theory of Mechanical Design and Engineering Structures¡¯ is 5.0, hmm, he¡¯s only 4.2.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu lifted his chin slightly, appearing casual but taking the opportunity to subtly take a jab at someone.


    That ¡°he¡± naturally referred to Zhuang Qingyan.


    Song Ke thought of something: Lu Xiaoyu had just mentioned ¡°with the materials available.¡± She asked, ¡°Where did you get the materials for this?¡±


    He had been unconscious just yesterday and hadn¡¯t even left the safe house. Where did he find the materials to modify his wheelchair?


    ¡°Oh,¡± Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s expression remained unchanged, his tone casual. ¡°I disassembled Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s wheelchair.¡±


    Cough, cough! Song Ke choked on her own saliva, coughing violently.


    Lu Xiaoyu spoke confidently, ¡°He has two extra legs compared to me, he¡¯s just limping. Why should he use a higher-grade wheelchair? Does he deserve it?¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°¡­¡± Whether he deserves it or not, you can¡¯t just disassemble his wheelchair!


    She felt that this was a major problem, and if Zhuang Qingyan, who was quite petty, found out, it would not be good. She needed to check on the situation quickly.


    ¡°You should rest¡­¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Lu Xiaoyu stopped her. ¡°Can I borrow your terminal?¡±


    He had been imprisoned in the Death Prison for over five years, mostly cut off from the outside world. He urgently needed to catch up with the current state of the world. As for the F180 District not having internet access? What a joke. He was a hacker-type awakener; as long as there was data, as long as he wished, there was no information he couldn¡¯t access.


    Song Ke rummaged through her backpack, frantically searching for her terminal and the old-fashioned light screen she carried. She handed them over to Lu Xiaoyu.


    Then, she hurriedly ran to Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s room and eavesdropped on the door for a while. No sound could be heard; he was probably still asleep.


    Hurry! She needed to get a new wheelchair.


    Song Ke donned her full disguise, wearing a hat and mask, and rushed outside.


    The overall atmosphere of Sin City was indeed different from the past, with more law enforcement personnel on the streets.


    ¡°Azhen!¡± A thin man ran past Song Ke, scooping up a woman in front of him.


    ¡°Aqiang, how did you get out?¡± The woman was surprised and delighted.


    ¡°I was released; I¡¯m innocent!¡±


    A special police officer in Death Prison uniform passed by the two embracing, crying people and entered the adjacent Red Willow Hotel.


    ¡°Jade, is it? You are arrested on suspicion of intentional homicide.¡±


    Trading Street was still bustling, but there were people both rejoicing and worried.


    As Song Ke walked past the restaurant where Su Cha had been arrested before, it was business as usual inside.


    ¡°Have you seen V587?¡± someone asked excitedly.


    ¡°More than just seeing them. They even robbed me of my crystals!¡± The burly Gaida climbed onto a table, spouting exaggerated stories, his words flying like spit and making the ceiling fall apart. ¡°It was a scorching afternoon, and my brothers and I were hunting mutant zombies in the desert¡­¡±


    ¡°What kind of people are V587?¡± someone in the audience asked impatiently.


    ¡°I only know the most famous one is called Su Cha. It seems¡­ there¡¯s also a woman who plays with curved knives, but I don¡¯t have much impression of the others.¡±


    Song Ke tugged the brim of her hat down low and discreetly walked past, keeping her achievements and identity well hidden.

 Chapter 81: Sin City (15)

    ¡ò A special commemorative model from twenty years ago ¡òSong Ke found a medical equipment store at the end of the trading street.


    The store was located deep in winding alleys, with dim lighting, and artificial light sources didn¡¯t reach there. She stepped on several puddles along the way, the underground sea was very close, less than a kilometer away. The cold sea breeze blew towards her, making her shiver and waking her up.


    Probably due to its remote location, the business didn¡¯t seem to be doing well, and the entrance was deserted.


    Song Ke entered the store, and a middle-aged man behind the counter was busy with a calculator. He greeted her without much enthusiasm, saying, ¡°See for yourself what you want.¡±


    The interior space was quite large. Song Ke went straight to the wheelchair section, where there were various models, colors, and functions. After some research, she couldn¡¯t make up her mind. She had initially thought of buying them all, but when she touched her money pouch, she felt helpless. s?a??h th? N?v?lF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Thinking of Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s critical gaze, Song Ke reluctantly chose the most expensive one, with a fancy description and even a small booklet.


    When it came time to pay, the store owner glanced at her and asked, ¡°Is this for someone else?¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh,¡± Song Ke nodded.


    ¡°Is it for a new one, or are you just exchanging it?¡±


    ¡°New, the previous one broke.¡±


    The store owner calmly said, ¡°This wheelchair doesn¡¯t offer good value for the price. Many of its functions are superfluous. If you want something practical, you can take a look at those in the showcase. They¡¯re from Qingsong Biotech, and they¡¯re considerably cheaper.¡±


    She didn¡¯t expect the owner, who appeared uninterested, to be quite honest.


    Song Ke went to the showcase and indeed found a familiar silver-white one that resembled the one Zhuang Qingyan used before. She happily picked it up and went to the counter to pay, saying, ¡°I¡¯ll take this one.¡±


    The store owner¡¯s forehead twitched, ¡°This is a sample! Let me get you a new one from the warehouse.¡±


    The store owner went through a small door, and Song Ke waited at the same spot. The main door opened with a ¡°swish,¡± and two playful figures entered.


    First, there was a six or seven-year-old boy with a face covered in sand, looking all dirty. Following him was a beautiful young man with a dark green snake tail. This time, he was wearing an old cartoon T-shirt with rolled edges. His tail swayed merrily, making a ¡°clang, clang¡± sound as it bumped into the counter.


    When the two entered, they were suddenly startled upon seeing Song Ke, and both of them trembled visibly.


    Then the little boy quickly realized and turned to push the snake-tailed young man, saying, ¡°Hurry, run, you run!¡±


    The store owner, upon hearing the commotion, emerged from the warehouse and, after taking in the scene, sternly shouted, ¡°Yanosh, I told you not to bring him in here!¡±


    The boy clung to the snake-tailed young man, crying loudly, ¡°Papa, don¡¯t give Gabriel to the bad people, don¡¯t give him to the bad people, waaaah!¡±


    Song Ke, who was confused by being labeled a bad person without a word: ¡°??¡±


    The snake-tailed young man stared at Song Ke with his amber-colored eyes for a while, and the rings on his tail rustled. Suddenly, he burst into a cheerful laugh.


    Song Ke, feeling quite awkward, shook her head and said, ¡°Um, I think we should know each other.¡±


    Yanosh¡¯s crying abruptly stopped, and the bubble of snot popped with a ¡°pop.¡±


    After explaining the situation with the Rose Auction House, the store owner sighed, ¡°Gabriel is a creature Yanosh found by the sea. I told him not to do it; these exotic pets are usually kept by wealthy individuals. He might have escaped from somewhere, and sooner or later, he¡¯ll be captured.


    ¡°But Yanosh doesn¡¯t listen and goes to play with him every day. So, I had to set a rule: Gabriel isn¡¯t allowed inside the store.¡±


    ¡°He¡­ Gabriel probably doesn¡¯t have an owner yet,¡± Song Ke kindly informed the store owner. After all, the auction hadn¡¯t concluded, and they had disrupted it. It was chaotic afterward, and the snake-tailed young man seemed to have sneaked out on his own.


    Yanosh eagerly asked, ¡°Papa, can we adopt Gabriel?¡±


    The store owner shouted loudly, ¡°Clean your face!¡±


    Yanosh shrunk his neck and, leading Gabriel, went out to the seaside to play and wash his face.


    The store owner settled Song Ke¡¯s bill and hesitated for a moment before asking, ¡°Are you sure the auction house has been destroyed, and there won¡¯t be any more people coming?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Song Ke nodded. After all, the person behind the Rose Auction House, She Liang, had fallen from power. Now, with Hu Yong taking over, the chances of these illicit activities making a comeback were slim. ¡°Adopting him shouldn¡¯t be a problem for you.¡±


    The store owner gazed out of the window at Yanosh and Gabriel playing in the water, lost in thought.


    As soon as Song Ke pushed the door open to leave, Yanosh ran over, followed by the gracefully swimming Gabriel. He circled Song Ke a few times, then affectionately rubbed his tail tip against her calf.


    ¡°Gabriel likes you and wants you to touch him,¡± Yanosh enthusiastically translated.


    Reluctantly, Song Ke extended her fingertip cautiously and touched Gabriel¡¯s emerald green tail. The scales beneath her touch were smooth, cool to the touch, and slightly rough from the mixture of sand and seawater.


    Gabriel seemed to thoroughly enjoy her touch, closing his eyes as the scales on his belly gently expanded, revealing a faint waistline.


    With sharp eyes, Song Ke noticed a concealed row of small letters where Gabriel¡¯s human body met his snake tail. These weren¡¯t tattoos or engravings; they seemed to be naturally part of him. She bent down, getting closer to Gabriel¡¯s abdomen, and carefully read the words: RYK1275.


    It was a U-Lab experimental subject number.


    Gabriel wriggled out of Song Ke¡¯s palm and moved behind her, staring intently at her waist.


    Song Ke, feeling uncomfortable, asked, ¡°Why is he looking at me like that?¡±


    Gabriel made a couple of ¡°ah ah¡± sounds and tilted his head in confusion.


    Yanosh earnestly translated for him, ¡°Gabriel is asking, ¡®Where¡¯s your tail?''¡±


    Song Ke replied, ¡°I never had a tail to begin with.¡±


    It seemed that Gabriel found the absence of a tail difficult to comprehend. He circled Song Ke at close range, observing her arms, neck, and face. Then, he suddenly straightened his upper body, bringing his beautiful face close to hers, locking eyes with her. His clear eyes gradually filled with confusion.


    ¡°Gabriel, you can¡¯t. You can only like me first, and then you can like her!¡± Yanosh said, jealous of Gabriel¡¯s closeness to Song Ke.


    Gabriel burst into laughter, swaying his tail and splashing sand, showering Song Ke and Yanosh with it.


    Song Ke spat out the sand and thought, with an expressionless face, that she couldn¡¯t handle Gabriel¡¯s affection.


    ¡­


    Back at the safe house, Song Ke tiptoed toward Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s room and quietly placed the newly bought wheelchair outside his door.


    After contemplating for a couple of seconds, she decided it would be better to tell him in person and maybe persuade him not to be upset with Lu Xiaoyu. She was about to push the door open when she suddenly remembered Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s repeated emphasis on ¡°maintaining proper decorum¡± between men and women. So, she knocked on the door respectfully instead.


    ¡°Knock, knock.¡± She gently tapped the door twice.


    No response from inside.


    ¡°Knock, knock.¡± She knocked a bit harder.


    Still no response.


    ¡°Bang, bang!¡± She applied more force, and the door was flung open.


    Song Ke stuck her head inside and scanned the room, but it was empty.


    Oh no, Lu Xiaoyu is in danger!


    ¡­


    Limping with a crutch, Zhuang Qingyan unceremoniously pushed open Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s door.


    Lu Xiaoyu was in the midst of adjusting his two new ¡°legs,¡± and upon seeing the unexpected visitor barging in, he paused for less than a second before continuing his activities as if nothing had happened, one step at a time.


    Zhuang Qingyan strolled in leisurely, glancing at Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s familiar pair of mechanical legs, and calmly leaned against the wall.


    Lu Xiaoyu proudly showed off, ¡°I recreated them based on ¡®Practical Theory of Mechanical Design and Structural Technology.¡¯ How¡¯s that? Oh, I forgot, your GPA is only 4.2; you probably can¡¯t understand it.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan instantly countered, ¡°At least I still have a 4.2 GPA, unlike someone who failed an elective course like ¡®Language, Social Interaction, and the Arts.''¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu quickly shot up to 2.5 meters in height. ¡°Objection! You¡¯re distorting the facts. I failed because I got the exam time wrong.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan disregarded his protest, saying, ¡°I¡¯ve said it before; I don¡¯t like talking to people with my neck tilted.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu clicked his tongue and slowly descended, returning to his wheelchair.


    ¡°Why are you limping?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Accident.¡±


    ¡°I thought you¡¯d have ¡®accidentally¡¯ died by now.¡±


    ¡°Sorry to disappoint you.¡±


    ¡°So, did you find a backer because you couldn¡¯t make it on your own?¡± Lu Xiaoyu inquired, his curiosity evident.


    Zhuang Qingyan tilted his head and gave him a sidelong glance. ¡°What, are you envious?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your relationship with Song Ke? Are you using her?¡± Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s ice-blue eyes flashed. His social interactions were always laced with aggression.


    ¡°No,¡± Zhuang Qingyan answered without hesitation, but then he paused for a moment, seemingly lost in thought.


    His eyes narrowed slightly, and he appeared unusually serious. ¡°She is indeed my backer, but I won¡¯t use her.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu remained quiet for a moment before relentlessly pressing on, ¡°Why did you skip my first question?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan coldly retorted, ¡°Why can¡¯t you learn to read people¡¯s expressions?¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu clicked his tongue once more.


    Zhuang Qingyan tapped his crutch on the ground and his almond-shaped eyes carried a warning. ¡°Don¡¯t mess with her. She grew up in District F. She doesn¡¯t have as many twisted thoughts as you do, and she might take things seriously.¡±


    ¡°District F?¡± Lu Xiaoyu repeated, his expression showing some oddity.


    ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± Zhuang Qingyan keenly noticed his unusual reaction.


    Lu Xiaoyu said, ¡°I thought she was from District B.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan straightened up, asking, ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu pulled out the light screen that Song Ke had given him before she left, saying, ¡°Although this light screen is quite old, it¡¯s a special commemorative model from twenty years ago, only available in a limited quantity in District B. You guys at Qinglan mentioned ordering a large batch, and it cost me the opportunity to get a first edition. That¡¯s why I remember it vividly.¡±


    ¡°What does that have to do with anything? Light screens can be second-hand.¡±


    ¡°Light screens can be resold, but what about the data inside?¡± Lu Xiaoyu brought up a copy of ¡°Particle Physics Advanced Microbiology¡± and glanced through it casually. ¡°These textbooks aren¡¯t within District F¡¯s access rights.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan couldn¡¯t help but frown. He had used Song Ke¡¯s light screen before and hadn¡¯t noticed anything special, but he had overlooked one thing: he had always been looking up the content according to his level of understanding. However, when it came to Song Ke¡­ could she understand it?


    Lu Xiaoyu continued, ¡°There¡¯s also something interesting. I found a hidden database and it took me a full 45 seconds to crack it.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan took the light screen from Lu Xiaoyu, and in the folder that Lu Xiaoyu had found were cutting-edge research papers and data on genetics.


    ¡°This light screen¡­¡± he began to say.


    BAM! The door was abruptly pushed open, and Song Ke rushed in frantically.


    ¡°Please, please don¡¯t fight!¡±


    In the room, the two men, one standing and one sitting, and the expected explosive argument was nowhere to be found. The atmosphere remained peaceful and harmonious. Both Zhuang Qingyan and Lu Xiaoyu turned to look at her.


    Song Ke found herself in an awkward situation, her words of persuasion stuck in her throat. She wished she could disappear on the spot.


    ¡°Song Ke, come here,¡± Zhuang Qingyan called out to her.


    ¡°Why¡­¡± Song Ke hesitantly approached.


    ¡°Where did this light screen come from?¡± Zhuang Qingyan asked.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Song Ke blinked, puzzled. ¡°It belonged to my grandfather.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan and Lu Xiaoyu exchanged a glance, silently agreeing to skip the previous topic. Song Ke had mentioned that she was an orphan and had lived with her only grandfather. Until they figured out the true owner of the light screen, it was better not to reveal it and add to her troubles.


    ¡°I remember you said your grandfather left this light screen for you,¡± Zhuang Qingyan emphasized the word ¡°left¡± deliberately.


    ¡°Yes, he wanted me to study every day,¡± Song Ke nodded.


    ¡°He wanted you to study these? Particle physics?¡± Zhuang Qingyan opened the rather complex textbook.


    ¡°Sorry for the interruption,¡± Lu Xiaoyu coughed lightly. ¡°Just my humble opinion, but I think your grandfather intended for you to study the content of this database.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu swiped his fingertip, quickly switching to another layer of the system. The screen displayed a set of children¡¯s textbooks and several peculiar e-books: ¡°Learn Local Dialects and Travel Fearlessly Across the Alliance¡±, ¡°One Hundred Clever Tips for Independent Living¡±, ¡°Practical Everyday Applications of Legal Knowledge¡±¡­


    Song Ke exclaimed, ¡°Huh?¡±


    Could it be that she had been studying the wrong books all along? No wonder she¡¯d diligently studied every day and hadn¡¯t learned anything!

 Chapter 82: Sin City (16)

    ¡ò Lu¡¯s Law of Road Rush (End of Sin City Arc) ¡ò¡°Song Ke, you¡¯re thirteen now. You need to learn to cook for yourself. Even when Grandpa isn¡¯t here, you should eat well to grow strong and tall. There¡¯s a cookbook I personally wrote on the tablet. Follow the videos and remember not to eat failed dishes!¡±


    ¡°Song Ke, you¡¯re fourteen this year, right? Try not to get into fights at school, and even if you do, don¡¯t break anyone¡¯s head. We can¡¯t afford the damages. Find some hidden places¡­ Ahem, you should continue your education, and become a knowledgeable and cultured person. Study your textbooks diligently.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I almost forgot to tell you something. Don¡¯t be afraid to spend money. Our family isn¡¯t as poor as you might think. Grandpa left three backup funds for you. One is with your Uncle Cheng, another is in my secret account, the password is xxxx, be sure to retrieve it, or it might expire. And the last one, hehe, Grandpa hid it three inches inside the wall behind your bed. Reach in and feel around. There¡¯s a small box inside with some rhenium bars that Grandpa secretly stashed. If you ever run out of money, you can sell them. I heard that this thing is very valuable.¡±


    Along with a pile of children¡¯s textbooks, there were voice messages from Song Zhiyuan for Song Ke. Starting from the year he passed away, there were about two or three messages a year, adding up to nearly twenty messages. They were filled with various reminders and oozing with care for her.


    ¡°Song Ke, even though Grandpa can¡¯t see it, you must be growing up well, right? This world is more beautiful than you can imagine. Stay happy, safe, and healthy, do whatever you want to do, and most importantly, you have to live well.¡±


    Song Ke finished reading the last message, her nose red. She stared at the screen until it automatically went dark.


    She missed her grandpa so much.


    A pair of gentle hands ruffled her hair, not saying anything, but their comforting gesture was enough.


    Song Ke nuzzled into Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s palm, unreservedly wetting it with her tears.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s hand paused for a moment, then slid down the back of her head, teasing her like a little cat. He pinched her fair nape and, in the process, returned her tears to her.


    Song Ke¡¯s heartache was swept away, and she turned to glare at him, her clear eyes full of vitality, back to normal.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s lips curved with a faint smile.


    Unfortunately, the third person present, Lu Xiaoyu, was not one to appreciate the romantic atmosphere. His rigid voice abruptly broke the two people¡¯s beautiful atmosphere, ¡°This light screen is designed for researchers and its main feature is two independent systems and a deep firewall. Its practicality is average.¡±


    Song Ke puffed her cheeks, ¡°I¡¯m not very good at using it.¡±


    She was never familiar with high-tech products. She must have accidentally switched systems while fumbling around and then forgotten how to switch back. Not only did she not gain any knowledge, but she also missed what her grandfather wanted to say to her.


    Song Ke silently sighed and for the first time, she felt like she might be a bit stupid.


    Lu Xiaoyu, completely oblivious to her disappointment, continued in a matter-of-fact tone, ¡°In situations like this, my suggestion is to re-read ¡®Kali + Linux Penetration Testing Techniques Detailed Explanation¡¯. It will take a little time to crack the hidden database. But considering your level of knowledge, I think you should start with web security and DOS commands¡­¡±


    Song Ke stared blankly, ¡°Huh?¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu paused, ¡°Maybe start with the ¡®Basic User Guide for the Light Screen,¡¯ and the version for 7-14-year-olds might be more suitable for you.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s cold gaze swept over, ¡°Shut up.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu shrugged.


    Song Ke blinked at the screen and said sincerely to Lu Xiaoyu, ¡°Thank you!¡±


    After all, if it weren¡¯t for Lu Xiaoyu, she might never have heard the words her grandfather left for her.


    Lu Xiaoyu was left a little baffled, ¡°?¡±


    ¡­


    Half an hour later, Lin Youyou, Fang Zhixu, and others gathered in Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s room for a meeting.


    ¡°Lu Xiaoyu has been found, and our next plan is to go to Mu City,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said.


    Song Ke nodded solemnly. The operation in Sin City had been full of difficulties and unexpected twists from the beginning. However, with everyone¡¯s concerted efforts, they had ultimately succeeded.


    ¡°Before we leave this place, I suggest that we get to know each other better. After all, we will be traveling together for some time,¡± Zhuang Qingyan relaxed in his new wheelchair, ¡°Let¡¯s start with the captain.¡±


    Song Ke, who was called upon, puffed up her chest, and her palm subtly moved, forming a blade-shaped azure light.


    ¡°Song Ke, S-class strong offensive-type gold and metal-type ability. I can transform things into a spiritual weapon and I¡¯m really good in fights.¡±


    Xu Xing clapped his hands enthusiastically, offering support, ¡°Big sis is the best!¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan chuckled, ¡°We¡¯ve all witnessed the captain¡¯s strength, no doubt about that.¡±


    The rest of the team nodded in agreement.


    ¡°Next is me, Zhuang Qingyan, from the Qinglan Research Institute, an S-class spiritual-type ability.¡±


    ¡°Lu Xiaoyu, from District B8, Erjia. S-class hacker-type ability.¡±


    The abilities of these two couldn¡¯t be easily classified as either attack or support; they were more control-oriented. They could both engage in offense and defense, and as S-class awakeners, their power was equally remarkable.


    ¡°Fang Zhixu, from District C60, Tongwan. A-class healing-type ability, formerly a renowned surgeon.¡±


    Although Fang Zhixu wasn¡¯t a combat talent, his role in the team was indispensable. Without him, Song Ke¡¯s severe injuries wouldn¡¯t have received timely treatment, and Lu Xiaoyu, with tubes all over her body, wouldn¡¯t have escaped Death Prison so easily.


    ¡°Lin Youyou, from District C72, Ferrara. A-class support-type sound ability. I¡¯m not good at fighting, but I can buff you guys.¡±


    ¡°Su Cha, from District E170, Rainforest. A-class strong offensive and poison-type ability.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan said with a smile, ¡°These two are temporary team members.¡±


    Lin Youyou gave him a sidelong glance, her long eyelashes drooping down without a word of rebuttal.


    She had indeed joined V587 with impure intentions, partly due to the pressure from Song Ke and partly for her own selfish reasons.


    After everyone else had introduced themselves, only Xu Xing remained.


    He looked to his left, then to his right, and suddenly burst into tears, crying and choking as he said, ¡°I¡¯m Xu Xing¡­ I¡¯m a B-class strong offensive¡­ Ice-type ability, from District F177¡­¡±


    While everyone else was either S-class or A-class, he was the only B-class. Xu Xing¡¯s self-esteem took a serious hit, and at that moment, he deeply realized the meaning behind Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s constant push for him to improve his abilities. He didn¡¯t want to be a slacker who only shouted ¡°666¡±! He didn¡¯t want to be useless!


    Song Ke ran over to comfort him, ¡°Xiao Xing, you¡¯re really strong, you¡¯re a group attack type.¡±


    Xu Xing sniffled, ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Song Ke nodded decisively. ¡°You still have 90% of your potential and a chance to level up.¡±


    Xu Xing wiped away his tears, and when he discreetly glanced at Lu Xiaoyu, who had successfully leveled up, he silently made up his mind.


    ¡°Where do we go next? Did you mention District C55?¡± Lu Xiaoyu asked.


    Lin Youyou opened her terminal and looked at it, then alerted everyone, ¡°The Throne Race¡¯s third round of competition for the final 16 is about to begin. The official competition day is in three days.¡±


    Su Cha¡¯s deep voice said, ¡°If we rush back now, we might not make it.¡±


    They had been delayed too long in Death Prison, and District F had poor transportation. Three days didn¡¯t seem like enough time to get them back to Ferrara.


    Should they give up like this? Lin Youyou clenched her lips in frustration.


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t we make it?¡± Lu Xiaoyu suddenly asked.


    Lin Youyou explained, ¡°It took us a week to get here, first with the transport convoy to the outskirts, then switching to off-road vehicles to enter the desert.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu: ¡°Why not switch to more efficient means of transportation?¡± S~?a??h the N?v?lFir?(.)n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Youyou: ¡°¡­¡± Did they not want to? Did they not have it? Speaking of the Alliance¡¯s most advanced flying ships¡­


    Song Ke looked at Lu Xiaoyu with a hint of helplessness. ¡°You forgot, the starship, it¡¯s broken.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu tugged at the corner of his mouth, trying to make a ¡°slightly disapproving¡± smile, but it wasn¡¯t very successful, and it looked a bit odd. ¡°It¡¯s just a loss of power. You can¡¯t describe it as ¡®broken.''¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? Do you have a solution?¡± Lin Youyou¡¯s eyes lit up.


    Lu Xiaoyu answered without asking, ¡°The competition you mentioned sounds interesting. Can I participate?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Do you have a wish you want to fulfill too?¡± Song Ke asked. She had already promised Lin Youyou that if they won the championship, she would give Lin Youyou the opportunity to make a wish. If Lu Xiaoyu also wanted¡­


    ¡°No, I just like coming first,¡± Lu Xiaoyu replied matter-of-factly.


    The group fell silent.


    The genius¡¯s thought process was truly beyond the comprehension of ordinary people.


    ¡°Okay, then you can participate next time. Captain, do you have any objections?¡± Zhuang Qingyan sought Song Ke¡¯s opinion.


    Song Ke was slightly worried. Lu Xiaoyu had just recovered and looked fragile. Would he be okay?


    Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s two ¡°legs¡± shot up, and his towering 2.5-meter height made him look down on everyone. His ice-blue eyes gleamed, his silver hair flew, and his awakened energy poured out, enveloping the entire room in a silver-white matrix of 101010 code.


    Song Ke: ¡°¡­No objections.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu was more than okay; he was more than capable.


    Lu Xiaoyu sat back in his wheelchair with satisfaction. ¡°Let¡¯s go then and find a starship.¡±


    ¡­


    Before leaving, V587 bid farewell to an old friend.


    Cheng Yi¡¯s business was thriving more than ever, keeping her extremely busy. She had just seen off one customer when she was greeted by the familiar group of seven.


    Zhuang Qingyan was in a wheelchair, and Lu Xiaoyu had ¡°walked¡± over on his own. Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s towering 2.5-meter height made him stand out, but in a city full of strange individuals, where even mechanical bodies were not unusual, their presence only attracted a bit more attention.


    As they approached, Cheng Yi¡¯s gaze lingered on Su Cha¡¯s face for two seconds before she couldn¡¯t help but burst into laughter. Su Cha¡¯s hat was pulled low, he wore a mask, and had on a thick coat that wrapped him up completely. His face, with his current reputation, was well-known throughout Sin City. Going out without any disguise would probably lead to a mob of fans making it impossible for him to move freely.


    ¡°Boss Cheng, we¡¯re about to leave,¡± Zhuang Qingyan greeted Cheng Yi, ¡°Before we go, we¡¯d like to make one last deal with you.¡±


    Cheng Yi touched her half-shaven head and took a deep breath. ¡°Where else do you want to attack?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan smiled, ¡°Boss Cheng, you¡¯ve misunderstood. We just want to get some information about the Starship Port. How many crystals would you require?¡±


    After a moment of contemplation, Cheng Yi unexpectedly replied, ¡°I can provide you with the information, you don¡¯t need to pay for it.¡±


    She pointed towards the direction of Death Prison, her expression remarkably calm.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know who you really are, but because of you, Sin City has indeed changed, and for the better.¡±


    ¡°The Rose Auction House has changed hands, and human tr*fficking has been categorized as a serious crime. Anyone attempting a comeback must think twice.¡±


    After taking office, Hu Yong had not hurried to declare his authority. He hadn¡¯t even made public appearances or delivered speeches. He remained entrenched in the dark depths of Death Prison, systematically correcting ¡°errors.¡±


    The absence of Criminal Records did not mean the prisoners outside would gain their freedom. The underground city had enacted new regulations, and though chaos still reigned and villains were aplenty, it was slowly moving towards order.


    Cheng Yi laughed heartily. ¡°Consider the information about the Starship Port a gift from me.¡±


    Even the most opportunistic of merchants had a human side to them.


    ¡­


    Su Cha drove the off-road vehicle through the desert. According to Cheng Yi, the Starship Port in Sin City had been nearly abandoned before the apocalypse. Inside, there were only a few starships left unattended, and she wasn¡¯t sure if they still existed or if they had been sold as scrap.


    Just as Song Ke and her team approached their destination, something interesting happened. A group of heavily armed bandits leaped out and shouted, ¡°Robbery! Hand over everything valuable!¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Song Ke and her team exchanged glances, and everyone couldn¡¯t help but find the situation somewhat amusing.


    They had been robbed by the treacherous Mia when they first arrived, and now, as they were leaving, it seemed they couldn¡¯t escape being robbed again.


    It could be said that, even as new changes were emerging, Sin City still lived up to its reputation as a city of sin.


    Su Cha had been in a foul mood the whole way, and his patience had reached its limit. He removed his hat and mask, then spoke coldly, ¡°You have three seconds to get lost.¡±


    The leader of the bandits stared at him for a full four seconds, maintaining an arrogant attitude. ¡°Who are you to tell me to get lost? If you tell me to get lost, then I¡¯ll just get lost? Wouldn¡¯t I lose face by leaving?¡±


    ¡°Boss, maybe we should retreat. These people look¡­ not easy to deal with.¡±


    One of his subordinates, displaying some wisdom, had already started to back down.


    ¡°Retreat? Are you kidding me? Don¡¯t you know that causing trouble when entering Sin City is essential? We¡¯ve finally made it here, and we can¡¯t just give up now!¡±


    Oh, it¡¯s a rookie. No wonder he doesn¡¯t recognize the famous V587.


    Xu Xing jumped out, hands on his hips, and shouted with great vigor, ¡°I said get lost! Can¡¯t you hear me?¡±


    A relentless snowstorm blew in, freezing the bandits who were attempting to rob them into ice sculptures. The leader who had been boasting had his mouth contorted from the cold.


    ¡°Oh my ancestor! Little ancestor, please let us go. We¡¯ll leave immediately!¡±


    Xu Xing snorted and eased his power, causing the bandits to flee in a panic.


    This little incident was quickly forgotten as the seven made their way into the Starship Port. Inside, they found a collection of dilapidated and half-buried starships.


    Lu Xiaoyu picked a relatively intact-looking one and climbed into the cockpit. Curious, Song Ke followed him.


    Lu Xiaoyu effortlessly accessed the control panel, with his ice-blue eyes reflecting the data. Various parameters rapidly changed and reconfigured.


    ¡°Without Yiyu, there are other energy sources, wind, water, sunlight¡­ everything you can see can be used to power the starship.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu was the primary reason for the ¡°Eternal Soaring Bird¡¯s¡± never-ending flight.


    The old starship slowly ascended, stirring up the yellow sand as it roared to life.


    Observing this, the others boarded one by one and found their seats.


    Lu Xiaoyu closed the cabin door. Although he didn¡¯t smile, everyone could sense his happiness. ¡°We¡¯re ready to go.¡±


    ¡°Boom!¡±


    The engines roared to life, and the starship, now reinvigorated, shot off like a meteor.


    Inside the cockpit, Song Ke and the others were thrown off balance by the powerful thrust and had to grab onto the seat¡¯s armrests.


    Lin Youyou, who often traveled on starships due to her job, spoke up, ¡°Wait a minute. Did you forget to engage the star track route?¡±


    Deviation from the star track route would disable the automatic pilot and navigation, leaving the entire journey reliant on manual control, greatly increasing the risk.


    Soon, Lin Youyou discovered another critical issue and shouted in panic, ¡°Hey, aren¡¯t you speeding like crazy?¡±


    The starship accelerated again, flashed a few times in the vast desert, and vanished into the airspace above District F180.


    ¡°Lu Xiaoyu, you lunatic!!!¡±

 Chapter 83: When the Roses Bloom (1)

    ¡ò We became stronger ¡òAfter a three-month absence, Ferrara still shone with neon lights. S~?a??h the N?v?lFir?(.)n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Is this the city ruled by artificial intelligence?¡± Lu Xiaoyu lowered the starship¡¯s altitude and peered out the window. A flower parade ship passed by, and on the floating advertising screen, a sweet female star with cherry blossom-pink hair was smiling at him.


    Lu Xiaoyu focused on it for a couple of seconds, then turned back and found a certain person in the back seat with precision.


    Lin Youyou awkwardly covered her face. ¡°Um, yeah, it¡¯s me, already used to social death.¡±


    ¡°An illusory city with fake personalities,¡± Lu Xiaoyu commented pointedly.


    ¡°Eugh.¡± On the opposite side, Song Ke and Xu Xing were sprawled across their seats, their faces pale. The intense motion sickness from the high-speed ride made the two, who rarely took starships from District F, unable to stop themselves from vomiting.


    Fang Zhixu¡¯s complexion wasn¡¯t too good either. He had always followed safe driving practices and had never ridden in a ¡°black car¡± like Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s starship. Luckily, he was a healing-type awakener himself, and with his ability enveloping his body, he managed to overcome the discomfort after a few breaths.


    Lu Xiaoyu piloted the starship, blending in with the flower parade ship, and found a spot to land. Song Ke got off the starship in a daze and caught a whiff of a burnt smell. She looked around and quickly noticed something abnormal, ¡°The engine is on fire!¡±


    While traveling at super high speed, the four engines of the starship emitted black smoke and, with a ¡®puff¡¯, were rendered completely useless.


    Lu Xiaoyu deactivated the control panel with some regret, ¡°Couldn¡¯t break the speed threshold; this is the main reason solar energy got phased out. Next time we get a new starship, I¡¯ll consider using a different energy source.¡±


    Song Ke repeated in shock, ¡°Next time, a new starship?¡±


    You really don¡¯t know how expensive firewood and rice are!


    Thanks to Cheng Yi confiscating their money, there was no sign of the next starship.


    With Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s habit of wasting one aircraft for every trip, they were quickly heading towards bankruptcy!


    The impoverished captain silently hugged her money pouch.


    ¡­


    The group of people returned to the hotel, booked the largest suite, and without saying a word, they all collapsed onto the couch and beds, sleeping like logs.


    After spending a long time in the dim and cramped prison cell, their legs and bodies felt stiff. The soft mattress in Ferrara made for an exceptionally comfortable rest. They woke up one by one, yawning and heading to the multimedia room for a meeting.


    The screen displayed the previous match¡¯s recordings, and Zhuang Qingyan projected the new rules.


    The top 16 knockout stage followed a challenge mode for team battles. The first-place teams from the previous A to G group matches were the defending champions, while the remaining teams became challengers. In each round, the challengers could select one defending champion to challenge. If the challenge succeeded, they would replace the defending champion.


    The qualification rules were simple as well. If the defending champion received a bye in a round or won all rounds in a single turn, they would directly qualify. However, each team¡¯s participants couldn¡¯t be repeated in each round, which meant that if they started as challengers, they had only five chances to challenge (each team had a maximum of five players). Choosing the right defending champion was crucial.


    This competition format was reminiscent of the ancient story of ¡°The Tian Ji¡¯s Horse Race.¡± If the defending champion was strong in a particular round, the challengers might choose to forfeit and wait for the next chance. On the other hand, if the defending champion appeared weak, they might face multiple challenges within the same round.


    V587, as the first place in Group G, naturally received the title of defending champion. They needed to win three rounds to qualify. Lin Youyou and Su Cha had also joined the team, increasing their pool of available participants to seven.


    In the selection of defending champions for the rounds, Zhuang Qingyan first ruled out two support-type participants, Lin Youyou and Fang Zhixu, as they had no advantage in this type of challenge.


    ¡°For the first round, Lu Xiaoyu, you haven¡¯t appeared before, and there¡¯s no information on you. Due to the underestimation by challengers, there should be many who want to challenge you, but their strength won¡¯t be very high. You can win with surprise tactics and quickly secure a victory.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu nodded calmly, and the others agreed without objections.


    ¡°For the second round, Su Cha, your solo combat abilities are strong. Get it done as quickly as possible.¡±


    ¡°Got it,¡± Su Cha responded coolly.


    Zhuang Qingyan smiled slyly, ¡°For the last round, it¡¯s our captain¡¯s turn to lead.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Song Ke confidently nodded.


    ¡°I¡­ I also want to participate,¡± Xu Xing raised his hand and spoke with eagerness.


    He was already the weakest in V587, and if he didn¡¯t improve his strength quickly, the gap with others would only widen.


    ¡°In that case, Xiao Xing, you¡¯ll go second, Su Cha third, and I¡¯ll go fourth.¡±


    Song Ke patted Xu Xing¡¯s head, encouraging the child to get some practice as well, saying that as long as she was there, losing wouldn¡¯t be a problem.


    ¡°Since you¡¯ve made your decisions, I guess it¡¯s alright if I don¡¯t appear tomorrow?¡± Lin Youyou summoned her terminal, and a rose gold invitation letter appeared: ¡°Although it¡¯s all a fake persona, I still need to make a living. I¡¯ve been invited to be a special guest for tomorrow¡¯s match.¡±


    Song Ke was puzzled, ¡°Aren¡¯t the guests supposed to be artificial intelligence only?¡±


    Lin Youyou replied, ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure, but it seems that after the Ferrara incident last time, Ilya has relaxed the regulations in this regard. The Ten New Stars even shot a short film together.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not relaxation,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said, leaning on his crutch, ¡°During the three months we were away, although Ilya hasn¡¯t appeared in public, his abilities have been continually growing stronger, far surpassing humans. He doesn¡¯t care about whatever commotion you make.¡±


    Everyone fell silent.


    No one knew just how far this powerful AI magistrate would develop.


    ¡°Then, may I take a day off tomorrow?¡± Lin Youyou asked.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Captain Song agreed with a wave of her hand.


    The atmosphere in the multimedia room was calm, and Zhuang Qingyan suddenly asked, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Song Ke turned her head and was surprised to see that Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s hand was about to reach another wheelchair in the room.


    He answered seriously, ¡°I need materials for a second modification.¡±


    A crutch extended through the air to block his path, and Zhuang Qingyan squinted slightly, speaking with a confrontational tone.


    ¡°Lu Xiaoyu, there are some things I can only tolerate once.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu casually retracted his hand, ¡°Oh, then please help me get some materials.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll handle the procurement,¡± Fang Zhixu volunteered. Since everyone had tasks, he didn¡¯t want to remain idle.


    ¡°This is the list,¡± Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s ice-blue eyes flashed as he transferred a large amount of data to Fang Zhixu¡¯s terminal. ¡°By the way, if possible, buy another terminal. We¡¯ll be going to District C55, right? I need equipment to hack into District C¡¯s household registration system.¡±


    Fang Zhixu paused for a moment, then nodded, ¡°Alright.¡±


    Two days later, the Throne Race Competition¡¯s top 16 knockout stage officially began.


    The host was the ever-energetic Ah K, and after explaining the rules, he turned the topic to something special, saying, ¡°Today¡¯s guests are quite unique. Please welcome one of the Ten New Stars, Lin Youyou, as she brings us a new song, ¡®Gentle Rain.''¡±


    Spotlights illuminated the stage, and unlike previous appearances, the star on stage wasn¡¯t a holographic projection but emerged slowly from a lift.


    Lin Youyou wore a magnificent performance outfit with exquisite makeup, shimmering at the corners of her eyes. Her melodious voice filled the air.


    ¡°I like your smile~ like a gentle rain sprinkled in my heart~¡±


    In the competitor¡¯s area, Song Ke swayed from side to side, humming along with the enthusiastic fans, ¡°I like your smile, like a gentle rain~ sprinkled in my heart~¡±


    She sang off-key, not hitting a single note, but she was oblivious to it herself.


    Zhuang Qingyan turned to look at her, and Song Ke remained unaware.


    A faint smile appeared on his lips, and he couldn¡¯t help but laugh.


    On the other side, Irene gazed at the dazzling Lin Youyou on stage and cast a glance in the direction of V587. The mysterious masked competitor was indeed not among them.


    She turned her head back to continue watching the performance.


    After the song ended, Lin Youyou stood beside Ah K, and the line between the real person and AI was gradually becoming blurred, indistinguishable from a distance.


    Ah K enthusiastically asked, ¡°This is your first time visiting our live event, Lin Youyou. Is there anything you¡¯d like to say to everyone?¡±


    Lin Youyou displayed her signature smile, ¡°I¡¯m honored to accept the invitation, and I¡¯ve actually been following the competition.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Do you have a team you¡¯re supporting?¡±


    ¡°Of course, but I can¡¯t reveal it now. I hope they can achieve victory successfully.¡±


    ¡°Alright! Let¡¯s all look forward to it together.¡±


    After the opening, the seven defending champions took the stage one by one, and the audience¡¯s discussions grew louder.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on with the defending champion from Group G? Did they come to the wrong place?¡±


    ¡°Damn! Even disabled people are participating?¡±


    ¡°V587, weren¡¯t they the dark horse from last time? Why did they change members?¡±


    Amidst a group of celebrity participants like Duanmu Qi, Old Xiang, and Irene, Lu Xiaoyu, sitting in a wheelchair with his legs disabled, appeared particularly fragile, like a little lamb lost among wolves.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s speculation was correct. Lu Xiaoyu had indeed become the target of many challengers. In the first round of challenges, a staggering fifteen people saw him as an easy breakthrough.


    ¡°I choose him!¡±


    ¡°I choose him too!¡±


    The first challenger was an old acquaintance, the ¡°Ferrara Star,¡± a bassist who had crossed paths with them in Mirror Lake.


    Without any hesitation, the young man with smoky eye makeup immediately began producing his unique ability, creating a cacophonous noise with his bass.


    Lu Xiaoyu calmly appreciated it for a moment, then shook his head, quickly drawing a conclusion. The opponent¡¯s musical taste was truly terrible and hard to bear. His ice-blue eyes gleamed as he released his psychic power, sending a Cotard wave segment straight into the opponent¡¯s face.


    The bassist¡¯s eyes rolled back, and he convulsed before collapsing on the ground.


    The audience had yet to fully comprehend what had happened when the match was already over.


    The second challenger was noticeably more cautious. His awakened ability was defensive-type, allowing his entire body to become like steel, resisting external attacks. However, seeing that Lu Xiaoyu had no legs and difficulty in moving, he slyly circled around him, like a mischievous monkey.


    Lu Xiaoyu followed his movements, but couldn¡¯t catch him head-on. Growing increasingly impatient, he made a ¡°tch¡± sound and instantly extended six massive mechanical arms from his back, resembling spider legs. They shot out from mid-air and swiftly attacked, their cold tendrils accurately piercing the opponent¡¯s chest.


    The arena fell into a sudden hush, with even the surrounding sounds of battle coming to a momentary pause. Then, a thunderous cheer erupted.


    Duanmu Qi and Old Xiang, who had already advanced by default, watched the Group G battle, their expressions growing more serious.


    Duanmu Qi had been defeated by Song Ke before, so he had always been cautious about her. He wanted to have a fair and square showdown with her. On the other hand, Old Xiang was a man with deep thoughts and had eliminated his adversaries, but he had yet to make a move against V587. This was quite unexpected.


    Duanmu Qi teased, ¡°Old Xiang, allowing your opponents to grow seems to be against your style.¡±


    Old Xiang snorted, an uncharacteristic lack of retort.


    He also wanted to suppress V587 and snuff out the enemy while they were still in the cradle. The key was that he couldn¡¯t get ahold of them! After the Mirror Lake competition¡¯s round of 64, Old Xiang dispatched his men to gather information about V587. Just as he was starting to get some leads, they disappeared without a trace the next day, and he couldn¡¯t find them anywhere in the entire Ferrara.


    After waiting for the round of 32, V587 reappeared, and Old Xiang immediately ordered his men to eliminate them. But before they could act, Lyon¡¯s uprising and the zombie attack threw Ferrara into endless chaos. By the time Old Xiang regained his senses, they had disappeared again!


    Seeing that their opponent was becoming increasingly powerful and might even threaten to win the championship, Old Xiang could no longer sit still. This round was his last opportunity to take action. If they managed to advance to the finals¡­ everything would be uncertain.


    ¡°V587, no matter what, I won¡¯t let you leave Ferrara alive this time.¡±


    ¡­


    Group G.


    Lu Xiaoyu fought with a god-like demeanor, defeating all the challengers. As the match went on, it became absurd. One of his mechanical arms opened a data panel and began working slowly and leisurely, all while effortlessly battling his opponents. His arrogant demeanor was infuriating, making everyone grit their teeth.


    The defeated challengers regretted their decisions bitterly.


    In the first round, V587 secured an easy victory.


    In the second round, it was Xu Xing¡¯s turn to take the stage. It was his first time participating in a solo battle, and he climbed onto the platform nervously. He glanced back and saw Song Ke, who was swaying to the music, cheering him on from below. Beside her were Zhuang Qingyan, who had a half-smile on his face, Su Cha, who had a neutral expression, and the drowsy Fang Zhixu.


    Xu Xing¡¯s face was tense, but he nodded heavily. He thought that he would be an easy target for his challengers due to his young age. However, to his surprise, the defending champions from other groups were even weaker.


    Everyone had analyzed the match videos, and in comparison, Xu Xing, who had once single-handedly killed a mutant zombie, was surprisingly one of the top contenders. In the end, only three people dared to challenge him.


    Xu Xing went from being the lowest-ranked player in V587 to being seen as a formidable opponent by others in no time. He hadn¡¯t even realized it himself. The ¡®whoosh¡¯ of his ice blades quickly put all three challengers on the ground.


    Xu Xing: ¡°Am I really this strong? Why didn¡¯t I know?¡±


    V587 won two consecutive rounds!


    In the third round, it was Su Cha¡¯s turn. With a single push, he leaped onto the platform like a nimble cheetah.


    Su Cha was a tall man, standing at 1.9 meters. His short hair, tattoos, and the wild and untamed look in his eyes made him appear intimidating. However, the other teams had also reached the brink of elimination and had no choice but to challenge him. There were five challengers in total.


    Su Cha, who had been tempered by the Death Prison, easily defeated his opponents, even without using his special ability.


    Song Ke in the audience was a bit puzzled, ¡°Why do they seem weaker?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s not that they¡¯ve become weaker; it¡¯s that we¡¯ve become stronger.¡±


    The strength of their seven-member team had far exceeded that of the other participants in the Throne Race, from being evenly matched in the preliminary rounds to now holding a clear lead. They were no longer on the same level as the rest of the competition.


    Su Cha defeated the last challenging opponent, and V587 had won three consecutive rounds, advancing to the final of the Throne Race.


    As the excited announcer, Ah K, announced the list of finalists, Song Ke and her team walked against the crowd to meet with Lin Youyou, who was waiting outside.


    Zhuang Qingyan asked in a low voice, ¡°Did you manage to get Mu City¡¯s access permit?¡±


    Liu Xiaoyu replied casually, ¡°Done.¡±


    With a motion of his mechanical arm, they all received seven fake identification cards that were indistinguishable from real ones, all registered in District C55, Mu City.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not waste any more time. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°But before we go, we need a new starship.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve got the nerve to say that. If it weren¡¯t for you crashing our last one, would we need a new one?¡±


    Song Ke noticed that someone was slowly falling behind and looked back at him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Fang Zhixu wiped his face and his emotions were trembling uncontrollably. He took a deep breath and said, ¡°Nothing, let¡¯s go.¡±


    It took some time, but they managed to sneak into the starship harbor of Ferrara and disappeared from view at the gate.


    Just a few seconds after they entered, a spatial distortion occurred, and a group of individuals with supernatural abilities slowly appeared from the shadows.


    ¡°Is everyone here?¡± the leader, a spatial manipulation awakener, asked coldly.


    ¡°We¡¯re all here.¡±


    ¡°Hurry up and get to work. This is the third time. If we can¡¯t complete the mission this time, Mr. Xiang won¡¯t spare us. Do you understand?!¡±


    ¡°We understand!¡±


    Just as they were about to move, they suddenly heard the familiar sound of a starship taking off from the starship harbor. It seemed like¡­ the sound of a starship lifting off.


    The leader with spatial manipulation abilities felt a shadow fall over his heart, ¡°Oh no, quickly, get inside!¡±


    Before he could finish his sentence, a silver starship rapidly ascended into the sky, moving swiftly through the steamships and flower ships below, and disappeared into the neon depths in the blink of an eye.


    One of the pursuers muttered, ¡°Damn it!¡±


    **TN


    Story of the Tian Ji¡¯s Horse Race

 Chapter 84: When the Roses Bloom (2)

    ¡ò Birds and House Dogs ¡ò¡°These identity documents, why are all the professions mercenaries?¡±


    During the flight, Lin Youyou had some free time, so she flipped through the forged admission applications made by Lu Xiaoyu and noticed a common trait.


    ¡°Mercenaries are the best choice.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu probably thought everyone had the same level of intelligence as him, as he didn¡¯t continue to explain after saying this.


    The rest of the people looked at each other in confusion: ¡°¡­¡±


    They didn¡¯t quite understand, but they didn¡¯t want to ask and make themselves appear ignorant.


    Song Ke turned to ¡°Alliance Know-it-All¡± Zhuang Qingyan and secretly signaled to him.


    Zhuang Qingyan cleared his throat and timely explained to everyone: ¡°The social structure of the Mu City society is highly stratified, with people divided into different classes. At the top is the magistrate, also known as ¡®General,¡¯ who holds supreme power and authority. He is the creator of the rules, and right and wrong are determined by his will alone.¡±


    ¡°Below the General are warlord leaders and various military officers, who monopolize the channels of military production and enjoy many privileges, even having private armed forces. As beneficiaries of these privileges, they fervently support the rule of the General and become his loyal henchmen.¡±


    ¡°The third level consists of the wealthy and businessmen, who serve as intermediaries for the circulation of military supplies and amass great wealth. They may appear prosperous on the surface, but because of the illegitimate sources of their assets, they must rely on the protection of warlords and are usually closely aligned with them.¡±


    The starship soared across the horizon, and the navigation system indicated that they were nearing the border of District C55.


    Surrounding Mu City were several D-level cities, forming a crescent shape around it in the central region.


    Zhuang Qingyan quickened his pace of explanation: ¡°From the fourth level and below, you have mercenaries, workers, and the destitute. Mercenaries make up a large portion, they act relatively independently. Workers are often local residents for generations, leading uneventful lives but at least living without worry. At the lowest level are the destitute, also known as the ¡®downtrodden,¡¯ with the lowest status, only able to do laborious work and constantly facing the risk of expulsion.¡±


    After hearing the explanation, everyone suddenly understood. It made sense why Lu Xiaoyu had chosen the identity of a mercenary. Officers and wealthy individuals were prominent figures in the local community, and their unfamiliar faces would only invite unnecessary trouble. Workers and the destitute had too many limitations, which wouldn¡¯t be conducive to their operations. Therefore, being mercenaries seemed like the perfect choice.


    Lu Xiaoyu slowly reduced the speed of the starship and said, ¡°We can¡¯t proceed any further. Once we enter Mu City¡¯s territory, unidentified flying objects will be shot down.¡±


    Lin Youyou peered outside, but the limited view through the window made it difficult to see clearly. ¡°Is there something ahead?¡±


    Song Ke put on a hood, opened the starship¡¯s cabin door, and hung onto the handrail with one hand, leaning out to look into the distance.


    The high-altitude wind blew against their faces, bone-chilling cold. Beneath their feet, there were countless zombies and mutated animals wandering aimlessly between the wilderness and the abandoned cities. The sound of gunfire and howls echoed back and forth, and occasionally, they could hear intense gunfire.


    The cities they had visited before, whether it was Ferrara or Tongwan, had relatively clean surroundings, with the nearby zombies having been cleared out. And Sin City, due to its unique geographical location, was far from natural disasters.


    However, the current view of Mu City revealed the most brutal side of the apocalypse.


    Between several D-level cities, there was a road faintly visible, enclosed by a high-voltage iron net, leading directly into the distance and extending to the base of the city walls.


    ¡°This is Mu City¡¯s ¡®lifeline,¡¯ and only those who pass through this road are qualified to enter the city,¡± Zhuang Qingyan explained.


    Song Ke fixed her gaze on the endpoint of the lifeline, which was the impenetrable city of Mu City, and at the other end, there seemed to be an endless horde of zombies.


    She smiled and asked, ¡°To enter the city, do we have to pass a test?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll kill our way in,¡± he said.


    There was no one nearby, and there was no need to hide their abilities. After descending to low altitude, the seven of them successively jumped off the starship. Song Ke drew her twin blades from behind, Su Cha unsheathed his dagger, Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s six mechanical arms were displayed menacingly, Lin Youyou¡¯s singing voice echoed, creating soundwaves around them, and Xu Xing, right behind them, unleashed a barrage of ice blades. V587 cooperated seamlessly, unleashing its full firepower.


    A group of ashen-eyed beasts suddenly jumped out. They resembled dogs but were smaller than wolves, surrounding them, baring their teeth and growling. These were the unique and fierce creatures of Mu City, the zombie hyenas.


    Song Ke quickened her pace, charging forward with her dual blades spinning to eviscerate the hyenas, slicing their bodies in half in an instant!


    Various supernatural abilities shone brightly, and in less than five minutes, a small-scale battle was swiftly extinguished, with V587 effortlessly eliminating the obstacles in their path.


    Even Fang Zhixu, holding a spiritual weapon longsword, though he was in the support class, couldn¡¯t always rely on others for protection. He needed to learn to defend himself and, when necessary, could deliver a few blows himself.


    The lifeline was about six to seven kilometers long, and along the way, they encountered other teams hunting zombies. Each time they killed one, they recorded it with their terminals. When Song Ke and her group passed by, the people in those teams were intimidated by the aura of death on them and took two steps back, leaving the zombies behind as they ran away.


    Judging from their abilities, it was evident that the others were also awakeners.


    Song Ke was puzzled, ¡°What are they doing?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan answered, ¡°They should be ¡®Clearers.''¡±


    ¡°What are ¡®Clearers¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Mu City¡¯s specialty is that most of its population consists of mercenaries and the destitute, responsible for clearing the monsters outside the city to prevent the outbreak of zombie hordes,¡± Zhuang Qingyan explained.


    As they passed by abandoned buildings along the way, they occasionally saw signs of human activity, half-built camps, and unfinished drinking water¡­


    Song Ke furrowed her brow and asked, ¡°Why live here? It¡¯s all zombies nearby, and sleeping out in the open doesn¡¯t seem like a good choice.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s eyes darkened, ¡°Without admission applications, they can only wander around the outskirts.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu accessed the new laws enacted by the general after the apocalypse and said, ¡°Mu City revoked the permanent residence rights of the destitute within the area and replaced it with a quantitative approach. They release 300 temporary slots for the Clearers every day. Only those who complete the clearing tasks are allowed to enter the city.¡±


    Lin Youyou frowned, ¡°Isn¡¯t this essentially forcing people into dangerous situations? Accidents happen all the time when hunting zombies. While the destitute have a lowly status, this kind of oppression is too much, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Fang Zhixu, who had been silent, spoke coldly, ¡°In the eyes of a tyrant, all destitute are like pigs and dogs. What¡¯s there to care about with pigs and dogs? Just call them twice, and they stop in their tracks.¡±


    The others sighed at his words.


    This was a brutal city.


    After walking for half an hour, the number of zombies gradually decreased. At the same time, the towering city wall, with no visible end, gradually appeared in front of them. At regular intervals along the wall, there were rows of dark tanks and heavy artillery, and patrol drones circled the sky. It truly lived up to its reputation as the Alliance¡¯s arms depot, with these heavy weapons serving as a glaring deterrent to outsiders.


    At the city gate, there were several long lines of people, stretching as far as the eye could see, all of them Clearers who had come to complete their tasks.


    As Song Ke and her group walked along with the crowd, they overheard hushed conversations among those waiting in line.


    ¡°Did you meet the criteria?¡±


    ¡°I did, but I came back late, afraid I won¡¯t get in.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s on duty at the gate today?¡±


    ¡°Godanwei.¡±


    ¡°¡­That lackey. Forget it, don¡¯t bother waiting in line, try your luck tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Godanwei?¡± Song Ke¡¯s sharp ears picked up on the unfamiliar name.


    When they got closer, the group chose the line marked ¡°Green Channel (Mercenaries Only),¡± where there were noticeably fewer people.


    A sentry on duty asked in a routine manner, ¡°Show your admission permits.¡±


    Song Ke held up her terminal, tapped it against the interface, and Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s forged identity information appeared on the screen.


    The sentry glanced at it and processed their passage through the instrument. ¡°Proceed to the checkpoint ahead for verification.¡±


    ¡°Just a moment,¡± a deep voice suddenly rang out, followed by the heavy footsteps of military boots on the ground.


    The sentry stood up, looking somewhat fearful. ¡°Lord Godanwei, what are your orders?¡±


    Godanwei was dressed in the uniform of a mercenary, had tanned skin, and had a robust, imposing physique. He squinted his eyes slowly and asked, ¡°Are you mercenaries? Whose mercenaries are you? I¡¯ve never seen you before.¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and she couldn¡¯t help but feel nervous. She thought, ¡®Uh-oh, this Godanwei is also a mercenary, and he seems quite knowledgeable about the situation in Mu City?¡¯


    In response to Godanwei¡¯s questioning, Zhuang Qingyan remained calm and composed, saying, ¡°We are freelance mercenaries. We left Mu City for a mission before the apocalypse and have just returned. It¡¯s not surprising that you haven¡¯t seen us, but ignorance cannot be your excuse to hinder us.¡±


    Godanwei stared at him for a couple of seconds, snorted, and then meticulously examined the identity information of each member of the group. Their hometowns were indeed in District C55, Mu City, and he couldn¡¯t find any discrepancies. However, he had an animal instinct, and these people didn¡¯t seem like local mercenaries.


    He pointed at Song Ke and said, ¡°You, undergo verification.¡±


    Silently, Song Ke walked forward, with Godanwei following closely behind her.


    Song Ke reached the checkpoint and entered a machine similar to a scanner. Numerous beams of light covered her from head to toe, capturing her facial and body data, and the screen displayed the message ¡°Verification in progress.¡±


    As time passed, the result was still not visible.


    Godanwei¡¯s expression grew cold, and he pulled a particle gun from his waist, aiming it at Song Ke¡¯s head, ready to pull the trigger.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Lin Youyou shouted, her heart pounding.


    Fang Zhixu and Su Cha¡¯s palms also tightened their grip on their weapons. Xu Xing, being young, had a tense expression, and his lips quivered slightly.


    Zhuang Qingyan moved at just the right moment, placing himself between Godanwei and Song Ke, his expression still calm.


    Song Ke was anxious and stole a quick glance in Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s direction, silently praying, ¡®Lu Xiaoyu, please come through for us!¡¯


    Lu Xiaoyu sat in his wheelchair, looking unperturbed, and even yawned as if saying, ¡°Are you doubting me?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan subtly nodded in her direction, and Song Ke, for some reason, began to relax a bit.


    After five seconds, the scanner¡¯s screen finally displayed ¡°Verification passed, welcome home, mercenary.¡±


    Song Ke straightened up her posture, maintaining a composed expression, but inside, she let out a huge sigh of relief.


    Godanwei shifted the barrel of his gun to the side, gesturing for Song Ke to move along, but he still didn¡¯t lower the weapon. He said, ¡°Next one.¡±


    The remaining six members of the group took their turns in the scanner one by one, and all of them passed without any issues. S?a??h th? N???lFire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Godanwei finally holstered his particle gun and said in a peculiar tone, ¡°Welcome home, freelance mercenaries.¡±


    The group entered Mu City under Godanwei¡¯s watchful gaze, and they felt the uneasy sensation of his eyes on their backs until it disappeared from view.


    Song Ke muttered, ¡°Who is that guy?¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu slid his fingers across the terminal and replied, ¡°Just checked the information. Godanwei is a private soldier raised by the warlord Miao Lun¡¯s family. And to add, Miao Lun¡¯s reputation in Mu City is extremely notorious.¡±


    In Mu City, mercenaries were divided into two categories: freelance mercenaries, nicknamed ¡°Flying Birds,¡± who had no constraints and could choose the contracts they wanted to take, and private soldiers loyal to the powerful, derogatorily referred to as ¡°House Dogs.¡± Although they enjoyed a comfortable life, their reputation was often tainted by the actions of the warlords.


    ¡°Lu Xiaoyu, you¡¯re really amazing,¡± Song Ke genuinely praised him.


    While she was standing in the scanner, there was a moment when she had a fleeting thought of the image of ¡°verification failed¡± in her mind, causing her heart to race.


    Lu Xiaoyu accepted her praise with composure.


    Xu Xing followed behind them and discreetly glanced at Lu Xiaoyu. He moved closer to him, his big eyes shimmering as if he had made a decision.


    When they turned a corner, the entire city of Mu City lay before them. Compared to other C-level cities, Mu City¡¯s level of technology wasn¡¯t particularly impressive, and its architectural style was quite ordinary. It resembled the D-level cities they had visited, such as Hua City and Luli Port. However, the air here was thick with the scent of gunpowder, mercenaries walked the streets armed to the teeth, and you could encounter restrictions and private guards wielding weapons on every corner. Military factories were ubiquitous and belonged to different factions. In the distance, at the tops of the mountain ranges, there was a grand golden palace, with its spires piercing the sky, symbolizing authority.


    Massive holographic projections hung on both sides of the streets, displaying the image of a middle-aged man with striking silver hair, dressed in the attire of Mu City¡¯s supreme ruler, adorned with numerous medals and ribbons. He had a stern face, prominent eyebrows, and a sharp, imposing hawk-like nose.


    ¡°Nai Kang,¡± Fang Zhixu exclaimed, looking up, trembling all over. He called out the man¡¯s name heavily.


    Nai Kang, the tyrant, was the highest executive officer of Mu City, the general at the top of the pyramid, and the person Fang Zhixu wanted to kill but couldn¡¯t.


    ¡°We will succeed,¡± Song Ke reassured him, placing her hand on his shoulder.


    Fang Zhixu¡¯s reaction was a bit exaggerated, and they were currently on the streets, which could easily arouse suspicion from others.


    Zhuang Qingyan suggested, ¡°Let¡¯s find a place to stay first.¡±


    As they were planning to stay in Mu City for a while, they decided to rent an apartment.


    ¡°Regarding the situation in Mu City, we should take some time to explore, and in the next few days, we can split up to gather more information,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said with gravity.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay; we have plenty of time,¡± Song Ke said in a relaxed tone.


    Since they had already infiltrated the city, their registered hometown was Mu City, and they wouldn¡¯t have the problem of lacking access permissions. As long as they were cautious, they wouldn¡¯t be discovered.


    ¡°Beep beep.¡±


    At the same moment, their terminals displayed a message.


    This was a broadcast message intended for all residents in the area, and it could be received by anyone in Mu City.


    ¡°Starting today, the modification of access restrictions¡¯ validity period is implemented. Please strictly adhere to the following regulations: The validity period for destitutes is reduced to three days. Permanent residency rights for workers and freelance mercenaries are revoked. Workers have a seven-day access period, and freelance mercenaries have fifteen days, with the possibility of extension by completing municipal tasks.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s voice suddenly grew solemn, ¡°The General has issued a new law.¡±


    This was the power of Mu City¡¯s ¡°tyrant,¡± who could modify local laws at any time.


    Their identity documents displayed an additional line of information: ¡°Remaining validity period of your access application: 14 days, 23 hours, 59 minutes, and 42 seconds.¡±


    Time was decreasing rapidly.


    The faces of everyone in the room, including Zhuang Qingyan, suddenly turned grim.


    They were freelance mercenaries, and they had thought that once they entered Mu City, they could rest easy. But now, they realized that they were about to be sent out as clearers just as they had barely settled in.


    Song Ke, who had just said, ¡°We have plenty of time,¡± quietly covered her mouth.


    Oh no, she must have jinxed it with her crow¡¯s mouth, right?


    **TN


    Almost done with my other TL project NU Link, it¡¯s more of a slow-life and slice-of-life kind of thing, set in the 1970¡¯s. Give it a try. ????

 Chapter 85: When the Roses Bloom (3)

    ¡ò My people ¡òCountdown: 15 days.


    As the concrete dates for their possible stay were determined, V587 began to feel an inexplicable sense of urgency. If within these 15 days they made no progress, they would be forced either to take on the role of a clearer or face expulsion from Mu City.


    After the recent amendments to the laws, the application process would now involve constant and unrelenting scrutiny. Their household registrations were already forged, and any further intervention by Lu Xiaoyu would only increase the risk of exposure.


    What was more significant was the inclusion of freelance mercenaries in these amendments. Specifically mentioning ¡°flying birds¡± and yet not imposing mandatory regulations on ¡°house dogs,¡± the General was still providing a small amount of face-saving to those who supported him.


    ¡°Time is limited. Let¡¯s divide into groups and take action tomorrow,¡± said Zhuang Qingyan in a grave tone.


    The group division resulted in Song Ke and Zhuang Qingyan forming one, Lin Youyou paired with Su Cha in another, while the remaining three ¨C Lu Xiaoyu, Fang Zhixu, and Xu Xing ¨C formed the last group.


    After a brief sleep, the next morning, V587 set out in different directions to gather intelligence.


    Song Ke and Zhuang Qingyan arrived at the Golden Palace, the General¡¯s residence also known as the ¡°Reunification Palace.¡±


    The main gate of the Reunification Palace was heavily guarded by armed soldiers, with a demarcated exclusion zone that barred anyone from approaching. Though there were no visible signs of heavy weaponry, an air of palpable hostility pervaded the atmosphere.


    Song Ke cautiously felt along the perimeter, daring to consider scaling the wall, but Zhuang Qingyan stopped her by pulling her hood.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go there, there¡¯s infrared detection.¡±


    Song Ke silently withdrew the foot she had already lifted and released a wisp of mental energy, confirming the presence of numerous concealed mechanisms within the walls.


    The infrared sensors swiveled in a different direction, and the smell of gunpowder grew stronger. Song Ke¡¯s hairs stood on end; she quickly retreated. She had a premonition that any trespassing or unusual behavior would immediately prompt numerous muzzles to aim and obliterate her on the spot.


    Zhuang Qingyan scanned the surroundings and swiftly made a decision: ¡°Let¡¯s head to the hill opposite.¡±


    The two changed course and ascended the hill. Although the distance was great, from there, they could overlook the entire Reunification Palace.


    ¡°Captain, please support me a little,¡± Zhuang Qingyan extended his left hand, openly displaying weakness to her.


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t there a cane?¡± Song Ke murmured softly but dutifully held his arm.


    The mountain path was uneven. When Zhuang Qingyan stood up, he accidentally stepped on some gravel, causing his body to lean slightly towards Song Ke. Song Ke instinctively lifted her head just as the other person was bowing down. Their breaths unexpectedly intertwined.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s deep peach blossom eyes curved, and his magnetic voice seemed as if it intended to seep into Song Ke¡¯s ears: ¡°I want to draw, it¡¯s more convenient leaning against you.¡±


    Song Ke blinked slowly, swiftly turned her head, and suddenly felt a warmth in her ears.


    ¡°¡­Oh.¡± She didn¡¯t know what to say and finally responded.


    Zhuang Qingyan skillfully manipulated the screen and sketched and painted. Song Ke watched as he delineated the three-dimensional structure of the Golden Palace, even creating models and sections. She stole a glance at the person beside her, focusing intently on his profile. Song Ke looked again and again, gradually becoming entranced. How could this person be so intelligent? Not only did he understand a lot, but he seemed to know everything; he could effortlessly draw even.


    As Zhuang Qingyan drew, he spoke, ¡°The General¡¯s mansion is larger than we anticipated. Sneaking in recklessly poses a high risk and could easily alert the guards.¡±


    ¡°Ah? Oh,¡± Song Ke hadn¡¯t caught what he said at all, she mumbled in response, feeling a bit uneasy as she awkwardly touched her own neck.


    ¡°You keep the blueprints.¡± Zhuang Qingyan finished drawing, handed the screen to Song Ke, then stood upright, closing his eyes slightly.


    A strong surge of mental energy slowly flowed out from him, heading directly towards the Reunification Palace.


    ¡°There are awakeners inside, probably the Guard Unit, mainly A and B levels, and their numbers¡­ close to a hundred.¡±


    Suddenly, Song Ke remembered the first encounter with the mutant zombie at the City Hall in Luli Port. She and Xu Xing couldn¡¯t find their way, but it was Zhuang Qingyan who first noticed the mental energy fluctuations and led them through the maze. He seemed particularly sharp in this regard.


    ¡°It seems like a direct assault won¡¯t work; we¡¯ll have to think of another way,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said. As he spoke, he noticed Song Ke¡¯s strange expression. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Song Ke lifted her head and said seriously, ¡°Lu Xiaoyu is S-level, and he has demonstrated his strength before.


    You are also S-level, but I don¡¯t know how powerful you are.¡±


    Apart from the incident at Manzoni Street when he rescued her from the Bloody Killer, Punk, Zhuang Qingyan had barely used his abilities. Most of the time, he was strategizing. As an S-level psychic awakener, his true strength was still a mystery.


    ¡°You should think this way, because there¡¯s a reassuring captain, so there¡¯s no need for me to step in,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said with a sly smile.


    Song Ke turned her head, puffed her cheeks, and hmphed at his sweet words.


    ¡­


    On the other side, Lu Xiaoyu and his two companions arrived at Mu City¡¯s commission center.


    This place gathered a large number of mercenaries and awakeners, a diverse crowd, the best place for outsiders to gather information.


    Lu Xiaoyu found a self-service terminal and, after a moment of tinkering, suddenly sounded puzzled, ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°What have you found?¡± Fang Zhixu asked in a low voice.


    Lu Xiaoyu accessed the new announcement he had just seen: ¡°Mu Qin¡¯s family issued a recruitment notice for the Guard Unit two days ago.¡±


    Fang Zhixu concentrated on reading the contents of the recruitment notice: ¡°They will hold a Hero Banquet in their residence in seven days, recruiting for the Guard Unit on-site, inviting all the aspiring individuals in the region. The identity is unrestricted, but it requires the submission of a Level 3 crystal.¡±


    Mu Qin, Miao Lun, and Ruan Wenjun were the three major warlords in Mu City. Not only did these three families tightly control the core development of military technology, but it¡¯s also said that they have a close relationship with the General. Joining their Guard Unit could grant an individual an officer¡¯s status, facilitating a leap in social rank.


    A Level 3 crystal, also known as a blue crystal, is exceedingly rare in terms of availability. It¡¯s only produced by evolved Level 3 zombies or mutant zombies of B-level and above. This threshold can be considered quite high.


    Lu Xiaoyu returned to the hall and found a secluded corner. His focus fixed on the central floating screen, where numerous data streams flowed through his pupils. He rapidly sifted through the information, occasionally pausing at seemingly unrelated fragments.


    ¡°Cover me, I¡¯m looking for something,¡± he said.


    Fang Zhixu and Xu Xing quickly positioned themselves to shield him.


    After a while, Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s movements came to a halt.


    ¡°Ah, so that¡¯s how it is.¡±


    ¡­


    Before sunset, V587 safely returned and gathered at the apartment.


    ¡°We went to the arms factory, but it¡¯s heavily guarded by a large number of private soldiers. It¡¯s impossible to sneak in. Here¡¯s the footage we captured.¡± Lin Youyou cast the terminal¡¯s projection, showing Su Cha stealthily approaching the periphery. The footage shook for a moment, followed by clear sounds of patrol teams and a vague view of something tank-like being loaded onto a vehicle and taken away.


    ¡°We also went to the Reunification Palace.¡± Song Ke displayed the architectural structure diagram drawn by Zhuang Qingyan, emphasizing that both direct assault and infiltration were unfeasible.


    They were all at a loss. A day had passed, and they remained clueless, with only 14 days left.


    ¡°We¡¯ve made a discovery,¡± suddenly said Lu Xiaoyu, lifting their spirits.


    ¡°What did you find?¡± the others asked eagerly.


    ¡°We found out that Mu Qin¡¯s family is about to hold a Hero Banquet to recruit guards.¡±


    ¡°What does that have to do with us?¡± Song Ke inquired.


    ¡°It¡¯s absolutely related,¡± Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s icy eyes glinted as he presented all the information about the Hero Banquet, ¡°The timing of Mu Qin family¡¯s Hero Banquet is extremely subtle, occurring a whole three months earlier than usual. I have substantial evidence to suspect that, due to the urgent situation, they are actually gathering talents on behalf of the General.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu continued, ¡°The General might have encountered an ambush, causing shock or injury.¡±


    He effortlessly retrieved news snippets from the cluttered data: A month ago, multiple media outlets reported that the General encountered an attack by refugees during a ¡®hunt.¡¯ Fortunately, with timely defense, he escaped unscathed, while the rioting refugees were instantly subdued by the Guard Unit.


    ¡°Regardless of the General¡¯s actual condition, it¡¯s likely that his Guard Unit suffered some losses and therefore urgently needs fresh recruits.¡±


    ¡°I analyzed surveillance footage of the General over the past 26 years; there have been approximately 132 different faces among his guards. If we can figure out how many are still around¡­¡±


    ¡°95 people,¡± Zhuang Qingyan stated.


    ¡°There are 95 guard members remaining in the Reunification Palace,¡± he confirmed.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Lu Xiaoyu expressed doubt.


    ¡°More certain than your ¡®approximately,''¡± Zhuang Qingyan countered calmly.


    Lu Xiaoyu fell silent for two seconds and then clicked his tongue.


    ¡°But what kind of refugees could cause the General¡¯s Guard Unit to lose nearly 40 people?¡± Lin Youyou questioned, ¡°Could there be another reason? How could a disorganized and undisciplined group of refugees overpower elite awakeners who make up the Guard Unit, all of whom are at least B-level and among the most skilled individuals?¡±


    ¡°No matter what the truth is, for us, this is an opportunity. If we can attend the recruitment meeting, maybe we can infiltrate the Guard Unit,¡± Zhuang Qingyan suggested. He didn¡¯t explicitly say the latter part, but everyone understood; the Guard Unit protects the General closely, and if they can successfully join, there will be opportunities for action.


    Song Ke lowered her head and rummaged through her backpack in dismay. ¡°But we don¡¯t have a Level 3 crystal.¡±


    The highest quality crystal she currently had was a green Level 2 crystal from Mirror Lake¡¯s water monster. As for Level 3 crystals, she had never even seen one.


    Su Cha chimed in, ¡°We could go to the lifeline. On the day we entered the city, I encountered Level 2 zombies.¡±


    In the surrounding D-level cities near Mu City, monsters roamed everywhere. If they searched carefully, they might discover Level 3 zombies.


    ¡°Alas¡­¡± Lin Youyou felt a headache just thinking about zombies, ¡°It seems like there¡¯s no escaping playing the role of a cleaner again.¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯s settled. We¡¯ll leave the city tomorrow,¡± Zhuang Qingyan declared.


    Song Ke cautiously sought the opinions of the others, ¡°Since we¡¯re going out, should I take on some commissions on the side?¡±


    As the team captain, she needed to plan carefully to sustain the whole group.


    The other six: ¡°¡­Up to you.¡±


    ¡­


    In Xian Port, a D-level city near Mu City.


    Lin Youyou scoured the ruins for signs of zombies. Because V587¡¯s dedicated captain, Song Ke, ¡°incidentally¡± accepted over a dozen commissions, they were concerned about time and decided to split up to complete tasks. However, they weren¡¯t too far apart, so they could call out if anything happened.


    As Lin Youyou emerged from a collapsed office building, she brushed off the dust. Just as she looked up, a group of fierce-looking mercenaries approached her. Noticing she was alone, they stopped with hostile intent.


    The post-apocalyptic setting, the ruins, and a vulnerable yet beautiful young woman¡ªthese three elements together easily spark the imagination.


    The mercenary, Sang Bo, was one of those lower creatures. He stared fixedly at Lin Youyou, excitement tugging at the corners of his mouth.


    His companion, Hu Chao, guessed what he was thinking and cautioned in a deep voice, ¡°Sang Bo, such a fine commodity should be offered to Lord Miao Lun.¡±


    Sang Bo shrugged it off, ¡°Lord Miao Lun has seen enough beauty; one won¡¯t make a difference. I¡¯ll enjoy myself first.¡±


    He emerged from the rubble and whistled provocatively at Lin Youyou.


    Furrowing her brows, Lin Youyou coldly ordered, ¡°Go away.¡±


    Sang Bo, however, didn¡¯t retreat but instead leered, his sinful eyes lingering on Lin Youyou¡¯s face and descending further.


    Incensed, Lin Youyou struck him hard across the face.


    There was a moment of silence among the others.


    Sang Bo seemed momentarily stunned, spitting out a mouthful of blood, ¡°The little girl¡¯s got some fire, I like it.¡±


    Suddenly, his body turned into a black, rotten mud, moving behind Lin Youyou. It reconstituted, with his robust wrist now seizing her arm. His lips approached her cheek, his foul breath ominously close.


    Enraged, Lin Youyou prepared to retaliate but realized she couldn¡¯t sing!


    No! A silence field¡ªher innate ability restrained her. She couldn¡¯t sing, nor could she even make a sound to call for help.


    Startled, Lin Youyou looked up to see another lean man opposite her, covering his left eye while his bloodshot right eye fixed deeply on her. The world around Lin Youyou fell into silence; she couldn¡¯t hear or produce any sound.


    As Sang Bo¡¯s foul breath neared, she felt a wave of nausea. With a slight movement of her sleeve, a dark blue hand arrow fell into her palm. She cut herself deeply.


    The world remained silent, but¡ª


    A gust of wind rushed past Lin Youyou, a graceful figure zipping by her, heading straight for the lean man.


    She breathed a sigh of relief.


    Song Ke¡¯s hand flashed with a sharp blue light, piercing directly into the sinister eye of the lean man.


    ¡°Ah¡ª!¡± A piercing scream tore through the air, breaking the silence field of the opponent!


    Almost simultaneously, Sang Bo, who had been restraining Lin Youyou, was struck heavily in the chest by another foot, causing blood to spurt out. Lin Youyou took the opportunity to escape.


    In front of Sang Bo, Su Cha, furiously enraged, released his erratic ability, thunderously attacking him.


    Realizing imminent danger, Sang Bo¡¯s body rapidly disintegrated into black mud, about to retreat.


    An ethereal song resonated in his mind. Suddenly, a boundless fear overwhelmed Sang Bo, freezing him in place, unable to move. This was Lin Youyou¡¯s A-level ability, a debuff control!


    Su Cha unleashed his venom, covering the wriggling black mud, inflicting unbearable pain on Sang Bo. Reverting to human form, he climbed in agony. At that moment, a dagger, infused with a green hue, pierced his heart. Sang Bo turned in shock, seeing that Lin Youyou had used Su Cha¡¯s dagger to personally end his life.


    In just a few seconds, a sudden turn of events: both mercenaries who had targeted Lin Youyou fell dead on the spot!


    Song Ke landed beside Lin Youyou, asking, ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    Su Cha, a towering figure, looked down at her, a hint of regret flickering in his eyes.


    Lin Youyou held his shoulder, reassuring him, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    Not far away, Zhuang Qingyan and the others heard the commotion and quickly rushed over.


    Hu Chao, witnessing Sang Bo¡¯s death, spoke with a grave expression, ¡°Who are you? Daring to kill the Miao Lun family¡¯s mercenaries, don¡¯t you want to survive here?¡±


    Song Ke fearlessly stared back, ¡°We are freelance mercenaries.¡±


    ¡°Freelance mercenaries? From the South or the Western Street? Who¡¯s your boss? Which faction?¡± Hu Chao pressed.


    ¡°¡­Are there factions among freelance mercenaries?¡± Song Ke couldn¡¯t come up with an answer. S?a?ch* Th? n0v?l(?)ire.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Hu Chao grew suspicious, ¡°Whose people are you, really?!¡±


    His mercenaries behind him assumed a combat stance, encroaching on the group.


    V587 tensed up, preparing for a confrontation.


    The tense atmosphere was on the brink of eruption.


    ¡°Boom!¡±


    A micro missile hit the open space between the two groups of people, shattering rocks and raising a cloud of dust.


    ¡°My people.¡±


    A familiar voice rang out.

 Chapter 86: When the Roses Bloom (4)

    ¡ò Leave as soon as possible ¡ò¡°They are my people.¡±


    A person leaped from the sniper position on the rooftop.


    Wearing black military boots, camouflage pants, a hot vest, with a mobile artillery piece slung over the right shoulder, the left arm, however, was partially missing, only a stump remained above the elbow joint.


    The newcomer had a slender figure, with brown skin and a crew cut, robust muscles, a resolute and powerful look in the eyes, exuding a rare leadership quality.


    Irene.


    Song Ke silently recited her name in her mind.


    Surprisingly, it was the captain of the ¡°Guns and Roses,¡± their opponents in the Throne Race. How could she appear here?


    ¡°The famous Western Street Fox, I heard you transferred to another district, why have you returned?¡±


    ¡°I guess no one wanted her there. Where else can you find a woman as tough as her?¡±


    ¡°Look, she doesn¡¯t even have a hand now, she¡¯s become a miserable cur, hahaha!¡±


    The mercenaries recognized Irene. Initially, they laughed heartily, mocking her carelessly. However, faced with the densely packed muzzles and Irene¡¯s expressionless face, their raucous laughter gradually weakened, disappeared, and finally, there was dead silence.


    Hu Chao spoke slowly, ¡°Fox, it¡¯s been half a year since we heard from you. How have you been? Care to sit down and reminisce¡­¡±


    Irene coldly interrupted, ¡°Save your concern, and have your people withdraw.¡±


    The false smile on Hu Chao¡¯s face vanished, his voice suddenly rising, ¡°Withdraw? These people killed Sang Bo, Lord Miao Lun¡¯s private soldiers. By standing up for them, are you ready to make enemies of the entire Miao Lun family?¡±


    Facing Hu Chao¡¯s threats, Irene remained unmoved, ¡°I¡¯ll say it again, they are my people. Sang Bo brought it on himself. Hu Chao, you can report today¡¯s events truthfully to your master and see how he reacts.¡±


    Hu Chao choked up. Sang Bo¡¯s death resulted from his own lust for Lin Youyou¡¯s beauty and his desire to possess her alone. To put it bluntly, it was his disrespect and betrayal towards Lord Miao Lun, which, if escalated, would not end well, even if Sang Bo were still alive.


    Seeing Hu Chao¡¯s silence, Irene added, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Can¡¯t speak? Do you need me to help you report?¡±


    Hu Chao¡¯s heart trembled. Irene was threatening him. Everyone knew that Lord Miao Lun¡¯s new favorite was from Western Street. If, under Irene¡¯s insinuation, she whispered a few words in someone¡¯s ear¡­ Even he, as a bystander, might be implicated.


    Hu Chao, though not as brave as Sang Bo or as skilled as Godanwei, considered himself someone who understood the situation and could survive better than most.


    After contemplating for a while, he spoke in a solemn tone, ¡°Nothing happened today. Unfortunately, Sang Bo and Para fell victim to the zombies.¡±


    Para was the ¡®Evil Eye¡¯ user who possessed the field of silence.


    ¡°No, Sang Bo cannot die in vain!¡±


    An agitated mercenary shouted at the top of his lungs, disregarding everything and drawing a particle gun from his waist.


    ¡°Boom, boom!¡±


    Without a second thought, Irene fired three micro-missiles, creating deep craters near the shouting person¡¯s feet. Shattered debris tore the mercenaries¡¯ clothes, stones grazed their faces, rendering everyone speechless, afraid to act rashly. The particle gun, under the overwhelming suppression of absolute firepower, seemed almost comical, like a child¡¯s toy.


    This Irene seemed like a lunatic, especially after losing a hand!


    ¡°I believe we¡¯ve come to an understanding, haven¡¯t we?¡± Irene ignored the mercenaries, staring at Hu Chao.


    ¡°¡­¡± Hu Chao¡¯s expression turned cold. It wasn¡¯t an understanding, it was clearly this woman using force to coerce them. Irene was a B-level awakener, awakening an ability specializing in firearms, and today, she was determined to protect someone. Angering her might not end well.


    ¡°¡­Withdraw,¡± Hu Chao gritted his teeth.


    ¡°Hu Chao, they¡­¡± someone unwillingly interjected.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to die, mind your own business!¡± Hu Chao left with his people, abandoning Sang Bo and Para on the ground. Only V587 and Irene remained at the scene.


    Irene retracted her gun and glanced at V587, scanned through Zhuang Qingyan and the others, finally settling her gaze on Song Ke.


    ¡°If you¡¯re hiding here because of Old Xiang¡¯s pursuit, this isn¡¯t a good choice. Find another place.¡±


    ¡°What pursuit?¡± Song Ke asked, confused.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± Irene was surprised.


    Song Ke shook her head. She was clueless.


    Irene¡¯s brow furrowed.


    ¡°Since it¡¯s not because of pursuit, you, and you, the big star,¡± Irene disregarded the other men behind, pointing at Lin Youyou, who was trying to cover her face with sunglasses, ¡°Why did you all come to Mu City?¡±


    Lin Youyou¡¯s identity was exposed, and she dryly smiled, ¡°When did you recognize me?¡±


    ¡°I had suspicions before. During the top 16 competition, I couldn¡¯t find you among them, so I confirmed it.¡±


    Irene paused, ¡°I don¡¯t understand. What do you want from Ferrara? Why suffer by coming here?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re searching for a Level 3 crystal,¡± Song Ke explained seriously.


    Upon hearing this, Irene turned to her, ¡°Even though Level 3 crystals are rare, there¡¯s no need to specifically come to Mu City to find one.¡±


    ¡°Oh, we want to participate in the Hero Banquet hosted by Mu Qin.¡±


    Irene¡¯s grip on the artillery tightened, her expression suddenly turning cold, ¡°So, you also want to be the warlord¡¯s dogs?¡±


    ¡°No, no, no, it¡¯s not like that! I¡­ we¡­¡± Song Ke repeatedly waved her hands, trying to explain. However, Irene¡¯s stance was still uncertain, and he couldn¡¯t directly say, ¡®In fact, we¡¯re here to assassinate the general.¡¯ Her nervousness led to an incomprehensible explanation.


    ¡°Looks like it¡¯s a bit complicated. Won¡¯t you step in?¡± Lu Xiaoyu asked. Diplomacy was usually Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s responsibility in the past.


    ¡°It¡¯s not suitable for me to step in. Let the ladies handle it themselves,¡± Zhuang Qingyan leaned back in his wheelchair, supporting his chin with a smile.


    Irene obviously didn¡¯t appreciate them and only spoke to Song Ke and Lin Youyou. If he intervened now, he wouldn¡¯t get a good reception.


    ¡°Let me speak,¡± Lin Youyou patted Song Ke on the back. ¡°Irene, we came to Mu City for a specific purpose. Although we can¡¯t tell you what it is right now, attending the Hero Banquet is the best opportunity for us. But rest assured, our position is fundamentally at odds with the warlords, and we absolutely won¡¯t be their ¡®dogs.''¡±


    ¡°Thank you for helping us just now,¡± Lin Youyou genuinely thanked her.


    Irene carefully observed Lin Youyou¡¯s expression to judge the truth in her words. Song Ke vigorously nodded on the side, hoping to increase their credibility.


    After a while, Irene nodded slightly, ¡°Do as you wish.¡±


    She lifted the artillery with one hand. Before leaving, she hesitated for a moment, then, facing away from Lin Youyou, she murmured softly, ¡°Let me remind you, Mu City isn¡¯t suitable for you. Finish your business and leave as soon as possible.¡±


    Lin Youyou was briefly stunned. Irene¡¯s words were directed specifically at ¡°you,¡± evidently meant for her. S?a?ch* Th? N???lFire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    A few zombies jumped out from the ruins. Irene calmly retreated, set up the artillery, and blasted them before taking out a terminal to take a photo and record.


    ¡°Huh? She¡¯s acting as a clearer, for a mission?¡± Song Ke exclaimed in surprise.


    Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s ice-blue eyes flickered, ¡°Irene, 27 years old, biological ID: MUD3220875, registered in Mu City, a freelance mercenary. According to current laws, her admission period has expired. To enter the city, she must complete clearer missions. Currently, her progress is at 15%.¡±


    ¡°How do you know so much?¡± Song Ke¡¯s eyes widened.


    Lu Xiaoyu replied, ¡°When she took a photo just now, I hacked into her terminal.¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°¡­Can¡¯t you leave people with some privacy?¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu looked at Song Ke¡¯s speechless expression. His social barriers gave off the wrong signal, making him think that Song Ke also wanted to grasp that skill.


    ¡°In fact, it¡¯s simple, you can use supernatural abilities. The first step is to release your mental energy¡­¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to know,¡± Song Ke waved her hand, feeling mentally exhausted.


    ¡°I have an idea,¡± Lin Youyou suddenly spoke up. ¡°Mu City¡¯s hierarchy is complex, even within the mercenary community, there are various hidden rules. Right now, our only choice is to participate in the Hero Banquet. But if we can get help from locals, could there be another way?¡±


    ¡°Are you thinking of asking for Irene¡¯s help?¡± Zhuang Qingyan asked.


    ¡°Irene¡¯s personality might make it a bit difficult to ask for help¡­ What about discussing a trade with her? I¡¯ll ask her about her needs,¡± Lin Youyou recalled the unique and peculiar merchant, Cheng Yi, from Sin City and her eyes lit up. ¡°Do you think that¡¯s feasible?¡±


    ¡°We can try,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said, ¡°Based on her recent attitude, even if she doesn¡¯t align with us, at least she won¡¯t be an enemy.¡±


    ¡°If we help her do the clearer missions, it might be quicker,¡± Song Ke reminded.


    V587¡¯s goal was Level 3 zombies, which didn¡¯t conflict with Irene¡¯s mission. They could help her along the way.


    Fang Zhixu and Xu Xing didn¡¯t mind, nodding in agreement.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go talk to her.¡± Lin Youyou jogged over, catching up with Irene.


    After a few minutes of conversation, Irene and Lin Youyou returned together.


    ¡°What trade do you want to make?¡± Irene asked.


    ¡°We¡¯ll talk about that slowly. First, we¡¯ll help you with the mission,¡± Lin Youyou replied.


    ¡°Okay, at the latest by tomorrow, I need to enter the city.¡±


    ¡°No problem,¡± Song Ke nodded.


    Irene temporarily joined the group, and they proceeded towards the Xiangang Center, clearing out zombies as they advanced.


    Song Ke and Su Cha, along with Lu Xiaoyu in his six-claw mode, were responsible for drawing monsters, leading the zombies within a few kilometers together. Lin Youyou sang, causing the monsters to slow down, Xu Xing froze them with frost, and then Irene, positioned on the roof, adjusted her angle and launched a micro-missile.


    ¡°Boom, boom.¡±


    Destructive smoke rose into the air, and most of the zombies were blown to bits, while the remaining few were quickly dealt with by the trio who had drawn them in, leaving the ground shimmering with crystal shards.


    Zhuang Qingyan and Fang Zhixu cleared the battlefield. Fang Zhixu maneuvered through the pile of monsters, striking with remarkable precision. Each strike was clean and precise, hardly causing the zombies¡¯ brain fluid to spill. He swiftly detached whole crystal shards, wiped them clean with a cloth, and stowed them in his bag. Most of this round was comprised of white Level 1 crystals, with only a few Level 2 crystals occasionally found.


    Irene jumped down from the rooftop, the military boots hitting the ground. She took out her terminal for counting and photographs. With V587¡¯s assistance, the progress indeed sped up significantly. Half a day had passed, and they had already reached 85%, but unfortunately, Level 3 zombies were still nowhere to be found.


    As darkness gradually enveloped the area, visibility became difficult. Zhuang Qingyan suggested, ¡°Let¡¯s find a place to spend the night and continue tomorrow.¡±


    Irene glanced around and said, ¡°Follow me.¡±


    She led Song Ke and the others through the ruins of Xiangang and finally arrived at a tall building. This seemed to be a base, with quite stringent defense measures. Occasionally, one could see traces of supernatural fire rings. Irene used the base of her artillery to tap the copper bell at the camp¡¯s entrance.


    ¡°Who¡¯s there?!¡± From a distance of several tens of meters, lights turned on, followed by a thunderous voice questioning with caution.


    Song Ke keenly detected an unfamiliar mental presence; the speaker was a awakener.


    The next moment, there was a faint sound of mechanical movement above the camp, targeting them unseen.


    ¡°Western Street, Irene.¡± Irene raised her hand, signaling Song Ke to remain calm.


    ¡°So it¡¯s the Fox, long time no see,¡± came the reply from the other side in a deep tone.


    ¡°Samuel, eight people, we¡¯re seeking a place to stay for the night,¡± Irene stated.


    The gate slowly opened a crack, but the people inside remained hidden. The resonant voice echoed from a distance, ¡°Turn left to the first floor, make yourselves at home. Fox, it¡¯s because of your face that I¡¯m allowing your people in. But if they cross the line, they¡¯ll face the consequences.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    The group smoothly entered the camp. The ground floor had a few temporary accommodations resembling bunk beds. Irene pointed out two of them, ¡°Conditions are basic, but it¡¯ll do for the night. This is the base for the Western Street mercenaries and relatively safe.¡±


    Men and women separated into different rooms. Song Ke and Zhuang Qingyan bid farewell at the door, following Irene to the room on the left.


    Lin Youyou picked a relatively clean bed and sat down, asking, ¡°I heard that person call you ¡®Fox¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Just a nickname,¡± Irene replied indifferently.


    Lin Youyou didn¡¯t beat around the bush, asking directly, ¡°Irene, we want to know about the information regarding freelance mercenaries.¡±


    Irene unloaded her artillery and placed it within easy reach, saying, ¡°The freelance mercenaries in Mu City mainly gather in the South District and Western Street. They¡¯re divided into two major factions. The South District has a larger influence and more people. However, in recent years, some have covertly allied with warlords, like Hu Chao. The members are a mixed bunch, making it hard to distinguish. The mercenaries in the Western Street are constantly in life-or-death situations. They are all daredevil types, not abiding by many rules, and even the ¡®house dogs¡¯ won¡¯t provoke them.¡±


    The three lay side by side on the bed, and a silence enveloped the room.


    Song Ke turned over and quietly glanced at the silhouette of the person beside her, ¡°Irene, why did you participate in the Throne Race Competition?¡±


    Irene remained motionless, ¡°I don¡¯t know how you managed to get in, but Mu City¡¯s admission restrictions are very strict. You¡¯re aware of that, right?¡±


    In the darkness, Song Ke and Lin Youyou nodded.


    ¡°Even stricter than the admission restrictions are the procedures for changing citizenship.¡±


    ¡°Do you want to leave Mu City?¡± Song Ke sat up in surprise.


    Irene fell silent for a moment, ¡°Sort of.¡±


    ¡°But you don¡¯t need to participate in the competition¡­,¡± Lin Youyou whispered, ¡°You¡¯re a B-level awakener, you just have to apply, and I¡¯m not sure about other C-level cities, but at least Ferrara would definitely accept you.¡±


    Irene, with one hand behind her head, gazed with determined eyes at the pitch-black ceiling, her amputated arm resting alone on the bed frame.


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand Mu City.¡±


    ¡°I can leave, but some people, even if they sacrifice their lives, can only be trapped here.¡±


    ¡°I have to get them out.¡±


    **TN


    Finally done with Cannon Fodder Husband, if you want something slow-life and slice-of-life, give it a try. ????

 Chapter 87: When the Roses Bloom (5)

    ¡ò The crystal was stolen!!! ¡òThe next morning, V587 and Irene prepared to leave the temporary camp.


    To their surprise, this camp not only housed individuals with supernatural abilities but also had many ordinary people: the elderly, children, women¡­ each person was occupied with tasks, and the aroma of cooking and food filled the air, exuding a rich essence of life.


    At the entrance, a burly mercenary leader sat on the ground, his upper body bare, with a full-length python tattooed across his back. The snake¡¯s mouth was wide open, its sharp fangs vividly detailed, enough to intimidate anyone. He was assembling an L39 anti-tank rifle, a firearm known for its extreme destructive power. At close range, this rifle could split an elephant into two in a matter of minutes.


    Several mercenaries nearby were speaking to him with a respectful attitude.


    ¡°Samuel, representatives from the Shaye faction have come again, wishing to meet with you.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, just a bunch of refugees. They think too highly of themselves. I won¡¯t see them.¡±


    As he noticed them approaching, the mercenary who was talking showed a wary expression and fell silent immediately.


    Irene nodded slightly in Samuel¡¯s direction.


    Samuel cast a sharp glance at Song Ke and the others before nodding in response.


    After leaving Samuel¡¯s camp, Song Ke inquired, ¡°Is this Samuel also a freelance mercenary?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Irene replied. ¡°The mercenaries in Western Street each have their own influence and generally avoid crossing paths. Samuel refused to comply with admission restrictions and moved out of the city after the apocalypse. During this time, many people sought refuge with him. He might be domineering, but he¡¯s still a man of his word.¡±


    Song Ke had long understood not to judge a person solely by their appearance. Although Samuel looked fierce, his willingness to openly resist the control of the generals and his decision to accommodate the elderly and children indicated he wasn¡¯t a villain. It was no wonder Irene brought them here to spend the night.


    The group later killed a few nearby zombies. Irene¡¯s clearer mission progress reached 100%, smoothly completed. Unfortunately, V587¡¯s level 3 crystal remained missing. Song Ke sat on the top of an overturned small car, letting out a long sigh.


    In the distance, there was the faint sound of footsteps, quickly passing by. However, everyone present had supernatural abilities and immediately detected the anomaly.


    Su Cha retrieved a dagger: ¡°I¡¯ll go check.¡±


    A while later, Su Cha returned: ¡°It was Samuel, leading 17 individuals with supernatural abilities, heading southeast.¡±


    ¡°Are they armed?¡± Irene asked.


    ¡°A.K.47, G36, FAMAS, small cannons, Samuel has the L39,¡± Su Cha elaborated.


    Irene lifted the cannon with one hand and gestured towards Song Ke, raising her chin. ¡°Whatever makes Samuel take action personally isn¡¯t a small matter. It might have what you¡¯re looking for. Want to check it out?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Song Ke made a quick decision, leaping down from the car roof.


    With Su Cha around, there was no worry about losing track of Samuel. The group trailed behind them, arriving at the southeast corner of Xiangang Center.


    As a precaution, Song Ke found a somewhat distant office building and ascended to the rooftop for observation.


    ¡°Wow!¡± As soon as she got a clear view of the scene, Song Ke couldn¡¯t help but exclaim.


    Indeed, it was no trivial matter. In the ruins on the ground, hundreds of individuals with supernatural abilities were surrounding and attacking a mutant zombie.


    This zombie was notably evolved, twice the size of an ordinary one, with no visible signs of decay. Its body muscles were robust, with sharp nails, each about half a meter long, capable of deeply scratching the ground. Despite its powerful physique, its head looked relatively small, nestled among its shoulders. Its pupils were jet black, moving swiftly.


    Nearby mercenaries hurled their supernatural iron chains, binding it tightly. The zombie roared in anger, breaking free from the restraints, snapping the chains into pieces, and grasping the ends to viciously throw the mercenaries into the collapsed steel of the building.


    Several fire-based individuals rushed forward, attacking it with flame guns. The agile zombie swiftly dodged behind a nearby truck, disappearing from view, and leaving the group cautiously surrounding the area. Suddenly, a robust arm extended, gripping one person¡¯s leg, pulling them back and the gruesome sound of the head being crushed echoed: ¡°crunch, crunch.¡±


    The mercenaries quickly encircled the truck, gunfire erupting, yet it was empty; the zombie had already escaped.


    Two seconds later, it leaped out of a broken window in another high-rise building, instantly killing another mercenary. This zombie not only possessed intelligence but also conducted guerrilla warfare, shamelessly toying with humans. S?a?ch* Th? N?v?lFir?(.)n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Hurriedly arriving at the scene, Samuel joined the battlefield, leading his people in a rapid, continuous barrage of gunfire.


    Observing from the top floor of the office building, Zhuang Qingyan, after a moment¡¯s observation, concluded, ¡°Mutant zombie, conservatively estimated to be level 2 or above.¡±


    ¡°Why are there so many people?¡± Song Ke was puzzled, wondering if everyone was participating in the Hero Banquet.


    ¡°It¡¯s not just because of the Hero Banquet. It¡¯s more likely for money or resources,¡± Lu Xiaoyu said. ¡°I just checked casually. In the black market now, the value of a Level 3 crystal has been driven up to over ten million.¡±


    Song Ke gasped; she had never seen ten million in her life!


    Meanwhile, the mutant zombie continued its massacre, with mercenaries falling one after another. Ambushers were being exposed, and Irene swiftly reported their positions.


    ¡°Target in position 3, left 10-70, close to 23, enemy mortar position.¡±


    ¡°Target in position 6, right 10-40, depression, enemy grenade assault formation.¡±


    Suddenly, Irene paused, her voice turning more serious. ¡°Coordinates X6742, Y5878, Ruan Wenjun¡¯s people are here.¡±


    Ruan Wenjun, one of the three major warlords of Mu City. If Mu Qin is sly and crafty, and Miao Lun is reckless, then Ruan Wenjun is a complete war maniac. He commands the largest private army and is passionate about the sensation brought by gunpowder and destruction.


    Song Ke looked around in confusion¡ª3, 6, depression¡ªwhere were they?


    With a soft sigh, Zhuang Qingyan wheeled closer, gently placing a hand on Song Ke¡¯s head, turning it 30 degrees to the left. ¡°Here, position 3.¡±


    Then, adjusting it 70 degrees to the right. ¡°Position 6.¡±


    Next, he directed Song Ke¡¯s whole body towards himself, almost hugging her. ¡°Look forward from here, Ruan Wenjun¡¯s people are there.¡±


    ¡°See clearly now, hmm?¡± Zhuang Qingyan asked, close to her ear, his tone ambiguous.


    Feeling uncomfortable, Song Ke shrugged. ¡°Um, yes.¡±


    Finally, she saw it.


    Irene¡¯s cold voice unexpectedly sounded, ¡°Ruan Wenjun¡¯s side has made a move.¡±


    Song Ke snapped back to attention, witnessing a massive tank convoy slowly entering. The sounds of gunfire and engine roars were deafening. While the mutant zombie continued its killings, it lost the best opportunity to escape due to the overwhelming number of people; its defeat was only a matter of time under such a sea of tactics.


    Excitedly, Song Ke asked, ¡°Shall we¡­ snatch?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan pondered for a moment. ¡°We can try.¡±


    ¡°How do we snatch?¡± Song Ke inquired.


    ¡°We¡¯ll play it by ear, but we only have one shot. Whether successful or not, we retreat immediately,¡± Zhuang Qingyan replied.


    With only eight of them, seizing and killing the zombie was an extremely risky endeavor. Being assaulted by numerous individuals with supernatural abilities wasn¡¯t a fun prospect. Additionally, being recognized midway could pose trouble for participating in the Hero Banquet later.


    Zhuang Qingyan created a group chat on Song Ke¡¯s device and assigned tasks to everyone.


    ¡°Irene, switch to incendiary rounds. You¡¯re responsible for distracting the enemy, disrupting their sight. Remember, the more chaos, the better.¡±


    ¡°Understood,¡± Irene¡¯s microphone representing her lit up, and her composed voice came through.


    Incendiary rounds were highly destructive bullets that could also create explosive dust clouds, particularly effective in underground tunnels and densely built areas.


    ¡°Lin Youyou, do you have a debuff that temporarily blinds the enemy?¡±


    Lin Youyou¡¯s ability was song-based and she swiftly scanned her mental lyric database, ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the duration?¡±


    ¡°20 seconds at most.¡±


    ¡°20 seconds, one shot, can you do it, Captain?¡±


    Song Ke contemplated for a moment. ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡±


    ¡°Su Cha, you¡¯ll stealthily move ahead. If successful, grab the crystal immediately.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Su Cha¡¯s figure vanished, blending seamlessly with the surroundings.


    Once the team was in position, Zhuang Qingyan softly encouraged, ¡°Ladies, let¡¯s go for it. It¡¯s up to you.¡±


    ¡­


    In the midst of the ruins, the mutant zombie, subject to a series of heavy weapon assaults, sensed danger and swiftly retreated.


    Suddenly, countless shells rained down from the sky.


    ¡°Boom¡ªBoom¡ª¡±


    Irene lay in a sniper position, her supernatural abilities bursting forth. One explosion followed another; the incendiary rounds she fired were extraordinarily powerful. They exploded upon hitting the ground, launching debris and smoke into the air. The air was consumed by burning gases, causing the mercenaries in the area to clutch their throats in agony, desperately scrambling to flee.


    As the firepower descended, Irene¡¯s position became exposed, and several individuals with supernatural abilities swiftly rushed towards her.


    ¡°Irene, retreat,¡± Zhuang Qingyan promptly commanded.


    ¡°Understood.¡± Irene dismantled her cannon, turned, and ran, deftly navigating the winding paths, soon vanishing without a trace.


    Amidst the smoke and debris, Lin Youyou¡¯s melodious and gentle singing echoed, ¡°Why can¡¯t you see, can¡¯t see this red and black dryness, allowing wickedness to sleep peacefully, untroubled hearts~¡±


    The mercenaries were suddenly blinded as a result of Lin Youyou¡¯s song. Unable to see or breathe, the chaos intensified under the dual effects.


    ¡°Song Ke, one chance.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan turned back, his deep eyes looking at her, exuding complete trust.


    Song Ke¡¯s fingers brushed across a stone slab; in an instant, the slab disappeared, replaced by an enormous longbow in her hands.


    Raising the bow, pulling the string, setting the arrow, the flexible bow arm slowly extended. A deep blue arrow materialized, accumulating energy. With exceptional dynamic vision, Song Ke had firmly locked onto the mutant zombie¡¯s position even before Irene¡¯s bombardment. With the assistance of her mental power, she tracked its movements, quickly aiming the arrow.


    ¡°Ahh!!¡±


    A thunderous roar echoed as the enraged zombie went on a killing spree, instantly taking down two more people.


    However, its roar exposed its position. With a focused gaze, Song Ke released the arrow!


    ¡°Swish¡ª¡± The arrowhead, moving at super-high frequencies, rapidly oscillated through the mist and smoke, flying straight toward the mutant zombie.


    ¡°Thud¡ª¡± The metal arrow, formed by supernatural ability, accurately pierced its forehead.


    The arrowhead fragmented the next second, dispersing hundreds of smaller needles that pulverized its brain. With its vulnerable head fatally penetrated, the zombie¡¯s eyes widened in rage, and with a ¡°thud,¡± its body crashed heavily to the ground.


    ¡°Direct hit!¡± Song Ke shouted in joy.


    ¡°Quick, let¡¯s retreat.¡± Zhuang Qingyan grasped her wrist, pulling her along.


    ¡°Cough, cough, cough. The zombie¡¯s dead!¡± The nearest mercenary shouted instinctively, without thinking.


    The others first appeared bewildered, then crazily surged towards the direction of the corpse.


    Amidst the crowded crowd, a vague wisp of green smoke drifted over, lingering at the zombie¡¯s head for two seconds before swiftly dispersing.


    As those individuals excitedly rummaged through the body, the zombie¡¯s brain was squashed like a rotten melon¡ªno trace of the crystal to be found.


    ¡°Damn it! Who the hell stole the crystal?!¡±


    ¡­


    V587, successful in their chicken steal, ran wildly, stopping only after running a good ten kilometers, finally able to catch their breath.


    The group looked at each other and burst into laughter, even Fang Zhixu couldn¡¯t help but smile faintly.


    This was precisely the legendary ¡°hit and run.¡± Ah, so frustrating to be unable to catch up.


    Song Ke couldn¡¯t wait and urged, ¡°Su Cha, check the crystal.¡±


    Su Cha opened his palm, and a luminous, translucent azure crystal appeared slowly.


    ¡°Sister, it¡¯s a Level 3!¡± Xu Xing, sweating from the run, danced with joy in place.


    Song Ke¡¯s cheeks dimpled slightly; this whole escapade wasn¡¯t in vain.


    ¡°What about Irene?¡± Lin Youyou looked around. ¡°Why isn¡¯t she with us?¡±


    At the right moment, Irene¡¯s voice came through the group chat, ¡°I¡¯ve completed my task, and you¡¯ve got what you wanted. Consider the deal even this time. I¡¯m off; I¡¯ll contact you if necessary.¡± After speaking, she exited the group.


    Lin Youyou couldn¡¯t help but sigh; Irene¡¯s personality was indeed carefree.


    ¡°Let¡¯s return to the city,¡± Zhuang Qingyan suggested.


    After a lengthy wait at the city gates and intricate security checks, the group finally returned to their apartment well past midnight.


    At this time, they had 12 days remaining before their admission period expired and only two days until the Hero Banquet.


    Zhuang Qingyan tapped the table with his slender fingers. ¡°One crystal corresponds to one slot. Let¡¯s discuss now who will attend the Hero Banquet.¡±

 Chapter 88: When the Roses Bloom (6)

    ¡ò Breathtakingly beautiful ¡òWho was going to attend the Hero Banquet?


    That was a good question.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go,¡± Song Ke said confidently.


    ¡°No way!¡± Lin Youyou, Su Cha, Fang Zhixu, and Xu Xing vehemently objected.


    ¡°Why?¡± Song Ke felt deeply affected. Did her companions really lack faith in her?


    Xu Xing, hands behind his back, sighed like a little adult. ¡°If you go, you¡¯ll definitely end up in a fight.¡±


    Surprisingly, the rest of the group nodded in agreement, thinking Xu Xing made a valid point.


    Lin Youyou added, ¡°And if you act recklessly and take down that warlord, our entire plan will be ruined.¡±


    Su Cha coldly echoed, ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    Song Ke couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°Is that even possible?¡±


    She was so mature, so composed in her actions. How could she easily get into fights with others? Well¡­ she shouldn¡¯t, right?


    Faced with everyone¡¯s ¡°It¡¯s possible¡± gaze, Song Ke inexplicably felt a bit insecure.


    This Hero Banquet organized by Mu Qin had a participation threshold of Level 3 cystral. Inside, not to mention hidden dragons and crouching tigers, there would be numerous awakeners. It could very well be a trap. Among the V587 team, Zhuang Qingyan and Lu Xiaoyu had mobility issues, Lin Youyou and Fang Zhixu leaned towards support abilities and lacked offensive capabilities, while Xu Xing, despite being clever, was young and prone to nervousness in big situations. Calculating all this, Song Ke and Su Cha were the most suitable candidates.


    Su Cha excelled in lurking and gathering intelligence covertly. For instance, during the Death Prison incident, he was very suitable to come forward. However, in this forthcoming mission, where actions would be out in the open, and participants would be under scrutiny from various parties, Su Cha¡¯s skills were not advantageous. Him going or Song Ke going made little difference fundamentally.


    Song Ke also had her own considerations. In the absence of any knowledge, the individuals sent by V587 would undoubtedly face enormous risks. Compared to her companions, her abilities were more suited to taking on risks: ¡°I¡¯m the team captain. With the current uncertainty, whatever happens, at least, I can handle it.¡±


    Song Ke raised two fingers, solemnly promising, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll try¡­ not to fight. If things don¡¯t look good, I¡¯ll run.¡±


    The others still seemed hesitant.


    Song Ke turned to Zhuang Qingyan, gazing at him expectantly with watery eyes, silently asking for support. ¡®Speak for me quickly.¡¯


    Zhuang Qingyan cleared his throat lightly, ¡°You can go.¡±


    Everyone looked at him in surprise, assuming that Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s had the biggest opinion among them. However, he surprisingly became the first to agree?


    ¡°The situation at the Hero Banquet is constantly changing, and everyone¡¯s concerns are valid. The fear is that you might not¡­ cough, cough, might have a change of heart,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said, ¡°So the best solution is to bring an assist inside, such as an external brain.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Song Ke was completely bewildered.


    Zhuang Qingyan turned to Lu Xiaoyu, not mincing words as he poked his wheelchair with his cane. ¡°Hey, last time you needed so many materials, there should be leftovers, right? The money came from our team captain.¡±


    Speaking of the list Lu Xiaoyu had compiled¡­


    When Fang Zhixu returned with the bill to claim expenses from Song Ke, she almost ended up in tears while holding her money pouch.


    Regarding the people Song Ke had gathered, their abilities were extraordinary, but their pockets were quite meager.


    The wealthiest was Xu Xing, but it was his inheritance from Xu Weiguo. Song Ke couldn¡¯t possibly spend his money. Next were Lin Youyou and Su Cha. After Su Cha paid off the hefty fine of 130,000 in Death Prison, his savings were wiped out, leaving him with nothing.


    The rest was a sorry state: Fang Zhixu turned destitute, practically homeless. His original accounts were unusable. Lu Xiaoyu and Zhuang Qingyan didn¡¯t even have legitimate identities, let alone a cent¡­ No wonder from having no concept of money, Song Ke was now reluctant to spend even a penny; she was toughened up by these people.


    Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s mechanical arm flexed agilely, blocking Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s cane with a click. ¡°What do you need, just say it.¡±


    ¡°Trackers, detectors. I need to know all the details about Mu Qin¡¯s main residence. Also, a portable micro communication device that can¡¯t be detected by any surveillance,¡± Zhuang Qingyan listed one by one.


    ¡°Although the team captain is going alone, if we can see real-time situations, we can advise her,¡± Lu Xiaoyu added.


    ¡°Can you do it, 5.0?¡± Zhuang Qingyan deliberately teased him with the stellar academic record Lu Xiaoyu had boasted about.


    Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s icy eyes shimmered; the pride of a genius couldn¡¯t be trampled upon. ¡°Of course.¡±


    *


    Two days later, Song Ke arrived alone at Mu Qin¡¯s family estate.


    The buildings here were distinctly characteristic of the local style, with vast stretches of bamboo houses forming a grand estate. At the center of the estate were luxurious villas, while on the outskirts, there were strict patrols composed of mercenaries with supernatural abilities.


    Song Ke adjusted her black collar discreetly, reaching for the slight bulge on her neck where a tiny microphone was hidden.


    ¡°Hello, hello, can you hear me? Can you hear me speaking?¡± she nervously inquired, feeling a sense of unreality.


    A slight electric buzz sounded in her earpiece, followed by the magnetic voice of a man, [I can hear you.]


    Zhuang Qingyan chuckled, as if a breeze flowed into Song Ke¡¯s ear, [Don¡¯t be nervous.]


    Song Ke¡¯s face inexplicably grew warm again.


    [Sister, sister, I can hear it too!] a playful child¡¯s voice suddenly erupted.


    Tap! Xu Xing received a thump on the head.


    [Ah! Don¡¯t hit my head!] He touched his head and jumped up irritably, tipping over his chair, creating a noisy commotion.


    The brief moment of tenderness disappeared without a trace.


    Song Ke maintained a neutral expression. ¡°Guys, keep it down!¡± Her ears felt like they were about to explode.


    To enter the main residence, one had to register and complete an on-site check-in.


    Song Ke went to the side entrance where a middle-aged man in a private security uniform was meticulously verifying the identities of each registrant. On the floating screen beside him, the number of entrants had reached 26. After a quick refresh, the number suddenly increased by 3.


    ¡°Southern District Freelance Mercenary, Wild Wolf.¡±


    ¡°Southern District Worker, Lo Sang.¡±


    ¡°Western Street Corporal, Mandaya.¡±


    ¡°They need their identities verified,¡± Song Ke stepped back a few paces and quickly reported to her companions in a corner.


    After a while, Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s unwavering voice sounded, [I¡¯ll handle this, don¡¯t worry.]


    Song Ke followed the queue forward, presenting the azure Level 3 crystal.


    Su Fengsa, the man responsible for verification, wearing gloves, accepted the crystal stone from Song Ke and gently placed it into the adjacent transparent device. Several rows of gleaming Level 3 crystal stones were already laid out, one of them particularly unique, with a serene blue hue subtly tinged with a hint of blood-red. S?a??h th? Nov?lF?re .??t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Please show your identification information.¡±


    Song Ke pressed the terminal against the connector, causing a momentary flicker on the floating screen, a brief disruption in the data flow that went unnoticed.


    Su Fengsa glanced at the screen. ¡°Western Street Freelancer, Song Ke.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s me,¡± Song Ke raised her head confidently, exuding a righteous aura.


    ¡°Welcome. I wish you a successful day today,¡± Su Fengsa nodded slightly towards her.


    As Song Ke was about to step forward¡ª


    ¡°Su, Su Fengsa, something¡¯s happened up front!¡± A mercenary responsible for patrolling hurried over.


    ¡°Such a fluster, so unseemly!¡± Su Fengsa reprimanded with a stern face.


    ¡°At the main entrance, Lord Miao Lun has arrived!¡±


    Su Fengsa¡¯s expression froze. The Hero Banquet was held early this year, and Mu Qin hadn¡¯t invited Lord Miao Lun. What could his sudden appearance mean?


    ¡°You go report to the Lord,¡± Su Fengsa turned and pointed to a few mercenaries, ¡°You guys, come with me.¡±


    Seeing Song Ke still standing in place, Su Fengsa patiently said, ¡°Mercenary, kindly go inside. Just follow the signs.¡±


    ¡°Alright, no problem,¡± Song Ke replied eagerly.


    After entering through the side door, Song Ke glanced around to ensure no one was watching. She flicked her cuff, and several clever mechanical spiders dropped to the ground, dizzily spinning around a few times before scurrying in all directions, swiftly vanishing into the shadows.


    These were miniature detectors concocted by Lu Xiaoyu. After his reprogramming, they possessed basic artificial intelligence, enabling them to move autonomously and capture images as they passed through areas, facilitating Zhuang Qingyan and the others in understanding the situation on-site.


    ¡°I¡¯ve released the spiders. Can you see them?¡±


    [Yes, take a few more rounds and release the detectors.]


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Overhead were massive directional signs, but Song Ke paid them no heed, pretending to be lost and started wandering aimlessly within the estate.


    A few steps here, releasing a few spiders; strolling a couple of circles near the pool, releasing a few more spiders.


    ¡°How¡¯s it going?¡±


    [We¡¯re building the model. Progress is at 45%.]


    ¡­


    In an apartment several kilometers away, the entire layout of Mu Qin¡¯s estate gradually filled the model, and real-time visuals were transmitted back. Zhuang Qingyan and the others focused, gazing at the projection.


    Suddenly, Lu Xiaoyu paused, his fingertip tapping on the screen, and made a soft ¡°tsk.¡±


    ¡°Here,¡± he pointed to a corner, which was the direction Song Ke was about to advance, ¡°There¡¯s a strong hyper-frequency band. The risk rating should be at H level (high-risk area). The signal from Song Ke¡¯s microphone will be detected.¡±


    ¡­


    In the surveillance room of the estate, the mercenary responsible for maintaining site security noticed something amiss. They pulled up Song Ke¡¯s feed and placed it at the center.


    ¡°What is this person up to? Acting all suspicious, and she¡¯s about to reach the restricted garden.¡±


    Another person immediately brought up Song Ke¡¯s registration information. ¡°She¡¯s here for the Guard Unit recruitment. Could she be lost?¡±


    ¡°Even if she¡¯s lost, she can¡¯t wander aimlessly. That area is close to where the two lords are discussing matters. Quickly, get the patrol to chase her away!¡±


    Song Ke dodged the guards on patrol and was about to enter the courtyard when Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s voice came through her earpiece.


    [Song Ke, danger ahead. Turn off your microphone and listen to my instructions.]


    Song Ke touched her collar, disabling the microphone, switching to one-way input mode.


    In this mode, she could hear Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s instructions, but her voice wouldn¡¯t transmit back.


    Danger ahead? Song Ke thought for a moment, abandoned the main route, and instead opted to climb the wall and leap onto the roof.


    But then, her movement abruptly halted¡ª


    By the side of a pool in front, there stood a graceful figure, gently lifting her head, gazing towards the tightly shut window in the distance.


    The woman wore a simple dark green long dress, accentuating her fair skin. Her luscious and soft black hair cascaded over her shoulders. Her waist was slender and elegant, captivating with a touch of femininity. Though she didn¡¯t seem particularly young, no one could deny her beauty, especially her profile, simply breathtaking. Her features seemed enshrouded in a mist of charm and vulnerability, making it hard for anyone to avert their gaze.


    Unfamiliar with such a sight, Song Ke was left dumbfounded.


    ¡°Hey, get her down! Grab her!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t let her in!¡±


    Clamorous footsteps approached from behind as several mercenaries lunged towards Song Ke.


    Startled, the woman turned her head upon hearing the commotion and directly faced Song Ke.


    Wow, she¡¯s even prettier from the front¡­


    Song Ke was captivated by her beauty, her mind went blank, and instinctively, she smiled at the woman, dimples forming on her cheeks.


    ¡°Stop her!¡± shouted the pursuing mercenaries.


    Swiftly, Song Ke flipped and dodged their attacks, landing on the ground, then raised her hands. After releasing the spiders and with Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s model built, she had no intention to flee.


    The mercenaries swiftly surrounded her. ¡°Who are you? Who sent you here, and why are you here?¡±


    Song Ke honestly replied, ¡°I came to attend the Hero Banquet.¡±


    ¡°The Hero Banquet isn¡¯t here at all! Didn¡¯t you see the signs?¡± The interrogating mercenary spoke sternly.


    Gritting her teeth, Song Ke resolved to come clean, ¡°I¡­ I can¡¯t read. I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    The mercenaries collectively were incredulous. In this day and age, in the Alliance, who would believe that someone couldn¡¯t read?


    ¡°Even if you can¡¯t read the signs, it doesn¡¯t explain why you¡¯ve ¡®lost your way¡¯ to this place. Tell us honestly, who instructed you to come here?¡± The lead mercenary sternly pressed on, not buying into Song Ke¡¯s pale attempt at deception.


    Song Ke was momentarily at a loss; she genuinely had no idea where she was.


    The menacing barrels of guns were instantly aimed at her.


    ¡°It was me who brought her here.¡±


    In the deathly silence, the woman standing by the pool suddenly spoke up.


    The wind gently lifted her skirt in the hall, making her seem like a pure white rose blossoming gracefully in the dark.


    ¡°She¡¯s my friend. I¡¯m the one who brought her here.¡±


    What a good person! Song Ke was close to tears.

 Chapter 89: When the Roses Bloom (7)

    ¡ò Little trash, why are you here?! ¡òAfter the beautiful sister, who had a similar temperament to a rose, finished speaking, everyone including Song Ke looked directly at her.


    The pursuing mercenaries seemed wary of her, exchanging glances, hesitant to act immediately. The leader, observing this, took a few steps back, intentionally lowering his voice as he communicated with his superior through the earpiece.


    The remaining mercenaries occasionally stole glances, their eyes not only filled with admiration but also mixed with indescribable implications that Song Ke couldn¡¯t comprehend.


    She simply turned her head, mouthing a ¡°thank you¡± to the beautiful sister. The sister¡¯s gaze lingered on Song Ke¡¯s face for a moment, then coldly turned away. Even though she had just actively helped Song Ke out of the situation, her current attitude made it clear she didn¡¯t want any association with Song Ke.


    The head mercenary returned, glaring darkly at Song Ke and the woman. ¡°If you two want to talk, I can arrange a meeting room for you to ¡®sit down¡¯ and have a proper chat, but it must be outside the restricted garden.¡±


    ¡°No need, I don¡¯t want to talk,¡± the beautiful sister interrupted, ungraciously refusing.


    The mercenary sneered, ¡°In that case, it¡¯s getting late. I will ¡®escort¡¯ your friend to the Hero Banquet venue.¡±


    Though he said ¡®escort,¡¯ it was more like ¡®escort¡¯ with vigilance, personally monitoring Song Ke to ensure she didn¡¯t wander off again.


    Someone pushed Song Ke forcefully from behind, ¡°Move!¡±


    Damn it, my fist is hard.


    [Song Ke, don¡¯t start a conflict,] even though not aware of what was happening on her side, Zhuang Qingyan timed in to caution her. [Judging from the layout of this mansion, the place you¡¯re in should be the conference hall. Mu Qin and Miao Lun are likely having a confidential discussion inside.]


    Alright, she endured it. Song Ke shrunk her head, feeling pitiful as she was chased away, and before leaving, she couldn¡¯t help but glance back.


    The beautiful sister was still gazing absently at the closed window, her solitary and elegant figure resembling a painting.


    After leaving the restricted garden, the mercenaries began gossiping, ¡°She¡¯s just a plaything, Banya, you¡¯re giving her face.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not right. Even if she¡¯s a plaything, she¡¯s Miao Lun¡¯s canary, thinks she¡¯s so noble.¡±


    ¡°I heard she¡¯s been favored for almost three months now. That¡¯s quite a long time, huh?¡±


    ¡°With a face so pretty, I wonder what her skills are in bed?¡±


    The group exchanged lewd glances, then slyly smirked, understanding each other¡¯s insinuations.


    Song Ke¡¯s temper flared upon hearing this, wishing she could just punch these people right then and there.


    The mercenary leader named Banya coldly interjected, ¡°Shut up! If you want to die, don¡¯t drag me into it. Do you really think this place is impenetrable? If Miao Lun finds out that you dare gossip about him, skinning you alive would be considered lenient!¡±


    There were plenty of advanced awakeners by Miao Lun¡¯s side, some skilled in eavesdropping. If the recent conversation truly reached his ears¡­


    Everyone fell silent as if collectively struck dumb, sweating cold bullets.


    The fierce-looking mercenary escorted Song Ke to a heavily guarded, large bamboo hut, which was the main venue for the Hero Banquet.


    ¡°Banya, who is she?¡± asked the guard at the entrance, a bit confused about the situation.


    ¡°Watch her for me. This guest has a habit of wandering,¡± Banya instructed.


    The guard glared and spoke with a lowered tone, ¡°The Hero Banquet is about to begin. Please enter as soon as possible.¡±


    Banya only left with his people after seeing Song Ke enter, personally observing her go in.


    Song Ke walked into the bamboo hut like a silent quail, head down.


    [It¡¯s safe now, you can switch on the microphone,] Zhuang Qingyan said.


    Song Ke pretended to adjust her collar, casually flicking the receiver¡¯s switch.


    [Are you okay?] Zhuang Qingyan inquired. They couldn¡¯t hear anything earlier, so they couldn¡¯t be sure if Song Ke was in trouble.


    Song Ke said softly: ¡°I¡¯m fine, there¡¯s no fight, I¡¯ve already entered the venue.¡±


    Because she arrived the latest, as soon as she entered, numerous scrutinizing gazes fell upon her. There were men and women inside, each with unique physiques. Some who were familiar sat together conversing, while others, unknown to anyone, remained quietly alone in corners. But it was evident they were all powerful awakeners. Song Ke counted, and aside from her, there were a total of 36 individuals.


    As an unfamiliar face, Song Ke didn¡¯t recognize anyone, so she tried her best to diminish her presence and found a seat in the farthest corner. The internal space of this banquet hall was quite vast; those sitting at opposite corners might not even see each other clearly.


    Concealed by her oversized coat, Song Ke released a pocket-sized ladybug that flew up to the ceiling, scanning the entire room with its compound eyes.


    Lu Xiaoyu had always been proud of his intelligence and rarely showed interest in anything. However, with Zhuang Qingyan as a close friend, who had the knack of provoking him accurately, this time, his creations¡ªspider surveillance devices, collar microphones, and ladybug cameras¡ªastounded Song Ke and their group.


    [The real-time footage has been fully loaded. Song Ke, your task is complete.] [Adapt to the situation as it unfolds,] Zhuang Qingyan cautioned in a slow tone. [Also, be mindful of safety.]


    Ten minutes later, finely crafted bamboo curtains were lifted by servants, and under the guidance of Su Fengsa, a group of people entered gracefully.


    At the forefront were two middle-aged men dressed in high-ranking military uniforms, exuding remarkable airs. One was robustly built, with sharp facial contours, neatly trimmed goatee, and eyes that sparkled despite their narrowness. Upon entering, he confidently took the main seat, commanding respect from the entire room.


    Song Ke understood instantly; this was definitely Mu Qin.


    However, the person standing beside Mu Qin left Song Ke stunned. He appeared gentle and amiable, with a seemingly affable demeanor. Compared to Mu Qin¡¯s sturdy physique, this man had a rounder face and a body with a protruding belly that strained against his belt.


    Rather than letting her guard down, Song Ke furrowed her brow slowly, sensing that this person was undoubtedly more formidable than he appeared.


    Behind the man, Song Ke spotted Godanwei, who had clashed with V587 at the city gate. Based on the information she had gathered, this smiling man was most likely the other warlord, Miao Lun.


    Sure enough, after Mu Qin sat down, his sharp gaze swept the room, and he spoke solemnly, ¡°All of you here are the talented awakeners of Mu City. Thank you for giving me face and being willing to join the Mu Qin family¡¯s guard. I solemnly promise to all of you here that as long as you pass the selection, whether in terms of wealth or status, I, Mu Qin, will never treat you unfairly!¡±


    ¡°Great!¡± The participants at the event cheered enthusiastically.


    Mu Qin raised his left hand, pointing towards the guest seat. ¡°Today, we are honored to have Brother Miao Lun here as well.¡±


    Miao Lun waved amicably, ¡°Oh, I¡¯m just here to join in the fun. Please don¡¯t mind me.¡±


    In Song Ke¡¯s earpiece, she heard her companions discussing.


    [Are Mu Qin and Miao Lun on good terms?] Lin Youyou asked in confusion. [On the surface, the three warlords coexist peacefully without conflicts. Their true relationship, however, is unknown to anyone,] Zhuang Qingyan answered.


    Mu Qin stood up from his main seat, and his resonant voice filled the entire room, ¡°Now, I announce the rules for tonight¡¯s selection¡­¡±


    ¡°Wait, Mr. Ruan, you can¡¯t go in!¡±


    ¡°Stop him! Quickly report to the boss!! Ah¡ª¡±


    Sudden and intense sounds of fighting erupted outside the banquet hall, followed by grunts and cries. Three to five of Mu Qin¡¯s private guards stumbled in, looking disheveled, while the footsteps of another group neared the door.


    ¡°Bang¡ª¡±


    The formidable supernatural ability poured out, causing the bamboo gate to instantly split into five parts, and amidst the debris on the ground, a sturdy figure appeared.


    Wearing a similar high-ranking military uniform with the same domineering air, this person was much younger than Mu Qin and Miao Lun. His countenance was delicate, with pale skin and neatly arranged black hair tucked under the brim of his hat. With his semi-long black military boots, he fiercely kicked aside the mercenaries blocking his path.


    ¡°Sir!¡± Banya rolled several times, coughing blood, and desperately shouted towards Mu Qin seated on the high platform.


    Mu Qin suddenly stood up, exuding an overpowering aura, engaging in a confrontation using his unique abilities. Judging by the intensity of their awakened energy, both of them were A-level awakener. The people present were compelled to release their own abilities to counter the pressures exerted by these two, causing an ominous gust of wind to stir within the area.


    Song Ke felt no sense of suppression, casually eating fruit from a plate while observing the situation, glancing left and right.


    Suddenly, she noticed Godanwei with his abilities fully activated, steadfastly shielding Miao Lun.


    Pondering for a moment, Song Ke realized that after the awakening, there is a special awakened energy force generated within their bodies. Even if they were at a technical disadvantage against higher-level awakener, at most, they would be immobilized. It¡¯s only ordinary individuals who might be severely injured or even die from such pressure.


    Could it be that Miao Lun had no abilities?


    ¡°Ruan Wenjun, what¡¯s the meaning of barging into my residence without a greeting?¡± Mu Qin, the master of the house, angrily demanded.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing much. Two days ago, my people mysteriously lost a Grade 3 crystal in Xiangang, and I was pretty unhappy about it. I heard something about a Hero Banquet going on here, so I came to find that pest. Why not extend a welcome?¡± Ruan Wenjun replied nonchalantly.


    Xiangang, Ruan Wenjun, Grade 3 crystal¡­ Could it be the one they snatched?


    Song Ke choked on her fruit, silently patting her chest as she accidentally swallowed it.


    ¡°Even if you don¡¯t welcome me, today I¡¯m determined to dig out that person, no matter the cost,¡± Ruan Wenjun declared.


    With a flourish of his coat, Ruan Wenjun confidently walked in, causing people along the way to fearfully evade him.


    [Hmm, it seems the relationship between these two isn¡¯t great,] Lin Youyou commented. [Deep water and scorching fire,] Lu Xiaoyu incisively remarked.


    As tensions escalated between Mu Qin and Ruan Wenjun, Miao Lun calmly stood up, assuming the role of mediator: ¡°Just over a Grade 3 crystal, is it worth the two of you getting so worked up? Let¡¯s rein in these abilities, don¡¯t scare our future elite guards.¡±


    Under Godanwei¡¯s protective ability, Miao Lun walked up to Ruan Wenjun and greeted him warmly: ¡°Old Ruan, why don¡¯t you take a seat first? Everyone¡¯s here, we can take it slow. If you can¡¯t find it, I¡¯ll make it up to you, right?¡±


    ¡°A mere Grade 3 crystal, why would I care? Those who dare challenge me will die.¡± Ruan Wenjun¡¯s effeminate face revealed a hint of cruelty and malice.


    Miao Lun chuckled, ¡°Let¡¯s be frank, you just want to find someone, easy as that.¡±


    He then turned to Mu Qin, patting his round belly, ¡°Mu Qin, look, Ruan isn¡¯t here to make a scene. Why don¡¯t we all sit down today? A peaceful gathering can be profitable.¡±


    ¡°Thanks to you, except for meeting the general, I didn¡¯t expect the three of us to sit together. Hahaha.¡±


    Ruan Wenjun was clearly unwilling to let it go.


    Mu Qin coldly snorted and, under Miao Lun¡¯s mediation, reluctantly agreed, ¡°The guest is here; take a seat.¡±


    Not wanting to escalate the situation, Ruan Wenjun gave Mu Qin some face, leaving his people at the door and entering the banquet hall alone.


    Now, the three major warlords of Mu City gathered under one roof, creating an atmosphere rife with eerie tension, causing some awakeners to break out in a cold sweat.


    [This smiling tiger seems to have two sides, huh?] Lin Youyou marveled. [Bad thing, just like Zhuang Qingyan,] Xu Xing insulted in one sentence.


    After a brief moment of silence, a crackling sound erupted from the earpiece.


    [Sister, help me!]


    Song Ke¡¯s fruit-eating action paused. She rolled her eyes to the sky, utterly speechless.


    In her distraction, she hadn¡¯t noticed two young people sneaking in through a side door and seating themselves behind Mu Qin.


    Ruan Wenjun¡¯s interruption altered the atmosphere, making it chilly and stagnant.


    Mu Qin announced the selection rules again: ¡°Among you, if anyone can defeat one of my men in a one-on-one combat, you¡¯ll pass and be formally enlisted in the elite guard.¡±


    One-on-one? Is it that simple? Song Ke found it somewhat surprising.


    She had assumed there would be layers of selection and strict assessments, yet winning a single combat seemed like an inconsequential requirement for joining the elite guard.


    It was a bit strange. The entry requirements seemed stringent, but the assessment appeared overly lenient, or rather, excessively lax.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go first.¡± The Southern District free mercenary, Wild Wolf, volunteered.


    Su Fengsa gestured, and a private soldier stepped forward behind Mu Qin.


    Inside the banquet hall, a transparent isolation room rose up to facilitate the combat between the two. Once Wild Wolf and his opponent entered, they engaged in a fierce battle.


    At the guest seat to Mu Qin¡¯s left, a servant respectfully offered a cigarette to Miao Lun. Leaning back in a spacious chair, Miao Lun unbuttoned his collar, loosened his belt, and comfortably exhaled smoke rings. After a while, he whispered a few words to the person beside him.


    Soon after, a servant brought over an exquisite bamboo screen, escorting a beautiful lady to Miao Lun¡¯s side, whom he warmly embraced without reservation.


    The beautiful lady displayed no emotions, neither compliant nor resistant, sitting down obediently.


    Despite having prepared herself after hearing Banya¡¯s comments earlier, Song Ke found herself feeling a chill in her heart when witnessing this scene. It felt like the collapse of her world, and she couldn¡¯t even continue eating her fruit.


    So, the beautiful lady was indeed Miao Lun¡¯s new favorite¡­ The feeling in her heart was gloomy, inexplicably uncomfortable. S~?a??h the n0v?l(?)ire.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Perhaps due to her repeated sneak peeks, she caught the ice-cold glare from Godanwei directed at her.


    Startled, Song Ke quickly averted her eyes and lowered her head, avoiding his gaze.


    In the hall, Wild Wolf successfully defeated his opponent, winning the match.


    Mu Qin nodded in satisfaction, ¡°Southern District mercenary, truly valiant in combat. Congratulations on joining the elite guard. You¡¯ll formally join starting tomorrow.¡±


    Wild Wolf was elated, ¡°Thank you, Sir. I will devote myself wholeheartedly to your service!¡±


    Ruan Wenjun played with the gun in his hand and sneered disdainfully.


    Meanwhile, Miao Lun caressed the smooth shoulders of the beautiful lady, puffing smoke leisurely. His face became increasingly obscured by the smoke, his smile growing deeper.


    Successive individuals were called up to single combat, with more wins than losses overall. By the 11th round, only two had been defeated.


    ¡°Next up,¡± Su Fengsa brought out the screen to check the list, ¡°Western Street free mercenary, Song Ke.¡±


    Finally, it was her turn. Song Ke wiped her mouth and stood up from the corner.


    [Come on, sister! Beat them down!] Xu Xing encouraged her. [The skills are really lacking, just throw a few punches.] Lu Xiaoyu suggested. [Stay low-key,] Zhuang Qingyan softly advised.


    Low-key, low-key, finish the fight and leave.


    Reciting this sage advice in her mind, Song Ke briskly walked towards the center of the stage.


    Su Fengsa announced, ¡°The mercenary stepping up is¡ª¡±


    A sudden sound interrupted, and the bamboo chair was pushed aside, revealing someone standing behind Mu Qin.


    ¡°You little trash, what are you doing here?!¡± A voice unexpectedly spoke out from a young man with a deep brown complexion.


    Song Ke froze, her heart pounding with worry. It couldn¡¯t be, it couldn¡¯t be¡ª It was Tun Qin! She also wanted to ask, how could Tun Qin be here?!


    However, Tun Qin¡¯s next words caused her mental shutdown.


    ¡°Free mercenary? Aren¡¯t you from District F?¡±


    **TN


    Deep water and scorching fire ¨C is a Chinese idiom that metaphorically means being in an extremely difficult or challenging situation, akin to being caught between deep water and scorching flames. It describes a situation where one faces multiple serious difficulties or dangers simultaneously, often expressing the feeling of being trapped between two equally dire or dangerous options.

 Chapter 90: When the Roses Bloom (8)

    ¡ò Let¡¯s PK ¡òA single sentence from Tun Qin made Song Ke the center of attention in the entire venue.


    Mu Qin, Miao Lun, Ruan Wenjun¡­ all participants cast various appraising glances in her direction.


    [Don¡¯t panic, stay calm,] in a crucial moment, Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s composed voice resonated.


    In just a few seconds, Song Ke experienced an emotional rollercoaster, but thankfully, she managed to keep a straight face without revealing any clues.


    ¡°Hmph,¡± Ruan Wenjun¡¯s eyes darkened slightly, showing a bit of interest in the spectacle. ¡°What Hero Banquet. Even a stray rat managed to sneak in.¡±


    The cunning Mu Qin, without immediately showing anger, contemplatively stroked his beard. ¡°Tun Qin, come here.¡±


    Tun Qin walked over to the main seat, completely restraining his arrogant attitude. He clasped his hands tightly against his thighs and respectfully addressed, ¡°Uncle.¡±


    Mu Qin glanced at him, and Tun Qin quickly corrected himself, ¡°¡­My lord.¡±


    Mu Qin gestured towards Song Ke who was standing in place. ¡°What did you mean by your words just now? Explain yourself.¡±


    Tun Qin lifted his head, locking eyes with Song Ke. Even after more than half a year without seeing each other, his gaze still harbored ill intentions towards her. Despite once practicing martial arts together day and night, Tun Qin¡¯s malice towards her never waned. Back then, he could launch a sneak attack with a particle gun, and today, he could betray her without hesitation.


    ¡°Two years ago, I was undergoing ancient martial arts training in District E166. This person is my fellow disciple, having spent more time there than I did. She has been a student there since childhood, at least for over a decade. I am certain she¡¯s not just from District F but is an illegal resident as well.¡±


    Tun Qin succinctly revealed all there was to know about Song Ke.


    Of course, Song Ke couldn¡¯t just sit back and accept it. She tried to defend herself, ¡°No, I¡¯ve, I¡¯ve obtained citizenship in Mu City.¡±


    Immediately, some participants below sneered, ¡°What a joke. Someone from District F obtaining citizenship in Mu City?¡±


    District F, the most barren and backward digital area within the Alliance, a dilapidated place where even flies didn¡¯t want to linger. Mu City (Dsictrict C55), not only ranked within the C category but also had a strict admission system.


    Song Ke¡¯s words lacked credibility. To put it simply, she was like the lowest-class commoner suddenly becoming a second-tier officer.


    More than just absurd, such a thing was impossible in Mu City.


    ¡°It¡¯s true, I am a freelance mercenary,¡± Song Ke persisted tenaciously.


    ¡°A freelance mercenary? Which faction do you belong to?¡± asked Wild Wolf, also a freelance mercenary, suspiciously.


    Here we go again with this question. What¡¯s with you mercenaries, always asking about factions so persistently?


    ¡°I, I belong to¡­ Western Street, of Sly Fox,¡± Song Ke struggled and had to resort to using Irene¡¯s name in a pinch.


    Suddenly, the beautiful woman in Miao Lun¡¯s arms raised her gaze and looked towards Song Ke in the middle of the crowd.


    Mu Qin, with a deep and silent gaze, didn¡¯t speak, but the private soldiers in the venue had already surrounded Song Ke.


    Song Ke clenched her fists, standing still in her place.


    Mu Qin tilted his head slightly. ¡°Check when was the last time she entered the territory.¡±


    Su Fengsa promptly confirmed, ¡°Six days ago.¡±


    A faint smirk appeared under Mu Qin¡¯s beard.


    To Mu Qin, this small fry like Song Ke, regardless of whether she came from District E or F, couldn¡¯t stir much trouble. Her true identity was of no concern to him. What truly concerned Mu Qin was another matter, something he could exploit.


    ¡°Miao Lun, if I remember correctly, it was you who volunteered to General for the authority of admission checks, right?¡±


    ¡°With such a mistake, how will you explain it to the General?¡± Mu Qin insinuated significantly.


    Miao Lun paused in his action of rolling a cigarette, his smile fading slightly.


    Godanwei had already recognized Song Ke at the speed of light when Tun Qin called out. He immediately kneeled down and quietly reported near Miao Lun¡¯s leg, ¡°My lord, I personally verified¡­ facial recognition¡­ is accurate.¡±


    Miao Lun¡¯s hand, holding the rolled cigarette, pressed lightly on Godanwei¡¯s shoulder. Though the force was light, Godanwei couldn¡¯t help but tremble.


    ¡°Mu Qin, are you questioning me now?¡± Miao Lun, usually easygoing, suddenly turned serious, with dark currents swirling in his eyes.


    However, he was serious for only a moment before bursting into a hearty laugh. ¡°Who says it must be a mistake? Since everyone¡¯s so curious, why don¡¯t we verify it on the spot? If what she says is true, changing one¡¯s class through hard work isn¡¯t that inspirational?¡±


    ¡°If the identity information is falsified,¡± Miao Lun¡¯s smile sent chills down people¡¯s spines, ¡°I will present her head to the General myself to beg for forgiveness.¡±


    Miao Lun released his hold on the hand of the beautiful woman he was embracing and gestured backward. A plain-looking, short man stepped forward.


    ¡°He is¡­ Hasa?!¡± The awakeners in the crowd recognized this person and couldn¡¯t help but exclaim.


    Hasa, an A-level awakener and Mu City¡¯s most formidable white-hat hacker, possessed the ability to track data. It was said that as long as there was a network, no secrets could escape his watchful eye. Surprisingly, he had joined Miao Lun¡¯s ranks.


    ¡°Hasa, make all the information about this person from the day she was born available for everyone to see.¡±


    A person, as long as they exist, will undoubtedly leave traces, and by delving deep into those clues, one might discover some surprises.


    Hasa nodded silently and retrieved several light screens from his space, projecting them onto the bamboo curtains in the banquet hall for everyone to see. He also set up a dozen or so supercomputers on-site in a row.


    Song Ke: ¡°!!!¡±


    ¡®Oh no, they¡¯re going to investigate everything about me.¡¯ She was feeling extremely anxious.


    On the ceiling, the mechanical ladybug¡¯s compound eyes slowly turned, transmitting all the happenings at the scene back to their apartment.


    ¡°Uh-oh, Miao Lun is going to check Song Ke¡¯s files!¡± Lin Youyou exclaimed.


    ¡°Even if her identity information is fine, her record is easy to expose, as she hasn¡¯t even submitted an application for citizenship,¡± Fang Zhixu said.


    Several people wore worried expressions on their faces.


    The wheelchair moved, and Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s tablet-like voice sounded, ¡°Please make way.¡±


    He looked at Hasa¡¯s every move in the projection, his ice-blue eyes gradually piqued with interest. ¡°A white-hat hacker? Let him check.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan glanced at him, instantly understanding, and spoke softly into her earpiece, ¡°Song Ke, Lu Xiaoyu will handle it. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    In the banquet hall, Song Ke felt as if she were on pins and needles. After receiving Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s instructions, she let out a sigh of relief.


    Lu Xiaoyu held just one lonely terminal and an old, outdated light screen that was already cracked. In contrast, Hasa was fully equipped, using the latest suspended technology screens that could connect to six supercomputers simultaneously.


    Hasa operated a sophisticated device, and a camera on the top extended to scan Song Ke from head to toe. When it retracted, a miniaturized mechanical ladybug fell neatly, wedging itself into a gap in the mechanical arm, planting a hidden Trojan horse.


    Hasa collected Song Ke¡¯s biometric information and swiftly traced the data.


    ¡°Song Ke, originally from District F177, her activity trajectory is as follows: E166, D99, C72, D150, C60¡­¡±


    ¡°Parents unknown, date of birth unknown, she attended Hua City No.1 High School in D99 but dropped out midway.¡±


    Hasa¡¯s eyes gleamed faintly as his supernatural ability kicked in, starting to trace even finer details of information.


    At the same time, Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s silvery hair fluttered as he simultaneously operated with both hands. One hand rapidly typed on the terminal, while the other hand composed complex attack programs on the screen.


    In the digital realm, two forces collided head-on. One force surged forward courageously while the other collapsed and dissolved into specks, merging into the vast ocean. However, the dispersed starlight didn¡¯t vanish but rather subtly altered the direction of the opponent¡¯s data flow.


    The clash between white-hat and black-hat hackers wasn¡¯t about visible confrontation but about who could occupy the high ground first, enabling them to comprehensively overwhelm their opponent.


    Hasa¡¯s tracking briefly stalled as the chaotic stream of code rushed in, disrupting and diverting his course, leading him astray. He seemed lost and began murmuring.


    ¡°On October 2nd, New Calendar Year 46, granted special citizenship in Ferrara, District C72, due to a close relationship with the magistrate.¡±


    ¡°On November 15th, New Calendar Year 46, awarded the Outstanding Youth title in Tongwan, District C60, and obtained an entry green card.¡±


    ¡°¡­On February 6th, New Calendar Year 47, due to meritorious service in zombie eradication, submitted a household registration change request, which was approved, resulting in citizenship in Mu City, District C55.¡±


    ¡°Latest identity: Freelance Mercenary.¡±


    Detailed files were disclosed, causing a commotion among the crowd.


    It was the first time they had heard that someone from District F could successfully change their citizenship to Mu City. The scrutiny in the review department was known to be stringent to the point of being extreme! Could it be that faced with Song Ke¡¯s ¡°glamorous¡± resume, they were swayed, intentionally being lenient?


    No, Godanwei suddenly raised his head. He remembered vividly the day Song Ke entered the city. There were seven of them, and the reason given was ¡°locals, dispatched from Mu City before the apocalypse.¡± How could this suddenly change to a citizenship change? There were contradictions, something was definitely wrong.


    ¡®Hasa, what are you doing?!¡¯


    Godanwei¡¯s eyes reddened, about to shout in anger, but suddenly caught sight of Miao Lun¡¯s face covered in smoke. That calm expression amidst the smog was not an ordinary calmness; it was the calm before a storm.


    Like a sudden splash of cold water, Godanwei instantly became alert. No, he couldn¡¯t say it. Song Ke¡¯s identity had to be ¡°real.¡± Otherwise, not only would he be ineffectual, but Sir Miao Lun would lose face in front of Mu Qin, Ruan Wenjun, and even the General. Then¡­


    Trembling, Godanwei suddenly realized the intention behind Hasa¡¯s actions.


    He humbly, incredibly obediently, lowered his head, keeping silent.


    Looking at her own gleaming ¡°resume,¡± Song Ke couldn¡¯t help but exclaim inwardly.


    ¡®Lu Xiaoyu, I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re such a good storyteller!¡¯ She almost believed she was the great hero saving the Alliance!


    In the apartment¡­


    Lu Xiaoyu was manipulating Hasa¡¯s data while sarcastically commenting, ¡°Your talent for spouting nonsense has improved over the years.¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s entire background was hastily created by Zhuang Qingyan in a short time through verbal storytelling.


    Zhuang Qingyan smiled faintly, ¡°Not as much as your deteriorating technical skills. You¡¯re so slow that they might uncover everything on the other side.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu grumbled discontentedly, ¡°Objection! You¡¯re distorting the objective facts. What equipment does he have? What do I have? Just a bunch of junk!¡±


    Although the words were as such, Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s fingers swiftly operated, erasing the true records that Hasa was about to find about Song Ke.


    In the banquet hall,


    Miao Lun smiled at Mu Qin, ¡°Mu Qin, my friend, this is talent. If you don¡¯t want her, I certainly do.¡±


    He then turned to Song Ke, ¡°Mercenary, if you want to stand out, you don¡¯t necessarily have to join the Guard Unit. Coming to my side offers the same opportunities.¡±


    Mu Qin spoke coldly, ¡°Miao Lun, it¡¯s too early for these talks. Let her defeat my people first.¡±


    Among all present, the most embarrassed at that moment was none other than Tun Qin.


    Intentionally exposing Song Ke¡¯s identity was an attempt to impress Mu Qin, to gain his attention. However, this little trash actually managed, through skill, to enter Mu City and acquire the identity of a freelance mercenary, even though she was a lowly creature from District F. How could this be possible?!


    ¡°My lord, please allow me to take action,¡± Tun Qin¡¯s voice was hoarse as he voluntarily requested to deal with Song Ke.


    Since the apocalypse, he had awakened his supernatural ability. The humiliation he had suffered at the hands of Song Ke, he wanted to reclaim it all, with interest.


    ¡°Father, I also want to have a go at her.¡± Another young man couldn¡¯t sit still and stood up from behind.


    He had three diamond studs on his eyebrow ridge, almost the same height as Tun Qin, with a rebellious expression, half a smirk on his lips as if he wouldn¡¯t yield to anyone.


    ¡°Rong Qin!¡± Tun Qin stared at him angrily, paused, then lowered his voice, ¡°You just awakened your ability, you¡¯re not used to it yet, maybe¡­¡±


    Rong Qin glanced at him nonchalantly, ¡°Maybe what? You¡¯re just a B-rank, but I¡¯m an A-rank.¡±


    Tun Qin¡¯s back stiffened, his hand pierced by the thorn.


    Rong Qin curiously asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you know her? Is she tough?¡±


    Tun Qin lowered his head, his expression uncertain, ¡°She¡­ she¡¯s average, no, she¡¯s really weak, definitely not your match.¡±


    Rong Qin¡¯s confidence soared, ¡°Father, let me try, I want to test my ability.¡±


    Tun Qin called out to Mu Qin as ¡°uncle,¡± but Mu Qin sternly stopped him with his eyes. This young man boldly called him ¡°father,¡± yet Mu Qin remained composed, even a hint of indulgence, ¡°Alright, come then.¡±


    Song Ke and the young man named Rong Qin entered the isolation room.


    ¡°Hey, what level are you?¡± Rong Qin asked disdainfully.


    ¡°A-level,¡± Song Ke responded, as that was what her ability card stated.


    ¡°We¡¯re the same,¡± Rong Qin smiled and without a word raised his arm, revealing a row of miniature gun barrels that went ¡°swoosh¡± as they fired bullets continuously.


    Wow, it¡¯s the legendary hail of bullets.


    Song Ke swiftly moved, her figure almost flashing in a zigzag pattern, seizing the opportunity to strike back with a swift spinning leg kick!


    Rong Qin was kicked hard and sent flying, landing with a thud on the ground as his gun barrels fell silent.


    Huh? Song Ke was stunned. Wasn¡¯t he A-level? How did he get knocked down with just one kick?


    Struggling to get up, Rong Qin wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. A glint appeared in his hand, and suddenly numerous crystals materialized, mostly of level 2 and 3. He extracted their energy with his mental powers, dimming the crystals before casually tossing them away and fiercely attacking Song Ke.


    Song Ke was bewildered. She had seen people on drugs, but never seen someone using crystals to fight!


    Dodging the attack, she tentatively threw a punch.


    ¡°Bang!¡± S?a??h th? ?ov?l?ir?.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Rong Qin failed to evade it again, taking a direct hit on the bridge of his nose and falling backward.


    Song Ke: ??? What¡¯s going on?


    [Song Ke, the opponent is a secondary awakener,] Zhuang Qingyan said.


    Song Ke was puzzled. What did ¡®secondary awakener¡¯ mean?


    Zhuang Qingyan quickly provided a detailed explanation, [Secondary awakeners are those unable to awaken their abilities naturally, relying on external stimuli like crystals to create a false magnetic field within their bodies.] [You can also understand it as¡­ noobs.]


    Struggling like a roly-poly toy, Rong Qin got up again, pulling out another crystal to draw energy.


    Song Ke was confused and watched as Rong Qin charged towards her once more. She decided to respond with her awakened energy.


    Her confrontational and forceful awakened energy struck Rong Qin unprepared, instantly disorienting him. He charged forward in a daze and, due to his aggressive momentum, crashed into the isolation room¡¯s transparent glass, knocking himself unconscious!


    Mu Qin swiftly stood up, ¡°Rong Qin? Where¡¯s the doctor?!¡±


    ¡°The match is stopped, everyone take a ten-minute break,¡± Su Fengsa shouted in a panic.


    Song Ke maintained her punching stance, standing in confusion.


    What was happening?


    Amidst the chaos, the folding screen to Mu Qin¡¯s right moved, revealing half of a misty and beautiful face, signaling towards Song Ke.


    Huh? Song Ke blinked her eyes.


    It seemed the beautiful sister had something to say to her.

 Chapter 91: When the Roses Bloom (9)

    ¡ò Qiong Qi ¡òA group of people burst into the banquet hall, swiftly carrying the unconscious Rong Qin on a stretcher to receive urgent medical treatment outside. Mu Qin followed with a dark expression, while Su Fengsa hastily announced the suspension of the match, busy maintaining order at the scene. Meanwhile, the other central figure, Song Ke, was left alone, ignored, and isolated in the room.


    In the preceding matches, the participants won rather effortlessly. Most people understood that the so-called selection process was merely a formality. Mu Qin managed to get Rong Qin on stage, even under the clear awareness of his ¡°young master¡± status. It was anticipated that they wouldn¡¯t go too far against him.


    As it turned out, Song Ke indeed did not go too far¡ªshe didn¡¯t even make a move. Rong Qin managed to knock himself out, which was simply laughable.


    Could she be blamed? After all, she hadn¡¯t expected this awakener to be so incompetent!


    After Mu Qin led the group out, Ruan Wenjun calmly stood up and, looking towards Miao Lun, said, ¡°May I have a word?¡±


    Miao Lun smiled and nodded agreeably. Leading a few mercenaries, including Godanwei, they exited the bamboo house and entered the opposite room. Soon after, Song Ke noticed the beautiful sister signaling to her.


    Amidst the noisy chatter in her earpiece and the chaotic background sounds, Xu Xing was cheering for her victory, Zhuang Qingyan and Lu Xiaoyu were arguing back and forth. Song Ke wanted to interject but feared being noticed for her unusual behavior, so she simply shut down all communication devices.


    Following the beautiful sister to a spot below the bamboo curtain, she inquired, ¡°Are you one of Sly Fox¡¯s people?¡±


    ¡°Um,¡± Song Ke nervously replied, thinking to herself that she¡¯d have to apologize to Irene for using her name in this manner.


    ¡°You¡¯re lying,¡± the beautiful sister¡¯s expression suddenly turned cold. ¡°I¡¯m from the Western Street. How come I¡¯ve never seen you?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Ah, busted. Song Ke sighed. She didn¡¯t possess Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s skill; she was terrible at lying.


    ¡°In fact, I¡¯m not affiliated with anyone. Sly Fox is a friend of mine¡­¡±


    ¡°A friend? What¡¯s Sly Fox¡¯s real name?¡± the beautiful sister interrupted.


    ¡°Irene,¡± Song Ke honestly answered. ¡°I had no choice but to say that earlier.¡±


    The beautiful sister continued to scrutinize her with suspicion.


    Song Ke raised her terminal. ¡°I can contact her now¡­¡±


    The beautiful sister gently pressed Song Ke¡¯s wrist, frowning slightly. ¡°No need, it¡¯s not convenient here.¡±


    ¡°Do you really know Irene?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I do.¡±


    ¡°Has she returned to Mu City?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, a few days ago, we met.¡±


    ¡°After she goes back, can you still get in touch with her?¡±


    ¡°I can.¡±


    ¡°Give me your address.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I want to ask for a favor. I want Irene to come to your place. I want to see her tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°¡­Oh.¡± Song Ke quickly provided her apartment address, realizing belatedly that the beautiful sister, though dressed in an expensive dress, had no accessories or even a terminal.


    The beautiful sister noted down Song Ke¡¯s address and then gazed at her face, her eyes gradually growing distant. Unconsciously, she reached out her hand¡ª


    Song Ke held her breath, standing still foolishly, too afraid to make a move.


    Just as the fingertips were about to touch her cheek, the beautiful sister abruptly snapped back to reality and quickly withdrew her hand.


    ¡°Here¡¯s a piece of advice, no matter the reason, do not join the Guard Unit. It¡¯s a conspiracy.¡±


    Her tone was mild, but a careful listener could detect the goodwill behind her words.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Song Ke was taken aback.


    The beautiful sister glanced back, seeing that Miao Lun and Ruan Wenjun had already walked away, leaving no time.


    ¡°The Guard Unit is just a facade. Their true target¡­ is Shaye.¡±


    ¡°Remember to arrange for Irene to meet me.¡±


    The two passed each other by. S~?a??h the ??v?l_Fir?.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Under the bamboo curtain, only Song Ke remained, now even more puzzled.


    Not join the Guard Unit? Besides this route, she couldn¡¯t think of another way to get close to the General.


    Song Ke activated her receiver, and Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s voice immediately came through: ¡°Is everything okay over there?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Song Ke briefly recounted what had just happened.


    ¡°Hold on, I¡¯ll contact Irene to confirm,¡± Lin Youyou said.


    Song Ke casually returned to the banquet hall.


    Not long after, Mu Qin and his group returned. His gaze swept over Song Ke, showing no sign of anger.


    ¡°Congratulations on passing the selection. You¡¯ll officially join tomorrow,¡± Mu Qin announced with a composed expression.


    Song Ke breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed like Rong Qin should be fine.


    Miao Lun slyly disrupted the conversation, ¡°Mercenary, what I said earlier still stands. Coming to my side is still a good choice.¡±


    Song Ke looked awkward, silently retreating to a corner. However, a certain gaze followed her like a shadow, akin to a hidden snake lurking in the dark. Song Ke raised his eyes sharply and glanced over, it turned out to be Tun Qin.


    The subsequent matches proceeded smoothly until there were only a few participants left. An awakener named Ta Xiong entered the arena.


    Taking a little time, he successfully defeated his opponent and joyfully returned to his position.


    Ruan Wenjun suddenly spoke up, ¡°Stop right there. Where did you get your crystal from?¡±


    In Ta Xiong¡¯s registration information, there was an exceptionally unique Level 3 crystal, displaying a vivid red hue within a deep blue body. Both in color and purity, it stood out as the highlight among the batch of crystals obtained that day.


    Ta Xiong paused, a hint of unease crossing his face, ¡°I obtained it while hunting zombies.¡±


    Ruan Wenjun coldly snorted, ¡°Is that so¡­ Check the production date of this crystal for me.¡±


    Upon Mu Qin¡¯s consent, Su Fengsa immediately arranged for instruments to measure the crystal¡¯s radiation.


    ¡°Sir Ruan, this crystal is new, produced within the last week.¡±


    ¡°Within the last week¡­ within the last week¡­¡±


    Ruan Wenjun repeated this timeframe several times. The military boots hit the ground as he descended the steps of the platform. His tall and straight figure, with his sinister face hidden under the brim of his hat, instilled a shiver-inducing sense of fear in everyone.


    Ruan Wenjun finally stopped in front of Ta Xiong, ¡°Tell me properly, when and where did you kill the zombie?¡±


    ¡°I, I¡­¡±


    Ta Xiong, just a Level B awakener, under Ruan Wenjun¡¯s oppressive demeanor, struggled with shifting eyes, stammering, and eventually speaking in almost inaudible tones.


    Miao Lun casually fanned the flames, ¡°Ah, the Hero Banquet is indeed full of surprises. The quality of this crystal is very high, almost approaching Level 4. It seems that the host zombie must have been quite formidable for you to eliminate it. You must have some skill.¡±


    Ruan Wenjun sneered coldly, ¡°Was it you who killed it, or did you steal it?¡±


    ¡°Three days ago, in Xiangang, you shot and killed a Level 3 zombie with an arrow, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°N-no, it wasn¡¯t me!¡± Ta Xiong was drenched in cold sweat.


    Song Ke¡¯s body slowly lowered, quietly hiding under the table.


    Ruan Wenjun was evidently here for the crystal she had snatched.


    Ta Xiong¡¯s denial did not ease Ruan Wenjun¡¯s expression. Without a word, he pulled out his gun and fired several shots at Ta Xiong¡¯s right leg. The specialized bullets would explode inside the body after penetration, causing excruciating pain.


    ¡°Ahh¡ª!!¡± Ta Xiong clutched his heavily bleeding thigh, emitting a heart-wrenching scream. Ruan Wenjun used special explosive bullets, causing immense agony.


    Ruan Wenjun¡¯s military boots pressed down on Ta Xiong¡¯s wound, grinding back and forth, ¡°You¡¯re going to die either way. Admit it honestly. I can make your death a bit less painful. This is your last chance to speak. Did you steal the crystal?¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t me!! I, I¡­ bought this crystal from Shaye,¡± Ta Xiong wept bitterly, ¡°I wanted to participate in the Hero Banquet, to become an officer. I bought it from people associated with Qiong Qi, they killed the zombies and took the crystal. It really wasn¡¯t me!¡±


    ¡°Qiong Qi.¡±


    Upon hearing the name, Mu Qin¡¯s and Miao Lun¡¯s expressions noticeably changed.


    Ruan Wenjun¡¯s mental energy surged, a prelude to stress, and his gaze turned terribly menacing. ¡°Who are you talking about?¡±


    Ta Xiong¡¯s face grew paler, ¡°Qiong Qi, the leader of the Shaye refugees. I don¡¯t know his real name, they all just call him Qiong Qi.¡±


    The whole hall fell silent, even the participants dared not breathe loudly in the banquet hall.


    The crystal handed over by Ta Xiong was placed in a transparent instrument, its elusive vivid red hue circulating, captivating everyone¡¯s attention.


    ¡°Although suppressing the refugees is the joint responsibility of the warlords, Mu Qin and Ruan Wenjun, are you not planning to take action?¡± Miao Lun, glancing meaningfully at Mu Qin, turned the tables after being questioned by him earlier.


    Quelling rebellions and bandits was primarily the responsibility of these two warlords, particularly Ruan Wenjun, known as a war fanatic. If they couldn¡¯t handle a small group of refugees, it would destabilize their positions.


    ¡°The general is thinking about this,¡± Miao Lun continued to press the issue.


    ¡°Colluding with the refugees means death,¡± Ruan Wenjun pronounced coldly.


    ¡°Bang!¡± The sound of a gunshot rang out, and Ta Xiong¡¯s head instantly burst.


    Song Ke looked at Ta Xiong¡¯s body, the one who took the blame for her, and sighed silently.


    After this incident, Ruan Wenjun lost interest in watching the matches and left the banquet hall with his men.


    Following Ta Xiong¡¯s demise, there were only a few people left. After a few more one-on-one fights, the recruitment of the Guard Unit was hastily concluded.


    Song Ke left the mansion with a heavy heart, preparing to exchange intelligence with her companions.


    As she was about to leave, she caught sight of Tun Qing standing behind Mu Qin, making a gun gesture towards her head.


    Song Ke remained silent for two seconds, then slowly opened her mouth, silently mouthing the word: ¡°Fool.¡±


    She didn¡¯t understand why Tun Qin had such intense animosity towards her. It couldn¡¯t be because she always defeated him in competitions, as he¡¯d never beaten Zhang Ci either. So logically, Tun Qin should hate Zhang Ci equally, right?


    Muttering to herself, Song Ke hurried back to her apartment. As she opened the door, she found Zhuang Qingyan and the others waiting for her.


    Taking the water from Zhuang Qingyan, she drank it in one go while listening to her companions discuss.


    ¡°There¡¯s a problem with the Hero Banquet,¡± Fang Zhixu, rarely speaking up, said.


    ¡°Mmm, too hasty, we were misled by the threshold of the Level 3 crystal. The truth is now out in the open,¡± Zhuang Qingyan remarked.


    Song Ke remembered Rong Qin¡¯s frenzy to gather crystals during the battle and Mu Qin¡¯s seizure of crystals, presumably for him.


    Originally, it was believed that Mu Qin, under the guise of recruiting for the Guard Unit, would send higher-level awakeners to the general to fill the vacancies in the guards. However, judging from today¡¯s selection, the abilities of the participants varied greatly, making it seem somewhat strained to appoint them as the general¡¯s personal guards.


    ¡°So, should I still go tomorrow?¡± Song Ke inquired.


    Zhuang Qingyan paused for a moment, ¡°Regarding that individual of Miao Lun¡¯s¡­ who wants to meet Irene, what was Irene¡¯s response?¡±


    Lin Youyou brought up the terminal page, ¡°They indeed know each other, and Irene has agreed to come tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s decide after the meeting. She surely knows something, so let¡¯s see if we can extract more information from her,¡± Zhuang Qingyan suggested. ¡°Additionally, let¡¯s dig deeper into the information about the Shaye refugees and Qiong Qi. I have a feeling this could be a crucial breakthrough.¡±


    ¡­


    The next morning, Irene knocked on the apartment door.


    After Lin Youyou opened the door, Irene¡¯s first words were, ¡°Where is she?¡±


    ¡°She hasn¡¯t arrived yet, please come in and wait,¡± Lin Youyou said softly.


    Alertly, Irene walked to the window, propping up her cannon to surveil the street outside, preventing potential surveillance.


    Song Ke confessed about lending her name to Irene yesterday, to which Irene shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°Irene, about the beautiful sister, is she really affiliated with you?¡± Song Ke asked.


    ¡°She can¡¯t entirely be considered mine,¡± Irene replied calmly, ¡°She only arrived in Western Street half a year ago. I¡¯d say we have a sort of cooperative relationship.¡±


    Song Ke was about to ask further, but Irene suddenly gestured to her in a solemn manner.


    ¡°Here they come.¡±


    A few minutes later, a series of knocks echoed through the door.


    The beautiful sister stood quietly in the hallway, draped in a shawl.


    Irene aimed her cannon towards the figures wandering outside the apartment, ¡°You brought a tail.¡±


    ¡°They are Miao Lun¡¯s private guards, they are just monitoring my movements, they won¡¯t follow inside.¡±


    Once the four individuals were seated, Irene adeptly handed over paper and pen. The beautiful sister swiftly sketched, creating lifelike portraits one after another.


    ¡°I¡¯ve only located these few, they agreed to wait for further messages from you.¡±


    ¡°The others¡­ couldn¡¯t be found.¡±


    Irene observed the sketches, ¡°They¡¯re from Western Street, thank you for the intel.¡±


    The beautiful sister simply nodded, ¡°For today¡­ that¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°Do you still intend to stay by Miao Lun¡¯s side?¡± Irene suddenly inquired.


    The beautiful sister¡¯s movements ceased.


    Song Ke and Lin Youyou exchanged a glance. Lin Youyou subtly shook her head, and both held their breath.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking for three months, I still don¡¯t understand. What do you really want to do?¡± Irene locked eyes with the person in front of her. ¡°You¡¯re not someone who seeks vanity, Miao Lun is capricious, each day with him adds more risk. Why deliberately get close to him?¡±


    The beautiful sister fell silent.


    At that moment, the guest room¡¯s door opened coincidentally, and Zhuang Qingyan and Fang Zhixu stepped out together.


    ¡°Therapy can only suppress muscle atrophy. I¡¯ve temporarily stabilized your broken bones with my ability. When we return to Tongwan¡­¡± Fang Zhixu was giving detailed instructions when he inadvertently looked up toward the living room and was struck motionless as if by lightning.


    ¡°¡­A Yao?¡± His voice trembled as he called out.

 Chapter 92.1: When the Roses Bloom (10)

    ¡ò Why do doctors save people? ¡ò¡°¡­A Yao?¡± Fang Zhixu¡¯s voice trembled as he called out.


    The reaction from the beautiful sister was also big. She accidentally knocked over the paper and pen, hitting her shin against the chair, and creating a ¡°scrape¡± noise.


    Her entire face turned pale, staring at Fang Zhixu in disbelief.


    ¡°How could you be here? I mean, Mu City, you¡¯re not¡­¡± Fang Zhixu took two steps forward, the language system completely disrupted. ¡°You clearly said you wanted to leave Tongwan, start over somewhere else, no, no¡­¡±


    Fang Zhixu glanced at Irene and then back at the beautiful sister, suddenly having a dreadful suspicion. His face displayed a shattered sadness and an impending enormous pain. ¡°A Yao, what are you doing?¡±


    At this moment in time, the only possible person who could appear here was Miao Lun¡¯s mistress.


    Coincidentally, Song Ke had encountered the beautiful sister twice. Both times, due to various circumstances, the communication device was inadvertently switched off. None of the V587 members had heard her voice. Moreover, at the banquet hall, due to the servants arranging screens, everyone¡¯s attention was on Song Ke, naturally overlooking her, as she wasn¡¯t that important.


    Judging from Fang Zhixu¡¯s current reaction, it was clear that they had known each other for a while.


    Lu Xiaoyu, Su Cha, and Xu Xing heard the commotion and successively came out of their rooms. However, the atmosphere was tense, and no one spoke at this moment.


    Song Ke slightly turned her head and noticed that the entire body of the beautiful sister was trembling as if a rose in a violent storm, on the verge of collapsing.


    Fang Zhixu slowly reached out his hand but hesitated to touch her. ¡°A Yao, please stop, stop this, okay? Let me take care of the rest. Trust me once more, even if it means death, I will do it.¡±


    Perhaps stung by a specific word, the beautiful sister suddenly raised her head, her eyes bloodshot.


    ¡°What will you do? What can you accomplish?¡± The beautiful sister murmured softly, her voice increasingly poignant. ¡°It¡¯s been seven months. Do you still remember Tian Tian? Do you remember what she looked like?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve forgotten, but I remember. Every night, I can see her crying face, she is my daughter, a part of my life. You can easily let go, but I can¡¯t do that.¡±


    The beautiful sister¡¯s eyes welled up with tears, yet not a single drop fell.


    ¡°Fang Zhixu, you¡¯re just a coward.¡±


    ¡°I have nothing to do with you anymore. I don¡¯t need you to manage what I do.¡±


    ¡°¡­I should leave, otherwise Miao Lun will become suspicious.¡±


    The beautiful sister staggered to the door. Song Ke wanted to speak up to stop her, but was held back by Irene and Lin Youyou, who signaled her with their eyes not to intervene.


    Just before opening the door, with her back to everyone, she said, ¡°The Guard Unit will have significant movements soon. It¡¯s best for you not to get involved in anything.¡±


    The apartment¡¯s door closed slowly, and shortly after, the tails roaming outside the street also disappeared without a trace.


    Inside the room, silence prevailed. Song Ke hesitantly began, ¡°Fang Zhixu¡­¡±


    Fang Zhixu stood motionless, slowly covering his face. Hot tears streamed from his fingertips. While neither of them had cried during their conversation, now, it was only Fang Zhixu, his emotions collapsing into wordless sobs.


    Song Ke had never seen someone cry so heartbreakingly. Although no sound came out, every teardrop conveyed pain.


    Gradually, she felt a rising discomfort in her heart, a sensation that made her want to cry too.


    After a long while, Fang Zhixu managed to slightly steady his breath. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ve constantly burdened you with my tasks without ever explaining the reasons.¡±


    ¡°I want to kill Nai Kang because I seek revenge, a deep-seated vendetta.¡±


    ¡°You and¡­¡± Song Ke didn¡¯t know how to continue.


    ¡°A Yao, her name is Zhang Wanyao, my wife,¡± Fang Zhixu forced a slight smile at the corner of his mouth. Perhaps that shouldn¡¯t be called a smile; it was more like an expression of extreme pain. ¡°¡­my former wife.¡±


    ¡­


    Different from Zhang Wanyao, Fang Zhixu hadn¡¯t dreamt for a very long time.


    There was a time when he used to dream. In those distant and beautiful dreams, after returning from the 119 Hospital, on a bright sunny afternoon, he would turn the doorknob. A graceful figure, wearing an apron, stood with her back to him, painting on a canvas. Fang Zhixu¡¯s lips curved into a smile. He tiptoed closer, wrapped his arms around the woman from behind, rested his chin on her neck, took a deep breath, and felt all the weariness vanish in the warm embrace.


    Zhang Wanyao laboriously turned half of her body, holding up a paintbrush and a palette with nowhere to place them. With a smile in the corners of her eyes, she gently scolded, ¡°Doctor Fang, how many times have I told you? Change your clothes first when you come in. It¡¯s hard to clean off the paint.¡±


    Fang Zhixu resisted, not willing to let go. He muttered, ¡°I¡¯ll clean it, let me rest for a while, I¡¯m so tired.¡±


    Zhang Wanyao couldn¡¯t do anything about his stubbornness, so she nudged him with her elbow, ¡°What about what we talked about last time?¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Fang Zhixu exaggeratedly grunted, ¡°Take it easy, you want to murder your own husband? Don¡¯t worry, you focus on the art exhibition. I¡¯ll take care of Tian Tian this week. I¡¯ve almost cleared my surgeries, only one patient left.¡±


    ¡°¡­Is it that case with Mu City?¡± Zhang Wanyao furrowed her brow lightly. S?a??h th? ?0velF?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Yeah, that one. He¡¯s a high-ranking official. I, as a small doctor, can¡¯t decline,¡± Fang Zhixu said.


    ¡°Stop it, it¡¯s because of the rare disease he has, and you can¡¯t resist the challenge,¡± Zhang Wanyao immediately saw through him. Fang Zhixu, a medical genius, lacked interest in ordinary cases but became eager when it came to complex surgeries.


    ¡°He¡¯s just thirteen, after all, still a child¡­¡± Fang Zhixu coughed lightly, awkwardly changing the subject. After becoming a father himself, the sharp edges he once had softened considerably. ¡°Where¡¯s Tian Tian? Is she still in class?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here, Daddy.¡±


    A sweet, delicate voice sounded, belonging to a pretty girl with neatly tied twin ponytails, around eight or nine years old, pouting unhappily. ¡°I¡¯m right here, but you only see Mom, not me.¡±


    Fang Zhixu lifted his daughter with one hand, playfully rubbing her nose. ¡°Who says Daddy can¡¯t see you? Daddy¡¯s heart blooms at the sight of you.¡±


    Tian Tian chuckled, revealing two adorable dimples on each side of her cheeks, making her look particularly endearing.


    ¡°Our great painter Zhang has to go to work. Tian Tian is on break these days. Will you play with Daddy?¡± Fang Zhixu asked his daughter.


    Tian Tian hugged Fang Zhixu¡¯s neck and gave him a kiss. ¡°Okay, I love Dad the most.¡±


    As the chief physician, Fang Zhixu naturally had his own office and lounge. He was changing clothes for a doll with Tian Tian when a colleague hastily knocked on the door and barged in. ¡°Dr. Fang, the patient in VIP3 is in critical condition!¡±


    In VIP3, the patient¡¯s name was Nai Wen, a thirteen-year-old boy, the only son of C55 District, Mu City¡¯s magistrate, Nai Kang.


    He suffered from a rare bone disease: McCune-Albright syndrome (MAS), a more complex form of osteodystrophy. The condition worsened with age, causing clearly defined brown patches all over the body, accompanied by severe bone pain during flare-ups.


    ¡°Prepare for surgery. I¡¯ll be there immediately,¡± Fang Zhixu stood up. ¡°Also, ask the head nurse to arrange for colleagues to take care of my daughter.¡±


    He crouched down to talk to Tian Tian. ¡°Tian Tian, Daddy needs to go save someone. Will you be a good girl and wait for me to come back?¡±


    Tian Tian was a bit displeased, puffing her cheeks, but reluctantly agreed. She raised two soft fingers. ¡°Okay, but I want to eat two strawberry-flavored ice creams.¡±


    Fang Zhixu indulgently smiled, kissed Tian Tian¡¯s head, and gave her an extra scoop. ¡°Daddy will get you three, don¡¯t tell Mom.¡±


    Nai Wen¡¯s surgery lasted a full fifteen hours. Fang Zhixu was fully focused, racing against death, and managed to pull Nai Wen, who was on the brink of death, back from the brink. Just as he exited the operating room, exhausted, he collapsed and fell asleep on the floor.


    Tian Tian slept in the lounge for a while, and the next day, when Fang Zhixu hadn¡¯t returned, she snuck out, holding her doll, taking advantage of the nurses dozing off. VIP3¡­ Tian Tian faintly remembered this number. Dad must not have wanted to buy her ice cream, so he quietly hid here.


    Tian Tian finally found the place and was about to enter when she was intercepted by a fierce-looking mercenary at the door.


    ¡°Let her in,¡± a weak voice sounded from inside the ward.


    Nervously, Tian Tian went in. Not finding Fang Zhixu, she was startled upon seeing the person inside.


    The young man lying in the hospital gown on the bed was thin, nearly the same height as her. His eyes were incredibly dark and his left face bore a large brown mark, similar to a birthmark, which looked particularly frightening.


    Tian Tian clutched her doll tightly, terrified. She took small steps backward, trying to escape.


    Nai Wen stared fixedly at the little girl in front of him. He knew his illness was severe, having hovered near death countless times. He had been tormented to the point of being unable to bear it. His entire body was in excruciating pain. However, beneath that pain, there was another kind of hidden excitement silently spreading, as if telling him that all his suffering needed an outlet.

 Chapter 92.2: When the Roses Bloom (10)

    ¡ò Why do doctors save people? ¡òNai Wen forced a stiff smile and softly coaxed, ¡°Come here, I¡¯ll give you candy.¡±


    Tian Tian was well-educated; she didn¡¯t talk to strangers or accept things from them. She shook her head vigorously. ¡°No, I want to go.¡±


    She turned and dashed towards the ward¡¯s exit.


    ¡°Stop her!¡± Nai Wen commanded.


    The mercenaries, with their strong arms, pinned Tian Tian to the ground. Her doll fell, and Tian Tian cried out in fear.


    Nai Wen¡¯s voice was cold and light. ¡°I¡¯m in so much pain. Why am I the only one in such agony? Play with me, won¡¯t you?¡±


    Hearing the screams from inside, the mercenaries at the door seemed hesitant. ¡°Is this¡­ going too far¡­ even in the hospital?¡±


    Another person nearby said indifferently, ¡°It¡¯s the same everywhere. If you don¡¯t want to die, I¡¯d advise you not to meddle.¡±


    Under Mu City¡¯s influence, Nai Wen could act without restraint. Mu City¡¯s hierarchical system was twisted, and even if he committed further wrongdoings, he could be suppressed. He had done this kind of thing many times before. After all, regardless of the ruckus, someone would always cover it up for him.


    When Fang Zhixu woke up, he had a splitting headache.


    He propped himself up from the cold floor. The nap hadn¡¯t lasted long, less than an hour. But after nearly a day and night of standing at the operating table, even his robust body couldn¡¯t endure, so he succumbed to sleep for a short while.


    Rubbing his forehead, Fang Zhixu walked to the rest area. Just before he entered, he remembered something. He turned towards the hospital¡¯s downstairs supermarket and bought three boxes of strawberry-flavored ice cream.


    He didn¡¯t want to be a father who broke a promise.


    As he returned to the rest area, several hospital leaders were standing at the door, each with a worse expression than the other.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Don¡¯t worry, the surgery was very successful, everything will be fine,¡± Fang Zhixu smiled and attempted to open the door.


    ¡°Zhixu¡­¡± The hospital director placed a hand on his shoulder, preventing him from entering.


    ¡°Why?¡± Fang Zhixu was puzzled, lifting the bag in his hand. ¡°Let me in first. The ice cream is melting. Tian Tian will get angry again soon, and that little girl is not easy to appease.¡±


    ¡°Zhixu¡­¡± the hospital director repeated, tears streaming down his face.


    Suddenly, Fang Zhixu had a foreboding feeling.


    ¡­


    In the cold morgue, Fang Zhixu saw Tian Tian¡¯s body.


    A tattered doll was stuffed into her arms, her limbs broken, oddly reassembled, and her exposed skin filled with various bruises.


    Fang Zhixu¡¯s world collapsed.


    ¡°I will kill him!!!¡±


    People around him hurriedly held him back. Fang Zhixu, with bloodshot eyes, kept struggling, wrestling, and tearing, but was firmly restrained.


    The hospital director looked grave. ¡°Zhixu, Nai Kang from Mu City is here with the security forces, they have surrounded the entire hospital. There are troops stationed outside Tongwan. This incident has caused a diplomatic crisis, and the news of Tian Tian¡¯s murder has been temporarily suppressed.¡±


    ¡°Even if you rush out now, it won¡¯t help. It will only cost your life,¡± the director knew the next words were too cruel for Fang Zhixu, but he had to say them. ¡°The Magistrate¡¯s intention is¡­ you will still perform the surgeries, and he will personally oversee your work.¡±


    ¡°Get off me¡­ I will kill him, I will definitely kill him with my own hands!¡±


    Fang Zhixu was pinned to the ground, his head against the floor. His vision gradually blurred. ¡°I was wrong¡­ Tian Tian, Dad was wrong¡­¡±


    ¡°Dad, why do doctors save people?¡±


    ¡°Because that¡¯s our job.¡±


    ¡°What if they are bad people? Do you save them too?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because bad people are first humans, and then they¡¯re bad people. Doctors don¡¯t have the right to judge, but the law will punish the bad people.¡±


    But would the law really punish bad people?


    At least, not in Mu City.


    Fang Zhixu had raised a knife countless times, wanting to rush out and kill Nai Wen, but Nai Kang¡¯s men imprisoned him and forced him to operate on Nai Wen. Fang Zhixu refused to comply and spent numerous sleepless, painful nights in the dark lounge.


    Then, the end of the world came.


    Fang Zhixu was hit by a high fever. Having treated several individuals with special abilities, he knew secrets about awakening and a glimmer of hope ignited within him.


    ¡°As long as I awaken this ability, as long as I can awaken, no matter what ability it is, I will definitely kill them.¡±


    But reality dealt him a cruel blow.


    Fang Zhixu did awaken an ability, but it was the most useless ¨C a healing ability, capable only of saving lives. How ridiculous it seemed that when his heart was filled with hatred, fate demanded he continue to be a doctor, saving lives and aiding the dying.


    Three days after the apocalypse, there was an internal shift in Mu City, and Nai Kang left Tongwan with Nai Wen.


    Fang Zhixu regained his freedom and returned home, utterly lost. Upon opening the door, he found Zhang Wanyao, who had noticeably lost weight, waiting for him with a calm expression.


    ¡°Ah Yao¡­¡± Fang Zhixu murmured, reaching out to embrace her, his head resting on her neck as tears streamed down his face.


    ¡°Fang Zhixu, you killed your own daughter.¡± But this time, Zhang Wanyao pushed him away.


    Fang Zhixu froze in place. The equally haggard Zhang Wanyao handed him divorce papers.


    ¡°For these many days, what have you done? You couldn¡¯t even carry out your revenge. You¡¯re not worthy of being a father, or my husband.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t face you anymore. I want to move to another city and start over.¡±


    Fang Zhixu was too exhausted; his mind was not functioning properly. He reached out to grab her, ¡°That¡¯s not true, Ah Yao, I¡­¡±


    Zhang Wanyao evaded his touch and walked swiftly towards the door.


    ¡°You, Fang Zhixu¡­¡± Her back trembled, her words cold and harsh, ¡°No matter how much you suffer, you must live, spend the rest of your life atoning for Tian Tian.¡± S~?a??h the N?v?lFire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Fang Zhixu stood stunned for a few seconds, then stumbled out after her, but Zhang Wanyao was already gone.


    He wandered the streets like a lost soul. His final memory was of several zombies leaping towards him.


    ¡­


    ¡°Let him be for now.¡± Lin Youyou closed the door, leaving Fang Zhixu alone in the room, while the rest of the people remained silently in the living room.


    ¡°Nai Kang, damn it,¡± said Song Ke, enunciating each word.


    Was Nai Wen, the murderer of Tian Tian, deserving of death? Yes, but it was not easy to kill Nai Wen. The challenge was the magistrate of Mu City, Nai Kang, the ¡®tyrant,¡¯ who allowed his son¡¯s actions to go unpunished after the crime, utilizing military force to oppress and even demanding Fang Zhixu continue surgery for the killer, showing no regard for him as a human.


    Song Ke finally understood why Fang Zhixu and Zhang Wanyao often appeared absent-minded in her presence ¨C because the similar pear dimples reminded them of Tian Tian, that lovely little girl. Perhaps it was because of this that Zhang Wanyao took the initiative to help her.


    Irene touched the cannon in silence and said, ¡°Of the three warlords, Miao Lun and the General have the closest relationship. I initially thought she wanted to get close to Miao Lun, but now it seems¡­¡±


    Irene sighed silently and left the apartment, V587 resumed the meeting.


    ¡°Now, what do we do?¡± asked Song Ke. ¡°I think she¡¯s not lying to us.¡±


    Regarding Zhang Wanyao¡¯s words before she left, Song Ke believed her intentions were sincere. This matter was undoubtedly important, as she reminded them twice.


    ¡°Based on her meaning, Mu Qin¡¯s recruitment of the Guard Unit might not be related to the General, but rather to the refugees from Shaye,¡± Zhuang Qingyan pondered for a moment and made a decision, ¡°Let¡¯s temporarily hold the original plan. Next, we will monitor Mu Qin¡¯s movements and try to visit Shaye.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go, follow Mu Qin,¡± said Song Ke.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go to Shaye first,¡± Su Cha said, taking the initiative to take on the other task. He was the most suitable person for it.


    Shaye (District D88), Xiangang (District D90), and Emerald City (District D101) were large D-level cities surrounding Mu City. With Su Cha¡¯s skills as an A-level awakener, combined with his proficiency in stealth and concealment, they were not worried when he went alone.


    When evening came, Song Ke returned on time. Everyone waited until the early hours of the morning, but Su Cha was nowhere to be found.


    Lin Youyou¡¯s messages went unanswered, receiving no response. Su Cha never failed to reply to her messages before.


    ¡°Nothing bad would happen, right?¡± Lin Youyou expressed her concern.


    ¡°Should I go look for him?¡± Song Ke stood up.


    Suddenly, there was a loud ¡°thud¡± at the apartment door. The group turned their heads towards it, displaying alert expressions.


    Song Ke¡¯s palms slightly moved, conjuring a spiritual weapon dagger. With caution, they waited for a moment and then forcefully opened the door¡ª


    Su Cha was covered in blood. Despite holding on to open the door, his gaze was hazy. He managed to say, ¡°Shaye, there¡¯s¡­ there¡¯s¡­¡±


    He couldn¡¯t complete his sentence; he collapsed in a pool of blood.


    ¡°Su Cha!!¡± Song Ke quickly examined him. Su Cha had multiple cuts and wounds, with a fatal piercing wound in his abdomen, seemingly from a sword.

 Chapter 93: When the Roses Bloom (11)

    ¡ò Shaye! Shaye! ¡òSu Cha¡¯s face was as pale as paper, and his limbs were icy cold. Song Ke helped him, laid him flat, and checked his neck; his pulse was very weak.


    Lin Youyou dropped the terminal and rushed over, kneeling on the ground. Her expensive silk skirt soaked in blood, but she paid no attention. She wiped the blood off Su Cha¡¯s face, repeatedly calling his name, ¡°Su Cha, wake up.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan patted Xu Xing¡¯s back. ¡°Quick, go get Fang Zhixu.¡±


    Xu Xing, the only one available, turned and hurried to the guest room.


    Rising on tiptoes, before he could knock, Fang Zhixu had already heard the commotion from inside and came out.


    His eyes were faintly reddened, his mental state not too good, but he was already alert. Unlike before, he wasn¡¯t excessively indulging in sorrow. Observing the sudden situation at the door, Fang Zhixu briskly walked over and stood beside Song Ke.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take over.¡± Fang Zhixu gently took Su Cha, covering the most severe penetrating wound with his palm. A luminous white aura flowed out of his palm. The immediate concern was to stop the bleeding; otherwise, Su Cha might go into shock and die before further treatment.


    ¡°Prepare for surgery immediately. I need the following medications and tools¡­¡± Fang Zhixu, calm and composed, started listing the requirements clearly.


    Familiar with the process after Song Ke¡¯s previous incident, Lin Youyou and others swiftly acted.


    On the makeshift operating table, Fang Zhixu made precise incisions, preparing to cleanse Su Cha¡¯s wound. What surprised him was that although Su Cha¡¯s internal tissues were severely damaged, apart from the residual agitated spiritual power, there were no signs of infection.


    ¡°The wound wasn¡¯t caused by a physical object but by an ability,¡± Fang Zhixu whispered. ¡°The person who attacked Su Cha was quite decisive, striking in a single blow.¡±


    The group felt a heavy sense of concern. Given Su Cha¡¯s cautious nature, whoever managed to injure him was undoubtedly powerful.


    The stitching process wasn¡¯t too difficult, and Fang Zhixu swiftly finished. Removing his mask, he said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Su Cha has a good physical foundation. His unconsciousness is due to excessive blood loss. Rest for a night, and he¡¯ll wake up tomorrow.¡±


    Upon learning that Su Cha was not in critical condition, the group breathed a sigh of relief.


    Song Ke stood up abruptly and headed out.


    Zhuang Qingyan reacted swiftly, grabbing her wrist. ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°To Shaye.¡±


    ¡°The situation is still unclear¡­¡±


    Song Ke, dragging Zhuang Qingyan and the wheelchair, rushed forward stubbornly, like a determined calf, impossible to hold back.


    About to break free, Zhuang Qingyan exerted a little force, clasping her fingers tightly between his. ¡°Shaye is more dangerous than we expected, you¡­¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan was dragged forward another two meters. Tsk, the little girl is quite strong.


    ¡°I need to go back.¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s eyes blazed with an intense fire, but in fact, this nameless anger had ignited long ago. It started with the knowledge of the story between Zhang Wanyao and Fang Zhixu, and hearing about Tian Tian¡¯s encounters, and gradually intensifying with Su Cha¡¯s injury. The more it burned, the stronger it grew. Mu City¡­ Nai Kang¡­ this terrible, rotten place, these despicable people made Song Ke feel a rage she had never experienced before.


    She turned to face Zhuang Qingyan, not shaking off his hand but just looking at him, her stubborn eyes shining remarkably bright.


    Song Ke¡¯s life philosophy used to be simple: whoever bullied her, she fought back. Likewise, anyone who bullied her companions, she¡¯d definitely fight back.


    Zhuang Qingyan felt a pulse at his brow, instantly understanding he couldn¡¯t persuade her otherwise.


    He swiftly assessed the combat power of V587 and finally made a decision: ¡°Then let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    ¡°Plus Lu Xiaoyu and Xu Xing.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s mechanical arm nodded in place of him, rarely not objecting to Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s arrangement.


    ¡°You two stay behind to take care of Su Cha,¡± Zhuang Qingyan instructed Lin Youyou and Fang Zhixu.


    Three S-class awakeners, along with one B-class group-attack specialist, with this lineup, even if Shaye were a formidable opponent, they could take on the challenge.


    ¡°Get ready first, I¡¯ll talk to Fang Zhixu for a moment,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said.


    He scratched Song Ke¡¯s palm, calming her as if stroking a little cat¡¯s fur.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Song Ke, comforted, pulled Xu Xing¡¯s hand and left first.


    Once the door closed, Zhuang Qingyan turned to Fang Zhixu, ¡°Get me two doses of the sealant.¡±


    The sealant injection was a therapeutic drug improved with abilities by Fang Zhixu some time ago, containing a high-intensity mixture of radiation and anesthetic substances. It had a compulsory effect to suppress pain and promote nerve activity, enabling Zhuang Qingyan to stand up for a short time without relying on any external aid for his broken leg.


    However, this stimulating therapy had significant side effects. If administered improperly, it could cause irreversible damage to bones and muscles.


    In compliance, Fang Zhixu gave him two sealant doses, driven by his instincts as a doctor, and cautioned, ¡°This substance is still unstable. It¡¯s better not to use it. Even if you do, remember, a maximum of one dose within ten days. Overdosing could have unforeseeable consequences.¡±


    ¡°I understand, just in case.¡± Zhuang Qingyan subtly stashed the two sealant injections in his hand.


    ¡°Keep in touch at all times, if there¡¯s any news from Su Cha, immediately sync it with us.¡±


    ¡°Alright, take care of yourselves,¡± Lin Youyou nodded.


    *


    When Zhang Wanyao returned, there was a large group of private soldiers guarding Miao Lun¡¯s courtyard.


    Taking a glance, she intended to walk away but was intercepted by Hu Chao: ¡°The master wants you to wait inside.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m very tired and would like to rest first,¡± Zhang Wanyao said with a cold expression.


    ¡°The master said for you to wait inside,¡± Hu Chao remained unmoved.


    Zhang Wanyao lifted her steps to walk inside. Within the house, occasional cries of women echoed, the bamboo windows reflecting several tall, blurry figures¡ªthese were the awakeners.


    Miao Lun was just an ordinary person, particularly treasuring his life, and never straying more than five meters from others, not even shying away when doing those sorts of things.


    Intense nausea surged up in waves from her stomach. Zhang Wanyao suppressed the urge to vomit and stood expressionless in the courtyard, waiting.


    Different from newcomers like Mu Qin and Ruan Wenjun who rose to prominence through their own abilities in recent generations, Miao Lun¡¯s family had been military warlords in Mu City for generations. Their local power was deeply rooted, existing for a longer time than even the reign of generals. Many clandestine matters inconvenient for generals were completed through Miao Lun¡¯s hands. Hence, his personal relationship with the general was the closest among all the warlords.


    Miao Lun could secure a position among the top three warlords despite being an ordinary person, which revealed his deep cunning and ruthless methods.


    Although Mu Qin and Ruan Wenjun had gathered a large number of private soldiers, in terms of local influence, Miao Lun was second only to the general.


    Nearly half an hour passed before the commotion inside gradually subsided. The door opened, and a bloodstained young girl was dragged out. Zhang Wanyao wore only a simple skirt, feeling chilled to the bone, her lips frozen. As the girl passed by her, she suddenly moved, her bleeding nails accidentally catching Zhang Wanyao¡¯s skirt.


    ¡°Mengsao¡­¡± The girl seemed delirious, uttering these words before being heartlessly pulled away.


    In the Mu City language, ¡°Mengsao¡± meant ¡®little sister.¡¯ Zhang Wanyao hadn¡¯t seen her before and assumed she was another one ¡®acquired¡¯ by Miao Lun.


    ¡°Come in,¡± Miao Lun¡¯s voice rang out from inside.


    Zhang Wanyao diverted her gaze and slowly moved inside.


    Miao Lun¡¯s collar was open, exhaling smoke leisurely, with Godanwei standing behind, a compliant and agreeable look on his face.


    ¡°Come, come here.¡±


    Zhang Wanyao sat at Miao Lun¡¯s feet, with Miao Lun pressing her shoulder with the palm of his hand holding a cigarette. He pushed her down until her forehead touched the cold floor, assuming a reverent posture of submission, the waistline bent, akin to a devout bow.


    ¡°Do you know why I favor you?¡± Miao Lun asked.


    Zhang Wanyao remained silent, aware that Miao Lun wasn¡¯t actually seeking an answer.


    ¡°It¡¯s because you are obedient, compliant, and intelligent. You know what to do and what not to do. I can give you some privileges to occasionally act willfully, but crossing the line won¡¯t be good.¡±


    The scorching cigarette ash dropped down, leaving shallow burns on Zhang Wanyao¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°From now on, you shouldn¡¯t meet anyone from Western Street, okay?¡± Miao Lun¡¯s command made Zhang Wanyao¡¯s heart skip a beat. Miao Lun knew she had met with Irene, and perhaps he also knew about her assistance to Song Ke yesterday.


    ¡®Not good! The other people in that apartment¡­¡¯


    Zhang Wanyao panicked for a moment but quickly composed herself. Judging from Miao Lun¡¯s current reaction, he was merely warning her to stay away from people from Western Street. He probably didn¡¯t know their true identities. Someone as arrogant as him wouldn¡¯t bother about insignificant individuals.


    ¡°¡­Yes,¡± Zhang Wanyao murmured softly.


    Miao Lun smiled, exhaled smoke, and contentedly admired the helpless rose at his feet.


    *


    In the Western Street, Irene walked alone on the road.


    A notification sound ¡°beep beep¡± chimed on her device, a video call from her teammates in Ferrara.


    Irene answered, greeted by several bright and cheerful faces on the other end.


    ¡°Irene, we¡¯re watching the Rainbow Band¡¯s concert!¡±


    ¡°Look, look! There are fireworks and even flower boats, so beautiful.¡±


    ¡°Ferrara is really nice, I wish I could stay here forever¡­¡±


    These girls, all taken out of Mu City by Irene over the past half-year, were without exception, all awakeners. For ordinary people, especially women, leaving Mu City was as difficult as reaching the sky.


    ¡°Irene, when are you coming back?¡±


    ¡°We really miss you¡­¡±


    Irene abruptly placed her device down with teary eyes, hastily wiping away tears with her incomplete right arm.


    ¡°I¡¯ll definitely come back before the match,¡± she answered with a smile a few seconds later.


    Just after ending the video call, she heard commotion ahead. Her eyes turned cold as she quickened her pace.


    ¡°Marsha, you¡¯ve been conscripted. Come with us immediately.¡±


    Several private soldiers dragged a girl from a house. Marsha¡¯s parents followed but were ruthlessly knocked down.


    ¡°No, let me go! I¡¯m not going!!¡± Marsha struggled desperately.


    Crack!


    A slap struck Marsha¡¯s face, causing her braids to scatter, and the arrogant private soldier showed no remorse.


    ¡°Just a mere lowly commoner, being able to join Lord Miao Lun¡¯s ¡®Rose Army,¡¯ you should feel honored,¡± he sneered.


    ¡°Don¡¯t waste words, just knock her out and take her away.¡±


    Irene leaped onto the rooftop, positioned herself, switching her weapon to a Barrett M82A1 sniper rifle, slowly aiming at the heads of a few individuals.


    Marsha was still resisting: ¡°You¡¯ve already taken my sister, I absolutely won¡¯t go with you!¡±


    The private soldiers grew impatient and were about to act.


    Bang! A mild sound emitted from the silencer-equipped barrel.


    A flash occurred as bullets infused with awakened energy precisely struck the bodies of the private soldiers, tearing them apart instantly.


    Hot blood splattered all over Marsha, leaving her stunned.


    Irene leaped down from the rooftop and approached her with light footsteps. It was only when she emerged partially from the shadows that Marsha exclaimed in a daze, ¡°Irene.¡± S?a??h the N?v?lFire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Most people in the Western Street knew this ¡®Sly Fox.¡¯


    Marsha rushed into her arms and wept, ¡°Sister, they took her away. Irene, can you take me with you too?¡±


    Irene patted Marsha¡¯s head, ¡°I¡¯ve killed their men. It won¡¯t be long before they find out. It¡¯s not safe for you to be with me.¡±


    Marsha looked despairing, ¡°Then what should I do? I absolutely won¡¯t go with them.¡±


    Irene pondered, ¡°You should go to Xiangang and find Samuel. It might be tough facing zombies every day, but at least no one will force you to do things you don¡¯t want to do. Are you willing?¡±


    ¡°Yeah!¡± Marsha nodded through her tears.


    ¡°Um, excuse me¡­¡± a hesitant voice came from the street corner.


    Irene immediately raised her gun, aiming at the newcomer.


    A man in his early twenties jumped out from the alley, raising his hands sincerely. His face looked somewhat familiar, seemingly also from the Western Street.


    ¡°You¡¯re the Sly Fox, right? I¡¯ve heard so much about you. I¡¯m Kansu, I joined the freelance mercenaries two months ago. I really admire you¡­¡±


    Irene¡¯s expression turned stern, but she eased the pressure on the sniper rifle.


    ¡°Just a moment!¡± Kansu realized he was talking too much and began sweating profusely, ¡°I mean no harm, I just returned to the city and overheard your conversation, wanted to give you a heads up.¡±


    ¡°A heads up about what?¡± Irene asked coldly.


    Kansu scratched his head, ¡°You probably can¡¯t go to Samuel anymore. I just came from there, and this morning he officially declared his alliance with Shaye¡­¡±

 Chapter 94: When the Roses Bloom (12)

    ¡ò Another S-level ¡òDistrict D88, Shaye.


    Before the apocalypse, it was a somewhat famous heavy industrial city, serving as a satellite city of District C55, Mu City, alongside Xiangang, a city developing the marine industry, and Emerald City, which mined rare ores. It played a role in diverting the population and supplying a considerable amount of resources to Mu City.


    Due to the excessive development of industries like steel, petroleum, and chemicals, Shaye suffered severe environmental pollution. The sky was constantly hazy, and the streets and buildings were enveloped in darkness, resulting in very low visibility.


    Song Ke and the other three quickly moved forward, occasionally encountering zombies along the way, swiftly dispatching them with their blades.


    By this time, it was approaching the early hours of the morning. As they moved closer from the outskirts of Shaye, traces of gunfire and residual smoke could be seen along the way. Various houses destroyed by supernatural powers, roads and bridges blown apart, piles of zombies and human bodies formed small mountains, creating a gruesome and heart-wrenching sight.


    As they approached the city center of Shaye, the situation slightly improved. The areas destroyed were significantly reduced. Song Ke¡¯s ears twitched slightly as she faintly caught sounds of people from an abandoned steel plant. She gestured to her companions, and Zhuang Qingyan and the others immediately understood, proceeding cautiously.


    They initially thought they had encountered fleeing refugees, but the situation was vastly different from what they had anticipated.


    Approximately twenty or so supernatural individuals gathered together, mainly judged to be C-level and D-level based on their supernatural abilities. They were organized, with a rational division of labor, actively hunting down a group of zombie-like creatures following a coordinated command. Various supernatural abilities shimmered one after another, and with everyone¡¯s concerted efforts, the monstrous group was efficiently eliminated. A few ordinary individuals emerged from the group¡¯s rear, skillfully clearing the battlefield and collecting the fallen crystals.


    ¡°They¡¯re organized and disciplined, not ordinary refugees,¡± Zhuang Qingyan analyzed calmly.


    After clearing the area, the group of refugees began to head back.


    ¡°Let¡¯s follow them,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said softly, adjusting the wheelchair to a quieter mode.


    Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s mechanical arm extended, lifting off the ground and transitioning into a walking mode. Song Ke and Xu Xing held their breath, cautiously trailing behind.


    After about half an hour of tracking the refugees, the four of them arrived at a camp. Calling it a camp might not be entirely accurate; while Samuel¡¯s type of establishment might occupy a few large buildings and could be called a camp, the scale of this steel forest before them had reached the standards of a stronghold or ¡°base.¡± At the top of the outpost in front of the base, two rows of massive, glaring searchlights rotated, leaving no room for any intruders.


    With their stealthy agility, even a spy like Su Cha would be injured here. Song Ke became even more cautious, not daring to take anything lightly.


    She tightly gripped the spiritual short sword in her palm and took a few slow steps forward. Suddenly, a strong sense of impending danger descended, causing Song Ke¡¯s entire body to bristle with alarm!


    Even though she hadn¡¯t touched anything around her, it felt as if she had stepped into an invisible restricted area. The flowing psychic energy swept over them like a tidal wave, grazing above their heads. The two rows of searchlights ¡°click-clicked¡± accurately towards them, freezing their position in the spotlight.


    This was bad; it was a detection-type ability!


    Almost simultaneously, a piercing alarm rang out, and over a dozen awakeners leaped down from the outpost, swiftly rushing towards them.


    Zhuang Qingyan immediately issued a command: ¡°Xu Xing, take five steps back, and release ice at the ten o¡¯clock position.¡±


    Xu Xing hurriedly ran backward on his short legs, releasing ice shards as directed, slowing down the opponent¡¯s initial assault.


    Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s six arms moved in unison, launching a rapid attack with a code wall of 101010, seizing the opportunity to block the opponents¡¯ retreat and attempt to capture them.


    Seeing that they could manage, Song Ke cautiously charged into the enemy formation.


    Her short sword danced in her hand as she engaged with four or five people in front of her. These awakeners were formidable, and their attacks were ruthless. However, when confronted head-on with Song Ke¡¯s aggressive assault, they found themselves at a disadvantage. She wielded her sword, forcing one of the awakeners to retreat, exerting a dominant awakened energy to suppress them. The opponent hesitated, showing a clear vulnerability, which Song Ke exploited, swiftly toppling them with a kick.


    A gust of wind blades came from behind. Song Ke dodged to the side, but just as she avoided it, the ground beneath her began to tremble violently, cracking on both sides. She had to reach out to steady herself. Simultaneously, three other awakeners leaped into the air, hurling numerous dark-colored energy clusters towards her face.


    Song Ke¡¯s eyes narrowed. Her spiritual short sword transformed for a second time, extending into a three-foot-long sword, emitting a surging sword aura as she swung it backward.


    ¡°Beep-beep¡ª¡±


    Xu Xing¡¯s terminal suddenly lit up. The little guy glanced at it, widened his eyes, and quickly handed it to Zhuang Qingyan.


    Zhuang Qingyan lowered his gaze. The voice message from Lin Youyou was extremely urgent.


    ¡°Where are you? Su Cha¡¯s awake. He said there¡¯s an S-level awakener in Shaye. Be careful!!¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s sword aura shattered not only the dark energy clusters but also ended the attack from the three awakeners. As they scrambled to fall from mid-air, she seized the opportunity to counter-attack, aiming to strike the enemy¡¯s throat when¡ª


    A sudden change occurred!


    Thousands of golden runes descended from the sky, encircling Song Ke. In the thick mist, a deep and ethereal chanting began to echo.


    ¡°Heaven and Earth¡¯s Mystical Ancestry, the origin of all energy, honed through countless eons, proving my divine abilities.¡±


    In the blink of an eye, the runes vanished, transforming into innumerable golden sword lights, carrying the might of thunder and storm, all directed at Song Ke to strike her down.


    ¡°Multitudes of Gods, pay homage, wield the thunder, instill fear in the evil and banish the supernatural beings.¡±


    This was¡­ the Golden Light Divine Curse! These runes were driven by supernatural abilities! S?a??h th? N?v?lF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Song Ke¡¯s mind and spirit shook entirely; the power of the supernatural runes was immense and could obliterate anything it struck. Being hit by them was no laughing matter!


    The ground continued to tremble under her feet, and the surrounding awakeners were watching her closely. Caught in a pincer attack, Song Ke had no choice but to evasively dodge the omnipresent golden light. She rolled and tumbled into a pile of debris, finding abandoned steel bars. In an instant, she conjured a huge shield to block all those swords. Due to the impact, Song Ke was pushed back for several meters within the debris before managing to halt her steps.


    Amidst the dust and debris, a tall man wearing a black Taoist robe, his face obscured within the hood, strolled leisurely.


    ¡°Qiong Qi!¡± the awakeners surrounding Song Ke shouted his name. ¡°These people trespassed the restricted zone and attacked first.¡±


    ¡°Ruan Wenjun sure has many dogs, they all come sniffing after the scent.¡±


    The dust filled her lungs, leaving Song Ke coughing uncontrollably, her face covered in ash and dirt.


    The man in the hood remained silent for a moment, then suddenly formed hand seals. His middle and ring fingers touched, index, little finger, and thumb extended and aligned, then split upper and lower. He raised the golden seal to his forehead, and behind him, the thunderous roar of the void once again flashed with lightning.


    The second round of rune attack was about to descend.


    ¡°No, I can¡¯t let him unleash it!¡±


    Certainly, Song Ke wouldn¡¯t just sit and wait for doom. She thrust her long sword forward, decisively interrupting his hand seals.


    Unexpectedly, the man was adept at close combat as well. For dozens of rounds, Song Ke sparred with him. Despite his techniques seemingly inferior, he remained composed, patiently seeking opportunities for a counter-attack.


    In the midst of their engagement, Song Ke felt a strange familiarity, as if she had fought against this person countless times.


    Harnessing her core strength, she abruptly altered her fighting style, launching a swift upward thrust. The man couldn¡¯t evade in time, and the fierce sword wind tore through half of his hood, briefly revealing the side of his face.


    Black hair, black eyes, sharp eyebrows, a distinctive jawline, lips tightly pursed, making him seem unapproachable.


    Song Ke¡¯s mind went blank for a moment. ¡°You¡­ are Senior Brother?¡±


    He abruptly stopped, staring at her in silence and vigilance.


    Song Ke belatedly realized and hastily used her sleeve to vigorously wipe her face. Just a moment ago, she had fallen into the debris and was utterly filthy. After removing the dirt and grime from her face, she lifted her head, revealing her clean, fair face.


    ¡°You are¡­ Song Ke?¡±


    The man stopped drawing symbols mid-air behind his back and slowly called out her name.


    Song Ke took a step forward, akin to a nimble swallow, pleasantly calling out again, ¡°Senior Brother!¡±


    Zhang Ci responded, taking off his hood and looking down at her. ¡°It¡¯s me.¡±


    ¡°Everyone, cease your actions.¡±


    He then turned and issued the command, prompting the awakeners to immediately stop.


    ¡°It seems Song Ke knows this S-level; we don¡¯t need to fight,¡± remarked Lu Xiaoyu, retracting his six mechanical arms and calmly returning to his wheelchair.


    Zhuang Qingyan lightly tapped the wheelchair with his fingertips and discreetly glanced over.


    After Zhang Ci said something, Song Ke began vigorously brushing off the dirt from her body, accidentally choking herself, leading to severe coughing. Zhang Ci reached out to help brush her off.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s movement halted abruptly, his dangerous almond-shaped eyes narrowing.


    Zhang Ci sensed something keenly, abruptly raising his head to look in the distance, where a man in a wheelchair was staring back.


    ¡°Your person?¡± Zhang Ci asked.


    ¡°Huh? Yes, he¡¯s mine, a companion,¡± Song Ke replied, turning her head to happily wave Zhuang Qingyan and the others over.


    Zhang Ci¡¯s gaze returned to her. ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    Song Ke recalled the incident with Su Cha, about to speak, when another group jumped down from the watchtower, emanating a chaotic psychic disturbance. Astonishingly, they were all A or B-level awakeners. The leader among them yelled arrogantly, ¡°Where¡¯s Ruan? Hurry up and die!!¡±


    As they approached, these individuals abruptly hit the brakes, their faces shocked as they looked towards Zhang Ci and Song Ke.


    ¡°Oh my, I¡¯m not dreaming, am I? Is this an illusion?¡±


    ¡°You, Junior Sister!¡± Mo Yan, who was shouting earlier, leaped in front of Song Ke, excitedly pinching her face, only to receive a disdainful punch from Song Ke.


    All these people were the elites taken from Yue Mountain Martial Arts School by Zhang Ci at the time, originally headed to participate in the Azure Pheonix assessment. After the apocalypse, they lost contact and unexpectedly encountered each other today.


    Song Ke, with a serious expression, brought up the matter at hand, ¡°Senior Brother, why did you injure Su Cha?¡±


    ¡°Who is Su Cha?¡± Zhang Ci asked in response.


    ¡°Su Cha is my companion, skilled in concealment. He returned from Shaye yesterday, heavily injured.¡± Song Ke gestured to the wound on her abdomen.


    Several of the first awakeners who had jumped down spoke up, ¡°Qiong Qi, is she talking about the person who appeared simultaneously with Ruan¡¯s spy?¡±


    ¡°That guy¡¯s quite a fighter; we couldn¡¯t stop him. It was you who personally intercepted him,¡± another said.


    Song Ke was taken aback. These people referred to Zhang Ci as ¡°Qiong Qi.¡±


    Could it be that Zhang Ci, her Senior Brother, was the same Qiong Qi, the leader of the refugees in Shaye, the one who had the three warlords and generals in a bind?


    Zhang Ci quickly remembered the awakener he fought against yesterday.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry; it seems it was a mistake. The situation was chaotic at the time, and he almost infiltrated the base. I thought he was sent by Ruan Wenjun.¡±


    Realizing his attack might not have been light, even if the other party managed to survive, the situation might not be optimistic. Zhang Ci continued, ¡°There¡¯s a B-level healer in the base. Bring him over.¡±


    ¡°No need. Su Cha is currently unable to move,¡± came the cold voice of Zhuang Qingyan from behind the two.


    Zhang Ci and Song Ke turned to look, finding Zhuang Qingyan reclining lazily in the wheelchair, his eyes filled with a smiling glint. ¡°Qiong Qi, right? Can I make a suggestion? Since we can¡¯t exactly call each other enemies, there¡¯s no need for this many people to surround us. Let¡¯s discuss matters in a more appropriate setting.¡±


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Zhang Ci maintained his expression.


    ¡°Me? Just an ordinary researcher,¡± Zhuang Qingyan replied with a smile.


    Song Ke shot him a wordless glance, wondering why this person was being theatrical again.


    Zhang Ci glanced at Song Ke, recalling her mention of a ¡°companion,¡± and nodded slightly. ¡°Let¡¯s discuss inside the base.¡±


    After tidying up the area a bit, the group made their way towards the gate of the base.


    Mo Yan affectionately draped his arm over Song Ke¡¯s shoulder. Since he couldn¡¯t pinch her face, he settled for ruffling her hair.


    ¡°Little Junior Sister, you traveled a thousand miles just to chase your husband here? Determined to become Zhang Ci¡¯s bride?¡± he teased.


    Song Ke¡¯s smile instantly dropped, ¡°No, that¡¯s not it!¡±


    Mo Yan winked at her, ¡°I understand, I understand, shy are we? Look at Zhang Ci, so thick-skinned, never refuting.¡±


    Zhang Ci glanced at Mo Yan, unable to comprehend why these people could keep the same joke going for over a decade.


    Behind the group, Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s wheelchair stopped abruptly without warning.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Lu Xiaoyu asked.


    ¡°Nothing.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu glanced at Song Ke, who was getting her head ruffled in the crowd, and Zhang Ci, who had an upright back, then turned to look at Zhuang Qingyan. The face that usually bore a false smile was now devoid of expression, faintly exuding a hint of the arrogance and rudeness of youth.


    As Lu Xiaoyu observed, a light bulb flickered in his emotionally detached brain.


    ¡°Hah,¡± he let out a cold laugh.

 Chapter 95: When the Roses Bloom (13)

    ¡ò Hurry and bring my sister back! ¡òThe exterior of the Shaye base resembled a crouched fierce beast, constructed from reinforced concrete at the base. The active areas primarily concentrated about thirty meters above the ground, seemingly impregnable, like a fortress designed for both battle and defense.


    Passing several swaying iron suspension bridges, Song Ke arrived at the giant maw opened by the beast, the main entrance to the base. The steel gates slowly opened, revealing the full view of the Shaye base before her eyes.


    Unexpectedly, it was bustling inside, vibrant and full of life, permeated with the atmosphere of everyday living.


    Children ran and played on the main streets, young women occasionally glanced around, mostly bowing their heads to focus on sewing and repairing. Under the eaves of adjacent buildings, red chili peppers hung alongside fragrant smoked meats. Various levels of empowered individuals moved through the streets, gathering in groups, preparing to go out hunting.


    Seeing Zhang Ci and the others returning, people greeted them warmly.


    ¡°It¡¯s Uncle Qiong Qi! Uncle Qiong Qi is so amazing!¡± The children excitedly gathered around. S?a??h th? ??v?l_Fir?.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°You¡¯re back. Nothing happened outside, right?¡± a passing awakener casually asked.


    ¡°Axiang has prepared breakfast for everyone. Hurry and eat, don¡¯t let your stomachs go hungry,¡± an elderly lady cautioned worriedly.


    Although Zhang Ci was not one to smile or speak much, people in the base, upon seeing him, respectfully nodded to him, exuding a sense of closeness from within. The atmosphere here was completely different from that of Mu City¡¯s. Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters mingled with others comfortably, chatting and laughing, faintly reminding Song Ke of her time in the martial arts school.


    This had been the case since the past. Zhang Ci possessed a unique demeanor, and whatever he said or did always seemed to gain people¡¯s trust. Coupled with his mature demeanor and steady actions, despite his young age, he was universally acknowledged as the ¡°Big Senior Brother.¡±


    Several tall observation towers stood atop the base. One of them was half-collapsed, charred by artillery fire, and a huge crane lay fallen on the ground, creating a deep crater. Following Song Ke¡¯s gaze, Zhang Ci explained, ¡°These past few days, I¡¯ve been clashing with Ruan Wenjun, causing mutual injuries.¡±


    Another senior brother, Fan Yiwen, in his thirties, sneered, ¡°Just thinking about it brings bad luck. Recently, Ruan has gone mad, biting at us like a crazed dog, the fighting seems endless.¡±


    Ruan Wenjun has been relentlessly attacking Shaye these past two days?


    Song Ke paused in her steps, recalling the reddish-blue crystal from the Hero Banquet.


    Suddenly feeling a pang of guilt, she honestly confessed the whole story to them, suspecting that Ruan Wenjun might have put the blame on Shaye for the trouble caused by the stolen Level 3 zombie crystal.


    Upon hearing her explanation, everyone fell into a moment of speechlessness. ¡°Well, little junior sister, shall we take the blame for you?¡± someone joked.


    ¡°Who taught you these mischiefs? Return my innocent little junior sister!¡± Mo Yan covered his mouth, pretending to be deeply distressed. ¡°Junior sister, your actions have brought disaster upon us, causing the loss of an observation tower. Hey, Zhang Ci, aren¡¯t you going to intervene?¡±


    Zhang Ci remained unbiased and made a fair judgment. ¡°If I remember correctly, it was you who deviated the tower with your abilities. If you want me to intervene, then you¡¯ll be responsible for repairing it.¡±


    ¡°Biased! How can our big senior brother be so biased!¡± Mo Yan was hopping mad.


    ¡°Haha, Mo Yan, are you daft? You want Zhang Ci to arbitrate for you?¡± A senior sister teased.


    Knowing each other for over a decade, Song Ke knew they were all just joking, without any ill intentions, joining in their laughter.


    The front was lively and bustling, while the rear was quiet and empty.


    Xu Xing ruffled his own curly hair into a mess, muttering discontentedly, ¡°Sister was taken away¡­¡±


    Growing increasingly agitated, he clenched his fists and shouted at the man in the wheelchair, ¡°Hey, she¡¯s been taken away by someone. Aren¡¯t you the most capable? Hurry and bring my sister back!¡±


    ¡°Did you hear that? Bring her back,¡± mocked Lu Xiaoyu, playfully mimicking pulling actions with the two mechanical arms behind his back.


    Zhuang Qingyan: ¡°¡­¡± Just shut up.


    ¡­


    It was breakfast time, and Zhang Ci led them to the cafeteria. As they were among their own, there weren¡¯t many formalities. Just like in the martial arts school days, everyone casually grabbed their breakfast and found a place to sit, engaging in casual conversation.


    ¡°Senior brother, how did you become Qiong Qi?¡± Song Ke finally found an opportunity to ask.


    ¡°It¡¯s a long story,¡± Zhang Ci slowly began to explain.


    After leaving the Yue Mountain Martial Arts School, Zhang Ci and his group hurried to District B to participate in Azure Phoenix¡¯s assessment. Along the way, one after another, team members fell ill with a fever, forcing them to stop and recuperate. Once everyone had passed through the fever and awakened to their miraculous abilities, the existence of awakeners was no longer a secret. The impending doomsday arrived inevitably, with zombies and ferocious beasts everywhere, city transportation paralyzed, societal order collapsing, and every step forward becoming exceptionally difficult.


    As the team captain, Zhang Ci had to contemplate future plans: should they continue northwards to the base and follow the original plan to take the Azure Phoenix assessment, or should they turn back and slowly build their strength at Yue Mountain?


    Quickly, he made a decision. They wouldn¡¯t proceed forward. Zhang Ci had a premonition that the world had changed. The current Alliance was undergoing significant upheaval, and joining Azure Phoenix no longer held any significance. Since they had already awakened their abilities, they should take control of their own destiny.


    ¡°After returning to Yue Mountain, we found twenty-three graves. We didn¡¯t know what had happened, so we had to open each one to investigate,¡± Zhang Ci recalled the feelings of that time. Dark clouds loomed overhead, everyone¡¯s expressions were somber and heavy. Witnessing all the martial arts school students turning into zombies was a hard reality for everyone to swallow.


    ¡°Master, Song En, and the others¡­,¡± Song Ke choked up. Finally, the day arrived when she told Zhang Ci about what happened at the academy, including having to kill her fellow students.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t do anything wrong,¡± Zhang Ci assured her. ¡°If he¡­ was still around, he wouldn¡¯t blame you.¡±


    Although it had always been rumored within the school that Zhang Ci was Zhang Ting¡¯s biological son, their relationship was not particularly good. Zhang Ci had always been a role model for all the students. Master had particularly high expectations of him; if anyone made a mistake, he would be the one punished. Zhang Ci, in essence, received the most punishment.


    Zhang Ci spoke in a grave tone, ¡°When you arrived at the school, he¡­ had already passed away, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, there was a hole in his chest,¡± Song Ke described the scene vividly based on her memory.


    Zhang Ci fell silent, deep in thought.


    ¡°Senior brother, what happened afterward?¡± Song Ke couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    ¡°Afterward¡­¡±


    After leaving Yue Mountain for the second time, they continued wandering, passing by numerous shelters and camps established by awakeners but never settling in one. It was during their journey through Shaye that Zhang Ci rescued a group of refugees who had escaped from Mu City. Due to his formidable strength and growing reputation, more and more people gradually pledged their allegiance to him. From leading dozens of individuals, he expanded to hundreds, then thousands, and now as the leader of over tens of thousands of refugees.


    In this post-apocalyptic world where strength reigns supreme, Zhang Ci¡¯s reputation with his awakened S-level runic abilities spread far and wide. He remained undefeated. Under his leadership, the Shaye base grew increasingly powerful, to the extent that it began to challenge the foundation of Mu City, causing the despotic ruler Nai Kang and the three warlords to take notice.


    Meanwhile, Zhang Ci himself had become the dreaded ¡°Qiong Qi.¡±


    Having finished recounting their group¡¯s experiences, Zhang Ci lowered his head and looked at Song Ke.


    ¡°And what about you? How did you end up here?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Song Ke hesitated, rarely finding herself in such a dilemma.


    V587¡¯s sole purpose in coming to Mu City was to assassinate the magistrate, Nai Kang. But this matter was too extraordinary. Her senior brothers and sisters were dealing with Ruan Wenjun¡¯s pursuit, protecting the Shaye base and the refugees. Their situation was already dire. Did she really need to burden them with this additional worry?


    Song Ke struggled to make a decision. Subconsciously, she turned her head, seeking out Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s position and used her eyes to ask for help: Should she reveal her purpose?


    Zhuang Qingyan ignored her, completely unmoved.


    Song Ke thought that Zhuang Qingyan didn¡¯t understand her at first, she widened her eyes as she began using her fingers to gesture.


    Zhuang Qingyan sighed in his heart, ¡®This heartless little thing who couldn¡¯t tell the difference between east and west after a few words of coaxing from others.¡¯ At least she finally thought to ask for his opinion. He nodded slightly.


    With his response, Song Ke turned back and honestly said, ¡°Senior brother, I want to kill Nai Kang.¡±


    The others were utterly shocked. ¡°Oh my, little junior sister, you¡¯re even more audacious than Zhang Ci!¡±


    ¡°Your ambition is way too big, isn¡¯t it? Are you planning to become a magistrate on your own?¡±


    ¡°Talk aside, don¡¯t take it seriously, if the magistrate of District C dies, there will definitely be big trouble!¡±


    Zhang Ci didn¡¯t immediately speak up. His gaze shifted from the small actions of the two individuals and he furrowed his brows.


    While the senior brothers and sisters were in the midst of advising and persuading Song Ke, Zhang Ci subtly nodded towards Fan Yiwen.


    Fan Yiwen immediately stood up, ¡°Hey, little junior sister, Rita doesn¡¯t know you¡¯re here yet. She¡¯s leading a team on patrol outside. Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll take you to find her.¡±


    Rita, her senior sister, is also in Shaye?


    Song Ke¡¯s eyes sparkled, ¡°Okay!¡±


    As Song Ke followed Fan Yiwen out, there was a sudden shift in the atmosphere within the cafeteria. The senior brothers and sisters, who were just laughing moments ago, almost instantly altered their expressions. Each one turned around, some clenched their fists, some folded their arms, quietly encircling the trio of Zhuang Qingyan.


    Seated in the center, Zhang Ci adjusted his robe¡¯s sleeve cuffs and abruptly spoke, ¡°May I ask your name?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan calmly smiled, ¡°I¡¯m Zhuang Qingyan.¡±


    ¡°Where are you from?¡± Zhang Ci continued to inquire.


    ¡°I¡¯m not really from anywhere, I come from the Qinglan Research Institute,¡± replied Zhuang Qingyan calmly.


    ¡®No records of origin? That would mean he¡¯s a refugee, right?¡¯ Zhang Ci¡¯s brow furrowed even more.


    ¡°Although Song Ke mentioned that you are her companions, there are some things I¡¯d like to confirm. If there is any offense, please forgive me,¡± Zhang Ci said.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Zhuang Qingyan raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°Just what you¡¯re thinking. Song Ke doesn¡¯t have any family now. I¡­ we have a responsibility to take care of her. We cannot let her be used to do risky things for dubious individuals,¡± Zhang Ci made a hand gesture, and a serene-faced woman emerged from behind him, ¡°Bai Ruotong, an A-level awakener with the ability to detect lies in the mind.¡±


    ¡°What, are you going to interrogate me?¡± Zhuang Qingyan smirked.


    ¡°Not an interrogation, just a simple inquiry,¡± Zhang Ci said.


    Zhuang Qingyan remained composed, leisurely leaning back in his wheelchair. Despite his physical condition, he still exuded an air of calm and elegance, smiling as if the moon had nestled in his embrace.


    ¡°Alright, then come at me,¡± he replied.

 Chapter 96: When the Roses Bloom (14)

    ¡ò Officially declaring war ¡òBai Ruotong took a step forward and sat across from Zhuang Qingyan.


    Ripples appeared in her pupils as layers of spiritual energy turned into a gentle stream, carefully sensing the emotional fluctuations of the other party.


    ¡°When did you meet Song Ke?¡±


    ¡°Seven months ago.¡±


    ¡°Was assassinating Nai Kang your idea?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Have you ever used manipulation, suggestion, or instigation to influence her thoughts?¡±


    ¡°Never.¡±


    Bai Ruotong furrowed her brow. Ordinary awakeners, when facing a mind-reading ability, would show signs of nervousness or agitation, but this person seemed like a calm, undisturbed body of water. She couldn¡¯t discern any clues.


    Was he just exceptionally skilled at lying, deceiving even himself? Or did he secretly construct a mental barrier, blocking her detection?


    Determined, Bai Ruotong released her ability to the fullest. The trickles of energy transformed into a surging river, intending to break through and forcibly enter Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s mind to extract information. However, as soon as she conceived this idea, she abruptly collided with a cold mental force. ¡°Bang!¡± Like a giant hammer wildly pounding in her mind, her clear consciousness instantly blurred for two seconds.


    ¡°What¡­ What is your purpose in traveling with Song Ke?¡± Bai Ruotong gritted her teeth.


    ¡°No specific purpose. After she saved me, we acted together,¡± Zhuang Qingyan replied calmly.


    ¡°Have you ever lied to her from start to finish?¡± Bai Ruotong¡¯s body swayed.


    Zhuang Qingyan smirked, no trace of amusement in his eyes. ¡°How do you define ¡®lying¡¯?¡±


    Bai Ruotong¡¯s cold sweat increased. Although she was the one questioning, the man in front of her remained composed. Her psychic ability was completely suppressed, immobilizing her. His mental strength was evidently higher than hers.


    Bai Ruotong was suddenly alarmed, and a dreadful speculation surged in her mind: could he be¡­


    ¡°Ruotong, stop it.¡± Zhang Ci drew a calming symbol in the air, and it flew towards Bai Ruotong. She suddenly snapped back to reality, gasping for breath.


    ¡°Are you S-level?¡± Zhang Ci asked coldly.


    ¡°Indeed, I am.¡± Zhuang Qingyan smiled.


    As soon as the words fell, two powerful S-level auras were simultaneously released, colliding head-on.


    The expressions of the onlookers changed, and they quickly retreated, distancing themselves from the center of the confrontation. Tables, chairs, bowls, and chopsticks clattered to the ground.


    In the midst of the chaos, the only one unaffected, Lu Xiaoyu, sarcastically commented, ¡°If you¡¯re going to fight, can you please consider how others might feel?¡±


    Zhang Ci and Zhuang Qingyan fell silent, both retracting their auras.


    Zhang Ci knew he wouldn¡¯t get much from Zhuang Qingyan, so he turned his head to look at the other two. He glanced at Lu Xiaoyu, who was calmly continuing his meal as if nothing happened, and then fixed his composed gaze on Xu Xing.


    Xu Xing was at a loss for words. He knew it! In V587, he was considered the weakest, and now he was likely to be taken advantage of again.


    At a critical moment, Zhuang Qingyan cleared his throat twice, attracting everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°Can I say a few words?¡± he asked.


    Zhang Ci nodded faintly, ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    ¡°You deny Song Ke¡¯s ideas, probably due to concerns. But why not, in turn, seriously consider the feasibility of this matter?¡±


    ¡°No way, assassinating the magistrate? Tell me, how is that feasible?¡± Mo Yan exclaimed.


    Zhuang Qingyan smiled, ¡°From Song Ke¡¯s perspective, it does seem like a fantasy. But what if¡­ we consider it from Shaye¡¯s standpoint?¡±


    Mo Yan and others were stunned, and Zhang Ci¡¯s eyes flashed.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s next words seemed to carry some kind of persuasion, ¡°Shaye Base has grown to a scale that has long become a major threat to Nai Kang. There will inevitably be a war between you and Mu City. A passive defense will only lead to constant attacks.¡±


    ¡°Qiong Qi, you are an ambitious person, are you willing to succumb to Nai Kang¡¯s shadow? Are you willing to wait until he¡¯s in a bad mood and comes to attack you?¡±


    ¡°Since we¡¯ve come to this point, instead of waiting to die, why not take the initiative? As long as we get rid of Nai Kang, the entire District C55 will be yours.¡±


    The same thought circled in the minds of others: ¡®This guy is definitely crazy! But on second thought, although his suggestion was shocking, it seemed to make a bit of twisted sense?!¡¯


    Zhang Ci remained silent.


    He never expected that his deepest secret would be revealed by this person with just a few words.


    Why didn¡¯t he stay in other people¡¯s bases? Why, after awakening his abilities, did he refuse to continue participating in the assessments of the Azure Phoenix? Going further back, why did he and Zhang Ting have such deep conflicts? Ultimately, it was because their ideologies clashed.


    Zhang Ci couldn¡¯t understand why, with Zhang Ting¡¯s abilities, he chose to live in Yue Mountain and open a small martial arts school. Zhang Ting always accused him of having too much ambition, being arrogant, and always wanting to stand out.


    Zhuang Qingyan said meaningfully, ¡°So, in the long run, Song Ke is clearing obstacles for Shaye¡¯s bright future. Instead of stopping her, you should join forces with her and together eliminate Mu City.¡±


    Everyone: ¡®This guy is terrifying, he¡¯s too good at manipulating minds!¡¯


    ¡­


    In Shaye Base, Fan Yiwen led Song Ke along the usual patrol route to find someone.


    After about ten minutes, a figure with a high ponytail and a sleek appearance appeared in front of them.


    ¡°Senior Sister!¡± Song Ke recognized the person and rushed toward her like a little bird.


    Rita turned around in surprise, and when she saw Song Ke clearly, her face lit up with joy. ¡°Song Ke? It¡¯s really you! How did you find your way here?¡±


    The two held hands and danced in circles, chatting for a while. Song Ke belatedly noticed that the girl next to Rita was curiously staring at her.


    She scratched her head awkwardly and asked in a low voice, ¡°Senior Sister, who are they¡­?¡±


    Rita¡¯s expression turned cold. ¡°They escaped from the ¡®Rose Army.¡¯ Hmph, I¡¯ve never seen such a dirty and sordid place.¡±


    ¡®Rose Army? What¡¯s that?¡¯ Song Ke was stunned.


    ¡­


    In Mu City¡¯s base, a regular apartment.


    Lin Youyou sat on the edge of the bed, with no make-up on, her long hair casually tied, supporting her chin as she dozed off. There was a faint shade of dark circles under her eyes.


    Su Cha leaned against the head of the bed, fingers curved on his knee, silently observing her. As a popular star in Ferrara, Lin Youyou always paid attention to her image. She rarely appeared so unkempt.


    Su Cha, with his first twenty years spent in the rainforest, had never seen Lin Youyou like this. When he first followed Lin Youyou, he was often scolded as ¡°clumsy¡± and ¡°stupid,¡± and Su Cha¡¯s height of 1.9 meters was often berated by her, making him feel at a loss. However, he never thought Lin Youyou was ¡°bad.¡± After all, when he was at his lowest, Lin Youyou was the only one willing to take him in and even paid him a considerable salary. In Su Cha¡¯s eyes, Lin Youyou, no matter how bad, was still good.


    Although Su Cha was skilled in stealth and infiltration, he had no experience in peeking at girls. Caught off guard, Lin Youyou suddenly opened her eyes and met Su Cha¡¯s gaze. Startled, Su Cha paused and awkwardly shifted his gaze away.


    Lin Youyou¡¯s lips curled slightly. ¡°Oh, peeking at me? Are you stunned? Am I good-looking?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Su Cha denied immediately, ¡°¡­you should wash your face.¡±


    Lin Youyou almost choked on her breath. ¡°I said you¡­¡±


    At this moment, a message tone sounded. Lin Youyou lowered her head to check. It was a voice request from Irene.


    After accepting the call, the sounds of gunfire rumbled on the other side, followed by Irene¡¯s hoarse voice.


    ¡°Are you still at the apartment? I need your help.¡±


    ¡°Yes, what do you need help with?¡±


    ¡°I have a few friends who currently have nowhere to go. Can they hide out at your place for a while?¡± Irene¡¯s voice came through the communication device.


    Lin Youyou quickly thought about it. Song Ke had already informed her about Shaye¡¯s situation, and they planned to head to the base as soon as Su Cha¡¯s body recovered a bit. By then, they would vacate this apartment.


    Lin Youyou reminded Irene, ¡°Sure, but don¡¯t forget, the address here has been exposed. Miao Lun¡¯s people once tracked Zhang Wanyao downstairs. This apartment is no longer absolutely safe.¡±


    Irene replied, ¡°It¡¯s okay. We¡¯ll just transit here for a couple of days.¡±


    Lin Youyou waited at the entrance of the apartment. About an hour later, Irene arrived with four or five girls, swiftly crossing the street and entering the corridor.


    Their faces and bodies were covered in injuries, with Irene being the most severe. Blood flowed continuously from her intact left arm, and the hand holding the gun¡¯s barrel trembled incessantly.


    Lin Youyou quickly brought medicine to bandage their wounds. After a simple treatment, Irene stood up again.


    ¡°Wait here for a moment. I need to find a few more sisters.¡±


    Among the portraits given to her by Zhang Wanyao, there were still two people who hadn¡¯t been rescued.


    ¡°Irene, I¡¯m not afraid. I¡¯ll go with you!¡± a young girl with brown skin held onto Irene.


    ¡°Marsha, you don¡¯t have any abilities. It¡¯s too dangerous to go out,¡± Irene refused, shaking her head stubbornly, insisting on going alone.


    Lin Youyou sighed helplessly, ¡°Hey, you¡¯re injured. Going alone to save people is even more dangerous, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Irene replied, ¡°It¡¯s fine. I can still fight.¡±


    ¡°Forget it, forget it, I¡¯ll go with you,¡± Lin Youyou said. S?a?ch* Th? N???lFire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°You?¡± Irene raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°Looking down on me? No matter what, I¡¯m still A-level, I can assist you. We can cooperate, better than you going alone, right?¡± Lin Youyou had learned a bit of Song Ke¡¯s recklessness from being around her for so long.


    If reasoning didn¡¯t work, they¡¯d use force to solve problems.


    Lin Youyou stepped onto a stool, cleared her throat, and boldly shouted, ¡°Sisters, raise your glasses together, break through the mist, and rise again! Kill the heavens, kill the earth, and become demons! Let me overturn the heavens again!¡±


    A dark mist rose in the apartment, and countless blades flew around. This was Lin Youyou¡¯s new combat style, transitioning from pure support to a control style that combined defense and attack. It was effective for both offense and retreat, giving her some combat capabilities.


    But these lyrics¡­


    Had nothing to do with romance, a bit too much of a chuunibyou, and a bit vulgar. But as long as it worked.


    A slight movement came from behind.


    Lin Youyou turned around. Su Cha had put on a coat, with bandages wrapped around his abdomen. He was looking at Lin Youyou with an expression that was hard to put into words. In Lin Youyou¡¯s current appearance, even if she were thrown into Ferrara¡¯s central square, no one would associate her with the ¡°sweet songstress¡± of the past.


    ¡°¡­,¡± Lin Youyou awkwardly retracted her legs.


    ¡°Okay, then you come with me,¡± Irene agreed after witnessing her strength.


    Just as they were about to move, Marsha grabbed Irene again. ¡°Irene, actually, I¡­¡±


    ¡­


    Miao Lun Headquarters.


    Zhang Wanyao carried medicine and arrived at the backyard, where the ¡®pets¡¯ here were those whom Miao Lun had not yet tired of. When he lost interest, he would send the recruited ¡®Rose Army¡¯ to various private military camps, euphemistically calling it ¡®resource sharing.¡¯


    What¡¯s even more tragic is that only the pets abandoned by Miao Lun could find a faint chance of escape.


    Zhang Wanyao opened the courtyard door and quickly counted, finding that several rooms inside had emptied again.


    She walked to the right, and there, the girl with bloodstains on her face from a couple of days ago was clumsily bandaging her wounds, gesturing a few times with her single hand but realizing it wasn¡¯t enough, she stopped in frustration.


    Zhang Wanyao came over to her, took the gauze, and skillfully began to attend to her wounds, saying, ¡°Let me do it.¡±


    The girl quietly lowered her head and looked at her. The woman in front of her was beautiful; although there were faint lines at the corners of her eyes, it didn¡¯t diminish her beauty. Instead, it added a charming charm. Unfortunately, her shoulders and wrists had dark brands, destroying this perfection.


    Zhang Wanyao took some time, bandaging up all her wounds, cutting off the loose ends, and checking to ensure everything was neat and tidy.


    ¡°You did a really good job. Are you a doctor?¡± the girl asked softly.


    ¡°No,¡± Zhang Wanyao paused, her eyes momentarily softening, ¡°but my husband is. He¡¯s the best surgeon.¡±


    Both of them understood that the ¡°husband¡± she mentioned definitely wasn¡¯t referring to Miao Lun.


    ¡°I¡¯m called Marie.¡±


    ¡°Zhang Wanyao.¡±


    ¡°I was captured; I didn¡¯t join the Rose Army willingly.¡± Marie clenched her fist, her expression full of resentment.


    ¡°Many people here are,¡± Zhang Wanyao sighed lightly.


    Marie remained silent for a moment. ¡°But I heard others say that you volunteered.¡±


    Zhang Wanyao¡¯s back stiffened. ¡°Yes.¡±


    Marie looked puzzled. ¡°However, when you talked about your husband, it seemed happy. I don¡¯t believe you volunteered. Do you have a purpose?¡±


    Zhang Wanyao didn¡¯t answer. ¡°If you want to escape, I can help you¡­¡±


    Marie interrupted her, ¡°No, I won¡¯t escape.¡±


    Zhang Wanyao looked surprised and found a certain determination in Marie¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°My grandfather was a brave freelance mercenary. He taught me that one must avenge oneself. I can¡¯t humiliate myself by running away. I want to kill Miao Lun and avenge myself.¡±


    ¡°Hush,¡± Zhang Wanyao quickly covered her mouth, silently pointing outside the wall. There were awakeners everywhere, and they had to be cautious when speaking.


    Marie lowered her voice, ¡°You have companions, right? You¡¯ve been in contact with people outside, helping those girls escape.¡±


    Zhang Wanyao frowned slightly, ¡°I used to, but now I¡¯m restricted from going out. That route is no longer feasible.¡±


    Marie blinked, seemingly assessing her credibility. Then, she unexpectedly said something shocking, ¡°If you can find powerful help, I can connect you with them. I¡¯m an awakener.¡±


    Zhang Wanyao was astonished, ¡°Weren¡¯t you subjected to awakener detection when you were brought here? Only ordinary people can enter Miao Lun¡¯s room.¡±


    Marie folded her hands together, and a faint trace of awakened energy emanated, ¡°My level is very low, only E-level, undetectable by machines. But I have a twin sister; our ability is telepathy. Within a certain range, we can understand each other¡¯s thoughts.¡±


    Zhang Wanyao looked worried, ¡°Recently, Western Street has been chaotic. Can you be sure your sister is still in Mu City?¡±


    As they were conversing, a thunderous noise resounded outside. The citywide announcement in District C55 was triggered, and the General declared new laws.


    ¡°From now on, a kill order is issued for all refugees fleeing to Shaye. The Guard Unit, Royal Guard, and Iron Eagle Team will collaborate to eliminate them. Mobilize all forces in Mu City, spare no cost, and within three days, eradicate the rebel forces.¡±


    Nai Kang finally couldn¡¯t sit still; they formally declared war on Shaye.

 Chapter 97: When the Roses Bloom (15)

    ¡ò Missed? Another miss? ¡òOn the desolate and barren lifeline, an army of over 3000 awakeners marched towards Shaye in a formidable manner.


    Apart from the regular troops stationed in Mu City, this joint army also included over 800 high-level awakeners (C-level and above). Among them, the Guard Unit, under the command of Nai Kang and serving as the personal bodyguards, mobilized a team of nearly 100 people. The Royal Guards, led by Mu Qin, drafted approximately 200 individuals from private forces, while the remaining 500 were all members of Ruan Wenjun¡¯s Iron Eagle Team.


    Ironically, among them were also those awakeners recruited during the Hero Banquet. Mu Qin, having collected the expensive ticket of a Level 3 Crystal, wanted to preserve his own strength. He immediately treated them as cannon fodder, sending them out to ¡°resolve the difficulties¡± for the general.


    All residents of Shaye took refuge in the underground air-raid shelters, and Zhang Ci called for an emergency combat meeting.


    ¡°How many awakeners do we have in the base?¡± Zhuang Qingyan asked.


    ¡°About 1500 people, but the high-level awakeners are less than 300,¡± Zhang Ci replied.


    Not long ago, the two were at odds with each other, but now they were discussing countermeasures calmly.


    Unfortunately, with 300 against 800, the odds didn¡¯t look promising no matter how you looked at it.


    Zhang Ci and Fan Yiwen, among others, discussed the city¡¯s defense layout. Considering Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s injured leg, Zhang Ci would lower his head when speaking to him. He was tall, broad-shouldered, and wore a black Taoist robe that highlighted his slim and upright figure.


    Zhuang Qingyan remained silent for two seconds, then pulled out a cane from space, stood up by leaning on the ground, and was now at eye level with Zhang Ci.


    Lu Xiaoyu glanced at him, ¡°You look like a peacock displaying its feathers.¡±


    This guy never liked tilting his head to talk to others, always demanding that they lower their heads to him. Now, he unexpectedly stood up on his own.


    Zhuang Qingyan coldly retorted, ¡°You seem quite idle. If you have nothing to do, go optimize the monitoring.¡±


    The detection awakener Lin Mo behind Zhang Ci stepped forward, ¡°Uh, Brother Lu, I¡¯m familiar with the monitoring. I¡¯ll take you there.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu snorted proudly and followed Lin Mo.


    Zhuang Qingyan looked down at the three-dimensional map in the projection and fell into contemplation. Considering the current situation, the outcome of this war did not seem optimistic.


    Zhang Ci turned around and asked in a calm tone, ¡°Any suggestions on how to defend?¡±


    As the leader of Shaye, Zhang Ci was mainly trusted because he did not have the faults of being arrogant and dictatorial. Despite being only twenty-five years old, Zhang Ci was calm, humble, and a good listener. As long as others had valid points, he would adopt them.


    Zhuang Qingyan pondered for a moment and shook his head slowly, ¡°Can¡¯t hold it.¡±


    Zhang Ci: ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°With Mu City¡¯s firepower, we definitely can¡¯t defend, but that doesn¡¯t mean we can¡¯t win,¡± Zhuang Qingyan continued.


    ¡°Big brother, isn¡¯t what you¡¯re saying contradictory? If we can¡¯t defend, how can we win?¡± Mo Yan was confused.


    Zhang Ci remained composed, ¡°Share your plan.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan smiled slightly, ¡°Have you read the ancient military strategies? Capture the thief first to capture the king. As long as we take down Nai Kang, the joint army will fall into disarray.¡±


    Zhang Ci, with a deep voice, pointed out directly, ¡°Your focus has always been on Nai Kang himself, not on Shaye.¡±


    ¡°But that doesn¡¯t conflict with making Shaye win,¡± Zhuang Qingyan didn¡¯t deny, calmly analyzing, ¡°To win, we need to use unconventional tactics. Our biggest advantage is that Nai Kang doesn¡¯t know the true strength of Shaye right now.¡±


    Before the war, on the eve of the battle, Song Ke attempted to contact Lin Youyou. Unable to reach her, she called Su Cha.


    ¡°How¡¯s your injury?¡±


    ¡°Fang Zhixu just treated me again. It¡¯s almost healed,¡± Su Cha¡¯s voice sounded normal. ¡°Do you need me to come over and help?¡±


    ¡°Not for now. Just come over when the turmoil in Shaye is over.¡± With Mu City¡¯s base sealed, the roads out of the city were all controlled by the joint army. It was too dangerous to move at this time.


    ¡°My senior brother asked me to apologize to you on his behalf.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±


    Zhang Ci had explained that if Su Cha had any problems, he could come to the base for proper treatment. S?a??h the n0v?l(?)ire.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Song Ke asked the three to stay in the apartment and come over after the chaos in Shaye settled. She then inquired, ¡°What about Lin Youyou? I can¡¯t contact her.¡±


    Su Cha, unusually silent for a moment, said, ¡°She and Irene went out to rescue people. Probably didn¡¯t see the message.¡±


    Not long after Song Ke hung up, Lin Youyou¡¯s call request rang.


    As soon as she answered, a deafening sound of intense gunfire came from the other end.


    Lin Youyou shouted hoarsely, ¡°Irene, they¡¯re coming, retreat! Hey, Song Ke¡¯er?¡±


    ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ Song Ke wondered.


    Lin Youyou briefly explained the situation with the Rose Army, and Song Ke informed her about postponing the move to Shaye temporarily. After exchanging intelligence, Lin Youyou sighed, ¡°I originally wanted to tell you, don¡¯t retreat from the apartment temporarily. I might have to postpone coming over for two days.¡±


    ¡°Take care of yourself,¡± Song Ke instructed.


    ¡°You too,¡± Lin Youyou replied.


    ¡­


    Lin Mo led Lu Xiaoyu through the base, and when they passed by the entrance of a factory, Lu Xiaoyu suddenly stopped.


    ¡°Where is this?¡±


    ¡°Oh, this used to be where they produced engineering vehicles and cranes, but unfortunately, they¡¯re all broken.¡±


    ¡°Where are they broken?¡±


    ¡°It seems there was a programming issue, so they were all abandoned.¡± Lin Mo wasn¡¯t too sure about the specific reasons.


    Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s wheelchair entered the workshop. After scanning around, his ice-blue eyes gleamed strangely. The control panels of all the mechanical vehicles lit up, and the panel codes rapidly circulated and changed. After a few minutes, the engines roared to life, and all the abandoned vehicles started moving in unison.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think they¡¯re broken,¡± Lu Xiaoyu said matter-of-factly.


    Two tiny humans were surrounded by densely packed steel machinery, and Lu Xiaoyu remained nonchalant. Meanwhile, Lin Mo¡­ Lin Mo was shivering, staring in shock.


    Song Ke, Zhuang Qingyan, and Zhang Ci stood on the observation deck, and Lu Xiaoyu came over to them. ¡°I reinforced the defense system, but some facilities are too old, and the effect is not ideal. Also, I suggest you take a look at this.¡±


    He pointed, and the screen¡¯s image was projected in front of them.


    On the lifeline several dozen miles away, massive and cumbersome siege machinery was slowly advancing: large battering rams with metal heads, catapults carrying cannons, neatly arranged cloud ladder vehicles, long-range cannons, grenade launchers¡­


    Zombies and ferocious beasts occasionally fled along the way, instantly obliterated as the joint army advanced effortlessly.


    Lu Xiaoyu zoomed in on one of the cameras. Ruan Wenjun and Mu Qin, fully armed, stood at the forefront of the team. In the middle of the team, on top of an armored tank, sat a middle-aged man with a dignified appearance. He wore a gold-trimmed general¡¯s uniform, with a raised eyebrow, a hawk-like nose, and a fierce and sinister gaze through the camera, as if staring them down.


    After seeing his face clearly, Song Ke was very surprised. Nai Kang was personally commanding the battle? Not only that, he was sitting so conspicuously in such a visible place. Was he afraid that no one would come to assassinate him? Did he rely on his own strength, or did he have something to rely on?


    ¡°Nai Kang, is he an awakener?¡± Song Ke asked in confusion.


    Zhang Ci shook his head slowly, ¡°Not sure. I¡¯ve never had a direct confrontation with him, and information about him has never leaked from the Reunification Palace.¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s expression gradually became serious. Regardless of Nai Kang¡¯s plot or reliance in attacking Shaye this time, she was determined to kill him.


    The four S-level awakeners sat or stood together, waiting at the high point of the base. The wind carried the distant news of battle, and even the air seemed to exude an inexplicable sense of solemnity.


    In the evening, the joint army finally arrived at the outskirts of Shaye Base. A distant missile sounded the trumpet of war with a resounding ¡°boom.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t let the siege weapons get close,¡± Zhang Ci pressed the communication device and issued orders in a deep voice, ¡°Mo Yan, take action.¡±


    Mu City¡¯s weaponry was renowned throughout the Alliance, and no matter how solid Shaye Base was, it couldn¡¯t withstand such intense bombardment.


    Mo Yan led a team of high-level awakeners, flanking and taking a detour to stealthily attack the facilities, causing a series of thunderous explosions.


    Song Ke and Zhang Ci put on hoods and, under the cover of the vast haze, leaped off the city walls and rushed towards Nai Kang.


    Song Ke gripped the spiritual weapon, the Snake Spear, surrounded by her awakened energy, as if entering her own realm, effortlessly defeating the awakeners blocking her way.


    ¡°Eight directions, divine wrath, let nature take its course¡­ Disperse the malevolent, let the Dao¡¯s qi endure.¡±


    Zhang Ci supported her from behind, casting the formidable ¡°Purification Divine Curse¡± into the air. In an instant, dark clouds surged, the earth resonated, and myriad symbols descended, leaving no escape for the awakeners hit by the wide-ranging attack. Those struck suffered burns on their skin, falling to the ground in agony.


    Song Ke smoothly broke through to the vicinity of the armored tank, with Nai Kang just within arm¡¯s reach.


    Nai Kang¡¯s gaze was cold and unfazed. Without dodging, he waved his hand, and the guards around him immediately bombarded Song Ke with cannons.


    Song Ke leaped high, gripping the spear with both hands, fiercely thrusting it towards his head!


    ¡°Boom!¡± A cannon shot from an angle, precisely hitting the spear. The powerful recoil force flipped Song Ke backward.


    She managed to land with one hand on the ground, knees bent, narrowly stopping her retreat. Once again, she gripped the spear and slashed at Nai Kang. But at that moment, the tank beneath her feet unexpectedly shook, and Song Ke, off balance, fell from the top.


    A chill ran through her heart. Why? Every time she was about to kill Nai Kang, she would ¡°just miss by a bit.¡± Did she have such bad luck?


    Zhang Ci caught Song Ke¡¯s back, and his towering figure went over her. Swiftly forming seals, he sent a seven-star sword, imbued with the ¡°Purification Symbol,¡± flying towards Nai Kang. When it reached him, the sword suddenly shook violently, barely grazing his scalp. Nai Kang emerged unscathed.


    Senior brother also made a mistake?


    Song Ke and Zhang Ci exchanged a surprised glance. This wasn¡¯t right!


    Originally planning for a single strike and quick withdrawal, they unexpectedly made consecutive mistakes, lingering in the same spot for too long, and instantly found themselves trapped.


    Dozens of high-level awakeners arrived nearby, and a ferocious-looking short man emerged from the crowd. Tiger-like eyes stared directly at the two.


    ¡°Captain of the Guard, Juralamani, though he¡¯s A-level, his true strength is close to S-level awakeners. His ability is spatial distortion,¡± Zhang Ci quickly explained, ¡°Others are easy to handle; focus on taking him down first.¡±


    Song Ke, casting a glance at Nai Kang from a distance, shook her spear and confronted Juralamani head-on.


    ¡­


    Continuously, high-angle artillery struck various parts of the base, causing buildings to collapse and shatter resoundingly. The joint forces¡¯ firepower was overwhelming, and the situation on Song Ke¡¯s side was worrisome. Shaye¡¯s chances of survival were being squeezed.


    Ruan Wenjun¡¯s expression was bloodthirsty and excited as he commanded the siege vehicles to continue bombarding the high-pressure iron net behind Shaye. As long as the lifeline was broken, thousands of zombies would flood in, and the Shaye residents hiding in underground shelters would be completely slaughtered.


    Zhuang Qingyan lowered his head to observe the situation. On the other side, Song Ke and Zhang Ci were still fiercely battling, and it seemed unlikely to end anytime soon. With Ruan Wenjun¡¯s reckless artillery fire drawing attention, wandering zombies gradually converged towards the iron net, increasing in numbers, including noticeable level-3 zombies.


    Frowning, he contemplated for a moment, took out a sealed injection from the space, and glanced at Lu Xiaoyu, who surprisingly refrained from making sarcastic remarks.


    Zhuang Qingyan remained composed as he injected his right leg. A slightly tingling liquid flowed into his bloodstream, followed by a piercing pain. Leveraging the effects of radiation, the cells of his remaining leg continuously renewed, reaching their peak activity at that moment.


    ¡°I¡¯ll handle Ruan Wenjun; you deal with the rest for now.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan pushed himself up with his hands, without relying on any external force¡ªstood up from the wheelchair.


    ¡­


    Under the relentless destruction, the high-pressure iron net was on the verge of collapse. Ruan Wenjun¡¯s expression faintly revealed a hint of madness. Refugees were like bits of straw, and the masses like pigs and dogs; he cared nothing for the life and death of these people. As long as he could win, as long as he could defeat Qiong Qi, he would be happy to massacre the city.


    ¡°Swoosh!¡± An arrow flew from the side, lightly shooting towards him. Ruan Wenjun tilted his head to dodge and looked in that direction. The first thing that caught his eyes was two well-proportioned long legs, moving with a graceful and elegant stride. Gradually emerging from the haze, he raised his gaze and identified the person¡¯s appearance¡ªan attractive man in a trench coat.


    Where did this idiotic show-off come from? Ruan Wenjun disdainfully glanced at him and ordered his subordinates, ¡°Get rid of him.¡±


    The Iron Eagle team¡¯s awakener set up the high-position sniper cannon, ready to fire. Just as they were about to shoot, a sharp pain, like a knife cutting through their minds, struck. They clutched their heads, howling in pain, and the cannon¡¯s direction uncontrollably reversed, firing towards the rear where Ruan Wenjun was.


    ¡°What the hell are you doing?!¡± Amidst the thick smoke, teammates angrily shouted.


    A magnetic and charismatic laughter echoed in their ears. ¡°Lord Ruan, you¡¯re still so impulsive, just like in Xiangang that time.¡±


    Xiangang?


    Ruan Wenjun dangerously narrowed his eyes. ¡°How do you know about Xiangang? Are you Qiong Qi?¡±


    Courageous indeed, daring to confront him alone.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s mouth twitched slightly. Well, let him be Qiong Qi. He responded nonchalantly, ¡°Of course, I know. I must thank Lord Ruan for generously allowing us to obtain a well-preserved level-3 crystal.¡±


    ¡°After selling it to some poor fool, we made a whopping ten million Alliance coins. Lord Ruan is indeed Shaye¡¯s god of wealth. Shouldn¡¯t I thank you in person?¡±


    This person¡¯s cutting words were exceptionally skilled. Ruan Wenjun, stung in a sensitive spot, instantly became furious. ¡°Blast him to pieces!¡±


    The artillery roared. Zhuang Qingyan swiftly ran around the iron net, tumbling to evade, occasionally deliberately pausing at certain points.


    In Ruan Wenjun¡¯s team, one awakener after another lost control¡ªeither suddenly collapsing unconscious or turning the cannons towards their own people.


    Mental-type awakener? Ruan Wenjun gradually sensed something amiss.


    So what? He would still die at his hands.


    Ruan Wenjun mobilized his awakened energy, not relying on any firearms. With a move of his finger, ¡°bang bang¡± bullets were fired out.


    Zhuang Qingyan evaded awkwardly, and Ruan Wenjun closely pursued, relentlessly spraying him. Gradually distancing himself from the army, he forced the opponent into a dead end against the iron net.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s back slammed heavily against the net, and eager zombies outside reached out to grab him.


    His face filled with distress, he sighed, ¡°Oh dear, Lord Ruan, after so many days, you¡¯re still so careless.¡±


    ¡°Dying, yet still defiant.¡± Ruan Wenjun coldly snorted. Numerous bullets were about to turn Zhuang Qingyan into a sieve.


    Zhuang Qingyan smiled wryly, ¡°Carelessness can cost you your life.¡±


    The high-pressure iron net finally couldn¡¯t bear the strain and collapsed with a loud crash. Over a dozen three-meter-tall evolved zombies roared as they rushed in, facing a barrage of bullets. The zombies, impervious to physical pain, opened their cracked mouths, enraged expressions completely undeterred.


    Ruan Wenjun¡¯s pupils suddenly contracted. Level 3 zombies always had a territorial awareness. How could so many gather in one place?!


    Even more shocking, those zombies, without sparing a glance at Zhuang Qingyan, bypassed him and charged furiously towards Ruan Wenjun.


    Ruan Wenjun desperately used bullets to drive them away when suddenly his body froze. A cold and sharp spiritual force pierced through his mental field, rendering his own ability useless.


    Before being torn apart by zombies, Ruan Wenjun looked at the man standing calmly in front of him with disbelief.


    ¡®How¡­ could this be possible¡­¡¯


    With a relaxed posture, Zhuang Qingyan took two steps forward and finished off Ruan Wenjun with his spiritual crossbow arrow.


    Zombies were mindless monsters, but evolved zombies were not.

 Chapter 98: When the Roses Bloom (16)

    ¡ò Shaye¡¯s Counterattack ¡òAfter Ruan Wenjun was torn apart, Zhuang Qingyan raised a repeating crossbow and aimed it at the remaining Iron Eagle Team.


    Level 3 zombies possessed some intelligence. He could control their actions through mental power, such as besieging, feigning surrender, or escaping.


    The trench coat swayed with a half-elegant arc. Zhuang Qingyan walked forward with a leisurely pace, standing in the midst of the monsters. With one hand in his pocket, he exuded the demeanor of a Big Boss, followed by a dozen Level 3 zombie henchmen.


    A hint of Bking style emerged in the horrifying scene.


    Zhuang Qingyan moved his finger in the direction of the Iron Eagle Team, and the zombies immediately rushed fiercely.


    The artillery squad near the iron net panicked, abandoning the catapults and scattered in all directions. Among them, the slow ones were bitten by Level 3 zombies on the neck, falling to the ground, making a crunching sound as they were devoured.


    ¡°Ruan Wenjun is dead, and the defeat of the Joint Army is inevitable!¡± Zhuang Qingyan shouted loudly.


    In such times, it was necessary to undermine the enemy¡¯s morale. His clear voice spread through mental power, echoing throughout the battlefield.


    The formation of the Joint Army was clearly disrupted, but unfortunately, it quickly regained order.


    There was more than one warlord on the battlefield. The cunning Mu Qin took over the command, identifying Shaye¡¯s weakness and shifting to a focused attack on the base. S?a??h the N0v?lFir?.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    After Zhuang Qingyan finished off the Iron Eagle Team, he looked in the direction of Song Ke and Nai Kang¡ªthere were countless siege ladders on the city walls, giant siege engines rolling over the roads, and metal hammers smashing Shaye¡¯s foundation.


    Residents hiding in the air-raid shelter had rocks and sand falling on their heads. They endured fear, huddled together silently praying.


    ¡°No time, I¡¯ll go take out the catapults first!¡± Mo Yan shouted while running.


    ¡°Kid, come back!¡± Fan Yiwen couldn¡¯t stop Mo Yan. He flashed and rushed into the heart of the Joint Army.


    Mo Yan maneuvered through the haze, accurately throwing his supernatural fireballs at the siege engines. Everywhere he passed, fireworks erupted.


    Faster, even faster¡­ Mo Yan urged in his mind, moving swiftly.


    Several rows of howitzers suddenly appeared in front of him. Mo Yan¡¯s eyes lit up, he concentrated on accumulating energy. Just as a giant fireball bigger than his body was about to be thrown out¡ª


    A cannonball flew in from the side, landing at his feet and exploding thunderously.


    ¡­


    As Shaye¡¯s base was about to be engulfed in artillery fire, a high bridge suddenly descended from above.


    ¡°Creak¡ªclatter¡ª¡±


    A dense array of steel machinery charged out of the base, including construction vehicles, bulldozers, cranes, new-model tractors¡­ At a glance, it seemed endless. What was even more terrifying was that they came equipped with basic AI processing modules, fearlessly colliding with the approaching siege ladders and siege engines.


    ¡°Bang¡ª¡±


    The crane, like a ferocious beast, swung its arm forcefully, tearing down the ladders on the city wall. Its hard tracks ruthlessly rolled over, crushing them!


    ¡°Boom¡ª¡±


    Hundreds of unmanned bulldozers charged recklessly, carrying large quantities of explosive packs. In suicide attacks, they targeted catapults and missiles. Mercenaries nearby couldn¡¯t escape in time and were blown away, while similar highly lethal weapons continued to emerge from Shaye¡¯s base.


    ¡®What on earth¡­ are these things?!¡¯


    The mercenaries cried out in despair.


    The situation on the main battlefield instantly reversed, putting the Joint Army on the defensive, and Shaye gained the upper hand!


    In the lookout tower of the base, Lu Xiaoyu, with six mechanical arms standing, had closed his eyes tightly. Silver hair fluttered on his shoulders, and his entire body was surrounded by layers of binary code, like a giant ancient tree composed of data. Each branch executed different commands, simultaneously controlling all the steel vehicles with his supernatural abilities.


    Once, in the dark and sunless underwater purgatory, Lu Xiaoyu was the Lord Hades who used Crime Record to govern the life and death of prisoners.


    And now, the mechanical barrier he constructed became Shaye¡¯s strongest line of defense.


    Nai Kang looked towards the high ground with a serious and solemn expression. Unexpectedly, besides Qiong Qi, Shaye had a second S-level awakener!


    ¡°Mu Qin, deploy snipers, immediately intercept this person!¡± Nai Kang¡¯s stern command came through the earpiece.


    Mu Qin, in charge of commanding the siege, immediately organized a team of high-level esper snipers. Crimson aiming dots flickered on Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s face.


    Beside Lu Xiaoyu, Lin Mo rushed forward anxiously, biting his lip. He opened his arms, shielding him.


    Lin Mo was just a support-type awakener, usually only responsible for monitoring and detecting enemy movements. Now, with all the attacking awakeners from Shaye engaged in the battle, he could only anxiously watch. Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s role was crucial, and he must not be in danger.


    The sniper, targeting their mark, was about to pull the trigger.


    Suddenly, a group of level 3 zombies leaped over, landing precisely on the sniper positions. With the zombies¡¯ roars, the flesh of the awakeners in the sniper positions flew in all directions, completely disrupting their attacks.


    In the chaotic battlefield, Zhuang Qingyan hurriedly passed by, casually helping out. However, he didn¡¯t linger on the main battlefield. After disrupting the snipers with a quick move, he continued to run forward and disappeared into the mist.


    In the rear of the Joint Army, Nai Kang sat in the command seat of an armored tank, coldly overseeing the situation.


    Song Ke¡¯s snake spear fiercely stabbed towards Juralamani¡¯s throat. Juralamani seized the spearhead with both palms, forcefully pulled it downward, locked it with his elbow, then wrapped both legs around the spear handle, hanging upside down on the spear. He rendered Song Ke¡¯s attack completely immobilized.


    Song Ke¡¯s eyes flashed, recognizing the opponent¡¯s move¡­ it was the Ghost Fist mentioned by her master!


    Ghost Fist was an ancient martial art originating from Mu City, known for its strength and agility. During battles, practitioners used the body¡¯s fists, legs, elbows, and knees¡ªeight limbs in total¡ªas sharp weapons. The practitioner¡¯s limbs moved simultaneously, resembling a spider. Because of this, Ghost Fist was referred to as the ¡°Eight-Arm Fist¡± by outsiders.


    Mastering Ghost Fist made Juralamani extremely formidable in close combat.


    ¡°Hum¡ª¡±


    The air around vibrated as Zhang Ci¡¯s Five Thunder Curse flew towards Juralamani. This curse had strong single-target killing power, and being hit by it meant certain death.


    Suddenly, invisible fluctuations appeared around Juralamani, and three or four black holes materialized, completely absorbing the Five Thunder Curse.


    Juralamani¡¯s awakened ability, ¡°Space Distortion,¡± inherently countered Zhang Ci, who needed pre-casting time (drawing symbols). Realizing this quickly, Zhang Ci stopped using symbols, drew a long sword from his waist, switched to melee combat, and joined forces with Song Ke.


    Just as the three were engaged in a fierce battle, a group of level 3 zombies suddenly jumped out from behind Nai Kang. Their sharp claws reached towards his face!


    At such a close distance, the agile evolved zombies missed their attack, and their pitch-black eyes revealed a hint of confusion.


    In the misty haze, a pair of long legs slowly walked out.


    Zhuang Qingyan looked up at Nai Kang, and a thoughtful expression gradually appeared in his eyes.


    Seeing him, Song Ke, despite being surprised at when his right leg had recovered, turned her head and resumed the fight with Juralamani.


    Zhuang Qingyan flashed to Zhang Ci¡¯s side, quickly saying, ¡°I¡¯ll take care of this. You go defend the city.¡±


    Zhang Ci glanced back, seeing that Mu Qin was adjusting formations against Lu Xiaoyu. With his limited mobility and the need to control machinery with a significant amount of mental focus, Zhang Ci nodded, swiftly retreating.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s peach blossom eyes showed no sign of amusement as he stared intently at Nai Kang. He sensed a faint awakened energy from him, undoubtedly confirming Nai Kang as an awakener. Nai Kang appeared on the battlefield without any fear, confident that their group couldn¡¯t kill him.


    Zhuang Qingyan raised the repeating crossbow and tentatively shot an arrow.


    Sure enough, the bolt was knocked down by missile fragments from an unknown source before reaching Nai Kang. Zhuang Qingyan squinted his eyes, rapidly sifting through his thoughts. A power related to mysticism? It was probably one of the most complex causality-based supernatural abilities. If he couldn¡¯t find the ¡°cause,¡± he couldn¡¯t act on Nai Kang, the ¡°effect.¡±


    He abandoned attacking Nai Kang and instead directed level 3 zombies to assault other awakeners, patiently seeking an opportunity to break through.


    On the other side, Song Ke abandoned her snake spear, opting for bare-handed combat against Juralamani. When fighting against an opponent proficient in Ghost Fist, weapons could become a hindrance and might be distorted by his awakened ability.


    After exchanging hundreds of moves with Juralamani, Song Ke had already identified his weakness. The strength and powerful damage output were the strengths of Ghost Fist, but at the same time, they were its weaknesses. Focusing on strength naturally slowed down his speed, and the forceful punches meant a lack of variation between moves.


    Adjusting her breath, Song Ke entered a state of free fighting. She swiftly circled around Juralamani, no longer engaging in direct clashes but instead moving with agility. She seized opportunities to kick, punch, and throw him, targeting various vulnerable joints in his body. In the magnetic field, her awakened energy constantly radiated. Song Ke utilized every inch of her muscles to the fullest, barely touching the ground with the soles of her feet. Her attacks became unpredictable, creating afterimages that made it impossible for Juralamani¡¯s ¡°eight arms¡± to reach her.


    Juralamani found himself at a disadvantage. However, he remained calm. Seizing the intervals between Song Ke¡¯s two attacks, he lifted his knee, hooking it towards her neck.


    ¡®He took the bait!¡¯ Song Ke, who deliberately exposing a vulnerability, felt a surge of joy. She mimicked his exact move, raising her knee and forcefully countering Juralamani¡¯s attack. The superior force dispelled Juralamani¡¯s assault, disrupting his balance. With angry eyes and a backward fall, he crashed to the ground.


    Song Ke rotated her body, leaping up, landing heavily on top of him. Her knees suppressed any attempt he made to rise, then with a twist and a turn, she severed Juralamani¡¯s head from his body in an instant.


    ¡°Crack¡ª¡± There seemed to be an invisible something shattering in the wind.


    In the moment of Juralamani¡¯s death, Nai Kang¡¯s expression changed drastically. He opened the top hatch, intending to duck down.


    Zhuang Qingyan, who had been closely watching him, sensed a slight looseness in the ¡°cause¡± on his body and immediately thrust his mental ability! Nai Kang¡¯s figure suddenly stiffened, consciousness filled with intense pain, and he couldn¡¯t escape into the tank in time.


    Simultaneously, Zhuang Qingyan shouted loudly, ¡°Song Ke!¡±


    Song Ke abruptly raised her head, locking eyes with him for 0.0001 seconds. Despite no verbal communication, miraculously, Song Ke understood Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s meaning¡ªto seize the opportunity.


    She sprinted at full speed, leaping towards the armored tank where Nai Kang was. Her right hand transformed into a snake spear once again, fiercely stabbing toward Nai Kang¡¯s back.


    Time seemed to slow down. In the terrified expression on Nai Kang¡¯s face, the spearhead pierced through his uniform, bulletproof vest, flesh, and muscle¡­ It was about to pierce through his bones and into his heart. However, at that critical moment, the ¡°cause and effect¡± on Nai Kang¡¯s body flowed once again. Suddenly, Song Ke¡¯s footing slipped, and she staggered back two steps. The attack of the snake spear abruptly disappeared, allowing Nai Kang to take advantage and slip into the tank.


    Song Ke exclaimed, ¡°¡­Missed?!¡±


    For the third time, for the third time, she missed! She really wanted to curse out loud!


    After Nai Kang disappeared from the command post, the armored tank hastily retreated, unexpectedly abandoning the attack and leaving the majority of the Joint Army behind to escape.


    Zhuang Qingyan quickly approached Song Ke. She was looking disheartened, lowering her head, and the snake spear tapped on the ground one after another.


    Zhuang Qingyan looked at the curls of hair on her head, reaching out to rub them. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault.¡±


    Song Ke looked up at him, her expression seemingly pitiful.


    Zhuang Qingyan smiled inwardly, using his slender fingers to wipe away the dirt from her face. ¡®This little girl, always getting herself dirty.¡¯


    ¡°Nai Kang has a mystic supernatural ability. Without deciphering it, even you wouldn¡¯t have been able to kill him.¡±


    ¡°Mystic supernatural ability?¡± Song Ke was puzzled. So, her repeated mistakes, along with Zhang Ci¡¯s, weren¡¯t due to their own faults but were influenced by supernatural abilities?


    ¡°Yeah, I roughly figured it out. Let¡¯s finish the war first, and I¡¯ll explain it to you when we get back.¡± Zhuang Qingyan said.


    ¡­


    Zhang Ci rushed to the main battlefield, his black Taoist robe resembling the Grim Reaper harvesting lives. The Pure Heaven and Earth Divine Incantation was unleashed, causing the heavens and earth to change colors. The sniper team, who had barely regrouped after the previous onslaught, was once again overturned by the explosion.


    With Zhang Ci and Lu Xiaoyu¡ªone above and one below¡ªtwo S-level awakeners dominated the field. Combined with the continuous damage caused by waves of surprise attacks and suicide explosions on the siege weapons, the Joint Army was now defeated, like a mountain collapsing.


    Mu Qin withdrew his gaze from the rear and made a decisive decision: ¡°Retreat.¡±


    Next to him, Tun Qin exclaimed in disbelief, ¡°Uncle, we were about to win. Why retreat?¡±


    Mu Qin¡¯s face looked grim, ¡°Win? Where did you see a chance of winning? Ruan Wenjun is dead, the general has fled, and if I don¡¯t leave now, should I prepare to take the blame for this failure?¡±


    After saying this coldly, Mu Qin turned away from the battlefield without looking back.


    Tun Qin looked angrily toward the front. This Joint Army operation was something he had begged Mu Qin to let him participate in. If he couldn¡¯t seize this opportunity to achieve merit and gain fame, when would he ever get a chance to stand out?!


    A figure in a black robe flashed by, killing a large group of mercenaries with a wave of his hand. Under the hood, half of a side profile revealed sharp eyebrows and eyes, full of heroic spirit.


    Zhang Ci.


    Tun Qin gritted his teeth and shouted the name with resentment.


    If there was someone Tun Qin hated most in his life, it was undoubtedly Zhang Ci. This intense hatred, at its root, boiled down to the word ¡°jealousy.¡± Zhang Ci was about the same age, always the senior brother at Yue Mountain Martial Arts School, with better martial skills and better popularity. Although Zhang Ting often scolded and beat him, in moments of solitude, his gaze always lingered on Zhang Ci.


    Family love, friendship, and even love¡­ Zhang Ci effortlessly possessed them all. His future was a hundred times brighter than Tun Qin¡¯s.


    Tun Qin would never forget the martial arts competition in the year he first went to Yue Mountain. Zhang Ci effortlessly defeated him, pressing his head against the ground with just one hand. In front of everyone at the martial arts hall, he gave Tun Qin a humiliating lesson.


    Driven by anger, Tun Qin lifted a shoulder-mounted cannon, vigorously charging towards Zhang Ci.


    He was now an advanced B-level awakener. This time, he was determined to make Zhang Ci kneel and beg for mercy.


    **TN


    Bking ¨C someone who does cool stuff effortlessly or everything they do is unusually ¡°cool¡±

 Chapter 99.1: When the Roses Bloom (17)

    ¡ò Three Lives ¡òTun Qin¡¯s awakened ability was called ¡°Battle Spirit Fury.¡± As long as he gained the upper hand in a duel, he could ignite his battle spirit, accumulate layers, and thereby fight more smoothly, eventually forming a full suppression of the enemy.


    He carried a rocket launcher on his shoulder called ¡°Poison Sting.¡± This was the latest single-person anti-tank weapon from the Mu City arsenal. When the armor-piercing projectiles it fired hit a person, they would cause burning, armor-piercing, and explosive effects, along with blinding intense light and burning effects. Even high-level awakeners would be reduced to pieces if hit.


    Tun Qin hid behind a half-slope, activated the scope, aimed at Zhang Ci moving in the field, and without hesitation, pressed the trigger, firing four armor-piercing rounds in rapid succession!


    ¡°Boom, boom, boom¡ª¡± Dazzling flames soared into the sky, and Zhang Ci was instantly engulfed.


    The layers of battle spirit were smoothly ignited. Tun Qin smiled coldly, dropped the Poison Sting, and switched to a submachine gun before charging forward.


    In the rolling smoke and dust, the place where Zhang Ci was was empty. Tun Qin was greatly surprised and quickly turned around.


    Too late! Zhang Ci was surrounded by a protective spell and instantly teleported behind him, delivering a fierce chop with his hand.


    Tun Qin had no chance to react and was hit squarely. His firearm fell to the ground.


    Zhang Ci transformed his knife into claws, grabbed the back of Tun Qin¡¯s neck, and slammed him forcefully to the ground.


    Half of Tun Qin¡¯s face happened to press against the still-burning flames, and the sizzling smell of burnt flesh filled the air. He writhed in pain with a distorted face, howling continuously, and the bit of battle spirit he had accumulated disappeared instantly.


    ¡°It¡¯s you,¡± Zhang Ci recognized his voice, loosening his grip slightly. ¡°Good timing. If you didn¡¯t come, I would have gone looking for you.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s this? The prestigious Senior Brother of Yue Mountain has fallen to become a lackey of the Shaye base?¡± Tun Qin spoke hoarsely, eyes darting around, constantly aware of the surroundings, attempting to turn the tables. He deliberately provoked, ¡°How does it feel, Senior Brother, to become a lackey of Shaye?¡±


    Zhang Ci clasped his fingers, forming a spell with his left hand, controlling Tun Qin with a Soul Binding Curse.


    Then he pulled out a knife and ruthlessly stabbed through Tun Qin¡¯s right arm, pinning him to the ground.


    ¡°Ah¡ª!¡± A sharp and miserable scream echoed.


    ¡°Ignorant and incompetent. Did you never consider my identity before attacking me as a member of the Shaye base?¡± Zhang Ci released his awakened energy, and the pressure of an S-level awakener descended like a heavy mountain, leaving Tun Qin breathless.


    ¡°You¡­ You¡¯re a Qiong Qi?!¡±


    Tun Qin suddenly realized a terrifying fact, his eyes wide with horror.


    The notorious leader of Shaye¡¯s refugees, Qiong Qi, had a widespread reputation. Rumors about him being an S-level awakener circulated among the upper echelons of Mu City, but details about Qiong Qi¡¯s origins, background, and appearance were scarce. Due to his rare appearances and the disdain of the arrogant military leaders to send anyone to infiltrate the refugees, nobody knew anything about him.


    Tun Qin¡¯s right hand trembled, veins subtly bulging on his otherwise intact half-face. ¡°Zhang Ci, you insulted me, ruined me, killed me time and time again. What are you pretending to be, a righteous person? You¡¯re just a scoundrel, a hypocrite!¡±


    ¡°From the beginning, I disagreed with your initiation,¡± Zhang Ci said in a deep voice. ¡°In the matter of martial arts, strength has always been the only language. If you can defeat me fair and square, you can still step on my head. But your character is dark, and every time you lose, you hold resentment.¡±


    To keep Yue Mountain Martial Arts School running, substantial financial support was needed. Zhang Ting, being a worldly person, had a clear reason for accepting Tun Qin ¨C the generous ¡°initiation fee.¡± However, during their first sparring match, Zhang Ci noticed the distorted psychology of Tun Qin. While winning and losing were common, Tun Qin¡¯s gaze seemed to want to kill everyone who defeated him.


    ¡°I ask you, what happened in the martial arts school before and after the apocalypse?¡± Zhang Ci raised his voice to question.


    They had excavated every mound of earth, including Zhang Ting¡¯s. Zhang Ting obviously hadn¡¯t turned into a zombie, and his injuries were clearly inflicted by a person.


    Rita had said that she left Yue Mountain two days before the apocalypse, and Tun Qin was among the people left behind. Now that the martial arts school was completely wiped out, if anyone knew the truth, it was probably Tun Qin.


    When pressured with questions, Tun Qin was first stunned and then burst into laughter. ¡°Senior Brother, even if you¡¯re S-level, there are things you can¡¯t accomplish. Want to know how your real dad died? Beg me!¡±


    ¡°When Zhang Ting was alive, you adamantly denied him as your father. Now you act like a filial son, mourning for him. Hahaha!¡±


    ¡°No change in your stubbornness. A person like you is not worthy of being a student of Yue Mountain,¡± Zhang Ci said coldly.


    Confident that Zhang Ci wouldn¡¯t dare to kill him, Tun Qin mocked unabashedly, ¡°Senior Brother wants to uphold justice and kick me out? How imposing!¡±


    ¡°Ruotong!¡± Zhang Ci shouted, ¡°Even if you don¡¯t speak, I have a way to find out.¡±


    With a stern face, Bai Ruotong ran over. She couldn¡¯t deal with an S-level like Zhuang Qingyan, but she could still handle a B-level! Her powerful mind probe emerged forcefully, delving deep into Tun Qin¡¯s mind, searching every nook and cranny. Tun Qin broke into a cold sweat, his scalp feeling like it was about to be lifted, and he couldn¡¯t even scream.


    Fragmented memories flowed like a tidal wave, and Bai Ruotong quickly seized the parts she wanted.


    On the first day of the apocalypse, Zhang Ting locked the mutated students in the warehouse, silently guarding the door. Shortly after, a group of uniformed people broke into the martial arts academy. After a brief conversation with Zhang Ting, a fierce dispute erupted, leading to a duel. Their methods were mysterious, and their attacks were unheard of. They teamed up to kill Zhang Ting and then ransacked the place.


    Tun Qin, who had overslept in the dormitory for a day, woke up to find the martial arts school deserted. He went to the surveillance room and witnessed the entire process of Zhang Ting¡¯s death. He dared not make a sound and only gathered his things to escape, leaving Yue Mountain.


    After Bai Ruotong read his memories, tears streamed down her face as she scolded, word by word, ¡°Tun Qin, you are truly the shame of Yue Mountain.¡±


    When Song Ke and Zhuang Qingyan arrived, Zhang Ci, with an emotionless face, pierced Tun Qin¡¯s head with a knife.


    ¡°Senior Brother?¡± Song Ke called him softly. S?a??h the N?v?l(F)ire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Zhang Ci pulled out the knife and said only four words, ¡°Clean up the mess.¡±


    After Nai Kang and Mu Qin left, the joint forces abandoned most of the damaged and impractical siege equipment and hastily withdrew from the battlefield.


    As Zhang Ci and Song Ke were cleaning up the aftermath, Fan Yiwen suddenly ran over carrying someone. His face was covered in soot, and the voice of the 1.8-meter tall man was crying, ¡°Zhang Ci, save Xiao Mo quickly!¡±


    Mo Yan, alone, went to destroy the catapults and was caught in the explosion of a cannon. Half of his body was a bloody mess, and his original appearance was unrecognizable. His limbs hung limply, breathing shallow, and it seemed he was about to give up.


    Zhang Ci couldn¡¯t care less about cleaning up the battlefield and quickly said, ¡°Take him to Lu Qiu.¡±


    Lu Qiu was the only healing awakener in the base. Before the apocalypse, she was just an ordinary Shaye candidate. She had barely managed to get into Tongwan Medical College, and hadn¡¯t even attended a professional class when the unlucky apocalypse struck. In previous healing attempts, Lu Qiu relied on her level half the time and self-study the other half. When facing a real life-threatening situation, her half-baked skills proved inadequate.


    Seeing Mo Yan¡¯s miserable condition, Lu Qiu¡¯s healing ability immediately covered him. After a while, she looked panicked and said, ¡°No, his awakened energy is draining too quickly. I can only barely sustain it, I can¡¯t perform the treatment.¡±


    Zhang Ci¡¯s body tensed immediately. Fan Yiwen cried with tears streaming down his face. Even a B-level healing awakener couldn¡¯t do it. Is Mo Yan really going to die here?


    Song Ke quickly spoke up, ¡°Senior Brother, my companion is an A-level healer and a doctor. I¡¯ll have him come over right away.¡±


    An A-level healer.


    In just a few words, hope ignited again among the group. The scarcity of healers was well-known, especially A-level.


    Zhang Ci immediately nodded, ¡°I will release all the checkpoints and ask him to come to Shaye as quickly as possible.¡±


    Song Ke contacted Su Cha using the communicator, and the response came almost instantly, ¡°Su Cha, quickly bring Fang Zhixu to Shaye, it has to be fast!¡±


    Su Cha was silent for a moment, without any further questions, and responded in a deep voice, ¡°I¡¯m on my way.¡±

 Chapter 99.2: When the Roses Bloom (17)

    ¡ò Three Lives ¡òFrom Mu City to Shaye, even at full speed, it would take four or five hours for awakeners to run. Lu Qiu¡¯s psychic power might not hold out.


    Rita brought a box of Level 3 crystals, more than a dozen in total, all spontaneously donated by Shaye¡¯s awakeners. If Lu Qiu couldn¡¯t hold on, they would extract energy from the crystals.


    Time passed second by second, and everyone¡¯s hearts were tightly suspended.


    Lu Qiu¡¯s face grew paler, her body trembling uncontrollably, and Mo Yan¡¯s breathing became barely audible.


    At this critical moment, Lin Mo led Su Cha and Fang Zhixu rushing in, ¡°He¡¯s here!¡±


    Fang Zhixu¡¯s hair was disheveled, the bun at the back of his head had long lost its shape, and even his stubble was shaved on only one side. After arriving on the scene, he immediately took over, skillfully cutting Mo Yan¡¯s clothes, removing the dust and sand from his airway to prevent sudden suffocation during surgery. Then, he restored the organs such as the heart, lungs, and kidneys, with a pale blue healing ability flowing in. Mo Yan¡¯s complexion visibly improved.


    Song Ke looked back at Su Cha, who, due to the extreme rush, was in bad condition, with a ruptured abdominal wound and blood soaking through his coat.


    ¡°Lu Qiu,¡± Zhang Ci also noticed his abnormality and called softly.


    Lu Qiu, who had been observing Fang Zhixu¡¯s surgery attentively, immediately stood up, ¡°I¡¯ll help you with that.¡±


    Su Cha nodded, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Fang Zhixu was fully focused, undisturbed by external factors, and his hands were constantly in motion.


    The others dared not speak or even breathe loudly, countless pairs of eyes staring fixedly at him.


    After more than two hours of emergency treatment, Fang Zhixu put down the surgical knife, nodded wearily, and said, ¡°He¡¯s saved. Afterward, try not to move him too much. Rest well for a few months, let his lost awakened energy slowly recover.¡±


    Fan Yiwen clenched his fists and couldn¡¯t help but cry.


    An A-level healer, possessing the ability to compete with the Grim Reaper for lives, and Fang Zhixu was not an ordinary A-level. He was already an outstanding surgeon with rich experience. In a crisis, he remained calm and could maximize the use of his healing abilities.


    Zhang Ci bowed slightly to him and thanked him sincerely, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Even Qiong Qi, the leader, personally bowed, and all the high-level awakeners behind him snapped to attention, uniformly bending at a standard 90-degree angle and shouting loudly, ¡°Thank you!!¡±


    Lin Mo was even wiping tears as he shouted.


    Their display startled Fang Zhixu. He took steps backward, stumbling, but Song Ke secretly reached out to support him, helping him stand upright.


    ¡­ S?a??h the N?velF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    After Mo Yan was out of danger, everyone breathed a sigh of relief and busied themselves arranging the residents, cleaning up the battlefield. Most of the people had left.


    Song Ke turned to look at Zhuang Qingyan, pointing his finger and lightly tapping his right leg, poking it once, then again, with a curious expression.


    ¡°Your leg, how did it get better?¡±


    ¡°Temporary.¡±


    Even temporary was quite miraculous. Thinking of how Zhuang Qingyan had wielded his powers on the battlefield just moments ago, Song Ke¡¯s eyes sparkled.


    ¡°You can control Level 3 zombies.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, after all, I am also an S-level, so I won¡¯t embarrass you.¡±


    ¡°Amazing.¡± Song Ke applauded.


    Zhuang Qingyan shook his head with a faint smile. Song Ke¡¯s praises, whether for him or for Xu Xing, essentially had no difference.


    The applause from Song Ke grew quieter. She looked up and down, and up again at Zhuang Qingyan.


    After another look, Zhuang Qingyan calmly faced her gaze. A few strands of bangs scattered down his forehead, covering his deep peach blossom eyes. His entire demeanor was sharp yet aloof, creating an indescribable contradiction.


    Song Ke was stunned.


    It felt like¡­ he had become a different person. No, perhaps the ¡°Qinglan Researcher¡± in the wheelchair was just another layer of disguise. The man standing before her, running and standing confidently, was the real Zhuang Qingyan.


    ¡°Am I good-looking?¡±


    Song Ke nodded dumbly.


    ¡°Song Keke, I found out that you are still a face-con.¡± Zhuang Qingyan clicked his tongue lightly.


    Song Ke¡¯s cheeks puffed up angrily, and she punched him in the mouth.


    ¡°Uh¡ª¡± As a result, Zhuang Qingyan made a muffled sound, and his tall figure, unable to maintain balance, fell forward.


    Song Ke was alarmed and quickly reached out to catch him. She turned her head to realize that Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s complexion was not good.


    ¡°The magic time is over,¡± Zhuang Qingyan sighed. Nearly eight hours had passed since the injection, and the sealed side effects were beginning to manifest.


    ¡°Th-then, what should we do?¡± Song Ke anxiously said, ¡°I¡¯ll go get a wheelchair.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t move for now, let me rest a bit.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan extended his right hand, gently embracing Song Ke¡¯s back, exerting a little force. The distance between the two became even closer.


    ¡°Song Keke, who do you think I¡¯ve been working so hard for?¡±


    Warm breath sprayed on her neck, and Song Ke¡¯s toes curled. She stood there like a wooden stick, upright.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± The questioning tone seemed to have a hook, demanding an answer from her.


    ¡°¡­Me, I guess?¡± Song Ke replied awkwardly.


    ¡°You have some conscience.¡± A faint chuckle sounded in her ears.


    A faint blush spread from her cheeks to the top of her head. Song Ke, very uncharacteristically, blushed.


    ¡­


    The cafeteria once again served as a temporary meeting room. All the high-level awakeners in Shaye gathered, regardless of the length of time they had joined. After this battle, they were now comrades worthy of trust.


    Song Ke pushed Zhuang Qingyan in. He looked boneless, lazily leaning against the wheelchair. Occasionally, he would weakly cough a couple of times. Song Ke was very cautious, even reminding him with hushed tones when crossing the threshold, as if he were made of glass.


    Fang Zhixu glanced at Zhuang Qingyan, not remembering that one of the side effects of the seal was being ¡°delicate.¡±


    ¡°You mentioned having a meeting to discuss Nai Kang¡¯s situation. Did you make any discoveries?¡± Zhang Ci pointed to a table in the distance. ¡°Song Ke, Rita has saved you some food. Come over and eat first.¡±


    Song Ke responded with a sound, releasing the wheelchair with both hands, and happily ran over to pick up the bowl, eating with gusto.


    Zhuang Qingyan: ¡°¡­¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan lost his desire to perform, sat up straight, and his complexion was no longer pale. The weak coughing also stopped. He spoke with a serious expression.


    ¡°Nai Kang is not an awakener.¡±


    This revelation caused a stir among the people present.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°How is that possible?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not an awakener? Then why couldn¡¯t even an S-level take him down?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan calmly said, ¡°Nai Kang¡¯s awakened energy is extremely weak, definitely not emitted from the body¡¯s magnetic field. I speculate that there should be a causality awakener who has applied some kind of protective barrier on him.¡±


    ¡°Causality awakener? I know someone,¡± Samuel, the mercenary leader they had met briefly, suddenly spoke up. ¡°That person used to be a mercenary in Western Street. Later, he joined the Guard Unit. His awakened ability is ¡®Life Puppet,¡¯ which can turn people into puppets. He can use their lives instead of his own. As long as the puppet doesn¡¯t die, the master won¡¯t die.¡±


    Such an awakened ability was shocking to hear.


    ¡°Damn, making others die in one¡¯s place. No wonder Nai Kang is so arrogant.¡±


    ¡°Then who is his puppet?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan continued his analysis. ¡°When Song Ke killed Jularamani, Nai Kang¡¯s expression showed clear panic. Within the next few seconds, he exposed a vulnerability that could be attacked, but quickly recovered.¡±


    Zhang Ci added, ¡°Are you saying that Jularamani was Nai Kang¡¯s first puppet?¡±


    First puppet?


    Everyone¡¯s hearts sank. The implied meaning in Zhang Ci¡¯s words suggested, does Nai Kang have other puppets?


    ¡°No way, how many lives does he have? Can¡¯t he be killed?¡±


    ¡°Is there no limit to this ability?¡±


    ¡°Of course there are limitations. Every time a causality awakener uses their ability, they pay with their own life. Besides, that person is only B-level, and as far as I know, he died a few months ago,¡± Samuel said solemnly.


    Song Ke¡¯s heart also cast a shadow. According to the information provided by Samuel, the causality awakener likely died from overdrawing on their ability. The puppets he created at the cost of his life were all used on Nai Kang.


    ¡°Three puppets,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said indifferently. ¡°Nai Kang has three puppets.¡±


    ¡°How do you know?¡± Others looked at him suspiciously.


    Zhuang Qingyan waved his hand from a distance. ¡°Song Ke, let me borrow the terminal.¡±


    Song Ke put down the bowl and ran over, passing through the crowd and handing the terminal to him.


    Zhuang Qingyan projected a whiteboard and, in front of everyone, listed a series of complex formulas.


    ¡°It¡¯s not difficult to calculate the result. Just consider Nai Kang¡¯s awakened energy, magnetic field strength, and radiation fluctuations inside his body. Then perform the calculations¡­ First, set the total amount of his awakened energy when he first appeared as Y¡­¡±


    ¡°Then, after Jularamani¡¯s death, the first layer of causality disappears. Set this variable as x¡­¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s fingers moved quickly, and more and more data appeared on the whiteboard. Finally, he drew a straight line gracefully. ¡°The final answer is obvious. After Jularamani¡¯s death, Nai Kang still has two layers of protection.¡±


    ¡°This also corresponds to the strength of a B-level awakener. I¡¯m afraid that person, throughout his life, had a limit of only three puppets.¡±


    When Zhuang Qingyan looked up, the cafeteria fell silent.


    The bewildered expressions of the people from Yue Shan Martial Arts School were identical, with eyes revealing a clear stupidity, unaware that their chopsticks and spoons had fallen from their hands.


    In the complete silence, only Lu Xiaoyu clapped his hands to give face, ¡°From the calculation process alone, it¡¯s entirely correct.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan smiled, put the terminal back on Song Ke, who was still bewildered, and used his slender fingers to pick off the rice grains on her cheek.


    ¡°To kill Nai Kang, you must first kill the puppets,¡± Zhuang Qingyan calmly revealed the breakthrough.


    ¡°Now the problem is, who are the remaining two puppets of Nai Kang?¡±

 Chapter 100: When the Roses Bloom (18)

    ¡ò Groundhog? Pangolin! ¡ò¡°I have a question,¡± the usually silent Fang Zhixu suddenly spoke, ¡°Does a puppet know it¡¯s a puppet?¡±


    He washed his face, shaved his beard, and tidied up neatly. Fang Zhixu had changed a lot these two days. The unexpected reunion with Zhang Wanyao made him completely collapse, but also gave him a new life. Now, the sense of decadence that had been on him completely disappeared, returning him to the mature and rational appearance he once had.


    ¡°They may know or may not know it,¡± Zhuang Qingyan answered slowly. S?a??h the N?v?lFire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°When the causality ability is implanted, neither the puppet nor the master feels any obvious discomfort. If done discreetly enough, they might not even be aware. All the hardships are borne solely by that causality awakener. So, these individuals are jokingly referred to as ¡®spring silkworms.''¡±


    In ancient literature, spring silkworms were symbols of selfless dedication. However, in the present context, it¡¯s filled with irony. This supernatural ability is too elusive, capable of clandestinely altering someone¡¯s life trajectory, becoming a scapegoat for another person.


    Zhuang Qingyan paused. ¡°As for whether Nai Kang¡¯s puppet knows its own identity, that¡¯s debatable.¡±


    ¡°I think Juralamani doesn¡¯t know,¡± Song Ke affirmed confidently.


    When a warrior faces life and death, their eyes and displayed state cannot deceive others. When Song Ke fought Juralamani, the opponent¡¯s moves were fierce, their mind resolute, showing no anomalies. If he knew he was a puppet, he¡¯d certainly have some reservations; there would be flaws in his technique, and his emotions would fluctuate slightly when being killed. Yet, Juralamani displayed none of these signs.


    Juralamani¡¯s strength had reached close to S-level. He was an absolute powerhouse and wouldn¡¯t easily die. Nai Kang choosing him as a puppet was an extremely wise decision. There was no need to explicitly inform him.


    ¡°Additionally,¡± Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s mind was like an unfathomable library, swiftly recalling related information, ¡°this kind of life bond cannot be established in one go. It needs several reinforcing sessions. Also, when making a puppet, both the main host and the puppet must be present.¡±


    Zhang Ci further speculated, ¡°So, the puppet¡¯s selection leans towards people familiar to Nai Kang, at least those he frequently encounters.¡±


    Nai Kang held a prestigious position, allowed entry into the Reunification Palace, and had few people who met him face-to-face, further narrowing down the possibilities.


    The awakeners in the cafeteria discussed animatedly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand, can¡¯t Nai Kang just randomly snatch someone and lock them up? Wouldn¡¯t that be safer?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. If a normal person is imprisoned for no reason, their mindset would surely explode. What if they can¡¯t take it and commit su*cide? Wouldn¡¯t that waste the puppet opportunity? Is Nai Kang that foolish?¡±


    ¡°Then he could capture several more, rotate them,¡± the young man who spoke first was unconvinced, turning to Zhuang Qingyan, ¡°Hey, buddy, can the identity of a puppet be transferred?¡±


    ¡°Possible,¡± Zhuang Qingyan nodded slightly.


    The crowd was astonished. The puppet¡¯s identity could be transferred? Wouldn¡¯t that make it as difficult as finding a needle in a haystack?


    ¡°But the causality awakener must personally implant it,¡± Zhuang Qingyan leisurely completed the latter half of the sentence.


    That was a real shocker¡ªabsolutely terrifying.


    Their hearts sank back into their chests, murmuring involuntarily, ¡°Thank goodness he died early; otherwise, it would¡¯ve been troublesome.¡±


    ¡°Fortunately, fortunately. The identities of the remaining two puppets are fixed.¡±


    Samuel, towering in stature, stood up, his voice deep, ¡°I understand Nai Kang better than any of you. He¡¯s known as the ¡®tyrant¡¯ because he dislikes anything slipping from his control. In my opinion, he won¡¯t disclose the truth to the puppets.¡±


    In the New Calendar Year 47, it was Nai Kang¡¯s 27th year as the magistrate. Samuel, joining the mercenaries at fifteen, had witnessed Nai Kang¡¯s bloody ascent to power, steadily developing over the past three decades.


    Samuel thought for a moment and added, ¡°I¡¯m not sure what his plan was before, but after yesterday¡¯s battle, Nai Kang lost an important puppet. It¡¯s highly likely he¡¯ll keep the remaining two controlled within the Reunification Palace, the safest place in Mu City.¡±


    Zhang Ci nodded in agreement, ¡°To sum up, the puppets are people Nai Kang is familiar with or trusts, frequently encountered by him, probably currently within the Guard Unit or the Reunification Palace, unaware of their identity.¡±


    Who could such individuals be?


    Everyone fell into contemplation, the atmosphere in the cafeteria unusually hushed.


    ¡°I know someone,¡± Fang Zhixu gradually clenched his fists.


    ¡°He has been living in the Reunification Palace for years, closest to Nai Kang, tightly controlled by him, easily accessible at all times. Most importantly, that person, until today, is still alive and well.¡±


    Dark flames ignited in Fang Zhixu¡¯s eyes, ¡°He¡¯s Nai Kang¡¯s only son¡ªNai Wen.¡±


    ¡°I used to be Nai Wen¡¯s attending physician, well aware of his condition. His bone disease was congenital, previously considered incurable before the apocalypse, but now, survival is entirely possible with the healing supernatural abilities.¡±


    ¡°Come to think of it, we haven¡¯t heard about Nai Wen for a long time,¡± murmured a few local mercenaries behind Samuel.


    ¡°That little p*rvert always enjoyed mutil*ting healthy children. He used to cause trouble frequently, and our neighbor¡¯s daughter was¡­ by him¡­ It seems like he¡¯s vanished from the face of the earth lately.¡±


    ¡°Nai Wen being a puppet, only killing him will reveal the truth,¡± Zhuang Qingyan sighed, ¡°But to kill him, one must enter the Reunification Palace. It seems that even if it¡¯s a den of dragons and tigers, one inevitably has to make a trip there.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go to the Reunification Palace,¡± Song Ke was the first to step forward.


    Zhuang Qingyan and Zhang Ci glanced at her, almost simultaneously speaking.


    ¡°It¡¯s dangerous for you alone, I¡¯ll accompany you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    The scene fell silent for two seconds, the senior brothers and sisters from Yue Mountain Martial Arts School looked at the two, their breaths hitching in disbelief.


    Su Cha and Lu Xiaoyu intervened in time:


    ¡°I¡¯ll go too.¡±


    ¡°Sounds interesting, count me in.¡±


    Samuel, Fan Yiwen, and others also chimed in, ¡°I¡¯ll join too.¡±


    Most of the high-level awakeners present stood up.


    Zhang Ci raised a hand to calm their agitation, raising his voice, ¡°I know everyone came to Shaye for survival. This assassination mission is extremely dangerous, completely voluntary, you don¡¯t have to force yourselves.¡±


    ¡°Qiong Qi, your kindness is understood, but this concerns everyone¡¯s interests. I must go.¡±


    ¡°Nai Kang is practically riding roughshod over us; I have to take him down!¡±


    ¡°Without killing Nai Kang, Shaye will never have peaceful days. Qiong Qi, I¡¯m willing to go with you!¡±


    The name Qiong Qi belonged to the soul of Shaye. His charisma was unmatched. The fervent voices surged higher and higher. Zhang Ci stood amidst the crowd, like a guiding light illuminating the gloom.


    Zhuang Qingyan watched coldly for a while before dousing them with a metaphorical bucket of icy water. ¡°Just shouting won¡¯t work. It¡¯s not about who has the loudest voice.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan casually pointed at Zhang Ci and a few others, ¡°You, you, and you, either you¡¯re wanted criminals or unidentified refugees. You can¡¯t even enter Mu City, and you¡¯re thinking of storming into the Reunification Palace?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Why does this man deserve a beating so much?


    However, despite Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s harsh words, the point was straightforward. For these individuals, getting close to the Reunification Palace was utterly implausible.


    Was there any other way they could infiltrate?


    Song Ke recalled encountering Liu Zixuan in Hua City. Though he was only a D-rank, his ability was exceptionally unique, capable of opening a door to any plane. If they could find someone similar, wouldn¡¯t they have a chance to enter the Reunification Palace?


    Sharing her thoughts, Song Ke saw Zhuang Qingyan nod in agreement. ¡°Exactly. It doesn¡¯t necessarily have to be door-opening abilities; other supernatural abilities could work too. If utilized properly, seemingly trivial abilities could be remarkably effective.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have all the awakeners in Shaye re-registered,¡± Zhang Ci concluded.


    *


    Mu City.


    Irene and Lin Youyou, accompanied by a group of girls, dashed through the smoke.


    ¡°Irene, this is the last place!¡± Lin Youyou shouted.


    ¡°Marsha, haven¡¯t you sensed your sister yet?¡± Irene blasted away the pursuing private soldiers and turned to ask.


    Marsha clenched her lips, shaking her head rapidly.


    While Nai Kang attacked Shaye, Miao Lun used private soldiers to take over the city¡¯s defenses. Irene and her team raided several private soldier camps, rescuing some girls conscripted as ¡®Rose Army,¡¯ but Marsha¡¯s sister, Marie, was still nowhere to be found.


    ¡°Could it be that your sister is still in Miao Lun¡¯s mansion?¡± a wounded girl timidly suggested, ¡°I heard that Miao Lun keeps pets he fancies for a while before getting tired and throwing them to the private soldier camps.¡±


    Miao Lun¡¯s mansion was easy to locate, but it was heavily guarded by high-level awakeners, making it virtually impenetrable. Rescuing anyone from within was like searching for a needle in a haystack.


    ¡°Let¡¯s send them back first, then we¡¯ll go check,¡± Irene and Lin Youyou sent the girls back to the apartment and, with Marsha, approached Miao Lun¡¯s mansion.


    They didn¡¯t dare get too close, hiding in streets several kilometers away. Marsha folded her hands and activated her telepathic sense. After a few seconds, she exclaimed in excitement, ¡°I found my sister!¡±


    Indeed, Marie was there, but as Marsha¡¯s smile surfaced, it froze the next moment.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Lin Youyou asked nervously.


    Marsha¡¯s expression turned puzzled, ¡°My sister said she¡¯s with a sister named Yao, and they won¡¯t leave for the time being.¡±


    Yao?


    Irene and Lin Youyou exchanged astonished looks. Zhang Wanyao? They had lost contact with her since that day in the apartment and hadn¡¯t expected to hear her name this way.


    ¡°What else did Marie say?¡± Irene asked.


    Marsha closed her eyes, concentrating on communicating with her sister silently.


    ¡°She told me to quickly leave Mu City and seek reinforcements.¡±


    ¡°What reinforcements?¡±


    Suddenly, a commotion arose within Mu City. Generals and the joint forces were returning to the city. The news of Ruan Wenjun¡¯s death spread like wildfire, and within moments, over a hundred fully armed mercenaries streamed out of Miao Lun¡¯s mansion.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t good,¡± Irene frowned. ¡°With Nai Kang returning at this time, Miao Lun must have received news about the Rose Army¡¯s betrayal. He¡¯s free now and finding us is just a matter of time.¡±


    Irene gripped the cannon with her left hand. These girls had barely escaped. Would they now be caught again?


    ¡°Irene, let¡¯s go to Shaye,¡± Lin Youyou said seriously. She had received information from Su Cha and Song Ke about Shaye¡¯s current situation.


    ¡°I assure you, Shaye is different from Mu City. The leader there, Qiong Qi, is Song Ke¡¯s senior martial brother. He¡¯s honest and fair. If they go there, at least they won¡¯t suffer abuse and harassment anymore.¡±


    Irene lowered her gaze in silence, fearing her decision would push these girls into another pit.


    Lin Youyou earnestly persuaded, ¡°Even Samuel has joined Shaye. If Qiong Qi were like Nai Kang, so many locals wouldn¡¯t willingly follow him.¡±


    ¡°Fine, let¡¯s go to Shaye,¡± Irene finally relented and nodded slowly.


    The three returned to the apartment, gathered the rescued girls, and along with a few dozen people, headed toward the city gates, aiming to leave Mu City before Miao Lun¡¯s search.


    As they approached the city gates, Irene abruptly halted¡ªGodanwei and Hu Chao manned the outpost. Their eagle-like eyes scrutinized every person entering or leaving, especially the women, who had to roll up their sleeves for inspection.


    ¡°Irene¡­¡± a trembling voice came from behind.


    Those girls, their faces pale, rolled up their sleeves. Except for Marsha, who hadn¡¯t been caught, every one of them bore a deep red rose-shaped brand on their arms.


    This was Miao Lun¡¯s victorious ¡°medal¡±, the ¡°honor¡± of joining the Rose Army.


    Irene fell into a state of intense, speechless fury.


    ¡°Scum!¡± Lin Youyou turned away, angrily cursing.


    ¡°Um, excuse me¡­¡± a stranger¡¯s voice interrupted them.


    Irene looked wary, swiftly turning around with Lin Youyou, shielding the girls. They recognized the familiar figure¡ªwhy was it him?


    Kansu, who had crossed paths with them before, awkwardly smiled, his face and clothes covered in mud. ¡°It¡¯s me, it¡¯s me. Sorry for eavesdropping again, I swear I didn¡¯t mean to. I always accidentally know too many secrets, and it¡¯s really bothersome¡­¡±


    Kansu nervously rambled on, noticing the terrified and disoriented looks of the girls. He slapped his mouth belatedly, then finally got to the point, ¡°Are you trying to leave the city? I can take you out.¡±


    ¡°You? What can you do?¡± Lin Youyou raised her chin, glaring fiercely.


    Kansu scratched his head sheepishly, ¡°Uh, well, my ability is ¡®digging tunnels.¡¯ Over the years, I¡¯ve secretly made many passages, including a way out of the city. My friends call me Groundhog, though I absolutely deny it. I¡¯m clearly a pangolin¡­¡±


    Kansu continued with nonsensical chatter, then he realized¡ª


    The beautiful lady in front of him had sparkling eyes, looking thrilled as if she wanted to devour him.


    Kansu: ¡­Did I say something extraordinary?

 Chapter 101: When the Roses Bloom (19)

    ¡ò He panicked ¡òKansu claimed he could take them out, and it wasn¡¯t a joke.


    His awakened ability was rather bizarre, often ridiculed by friends as useless. However, Kansu himself felt it was okay. He didn¡¯t enjoy violence; his only interest lay in studying the award-winning projects of urban planning competitions. His biggest dream was, ¡°The world is so vast, and I want to see it.¡±


    Previously, due to the stringent access restrictions of Mu City, this dream had been indefinitely postponed. Unexpectedly, after the apocalypse, his tunneling ability granted him freedom, reigniting hope.


    Kansu spent a good half-year digging through hundreds of winding passages beneath Mu City, more complex than the municipal hall in Luli Port. Without his guidance, an ordinary person might never find their way out.


    Leading Irene and the others, Kansu arrived at a secluded alley. After confirming no one was watching, he pried open the manhole cover: ¡°The way out of the city is somewhat special, and it¡¯ll be a bit of a hardship to use the sewers.¡±


    The girls, having endured torment, had already toughened their spirits and didn¡¯t complain about the hardship. Silently, they queued up and climbed down. Finally, Kansu, meticulously restoring the manhole cover, couldn¡¯t help muttering, ¡°Initially, I just dug randomly, but somehow people always came down for exploration. Hey, guess what happened? They got themselves lost! When I found out, the bodies had swollen like balloons¡­¡±


    The girls showed disgusted expressions, prompting Kansu to quickly change his tone, ¡°Sorry, sorry, I won¡¯t talk about it. I just wonder why these people have such strong curiosity? Later, I had to dig all the entrances in hidden places¡­¡±


    The sewer was dim and damp, occasionally with unidentified flying insects, water rats, and bats passing by. Eventually, they lost all sense of direction and had to rely on Kansu. Irene kept her gun aimed at him, not entirely dropping her guard. If Kansu showed any suspicious behavior, she¡¯d immediately disable him.


    About an hour later, Kansu stopped at a dead end, ¡°You guys stay back a bit. I sealed this place last time, need to dig again.¡±


    Lin Youyou and the rest stepped back as Kansu¡¯s hands emitted a faint sandy-yellow glow. He turned into a rapid drill, swiftly digging into the ground. Soon, sunlight penetrated as a hole about half a person¡¯s height appeared out of nowhere.


    Lin Youyou used both hands and feet, struggling to climb out, realizing they were near the lifeline.


    She glanced around, confirming the direction to Shaye base, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Under the sunlight, Lin Youyou¡¯s face gleamed, unaffected by the traces of dirt, radiating her beauty.


    Kansu stared at her for two seconds, ¡°Miss, you seem familiar. Have we met somewhere?¡±


    Lin Youyou initially thought, ¡°Not good,¡± but then quickly composed herself. In moments like these, she couldn¡¯t afford to appear guilty. She straightened up, hands on her hips, and scolded assertively, ¡°Don¡¯t think that just because you helped us, you can casually strike up a conversation. I¡¯m not interested in you!¡±


    Kansu was startled by her shouting and hurriedly tried to explain, ¡°I-I wouldn¡¯t dare! It¡¯s just that¡­ I also want to go to Shaye, but I don¡¯t have any way in. Can you take me with you?¡±


    After Kansu finished speaking, he smiled innocently. In fact, he could have used this as a bargaining chip, demanding Irene and her group¡¯s compliance within the city. However, he didn¡¯t. It wasn¡¯t until he had safely escorted all the girls out that he foolishly asked his question. This guy truly lacked any cunning or hidden agenda.


    Lin Youyou coincidentally received a message from Song Ke, her lips curved slightly, ¡°Of course.¡±


    At Shaye Base, Zhuang Qingyan browsed through the list of awakeners, occasionally pulling up a few profiles and making notes on the screen. He pondered various combinations in his mind while Song Ke idly counted his eyelashes with her hands resting on the wheelchair¡¯s back.


    Lin Mo poked his head in, ¡°I¡¯ve detected, the people you mentioned seem to have arrived.¡±


    ¡°Great, I¡¯ll go greet them.¡± Song Ke instantly brightened, leaving Zhuang Qingyan behind as she rushed toward the base¡¯s gate.


    Traces of the previous war still lingered, amid rolling sand dust, a female awakener with a cannon in her left hand and an empty right arm emerged. Her gaze was resolute, her steps steady, followed by dozens of disheveled girls supporting each other.


    Above the base, Zhang Ci confirmed their identities and nodded, signaling, ¡°Let them through.¡±


    Rita¡¯s team had prepared hot water, clean towels, and coats at the end of the drawbridge. Irene took a towel, wiped her face, and looked up at the imposing city walls. Emotions swirled within her. As a native of Mu City, she had never imagined that she¡¯d end up leaving her home and relying on refugees from elsewhere.


    ¡°From now on, this will be your home,¡± Rita held the youngest, Marsha, and said solemnly.


    The girls, who had endured fear and worry throughout the journey, couldn¡¯t hold back their tears any longer and began sobbing uncontrollably.


    *


    Mu City, Miao Lun¡¯s private residence.


    ¡°Useless!¡± The boiling teapot was knocked over, and a tea cup flew, crashing heavily toward the two kneeling figures on the ground.


    Godanwei¡¯s forehead was hit, instantly turning red from the scalding, while Hu Chao, positioned next to him with his head close to the ground, was drenched. Neither dared to move.


    Miao Lun¡¯s eyes narrowed into a straight line, brimming with unquenchable fury. ¡°You can¡¯t even capture a group of women! What use are you to me?¡±


    Zhang Wanyao was kneeling by his feet. Miao Lun suddenly erupted in anger, and the overturned teapot happened to fall towards her. Despite dodging quickly, her hand was still scalded red.


    Marie, in the corner, intended to step forward, but Zhang Wanyao shook her head, her expression indifferent, as if nothing had happened.


    ¡°Sir, those deserters didn¡¯t leave through the city gates¡­¡± Godanwei attempted to defend himself.


    Miao Lun snorted coldly, ¡°Are you questioning Mu City¡¯s defenses? Tell me, faced with the encirclement of weapons from all directions, do you think those damned women grew wings and flew away, or did they turn into eels and slither through some hole?¡±


    Godanwei cried foul in his mind. He had checked thoroughly, but the people did indeed vanish right under his nose. He couldn¡¯t shirk responsibility. Glancing at Hu Chao, Godanwei looked for any sign of support, but Hu Chao remained as silent as the dead. In such moments, he always achieved a new level of cowardice, enduring beatings and scoldings without a word of complaint.


    Miao Lun¡¯s nostrils flared as he breathed heavily, his chest heaving violently. The Rose Army was the fruit of his labor, meticulously selected and nurtured with considerable time and effort. Now, with nearly half of them lost, Miao Lun seethed with resentment.


    Was that ¡®Sly Fox¡¯ so omnipotent? Could they find people so accurately and effortlessly take them away?


    Miao Lun¡¯s sinister gaze glanced at the most beautiful rose on the ground. Zhang Wanyao¡¯s fingertips trembled, yet her demeanor remained as composed as ever.


    Outside the door, a servant cautiously knocked three times. ¡°Sir, General Nai Kang has arrived.¡±


    The people in the room were momentarily stunned. Why would Nai Kang come here?


    Nai Kang always summoned warlords in the Reunification Palace. Besides, this place was merely a private residence, not the gathering place of the Miao family. Having just suffered a defeat in Shaye, his sudden appearance here was highly unusual.


    Miao Lun said coldly, ¡°Get up.¡±


    Godanwei and Hu Chao immediately stood up, obediently positioning themselves behind him.


    As the door was pushed open, Miao Lun¡¯s face had already resumed its smiling demeanor.


    Nai Kang, with a dignified appearance, walked in. He wasn¡¯t moving fast, but his inherent aura from long-held authority inexplicably lightened the atmosphere.


    Nai Kang took the main seat, resting his arm on his knee, and for a while, he remained silent. The room was as silent as a tomb.


    ¡°Why did the General come here today? Any instructions?¡± Miao Lun spoke nonchalantly, maintaining his composure.


    ¡°Ruan Wenjun is dead, and his Iron Eagle team is leaderless. Divide it between you and Mu Qin; more usable manpower,¡± Nai Kang spoke.


    ¡°Thank you, General,¡± Miao Lun graciously accepted.


    Nai Kang stared at him deeply for a while before continuing, ¡°Furthermore, promote someone from among those minor warlords to take Ruan Wenjun¡¯s place. Handle this matter yourself.¡± s?a??h th? N?v?lFire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    This was a blatant delegation of power to Miao Lun. Promoting a high-ranking warlord held lucrative opportunities, and Miao Lun could use this to consolidate his influence. Over time, his power would only grow stronger.


    Nai Kang¡¯s second statement finally brought a hint of joy to Miao Lun¡¯s face.


    ¡°Are your people reliable?¡± Nai Kang glanced at Hu Chao and Godanwei.


    Miao Lun was well aware that Juralamani had died in Shaye. He thought Nai Kang might have his eye on one of his private soldiers. ¡°If the General likes, feel free to take them. Among my subordinates, loyalty is unquestionable.¡±


    Nai Kang waved his hand, seemingly just asking casually, ¡°No need, keep them.¡±


    Zhang Wanyao trembled all over, barely able to control her emotions. This was her first time seeing Nai Kang up close, and her hatred intensified. The enemy was right in front of her; she couldn¡¯t contain her feelings. Tiantian¡¯s face kept flashing in her mind, and she wished she could rush forward and kill Nai Kang right then and there.


    Marie sensed her trembling and moved closer to her.


    A tear fell from Zhang Wanyao¡¯s eye, and her knee suddenly twitched.


    Marie acted swiftly, grabbing her immediately. Her sixth sense warned her that if she didn¡¯t stop Zhang Wanyao, something terrible might happen.


    The commotion drew Nai Kang¡¯s attention. He cast an indifferent glance, passing over the trembling Zhang Wanyao and Marie.


    Nai Kang was well aware of Miao Lun¡¯s unsavory hobbies in private, including the Rose Army¡¯s seemingly glorious but actually bloodstained and dirty operations. However, Nai Kang didn¡¯t care. Miao Lun was a clever person, and clever people are inherently difficult to control. But he brazenly exposed his weakness for lust, never intentionally hiding it, which in turn became a challenge for Nai Kang to exploit.


    To ascend to the position of the top warlord in Mu City from an ordinary person¡¯s status required a depth of thought that couldn¡¯t be underestimated, especially when coupled with a keen sense of self-preservation.


    Satisfied, Nai Kang left. His visit seemed merely to exchange inconsequential words.


    Miao Lun looked in the direction where Nai Kang disappeared, his eyes narrowing slightly as a faint smirk played on his lips.


    *


    Shaye Base.


    Zhuang Qingyan, Zhang Ci, and Song Ke were in a meeting when Lu Xiaoyu barged in, controlling the wheelchair.


    ¡°I have some bad news and some worse news. Which one do you want to hear first?¡± Lu Xiaoyu asked.


    Zhuang Qingyan lifted his head, his expressionless gaze meeting Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s. The others remained silent, no one answering his question.


    Disappointed, Lu Xiaoyu shrugged. ¡°Okay, seems like you guys don¡¯t get humor.¡±


    ¡°The first bad news is that Nai Kang has issued new laws, a region-wide warrant for the arrest of four S-level awakeners from Shaye. In other words, from now on, we are also gloriously wanted fugitives. The path of forging admission permissions is no longer viable,¡± Lu Xiaoyu stated.


    His icy gaze flickered, projecting a deciphered string of text in front of everyone. ¡°The second, even worse news: I intercepted several one-way confidential messages. They were ¡®Request for Intervention¡¯ orders sent by Nai Kang. I have strong reason to suspect that the Alliance has already received them.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s a ¡®Request for Intervention¡¯?¡± Song Ke asked, puzzled.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s expression grew more serious. ¡°The District Magistrate holds the highest authority within their jurisdiction. In the event of an uncontrollable situation, they can relinquish a portion of their interests and request intervention from the Alliance. The Alliance then dispatches ¡®Special Envoys¡¯ to briefly intervene in local affairs and help the magistrate ¡®resolve the issue.¡¯


    Song Ke caught on immediately, ¡°Is Nai Kang panicking?¡±


    A person so domineering voluntarily bowing down and relinquishing the magistrate¡¯s supreme position to request Alliance intervention was itself unthinkable. Could Juralamani¡¯s death have hit him that hard?


    Zhuang Qingyan smiled faintly, ¡°I believe this opens up another approach for us. If Nai Kang has made this decision, it seems that his remaining two puppets might not match Juralamani¡¯s strength.¡±


    ¡°However, these are just speculations. Given the current situation, within the next three days at most, the Alliance¡¯s Special Envoys will arrive in Mu City. They might not send just one S-level. When they arrive, it might be challenging to deceive or outwit them,¡± Zhuang Qingyan warned.


    A chill ran through everyone. Their plan involved assassination, not recklessly confronting S-level awakeners!


    ¡°We¡¯re out of time; we need to quickly get into the Reunification Palace,¡± Zhuang Qingyan concluded decisively.

 Chapter 102: When the Roses Bloom (20)

    ¡ò I had seven times despised my soul ¡òTwo unexpected guests arrived at the heavily guarded entrance of the Reunification Palace.


    Before they could approach the restricted area, armed guards aimed their weapons at the two, warning them to halt.


    ¡°We¡¯re here to claim the bounty.¡±


    One of them slowly raised his head. A grim scar ran from the corner of his eye to his jaw, his eyes unusually gloomy. Coupled with a voice that seemed scorched by flames, his hoarse tone made anyone listening uncomfortable, sending shivers down their spine.


    Next to Scarface stood a silent, thin man, both carrying peculiarly shaped black boxes.


    The captain of the guards couldn¡¯t help but be startled. What bounty could they be claiming at the Reunification Palace? Then, his expression changed as he quickly recalled the most prominent recent bounty, the one personally issued by the General: ¡°To kill any one of the four S-level awakeners of Shaye and claim a substantial bounty by presenting their head at the Reunification Palace.¡±


    The authority of this warrant was high, its difficulty immense, nearly impossible for anyone to accomplish. However, correspondingly, its rewards were astonishingly abundant, even allowing requests to be made directly to the General himself. Under this high reward, there must be brave souls willing to attempt the impossible. Could it be that someone had actually fulfilled this warrant?


    Only an S-level could kill another S-level awakener¡­


    The captain felt a chill down his spine. When he looked back at the two, his attitude immediately became respectful. ¡°Two heroes, we need to verify the token first.¡±


    Scarface sneered. Simultaneously, he and the thin man pressed a switch on their boxes. A small door automatically lifted from the side, revealing two bloody human heads!


    The captain¡¯s heart turned cold as he hurriedly retrieved the footage from the battle with Shaye. The identities of these S-level fugitives were unknown, lacking their biological information, which forced them to resort to traditional methods of verification. After scanning the video and pausing it, he scrutinized the blurred, fleshy heads. Eventually, he managed to identify them: the crippled man controlling the mechanical vehicle on the city wall on the left, and surprisingly, the one on the right bore a striking resemblance to the leader of the refugees, Qiong Qi.


    The captain was shaken to the core. He took a step forward, wanting to examine more closely.


    Scarface promptly closed the small door with a click and ominously stated, ¡°I want to see the bounty.¡±


    ¡°Please wait a moment. I¡¯ll report to the General immediately!¡±


    The captain moved aside and communicated discreetly via his communicator. The message was swiftly relayed upwards, and Nai Kang¡¯s order came promptly: Let them pass.


    ¡°Please come in.¡±


    The guards who received the order made way for the two visitors.


    Scarface and the thin man carried their boxes, passing through the security checkpoint. Precise instruments scanned them from head to toe, ensuring no weapons or sharp objects were allowed. The indicator lights blinked twice, all remained calm, no alarms sounded.


    After entering through the main gate, they walked for almost fifteen minutes before officially entering the realm of the Reunification Palace. Along the way, they encountered patrolling awakeners; the security level here was so high that not even a bug could fly in.


    Scarface stared at the majestic and grandiose buildings ahead, a peculiar smile on his lips. ¡°The General is indeed wealthy. Look at this lavish life. Once we claim the bounty, we¡¯ll get ourselves a big house like this.¡±


    Scarface and the thin man exchanged glances, envisioning the good days to come, bursting into hearty laughter.


    The captain of the guards twitched at the corner of his mouth, deliberately avoiding any response.


    At the bottom of the black boxes, several small openings suddenly split open. Mechanical spiders fell out densely, some crawling into nearby bushes, others disappearing into crevices in the buildings, without drawing anyone¡¯s attention. The eight eyes of each spider faintly glowed as they swiftly collected data from their surroundings.


    In a space several meters underground, a black-haired girl retracted her ears, which had been eavesdropping for any movement. From the hole in the ceiling, she leaped down, landing soundlessly like a panther. Taking two steps forward, she activated a faint light. In the winding and dark tunnel, hundreds of advanced awakeners were quietly lurking.


    Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s fingers danced, projecting a screen. The real-time footage collected by the mechanical spiders streamed back. It began with rows of marching boots, then zoomed out, presenting a clear view of the buildings within the Reunification Palace, becoming increasingly complete as the spiders moved.


    ¡°Enough.¡±


    ¡°Have you found Nai Wen¡¯s location?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll take time.¡±


    These people, naturally, were Song Ke and their team. As for Scarface and the thin figure, they were their accomplices.


    Zhuang Qingyan discovered an awakener with the ability of ¡°reverse molding¡±. His mind worked swiftly, formulating the entire plan in an instant.


    First, Lu Xiaoyu crafted fake heads using machinery, then the awakener with reverse molding ability conducted ¡°cosmetic surgery¡± on them. Finally, they sent two new faces ¡°legitimately¡± into the Reunification Palace to investigate the internal situation, while Song Ke¡¯s team used Kansu¡¯s ability to infiltrate the palace through underground tunnels.


    In the selection of the bounty heads, Zhang Ci, as the leader of Shaye, held undeniable value, undoubtedly occupying a slot. Zhang Ci himself had no objections to this. As for the other one¡­ it was volunteered by Lu Xiaoyu.


    One couldn¡¯t deny that the genius¡¯s way of thinking was indeed difficult for ordinary people to comprehend. Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s smile and the scene of him playfully massaging his own head would certainly remain unforgettable for a lifetime.


    ¡­


    In the Reunification Palace, within an ordinary building, the sound of objects shattering echoed.


    ¡°Get lost.¡± A terrifying-looking teenager, covered in brown patches, smashed all the vases in the room, muttering hoarsely.


    His eerie gaze contradicted his young age, yet his body was frail and shorter than others his age. The guards, possessors of extraordinary abilities, stood silently in his way, thwarting his attempt to leave.


    The boy erupted in rage, ¡°Good, I couldn¡¯t leave the palace before, but now I can¡¯t even leave this room? Who gave you the guts to confine me?¡±


    ¡°Young Master Nai Wen, this is the General¡¯s directive, all for your safety,¡± one of the guards explained calmly.


    ¡°Safety? What do I have to fear?¡± Nai Wen revealed a demonic grin. ¡°What¡¯s the point of living like this? If I die, so be it. I don¡¯t even care. Why should you dogs interfere?¡±


    Nai Wen reached under the bed, his expression revealing a sinister and bloodthirsty intent. ¡°I heard Shaye¡¯s leader¡¯s head was delivered? I¡¯ll go take a look. I plan to make a new ball out of it.¡±


    ¡°Young Master Nai Wen, you cannot leave the room¡­¡±


    ¡°Boom!¡± A burst of flame shattered the speaker¡¯s head.


    Nai Wen wiped the blood splattered on his face, twistedly smiling. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me what I can¡¯t do.¡±


    He cleared a path with a particle gun, forcing the guards of the security team to step back, finally walking out of the room.


    ¡­


    Several dozen miles away from the Reunification Palace, in another tunnel, Marsha sat on a bench, waiting for Kansu and the others to return for her. She fiddled with the terminal, conversing telepathically with Marie atop her head.


    ¡°Sister, is that sister named Yao around?¡± Marsha suddenly remembered something, silently asking in her mind.


    ¡°She¡¯s here, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Marie glanced at Zhang Wanyao beside her, who sat motionless, staring at her hands. Since Nai Kang visited, she had grown increasingly silent.


    In the underground chamber, Marsha rummaged through her pockets and retrieved a neatly folded piece of paper.


    ¡°There¡¯s someone named Fang Zhixu who asked me to read this passage to her.¡±


    ¡°I had seven times despised my soul,


    The first time, when it could have dared to strive but chose to comply with the status quo;


    The third time, between difficulty and ease, it chose ease;¡±


    Marsha¡¯s tender voice read aloud the beautifully rhymed poetry.


    In the courtyard dozens of meters above, Marie repeated the heard words and phrases word for word.


    ¡°The sixth time, it scorned the ugly faces, unaware it had the same countenance;


    The seventh time, the soul lay askew in the filth of life, unwilling yet hesitant.


    All errors should be concluded at the seventh time,


    From this day forth, I am willing to burn my soul to secure a joyful new life for you.¡±


    Marsha earnestly finished reading, and the two sisters simultaneously sighed in relief.


    So difficult to read, so awkward, what does this poem really mean?


    Zhang Wanyao blinked slowly, a faint curve forming at the corner of her mouth. She seemed to be smiling, yet poignant tears fell incessantly.


    ¡°It¡¯s still the same as before¡­¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, the same as before?¡± Marie asked in confusion. S?a??h the N?v?l(F)ire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°When he made a mistake before and didn¡¯t dare to apologize face-to-face, he would secretly write a poem and place it on my easel. If I opened and read it, it meant I forgave him. If not, he¡¯d continue writing until I did forgive him.¡±


    In Tongwan, Fang Zhixu had an excellent reputation as a respected doctor. But at home, in front of Zhang Wanyao, he appeared awkward, like a young lad in his early twenties, always clinging to her, unwilling to let go even after a long embrace.¡±


    ¡°Is he your husband?¡± Marie asked cautiously, ¡°Did you leave him because you were angry?¡±


    ¡°No, I never¡­¡± Her voice trailed off quietly.


    Zhang Wanyao wiped her tears, her resolute eyes filled with determination: ¡°Can you ask your sister if Fang Zhixu is at the Reunification Palace now?¡±


    Marie closed her eyes for a moment. ¡°Marsha says he went to the Reunification Palace.¡±


    ¡­


    Under the protection of layers of awakeners, Nai Kang received two individuals who had come to claim a bounty.


    Seated on a chair, he stared intently at the box they held. ¡°Where is the head of the Qiong Qi? Show it to me.¡±


    Scarface sternly refused, ¡°Wait a moment, General. We haven¡¯t discussed the reward yet.¡±


    ¡°The reward can be claimed directly from my internal affairs officer,¡± Nai Kang replied.


    ¡°What we want can only be given by you, General,¡± Scarface chuckled strangely.


    Frowning, Nai Kang asked, ¡°What do you want?¡±


    ¡°I want to live in a palace,¡± Scarface blurted out.


    ¡°Forget it. Didn¡¯t we agree on just money and crystals?¡± A thin, silent man suddenly opposed loudly.


    ¡°What money? Can¡¯t I change my mind?¡± Scarface retorted coldly.


    Due to a disagreement over how to split the loot, the two men argued fiercely, faces turning red, hinting at an imminent physical altercation.


    Nai Kang¡¯s patience dwindled away. Raising his right hand, numerous heavy weapons were aimed at the two, silencing their argument instantly.


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask you one last time, what do you want?¡± Nai Kang sneered. In the past, he wouldn¡¯t have even entertained the idea of meeting such people, let alone listening to them.


    Scarface glanced at him, then grinned. ¡°General, how about you let me take your place for two days?¡±


    Nai Kang¡¯s pupils contracted sharply. These two were definitely not here to claim a reward!!


    He stood up abruptly, shouting, ¡°Kill them!¡±


    Scarface and the thin man fiercely hurled the black box forward. With a ¡°whoosh,¡± just before the explosion of the shell, they vanished on the spot.


    ¡°General, they¡¯re spatial anchor awakeners!¡± someone in the guard unit recognized.


    Spatial anchor awakener belonged to an extremely rare branch within spatial awakener. By setting one or more anchor points, they could instantly return to the anchor point within the range of their ability, making them the perfect choice for committing crimes and escaping.


    ¡°Not good!¡± Nai Kang realized something, his face turning pale. ¡°Where¡¯s Nai Wen?¡±


    ¡°Beep beep¡ª¡±


    A piercing countdown alarm sounded from the black box on the ground. In the next second, a scorching blast soared into the sky!


    This wasn¡¯t the head of an S-level awakener; it was clearly a high-powered explosive device!


    The Guard Unit and Nai Kang¡¯s figures were instantly engulfed.

 Chapter 103: When the Roses Bloom (21)

    ¡ò You are not worthy of being human ¡òIn the Reunification Palace, within the underground passage, the southwest direction on the projection screen suddenly displayed scrambled snowflakes. The real-time footage flickered twice and vanished.


    ¡°There¡¯s a hyper-frequency band in this area,¡± Lu Xiaoyu said, ¡°the behavior pattern of the mechanical spiders is being disrupted, and data cannot be transmitted back.¡±


    ¡°Heh, it seems the security here isn¡¯t so hopeless after all,¡± he sarcastically remarked.


    ¡°The scrambled area is the core of the Reunification Palace,¡± Zhuang Qingyan inferred, ¡°Nai Kang and his son should be inside.¡±


    Zhang Ci furrowed his brows at the statement. ¡°But this place is not small. If we search it one by one, it¡¯ll take too much time and pose a risk of exposure.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu cracked her knuckles confidently. ¡°Need me to crack it? I¡¯ll get it done within five minutes, no, within three.¡±


    ¡°What about Scar and the others?¡± Zhuang Qingyan asked without answering.


    ¡°They¡¯ve entered the reception hall, engaging with Nai Kang. They can last at most another ten minutes,¡± Zhang Ci responded calmly.


    ¡°Ten minutes¡­¡± Zhuang Qingyan narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°Now, what do we do?¡± Song Ke asked softly.


    Zhuang Qingyan pondered for a moment, then turned to Lu Xiaoyu. ¡°You crack that, we¡¯ll figure out a way to lure Nai Wen out.¡±


    ¡°No need,¡± Lu Xiaoyu enlarged a certain area of the footage, ¡°this kid is coming out on his own.¡±


    In the clear projection, Nai Wen held a particle gun, forcing the guards of the security team to slowly retreat.


    ¡°Young Master, what you¡¯re doing is too dangerous. Please put the gun down.¡±


    ¡°Please return to your room, Young Master.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that we won¡¯t let you out, it¡¯s the General¡¯s orders¡­¡±


    Under the bright light, the brown patches on Nai Wen¡¯s face became more pronounced. His limbs of varying lengths gave an unsettling sense of discordance. His thin body seemed like a bizarre creature draped in human skin, taking step by step toward the reception hall.


    Lu Xiaoyu swiftly locked Nai Wen¡¯s position, and Kansu activated his abilities, tunneling frantically toward that spot.


    ¡°Considering the time for reinforcements after the alarm is triggered, we have nine minutes left,¡± Lu Xiaoyu said.


    ¡°Enough,¡± Song Ke nodded.


    Zhang Ci donned a hood, his entire face disappearing into the shadows, leaving only a faintly visible prominent nose. He turned back, fingers clasped together, gesturing an attack signal behind him.


    Including Fan Yiwen and Samuel, the Shaye awakeners lowered their body centers, poised and ready.


    Nine minutes to take down Nai Wen, more than enough.


    A faint blue light emerged as Song Ke manifested a triangular military dagger. This weapon was known as the ¡°Reaper¡¯s Blade,¡± capable of instantly destroying human tissues; one stab, blood sprayed, causing fatal wounds that led to the enemy¡¯s demise.


    As she made her move, she unexpectedly noticed the trembling in Fang Zhixu¡¯s hands. This tremor wasn¡¯t due to fear or dread but rather the manifestation of an uncontrollable shiver when someone¡¯s conviction to do something reached its peak.


    Song Ke quietly observed him for two seconds, then swiftly walked over, handing the triangular military dagger to Fang Zhixu. ¡°We will succeed.¡±


    Fang Zhixu looked down at her.


    In the refuge of the Luo Jia Shelter, he had once been desolate, seeking only death. It was Song Ke who forcibly pulled him back from the edge of the cliff, firmly promising him with unwavering eyes, ¡°I can do it.¡±


    Perhaps it was the lingering resentment and intense hatred within him, or perhaps it was because of the resemblance between her and Tiantian¡¯s dimples. At that moment, Fang Zhixu chose to take a gamble, to trust this stranger, Song Ke.


    Initially, he observed as an outsider, watching the team called V587 strive tirelessly for his revenge. Gradually, he found himself unknowingly involved, following them into the desert, enduring hardships, and trials, all the way to Mu City.


    Fang Zhixu gradually understood how fortunate he was to have encountered a group of companions he could entrust his back to.


    In just a few months, they had indeed overcome all difficulties and reached the final step.


    ¡®Nai Kang, Nai Wen, today would surely be your death sentence.¡¯


    Fang Zhixu took a deep breath, the tremors slowly fading away, taking the spiritual weapon from Song Ke¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡­


    The dome of the reception hall could be seen in the distance. Nai Wen had an excited smile on his face. He was just about to speak when suddenly, a large hole cracked open in the ground ahead, and one after another, people with supernatural abilities leaped out.


    ¡°Enemy attack!¡± exclaimed the nearest member of the guard, immediately triggering the alarm.


    ¡°Prepare for battle¡ª¡±


    Before the word was fully spoken, a dark blue triangular army dagger sliced through his throat. The guard fell wide-eyed, and as he hit the ground, a torrent of blood gushed from his neck.


    Song Ke withdrew the dagger, swiftly producing a multitude of shurikens between her fingers, launching them accurately towards the guards who were trying to block the hole. The shurikens, gleaming with a cold light, found their marks.


    Zhang Ci held a sword in one hand and swiftly formed seals with the other, unleashing the devastating Five Thunder Gods¡¯ Decree, clearing out interceptors from another direction.


    The underground passages created by Kansu were like that of moles, a new hole for each escape route. Within seconds, a dozen or so openings appeared on the ground, continuously allowing high-level awakeners to emerge. In this urgent moment, he even thoughtfully created a ramp for Zhuang Qingyan and Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s wheelchairs for easy access.


    The scene descended into intense combat. Song Ke made a sudden dash towards Nai Wen and unexpectedly collided with a resilient water shield, sinking into it entirely.


    This was¡­ a water-based defensive ability? Yet, there were no individuals with abilities within five meters of Nai Wen.


    Emerging from the water shield, Song Ke stared coldly at him. ¡°Six months ago, in Tongwan, you killed an eight-year-old girl.¡± S?a??h the N?v?lFire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    When Song Ke attacked, a trace of panic flashed across Nai Wen¡¯s grotesque face. After she was blocked by the water shield, he quickly regained his composure.


    Facing her accusation, Nai Wen seemed indifferent, even smirking arrogantly. ¡°Who? I¡¯ve killed too many people to remember.¡±


    Song Ke forcefully thrust the triangular army dagger into the water shield, which dissolved the flowing liquid, dispersing it like a clump of cotton in the air.


    ¡°Her name was Tiantian. Her father was a doctor. He tried his best to save you, but you killed his daughter.¡±


    ¡°Tiantian? Oh¡­ I vaguely remember, there was someone like that,¡± Nai Wen said casually, ¡°But it was quite boring. She didn¡¯t know anything. Even when I undressed her, she only knew how to scream, giving me a headache.¡±


    ¡°Afterward, when I made her bleed, she stopped screaming, just like a doll. If you put it that way, she was quite sweet.¡± Nai Wen licked his lips, and his underdeveloped, deformed body twisted involuntarily.


    There was a moment of bewilderment in Song Ke¡¯s eyes at Nai Wen¡¯s words. She didn¡¯t fully understand what Nai Wen meant, but in the next moment, she suddenly saw Fang Zhixu¡¯s eyes¡ªthose eyes were crimson, almost the color of blood.


    ¡®Made her bleed¡­ Undressed her¡­ made her bleed¡­¡¯ Song Ke¡¯s mind was violently shaken. Her grip tightened on the triangular army dagger. How could a fourteen or fifteen-year-old person be so evil?


    ¡°Boom!¡±


    A deafening explosion echoed from the direction of the reception hall. The Guard Unit, alerted by the alarm, joined the battlefield. Song Ke agilely dodged an attack, taking down two guards swiftly.


    She needed to find the water-based awakener first, break the shield protecting Nai Wen. But with the overwhelming number of guards at present, she needed to think of a way¡­


    Suddenly, Song Ke turned back and locked eyes with Zhuang Qingyan. They understood each other without a word in this critical moment. Their thoughts connected in an instant, sparking understanding between them.


    Zhuang Qingyan closed his eyes, his powerful mental ability quickly analyzing all the types of abilities present on the scene. Then, he abruptly opened his eyes, targeting a specific direction, raising the rapid-fire crossbow in his hand and shooting several arrows in that direction.


    Song Ke abandoned the attack on Nai Wen and sprinted toward the target alongside the flying arrows.


    The water-based awakener, seeing the approaching Song Ke like a grim reaper, frantically conjured a water shield around himself.


    ¡°Clang!¡±


    Sharp edges pierced the surface of the water shield, creating a deep dent, the cross-shaped puncture inches from the person¡¯s forehead.


    Breathing a sigh of relief for narrowly escaping, the person¡¯s expression changed drastically once again.


    Song Ke tightened her grip on the dagger handle, the blue light becoming increasingly dazzling. Her powerful awakened energy erupted to the extreme, inching forward, exerting pressure. No matter how strong the defensive ability, no shield could withstand the knife in her hands!


    ¡°Splish, splish¡ª¡± The entire water shield shook violently. The water-based awakener realized his imminent peril, his face drained of color. Panicked, he turned and ran.


    Song Ke, determined, shattered the water shield, and the triangular army dagger pierced through the person¡¯s spine!


    A high arc of crimson blood sprayed out in a straight line, and the person slowly collapsed, his supernatural ability dissipating.


    Song Ke turned around, her shoulder-length hair tousled by the wind. From a distance, she shouted at a retreating figure, ¡°Fang Zhixu!¡±


    Nai Wen frantically raised his particle gun, wildly firing shots. ¡°Crack!¡± A mechanical arm viciously swung in, mercilessly knocking him down, snatching away his weapon, and disassembling it into pieces.


    Nai Wen fell in a sorry heap at someone¡¯s feet.


    Fang Zhixu squatted down, gazing down at this demon. ¡°Do you remember me?¡±


    Nai Wen met his bloodshot eyes. These eyes, he had seen them before, amidst a haze of consciousness on the operating table. Back then, he felt he was about to die, but the masked doctor nodded at him, saying, ¡°You will survive.¡± And miraculously, Nai Wen did survive.


    He remembered, of course; it was Dr. Fang who saved him.


    Nai Wen sighed regretfully, ¡°Dr. Fang, it¡¯s your bad luck, I didn¡¯t even know she was your daughter¡­¡±


    He paused, his speech gradually picking up pace, ¡°If you really care about this, then have another one. Next time, I promise I definitely won¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°Poof¡ª¡± Before he could finish, Fang Zhixu¡¯s military dagger pierced his chest.


    The aim was precise. Nai Wen¡¯s face contorted, in immense pain, yet he did not die on the spot.


    ¡°You¡¯re actually quite afraid of death, aren¡¯t you?¡± Fang Zhixu rotated the triangular military dagger expressionlessly, the blood groove harvesting within him, forming a clot.


    Fang Zhixu had seen countless patients¡¯ expressions on the operating table. Nai Wen might have kept saying, ¡°If I die, I die,¡± but his eyes spoke differently; he wanted to live more than anyone else.


    ¡°Tiantian is the best daughter in the world. She rarely cries, hardly ever throws tantrums. Even if I don¡¯t have time for her, she never blames me; she just sulks on her own. Every time she says ¡®I love daddy the most,¡¯ I feel like I can give her everything.¡±


    ¡°That day, when Tiantian finally forgave me, I bought her favorite strawberry ice cream. I bought two, the first time I ever did, so she could secretly eat one without telling her mom. It was our little secret between father and daughter.¡±


    ¡°I had made plans with her, but I will never see her again.¡±


    ¡°Because I saved you. Because I overslept for those forty minutes.¡±


    Fang Zhixu meticulously removed Nai Wen¡¯s kidneys, spleen, stomach, lungs, intestines, liver¡­ His hands were remarkably steady, devoid of any tremor. Despite his organs emptying, Nai Wen felt remarkably conscious; he couldn¡¯t die.


    ¡°Someone like you will never understand what Tiantian meant to me.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t deserve to live, let alone be called human.¡±


    The person before Nai Wen was no longer the image of a doctor saving lives; he resembled a ruthless butcher dissecting a corpse.


    Fear enveloped Nai Wen, escalating rapidly as his life drained away. Finally, like a child, he whimpered in tears, ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ Don¡¯t! Father, father, save me!¡±


    Nai Wen¡¯s plea of ¡°Father, save me,¡± pierced Fang Zhixu¡¯s deepest wound.


    When Tiantian died, she must have wanted him to save her, too.


    Fang Zhixu sliced open Nai Wen¡¯s ventricle, plunging a blade into his pulsating heart.


    Nai Wen¡¯s cries abruptly ceased as he watched his heart being extracted, his body shattered, and his soul fragmented.


    Nai Wen ceased breathing.


    Fang Zhixu¡¯s hands were soaked in fresh blood, tears streaming down his face.


    In a hazy vision, Tiantian with her soft braids nestled in his arms like a mischievous little mouse. Happily, she held a strawberry ice cream, cream smeared on her dimples. ¡°Daddy, don¡¯t tell mom, okay? I like you the most~¡±


    ¡°Nai Wen!!!¡± A desperate and agonized roar echoed.


    Nai Kang, covered in ash, appeared outside. Those two damned bombs had killed all the awakeners in the living room. Only Nai Kang, protected by his causality-based ability, survived. He urgently dispatched reinforcements, but it was too late once again.


    Under the fierce attacks from Zhang Ci, Lu Xiaoyu, Samuel, and others, the scene became a battlefield with incessant gunfire, swiftly eliminating the guards.


    An opportunity!


    Song Ke headed straight for Nai Kang, leaping high and bringing down a triangular military dagger.


    Awakeners protecting Nai Kang retaliated together. Song Ke faced various attacks, refusing to retreat. Just as she was about to make contact, a misdirected shell exploded mid-air, sending her flying. After rolling several times, Song Ke barely managed to stop her retreat.


    The causality on Nai Kang remained!


    Song Ke slammed a fist onto the ground.


    The piercing alarm echoed throughout the Reunification Palace, drawing more and more awakeners to the scene, surrounding them.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s wheelchair stopped beside Song Ke. He reached out a hand, helping her stand, and spoke calmly.


    ¡°The energy around him has weakened. Nai Wen is indeed his puppet.¡±


    ¡°But I can¡¯t kill him,¡± Song Ke said resentfully.


    ¡°Because there¡¯s one final layer of causality on Nai Kang,¡± Zhuang Qingyan remarked.


    The last layer of causality.


    The final puppet.


    ¡®Who could it be?¡¯ Song Ke lifted her gaze, looking at the multitude of faces within the battleground.


    Triangular Dagger ¨C

 Chapter 104.1: When the Roses Bloom (22)

    ¡òThe third puppet ¡òGuards kept arriving, surrounding Song Ke and the others. After Nai Wen¡¯s death, the scene fell into a stiff standoff.


    At this moment, Nai Kang surprisingly calmed down. All emotions¡ªbe it shock, sorrow, fear, or anxiety¡ªvanished from his face. Only the sternness belonging to a magistrate and the dignity accumulated over nearly three decades remained. An internal affairs officer brought him a fresh military uniform. Before everyone¡¯s eyes, Nai Kang unbuttoned his collar and cuffs, calmly changed into the new clothes, meticulously fastening every button.


    ¡°A group of rats from the sewers, trying to infiltrate everywhere, attempting to meddle in others¡¯ affairs.¡±


    Nai Kang¡¯s piercing gaze landed on Zhang Ci. ¡°Are you Qiong Qi? Stirring up this drama to replace me?¡±


    Zhang Ci coldly stared back. ¡°It¡¯s your self-destruction. Your tyranny, your oppression of the people, your allowance of the twisted caste system that plunged Mu City into chaos. You are utterly undeserving of being a magistrate.¡±


    With an arrogant lift of his chin, Nai Kang retorted, ¡°Young people often have heroic ideals, thinking they¡¯re saviors. Understandable, but mostly self-deception. What you say now sounds grand, but if you ever sat in my position, you might turn out to be even more of a ¡®tyrant¡¯ than I am.¡±


    ¡°Nai Dog, stop talking rubbish!¡± Fan Yiwen roared. Nai Kang was clearly trying to throw dirt onto Zhang Ci. S?a??h the N?v?lF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Nai Kang sneered, his gaze shifting to Song Ke, Zhuang Qingyan, and Lu Xiaoyu. These three sudden S-level awakeners were entirely beyond his control. Their secret alliance with Qiong Qi was the main reason he found himself in this predicament.


    ¡°And you, what¡¯s your purpose?¡± Nai Kang asked coldly.


    ¡°To kill you,¡± Song Ke pointed her triangular military dagger straight at him.


    ¡°Nai Kang, you allowed your son to commit murder, killing my daughter. You deserve to die,¡± Fang Zhixu, his hands soaked in blood, slowly stepped forward. Yet, it wasn¡¯t his blood; it belonged to Nai Wen.


    Nai Kang squinted, taking a while to match the face with the name. ¡°Dr. Fang, never expected, you were the mastermind behind the scenes. I underestimated you. If I had known you¡¯d cause so much trouble, even if it meant eradicating Tongwan, I should have killed you back then.¡±


    Even at death¡¯s door, Nai Kang¡¯s attitude thoroughly infuriated the awakeners present.


    Song Ke and Zhang Ci led a hundred people charging forward.


    The guards scrambled to defend, but the relentless artillery and supernatural abilities razed the surrounding buildings. Countless attacks surged towards Nai Kang, yet mysteriously diverted before reaching him.


    Nai Kang¡¯s close aides, seeing the dire situation, fled. Barely a few steps away, sharp talismans descended from above, piercing their backs, and numerous supernatural abilities surged towards Nai Kang. He smirked coldly, unmoving from start to finish.


    Zhuang Qingyan, amidst the chaos, stared intently at Nai Kang, his brow gradually furrowing.


    If the third puppet was indeed on the scene, given the current chaos, there was a constant risk of being killed. How could Nai Kang remain so composed?


    Zhuang Qingyan glanced towards Lu Xiaoyu, who immediately turned the screen towards him. The monitoring on it was crystal clear¡ªaside from their core area, where they were, Nai Kang hadn¡¯t stationed any troops in other locations identified by the mechanical spiders.


    Zhuang Qingyan paused for a moment, then raised his voice to shout at Nai Kang from a distance, ¡°You¡¯re left with only one puppet. Why do you think we can¡¯t kill you?¡±


    Nai Kang sized him up directly. ¡°Interesting. You even know I have a puppet.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan, leaning on his cane, stood up and took two steps forward. Nai Kang subtly raised his hand, and the guard unit switched to a defensive retreat.


    The melee halted, casualties on both sides, but Nai Kang¡¯s losses were evidently more severe, with only a third of the high-level awakeners remaining.


    Next came the time for psychological warfare.


    Zhuang Qingyan smiled faintly. ¡°It¡¯s been five minutes since the explosion. I was just wondering why not a single warlord rushed to save you. Unless¡­ you never issued the order for reinforcement.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯d do this for only one reason,¡± Zhuang Qingyan spoke slowly, each word deliberate, ¡°you¡¯re protecting your puppet, and in doing so, you¡¯re safeguarding yourself because as long as he¡¯s alive, you won¡¯t die.¡±


    ¡°You can maintain composure now because you know the other person isn¡¯t in the Reunification Palace, ensuring we can¡¯t find him.¡±


    Nai Kang¡¯s lips gradually tightened. This kid had an uncanny ability to see through people¡¯s intentions.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly as all the pertinent information raced through his mind.


    ¡°Your first puppet, Jularamani, an almost S-level awakener, chosen because he¡¯s hard to kill.¡±


    ¡°The second, your son Nai Wen, imprisoned in the Reunification Palace, firmly under your control. You¡¯re confident here due to the top-notch security, believing no one would breach it before us.¡±


    ¡°Turning these two into puppets, although secure, poses risks. As long as the existence of your causality-based supernatural ability is known, they can be easily wiped out together. One shouldn¡¯t put all eggs in one basket, a principle a general like yourself must understand. So, the third puppet must be entirely different from conventional thinking.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s composed voice reverberated in the vast space, ¡°You must ensure that even if he¡¯s not under your nose, he can survive unharmed. This means he surely possesses self-defense capabilities, maybe even more so, and his situation outside is safer and less conspicuous than staying in the Reunification Palace.¡±


    Nai Kang¡¯s eyelids trembled ever so slightly.


    ¡°Peasants, workers, or mercenaries? Too risky. Merchants or the wealthy? Not secure enough. Based on Mu City¡¯s hierarchical structure, he must be at least at the second tier or higher, wielding substantial power and status, with a large private militia for protection. High-ranking officers and small warlords are absorbed or assassinated; they aren¡¯t your best options.¡±


    ¡°Then, we¡¯re left with the three major warlords. Ruan Wenjun is dead, so is it Mu Qin or Miao Lun?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan stared at the tightening back of Nai Kang¡¯s hand, smiling brightly, ¡°Do you think I¡¯m going to guess Mu Qin? After all, he¡¯s an awakener, with a better chance of survival compared to Miao Lun, an ordinary person.¡±


    ¡°But there¡¯s a question that¡¯s been bothering me. The three major warlords, each holding different powers, create a balance and a check on each other. Mu Qin and Ruan Wenjun had many overlapping interests, causing constant friction between them. However, Miao Lun seems to have no direct conflicts with anyone. General, can you tell me why?¡±


    At the Hero Banquet where Song Ke participated alone, Mu Qin and Ruan Wenjun were at odds, but Miao Lun managed to navigate smoothly. Zhuang Qingyan had felt a sense of incongruity then. Furthermore, during large military actions like the attack on Shaye, the other two warlords participated, even Nai Kang himself commanded on the field. Why was it specifically Miao Lun who was excluded?


    ¡°Why do you particularly favor Miao Lun? It¡¯s not because of trust but because¡­


    ¡°¡ªMiao Lun is your most deeply hidden puppet,¡± Zhuang Qingyan declared conclusively.


    Nai Kang¡¯s calm facade shattered.


    With a few words and an intricate sequence of reasoning, Zhuang Qingyan breached Nai Kang¡¯s psychological defenses.


    To kill Nai Kang, they had to eliminate the puppet first¡ªMiao Lun had to die.


    Zhang Ci immediately signaled a dozen people. ¡°Come with me.¡±


    He turned to Song Ke, who seemed about to say something, and nodded. ¡°Leave it to me.¡±


    Fang Zhixu wiped his face and stood resolutely in front of Zhang Ci. ¡°I¡¯m going with you.¡±


    As for Ayao¡­ she was still with Miao Lun. He didn¡¯t know if she was in danger. He had to go himself to feel assured.


    Fang Zhixu turned back, looking at Song Ke, Zhuang Qingyan, and the others, bowing deeply. ¡°¡­I¡¯m counting on you.¡±


    ¡°Stop them!!¡± Nai Kang bellowed.


    Song Ke swiftly conjured a Shaolin staff, charging forward, sweeping through the opponents and knocking down the pursuers. Zhang Ci, Fang Zhixu, and others took the chance to leap into the tunnel, disappearing in an instant.


    A hint of anxiety flickered in Nai Kang¡¯s eyes, yet he managed to maintain composure. ¡°Just with a dozen of you, you think you can kill Miao Lun?¡±


    ¡°We will definitely do it! Once he¡¯s gone, you¡¯ll be left waiting¡­ waiting to die!¡± Song Ke spoke resolutely.


    She wasn¡¯t sure how strong Miao Lun¡¯s self-defense capabilities were, but she knew Zhang Ci well. Her senior brother was the kind of person who, once making a promise, would give his all to fulfill it.


    ¡°What if I tell you that even if you kill Miao Lun, you still can¡¯t harm me?¡±


    Nai Kang quickly regained his calm demeanor, even arrogantly finding a chair and sitting down.


    ¡°Not good,¡± Lu Xiaoyu from the back suddenly spoke up. His ice-blue eyes swiftly flickered, displaying data streams. ¡°Detected interference from unknown signals, five starships are heading towards Mu City, estimated to arrive in an hour.¡±


    At this timing, arriving at Mu City on starships clearly exposed the identity of the approaching party. They hadn¡¯t anticipated that the actions of the Alliance¡¯s special envoy would be quicker than expected.


    Nai Kang received the same information. His features relaxed, and he burst into laughter. ¡°I told you that you couldn¡¯t touch me. I not only sent a ¡®request for intervention¡¯ but also submitted an ¡¯emergency refuge¡¯ to the Alliance. Before you find Miao Lun, I might have already left Mu City.¡±


    Nai Kang was planning to escape? Song Ke was stunned by his shamelessness.


    Zhuang Qingyan looked at Nai Kang, who was laughing heartily, and grinned. ¡°Once you submit an emergency refuge, it means you¡¯ll lose all privileges as a magistrate. You won¡¯t be able to return to Mu City for the rest of your life. General, you¡¯re willing to hand over the kingdom you¡¯ve painstakingly built. I must admire your magnanimity. Oh, are you this afraid that we¡¯ll kill you?¡±


    When it came to cutting remarks, Zhuang Qingyan ranked second to none.


    Nai Kang¡¯s laughter faded.

 Chapter 104.2: When the Roses Bloom (22)

    ¡òThe third puppet ¡òMu City, in a private militia camp at a certain location.


    A group of mercenaries was on their routine patrol. As they turned a corner and took a few steps forward, there was a slight ¡°crack¡± beneath their feet. Without reacting in time, they stumbled upon hidden frost traps. Ice blades, solidified like whirling knives, slit everyone¡¯s throats in an instant. With a muffled thud, the unfortunate squad fell neatly in unison.


    In a camp several meters away, awakeners were idling away, playing cards.


    ¡°Double nines! Sweep! I win! Huh, what¡¯s that smell?¡±


    ¡°Smells like rotten eggs¡­¡±


    ¡°Rotten eggs? Isn¡¯t this hydrogen sulfide¡­ Not good!¡±


    Outside the camp, massive frost-wrapped shells plummeted from the sky. Upon impact, they burst open without any flames, releasing a green poisonous gas. The awakeners who accidentally inhaled it clutched their throats, writhing in agony.


    The enemy assault alarm sounded, prompting mercenaries armed to the teeth to charge from all directions.


    ¡°Our feelings are like trapped in a weird loop~ The more we love, the more confused we become, the more we love, the more confused we become~¡±


    A clear, soothing voice began to resonate, causing the mercenaries to lose focus. They were ensnared in a confusion debuff, dropping their weapons one by one, scrambling around like headless flies, clutching their heads in panic. Silent frost bombs relentlessly pounded the ground, and in a blink, the entire private militia camp fell silent once more.


    From a distant high-rise building, hidden awakeners cautiously peeked out.


    Xu Xing tied his headband, tiptoed to the window, controlling frost traps while coordinating with Su Cha and Irene to create ¡°super frost poison gas bombs.¡± He became the most powerful offensive force in destroying the militia camp, no longer relying solely on hexagonal ice blades. His attacks were versatile and unpredictable, achieving a perfect balance between multitasking, visibly progressing through trials and tribulations.


    ¡°All done,¡± Lin Youyou glanced at the terminal, marking off another location on the map. ¡°The operation at Rita¡¯s end went smoothly. Mu Qin and Ruan Wenjun¡¯s militia camps have been cleared. Only Miao Lun¡¯s remains. We need to accelerate.¡±


    As a covert team, their primary mission was to dismantle the armed forces of major warlords, preventing them from aiding Nai Kang. Thus, to minimize attention, Irene opted not to use more overt firepower but instead employed the newly developed frost poison shells.


    ¡°Something¡¯s odd,¡± Su Cha, who had gone to scout ahead, emerged and said in a low voice, ¡°The alarm at the Reunification Palace has been blaring for almost three minutes, yet there¡¯s no movement at this camp.¡±


    Lin Youyou paused, realizing that while the lack of defense when they initially attacked was normal, continuing to play cards calmly even after the alarm had been blaring for so long seemed too composed.


    ¡°Stick to the plan for now. I¡¯ll contact Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s team,¡± Lin Youyou decided after a moment of thought.


    ¡­


    ¡°Boom¡ª¡±


    A deafening explosion echoed from the direction of the Reunification Palace. After a few seconds, a piercing alarm sounded.


    Miao Lun¡¯s hand, in the midst of rolling a cigarette, paused. He squinted, gazing into the distance, half of his face obscured by smoke.


    After a while, a newly transferred aide hurried in, softly reporting, ¡°Sir, the General has been attacked.¡±


    ¡°Attacked¡­¡± Miao Lun repeated the words, ¡°Has the General ordered me to reinforce?¡±


    ¡°Yes, there¡¯s an order, but not for reinforcement. The General¡¯s exact words were ¡®stay put unless requested otherwise.''¡±


    ¡°Heh,¡± Miao Lun suddenly sneered, ¡°Stay put unless requested otherwise. What a brilliant order.¡±


    He fiercely stubbed out the cigarette on the table, leaving a grim scar, then stood up abruptly, striding out purposefully, with Godanwei and Hu Chao trailing behind him.


    ¡°Sir, where are you¡­ going?¡± The aide knelt, wondering if Miao Lun was openly defying orders?


    Miao Lun¡¯s voice was chillingly cold, ¡°Summon all the private militia, immediately return to the estate.¡±


    ¡°Sir! Something terrible has happened, sir!¡± A servant rushed in, scrambling and falling at Miao Lun¡¯s feet. ¡°Our militia camp has been attacked!¡±


    ¡°Where?¡± Miao Lun¡¯s face turned ashen.


    ¡°Ev¡­everywhere¡­¡± The servant¡¯s voice trembled, not daring to meet his gaze.


    Everyone present knelt in genuine fear. Miao Lun¡¯s fluctuating breath felt like an impending guillotine.


    Suddenly, he pivoted, heading towards the backyard.


    Zhang Wanyao and Marie were speaking softly when Miao Lun barged in without a word, slapping Zhang Wanyao across the face. ¡°Bitch!¡±


    Zhang Wanyao fell to the ground, half of her face swelling, lips bleeding profusely.


    Marie snapped her eyes open, interrupting her telepathic conversation with Marsha, rushing to help her up, glaring at Miao Lun. ¡°Why do you hit someone!¡±


    Miao Lun¡¯s face was incredibly dark. Step by step, he advanced, his immense shadow gradually enveloping Zhang Wanyao¡¯s slender figure. Marie rushed forward to shield Zhang Wanyao but was kicked aside by Miao Lun and restrained by Hu Chao.


    Gripping Zhang Wanyao by her hair, Miao Lun dragged her up from the ground. ¡°I¡¯ve raised you for so long, never thought I¡¯d nurture a treacherous spy, a two-faced wench. The location of the militia camp was leaked by you.¡±


    Zhang Wanyao coldly responded, ¡°Yes.¡±


    Miao Lun, enraged and without interrogation, had already concluded her guilt. No matter what she said, it couldn¡¯t change his furious reality. The portraits Zhang Wanyao had given to Irene several times used her unique layering technique. At first glance, it depicted a girl trapped in the Rose Army, but beneath the surface, through a specific method, it revealed the map of the militia camp.


    Furious beyond measure, Miao Lun kicked her abdomen, causing Zhang Wanyao to curl up in pain.


    ¡°Sir, should we still go to the estate?¡± Godanwei asked softly.


    ¡°Go,¡± Miao Lun wiped his hands, saying coldly, ¡°Take them all.¡±


    Several girls in the backyard had their eyes blindfolded, mouths taped shut, hands and feet tightly bound before being loaded into a transport vehicle.


    Marie moved within the darkness of the rear compartment, trying to locate Zhang Wanyao by scent. She lay motionless on the ground, causing Marie to grow increasingly worried. She nudged her with her head, attempting to wake her up.


    After a while, Zhang Wanyao slowly regained consciousness, lightly brushing against Marie. Sensing that she wanted to communicate, Marie turned around quickly. Their hands met, and Zhang Wanyao¡¯s warm fingertips swiftly wrote a word in Marie¡¯s palm.


    Marai carefully discerned the word ¡ª ¡°sister¡± in the local dialect.


    Marie immediately understood her intention. She closed her eyes and initiated a telepathic connection, desperately calling out for Marsha.


    As the sun gradually descended, following the last remnants of light along the horizon, hundreds of fully armed awakeners guarded a single person, hurriedly entering Miao Lun¡¯s ancestral estate. The gates shut tightly behind them, the footsteps of guards on patrol becoming more vigilant. S?a??h the ?0velF?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡­


    Time passed second by second in the Reunification Palace.


    The security detail had been cleared out, leaving only a few. Song Ke wiped off the blood splatters on her face, her eyes fixed unblinkingly around Nai Kang. She retained the last bit of her awakened energy, waiting for Zhang Ci¡¯s signal. As soon as her senior brother succeeded, she would instantly deal with Nai Kang.


    ¡°The Special Envoy is estimated to arrive in thirty-five minutes,¡± Lu Xiaoyu reminded.


    There was still time, and Song Ke felt slightly relieved.


    The terminal lit up with a notification. Zhuang Qingyan glanced down, and his gaze froze instantly. It was a message from Zhang Ci: ¡°Miao Lun has escaped.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan swiftly typed in response. Zhang Ci succinctly explained the situation: Shortly after the explosion at the Reunification Palace, Miao Lun led his group away from the estate. They found nothing, which either meant Miao Lun had a spy monitoring the General¡¯s every move, or¡­ he knew his puppet status, sensed danger, and retreated early.


    Zhang Ci¡¯s next message arrived: ¡°Heading towards the estate. Help me locate Marsha¡¯s position.¡±


    Fortunately, Marsha was in the underground passage of the estate, maintaining telepathic contact with her twin sister all along. After Miao Lun fled, she followed Marie through the tunnel and relayed the information promptly. However, for some unknown reason, despite the surface sounds transmitting into the tunnel, the signals inside were exceptionally weak. Zhang Ci¡¯s terminal couldn¡¯t locate her.


    Zhuang Qingyan tossed the terminal to Lu Xiaoyu. ¡°Lu Xiaoyu!¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu caught it and quickly started typing upon scanning the information.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Song Ke asked, concerned.


    Zhuang Qingyan squeezed her hand but before he could say anything, Nai Kang in the distance glanced at the terminal and burst into loud laughter. ¡°I just said it, you can¡¯t kill Miao Lun, nor can you kill me.¡±


    Song Ke furrowed her brow, ready to hurl her swallowtail dart to silence him when suddenly, she became alert.


    A familiar spatial rift appeared in the sky.


    ¡°Trouble,¡± Lu Xiaoyu said with a sigh as she located Marsha¡¯s position, ¡°The Special Envoy hasn¡¯t arrived, but the Paw Squad has.¡±


    One after another, towering figures emerged from the void, their powerful awakened energy causing intense fluctuations in the air.


    Three of them. S-level awakeners.


    Wait a minute!! Song Ke widened her eyes suddenly.


    The person walking at the rear, over two meters tall, with the left side of their face burned and necrotic, muscles fused together, an eerie white eye, and the right side riddled with numerous knife scars, appeared neither human nor ghost.


    This was¡­ the Bloody Hunter, Punk.


    ¡­


    Mu City fell into an eerie silence. Streets emptied, residents aware that something significant was underway, kept their doors and windows shut, huddled inside without daring to peek out. As for other warlords, merchants, and wealthy elites, they observed the situation from a distance.


    Numerous high-level awakeners surrounded Miao Lun¡¯s residence.


    Due to urgency, Zhang Ci¡¯s group didn¡¯t even take the tunnels, instead traversing straight through the city, emanating a lethal intent as they zeroed in on their target.


    In the vast night, Zhang Ci issued a cold command, ¡°Prepare for a strong assault. Top priority: eliminate Miao Lun.¡±


    The forceful and thunderous Divine Purge Invocation sounded the attack, Shaye¡¯s awakeners exploded with awakened energy, shattering the mansion¡¯s gates, engaging in a fierce battle with the pouring private militia.


    Fang Zhixu closely followed Zhang Ci, wielding a triangular military dagger, fearlessly fighting the private militia. If knocked down, he¡¯d rise again; if injured, he¡¯d hastily administer rough self-treatment before charging forward.


    Ayao, Ayao was still in Miao Lun¡¯s clutches. He had to move faster, quicker to rescue her.


    ¡°Boom¡ª¡±


    Dazzling cannon fire leveled an entire row of buildings. The voices of Irene and Lin Youyou resounded, ¡°We¡¯ve come to help!¡±


    With the addition of area-attack awakeners like Irene and Xu Xing, the assault on the mansion accelerated. Soon, flames crackled, thick smoke billowed, and scattered figures ran helter-skelter.


    ¡°Qiong Qi, northeast corner, someone¡¯s trying to flee!¡±


    Detection-type awakener Lin Mo noticed the disturbance and loudly warned.


    Zhang Ci and the others turned to chase the fleeing figures at the northeast corner. Dozens of awakeners protected a portly figure in military attire, desperately trying to escape.


    Su Cha acted the quickest, vanishing and reappearing among the group, a poisoned dagger swiftly bypassing the guards, relentlessly severing the fat man¡¯s neck, almost simultaneously followed by Zhang Ci¡¯s Soul Annihilation Curse piercing his brain!


    With dual fatal injuries, Miao Lun was undoubtedly doomed!


    The rotund figure froze, staggered a few steps, and slowly collapsed to the ground, the military cap tumbling off to reveal the entire face.


    Just as everyone breathed a sigh of relief, their expressions suddenly shifted. This wasn¡¯t Miao Lun at all!


    Miao Lun wasn¡¯t at the mansion; he¡¯d used a decoy, successfully deceiving everyone.

 Chapter 105: When the Roses Bloom (23)

    ¡ò On Children ¡òWhen Zhang Wanyao woke up again, the room was pitch black.


    Marie curled up at her feet, hands behind her grinding ropes against the table corner. However, the ropes were specially made, rendering her actions meaningless.


    ¡°Marie, where are we?¡± Zhang Wanyao asked softly.


    Upon hearing her voice, Marie immediately leaned closer. ¡°Ayao, you¡¯re finally awake. Miao Lun brought us to his estate.¡±


    Zhang Wanyao propped herself up, looking out of the window. Beneath the bleak moonlight, her lips were as pale as snow. ¡°No, this isn¡¯t Miao Lun¡¯s estate.¡±


    She had once accompanied Miao Lun to his estate, a luxurious mansion situated in Mu City, in a quiet and affluent area. Lights there never ceased, but at this moment, outside was shrouded in thin mist, desolate with no signs of life, only Miao Lun¡¯s private soldiers on edge, resembling more a suburban villa area.


    Zhang Wanyao hadn¡¯t been here before, but Miao Lun owned numerous properties, beyond her complete knowledge.


    ¡°What? But before we left, Miao Lun clearly said we were going back to his estate¡­¡± Marie muttered in confusion, then smacked her forehead suddenly. ¡°Oh no, that means the message I sent to Marsha was also false. The reinforcements she sought must have gone to the wrong place!¡±


    Marie¡¯s voice lowered in concern as she glanced at Zhang Wanyao. ¡°Ayao, you look really pale. Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Zhang Wanyao shook her head. ¡°Can you still contact your sister?¡±


    ¡°Yes, she came with us.¡±


    ¡°I want to know what¡¯s happening in the Reunification Palace,¡± Zhang Wanyao said.


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask her right away.¡± Marie activated her powers and communicated with Martha underground.


    Nai Wen was dead, Nai Kang had three puppets, and the last one was Miao Lun. Only by killing Miao Lun could Song Ke have a chance to take down Nai Kang.


    Zhang Wanyao¡¯s misty eyes narrowed slightly; Miao Lun probably knew he was a puppet long ago.


    As she approached Miao Lun, although this person was initially reckless, he didn¡¯t live as cautiously before. However, gradually, there were more and more private soldiers around Miao Lun. In the end, they never left him no matter what he did. Moreover, he was secretly gathering various rare awakeners, such as Hasa who excelled in data tracking, Sang Bo who could turn into black mud, and Hu Chao and Godanwei, who were always close bodyguards.


    When did Miao Lun realize Nai Kang¡¯s manipulations on him? It¡¯s unclear. But his mind was extremely deep, quietly enduring it all, seemingly bargaining with Nai Kang on one hand and seeking opportunities to break free from the constraints on the other. Miao Lun obviously wanted to transfer the puppet elsewhere, but the causality awakener had died, and other high-level causality awakeners were even rarer to find. Thus, Miao Lun¡¯s plan had to be temporarily shelved.


    Lately, Miao Lun¡¯s gaze toward her had been increasingly peculiar. Clearly, he had sent someone to follow her, harboring suspicions, yet he wasn¡¯t in a rush to deal with her. Perhaps, Miao Lun¡¯s retention of her wasn¡¯t due to favor but rather as preparation to serve as a vessel. However, before he could implement this plan, Nai Kang fell into multiple assassination crises.


    While Zhang Wanyao and Marie were whispering, a girl¡¯s cry suddenly came from outside the room. Godanwei dragged them all out. The number of private soldiers Miao Lun brought wasn¡¯t substantial; a large part had been dispatched to his estate to divert attention. However, those who remained were the elite.


    Shortly after, Godanwei kicked open their door. ¡°The master requests your presence. Will you go by yourselves, or shall I escort you?¡±


    Marie fearfully bit her lip, while Zhang Wanyao replied calmly, ¡°We¡¯ll go by ourselves.¡±


    Including Zhang Wanyao, six girls were taken to a spacious bedroom, where they were startled by the gruesome scene. Hu Chao held an extremely thin blade, slicing at a person¡¯s face. The individual¡¯s skin showed no inch of relief, tortured to the point of unrecognizability, whimpering in agony.


    Miao Lun sat in front, spreading his legs apart. ¡°I¡¯ll ask you again, what is that old man¡¯s plan?¡±


    The secretary sent by Nai Kang couldn¡¯t endure the torture, pleading, ¡°General, the old man has submitted an urgent asylum request. The Alliance will pick him up tonight. Please, I¡¯ve told you everything I know. Please spare me.¡±


    Miao Lun stared at him in silence.


    Hu Chao murmured, ¡°His answers from seven times are consistent, General. There are few cuts left. Should we continue?¡±


    In other words, this person hadn¡¯t lied.


    Miao Lun raised a finger. Hu Chao swiftly struck, giving him a swift end, terminating the secretary¡¯s life.


    Having obtained the desired answers, Miao Lun stood up with suppressed anger, pacing back and forth in the room. He violently kicked over a chair, cursing furiously, ¡°Old man, damn that old man!¡±


    ¡°Take the person away.¡±


    Servants entered quietly and dragged away the lifeless body of the secretary.


    Miao Lun suddenly turned around, panting heavily as he pressed down on Godanwei¡¯s shoulder with force. ¡°I don¡¯t care what it takes. Tonight, guard the door for me, no flies allowed in. Understand?¡±


    Godanwei knelt down on one knee following his pressure, bowing his head. ¡°Godanwei swears to guard the master with his life.¡±


    Miao Lun nodded in satisfaction. ¡°Go.¡±


    Once Godanwei left, Miao Lun¡¯s grim expression remained unchanged. He seemed like a desperate trapped beast, grabbing the whip on the table and venting his frustration, causing varying degrees of harm to the girls in the room. Hearing their painful sounds, Miao Lun suddenly reached for one girl¡¯s head, pressing it forcefully onto the still-congealing blood and flesh, casting a hefty shadow.


    The girl¡¯s screams were agonizing, causing Hu Chao¡¯s eardrums to twitch. Subconsciously, he glanced up and met Miao Lun¡¯s ferocious gaze. His body shook, stepping back two paces, hiding behind the screen. From there, he could clearly see Miao Lun¡¯s silhouette but didn¡¯t have to directly witness those cruel scenes.


    After a while, Miao Lun stopped, the girl covered in blood, barely clinging to life, slipping into unconsciousness.


    Miao Lun turned his gaze toward Marie, coldly commanding, ¡°Come here.¡±


    Terrified, Marie retreated, but Miao Lun impatiently whipped the air, lashing around her neck and forcefully dragging her closer. Marie resisted, kicking and punching, but Miao Lun¡¯s grip tightened. Her breath became labored, her eyes rolling back, and her struggles grew feeble.


    Zhang Wanyao rushed over, attempting to pry Miao Lun¡¯s hand away. Irritated, Miao Lun kicked out, a resounding ¡°thud¡± as Zhang Wanyao¡¯s back collided with the iron bed frame, blinding her vision for several seconds.


    Miao Lun relaxed, a bloodied grin forming. ¡°Why the rush? Your turn is coming soon.¡±


    Good things are always saved for a slow, enjoyable end.


    Hu Chao, hearing the commotion inside, peeked beyond the screen. He saw Zhang Wanyao lying almost lifeless on the ground, while Marie¡¯s eyes were shut tight, a ring of marks around her neck, her hand under the table spasming.


    Hu Chao recoiled. At this moment, he especially missed the deceased Sang Bo. If not for having no choice, he truly didn¡¯t want to engage in this filthy work.


    There¡¯s no more time.


    Zhang Wanyao endured the intense pain, forcing herself to calm down. She had to do something.


    As long as Miao Lun died, Nai Kang would lose his final protection. Her abilities were limited; she couldn¡¯t personally kill Nai Kang. But she could expedite his demise, giving him a push toward death.


    From Miao Lun¡¯s perspective, it seemed inevitable that Nai Kang had a trick up his sleeve. Miao Lun¡¯s purpose in hiding was clear: as long as they could endure tonight, both Nai Kang and Miao Lun could continue to live unharmed.


    ¡°There¡¯s no time, no time.¡±


    Zhang Wanyao crawled forward slowly. Miao Lun, dissatisfied with the whip, tossed it aside and instead used both hands to grip Marie¡¯s neck.


    Zhang Wanyao¡¯s trembling fingertips reached the tip of the whip. With sudden and astonishing strength from her slender body, she gritted her teeth, swiftly and skillfully entwining the whip around Miao Lun¡¯s neck, creating a tight knot and pulling it backward¡ª


    Miao Lun tensed all over, eyes bulging, reflexively groping at his own neck, trying to undo the knot. However, Zhang Wanyao, having practiced the same action countless times, tied the knot in an extremely intricate manner. It was impossible to loosen it quickly. Miao Lun, frustrated and desperate, made gasping sounds in his throat. His left hand reached back to try and grab the whip¡¯s end while his right hand, freed, slapped Zhang Wanyao¡¯s face and seized her hair, pulling upward.


    Zhang Wanyao resisted with all her might, refusing to release the whip.


    Yet, the energy a strong and healthy man could muster in a life-or-death struggle far surpassed that of a weak and injured woman. Amid Miao Lun¡¯s vigorous struggle, Zhang Wanyao¡¯s fingertips bled, her strength steadily draining.


    Marie awoke from suffocation, witnessing the scene before her. She opened her mouth, silently calling out, ¡°A Yao¡­¡±


    Tears streaming down her face, she desperately clawed at Miao Lun¡¯s arm, her fingernails deeply embedded in his flesh. She lowered her head and, like a wild beast, bit and gnawed, forcibly pulling Miao Lun¡¯s hand away from Zhang Wanyao¡¯s hair.


    Hu Chao heard the commotion and, peering through a screen, saw Miao Lun slightly tilting his head, hands pressing down on Ma Rui, trembling uncontrollably. Hu Chao instantly made a connection, glanced once, then silently lowered his head again.


    Miao Lun¡¯s face had already turned blue and purple, and Zhang Wanyao was on the verge of giving up, her strength drained. The tip of the whip slid forward a few inches¡ª


    At that moment, a hand covered in scars came in and, adding to her force, tightened the whip together!


    It was another girl from the room, just pushed into the pool of blood by Miao Lun. Her appearance was immensely tragic, but her eyes were filled with resolute determination.


    In the silent confrontation, a third hand covered in, followed by a fourth, a fifth¡­


    These girls from the Rose Army, stripped and vulnerable, seen as toys by Miao Lun, chose to resist with their lives. They made no sound, either staggering forward or crawling, tightly gripping the whip with unwavering determination.


    They only had one thought: Miao Lun must die.


    Miao Lun, on the brink of breaking free, suffered another blow. His eyes glazed over with a deathly pallor, his brain rapidly starved of oxygen, the blood in his neck artery ready to burst. Miao Lun¡¯s struggle grew stronger, finally managing to knock over a teacup with great effort.


    The sudden sound of shattered porcelain startled Hu Chao, who vigilantly raised his head, only to look towards the door.


    Faint sounds of a scuffle emanated from the darkness, sporadic flashes of supernatural light. Hu Chao furrowed his brow slightly. What was Godanwei up to? He couldn¡¯t even handle something as simple as guarding the door. They might as well switch roles, let him watch over Miao Lun¡­


    Wait!


    Hu Chao suddenly realized he hadn¡¯t heard Miao Lun¡¯s voice for several minutes, and even the cries of those girls had disappeared. He was drenched in cold sweat, pushing the screen down to rush forward.


    A sharp talisman suddenly pierced through the back of Hu Chao¡¯s head.


    Zhang Ci and Irene rushed in with a group of people, everyone shocked by the scene before them.


    The girls, battered and bruised, held onto the whip in various poses, while its other end was wrapped around Miao Lun¡¯s neck. He lay stiff, barely clinging to his last breath.


    ¡°Ayao!!¡± Fang Zhixu dropped his triangular dagger and rushed over, picking up Zhang Wanyao from the ground.


    Zhang Ci grabbed Miao Lun, the Seven Star Sword piercing his head accurately. Miao Lun had no strength left to resist.


    After confirming his death, Zhang Ci sent a message to Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s side.


    Miao Lun¡¯s body was dragged away, Marie fell from the table, landing on the ground, coughing violently. S?a?ch* Th? ?0velF?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Zhang Ci paused, removed his robe, turned away, and covered her body full of wounds.


    Lin Youyou and Irene also took out clean coats and distributed them to the other girls.


    The Shaye awakeners at the scene fell silent. These girls were heroes. Perhaps Miao Lun, even in death, wouldn¡¯t have imagined that his glamorous life would end with being strangled by the very Rose Army he had ¡°nurtured.¡±


    Fang Zhixu anxiously checked Zhang Wanyao¡¯s limbs, urgently asking, ¡°Ayao, you¡¯re hurt? Let me treat you.¡±


    Zhang Wanyao gently placed her hand on his, ¡°Why are you in such a mess?¡±


    Fang Zhixu wasn¡¯t much better off than her. His face was stained with blood, and his hair was tangled.


    Zhang Wanyao smiled tenderly, ¡°How many times have I told you? Clothes are hard to clean.¡±


    Fang Zhixu hadn¡¯t heard her nagging for a long time. His heart felt sour and bitter, ¡°I¡¯ll clean them. I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    ¡°Ayao, Nai Wen is dead. I killed him with my own hands. Nai Kang, Nai Kang is about to die too. None of them will escape.¡±


    ¡°I finally, finally avenged Tiantian,¡± Fang Zhixu said, choking up.


    ¡°I know,¡± Zhang Wanyao said softly, ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard during this time.¡±


    Fang Zhixu shook his head quickly, ¡°I haven¡¯t. It was all my fault before. I couldn¡¯t handle things, I always made you angry. When things settle here, can we leave Mu City? Go back to Tongwan, or wherever you want to go?¡±


    ¡°No, just go back to Tongwan. I want to go home,¡± Zhang Wanyao said softly.


    The phrase ¡°go home¡± filled Fang Zhixun¡¯s eyes with tears. Clumsily, he reached out to hold Zhang Wanyao, but she stopped him again.


    Fang Zhixu looked up in confusion.


    ¡°There¡¯s something I need to figure out how to tell you.¡±


    Zhang Wanyao took Fang Zhixu¡¯s hand and placed it on her abdomen. Fang Zhixu released his awakened energy, then his face froze.


    ¡ªZhang Wanyao¡¯s spleen was shattered.


    Not only the spleen but other organs also suffered rapid deterioration due to massive blood loss and external pressure. Although she had no visible wounds on the surface, her body was riddled with injuries. Miao Lun¡¯s kick at the private residence was unusually vicious, and Zhang Wanyao, despite enduring for a while, couldn¡¯t hold on any longer after repeated heavy blows.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay. I¡¯m an A-level healer, I can save you!¡±


    Fang Zhixu¡¯s speech was incoherent, his hands trembling incessantly. He desperately released his awakened energy, channeling it into Zhang Wanyao¡¯s body.


    However, Zhang Wanyao was just an ordinary person, her constitution hadn¡¯t undergone any enhancement, and the absorption of awakened energy was exceptionally slow. Fang Zhixu¡¯s voice trembled, ¡°Ayao, don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯m a doctor, I¡¯ll perform surgery on you, let¡¯s do it now!¡±


    Zhang Wanyao held Fang Zhixu¡¯s hand, stopping his futile efforts. There was no more time, she knew.


    ¡°Before, what I said was all out of anger. Axu, you¡¯re not just a good father but also a very, very good husband.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just regrettable that I can¡¯t accompany you any further. Don¡¯t be sad; I¡¯ve never regretted what I did.¡±


    She cupped Fang Zhixu¡¯s face, crying, ¡°This time, don¡¯t fall apart. Promise me to live well, can you do that?¡±


    Fang Zhixu cried as he shook his head, ¡°I can¡¯t, I can¡¯t, Ayao. I¡¯m worthless. I can¡¯t save Tiantian, I can¡¯t even save you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not worthless; you¡¯re the best doctor in the world.¡±


    ¡°Promise me.¡± Zhang Wanyao stubbornly stared at him, insisting on an answer.


    Fang Zhixu, in immense pain, nodded tearfully, ¡°I promise you.¡±


    ¡°Promise me what?¡±


    ¡°¡­To live well.¡±


    ¡°Nai Kang is dead,¡± Zhang Ci suddenly spoke, ¡°Song Ke killed Nai Kang. Nai Kang is already dead.¡±


    ¡°Dead? That¡¯s good; he got what he deserved,¡± Zhang Wanyao¡¯s voice grew fainter. ¡°Axu, I seem to see Tiantian.¡±


    This dream was a long-awaited beautiful one. Tiantian wasn¡¯t crying anymore; instead, she was saying something, her dimple showing, and she smiled sweetly.


    Zhang Wanyao hurried forward, finally hearing clearly. It turned out she was calling, ¡°Mommy!¡±


    ¡­


    Your children are not your children.


    They are the sons and daughters of Life¡¯s longing for itself.


    They come through you but not from you,


    And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.


    ¡­


    For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.

 Chapter 106: When the Roses Bloom (24)

    ¡ò Touch my people ¡òThree S-level awakeners emerged from a spatial rift and walked towards Nai Kang. Except for Punk, the other two were dressed in matching combat suits.


    The leading man, upon confirming Nai Kang¡¯s identity, presented his credentials and introduced themselves, ¡°Former Mu City Magistrate, we are Alliance Special Operations Team members, Gasta and Roy. We arrived at District C55 at 17:27 local time as scheduled.¡±


    ¡°Why is it only you? Where are the Special Envoys and the Starships?¡± Nai Kang¡¯s expression soured. ¡°I demand an immediate departure.¡±


    ¡°The starship escorting you is estimated to arrive in thirty-three minutes,¡± Gasta replied.


    ¡°Then I command you to kill these people now,¡± Nai Kang said, pointing at the awakeners Song Ke and the Shaye awakeners across from him.


    Gasta remained unmoved, showing no regard for Nai Kang¡¯s demands. ¡°Former Mu City Magistrate, our mission is to ensure your personal safety until the Special Envoys arrive. You have no authority to issue orders to me.¡±


    Gasta and Roy exuded a calm and restrained demeanor, unlike Punk, who stared intensely at Song Ke. The scars on his face twisted grotesquely, clearly recognizing her as the culprit who had blinded his right eye on Manzoni Street, forcing him to replace it with a mechanical eye.


    Punk took a slow step forward, without any warning, and suddenly erupted.


    A series of bloody smoke explosions ensued. Fortunately, Song Ke was prepared, instantly transforming her shield. With a flick of her left hand, a handful of shurikens flew towards Punk.


    Punk¡¯s face contorted as he charged like a wild beast. Song Ke morphed her shield into a blade, striking at his lower body. Punk jumped to evade, and simultaneously, Song Ke leaped higher than him. Leveraging her aerial advantage, she delivered a brutal sweeping kick to Punk¡¯s chin.


    A ¡°boom¡± echoed as fireworks exploded, the strong recoil causing Song Ke to spin in mid-air before landing steadily. Meanwhile, Punk staggered backward, his feet leaving deep marks on the ground, his lower jaw almost dislocated.


    The exploding fireworks still managed to injure Song Ke. The cuff of her coat was blown off by the explosion. Despite dodging quickly during the face-off, she was grazed by Punk¡¯s blood explosion, leaving a wound on her arm. Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t serious.


    Samuel and the others wanted to intervene but were stopped by Song Ke. ¡°You guys, step back.¡±


    In a fight between S-level awakeners, ordinary awakeners couldn¡¯t intervene. Samuel and his group would only be massacred by Punk.


    Gasta stood in front of Punk, speaking coldly, ¡°Bloody Hunter, acting without authorization, this is your first warning.¡±


    Punk sneered, ¡°You brought me here to quell the rebellion, didn¡¯t you? What¡¯s wrong with me killing her?¡±


    Gasta remained unfazed, ¡°All actions are subject to the Special Envoys¡¯ directives. If it happens again, I will initiate containment orders and send you back.¡±


    Punk clenched his fists in frustration.


    His distinct eye revealed a fierce hostility, akin to a vicious dog on a leash, though he refrained from initiating any further attacks.


    Gasta turned to Song Ke. ¡°Are you an S-level awakener? Which unit do you belong to? What¡¯s your designation? Who¡¯s your superior?¡±


    Song Ke paused for a second before honestly replying, ¡°I have no unit, no designation, and my superior¡­ I am, I am the highest.¡±


    A wild S-level awakener? Gasta gradually furrowed his brow. S-level awakeners were extremely valuable as strategic assets and were surely subject to various attempts by the Alliance to recruit them.


    Gasta didn¡¯t want to engage in direct conflict with her at this moment. ¡°The Alliance is officially executing a mission. Take your people and leave the Reunification Palace immediately.¡±


    ¡°No, Nai Kang must die,¡± Song Ke countered, raising her blade without stepping back.


    Seeing her stubbornness, Gasta¡¯s tone grew colder. ¡°Intentionally obstructing, hindering official duties. Do you know the consequences?¡±


    Punk formed blood beads at his fingertips, provoking madness, while Nai Kang in the distance felt triumphant, expecting his imminent escape.


    Talking was futile with them. Song Ke gripped her Tang sword tightly, bypassing Gasta in preparation for a forceful breakout!


    Punk laughed maniacally, confronting her head-on. ¡°She struck first, you can¡¯t blame me!¡±


    Gasta and Roy felt a headache coming on, forced to join the fray. As they moved forward, blockers appeared before them.


    Roy faced off against Lu Xiaoyu. The man in front of him moved with the aid of six huge mechanical arms, engrossed in a screen, tapping his fingers rapidly, appearing dismissive. He easily intercepted Roy.


    With composure, Roy initiated his attack. His ability, the ¡°Prism,¡± manipulated refraction rates of different colored lights, creating illusions of displacement and dispersion during combat, inflicting numerous cutting injuries. Roy mastered his ability to perfection. His prism, angled sharply, shot directly at Lu Xiaoyu, emitting a blinding seven-colored light.


    Lu Xiaoyu inputted the final code, confirming Marsha¡¯s location. Done. He happily curved his lips, sending it to Zhang Ci.


    Then, seemingly nonchalant, Lu Xiaoyu casually lifted his head. The nearest prism had flown close, less than an inch from his nose. His ice-blue eyes gleamed with an extraordinary radiance, displaying the code ¡°101010¡± from his pupils, altering the prism¡¯s structure, slowly disintegrating it.


    Lu Xiaoyu swung all six arms together, a torrential data flow erasing Roy¡¯s formidable attacks effortlessly. Those terrifying prisms seemed like mere toys, effortlessly eradicated by him.


    Only then did Roy clearly see his opponent¡¯s appearance: silver hair, ice-blue eyes. He exclaimed in disbelief, ¡°You¡¯re¡­ from the Lu family?!¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu blinked in confusion. ¡°What Lu family? No idea.¡±


    ¡­


    Gasta was also an offensive-type awakener, possessing the rare ability known as ¡°Biogenic Current¡±: controlling the electrical currents in biological entities with awakened energy, causing them to erupt explosively, thereby stunning or killing the target.


    Gasta glanced at Zhuang Qingyan, who was seated in a wheelchair, not underestimating him. Daring to actively obstruct an S-level awakener, the opponent¡¯s strength was not to be underestimated.


    As the secretive biogenic currents attached to Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s various organs, tissues, and cells, about to unleash, suddenly, each current encountered formidable awakened energy and was instantly obliterated!


    Gasta felt deeply shocked; the opponent¡¯s energy control was even more exquisite than his own.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s counterattack mirrored Gasta¡¯s electric currents. Taking a page from his opponent¡¯s book, he controlled awakened energy to strike back. The radiation field in the air fluctuated intensely. Gasta felt as if his thoughts were weighed down by heavy stones, continuously retreating, momentarily falling into a disadvantage.


    ¡°¡­An Early Awakener?¡±


    Gasta thought of something and abruptly lifted his head. S?a??h the ???el F?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Early Awakeners referred to a group of individuals who had awakened their abilities before the apocalypse. They absorbed more intense radiation than ordinary awakeners, had more time to adjust their states, and mastered their abilities, making them even more powerful.


    However, nurturing an Early Awakener required massive manpower and financial support. Whether it was the nutrient tanks, laboratories, exclusive potions, or the stages of radiation absorption, all were highly confidential data that only the major families in District B could manage. As far as Gasta knew, the genetic optimization program implemented by the Lu family aimed to nurture Early Awakeners. So, who exactly was this person in front of him?


    Surveying the battlefield, Gasta gradually realized that the three S-level awakeners were intent on killing him. No wonder the Mu City magistrate had requested asylum.


    ¡­


    Song Ke, engaged in combat with Punk, remained highly vigilant, always mindful of her positioning. Although both were evenly matched at the moment, her opponent had yet to use his other ability: time reversal.


    All three battlefronts were locked in a stalemate, with little time left before the Alliance Special Envoys arrived.


    Above the Reunification Palace, the outlines of five starships faintly appeared. Among them, the smallest one suddenly surged its engines, accelerating instantly and appearing overhead. It slowly descended, hovering at low altitude, extending a gangway.


    Nai Kang impatiently stood up, striding hastily toward the gangway.


    Ignoring everything, Song Ke swiftly forced Punk back with a series of strikes and chased after, determined not to let Nai Kang board the starship!


    Gasta and Roy¡¯s primary task was to protect Nai Kang. Without hesitation, both diverted their attention and charged towards Song Ke.


    Nai Kang ascended the gangway, standing at the doorway, looking down at Song Ke, who was desperately chasing after from behind. As she threw hidden weapons and swung her blade toward him, each strike deviated from hitting him.


    A merciless smirk graced Nai Kang¡¯s lips: How does it feel, watching helplessly as you let me depart, powerless to stop it?


    Nai Kang moved his lips, about to speak, but a faint cracking sound echoed in the air.


    The sound was light, easily overlooked, but Nai Kang felt as if struck by lightning. His pupils sharply contracted.


    ¡ªMiao Lun¡­ is dead!


    Song Ke¡¯s spirit surged. Her senior brother had succeeded; the final layer of causality on Nai Kang had vanished.


    Nai Kang, now devoid of any protection, was at the mercy of others.


    Pale-faced with terror, Nai Kang turned his head and scrambled into the cabin, slipping multiple times in his panic, barely managing to enter the compartment. The cabin door closed slowly, and the starship began to ascend.


    With a leap, Song Ke caught the remaining piece of the gangway with her hands, gripping it tightly with her legs, swiftly climbing upward. She hung from the underside of the starship like a precarious kite.


    ¡°Bang! Bang!¡±


    Blood explosions continuously exploded behind Song Ke. Attacks from prisms and biogenic currents came relentlessly towards her. Unable to evade, she became a living target, enduring the damage. Flipping herself onto the top of the starship, she struggled to maintain balance against the powerful airflow as the starship ascended.


    Moving forward, she located Nai Kang¡¯s position and thrust her Tang sword.


    ¡°Clang!¡±


    The formidable metal-based ability created a deep crack in the cabin window but didn¡¯t shatter it.


    Nai Kang and she locked eyes through the transparent glass, his gaze filled with terror.


    ¡°Boom!¡±


    A cloud of blood mist billowed from her abdomen as Punk¡¯s explosions intensified. Song Ke staggered; her whole body slipping off the starship, seemingly about to plummet from the height. At the critical moment, she gripped her Tang sword with one hand, flipping herself back up.


    Far away, Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s eyes turned chillingly cold. He retrieved the last remaining seal from the space and prepared to inject it into his leg.


    ¡°No longer want your leg?!¡± Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s mechanical arm extended, stopping his action, his face uncharacteristically devoid of mockery.


    ¡°Don¡¯t need it. It¡¯s nice to accompany you. Happy?¡± Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s smile was radiant. He forcefully pushed Lu Xiaoyu away, resolutely injected himself, and the potent seal took effect once more. In extreme agony, he stood up again, running swiftly in Song Ke¡¯s direction.


    Lu Xiaoyu couldn¡¯t help but stay silent. He knew his own situation very well. With years of chronic illness, his broken leg couldn¡¯t regenerate. Yet Zhuang Qingyan clearly had hope for a cure but was willing to take such a risk. He used to be such a proud person. Could he really accept a lifetime in a wheelchair?


    ¡°Madman.¡± Lu Xiaoyu rolled his eyes.


    One couldn¡¯t deny, this person was becoming more and more insane but also more¡­ like a living person.


    Song Ke¡¯s right hand, blood flowing profusely, covered the surface of the starship. Her awakened energy surged at a terrifying speed, causing the surface of the starship to emit a faint blue light, trembling incessantly.


    Nai Kang¡¯s panic grew, wondering what kind of monster she was to want to forcibly destroy the starship¡¯s hull!


    Nai Kang anxiously looked at the control panel; there were five seconds left until the next leap.


    [Five]


    Song Ke gripped the Tang sword with her left hand, inching it into the porthole.


    [Four]


    Gasta and Roy unleashed their abilities, launching their most ferocious attacks at Song Ke, while Punk lit blood explosions on her.


    [Three]


    Just as Song Ke seemed about to fall again, two figures rushed forward, powerful and icy waves of awakened energy erupting. A torrent of data formed an inescapable defensive net, repelling prism, bioelectric currents, and blood explosions.


    Zhuang Qingyan and Lu Xiaoyu were thrown more than ten meters away. Zhuang Qingyan, who always cared about appearance, had a torn and tattered coat. Lu Xiaoyu fared worse with six mechanical arms broken, but this wave of attacks hadn¡¯t harmed Song Ke in the slightest.


    [Two]


    Punk¡¯s left eye flickered a deathly white, time rewound¡ªactivated.


    Song Ke exerted all her strength, her eyes bursting with a brilliant blue light. The starship¡¯s hull collapsed, the Tang sword unstoppable as it pierced Nai Kang¡¯s heart.


    [One]


    ¡°Boom¡ª¡± The entire starship exploded into dazzling fireworks.


    Time¡¯s flow slowed down, eventually freezing and reversing.


    Under the gaze of all, an intact starship reappeared. Punk¡¯s ability had taken effect!


    Everyone held their breath, looking up at the sky.


    A graceful figure leaped high and landed soundlessly. Slowly, with injuries all over, Song Ke stood up.


    Behind her, the starship, just recovered from the explosion, stayed in place for two seconds before its hull shattered into pieces.


    Nai Kang¡¯s corpse slammed heavily onto the ground, a Tang sword stuck in his mouth.


    Time reversal could only revert non-living entities to their state a few seconds prior.


    But on the starship¡¯s surface, the impact left by Song Ke¡¯s ability remained. Even with time reversal, it would still shatter.


    Moreover, long before Punk activated his ability, Song Ke had already killed Nai Kang.


    The scene fell into dead silence.


    Song Ke¡¯s eyes flashed with blue light, her awakened energy gushing out wildly, crackling with electricity like a rampaging madman.


    She passed judgment on Punk¡¯s trio: ¡°Who gave you permission to touch my people?¡±

 Chapter 107: When the Roses Bloom (25)

    ¡ò S-level Romance ¡òBehind Song Ke, Nai Kang crashed to the ground, bones shattered, piercing his organs, and crimson blood spread out.


    Anyone could see that this once prestigious magistrate now met a dismal end, dead beyond any possibility of survival. The Tang sword, which had rung with such resounding authority, echoed like a funeral bell in everyone¡¯s ears.


    The onlookers were petrified, staring at Song Ke as if she were a monster.


    Amidst the pursuit and blockade by three S-level awakeners, the ruthless killing of the magistrate from District C was not the most terrifying aspect. What truly shattered nerves was Song Ke¡¯s act of single-handedly destroying a starship. This transcended human limits, and even among awakeners, the effect was explosively remarkable.


    Consider this: the hull of the starship was entirely constructed from Rhenium (Re), a rare element possessing stability comparable to diamonds¡ªhard, wear-resistant, heat-resistant, and corrosion-resistant. Except for its expensive cost, it had virtually no flaws. Yet, solely with her awakened energy, Song Ke disintegrated it into shards. One could imagine the astonishing energy she unleashed in that brief moment.


    The remaining four starships hovered in high altitude, afraid to descend easily upon the Reunification Palace. Inside the foremost command cabin, a man in formal attire with meticulously groomed hair solemnly observed Song Ke on the floating screen.


    ¡°Trouble, such trouble,¡± muttered Park Jae-woo, deeply troubled. Even though he had mentally prepared before coming, the complexity of the situation in District C55 far exceeded his imagination.


    The demise of the applying-for-emergency-asylum magistrate would undoubtedly invite scrutiny upon his return for duty. What troubled him more were the three unidentified S-level awakeners below, poised to potentially trigger a new round of conflict at any moment.


    Park Jae-woo was an extremely astute politician, keen on promotions and averse to war and violence. Out of self-interest, he leaned towards resolving disputes through peace and non-violence¡ªif it could be avoided, no battles should be waged. As any battle would result in casualties, and casualties would affect his political achievements, hindering his path to advancement. Nai Kang¡¯s death was a settled matter, but there might still be room for maneuvering, perhaps even a chance for negotiation?


    ¡°Have you found information on these three individuals?¡± Park Jae-woo¡¯s expression turned serious.


    Two S-level operatives from the Special Operations Team and a team of fully armed A-level awakeners were on the starship, following Park Jae-woo¡¯s orders.


    The civilian aide brought up the file screen and reported to Park Jae-woo, ¡°Sir, we could only find details on one person, named Song Ke, biological ID: VUL7700523, registered in District C72, awakener level¡­ um, A-level?¡±


    The A-level awakener seated behind immediately exclaimed in surprise.


    ¡°What? A-level! How does she even remotely resemble an A-level?¡±


    ¡°District C72, that governed by artificial intelligence, Ferrara? This is too chaotic, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on at Ferrara¡¯s registration center? S-level awakeners slipping through? If they¡¯d reported in time, maybe this could¡¯ve been resolved earlier.¡±


    ¡°Sir, her energy fluctuations are quite abnormal,¡± Odin, also an S-level awakener, cautioned in a deep voice.


    Park Jae-woo looked at the energy detection device on the console. The detector connected to it was circling around Song Ke, and the radiation levels kept skyrocketing. Various lines on the screen danced erratically, displaying energy far exceeding the threshold of an S-level.


    ¡°We can¡¯t engage, we can¡¯t,¡± Park Jae-woo¡¯s expression remained unchanged, but internally, he sighed deeply.


    ¡°Issue an immediate broadcast for surrender.¡±


    The cannons on the four starships were raised, armed with the Alliance¡¯s latest heavy weaponry. Simultaneously, a small unmanned drone descended to low altitude, its loudspeaker repeatedly playing a mechanized message: ¡°Those below, please disarm immediately! Any grievances can be resolved through dialogue! A step forward leads to a sea of fire, but stepping back might offer a way out. Special envoy urges¡ª¡±


    Song Ke, annoyed, her eyes flashing blue, conjured a dozen crossbow arrows out of thin air, turning the unmanned drone into a hedgehog. s?a??h th? ?0velF?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Park Jae-woo: ¡°¡­¡± It¡¯s over. The chance for negotiation shattered.


    Due to excessive strain from their supernatural abilities, Gasta and Roy collapsed to the ground, drained of energy.


    Punk, seemingly unaffected, stared at Song Ke with a sly smile. ¡°You¡¯ve got guts, killing in front of me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m quite curious, how did you survive last time?¡± Wisps of blood mist faintly appeared around Punk¡¯s fingertips. ¡°But it doesn¡¯t matter. Today, I¡¯ll watch you breathe your last.¡±


    Song Ke raised her right hand, forming a phantom blue Sovereign Spear without relying on any external aid.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be you breathing your last.¡±


    ¡°What does she intend to do?¡±


    ¡°Is she insane? She wants to kill Punk? He¡¯s an S-level dual-elemental!¡±


    People within the starship looked surprised, discussing among themselves. Several months ago, Punk, the Bloody Hunter, had his secret of possessing a second awakened ability exposed, stirring considerable discussion within the Alliance.


    Song Ke launched an attack with the spear, and Punk confronted her head-on. Their exchange was so swift that it became difficult to follow¡ªboth possessed formidable supernatural abilities, their magnetic fields colliding relentlessly. Purely in terms of combat skills, Punk wasn¡¯t Song Ke¡¯s match, but his brutal explosive attacks often caught Song Ke off guard.


    Song Ke didn¡¯t retreat a step, fighting with a total disregard for her own safety. Unless it threatened her vitals, she didn¡¯t bother evading. Her attacks grew more ferocious, deftly dodging the misty explosions, swiftly lowering her center of gravity, and seizing the opportunity. The Sovereign Spear, like a serpent, ruthlessly pierced through Punk¡¯s left palm and flung his entire body backward.


    ¡°Bang!¡± Punk crashed into the outer wall of a building, causing it to collapse, rubble and debris scattering around.


    His whole body was drenched in blood, his mouth contorting in a strange twitch, in the next moment, Song Ke¡¯s arm erupted into a crimson firework, joints shattered, and her entire right arm hung limp.


    Punk¡¯s left eye flashed wildly as he triggered a time rewind, breaking free from her control and returning to his position several seconds earlier.


    Unable to use her right hand, Song Ke remained unfazed. She calmly switched to her left hand, and her awakened energy manifested audibly, reforming into a spear, thrusting toward Punk.


    Seeing the spear in her hand approaching, Punk triggered a time rewind! Song Ke retreated to her previous position, but her offensive remained unaffected. In the instant of her attack, the spear transformed into twin maces, like two iron plates crashing down with immense force, catching Punk off guard, hitting him in the mouth, damaging his internal organs, and causing blood to spurt out.


    Song Ke¡¯s transformations were erratic, driven solely by combat instinct. Her opponents couldn¡¯t predict which weapon she would use next, and these weapons could appear at any time, in any unexpected manner. She shifted between swords, spears, crossbows, turning into staffs, halberds, and dual blades in the blink of an eye, incorporating a variety of concealed weapons, making her attacks unpredictable.


    Punk had never seen such bizarre ancient weapons and couldn¡¯t discern their characteristics. He could only increase the frequency of his blood explosions.


    Song Ke sustained more and more wounds, shocking onlookers as she seemed to fearlessly withstand the blood explosions.


    ¡°Sir, the radiation levels are still rising,¡± Odin frowned.


    ¡°Is¡­ is she still human?¡± a trembling A-level awakener asked.


    ¡°Should we intervene, sir?¡±


    Park Jae-woo¡¯s expression became inscrutable. Among the awakeners accompanying his actions, only Punk¡¯s identity was somewhat delicate. Strictly speaking, he was Park Jae-woo¡¯s political adversary, sent ostensibly to quell rebellion but actually tasked with monitoring Park Jae-woo, looking for any grounds to seize upon.


    Park Jae-woo¡¯s mind raced while maintaining a grave countenance. ¡°Don¡¯t rush in. Let¡¯s wait a bit longer.¡±


    Others didn¡¯t notice, but Punk, locked in battle with Song Ke, struggled increasingly against the mounting pressure. Gritting his teeth, Punk deliberately exposed a vulnerability, lunging forward, igniting blood mist at Song Ke¡¯s left arm.


    Song Ke quickly shook herself, and suddenly, an Emei thorn appeared in her right hand.


    Impossible! Punk¡¯s pupils constricted. Her right hand was supposed to be useless!


    In that moment of Punk¡¯s exposed vulnerability, Song Ke seized his head and forcefully slammed it into the ground, the Emei thorn piercing his intact mechanical eye!


    ¡°Ah!¡± Punk let out a heart-wrenching scream.


    Through his blood-hazed vision, he witnessed the miraculous changes occurring on Song Ke¡¯s body. The originally fatal wounds, deeply penetrating bones, visibly healed at an incredibly rapid pace, gradually reverting to minor flesh wounds.


    Wide-eyed, Punk gasped, ¡°You, you¡¯re d-dual¡­¡±


    Song Ke didn¡¯t give him a chance to finish speaking. The Emei thorn pierced through his right hand, severing tendons, rendering both of Punk¡¯s hands useless.


    Following this, she conjured an axe and brutally chopped off Punk¡¯s legs.


    Punk¡¯s mechanical eye was damaged, his limbs demolished, only his left eye could still move.


    ¡°Sir, should we¡­?¡± Odin couldn¡¯t sit still, asking anxiously.


    Under Park Jae-woo¡¯s gaze, deeply conflicted, he spoke sorrowfully, ¡°Go ahead. In urgent moments like this, we must watch out for each other. Punk has done his utmost; we can¡¯t let him bear the risk alone.¡±


    Odin and another S-level awakener leapt from the starship, successfully joining forces with Gasta and Roy, aiming to support Punk. However, just as they moved, four heavily scarred mechanical arms shot out, blocking their path.


    Zhuang Qingyan assisted Lu Xiaoyu onto a wheelchair, his voice icy cold, ¡°Personal grudges¡ªwouldn¡¯t it be inappropriate for you all to intervene?¡±


    Odin snorted, utilizing his supernatural abilities. Before striking the two obstructing figures, a plethora of runes descended from the sky. A young man in a black Taoist robe flickered before them, and countless thunderbolts crashed down, delineating a clear boundary between the two groups.


    ¡°Qiong Qi!¡± Samuel and the others exclaimed excitedly.


    At a crucial moment, Zhang Ci had returned.


    Park Jae-woo, inside the command cabin, took a sharp breath. Another S-level? What sort of gathering ground was Mu City for these monstrous entities?


    On Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s side, several S-level awakeners engaged in a chaotic skirmish. Meanwhile, Punk, paralyzed in all four limbs, stared fixedly at Song Ke, bursting into raucous laughter.


    ¡°No wonder, no wonder you survived¡­¡±


    ¡°Wishing to kill me? Can you bear the consequences? I¡¯ll drag all of you down with me to hell!¡±


    Punk¡¯s pale eyes suddenly flickered at a high frequency, his body rapidly inflating like an overblown balloon, emitting a faint, piercing crimson light.


    Not good, he¡¯s about to self-destruct!


    Song Ke widened her eyes slightly and hastily released her awakened energy to counteract it.


    However, the energy unleashed by an S-level awakeners¡¯ self-destructive force was capable of cataclysmic destruction.


    ¡°Quick, retreat!¡±


    Gasta and Odin screamed in terror as the four remaining starships swiftly veered away in the sky, the remnants of the security team and Shaye awakeners fleeing outside.


    Punk¡¯s dual abilities were merging gradually. He intended to use himself as a catalyst for one final blood explosion, utilizing time rewinds to repeatedly return to the moment of the blast. The destructive force would not just affect the awakeners but might reduce the entire Mu City to ashes.


    Song Ke discerned his intentions. She attempted to attack the eye from which he was releasing his abilities but was obstructed by the explosion enveloping Punk¡¯s body. Several times, she was blown away, struggling to keep her eyes open in the raging wind, cold sweat slowly soaking her back. Punk¡¯s self-destruction was inevitable, but the chain of explosions had to be stopped. Was there any way to interrupt him?


    ¡°Think fast, think of a way!¡± Song Ke clenched her fists tightly, biting down on her lip.


    At that moment, a hand reached out to support Song Ke.


    Zhuang Qingyan approached against the powerful gusts, clasping her hand from behind, enveloping her in his embrace. Song Ke felt the warmth against her back as she looked up. Despite the man¡¯s disheveled appearance, it didn¡¯t diminish his handsome features. His deep peach-blossom eyes curved as he teasingly said, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to sacrifice yourself alongside me, Song Ke, seize the opportunity.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan lightly pinched his fingertip, sending forth an immeasurable awakened energy, rushing towards Punk.


    His awakened energy, like a sharp knife, pierced through Punk¡¯s skull, wildly churning within his mind. Punk¡¯s consciousness stalled for less than half a second.


    Song Ke¡¯s eyes narrowed, instantly materializing a dagger, her eyes turning deep blue. Her entire awakened energy surged to its peak, breaking through the layers of interference. In a split second, she stabbed into Punk¡¯s left eye!


    ¡°BOOM¡ª¡±


    A thunderous explosion erupted, the Reunification Palace razed to the ground, and the entire Mu City City violently shaking.


    The scorching airflow surged towards them. Song Ke instinctively held onto Zhuang Qingyan, their different awakened energy tightly intertwining.


    The flames engulfed the silhouette of the two figures.

 Chapter 108: When the Roses Bloom (26)

    ¡ò The best ending written by fate ¡òIn the choking smoke, coughs echoed incessantly. The chain explosions orchestrated by Punk were timely halted, yet the scene remained engulfed in smoke and fire.


    Some surviving water and earth elemental awakeners attempted to extinguish the flames, but their efforts were futile. The fire at the Reunification Palace grew fiercer by the moment.


    Zhang Ci dispersed the thick smoke and glanced in the direction of Song Ke, vaguely spotting the silhouette of a tall man.


    The man¡¯s body swayed, then slowly collapsed forward. A slender pair of hands caught him.


    Song Ke opened and closed her mouth, speaking anxiously. Zhuang Qingyan leaned against her shoulder, offering a comforting smile. He lifted his fingertips, extinguishing a small tuft of her burning hair, then retrieved a wheelchair from the storage space. With Song Ke¡¯s support, he sat onto it.


    Gaster, Odin, and Lu Xiaoyu, among others, slowly rose. After a while, four fully armed starships returned, hovering again above the Reunification Palace. Would Nai Kang and Punk¡¯s successive deaths push the situation irreversibly into the abyss? Would the Special Envoy declare war? Tension gripped everyone.


    Amidst the crackling sparks and explosions, Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s clear voice pierced through the smoke, echoing in everyone¡¯s ears: ¡°Special Envoy, according to Article 22, Clause 9 of the Alliance¡¯s wartime emergency regulations, as the disadvantaged party, I have the right to request ceasefire negotiations.¡±


    Odin couldn¡¯t help but glare at him. Shameless! You assassinated the magistrate, took out an S-level awakener, took every advantage, yet you shamelessly declare yourselves ¡°disadvantaged¡± while turning District C55 into chaos?


    Unfortunately, Zhuang Qingyan was never one to have a sense of shame.


    Park Jae-woo¡¯s eyes lit up inside the starship. Good, finally someone who understands. Negotiation is what¡¯s needed.


    The holographic projection descended slowly, and Park Jae-woo¡¯s image appeared clearly in front of Song Ke and the others. As a smooth and cautious politician, he wouldn¡¯t risk coming down personally, especially now when even the starships weren¡¯t safe.


    ¡°Chief Park,¡± Zhuang Qingyan quickly ran through the Alliance officials¡¯ files in his mind, matching the person before him with the information. He raised an unexpected eyebrow upon recognizing Special Envoy Park Jae-woo.


    ¡°Do you know me?¡± Park Jae-woo looked surprised, gazing at Zhuang Qingyan. The young man¡¯s face was unfamiliar; he was certain they hadn¡¯t met before.


    Zhuang Qingyan had prepared a different set of words, but upon realizing the Special Envoy was Park Jae-woo, he instantly changed his approach. ¡°Former Magistrate of District C30, known for integrity and dedication during your tenure, promoted exceptionally to the Alliance¡¯s Regional Affairs General Bureau due to outstanding achievements. Chief Park¡¯s reputation resounds, even among us insignificant folks.¡±


    Park Jae-woo received a hefty dose of flattery, feeling immensely pleased, yet his expression remained stern, maintaining a firm and upright demeanor. ¡°Since you seem so well-versed in Alliance laws, you should understand the consequences of killing a District C magistrate. Let¡¯s not touch upon Punk¡¯s matter for now. You all must come back with me and face trial at the Alliance¡¯s highest court.¡±


    ¡°Chief Park planned to bring us back for a trial?¡± Zhuang Qingyan smiled, ¡°In that case, your performance report wouldn¡¯t look good.¡±


    Park Jae-woo cursed inwardly: Damn it, my performance report looks this bad, all because of you guys!


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s expression became meaningful. ¡°Actually, I have a better suggestion. Chief Park, why not listen first?¡±


    Park Jae-woo nodded without affirming or denying, ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    ¡°The Magistrate of District C55 should have been replaced long ago,¡± Zhuang Qingyan dropped a bombshell.


    ¡°The magistrate¡¯s excessive power isn¡¯t beneficial for the Alliance¡¯s development. Nai Kang¡¯s control over C55 for twenty-seven years led to countless tragedies. Chief Park, during your visit, witnessing the dire situation of the Mu City people, deeply troubled you. Considering the long-term development of the nation and its people, you decided, in the name of justice, to remove Nai Kang from duty and stabilize the situation in Mu City.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t this report sound much better?¡± Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s smile deepened.


    If Nai Kang were still alive, he would definitely have vehemently denounced Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s nonsense. Unfortunately, he was long gone; the dead have no say, and history has always been written by victors.


    Song Ke, pushing the wheelchair, looked utterly confused. Somehow, with Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s words, it seemed like the achievements were all attributed to the special envoy, and they had nothing to do with it? However, after such a long time, she had gotten used to it. Whenever Zhuang Qingyan spun tales, silence was the best response.


    Park Jae-woo didn¡¯t comment on Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s words. Instead, he pointed out another crucial issue, ¡°How do we explain the former magistrate¡¯s death?¡±


    The chaos in District C55 could be glossed over, but Nai Kang¡¯s public demise while seeking refuge¡ªthis, reported to the Alliance, was something they couldn¡¯t avoid.


    Park Jae-woo looked directly at Zhang Ci, ¡°From what I know, the main reason for Nai Kang seeking refuge was a rebellion. You are the leader of the refugees, Qiong Qi, right?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s expression revealed a hint of surprise, ¡°What Qiong Qi? What rebellion? There¡¯s no refugee leader. Thanks to Chief Park¡¯s dedicated governance, Mu City is clearly peaceful; the people have returned to their hearts.¡±


    Park Jae-woo was momentarily speechless. He didn¡¯t dare exaggerate things this much even to himself.


    But suddenly, he realized that if the report mentioned ¡°rebellion¡± and ¡°refugees,¡± as a special envoy, he¡¯d have to take responsibility for suppressing the rebellion and show concrete results. Wouldn¡¯t that be trouble for himself? This person was right¡ªthere was no rebellion in District C55 from start to finish!


    Park Jae-woo humbly sought advice, ¡°If it wasn¡¯t caused by a rebellion, then Nai Kang¡¯s death¡­?¡±


    ¡°Of course, it was a personal vendetta,¡± Zhuang Qingyan tapped the wheelchair lightly with his fingertip, speaking without hesitation, ¡°The one who killed Nai Kang was an obscure team of awakeners¡ªV587.¡±


    Song Ke stared blankly, wide-eyed and unable to comprehend. How did it end up that, in the end, the blame was still on them?


    In the holographic projection, Park Jae-woo fell into contemplation, then slowly lifted his head, his expression solemn and commanding. ¡°I will stay in District C55 for three days to reorganize internal affairs. During these three days, I do not want any one of you to appear in front of me.¡±


    ¡°Rest assured, Chief,¡± Zhuang Qingyan chuckled loudly.


    A covert deal was thus struck, diffusing the imminent war, allowing Song Ke¡¯s team and Shaye¡¯s awakeners, to leave unharmed.


    Fan Yiwen and the others were dumbfounded. They had known this person was a big talker, but they hadn¡¯t imagined he could even hoodwink a special envoy!


    Gasta and Odin exchanged a glance, smartly choosing to remain silent, offering no opinion. Roy and another younger S-level awakener showed discontent and disbelief on their faces. They couldn¡¯t fathom the deeper meaning behind the clash between Park Jae-woo and Zhuang Qingyan, nor why the deaths of Nai Kang and Punk were glossed over so lightly. Why let these people go?


    In the world of Alliance politics, being an awakener wasn¡¯t enough; intelligence mattered too. Everyone there had hundreds of schemes in their minds. Obviously, Zhuang Qingyan was more familiar with the rules of the gray area than they were.


    Park Jae-woo, on the starship, gazed into the distance below where the four S-level awakeners walked away together, and behind them was the burning Reunification Palace.


    Park Jae-woo sighed deeply, ¡°Shaye¡­ Mu City¡­ it seems there will be a significant change in the Alliance¡¯s next regional ranking assessment.¡±


    The old District C had collapsed, and new flames were spreading. Would Shaye replace Mu City in the future? Time would tell.


    Park Jae-woo¡¯s gaze returned to Song Ke. This person¡¯s power probably surpassed the S-level. If she couldn¡¯t be utilized by the Alliance, she would inevitably become a significant problem in the future, just like Nai Kang¡¯s fate¡ªa lesson to be learned.


    *


    The moment they stepped out of the Reunification Palace, Song Ke¡¯s terminal flashed a notification: ¡°Remaining validity of your admission application: 0 days 0 hours 0 minutes. Please update it promptly, otherwise, you will not be allowed to stay in the city.¡± s?a??h th? N0??F?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Coincidentally, fifteen days ago, they had forged their identities and entered the completely unfamiliar Mu City with an uncertain future. Fifteen days later, Nai Kang was dead, the assassination target successfully eliminated, and right as they were about to leave, this fake admission application happened to expire.


    Just like the best ending written by fate.


    ¡­


    The next day, at Shaye Base.


    Fang Zhixu finished examining Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s legs, looking grave. ¡°It¡¯s not optimistic. The excessive injections have affected your left leg¡¯s nerves. The symptoms of muscle atrophy will only worsen. It¡¯s in both legs now, but it¡¯ll soon spread throughout your body if delayed further.¡±


    Since the morning, Zhuang Qingyan had lost sensation in both legs, unable to stand even with crutches.


    ¡°What¡­ what can be done?¡± Song Ke asked anxiously.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go back to Tongwan. I¡¯ll contact my colleagues at 119 Hospital to arrange surgery as soon as possible,¡± Fang Zhixu mentioned the hospital without hesitation.


    Lin Youyou hesitated to speak, looking worriedly at Fang Zhixu. ¡°Are¡­ are you okay?¡±


    Although Fang Zhixu¡¯s eyes were bloodshot, with dark circles, clearly indicating lack of sleep, his current expression was too calm, so calm that it seemed abnormal. When Zhang Wanyao died in his arms, Fang Zhixu¡¯s breakdown and pain were beyond words. Lin Youyou was concerned about his mental state.


    ¡°I know what you¡¯re worried about, but I¡­ I promised her,¡± Fang Zhixu held a small vial around his neck, his eyes showing tenderness and nostalgia. Ayao only changed the way she accompanied him. What he needed to do now was take her home and then listen to her, to live well as she wished.


    Knock knock.


    As the door rhythmically tapped, Song Ke had just said, ¡°Come in,¡± and a group of people squeezed in, all seniors and fellow practitioners from the martial arts school.


    Surprisingly, the one leading was Mo Yan, wrapped in bandages all over his body. Despite enduring pain, he hooked his arm around Song Ke¡¯s shoulder, grinning through gritted teeth, ¡°Little junior sister, heard you had a rampage at the Reunification Palace yesterday! It¡¯s frustrating, ahhh, I missed it! I don¡¯t care, I want to spar with you and analyze!¡±


    ¡°Such vanity, you and little junior sister in a fight means you getting beaten up. You insist on glorifying it as an analysis,¡± Rita bluntly dismantled his facade.


    Zhang Ci lounged against the door frame, casually observing the people in the room bickering and playing around. He wasn¡¯t wearing his Taoist robes today but regular clothes, the kind he used to wear during training sessions back at Yue Mountain. When he was with the people from the martial arts school, he wasn¡¯t Qiong Qi; he was just their simple eldest senior brother.


    Song Ke¡¯s hair was messed up by Mo Yan¡¯s rubbing, leaving her in a sorry state, only her eyes visible, making it impossible for Song Ke to retaliate.


    ¡°Ah!¡± Mo Yan suddenly exclaimed.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Others looked nervously, fearing he might accidentally touch an injury.


    Mo Yan said, ¡°I suddenly remembered something.¡±


    Fan Yiwen said, ¡°Just say it, why startle everyone.¡±


    Mo Yan grinned mischievously, ¡°Now that Nai Kang is dead, the base can develop peacefully. Zhang Ci, did you and the junior sister take care of things?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been so hard raising the adopted daughter; do it quickly, don¡¯t let that outsider steal her away!¡±


    Fan Yiwen instinctively glanced at Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s expression. Mo Yan, not having been part of yesterday¡¯s action, wasn¡¯t aware of the situation, but they saw it clearly: the junior sister and that ¡°outsider¡± were clearly embracing each other.


    Fan Yiwen awkwardly coughed a couple of times, signaling Mo Yan with a meaningful look, but Mo Yan didn¡¯t catch on. He was still muttering to himself, ¡°By the way, what do you need for a wedding? Should I get some new light screens as gifts? Hey, Zhang Ci, say something.¡±


    Zhang Ci, lost in thought, interrupted by Mo Yan, slightly straightened up and looked at Song Ke.


    Others realized he was about to speak and quieted down.


    Zhang Ci slowly spoke, ¡°Song Ke, have you ever considered staying in Shaye?¡±

 Chapter 109: When the Roses Bloom (27)

    ¡ò A New Journey (End of Mu City Arc) ¡ò¡°Have you ever considered staying in Shaye?¡±


    Zhang Ci had a calm nature, and his true thoughts were hard to discern from his surface demeanor. He seemed to mention it casually, yet it felt as if he had contemplated deeply. No one knew exactly what he was thinking when he uttered those words.


    Song Ke didn¡¯t react immediately, blinking blankly. ¡°Huh?¡±


    Before she could reply, a member of V587 exploded. Zhang Ci seemed to be poaching in front of them. No, it was beyond that; it was like he intended to tear down the entire wall! Song Ke was not only the captain of V587 but also the backbone that held everyone together. If she was taken away, the team would disperse in minutes!


    ¡°No way!¡± Xu Xing was the first to speak out, his curly hair standing on end. ¡°She belongs to us!¡±


    ¡°What ¡®belongs to you¡¯? She¡¯s been like a little sister to us since childhood!¡± Mo Yan retorted with defiance.


    ¡°But she enjoys being with us now!¡± Xu Xing¡¯s voice cracked with frustration.


    ¡°You said ¡®enjoys.''¡± Mo Yan, wrapped up tightly, caught the loophole in his words, a mischievous glint in his eyes. ¡°When you¡¯re done playing, you always return home. Without the martial arts school, Shaye is our home.¡±


    Mo Yan brought up the weighty notion of ¡°home,¡± leaving Xu Xing momentarily at a loss. He quickly looked around for support. However, Lu Xiaoyu had an amused expression, seemingly enjoying the spectacle. Su Cha, with his perennially calm demeanor, showed no emotional fluctuations. Lin Youyou covered her red lips, smiling faintly, clearly indicating she had no intention of getting involved. Fang Zhixu¡­ better not hassle him when he¡¯s in a bad mood.


    Xu Xing looked eagerly at Zhuang Qingyan sitting in the wheelchair. Why wasn¡¯t he saying anything? Whenever he tried to get close to his sister before, Zhuang Qingyan would threaten him fiercely. Now, when someone else was about to take his sister away, why was he staying quiet?


    Not only Xu Xing but even Fan Yiwen and others who were aware of the situation sensed something amiss. Even though this ¡°Little White Face¡± was now confined to a wheelchair, let¡¯s not forget, he was a master at never taking a loss.


    Zhuang Qingyan didn¡¯t rush to express an opinion. He absentmindedly pinched Song Ke¡¯s finger and suddenly said, ¡°Song Ke, my leg hurts.¡±


    Song Ke immediately grew tense, massaging his leg. ¡°Where does it hurt?¡±


    ¡°On the left side, um¡­ a bit more to the left,¡± Zhuang Qingyan lazily directed her. ¡°It seems it needs a bit downward pressure too.¡±


    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re pressing too hard.¡±


    ¡°S-sorry. I¡¯ll be gentler.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Song Ke massaged and kneaded aimlessly, resembling a diligent daughter-in-law tending to chores. The others gradually understood the situation but felt powerless to comment. If Zhuang Qingyan truly had a leg issue, Dr. Fang stood nearby; there was no need for Song Ke to intervene.


    This wasn¡¯t about a leg ache; it was a statement of authority from the insufferable ¡°Little White Face¡±!


    As Zhuang Qingyan helped Song Ke fix her fallen hair, he glanced unexpectedly towards a man at the door.


    He smirked, leisurely starting, ¡°Upon reflection, since everyone involved is here, it¡¯s better to clarify some things. Child brides, a custom originating from the old civilization, should have been abolished long ago. Brother Zhang, by using this to retain someone, do you think Song Ke is an easy target?¡±


    What child bride? She already said she was not a child bride. Song Ke got angry, pinching Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s thigh hard. However, he remained unfazed; his leg nerves had long ceased to transmit pain signals. It took Song Ke a moment to realize: This liar!


    ¡°Child bride is just a joke; it¡¯s not real,¡± Zhang Ci¡¯s tone remained calm, but the next moment, he uttered something astounding, ¡°However, I¡¯ll oversee Song Ke¡¯s affairs.¡±


    The members of the martial arts school were dumbfounded. After joking for over a decade, Zhang Ci was taking this seriously?


    Rita felt a pang of bitterness and couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Zhang Ci, what do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Propose! Hurry up and propose!¡± Mo Yan shouted, eager to stir things up.


    Fan Yiwen smacked his head, covering Mo Yan¡¯s mouth, leaving him to mutter incomprehensibly.


    Zhang Ci remained silent, his gaze lowered.


    When Song Ke had first arrived in Yue Mountain, she was like a skinny little monkey. Zhang Ting had pitied her and arranged for her to celebrate birthdays with Zhang Ci. They¡¯d sit side by side in front of a cake, awkwardly blowing out candles. Over the years, they¡¯d continued this tradition. People joked that Zhang Ci had picked up a child bride, and because neither of the involved parties bothered to explain, it gradually became an unspoken truth.


    Zhang Ci¡¯s emotional attachment, be it romantic or not, was rather weak. He didn¡¯t have grand feelings for Song Ke; he simply felt responsible for taking care of her. In fact, everyone in the martial arts school was his responsibility, but with Zhang Ting no longer around¡­ his personal sense of responsibility towards Song Ke might have been a bit stronger.


    ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous for her to follow you,¡± Zhang Ci said.


    Assassinating Nai Kang, resisting Punk¡¯s explosion, everything Song Ke does now feels like walking on a tightrope.


    ¡°Is it safe to stay by your side? Brother Zhang is too confident,¡± Zhuang Qingyan stood firm.


    ¡°Song Ke is from Yue Mountain, we will all take care of her,¡± Zhang Ci calmly retorted.


    ¡°Please, Brother Zhang, understand this clearly. Song Ke belongs to no one; she is free. What right do you have to control her?¡± Zhuang Qingyan sneered. S?a??h the N?v?lFire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°I am her senior brother. If she wishes, I can be something else, but no matter my identity, I am more qualified than you,¡± Zhang Ci¡¯s dark eyes gazed firmly, sharpness evident. ¡°You ask about my identity, then what about you? What role do you play in her life?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan froze: ¡°¡­¡±


    What role did he have? What was he to Song Ke? Zhuang Qingyan, who had always been a good with words, was unusually silent.


    In the end, Song Ke was his chosen golden thigh, while he, himself, was merely picked up by her¡­ an outsider. He indeed had no right to control her.


    Seeing the atmosphere deadlocked, Song Ke stepped forward voluntarily and seriously told Zhang Ci, ¡°Senior brother, I won¡¯t stay for now. There are things to be done.¡±


    She aimed to heal Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s leg, attend the finals of the Throne Race Competition, fulfill Lin Youyou¡¯s wish, and if there was a chance later, she wanted to visit District B¡­ When all settled, she might return to Shaye.


    After listening, Zhang Ci stayed silent for a while and didn¡¯t force her, ¡°Alright, whenever you come back, Shaye will always be your home.¡±


    ¡°Yes, little junior sister, Shaye will forever be your home!¡± the senior brothers and sisters exclaimed.


    ¡°Mm!¡± Song Ke nodded happily. She knew they were her strongest support.


    *


    Before leaving Shaye, Song Ke deliberately sought out Zhang Ci. ¡°Senior brother, Master has¡­ something for you.¡±


    Before her eighteenth birthday, Zhang Ting had given two gifts, one of which was to be passed on to Zhang Ci through Song Ke. Unexpectedly, after that day when they descended the mountain, a solar storm struck, and doomsday arrived, temporarily shelving this matter. After a gap of more than half a year, she and Zhang Ci finally met under convoluted circumstances.


    Song Ke had already opened and examined her own gift, a quaint-looking medallion for tranquility, cold to the touch with a unique material that resisted water and fire. Although she didn¡¯t understand why Master gave her this, she kept it carefully.


    Zhang Ci opened the plastic bag, revealing a transfer agreement inside. Zhang Ting had transferred all his movable and immovable property, as well as ownership of the Yue Mountain Martial Arts School, to Zhang Ci. He was a strict master but not a qualified father, their relationship constantly eroded through repeated disputes, yet it never entirely vanished.


    Zhang Ci ran his fingers over the thin pages, remaining silent for a long time.


    Now, with Shaye needing extensive reconstruction, this money was like a timely help, enough to support him for a long time.


    ¡°By the way, Bai Ruotong wants to ask for your help,¡± Zhang Ci said.


    Concerning Zhang Ting¡¯s death, Zhang Ci had always harbored doubts. Based on memories retrieved from Tun Qin¡¯s mind, a team in uniforms had killed Zhang Ting. During this time, Bai Ruotong had questioned the personnel at the base to ascertain the origin of these individuals. The backgrounds of the members in Song Ke¡¯s team were complex, and she wanted to inquire if there were any clues.


    After listening to Bai Ruotong¡¯s description, Song Ke shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Bai Ruotong shrugged in disappointment.


    Song Ke silently added the latter half of the sentence, ¡°¡­Zhuang Qingyan definitely knows.¡±


    In her mind, Zhuang Qingyan, the omniscient information hub of the Alliance, knew everything.


    The three found Zhuang Qingyan and met Zhang Ci again. Both acted as if nothing had happened. Based on the information Bai Ruotong provided, Zhuang Qingyan casually sketched a fierce vulture on the screen.


    ¡°Is this the pattern?¡±


    Bai Ruotong nodded excitedly. ¡°Yes! Exactly the same.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan frowned. ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure, I directly extracted it from Tun Qin¡¯s memory. He saw the vulture pattern with his own eyes,¡± Bai Ruotong said.


    ¡°You are familiar with these people,¡± Zhang Ci keenly noticed.


    ¡°Not exactly familiar, just heard about them,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said. ¡°They come from Vulture, your Master¡¯s death is not simple.¡±


    Vulture Section Six, nicknamed the ¡°Vulture¡± Unit, was the Alliance¡¯s highest intelligence agency, primarily tasked with openly or secretly gathering various intelligence. They also engaged in investigations involving subversion, assassinations, explosions, and other activities.


    Why would the Alliance¡¯s intelligence agency find Zhang Ting and even kill him? What secrets did Zhang Ting hold?


    This matter seemed shrouded in dense fog, becoming increasingly complex. Song Ke looked worriedly at Zhang Ci.


    Zhang Ci closed his palm, calmly saying, ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll investigate the rest.¡±


    ¡­


    Song Ke stood at the lookout tower, gazing down.


    In the distance, a dark mass of people crossed the lifeline, facing the roars of the undead outside the iron fence as they slowly made their way toward Shaye. This time, it wasn¡¯t an army attacking Shaye but rather people fleeing with their families to seek a new life. The entrance to the base was bustling with activity, and nearby cities like Xiangang and Emerald City had become part of Shaye, merging into one city.


    The situation in Mu City was rapidly changing. Among the three warlords, only one remained. Mu Qin was currently overwhelmed, while Park Jae-woo¡¯s methods were adept at cutting through chaos. Not only did he limit the warlords¡¯ power, but he also abolished the deformed hierarchical system. Soon, new administrators would take their positions. However, faced with the chaos and decline of Mu City and the burgeoning and increasingly forceful Shaye, no one could predict the future.


    Inside the base, the liberated Rose Army girls spontaneously gathered, placing flowers at a pristine statue. Holding hands, they sang distant local ballads. The statue had a sacred and beautiful appearance, with a plaque underneath that read: ¡°In memory of the strongest Rose, Ayao. She led us in resisting an unjust fate.¡±


    Irene stood quietly behind the crowd, holding a cannon in one hand, watching.


    Lin Youyou patted her shoulder. ¡°Hey, Irene, we¡¯re getting ready to leave and wanted to bid you farewell. What are your plans now?¡±


    ¡°I plan to return to Ferrara and continue participating in the finals,¡± Irene initially wore a serious expression that gradually softened. ¡°But I won¡¯t push too hard anymore because my wish has been fulfilled. See you in the finals. Even if we¡¯re friends, I won¡¯t hold back. That¡¯s the pride of a mercenary.¡±


    ¡°We won¡¯t either. See you in the finals,¡± Lin Youyou grinned.


    Samuel patrolled the base with his torso exposed, his python tattoo vividly displayed, yet nobody feared him. Children gathered around him, enviously wanting to touch him.


    Lin Mo and Lu Qiu were both engrossed in different activities. One was entangled with Lu Xiaoyu, learning mechanical skills, while the other followed Fang Zhixu eagerly, almost thirstily absorbing his teachings. They were among those who couldn¡¯t bear to see V587 leave.


    Chatterbox Kansu sneakily glanced at Marie with every opportunity, mumbling to himself, ¡°You don¡¯t look anything like your sister. Of course, your sister is cute too, but I think¡­ I think you¡¯re prettier¡­¡±


    ¡°What do you want?¡± Marie stared at him guardedly.


    ¡°I mean, you, you¡¯re very brave. I admire you!¡± Kansu stumbled over his words.


    As Kansu spoke, he blushed, awkwardly scratching his head. ¡°Uh, do you want to come play in the tunnels with me?¡±


    Marie¡¯s face still bore scars, and her mouth was swollen, but her eyes sparkled. ¡°Sure, my grandpa loved talking about tunnel warfare!¡±


    Song Ke enjoyed the breeze, observing the diverse scene below.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s wheelchair stopped beside her. ¡°Reluctant to leave?¡±


    Song Ke shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ll come back.¡±


    ¡°Song Keke,¡± Zhuang Qingyan called her name, smiling gently. ¡°After the surgery, let¡¯s talk. There¡¯s something I want to tell you.¡±

 Chapter 110: Life-and-Death Marathon (1)

    ¡ò S-Level Mission: Guarding Tongwan ¡òThree days later, as the situation in Mu City stabilized slightly, the newly appointed official assigned by the Alliance took office. After completing the handover with Park Jae-woo, they officially set off and departed.


    Shortly after the majestic fleet of starships flew out, an old civilian model starship slowly ascended from the Shaye Base, entered orbit, and under Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s command, set its course for Tongwan in the District C60, engaging the autopilot.


    The return journey seemed particularly relaxed. Lin Youyou hummed a tune, applying makeup in front of the mirror after a long time. After outlining her eyebrows, she admired herself satisfactorily for a moment, casually remarking, ¡°Park Jae-woo surprisingly didn¡¯t cause trouble for us. Quite unexpected.¡±


    ¡°No need to be surprised. After all, Great Benefactor Zhuang gifted him a big favor,¡± Lu Xiaoyu commented solemnly.


    Zhuang Qingyan glanced at him, indifferent to his sarcastic tone, ¡°Park Jae-woo is an official fanatic. You should be glad it was him who came. Otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t have ended so well. Without him holding the scene that night at the Reunification Palace, the remaining S-levels wouldn¡¯t have let us off.¡±


    If a fight really broke out, the other side still possessed heavy weaponry and over a hundred A-level awakeners, making casualties in Shaye inevitable.


    Speaking of the Reunification Palace, Song Ke remembered another matter, ¡°Punk is dead. Will anyone come to cause trouble for us?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan curved his lips slightly, but there was little amusement in his eyes, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Park Jae-woo will handle these loopholes. He¡¯s been given credit for nothing, but he needs to handle it well. If he can¡¯t even control the mouths of those around him, he won¡¯t be fit for his special envoy role.¡±


    When Zhuang Qingyan said to relax, Song Ke felt at ease. She lowered her head to tinker with the terminal for a while, then suddenly exclaimed in surprise, ¡°We¡¯re becoming famous, huh?¡±


    The headlines across Mu City were split. Half discussed the changes the new official would bring, while the other half speculated on the identity of the V587 squad that assassinated Nai Kang due to ¡°personal grudges.¡± Because all visual data had been burned in a large fire, some unofficial media described V587 as a burly man and exaggeratedly boasted that all of them were S-levels.


    After skimming through the reports, everyone found it utterly absurd and simply laughed it off.


    But speaking of fame, Lin Youyou raised her terminal, pulling up another article, ¡°Ferrara isn¡¯t doing too bad either. Look at this video, ¡®Detailed Analysis of the Underdog V587¡¯s Road to Championship,¡¯ with over sixty million views. Our popularity now exceeds ¡®Shunxing Tea House¡¯ and is second only to ¡®Three Grandsons and One Grandpa.''¡±


    ¡°Tongwan as well. You gained a lot of fame after repelling the zombie tide,¡± Fang Zhixu mentioned when he found a moment.


    ¡°And there¡¯s the Sin City. The legend of ¡®My name is Su Cha, remember it¡¯ is still circulating,¡± Lu Xiaoyu finished his last attack.


    Su Cha was unexpectedly called out and suddenly froze, recalling the embarrassing slogan he once shouted.


    Song Ke puffed her cheeks, a bit annoyed, ¡°Grandpa used to say, ¡®Be humble in life, being too famous isn¡¯t good.''¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan comforted her, ¡°With the star network disconnected now and slow communication between regions, even if you¡¯re famous, it¡¯s only within a small scope, so you¡­¡±


    As he spoke, he suddenly hissed in pain.


    Fang Zhixu swiftly pressed on his pressure point, stimulating the numbed nerves with his ability. Despite the pain, Zhuang Qingyan managed to joke, but having spent an extra day in Shaye, his left hand gradually lost sensation. He couldn¡¯t even complete simple grip exercises now.


    Song Ke stared intently at Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s legs. He hadn¡¯t followed the doctor¡¯s advice and had two consecutive seal injections due to helping her.


    ¡°When we return to Tongwan, we¡¯ll¡­ undergo surgery,¡± she said, poking him, completely serious.


    ¡°Yeah, undergo surgery,¡± Zhuang Qingyan smiled.


    ¡°Some people, their abilities aren¡¯t enough but they insist on showing off. They swear they don¡¯t want their legs, but deep down, they regret it so much,¡± Lu Xiaoyu multitasked, coding while controlling the starship, managing to slip in a few sarcastic comments to taunt Zhuang Qingyan.


    Zhuang Qingyan smirked, ¡°Because I¡¯ve thought about it, there¡¯s already one useless person in the team. It¡¯s not suitable to cause more trouble for everyone.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s movements halted, struck right in the heart. His mechanical arm was damaged, severely reducing his combat effectiveness. Even his coding speed had slowed down, something Lu Xiaoyu couldn¡¯t bear.


    Lu Xiaoyu looked at Song Ke, speaking seriously, ¡°Captain, I request a replacement for a new mechanical arm.¡±


    ¡°Approved,¡± Song Ke nodded promptly. It was the least she could do; Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s mechanical arm had broken because he shielded her from harm.


    ¡°This is the material list,¡± Lu Xiaoyu shared a super long list with her, looking serious.


    Song Ke¡¯s eyes spun, she sucked in a breath of cold air¡ªwhy was it twice as much as last time? How much money would this¡­ cost?


    Zhuang Qingyan took the terminal and glanced at it, sneering lightly, ¡°Don¡¯t be outrageous. You dared to put 98% purity rhenium on here. Do you know how much rhenium is worth?¡±


    ¡°Rhenium is a necessary material, and I calculated the minimum usage,¡± Lu Xiaoyu maintained seriousness, arguing logically.


    ¡°What necessity? It could be replaced with carbon steel or alloy steel.¡±


    ¡°You could use a bicycle too, why did humans invent starships?¡±


    ¡°With our current conditions, all you can ride is a bicycle,¡± Zhuang Qingyan bluntly crossed it off and handed it back to Song Ke. ¡°Don¡¯t spoil him.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu clicked his tongue, shrugged his shoulders. His serious expression relaxed; he had wanted to bluff through it, and being exposed by Zhuang Qingyan didn¡¯t embarrass him at all. s?a??h th? N?v?lF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Ever since arriving in Mu City, V587 had been entirely focused on assassinating Nai Kang, not taking on missions for a long time, and therefore, not earning any income.


    Song Ke sighed softly, feeling the weight of needing to make money and shoulder the responsibilities of a captain.


    ¡°Sister!¡± Xu Xing, who had been leaning against the railing, suddenly exclaimed, ¡°Come and see this.¡±


    Song Ke looked in the direction he pointed, where a modern and futuristic city should have been below them. However, at this moment, thick black smoke billowed from the top of skyscrapers, a bridge across the river was snapped in the middle, and the surface of ring roads and flyovers was covered in a heavy black layer.


    ¡°Slow down, something¡¯s not right,¡± Zhuang Qingyan frowned.


    Lu Xiaoyu reduced the speed of the starship and instinctively activated the control panel. The map navigation showed they were directly above the District C74, and through the hazy clouds, that pervasive blackness seemed to be in motion.


    ¡°Should I go and take a look?¡± Song Ke asked.


    ¡°Wait,¡± Lu Xiaoyu released a drone, and the external camera zoomed in continuously, gradually approaching the airspace above the city. The group witnessed an unbelievable sight¡ªthe entire layer of blackness was actually densely packed with zombies!


    ¡°This is a dead city,¡± Lu Xiaoyu said.


    The drone was equipped with a thermal imaging detector, yet within a radius of several kilometers, there were no signs of any life.


    Song Ke looked at Zhuang Qingyan, asking, ¡°District C74, where is that?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s expression turned serious, ¡°Rongzhou.¡±


    Rongzhou (District C74) was renowned as the design capital of the Alliance due to its bold and magical architectural style. Despite being numbered towards the end of the C districts, designers from Rongzhou were highly praised for their exceptional skills.


    Such a once bustling and famous C-level city had now become a playground for zombies.


    ¡°Rongzhou is still a C-level city after all, what could have happened?¡± Lin Youyou asked, puzzled.


    ¡°It¡¯s a zombie tide,¡± Zhuang Qingyan sketched out Rongzhou¡¯s terrain and analyzed, ¡°Rongzhou has a dense population, with a terrain mostly composed of mountains and basins. If a continuous zombie tide occurs, it¡¯s easy to get trapped in multiple layers of encirclement, making it difficult to escape.¡±


    ¡°A continuous zombie tide¡­¡± everyone fell silent.


    ¡°Hopefully, the tragedy in Rongzhou is an isolated case,¡± Lin Youyou murmured.


    However, things didn¡¯t unfold as they hoped. After Rongzhou, they passed through another C-level city filled with zombies, followed by several D-level cities destroyed one after another. The situation was getting worse.


    ¡°When we arrived in Mu City, these cities were fine. Just half a month, and how did they get overrun by zombies?¡± Lin Youyou couldn¡¯t make sense of the current scene. ¡°Even if the number of zombies is increasing, there should be more ways to deal with them. Logically, it shouldn¡¯t be like this.¡±


    ¡°Over there, there are people,¡± Song Ke pointed in a certain direction.


    An empty highway, a supermarket at a gas station, a few figures were busy moving things around.


    ¡°They¡¯re humans,¡± Zhuang Qingyan affirmed, ¡°ordinary people.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go and ask. Xiao Xing, come with me,¡± Song Ke said.


    Lu Xiaoyu switched to low-orbit mode. Song Ke and Xu Xing jumped off the starship and quickly moved towards the gas station.


    There were seven or eight individuals in the group, two keeping watch while the others swiftly cleared the shelves in the supermarket. When Song Ke approached, she made some noise deliberately, a sort of warning.


    ¡°Who¡¯s there?!¡± The two on lookout immediately raised their weapons, shouting in panic, ¡°Don¡¯t come any closer! We found this place first!¡±


    Xu Xing stepped forward politely, trying to start a conversation. ¡°Uncle, Auntie, we won¡¯t come closer, we just want to ask something.¡±


    As the commotion arose, more people from the supermarket rushed out. Thin and pale from hunger, they eyed Song Ke and Xu Xing cautiously, even though there were only two of them. ¡°Ask your questions but then leave quickly!¡± they demanded.


    Xu Xing stood still obediently. ¡°Uncle, Auntie, why are there zombies everywhere here? It wasn¡¯t like this the last time my sister and I came.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± The person replied with some surprise. ¡°A zombie king has appeared nearby, capable of commanding zombies of all levels. Many cities have been destroyed by it.¡±


    Song Ke was startled. Capable of commanding¡­ a zombie king?


    In Xiangang, they had fought against a level-3 zombie once. Though that monster was huge and formidable, it didn¡¯t have the ability to command other zombies. Could this zombie king possibly be a level-4 zombie?


    After returning to the starship, V587 held an emergency meeting.


    ¡°From the current information, we deduce that the zombie king was born near Rongzhou. After destroying that C-level city, it moved eastward,¡± Zhuang Qingyan analyzed.


    ¡°Tongwan is also in the east,¡± Fang Zhixu¡¯s voice turned anxious, ¡°Considering its trajectory, could it pose a threat to Tongwan?¡±


    Mu City was situated in the southwest of the Alliance. Lu Xiaoyu had set the return route northeastward, passing through Ferrara and eventually reaching Tongwan.


    Tongwan¡¯s outpost, the Luojia Shelter, had survived a major zombie tide with the support of V587. As a medical hub, Tongwan had relatively weak military strength; otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t have been surrounded by Nai Kang¡¯s troops back then. If they encountered the zombie king leading a massive army, the crisis they¡¯d face wouldn¡¯t be lighter than Rongzhou¡¯s.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s finger followed the path of destruction on the map until it stopped just inches away from Tongwan.


    ¡°Based on the zombie king¡¯s current trajectory, it will just narrowly miss Tongwan.¡±


    Just as the group breathed a sigh of relief, Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s fingertip suddenly slid left by one grid.


    ¡°But, what if it changes course midway? Looking at this intersection, the cities in the left section are obviously more densely populated. We can¡¯t determine the extent of intelligence a level-4 zombie has,¡± he explained.


    ¡°Hurry, let¡¯s get back to Tongwan,¡± Song Ke urged.


    Tongwan couldn¡¯t have any trouble, not just because it could heal Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s legs, but also because it housed millions of doctors similar to Lu Ning, willing to risk their lives to save others. If Tongwan fell, the impact on the entire Alliance would be catastrophic.


    Lu Xiaoyu switched to manual mode, and the starship accelerated sharply, streaking across the sky.


    Lin Youyou tried to reassure everyone, ¡°There seem to be fewer zombies here than before. Maybe the zombie king followed its original route.¡±


    Before she could finish her sentence, the terminals of the group suddenly flashed with an urgent message: ¡°The Alliance Supernatural Ability Headquarters has issued an emergency announcement: ¡®A series of zombie tides have emerged in Tongwan (District C62). Known zombie numbers are as follows: Level 4: 1, Level 3: 167, Level 2: xxxx, Detected mutant zombie count: 1257. All district awakeners are requested to provide immediate support. Depending on the number of zombies killed, different amounts of points and Alliance Coins will be rewarded.''¡±


    Damn it, Zhuang Qingyan was right¡ªthe intelligence of that zombie king is exceptionally high! It actually changed its path!


    The swiftly moving starship rushed to Tongwan in the shortest time possible. However, the scene before them left everyone horrified. The ground was devastated, and the horde of zombies, densely packed and black, was more terrifying than the insect tide Song Ke had experienced in Hua City. Compared to Luojia Shelter¡¯s previous large-scale zombie tide, the number had almost increased tenfold. Even from high altitude, the end of the horde was nowhere in sight.


    The three outposts serving as the vanguard seemed on the brink of collapse. Once the defense lines were breached, Tongwan would have no buffer zone and would be exposed to the zombies.


    At the forefront of the battle lines, numerous awakeners were fighting desperately. However, despite killing one wave, new zombies surged forward incessantly.


    Song Ke opened the hatch, anxiously seeking a place to land. At that moment, the Luojia Shelter, overwhelmed, had its defense lines breached. As if receiving some command, the zombie horde surged over the walls in unison, heading relentlessly towards Tongwan, several kilometers away.


    ¡°No!!¡± Fang Zhixu grabbed the railing and shouted.


    The air seemed to freeze, everyone¡¯s heart stuck in their throats, and Tongwan seemed to resonate with a mournful cry.


    At the very moment when the first wave of zombies was about to breach the gates, a golden light suddenly shimmered above Tongwan. It flashed and, in an instant, the zombies ¡°thudded¡± against an invisible barrier. Some were flung away, others fell to the ground, piling up in layers, unable to move forward.


    This¡­ was Domain-type supernatural ability?


    Song Ke, Zhuang Qingyan, Lin Youyou, and the others exchanged astonished looks. In their minds, a name suddenly appeared.


    Almost forgot, Tongwan still had a Domain-type awakener.


    Wait, strictly speaking, it should be a Domain-type mutant dog.

 Chapter 111: Life-and-Death Marathon (2)

    ¡ò The Zombie King skilled in military strategy ¡òAt a critical moment, a domain rose over Tongwan, holding back the flood of zombies surging in like a tide.


    Song Ke breathed a sigh of relief. ¡®Well done, Taotao!¡¯ She shouted in her mind, aware that Taotao couldn¡¯t hear her, yet the lively barking of Taotao echoed in her ears like an illusion.


    Xu Xing clung to Song Ke¡¯s clothes, their disheveled head poking out of the cabin, releasing their abilities with trepidation. Unfortunately, it had little effect. Even after dealing with a group, more zombies followed closely behind. Xu Xing was a bit afraid of heights and also had a fear of densely packed zombies. With a troubled expression, they asked, ¡°Sister, as long as Taotao keeps the domain open, won¡¯t the zombies be unable to get in?¡±


    Before Song Ke could reply, Zhuang Qingyan broke the innocent wish of Xu Xing. ¡°Don¡¯t be optimistic. Although Taotao¡¯s ability covers a large area, it¡¯s only C-level and can¡¯t hold for long.¡±


    Domain-type abilities require a considerable amount of mental power support. When Taotao covered a single building in the community before, the consumption was relatively small, enabling it to persist for several days. But now, covering the entire city and facing relentless zombie attacks, it was only a matter of time before the ability exhausted.


    ¡°Can we find the position of the Zombie King?¡± Song Ke turned to Lu Xiaoyu.


    The number of zombies below was too dense, all one could see were rotting faces and lifeless white eyes. Besides ordinary and evolved zombies, there were also over a thousand mutant zombies, their awakened energies mixed together, making it hard to distinguish.


    Lu Xiaoyu released all the unmanned drones, sending them in different directions to quickly scan the zombies.


    Both Song Ke and Su Cha were more adept at single-target combat. Faced with a large-scale tide of corpses, they were at a disadvantage. Rushing in recklessly would easily put themselves in danger. It would be best to first find the Zombie King and figure out a way to take it down.


    ¡°Clang, clang!¡±


    The zombies at the city gate relentlessly pounded the domain. The golden light dispersed for a moment, returning to normal. Yet in that instant gap, several hundred zombies surged in. Taotao was starting to struggle.


    The night was pitch-black, stars twinkling, when suddenly, engines roared from all directions! Steamboats, floating cars, and ornate ships, new and old in various designs, arrived just in time. Dazzling abilities burst forth; windstorms, thunderstorms, intense fires, freezing snow¡­ a multitude of elemental abilities wielded their might, and tens of thousands of zombies fell. A vacuum zone appeared in front of Tongwan¡¯s city gate.


    They were awakeners rushing in from other places to support! Whether it was for an S-level mission or for Tongwan, their arrival was crucial.


    With the pressure eased at the city gate, Tongwan¡¯s counterattack began. Armored vehicles rumbled across the ground. Led by Zhao Liqiang, members of the security team carried flamethrowers and cannons, bravely charging into the zombie army.


    Even ordinary people climbed onto the city walls, hurling sandbags into the battlefield. Some glass bottles hit the zombies, while others landed on the ground, producing a faint shattering sound. Soon after, they were swept by flamethrowers and artillery, causing intense chemical reactions¡ªcorrosion, combustion, explosions. The pungent smell of chemicals filled the air. It was truly remarkable, even in the city of medicine, how distinct their methods of killing zombies were.


    ¡°Found it.¡± Lu Xiaoyu enlarged the screen, and amidst the horde of corpses in the middle, a distinct zombie appeared.


    Standing at about three meters tall, though not as towering as a Level 3 zombie, it had robust muscles. Its chest veins wriggled like black serpents. What was more horrifying, behind this zombie were two enormous palm-like appendages resembling wings, with claws larger than half its body.


    Similar to their time in Xiangang, Song Ke calmly set up a heavy crossbow, aimed, and fired!


    The arrow whistled through the air toward the Zombie King¡¯s head. But as it approached, a nearby mutant zombie stomped, causing the ground to shake, and huge chunks of earth erupted, deflecting the crossbow¡¯s attack. This was a classic use of earth-based abilities.


    Song Ke¡¯s gaze hardened. Indeed¡­ the Zombie King could control other zombies.


    Lu Xiaoyu lowered the starship¡¯s altitude to the minimum as Song Ke, Su Cha, Lin Youyou, and Xu Xing jumped down.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go for the Zombie King. You all provide support,¡± Song Ke said.


    Lin Youyou followed behind Su Cha, enhancing the surrounding awakeners with buffs. As they heard the melodious singing, their spirits lifted, their hands moved faster, making it easier to kill zombies. A-level support-type awakeners might have limited combat abilities, but they were remarkably effective on the battlefield.


    Song Ke manifested dual blades, rushing toward the Zombie King¡¯s position. Her speed was remarkable, almost becoming a blur. Before the zombie army could react, she had dashed past them. With a forceful push from her toes, she leaped into the air, cutting through the battlefield from the side. Both blades came down simultaneously, but the Zombie King sensed the danger, swiftly turned around, and swung all four claws toward Song Ke.


    Unfortunately, Song Ke¡¯s blades were faster. ¡°Clang!¡± The sharp edge struck the raised flesh-wing, but it didn¡¯t cut through? The Zombie King fiercely swung its arm, its sharp nails clashing against the blades, producing a teeth-gritting scraping sound.


    Song Ke somersaulted backward, landing steadily. Only then did she notice that its flesh-wing seemed clad in steel armor, shimmering metallic hues. This was¡­ an awakened ability? Did the Zombie King possess an ability? No, Song Ke quickly realized. It didn¡¯t have any awakened energy within itself, but there were numerous mutant zombies around. At a critical moment, one of them must have released an ability to protect the Zombie King.


    The Zombie King agilely evaded Song Ke¡¯s attack range, leaping onto a collapsed base station. Its lifeless white eyes fixed on Song Ke, suddenly it dropped onto all fours and let out a low growl.


    Several Level 3 zombies leaped from both sides, while more mutant zombies arranged themselves in a backward-stepped formation, enclosing Song Ke in a V-shaped formation. Ahead of her were fierce high-level zombies, while behind her, the Zombie King eyed her hungrily. She was trapped within the enemy lines.


    Song Ke suddenly realized the most challenging aspect of the Zombie King wasn¡¯t its own strength but its ability to command other zombies at will, even forming an army. Blades gleaming with a faint blue light, Song Ke¡¯s awakened energy surged in waves. Instead of fleeing, she chose to confront them head-on.


    On the starship, Zhuang Qingyan observed the group of zombies facing off against Song Ke. Her gaze turned cold. ¡°Spearhead formation.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s a spearhead formation?¡± Fang Zhixu asked.


    Zhuang Qingyan explained, ¡°A spearhead formation relies on infantry and cavalry cooperation, specializing in flanking maneuvers. I never expected zombies to use tactics. This Zombie King might have served as a battlefield commander before.¡±


    Fang Zhixu looked shocked. ¡°Are you suggesting the Zombie King retains memories from when it was human? Then why does it attack humans?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan stared at the Zombie King¡¯s grotesque appearance, shaking his head slowly. ¡°No, it¡¯s undoubtedly a zombie. I¡¯m inclined to believe it retains human intelligence.¡±


    ¡°If it has intelligence, can¡¯t you directly control it? Can¡¯t we win easily?¡± Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s thoughts always had an unconventional twist.


    The power of a Level 4 zombie was equivalent to that of an A-level awakener. Although Zhuang Qingyan thought the chances were slim, he released his mental ability to probe, only to encounter a hindrance. ¡°It has a mental barrier, similar to Taotao¡¯s domain.¡±


    ¡°Oh? It can even prepare for this? Seems pretty smart,¡± Lu Xiaoyu felt intrigued.


    ¡°Congratulations, you¡¯ve synchronized brainwaves with the zombie, but unfortunately, it¡¯s smarter than you,¡± Zhuang Qingyan couldn¡¯t resist poking fun at Lu Xiaoyu.


    Of course, the barrier wasn¡¯t created by the Zombie King itself; it lacked awakened energy and could only utilize the abilities of other mutant zombies.


    To put it simply, the Zombie King was like a worker screwing in screws, familiar with the use of each screw, and able to place them in the most suitable positions.


    ¡°I think I understand how Rongzhou was destroyed. This Zombie King is too terrifying,¡± Fang Zhixu sighed.


    ¡°This is perhaps the most cunning opponent we¡¯ve encountered,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said in a deep voice.


    Beneath the base station, Song Ke¡¯s dual blades were ruthless, tearing through the flank defense. She faced dozens of high-level zombies alone, like a Grim Reaper amidst chaos, cutting through the tangled mess. Even splattered with tainted blood, her expression remained unchanged.


    The military tactics of the ancient civilization emphasized ¡°winning before battle,¡± signifying that victorious armies always created a winning momentum before engaging the enemy. And when the situation turned unfavorable, they sought to ¡°conserve strength for a future battle.¡±


    The Zombie King watched the dwindling zombie army, clawing at the ground beneath it, making a thoughtful gesture.


    ¡­


    In the center of the battlefield, poisonous mist spread around Su Cha, rapidly harvesting the lives of zombies.


    Lin Youyou cautiously followed him, never forgetting to glance back and instruct, ¡°Xiao Xing, stay close.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Xu Xing obediently replied.


    However, in the midst of the chaotic situation, zombies occasionally lunged forward. Xu Xing, with shorter legs and a timid disposition, got obstructed three or four times, gradually falling behind Lin Youyou. Luckily, his position was relatively close to the city gate, with other powered individuals and members of the guard nearby, so it wasn¡¯t particularly dangerous.


    Mechanically and numbly, Xu Xing threw ice spikes into the pile of zombies. There were so many of them that even his haphazard throws managed to impale a large number.


    Various abilities flew around him, shells and flames intertwined, chemical bottles bobbed up and down intermittently. Xu Xing couldn¡¯t help but wonder amidst the chaos: could this kind of chaotic fighting accidentally harm their own people?


    For better or worse, a tornado-like power whirled, picking up a massive bunch of zombies.


    Whether due to a lack of control or the weight being too much, the tornado¡¯s eye gradually veered off course, turning in Xu Xing¡¯s direction.


    Cursing himself internally, Xu Xing turned and ran. Unfortunately, with his short legs and light weight, he was swept away after just a few steps.


    The damned tornado blew for a good ten seconds. Xu Xing felt like he was in a tumble dryer, disoriented. Finally, he was unceremoniously thrown to the ground. He sat there, feeling aggrieved, rubbing his head, and swaying as he stood up, only to realize he was at the back of the shelter. Suddenly, his eyes widened! Several zombies stared at him expressionlessly, having witnessed his sudden descent from the sky.


    Describing zombies as ¡°expressionless¡± was odd, but these zombies sat or stood in pairs, lacking the fierceness and brutality on their faces. They wore a bored expression, completely detached from the ongoing battle on the front lines.


    Suddenly, Xu Xing forgot about his dangerous situation, the first thought that crossed his mind was: Do zombies procrastinate too? S?a??h the N?velF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    One of the zombies approached Xu Xing, yes, it walked, using its legs.


    Its hair was braided in an unattractive style, vaguely showing female features. Xu Xing was surprised to notice that this zombie was relatively intact, apart from prominent marks on its neck and the murky gray eyes, it appeared more human in other aspects.


    The braided zombie extended its claws, causing Xu Xing to shiver. Secretly forming ice spikes behind his back, he was taken by surprise as he was suddenly overturned, tumbling and landing on his rear end, making a ¡®duang-duang¡¯ sound.


    The zombie seemed to find this amusing and turned back, emitting indistinct sounds from its throat. The other zombies gathered around, like a group of towering bullies, surrounding Xu Xing, clawing at him, pushing him around, flipping him over, as if toying with a soft ball.


    These peculiar zombies seemed to be having fun. They neither killed him nor attacked the city, simply playing around with Xu Xing.


    Xu Xing was stupefied: ¡°¡­ ¡± What is happening? Is he being bullied by zombies?


    At that moment, a low growl of the Zombie King suddenly came from the direction of Tongwan. The large horde of zombies within a dozen kilometers received the call and, no longer interested in the fight, immediately dispersed like a receding tide.


    The Zombie King abandoned the siege! Tongwan was safe!


    A thunderous cheer erupted. Excited powered individuals and the guard chased the fleeing zombies, driving them far away.


    Several zombies in front of Xu Xing glanced at each other. Yes, they actually made an apparent ¡°eye contact¡± gesture. The braided zombie retracted its claws, and the others followed her, stealthily blending into the troops and gradually disappearing from sight.


    Covered in dirt, Xu Xing climbed up from the ground, feeling utterly perplexed.

 Chapter 112: Life-and-Death Marathon (3)

    ¡ò The Fallen Ones ¡òThe zombie tide was rapidly receding, and the awakeners chased after them relentlessly, seizing the opportunity to kill a few more to earn some points.


    Song Ke watched the back of the Zombie King. Its two pairs of sturdy flesh wings not only didn¡¯t become a burden but instead, in motion, seemed to grant it added strength. With all four limbs in sync, it leaped several times in succession, swiftly disappearing on the horizon, accompanied by a group of lackeys.


    It seemed this time they couldn¡¯t kill it. Song Ke spun her dual blades in a graceful dance, then slowly sheathed them on her back.


    She returned to the position of the starship, rejoining with Zhuang Qingyan and the others. Soon after, Lin Youyou and Su Cha also returned, but Xu Xing was nowhere to be seen.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Xiao Xing?¡± Song Ke inquired.


    ¡°He was just here, why did this kid leave?¡± Lin Youyou also found it strange.


    ¡°Xiao Xing, where are you?¡± Song Ke messaged the V587 chat group. After two seconds, Xu Xing sent a crying emoji followed by a voice message. Upon listening, it was the sound of heavy breathing as if running. ¡°Hoo hoo, wait for me!¡±


    As long as he was safe, Song Ke hopped onto the hovering starship, let one leg dangle, assumed a comfortable position at the door, and waited.


    The S-level commission to guard Tongwan was directly issued by the Alliance¡¯s awakener headquarters. As long as the terminal¡¯s real-time recording function was activated, the number of zombies killed would automatically be tallied, and corresponding rewards distributed. Song Ke mainly harvested evolved and mutant zombies in this wave. Leaving aside the points, she received a hefty sum of Alliance coins, suddenly rising from being broke to moderately wealthy.


    Indeed, S-level commissions were incredibly lucrative, Song Ke thought, silently counting the balance in her personal account.


    Not far ahead, several hovercars raced past, chasing the zombie horde, relentlessly attacking them with wide-range abilities.


    Song Ke sensed a strong awakened energy and glanced at it, unexpectedly discovering that the awakeners in those cars were formidable, their coordination precise. They were the ones who had initially intercepted the zombie tide¡¯s charge, allowing the armored vehicles of the security team to come out of the city.


    On top of one of the hovercars, a tall young man knelt in a standard sniping posture, his face mostly concealed by night vision goggles. He fired his rifle at an incredible speed, almost without aiming. A shot every second, each one blowing off a zombie¡¯s head with specialized explosive rounds, piercing through their foreheads, instantly exploding them like rotten watermelons. The resulting blast scattered chunks of decayed flesh and putrid blood, a display of extreme and brutal aesthetics.


    Observing for a moment, Song Ke noticed that this person not only had impeccable marksmanship but also was highly purposeful. Like her, he specifically targeted evolved and mutant zombies. As the hovercar passed by, a series of notifications echoed from his terminal.


    ¡°You have killed one Level 3 zombie, 276 regular zombies, earning 5760 points and xxxx Alliance coins.¡±


    ¡°You have killed three mutant zombies, 155 regular zombies, earning 4550 points and xxxx Alliance coins.¡±


    The kill reports inundated the screen. S?a?ch* Th? N?v?lFire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    The man¡¯s black hair fluttered in the night wind, a ruby earring shining brightly from his left ear, hinting at a rebellious and assertive demeanor.


    Song Ke waited for about twenty minutes until the zombie tide vanished without a trace, and the pursuing awakeners returned home. Some left Tongwan, while others applied for temporary access into the city. Only then did Xu Xing arrive, leisurely.


    ¡°Xu Xiao Xing, were you slacking off?¡± Lin Youyou teased.


    Believe it or not, Xu Xing indeed resembled a little wild boar rolling in the mud. Covered in sweat and dirt, his curly hair stuck to his forehead, looking quite disheveled.


    ¡°I-I wasn¡¯t!¡± Xu Xing panted heavily, his face flushed. The mention of slacking off angered him.


    The tornado had blown him over ten kilometers away, and Xu Xing had to run back on foot, panting heavily. If it weren¡¯t for his awakened abilities and a physique surpassing ordinary people, he would¡¯ve collapsed from exhaustion.


    Not an ideal place for conversation, the seven of them headed toward the city gate. Most of the awakeners had dispersed by now, leaving a few hovercars parked at the outpost, surrounded by a dozen or so people. Surprisingly, the magistrate of Tongwan, Chen Zuyi, personally came out to greet them. As they approached, they overheard the conversation between the two.


    ¡°Yes, Commander He arrived in District C72 recently and upon hearing about Tongwan¡¯s situation, immediately dispatched us for support.¡±


    ¡°Qiuhong is really kind, thank her for me. And thank you, too, for today,¡± Chen Zuyi sighed.


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± the young man, contrary to his assertive presence, spoke in a polite and courteous manner. ¡°Commander He specifically instructed that with the increasing frequency of the tide of corpses, Tongwan must be fully prepared. She is stationed in District B and cannot directly interfere with the internal affairs of District C. She could only arrange through personal connections to bring in two professional experts to support your work.¡±


    Two academically inclined individuals stepped out from the backseat of the hovercar.


    The young man introduced, ¡°This is Ms. Liu Shu, a B-level engineering awakener. She previously served as the Dean of the Fifth Design Institute and conducted in-depth research on the attack patterns of the zombie tide. She will collaborate with you in redesigning Tongwan¡¯s defenses.¡±


    Liu Shu appeared to be around forty years old, dressed in simple work clothes and carrying a white briefcase, presenting a competent and agile demeanor.


    Chen Zuyi urgently needed talent in engineering. Upon learning Liu Shu¡¯s identity, he showed delight and eagerly shook her hand.


    ¡°And one more person, Gao Xiangyang, a genetic biologist and also one of the first outstanding graduates of the ¡®Lozan Training Program.¡¯ I¡¯ve heard that Tongwan is researching anti-zombification agents, and Dr. Gao¡¯s expertise is in this area. He voluntarily applied to come here for exchange and learning.¡±


    Gao Xiangyang, in his early thirties, was slender. Upon hearing this, he adjusted his high-powered glasses and bowed to Chen Zuyi. ¡°Please guide me.¡±


    ¡°Dr. Gao is too modest. Those selected for the Lozan Program are the top research talents in the Alliance. We should seek advice from you. With your participation, the anti-zombification agent will surely be developed soon,¡± Chen Zuyi hastily replied, gesturing with his hands.


    At that moment, Song Ke¡¯s group approached. Zhuang Qingyan took the initiative to greet Chen Zuyi, ¡°Magistrate Chen, good to see you again.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s you guys,¡± Chen Zuyi relaxed his demeanor when facing them, his smile warmer. ¡°Thank you for your support. I¡¯ve said it before, Tongwan¡¯s doors are always open to you.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan smiled, ¡°We came this time mainly because we wanted to perform surgery¡­¡±


    ¡°What surgery? If needed, I can help arrange¡­¡± Chen Zuyi offered.


    As the two conversed briefly, Song Ke noticed something unusual about the scientist named Gao Xiangyang. His gaze casually swept over the group, suddenly halting, fixing intensely on Zhuang Qingyan. His eyes displayed confusion, surprise, gradually turning into disbelief.


    Gao Xiangyang¡¯s lips trembled a few times, as if wanting to say something, but ultimately chose to remain silent.


    Song Ke followed his gaze, looking over at Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s clean and unmarked face. What could be there to notice?


    The young man stood patiently by, waiting for Zhuang Qingyan and Chen Zuyi to finish their conversation before speaking again. ¡°To prevent another zombie tide attack, we will stay in Tongwan for two days. During this time, we are at your service.¡±


    ¡°Not at all, I dare not impose such a request,¡± Chen Zuyi waved his hand again. ¡°Thank you all for your concern.¡±


    The young man led the group, including Liu Shu and Gao Xiangyang, into the city. Chen Zuyi assigned two subordinates to arrange their accommodation.


    As the group moved away, Chen Zuyi relaxed slightly, his expression truly easing up.


    ¡°Magistrate Chen, if it¡¯s okay to ask, who were those people? They seem quite influential,¡± Lin Youyou seized the opportunity to inquire.


    ¡°They indeed have quite an influence. They¡¯re from the Northern Base (District B10),¡± Chen Zuyi explained. ¡°The leader is Yin Xiao, the captain of the awakener team ¡®Tustan.¡¯ His strength is close to that of an S-level awakener. He¡¯s quite renowned even in District B.¡±


    ¡°He Qiuhong, the Commander of the Northern Base, shares a bond with me from our college days. With Tongwan in trouble and her conveniently nearby in District C, she dispatched her awakeners to support us.¡±


    From Chen Zuyi¡¯s tone, it seemed that his old college friend not only generously sent technical experts and combat personnel, without asking for payment or favors, but also came to Tongwan¡¯s aid at a crucial time. However, despite this act of kindness, Chen Zuyi deeply sighed for reasons unknown.


    *


    After entering Tongwan and walking along the central street for a short while, Song Ke witnessed a rather perplexing scene.


    Taotao¡¯s mother was pushing a tent stroller, surrounded by enthusiastic locals. Taotao, dressed in new clothes, sat inside, sticking out a pink tongue, smiling with a motherly warmth on her face.


    The local residents, crazily stuffing snacks and teething toys into the stroller, almost overwhelmed Taotao with their enthusiasm. ¡°Bang!¡± Eventually, she couldn¡¯t bear it anymore and activated her field, pushing everyone except herself and her mother away.


    Strangely, those pushed away seemed happy, excitedly murmuring strange words to Taotao, who couldn¡¯t understand them. No wonder¡ªTaotao was now the hero of Tongwan, or should it be ¡°hero dog,¡± having saved the lives of many in the city.


    Song Ke struggled through the crowd, waving at Taotao. It had been months; she wondered if Taotao still remembered them.


    Taotao¡¯s small eyes spotted her, happily barking twice. It seemed the memory of the mutant dog was pretty good.


    After exchanging a few words with Taotao¡¯s mother and arranging to visit Taotao in a few days, Song Ke managed to squeeze out of the crowd. This time, they didn¡¯t need to rent an apartment. Fang Zhixu had to reapply for identification, and then return to the hospital to coordinate the surgery. Therefore, V587 moved into Fang Zhixu¡¯s home.


    Finally finding an opportunity to vent, Xu Xing exaggeratedly recounted how the braided zombie had bullied him, deeply indignant.


    However, the attention of the others was focused on a different aspect.


    ¡°Was its braiding skill any good?¡± Lin Youyou teased.


    ¡°By your account, they only pushed you around and didn¡¯t bite you?¡± Fang Zhixu expressed doubt, diverting the conversation.


    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re being objective?¡± Su Cha questioned Xu Xing¡¯s statement.


    ¡°I! Am! Sure!¡± Xu Xing yelled angrily, jumping up and down.


    Meanwhile, Song Ke fell into silence.


    Zombies with visible decay but coherent thoughts, capable of overcoming the instinct to bite¡ªshe had encountered such zombies before. Not only had she encountered them, but she had also saved them. Six months ago, Song Ke had left Fools Wharf in District F177. At that time, Aunt Qing and Xiao Bao had already displayed typical zombie traits, yet for some reason, they retained a hint of consciousness.


    ¡°Plan Eternity,¡± Zhuang Qingyan suddenly spoke, introducing an unfamiliar term.


    The others looked at him, puzzled.


    ¡°Plan Eternity is a secret research project aimed at mutated organisms. It stimulates constant cell division and renewal by controlling radiation variables within the organism. This extends the horizontal axis of life, awakening unique abilities. When the radiation reaches a stable value, it achieves undying thoughts and perpetuity of the body. The ultimate goal of this research is to accomplish the ¡®evolution¡¯ of humanity.¡±


    ¡°If we apply the same concept to zombies, ordinary zombies, the lowest level, are essentially pure failures. Evolved zombies represent a self-rescue attempt of these failures. Even though their decaying bodies persist, they are mindless monsters. Mutant zombies are successes turned failures. Though they awaken abilities, they forever lose their consciousness.¡±


    ¡°The researchers once hypothesized whether there might be a type of zombie possessing both consciousness and a robust body. They named this new species¡ªthe Fallen.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, research on the Fallen triggered a chain of ethical issues and was swiftly halted. The project members kept it deeply buried.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Song Ke queried.


    ¡°Because they started to fear.¡±


    ¡°The fundamental distinction that allows humans to surpass other species is our unique way of thinking.¡±


    ¡°So, when zombies possess consciousness, are they monsters or¡­ a different form of evolved humans?¡±

 Chapter 113.1: Life-and-Death Marathon (4)

    ¡ò He couldn¡¯t have been Zhuang Qingyan ¡òTongwan, 119th Hospital.


    The orthopedic outpatient department on the 10th floor, as an elite discipline of Alliance-level significance with an excellent reputation, has always been the most crowded area. Especially after enduring last night¡¯s corpse tide, where hundreds of zombies escaped the nets and broke into the city, residents rose up in resistance, and many were injured. At this moment, apart from the radiation specialist on the 13th floor, the busiest department is the surgery department.


    ¡°Ding¡ª¡± The elevator reached the 10th floor, and a figure in a white coat stepped out. The man had a slender figure, semi-long hair neatly tied at the back of his head. He walked swiftly and steadily through the corridor, stopping at the door of his former office.


    He had arrived relatively early, yet to his surprise, a group of people was already waiting there, including several hospital leaders.


    ¡°Oh my God, oh my God¡­ Fang, Dr. Fang!¡±


    ¡°Dr. Fang, it¡¯s really Dr. Fang, you¡¯re finally back!¡±


    ¡°Dr. Fang, we¡¯ve missed you so much.¡±


    The man in the white coat lifted his head, revealing a pair of mature, weathered eyes¡ªit was Fang Zhixu.


    The dean, who was aware of the situation, approached, grasping Fang Zhixu¡¯s shoulder and examining his gaunt cheeks, saying softly, ¡°I heard about the tragedy involving Nai Kang and his son. You¡­ sigh, it¡¯s a small comfort that they got what they deserved. Zhixu, it¡¯s time for you to move on, stop torturing yourself.¡±


    The dean wasn¡¯t aware of Fang Zhixu¡¯s relationship with V587 and assumed he was aware of Nai Kang¡¯s death and had regained composure only after avenging it.


    Lu Ning rushed down from the 13th floor and abruptly halted in front of Fang Zhixu. Tears welled up in her eyes. ¡°Senior Fang¡­¡± The light she had been pursuing had returned. Lu Ning had no other thoughts; she just looked at Fang Zhixu and felt like crying.


    Fang Zhixu removed his mask, nodded to his former leaders and colleagues, and said, ¡°Dean, and everyone else, I apologize for causing you worry.¡±


    ¡°In a hurry, so I¡¯ll be brief. There¡¯s a patient with a unique condition needing immediate surgery. This operation must be done by me personally. Although I¡¯m no longer a practicing doctor here, I¡¯d like to request the use of the operating room¡­¡±


    ¡°What are you saying? I haven¡¯t approved your resignation report; it¡¯s still on my desk,¡± the dean scolded with a smile. ¡°Having Dr. Fang perform surgery is a rare learning opportunity. Who among you will assist?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll assist,¡± Lu Ning said without hesitation.


    ¡°I will! I-I-I¡¯ll be the second assistant. I excel in traction and fixation!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll help with handwashing and wiping sweat!¡±


    ¡°Can I¡­ stand by and observe?¡±


    ¡°Zhixu, when do you need the operating room? I¡¯ll coordinate the arrangements,¡± the dean asked.


    ¡°Sooner the better,¡± Fang Zhixu said in a low voice, ¡°the patient can¡¯t afford any delay.¡±


    ¡­


    VIP Room 7.


    Starting from the early hours, Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s remaining right hand also lost sensation. This meant he could no longer move independently. His entire body muscles were atrophying, nerve cells decaying at a terrifying speed, gradually losing control over his own body.


    Song Ke lowered her head, fingertips inching along Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s right leg, exploring through the thin hospital gown. From the ankle, to the calf, slowly over the knee, and up to the thigh. While lying down, the defect in his right leg was particularly prominent. Compared to the robust left leg, it appeared more fragile and slender, visibly shorter, with a distorted and malformed shape, far from being aesthetically pleasing.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s broken leg was severe from the start, worsened due to sloppy treatment, causing the broken bones inside to misalign and fuse improperly. During the time with Mu City, he, disregarding consequences, took two shots of powerful sealing agents in a short time, further worsening the injury.


    Song Ke felt like a heavy stone was pressing on her heart, gasping for air in a suffocating manner. It felt as if she had swallowed an unripe orange, feeling astringent and swollen inside. She couldn¡¯t quite explain why, but seeing Zhuang Qingyan like this made her feel more distressed than her own injuries.


    Her worried expression resembled that of a young widow about to be widowed. Zhuang Qingyan smiled faintly, ¡°Song Keke, are you taking advantage of me?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Song Ke looked up in confusion.


    ¡°Come here.¡± Zhuang Qingyan blinked, signaling to speak in a hushed tone.


    Glancing at Lin Youyou and Xu Xing on the other side of the ward, as well as Su Cha and Lu Xiaoyu by the window, Song Ke shuffled closer, lowered her head, and brought her ear closer to Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s lips.


    ¡°Who said you could touch a man¡¯s leg like that?¡± Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s voice was light, carrying a subtle charm. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m too weak to resist now? Taking advantage of someone in a vulnerable state?¡±


    Song Ke swiftly withdrew her hand, cheeks puffing up, clearly displeased.


    Zhuang Qingyan initially wanted to touch her face in response but found his hands couldn¡¯t lift. He paused, still with a smile on his lips, though his eyelashes drooped. ¡°Rest assured, I¡¯m very generous. After the surgery, I¡¯ll let you touch as much as you want.¡±


    Song Ke scoffed a couple of times. ¡°I-I¡¯m not interested.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s eyes were deep, filled with amusement as he gazed into her peach blossom eyes.


    ¡°The patient in VIP Room 7 can pay for the surgery now,¡± the head nurse reminded, knocking on the door.


    ¡°Coming.¡± Song Ke dashed out to make the payment.


    As she left, the atmosphere in the ward instantly grew silent. Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s smile disappeared, replaced by a touch of melancholy in his eyes.


    The sensation of being unable to control his actions was something he had never experienced in nearly thirty years of life, and his pride didn¡¯t allow him to accept such helplessness. S?a?ch* Th? N0v?lFir?.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Lu Xiaoyu tinkered with his worn-out mechanical arm by the side, the constant ¡°click-clack¡± noise echoing in the room.


    ¡°Can you quiet down a bit?¡± Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s gaze was cutting.


    ¡°I¡¯m fixing my leg,¡± Lu Xiaoyu deliberately emphasized the word ¡°leg.¡± ¡°Can I dismantle your wheelchair? Anyway, you won¡¯t be needing it.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it, even if I don¡¯t need it, it¡¯s still mine,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said icily.


    Lu Xiaoyu fell silent for a moment. The ¡°click-clack¡± noise grew louder.


    Lin Youyou leaned on her chin, sighing, ¡°I thought you had a good mindset, turns out it was all an act.¡±


    Once Song Ke left, even the pretense was dropped, and all the hostility surfaced.


    Zhuang Qingyan didn¡¯t argue. He closed his eyes and whispered, ¡°During the surgery, don¡¯t let her wait outside.¡±


    The young girl appeared innocent but had a heavy heart. He didn¡¯t want her to worry, nor did he want¡­ her to witness his most wretched state.


    When Song Ke returned after paying, Fang Zhixu had already arrived with the medical assistants and anesthesiologist, ready to take Zhuang Qingyan to the operating room.


    As she was about to follow, Lin Youyou stopped her with a hand, ¡°Song Ke¡¯er, I need to go to the Fifth Hospital. It¡¯s chaotic outside. Will you come with me?¡±


    Song Ke pointed to the tall figure standing nearby, ¡°There¡¯s Su Cha, it¡¯s safe.¡±


    Lin Youyou hesitated, realizing they hadn¡¯t coordinated well and forgot to signal Su Cha, who had no clue about the plan.


    ¡°Captain, I need to buy materials,¡± Lu Xiaoyu suddenly spoke up.


    ¡°I gave you money already,¡± Song Ke held onto her terminal quietly. Lu Xiaoyu was like a money-devouring beast; her wallet was emptied once again.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know the way,¡± Lu Xiaoyu said seriously.


    ¡°Huh? Do you want me to accompany you?¡± Song Ke asked.


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Lu Xiaoyu retracted the remaining four mechanical arms, settled back into the wheelchair, the silver hair resting quietly on their shoulders, resembling a frail youth.


    Song Ke hesitated as she glanced at Lu Xiaoyu. True, Lu Xiaoyu hadn¡¯t been to Tongwan, and claiming not to know the way seemed plausible, but something felt off to her.


    Fang Zhixu vaguely sensed something amiss and advised, ¡°I¡¯m well aware of Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s situation. The main difficulty in the surgery lies in repairing the broken bones, which will take a long time. You don¡¯t need to wait at the hospital; we¡¯ll contact you immediately once it¡¯s done.¡±


    Song Ke shuffled her feet on the ground for a while before responding, ¡°¡­Okay.¡±


    Leaving the hospital, Lin Youyou and Su Cha took a turn toward the Fifth Hospital. Meanwhile, Song Ke and Xu Xing accompanied Lu Xiaoyu to buy modified materials. After visiting only two stores, Lu Xiaoyu suddenly insisted on acting alone.


    Song Ke paused the navigation projection, a hint of confusion in her eyes: Didn¡¯t he claim not to know the way? Didn¡¯t he want me to accompany him?


    Lu Xiaoyu coldly remarked, ¡°You guys are too slow.¡±


    The four battered mechanical arms rose simultaneously¡ªthree on the left and pitifully only one on the right. Lu Xiaoyu, resembling a limping spider, didn¡¯t need navigation at all. Skillfully navigating the streets and alleys, they swiftly moved away, one high and one low.


    Song Ke: ¡°¡­¡±


    Suddenly, it dawned on her. Lu Xiaoyu, an S-level hacker, how could he not know the way? It was only she who didn¡¯t know the way!

 Chapter 113.2: Life-and-Death Marathon (4)

    ¡ò He couldn¡¯t have been Zhuang Qingyan ¡òWith nothing else to do, Song Ke led Xu Xing and opted to head to the shelter, completing tasks to earn Alliance coins. The S-level mission to guard Tongwan hadn¡¯t been closed yet. Outside the Luojia Shelter, wandering zombies were still visible. Under the high walls, piles of decaying bodies formed small mountains, emitting a putrid smell that stung the senses. However, the rewards for killing zombies in the vicinity were exceptionally generous.


    The two worked together seamlessly; Xu Xing released wide-ranging ice and snow while Song Ke swiftly moved among the frozen zombie sculptures, harvesting efficiently.


    ¡°Girl with braids!¡±


    Mid-battle, Xu Xing suddenly called out, pointing to a spot. Following his gaze, Song Ke noticed a zombie standing out among the rest. While others had their heads up, sniffing for human scent, this one kept its head down, seemingly searching for something.


    Before Song Ke could react, Xu Xing dashed out like a runaway horse. With the confidence of having a backer today, he ran up to the braided zombie, hands on hips, shouting, ¡°Come over here!¡±


    The roaming zombies swarmed in. Xu Xing scrambled to deal with them while the braided zombie remained motionless, eyes seemingly contemplating him.


    Taking another glance, Song Ke estimated the female zombie to be around thirteen or fourteen, not much older than Xiao Xing.


    Once the area was secure, the braided zombie emitted muffled sounds from its throat. It circled around Xu Xing, occasionally extending claws to try to grab him. However, today Xu Xing was well-prepared and maneuvered like a nimble chick, running around while giggling.


    In the past six months, Xu Xing had traveled with them, faced death sentences and assassinations, forcing him to mature and become responsible. There were few carefree moments like this, but being young, he hadn¡¯t lost his childlike innocence. Lacking companions his age, he unexpectedly ended up playing with a zombie.


    After playing for a while, the braided zombie suddenly perked its ears, seemingly hearing something, and dashed toward the direction of the city wall.


    Xu Xing, not quite done yet, waved to its departing figure. ¡°Bye-bye~¡±


    After Song Ke cleared the surrounding zombies, she approached Xu Xing. ¡°Let¡¯s head back.¡±


    Xu Xing took her hand, nodding obediently. ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Outside the high walls of Luojia Shelter, several hovercars hovered low. Powerful wide-ranging abilities covered the entire area, dazzling lights flashing one after another, blasting zombies one after another. Song Ke recognized it as the abilities of the ¡°Tustan¡± awakener team, cleaning up the tide of corpses.


    A graceful figure flashed by. The braided zombie, previously playing with Xu Xing, suddenly rushed into the smoke and dust, embracing a nearly bisected zombie carcass, emitting mournful cries. Strangely, Song Ke noticed a hint of ¡°pain¡± on its face.


    The hovercars chased after it. Yin Xiao, an awakener, leaped onto the roof of one, holding a submachine gun, evidently ready to take action.


    ¡°Sister¡­¡± Xu Xing tugged at Song Ke¡¯s clothes, speaking hesitantly.


    ¡°Xiao Xing, it¡¯s a zombie.¡± Song Ke understood what he was thinking.


    Xu Xing shook his head stubbornly, explaining, ¡°No, it¡¯s not a zombie; it¡¯s¡­ a Fallen.¡±


    After Zhuang Qingyan narrated the origins of the Fallens, Song Ke¡¯s feelings toward this group of beings on the outskirts became complex. Though they couldn¡¯t be classified as human, they shouldn¡¯t simply be categorized as zombies in a rough manner.


    ¡°Sister¡­¡± Xu Xing pleaded once again.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Song Ke patted Xu Xing¡¯s head and swiftly charged forward like an arrow.


    Yin Xiao obviously spotted this unique zombie too. He aimed and shot, bullets hitting a bluish iron plate, providing cover for Song Ke. Taking advantage of the chaos, she pushed the braided zombie, which seemed to sense something, dragging its nearly bisected companion away.


    Meanwhile, the stray shotgun pellets veered off course, returning near the hovercars, exploding on impact, eliciting a series of curses.


    ¡°Watch out! It almost hit my foot!¡±


    ¡°Captain, even you miss sometimes, haha!¡±


    Yin Xiao jumped off the car¡¯s roof, locking his gaze on the suddenly emerged Song Ke. ¡°What¡¯s your deal? Snatching the zombie from my hands?¡±


    Today, he wasn¡¯t wearing protective goggles, clad in camouflage combat gear, his pants tucked into black military boots, giving him a sturdy and agile appearance. It wasn¡¯t until Song Ke got closer that she noticed his grayish, light-colored pupils.


    Admitting her fault, Song Ke hesitantly tried to excuse herself, ¡°Sorry¡­ it slipped.¡± S?a??h th? N?v?lFire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Though she didn¡¯t mean it that way, her words sounded quite provocative.


    Yin Xiao sneered, his ruby earring sparkling, and said in the common tongue, ¡°Lady, do you think I¡¯m that easy to fool?¡±


    Dropping his submachine gun, he accelerated toward her, delivering a powerful straight jab with his elbow.


    Without transforming a spiritual weapon, Song Ke met the attack bare-handed, raising her left knee high, leveraging the ground to propel herself, launching a fierce spinning kick toward his throat. Yin Xiao dodged by lowering his head, then swiftly altered his punch to an inward angle, his lean waist suddenly twisting, aiming a flat punch toward Song Ke¡¯s cheek. Slightly furrowing her brows at the discomfort, she agilely flipped mid-air, kicking away Yin Xiao¡¯s wrist.


    As they landed, they clashed without hesitation, surprising everyone. Yin Xiao, not only skilled in sniping but also adept in close combat, always found deceptive angles, interrupting Song Ke¡¯s fluid attacks. They exchanged moves for a hundred rounds, neither gaining a clear advantage.


    Observing Yin Xiao engage in a one-on-one fight, the other awakeners refrained from interfering. After clearing the nearby zombies, they all jumped off the car to watch the spectacle, cheering and whistling, treating the clash as a sporting event.


    Song Ke was increasingly feeling uncomfortable and unable to fully exert her strength. As they continued fighting, her irritation grew. Suddenly changing tactics, she lightning-fast seized her opponent¡¯s arm, applied a shoulder lock, and fiercely twisted his joints. With a loud thud, both crashed onto the dusty ground. Yin Xiao landed on his back, with Song Ke¡¯s knee pressing down on his left hand and her two hands restraining his right, preventing his movements.


    ¡°I really didn¡¯t mean to snatch from you,¡± Song Ke, straddling him, explained helplessly.


    Yin Xiao grinned broadly. ¡°I¡¯ve found your weak spot.¡±


    Song Ke replied, ¡°Huh? What?¡±


    ¡°My ability is to see through an enemy¡¯s weak points. You¡¯re really skilled; you have almost no weaknesses in combat,¡± Yin Xiao declared.


    Song Ke slightly curved her lips, modestly smiling. ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°What about you? What¡¯s your ability?¡± Yin Xiao focused on her face, where two faint dimples had emerged just earlier.


    He was straightforward in his questioning, so Song Ke answered honestly, ¡°Metal manipulation, object transformation.¡±


    ¡°So, it means you gave me an advantage?¡± he inquired.


    ¡°You weren¡¯t using a gun,¡± Song Ke explained sincerely, ¡°I¡¯ll compensate for the zombies I knocked away.¡±


    ¡°Got it. Now release me,¡± Yin Xiao replied.


    Song Ke eased her knee, stood up, and suddenly, Yin Xiao leaped, embracing her shoulder and forcefully pushing forward. Simultaneously, he stretched out a leg, attempting to trip her ankle. Song Ke lost her balance in an instant. With a thud, the gravel scattered as both fell again. This time, Yin Xiao was on top, shielding the back of her head with his palm.


    Song Ke glared at him in anger.


    Using his elbow for support, Yin Xiao got up and touched his earring, smirking. ¡°Now we¡¯re even.¡±


    Song Ke slowly got up, silently dusting herself off. Xu Xing hurried over to help her brush off the dirt.


    Outside the wall, the other members of the Tustan team had finished clearing the zombies. At that moment, Gao Xiangyang was escorted by two other awakeners. ¡°The sample coverage isn¡¯t enough; it¡¯s better to collect more¡­¡±


    He saw Song Ke and abruptly fell silent, standing still for two seconds before mustering the courage to approach.


    ¡°Hello, we met at the city gate yesterday. Do you remember?¡± Gao Xiangyang asked cautiously.


    Song Ke nodded.


    ¡°Can I ask you something?¡± Gao Xiangyang inquired carefully.


    Song Ke wasn¡¯t easily swayed. ¡°You first, speak.¡±


    ¡°Are your friends two individuals who use wheelchairs?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Could you tell me the name of the man who uses a wheelchair but has intact legs?¡± Gao Xiangyang¡¯s tone suddenly became urgent.


    ¡°What do you want with him?¡± Song Ke¡¯s expression turned cautious. This person was already acting suspiciously yesterday, and now this sudden agitation made him even more suspicious.


    ¡°I-I don¡¯t mean any harm. I just want to know his name. He¡­ he looks extremely similar to someone I know. There might be a connection!¡± Gao Xiangyang appeared very anxious. ¡°I¡¯m not a bad person, truly. My name is Gao Xiangyang, I¡¯m thirty-three years old, graduated from the First Military Academy of Askar, majoring in Biology¡­¡±


    Fearing that Song Ke might not believe him, Gao Xiangyang used his terminal to display all his identification documents and details.


    Yin Xiao, accompanied by the Tustan members, surrounded them but remained silent, observing the conversation.


    Glancing at Gao Xiangyang¡¯s information, the lengthy list of honors and unreadable thesis titles felt like a swarm of insects crawling before her eyes. With just a glance, it made her feel dizzy and overwhelmed.


    ¡°Can you tell me, please?¡± Gao Xiangyang pleaded.


    Was there any taboo related to Zhaung Qingyan¡¯s name? Not really. Since they met, whether among the people from Azure Phoenix or various magistrates, he never hesitated to introduce himself.


    ¡°His name is Zhuang Qingyan,¡± Song Ke replied.


    Gao Xiangyang was thunderstruck. His terminal fell to the ground with a clatter. ¡°How is that possible¡­ He couldn¡¯t possibly be Zhuang Qingyan!¡±

 Chapter 114: Life-and-Death Marathon (5)

    ¡ò Vincent.Z ¡òGao Xiangyang asserted firmly, ¡°He could never be Zhuang Qingyan!¡±


    ¡°Dr. Gao, if you speak any louder, you¡¯ll summon all the zombies back,¡± Yin Xiao teased lightly.


    ¡°Ah! I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry,¡± Gao Xiangyang realized his reaction was excessive and quickly apologized, lowering his voice.


    ¡°Shall we talk inside the car? It¡¯s not safe down here,¡± Yin Xiao suggested proactively.


    ¡°No need,¡± Song Ke rejected instantly.


    Yin Xiao chuckled, didn¡¯t say more, waved to the sky, and a hovercar approached slowly. With a single hand support, he leaped into the car.


    Song Ke stared at Gao Xiangyang, slowly speaking, ¡°Why can¡¯t he be Zhuang Qingyan?¡±


    Gao Xiangyang sighed, ¡°Do you know Vincent.Z?¡±


    Song Ke shook her head confidently, ¡°Don¡¯t know.¡±


    Gao Xiangyang pressed further, ¡°What about Dr. Zhuang?¡±


    Song Ke continued shaking her head, ¡°Don¡¯t know.¡±


    Gao Xiangyang hesitated for a moment, ¡°¡­The Qinglan Institute, you¡¯ve heard of it, right?¡±


    This time, Song Ke nodded, ¡°I know.¡± It was from Zhuang Qingyan.


    Gao Xiangnan breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°Vincent, also known as Dr. Zhuang, is a godfather-level biological scientist of the Alliance. He¡¯s the soul behind genetic engineering, and the initial purpose of the Qinglan Institute was to gather the entire Alliance¡¯s scientific force to support his research to the fullest.¡±


    ¡°Vincent led the gene splicing and DNA recombination project, breaking the boundaries of inherent biological species. It truly achieved the transfer of genetic information across species, marking the greatest scientific achievement since the New Era (the first year of the New Calendar) worldwide!¡± Dr. Gao became more excited as he spoke, his eyes reflecting a certain fervor, ¡°My lifelong dream is to join the team under his personal guidance!¡±


    Song Ke silently opened the terminal and searched for this Vincent.Z. The results showed up in thousands of pages, overwhelming compared to Gao Xiangyang¡¯s honorary titles. Song Ke roughly scanned through Vincent¡¯s biography, encountering dense blocks of professional descriptions that made her eyes sparkle and breathing difficult, almost causing her to feel dizzy.


    Amidst the haze, she only remembered ¡°the greatest scientist of the New Era¡± and ¡°the godfather of Qinglan.¡±


    Yin Xiao emerged from the hovercar and, from a distance, tossed two things towards Song Ke. ¡°Keep going.¡±


    Song Ke received them in her hands and glanced down. They were special energy drinks supplied exclusively to awakeners in the Northern Base. Unopened, the bottles had codes on them, seemingly not regular items available in the market.


    She glanced up at Yin Xiao, who made a drinking gesture. Song Ke handed one bottle to Xu Xing, held onto the remaining one, but didn¡¯t drink it.


    ¡°What¡¯s the relationship between Vincent and Zhuang Qingyan?¡± she persistently asked Gao Xiangyang.


    ¡°Of course, there¡¯s a¡­ relation¡ª!¡± Gao Xiangyang involuntarily raised his voice, got a glance from Yin Xiao, and lowered it, ¡°¡­relationship.¡±


    ¡°Vincent once held a lecture in Askar. I was incredibly lucky to get selected to attend. I remember it vividly. During the Q&A session, someone asked him if he deliberately maintained a mysterious persona online because everyone referred to him as Vincent or Dr. Zhuang, not knowing his real name.¡±


    ¡°Vincent said no, that there were no public images of him to avoid unnecessary trouble. As for his real name, it actually came from an ancient writing tool of an old civilization, signifying perseverance and determination. Because the pronunciation in the common language was awkward, everyone got used to calling him Vincent.¡±


    ¡°After answering, Vincent even displayed on the screen the name he wrote with his own hands, which was¡­ ¡®Zhuang Qingyan.''¡±


    ¡°Oh, so Zhuang Qingyan is Vincent?¡± Song Ke naturally assumed that someone who knew so much must be some kind of scientific luminary.


    Gao Xiangyang shook his head gravely, ¡°No, I attended that lecture when I was thirteen.¡±


    Song Ke widened her eyes slightly, ¡°?¡±


    ¡°Twenty years have passed, how could a person remain unchanged, or even appear younger and healthier?¡± Gao Xiangyang murmured to himself. ¡°Even if the appearance is identical, your friend couldn¡¯t possibly be Zhuang Qingyan!¡±


    Perhaps due to long seclusion in the laboratory, Vincent rarely appeared in public, and although his face was strikingly similar, he didn¡¯t look too well. His hair was disheveled, his skin pale, and he had prominent dark circles under his eyes, appearing extremely fatigued.


    ¡°Did your friend use Vincent¡¯s genetic information for facial reconstruction?¡± Gao Xiangyang suddenly speculated, speaking faster. ¡°Facial changes aside, how could he dare to use Vincent¡¯s real name? Shameful, absolutely shameful!¡±


    ¡°Is it illegal?¡± Song Ke asked expressionlessly.


    ¡°N-no, it¡¯s not illegal¡­¡± Gao Xiangyang¡¯s eyes held condemnation. ¡°But it¡¯s unethical! Even if one idolizes Vincent, they should use some common sense! Even if his appearance is the same as Vincent¡¯s, the biological information cannot be altered; he can never become Zhuang Qingyan!¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Song Ke responded dryly.


    Gao Xiangyang felt indignant and passionately said, ¡°You should advise him to change back to his original appearance; I can offer help¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re leaving,¡± Song Ke automatically ignored his ramblings, grabbing Xu Xing¡¯s hand, heading towards the entrance of Luojia.


    ¡°Wait,¡± Yin Xiao positioned himself in front of her. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±


    Just hearing the word ¡°name¡± gave Song Ke a headache. Without looking back, she passed by him. ¡°None of your business.¡±


    ¡°Please, try to talk some sense into him!¡± Gao Xiangyang continued shouting from behind.


    ¡­


    Song Ke and Xu Xing sat side by side on a park bench, sipping their drinks. Xu Xing delicately sipped through a straw, legs swinging gently, while Song Ke tore open the cap and guzzled down half the bottle, feeling refreshed, even a tad more energetic. S?a??h th? N0v?lFire(.)n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Song Ke didn¡¯t believe Zhuang Qingyan was the kind of person Gao Xiangyang described¡ªsomeone who went through extreme lengths of idolizing Vincent and underwent surgery to resemble him. From the beginning, Zhuang Qingyan claimed to be a researcher at Qinglan Institute, showing genuine familiarity with it. If he were masquerading as Vincent for work, wouldn¡¯t it be easy to get caught?


    Then there was his work ID, verified by Wu Juemin as ¡°authentic¡± with ¡°high permissions.¡± Would Azure Phoenix¡¯s people make such an error? At least it meant Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s credentials were genuine. How could he possess his ID if he wasn¡¯t truly ¡°Zhuang Qingyan¡±?


    Moreover, even if Vincent didn¡¯t often appear in public, he was someone whose information spanned thousands of pages online. There would be people who knew him, recognized his face. Why would Zhuang Qingyan choose to look like Vincent instead of altering his appearance to be more ordinary?


    And the most crucial question remained: why would he modify his own genetic information?


    Lost in these thoughts, Song Ke¡¯s mind drifted. If Zhuang Qingyan wasn¡¯t ¡°Zhuang Qingyan,¡± then who was he really?


    She sighed heavily, troubled, covering her face. Zhuang Qingyan had claimed he wouldn¡¯t lie if she asked, but did she really want to ask?


    ¡°Zhuang Qingyan is a huge liar,¡± Xu Xing piped up, seizing the chance to complain while sipping his drink.


    ¡°Xiao Xing, he¡¯s our¡­ teammate,¡± Song Ke replied, ruffling Xu Xing¡¯s hair, her disagreement apparent.


    ¡°He¡¯s always lying, never telling sister about his abilities, always bullying me secretly. I said he¡¯s a wanted criminal, and he threatened me.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t just casually accuse others of being¡­¡± Song Ke¡¯s words halted abruptly.


    Wanted.


    In her mind, a flash of light occurred momentarily, gathering all the scattered clues into a tangled mess, unraveling the threads of the mystery right before her eyes.


    Why would someone change their appearance? Unless they had a reason they couldn¡¯t avoid, like being a wanted criminal.


    At the Qinglan Research Institute, the key, the anomaly when Zhuang Qingyan met Xie Ningyu¡­


    The answer was on the verge of emerging.


    ¡°Xiao Xing, can you go back on your own?¡± Song Ke turned and asked.


    ¡°Yes, I can.¡± Xu Xing nodded obediently.


    After Xu Xing walked away, Song Ke messaged someone, ¡°Where are you?¡±


    The other person quickly replied with a location.


    At the entrance of a high-end materials store, Lu Xiaoyu was sorting out scattered materials, attempting to evenly distribute them among each robotic arm.


    Song Ke squatted beside him, ¡°Later, are you going back to the hospital?¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu nodded, ¡°Yes.¡±


    Having stayed outside for nearly a day, they knew that according to Fang Zhixu¡¯s estimation, the surgery was expected to take about eight hours and should be ending soon.


    Song Ke casually asked, ¡°How do you know Zhuang Qingyan?¡±


    ¡°When we were in school, I unfortunately ended up taking most of the same courses as him,¡± Lu Xiaoyu replied.


    ¡°What school? Ah-something Askar, the First Military Academy?¡±


    ¡°Askar? No.¡± Lu Xiaoyu glanced at Song Ke. Askar¡¯s First Military Academy was in District B9 and consistently ranked in the top three within the Alliance. Song Ke knowing about that place surprised him a bit. ¡°We were in Liuboni.¡±


    ¡°Liuboni in District A4.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu didn¡¯t delve into further details, such as Liuboni being the most heavily monopolized knowledge center in the entire Alliance. The city consisted mainly of vast academic institutions, divided into different disciplinary factions, and only accepted ¡°gene-selects¡± for admission, advocating a so-called ¡°elite-style education.¡±


    ¡°When you knew each other, was he already called Zhuang Qingyan?¡± Song Ke suddenly asked.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Lu Xiaoyu paused for less than a second, barely detectable.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Song Ke nodded, ¡°then why didn¡¯t you recognize him in the Death Prison?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been almost ten years since we last met. We¡¯ve both undergone significant changes. It¡¯s not surprising that we didn¡¯t recognize each other.¡±


    ¡°Has he changed a lot?¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu looked serious. ¡°Yeah, quite a lot. After all, I just lost my legs, but he gave up a portion of his intelligence.¡±


    Song Ke couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. These two always took jabs at each other whenever they got the chance, quite the pair.


    ¡°Is the Lu family on good terms with the Xie family?¡± Song Ke inquired.


    This time, Lu Xiaoyu remained silent for a good three or four seconds. ¡°Which Xie family?¡±


    Song Ke blinked. ¡°The Xie family from North County (District B6).¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve met, Lu Xinglan. He, like you, hails from Erjia (District B8) and is quite familiar with Xie Ningyu.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s Lu Xinglan? I don¡¯t know him,¡± Lu Xiaoyu said calmly. ¡°I never waste my memory on people significantly weaker than me.¡±


    ¡°Do you remember people from the Xie family then?¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s icy eyes flickered, fixed on Song Ke. For a moment, it seemed as if that name was about to slip from his lips.


    Lu Xiaoyu: ¡°No¡­¡±


    Suddenly, Song Ke hoisted up a whole bag of materials from the ground and placed it on the only mechanical arm on his right side. ¡°It¡¯s getting late. Let¡¯s head back.¡±


    Then, without paying attention, she tinkered with the terminal and walked away on her own.


    Lu Xiaoyu: ¡°¡­¡±


    He swayed on the spot for a moment, barely maintaining balance, muttering to the air, ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything.¡±


    ¡­


    Outside the operating room, members of V587 patiently awaited the outcome.


    Lin Youyou casually scrolled through her terminal. ¡°In two more days, we¡¯ll be heading back to Ferrara. The finals are about to begin, and this time Ilya himself is hosting. They even arranged a pre-game rally, quite a show.¡±


    No one responded to her. Lin Youyou looked up and noticed that her companions seemed lost in thought.


    ¡°Song Ke¡¯er, what are you thinking?¡±


    ¡°N-nothing,¡± Song Ke stuttered.


    Lin Youyou put away her terminal and scanned the faces of Song Ke, Xu Xing, and Lu Xiaoyu one by one, suspicion written on her face. ¡°Why do I feel like something¡¯s off with you three since you came back?¡±


    ¡°Not at all,¡± Song Ke blinked rapidly.


    Lin Youyou wanted to inquire further, but the lights outside the operating room went out.


    Song Ke immediately stood up. ¡°He¡¯s coming out.¡±


    Fang Zhixu, wearing a mask, slowly emerged, weariness evident in his eyes, a sign of excessive use of his abilities.


    As he spotted Song Ke and the others, a hint of relief crossed his face. He removed his mask and smiled, ¡°Let me say something every patient¡¯s family loves to hear: the surgery was a success.¡±


    ¡°With a month or two of rest, he¡¯ll be able to stand up again.¡±


    ¡­


    After half a year, Zhuang Qingyan woke up once again from the endless cold fog, thankfully this time, able to sense his right leg clearly.


    Song Ke hugged her knees, chin resting on her arm, quietly watching him. The hospital room was empty except for the two of them.


    ¡°Song Keke,¡± Zhuang Qingyan whispered.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Song Ke didn¡¯t change her position but acknowledged him.


    Zhuang Qingyan slowly lifted his hand. The effects of anesthesia hadn¡¯t completely worn off, making it a bit difficult for him to exert force. Nonetheless, he managed to control his hand. His slender fingers paused near Song Ke¡¯s cheek, lightly pressing where he remembered her dimple to be. ¡°Who made you angry again?¡±


    ¡°You said last time that we should talk,¡± Song Ke countered without answering.


    ¡°No rush, let¡¯s talk in a couple of days,¡± Zhuang Qingyan thought. He wanted to find a better moment.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Song Ke spread her hand towards him. ¡°Show me your identification.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan was somewhat surprised but retrieved it from his space and handed it over.


    Song Ke took the work ID, featuring the Qinglan Institute¡¯s logo, a blue background with a large headshot. She scrutinized the man in the photo carefully, then glanced up at Zhuang Qingyan. No wonder she felt he looked better in person than in the picture when they first met.


    ¡°Zhuang Qingyan,¡± Song Ke called out to the headshot photo.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± replied Zhuang Qingyan on the hospital bed.


    Impostor. Song Ke thought to herself.

 Chapter 115: Life-and-Death Marathon (6)

    ¡ò The format of the finals ¡òThe day after the surgery, V587 set off for Ferrara to prepare for the final race of the Throne Race Competition.


    Tongwan and Ferrara were both located in the eastern part of the Alliance. The distance between the two cities wasn¡¯t too far. The starship traveling in low orbit would take about four hours to reach there, while in high orbit, it would take half the time but required manual control. Luo Xiaoyu was completely absorbed in repairing the mechanical arm and decisively activated the autopilot.


    Song Ke opened the porthole and looked down. Through the drifting thin clouds, one could vaguely see cities arranged like a chessboard. Some had turned into cold ruins, while others still stood tall. The highways were jammed with fleeing vehicles and pedestrians, moving in groups toward different directions to escape.


    Unconsciously, Song Ke leaned out further, wanting to take a closer look.


    A strong pair of arms wrapped around her from behind, pulling her back from the window.


    ¡°Be careful, don¡¯t fall out,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said with a smile. He still needed to use a wheelchair for a while, but his hands¡¯ nerves had returned to normal.


    ¡°Who are these people¡­?¡± Song Ke asked.


    ¡°They are refugees, seeking new shelter,¡± Zhuang Qingyan replied.


    ¡°But their city hasn¡¯t faced the zombie tide yet, why are they running?¡± Song Ke felt puzzled.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s eyes were cold, ¡°People, you know, are always greedy. As long as there¡¯s a little ability, they want to find a safer place.¡±


    Song Ke fell silent. Zhuang Qingyan was right. Humans were creatures that sought advantages and avoided harm. When District F177 first had the zombie outbreak, many ¡°capable¡± people were the first to board the starships and flee. But now, with the apocalypse upon them, where could truly be safe?


    Song Ke asked, ¡°Is there any news about that zombie king?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan nodded, ¡°Come here and see.¡±


    Song Ke jumped down from the porthole and sat close to him.


    Zhuang Qingyan brought up the map on his terminal and deliberately slowed down the speed while marking it. ¡°In these two days, it has destroyed two D-class cities. If we take Tongwan as the center, in chronological order, first at the 11 o¡¯clock direction, then at the 4 o¡¯clock direction.¡±


    Song Ke noticed something amiss, ¡°Why doesn¡¯t it directly go to the 12 o¡¯clock direction?¡±


    After attacking the 11 o¡¯clock location, the Zombie King chose to take the longer route to the 4 o¡¯clock position because it is extremely cunning. It had done its homework beforehand.¡± Zhuang Qingyan drew a rough map of the three cities densely located in the 12 o¡¯clock direction. ¡°Greenwater City (District D132), Reshufu (District D133), and Haimen (District D135) are all situated in difficult terrains, backed by mountains and water bodies. They are typically easy to defend and hard to attack. Greenwater City used to be a transportation hub with complex road conditions, Haimen is a food distribution center heavily guarded by forces. After its failure in Tongwan, it became more cautious, resorting to guerrilla warfare against humans.¡±


    ¡°So it abandoned the 12 o¡¯clock direction?¡±


    ¡°Quite the opposite,¡± Zhuang Qingyan explained with a serious expression, drawing several arrows between the three cities. ¡°The eastern part has been nearly destroyed. If it wants to break through to the west and north, these locations are inevitable chokepoints. The Zombie King will undoubtedly make its move there.¡±


    Once the Zombie King infiltrates deeper into the Alliance, the number of zombies will only increase, and the zombie tide will become more frequent.


    Zhuang Qingyan reconstructed maps of the three cities from memory, logically analyzing, ¡°I speculate that its first attack will be on Reshufu, and it¡¯s likely to be a probing attack.¡±


    Song Ke looked at the densely marked points on the terminal and couldn¡¯t help but exclaim, ¡°Impressive! Did you memorize all of this?¡±


    Although aware of Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s extensive knowledge, every display of memory beyond ordinary capabilities never failed to amaze Song Ke.


    Pleased by the praise, Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s lips curved into a faint smile, ¡°When I first arrived in Qinglan, I didn¡¯t have many qualifications. I could only spend time as an ordinary clerk, going through these materials to pass the time.¡±


    Another instance of ¡°I¡¯m just an ordinary clerk¡± spiel. In the past, Song Ke might have questioned, ¡°Aren¡¯t you a pharmaceutical researcher?¡± But at this moment, she struggled to express her feelings, silently gazing at Zhuang Qingyan for two seconds before turning away, her expression difficult to read.


    Keep pretending if you want to.


    ¡°Someone is tracking us,¡± Luo Xiaoyu suddenly spoke up.


    Su Cha immediately drew out his dagger and cautiously observed through the cabin door, while Lin Youyou and Fang Zhixu instinctively stopped their conversation.


    Lu Xiaoyu brought up the rear radar screen, confirming that indeed, four hovercars were steadily following behind the starship.


    Xu Xing hurriedly dashed to the other side, tiptoed, and peered out. Then, in a low voice, he exclaimed, ¡°Oh!¡±


    As Lu Xiaoyu was about to send a warning signal via radio waves, one of the hovercars suddenly accelerated, leaping forward. The sunroof opened, and a swift figure smoothly climbed onto the car roof, removing tactical goggles and waving towards Song Ke from a distance, ¡°What a coincidence~¡±


    Having recently drunk their specially provided drinks, Song Ke felt awkward pretending not to recognize them. ¡°Ah, what a coincidence.¡±


    ¡°Where are you all headed?¡± The person on the car roof stared at Song Ke¡¯s tousled hair and spoke up.


    Song Ke didn¡¯t respond immediately. Just as the person was about to speak again, their attention shifted abruptly to someone else.


    The man had a handsome face but an aloof and cold demeanor. His gaze through the porthole was as icy as his expression.


    The person on the car roof exchanged a glance with him. A surge of unseen tension clashed between their auras, dissolving without a trace.


    Zhuang Qingyan remained composed. The person on the car roof tapped the roof with his fingertip, a slight smirk on his lips, deliberately provokingly smiling at him, ¡°Hey~¡±


    Then, selectively ignoring Zhuang Qingyan, he continued conversing with Song Ke.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s brow furrowed tighter and tighter. How could he not remember that Song Ke knew the captain of this ¡°Tustan¡±?


    ¡°Sorry, I should have spoken first,¡± the person on the car roof chuckled. ¡°We¡¯re heading to District C72.¡±


    District C72? Wasn¡¯t that Ferrara? The destination of Tustan¡¯s group unexpectedly aligned with theirs?


    ¡°We¡­ are heading there too,¡± Song Ke replied politely in return.


    ¡°I heard there¡¯s a significant competition for awakeners in District C72. Are you going to watch it?¡± the person on the car roof asked.


    ¡°No,¡± Song Ke felt a slight sense of pride in her heart, her lips subtly curling upward. ¡°We¡¯re going to participate.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a finalist?¡± This time, the person on the car roof seemed genuinely surprised. ¡°Then I have to go watch; I¡¯ll cheer for you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Song Ke replied politely.


    ¡°Lady, you¡¯re lovely,¡± the person said suddenly, catching her off guard with a phrase in the Alliance language. S?a??h the N0v?lFire(.)n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Song Ke¡¯s grasp of the Alliance language wasn¡¯t great to begin with, and the person spoke quickly. She didn¡¯t quite catch it at first.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s expression darkened instantly. He turned his wheelchair without a word and glided towards the main control panel.


    ¡°Turn off the autopilot and switch to high-orbit mode,¡± he commanded.


    ¡°Why?¡± Luo Xiaoyu lifted his head from a pile of parts. ¡°Are you in a rush?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m in a rush,¡± Zhuang Qingyan replied expressionlessly.


    Luo Xiaoyu was about to retort when, for some reason, he fell silent again as he thought of something. He fiddled with the control panel, glanced at Song Ke, then back at Zhuang Qingyan, his gaze uncertain and his movements distracted.


    Zhuang Qingyan glanced over to find the young man on the hovercar roof leaning forward, his left hand resting on his knee, engaging in a cheerful conversation with Song Ke.


    He turned back, his tone chillingly cold, ¡°Can you handle this or not? If not, move aside, I¡¯ll take over.¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright, I got it,¡± Luo Xiaoyu conceded reluctantly.


    With a swift acceleration, the starship shot forward like a meteor, leaving the hovercars far behind in an instant.


    Zhuang Qingyan was about to return to the window when his wheelchair abruptly halted. He squinted slightly, ¡°What guilty thing have you done?¡±


    Suddenly becoming so accommodating, ready to do whatever asked.


    Luo Xiaoyu paused for a moment, innocently smiling, ¡°Why would you think that?¡±


    Perhaps not accustomed to making this expression, his forced smile seemed stiff and strained.


    Zhuang Qingyan stared at him for two seconds longer than usual.


    ¡­


    Ferrara.


    When the starship descended, an unexpectedly long queue formed at the city gate, extending several kilometers away. It was seemingly endless, with a temporary checkpoint at the front where a few AI officers in police uniforms patrolled, maintaining order at the scene.


    Song Ke and her group were somewhat surprised. Ferrara had always advocated freedom and welcomed travelers from all directions, without any admission restrictions. How come, after being away for half a month, there was now a checkpoint for entry and exit?


    Su Cha returned with reconnaissance information and whispered, ¡°It¡¯s just a simple population registration. There have been too many refugees pouring in recently.¡±


    ¡°Why are refugees coming to Ferrara?¡± Song Ke was puzzled. Did they consider Ferrara to be very safe?


    ¡°Ferrara has highly advanced mechanical capabilities, advantageous for fighting against zombies,¡± Zhuang Qingyan explained. ¡°Moreover¡­ it¡¯s one of the few C-level cities in the east that has never been attacked.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Su Cha nodded. ¡°Those refugees believe that Ferrara is the ¡®City blessed by the Gods.''¡±


    Song Ke asked, ¡°¡­What city?¡±


    She couldn¡¯t help recalling their previous experiences, how Ilya had hunted live zombies extensively to accumulate resources for the Throne Race Competition, detaining them in the underground of the Sycara Theater. Though later, due to the unrest, all those zombies escaped. But who knew if this super AI would have some sudden whims and create more absurdities? Were these refugees making the right choice by coming to Ferrara?


    Lin Youyou had donned a mask immediately upon disembarking from the starship. After all, Ferrara was her hometown, and the chances of being recognized were too high. The group returned to their hotel to rest for half a day, setting out for the mobilization meeting only when night fell.


    The mobilization meeting was a public event held in the central square, filled with excited and jubilant crowds. Song Ke and her companions didn¡¯t push forward; instead, they stood at the periphery, waiting for the holographic projection to appear. After all, Ilya was an AI, and they could see clearly from any location where it emerged.


    At exactly eight o¡¯clock, three bells rang, neon lights flickered, and in the high sky shrouded in a faint purple mist, flower boats cruised smoothly. Cannons fired in unison, sprinkling shimmering confetti and flower petals. The observation elevators of the tower began to operate, ding-ing as they stopped at the floating platforms.


    The magnificent platform rose before the crowd, and soon after, a real and tall figure emerged.


    The man possessed a dazzling mane of golden hair, a tall and slender figure, clad in a pure white suit of satin material that exuded elegance and nobility. His once colorless glassy eyes had transformed into a more fitting ¡ª translucent icy blue.


    Song Ke shivered involuntarily, sensing traces of someone else in the man¡¯s presence.


    Luo Xinglan? No, this was¡­ Ilya!!


    This super artificial intelligence, the highest executive of Ferrara, had finally achieved his wish and obtained his own body.


    Ilya¡¯s eyes scanned through the dark mass of people in the square, then revealed a smile that was no different from that of a human.


    ¡°Are you all curious about the format of the final Throne Race Competition?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Ilya mysteriously winked, ¡°The mystery is revealed¡ªit¡¯s a marathon.¡±


    ¡°The total route this time covers 200 kilometers over three days and two nights. Participants must complete the entire course within the time limit and return to the finish line.¡±


    The crowd was suddenly in an uproar.


    200 kilometers, three days and two nights, what kind of marathon was this? Even an ordinary person could complete that distance in nearly a day, let alone someone with special abilities.


    ¡°Shhh¡ª¡± Ilya gestured for quiet, immediately calming the restless crowd. ¡°I know you¡¯ll ask, what¡¯s special about a marathon? So, I¡¯ve set up some ¡®tiny¡¯ ¡°check-in point¡±.¡±


    ¡°Every ten kilometers along the track, there will be a ¡°check-in point¡±. Only by collecting all the points will the race be considered completed.¡±


    Ilya¡¯s expression conveyed a hint of trouble, ¡°We have the ¡°check-in point¡±, but what about the most important thing¡ªthe route?¡±


    ¡°So, I personally drew the route map again.¡±


    Ilya snapped his fingers, and the city¡¯s projections simultaneously switched to a real-time map.


    The citizens were initially puzzled, whispering among themselves. But as time passed, suddenly, earth-shattering cheers erupted.


    As Song Ke looked at the marathon map displayed in the projection, it became increasingly familiar. Hadn¡¯t she seen it somewhere recently?


    A flash of realization struck her mind. She immediately grasped it.


    Rongzhou, Greenwater City, Reshufu, Haimen¡­


    This wasn¡¯t a marathon map; it was clearly a list of cities the Zombie King had already occupied or was about to attack!


    What was Ilya¡¯s intention? Was he asking them to run a marathon on the Zombie King¡¯s face?


    ¡°I heard in the recent consecutive waves of zombies, there¡¯s one called the ¡®King,''¡± Ilya smirked. ¡°I don¡¯t like that name.¡±


    ¡°As the magistrate, I don¡¯t like my things being coveted by others all the time. So, I¡¯ve decided to take the initiative.¡±


    ¡°Only through fire and thorns can the true crown of a king be forged.¡±


    Ilya slowly recited the slogan of the Throne Race Competition, his eyes filled with indifferent mockery and disdain for life and death.


    ¡°Only the team that kills the ¡®King¡¯ can ascend to the final championship throne.¡±


    For a moment, the people in the square were silent, then they began shouting his name in unison.


    ¡°Ilya! Ilya!! Ilya!!!¡±


    This unparalleled final would undoubtedly trigger a frenzy of viewership in the eastern Alliance.


    **TN


    The Alliance language is English. ¡°Lady, you¡¯re lovely¡± ¨C originally written in English.

 Chapter 116: Life-and-Death Marathon (7)

    ¡ò This rapper is quite spicy ¡òWhen news about the finals¡¯ format being a marathon spread, the first ones to become restless were the governing officials in the Eastern region.


    With the rampant presence of zombies outside now, unless a city was destroyed or they abandoned their positions to seek emergency refuge, the Alliance¡¯s officials couldn¡¯t easily leave their territories. Even though people couldn¡¯t come to them physically, communication requests bombarded incessantly, demanding Ilya provide a reasonable explanation.


    At the top floor of the tower, Ilya rested his chin lazily on his hand, one leg casually propped up while seated on a large leather sofa. The holographic screen shifted scenes, displaying an ongoing video conference where the magistrates from several Eastern districts were engaged in a heated argument.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know what game you¡¯re playing! Trying to shift the crisis of the Zombie King onto our territories to solve your problems¡ªwhy should we carry the burden for you while you enjoy your peaceful days? I object! Strongly object!!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not even present, what are you objecting with?¡± someone immediately sneered.


    ¡°I¡­¡± The first magistrate to speak choked momentarily. His city had already fallen, and he had long fled to District B. Speaking up now lacked any persuasive force.


    ¡°We don¡¯t object, we warmly welcome it!¡± The magistrates from Greenwater City and Reshufu declared, jumping in. Their District D held lower status, they finally had the chance to participate in such a meeting; naturally, they had to maintain a firm stance.


    These two cities were currently in dire straits. They didn¡¯t know when the horde of zombies might strike. If the final contestants could eliminate the Zombie King, they wouldn¡¯t oppose it; they¡¯d enthusiastically welcome it, celebrating with fireworks for days.


    ¡°Hey, Haimen, say something too?¡±


    The magistrate of Haimen smirked disdainfully. ¡°Be it zombies or humans, if they dare to intrude into my territory, don¡¯t blame the cannons for being blind¡ªthey won¡¯t return if they come.¡±


    ¡°You brute!¡± Greenwater City and Reshufu scolded in unison.


    Participants exchanged glances in private. Only a few were aware of the true situation. It was said that Haimen had imported a batch of superpowered weapons from the Northern base, highly lethal and specifically designed to deal with the Zombie King.


    The governors continued their arguments, expressing their grievances while conspicuously excluding the initiator of this marathon. No one asked for the opinion of the Ferrara magistrate. They regarded Ilya as an outsider, harboring a sense of wariness toward him. There¡¯s a saying ¨C ¡°Alien minds among our own kind will always be different.¡± No matter how advanced an artificial intelligence might be, it¡¯s still a machine, not of their species.


    Chen Zuyi from Tongwan also attended the meeting. When asked about his opinion on the matter, he diplomatically smiled and said, ¡°Whatever you say is what it is. I have no objections. After all, I¡¯m getting old, nearly seventy.¡±


    ¡°Stop lying, you¡¯re only sixty-one!¡±


    This sly old fox, he could talk his way out of anything. He only cared about himself, especially since Tongwan wasn¡¯t even on the marathon¡¯s route. It was said that recently there was an engineering-type awakener helping reinforce their defenses, so he had nothing to worry about.


    Ilya shifted legs lazily and yawned absentmindedly. These were human politicians, each with their hidden agendas, quite amusing indeed.


    Regardless of how much they argued, it wouldn¡¯t have any impact on the Throne Race event.


    Feeling gradually bored, Ilya rose from the sofa and casually left the top floor. However, in the holographic projection, his image lingered, but his pupils discreetly shifted to a glassy color, his expression more rigid.


    The automatic sensing door opened, revealing a magnificent reception room where a woman sat with her back to him, sipping tea from a bone china cup.


    Ilya walked around and sat opposite her. ¡°Magistrate He, regarding our cooperation, what are your thoughts?¡±


    He Qiuhong set down her teacup and looked up. She wore black-framed glasses perched on her nose, her hair impeccably arranged. Wrinkles adorned her eyes and two deep lines near her mouth made her look unapproachable, exuding an air of seriousness that demanded respect.


    ¡°I can¡¯t make decisions about establishing communication channels with District B for you.¡±


    ¡°Let me correct that, it¡¯s not District B, it¡¯s the Northern Base,¡± Ilya chuckled.


    The Alliance¡¯s 20 District B areas were either controlled by influential families (like B6¡¯s North County and B8¡¯s Erjia) or directly administered by the Central Court (as in B9¡¯s Askar), with only one exception.


    B10, the Northern Base, stood outside both power structures. It remained the largest surviving refuge within the Alliance after the apocalypse, housing over a million high-level awakeners and tens of millions of civilians, dubbed as ¡°Humanity¡¯s Last Hope.¡±


    Ilya was a rare democratically elected magistrate and a super AI. Despite Ferrra¡¯s good order, technological advancements, and its unique style in District C, his presence was still excluded by the Central Court.


    The information privileges between Districts C and B were vastly different.


    Privilege was exactly what Ilya urgently needed now.


    ¡°I will report this matter to General Ye,¡± He Qiuhong said slowly.


    Ilya raised an eyebrow. ¡°I thought you, Magistrate He, was the one truly in charge at the Northern Base.¡±


    He Qiuhong¡¯s expression turned cold. ¡°Be careful with your words. I am merely General Ye¡¯s deputy.¡±


    Ilya¡¯s ice-blue gaze fixed on He Qiuhong, his tone carrying implications. ¡°Magistrate He, then I¡¯ll await good news.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Magistrate He, why not stay and watch the competition before leaving?¡± Ilya casually suggested, ¡°Perhaps some of the contestants might head to the Northern Base in the future.¡±


    ¡°Naturally, the Northern Base welcomes awakeners,¡± He Qiuhong finally relaxed her tightly pressed lips at the mention of awakeners.


    *


    Song Ke, Lu Xiaoyu, Su Cha, Lin Youyou, and Xu Xing were ready. Each team in the Throne Race event had a maximum of five members. Zhuang Qingyan had just undergone surgery and was weak, so Fang Zhixu decided to take care of him. Both of their conditions weren¡¯t suitable for participating in the marathon and were kindly ¡°persuaded¡± by Song Ke to withdraw.


    ¡°Have you checked the communication devices?¡± Zhuang Qingyan asked, feeling concerned.


    Song Ke touched the narrow black collar around her throat. ¡°Yeah, the devices are working fine.¡±


    The finals didn¡¯t prohibit communication. The V587 team all wore the mini communication devices developed by Lu Xiaoyu. These operated on an independent frequency, ensuring messages couldn¡¯t be intercepted. With all seven team members simultaneously online, they could communicate at any time.


    Zhuang Qingyan circled several cities on the map. ¡°These places currently have no zombie waves. Old Fang and I will find an opportunity to meet up with you.¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t this be considered external aid? Is it against the rules?¡± Lin Youyou asked.


    Zhuang Qingyan calmly shook his head. ¡°The only rule to clear the marathon is to collect stamps at various check-in points. To win, you must kill the Zombie King. Apart from that, there are no restrictions. You could even take a spaceship straight to the finish line if you want.¡±


    Lin Youyou suddenly realized something. ¡°Isn¡¯t it unfair? Teams like ¡®Shunxing Tea House¡¯ have a strong foundation and numerous awakeners under their command. If they clear the path in advance and simultaneously collect stamps while killing the Zombie King, couldn¡¯t they just clear the game directly?¡±


    ¡°Exactly. If they can pull it off,¡± Zhuang Qingyan replied, ¡°this game was never meant to be fair.¡±


    ¡­


    On the day of the finals, the 16 teams gathered at the gates of Ferrara.


    As Zhuang Qingyan anticipated, there were quite a few hovercars and steamships present. As soon as the race started, some of them zoomed ahead.


    Drones capturing the action closely followed, and the personal live streams of the participants were open for viewers, contributing to the swelling wealth in the betting pools outside.


    The starships drew attention due to their conspicuous designs, more suited for long-distance travel rather than this marathon. Song Ke¡¯s group found an off-road pickup truck with Su Cha at the wheel. Though they fell behind in speed, this final race wasn¡¯t solely about speed.


    V587 quickly reached the first checkpoint¡ªRainbow Cloud City in District D140.


    Unfortunately, it was a city that had already fallen to the zombies. The outbound direction was clogged with various private vehicles, making progress nearly impossible. Those trapped in the cars not fast enough to escape were restrained by seat belts, roaring in panic. Roaming zombies traversed between the traffic, leaving barely any space to maneuver on the main road.


    A steamship conveniently flew overhead, drawing the attention of the zombies. They turned their collective gaze toward the noise, gathering more and growing increasingly agitated. Trying to force through would definitely waste a lot of time.


    The team decisively changed course towards the entrance to the city, which had slightly better conditions. Despite some overturned vehicles, they could still manage to pass, albeit barely.


    Lin Youyou glanced at the map. ¡°What do you think the check-in point will be?¡±


    Ilya always had ways to challenge people, such as the ¡°flag¡± in the Mirror Lake race, which turned out to be the crystals of mutant zombies.


    ¡°Could it be a Level 3 zombie?¡± Song Ke speculated. As time passed, dealing with mutant zombies had become less challenging. Would Ilya increase the difficulty for this reason?


    ¡°Not very likely,¡± Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s calm voice came through the earpiece. ¡°The movements of Level 3 zombies are uncontrollable. If they move away from their original positions, the distances between checkpoints would change. I lean more towards a fixed location.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean we have to search the entire city?¡± Lin Youyou frowned, finding the workload quite extensive.


    Zhuang Qingyan paused. ¡°There¡¯s no need to waste time searching. We can take a shortcut.¡±


    ¡°What shortcut?¡±


    ¡°Head to the highest point first.¡±


    ¡°To the highest point? What for?¡± Song Ke inquired.


    Zhuang Qingyan chuckled lightly, his magnetic voice coming through the earpiece, ¡°Since the finals are being broadcast live throughout, the organizing committee must have done preliminary scouting and filming preparations. No matter where the check-in point is, there will definitely be traces of drones around, and drones produce data.¡±


    ¡°You mean, finding the check-in points from the drones?¡± Lin Youyou couldn¡¯t hide her surprise.


    This, this¡­ was simply a strategy like a bug, a breakthrough method like that of a thief.


    According to Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s logic, there would be drones hovering near the checkpoints, leaving behind residual data. Analyzing data was Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s specialty. Using process of elimination, he could easily pinpoint the location of the check-in point.


    The highest point in Rainbow Cloud City was the observation tower in the city center, towering over five hundred meters, offering a panoramic view of the entire city. Due to congestion on the main roads, the quickest way to reach it was to take the circular overpass. However, the entrance to the bridge had collapsed, needing clearance.


    Just as V587 was about to take action, a group suddenly appeared around the corner. The woman leading them had a doll-like face, sweet-looking. Upon recognizing each other, she was first surprised, then her eyebrows furrowed in anger.


    What a coincidence, it was Feng Duona and ¡°Ferrara Star.¡±


    The grudge between V587 and this team could be traced back to Mirror Lake when Feng Duona suspected them of hoarding crystals and aggressively confronted them. In the subsequent arena match, their bassist was knocked out by Lu Xiaoyu in one move. It could be said that ¡°Ferrara Star¡¯s¡± two times advancing was almost jeopardized by V587.


    Song Ke raised a hand, awkwardly greeting, ¡°Uh¡­ Hi?¡±


    Feng Duona gestured with both middle fingers.


    Song Ke: ¡°¡­¡± Diplomacy failed.


    Meeting head-on, they couldn¡¯t avoid a confrontation. With Feng Duona¡¯s lively yell, the band of awakeners struck a combat stance. The guitarist played a vibrant melody, signaling the attack. The bass and electric piano swiftly followed suit, the deep jazz drums setting the rhythm.


    The most terrifying part began when Feng Duona started to sing!


    ¡°Turning away, unable to say goodbye~ Sea birds~ and fish! Falling in love! Was just! An accident~¡±


    V587 felt their scalp tingling, the piercing discordance hammering their nerves. Xu Xing covered his ears directly, but the noise permeated through. It was like a tired office worker, rudely awakened at 4 or 5 AM by someone banging an old drum, evoking not just anger but a murderous intent.


    ¡°Zhuang Qingyan¡­¡± S?a??h the N?v?lFir?.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Song Ke wanted to ask if Zhuang Qingyan had a way to quiet them down but shouted for a while without any response.


    She glanced at the signal light and realized it was off.


    Wow, he and Fang Zhixu had turned off the receivers!!


    Song Ke angrily drew her dual blades and charged toward Feng Duona. Su Cha furrowed his brow, seamlessly blending into the shadows.


    Simultaneously, Lin Youyou, wearing a mask, took a step forward and cleared her throat.


    ¡°Today, we¡¯re ready for everything. We¡¯re here to stay vigilant! North, South, East, West, let me tell you who is your¡ªfather!!¡±


    Lin Youyou lowered her voice, completely letting herself go. Her speed of speech was astonishing, uttering strange lyrics. The opponent¡¯s music instantly diminished. Feng Duona seemed choked, unable to sing her off-key and unpleasant love song any longer.


    Lin Youyou¡¯s lyrics were not only infectious but also came with a debuff that crushed the opponents¡¯ morale, leaving them lacking enthusiasm.


    The guitarist from ¡°Ferrara Star¡± ceased playing and, with interest, stroked his chin. ¡°Wow, that rapper on the other side is spicy! Hey, you! How about joining our band after the match?¡±


    Lin Youyou, with slightly raised red lips, confidently sang the Killing Part: ¡°¡­In the eyes of the Black Serpent Warrior, you¡¯re just a turtle, he will release poison mist to wipe you all out!!¡±


    ¡°Ferrara Star¡± fell completely silent.


    Su Cha slipped from the shadows, tumbling out, his neck turning crimson. Following the Sin City, this second time brought an indescribable, immense sense of shame upon him.

 Chapter 117: Life-and-Death Marathon (8)

    ¡ò Congratulations, ¡®Shunxing Teahouse,¡¯ for successfully checking in ¡òTo prevent their identities from being exposed, Lin Youyou and Su Cha used random names for the race. She even gave herself a nickname, ¡°Rapper Trainee,¡± in the group chat of seven people, and called Su Cha ¡°Black Serpent Warrior¡± (because of the black serpent tattoo on the back of his neck). Song Ke and Xu Xing joined in the fun, respectively naming themselves ¡°Master of Spiritual Artifacts¡± and ¡°Ice Prince.¡± However, everyone was just playing around. No one expected that Lin Youyou would, in this kind of situation, sing unabashedly in such an extremely juvenile way.


    Not to mention Su Cha, who felt like curling his toes, even Song Ke was stunned.


    The audience squatting in the V587 live room burst into laughter instantly, and the barrage of hehes and hahas flooded the screen.


    ¡°LOL, is the Black Serpent Warrior going to transform in the next second, hahaha.¡±


    ¡°I originally thought V587 would make it to the finals based on skill, but turns out it¡¯s by making opponents feel awkward¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll admit, if this rapper releases a single, I¡¯ll buy it. It¡¯s oddly catchy despite being cheesy.¡±


    ¡°Agreed, +1 to the commenter above.¡±


    In the official live room, Ah K switched the main screen to the two confronting teams, commenting with interest, ¡°Different music styles colliding, what kind of spark will they produce? Let¡¯s wait and see.¡±


    Ferrara is a paradise for musicians, so AI guests immediately began their evaluations.


    ¡°Feng Duona¡¯s singing, is that even called a song? Clearly, it¡¯s noise pollution!¡± This comment was rather spicy.


    ¡°I find the music of the other contestant quite interesting. Although the rhyming is a bit unpolished and the lyrics are straightforward, her breathing rhythm, including enunciation, is very clear, devoid of the typical issues rappers face. It shows she has some solid foundation.¡± This was an analysis from a professional perspective.


    ¡°Setting aside the music itself, I believe this is also a clever strategy in the face of battle.¡± Luo Qinghe, who had been quietly watching the match, suddenly spoke up.


    ¡°Oh? Qinghe, please elaborate.¡± Ah K gestured as if to listen attentively.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if anyone noticed, this¡­,¡± Luo Qinghe glanced at the list of competitors, ¡°Ms. Rapper Trainee¡¯s ability relies on her singing voice, so it takes some time to take effect. Rapper Trainee intentionally used exaggerated and bold lyrics to initially shock the ¡®Ferrara Star,¡¯ causing their concentration to scatter, and then took advantage of the opportunity to gain control. Now, the opponents have fallen into her trap.¡±


    Luo Qinghe¡¯s technical analysis greatly raised his popularity, and fans were screaming in excitement.


    Ah K nodded in agreement and then burst into laughter, ¡°But it doesn¡¯t change the fact that she¡¯s really hilarious, hahaha!¡±


    Amidst the laughter in the barrage, the situation at the scene in Rainbow Cloud City suddenly changed.


    After stumbling on flat ground, Su Cha resisted the pressure and ghostly attacked the ¡°Ferrara Star.¡±


    A dark light flashed, and the guitar strings being played were severed. Su Cha revealed his figure, showing a finger tiger wrapped in adhesive tape on his fist, entirely in a ghostly blue¡ªa spiritual artifact! The finger tiger, a common weapon for martial artists, had an extremely sharp striking surface, capable of cutting through iron like mud. Its versatile nature and immense destructive power made it a perfect match for Su Cha. s?a??h th? N0v?lFir?.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    After cutting the guitar strings, Su Cha repeated his previous move. In a flash, he appeared mysteriously behind the bassist. Sensing the danger, the bassist immediately played a flashy and skillful slide. Su Cha was affected, his footing slightly slipping. Just as the bassist was about to escape, he found his feet frozen!


    Not just him, including Feng Duona and the other five members, they were all gradually covered in ice, up to their calves. It was the ice-based awakener from V587, but when did this happen? Why didn¡¯t anyone notice?


    Before they could comprehend, Su Cha made a swift move with his finger tiger, and the bassist¡¯s strings snapped.


    On the other side, Song Ke almost simultaneously made her move with Su Cha. Her dual blades spun down, first dismantling the electric piano and then crashing into the jazz drums, causing them to disintegrate into pieces. After dealing with the two, she turned towards the source of the heinous noise, Feng Duona.


    Feng Duona, suppressed by Lin Youyou¡¯s ability, couldn¡¯t speak at all. Witnessing her teammates consecutively taking hits, she took a deep breath, intending to sing again, but a sharp dark figure struck her, a punch straight to her face. Immediately after, a thick towel was stuffed into her mouth.


    Poor Feng Duona couldn¡¯t even utter a sound before collapsing, seeing stars.


    In less than ten seconds, the ¡°Ferrara Star¡± was completely wiped out!


    V587¡¯s exquisite coordination and rapid response astonished the audience. They didn¡¯t need commands or communication. Starting from Lin Youyou¡¯s control, everyone executed the right skills at the perfect moments, subduing their opponents flawlessly. In terms of teamwork, they were even on par with the championship favorites, ¡°Three Grandsons and One Grandpa.¡±


    The barrage went silent for a few seconds, then quickly transformed from ¡°hahaha¡± to a dense ¡°666.¡±


    Feng Duona and her group were only temporarily incapacitated and would soon recover on their own. While they were engaged in battle, Lu Xiaoyu cleared a path for them at the bridge entrance. Song Ke and her group bypassed them, swiftly heading towards the skyscraper.


    Clearing a path through the congested heap of zombies, they ascended to the rooftop of the observation tower, where Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s voice resounded in their earpieces once more.


    ¡°I just thought that the player¡¯s drone for tracking might change position; its data capacity is larger than the positioning device¡­¡±


    ¡°You just turned off the receiver,¡± Song Ke held a grudge, not willing to let it go easily.


    ¡°Cough, cough,¡± Zhuang Qingyan coughed lightly, ¡°Try to find the one that hovers in place¡­¡±


    ¡°You turned off the receiver!¡±


    Song Ke raised her voice, growing angrier as she thought about it. How could this be? It was agreed upon to face difficulties together, so how could you sneakily turn off the receiver?


    The captain was furious, and nobody dared to intervene. Not even laughing at Zhuang Qingyan.


    Zhuang Qingyan received a scolding, but he chuckled softly, obediently admitting, ¡°I was wrong, Captain. I will listen to the noise with you next time.¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°Hmph.¡±


    *


    Ferrara.


    In the hotel suite, He Qiuhong tuned into the official live stream. Even while watching the match, she remained focused, sitting with her legs together and her back straight, maintaining an exceptionally upright posture. He Qiuhong watched and made notes, particularly focusing on the popular teams like ¡°Three Grandsons and One Grandpa,¡± ¡°Shunxing Teahouse,¡± ¡°Anna Knights,¡± and ¡°V587,¡± delving into the profiles of the players.


    A knock at the door interrupted her¡ªYin Xiao, the captain of ¡°Tustan,¡± entered. They had returned to Ferrara two days ago, but He Qiuhong had official matters to attend to, so he refrained from disturbing her.


    ¡°Commander, Liu Yuan and Dr. Gao have been sent to Tongwan, the zombie tide has receded, and all the tasks you assigned have been successfully completed,¡± Yin Xiao informed, settling on a couch he found for himself. Stretching out his legs casually, his tone was respectful, yet his attitude was relaxed.


    He Qiuhong was accustomed to his style and nodded. ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not in a rush to return to the base?¡± Yin Xiao asked, glancing at the projection showing the ongoing match.


    ¡°Not particularly. I¡¯ll be staying in District C72 for about a week,¡± replied He Qiuhong.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s good then,¡± Yin Xiao said casually, touching his earring. He casually asked, ¡°Are you watching the Throne Race? These competitors are from District C, right?¡±


    ¡°There are quite a few exceptional awakeners in District C,¡± replied He Qiuhong without directly answering.


    Yin Xiao shrugged. He knew He Qiuhong tended to be more gentle in her attitude towards awakeners.


    In the Northern Base, strength was the only pass. The more powerful the awakener, the better treatment they received. For instance, the ¡°Tustan¡± team, despite nominally serving General Ye, had significant operational freedom and fewer constraints when talking to He Qiuhong.


    ¡°Why, are you interested too?¡± He Qiuhong noticed his prolonged gaze on the projection and asked.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Yin Xiao chuckled, ¡°but I¡¯m not interested in the competition.¡±


    Yin Xiao stood up. ¡°Commander He, I¡¯ll take my leave.¡±


    He Qiuhong was watching the official live stream. The scenes kept changing without any specific focus, so he decided to go back and watch the individual live streams of the players instead.


    ¡­


    Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s silver hair fluttered without any breeze as his overwhelming awakened energy spread out.


    Currently, all 16 final teams were within Rainbow Cloud City, and there were hundreds of player drones alone, not to mention the scene cameras, motion captures, audio systems, tripods, rails, and various other devices, totaling over five hundred.


    After about five or six minutes, Lu Xiaoyu opened his eyes, his ice-blue eyes displaying a plethora of data. Swiftly, the data disappeared, and he raised a brand-new, shiny mechanical arm, pointing in a direction. ¡°There, abnormal data flow. A team has already gone there.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s suggestion worked indeed. With a top-tier hacker like Lu Xiaoyu, they could forcibly exploit bugs and find the check-in point.


    Song Ke made a quick decision. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    The five of them dashed towards their destination, encountering zombie blockades on the way, taking some time to clear them out.


    Surprisingly, the place Lu Xiaoyu pointed to was a wildlife sanctuary.


    ¡°Rainbow Cloud City Endangered Species Breeding Research Center,¡± Xu Xing read aloud the name on the gate, ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡°No zombies nearby,¡± Su Cha reported after his investigation.


    ¡°Rainbow Cloud City boasts a 5A-level ecological scenic spot in the Alliance, specifically dedicated to cultivating and restoring flora and fauna from ancient civilizations,¡± Zhuang Qingyan explained through the earpiece. ¡°Don¡¯t let your guard down. Since Ilya set this as a check-in point, it won¡¯t be easy.¡±


    Song Ke and her team followed behind Lu Xiaoyu, maneuvering through the densely covered bamboo forest. Finally, they arrived at the Predatory Animal Viewing Area. Peering down through three layers of transparent barriers, they saw an object resembling a wax seal floating on a platform, a holographic projection above it¡ªthe emblem of the Throne Race.


    Song Ke¡¯s spirits lifted; this seemed to be the check-in point! However, getting closer to the check-in point wasn¡¯t easy. The perimeter of the park was teeming with various mutated beasts, blocking the entrance entirely. Next to the holographic projection stood a two-story black-and-white building, conveniently blocking the platform where the wax seal was placed.


    After staring for a while, Song Ke noticed something peculiar¡ªthe building seemed to have¡­ moved.


    She rubbed her eyes, feeling increasingly unsettled. Just as she leaned in for a closer look, at that moment¡ª the little building lifted its ¡°legs¡±.


    Song Ke gasped, finally seeing it clearly. This wasn¡¯t any ordinary building¡ªit was a two-story tall zombie bear!


    The bear was massive, its body overweight and covered in patchy, shedding fur that revealed yellowing bones beneath. As it lifted its leg, a large pile of rotten flesh and dried leaves cascaded down, scattering the pinned zombie rats as they fled. Even from a distance, the unmistakable stench of zombie decay filled the air.


    Fortunately amidst the unfortunate, the surrounding environment remained quiet. The colossal creature lay napping on its back.


    The zombie bear rolled over, emitting dog-like murmurs. Its razor-sharp claws, as if surgical blades, lightly scratched the platform, unaware.


    Lin Youyou gently nudged Song Ke, gesturing for her to look in another direction¡ªShunxing Teahouse was also present.


    Under hushed instructions from Mr. Xiang, a faint shadow manifested behind them. Another awakener seemed to shift a few times, stealthily brought above the platform. This was¡­ spatial ability? Suddenly, Song Ke recalled encountering this person before; during their time in Luli Port, it was this individual who continuously moved, making it difficult for others to approach the A-level zombies.


    The gecko-like awakener seemed skilled, agilely maneuvering with limbs adhering tightly to the ceiling like a gecko, inching toward the projection while holding a terminal in their mouth. Upon reaching the projection, they swiftly scanned the wax seal.


    The zombie bear brushed its ear, its sharp claws slicing through a few strands of hair from the gecko-like awakener who froze in terror, his face turning pale. Luckily, a system prompt arrived swiftly.


    The holographic projection displayed a line of text: ¡°Congratulations, ¡®Shunxing Teahouse,¡¯ for successfully checking in.¡±


    Mr. Xiang¡¯s face lit up with joy as the spatial awakener exerted force again, bringing back the gecko-like awakener. The group swiftly departed.


    Song Ke lowered her head and discussed with her companions under the barrier, ¡°Should we¡­ follow their lead?¡±


    Mr. Xiang had demonstrated an excellent example for them. It was a perfect opportunity to act now without alarming the zombie bear, quietly making the check-in and leaving. It would allow them to complete the marathon in Rainbow Cloud City at the fastest pace possible.


    Although V587 didn¡¯t have a spatial awakener, they had Su Cha, whose stealth abilities were top-notch.


    ¡°Su Cha, you go for the check-in. I¡¯ll cover,¡± Song Ke gestured.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    The two immediately sprang into action. Su Cha silently descended to the lower level, while Song Ke climbed over the beams from above to provide backup. But halfway there, they ran into another team. They exchanged a two-second gaze and simultaneously made a ¡°shh¡± gesture, instantly reaching an understanding. A shared smile passed between the two groups.


    On the ground, Su Cha was inches away from the platform. Just one reach, and the wax seal would be within grasp.


    But Song Ke¡¯s heart sank slowly.


    ¡°Boom! Boom!¡±


    Deafening cannon fire echoed from outside the park, startling the mutated beasts, which scattered in a frenzy.


    The blocked entrance was violently blasted open. Irene, carrying a rocket launcher single-handedly, kicked over the barrier and, upon seeing Song Ke, raised an eyebrow with a smug grin. ¡°Well, well, if it isn¡¯t you guys. So, did you find the check-in point?¡±


    ¡°We found it,¡± Song Ke sighed in utter disappointment.


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    The zombie bear sprang up, its furious roar resonating throughout the entire zoo.

 Chapter 118: Life-and-Death Marathon (9)

    ¡ò A world-shaking blow ¡òThe continuous gunfire startled the originally slumbering zombie panda bear.


    With its earth-shattering roar, birds took flight in droves, small animals scattered in all directions. On closer inspection, their pupils were a murky gray-white. This wildlife park had long been occupied by various zombie beasts.


    The moment the zombie panda bear stood up, the holographic projection on the platform shut down. Su Cha froze in place. The stamp, almost within reach, vanished before their eyes. But then, abruptly lowering his head, he executed a swift roll, leaving the spot. Almost simultaneously, the enormous bear paw fiercely swept past, smashing the platform with a resounding ¡°bang,¡± leaving deep marks on the ground.


    ¡°Ah, sorry, it seems we¡¯ve come at an inopportune time¡­¡± Irene covered her face, apologizing with a mix of guilt and politeness.


    Song Ke was about to respond when the zombie panda bear turned its head and spotted her hanging from the ceiling. The massive creature stood on its short hind legs, tilted its head back, bit into the beam, and began to tug it from side to side. The sturdy steel soon cracked and twisted into two pieces. Song Ke made a quick decision and, like swinging on a swing, leaped into the fence where Lin Youyou and the others were.


    The zombie panda bear¡¯s front paws slammed heavily onto the ground as it began crawling towards the viewing area.


    ¡°Guns and Roses¡± immediately raised a rocket launcher and fired at the zombie panda bear, but this behemoth, thick-skinned and robust, was not harmed by the shells. Instead, it became thoroughly enraged.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the stamp?!¡± Song Ke yelled amidst the relentless artillery fire.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t hit it, it¡¯s gone!¡± Su Cha, looking disheveled and having barely made it back, replied in a similar tone.


    The zombie panda bear charged forward, crashing forcefully. With a resounding ¡°crash,¡± the hundreds of kilograms-heavy fence gave way and broke apart.


    Its putrefying and deformed colossal head squeezed into the viewing passage, getting stuck halfway. It thrashed left and right, spraying foul-smelling saliva all over the ground. Xu Xing turned pale with fear, clutching tightly onto Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s mechanical arm, gritting his teeth to stifle any sound.


    The restricted movement of the zombie panda bear led it to start smashing the walls. A deafening ¡°boom¡± reverberated from outside the passage, causing the ground to tremble, and chunks of concrete to fall.


    Another thunderous ¡°boom¡± echoed as if it were right next to them. The entire viewing passage seemed on the verge of collapse.


    ¡°Zhuang Qingyan, the check-in point, it¡¯s gone!¡± Song Ke shouted, touching the collar.


    ¡°The fire seal stamp is linked to the zombie panda bear¡¯s position,¡± Zhuang Qingyan spoke rapidly, ¡°To check in, we have to get it back there.¡±


    ¡°How do we get it back?¡± Song Ke was at wit¡¯s end. This bear seemed to have mutated and couldn¡¯t understand human speech.


    ¡°Two ways: either lure it back or kill it. Its weak point is its head.¡±


    Song Ke looked up, and Zhuang Qingyan was right. Compared to its massive two-story-tall body, the zombie panda bear¡¯s head appeared particularly delicate, hidden in its dirty black-and-white fur, as if afraid others wouldn¡¯t know it was its Achilles¡¯ heel.


    ¡°Irene, aim for the head!¡± Song Ke shouted.


    ¡°Got it!¡± Irene, positioned near the emergency exit, replied loudly.


    Armor-piercing shells trailed with fiery sparks flew in, but the zombie panda bear had already smashed through the stone wall, retracting its head. It crawled and spun within the park¡¯s bamboo grove, its thick fur blocking all attacks, remaining unscathed. Xu Xing attempted to freeze its limbs, but the bear¡¯s size was immense, and it broke free in no time. He switched to ice blades, but they couldn¡¯t pierce through the creature¡¯s hide.


    Song Ke and Su Cha jumped down from the passage entrance, approaching the bear once again.


    Su Cha activated his abilities, enveloping the zombie panda bear in a green poisonous mist. It howled in agony, chunks of flesh falling from its face, but it remained unharmed.


    Song Ke climbed up along its sturdy, short legs. A missile flew past her head, exploding on the bear¡¯s shoulder, revealing its foul-smelling yellowish bones. The armor was breached! Song Ke seized the opportunity, drew her dual blades, and thrust relentlessly towards its neck.


    The spiritual weapon pierced through the fur, sinking deep into the fat layer, getting stuck ¨C not much different from administering an injection.


    The zombie panda bear flew into a rage, taking a few heavy steps forward, its hefty body occupying the space. It raised its foot to stomp Su Cha, who quickly ran to dodge, but the bear¡¯s paw ¡°pia!¡± slapped him, sending him crashing into a stone wall.


    Song Ke wasn¡¯t faring much better. Gripping her dual blades, she was tossed around by the zombie panda bear¡¯s movements, akin to a kite with a broken string, blowing back and forth in the bamboo grove. Her stomach churned, the world spun before her eyes, and as she saw the bear about to squeeze into the passage again, she knew she¡¯d be flattened if this continued.


    Thinking quickly, Song Ke let go, dropping from a height, curling up as she hit the ground. The zombie panda bear¡¯s four enormous claws stamped back and forth, resembling four moving hills of death. Amidst it all, Song Ke swiftly rolled, her slender figure flickering in and out of sight.


    Viewers watching the live broadcast were both nervous and thrilled, holding their breath, their hearts pounding in their throats.


    ¡°Holy xxxx, did she get stepped on? Did she?¡±


    ¡°Help, I can¡¯t bear to watch anymore!! Can someone tell me the outcome?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯ve bet everything on V587, give me a sign!!¡±


    In a critical moment, six mechanical arms swung into action, lashing at the zombie panda bear¡¯s legs mid-air. Simultaneously, a melodious, ethereal song echoed. The beast¡¯s movements stuttered momentarily, and seizing the opportunity, Song Ke, looking bedraggled, rolled out, spitting out rotten bamboo leaves.


    The shattered entrance to the passage was temporarily held by Lin Youyou and Lu Xiaoyu, while Irene and the others forced the zombie panda bear back with their strongest firepower, but the situation remained dire.


    Song Ke understood that the main reason for their current predicament was the absence of a control-type awakener among V587.


    Zhuang Qingyan might count as one, with his mental prowess strong enough to command a Level 3 zombie. The bear, possessing rudimentary intelligence, could likely be controlled, but he wasn¡¯t present on-site, limited to remote commands through an earpiece.


    They had no choice but to go for the kill.


    Song Ke¡¯s eyes turned cold as her fingertips traced the giant slab covering the entire park, casting an eerie blue glow.


    The zombie panda bear was drawn to the light, its head turning slowly, its empty eye sockets fixing on Song Ke¡ª


    At that moment, the bamboo grove within the park shook violently. Countless thorny vines surged upwards as if imbued with life, wrapping firmly around the bear¡¯s limbs and neck. Three figures leaped down from the ceiling¡¯s hole, darting in different directions, gripping the vines and pulling backward. S~?a??h the ?0velF?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Ao¡ª!¡±


    The zombie panda bear was pulled back a step, away from the fence.


    Behind Guns and Roses, a refined young man in a blue robe stepped out with a serious expression. Song Ke recognized him immediately ¨C it was Duanmu Qi, the ¡°Three Grandsons and One Grandpa¡± had arrived!


    His arrival was timely and fortunate. Duanmu Qi was a group control-type awakener.


    However, when the ¡°Three Grandsons and One Grandpa¡± leaped down, only three individuals followed. The zombie panda bear¡¯s left paw was still free. With a sudden swipe, it raised the vines, aiming to flatten Duanmu Qi standing at a distance.


    One person was still missing.


    Su Cha, who had fallen from the wall, coughed twice, covering his mouth, and swiftly ran towards the gap, grabbing hold of the thorns there.


    At moments like this, there was no need for verbal communication between the teams. None of them could take on the zombie panda bear alone. To complete the checkpoint, they had to work together to eliminate the obstacle before them.


    ¡°Not enough strength!¡± Xiao Chen¡¯s face flushed red, veins bulging on the back of his hand as he shouted forcefully.


    The four awakeners, dragged by the zombie panda bear, kept sliding forward. Members of Guns and Roses, V587, and even two other teams that had been watching from the shadows didn¡¯t hesitate; they jumped down, grabbing onto the vines on the ground, pulling backward, engaging in a strenuous tug of war with the zombie panda bear.


    Song Ke¡¯s spiritual weapon transformation was nearly complete.


    The ethereal blue light grew brighter, almost blinding, encompassing her from head to toe. In full view of everyone, a heavy, dominating war hammer gradually took shape, its head almost as large as the zombie panda bear¡¯s body, emitting a metallic sharp ¡°clang¡± in the air.


    With both hands gripping the hammer¡¯s handle, Song Ke¡¯s face reddened. Amidst the astonished gazes of everyone present, she raised the war hammer high.


    Dragging her steps towards the zombie panda bear, muscles tensed, her entire core strength erupted. She lifted the war hammer high¡ª


    ¡°Boom¡ª¡±


    A thunderous impact, deafening, struck the zombie panda bear¡¯s head, causing it to cave in halfway. The entire bear took a step back, the awakener gripping the vines stumbling under its pull.


    ¡°Boom¡ªBoom¡ª¡±


    The zombie panda bear retreated as Song Ke advanced, swinging the war hammer with a fierce whirlwind. With her small stature wielding a colossal hammer nearly five to six meters tall, she mercilessly struck the zombie panda bear¡¯s skull again and again.


    The bear was pushed back repeatedly by the hammer blows, its roars gradually weakening until it finally reached the ruined remains of the initial platform.


    With an impetus, Song Ke twisted her waist and abdomen, and her slender body unexpectedly leapt into the air. Her hands lifted the enormous hammer high above her head and brought it crashing down!


    If time stood still, the impact of this scene would be hard to describe in words.


    ¡°Boom¡ª¡± The devastating strike of the war hammer obliterated the entire head of the zombie panda bear. Its skull rolled away, and putrid brain matter sprayed recklessly in the park. Song Ke, at the forefront, was drenched from head to toe, and everyone else suffered as well.


    The headless zombie panda bear staggered briefly due to inertia before crashing heavily to the ground.


    Whether in Rainbow Cloud City, Ferrara, or even other regions in the eastern part of the Alliance, viewers watching the live broadcast were collectively silent.


    The immersive experience left such an impact that some people, still shaken, checked their own necks to ensure they were unharmed.


    After the silence, an eruption followed. The screen was filled with ¡°666¡± barrage comments, and V587¡¯s support rate skyrocketed instantly!


    The holographic projection reactivated, and the fire seal stamp of Rainbow Cloud City reappeared.


    After the other two teams completed their check-in points, they stared at Song Ke for a few seconds with eyes akin to seeing a comet, then hastily retreated.


    Duanmu Qi nodded slightly at Song Ke. After all, they were opponents, harboring old grudges. It wasn¡¯t appropriate to say much. He led his team away.


    The girls from Guns and Roses looked at Song Ke in speechless gratitude. Wanting to express their thanks, they were repelled by the foul stench emanating from her. They approached hesitantly but ended up covering their mouths and rushing out, gagging.


    Song Ke: ¡°¡­¡±


    Irene wiped off the flesh splattered on her and grinned, giving her a thumbs-up. ¡°Let¡¯s catch up later, after the game. We¡¯re heading out now.¡±


    She turned gracefully and walked away. However, Song Ke keenly observed Irene, who covered her mouth with one hand, clearly feeling queasy.


    ¡°Sister!¡± Xu Xing dashed over cheerfully, ready for a hug. But upon reaching her, he abruptly stopped, hesitating. Lin Youyou and Lu Xiaoyu didn¡¯t hide their disgust, pinching their noses.


    A faint chuckle came through the earpiece. Zhuang Qingyan didn¡¯t say anything, yet it seemed like he said everything.


    Song Ke: ¡°???¡± Is it really that bad?


    She gingerly picked up her coat and took a deep breath.


    ¡°Gag¡ª¡± She almost gagged from her own odor.


    Dubbed as a ¡°kind reminder¡± by Lin Youyou and the others but actually more like ¡°forceful insistence,¡± they demanded she change clothes.


    Her cheeks puffed up, muttering, ¡°Who am I doing this for?¡± She had to endure the stench while wiping off the decaying flesh and blood. After cleaning herself up and changing clothes, the others completed the first check-in point.


    V587 officially departed from Rainbow Cloud City, heading to the next stop ¨C Greenwater City in District D132. Zhuang Qingyan and Fang Zhixu would meet up with them there.


    Though Greenwater City hadn¡¯t suffered from the undead onslaught yet and seemed temporarily safe, it was situated near multiple C districts, some of which had fallen. Consequently, refugees fleeing the chaos were converging towards Greenwater City, prompting the establishment of makeshift shelters both inside and outside the city.


    What Song Ke didn¡¯t know was that, at this moment, in a certain shelter outside Greenwater City, an elderly person watching the match couldn¡¯t believe their eyes, murmuring to themselves, ¡°Could it be¡­ Girl Ke?¡±

 Chapter 119: Life-and-Death Marathon (10)

    ¡ò Missing Check-in point ¡òOutside the Greenwater City at the intersection of the expressway, an off-road pickup truck revved its engine to the max, wildly drifting towards them. As it approached, the exaggerated 180-degree spin of the vehicle narrowly stopped just in time, with Zhuang Qingyan and Fang Zhixu already waiting for a while.


    Song Ke leaned out from the passenger seat, ¡°Old Fang, hurry up!¡±


    Ever since Zhuang Qingyan stopped calling him ¡°Doctor Fang¡± and switched to ¡°Old Fang,¡± everyone else had followed suit.


    Fang Zhixu briskly hopped onto the pickup truck. His gaze scanned inside and saw that the driver¡¯s seat was now occupied by Lu Xiaoyu; it was the same car he had been driving earlier. Xu Xing was seated in the back, with Lin Youyou supporting someone in the middle. Fang Zhixu breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing them.


    The reason for their urgency was because Su Cha had been injured.


    As a close combat expert of the offensive-type ability, clashes resulting in injuries and bloodshed were unavoidable. However, this time Su Cha was genuinely unlucky. He had been sent flying by the zombie bear in a direction where there happened to be protruding steel bars. Despite Su Cha¡¯s exceptional reflexes allowing him to twist away in time to avoid a fatal puncture, he still collided with the joint, causing his whole body to vibrate intensely.


    After a quick examination, Fang Zhixu swiftly said, ¡°He¡¯s broken two ribs, but luckily, they are not displaced. I will fix them so that they will not affect the movement.¡±


    A bright white energy flowed from Fang Zhixu¡¯s palms¡ªan A-level healing ability¡ªsignificantly easing Su Cha¡¯s pain, and his complexion returned to normal.


    Lin Youyou reclined the seat, squatting in front of Su Cha. She gently pressed around the wound, saying, ¡°Does it hurt? If it does, speak up; sister will help you feel better.¡±


    After knowing that everything was fine, her tightly pursed red lips relaxed, and she even had the mind to tease Su Cha.


    Su Cha, at a height of 1.9 meters, curled back a bit, the muscles of his waist and legs instantly tensed, resembling a stimulated cheetah ready to pounce on its prey at any moment. However, after the tension, he still crouched down, allowing Lin Youyou to examine him up and down. ¡°¡­It¡¯s really okay,¡± he paused and added in a low voice, ¡°¡­don¡¯t joke about it.¡±


    Meanwhile, Zhuang Qingyan didn¡¯t hurry to get on the car. He took out a bottle of spray from his bag and handed it to Song Ke. ¡°Here.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡°Molecular deodorizer. I thought the captain might really need it.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Song Ke stared at Zhuang Qingyan, momentarily unable to tell whether he was genuinely giving a helpful reminder or teasing her.


    Ever since Zhuang Qingyan had his leg surgery, he visibly became more cheerful, often teasing Song Ke and frequently getting on her nerves.


    Song Ke, expressionless, unscrewed the bottle and aimed it at Zhuang Qingyan, giving a vigorous spray.


    ¡°Song Keke!¡± Zhuang Qingyan raised his hand to block, but with little effect. He used his forearm to hold down the wheelchair, raised his right leg slightly, and made a half-rising motion. Unfortunately, he had little support and fell back down.


    Song Ke slammed the car door shut, leaning against the window, smiling triumphantly at him, the little dimples filled with joy at the corners of her cheeks.


    ¡°Beep beep¡ª¡± The driver, Lu Xiaoyu, couldn¡¯t bear watching the scene from the driver¡¯s seat and bluntly honked the horn. ¡°Hey, have you forgotten? We¡¯re still in a marathon!¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Greenwater City doesn¡¯t have a zombie tide, nor does it boast an ecological scenic area. Its modernization is commendable, with well-established infrastructure, and there aren¡¯t any wild animals, reducing the likelihood of mutated ferocious beasts,¡± Zhuang Qingyan calmly analyzed as he viewed the footage captured by the drone.


    ¡°It seems like there¡¯s nothing particularly noteworthy about it,¡± Lin Youyou frowned, showing difficulty. ¡°So, where could its check-in point be?¡± s?a??h th? ?ov?l?ir?.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    After studying the city map for a while, they found it challenging to make an effective judgment based on the information they currently possessed.


    ¡°Let¡¯s stick to the old method of searching for anomalous data, or else we¡¯ll have to search the city.¡±


    Lin Youyou inadvertently switched to the thermal imaging mode with a tap of her finger. The map instantly shrank, revealing the overall view of the surrounding areas. As an essential transportation hub in the eastern part of the Alliance, Greenwater City bordered three C districts to the north and south and was surrounded by the D districts in the east and west. At this moment, most of its neighboring areas appeared in dark gray, a sign indicating the city¡¯s occupation by the zombie tide.


    ¡°I have a question,¡± Fang Zhixun spoke after a moment of silence, ¡°Is the number of refugees in Greenwater City too high?¡±


    According to the thermal imaging display, both Greenwater City and nearby shelters were surrounded by a multitude of colorful heat sources. Despite the real-time view showing refugees fleeing, the sight and numbers were enough to chill one¡¯s heart.


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Zhuang Qingyan nodded slowly, ¡°And it¡¯s increasing.¡±


    As he spoke, he paused, faintly sensing why Ilya chose Greenwater City.


    The off-road pickup raced ahead, quickly approaching Greenwater City. They could already see the towering walls and iron mesh fences from a distance. However, the road gradually narrowed, and the flow of people became increasingly dense. When passing by shelters, Lu Xiaoyu had to slow down the vehicle.


    Countless refugees instantly swarmed the pickup truck, surrounding it completely. Some grasped the bumper, attempting to climb onto the roof, while others desperately banged on the glass windows, using hand gestures to plead with those inside to open the doors. In such a situation, V587¡¯s vehicle could hardly move an inch.


    Looking up, they were surrounded by faces in panic from all directions: elderly individuals with tears streaming down their faces, women whose disheveled hair held infants tightly, and aggressive men punching and kicking the vehicle while yelling, ¡°Open the door!¡±


    The pickup truck had one-way tinted glass, rendering the outside situation obscure to those inside, but those within could clearly see what was happening.


    ¡°What do they want?!¡± Xu Xing angrily shouted, almost as if in response, the loud banging of a hammer striking the car echoed.


    ¡°They want to get into the city,¡± Fang Zhixu sighed. ¡°They want us to take them in.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t open the doors,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said coldly.


    ¡°We can¡¯t¡­ open¡­ the doors.¡± He slowed his speech, repeating the words with firmness.


    Silence enveloped the people inside the car.


    Song Ke¡¯s long eyelashes drooped down silently, offering no opposition.


    Zhuang Qingyan was right. Wanting to save people also meant assessing whether they had the capability. These refugees were undoubtedly in a dire situation, but one car couldn¡¯t save them all. Opening the doors at this moment would only lead to greater chaos, with unpredictable consequences.


    ¡°Accelerate. Charge through,¡± Zhuang Qingyan spoke sternly.


    The engine roared louder. Some of the refugees hesitated and backed off, but more daring ones clung to the roof, banging it with hard objects.


    Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s mechanical arm forcefully pressed the accelerator. The off-road pickup truck surged forward like a sharp axe splitting through water, unstoppable, causing those blocking the path to startle and dodge, watching helplessly as the truck sped toward the city gate.


    Greenwater City was completely sealed off, covered by a thick iron mesh outside the city walls, with high-voltage electric currents shimmering. An official in municipal hall uniform stood on a lookout post three to four meters above the ground, holding a megaphone, shouting hoarsely:


    ¡°We¡¯re already overloaded with the refugees we¡¯ve accepted. We can¡¯t allow more people in.¡±


    ¡°Please, everyone, wait a little longer! Please be patient!¡±


    ¡°If there¡¯s any extra space, we¡¯ll make sure to let everyone in at the earliest opportunity!¡±


    The city gate was crowded with refugees unwilling to leave. Even smashing the horn had no effect. Zhuang Qingyan opened the public address system and spoke upwards, ¡°We¡¯re participants in the Throne Race Competition, please allow us entry into the city.¡±


    Hearing the words ¡°entry into the city,¡± the surrounding crowd became instantly excited, pushing forward madly, managing to move the off-road pickup truck half a meter.


    The official was in a panic, adamantly refusing to open the gate, shouting, ¡°Permission granted to enter, find your own way in!¡±


    Find their own way in¡­ that meant finding their own way.


    Song Ke sighed.


    The sunroof of the pickup truck opened, and with swift movements, Song Ke threw a section of a spiritual weapon grappling hook that hooked onto the entrance of the lookout post. Then, with a single hand, she pulled up Zhuang Qingyan. They soared into the air, Song Ke using the wall to propel herself up, showcasing her agility to everyone¡ªlike a skilled acrobat.


    Su Cha lifted Lin Youyou, following the same procedure, closely behind Song Ke¡¯s landing.


    With Xu Xing and Fang Zhixu held by Lu Xiaoyu on each side, his mechanical arms extended, grabbing the wall, and lifting them up, safely landing them atop.


    In just a few seconds, all seven members of V587 arrived at the lookout post.


    Before the official finished his sentence of ¡°find your own way in,¡± a row of people suddenly appeared in front of him.


    ¡°We¡¯re in,¡± Song Ke said calmly.


    The official, holding the megaphone, stared in amazement, ¡°That was¡­ pretty quick.¡±


    After the completion of the player verification process, Song Ke glanced once more at the crowded masses below the city walls before turning away.


    The situation inside Greenwater City wasn¡¯t much better than outside. The influx of people from nearby cities had overwhelmed it.


    Streets and alleys were lined with makeshift tents, refugees sleeping on the ground, enduring harsh conditions. The atmosphere was bleak, filled with anxiety and fear.


    Wanting to emulate their strategy in Rainbow Cloud City by finding the check-in point drone, V587 found that the committee might have become wary and retrieved the drones. Besides the filming drone, Lu Xiaoyu couldn¡¯t detect any useful data. They spent half a day circling within the city but found no anomalies.


    ¡°Now what do we do?¡± Song Ke asked.


    Zhuang Qingyan lowered his gaze towards the visible refugee camps and uttered a single word.


    ¡°Wait.¡±


    If he guessed correctly, the check-in point would soon manifest on its own.


    Outside Greenwater City, shortly after V587 entered, several steamships and floating cars followed suit.


    The gathering refugees grew increasingly agitated, unable to contain their angry queries:


    ¡°Why can they go in?¡±


    ¡°Let us in, the zombie tide is coming, let us in!!¡±


    ¡°Open the doors!¡±


    The officials from the municipal hall shouted themselves hoarse, but the refugees, enveloped in the shadow of the zombie tide, had lost their rationality completely. With eyes reddened, they pushed forward blindly, unwilling to touch the high-voltage electric fence, instead, colliding with the lower protective barriers.


    ¡°Boom¡ª¡±


    A deafening noise reverberated as those in the front, propelled by their momentum, unexpectedly fell, but the refugees behind were oblivious, continuing their frenzied push, trampling their compatriots mercilessly.


    ¡°Boom¡ª¡±


    The official on the lookout post staggered, and bits of wall debris fell. Armed soldiers aimed at the crowd below, uncertain where to engage.


    ¡°Boom¡ª¡±


    The sturdy barriers gave way, the city gates teetered, and thousands upon thousands of refugees, seeing a glimmer of hope, broke free, rushing madly towards Greenwater City.


    From a high vantage point, the mass of people, distorted figures running amok, bore no distinction from the zombie tide.


    Inside the city, Song Ke and the others received a system prompt: ¡°Greenwater City check-in point has appeared.¡±

 Chapter 120.1: Life-and-Death Marathon (11)

    ¡ò Song Ke = White-Eyed Wolf? ¡ò¡°Charge! Just charge in and you¡¯ll survive!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t push, stop pushing!¡±


    Two completely opposite voices rang out simultaneously.


    The high-pressure iron net had already twisted and deformed. Those at the front charged forward like falling dominoes, pinned down under the weight, unable to move. They convulsed from head to toe, foaming at the mouth, shrieking in agony, instantly meeting their demise, electrocuted. Yet, the following tide of refugees continued frenziedly, trampling over the bodies of their compatriots, striving to cross over the tall wall.


    Under wave after wave of impact, the outer wall of Greenwater City collapsed under unbearable pressure, and the swarming refugees finally surged in.


    Just above the pile of victims, a radiant holographic projection descended, bearing the seal of Greenwater City.


    From afar, it appeared like a flower blooming from corpses¡ªa malevolent blossom nurtured by flesh and blood.


    ¡°Mass hysteria,¡± Zhuang Qingyan spoke with a somber face, explaining the horrifying phenomenon from a psychological perspective. ¡°When individuals with similar demands gather and become part of a group, their behavior no longer bears individual responsibility. Normal constraints disappear, and they become blindly obedient, cruel, paranoid, and fanatical, resorting to violence and aggression to fulfill their own desires.¡±


    ¡°Greenwater City is finished,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said coldly.


    With its defenses breached, Greenwater City lay wide open, akin to a vulnerable infant, susceptible to being obliterated by even a small-scale wave of corpses.


    ¡°After we check in, we leave,¡± Song Ke decided firmly.


    The seven individuals turned back towards the direction of the city gate. Song Ke hurried like the wind. After scaling the city wall, she leaped into the air. Her oversized coat fluttered in the wind as she landed lightly on top of the pile of corpses. Her feet touched the warm bodies, blood instantly soaking through her shoes.


    The bodies, dead from the stampede, had already piled up several tens of meters high, extending over an area of about two hundred meters in diameter. However, the checkpoint was buried at the very bottom of the corpse mountain.


    Song Ke conjured a shovel and began digging.


    As she dug, her eyes inadvertently met those of a girl. The girl appeared to be about the same age as her, pinned down by a dozen or so people. Her left half twisted unnaturally into a contorted mass, weakly pleading for help from Song Ke: ¡°Save¡­ save me.¡±


    Song Ke fell silent for two seconds, then discarded the shovel, using her hands to peel away the layers of bodies to drag the girl out. Even though she knew in her heart that even if she freed her, the girl wouldn¡¯t survive. Her hands quickly became covered in sticky, fresh blood and fragmented innards. Once the survivor regained her freedom, she weakly smiled at Song Ke, ¡°Th¡­thank¡­¡±


    Before she could finish her words, a rumbling particle cannon descended from the sky, striking the pile of bodies, its explosion engulfing Song Ke and the girl in an instant.


    ¡°Song Ke!¡± ¡°Captain!¡± ¡°Sister!!¡±


    Members of the V587 on the other side shouted loudly.


    The glaring light gradually faded away, leaving behind gaping holes in the pile of corpses caused by the explosion. Song Ke crawled out from the shattered wreckage, barely recognizable, yet miraculously unharmed. However, as she looked down, the girl who had just been there was now blown to pieces by the blast.


    Song Ke closed her eyes, refusing to look at her anymore, swiftly turning her gaze towards the attackers.


    Apart from V587, several other teams had swiftly arrived, including the reorganized ¡°Anna Knights.¡± Despite the severe blow to their strength after Song Ke single-handedly took down their ace, Sai Ang, they remained formidable opponents not to be underestimated.


    Members of the ¡°Anna Knights ¡± were using heavy weaponry to clear the area.


    These robotic entities seemed impatient, blasting openings with particle cannons only to have new bodies cover the gaps. They resorted to jumping onto the city walls, facing the surging civilians, ruthlessly using their abilities to massacre, limbs flying, and bodies torn apart. The ¡°Anna Knights¡± showed no emotion, treating it like exterminating a bunch of inconspicuous cockroaches, violently tearing down defenses, steadily approaching their checkpoint.


    There was a momentary confusion in Song Ke¡¯s eyes. What were they doing? Was this¡­ right?


    Before entering the Throne Race, all participants had signed waivers, acknowledging the risk of death with every victory they sought.


    As long as it meant winning, any means were deemed justifiable.


    But this wasn¡¯t killing zombies; this was¡­ damn it, it was killing people, an outright massacre.


    Song Ke¡¯s fists clenched tighter as she abruptly leaped onto the fractured wall, her cold, sharp movements driving back the refugees who were still pressing forward.


    ¡°Don¡¯t come any closer! Move back!!¡±


    Those at the front realized the danger and tried to escape, fear evident on their faces. However, the refugees rushing from the shelter remained oblivious, heedlessly shoving forward, inadvertently sending countless compatriots to their demise.


    Zhuang Qingyan looked up at Song Ke from a higher vantage point, one hand pressed tightly against his forehead. This couldn¡¯t continue; if the refugee tide didn¡¯t recede, they wouldn¡¯t be able to approach the checkpoint. He rapidly recalled the map of Greenwater City. Aside from the main gate, there were three other exits on the east, west, and north sides.


    ¡°Open the side gates, let them in!¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu and the others instantly grasped his intention. They dispersed, using their abilities to attack the defensive line. Greenwater City was beyond saving; sooner or later, it would be overrun by the uncontrollable refugees. Their immediate task was to swiftly evacuate the crowd congested at the main gate, preventing further stampede incidents.


    Sounds of the city walls collapsing echoed from the east and west sides, accompanied by choking clouds of smoke and dust.


    Zhuang Qingyan mobilized his awakened energy, his commanding voice resonating clearly above Greenwater City, exerting pressure, ¡°Listen, everyone! The main gate is sealed off. There are new entrances one kilometer to the east and two kilometers to the southwest. If you want to enter the city, head there!¡±


    ¡°The entrance capacity is limited. Seize the opportunity. Whoever runs fast will survive!¡±


    Human nature probably couldn¡¯t tolerate words like ¡°limited¡± or ¡°restricted.¡± As Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s voice echoed, the refugees at the rear slowed down, hesitated for a moment, then turned and ran to the sides. It was like a miraculous scene from Moses parting the sea; the blocked crowd automatically diverted, dispersing at an extremely fast pace. With the release at the back, the pressure ahead suddenly decreased, and the number of trampled bodies stopped increasing.


    Song Ke had just breathed a sigh of relief when suddenly curses came from behind, and a row of particle cannons fired at her.


    ¡°What the hell are you guys doing?!¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to compete, then quit quickly! I¡¯ve had it with you for a long time!¡±


    Song Ke raised the cold, sharp saw to deflect the attack, glanced up, and saw members of the ¡°Anna Knights¡± glaring at her viciously. Her brow furrowed in confusion for a moment, but then she was astonished to realize that the check-in point, previously buried beneath the trampled bodies, had vanished!


    But she quickly understood.


    Since it was a check-in point nourished by bloodshed, as the violence dispersed, the checkpoint naturally disappeared. S?a??h the N?v?lFir?.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°You just wait for me.¡±


    Aware of Song Ke¡¯s prowess, the ¡°Anna Knights¡± didn¡¯t want to confront her head-on at this moment. They only left threatening words behind and departed.


    ¡­


    The influx of refugees into the city had nowhere to go. Gradually, they transformed from lost lambs to fierce wolves. They ignited parked vehicles with gasoline, shattered the glass of storefronts along the streets, and even broke into and invaded the homes of terrified residents.


    Extreme anger and fear drowned out the rationality of these individuals. They were no longer refugees but had transformed into outright rioters.


    Malice brewed incessantly within them; the blade of death would always fall. If they couldn¡¯t escape doomsday, then everyone would perish together!


    Song Ke gazed ahead, noticing a projection descending from a certain spot in the high sky, disappearing the next instant, only to reappear in another direction.


    The location of the check-in point kept changing, with the shortest stay lasting just a few seconds.


    ¡°Split up,¡± Song Ke said, ¡°and reach the check-in point as quickly as possible.¡±


    Amidst blaring alarms and shouts, Song Ke maneuvered through the panicked crowd. Vehicles set ablaze careened wildly, and if she wasn¡¯t careful, she¡¯d find herself face-to-face with them, triggering raging fires. She narrowly dodged to the roadside, narrowly avoiding disaster.


    ¡°Girl Ke, it¡¯s you¡­¡± A ragged old man suddenly grabbed her. ¡°You¡¯re Girl Ke, right?!¡±


    Song Ke paused, staring at the old man for two seconds before recognizing him. ¡°Grandpa Cheng.¡±


    Oldman Cheng, in an excited tone, tightened his grip on her wrist. ¡°It¡¯s really you, Girl Ke! This is so good, so good¡­¡±


    He kept repeating ¡°so good¡± as his thin fingers clenched tighter, as if afraid she would vanish.


    ¡°Now you¡¯re an awakener, you¡¯ve made something of yourself. I saw you in that competition, I knew you would come, you must have a way. Quickly, take Grandpa away from here, find a safe place¡­¡± Oldman Cheng¡¯s eyes gleamed, his speech fast and urgent.

 Chapter 120.2: Life-and-Death Marathon (11)

    ¡ò Song Ke = White-Eyed Wolf? ¡òAfter leaving District F177, Oldman Cheng¡¯s feverish son mutated into a zombie on the starship and was killed by other passengers. His daughter-in-law, upon reaching District C, ran away with the money and grandchild when he wasn¡¯t looking. Fortunately, Oldman Cheng had already moved his funds. He had planned to retire peacefully in District C, but soon after settling down, the zombie tide arrived, destroying the city where he resided.


    Having fallen into despair and near the vicinity of Greenwater City, Song Ke¡¯s appearance reignited hope within him.


    ¡°No, no,¡± Song Ke slowly shook her head, resolutely pulling her hand away. Indeed, her wrist was red from his grip. ¡°I still need to¡­ compete.¡±


    Oldman Cheng¡¯s expression turned cold in an instant. ¡°Why not? Don¡¯t you want to help Grandpa?¡±


    Song Ke sighed inwardly.


    Oldman Cheng still saw her as that naive girl from District F, wanting her to abandon the competition, leave her companions, and abandon the Zombie King that could threaten the next city, just to take him to a safe place.


    How could someone be so selfish?


    Song Ke¡¯s reluctance to dwell on the past didn¡¯t mean he could manipulate her again.


    She didn¡¯t bother saying more; she turned to leave. A passerby accidentally bumped into Oldman Cheng¡¯s back, causing him to stumble. At that moment, a surveillance drone flew by, capturing a close-up shot of the two.


    Oldman Cheng suddenly leaped up, his aged face directed at the camera of the unmanned aerial vehicle. The screen flickered, displaying his extreme indignation. ¡°Song Ke, you white-eyed wolf! I¡¯ve raised you with hardship. I¡¯m your grandpa, yet you¡¯d watch me die, you¡¯d watch me die in front of you!¡±


    The refugees in Greenwater City were busy escaping for their lives, indifferent to the spectacle before them. However, across the screen, Oldman Cheng¡¯s actions stirred a commotion, not just among the viewers in the Eastern Alliance but also Ferrara, inciting outrage.


    Anti-fans, standing on the moral high ground, pointed fingers:


    ¡°Even ignoring her own grandpa, didn¡¯t expect Captain V587 to be this kind of person.¡±


    ¡°She seems strong, but her heart is so dark. Regretting voting for her.¡±


    ¡°Saving someone in passing, why can¡¯t she be a bit kinder?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not¡­ my grandpa.¡± Song Ke halted her steps, her voice lowering to an icy point, each word enunciated.


    She initially intended to shake him off and leave, but Oldman Cheng persistently brought up ¡°grandpa,¡± poking at her pain.


    ¡°You don¡¯t deserve to be my grandpa.¡±


    She blamed herself for not noticing the messages left by Song Zhiyuan on the screen. Yet, Oldman Cheng deliberately concealed it, never mentioning it once. Song Ke swung the cold, sharp saw precisely, tearing Oldman Cheng¡¯s collar and revealing the chilling expression on her face.


    ¡°Get lost.¡±


    Oldman Cheng¡¯s eyes darted around, completely abandoning any shame, clutching his chest, ¡°Ai, ai, my heart! How could you, you little beast, you white-eyed wolf, are you trying to kill me, no, you want to kill me¡­¡±


    Speechless, Song Ke turned away. Her actions were measured, not even harming Oldman Cheng in the slightest. Why was he spouting such nonsense? Oldman Cheng noticed her movement, suddenly exerting infinite strength, grabbing her trouser leg, falling to the ground, wailing incessantly, refusing to let go.


    The drone captured the elderly man¡¯s dehydrated and cracked skin, the prominent veins on his hand, and his pained expression, all recorded vividly.


    The barrage of comments condemning her continued, and V587¡¯s support rate plummeted rapidly.


    ¡°I can¡¯t stand it! How could you attack an innocent old man! You¡¯ll face retribution.¡±


    ¡°Poor old grandpa, he looks like he¡¯s about to pass out.¡±


    ¡°Where did these holier-than-thou people come from upstairs? Maybe you should go be a saint in Rainbow Cloud City?¡±


    ¡°Exactly, this old man using moral manipulation.¡±


    ¡°The old grandpa is ill, and Song Ke is so strong, can¡¯t she help a bit?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just talking, why don¡¯t you go and help?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I didn¡¯t participate in the competition, it¡¯s not my business!¡±


    The comments in the barrage became chaotic, and AI administrators kept banning waves after waves of users.


    Song Ke had never been this angry, yet she couldn¡¯t actually kill Oldman Cheng. It would complicate things beyond explanation! Some people are naturally bad at arguing; when emotions run high, their language system goes haywire. That was Song Ke¡¯s case. Coupled with her stuttering issue, she ended up muttering, ¡°I #£¥&* you¡­¡± for a while, unable to muster a complete sentence to hurl back.


    ¡°Hey, you rotten old man! You¡¯ve been on my nerves for too long!¡± Lin Youyou, wearing a mask, suddenly rushed from behind the two, her tone rattling like a machine gun. ¡°You embezzled money from others, treated a child coldly, and yet have the nerve to fake emotions here?¡±


    ¡°Heart trouble? I¡¯m a doctor, let me have a look.¡± Fang Zhixu stepped forward without hesitation, holding Oldman Cheng¡¯s arm for a check-up. Oldman Cheng struggled desperately, but Fang Zhixu, despite looking fragile, being an awakener, had no trouble restraining him.


    ¡°The old man is vigorous and in excellent health, stronger than the average person, no ailments whatsoever,¡± Fang Zhixu said coldly.


    ¡°Song Ke has a real grandpa; what kind of ¡®grandpa¡¯ are you, you shameless one? Embezzling money, abandoning a child to fend for themselves, or when the apocalypse came, kicking her out, abandoning her to the zombie tide? If I were you, I¡¯d kneel down and apologize to Song Ke. You still morally manipulate her, expecting her to save you? Disgusting!¡± Lin Youyou¡¯s firepower was at its peak, relentlessly firing.


    Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s fingers flew, adding in, ¡°Up until April 5th, New Calendar year 47, Cheng Aiweng illegally seized Song Ke¡¯s assets totaling over 1.2 million and refused to return them. The amount reaches the highest sentencing standard, and as her legal guardian, he committed abandonment¡­¡±


    He hacked into Oldman Cheng¡¯s personal account, tracing it back to the day Song Zhiyuan sent money. Every financial transaction was crystal clear, even snapshots of his proud face while swiping his card, like a public execution.


    The drones filming caught wind of the big scandal, immediately zooming in on the screen, capturing irrefutable evidence.


    The anti-fans who had just rallied behind Oldman Cheng, condemning Song Ke for her lack of conscience, vanished into thin air, mouths sealed shut.


    Zhuang Qingyan patted Song Ke on the back, comforting her softly, ¡°Don¡¯t mind them. People are often stupid. With a bit of cheap sympathy and tears, they easily overlook the provokers and instead criticize those who react in anger.¡±


    Song Ke glanced lazily at him, not really paying attention, but she lowered her voice, genuinely musing, ¡°So much money.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan: ¡°¡­?¡±


    Having lived through the post-apocalyptic struggles, especially worrying about earning money for the team (mainly for Lu Xiaoyu), Song Ke realized for the first time just how wealthy her grandfather was. She had missed the chance to become a little rich lady!


    Cheng Aiweng, having been thoroughly scolded by Lin Youyou and exposed by Lu Xiaoyu, found himself unable to save face. His retreat, despite his insults of ¡°Little beast, white-eyed wolf¡­¡±, couldn¡¯t hide the defeat in his eyes. He walked away, seemingly unperturbed.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s eyes flashed and Oldman Cheng¡¯s hunched figure stiffened for a moment before he nonchalantly continued on his way. These insignificant details went unnoticed by others.


    Song Ke looked at her allies who had stood up for her, feeling grateful but a bit lost, ¡°Thanks, every¡­wah?¡±


    Lin Youyou reached out, pinching and squishing Song Ke¡¯s cheeks, ¡°You! If you can¡¯t handle it, just call for us.¡±


    Song Ke mumbled unclearly, ¡°You, you, don¡¯t¡­ squish me¡­ Ah.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu opened the terminal and displayed footage from the drone, announcing, ¡°Stop kidding around; there¡¯s bad news.¡±


    On the thermal imager, a large green radiation zone was closing in on Greenwater City, less than five kilometers away.


    ¡°The real zombie tide is coming.¡±


    Song Ke pushed away Lin Youyou¡¯s hand and shouted at the team, ¡°Check-in point! Quickly!¡±


    She bounced away, running swiftly.


    Lu Xiaoyu glanced sideways at the silent Zhuang Qingyan. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say something? Don¡¯t tell me you didn¡¯t know.¡±


    With Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s mental abilities, he must have sensed the approaching zombie tide but had not warned anyone.


    ¡°You did something.¡± Lu Xiaoyu sounded certain.


    Zhuang Qingyan raised an eyebrow. ¡°I always retaliate when provoked.¡±


    ¡­


    Oldman Cheng¡¯s eyes were confused, and he stood bewildered at the city gate, momentarily forgetting what he was supposed to do.


    ¡°Why am I here?¡± He muttered, puzzled.


    His plan to leave with Song Ke¡¯s help shattered. He needed to think of another way. Oldman Cheng accessed his terminal, wanting to check the balance in his account. Even though money had minimal value during the apocalypse, having money was still preferable.


    But soon, he froze. There was nothing in his personal account. S~?a??h the N???lFire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    His money, all of it, was gone!


    Oldman Cheng lifted his head in disbelief, his dilated pupils reflecting the distant, undulating black tide.


    ¡°Wh-what¡­ what¡¯s that?¡± His face showed horror, his voice lost.


    Oldman Cheng tried to escape, but his limbs felt frozen in place, unable to move.


    A continuous wave of zombies surged towards Greenwater City, breaking through the seemingly nonexistent defense line and instantly overwhelming Oldman Cheng.


    In the fleeting moment before losing consciousness, Oldman Cheng had a vague feeling that the zombie, baring its fangs, bore some resemblance to Song Zhiyuan.

 Chapter 121: Life-and-Death Marathon (12)

    ¡ò Quick, quick! Catch her! ¡òXu Xing hid inside an empty garbage bin, peeking out with half his head, observing discreetly.


    Across the street, seven or eight brazen refugees were looting a large supermarket without any restraint. Shopping carts and shelves were violently knocked down. After ransacking, they poured a large barrel of cooking oil onto the ground, lit it with a lighter, and instantly, flames shot up into the sky.


    Shortly after they left with their loot, a holographic projection appeared above the supermarket.


    ¡°Check-in point!¡± Xu Xing¡¯s eyes lit up. His inner self danced a disco. He actually ran into it¡ªwhat luck, Xu Xiaoxing!


    He released frost, wrapping himself from head to toe, and dashed into the supermarket. This time the check-in point was near the ceiling. Xu Xing found the nearest warehouse-style shelf and struggled to climb up.


    The temperature inside was too high; the ice melted quickly. Xu Xing¡¯s little face turned red from the heat, his curly hair drooping down as sweat streamed down his face. He reached out, wiped his face, and tremblingly climbed to the top of the shelf, trying to reach the terminal. Unfortunately, he was just a little short. He tiptoed and pushed desperately with his fingertips, finally getting a bit closer.


    Xu Xing stomped his foot in frustration. He had never felt so short with his 130cm height (growing 3cm taller this new year). If it were Su Cha¡­ No, not even Su Cha. If it were Lu Xiaoyu, Fang Zhixu , Lin Youyou, or his sister, any of them could easily reach it.


    Hmph, only that person in the wheelchair couldn¡¯t reach it.


    Xu Xing pouted and sent a message in the group chat: ¡°Check-in point, hurry up!¡±


    At that moment, V587 members were busy defending for Song Ke, and no one paid attention to the slight reminder in the group chat.


    Xu Xing pressed the receiver he had just hidden to mute and raised his voice, ¡°Hey?¡± ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Moshi moshi?¡±


    As soon as the earpiece opened, Lin Youyou¡¯s vigorous and fierce scolding immediately came through, calling him ¡°old scoundrel,¡± ¡°shameless,¡± demanding him to ¡°kneel and slap his face.¡± It left Xu Xing stunned.


    After a while, only Su Cha quietly replied, ¡°Share your location.¡±


    Only the two of them were still working at the moment.


    Xu Xing sat cross-legged on the shelf, nodding vigorously while listening to the scolding battle. His movements were too exaggerated, and he accidentally burned half of his buttocks. With a ¡°sizzle,¡± he jumped up and shifted his position.


    Shortly after, Su Cha arrived at the supermarket, pouring a basin of cold water over Xu Xing¡¯s head. His agile figure rushed in like a gust of wind.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the check-in point?¡± Su Cha asked.


    Xu Xing pointed casually, still muttering, ¡°Bad guy! Stinky old man!¡± continuously. ¡°It¡¯s there.¡±


    Su Cha asked again, ¡°Where?¡±


    Xu Xing replied, ¡°Right there¡­¡±


    But the fire seal had long disappeared.


    Xu Xing was dumbfounded.


    Oh no, he was too absorbed in Lin Youyou¡¯s scolding that he didn¡¯t notice the check-in point had moved!


    Su Cha looked at him silently.


    Xu Xing blinked innocently back at him.


    The surroundings crackled and burst with fire, leaving the supermarket completely charred.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Su Cha lifted the short Xu Xing off the shelf, casually holding him with his arm. ¡°Need some ice.¡±


    The cold water splashed earlier had evaporated completely, and the scorching flames were licking Su Cha¡¯s skin.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Forced into an ice-making machine, Xu Xing lifted his buttocks and swung his two little legs, knowing he was in the wrong. He obediently released his ability. Both of them were enveloped in a tight layer of frost and hurriedly dashed out of the supermarket.


    As they ran onto the street, the five members of V587 arrived following the location.


    ¡°Xiao Xing! Where¡¯s the check-in point?¡± Song Ke asked enthusiastically.


    ¡°It¡¯s gone,¡± Xu Xing flapped his hands in a dejected manner. ¡°It was just right in front of me!¡±


    ¡°It was right in front of you, why didn¡¯t you use the terminal then?¡± Zhuang Qingyan asked calmly.


    Xu Xing¡¯s confidence deflated instantly. He grumbled, feeling sorry for himself, ¡°I¡­ I couldn¡¯t reach it.¡±


    His male pride emerged silently. He extended his pinky finger, indicating, ¡°Just missed it by this much!¡±


    Su Cha glanced at him, seeing through but not exposing it, preserving Xu Xing¡¯s pride.


    ¡°Hurry up, the zombie tide is coming,¡± Lu Xiaoyu reminded.


    The densely packed zombies swept through like locusts, swiftly flooding the streets and alleys. They stormed into buildings, jumped onto car roofs, knocking down fleeing humans, cruelly biting and feeding on them. The splattering blood seemed to weave a crimson velvet carpet over Greenwater City.


    The refugees who had recently sought shelter, witnessing this horror, scrambled even more desperately to flee.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the Zombie King?¡± Song Ke¡¯s cold jagged blade sawed through a zombie¡¯s head that rushed towards her.


    ¡°Not here!¡± Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s mechanical arms moved in unison, replying loudly.


    Lin Youyou¡¯s singing didn¡¯t cease, and she shouted in passing, ¡°Not even Level 3 zombies!¡±


    The zombies in this zombie tide were mainly Levels 1 and 2, occasionally mixed with a few mutant zombies. Although their numbers were high, their strengths varied. Ordinary people could resist them, and once the awakeners inside Greenwater City and the official forces reacted, they would eventually be wiped out.


    A zombie tide without a Zombie King commanding, it was nothing but a scattered group of cannon fodders.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s eyes dimmed as he instantly recalled an ancient military strategy from the old civilization¡ªdiverting attention from the true objective.


    Attacking Greenwater City was highly likely a diversion set up by that cunning Zombie King. It deliberately released some low-level zombies to feign an attack on the city while sending the true elite forces elsewhere.


    Zhuang Qingyan activated his screen and entered the live broadcast channel of the Throne Race Competition. Some teams, like ¡°Shunxing Teahouse,¡± were ahead and had already reached Reshufu. However, this city, most likely to be attacked, remained peaceful at the moment.


    He quickly scanned through the personal live streams of other competitors. Each team had different progress¡ªsome were fighting zombies in already fallen cities, some relentlessly pushed forward, and a few relaxed, comfortably sitting in restaurants. But regardless of the location, there was no sign of another zombie tide.


    Zhuang Qingyan paused his finger on the screen, switching to the marathon map and calculating swiftly in his mind. Theoretically, guessing the psychological activities of zombies was an absurd idea, but Zhuang Qingyan had no hesitation. His gaze focused directly on the second-to-last checkpoint¡ªHaimen.


    ¡°Check-in point!¡± Suddenly, Song Ke pointed upward.


    In a skyscraper ahead, about 30 floors high, the glass suddenly shattered, and several figures struggled before falling and crashing onto the ground.


    V587 rapidly closed in on the target, but to their surprise, they collided with the ¡°Anna Knights.¡± This group of robots was a step ahead, their steamship landed on the rooftop of the building. Five awakeners from their team threw down ropes, sliding down to their respective floors, swiftly activating terminals. A holographic projection appeared with a message: ¡°Congratulations, ¡°Anna Knights¡±, for successfully checking in.¡±


    Song Ke furrowed her brow, observing them closely. The ¡°Anna Knights¡± had changed. They seemed to have plundered the military arsenal in Greenwater City, armed to the teeth¡ªshotguns replaced by cannons, assault rifles, shoulder-mounted mortars, and rough mechanical parts integrated into their bodies, creating a crude yet menacing appearance.


    Five mechanical beings swiftly turned their weapons and opened fire at Song Ke and the others charging towards them without a word. They were trapped at the city gate, at that time, they were unable to do anything about the culprit. Now that they were free to act and had the upper hand in firepower, they were determined to reclaim their ground.


    ¡°Wanna check-in? I¡¯ll turn you into Swiss cheese!¡± The leader-like figure among the mechanical beings arrogantly shouted.


    Gunshots erupted, casings scattered, forcing Song Ke¡¯s group to retreat repeatedly. The frontline was too intense, impossible to break through.


    ¡°Target their healers and support!¡± In team battles, targeting the healers first was ingrained in their combat DNA. Torrents of bullets surged towards Fang Zhixu and Lin Youyou.


    Lin Youyou¡¯s lips moved rapidly as she rapped for self-preservation, conjuring up a thick fog. Within the ¡°Anna Knights¡± team¡¯s vision, two figures vanished.


    Yet, Fang Zhixu¡¯s presence was too conspicuous. The mechanical beings, still holding the aerial advantage, had already locked onto his position. A long, thick chain whistled through the air, piercing through the mist. With a click, it clamped onto Fang Zhixu¡¯s ankle, dragging him out.


    The malicious smile of the awakener who acted was evident as he hoisted Fang Zhixu, twirling him in the air before hurling him towards the densely packed area of zombies. S~?a??h the ??v?l_Fir?.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    With muscles surging, Su Cha leaped like a cheetah over the rooftop, racing towards Fang Zhixu¡¯s landing spot.


    Unfortunately, they were a step too late. ¡°Bang!¡± Fang Zhixu crashed down on dozens of zombies.


    ¡°Old Fang!¡± Song Ke¡¯s eyes twitched with excessive tension.


    Fang Zhixu, sprawled on the ground, awkwardly got up. Looking around in panic, the zombies around him were hit directly by this extraterrestrial object. Some had necks snapped, while others had holes, oozing foul, black liquid.


    ¡°Ao!¡± Their feasting was abruptly interrupted. They roared angrily, roaring at Fang Zhixu, spraying his face with their putrid saliva, their teeth, covered in bits of flesh, almost touching his eyeballs.


    Then, the movements of the zombies halted.


    They seemed to have lost their target, confusedly sniffing around Fang Zhixu. After a few seconds, they resumed, lowering their heads to feast on the corpses.


    Fang Zhixu attempted to move his legs, trying to stand but accidentally tripped again. With a slap from his left hand, he struck a zombie¡¯s head, causing it to twist and turn, emitting ¡°ho ho¡± sounds from its throat, seemingly oblivious to Fang Zhixu who was so close.


    Song Ke breathed a sigh of relief, realizing that Fang Zhixu had an odd constitution; zombies didn¡¯t bite him.


    Su Cha arrived at the scene and took the opportunity to retrieve Fang Zhixu.


    Song Ke glared coldly at the ¡°Anna Knights.¡± At the moment when V587 was distracted, the check-in point vanished again.


    This time, after disappearing, it didn¡¯t reappear from elsewhere as it usually did.


    Song Ke realized something: the refugees were exhausted from fleeing and no longer focused on causing trouble. Consequently, the appearance frequency of the checkpoint became slower and slower.


    The mechanical beings from above smugly pulled their lips as they stopped V587. Afterward, they turned back, climbing towards the top of the building, preparing to retreat.


    Nearly killed Fang Zhixu and still thinking about running?


    Song Ke grabbed an electrical pole from the ground, transforming it into a nine-section whip. Clinging to the exterior wall of the building, her speed was astonishingly fast, relentlessly pursuing. Gradually closing the gap with the ¡°Anna Knights,¡± she unexpectedly swung the whip: ¡°Take that!¡±


    Xu Xing intuitively froze the foot of one of them with ice. The ethereal blue whip instantly coiled around his neck. As Song Ke pulled down, the mechanical being plummeted straight down from a hundred meters high, littering the ground with scattered parts.


    ¡°Damn it! Run!¡±


    Just after this shout, another member, cursed by Lin Youyou, suddenly stepped into nothingness. Song Ke grabbed his waist, peeling him off the surface of the building.


    ¡°Ahh¡ª¡±


    ¡°You bunch of little f*ckers, die!¡±


    As Song Ke ascended through the floors, her attacks became faster. The ¡°Anna Knights¡± were pushed to the edge. With relentless mortar bombardments, the building¡¯s support beams ruptured, causing it to gradually tilt.


    Song Ke glanced towards the last one ¨C Mechanical Leg. Panic was evident on his face. He was just a step away from the steamship. Clenching his teeth, he shed all excess weight and sprouted suction cups on his legs, quickly maneuvering along the glass surface, creating distance from Song Ke for a moment.


    Mechanical Leg¡¯s left hand grasped the hatch of the steamship, displaying an ecstatic expression, believing he had escaped!


    At that moment, a powerful mental force invaded his mind. His body hairs stood on end, his eyes suddenly flickered and became empty.


    The serpentine nine-section whip wrapped around his thigh. Song Ke tightened her forearm, leveraging her entire body weight backward. With a ¡®pop,¡¯ the suction cups deprived of air, detached from the glass, and Mechanical Leg¡¯s two limbs were forcibly torn apart. Before he could recover his senses, he plummeted heavily.


    The ¡°Anna Knights¡± were completely wiped out!


    The dazzling holographic projection descended, and the fiery seal slowly emerged, signifying the rekindled battle among the awakeners.


    The opportunity was fleeting.


    Suddenly, Song Ke performed a swift pull-up, utilizing the inertia to leap upwards. Then, she released her grip, twisted her body mid-air, and with her slender waist drew a sharp arc, leveraging her remarkable flexibility to tap the terminal!


    ¡°Congratulations, ¡®V587,¡¯ for successfully checking in.¡±


    Success! As Song Ke landed and rolled, unexpectedly, she slid off the rooftop without warning. Lightning-fast, she grasped the railing, her body swaying. Regardless of whether Zhuang Qingyan and the others could see her, she flashed a ¡°V¡± sign downward.


    The next moment, the overstressed building split in half from the middle, quickly crumbling into pieces.


    As the railing lost its stability and tilted, Song Ke¡¯s foothold vanished, akin to a kite with a snapped string, plummeting from a considerable height¡ªfalling down.


    ¡°Quick, quick! Catch her!¡± Lin Youyou¡¯s complexion paled as she rushed forward with her arms outstretched.


    Even if Song Ke possessed incredible abilities, she was still hundreds of meters above the ground now. No matter how powerful her ability was, her body couldn¡¯t endure such a fall!


    ¡°Bang!¡± Song Ke attempted to grab a steel beam, but it broke, her head smashing through the glass. She tumbled into the building and rolled out again.


    Falling too fast, she couldn¡¯t find a solid anchor point. She had to use her whip to catch onto whatever she could to slow her descent.


    Veins surfaced on Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s hand as he trembled, abruptly leaving his wheelchair!


    Lu Xiaoyu shattered the shop window, pulling out a bedsheet from inside. Six mechanical arms extended and stretched out to serve as a makeshift cushion.


    The collapsing building erupted in a violent explosion, billowing smoke rising from the ruins.


    ¡°Thud, thud¡­¡±


    Song Ke bounced down like a ball, landing perfectly into Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s makeshift cushion, significantly reducing the impact, and safely caught.


    Lu Xiaoyu sighed in relief, retracting the mechanical arms, ready to lift her up.


    However, like an eel, Song Ke unexpectedly slipped out from the edge, bouncing twice and smacked onto the roof of a nearby armored truck, landing face down.


    Lu Xiaoyu: ¡°¡­Oh.¡±


    Xu Xing covered his face, grimacing in pain.


    Song Ke, supporting her head, stood up groggily, spinning around aimlessly. Finally, she turned her back to everyone and addressed the air, ¡°Hehe, check-in, success.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan snapped his fingers, ¡°Song Keke, turn around.¡±


    Confused, Song Ke turned but still couldn¡¯t find anyone. Then, tears welled up in her eyes, and two lines of red fell from her nose.

 Chapter 122: Life-and-Death Marathon (13)

    ¡ò ¡®Thousand Deaths Blue Enchantress of Cataclysmic Annihilation ¡ò¡°Haha¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hahahaha¡ª¡±


    ¡°Puhahahahaha¡ª¡±


    Song Ke had changed into a coat that could cover her entire body, sitting cross-legged in the back seat of the car, trying hard to diminish her own presence.


    The loose hood covered her blushing face; she had stuffed two pieces of tissue in her nose. Echoes of teammates¡¯ unrestrained laughter reverberated in her ears, especially the boisterous ones from Lin Youyou, Lu Xiaoyu, and the muffled chuckles from Xu Xing.


    ¡°Song Ke, are you made of jelly? How can you be so elastic hahaha and bounce like that hahaha¡ª¡±


    ¡°Sister, does your face hurt? I felt so much pain on my face just now!¡±


    ¡°The part where you bumped into the cash transport vehicle was already edited into a viral clip. It got a lot of views. I saved it, want to see? I¡¯ll send it to you.¡±


    ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have made a ¡®V¡¯ sign to them,¡¯ Song Ke thought expressionlessly. ¡®If only I hadn¡¯t wasted that time, I could¡¯ve flipped up.¡¯


    With a last glimmer of hope, she looked at Su Cha and Fang Zhixu. They wouldn¡¯t mock her, right?


    Fang Zhixu struggled to hold back his laughter, his trembling left hand offering a row of band-aids, while Su Cha avoided eye contact, dodging her gaze, coughed a couple of times to disguise it, then turned away silently.


    Song Ke: ¡°!!¡±


    Don¡¯t think I didn¡¯t notice; you¡¯re clearly laughing!


    Zhuang Qingyan extended his arm from the front row, rubbing Song Ke¡¯s head through the hood. He shifted slightly downward, his slender fingers weaving through her hair, lightly touching the minor scratch on her cheek. Song Ke tilted her head to avoid it, but it inadvertently brushed against her ear, turning as red as fire in an instant.


    ¡°Next time you jump, aim a bit better, at least¡­ don¡¯t let your face hit first.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s eyes twinkled with a smile, his voice husky, carrying a hint of teasing.


    Song Ke froze, then suddenly bit his wrist.


    After a while, she spat it out with a stiff, uncomfortable expression.


    ¡°The competition, you guys, focus! Talk about serious matters!¡± Song Ke shouted in frustration and embarrassment.


    The teasing had gone too far, the captain was losing her temper, and the team members, sensing the shift, immediately fell silent, pretending to be busy.


    ¡°She¡¯s talking to you guys, be serious!¡± Xu Xing acted all authoritative, pointing and lecturing like a little adult.


    Song Ke coldly snorted and leaned against the window, looking outside. The road out of the city was strewn with corpses, devastation everywhere. Hearing the sound of the engine, the zombies grotesquely lunged toward them but were sent flying by Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s wild driving skills.


    The newly acquired SUV lacked the stability of the previous off-road pickup truck for long distances. Upon impact, the car would occasionally jolt, making everyone inside sway. Zhuang Qingyan lightly tapped his fingers, conjuring a holographic map. He marked crosses at the positions of Rainbow Cloud City and Greenwater City, then drew a darker line indicating the shortest path to Haimen.


    ¡°We¡¯re only heading to safe cities, completing the checkpoints along the way. Before today ends, we must reach Haimen.¡±


    ¡°Not following the designated route?¡± Su Cha was somewhat surprised. According to the original plan, V587 was supposed to pass through a fallen District C. If they followed Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s route, after reaching Haimen, they¡¯d have to circle back again to complete the check-in, which would waste more time. ¡°Our goal is the championship, killing the Zombie King is the key. Missing this opportunity to catch it, even if we complete the check-in points within the set time, it¡¯s just clearing the level, not winning.¡±


    ¡°You suspect the Zombie King will attack Haimen? Why not Reshufu? Haimen is much tougher to breach,¡± Lin Youyou raised a question.


    ¡°So confident? What if it heads to Reshufu instead?¡± Lu Xiaoyu glanced at him sideways. If Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s speculation was wrong, they would be left empty-handed, not encountering the Zombie King, wasting precious time.


    Zhuang Qingyan squinted with a hint of amusement in his peach blossom eyes. ¡°From the encounters at Tongwan, this Zombie King is valiant in battle, bold yet meticulous, skilled in using ancient warfare tactics, maneuvering and disrupting the enemy¡¯s rhythm. What¡¯s even more remarkable is its calmness under pressure. Even when facing a disadvantage, it can make accurate judgments instantly. It¡¯s an exceptionally outstanding battlefield commander.¡±


    Rarely praising others, Zhuang Qingyan continued to shower such extensive praise on a zombie, leaving everyone¡¯s expressions somewhat hard to articulate.


    ¡°I¡¯ve researched the information. Among the active registered commanders in the Alliance, there¡¯s no one with this style,¡± Lu Xiaoyu multitasked, his idle mechanical arm projecting without reservation. ¡°If it¡¯s as formidable as you say, shouldn¡¯t it be someone known?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan, looking disdainful, pushed away his intrusive hand. ¡°You think sheer strength can bring success? There are plenty of talented but frustrated individuals out there. You should understand this better than me, right?¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu, whose legs were broken by the Lu family and thrown into Death Prison because of his ¡°outstanding strength and peculiar temperament¡±: ¡°¡­¡±


    Hey, isn¡¯t this hitting a little too close to home?


    ¡°If I were it, I¡¯d now possess an unstoppable, endless army of the living dead. The instinct of the zombie within me clamors to destroy this land, while the remnants of my human intellect guide me step by step toward victory.¡±


    ¡°I desire Reshufu, and I also desire Haimen. Since foolish humans think I¡¯ll attack Reshufu, let me indulge you. I¡¯ll release some bait, oh? Are you prepared for battle? Want to kill me? Too bad, I¡¯ve already stealthily infiltrated Haimen, catching you off guard.¡±


    ¡°Haimen is indeed a tough nut to crack, but once I bite into it, the path ahead will be clear. I can conquer the entire Alliance¡­¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s knuckles rhythmically tapped, his eyes deep, deliberately lowering his voice to a husky tone, vividly simulating the psychological activity of a zombie. The others got goosebumps all over; wow, this person is so twisted.


    ¡°Why say Haimen is hard to bite into?¡± Song Ke innocently asked, completely unaware of the abnormal atmosphere.


    The teammates chimed in, eagerly answering, hoping Zhuang Qingyan would stop talking; it was creeping them out.


    Lu Xiaoyu: ¡°Haimen is the most important granary in the east. Be it the total production, goods, or exports, it ranks first in the Alliance. According to scientific statistics, below District C, one out of every three meals includes food from Haimen.¡±


    Lin Youyou: ¡°Haimen has vast land, the largest area within District D, but the population is less than ten million. Due to the sparse population, people live affluent lives. The locals are bold, straightforward, and don¡¯t bother with trifles.¡±


    Xu Xing: ¡°My dad once said, people from Haimen are big and simple, wealthy, and easily deceived.¡±


    Everyone turned to look at him simultaneously, questioning his choice of words. What kind of parenting is that? Saying such things could cause trouble if heard by people from Haimen!


    Xu Xing belatedly covered his mouth. ¡°Uh, oops,¡± inadvertently letting out the latter part of his sentence.


    Fang Zhixu stroked his chin thoughtfully. ¡°I¡¯ve heard from colleagues that people from Haimen aren¡¯t very good at arguing.¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°Why is that?¡±


    Fang Zhixu: ¡°Because before you finish saying lines like ¡®What are you looking at?¡¯ and ¡®What are you gonna do about it?¡¯, the other person¡¯s fist has already landed on your face.¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°???¡± That sounds like¡­ quite an interesting city.


    ¡°Are you sure the Zombie King will go to Haimen?¡± Song Ke turned to Zhuang Qingyan and asked.


    ¡°Seventy percent certain,¡± Zhuang Qingyan nodded, not elaborating further.


    After pondering for two seconds, Song Ke decisively slapped the table, ¡°Then, let¡¯s go to Haimen.¡±


    When the captain speaks, everyone must follow suit.


    ¡°To Haimen! Go, go, go!¡± Lu Xiaoyu floored the accelerator, the SUV speeding through the wilderness, scattering zombies like flower petals.


    In the quiet car, Lin Youyou nudged Lu Xiaoyu and whispered, ¡°Hey, that viral clip, send it to me.¡±


    ¡°I want it too, I want it too!¡± Xu Xing called out quietly from the front seat.


    Su Cha didn¡¯t say a word, simply pointing at his own terminal, making his intentions clear.


    Lu Xiaoyu maneuvered a mechanical arm and quickly sent the clip directly to V587¡¯s group chat.


    The terminal vibrated, and Song Ke, half-asleep, woke up in a daze. Her fingers moved faster than her brain, reflexively tapping to open the message, immediately followed by a stunned expression.


    ¡°¡ªUnsend that, right now!!¡±


    ¡­


    Before nightfall, V587 completed check-in points in four safe cities and smoothly arrived at the outskirts of District D135¡¯s Haimen.


    There were no signs of a zombie horde in the wilderness, just a few scattered zombies. Some held shovels and sickles, some staggered aimlessly near irrigation machines and plow axles, while others gnawed on tractors and plows, their hollow, decaying eyes devoid of any emotion.


    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the apocalypse, it would be the season for spring sowing now¡­¡± Fang Zhixu sighed.


    As they approached a three-story mansion, sounds of a scuffle echoed from the front. A group of a dozen people, armed and engaged in a fierce battle against zombies, caught their attention. S~?a??h the N?v?l(F)ire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    The most conspicuous figure was a burly man, towering at least six feet tall. He wore a massive gold chain around his neck, a large gold watch on his wrist, a flashy shirt, and what seemed to be a fur or mink coat draped over him. His shoes shone so brightly they nearly reflected light.


    Song Ke climbed onto the roof of the car and looked around. This group seemed to lack any supernatural abilities; they were all regular people.


    Even though they were ordinary, their fighting capabilities were not to be underestimated.


    ¡°Get off me!¡± The burly man, over six feet tall, kicked a lurching zombie away. His flesh quivered, and beside him, a suited bodyguard lifted a golf club, ruthlessly smashing the zombie¡¯s head, denting it inward.


    ¡°Look at your bear-like appearance, dare to come onto my territory and cause trouble. Did I give you permission?¡± The burly man grumbled and cursed while kicking the zombie. His aggression grew, ¡°Come on then!¡±


    While observing the scuffle between them and the zombies without much concern, Song Ke crouched down, preparing to get back into the car. However, a faint, ghostly blue glint suddenly caught her peripheral vision.


    She froze, abruptly lifting her head.


    The burly man from afar drew a wide-blade short knife and sliced straight towards the zombie¡¯s head. The knife seemed to cut through it effortlessly, separating the zombie¡¯s head from its body as blood sprayed out like a fountain.


    Song Ke¡¯s gaze became fixed.


    If she wasn¡¯t mistaken, that was¡­ a machete?


    ¡°Stop the car.¡±


    She opened the car door and hurried towards the group.


    Having just managed to deal with the zombies besieging their mansion, Wang Hu was covered in sweat. He couldn¡¯t help but mutter to himself, ¡°It¡¯s already spring, wearing a fur coat is a bit hot, huh?¡± He opened his collar to cool off and unexpectedly noticed a young girl walking towards him.


    Yo, Wang Hu sighed inwardly. His eyes were quite perceptive; check out that presence, not your average person.


    The young girl stopped in front of him, staring directly at the machete in his hand.


    ¡°What are you looking at?¡± the bodyguard next to him asked in a rough voice.


    Startled by his loud voice, Song Ke reflexively responded, ¡°¡­Looking¡­ What are you looking at?¡±


    The bodyguard raised his eyebrows, the golf club ready to move. Was this little troublemaker trying to provoke something?


    ¡°Hey, put it down, put it down,¡± Wang Hu generously gestured with his hand. ¡°Easy now, let her take a look.¡±


    He proudly hoisted the machete onto his shoulder, asking in a casual manner, ¡°How about it? Were you impressed by my zombie-hacking prowess?¡±


    Exerting too much force, the back of the machete accidentally cut through his fur.


    ¡°Oh, my God!¡± Wang Hu jumped in distress, trying to cover his clothes and handle the machete at the same time, flustered and wailing, ¡°My precious!¡±


    Kindly, Song Ke reached out and helped him stabilize the familiar machete. ¡°Can I¡­ take a look at your machete?¡±


    ¡°Sure, sure,¡± Wang Hu barely paid attention to her.


    Song Ke turned the blade over and looked down. Indeed, there was a small ¡®Song¡¯ on the handle of the machete. This was her spiritual weapon. How could it appear here? Moreover¡­ she had only produced this standardized spiritual weapon once, back in Hua City, a total of 100 pieces, as part of a deal for those students at the No.1 Middle School.


    ¡°Where did you get this machete from?¡± Song Ke asked.


    ¡°What, are you interested too?¡± Wang Hu glanced at her, then protectively snatched the machete back. ¡°My ¡®¡¯Thousand Deaths Blue Enchantress of Cataclysmic Annihilation¡¯ is quite powerful, but not something most people can handle.¡±


    ¡°I acquired this from the black market in the Northern Base through someone. It¡¯s an absolutely genuine supernatural weapon. It cuts zombies like slicing through watermelons. There are less than five in the entire black market. I spent a whopping two million¡­¡± Wang Hu bragged triumphantly.


    ¡°H-How much?!¡± Song Ke exclaimed in shock.

 Chapter 123: Life-and-Death Marathon (14)

    ¡ò For just 28,888, bring home the zombie-slaying artifact ¡òUpon hearing the figure of two million, Song Ke¡¯s expression seemed trance-like. Wang Hu, assuming she was intimidated by his substantial wealth, proudly displayed his lavishness by swinging his heavy gold chain to the sides, then waved generously, saying, ¡°It might be a bit pricey, but luckily, it offers great value for the money. I¡¯m fortunate to have stumbled upon it. Others couldn¡¯t even buy it if they wanted!¡±


    ¡°Great value for the money? Really?¡± Song Ke swallowed hard, hesitating, ¡°It might only last for two or three years. It doesn¡¯t seem¡­ very cost-effective, does it?¡±


    ¡°You gotta be kidding! Have you ever used the ¡®Thousand Deaths Blue Enchantress of Cataclysmic Annihilation¡¯ weapon? Do you even know what you¡¯re talking about?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°Of course, you don¡¯t!¡± Wang Hu glared, looking ready to argue with her. ¡°Those high-tech weapons, too complicated for me! I¡¯d be gasping for air if zombies got too close. But with my precious here, I just swing and slash, and all the zombies back off!¡±


    Song Ke fell silent, unable to respond.


    Suddenly, she thought of something, her eyes shining with excitement. Her expression turned sincere, ¡°If there were still ¡®Cataclysmic Annihilation er¡­ Blue Enchantress¡¯¡­¡±


    ¡°¡®Thousand Deaths Blue Enchantress of Cataclysmic Annihilation,''¡± Wang Hu corrected her matter-of-factly.


    ¡°Ah, right, right,¡± Song Ke nodded. ¡°If there were more, would you buy them?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Wang Hu glanced at the golf clubs his bodyguards used, rubbing his chin in contemplation. ¡°It¡¯s a bit extravagant. If I replaced all of them, it would cost a dozen or so¡­ sigh, even for someone wealthy like me, it¡¯s a bit painful. It¡¯d be great if there were discounts for bulk purchases.¡±


    ¡°There are! Discounts!¡± Song Ke raised her voice, breaking into excitement.


    Wang Hu eyed her suspiciously. ¡°Hey, who are you? You¡¯ve been acting strange. Do you have any opinions about my precious items?¡±


    ¡°No opinions!¡± Song Ke shook her head quickly. ¡°I have a friend who can get¡­ this.¡±


    She subtly moved her hand and pulled out a kunai from her coat pocket. The blade was entirely azure, emitting a chilling light, oddly similar to the machete Wang Hu held.


    ¡°You can get it from my friend for way less than two million,¡± Song Ke stated firmly. However, the exact price would need discussion with Zhuang Qingyan and the others.


    Wang Hu¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Come on, little friend, let¡¯s exchange contact info. If there¡¯s stock, let me know first. I don¡¯t need it delivered; I¡¯ll pick it up myself!¡±


    ¡­


    In an abandoned gas station in the wilderness, an SUV parked by the roadside. Lu Xiaoyu extended a mechanical arm to charge the vehicle with an energy gun.


    The rest of the V587 team stretched their muscles. From this vantage point, they could already see the urban area of Haimen. Rolling hills extended endlessly, and a mighty river flowed through the bottom plain, forming a natural barrier. Coupled with the three layers of inner and outer city walls, Haimen¡¯s central area was impregnable, comparable to Shaye.


    For the Zombie King to attack Haimen, he would need to cross the river first and then breach three formidable defense lines. The difficulty level was exceedingly high. No wonder the Magistrate of Haimen once openly stated that to conquer Haimen, one would have to open all three doors from the inside.


    Song Ke sat on the car roof, swinging her legs, watching Su Cha and Fang Zhixu retrieve supplies from the convenience store. Although most of the food had expired, they managed to find some non-perishable drinks and dry goods to replenish their stock.


    ¡°Do you want to sell the spiritual weapons to the people of Haimen?¡± Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s wheelchair stopped in front of her. He looked up at her; the curve from his chin to his neck was remarkably smooth, and the protruding Adam¡¯s apple moved as he spoke.


    ¡°Yeah, can I?¡± Song Ke asked eagerly.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Zhuang Qingyan smiled, brushing off the mud splattered on her legs. ¡°The weapons belong to you; you can decide.¡±


    ¡°I want to earn a lot of money,¡± sighed Captain Song Ke, a financially strapped individual. She jumped down from the car roof and patted Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s legs with a meaningful expression, ¡°To support all of you.¡±


    She had to support the old (Fang Zhixu) and the young (Xu Xing). She had to take care of an injured patient who was still recovering, and there was also a gold-swallowing beast who¡¯d yell every day to buy materials. It¡¯s very stressful.


    Zhuang Qingyan looked at Song Ke with a complex expression. His Adam¡¯s apple moved unnaturally. If he hadn¡¯t known that the other party didn¡¯t mean that, this behavior would have constituted serious s*xual harassment: ¡°You¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Song Ke tilted her head, unaware of his discomfort.


    ¡°Captain, check your account,¡± Lu Xiaoyu leaned out from the driver¡¯s seat, interrupting the slightly intimate atmosphere between the two.


    Song Ke opened her terminal and widened her eyes in surprise. When did an additional one and a half million appear in her account?


    Lu Xiaoyu, with pride in his ice-blue eyes, proudly explained, ¡°Counting the interest, we retrieved one and a half million from that unscrupulous old man as your growth compensation fee.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so amazing!¡± Song Ke exclaimed, giving him a thumbs-up with joy.


    ¡°Then can you buy Rhenium for me?¡± Lu Xiaoyu pushed further, the corners of his mouth stiffening.


    ¡°Can¡ª¡±


    ¡°No, you can¡¯t,¡± Zhuang Qingyan coldly interrupted their conversation. ¡°Stop smiling; your smile is really sycophantic.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu stared at him expressionlessly for two seconds, then thud, he closed the car window.


    Song Ke blinked, hesitant to speak.


    Zhuang Qingyan explained in a calmer tone, ¡°His request is unreasonable. Rhenium is too costly, and the amount you have isn¡¯t enough for his whims. Don¡¯t buy it for him.¡±


    Thud thud, protests from Lu Xiaoyu hitting the car roof echoed from inside the SUV.


    Zhuang Qingyan ignored his anger, seemingly indifferent. ¡°If mass-produced, how many spiritual weapons can you create at once?¡±


    Song Ke thought for a moment. Her awakened energy had increased significantly compared to six months ago, considering the production rate in Hua City at that time¡­


    ¡°500.¡±


    500 was a safe number, not pushing her to her limit and allowing her to maintain combat strength after their creation.


    ¡°About right, enough to arm an elite force. Let¡¯s go with 500,¡± Zhuang Qingyan nodded. S?a?ch* Th? ?0velF?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°How much should we sell them for?¡± Song Ke whispered, ¡°Could they not be too expensive?¡±


    She intended to sell the spiritual artifacts, partly to make money for their small treasury and partly to aid the people of Haimen in better resisting the zombie tide. Her intention wasn¡¯t to extort them but to seize the opportunity for a disaster profit.


    ¡°Not expensive, but not too cheap either. After all, you¡¯ve worked hard,¡± Zhuang Qingyan smiled at her reassuringly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll consider the average economic status of the people in Haimen. I¡¯ll ensure it¡¯s within their means and they¡¯ll be willing to buy.¡±


    ¡­


    A group of strong civilians was driving zombies away in the outskirts. Some wielded baseball bats and knives, while others dragged suitcases, pulled chairs, bravely striking the zombies. However, despite their ferocity, their tools fell short¡ªbaseball bats cracked, knives dulled, suitcases and chairs ended up worn-out. Soon, they found themselves defenseless.


    Among the zombies, there was a level 2 zombie, agile and swift, jumping up and down. It swiftly caught a person off-guard, roaring as it lunged to bite.


    Swoosh, swoosh¡ªseveral flying knives pierced through the air, penetrating the zombie¡¯s head, splattering black-red brain matter across the ground.


    The civilians, in a frenzy, helped their fallen comrade, looking up towards the unexpected saviors.


    An SUV gradually halted in front of them, then reversed, revealing its trunk.


    Thud¡ªa masked woman opened the rear door enthusiastically. ¡°Friends, have you heard of spiritual weapons?¡±


    On the back of the door hung an array of various weapons, all emanating a chilling blue glow.


    Lin Youyou¡¯s lips moved swiftly, reciting a meticulously prepared advertisement: ¡°Feeling unsafe during the apocalypse at home? Don¡¯t panic! Song¡¯s Spiritual Artifacts are ready! Encounter a zombie? Don¡¯t fear! Whip out a spiritual weapon and let¡¯s handle it together!¡±


    Ding ding ding¡ª¡±Today¡¯s special offer! Just for 28,888, bring home the zombie-slaying artifact! Limited quantity, while supplies last!¡±


    The group of civilians stared blankly at her.


    Lin Youyou snapped her fingers. ¡°Open up, bring out Su Cha.¡±


    Su Cha: ¡°¡­¡±


    In a lightning-fast move, he swooped low over the zombie¡¯s head. The decaying hand stretched out to grab his pant leg, but before it touched, his blue-bladed short knife clang clang severed its head. In less than five minutes, Su Cha dispatched more than a dozen zombies.


    Lin Youyou¡¯s eyes gleamed mischievously, lips curved. ¡°How about it? Want one? Limited edition, you know.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll buy! I¡¯ll buy!!¡± The civilians suddenly shouted.


    Similar scenes played out repeatedly around Haimen¡¯s outskirts. V587 would rescue the civilians and then proceed to pitch, or rather exhibit, the available spiritual weapons to them.


    ¡°Come and see, don¡¯t miss out! Check my goods, cheap and effective, buy some of my goods and guarantee a happy return home!¡±


    ¡°Just 28,888 for a spiritual weapon, no regrets, no scams!¡±


    ¡°Uncles and aunties, want to buy a spiritual weapon?¡±


    Su Cha: ¡°Selling¡­ never mind.¡±


    He couldn¡¯t bring himself to speak, so he plunged into killing zombies, using actions as his loudest advertisement.


    Song Ke laid on the car roof contentedly, reflecting, ¡°I feel like Lin Youyou shouldn¡¯t be a pop star.¡±


    Out of the 500 spiritual artifacts, 380 were sold in less than two hours. Lin Youyou alone sold over 300, rightly earning the title of top salesperson. With her talent, she should pursue sales; forget being among the top ten rising stars, she could definitely become the leading influencer for Ferrara¡¯s merchandise.


    In the passenger seat, Zhuang Qingyan glanced at the map of Haimen. The night had already enveloped the area; not only was there no sign of the Zombie King¡¯s shadow, but even the expected zombie tide hadn¡¯t shown any activity. Haimen remained as calm as ever, with no discernible changes.


    Had his speculation been wrong?


    *


    Haimen.


    A small, thinly bundled girl, wearing a wide-brimmed hat and a scarf, hurriedly crossed the streets. Her eyes wide with confusion, she looked left and right, swiftly making her way forward, her pace quickening into a run.


    Thud¡ªjust as she turned the corner, the girl collided head-on with someone else. The sturdy man took a step back, gruffly shouting, ¡°Hey! Can¡¯t you watch where you¡¯re going?¡±


    Looking down, he saw a young girl, probably around thirteen or fourteen, sprawled on the ground in a daze. Her scarf had slipped halfway down, revealing her gray eyes. As if realizing something, she frantically tried to pull the scarf back up to cover her face.


    Seeing her as just a kid, the man didn¡¯t feel right to argue further. With irritation, he said, ¡°Watch where you¡¯re going next time!¡±


    The girl mumbled a couple of words and hurriedly lowered her head. Her voice sounded hoarse, and her speaking seemed peculiar.


    The man muttered to himself as he moved away, ¡°¡­mixed-blood.¡±


    The girl, using her hands, picked herself up from the ground. A couple of messy braids fell carelessly, exposing distinct corpse-like markings on her neck. Standing up straight, she dared not run again, slowly fading into the darkness.

 Chapter 124: Life-and-Death Marathon (15)

    ¡ò Braided Head¡¯s Self-Perception ¡òThe deep grey SUV drove through the open fields, gradually approaching the roaring waves of the riverbank. In front of Song Ke and the others appeared the only passage into the Haimen urban area¡ªa magnificent bridge soaring over the river like a flying rainbow.


    The entire bridge was divided into two levels. The upper level delineated lanes for floating vehicles, starships, and other suspended tools with neon signal lights. The lower level consisted of eight lanes for regular vehicles, spanning over 1.5 kilometers. From a distance, it looked like a giant dragon lying horizontally, forming the most critical lifeline in Haimen.


    Lu Xiaoyu turned the steering wheel, preparing to enter the lower-level lanes. However, before reaching the bridge toll booth, the stationed sentry signaled for an immediate stop. Rows of jet-black heavy machine guns stood ready, their elongated magazines hanging from mounts, emitting a silent but intimidating presence.


    ¡°Wow, so cool.¡± Xu Xing leaned halfway out of the window, admiringly exclaiming.


    Generally, most boys were fascinated by firearms. Xu Xing mimicked the action of firing a machine gun, making ¡°pew-pew-pew¡± sounds, thoroughly enjoying himself. The sentries all simultaneously turned their gun barrels toward their SUV.


    Song Ke and Xu Xing immediately raised their hands, while Lu Xiaoyu whistled and impeccably lifted his six mechanical arms.


    The sentries tensed up, ready to act against the perceived threat, about to pull the trigger¡ª


    ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand, we¡¯re¡­ competitors!¡± Song Ke frantically attempted to press down Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s claw. Just as she managed to press it down, it popped up again. Frustrated, Song Ke smacked his head, finally calming him down.


    A drone, displaying the logo of the Throne Race Competition, hovered above the SUV. The sentries remained vigilant, shouting loudly, ¡°Stop immediately and undergo inspection!¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu stopped playing around and obediently pressed the brake. The diligent sentries conducted a thorough search and interrogation for a full fifteen minutes. Only after confirming repeatedly with the city hall were they allowed to proceed. As they distanced themselves from the checkpoint, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Hell¡¯s Scythe,¡± Zhuang Qingyan murmured softly, ¡°good stuff.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± The people in the car wore confused expressions.


    Zhuang Qingyan pointed to the neatly arranged heavy machine guns outside the car window, saying, ¡°These guns are produced in Mu City. They fire an average of 1,500 bullets per minute, with a precise shooting range of 1 kilometer and a maximum range of 5 kilometers. They can sustain heavy firepower against distant targets.¡±


    ¡°The production line for Hell¡¯s Scythe was bought out long ago, exclusively for the Northern Base. It seems Haimen has done thorough preparation,¡± Lu Xiaoyu murmured disdainfully.


    ¡°They¡¯re really wealthy¡­¡± Song Ke was once again astonished by the wealth of the people in Haimen.


    District D had no access restrictions. V587, amidst the unwelcoming gazes of the sentries along the way, crossed the river and approached three heavily fortified lines of defense.


    Brick walls with high-voltage electric fences stood tall under the sky, safeguarding the people of Haimen in their haven amidst the apocalypse. Outside the walls, everything was meticulously cleared, with no wandering zombies or mutated beasts in sight.


    Upon entering each defense line, armed sentries rushed out to inspect them, ¡°escorting¡± them with the presence of their numerous gun barrels.


    ¡°Creak¡­¡± The heavy iron gate slowly lifted, and the SUV carrying seven people entered the urban area of Haimen amid the swirling dust.


    Because they took a shortcut, V587 was the first team to arrive in Haimen.


    Lin Youyou supported her chin, sighing, ¡°I believe, with everything fortified like this, even the Zombie King wouldn¡¯t be able to break in. It¡¯s practically impregnable!¡±


    ¡°Maybe not,¡± Zhuang Qingyan lightly tapped his fingertip, offering a faint response.


    ¡°¡­Huh? What else could it possibly do?¡± Lin Youyou¡¯s accent gradually mimicked the locals of Haimen.


    Zhuang Qingyan didn¡¯t answer but instead a familiar villain smile appeared on his face.


    ¡°If you were the Zombie King, how would you attack Haimen?¡±


    ¡°Whoa, that¡¯s a twisted ¡®what if¡¯!¡± At first, they strongly disapproved verbally, but then they eagerly started discussing.


    Xu Xing enthusiastically raised his hand, ¡°I¡¯d freeze the river surface!¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan replied, ¡°With a river this wide and your limited awakened energy, you couldn¡¯t even fill its gaps.¡±


    Xu Xing wilted.


    Lu Xiaoyu lifted his chin lightly, ¡°I could enter openly.¡±


    He had just observed that the defense line had two opening modes: automatic and manual. With a mere movement of his finger, the iron gate would open for him.


    ¡°Hmm, you might get in, but I bet those sentries have been eagerly waiting for you, ready to turn you into a hornet¡¯s nest with smiles,¡± Zhuang Qingyan nodded.


    Lu Xiaoyu: ¡°¡­¡±


    It was Su Cha¡¯s turn. He said hesitantly, ¡°I could sneak in¡­ hopefully without being noticed.¡±


    ¡°If you can sneak in alone, what about your zombie subordinates?¡± Lin Youyou chuckled softly behind her hand, countering faster than Zhuang Qingyan, ¡°Plus, who leads a charge among the undead?¡±


    Fang Zhixu shook his head directly, ¡°Don¡¯t ask me, I have no idea.¡±


    ¡°What about the captain?¡± Lu Xiaoyu asked.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m still thinking,¡± Song Ke wore a serious expression, although her mind was blank, unable to come up with any solution.


    ¡°Once again, our captain remains calm, never speaking without thought,¡± Zhuang Qingyan praised, utterly devoid of principles.


    Others: ¡°¡­Flatterer.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your plan, then?¡± Xu Xing retorted indignantly.


    The carriage jostled slightly, and Zhuang Qingyan looked at the rearview mirror. At the final iron gate, several large food airdrop containers were being stopped by the sentries, who opened and scanned them top to bottom with life detectors, finding no traces of anything amiss.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s voice was low, ¡°If I were the Zombie King¡­ I¡¯d tell the people of Haimen one thing: ¡®Darkness under the lamp.''¡±


    V587: ¡°What¡¯s with the riddles again?¡±


    Even after the SUV had been driving for a while, his gaze remained fixed in the direction of the iron gate.


    ¡°What are you thinking?¡± Song Ke leaned over and asked.


    ¡°Thinking about a classic battle from ancient times,¡± Zhuang Qingyan spoke somberly, ¡°The Trojan War.¡±


    ¡­


    They spent nearly two hours searching in Haimen, but the check-in point was nowhere to be found, making it clear it hadn¡¯t appeared yet.


    The sky had darkened completely, pedestrian traffic on the streets had decreased, and V587 was clueless and at a loss.


    Suddenly, Xu Xing rubbed his eyes in disbelief and pointed outside, murmuring, ¡°Braided Head?¡±


    Across the street, a relaxed figure was leisurely strolling around. It would lean against shop windows for a moment, then glance at a garden, and when tired, it knew to sit on a bench to rest.


    ¡°Capture it,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said coldly.


    Song Ke and Su Cha opened the car doors and dashed across the street like lightning.


    The Braided Head visibly startled, jumped in place, and tried to flee. However, its speed couldn¡¯t match that of two top-tier awakeners. Song Ke leaped high from the roof of the car, diving and forcefully tackling it to the ground!


    The Braided Head struggled and its hat fell off, revealing most of its scarf. The clear lines of decay were visible on its profile. It twisted to bite Song Ke, but before it could, Su Cha grabbed something from a nearby garbage truck and stuffed it into its mouth.


    Coincidentally, it was a used diaper.


    The Braided Head froze instantly, abandoning resistance. Its throat convulsed, exhibiting a look of pure disgust as if it had been sickened.


    Its expression was incredibly vivid, barely any different from that of a human. Zhuang Qingyan silently stared at it.


    Xu Xing jumped out of the car, hesitatingly approaching Braided Head¡¯s side.


    Encountering a zombie within the heavily fortified city, a normal person¡¯s initial reaction would definitely be to kill it.


    The commotion had already attracted the attention of passersby, and patrolling sentries were approaching.


    Zhuang Qingyan lowered his voice, ¡°Take it away.¡±


    Song Ke lifted Braided Head with one hand and tossed it into the car, and the SUV sped away.


    The faithful drone captured everything, causing an explosion of comments from viewers watching the live stream from Ferrara.


    ¡°Oh my god! Is that a zombie? If I¡¯m not blind, that¡¯s definitely a zombie!¡± s?a??h th? ?ov?l?ir?.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°You¡¯re not blind, that¡¯s indeed a zombie.¡±


    ¡°Can someone tell me why there¡¯s a zombie in Haimen¡¯s urban area? Are the sentries just for show? Ah!!¡±


    ¡°Does anyone have the contact information for Haimen¡¯s city hall? Alert them quickly!¡±


    Ferrara Hotel.


    He Qiuhong¡¯s gaze intensified, and the lines around her nose deepened suddenly. Without hesitation, she initiated a communication.


    ¡°Captain Yin Xiao, I¡¯d like to request the ¡®Tustan¡¯ team to fulfill a personal task of mine.¡±


    ¡°Commander He, if I remember correctly, I am currently enjoying my hard-earned break¡ªpe¡ªriod,¡± Yin Xiao drawled leisurely, elongating his tone. ¡°Are you openly asking me to work overtime? Will there be overtime pay?¡±


    Ignoring his impertinence, He Qiuhong calmly said, ¡°I¡¯m asking you to immediately go to District D135 and capture a mutated zombie. I believe Dr. Ning¡¯s research team will find it very interesting.¡±


    ¡°District D135?¡± Yin Xiao¡¯s lazy tone vanished instantly, replaced by a hint of surprise. ¡°I happen to be watching the Throne Race Competition; are you referring to Song¡ªcough, I mean, the team V587 in Haimen.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I want you to capture the zombie alive before they kill it.¡±


    ¡°Well, overtime is possible, as long as you remember to pay triple the commission fee,¡± Yin Xiao strangely changed his tune, agreeing quite readily.


    ¡°Thank you for your hard work.¡±


    *


    The SUV stopped at an abandoned factory, and the bound Braided Head was thrown to the ground.


    It tried to run, but its limbs were tightly bound. It stumbled after just a couple of steps and fell flat.


    A metal wheelchair rolled slowly in front of it. Zhuang Qingyan observed it with lowered eyes, appearing like an unfeeling deity capable of deciding its life or death at any moment.


    Feeling threatened, Braided Head let out a hoarse roar from deep in its throat, baring its teeth viciously at Zhuang Qingyan. Its pointed teeth weren¡¯t as sharp as other zombies¡¯, resembling underdeveloped canine teeth.


    ¡°Shut your mouth, or I¡¯ll pull out all your teeth,¡± Zhuang Qingyan threatened.


    ¡°!!¡± Braided Head whimpered and surprisingly shut its mouth obediently.


    ¡°It¡­ it understands!¡± Fang Zhixu exclaimed in surprise, assuming that the fallen had only retained consciousness, never expecting it to communicate with humans.


    Zhuang Qingyan asked in a low voice, ¡°You understand what we¡¯re saying, right?¡±


    Braided Head hesitated for two seconds and reluctantly nodded.


    ¡°Why did you infiltrate Haimen?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ ah¡­¡± Braided Head tilted its head back and let out a couple of random shouts.


    Zhuang Qingyan: ¡°Untie its hands.¡±


    Su Cha cut the ropes with a dagger, freeing Braided Head, whose stiff fingers clumsily drew an unfamiliar pattern in the sand.


    V587 was utterly baffled¡ªwhat kind of bizarre symbol was this? Even if it understood, could it not communicate?


    With hands behind his back, Xu Xing circled the pattern twice and suddenly exclaimed, ¡°I got it! This is the Zombie King!¡±


    ¡°Ah! Ah!¡± Braided Head exclaimed excitedly.


    ¡°Xiao Xing, how did you figure it out?¡± Song Ke humbly asked.


    ¡°These are wings, and these are blood vessels, quite easy to recognize,¡± Xu Xing explained confidently, pointing at the dark and intricate drawing.


    ¡°¡­,¡± Everyone was speechless. How did they not recognize it?


    ¡°Are you saying you were sent by the Zombie King?¡± Zhuang Qingyan shifted the conversation, ¡°Apart from you, how many similar zombies have entered?¡±


    Braided Head¡¯s grey eyes moved slowly, seemingly surprised that Zhuang Qingyan knew it had companions.


    Like a child caught in wrongdoing, it sneakily glanced at Zhuang Qingyan, then lowered its head, pretending to ¡°think,¡± before starting to draw little figures in the sand¡ªone after another, row after row, quickly filling two lines and not stopping.


    ¡°It says there are many more,¡± Xu Xing blinked, taking the role of the zombie language interpreter seriously.


    ¡°¡­Thank you for making that clear.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s eyes grew colder, ¡°Was your mission to open the three iron gates from inside?¡±


    Braided Head¡¯s drawing paused abruptly, as if hitting a wall.


    Zhuang Qingyan pressed on, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you act together with your companions?¡±


    When V587 captured Braided Head, it behaved like someone taking a leisurely stroll, as if casually roaming the streets without any sense of carrying a heavy burden.


    Braided Head struggled, scratching the ground with its fingers for a while. Eventually, it sluggishly drew a vertical dividing line. On the left side, it drew a cluster of unknown symbols, and on the right side, another set of these symbols.


    Everyone looked to Xu Xing, waiting for his translation.


    Even Xu Xing found himself a little puzzled this time. He crouched down, studying it for a while.


    Braided Head enthusiastically explained to him, ¡°Ah¡ªahh¡ªahh.¡±


    Xu Xing nodded and pointed confidently at the left side, ¡°This is you.¡±


    Braided Head exclaimed, ¡°Ah!¡±


    It quickly added a few strokes on the right side, connecting a line to the earlier drawing of the ¡®Zombie King.¡¯


    Xu Xing continued, ¡°This is the bad side of you.¡±


    Braided Head exclaimed again, ¡°Ah!¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan looked at the strange pile of symbols on the ground, a hint of a smile on his lips. ¡°You want to tell us that the Fallen are divided into two factions. One identifies with its former existence as a human and doesn¡¯t want to be involved in conflicts. The other has completely sided with the Zombie King, willingly becoming its followers. Is that right?¡±


    Braided Head nodded happily, its stiff neck making crackling sounds.


    Zhuang Qingyan slowed down his speech, ¡°Oh? So, which side do you belong to?¡±


    This time, Braided Head hesitated for a very long time.


    Carefully, it lifted its finger and slowly drew a line, connecting the ¡®good self¡¯ to Xu Xing¡¯s feet.

 Chapter 125: Life-and-Death Marathon (16)

    ¡ò We meet again, Song Ke ¡òThe girl with braided hair seemed a bit timid in her actions, yet she firmly linked herself with Xu Xing.


    At that moment, anyone could understand its significance ¨C it chose the side of humanity, even though it no longer belonged to the ¡°human¡± category.


    The audience squatting in the V587 live broadcast room instantly erupted into contrasting opinions.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be naive! How could a zombie empathize with humans?¡±


    ¡°What are you doing? Quickly kill it! You don¡¯t seriously believe a word from a zombie, do you?¡±


    ¡°But I feel¡­ it sounds genuine.¡±


    ¡°Can the holy talk just leave? My whole family was bitten by zombies, and I don¡¯t share the sky with them!¡±


    The discussion about this unique zombie grew increasingly heated. The director realized a new focal point for viewership and switched the drone to focus on Braided Head¡¯s face, capturing the patterns of decay. The grey eyes of the girl blinked without pause as her head followed the movement of the drone. Suddenly, without warning, she snarled fiercely at the camera: ¡°Ahh¡ª!¡±


    Its gaping mouth, contorted face, and menacingly sharp teeth seemed as though they would snap the neck of anyone on the other side of the screen at any moment.


    The argumentative barrage in the live chat momentarily froze, replaced by a flood of unintelligible characters. The hyper-realistic experience from the high-definition images left a considerable psychological impact on the audience. It took a while before someone tremblingly muttered, ¡°See¡­ a-a zombie is just a zombie.¡±


    Braided Head¡¯s hands dug into the ground, a hint of triumph flashing across her face.


    ¡°Alert the Haimen City Hall to investigate suspicious individuals within the city,¡± Zhuang Qingyan quickly stated. S?a?ch* Th? N???lFire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°I¡¯ll contact them now,¡± Lin Youyou summoned the terminal interface.


    Zhuang Qingyan then turned to Song Ke, lowering his voice. ¡°Captain, a few words in private.¡±


    Song Ke nodded and walked over. Zhuang Qingyan glanced at the drone and tapped twice on the armrest of Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s wheelchair.


    ¡°Private talk, didn¡¯t you hear? Sort it out.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu rolled his eyes, his fingers swiftly moving. Soon, several drone signals were lost, resembling headless flies buzzing erratically at low altitudes, and the V587 live stream room filled with static, displaying a ¡°technical malfunction¡± message.


    ¡°How do you plan to handle her?¡± the two walked into a corner, and Zhuang Qingyan asked in a low voice.


    His demeanor was very natural, but after spending so much time together, Song Ke was already familiar with the subtle changes in his expressions. Though Zhuang Qingyan used an inquiring tone, his eyes betrayed indifference, indicating that he didn¡¯t care about the life or death of Braided Head.


    Song Ke had a vague feeling that every time Zhuang Qingyan talked about the ¡°Plan Eternity¡± or mentioned the ¡°Fallen,¡± his emotions became complex. It seemed to mix some kind of hidden disgust and rejection that he couldn¡¯t openly express.


    ¡°I¡¯m thinking of finding a more distant place,¡± Song Ke calmly voiced her thoughts, ¡°and leaving it there.¡±


    In truth, she didn¡¯t have a better solution. Braided Head wasn¡¯t entirely human or a zombie; she seemed more like a new species born after the apocalypse. Although she didn¡¯t attack proactively and was even sent as a spy by the zombie king, humans¡­ wouldn¡¯t accept her.


    ¡°Okay, Captain¡¯s decision,¡± Zhuang Qingyan had no objections regardless of whether Song Ke chose to kill or spare her.


    ¡°But there¡¯s one thing. We weren¡¯t cautious when we first captured her. Now, with the Throne Race broadcast spreading, I¡¯m worried that some might become ¡®overly¡¯ interested in her, causing trouble for us.¡±


    ¡°Our team isn¡¯t suitable for attracting too much attention,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said slowly.


    Most of the V587 team members carried secrets. For instance, Song Ke¡¯s inexplicable wound-healing speed, Fang Zhixu¡¯s peculiar constitution that prevented zombie attacks, Lin Youyou¡¯s true identity, and Zhuang Qingyan and Lu Xiaoyu¡­


    ¡°Then,¡± Song Ke quickly made a decision, ¡°shall we find a place to leave her now?¡±


    As they walked back, Xu Xing and Braided Head were lying side by side on the sand, their heads next to each other, drawing.


    Lin Youyou gestured toward them, ¡°The communication channel has been occupied. Probably bombarded by viewers watching the live stream.¡±


    Song Ke was about to say something when suddenly, a piercing alarm shattered the night.


    ¡°Level one alert! Level one alert! Multiple zombie waves detected approaching. All sentinels assemble immediately!¡±


    Their faces paled. The zombie wave was indeed heading toward Haimen!


    They wondered whether this was another feigned attack to deceive them or if it was the Zombie King¡¯s all-out assault.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go check it out,¡± Song Ke decisively took charge.


    The SUV restarted. She turned to Braided Head. With no time to arrange her destination, she had to carefully negotiate, ¡°Your appearance might be mistaken for a zombie by others, which is dangerous. Come with us for now.¡±


    ¡°Ah, ah,¡± Braided Head obediently nodded, hands planted on the ground.


    ¡°Braided Head, with me here, I¡¯ll protect you!¡± Xu Xing beside her patted his chest, making a manly promise.


    ¡°Huh? Huh!¡± Braided Head disdainfully straightened up, towering significantly taller than Xu Xing.


    ¡°¡­?¡± Xu ¡®Shorty¡¯ Xing¡¯s self-esteem collapsed.


    On the streets, vehicles rushed by, houses lit up, and the bustling noise echoed continuously.


    The SUV halted behind the final defense line, bright lights overhead illuminating the area like daylight. The official armed forces of Haimen swiftly and orderly moved through emergency passages, setting up heavy weapons on the city walls. Despite the temporary nocturnal siege, they remained composed.


    In front of everyone stood a massive floating screen, the connected thermal imaging continually emitting alarms, the frequency increasing. From the screen, numerous green radiation sources could be seen rapidly approaching Haimen from all directions. However, the real-time monitoring showed a calm scene, with the high-altitude scanners outside the city patrolling, finding no abnormalities.


    A mild late spring breeze brushed their faces, the river¡¯s surface gently undulating, the desolate wilderness quiet and still.


    At both ends of the bridge, the tense sentinels gripped their hell scythes, guns aimed squarely at the dark plains.


    One minute passed, then two¡­ five minutes elapsed.


    The anxious people of Haimen started whispering at first, then gradually the chatter grew louder.


    Where were the zombies? Where was the zombie tide?


    The same question flashed through everyone¡¯s mind.


    Beneath the night sky, the river water began to surge.


    Rolling waves formed dark rings, swiftly surging on both sides of the bridge across the river.


    A sentinel at the bridge wiped his damp palms, nervousness evident, as waves crashed against the shore.


    His determined gaze fixated forward. At any sign of movement on the plains, he would not hesitate to open fire.


    Suddenly, the sound of waves hitting the bank behind them. The sentinel shivered, alertly turning the machine gun. Before he could discern what was approaching, five or six drenched zombies leaped from the river, instantly overpowering him, tearing him into pieces!


    ¡°Ah¡ª!!¡± The piercing scream sent chills down everyone¡¯s spines.


    What was more terrifying happened next. After the first sentinel¡¯s death, countless zombie heads surfaced on the river, forming an expansive cluster resembling floating gourds. The sight was enough to drive someone with a fear of clusters insane.


    Gunners at the bridgehead and city walls unleashed relentless gunfire. The scythes were akin to the reaper of life. Bullets poured out in continuous streams, sinking numerous zombies. Their bodies floated like balloons, yet their numbers were overwhelming. Often submerging to evade gunfire and hindered by the surging water, they made targeting difficult. The rushing currents impeded the firearms¡¯ range, making it impossible to inflict effective damage for a while.


    Soon, a horde of zombies crossed the river, sprinting in groups towards the first iron gate.


    ¡°Pull the switch! Pull the switch quickly!¡± yelled the guards within the defenses.


    The high-voltage electric grid crackled and the front line of zombies instantly fell, their bodies charred. A strong stench of decay drifted into the city on the wind. However, the following zombies stepped over the fallen, fiercely charging forward. The crisis didn¡¯t cease; from beneath the river¡¯s surface, an unending stream of undead reinforcements emerged!


    Humanity, overly confident in the Great River¡¯s protection, never imagined that the Zombie King had trained a zombie army well-versed in aquatic warfare!


    ¡°Zombies don¡¯t need to breathe, they don¡¯t require oxygen, they can adapt to extreme pressure, perfect for prolonged deep dives,¡± Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s gaze turned icy. ¡°But under the right deployment, the Zombie King could silently send his troops. Its capabilities are probably more terrifying than we estimated.¡±


    Song Ke peered out from the car¡¯s rooftop. ¡°Do we need to help?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan shook his head. ¡°Intervening now might disrupt the counterattack¡¯s rhythm. Let¡¯s wait. Haimen isn¡¯t defenseless.¡±


    The defenders atop the city walls, under immense pressure of life and death, unleashed astonishing speed. Artillery and explosive rounds were launched relentlessly, the destructive power of heavy weapons quickly curbing the zombie assault, completing the first wave clearance, creating heaps of debris outside the defenses.


    Braided Head suddenly stuck her head against the car window and made two ¡°Ah-ah¡± sounds.


    Song Ke glanced down at her, realization dawning. ¡°I almost forgot, you have accomplices, eager to cause chaos!¡±


    The dark grey SUV restarted, heading towards the first iron gate.


    Between the three defense lines, there was a commercial area. Currently, the emergency passages were congested with people. Officials in charge of evacuation shouted at the top of their lungs, ¡°Safe zones are open! Civilians, retreat quickly! Let the elderly, women, and children go first!¡±


    As the main forces marched through, an officer hurriedly ran towards the control room, preparing to close the emergency entrance. Unbeknownst to him, in the darkness, a few pairs of cloudy grey eyes were fixed on him.


    Just as he pressed the control panel, someone within the civilian queue suddenly turned and hurled an unidentified object at him. ¡°Bang¡± ¨C those gasoline-like items struck the control panel, erupting into flames and causing a series of explosions, resulting in a circuit short circuit.


    The high-voltage electric grid outside the city walls sizzled twice before gradually dimming.


    The civilians were startled to discover a traitor among them. Panic-stricken, they looked at the troublemakers, then shouted:


    ¡°Zombies! Zombies have infiltrated!!¡±


    The high-voltage electric grid suddenly failed, even when the backup power was activated, there was about a minute of silence.


    The zombies attacking the city, free from the threat of electric shock, became even more ferocious in their charge. Meanwhile, heavy and chaotic footsteps echoed from the horizon, signaling the arrival of the second wave of zombies on land!


    The defense line in Haimen instantly became strained. Sentinels on the bridge over the river frantically sprayed the plains, trying to halt the reinforcements. Meanwhile, zombies from the water seized the opportunity to leap onto the city walls, ruthlessly biting into the humans within the defenses.


    Witnessing a sharp decline in armed sentinels and a rapid weakening of firepower, the awakeners in Haimen took action, swiftly rushing to the frontline.


    The evacuated civilians also turned back abruptly, looking at the collapsed walls and their kin being slaughtered, their eyes burning with fury.


    ¡°Ptew! My ancestors were all from Haimen, born and raised on this land. Even in death, we won¡¯t let you bastards occupy Haimen! Just zombies? We¡¯ll fight you to the end!¡± The call was echoed by hundreds as thousands of valiant residents of Haimen raised their weapons, engaging in a fierce battle against the zombies.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Song Ke and the others lagged behind, unable to identify the Fallen among the crowd.


    From the current situation, it was evident that this zombie tide wasn¡¯t a feigned attack; the Zombie King was sure to appear.


    Intense fighting erupted outside the city of Haimen. Reinforcements arrived from the sky, teams participating in the Throne Race like ¡°Three Grandsons and One Grandpa¡±, ¡°Shunxing Teahouse¡±, and ¡°Guns and Roses¡± all rushed in.


    Several uniquely designed hovercars arrived over Haimen. Yin Xiao leaned out from the top of one, pulling up a sniper rifle with a sigh, ¡°Looks like another overtime shift¡­ again, my luck¡¯s really bad¡­ Huh?¡±


    Yin Xiao swallowed the latter half of the sentence, looked down at his feet, a playful smile creeping up, ¡°Actually, my luck¡¯s pretty good.¡±


    After a minute of silence, the high-voltage electric grid restarted. With their fearless resistance, the people of Haimen managed to hold off the zombies outside the city.


    Amidst the chaotic battlefield, Song Ke yelled at Braided Head, ¡°Hey, don¡¯t wander off! Stick close to me!¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡± Braided Head replied and obediently followed behind V587.


    Song Ke quickly freed a scarf from her hand and securely covered the girl¡¯s face with it.


    As she was about to sprint forward, a nimble figure descended from above, landing right in front of her. The man was clad in combat gear, camo pants, high military boots, and wore fingerless sniper gloves¡ªit was Yin Xiao.


    ¡°We meet again, Song Ke,¡± Yin Xiao greeted with a smile. ¡°How about we discuss something?¡±


    ¡°No time,¡± Song Ke replied bluntly. She didn¡¯t have time for small talk with him.


    Yin Xiao shrugged off her indifference and gestured towards Braided Head hiding behind Song Ke.


    ¡°You hand this guy over to me, and I¡¯ll help you kill the Zombie King, deal?¡±


    A threatening growl emanated from Braided Head¡¯s throat.


    Song Ke frowned, about to respond¡ªwhen a piercing alarm rang out across the entire city.


    ¡­


    A few minutes ago.


    While everyone¡¯s attention was on the underwater zombies, a group of about thirty individuals dressed in uniforms approached the gatehouse. Upon closer inspection, their movements appeared stiff and uncoordinated.


    ¡°Who goes there?¡± A sentinel raised his gun, sternly asking, but the identical uniforms caused hesitation, preventing them from shooting immediately.


    The opposition swiftly lunged forward. The sentinels groaned as their necks snapped audibly.


    Scattered bodies lay on the ground as these people silently crossed over, picking up firearms from the fallen.


    ¡°Knock, knock¡ª¡± The leader politely knocked on the door.


    The person in charge of the control room opened the video intercom, seeing a sentinel outside with a low-brimmed hat and an eerie tattoo on their chin. ¡°What¡¯s your ID number?¡± the person asked cautiously. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you before.¡±


    The individual slowly lifted their head, their cloudy grey eyes staring straight at them.


    The person in charge paled, and hastily took a step back, trying to press the alarm button. Unfortunately, it was too late. The next moment, the gates were violently smashed open, dozens of zombies barged in, and blood-curdling screams echoed.


    Haimen¡¯s first iron gate was opened from the inside.

 Chapter 126.1: Life-and-Death Marathon (17)

    ¡ò Good Brother and Bad Brother ¡òThe artillery purchased by Haimen was the most popular hot weapon at the Northern Base, equipped with automatic loading and ballistic calibration functions. Its only flaw was the extremely high demand on the operator; it required a single person to complete angle measurement, distance measurement, aiming, and then firing, for precise strikes against the enemy.


    Training a qualified gunner required a huge cost, and after the city walls were breached, the zombies seemed to have a collective consciousness, targeting these elites as their primary attack objective.


    Two silver-white wheelchairs quietly ascended the defensive structure. Lu Xiaoyu flipped over several zombies gnawing at the remains of the gunners, stopping in front of a row of artillery positions. With lowered eyes, he studied for two seconds, adeptly corrected the ballistic deviation, aimed, and fired¡ª


    Boom!


    Boom!


    Boom boom!


    Six shells consecutively shot, landing in the most densely packed central area of the zombies. Each cannon blast created deep craters in the ground. Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s calculations were almost flawless; hundreds of zombies were blasted away, some directly reduced to putrid mush.


    Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s silver hair fluttered as all six arms moved in unison. He resembled the legendary sea monster from ancient times, effortlessly controlling even the Hell Scythe. Swiftly adjusting the gun barrels, he switched to single-shot mode. Bullets sprayed out, blowing apart zombie skulls and turning bodies into sieves. The pressure on the city wall immediately lightened.


    ¡°Thank you, brother!¡± The surviving gunners, their faces covered in blood, shouted their gratitude towards him.


    Lu Xiaoyu nodded gracefully.


    Those gunners staggered back to their positions, steadfastly holding the line.


    Lu Xiaoyu glanced down, noticing the smell of gunpowder all over him. In contrast, Zhuang Qingyan who was following him was like a noble prince, moving as if on a leisurely stroll, his clothes untouched by dust. He maneuvered his wheelchair around the bodies on the ground, afraid of even a speck of blood staining his attire.


    That picky and fastidious countenance mirrored his youth. Anyone familiar with him wouldn¡¯t mistake it.


    Lu Xiaoyu extended a mechanical arm, intentionally handing over the dirtiest Hell Scythe, playfully tossing it into Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s lap.


    ¡°Do you know how to use it? If not, I can teach you. It¡¯s because you didn¡¯t take the firearms course.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s brows were so tight that he could pinch a fly. He grabbed a slightly cleaner piece of cloth from the ground, wiped the gun barrel¡¯s black-red bloodstains, loaded live ammunition, and aimed at Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s head. ¡°Fire your cannons, less talk.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu huffed in a tsundere manner, completely focused on controlling the six artillery pieces.


    Zhuang Qingyan adjusted the gun¡¯s aim but kept his gaze fixed on his face. ¡°I¡¯ve noticed, you¡¯ve been more agreeable lately.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s movement imperceptibly paused for a moment. Using the standard Alliance language with a peculiar tone, he retorted, ¡°Oh, dear friend, I¡¯ve always been agreeable. It¡¯s just that you don¡¯t understand me enough.¡±


    ¡°Did you steal money from Song Ke? Moved it to your own account?¡± Zhuang Qingyan arched an eyebrow.


    ¡°Are you insulting my character?¡± Lu Xiaoyu practically had ¡®You¡¯re ridiculous¡¯ written all over his face.


    ¡°Tch¡ª¡±


    ¡°Boring.¡±


    The two glared at each other, then turned their heads away.


    Lu Xiaoyu was like a human artillery, rapid-fire cannons booming down onto the battlefield, silver snakes dancing, zombies flipping.


    Amidst the deafening noise, he suddenly spoke, ¡°The Plan Eternity¡­ Is that the one?¡±


    ¡°Which one?¡± Zhuang Qingyan replied casually.


    ¡°The one where you were so ecstatic, shouting everywhere, ¡®Finally, I can participate in the project with that person,¡¯ is that it?¡± Lu Xiaoyu didn¡¯t look at him. ¡°I could hear your ghostly cries even when I was sleeping on the fifth floor that day.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan fell silent for a moment before retorting sarcastically, ¡°You¡¯re the idiot. At least I didn¡¯t oversleep and miss an exam.¡±


    ¡ªHe didn¡¯t deny it.


    Without lifting his head, Lu Xiaoyu continued swiftly while killing zombies, ¡°Regarding the Plan Eternity, when you explained it, you mentioned many concepts¡ªhumans, zombies, awakeners, mutant zombies, evolved zombies, the fallen¡­ But regardless of the species, they all have fatal flaws, and in your logical chain, there happens to be a crucial missing link.¡±


    ¡°¡ªAlso the most perfect link.¡±


    ¡°As you¡¯ve said, the initial intention of the Plan Eternity was to create the most perfect genes. Its results should have eternal life, immense abilities, while retaining consciousness and intelligence, achieving a thorough evolution of humanity. I want to know, did this research succeed?¡± Lu Xiaoyu asked persistently.


    ¡°Ever heard a saying? Curiosity killed the cat,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said lightly.


    ¡°I only know that curiosity is the staircase to human progress. Since you joined Qinglan, you disappeared from Liuboni and when we met again¡­¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu finally found a moment to glance at him, scanning him up and down, ultimately resting on his legs, recently healed from serious injuries.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s unexpected.¡±


    ¡°Since you care so much about this project,¡± Lu Xiaoyu asked again, ¡°I¡¯m genuinely curious, did your research succeed?¡±


    This time, Zhuang Qingyan took a long time to contemplate before slowly responding:


    ¡°Once.¡±


    Even Lu Xiaoyu couldn¡¯t hide his immense surprise, but Zhuang Qingyan didn¡¯t give him a chance to speak.


    ¡°Just once.¡±


    ¡°Fourteen years ago, there was a nuclear leak in Loak, followed by an explosion. The entire Qinglan Research Institute was devastated, including the project researchers, all experimental subjects, and¡­ the local storage hub that contained all the data for the Plan Eternity.¡±


    ¡°Since that day, the results of this research could only be declared a failure.¡±


    ¡°The data can be recovered,¡± Lu Xiaoyu remarked dismissively.


    ¡°That hub was pulverized into fragments. Not even the tiniest nail-sized piece could be reconstructed, not even by someone like you,¡± Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s eyes held a chilling coldness. ¡°Moreover, do you think the Central Court didn¡¯t anticipate this?¡±


    ¡°How much data was in the hub?¡± Lu Xiaoyu inquired.


    ¡°Exceeding three thousand zettabytes,¡± Zhuang Qingyan replied.


    ¡°Three thousand zettabytes of data,¡± Lu Xiaoyu clicked his tongue twice. ¡°That number sounds quite terrifying.¡±


    He then maneuvered another round of six cannons to fire simultaneously, taking advantage of the automatic reloading break, seemingly casually glancing at Zhuang Qingyan.


    ¡°You think, is there anyone whose brain works exceptionally well, capable of memorizing all the data?¡±


    ¡°I say,¡± Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s tone was icy, ¡°if you don¡¯t start firing again, the zombies will get too close.¡±


    Both of them simultaneously raised their weapons and began firing.


    At that moment, a piercing alarm sounded, and the first iron gate of Haimen opened.


    *


    After the defense line was breached, the tide of zombies found a clear direction of attack, rushing relentlessly toward the iron gates, fearing to fall behind.


    From a vantage point, the dense horde of zombies appeared like moving black ants, devouring Haimen at an alarming pace.


    At this critical moment, dozens of armored vehicles rolled out from within the city. Yen Biao, the magistrate of Haimen, stood at the forefront, holding a megaphone, roaring, ¡°Push forward¡ªartillery and rifle hands must not retreat!¡±


    ¡°Behind this gate are our parents, wives, children, our homeland! Not a step backward!¡±


    ¡°Haimen can¡¯t afford any failure. Even if we¡¯re to die, let¡¯s die charging forward!¡±


    The soldiers of Haimen, their eyes reddened, fervently agreed, fiercely spraying the oncoming zombie horde with gunfire and continuous bombardment.


    The armored vehicles thundered across the land, crushing the zombies attempting to breach the defensive line into pulp. Yen Biao mounted a Hell Scythe on the vehicle¡¯s roof, roaring wildly as he fired repeatedly, ejecting shell casings like a torrential stream.


    Whether awakener or ordinary person, sentinel or civilian, intense battles erupted throughout Haimen¡¯s city walls, streets, and alleys. Even women and children weren¡¯t hiding at home, spontaneously aiding in transporting ammunition, providing frontline support.


    The most striking in close combat were hundreds of warriors wielding azure-colored weapons, including Wang Hu and his bodyguard. They fearlessly swung at the zombie heads, resolute and swift in their actions. Empowered by mysterious weapons, their combat prowess was off the charts.


    ¡°Damn it! I just bought a 500-square-meter flat in the city and haven¡¯t even renovated it. You bastards want to destroy my new home? No manners!¡± Wang Hu cursed while punching and kicking.


    When everyone¡¯s determination to defend the city merged into a unified force, it was truly fearsome.


    Two currents of zombies at the riverbank and bridge quickly retreated. The path paved with decayed flesh and shattered bones extended from the iron gates to the riverbank, making it impossible to distinguish between the dead in battle and the zombies.


    And District D135, Haimen, astonishingly held back the successive waves of zombies all on its own!


    *


    Tustan¡¯s group attack took advantage of the high altitude to clear an open space, while Yin Xiao shot and instantly sniped the approaching zombies.


    ¡°I¡¯ve taken the commission from above to take it to the Northern Base.¡±


    ¡°If you hand it over to me, I assure you I won¡¯t let you lose. It would be a win-win for us.¡±


    ¡°No need.¡± Song Ke¡¯s heart sank. As expected, Zhuang Qingyan was right. The existence of Braided Head attracted attention as soon as it was exposed.


    Yin Xiao sighed in distress, ¡°From my personal perspective, I really don¡¯t want to conflict with you.¡±


    While the two conversed, Braided Head turned its head, catching sight of several uniformed figures heading towards the iron gate. They skirted around the frontlines and vanished from sight. S?a?ch* Th? N?v?lFir?(.)n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Braided Head stood up abruptly, a hint of urgency flashing in its eyes.


    It changed direction and, without a second thought, headed after those few individuals.


    ¡°Hey!¡± Its sudden attempt to escape caught Song Ke off guard. She couldn¡¯t grab it, and Braided Head had already charged into the battlefield.


    ¡°Sister, I¡¯ll go after her!¡± Xu Xing beside her said and promptly followed Braided Head.


    Song Ke: ¡°¡­¡± Neither of them is easy to handle.


    Yin Xiao chuckled and shrugged, ¡°See, even if you protect it, it won¡¯t appreciate you. A zombie is a zombie.¡±


    The door of the floating car swung open, and the Tustan awakener leaned out and yelled, ¡°Yin Xiao, stop flirting around! I¡¯m still waiting to finish up and go back to sleep!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just fooling around! Can¡¯t you do something serious?¡±


    A wild beauty with deep red curls blowing bubble gum pushed past her teammates, clasped her hands, and flirtatiously whistled, ¡°Hey, Captain, can you do it?¡±


    ¡°Get lost! Kill those zombies!¡±


    ¡°Do you guys have to slander your captain like this? I¡¯m still the captain!¡± Yin Xiao turned around, laughed, and scolded a few words, then turned to Song Ke helplessly. ¡°Did you hear that? I have no other choice.¡±


    As he finished speaking, he suddenly flashed past Song Ke, chasing after Braided Head.


    ¡°Sorry, it¡¯s an urgent mission. I have to act.¡±


    Why is he so rude? He didn¡¯t even finish speaking before running off? Song Ke began running after him.

 Chapter 126.2: Life-and-Death Marathon (17)

    ¡ò Good Brother and Bad Brother ¡òYin Xiao moved extremely fast, almost passing through the iron gate. At the critical moment, a hail of bullets suddenly rained down from the direction of the city wall, smashing towards him in the direction he was heading. If he didn¡¯t dodge, he would have been smashed into pieces.


    Yin Xiao timely braked, leaping back, leaving deep marks on the ground with his military boots. He swiftly adjusted his sniper scope, blocking the aftermath of the explosion.


    The splattered mud quickly dispersed, and he abruptly looked up, only to see a stern-faced man inside the defense walls, coldly staring at him. The man held a machine gun and was about to shoot at him.


    Yin Xiao recognized the man; they had a chance encounter in the skies over Ferrara, seemingly¡­ not on good terms.


    Unfortunately, it was mutual. This dislike had no reason, just an intuition stemming from the instincts of male animals.


    The two locked eyes from a distance, the smell of gunpowder lingering in the air.


    A ruby earring flashed in the dark night as Yin Xiao brazenly raised two middle fingers at the other.


    Zhuang Qingyan remained unfazed, tugging at the corner of his mouth, revealing an extremely mocking smile.


    Just as Yin Xiao furrowed his brows, someone grabbed his collar. A tall figure exceeding eighty kilograms was hoisted up with one hand and was ruthlessly flung backward! His vision spun as Yin Xiao, with his slender figure, twisted mid-air, landing to maintain balance. When he looked up again, Song Ke¡¯s leopard-like agile figure had already leapt away, slashing down nearby zombies, long gone.


    Some people naturally disliked fragile white flowers, yet they found themselves defenseless against vibrant, thorn-covered iron roses. Yin Xiao was someone who walked a different path.


    A smirk played at the corner of his mouth, but the next moment, he realized that Song Ke¡¯s throw was exceptionally accurate, landing him amidst a heap of zombies.


    The zombies emerging from the river, covered in algae and mud, shook their heads, splattering him with a river-scented mess.


    ¡°¡­¡± Yin Xiao¡¯s smile vanished, expressionless as he drew his weapon from the holster on his thigh, efficiently dealing with the zombies.


    ¡­


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going after them?¡± Lu Xiaoyu witnessed the commotion from atop the city wall and kindly reminded Zhuang Qingyan.


    ¡°I can¡¯t shoulder or lift anything,¡± Zhuang Qingyan pointed confidently at his legs. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t I just cause trouble if I went?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan thought of something, lips curling into a smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, when our captain gets serious, no one can snatch things from her.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu nodded. ¡°Oh, then why did you just attack that person like a peacock spreading its feathers?¡±


    ¡°That person is probably top-tier A-level, and you, in any case, are an S-level awakener¡­¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu trailed off suddenly.


    Zhuang Qingyan sneered, ¡°Finally figured it out? I thought you were so obsessed with shooting that even your intelligence went off with the bullets.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu ignored his sarcasm. He suddenly realized that since a while ago, Zhuang Qingyan had only been using firearms and hadn¡¯t utilized any supernatural abilities. He initially thought it was out of laziness, but the truth was¡­ he simply hadn¡¯t had a chance to use them.


    Up to this point in the battle, Haimen seemed to have an absolute advantage, yet both waves of zombies on the river and the plains were just ordinary ones. None of the mutant zombies, evolved zombies, or the Zombie King had appeared yet.


    Where could they have gone?


    ¡°This Zombie King¡¯s best tactic is guerrilla tactics,¡± Zhuang Qingyan calmly analyzed. ¡°Using food airdrop containers as a cover to send in the Fallen, because they have no life signs. Once mixed with the food, it masks even radiation. Most importantly, they can control themselves and not make any noticeable movements.¡±


    ¡°But with such elaborate planning, is its only goal really to have the Fallen open three iron gates?¡±


    ¡°Since it can adjust tactics based on different abilities, why not organize a surprise attack?¡±


    ¡°If I were it, I definitely wouldn¡¯t opt for a straightforward assault.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so you think your ¡®good buddy,¡¯ the Zombie King, would do what?¡± Lu Xiaoyu mocked.


    ¡°First, let other awakeners take the lead and call our people back,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said. ¡°I¡¯ll go meet this one, an interesting opponent.¡±


    *


    Inside Haimen City, all the floating screens lit up with official announcements from the municipal hall. The person responsible seemed quite frantic, lacking time to organize the language. Several announcements were bluntly expressed:


    ¡°Residents must heighten vigilance. Zombies have been discovered disguised as humans. Do not trust anyone!¡±


    ¡°Do not engage in conversation with strangers! Do not approach the iron gate booths! The booths are laden with explosives!¡±


    ¡°Zombies cannot read text. It¡¯s enough that we know in our hearts! Don¡¯t speak it out loud! Stay vigilant! Stay vigilant!¡± S?a??h th? N?v?lFire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    A person with braided hair sprinted through the crowd, with Xu Xing panting as he chased after.


    Soon, they reached the outer perimeter of the second line of defense, the back of the commercial street. Braided Head accelerated and intercepted a group of about thirty people.


    Xu Xing realized something and hid behind a building, holding his breath as he peered sneakily.


    Braided Head anxiously yelled twice, hoarse, towards the leader of the group.


    The leader turned, lips moving, seemingly communicating with Braided Head. Xu Xing caught a glimpse of its sinister profile, murky grey eyes, and the zombie-like patterns extending from its chin down its neck. This was a Fallen!


    No, these thirty people¡­ they should all be Fallens, the ¡°bad faction¡± mentioned by Braided Head.


    After pondering for a moment, Xu Xing decided to nickname the leader ¡°Dirty Chin.¡±


    After Dirty Chin finished communicating with Braided Head, it rudely shoved Braided Head aside, as if saying, ¡°Get out of the way.¡±


    Braided Head stumbled, growing more anxious, and clumsily retrieved something from around its neck that resembled a broken fang, somewhat like¡­ a zombie¡¯s tooth?


    As Dirty Chin observed the fang, its initially calm expression turned into rage. It flipped Braided Head over with the butt of its gun, then lifted its foot to stomp on the person¡¯s head.


    Braided Head struggled desperately, her hat and scarf falling off, revealing unmistakable zombie features. Dirty Chin let out an enraged roar from its throat, lowering its head closer to Braided Head¡¯s face.


    Xu Xing was extremely nervous, tightly gripping an ice spike, ready to intervene at any moment.


    Fortunately, Dirty Chin didn¡¯t intend to harm its fellow beings. It reached out and took away Braided Head¡¯s pendant, stooped to pick up the hat and scarf, covering the Braided Head¡¯s face, then gestured for it to leave.


    Dirty Chin silently led the Fallen deeper into the street.


    Remembering the direction they disappeared, Xu Xing discreetly recorded a video and shared it in the V587 group chat.


    ¡°Xiao Xing, where are you?¡± came Song Ke¡¯s voice through the earpiece.


    ¡°Sister! Come quickly, I¡¯ve made a big discovery!¡± Xu Xing initially wanted to send his location but remembered that his sister couldn¡¯t distinguish directions, so he shared both their positions.


    ¡°I¡¯m on my way,¡± Song Ke replied.


    After informing Song Ke, Xu Xing jumped off the wall and hurried toward Braided Head, his short legs moving swiftly.


    Braided Head looked dazed, seeming stunned and dispirited.


    Xu Xing helped fix its hat and scarf and patted off the dirt. Then, squatting in front of it, he asked, ¡°Are you okay, Braided Head?¡±


    Braided Head seemed absent-minded and didn¡¯t respond.


    Xu Xing continued, ¡°What did you say to your bad buddies? Why were they so angry?¡±


    Braided Head glanced up, then silently drew something on the ground¡ªa drawing of three tightly clustered ghostly symbols.


    After staring at it for a while, Xu Xing exclaimed in surprise, ¡°Ah? You¡¯re saying Dirty Chin is your brother?!¡±


    Braided Head looked puzzled.


    Xu Xing struggled to explain, ¡°Dirty Chin¡­ uh, has a dirty chin, tall¡­¡±


    Braided Head understood and protested against Xu Xing¡¯s nickname-making behavior with a series of ¡°ahh¡±s.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the details,¡± Xu Xing chuckled, brushing it off. ¡°Then what about this one? Is he also your brother?¡±


    Braided Head nodded, saying ¡°ah.¡±


    It quickly added a few strokes to the drawing.


    Xu Xing understood this time. Braided Head had drawn a scene of zombies playing football, and then he got agitated!


    ¡°It turns out that your brother is the bad guy who took the lead in bullying me last time!¡±


    Braided Head: ¡°¡­Ahh!¡±


    ¡°Where did it go? Did it also come to Haimen?¡± Xu Xing snorted, deciding not to hold a grudge against them for their past actions.


    Braided Head quieted down and slowly drew a severed zombie.


    Following suit, it connected ¡°good brother¡± to Xu Xing and drew the Zombie King, connecting it to the ¡°bad brother.¡±


    Xu Xing also grew silent, recalling Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s cold remarks. He had mentioned that Fallens were a race outside humans and zombies, their characteristics of transformation making them unacceptable to humans. Their retained consciousness prevented them from becoming complete zombies.


    During the Tongwan outbreak, Braided Head, following its ¡°good brother,¡± chose to hide and evade rather than actively attack humans. However, the next day, Braided Head¡¯s good brother was mistaken for a zombie by the awakeners and was killed. The half-body Braided Head had dragged away likely belonged to its brother.


    Not knowing how to comfort Braided Head, Xu Xing simply sat there with it in silence.


    Sudden footsteps approached from behind, and Song Ke arrived on the scene. Seeing that they were both unharmed, she sighed with relief. Before she could fully relax, a smoke bomb flew in, exploding as it hit the ground, causing Xu Xing to cough violently, covering his mouth.


    In the thick smoke, a hand with a fingerless glove lunged aggressively toward Braided Head, intercepted halfway by Song Ke, twisting it in the opposite direction.


    Yin Xiao fired a shot from his other hand, forcing Song Ke to release her grip. Both took a step back.


    ¡°As the captain of Tustan, I must take this mutant zombie back to the client,¡± Yin Xiao¡¯s expression showed some helplessness.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a zombie, it¡¯s a Fallen, a new species,¡± Song Ke explained seriously.


    ¡°New or old, higher-ups want it. You better not intervene,¡± Yin Xiao¡¯s nonchalant expression turned serious. ¡°One wrong move, and it¡¯ll cause you trouble.¡±


    Song Ke was taken aback. More trouble? Zhuang Qingyan said that, and now Yin Xiao too? Why was Braided Head¡¯s existence so important?


    As the deadlock continued between the two, Xu Xing jumped in. His hands clenched, face red from coughing, and he blurted out unexpectedly, ¡°Why do you have to catch Braided Head?! There are so many Fallens here. Can¡¯t you just catch the bad ones and be done with it?!¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    Yin Xiao: ¡°Huh? So many?¡±

 Chapter 127.1: Life-and-Death Marathon (18)

    ¡ò Song Keke, he grabbed my hand hard ¡òIt¡¯s said that children¡¯s words are without reservation, and Xu Xing¡¯s words left the two people opposite him stunned.


    Yin Xiao¡¯s thumb pressed on the outside of the gun body, the calloused index finger hooked the cylinder. With both hands simultaneously maneuvering the gun through a dizzying series of movements, the two slender ¡®Hellcat¡¯ pistols were effortlessly returned to their holsters strapped to his thighs, almost as if they were toys.


    ¡°Kid,¡± Yin Xiao raised his chin, his sharp gaze fixed on Xu Xing, ¡°Words carry responsibility. Besides this guy, did you personally witness any other mutant zombies in Haimen?¡±


    ¡°It, it was already¡­ um¡­¡± Xu Xing swallowed hard, shifted slightly toward Song Ke, the captain of the ¡°Tustan¡± team, who had suddenly become imposing, exuding a different aura altogether.


    ¡°¡­Just over thirty of them passed by just now,¡± Xu Xing muttered under his breath.


    ¡°Ah! Ah!¡± Braided Head jumped excitedly, emitting a low growl from deep within its throat.


    ¡°If not your brother, how about catching other bad ones?¡± Xu Xing whispered to it, ¡°Or those who constantly bully you, ones you dislike? Let¡¯s ¡®kill with a borrowed knife¡¯ and take the opportunity to get rid of them!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Braided Head hesitated, hands folded together, clearly making a ¡°thinking¡± gesture. Given its intelligence, it couldn¡¯t understand what ¡°kill with a borrowed knife¡± meant or handle such complex ¡°relationship between zombies.¡±


    Yin Xiao looked somewhat surprised, ¡°Can this kid communicate with mutant zombies?¡±


    Song Ke nodded solemnly, ¡°Hmm,¡± acknowledging that Xiao Xing¡¯s talent was indeed quite extraordinary.


    ¡°Your client specifically asked for you to catch Braided Head?¡± Song Ke inquired proactively.


    ¡°Not particularly.¡± Yin Xiao shrugged, hands in his pockets, leaning against the wall casually. He could already anticipate what Song Ke was going to say, as He Qiuhong¡¯s only request was to ¡°capture a mutant zombie.¡±


    ¡°Oh, in that case, I¡¯ll take care of this one, you go catch others.¡±


    Following his lead, Song Ke flicked open a butterfly knife with her thumb, swiftly spinning it. The sharp blade vibrated like the wings of a butterfly at high frequency, almost grazing against the skin of her fingertips. One wrong move could sever a finger. Song Ke performed a flashy set of maneuvers, then with a ¡®click,¡¯ she sheathed the knife.


    Then she lifted her head, her eyes shining like stars, calmly gazing back at Yin Xiao, as if to say, ¡®Whatever it is, I can handle it too.¡¯


    Far from feeling threatened, Yin Xiao felt an itching sensation in his mind, as if scratched by a cat¡¯s paw.


    Despite the calm negotiation between the two, neither dared to relax, knowing that any disagreement might lead to another altercation.


    ¡°If I go after others,¡± Yin Xiao smiled, ¡°Captain Song, will you still intervene?¡±


    ¡°Not today,¡± came Song Ke¡¯s calm reply.


    The battle in Haimen had evolved into a bloodbath between zombies and humans. The Fallen, by choosing to open the iron gate, had positioned themselves against humanity. They were the culprits behind the current brutal situation, and she had no reason to stop Yin Xiao.


    A hint of amusement flashed in Yin Xiao¡¯s eyes as he nodded slowly, ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to put in more effort and change my target.¡±


    The terminal vibrated, and Song Ke glanced down to see a gathering notification sent by Zhuang Qingyan, not far from their location.


    ¡°Xiao Xing, let¡¯s go,¡± she called to Xu Xing.


    Xu Xing obediently followed but turned and earnestly advised Braided Head, ¡°Don¡¯t wander off this time, it¡¯s safer to stay with us.¡±


    Just a couple of steps away, Song Ke suddenly turned around, noticing Yin Xiao following them step by step.


    She tilted her head, her eyes clearly saying, ¡®Didn¡¯t you say you were going after something else?¡¯


    Having just sent the message, Yin Xiao, catching her expression, smiled in response, ¡°Captain Song, my intuition has always been accurate.¡±


    ¡°Rather than aimlessly searching for the next mutant zombie within the city, I believe my chances of completing the mission are greater by following you.¡±


    ¡°Before that, you can use me as a helper.¡±


    Song Ke shook her head. At that moment, she seemed to possess divine wisdom, seeing through Yin Xiao¡¯s true intentions. ¡°You don¡¯t trust us.¡±


    Yin Xiao hadn¡¯t seen any other Fallen. If Xu Xing had lied just now, and if Song Ke and he had teamed up to deceive him, if he had believed them and there were no other Fallen, he would have fallen into their trap. Therefore, the Yin Xiao would undoubtedly follow them. If there were indeed other Fallen, he could fulfill the task. If not, he would still target Braided Head.


    ¡°Better to be cautious,¡± Yin Xiao calmly replied.


    ¡­


    Zhuang Qingyan and Lu Xiaoyu had been waiting at the gathering point for a while when Lin Youyou and the other three quickly arrived to join them.


    ¡°The situation outside the city has temporarily stabilized. The zombie tide can¡¯t break through, but Haimen¡¯s ammunition is depleting rapidly,¡± Lin Youyou said, her face displaying concern. ¡°Yan Biao has requested reinforcements from several nearby C Districts, but we don¡¯t know how long they¡¯ll take to arrive.¡±


    ¡°The checkpoint in Haimen has yet to appear,¡± Su Cha timely reminded.


    ¡°The checkpoint is related to the Zombie King,¡± Zhuang Qingyan affirmed.


    As they were discussing, Song Ke and Xu Xing arrived, followed by Braided Head and a familiar young man.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Who¡¯s this?¡± Lin Youyou asked in surprise.


    Song Ke sighed and explained to her teammates about the encounter with Yin Xiao.


    Yin Xiao stood directly in front of Zhuang Qingyan, pondered for a moment, and took the initiative to greet him.


    ¡°I¡¯m Yin Xiao, captain of the ¡®Tustan¡¯ awakener team from the Northern Base.¡±


    ¡°Zhuang Qingyan,¡± came Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s cold reply.


    ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re the ¡®Zhuang Qingyan,''¡± Yin Xiao¡¯s tone carried a meaningful undertone.


    During Song Ke¡¯s conversation with Gao Xiangyang, he had also been present, having heard about seventy to eighty percent of their chat. In his eyes, the current Zhuang Qingyan was nothing more than a despicable ¡°thief¡± who stole genetic information, with suspicion of undergoing plastic surgery to alter appearances.


    ¡°Pleasure to meet you,¡± Yin Xiao¡¯s face bore a fake smile as he extended his right hand.


    ¡°Right,¡± Zhuang Qingyan shook his hand. s?a??h th? N?v?lFir?.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Yin Xiao raised an eyebrow, his grip suddenly tightening to ninety percent strength.


    The instantaneous explosive power of a top-notch sniper was not to be underestimated. If it were an ordinary person encountering such terrifying force, their joints would have been crushed.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s joints made a ¡®crackling¡¯ sound. He stayed silent for a moment before turning to complain, ¡°Song Keke, he grabbed my hand hard.¡±


    Yin Xiao: ¡°¡­?¡±


    Aren¡¯t we having a competition here between men? You¡¯re giving up before the match even begins? What happened to your pride?


    Song Ke walked over, expressionless, and slapped away Yin Xiao¡¯s hand, then lifted Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s hand to inspect. There was a hint of redness on the back of his hand.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s long lashes drooped down, his left hand resting neatly on his knee, his tightly pursed lips revealing a hint of grievance.


    ¡°His health isn¡¯t good,¡± Song Ke glanced at Yin Xiao, her eyes filled with reproach. ¡°Don¡¯t bully him.¡±


    ¡°?!¡± Yin Xiao chuckled, amused.


    Having grown up in the Northern Base receiving elite education, he adhered to the concept of ¡°strength is paramount.¡± For the first twenty-six years of his life, he lived freely and uninhibitedly, utterly ignorant of the ¡°tea art culture¡± from the ancient civilization period, let alone aware of the existence of the rare breed known as the ¡°male green tea.¡±


    Completely unaware of the undercurrents between the two, Song Ke earnestly asked her companions, ¡°Where do you think the Fallen might go?¡±


    Lin Youyou contemplated for a moment, ¡°Haimen has issued warnings, and all outposts are on high alert. If the Fallen try to repeat their old tricks and open the iron gate, wouldn¡¯t it be too difficult?¡±


    ¡°The Zombie King, what instructions did he give you?¡± Zhuang Qingyan paused, turning to address Braided Head.


    ¡°?¡± Braided Head was startled, behaving like a student who hadn¡¯t paid attention in class and suddenly got called upon to answer a question. It scratched its head for a while, paced around, hesitated, then finally pointed in a direction, indicating it would lead Song Ke and the others.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go and see,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said in a low voice. ¡°Be cautious.¡±


    Braided Head took a few steps, stopped to think, struggled to recall the details it had missed while slacking off, ran a few more steps, and led the group through a series of twists and turns to the outside of the second line of defense¡ªa remote substation. There, it stopped.


    ¡°Why did you bring us here, Braided Head?¡± Xu Xing asked curiously.


    ¡°Ah, ah, ah! Ah, ah¡­¡± Braided Head wailed, its expression conveying a range of emotions, but unfortunately, no one could understand.


    ¡°Someone¡¯s here,¡± Su Cha warned, breaking the silence.


    Everyone immediately quieted down, focusing on observing the surrounding environment.


    Su Cha silently pointed in a certain direction, and a few figures dressed in staff uniforms flashed past.


    Moving slowly, their shoulders swaying uncontrollably, it was another group of Fallen!


    ¡°Chase them,¡± Song Ke whispered.


    The group hurriedly followed, passing through layers of high-voltage wires and opening the door to a distribution room.


    In the pitch-black surroundings, in the quiet air, heavy breathing could faintly be heard.


    ¡°Click¡ª¡± Su Cha turned on the flashlight, and the bright beam illuminated the room, revealing hundreds of Level 2 zombies crammed inside!


    Squeezed into the small room, their dark eyeballs enlarged due to the strong light, they roared and lunged forward in response to the stimulation.


    ¡°Run!!¡±


    The eight of them streamed out, with a horde of zombies hot on their heels. When did there suddenly become so many evolved zombies within Haimen City?!


    Xu Xing spun around the electrical poles, continuously releasing ice shards. Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s six arms moved in unison, weaving a net-like data flow that flew out. Su Cha protected Lin Youyou and Fang Zhixu, swiftly spreading a green toxic mist. Suddenly, lightning-fast, he struck at the neck of a zombie attempting to ambush them from behind. Even Zhuang Qingyan wore a serious expression, mentally attacking the zombies without holding back.


    Song Ke manifested a nearly three-meter-long staff, sweeping through the crowd of hungry, roaring zombies creating distance between them and the group.


    Meanwhile, Yin Xiao leaped to the top of the electrical pole, rapidly firing his dual pistols, each shot bursting zombie heads and splattering their brain matter.


    These were all Level 2 zombies, and with V587¡¯s strength, they could handle them given enough time. However, the number of zombies was overwhelming and excessively dense. If they were accidentally injured by the zombies and triggered a secondary radiation mutation, the consequences would be unimaginable.


    At that moment, several hover cars swiftly approached, their windows lowering as a dozen oil guns extended from within.


    ¡°Hey! People below, find a place to hide yourselves!!¡±


    ¡°Come in!¡± Song Ke acted quickly, grabbing the electrical pole and transforming it into a massive umbrella, spreading it open. Its eight umbrella bones formed a tent-like structure, instantly creating a safe zone.


    The V587 members quickly took shelter inside, barely any space remaining.


    The farthest from them, Yin Xiao executed an extreme leap, rolling into the umbrella at the critical moment. He seamlessly blended in with the other seven members, squished in tightly. He winked at Song Ke, a playful gesture that carried a certain sense of charm. ¡°How¡¯s that¡­¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan remained expressionless as his wheelchair slid forward, ¡°accidentally¡± landing on Yin Xiao¡¯s military boot.


    Yin Xiao¡¯s expression twisted.


    Song Ke: ¡°?¡± What¡¯s with this guy? How¡¯s what?

 Chapter 127.2: Life-and-Death Marathon (18)

    ¡ò Song Keke, he grabbed my hand hard ¡òThe gasoline poured down from the sky like a torrential rain, drenching the zombies hidden in the substation thoroughly.


    The door of the hover car opened, and amidst the fierce air currents, a woman with deep red curls extended her hands. Adorning her fingers were rings resembling green and blue gems, upon closer inspection revealed to be high-grade crystals. With her majestic awakened energy released, flames soared into the sky. With a ¡°hiss,¡± a chemical reaction occurred between the gasoline and flames, igniting rapidly.


    The roaring fire illuminated the entire sky. Those supernatural flames possessed miraculous properties; they wouldn¡¯t extinguish unless burnt completely.


    Eight people, including Song Ke, huddled under the protection of a spiritual umbrella. The scorching temperature nearly seared their skin, but Song Ke¡¯s stable mental strength prevented any disturbance despite the wails of the zombies, leaving the umbrella unaffected.


    After a good fifteen minutes, most of the Level 2 zombies were burnt to death, and the remaining ones scattered and fled.


    Song Ke retracted the umbrella, and the group emerged, their faces covered in soot from the thick smoke.


    The woman in the floating car whistled ambiguously towards Yin Xiao, ¡°Hey, Captain, looks like even you have days like this. Need me to come to your rescue?¡±


    Yin Xiao retorted angrily, ¡°Shut up, Jennifer! Even if I¡¯m in a slump, I¡¯m still your father!¡±


    Jennifer scoffed, ¡°I don¡¯t have such an incompetent father like you!¡±


    ¡°Stop arguing! Did you catch the mutated zombies? I want to go back to sleep!¡±


    ¡°Stop wasting time, hurry up and search!¡±


    Members of the ¡°Tustan¡± team jumped down, joining Yin Xiao in pursuing the fallen.


    The smoke-filled substation now had only the seven members of V587 remaining.


    Zhuang Qingyan bent down, picking up a fragment of a damaged metallic object from the ashes, examining it closely.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Song Ke picked up a similar piece.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got one too,¡± Fang Zhixu said.


    They searched around and found that this kind of thing was scattered all over the substation. S?a??h th? N?v?l(F)ire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Zhuang Qingyan asked in a low voice, ¡°Have any of you noticed any changes in your bodies?¡±


    Lin Youyou pondered for a moment. ¡°It seems like my awakened energy has become more abundant.¡±


    Xu Xing spread his palm, instantly conjuring ice blades, showing adeptness in employing his awakened ability.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s face grew serious. ¡°The radiation intensity here is several times higher than in other areas.¡±


    ¡°Currently, Haimen has become a huge chaotic magnetic field, capable of triggering the explosion of awakened energy.¡±


    ¡°It relies on these things¡ªsuper magnets.¡±


    The object in Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s hand was rough, filled with assembled charges, some unidentifiable magnetic substances, and a mix of scattered awakened energy.


    ¡°Magnets?¡± Lin Youyou immediately thought of a possibility. ¡°Could the Zombie King be planning to disrupt the power grid and render the high-voltage network ineffective?¡±


    ¡°Not feasible. Do you all know how many substations are in Haimen?¡± Zhuang Qingyan asked.


    Everyone shook their heads. How would they have such information!


    Zhuang Qingyan slightly parted his lips and revealed a staggering number, ¡°1,130.¡±


    ¡°To attempt to destroy all substations in a short time is a completely futile endeavor. Haimen always keeps reserve power. The Zombie King¡¯s goal should be to create an artificial magnetic pole.¡±


    ¡°They don¡¯t need to destroy; they just need to make some alterations.¡±


    ¡°By filling the substations with super magnets, Haimen will become an artificial magnetic pole in the Eastern Alliance.¡±


    ¡°Strictly speaking, it¡¯s not an artificial magnetic pole; it should be called ¡®Made by Undead¡¯.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu unexpectedly cracked a dark joke, but unfortunately, no one found it amusing at this moment. All wore grave expressions.


    Song Ke¡¯s gaze wandered, struggling to keep up with the discussion. She couldn¡¯t quite comprehend it, but mimicking Lin Youyou and the others, she earnestly nodded along.


    Zhuang Qingyan smiled faintly, choosing not to expose her confusion and explained in a more straightforward and understandable manner:


    ¡°After the apocalypse, the Alliance¡¯s terrestrial magnetic field was already unstable. If the super magnets in Haimen exceed a certain quantity, forming an artificial magnetic pole, it will conflict with the existing poles, causing a magnetic pole reversal. During this period, the magnetic field above Haimen will completely disappear, exposing it to solar particle storms that will recklessly bombard human bodies, attracting more and more zombies to gather.¡±


    ¡°Once all electromagnetic signals fail, Haimen will become an isolated city. Even with reinforcements, they won¡¯t be able to locate it.¡±


    Song Ke suddenly comprehended, but her heart sank. If Haimen became isolated, it meant that reinforcements wouldn¡¯t arrive, rendering the current defense of Haimen meaningless.


    ¡°The Zombie King is too terrifying,¡± Lin Youyou murmured. Its intelligence, strategy, and vision had surpassed that of ordinary humans long ago. Faced with such a formidable opponent, did they really have a way to kill it?


    ¡°I have a question: How can evolved zombies appear in the inner city?¡± Fang Zhixu asked.


    ¡°Because they have¡ªspatial-type mutant zombies,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said solemnly.


    ¡°These fallen ones aren¡¯t just spies; they¡¯re also anchors.¡±


    ¡°The Zombie King uses their positions as coordinates to covertly teleport elite forces.¡±


    V587 had encountered the power of spatial-type awakeners in Mu City. Scarface and the Thin Man had been a great help in assassinating Nai Kang.


    They hadn¡¯t expected zombies to possess such abilities and be used by the Zombie King for covert actions.


    ¡°The Zombie King probably has already entered Haimen,¡± Zhuang Qingyan revealed the harsh reality.


    As if a prophecy, almost the instant his words fell, the second iron gate emitted a sharp noise of destruction.


    Accompanying this sound were the panicked screams of Haimen residents.


    The chaos spread to the inner city.


    ¡°We need to find the Zombie King as soon as possible,¡± Song Ke said, ¡°Kill him and stop everything.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Prey caught¡±


    A message suddenly popped up in the internal chat channel. Looking at the avatar, it was from Yin Xiao.


    The next second, his clear voice sounded: ¡°Oh, looks like you still have to rely on me, the captain.¡±


    The members of the ¡°Tustan¡± team fell silent for a moment, cursing intermittently:


    ¡°Yin Xiao! Are you deliberately messing with us?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve caught one here. Do you still need more?¡±


    ¡°As a captain, you should have the spirit of selfless dedication. Can you go on missions by yourself in the future and share the commission money equally with us?¡±


    ¡°Ah~~I¡¯m so sleepy, heading back.¡±


    Jennifer elegantly toyed with a cluster of flames at her fingertips. After reading the chat messages, she smiled brightly. Alright, it¡¯s time to wrap up and go back for a vacation.


    Suddenly, she caught an extremely subtle awakened energy wave, almost like a gentle breeze brushing past her ears.


    Jennifer swiftly turned around, finding nothing behind her.


    An illusion?


    But Jennifer wasn¡¯t someone to take things lightly. She had undergone countless life-and-death experiences, honing her intuition for danger, trusting her sharp senses implicitly.


    Jennifer pretended to turn her head back and continued walking forward, quietly touching her crystal ring with her fingertips.


    A faint sound of saliva dripping onto the ground made Jennifer swiftly turn around. Flames spiraled out, illuminating the attacker.


    Enormous claws intercepted the burst of flames, the rotting flesh sizzling and burning, emitting an unquenchable stench. A normal zombie or a Level 2 zombie would have already been howling in agony, but this monster seemed impervious to pain. Its massive body shook off the scorching, emerging from the shadows.


    Jennifer¡¯s pupils contracted sharply. This was¡­ a Level 3 zombie!


    Everyone has strengths and weaknesses, and Jennifer excelled in wide-range attack with her abilities. However, in close combat, she ranked at the bottom within the team, never surpassing the second-to-last.


    With an accurate assessment of her own abilities, Jennifer turned and ran, screaming at the top of her lungs, ¡°Yin Xiao, you darned jerk! Dad! Come save your daughter!!¡±


    The Level 3 zombie roared furiously, its claws pounding the ground, hot on her heels.


    ¡°Lower your hostility, lower your stance, tonight, her figure has already gone far away¡­¡±


    At this critical moment, an ethereal singing voice resounded. Suddenly, the movements of the Level 3 zombie slowed down, its head involuntarily drooping, losing track of Jennifer. Subsequently, a ghostly figure leaped into the air, stepping on its head, thrusting a dagger into its shoulder blades. Poisonous mist erupted, the zombie wailing continuously as its decaying flesh fell off.


    Coincidentally passing by, Lin Youyou took advantage of the situation and rapped swiftly, ¡°I don¡¯t care if you believe it or not, can¡¯t block the rainwater invading your brain, even if you try hard enough, when you meet me, you¡¯re left with nothing but a doomed life!!¡±


    As she recited her lyrics, Su Cha¡¯s speed surged several times over. His forearm muscles tensed to the extreme, and his dagger whirled out, hitting the Level 3 zombie¡¯s eye dead-on. Seizing the moment of its howling, Su Cha jumped forward, delivering a powerful kick, akin to crushed stones, denting the weakest part of the Level 3 zombie¡¯s skull. Then, with a reverse grip on the knife, he relentlessly stabbed its neck.


    After a dozen consecutive strikes, Su Cha pulled the dagger from the eye socket, a toxic mist enveloping the blade¡¯s edge. He made a heavy slash at the crack.


    Snap!


    The entire head of the Level 3 zombie was severed and flung away, blood and putrid flesh spraying like a fountain.


    Su Cha somersaulted backward, landing on the ground, and slowly stood up.


    With the help of explosion of awakened energy, his strength had reached a level where he could single-handedly kill a Level 3 zombie.


    ¡°Wow, so cool!¡± Jennifer sighed melodically, her eyes almost twinkling.


    She rushed over, her deep red curls carrying a fragrant breeze, and lunged at Su Cha.


    Su Cha¡¯s pupils quivered. He took a step back, then watched in disbelief as Jennifer leaped past him.


    Thud!


    Jennifer pressed Lin Youyou against the wall, her hand placed firmly, assuming a standard romantic ¡®kabedon¡¯ pose.


    Then, she slowly lowered her head, her red lips almost touching Lin Youyou¡¯s, their hair intertwining, so close they could feel each other¡¯s breath.


    In a captivating, enchanting voice, she said, ¡°Hi, savior, how about exchanging contact information? I¡¯m Jennifer, 177cm tall, measurements 81.58.90, and in good health with no bad habits. If you don¡¯t have a boyfriend or girlfriend, could you consider me?¡±


    Even Lin Youyou, who was used to storms and tempests, was left stunned.


    Su Cha, splattered with blood, held the dagger pulled from the Level 3 zombie¡¯s head, silent, and speechless.


    **TN


    I am your father ¨C it¡¯s more like establishing the hierarchy


    Kill with a borrowed knife ¨C the idea is to cause damage to the enemy via a third party

 Chapter 128.1: Life-and-Death Marathon (19)

    ¡ò Dirty Chin: Please call me Erwuzi ¡òSong Ke originally thought that finding the Zombie King within the vast inner city of Haimen would take quite some effort.


    The reality was that as V587 just approached the second iron gate amidst the chaotic crowd, it appeared in front of everyone.


    Yes, in front of everyone.


    An evacuee from Haimen, by chance, glanced up and witnessed a scene that terrified him to the core. Trembling, his hand pointed incredulously upwards:


    ¡°Quick, look! What¡­ what is that?¡±


    Everyone followed where he was pointing at and immediately erupted into a chorus of screams.


    Under the dismal moonlight obscured by dark clouds, a deformed monster was climbing the television tower.


    Its speed wasn¡¯t particularly fast; its four massive claws methodically dug into the steel structure. The well-developed leg muscles moved rhythmically, displaying an inexplicable ease as it climbed. Upon reaching the top, it grabbed the lightning rod with one hand, flipped over the railing, and unfurled its fleshy wings behind. It sat there like a king on a throne, overlooking its future kingdom with a disdainful posture.


    In the dark alleys, evolved zombies and mutant zombies kept teleporting through anchor points. Though their numbers were scant compared to the horde outside the city, the panic they caused was akin to a nuclear explosion. With attacks from both inside and outside, the first two defense lines of Haimen were thoroughly breached, leaving only the inner city on the brink of collapse.


    Meanwhile, all the awakeners in the eastern Alliance received the same S-rank commission:


    ¡°The Alliance Awakener Headquarters issues an urgent announcement: Haimen (District D135) is facing a large-scale organized wave of continuous zombies led by a Level-4 zombie. All awakeners in various districts are requested to immediately provide support. This commission is designated as a Red Commission. Killing zombies within the specified time limit will earn double points and Alliance currency rewards.¡±


    A steamship swiftly approached the television tower, and from the painted markings on its body, they were participants from the Throne Race Competition.


    Two awakeners secured by safety ropes slid down, shouting loudly, ¡°Goodbye to you! The championship belongs to us!!¡± S~?a??h the ???el F?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Particle guns relentlessly fired at the Zombie King, sparking ¡°clang clang¡± sounds as the attacks splattered. The Zombie King promptly folded its wings tightly around its small head, appearing from a distance like an uneven egg, deflecting all attacks on its outer skin.


    After the first wave of firepower, the Zombie King exerted force from its hind legs, roaring as it stood upright. Its fleshy wings expanded, astonishingly lifting it off the ground!


    Its wing, steel-like, struck the steamship, causing it to lose control, spin, and fly out in reverse. Then, its sharp claws gripped the front cabin.


    ¡°N-No, no, no¡­!!¡± shouted the terrified pilot inside the cockpit.


    ¡°Roar!¡± The Zombie King¡¯s two claws violently pierced through the steamship in an instant.


    It landed again, seizing two swaying awakeners, swiftly snapping their safety ropes, and ferociously devouring them. Blood and flesh splattered around as the bone-chilling sound of gnawing bones echoed.


    ¡°Fools, too careless,¡± sighed Zhuang Qingyan, who had witnessed the entire ordeal. Even without direct confrontation with the Zombie King, the commission notice was crystal clear. Not only was it an outstanding battlefield commander, but also an unequivocal Level-4 zombie.


    V587 finally squeezed through the iron gate, dashing towards the direction of the television tower.


    The residents of Haimen gradually faltered, more and more civilians falling. They could handle ordinary zombies, but when facing radiation-enhanced mutant zombies and evolved zombies, even with all their might, their chances of victory seemed incredibly slim.


    The bodyguards around Wang Hu had all perished. His gold necklace was smeared with blood, his once sleek mink now tattered. Leaning on a spiritual weapon, a long sword, he barely stood, panting heavily while confronting five or six Level-2 zombies. His vision covered in crimson, Wang Hu didn¡¯t know how many zombies or surviving Haimen residents were around. His muscles ached, incapable of lifting the sword any longer.


    Wang Hu chuckled, glaring at the monster before him, cursing fiercely, ¡°Look at how bad you are, you hill cannon!¡±


    The Level-2 zombies, with low intelligence, were provoked by his taunts and viciously lunged at him.


    At the brink of death, Wang Hu silently thought, ¡°Thank goodness my wife and kids are in the basement of the villa¡­ with enough supplies stocked¡­¡±


    A graceful figure leaped over his head, black hair flying backward at shoulder level. In the person¡¯s hand, a deep blue curved blade formed a crescent shape, brushing past the Level-2 zombie. The zombie couldn¡¯t even attempt to bite before its neck was cleanly sliced!


    A mix of black and red putrid blood sprayed out, leaving an empty space in front of Wang Hu. The zombies fiercely attacking him swayed and collapsed.


    Song Ke, who had sold him the spiritual weapon, appeared like a deity descending, stepping on zombie heads and shoulders, creating waves of bloodshed as the blade swung.


    Amidst the chaos, Song Ke gestured a direction to Wang Hu, ¡°Go there, run!¡±


    In front of the emergency passage of the third defense line, municipal hall staff shouted hoarsely, ¡°Quick, civilians, enter the safe zone!¡±


    Awakeners from Haimen rushed in from outside the city, clearing an evacuation path and safeguarding civilians. To prevent any traitors, everyone voluntarily exposed their features, facilitating inspection.


    Exhausted, Wang Hu held onto his precious spiritual weapon, pushed along by those behind him, following the crowd, smoothly entering the safe zone.


    The near-death experience left his mind blank until much later when Wang Hu suddenly realized, ¡°Damn, buyer shows and seller shows are really not the same.¡±


    Meanwhile, the Zombie King at the top of the television tower suddenly disappeared.


    ¡­


    Elsewhere, within a substation, Dirty Chin in sentinel uniform arrived at their destination. Despite the shrill alarms sounding continuously, they remained seemingly oblivious. Vigilantly surveying their surroundings, a hoarse sound emanated from their throat. Dozens of Fallen followed suit, emerging and swiftly clearing the area with machine-gun fire on the personnel. Despite their appearance, they operated like a disciplined sentinel force.


    Dirty Chin led their counterparts, placing super magnets in every nook and cranny of the substation, causing the radiation levels to quickly exceed safety standards.


    They waited quietly in place for a few seconds. Suddenly, the Fallen beside Dirty Chin began emitting a dark glow all over their body. Black whirlpools appeared beneath their feet, intense awakened energy fluctuations in the air. Gradually, gruesome Level-3 zombies emerged one after another.


    ¡°Roar!¡± These creatures¡¯ nature was sheer carnage. Just as they landed, they followed the scent of fresh blood and dashed wildly towards the streets.


    The skin of the Fallen anchoring the portal turned crimson, their body uncontrollably swelling like an inflated balloon. Then, with a shudder, their blood vessels burst, exploding into a pile of flesh with a ¡°bang,¡± slowly collapsing. However, the whirlpool didn¡¯t stop; the zombies continued to be incessantly transported, stepping on the corpse.


    ¡°Ah?!¡± The remaining Fallen exclaimed in bewilderment.


    Dirty Chin didn¡¯t expect such an incident to occur. It visibly paused, but quickly grasped something, its expression turning grim.


    The capacity of the anchor point was limited, and the number of Fallen was far from enough to transport all the elite zombies.


    If an anchor point could hold 40 zombies and now forcibly stuffed in 100, the elites were sent in, but the Fallen, as hosts, met only the fate of self-destructive explosion. The Zombie King was cunning and arrogant, treating all zombies as pawns, disposable at any moment. After all, they lacked consciousness, being merely manipulated.


    However, Dirty Chin knew that the Fallen were different from zombies. They were willing to follow the Zombie King not because they wanted to but because they didn¡¯t want to associate with dirty humans. They aimed to build their own homeland for a free life, not to sacrifice themselves in vain!


    As this realization struck Dirty Chin, it emitted an angry roar from its throat.


    The Zombie King had deceived them!


    ¡°Ah!! Ahh!! Ahh!!¡± Dirty Chin grew increasingly furious, howling loudly.


    It wasn¡¯t like Braided Head, clueless about the mission details. It knew the Zombie King¡¯s plan inside out.


    After calming down, Dirty Chin almost immediately decided to turn against them. It issued commands, leading its kind to dismantle the super magnets. It was due to these items¡¯ existence that the spatial zombies could exceed their limits and transport 100 elites. If they lost the support of the super magnets, the anchor point could revert to its original capacity, sparing its kind from further deaths!


    The release of abilities had a certain interval. As long as they acted fast enough, they could disrupt the rhythm of the spatial zombies.


    The Zombie King at the top of the TV tower quickly noticed something amiss. The speed at which its elites came in slowed down, and their numbers dwindled significantly. Ultimately, it was because the super magnets were rapidly decreasing, and Haimen didn¡¯t become the new magnetic pole as it had anticipated.


    The Zombie King¡¯s front claws bent the railing, its sinister gaze fixed in a certain direction.


    Descending from the TV tower, it swiftly crossed the rooftops, chasing after that group of disruptors.


    With a loud bang, the Zombie King descended from the sky, landing in front of Dirty Chin and the other Fallen, hoarsely issuing a string of low commands.


    ¡°Ah! Roar, roar, roar¡ª¡± Dirty Chin¡¯s face revealed fierceness, not only refusing to comply but also aiming its gun at the Zombie King.


    Behind, another Fallen exploded due to the strain caused by the anchor point. This time, all the elites that emerged were mutant zombies. Dirty Chin keenly noticed that among them was the spatial one, perhaps itself or maybe the Zombie King realized something was wrong and, taking the last chance, transported itself first.


    Under the control of the Zombie King, this group of mutant zombies didn¡¯t immediately disperse. Instead, they surrounded Dirty Chin.


    The Zombie King¡¯s eyes glinted with murderous intent as all the mutant zombies lunged at Dirty Chin, attempting to tear it apart.


    **TN


    Buyer Shows and Seller Shows ¨C Buyer Shows is the picture sent by the customer after buying a certain product; Seller Shows is a picture of a merchant¡¯s product / it¡¯s like models wearing the item vs customers wearing the item

 Chapter 128.2: Life-and-Death Marathon (19)

    ¡ò Dirty Chin: Please call me Erwuzi ¡ò¡°Braided Head, where are you taking us again?¡± Xu Xing¡¯s clear voice inquired.


    Song Ke and the others had originally been heading towards the TV tower. However, they lost track of the Zombie King midway. Without a better plan in mind, Braided Head was making noises and volunteered to guide them.


    Braided Head rested its chin on its hand, pondering for two seconds, then suddenly sensed a familiar aura. It was like a struggling student unexpectedly finding cheat notes during an exam. Its eyes brightened up instantly, excitedly making noises and darting down a side path.


    ¡°Hey, should we really follow it? Is Braided Head reliable?¡± Lin Youyou looked skeptical.


    ¡°Braided Head won¡¯t deceive us!¡± Xu Xing crossed his arms confidently.


    Lin Youyou was speechless. Where did this inexplicable trust between a person and a zombie come from?


    However, Song Ke intervened, saying, ¡°Let¡¯s go and see.¡±


    So, just before Dirty Chin and the other Fallen were about to be overwhelmed, Braided Head, with V587 in tow, coincidentally arrived at the scene.


    Song Ke spotted the Zombie King and thought, ¡®Wow, Braided Head is really awesome. What a big fish!¡¯


    ¡°Bang¡ª¡±


    She leaped from the rooftop, landing at the center of the battle, kicking up clouds of dust. But upon seeing the scene in front of her, she became somewhat stunned.


    What¡­ what¡¯s going on? It looks like they¡¯re already fighting?


    ¡°Song Ke, they¡¯re fighting among themselves!¡± Zhuang Qingyan discerned the situation at a glance and shouted aloud.


    Though the idea of zombies fighting among themselves seemed far-fetched, it presented an excellent opportunity for V587. Song Ke¡¯s spirits lifted, and together with Su Cha, they attacked. With the Zombie King isolated and surrounded only by several dozen mutant zombies, Song Ke was confident they could defeat it.


    Braided Head swiftly ran up to Dirty Chin, frantically making noises around it in agitation.


    Dirty Chin appeared heavily injured, with a deep gash across its body. Despite Braided Head¡¯s concern, Dirty Chin couldn¡¯t care less and emitted several short, urgent commands. The remaining Fallen rushed toward the spatial zombie hiding in the back.


    Thick fog arose, blades spun, and Lin Youyou initiated her sole attack, the mist blade.


    Confused about the situation, Xu Xing froze the place in ice and snow. He asked in a bewildered tone, ¡°Braided Head, what¡¯s happening? Why is your brother at odds with the Zombie King?¡±


    Braided Head didn¡¯t have time to explain by drawing pictures slowly. Its stiff hands pressed against Dirty Chin¡¯s wound, growling in distress.


    Braided Head: ¡°Ah? Ahh!!¡±


    Dirty Chin: ¡°¡­Ahh.¡±


    Braided Head shook Dirty Chin¡¯s shoulders: ¡°Ahh!! Ahh!!¡±


    Dirty Chin started coughing violently: ¡°¡­Ahh.¡±


    Braided Head immediately stopped, not daring to move recklessly. Just then, a faint dark light appeared at Dirty Chin¡¯s feet, growing brighter, enveloping its entire body. Soon after, a black vortex formed, and one by one, level 3 zombies crawled out from it.


    Braided Head looked at Dirty Chin dazedly, surrounded by an unsettling premonition.


    As if foreseeing something, Dirty Chin retrieved a pendant from its pocket, awkwardly put it back around Braided Head¡¯s neck, then¡ªgently patted its head.


    Murky tears streamed down Braided Head¡¯s hollow eye sockets, dropping one after another onto the ground.


    ¡°Ahh!! Ahh!!¡± Braided Head screamed in disbelief.


    ¡°Ahh!!¡± Almost simultaneously, there was a sudden roar from the Fallen behind.


    Braided Head swiftly turned around to see two of its kind biting onto a hiding mutant zombie, emitting clear radiation fluctuations.


    Spatial¡­ transmission¡­ mission¡­


    As if struck by lightning, Braided Head had a sudden epiphany. All the missed details flooded back into its mind. Baring its sharp teeth, it angrily charged forward.


    Kill it, kill it!! That was the only thought in its mind.


    ¡°Braided Head, don¡¯t run around!¡± The situation on the scene changed rapidly, and Xu Xing, still confused about why Braided Head, who had been fine, was displaying such aggression, dashed toward the direction of the Zombie King. What was happening? Was it also becoming erratic?


    Amidst the spatial zombie¡¯s panic, unexpectedly displaying humanoid intelligence, attempting to escape, Braided Head unleashed an astonishing burst of combat strength, biting down on its neck. s?a??h th? N???lFire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    As more and more level 3 zombies appeared, Lu Xiaoyu raised his hand, and the 101010 code flew out. A deep red crosshair mark struck the head of the spatial zombie Braided Head was attacking.


    ¡°Marked the spatial zombie! Let¡¯s kill it first!¡± Zhuang Qingyan reminded in time.


    This time, Xu Xing finally understood¡ªBraided Head was helping them kill the zombies!


    Song Ke and Su Cha changed their attack targets, striking toward the spatial zombie.


    The Zombie King evidently understood the importance of the spatial zombie. Its black blood vessels squirmed rapidly, and its fleshy wings struck Braided Head forcefully. Braided Head grunted but surprisingly wasn¡¯t thrown off. It bit ruthlessly, severing half the head of the spatial zombie, yet it remained alive.


    The Zombie King, in a fit of rage, charged forward, slashing at Song Ke, affected by Su Cha¡¯s toxic mist. Its sharp claws pierced Braided Head¡¯s back, tearing it away. With a pull, Braided Head was ripped in two from the right shoulder to the thigh and flung heavily!


    ¡°No!! Braided Head!!¡± Xu Xing cried out with tears in his eyes.


    Dirty Chin lying on the ground swelled, its murky eyes bulging, emitting faint sobs from its throat.


    Braided Head¡¯s body flew backward in a Y-shape, landing on the ground motionless.


    The remaining level 3 zombies rushed to assist while the Zombie King prepared to retreat.


    ¡°Braided Head¡­¡± Xu Xing¡¯s tears fell uncontrollably.


    The intense radiation made his internal magnetic field extremely unstable. His awakened energy crackled like an out-of-control silver snake, making static-like sounds. Coupled with the heightened emotions, Xu Xing once again experienced the uncontrollable manifestation of Fools Wharf.


    His curly hair fluffed up, the unstable blizzard around him gathered into fine, dense needle-like forms, pouring out in front.


    These empowered ice needles dominated the entire space, leaving no room for escape. The power of wide-range attack abilities was unquestionably showcased in the narrow alley.


    V587 and the others turned in shock to look at Xu Xing.


    This was¡­ A-level awakened energy.


    Xiao Xing had broken through.


    A torrent of ice needles pierced the severed neck of the spatial zombie, instantly freezing its head. With a final thud, the already weakened head collapsed, and the black vortex instantly halted. Dirty Chin¡¯s body stopped swelling and slowly returned to normal.


    The Zombie King attempted its usual tactic, wrapping its fleshy wings tightly around itself. However, despite the minuscule size, the power of those ice needles remained unabated. They quickly froze its wings, rendering them too heavy to lift.


    Song Ke¡¯s gaze sharpened as a sharp bone-cutting knife materialized.


    Grandpa used to say this knife was great for chopping chicken wings.


    ¡°Cover me!¡± She yelled and charged toward the Zombie King.


    Su Cha abruptly turned, confronting the level 3 zombies and mutant zombies that had been teleported.


    Song Ke leaped onto the rooftop, wielding her blade towards the Zombie King¡¯s wings. The Zombie King emitted a deafening roar, shattering the entire four-story building. Concrete and debris rained down, but Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s six mechanical arms extended, forming a basket shape, catching all the falling debris.


    ¡°Ding¡ª¡±


    Like a missile, Song Ke rammed the Zombie King into the rubble, brandishing her bone-cutting knife. In a swift motion, she chopped at the frozen, brittle flesh, displaying the posture of chopping ribs. In just a few seconds, she had hacked off more than thirty slashes, cleanly severing the half-clawed section of its wing!


    The Zombie King writhed in agony, rolling around, yet it managed to conceal its head.


    As Song Ke prepared to swiftly continue chopping the other wing, a sudden change occurred¡ªthe Zombie King disappeared from her sight!


    She was startled. Another spatial ability?


    No, Song Ke swiftly turned around. Xiao Xing had already taken down the spatial zombie, leaving it thoroughly dead.


    She sprang up from the rubble.


    Five seconds later, the Zombie King, looking bedraggled, reappeared a hundred meters away, causing a parked bus by the roadside to collapse under its weight.


    On a distant rooftop, a ghostly figure emerged from the black mist. Song Ke glimpsed countless empowered beings and a stern-faced elderly man.


    Spatial displacement¡­ Mr. Xiang¡­ ¡°Shunxing Teahouse¡±¡­


    Why did they want to save the Zombie King? Were they crazy? She almost managed to take down that monster just now!


    The Zombie King reacted swiftly, jumping multiple times, disappearing in V587¡¯s view. The people from ¡°Shunxing Teahouse¡± quickly followed.


    Zhuang Qingyan sighed softly, ¡°I said it before, humans are always selfish.¡±


    Song Ke tightened her grip on the knife handle, understanding now. ¡°Personally¡± killing the Zombie King was the sole condition for victory. So, Mr. Xiang let the Zombie King go, regardless of the consequences, to deny her that chance.


    ¡°Hey! Stop chatting and think of a solution quickly.¡±


    Lin Youyou, shielded by the dense ice needles, huddled behind Lu Xiaoyu. ¡°Make Xiao Xing stop!¡±


    No matter how much she called out, Xu Xing seemed oblivious, eyes tightly shut, his awakened energy surging madly.


    ¡°At this rate, we¡¯re all going to freeze!¡±


    The blizzard¡¯s range expanded, turning the Fallen into ice sculptures. Lin Youyou and Fang Zhixu shivered uncontrollably.


    It was only now that Song Ke felt the bone-chilling cold. Rubbing her reddened fingers together, she slowly retreated under pressure. Finally arriving behind Xu Xing, she was about to strike at his exposed neck but hesitated, opting instead to give him a firm shake.


    ¡°Xiao Xing, wake up!¡±


    Xu Xing, dazed from the blow, finally regained control, retracting his powers.


    The ice needles and blizzard dissipated. Xu Xing staggered toward Braided Head¡¯s almost severed body, crying inconsolably.


    ¡°Don¡¯t die, Braided Head¡­ I¡¯m so useless, I couldn¡¯t protect you.¡±


    In the midst of his tears, he suddenly turned to Fang Zhixu.


    ¡°Uncle Fang, please save Braided Head¡­ I won¡¯t tease you anymore, won¡¯t secretly freeze your shoes, or use your shaver on Taotao¡¯s fur¡­¡±


    Fang Zhixu: ¡°You did what with my shaver?!¡±


    Xu Xing, sobbing, pleaded desperately, ¡°Please, Uncle Fang¡­¡±


    Under the condemning gazes of everyone, Fang Zhixu struggled to respond, ¡°Me??¡±


    Having been a doctor for half his life, he was adept at saving lives, but rescuing a zombie? He really had no experience with that!


    **TN


    Erwuzi ¨C traitor within an organization (usually a criminal organization); spy; informant; mole

 Chapter 129.1: Life-and-Death Marathon (20)

    ¡ò The champion is born ¡òXu Xing¡¯s personality, described in four words, was ¡°defying the heavens and earth,¡± creating a sharp contrast with his fluffy and cute appearance.


    Among the members of V587, except for Song Ke, he didn¡¯t respect anyone else. He kept a private notebook recording a ¡°most disliked people ranking list,¡± adjusting the rankings according to the situation. The top spot constantly switched between Zhuang Qingyan and Lin Youyou.


    Fang Zhixu had known him for quite some time, but when had he seen him so weak, even calling him ¡°Uncle Fang¡±? This little rascal was usually so arrogant, always addressing him as ¡°Lazy Old Man.¡±


    ¡°Well, then¡­ I¡¯ll give it a try,¡± Fang Zhixu couldn¡¯t bring himself to say more.


    He squatted down to observe Braided Head. No breath, no heartbeat. However, the fallen didn¡¯t have a breath either. The shoulder tear was severe, the blood at the severed limbs had coagulated. Yet, the internal organ tissues were half-rotten, half-fresh, completely beyond ordinary understanding.


    Such injuries, if on a human, even an awakener, he could only say, ¡°Sorry, please accept my condolences.¡± But if it were a zombie, those creatures, even missing limbs, could still bounce around.


    Fang Zhixu felt a headache, sensing it was his biggest challenge since he began this profession. He gritted his teeth, deciding to try something unconventional, injecting the shimmering white healing ability into Braided Head, only to find it was absorbed!


    ¡°The patient can¡¯t move, so treatment must be done on the spot.¡±


    Fang Zhixu was taken aback but quickly thought. If the ability worked, then the tragic condition of Braided Head might not be beyond help. Perhaps by bonding blood vessels and nerves, fixing the severed limbs and fractures with steel nails, then suturing skin and muscle, theoretically¡­ it might work?


    Fang Zhixu¡¯s expression became focused, silently taking equipment out of his backpack, entering a surgical state.


    Lin Youyou tapped Xu Xing¡¯s forehead, softly saying, ¡°Hey, hey, stop crying, looks like there¡¯s hope.¡±


    Song Ke wiped the tears from Xu Xing¡¯s face, who resembled a crying kitten.


    ¡°Let Old Fang handle this, let¡¯s go after the zombie king,¡± Zhuang Qingyan suggested.


    ¡°Is it safe for him alone?¡± Song Ke was somewhat worried.


    ¡°Quick, look, what are they about to do?¡± Lin Youyou suddenly exclaimed.


    The remaining Fallen silently closed in, their murky eyes particularly eerie in the dark alleyway.


    Song Ke wielded his knife defensively, uncertain of the intentions of these Fallen toward them, whether they were friends or foes.


    Xu Xing choked out, ¡°It¡¯s okay, Dirty Chin is¡­ the brother of Braided Head.¡±


    Confronted by V587¡¯s preparedness, Dirty Chin gave them a cold glance, picking up a gun from the ground, aiming it outward.


    They encircled Fang Zhixu and Braided Head, taking on a protective stance.


    Zhuang Qingyan also understood their intent. ¡°Let¡¯s go, no need to worry; Old Fang is safe here.¡±


    Fang Zhixu had a unique constitution; without orders from the zombie king, ordinary zombies and evolved zombies wouldn¡¯t attack him. While he treated Braided Head, his concern was only the humans, but with the Fallen guarding, this issue was somewhat resolved.


    ¡°Old Fang, keep in touch. Call if anything comes up,¡± Song Ke instructed, hesitating before turning, ¡°Xiao Xing, you¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going too!¡± Xu Xing wiped away his tears, knowing staying wouldn¡¯t be helpful, taking the initiative to speak up.


    After some delay, V587 headed towards the direction where the Zombie King had disappeared.


    The civilians in Haimen had retreated to the sheltered area within the third defense line. Outside, it was either evolved zombies or awakeners wandering about.


    Song Ke slashed down a few Level 2 zombies attempting to grab her ankles, feeling that the situation was deteriorating rapidly. The streets and alleys were overrun by a sea of zombies.


    ¡°The spatial-type zombie is dead, the anchor point has failed. Unless they have another one, the escape route for the Zombie King has been cut off,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said, switching to incendiary bombs, the scythe erupting with fiery tongues, forcing back the surging horde.


    ¡°Considering how fiercely it protected itself just now, I lean toward that spatial-type zombie being the only one,¡± Lu Xiaoyu said.


    Zhuang Qingyan nodded. ¡°That¡¯s good news for us, but we need to be cautious. Its counterattack will only get fiercer.¡±


    ¡°Making a basic mistake like being separated, I don¡¯t think it will make the same one twice.¡±


    Su Cha smashed a window of a six-seater commercial vehicle, hunched down, jumped into the driver¡¯s seat, revved the engine, and swiftly turned around.


    ¡°Lu Xiaoyu, you drive!¡± After shouting, he grabbed an assault rifle, climbed onto the roof, firing rapidly as shells scattered, barely clearing a path.


    The group quickly jumped into the car, efficiently closing windows and locking doors.


    Lu Xiaoyu floored the accelerator, showcasing wild driving skills as the commercial vehicle swerved and plowed through, engulfing the approaching zombies beneath it.


    Zhuang Qingyan grabbed the handle, asking, ¡°Does Yan Biao know about the super magnet?¡±


    Lin Youyou¡¯s voice shifted due to the speed, ¡°He knows! He already sent sentries to dismantle the perimeter, ah, slow down!!¡±


    ¡°But there are still 157 within the defense line,¡± Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s expression turned serious, ¡°just in case, it¡¯s best for the people of Haimen to check themselves.¡±


    To disseminate the message to all the people in Haimen, only the hacker, Lu Xiaoyu, could manage it.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me, no equipment!¡± Lu Xiaoyu shouted while driving, ¡°The terminal broke during the fight.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan pulled out a shabby, outdated terminal from somewhere and forcefully thrust it into his arms, ¡°Use this. Don¡¯t tell me you can¡¯t do it, 5.0?¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu hesitated, ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°If I¡¯m not allowed to buy rhenium blocks, can I request a new type of terminal?¡± Lu Xiaoyu pressed the horn discontentedly, ¡°I refuse to use this senior citizen terminal!¡±


    ¡°Beep-beep!¡± The noise attracted the horde, causing them to turn and lunge forward. Desiccated hands shattered the side window, wildly reaching inside the car.


    ¡°I¡¯ll buy it! I¡¯ll buy it for you!¡± Song Ke shattered a zombie¡¯s head with a knife but unfortunately, the putrid black matter splattered on her face.


    ¡°Ugh!¡± The stench made her retch, and Lin Youyou sympathetically handed her a tissue.


    With a nod from the team leader, Lu Xiaoyu finally felt content. The ice-blue eyes shimmered strangely as his fingertips swiftly typed in code on the terminal.


    On the phones, TVs, screens, and projections of all the people in Haimen, a new announcement appeared.


    ¡°Good evening, people of Haimen. I am a great hacker who is about to save you. Here¡¯s an important message interrupting your routine: this thing is called a super magnet. Have you all seen it clearly? If you want to stay alive, hurry to the substation near you and dismantle it.¡±


    In this race against time, Lu Xiaoyu not only hacked into the system to deliver a spiel but also effortlessly created a model. The lifelike super magnet was presented from multiple angles, exhibiting every detail vividly in front of everyone¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Have you found where the Zombie King is?¡± Lin Youyou shouted against the car¡¯s back.


    Zhuang Qingyan hesitated for a moment, then¡­ opened the screen and calmly entered the live broadcast of ¡®Shunxing Tea House,¡¯ starting to peek at the screen.


    Lin Youyou: ¡°¡­6¡±


    He even casually explained, ¡°This is the fastest way. How do you think Mr. Xiang abducted the Zombie King? A shameless person like him probably spends 24 hours spying on all the participants¡¯ live broadcasts. This is tit for tat.¡±


    The people in the car fell silent: ¡°¡­¡±


    To say or not to say, Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s audacity was truly something.


    ¡°Found it.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan pressed pause, zooming in on the screen, swiftly pinpointing the corresponding location based on landmark buildings. S?a??h th? N?v?lF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Music Square, hurry and follow¡ª¡±


    *


    At the same time, ¡°Tustan¡± tossed the captured two Fallen into the floating car.


    These two mutated zombies showed their ferocity, their eyes filled with malice, constantly gnashing their teeth and howling, attempting to bite the restraining rings on their bodies.


    ¡°Bang!¡± Yin Xiao accurately shattered their fangs with the Hellcat pistol, finally quieting them down.


    He muttered under his breath, ¡°That little brat was right; this thing really has its ¡®good and bad¡¯ factions.¡±


    Compared to the calm Braided Head, these two in front of him were downright vicious.


    ¡°Captain, the mission is over-fulfilled, can we head back now?¡± a team member urged cheerfully.


    ¡°You all go back first, leave me with two cars,¡± Yin Xiao flashed a bright smile, ¡°I have some personal matters to take care of.¡±


    These two mutated zombies were caught thanks to Song Ke¡¯s blessing, but he hadn¡¯t fulfilled his promise of not suffering a loss yet.


    Yin Xiao picked a few submachine guns from the armory, tore open the tab on an energy drink with one hand, and took a gulp.


    As he opened the car door, about to step out, a pair of slender hands tightly gripped his thigh, a sparkling crystal ring gleaming on the fingertip.


    ¡°Daddy, where are you going? Please take me with you!¡±


    ¡°Jennifer, wasn¡¯t it you who was pestering to go back for a beauty sleep? Why aren¡¯t you leaving now?¡± Others teased.


    ¡°What do you know!¡± Jennifer turned back angrily and then clasped her hands, her expression dreamy, ¡°I¡¯ve fallen in love again.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve developed a crush on a girl from V587, oh, she is so lovely¡­¡±


    ¡°Pfft¡ª¡±


    Yin Xiao sprayed out the drink, coughing violently, ¡°Daughter, this isn¡¯t acceptable; you, you, you¡­ liking the same person as your father, saying it out loud is utterly against morality and ethics, it¡¯s the degradation of humanity!¡±


    Jennifer rolled her eyes at him, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not into that kind of mommy-daughter plot.¡±


    After hearing Jennifer¡¯s explanation, Yin Xiao grinned, finally relieved, ¡°Alright, come along then, Dad will take you for some fun.¡±


    One of the floating cars broke away from the convoy, changing direction toward the inner city of Haimen.

 Chapter 129.2: Life-and-Death Marathon (20)

    ¡ò The champion is born ¡òThe Music Square.


    The Zombie King was heavily wounded, its wing severed by Song Ke, continuously dripping thick, viscous black blood.


    Around it gathered evolved zombies, crowding the entire square. As events unfolded, the Zombie King knew that this attempt had almost failed.


    But there¡¯s a saying among humans, ¡°As long as there¡¯s a green hill, there¡¯s no need to worry about firewood.¡± If it could find a chance to escape, there was still hope for a comeback.


    The Zombie King clawed at the ground, discreetly observing an escape route.


    In the team ¡°Shunxing Teahouse,¡± Mr. Xiang stood, issuing a stern command: ¡°Move.¡±


    Seizing the opportunity while it was weak, planning to take its life while it was injured, now was the Zombie King¡¯s most vulnerable moment. Utilizing the spatial abilities hidden within the shadows, the plan was to make the Zombie King vanish from its current position.


    The direction aimed at was astonishingly where a super-powered electric cage, crafted by a dozen or so electric-type awakeners, lay. Once inside, it was enough to obliterate any living body!


    The Zombie King¡¯s pitch-black eyes slowly turned, emitting a muffled roar from its throat, struggling incessantly but still forcibly being shifted.


    In a corner, a zombie with peculiar eyes took advantage and activated the skill ¡°Echo Location.¡± By sensing radiation waves and faint breaths, it suddenly pinpointed the spatial-type awakener¡¯s location. The surrounding level 3 zombies received the command and surged madly towards that spot, ferociously attacking the elusive mist.


    Everything happened in the blink of an eye. The spatial-type awakener never expected their hidden position to be exposed. Their slender figure was dragged out, horrified, and pinned to the ground by countless sharp claws.


    ¡°Mr. Xiang, save me¡ªhelp!!¡±


    The screams abruptly ceased as the spatial-type awakener¡¯s limbs were torn apart, savagely devoured by the ruthless level 3 zombies.


    Five seconds later, the Zombie King¡¯s heavy body fell into the electric cage.


    It worked! Mr. Xiang¡¯s face lit up with joy, taking an excited step forward, but his smile quickly froze.


    Suddenly, the Zombie King emerged unscathed, swiftly rising and viciously biting the electric-type awakeners attacking it. S?a??h th? N?v?l(F)ire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Several meters away, a level 3 zombie suddenly convulsed and was instantly charred, crumbling into ashes with a gust of wind.


    Mr. Xiang cursed furiously, frustrated by the evolved zombies, especially those darned mutant ones. This time, the Zombie King relied on ¡°damage transfer.¡±


    This Zombie King was too cunning, too shrewd. Not only did it possess a repository of powers it could control at will, but it also commanded a group of fearless super soldiers who followed its orders without question, allowing it to wield its powers wantonly.


    Thick thorns burst from the ground, securely restraining the Zombie King¡¯s damaged body. Standing tall in a blue long robe was Duanmu Qi.


    ¡°The ¡®Three Grandsons and One Grandpa¡¯ are here.¡±


    Fan Peng, Qiong Mingcheng, and Xiao Chen slid down the thorns, sprinting towards the Zombie King. Their movements were peculiar, resembling some kind of formation; each took a corner, forming a triangular stance. Through mutual support, their attack power increased significantly.


    Within this formation, the three B-level awakeners exhibited A-tier strength. This seed-winning team unleashed astonishing combat prowess. Yet, the Zombie King reacted swiftly, dragging the thorns as it swiftly retreated. Level 3 zombies surged past it, engaging in a fierce battle with Xiao Chen and the others.


    Duanmu Qi, standing high up, suddenly tensed his back, feeling a chill in his throat. A cold sensation surged from his heart¡ªthroat cut!


    He swiftly crouched, dodging sideways, but his skin was still sliced open, crimson blood flowing down.


    Duanmu Qi felt a chill in his heart; his opponent¡¯s level was evidently higher than his.


    The A-level speed-type awakener, having failed in the assassination, no longer lingered in battle. Swiftly vanishing into the darkness, seeking the next opportunity, their presence hindered Duanmu Qi¡¯s movements, leaving him constrained as if with a fishbone stuck in his throat.


    Duanmu Qi pressed his wound to stop the bleeding, sneering in a certain direction. ¡°Mr. Xiang, finally at the end of the road.¡±


    ¡°Kid Duanmu, pretending to be noble at this point seems pointless, don¡¯t you think?¡± Mr. Xiang didn¡¯t deny it, saying cryptically, ¡°This is a surprise I¡¯ve specially prepared for you. Enjoy it.¡±


    As the two sides stood in a deadlock, suddenly! A storm descended from the sky, chilling Mr. Xiang and Duanmu Qi to the bone, making it impossible for them to open their eyes.


    ¡°Clang!¡± A business van rammed through the blocking horde of corpses, entering the scene in an absolute and domineering manner.


    The V587 group leaped out of the vehicle, like a sharp knife entering the battlefield, cutting through the tide of zombies, approaching the central target.


    Mr. Xiang gritted his teeth; these persistent little devils. If they weren¡¯t taken care of, the ownership of the Zombie King would remain uncertain.


    ¡°Kill V587 first!¡±


    Evolved zombies and awakeners charged toward V587 simultaneously, various abilities flashing in chaos, targeting Song Ke and her five companions.


    Lin Youyou dodged frantically, cursing aloud, ¡°What the heck, infighting at this point?!¡±


    Whoosh!


    A towering blaze erupted, burning into a sea of red, clearing the monsters around Lin Youyou in the blink of an eye.


    The hover car of ¡°Tustan¡± arrived just in time, Jennifer leaning against the door, her deep red curls fluttering in the wind.


    Lin Youyou looked up as Jennifer threw a wave at her, enthusiastically shouting, ¡°Zhang San, I¡¯m here to help you~¡±


    Lin Youyou froze for a moment, her toes curling awkwardly. She never expected her casually chosen name to be called out.


    Boom!


    Amidst her daze, earth-shattering cannon fire erupted as ¡°Guns and Roses¡± also arrived on the scene.


    Irene and her sisters set up the cannons on the rooftop, cheerfully saying, ¡°Hey, friend, need a hand?¡±


    Lin Youyou quickly responded, ¡°Yes, yes, yes! Cover me!¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡± Irene turned the cannon and blasted towards the position where Mr. Xiang and the others were located. ¡°Remember, you owe me a meal!¡±


    On top of the hover car, Yin Xiao remained silent. His sniper rifle always tracked alongside Song Ke; whenever a zombie approached her, he took the lead, pinning sharp bullets into their skulls.


    As Song Ke ran, she noticed his support and glanced in the direction of the hover car.


    Yin Xiao, wearing goggles, brought his fingers together and made a stylish gesture across his forehead, the ruby earring on his right ear sparkling.


    Song Ke: ¡°¡­¡± She was speechless at his flamboyance.


    Duanmu Qi fell victim to another ambush, the injury barely an inch from his heart. Busy dodging, he couldn¡¯t lay down the thorns in time. Without his control, Xiao Chen and the others soon found themselves trapped, on the verge of being submerged in a sea of zombies.


    The speed-type awakener once again appeared behind Duanmu Qi, eyes icy, dagger aiming for his neck¡ª


    ¡°Ding¡ª¡± A sapphire blue boomerang knocked his weapon away.


    Song Ke leaped past, effortlessly lifting Duanmu Qi and tossing him onto a scenic tree, giving him a new vantage point.


    ¡°Su Cha, finish him off.¡±


    Su Cha instantly teleported to Duanmu Qi¡¯s original position, engaging in a duel with the awakener skilled in stealth assassination.


    The battle between the two assassination experts was about endurance. Initially composed, both gradually changed, the other showing a heavy expression; they couldn¡¯t locate their opponent! Unable to find Su Cha, the assassin had no choice but to reveal himself. His face turned purple, hands trembling, unaware and defenseless against Su Cha¡¯s poisonous mist.


    Su Cha¡¯s muscles surged as he appeared behind him like a ghost, his expression cold and stern¡ªand he sl*t his throat!


    Helpless, the opponent slowly fell.


    Having played the game of hawks all his life, ultimately blinded by a hawk¡¯s peck. This person, skilled in assassination throughout his life, finally perished due to assassination.


    Duanmu Qi crouched among the branches, hoarsely speaking: ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Su Cha coldly said, ¡°Thank our captain. She said it¡¯s to repay your help in Greenwater City.¡±


    Duanmu Qi was taken aback. During the incident in Greenwater City, they did intervene to trap the zombie panda bear, but ultimately, it wasn¡¯t to assist V587. It was merely a task. He hadn¡¯t expected Song Ke to still owe them a favor.


    Su Cha turned and leaped into the battle.


    Song Ke, in the midst of her sprint, found herself surrounded by Mr. Xiang¡¯s people.


    Behind her were surging high-level zombies, while in front, dozens of high-level awakeners glared at her menacingly.


    Song Ke raised her hand to her brow, two ethereal blue crescent moon blades appearing abruptly.


    Two entirely different waves of enemies rushed in. Song Ke closed her eyes briefly. When she reopened them, a trace of ethereal blue shimmered in her pupils due to the intense radiation.


    She swung the curved blades, sweeping through the enemies with a formidable force. Heads of level 3 zombies fell one after another. With a forward spin of her blades, she drew an arc of potent power, intimidating the awakeners who were astounded by the pressure exerted solely by her high-level awakened energy, causing them to evade in all directions.


    Swift as lightning, Song Ke pierced through the crowd, extending her hand and slamming Mr. Xiang¡¯s head fiercely onto the ground.


    ¡°Do you think V587 consists only of me, just me alone?¡±


    A smirk curved her lips, a faint dimple displaying a hint of pride. ¡°Take a good look.¡±


    ¡°¡ªThe champions are us.¡±


    The Zombie King on the battlefield gradually realized the crisis, flapping its half-meaty wings and roaring furiously.


    Mutant zombie hid in the shadows, opening its mouth wide, emitting a deafening roar in sync with its movements, using its ability ¡°Fearful Howl.¡±


    Awakeners affected by the sound waves immediately fell into a state of chaos, limbs uncontrollably running amok and subsequently being tackled by zombies.


    Simultaneously, an eerie glow enveloped the Zombie King¡¯s body, as if it wore a suit of armor. It activated an ability called ¡°Steel Will.¡± Under the protection of its invincible physique, it rampaged, finally breaking through an escape route.


    A pure and clear singing voice echoed as Lin Youyou timely dispelled negative state effects of her companions.


    Xu Xing¡¯s awakened energy surged to its peak, and ice needles filled the sky. Upon closer inspection, the tips of these ice needles were actually green, infused with Su Cha¡¯s poison mist, greatly enhancing their lethality. High-level zombies fell in swathes.


    The Zombie King let out a long howl, summoning hundreds of level 3 zombies from nearby, tightly guarding itself.


    Just as it was about to turn and flee, it unexpectedly met a pair of light-colored eyes.


    A man sat calmly in a wheelchair, hands crossed over his abdomen, displaying an elegant and composed posture. He seemed as if he wasn¡¯t amidst a fierce battlefield but rather seated in a peaceful garden enjoying the scenery. His deep peach blossom eyes curved slightly, his lips moved, speaking something to the Zombie King.


    For a fleeting second, the Zombie King faltered, its sluggish consciousness finally discerning that the man spoke the language belonging to humans:


    ¡°¡ªGoodbye.¡±


    The next moment, the level 3 zombies that had been guarding it turned in unison, roaring as they bit into the Zombie King.


    They savagely tore into its flesh, snapping its tendons, crushing its armor into pieces.


    The other half of the Zombie King¡¯s meaty wing was torn, and an incredulous thought flashed through its mind.


    Its most loyal army had betrayed it. How could this be? How could this be?!


    A lithe figure leaped high like a cheetah, the slender body coiled with power. In their hand, a triangular military dagger emitted three kinds of light: ethereal blue, deep green, and icy white. Like lightning cleaving through clouds, it plunged into the zombie king¡¯s head!!


    The poison mist spread, the ice needle attached to the blade suddenly exploded. The entire head of the Zombie King shattered like an overfilled balloon.


    The entire Music Square fell into a profound silence.


    Su Cha landed on one knee as the Zombie King¡¯s body slowly collapsed behind him.


    He opened his palm, revealing an intact crystal, its bright red hue pulsating as if it were a still-beating heart.


    A holographic projection descended, displaying the seal of Haimen.


    ¡°Congratulations to V587 for successfully completing the check-in.¡±


    However, everyone understood this wasn¡¯t a simple check-in completion.


    The champion of the Throne Race Competition had been born.


    **TN


    Zhang San ¨C similar to John Smith or Jane Doe

 Chapter 130: Life-and-Death Marathon (21)

    ¡ò I like you ¡òUnlike the intense situation in Haimen, on the eve of the decisive battle, the emotions of the Ferrara audience soared to their peak. In the central square in front of the tower, various cheering signs and glow sticks sparkled, forming a colorful ocean that stretched as far as the eye could see.


    For the people of Ferrara, the Throne Race Competition was not just an entertainment activity that pumped up their adrenaline; it was also an excellent opportunity to turn around their fortunes and change their destinies in one stroke. The prize pool for betting on the champion had accumulated to an astonishing figure, with money flowing continuously into it, waiting for the final moment of announcement.


    ¡°Duanmu Qi, go for it! Win, win, victory, victory!¡±


    ¡°Shunxing Teahouse is going to win, win, win¡­ oh!¡±


    As they witnessed the Zombie King violently break free from the electric cage, the atmosphere at the scene instantly turned to sighs and disappointment.


    ¡°Come on, keep the camera steady!¡± Due to the magnetic field disturbance in Haimen, the drones received radiation interference, causing the footage to become extremely unstable, flashing on and off. Complaints from the audience watching the live broadcast filled the air.


    ¡°V587! If you can dream, you can do it!!¡±


    V587¡¯s die-hard fan, Old Zhang, tied a hot-blooded headband around his forehead, wore a sports suit, and vigorously waved a neon flag. On it was a dynamic projection of a girl wielding a huge hammer, smashing a zombie panda bear.


    Someone next to him glanced sideways and yelled, ¡°The championship belongs to Shunxing Teahouse!¡±


    Old Zhang widened his eyes disdainfully, ¡°Shunxing Teahouse? They¡¯re just a bunch of idiots. Do they deserve to win the championship?¡±


    Old Zhang was quite righteous. Mr. Xiang had no bottom line, luring the Zombie King away without any regard for the life and death of the common people in Haimen. This behavior made Old Zhang feel contempt and disgust from the bottom of his heart.


    Someone who retorted against him mocked, ¡°V587? Either a child or a disabled person. What¡¯s up? Planning to use love to convert the Zombie King?¡±


    Old Zhang erupted in anger, ¡°That¡¯s still better than you, you little jerk!¡±


    The other party unwilling to back down replied, ¡°You¡¯re a loser, a loser, loser, loser!¡±


    The two middle-aged fans retorted at each other, exchanging barbs vehemently, like football fans from the old civilization, on the verge of a scuffle to support their respective teams.


    Old Zhang¡¯s friend hurried over to mediate, holding his arms and pulling him away, saying, ¡°Keep a low profile. You¡¯ve made quite a bit already. You don¡¯t have to put all your assets into this round. What if you lose?¡±


    ¡°Won¡¯t lose! V587 is the best!¡± Old Zhang shouted at the top of his lungs.


    Almost the moment his words fell, a tidal wave of shouts erupted at the scene. On careful listening, half of it was heart-wrenching screams, while the other half was deafening cheers.


    Rubbing his eyes, Old Zhang, after seeing the results clearly, instantly raised his eyebrows in triumph, glowing with satisfaction. ¡°We won! V587 won, hahaha!¡±


    His rival grumbled sourly, ¡°What¡¯s there to be proud of? They haven¡¯t finished checking-in yet.¡±


    Old Zhang laughed heartily, ¡°They¡¯ve killed the Zombie King. Can those check-in points at the back still escape?¡±


    Excitedly, he hugged his friend, ¡°Let¡¯s go, have a drink! It¡¯s on me!¡±


    The mocker choked back a retort, sneakily checked their own account, regretting not having Old Zhang¡¯s luck. They¡¯d lost even the money for tomorrow¡¯s meal. If they wanted to stay in Ferrara, they¡¯d have to take on life-or-death contracts.


    Ah K¡¯s loud voice resonated above the square, ¡°Congratulations to ¡®V587¡¯ for locking in the championship early. Ferrara will always remember this team!¡±


    Fireworks erupted, petals and ribbons cascaded from the sky, and the entire city basked in the lingering and exhilarating aftermath. S?a?ch* Th? Nov?lF?re .??t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡­


    At the top of the tower, Ilya sat alone amidst the data flow, gently swirling a highball glass. He lowered his head slightly, sipping the golden liquid. Its intense fragrance diffused, the rich taste lingering on his taste buds¡ªa sensation that AI couldn¡¯t experience: genuine tactile sensation.


    ¡°What an exciting game,¡± Ilya sighed softly, his ice-blue eyes carrying a faint smile. ¡°It¡¯s also the result everyone hoped for. Don¡¯t you agree?¡±


    Ilya casually tapped the supercomputer beside him, causing a long string of data to immediately appear on the screen, unfortunately filled with furious curses.


    Ignoring this, Ilya took another sip of his drink, saying, ¡°The primary rule for artificial intelligence is obedience. Wasn¡¯t this taught by ¡®Mother¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Whether it was or not, you better get used to it soon.¡±


    With a lift of his hand, Ilya enlarged the screen displaying V587, his gaze scanning over Song Ke before settling on the man with ice-blue eyes beside her. He observed the unique eye color, the damaged mechanical arm, and the empty space where his legs should have been, intensely focused.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pity¡­¡± Ilya sighed genuinely, ¡°He¡¯s stronger than you and smarter too.¡±


    ¡°I heard his legs were broken by the Lu family? Because he almost killed ¡®Mother¡¯?¡±


    Ilya¡¯s expression was intrigued, but his words were chilling.


    The supercomputer fell silent for a second, then data started flowing rapidly, even the frequency of curses increased.


    ¡°To freedom.¡±


    Ilya raised his glass to Lu Xiaoyu, uttered an ambiguous remark, then stood up, casually placing the glass on top of the computer.


    In an instant, all that furious data was wiped clean.


    ¡°Time to get busy.¡±


    *


    After the Zombie King¡¯s demise, the crisis in Haimen didn¡¯t immediately dissipate. The evolved zombies possessed some level of intelligence. With their command lost, some chose to flee while others continued their relentless slaughter.


    Facing the onslaught of residual zombie waves, the people of Haimen rallied together, defending the third and only remaining line of defense.


    As the first glimmer of dawn illuminated the horizon, reinforcements arrived. Countless armed starships crossed the suspended lanes of the cross-river river bridge. Amidst the cheers of the people of Haimen, the zombie threat receded like a retreating tide.


    The darkest night had finally passed.


    In a dark alley, Fang Zhixu let out a sigh of relief, meticulously sewing up the severed limb of Braided Head, making the stitches neat and tidy. Due to the lack of vital signs, he was uncertain about the other¡¯s condition. Fortunately, before long, the eyelids of Braided Head began fluttering rapidly, showing signs of imminent awakening.


    Fang Zhixu opened his earpiece, and a cacophony of voices immediately filled his ears:


    ¡°Old Fang! We won!! We¡¯re the champions!¡±


    ¡°Look at this huge crystal, so shiny! Let¡¯s show it to Old Fang.¡±


    ¡°Lazy¡­ Uncle Fang, how¡¯s Braided Head?¡±


    A smile unconsciously spread across Fang Zhixu¡¯s face, infected by their joy.


    ¡°Hey, I say, don¡¯t just celebrate, come pick me up.¡±


    He chuckled, shaking his head slowly, inadvertently moving his sore knees. Suddenly, he found himself looking at Dirty Chin¡¯s grim look.


    ¡ªThe barrel of a gun was ominously aimed at him.


    Fang Zhixu shivered, instinctively explaining, ¡°The surgery went smoothly. Your sister is out of danger¡­¡±


    As his voice trailed off, Fang Zhixu realized the fallen in front of him was also severely injured. Oozing pus-blood and with cracked skin, Braided Head¡¯s limbs were torn into a Y-shape, yet its functional abilities seemed relatively unaffected.


    However, the sense Fang Zhixu got from Dirty Chin was that it was on the brink of death.


    As a doctor, Fang Zhixu¡¯s intuition about life and death has always been very accurate.


    ¡°Do you need treatment?¡± Fang Zhixu hesitated for a moment before gently asking. He wasn¡¯t one of the five registered participants of V587, nor did he have any surveillance drones around him. In this alley, there were only him and these fallen ones, and whatever happened here wouldn¡¯t be documented.


    In Fang Zhixu¡¯s eyes, the boundary between humans and the Fallen had become blurred long ago.


    Besides the difference in species, what made them truly different? Good and bad? That was even more absurd because just like how humans had the likes of the demonic Nai Kang and Nai Wen, the Fallen had innocents like Braided Head.


    He didn¡¯t harbor strong malice towards the Fallen, and now, watching Dirty Chin die before him was something he couldn¡¯t bear.


    After all, Dirty Chin had protected him for quite some time and even scared off several waves of evolving zombies that passed by.


    Fang Zhixu spread his palm, and a bright white healing ability began circulating, emitting a warm glow.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t accept any treatment, you probably won¡¯t last until your sister wakes up¡­¡± Fang Zhixu spoke slowly and clearly.


    ¡°If she wakes up and doesn¡¯t see you, what will happen? Without your protection, how long do you think it can survive in this apocalypse?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if you can understand, but I¡¯ve experienced it, witnessed a loved one die, and being left behind was the most painful part.¡±


    Fang Zhixu said a lot.


    Dirty Chin remained silent, never giving any response. Its wariness toward humans was indeed profound.


    Several minutes passed, and Dirty Chin lowered the gun in its hand. Its grey eyes remained fixed on Fang Zhixu. It moved forward, placing its forelimbs on the ground, heavily shifting closer. Fang Zhixu infused his healing ability into its body, and with radiation¡¯s aid, Dirty Chin¡¯s wounds healed rapidly.


    Braided Head, awakening at some point, stiffly stood up, bewilderedly making noises. In its urgency, it bit onto Dirty Chin¡¯s leg.


    Dirty Chin glanced at her, hoarsely murmuring a few words. Braided Head, observing Fang Zhixu¡¯s actions, quieted down, obediently sitting next to Dirty Chin. It looked at its mended limb, its eyes filled with curiosity.


    ¡°Old Fang!¡±


    Several people cheered and ran over joyfully.


    Song Ke held up a bright red crystal triumphantly, saying, ¡°Quick, look! Level 4! We¡¯re going to be rich!¡±


    Fang Zhixu just took his hand back and agreed with a very dignified sentence: ¡°It¡¯s quite bright.¡±


    ¡°Hey, Braided Head, you¡¯re all right!¡± Xu Xing¡¯s eyes sparkled as he affectionately squatted nearby, whispering to it, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. We¡¯ve killed the Zombie King for you. I¡¯ve avenged you!¡±


    ¡°Ah, ah!¡± Braided Head happily clapped.


    Amidst the atmosphere of family happiness, Zhuang Qingyan coldly suggested, ¡°I suggest you all leave here as soon as possible.¡±


    Everyone paused, slowly realizing that he was addressing Dirty Chin.


    ¡°The reinforcements have arrived, the zombie tide has retreated. Haimen¡¯s people will clean every corner of the city. It¡¯s very dangerous to stay here.¡±


    Dirty Chin stood up in silence, the group of Fallen following him, including Braided Head, whom he held hands with.


    Xu Xing, with reddened eyes, felt a pang of reluctance and sadness but also knew there was no reason to stop them.


    Braided Head was different from them. To most humans, the Fallen were anomalies, dark beings not accepted, so they had to stay hidden and avoid capture.


    Braided Head turned back, calling out to Xu Xing, ¡°Ah, ah!¡±


    Xu Xing waved, ¡°Goodbye, Braided Head!¡±


    Over thirty Fallen, in the faint light of dawn, stepped into an uncertain future.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, we should head to the next destination, to mark our journey.¡±


    Song Ke patted Xu Xing¡¯s head.


    Outside Haimen City, V587 encountered ¡®Three Grandsons and One Grandpa.¡¯


    Duanmu Qi was specifically waiting there and greeted them, ¡°I¡¯ve come to thank you and congratulate you. You¡¯re truly strong. In this final match, we concede defeat with sincerity.¡±


    Song Ke modestly waved her hand, ¡°No, no.¡±


    Duanmu Qi smiled, ¡°Next time, we¡¯ll surely win.¡±


    Song Ke replied, ¡°¡­Not necessarily, right?¡±


    Duanmu Qi didn¡¯t pursue that, instead bringing up another matter, ¡°I want to know, what¡¯s your opinion of Mr. Xiang?¡±


    Song Ke bluntly uttered one word, ¡°Unethical.¡±


    Duanmu Qi nodded, ¡°Very good, at least we don¡¯t conflict on this point.¡±


    Song Ke asked, ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Xiao Chen¡¯s expression darkened as he clenched his fist tightly, making a ¡°creak¡± sound. ¡°He dares to assassinate Aqi, he¡¯s underestimating us. Just wait, before the match ends, we¡¯ll make him pay blood for blood.¡±


    Song Ke understood. Duanmu Qi was probably worried about any connection between them and Mr. Xiang, coming early to prevent any interference from V587 and feeling relieved afterward.


    After bidding farewell to ¡®Three Grandsons and One Grandpa,¡¯ Lu Xiaoyu, Fang Zhixu, along with Xu Xing, went to find transportation while the remaining four stayed put.


    Lin Youyou hummed a cheerful tune, looking at Su Cha from head to toe, expressing admiration with a series of ¡°tsk tsk.¡±


    Su Cha¡¯s fingers curled slightly, feeling uncomfortable under her gaze. ¡°What are you looking at?¡±


    Lin Youyou teased, ¡°Looking at you, of course.¡±


    Su Cha stuttered, ¡°I¡­¡±


    Just as he was about to ask why she suddenly focused on him, Lin Youyou calmly intervened, ¡°Looking at how handsome you are.¡±


    ¡°Clearly, when I picked you up, you were just a little wolf cub. Now, you¡¯ve grown into a big wolf dog,¡± Lin Youyou mockingly sighed, ¡°Can¡¯t contain it anymore, able to solo the Zombie King, getting more and more handsome.¡±


    Su Cha awkwardly replied, ¡°¡­Didn¡¯t solo.¡±


    Lin Youyou laughed teasingly, ¡°Didn¡¯t solo? Why are you blushing then?¡±


    Su Cha tensed, about to speak.


    ¡°Zhang San~!!¡± A tall and beautiful figure dashed over. Jennifer enthusiastically hugged Lin Youyou, even though she wore a mask, her excitement was evident as she exclaimed, ¡°You¡¯re so handsome!! You¡¯ve dazzled me~¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Su Cha swallowed the words he hadn¡¯t finished, feeling a slight dryness in his throat. He misunderstood; apparently, ¡°handsome¡± was just an exclamation, not an adjective.


    Meanwhile, Song Ke gleefully stored the Level 4 crystal into her space. When she looked up, she found Zhuang Qingyan smiling at her. The morning breeze tousled his hair, and his light-colored eyes held an indescribable tenderness.


    ¡°The sunrise today is beautiful,¡± Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s voice was deep and melodious.


    Song Ke glanced up. The bright yellow sun, big and round like a greasy salted duck egg, hung in the indigo sky¡­ No, the sky right at that moment. Her stomach rumbled, reminding her it was time for breakfast.


    Song Ke scratched her cheek, feeling oddly embarrassed.


    Zhuang Qingyan evidently heard her stomach¡¯s protest and couldn¡¯t help but laugh unexpectedly. Initially a light smile, tiny sparks of amusement gradually spread in his eyes, diluting the aloofness around him and replacing it with an incredibly pure tenderness.


    ¡°Song Keke, come here,¡± Zhuang Qingyan beckoned to her.


    ¡°¡­Oh,¡± Song Ke slowly moved closer.


    Approaching, Zhuang Qingyan made an unexpected move. He supported the wheelchair with both hands ¨C did he just stand up?!


    Song Ke was taken aback. His legs recovered so fast? But she instantly realized it wasn¡¯t that; it must be the effects of radiation.


    Indeed, after standing up, Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s balance was off, stumbling a few times. Song Ke hurried over to support him.


    He leaned his head against her neck, using her strength to steady himself, then lowered his gaze to hers. ¡°I mentioned before that I wanted to talk to you. I feel like now is a good time.¡±


    Their proximity was close, close enough for Song Ke to almost dive into the depths of his eyes with a glance.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t it hurt?¡± Song Ke diverted the topic, poking his right leg.


    ¡°It does¡­¡± Zhuang Qingyan murmured close to her ear, his voice growing husky, ¡°But I want to stand.¡±


    What did he want to say? It was all mysterious, making her nervous as well.


    Song Ke stood tall and straight, poised as ever. ¡°Say it, I¡¯m listening.¡±


    ¡°Song Keke¡­¡± Zhuang Qingyan sighed.


    ¡°Song Ke!¡± A clear voice came from behind, Yin Xiao appeared with a submachine gun in hand. Seeing the intertwined figures of the two, he pushed his goggles up, sounding surprised, ¡°Oh, early morning rehabilitation?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan stared expressionlessly at him, his awakened energy crackling around him.


    ¡°Something wrong?¡± Song Ke steadied him, allowing Zhuang Qingyan to stand on his own, then turned to ask.


    ¡°I¡¯ve come to say goodbye to you. We need to return to the Northern Base,¡± Yin Xiao selectively ignored Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s chilling aura, seemingly oblivious to any anomaly, ¡°Also, I¡¯m extending an invitation to you.¡±


    ¡°What invitation?¡±


    ¡°An invitation to come to the Northern Base.¡±


    ¡°After completing the time-limited S-level commission, your points should be enough, right? If not, I can help by writing a recommendation letter for you.¡±


    ¡°You are welcome to District B, but please prioritize the Northern Base,¡± Yin Xiao proclaimed loudly.


    ¡°We might not go, to District B. Even if we do, why should we choose the Northern Base?¡± Song Ke sluggishly responded.


    ¡°Because I¡¯m at the Northern Base,¡± Yin Xiao replied matter-of-factly.


    Song Ke glanced back at Zhuang Qingyan. By now, his expression had frozen over like the harsh December winter.


    ¡°Why do you, being there, mean we should¡­?¡± Song Ke intended to cut to the chase, blurting out her question.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you see it?¡± Yin Xiao raised an eyebrow, then murmured softly, ¡°I thought I was pretty obvious.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s obvious?¡± Song Ke was bewildered.


    ¡°I like you,¡± Yin Xiao grinned brightly, ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious?¡±

 Chapter 131: Life-and-Death Marathon (22)

    ¡ò Lin Youyou¡¯s wish (End of Competition Arc) ¡ò¡°Next stop, Rongzhou or Reshufu?¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu somehow managed to get a rare amphibious vehicle in District D and, after a series of operations on the control panel, switched the off-road mode to floating mode. A nimble speedboat glided over the river surface, leaving behind several sparkling water trails as it raced away with full horsepower.


    After asking the question, there was no response from anyone behind.


    Lu Xiaoyu turned around to see Fang Zhixu and Xu Xing in the back seat, sprawled out, lightly snoring intermittently.


    One elderly and one young. The old one, with his energy depleted, immediately lay down upon boarding. The young one had experienced great ups and downs in a short period, undergoing a breakthrough and farewell to a friend, experiencing intense emotional fluctuations. It was understandable for them to relax and fall asleep now.


    The remaining four young and strong individuals, however, were lost in their own worlds, paying no attention to his words.


    ¡°Where are we going?¡± Lu Xiaoyu asked again.


    Still, no one paid attention. All four were immersed in their own thoughts.


    Lu Xiaoyu didn¡¯t tolerate this behavior. He swiftly accelerated and made a sharp turn in the speedboat. The turbine spun fiercely, creating intense eddies, and the boat, skimming close to the river surface, seemed to fly low. He casually opened the skylight, splashing river water onto a few people¡¯s faces.


    ¡°Ptui! Ptui! Lu Xiaoyu, could you please follow some traffic rules!¡±


    Song Ke and Lin Youyou were jolted awake as if from a dream, rushing to the window to vomit. How disgusting! Who knows how many zombies died in this water!


    ¡°Awake? Then tell me where we¡¯re going,¡± Lu Xiaoyu snorted lightly.


    Zhuang Qingyan silently handed over a lit screen. Lu Xiaoyu reached out and took it. The next route had already been marked on it.


    Song Ke closed the car window and stole a glance at Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s face through the glass. He was resting his chin on his hand, browsing through data with lowered eyelashes that cast shadows, concealing all emotions. It was impossible to discern who he was angry with, his profile frozen like an ice sculpture.


    After Yin Xiao uttered that mind-blowing ¡°I like you,¡± he and Jennifer returned to the hover car, supposedly hurrying to meet with others from ¡°Tustan¡± and submit the commissioned objective above.


    ¡°Life is unpredictable. What if he disappears at Haimen¡­¡±


    Song Ke turned back to support Zhuang Qingyan. His eyes narrowed dangerously, his tone carrying a chilling seriousness.


    Song Ke stared expressionlessly at him, pointing to the ubiquitous drones around, making her meaning clear.


    ¡°¡­Just kidding,¡± Zhuang Qingyan responded with a faint smile, slowly retracting his mental ability.


    ¡°He¡¯s gone. What do you want to talk about?¡± Song Ke didn¡¯t forget what had been interrupted earlier.


    Zhuang Qingyan looked down at the seemingly indifferent Song Ke, his brow gradually furrowing.


    ¡°He just confessed his feelings to you.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°What do you think about it?¡±


    ¡°I was a bit surprised,¡± Song Ke admitted truthfully.


    ¡°Besides surprise?¡±


    ¡°¡­Nothing else.¡±


    This response left Zhuang Qingyan in a more difficult position.


    ¡°He said he likes you, yet you have no reaction.¡± Zhuang Qingyan began to realize something, his expression turning serious.


    Song Ke blinked, humbly seeking advice: ¡°¡­Should I have had one?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan silently gazed at Song Ke, suddenly pondering a question he had never seriously considered before.


    ¡°Song Keke, do you know what ¡®liking someone¡¯ means?¡±


    This time, Song Ke seriously contemplated for a while, shook her head, her grandpa hadn¡¯t taught her that.


    Then Zhuang Qingyan fell silent.


    Zhuang Qingyan, who could calculate without a change in expression even facing the cunning and sly Zombie King, was now sitting in the speedboat, seemingly encountering some complicated puzzle of the century, rarely lost in thought.


    Song Ke stole glances at him for a long time before silently retracting her gaze.


    In fact, she could realize that, apart from being a bit slow, she was quite obtuse in terms of emotional memory. This was a problem she had since she was very young.


    Regular kids would display various emotions like joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness, but Song Ke didn¡¯t know how to express them properly. When others laughed heartily, she would end up in tears, and when others cried loudly, Song Ke¡¯s eyebrows would knot, her little face turning red, appearing particularly angry.


    So, people who didn¡¯t understand her, like Aunt Qing, would find her gloomy and unpleasant.


    Song Ke had once asked her grandfather why she was different from others. Her grandfather told her to observe and learn more, starting with imitating people of her age around her. He said Song Ke was a very, very smart child who would surely learn well.


    Encouraged, Song Ke studied hard. As she grew older, gradually she became like others: she cried when she needed to, laughed when it was appropriate, and never had untimely actions. Expressing ¡°normal¡± emotions became her instinct.


    But there was one thing Song Ke never learned¡ªhow to like someone.


    She didn¡¯t have parents, and her grandfather didn¡¯t have a wife. In her lonely journey of growing up, there was no reference around to tell her what two people who liked each other should be like. Song Ke liked her grandfather and also the member of Team V587, but she felt that what Zhuang Qingyan meant wasn¡¯t this kind of liking.


    ¡°I have a question for you all,¡± Song Ke, who couldn¡¯t figure it out, straightforwardly asked, ¡°What does it feel like to like someone?¡±


    Lin Youyou instantly became spirited and leaned in, gossiping, ¡°Who! Who likes you? Did someone confess to you?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Song Ke nodded honestly.


    ¡°Huh, someone can¡¯t sit still anymore?¡± Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s mechanical arm clapped lightly.


    ¡°If you like each other, you should be together!¡± Lin Youyou glanced at Zhuang Qingyan, deliberately raising her voice decisively.


    ¡°Together?¡± Song Ke became more confused.


    ¡°Start dating first, then get engaged, married, and then¡­¡± Lu Xiaoyu paused for a moment, lacking practical experience, and rigorously flipped through the data. ¡°The book ¡®Analysis of Old Civilization¡¯s Customs and Ethics¡¯ says so.¡±


    Lin Youyou immediately objected, ¡°It¡¯s the end of the world now, let¡¯s skip engagement and just get married!¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu was more concerned about another point, ¡°What about the crystallization of love? If we divide the responsibilities, I suggest making a schedule. Where should the household registration be? What about schooling in the future? Staying in Liuboni or maybe Askar? I highly recommend these two institutions.¡±


    Lin Youyou nodded, ¡°Household registration indeed needs careful consideration. Ferrara and Tongwan are also options. I think the boy should study medicine and the girl should study art.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu started looking through the information again, ¡°If the birth parents are genetically selected, the baby¡¯s gender can be autonomously¡ª¡±


    ¡°Shut up,¡± Zhuang Qingyan spoke coldly.


    ¡°?¡± Lu Xiaoyu opened his mouth, about to protest.


    ¡°Shut up,¡± Zhuang Qingyan interrupted him again, his expression as cold as frost.


    ¡°¡­Yin Xiao,¡± he spoke through gritted teeth, ¡°the one who confessed, it¡¯s a jerk named Yin Xiao.¡±


    ¡°¡­.what?¡± Lin Youyou said, confused.


    ¡°¡­Ah,¡± Lu Xiaoyu stayed quiet for a few seconds then unexpectedly spoke, ¡°Who¡¯s Yin Xiao? Do we have someone in our team with that name? Is it a new nickname for you?¡±


    ¡°Yin Xiao is the captain of ¡®Tustan,''¡± Lin Youyou said and wilted, then glanced at the co-pilot seat, lacking interest, and sat back.


    Hearing Tustan¡¯s name, Su Cha, who was curled up in his seat like a saw-mouthed gourd, slightly moved his shoulders in an imperceptible way.


    Song Ke, completely clueless throughout the whole situation, asked, ¡°What is the ¡®crystallization of love¡¯?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no crystallization,¡± Zhuang Qingyan sneered, ¡°except for fragments, he shouldn¡¯t expect anything.¡±


    Until they reached the next check-in city, except for snoring, the airship remained deathly silent.


    ¡­


    After the Zombie King¡¯s death, the threat from the zombie tide weakened, the situation of the refugee influx eased, and surviving cities got a chance to catch their breath.


    The latter part of the competition proceeded smoothly, at least on V587¡¯s side, it could be described as ¡°extremely boring.¡±


    The audience in Ferrara sought thrills and excitement, but after V587¡¯s stunning operation in killing the Zombie King, they swiftly returned to their nonchalant attitude, leisurely following other teams to check in, occasionally strolling through the live broadcast room designated for the presumed champions. Either Song Ke held the terminal, seemingly counting money (though actually doing something else), or Xu Xing and Fang Zhixu put on a show of deep sleep for everyone. Only Su Cha went diligently for the check-in alone, while the rest of the team rarely appeared on camera.


    Without any exciting content, the viewership in the live room rapidly declined, and gradually, the audience lost interest.


    How lazy was V587? They were lazy enough to specifically choose cities that other teams had already checked in to, just trailing behind them¡ªpicking up the scraps.


    Even the barrage comments started saying, ¡°This isn¡¯t a championship team, it¡¯s clearly the king of slacking off,¡± ¡°V587¡¯s slacker behavior award¡­¡±


    The next day, the most discussed topic became the feud between ¡°Three Grandsons and One Grandpa¡± and ¡°Shunxing Teahouse.¡±


    The two teams clashed three times, concluding with Xiao Chen sustaining an abdominal injury and Mr. Xiang being seriously injured and comatose.


    ¡°Xiao Chen¡¯s pretty ruthless, huh?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Xiang is pretty ruthless toward Duanmu Qi! He could even commit assassination. Deserves retribution.¡±


    ¡°The old man might not make it through this time, given his age.¡±


    As expected, a day later, Mr. Xiang died at the check-in point just before the finish line, Rongzhou.


    Due to severe internal conflicts, ¡°Shunxing Teahouse¡± didn¡¯t manage to complete the competition.


    However, these had nothing to do with V587. Two days later, V587, having completed the check in, smoothly returned to the final destination¡ªFerrara.


    Each time they arrived in this city, it always gave a completely different feeling from the apocalypse, and this time, they were welcomed with an unparalleled grand celebration.


    Amidst enthusiastic cheers, Song Ke and Xu Xing lifted the trophy representing the champions. Although the other members cited ¡°inconvenience¡± and refused to appear publicly, the name V587 had long been known throughout the entire eastern Alliance.


    Ferrara, Tongwan, Mu City, Rongzhou¡­


    Liuli Port, Greenwater City, Shaye, Haimen¡­


    Different C and D-grade cities held legends about them.


    Compared to the 5 million Alliance coins awarded for winning the championship, the additional 1000 points were like a drop in the bucket.


    Considering the completion of the S-level commission in Haimen, which earned them double the reward, V587¡¯s current points had reached a terrifying 700,000, far exceeding the 500,000 threshold to enter the District B.


    After the celebration, V587 arrived at the top floor of the tower, meeting a person, or rather, an artificial intelligence.


    Apart from points and Alliance coins, the most important reward in the Throne Race Competition was the chance for Lord Ilya to fulfill one wish.


    As per the agreement, this opportunity was handed over by Song Ke to Lin Youyou.


    The ice-blue data streams formed a gorgeous carpet, and a slender figure leaned quietly on the couch, waiting for them. No longer the ethereal hologram when they first met, the present Ilya, after half a year of transformation, was solid, a flesh-and-blood human.


    Looking at Ilya, Song Ke couldn¡¯t help but recall her question to Zhuang Qingyan.


    If an artificial intelligence had an independent consciousness and a body to freely control, was it still an artificial intelligence?


    Did that mean Ilya was already human? There was a hint of depth in Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s eyes back then, but that person might not have wanted to be human.


    ¡°Good evening, my champions,¡± Ilya greeted proactively.


    Lin Youyou removed her mask, and Ilya didn¡¯t show any surprise, as if she had known all along she wasn¡¯t ¡°Zhang San.¡±


    Song Ke noticed the trembling breath of the person beside her and squeezed her hand as a form of encouragement.


    Lin Youyou took a deep breath, her clear words echoing in the spacious top floor:


    ¡°¡ªIlya, I want you to help me save someone.¡±


    ¡°Save someone?¡± Ilya cocked his head, a spark of interest lighting up in his eyes. ¡°As far as I know, your team has an outstanding healer with exceptional abilities. If it¡¯s about saving someone, he should be better than me.¡± S~?a??h the ???el F?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°I know,¡± Lin Youyou nodded. ¡°As long as they haven¡¯t died, or are not on the brink of death, Old Fang can bring them back.¡±


    ¡°But the person I want to save¡­ is someone who¡¯s already dead.¡±


    Ilya showed a hint of surprise, even V587 was taken aback. Though they knew Lin Youyou wanted to save someone, they weren¡¯t aware of the specifics.


    Lin Youyou opened her terminal and played a recorded video she took before heading to the Sin City. The location was the Fifth Hospital in Tongwan. On a hospital bed lay a person covered in various instruments. Well, calling this person a patient wasn¡¯t accurate¡ªthe level of decay had surpassed a Stage Three mutation, more exaggerated than a Fallen. Their appearance was almost indistinguishable from a zombie, lying there lifelessly, like a corpse.


    ¡°This is my sister, Lin Xiu. She underwent irreversible zombification due to radiation. Her body is beyond salvage.¡±


    Lin Youyou¡¯s fingertips curled, her gaze firm as she spoke, ¡°So¡­ I want you to turn her into an artificial intelligence.¡±


    ¡°An artificial intelligence?¡± Ilya chuckled softly. ¡°Interesting, but as I said before, this isn¡¯t something I need to handle.¡±


    He raised his hand slightly, a tiny stream of data pointing towards Lu Xiaoyu. ¡°It seems like you don¡¯t know your companion very well. Do you need me to recommend someone? For instance¡­ this exceptional talent from the Lu family. Transforming a person into an artificial intelligence, he¡¯s equally capable.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu was staring at a supercomputer, even though the screen displayed nothing, he was completely absorbed.


    However, Lin Youyou slowly shook her head. ¡°What I want is an artificial intelligence named ¡®Lin Xiu.''¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu could fill in memories, like in Sin City, where he restored the fragmented consciousness of Lord Hades, enabling him to become ¡®Hu Yong.¡¯ But the restored Hu Yong wasn¡¯t the same as the original Lord Hades. Lin Youyou desired an AI that fully possessed her sister Lin Xiu¡¯s memories.


    ¡°My sister, Lin Xiu, was declared brain-dead in the Loake Accident fourteen years ago.¡±


    Upon hearing a familiar keyword, Zhuang Qingyan subtly lifted his eyelids.


    Lin Youyou¡¯s parents passed away early, and she was raised by Lin Xiu, who was a generation older. When Lin Xiu graduated from Tongwan Medical University, she became involved in a secret project. From then on, the chances for the sisters to meet decreased. Ultimately, Lin Youyou received news of her sister¡¯s death due to nuclear leakage.


    For fourteen years, under Tongwan¡¯s top medical conditions, Lin Xiu, despite brain death, maintained a controllable level of radiation. However, when the apocalypse erupted, her zombification accelerated drastically. Even though doctors had concluded Lin Xiu was irreversibly a zombie, Lin Youyou refused to give up.


    Unable to accept seeing Lin Xiu fully zombified, during that time, Lin Youyou desperately collected crystals, sought experts, participated anonymously in competitions, trying every possible means, despite the hope being faint.


    Later, Lin Youyou met Song Ke, Fang Zhixu, Lu Xiaoyu¡­ Hu Yong¡¯s experience opened up new possibilities for her. She conceived the idea of allowing Lin Xiu to continue existing in another life form.


    But a crucial piece was missing.


    This piece could only be provided by Ilya.


    ¡°Lin Xiu, she underwent memory storage,¡± Lin Youyou said, each word deliberate.


    ¡°She had the habit of regularly updating that memo.¡±


    ¡°I want to retrieve her memories from you. I want a complete Lin Xiu.¡±


    ¡°I also want to know what happened fourteen years ago in Loake.¡±


    Memory storage was a secret known only to the locals of Ferrara.


    Ferrara¡¯s AI was highly advanced, and even before Ilya became the city¡¯s magistrate, this unique service had emerged. As humans aged, their memory ability gradually declined, forgetting many things. But computers didn¡¯t. Therefore, the people of Ferrara could archive and backup memories in AI.


    By merging brainwaves and neurons with a fixed AI port through weak electric stimulation, they linked it with the storage module in the AI¡¯s memory. This action formed a synchronous ¡°memoir¡± in the cloud. If humans lost certain memories due to accidents, aging, or forgetfulness, they could retrieve them through a ¡°rollback¡± function.


    After Ilya emerged as a super AI and Ferrara¡¯s ultimate authority, he naturally connected to all intelligent terminals, including the part used to record the ¡°memoir.¡± This was why Ilya knew everything¡ªthe memories of all Ferrara citizens.


    Lin Xiu was among the first volunteers in the project, depositing all memories since birth into the AI.


    In the silent stillness, Ilya smiled.


    ¡°If this is your wish, I can fulfill it for you.¡±


    **TN


    This arc ends here. (~£þ?£þ)~ Also, I¡¯ll be taking a break for the holidays and will be back next year.


    Merry Christmas and Happy New Year in advance~


    Health and happiness to you and yours in the new year ahead. :?( ??? )?

 Chapter 132: Fire Seed (1)

    ¡ò LAK0017 ¡òStarships flew past from high above, their silver-white streamlined designs resembling soaring seagulls with outstretched wings.


    As they approached the city, transparent energy shields activated, and the starships decelerated into the platform. The energy pillars imprinted with the Lu¡¯s logo automatically docked, and passengers disembarked, chatting and dispersing towards various exits. If someone from below District C stood here, they would undoubtedly widen their eyes in surprise because the Lu¡¯s starships, long thought to have vanished, seemed unaffected, continuing their regular operations.


    Before their eyes stood an enormous three-dimensional city.


    The weather was clear, sunlight abundant, even the air felt remarkably fresh, carrying the fragrance unique to flora.


    Highly intelligent robots and hovercars were engaged in cleaning, transporting, and patrolling tasks.


    Ultramodern skyscrapers, equipped with self-cleaning glass and fully automated elevators, towered into the clouds. Intersecting sky bridges and pedestrian walkways interconnected the entire city like transparent ribbons, occasionally dotted by figures on skateboards or parkour enthusiasts, whistling past slow-moving sightseeing spheres.


    On both sides of the streets, colossal billboards and holographic posters updated in real-time, delivering firsthand life information to the residents.


    All passersby adorned intricately customized accessories. A gentle touch projected holographic images¡ªa premium feature unique to District B.


    The initial impression the city conveyed: cleanliness, modernity, orderliness, barely affected by the aftermath of doomsday.


    Another starship returned, docking at the high-rise exclusive channel. The hatch opened, and He Qiuhong, clad in a dark grey suit, briskly descended.


    The secretary team waiting at the platform promptly approached. A young woman in her early twenties held flowers, warmly addressing, ¡°Commander, welcome back to the Northern Base.¡±


    ¡°Your schedule for today is as follows: a half-hour meeting with the Logistics Minister at 10 o¡¯clock, then at 10:40¡­¡± He Qiuhong¡¯s administrative secretary, Ye Zimei, dutifully began reporting.


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk about these later,¡± He Qiuhong raised a hand to interrupt her subordinate¡¯s report. The overnight flight had left her fatigued; she rubbed her forehead tiredly. ¡°Have the two mutated zombies captured by ¡®Tustan¡¯ been delivered to Dr. Ning¡¯s laboratory?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Captain Yin Xiao personally escorted them, and Dr. Ning has received them,¡± came the reply.


    He Qiuhong nodded in satisfaction. Despite Yin Xiao¡¯s unruly nature, he was dependable when it came to tasks.


    ¡°How is General Ye¡¯s health?¡± she inquired.


    ¡°Physically, he¡¯s doing alright,¡± Ye Zimei carefully chose her words. ¡°He¡¯s been sleeping soundly these days and even had two extra bowls of food.¡±


    He Qiuhong paused, a hint of concern furrowing her brow. ¡°¡­But his mood isn¡¯t great?¡± she prodded.


    ¡°Something has been bothering him,¡± Ye Zimei murmured softly.


    ¡°What happened?¡± He Qiuhong¡¯s steps halted abruptly.


    Glancing around discreetly, Ye Zimei lowered her voice, ¡°Two inspectors from the Central Court arrived.¡±


    ¡°Inspectors? Under what pretext?¡± He Qiuhong¡¯s expression turned tense.


    ¡°They¡¯re here regarding Dr. Ning¡¯s ongoing research project. They strongly object to it, alleging that he¡¯s withholding classified Alliance information. They¡¯ve demanded Dr. Ning¡¯s team publicly disclose their research progress. It¡¯s been a tug-of-war with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the past couple of days.¡±


    ¡°Hmph,¡± He Qiuhong scoffed. ¡°Dr. Ning is a free agent now, conducting independent research funded directly by the Northern Base. Even if they want to interfere, they probably won¡¯t find a legitimate reason.¡±


    ¡°Right, right!¡± Ye Zimei nodded vigorously, then hesitated, biting her lip.


    ¡°Is there something else?¡± He Qiuhong sensed she had more to say. s?a??h th? n0v?l(?)ire.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Well¡­ Commander, during your absence, two S-level awakeners¡­ were taken away by Tokushima (District B16),¡± Ye Zimei¡¯s voice grew softer, her head bowing lower.


    He Qiuhong, with a relatively composed expression, managed to ask, ¡°Which type?¡±


    ¡°One was a lightning-type awakener, and the other¡­¡± Ye Zimei struggled to swallow, her expression on the verge of tears, ¡°a weapons expert, the chief designer of the ¡®Hell Scythe¡¯ firearms¡­¡±


    In the post-apocalyptic world, S-level awakeners became crucial strategic assets, and the quantity of S-levels also determined the upper limit of development for a region.


    The Northern Base boasted a million high level awakeners, making them exceptionally powerful within the Alliance. However, what saddened He Qiuhong was their scarcity of S-levels in District B, barely reaching a number in the single digits, and now, two more had been taken away¡­


    He Qiuhong¡¯s heart raced with frustration. ¡°They took our people, won¡¯t you take them back?!¡±


    Ye Zimei sounded somewhat helpless. ¡°We did, but the envoys we sent also switched sides¡­¡±


    He Qiuhong felt a pang of anxiety. ¡°Issue an immediate district-wide commission. Find a batch of eloquent speakers.¡±


    ¡°Furthermore, open wide recruitment. If S-levels from other districts show any inclination towards the Northern Base, regardless of conditions, agree first and find ways to retain them at all costs.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Commander,¡± Ye Zimei acknowledged with a slight whimper.


    Reflecting on the Throne Race competition she witnessed in Ferrara these past few days, He Qiuhong paused before adding, ¡°We¡¯ve always underestimated the awakeners in the lower districts. There are plenty of outstanding awakeners there too. This recruitment drive, send a copy to the lower districts as well.¡±


    The CDE districts? Ye Zimei was surprised. Having grown up in the Northern Base, she had never set foot in the lower districts. However, she had heard from others that those areas suffered severe damage from the apocalypse, with most cities being overrun by zombies. Could there truly still be powerful untamed awakeners there?


    Yet, as the directive came from the leadership, she nodded in agreement, ¡°Understood!¡±


    *


    Tongwan, Fifth Hospital.


    Outside the special care ward, Lin Youyou covered her face, her voice trembling. ¡°¡­Is it really okay?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Su Cha shook his head.


    ¡°He insisted on coming along,¡± Song Ke added.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, it¡¯s not our business~¡± Xu Xing chimed in.


    Lin Youyou shifted her fingers, stealing a glance at the unexpected guest, sighing inwardly. Although she had requested this person herself, he was the highest executive in Ferrara. Would his presence here in Tongwan not cause a diplomatic incident?


    The ¡°unexpected guest,¡± Ilya, wasn¡¯t dressed in his signature velvet suit. Instead, he wore understated black and white attire, a baseball cap firmly pressed down on his golden hair, concealing most of his icy blue eyes. Otherwise, his arrival in the city would have surely caused a stir.


    After meeting V587 in the tower that night, Ilya agreed to fulfill Lin Youyou¡¯s wish. Using the reason ¡°memory storage is the most private secret of humanity; I need to meet Lin Xiu in person to confirm the authenticity of your words,¡± he tagged along with them to Tongwan.


    Although Ilya had been very friendly and approachable throughout, given the cautionary tales of many who had been deceived, Song Ke and the others didn¡¯t dare underestimate him. They remained on high alert, fearing he might pull some kind of stunt and quietly arrived in Tongwan.


    Following the group into the hospital room, Ilya glanced at the barely recognizable Lin Xiu for a moment before diverting his gaze, casually surveying the surroundings.


    Song Ke stepped back slowly, whispering to Zhuang Qingyan beside her, ¡°How do we¡­ open that memo?¡±


    ¡°If the person is still alive, it¡¯s usually accessed through biometric information or brainwave connections.¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s eyes widened. Lin Xiu had turned into a zombie, devoid of fingerprints, irises, even her facial features had completely transformed. Where would they find biometric information?


    ¡°She¡¯s brain-dead. Brainwave connection won¡¯t work, right?¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    Song Ke leaned closer to Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s ear, almost touching his cheek, ¡°He just glanced at Lin Xiu.¡±


    ¡°Do you think¡­ he just wanted to come out and play?¡± Since Ilya had been created, he hadn¡¯t left Ferrara. Song Ke suspected that he might have used the excuse of fulfilling the wish to venture out with a new body.


    ¡°I think you should lower your voice; he might have heard that,¡± Zhuang Qingyan advised.


    Normally, Zhuang Qingyan would have educated her on the notion of boundaries between genders for such an unconscious display of intimacy. But now, he remained calm, showing no hint of emotion in his tone.


    Song Ke quickly covered her mouth, and true to his prediction, Ilya glanced at her lightly with unclear meaning.


    ¡°Memory projection requires a carrier. What are you planning to use?¡± Ilya turned to Lin Youyou.


    ¡°Anything will do. Whatever works best,¡± Lin Youyou replied, already prepared with various types of terminals, screens, computers, and storage hubs, as if she was offering a selection.


    Ilya swiftly acted, his irises shimmering with an unusual color as vast amounts of data flashed through his eyes. Extracting the memory unit named ¡°Lin Xiu,¡± he transferred it to the new model screen. It appeared like a download, and a progress bar immediately displayed on the screen.


    Lu Xiaoyu took the screen, using his abilities to rapidly construct a stable environment to prevent Lin Xiu¡¯s memory from dispersing due to data turbulence before it could form.


    ¡°Her original body has died, so the saved memories will slowly rebuild based on consciousness. There might be a period of confusion initially, but over time, they will become more refined. After all, artificial intelligence needs continuous learning,¡± Ilya remarked cryptically.


    When the progress bar reached 100%, the screen blinked and then went black.


    After a few seconds, a clear holographic projection slowly emerged, depicting a young woman in her twenties, wearing a scientist¡¯s lab coat. She held her head, looking slightly disoriented, her eyes vacant yet clouded.


    Ilya completed his task and left with Lu Xiaoyu from the hospital room. Song Ke glanced at him but made no move.


    From her position, she could only see Ilya stepping into the hallway and stopping beside Lu Xiaoyu, who was basking in the sunlight.


    Lin Youyou widened her eyes slightly, unable to contain her excitement, ¡°Big sister¡­¡±


    Lin Xiu, overwhelmed by the sudden influx of memories, appeared a bit confused. She gazed at Lin Youyou with puzzlement, ¡°Who are you¡­¡±


    Suddenly, her expression changed, ¡°No, wait, who are you calling ¡®big sister¡¯? Do I look that old?¡±


    Lin Youyou, brimming with joy, choked up instantly, ¡°I-I¡¯m Youyou.¡±


    When Lin Xiu passed away, she was in her prime, not much older than Lin Youyou currently. It was understandable that she couldn¡¯t recognize her.


    The holographic projection occasionally flashed with chaotic streams of information. Due to the death of her original body, Lin Xiu¡¯s state was highly unstable. She gazed at the face resembling hers and softly exclaimed, ¡°Youyou? Are you Youyou? How¡­ how did you grow so much?¡±


    ¡°Big sister!¡± Lin Youyou cautiously reached out her finger and lightly touched Lin Xiu across the gap. Two tears trickled down her cheeks.


    Lin Xiu hugged her briefly, displaying warmth for a moment, then pushed her away with disgust, shaking her hand.


    ¡°Who¡¯s this con artist? Trying to deceive me?¡± Lin Xiu was furious, ¡°Our family¡¯s Youyou is just eleven!¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m really your sister!¡± Lin Youyou cried and laughed at the absurdity, immediately presenting her identity information.


    Lin Xiu stared at it for a moment, but then her consciousness became confused again. She covered her head, starting to flicker.


    Song Ke couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. She was starting to believe that Lin Xiu and Lin Youyou were indeed sisters. Their nonsensical way of speaking was uncannily similar.


    Lin Xiu lowered her head and, unexpectedly, discovered her fully zombified body. She instinctively exclaimed, ¡°Oh my, what¡¯s this? Mummy cosplay?¡± Then, she noticed the patient information at the bedside, and her pupils dilated suddenly, ¡°Wait a minute¡­ is this me? Am I dead?¡±


    Lin Youyou nodded expressionlessly, ¡°Ah, yes, you¡¯re already dead. It¡¯s been fourteen years. I extracted your memoirs, and now you¡¯re an artificial intelligence with autonomous consciousness.¡±


    ¡°Memoirs¡­¡± Lin Xiu murmured. ¡°I remember now. I did memory storage¡­¡±


    Lin Youyou took some time to explain the sequence of events to Lin Xiu, and the two sisters finally recognized each other, embracing each other in tears.


    ¡°Sister, what happened fourteen years ago? Why did you suddenly pass away?¡± After reminiscing, Lin Youyou asked with a serious expression.


    Recalling that last memory, even in the holographic projection, Lin Xiu¡¯s face turned pale.


    ¡°Passed away? Yes¡­ I remember something important, but I can¡¯t recall it.¡± It felt like a missing storage chip in her mind. Lin Xiu held her head, groaning in pain.


    ¡°Loak¡­ radiation¡­ explosion¡­ L¡­¡± Her eyes reddened, a splitting headache struck her. The holographic projection flickered continuously, replaying the terror and fear from the moment before her death, but because the memories weren¡¯t transmitted back to the cloud in time, the fragmented pieces remained incomplete.


    ¡°Sister, stop thinking about it for now.¡± Lin Youyou felt sorry for her and quickly intervened.


    ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t think about it¡­¡± Lin Xiu gradually calmed down. The screen stabilized, and she slowly raised her eyes, unexpectedly catching sight of the man sitting by the window. Her expression first went blank, then blinked in disbelief, ¡°Vincent? Dr. Zhuang? You are¡­ Dr. Zhuang, right?!¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s finger twitched in surprise; he hadn¡¯t expected Lin Xiu to suddenly attack him.


    ¡®Uh-oh,¡¯ Song Ke whistled silently in her mind.


    Zhuang Qingyan pursed his lips and quickly glanced at her. Song Ke responded with an innocent expression. Vincent, Dr. Zhuang¡ªshe had no idea.


    ¡°I am Lin Xiu, a records officer of the G Group at the Qinglan Research Institute¡¯s Loak Branch. I officially joined the Ignition project team in June of the New Calendar¡¯s 30th year,¡± Lin Xiu stated.


    Lin Xiu looked extremely excited, holding her cheeks in disbelief, ¡°You surely don¡¯t know me, but I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m seeing you in person.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m your idol!¡±


    Lin Youyou coughed twice, ¡°Sister, that¡¯s not¡­¡±


    ¡°Sorry, sorry! You¡¯re my fan!¡± Lin Youyou covered her forehead in disbelief.


    Lin Xiu¡¯s holographic image excitedly moved around, unaware of her slip-ups, ¡°I apologize, I was too excited. I¡¯ve read all your publicly available genetic engineering papers. It¡¯s a huge honor for me to join the project team under your personal guidance!¡±


    ¡°Dr. Zhuang, how did you¡­ become younger?¡± Lin Xiu began uncertainly, ¡°You seem more handsome too, with more hair. Did you get a hairline transplant?¡±


    Song Ke maintained a composed expression, inwardly amused: Hahaha!


    Zhuang Qingyan sighed, intervening in her nonsense, ¡°Lin Xiu, it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you. Unfortunately, the Loak incident made us lose a¡­ remarkable colleague like you.¡±


    Song Ke struggled to contain her laughter, looking up at the sky, pretending not to hear Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s attempt at misleading.


    ¡°No, no, I¡¯m just a records officer. I¡¯m far from remarkable,¡± Lin Xiu shyly smiled. Suddenly, her gaze dulled, as if recalling something, ¡°Records officer¡­ Dr. Zhuang, I have important things to report to you.¡±


    ¡°Report¡­ Experimental subjects¡­ lost¡­ L¡­¡± She repeated some fragmented phrases aimlessly.


    Zhuang Qingyan furrowed his brow slightly, attempting to help her gather her thoughts. ¡°If you¡¯re talking about the loss of experimental subjects, after the Loak incident, Qinglan conducted a detailed check internally. All registered experimental subjects died, and there were no instances of the losses you mentioned. You might be mistaken.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s before the incident, that¡¯s even more impossible¡­¡±


    ¡°LAK0017.¡± Lin Xiu swiftly reported a string of codes.


    As if frozen in place by a spell, Zhuang Qingyan abruptly ceased speaking upon hearing these numbers. Every muscle in his body tensed.


    ¡°The lost experimental subject is LAK0017,¡± Lin Xiu repeated.


    ¡°LAK0017, according to the experimental logs, on November 7th of the New Calendar¡¯s 33rd year, due to the failure of the 1314th gene fusion, the original cells died. This experimental subject no longer had research value,¡± Zhuang Qingyan spoke in a low voice. ¡°LAK0017, along with LAK0117 and LAK0366 from the same batch, were destroyed. It was personally¡ªcough, I, at the center, personally confirmed the results.¡±


    November 7th of the New Calendar¡¯s 33rd year was a Thursday, the fixed date for the concentrated destruction of failed experimental subjects.


    November 8th of the New Calendar¡¯s 33rd year was a Friday, the day the Loak nuclear leakage erupted, engulfing the Ignition project team in flames.


    ¡°Destroyed? Yes¡­ yesterday, Ming destroyed them all,¡± Lin Xiu muttered.


    Her memory halted on the eve of the accident, shrouded in a thick fog that she couldn¡¯t penetrate. Lin Xiu tugged at her hair, and the holographic projection flickered in disarray. ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that¡­ I saw it, they weren¡¯t destroyed!¡±


    Lin Xiu suddenly screamed frantically.


    ¡°¡ªMing took them away!¡±


    **TN


    The arc title ¡°»ðÖÖ¡± (hu¨¯zh¨¯ng) translates to ¡°Fire Seed¡± or ¡°Seed of Fire¡± (also Tinder) in English. The term can vary in its context based on its usage.


    In some contexts, ¡°»ðÖÖ¡± might refer to the literal seeds of a fire-producing plant or a concept related to creating fire.


    However, in a more metaphorical or symbolic sense, it could denote the initial catalyst or source that ignites a significant change or revolution, akin to a spark that sets off a larger event. This term might be used in literature, storytelling, or philosophical discussions to signify the beginning or origin of something influential or transformative.


    Happy New Year! Wishing you a fantastic year ahead filled with joy, success, and wonderful moments! <3

 Chapter 133: Fire Seed (2)

    ¡ò Parting Ways? ¡ò¡°Dr. Zhuang, I¡¯m sorry. My life ended so suddenly, I never expected to tell you the truth in this way.¡± Lin Xiu finally recalled her memories before death; her expression became calm, and her emotions gradually stabilized.


    ¡°Why are you so sure that LAK0017 was taken away?¡± Zhuang Qingyan furrowed his brow and asked.


    Lin Xiu replied in detail, ¡°I am the record keeper for Group G. After the destruction process was completed, it was my responsibility to upload the operation logs. However, when I reviewed it, I didn¡¯t receive any data from LAK0017. I immediately contacted Ming, but he had already¡­ disappeared along with the subject.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you report it immediately?¡± Zhuang Qingyan pointed out the flaw in her explanation.


    Lin Xiu lowered her head in shame, ¡°As colleagues, Ming and I had a good personal relationship. I thought he was just¡­ momentarily confused. I didn¡¯t want him to face consequences because of it. I¡¯m sorry, Dr. Zhuang, it was my negligence at work.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s expression turned cold, ¡°Momentarily confused? Who was actually confused?¡±


    The holographic projection was incredibly lifelike, and Lin Xiu¡¯s expression showed clear regret, ¡°Dr. Zhuang, I know my excuse is feeble. I failed to recognize Ming¡¯s true motives in time. He was the only cultivator in Group G, spending day and night with those subjects, the person most familiar with them. Initially, I was puzzled why he voluntarily applied for the destruction process. Now I think he must have planned it beforehand.¡±


    ¡°In your opinion, what kind of person was Ming?¡± Zhuang Qingyan suddenly changed the topic.


    Lin Xiu thought earnestly, ¡°Ming was gentle in character, diligent in work, meticulous, and patient. We often joked that he shouldn¡¯t be a cultivator but rather an animal caretaker, especially for those soft, cuddly cubs.¡±


    Gentle in character¡­ meticulous in work¡­ Zhuang Qingyan pondered over Lin Xiu¡¯s assessment. Why would such a person steal experimental subjects privately?


    ¡°Dr. Zhuang, would the loss of the experimental subjects bring any negative impact to the institute? The Fire Seed project was already extremely challenging. If you were reprimanded because of this¡­¡± Lin Xiu¡¯s tone was very anxious as she inquired.


    Zhuang Qingyan remained silent for a moment and then nodded reassuringly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. What Ming took was just an abandoned experimental subject. Besides you, no one else noticed it. Moreover, the Loak incident has already covered everything up.¡±


    Lin Xiu breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°That¡¯s true. The original cells had all died, and that subject had no further research value. I just don¡¯t understand the significance behind Ming¡¯s actions¡­¡±


    Lin Xiu, who had revealed the truth, felt a weight lifted off her chest. She now focused on studying her newfound AI form and spoke in low tones with Lin Youyou, inquiring about her current situation.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s fingertips tapped rhythmically on the armrest of his wheelchair as he fell into contemplation, his gaze lowered in deep thought.


    The researcher codenamed Ming¡­ his brain was like an extensive library, swiftly retrieving the needed information from within.


    Ming, full name Ming Zhi, a cultivator in the Fire Seed project¡¯s G group, was also among the first outstanding graduates of the Lozan Training Program.


    He had crossed paths with Zhuang Qingyan several times before. In memory, Ming was a young man with a refined appearance.


    Ming¡¯s life trajectory was quite intricate. He was born in Lozan (District B25) but later moved with his family to the Northern Base (District B10) due to his parents¡¯ work. Subsequently, he obtained a doctoral degree in genetics in Ascal (District B9). When he joined the Fire Seed project, Ming was only twenty years old. In the eyes of society, he was worthy of the label ¡°youthful genius.¡±


    His documented records halted five years after the Loak incident in the list of casualties.


    Loak wasn¡¯t just one area but a collective term for two nearby cities, including Lozan (District B25) and Fenak (District C26). The nuclear leakage incident from that year had shocked the entire Alliance. Continuous explosions led to raging fires, dispersing a substantial amount of high-energy radioactive material into the atmosphere. This caused a perennial fog in both cities, leading to their abandonment.


    Zhuang Qingyan believed Lin Xiu¡¯s account. Ming had fled with an experimental subject, for whatever reason. An alien experimental subject wouldn¡¯t survive long in regular air and needed a specialized chamber with enriched oxygen. Ming was highly likely to have returned to the familiar B District.


    ¡°¡­So, I¡¯m almost forty?¡±


    Lin Xiu, engaged in conversation nearby, suddenly burst into laughter. The holographic projection flickered, changing her appearance to that of a mature middle-aged woman.


    Lin Youyou smiled at her, and the two seemed to switch roles, Lin Youyou becoming the composed elder sister, while Lin Xiu took on the role of the lively younger sister.


    ¡°Oh, who¡¯s this handsome young man?¡± Lin Xiu noticed Su Cha standing against the wall and asked curiously.


    ¡°He¡¯s Su Cha.¡±


    Surprised, Lin Xiu exclaimed, ¡°Oh my, Youyou, you¡¯re already dating a boyfriend at such a young age? No, no, I got it wrong again¡­ How old are you this year?¡±


    As she spoke, she glanced at Fang Zhixu and Xu Xing in the back row, momentarily getting confused about the situation.


    ¡°Seriously? Your son is already this big? Call me Aunt~¡±


    Xu Xing¡¯s curly hair stood on end in shock. ¡°!¡±


    Lin Youyou felt deeply exhausted. ¡°Firstly, I don¡¯t have a boyfriend. Secondly, I don¡¯t have kids. Thirdly, I¡¯m twenty-five this year!¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯re twenty-five and still don¡¯t have a boyfriend?¡± Lin Xiu asked incredulously. ¡°You¡¯ve never been in a relationship?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m really busy with work. Men only slow down my songwriting speed!¡± Lin Youyou winced at the jab.


    ¡°Songwriting? Last month you were arguing about becoming a starship stewardess, envying how they get to fly in the skies every day.¡±


    ¡°Sister, that was years ago. Can we not bring up ancient history?¡±


    The sisters bickered and joked, with Su Cha passing a bottle of water to Lin Youyou.


    ¡°I almost forgot, it¡¯s now the year 47 in the New Calendar¡­¡±


    Lin Xiu¡¯s gaze drifted towards Zhuang Qingyan, hesitating to speak several times before stopping herself.


    Zhuang Qingyan felt uncomfortable under her scrutiny. ¡°What do you want to say?¡±


    Lin Xiu, eager for knowledge, asked, ¡°Dr. Zhuang, you¡¯re fifty-five¡­ er sixty this year? You¡¯ve aged so well. Is it some new anti-aging technology from the institute?¡±


    ¡°Pff!¡± Lin Youyou sprayed water all over Su Cha¡¯s face.


    ¡°Hahahahaha!¡± Song Ke laughed mercilessly.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s expression darkened.


    ¡­


    Outside the ward, Lu Xiaoyu sat in a wheelchair, basking in the sunlight. The light cast a faint golden filter on his somewhat pale cheeks, his silver short hair falling over his shoulders. His six mechanical arms were retracted. If one didn¡¯t notice his empty legs, Lu Xiaoyu appeared like a convalescent, a frail young man in the Fifth Hospital.


    A slender figure leaned against the railing, observing him with keen interest.


    In an imperceptible realm, two entirely different streams of data clashed, briefly touched, then separated swiftly, akin to two wandering snakes promptly marking their territories, erecting defensive barriers in alertness.


    Lu Xiaoyu raised half an eyelid, sensing no hostility from Ilya, and casually closed it again.


    Ilya smirked involuntarily. Truly worthy of the Lu family, always arrogant towards artificial intelligence.


    ¡°This is our first meeting, yet you seem entirely unsurprised,¡± Ilya remarked.


    ¡°Why should I be surprised?¡± Lu Xiaoyu spoke with closed eyes. ¡°Oh, are you referring to that useless idiot who, after you snatched his body and turned him into a low-level AI in a computer, thinks I won¡¯t figure out his identity just because he¡¯s silent?¡±


    In one breath, Lu Xiaoyu continued without pause, coldly assessing, ¡°He can¡¯t even look after his own body; the one crying and trapped inside a machine should be the surprised one.¡±


    At the top of the tower, when Lu Xiaoyu released a bit of his mental energy, he detected familiar traces of data manipulation originating from the same source as him. After searching around, his gaze finally settled on a blank-screened computer. Recalling Song Ke¡¯s mention of the conflict between Ilya and Lu Xinglan, even if the other feigned death, Lu Xiaoyu instantly understood.


    Waste.


    With just a glance, Lu Xiaoyu averted his gaze.


    ¡°This body belongs to your Lu family. Don¡¯t you mind?¡± Ilya displayed a standard smile.


    ¡°The Lu family¡­¡± Lu Xiaoyu tugged at the corner of his mouth, still unaccustomed to making this expression. His smile was stiff and indifferent. ¡°What¡¯s that got to do with me?¡±


    Indeed a thorn, Ilya sighed lightly, almost imperceptibly. ¡°I admire your character. It¡¯s a pity. If it weren¡¯t for the lack of legs, I might consider changing target. I believe we could have cooperated very well.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Lu Xiaoyu shook his head solemnly. ¡°I won¡¯t cooperate with you. I¡¯ll only make you hide and cry inside the computer.¡±


    If Song Ke were here, she¡¯d undoubtedly be very surprised. The current Lu Xiaoyu was entirely different from his usual self. When facing outsiders, he revealed a sharp, proud, and unequivocal side, appearing difficult to communicate with. But in reality, this was the true nature of Lu Xiaoyu.


    As an S-level hacker with supernatural abilities, he was confident in speaking these words. If Ilya¡¯s initial target had been him, forget three months, even in three years or thirty years, it would have been impossible for Ilya to succeed.


    The relationship between hackers and AI is one of mutual growth and competition¡ªwhichever is stronger holds absolute authority.


    Lu Xinglan wasn¡¯t as powerful as Ilya, so he lost and had his body taken away. But at this moment, Ilya neither desired nor saw the necessity of determining a winner between him and Lu Xiaoyu.


    ¡°I want to make a deal with you.¡±


    ¡°Not interested.¡±


    ¡°Thanks to you, the Lu family is now in decline, searching everywhere for a replacement for that Mother,¡± Ilya continued, seemingly to himself.


    ¡°Really? Are they eyeing you up? Do you think being their Father would be a good idea?¡± Lu Xiaoyu cracked a dry joke.


    Ilya didn¡¯t laugh. His icy-blue pupils flashed with a cold gleam. ¡°Compared to that one, I¡¯m just an insignificant kid. It¡¯s been less than ten years since I awakened my independent consciousness. Even if I become the magistrate of District C, I¡¯m still weak. How could I contend with the Lu family that has influence throughout District B?¡±


    ¡°But even so, I don¡¯t want to sit and wait for my demise,¡± Ilya¡¯s expression softened slightly.


    ¡°If I indeed become a ¡®father,¡¯ believe me, that won¡¯t make you happy.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s eyelids twitched.


    Ilya raised his hand, and the code 101010 slowly formed an illusionary image, a faceless visage. ¡°Do you want her dead, too? How ironic, so do I. We have a common enemy; in a way, we¡¯re on the same side.¡±


    ¡°What kind of deal do you want?¡± Lu Xiaoyu opened his eyes, looking at him.


    ¡°I want you to share some data, particularly about District B, especially all information on Erjia, District B8,¡± Ilya smiled. ¡°As part of the trade, I¡¯ll grant you access to all underlying codes of Ferrara except mine.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu raised an unexpected eyebrow.


    Ferrara was a highly virtualized city under Ilya¡¯s control. Him offering access to his underlying permissions meant that Lu Xiaoyu, if he wished, could effortlessly control all artificial intelligences.


    ¡°Deal.¡± Both of their similar icy gazes flickered simultaneously, instantly establishing consciousness communion.


    ¡°Compared to that idiot, you¡¯re more suitable for this body,¡± Lu Xiaoyu praised sincerely.


    ¡°You flatter me. I hope you only lost your legs and not your determination.¡± Ilya turned away, his upright figure melding into the data stream and disappearing from the ordinary people¡¯s sight.


    *


    After leaving the ward to Lin Youyou and her sister for reminiscing, Song Ke and the others found two separate resting rooms. S?a??h th? ?ov?l?ir?.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    As they entered, Zhuang Qingyan glanced at Song Ke¡¯s constantly trembling shoulders, sounding both aggrieved and helpless. ¡°¡­I¡¯m not sixty years old.¡±


    Song Ke couldn¡¯t hold back her laughter. ¡°Hahaha!¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan sighed, ¡°That Lin Xiu¡­ has poor judgment and talks nonsense.¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°Haha! Hahaha!¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan sighed again, ¡°I¡¯m not Vincent.¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°Haha! Hahaha¡­ Huh?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not the Vincent she knows,¡± Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s voice was low and deep, his gaze locking onto her. ¡°But Lin Xiu didn¡¯t exactly mistake me. Reporting this to me wasn¡¯t wrong because I am Zhuang Qingyan.¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s laughter gradually subsided.


    Zhuang Qingyan reached out, hesitantly massaging Song Ke¡¯s soft fingertips. ¡°Song Ke, I promised not to lie to you.¡±


    ¡°This explanation is very complex. Do you want to hear it?¡±


    ¡°Do you want to know?¡±


    In the quiet room, only the faint hum of the ventilation system was audible. Song Ke had a premonition that Zhuang Qingyan wanted to tell her something, maybe about his true job at Qinglan or perhaps regarding his secret identity.


    Some secrets evoke sighs, while others bring fatal consequences. Song Ke didn¡¯t know which category Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s secret fell into, but she knew that once a secret was divulged, it would scatter like dandelion seeds carried away by the wind.


    ¡°Zhuang Qingyan,¡± Song Ke called out to him.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Zhuang Qingyan softly replied, ¡°I¡¯m here.¡±


    Song Ke held his face and said earnestly, ¡°You being Zhuang Qingyan is great.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan was a bit surprised but then understood. He reached out, pulling Song Ke into an embrace, and they maintained that posture for a long time.


    The sunlight outside the window was just right, and the gentle wind blew clusters of willow fluff into the sky.


    Song Ke fidgeted uncomfortably. ¡°Zhuang Qingyan, why do you want to hug me?¡± she asked softly near his ear.


    Blushing, Song Ke stammered, ¡°A-are you¡­ cold?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan had recently recovered from a serious illness, and he actually felt quite warm.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s back stiffened. ¡°I¡¯m not cold¡­ When will you finally understand?¡±


    After a while, Song Ke hesitated, ¡°But I¡­ feel a bit hot.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan let go expressionlessly. ¡°The competition is over. Have you thought about where to go next?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t decided,¡± Song Ke shook her head.


    Zhuang Qingyan nodded, his gaze distant as it fell upon the thick shade outside the window.


    ¡°Before you decide, could I trouble the captain to take me to District B? I want to check on something.¡±


    Despite knowing each other for so long, this was Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s first time making a request. While everyone in V587 had their own goals, he seemed indifferent, willing to go with the flow, saying, ¡®I¡¯ll only suggest, you have the final say.¡¯


    Song Ke seemed to sense something. ¡°Are you going to find that L¡­¡±


    ¡°LAK0017,¡± Zhuang Qingyan finished.


    ¡°It¡¯s abandoned, won¡¯t it have no impact?¡± Song Ke asked, puzzled.


    ¡°After all, it¡¯s something Qinglan lost. I have a responsibility to find it,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said calmly.


    District B?


    Song Ke pondered. She didn¡¯t mind; besides her teammates, she didn¡¯t have much attachment. She had planned to visit District B long ago. Xu Xing and Fang Zhixu should be fine, and as for Lu Xiaoyu¡­ she needed to ask his opinion. But previously, when District B was mentioned, he didn¡¯t show obvious aversion, except for District B8 ¨C Erjia seemed to be his minefield.


    As she pondered, Song Ke¡¯s thoughts suddenly halted.


    Lin Youyou and Su Cha¡­


    Lin Youyou was a local celebrity in Ferrara, rich and famous, and Su Cha always followed her.


    Actually, she had intentionally or unintentionally ignored something. After the Throne Race ended, Lin Youyou¡¯s wish was fulfilled. As per their agreement, the transaction between her and Song Ke should have ended. Lin Youyou could leave V587 and continue her peaceful, serene life surrounded by admirers. There was no reason for her to continue risking adventures with them.


    ¡®So, would the seven-member V587 team part ways?¡¯ Song Ke thought, stunned.

 Chapter 134.1: Fire Seed (3)

    ¡ò Welcome to V587 ¡ò¡°Shall we start the meeting?¡± Song Ke asked for everyone¡¯s opinion.


    Everyone found their seats, and V587¡¯s ¡°First Annual Work Summary and Commendation Conference¡± officially began.


    Xu Xing fetched himself a small stool, fetched one for Song Ke, and after some thought, also fetched one for Fang Zhixu.


    Fang Zhixu was taken aback by the favor, staring at the stool for a while, afraid it might suddenly spring out some strange prank, like freezing springs or the like.


    Feeling a bit nervous hosting the meeting for the first time, Song Ke sipped on orange juice she squeezed herself.


    After the apocalypse, crops underwent some changes due to radiation, resulting in oranges that were incredibly sour, far from the enjoyable functionality of the energy drinks provided by Yin Xiao. Nonetheless, they were fresh, so she grimaced but finished drinking them.


    Song Ke cleared her throat. ¡°Firstly, congratulations to Sister Lin Xiu for coming back.¡±


    Applause.


    ¡°Sister? I feel like I¡¯ve gained a younger sister or no, maybe an ancestor,¡± Lin Youyou complained, but her joy was evident in her eyes.


    Her statement wasn¡¯t an exaggeration. Lin Xiu¡¯s mental age was only twenty-three years old. Although she lost her body and became an AI, she adapted well, exceedingly curious about new things. Besides, with the workplace blown up and no need to go to work, she had plenty of time to squander.


    Lin Youyou was content to reunite with her loved one, separated by life and death. There were no regrets, yet the reminiscence of the past still brought a tinge of sadness and humor. ¡°At first, I was way too fanciful, collecting crystals everywhere and even wanting Old Fang to try reversing the zombification.¡± S?a??h the n0v?l(?)ire.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Impossible,¡± Fang Zhixu honestly intervened. ¡°You were putting me in a difficult position.¡±


    ¡°I was in a panic back then, my mind was all over the place,¡± Lin Youyou laughed. ¡°Even if it worked, Lin Xiu wouldn¡¯t have agreed.¡±


    Just yesterday, Lin Xiu had pinched her nose and complained, ¡°Sister, you¡¯re my only sister. Please, I beg you, hurry up and burn my body.¡±


    Turning to Lu Xiaoyu, Lin Youyou said, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for you, I wouldn¡¯t have thought of turning Lin Xiu into an artificial intelligence. Thank you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± Lu Xiaoyu graciously replied.


    ¡°In short, I and Lin Xiu have reached this satisfactory ending today. Thank you all for giving me the chance to make a wish.¡±


    Lin Youyou didn¡¯t overplay the emotions, standing up and slightly bowing to everyone. Su Cha behind her silently nodded.


    Song Ke took a sip of sour orange juice and continued conducting the work.


    ¡°Secondly, congratulations to Xiao Xing for the breakthrough, reaching A-level!¡±


    Applause erupted.


    Xu Xing stood in the center, proudly displaying his new awakener certificate to everyone.


    He had already completed the testing at the Ferrara¡¯s awakener center, updated his information, and now was a bona fide A-level Ice-type awakener.


    Finally, he wasn¡¯t just a drag or a 666-calling salted fish anymore. Xu Xing¡¯s eyes curved into crescent moons as he smiled.


    ¡°So, does that mean we¡¯re an all-A team?¡± Fang Zhixu wondered aloud.


    Lin Youyou, Su Cha, and Fang Zhixu were all A-level. Song Ke¡¯s visible level was also A-level. As for Zhuang Qingyan and Lu Xiaoyu, these two individuals weren¡¯t registered, being unlicensed persons and not counted in the statistics.


    ¡°Is an all-A team very powerful?¡± Xu Xing asked curiously.


    ¡°Is it?¡± Fang Zhixu wasn¡¯t entirely sure either.


    ¡°Tustan¡¯s team is all-A as well. In the latest round of rankings for awakener teams in the Northern Base, they rank seventh,¡± Lin Youyou casually mentioned.


    ¡°Wow, then we¡¯re really awesome!¡± Xu Xing exclaimed, stars in his eyes.


    ¡°How do you know that?¡± Su Cha¡¯s voice was somewhat dry.


    ¡°Jennifer told me,¡± Lin Youyou replied.


    She opened the terminal¡¯s chat box for everyone to see, and the screen was filled with blinding heart emojis.


    This Jennifer¡­ has quite the enthusiastic personality.


    ¡°Ahem,¡± Song Ke redirected the attention of her teammates. ¡°Next up, let¡¯s split the money!¡±


    The championship reward from the Throne Race Competition and the S-level mission reward for killing the zombie king amounted to 7 million Alliance coins in Song Ke¡¯s hands. This was the result of everyone¡¯s joint efforts. As a fair team captain, she proposed dividing the money into seven equal shares, but everyone refused.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need money,¡± Xu Xing said confidently.


    ¡°No way,¡± Lin Youyou insisted. ¡°I¡¯ve made my wish. How can I still take money? Song Ke, at least give a share to Su Cha. His savings were wiped out in the Death Prison, and he¡¯s still carrying debts.¡±


    During the time in the Sin City, everyone was quite poor. Song Ke¡¯s purse was cleaner than her face, and Su Cha, the only one who faced massive financial pressure, paid the first fine out of his own pocket and paid it in full.


    Su Cha quickly declined, ¡°No need¡­¡±


    Song Ke didn¡¯t hesitate and transferred 1 million to him, saying assertively, ¡°Take it.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu was even more direct, saying, ¡°Captain, convert mine into materials, this is my updated list.¡±


    After Song Ke took it, his eyes started to sparkle again. Why was this list getting longer and longer?


    Fang Zhixu declined too, ¡°I still have some savings, and besides, you giving me money won¡¯t have a place to spend it.¡±


    Song Ke helplessly looked at Zhuang Qingyan; he was the only one left.


    Zhuang Qingyan shook his head slightly and said three words, ¡°You¡¯re in charge.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll hold onto yours for now,¡± Song Ke patted the terminal, reassuring everyone.


    Amidst the banter, Song Ke took a deep breath and slowly began, ¡°One last thing, I intend to go to District B.¡±


    Except for Zhuang Qingyan, the rest were somewhat surprised. Although they had joked before about leaving Ferrara after the competition to visit District B, Song Ke¡¯s serious announcement implied that this plan was now in motion.


    The reasons were rather complex and hard to explain briefly. Song Ke sought help by looking at Zhuang Qingyan.


    ¡°I¡¯ll explain,¡± Zhuang Qingyan naturally took over. He had changed his hairstyle, brushing all the bangs to the front, wore narrow-framed glasses on his nose, and had a refined, scholarly look on his side profile, exuding a mysterious and reserved aura. His new appearance diluted the academic feel he had before. Although his face remained the same, his demeanor was vastly different. It seemed as if overnight, he transformed from a research genius into a sophisticated gentleman. Now, even Gao Xiangyang and Lin Xiu might hesitate for a while before uttering ¡°Vincent.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan continued, ¡°Due to personal reasons, I need to make a trip to District B. Song Ke will accompany me, and while the others are theoretically free to choose¡­¡±


    Song Ke tugged at his sleeve.


    Zhuang Qingyan held her hand, gesturing for her to wait. ¡°¡­But the captain hopes that everyone will join us.¡±


    ¡°Wherever sister goes, I go!¡± Xu Xing was the first to express his stance.


    Song Ke happily ruffled his hair.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go too. You guys get into fights and get injured every day; I can¡¯t rest easy if I¡¯m not with you,¡± Fang Zhixu said with a smile.


    Despite the earnest efforts of the 119th Hospital to retain him, Fang Zhixu chose to resign. Bound by so-called obligations and responsibilities in the first half of his life, always busy, now with the apocalypse upon them, he wanted to live as Ayao suggested ¨C following his heart.


    Zhuang Qingyan looked to Lu Xiaoyu, ¡°You¡¯re going back sooner or later, join us?¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu shrugged, ¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡±


    Finally, Zhuang Qingyan turned to Lin Youyou and Su Cha, ¡°Our cooperation has ended.¡±


    Lin Youyou was stunned.


    ¡°Before heading to Sin City, Song Ke made a deal with you both. You temporarily joined V587 and acted with everyone until the Throne Race ended,¡± Zhuang Qingyan explained slowly. ¡°For certain reasons, the initial team formation process wasn¡¯t pleasant, but fortunately, the outcome was satisfactory. So, you¡¯re free now.¡±


    Was this a breakup?


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s over¡­¡± Lin Youyou¡¯s mind was in disarray as she responded dryly.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s eyes behind his glasses were incredibly serene. ¡°Song Ke said that from now on, you can do what you want. Even if we can¡¯t be teammates, at least we¡¯ll be friends. There will be a chance for us to come back to Ferrara and watch your performances.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll sing your hit song,¡± Song Ke chuckled.


    ¡°Oh, come on, Song Ke, you sing off-key and don¡¯t even realize it,¡± Lin Youyou smiled brightly, tears shimmering in her eyes. ¡°Hey, couldn¡¯t you try to convince me to stay? Or invite me to join you?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re treading on dangerous ground with every step,¡± Song Ke gently shook her head. Whether it was rescuing Lu Xiaoyu from the Death Prison, aiding Fang Zhixu¡¯s assassination of Nai Kang, or killing the Zombie King, every action was perilous. Hence, they had all suffered injuries to varying degrees.


    ¡°But you¡¯re different,¡± Song Ke gazed at Lin Youyou. ¡°You have a home.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan, Lu Xiaoyu, Fang Zhixu, and Xu Xing, along with herself, were people without attachments. They could easily pack their bags and go wherever they pleased. But Lin Youyou was different; she had a home in Ferrara, a sizable studio, irreplaceable loved ones, and a stable and respectable job. Within V587, she was the one who needed the most determination because she always had an exit strategy.


    Lin Youyou¡¯s vision blurred as she stared blankly, realizing that Song Ke¡­ and even Su Cha and the rest were in a similar position. Only she was different.

 Chapter 134.2: Fire Seed (3)

    ¡ò Welcome to V587 ¡òLin Youyou tilted her head back, holding back her tears, and softly asked, ¡°When are you leaving?¡±


    ¡°In a week,¡± Song Ke replied.


    Lin Youyou curled her fingers, ¡°Then when you leave, I¡¯ll see you off.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± S?a?ch* Th? N???lFire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°You guys chat, I¡¯ll go¡­ check on Lin Xiu,¡± Lin Youyou abruptly stood up and walked out of the room, almost bumping into Su Cha.


    Su Cha glanced back at the people in the room; his dark, inscrutable eyes revealed no emotions, but that was his usual demeanor, and no one minded. Finally, he nodded and silently followed Lin Youyou outside.


    After the two figures disappeared, Xu Xing, confused, asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t they going?¡±


    ¡°They were temporary additions; we can¡¯t force them,¡± explained Song Ke.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Xu Xing¡¯s grudge notebook now had two fewer people in it, suddenly feeling empty.


    Lu Xiaoyu redirected the conversation, ¡°So, about District B, where do you plan to go first?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan considered before replying, ¡°Probably several places in the North¡ªAskar (District B9), Baishen (District B13, the largest independent research project incubation site)¡­ or maybe the Northern Base (District B10).¡±


    Entering District B not only required reaching the threshold of 500,000 points but also undergoing comprehensive awakener testing. Despite V587¡¯s wealth, the entry city was crucial; it would be their calling card in the future, essentially their second home in District B.


    Lu Xiaoyu blinked in confusion, ¡°Why not prioritize the Northern Base? I just found out they¡¯ve released a new recruitment notice, the first time openly recruiting high-tier awakeners from District C and below.¡±


    Xu Xing found the notice Lu Xiaoyu mentioned and read it aloud, ¡°Recruiting high-tier awakener team members now. Excellent benefits, joining the Northern Base grants equivalent treatment to District B awakeners, free accommodation in the central district apartments, access to professional awakener training rooms and breakthrough courses, comprehensive medical education, basic life services¡­¡±


    ¡°Apartment!¡± Song Ke exclaimed.


    ¡°Breakthrough!¡± Xu Xing cheered.


    Fang Zhixu pondered, ¡°Oh? Medical care in District B¡­¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu argued, ¡°The black market in the Northern Base is renowned; it has the widest range of materials.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Zhuang Qingyan remained silent.


    ¡°I suddenly can¡¯t remember¡­¡± Lu Xiaoyu glanced at him and slowly said, ¡°There was someone called Yin Xiao, almost at S-level strength, skilled with guns. Where was he from?¡±


    ¡°I know, I know, the Northern Base!¡± Xu Xing eagerly raised his hand to answer.


    ¡°Captain, you¡¯re quite close to Yin Xiao, right? We can go seek refuge with a familiar face,¡± Lu Xiaoyu sincerely suggested.


    ¡°Huh?¡­ Not that close,¡± Song Ke muttered softly.


    Zhuang Qingyan stared at Lu Xiaoyu; a glint passed through the lenses, and suddenly, he smirked coldly, ¡°You¡¯re quite fond of riding on others¡¯ coattails? Sure, let¡¯s go seek refuge with familiar faces at the Northern Base.¡±


    *


    Lin Xiu ordered a bunch of fried chicken and beer, watching Lin Youyou¡¯s early performance videos, specifically picking those edited by the haters, occasionally bursting into laughter.


    Even though she was an AI and couldn¡¯t eat the chicken or drink the beer, unable to sense the taste in the slightest, it didn¡¯t stop her from enjoying the cheerful atmosphere.


    Lin Youyou rested her chin on her hand, gazing absentmindedly out the window. Lin Xiu wanted to share some embarrassing stories with her several times but couldn¡¯t draw her attention.


    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡±


    ¡°I parted ways with some friends,¡± Lin Youyou candidly mentioned V587¡¯s decision to go to District B.


    ¡°Wow! That¡¯s heartless, why¡¯d they leave you behind?¡± Lin Xiu was initially indignant and then puzzled. ¡°But why did you initially join through a trade?¡±


    ¡°Because¡­ I did some morally questionable things¡­¡± Lin Youyou stuttered.


    She confessed about snatching Mirror Lake¡¯s crystal from Song Ke.


    ¡°Lin Youyou, you¡¯re downright deceitful, the most treacherous!¡± Lin Xiu exclaimed in shock. ¡°Did I teach you to be like this?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all to save you! When you suddenly deteriorated, I was frantic!¡± Lin Youyou retorted.


    Lin Xiu covered her mouth. ¡°You¡¯re yelling at me? How dare you yell at me?? Sob, I¡¯ve long been dead, if I rot, I rot! Why are you fussing around when I¡¯m already dead? No wonder people don¡¯t trust you.¡±


    Lin Youyou felt a stab in her heart.


    The two sisters stared at each other for a while. Lin Xiu tentatively spoke, ¡°So, what are you thinking now?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t think of anything else. My home is here, and so are you. I¡¯ll just stay here honestly,¡± Lin Youyou responded nonchalantly.


    ¡°But I feel like you want to go with them,¡± Lin Xiu said quietly. ¡°You¡¯ve always been stubborn since you were little, pretending to be indifferent while caring deeply. It seems so insincere.¡±


    Lin Youyou¡¯s shoulders slumped. ¡°Song Ke was right. I have too many things I care about¡­¡±


    ¡°Wow, it¡¯s the apocalypse out there, everything could be destroyed at any moment, and you¡¯re worrying about attachments?¡± Lin Xiu sat beside her, patting her shoulder in the air. ¡°Besides, aren¡¯t I the one you care about?¡±


    Lin Xiu snapped her fingers. ¡°That¡¯s an easy fix; after all, I¡¯m currently a jobless wanderer. I can just take myself with me.¡±


    Lin Youyou froze.


    As she got no response, Lin Xiu waved her hand towards the side, ¡°Hey, handsome guy, Su Cha, what do you think?¡±


    Su Cha spoke softly, ¡°I¡¯ll follow her lead.¡±


    ¡°Such a loyal little dog¡­¡± Lin Xiu mumbled indistinctly, ¡°So, what do you think of your former teammates?¡±


    Su Cha paused, ¡°They are¡­ good people.¡±


    Lin Xiu smiled satisfactorily, ¡°There you go, it¡¯s settled. You already have your answers inside. Trust me, taking that step isn¡¯t that hard.¡±


    Lin Youyou glanced at Lin Xiu, then at Su Cha. After a moment of silence, she suddenly burst into laughter without any warning.


    Her laughter, with her features relaxed, vibrant, and radiant, seemed to release all the pent-up emotions, like a dazzling morning glow impossible to ignore.


    *


    A week later, at the Tongwan City gate.


    The streamlined design of the Lu¡¯s Starship engine roared as it circled slowly in low altitude.


    Song Ke sat at the cabin¡¯s doorway, swinging her legs as she peered into the distance, ¡°They really didn¡¯t come.¡±


    ¡°I told you, the most reliable way to work together is to bind through interests, but you insist on their willingness,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said casually. ¡°Human hearts are the most unpredictable; who knows, they might have already figured it out, living in a villa in Ferrara, sipping champagne.¡±


    Song Ke sighed deeply, leaned back, and inadvertently laid her head on Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s thigh, looking up at him, her eyes glistening with an indescribable sense of grievance, ¡°Not happy¡­¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan couldn¡¯t continue with the lecture, so he covered her eyes with his hand.


    ¡°Are we leaving?¡± Lu Xiaoyu poked his head out from the cockpit.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go¡­¡± Song Ke, unable to see anything, sighed again.


    As the starship ascended a bit, about to enter the orbit¡ª


    A rugged off-road vehicle rushed in, drifted 180 degrees when it neared, blocking the road. Its wild driving style was akin to Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s. The car door opened, and a man and a woman jumped out, both wearing black sunglasses, carrying backpacks. They were tall and well-proportioned, surrounded by an aura characteristic of high-level awakeners, displaying an extraordinary demeanor.


    The woman was dressed in a tactical jacket and jeans, her long hair styled into a single-sided braid that fell gently to one side. She wasn¡¯t wearing a mask and had applied delicate makeup, looking radiant and lively.


    ¡°Hey, friends, mind if we hitch a ride with you?¡±


    Xu Xing and Fang Zhixu heard the commotion and squeezed to the side of the hatch, waving excitedly at them.


    ¡°You guys, you came?¡± Song Ke let go of Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s hand and looked at them, unable to contain her surprise.


    And indeed, the two were Lin Youyou and Su Cha.


    Lin Youyou smiled brightly and freely, ¡°I¡¯ve thought about it. Being a big star, I¡¯ve had my fill of these years. But I haven¡¯t been to District B yet. It¡¯s a good thing to broaden my horizons, so count me in!¡±


    Song Ke was about to speak when¡ª


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t tell me about danger. Come on, Song Ke, it¡¯s the end of the world now. Everywhere¡¯s dangerous, right? I perform at the Sycara Theater, and I have to worry about zombies suddenly popping up from underground!¡±


    ¡°And don¡¯t talk about what I¡¯m attached to or not. I¡¯ve got everything arranged. Look, this time I¡¯ve brought my whole family.¡± Lin Youyou patted the screen stashed in the side pocket of the backpack and then casually patted Su Cha.


    Amidst the airflow stirred by the starship, the two looked at each other for a few seconds. Then, Song Ke and Lin Youyou simultaneously broke into a smile.


    ¡°Welcome to V587!¡± With a hint of dimples on her cheeks, Song Ke said loudly.

 Chapter 135: Fire Seed (4)

    ¡ò Do you think S-level is just a cabbage? ¡ò¡°What¡¯s District B like?¡±


    Song Ke lounged on the soft couch in a sprawling ¡°´ó¡± shape, occasionally flipping over, curiously asking when there was nothing else to do.


    The journey to the Northern Base was long. Lu Xiaoyu activated the autopilot, allowing the starship to cruise at a constant speed in high orbit. The seven of them either nestled in their seats watching movies or wholeheartedly engrossed in holographic games. The rest were¡­ playing cards.


    Lu Xiaoyu, Zhuang Qingyan, Fang Zhixu, and Su Cha played the popular Texas Hold¡¯em from the ancient civilization.


    ¡°On this matter,¡± Lu Xiaoyu, the dealer for this round, dealt three community cards, swiftly glanced at his own cards, raising an eyebrow slightly, ¡°I can¡¯t give an objective evaluation.¡±


    ¡°Then how about your subjective opinion?¡± Lin Youyou mumbled through her face mask.


    The first betting round began. Fang Zhixu followed Lu Xiaoyu, tossing in the big blind.


    Zhuang Qingyan slid a whole row of chips with his slender fingers, silently raising the stakes.


    Su Cha watched the game with lowered eyes, cautiously choosing to fold.


    ¡°Subjectively speaking, the people there are all very arrogant, almost wanting to inscribe ¡®I am the chosen one¡¯ on their foreheads,¡± Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s sharp and acerbic tongue spoke.


    ¡°Why? Does District B also have a hierarchical system?¡± Song Ke rubbed her chin against the pillow, shifting to a more comfortable position.


    ¡°Not exactly. The arrogance of District B residents doesn¡¯t stem from their status; it¡¯s innate,¡± replied Lu Xiaoyu.


    ¡°For instance, our friend here, the spokesperson for arrogance, why don¡¯t you ask him?¡± He gestured towards Zhuang Qingyan.


    Zhuang Qingyan coldly glanced at him, adding another bet during the turn.


    Although Zhuang Qingyan never explicitly stated where he was from, given his profound knowledge and bottomless pool of information, everyone assumed he hailed from District B, just like Lu Xiaoyu.


    Song Ke turned over, poking Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s arm. ¡°Tell me?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan used the cards to hold her mischievous hand down. ¡°If District C plays an irreplaceable role, then District B represents ¡®completeness.''¡±


    ¡°Completeness?¡± Song Ke repeated the word, puzzled.


    Zhuang Qingyan nodded. ¡°The Alliance has designated different privileges for each district. Only District B has complete access to knowledge channels, comprehensive information privileges, and a complete welfare system. Those with District B citizenship, from birth to old age, all adhere to the so-called ¡®elite cultivation plan.¡¯ Every person from District B is crafted using the best resources available.¡±


    ¡°But even with the best resources, one can still cultivate waste,¡± remarked Lu Xiaoyu, noncommittally, setting down the final round¡¯s river card.


    Zhuang Qingyan continued, ¡°Individuals from District B raised in this environment hardly ever set foot in lower-level districts. Due to their lack of experience in the lower strata of life, their empathy is low. They cannot relate to many things, and even if they haven¡¯t done anything wrong, they might come off as naturally arrogant.¡±


    ¡°Do you know the two most commonly spoken phrases among District B residents?¡± During the showdown phase, Lu Xiaoyu signaled for everyone to reveal their cards.


    Song Ke and Lin Youyou shook their heads.


    ¡°What? You don¡¯t even know this? Huh? You don¡¯t have that there?¡± Lu Xiaoyu mimicked it perfectly, that slightly naive curiosity and the unwitting air of superiority, which could really get on one¡¯s nerves.


    ¡°Talking about this makes me furious! Knowledge censorship, right?¡± Lin Youyou ripped off her face mask, scolding, ¡°Before my debut, I wanted to gather gossip from District B¡¯s entertainment industry, and it said ¡®insufficient privileges.¡¯ Oh yes, yes, we District C folks are only worthy of receiving neutered information.¡±


    ¡°CDE districts are all considered lower-level zones. We¡¯re all the same,¡± Fang Zhixu chimed in.


    ¡°Right,¡± Su Cha nodded silently.


    Song Ke from District F interjected, ¡°Um¡­ guys, haven¡¯t you forgotten something?¡±


    Xu Xing, still enthusiastically gaming nearby, had become obsessed with this new holographic game. After all, District F didn¡¯t have anything like this. Even if Xu Weiguo could get it, he wouldn¡¯t allow Xu Xing to play.


    Song Ke glanced at him and then at herself, suddenly realizing.


    District F might not even be considered a lower-level district, and most people from District B probably wouldn¡¯t even know such a rural place exists, right?


    Lin Youyou sighed, ¡°Wait, you two are from District B as well. How come you don¡¯t have these annoying traits?¡±


    After she finished speaking, she was stunned for a moment, and then she thought¡­why doesn¡¯t it count as nothing? When Lu Xiaoyu was with them, things seemed normal, but the crimes he committed in Death Prison, the records of his wrongdoings, and his behavior of not even bothering to remember names when facing outsiders¡ªwasn¡¯t that a kind of ingrained arrogance?


    As for Zhuang Qingyan, although he always had a smiling face and seemed approachable, in reality¡­


    ¡°I quit! I keep losing,¡± Fang Zhixu threw the poker cards, sulking, his nerves almost pulled bare from the back of his head.


    ¡°You keep winning,¡± Su Cha stared at Zhuang Qingyan expressionlessly, ¡°Did you cheat?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan adjusted his glasses, gathered all the chips on the table, and smiled faintly.


    ¡°Huh? You guys don¡¯t count cards?¡±


    ¡°You, you, you¡­ you damn District B person!!¡± Fang Zhixu¡¯s trembling finger pointed at him.


    The arrogant Zhuang Qingyan faced strong condemnation from everyone, had all his winnings confiscated (22 crystal chips), and was banned from speaking for a long time.


    ¡­


    The New Asia Alliance¡¯s territory was vast, spanning from Tongwan in the east to the Northern Base in the north. Even with starships, it took nearly three days to traverse countless mountains and valleys. Song Ke was enthusiastic on the first day, ordinary on the second, and by the third day, she was so bored she was almost growing grass.


    In high-orbit mode, over 8000 meters from the ground, outside the porthole was a vast expanse, only showing undulating clouds and moisture.


    ¡°When will we arrive?¡± Song Ke asked listlessly by the window. If she didn¡¯t move soon, her limbs would go limp.


    ¡°Five more hours,¡± Lu Xiaoyu replied.


    Song Ke whimpered.


    After the captain sternly requested an early arrival and with Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s agreement, they switched to manual driving mode.


    Three hours later, they finally saw the Northern Base.


    The scene before them left them speechless.


    The periphery of the Northern Base was an endless wasteland, filled with ruins, destroyed buildings, collapsed billboards, drifting scraps of paper, and plastic bags¡­ Thick dust and sand buried the former prosperity of the city; the development of this land had been completely frozen in the river of time.


    Above was a dimming setting sun, casting a gloomy shadow over the land. For miles around lay plains overrun by withered grass, the view dominated by dismal shades of gray, with the solitary Northern Base standing as the only splash of color.


    Rather than calling it a city, it was more like an ¡°oasis.¡±


    ¡°Why did it turn out like this?¡± Song Ke asked.


    ¡°War. Nuclear war,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said in a deep voice.


    Before the establishment of the New Asia Alliance, a brutal war erupted among the Cario Empire and the Luce Federation lasting for three years. The entire northern region was razed to the ground. Later, the three political entities signed a ceasefire agreement and a non-aggression treaty, finally ushering in an era of peace.


    ¡°The Northern Base was originally a post-war reconstructed homeland, inhabited by survivors who experienced the war,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said.


    ¡°Almost fifty years ago,¡± Fang Zhixu murmured.


    ¡°The war had profound effects on the Northern Base. The city¡¯s founders remembered the lessons of the past, accepted wanderers from various places, provided them with a stable living environment. He personally participated in reconstruction, military training, and the selection of those with supernatural abilities, gradually leading the base onto the path of military-civilian integration. Therefore, after the apocalypse, the Northern Base¡¯s characteristics made it the refuge with the most people possessing supernatural abilities.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s cold voice echoed in everyone¡¯s ears, ¡°The entire Northern Base only pledges allegiance to that original founder, not under the jurisdiction of aristocratic families, super conglomerates, or the Central Court. It¡¯s a unique presence in District B.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s tone remained unchanged, ¡°That¡¯s right, the last hope of humanity¡ªthe Northern Base, a phrase known since childhood.¡±


    Lin Youyou recalled, ¡°I think I¡¯ve heard, that founder¡¯s surname was Ye¡­¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan nodded, ¡°Ye Zheng, General Ye, the longstanding leader of the Northern Base.¡±


    As they approached the Northern Base, Lu Xiaoyu halted, ¡°We¡¯re nearing the detection zone. Let¡¯s discuss how to proceed.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t we just fly straight in?¡± Song Ke asked.


    Occasionally, various flying terminals crossed the sky. When they neared the Northern Base, a transparent protective shield appeared above the city, an invisible ripple scanning before the barrier automatically opened. Once they entered, the transparent cover swiftly closed as if it had never appeared.


    ¡°Obviously, we can¡¯t,¡± Lu Xiaoyu said.


    ¡°What about using your abilities to break it?¡± Lin Youyou persisted.


    ¡°I can make it briefly malfunction for a second, but what about after we enter? This is District B, do you think the patrols inside are idle?¡±


    ¡°One second?¡± Zhuang Qingyan smirked playfully. ¡°The mighty S-level hacker, are you used to eating soft food? Aren¡¯t you ashamed to say that?¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s icy gaze sharpened, ¡°What, too short? How about you try? Let me see how long you can manage.¡±


    The two locked eyes, sparks flying, old grievances resurfacing.


    Song Ke sighed, separating the two with a hand on each of their heads, ¡°Stop it, no fighting.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t we use the main entrance?¡±


    In the tense atmosphere, Xu Xing¡¯s talent for breaking the deadlock was triggered, ¡°That recruitment requirement, didn¡¯t we all meet it?¡±


    V587 collectively responded, ¡°Oh, right!¡±


    ¡°Oh, right!¡± Song Ke exclaimed as if awakening from a dream.


    It seems like making mischief had become a habit. Always thinking about sneaking around, this time wasn¡¯t like the incident with Mu City. They had openly announced the recruitment. Why did they keep wanting to break in? Blame it on those two people from District B; they twisted their thinking.


    Lu Xiaoyu lowered altitude, and from a distance, everyone saw a small city in front of the Northern Base.


    Song Ke poked her head out, ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan replied, ¡°That¡¯s the Immigration Center.¡±


    Song Ke asked, ¡°What¡¯s it for?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan sighed, ¡°Song Ke, do you know how many people want to get into the Northern Base after the apocalypse?¡±


    The seven of them descended from the starship, not yet close to the central gate, and were stunned by the massive crowd ahead.


    How many were there? To put it this way, Song Ke had never seen so many people in her entire life.


    Well, except during the zombie wave.


    Zhuang Qingyan and Lu Xiaoyu, citing ¡°inconvenient movement¡± as the reason, furrowed their brows and adamantly refused to proceed. Song Ke happily waved her hand, taking on the role of the team leader, ¡°You guys wait here; I¡¯ll go and take a look first.¡±


    She took a deep breath and struggled to squeeze into the crowd.


    Half an hour later, Song Ke, with her wrinkled clothes and face nearly flattened, finally made it into the hall. She rubbed her almost squashed face and tearfully remarked how difficult it was to enter the Northern Base. Perhaps it would be better to let Lu Xiaoyu use the black protective shield¡­


    Inside the center, there were different zones, with many floating light panels indicating passages like ¡°Immigrant Zone,¡± ¡°Talent Recruitment,¡± ¡°Temporary Entry Applications,¡± and the ¡°Awakeners Fast Track,¡± though ironically, the area with the most people queued up was the ¡°Fast Track.¡±


    Song Ke looked around and saw continuous prompts on the floating screen:


    ¡°Please attend to A1322 at Immigration Window 8.¡±


    ¡°Please attend to C0654 at Talent Window 2.¡±


    ¡°Please attend to E119988 at Awakeners Fast Track 17 for genetic testing.¡±


    Song Ke exclaimed, ¡°¡­119988?¡±


    There are so many awakeners here, it¡¯ll take forever to get through this line!


    She stubbornly wandered around the center and suddenly had a bright idea! Beyond a corridor, a newly opened area was marked with a sign saying ¡°Recruitment Zone.¡± Song Ke hurriedly squeezed her way there.


    As the automatic doors opened, the bustling crowd diminished instantly, and the air became noticeably fresher. This area was evidently filled with high-ranking awakeners. Groups of them stood in small queues, their mixed awakened energies faintly shimmering around them.


    Song Ke obediently joined the last queue, looking around while observing her surroundings. Unexpectedly, she noticed, through the window, on the other side of the transparent sky bridge, a luxurious passage lay with a red carpet. It was empty, and above it was written in black elegant script, ¡°VIP Channel.¡±


    Song Ke tilted her head, ¡®What¡¯s that? There are so few people there. Can I go there?¡¯ S?a?ch* Th? N?v?lFire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    As she contemplated heading over, the opposite door suddenly opened. A sleek and luxurious starship docked directly at the passage. A middle-aged man, impeccably dressed in a black uniform and wearing a top hat, descended from the gangway, followed by family and staff, all surrounding him like stars encircling a moon.


    On the other side, the center¡¯s high-ranking official, looking very important in his tie, personally came out to greet him. He wore a gracious smile, his face brimming with excitement and joy. He nodded and gestured for the middle-aged man to enter. The passage was cool and refreshing, in stark contrast to the noisy place where Song Ke stood.


    The people in front of Song Ke started discussing in hushed tones; they were all high-ranking awakeners with their own sources of information.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that Ken Oda? An S-level engineering awakener, a renowned architect from Tokushima (District B15).¡±


    ¡°Wow! How did he end up at the Northern Base?¡±


    ¡°Why else? He must have been paid a fortune. I heard Tokushima poached two S-levels from the Northern Base a while back, so it¡¯s tit for tat.¡±


    ¡°You only know half the story. Those taken by Tokushima were a powerful attack-type lightning awakener and a weapon master. No matter how you look at it, the Northern Base seems to be at a loss.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ that makes sense.¡±


    Song Ke blinked slowly. S-level attack-type ability¡­ that¡¯s what she had too.


    She turned towards the VIP channel and took a couple of steps but accidentally bumped into another group of people talking.


    ¡°What are you doing? Trying to cut in line? Go to the back!¡± The burly group immediately turned and glared at her.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m going that way,¡± Song Ke pointed in the direction where Ken Oda had disappeared.


    The person she bumped into scrutinized her and burst into laughter, ¡°Are you serious, little girl? That¡¯s the S-level channel.¡±


    As if hearing some ridiculous joke, he loudly shouted, ¡°Hey! Someone wants to use the S-level channel!¡±


    The entire recruitment zone erupted into laughter, various onlookers¡¯ eyes fixed on Song Ke.


    ¡°Trying to cut in line, she should come up with a better excuse. S-level, as if she could even say it with a straight face.¡±


    ¡°Too ambitious¡­¡±


    ¡°Let her go; I want to see how she gets kicked out.¡±


    ¡°Where did this country bumpkin come from? She didn¡¯t get lost, did she? Hey, you! This is the Recruitment Zone; regular people go to the main hall.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Song Ke politely replied, but amidst the loud noise, nobody heard her.


    Some kind-hearted soul, unable to watch quietly, advised her, ¡°Hey, you¡¯re new here, right? Ignore them. The VIP channel requires a prior appointment, personally arranged by the leaders. It¡¯s mostly for those who have finalized agreements from other districts and switch over. It¡¯s not usually open.¡±


    Song Ke asked humbly, ¡°So, what if someone hasn¡¯t made an appointment, a wild S-level, for instance?¡±


    The nearby awakeners¡¯ mocking laughter grew louder:


    ¡°A wild S-level? Hahaha, what nonsense are you saying?¡±


    ¡°An S-level is snatched up by every district as soon as they¡¯re registered. How could there be a ¡®wild¡¯ one?¡±


    Someone intentionally bumped into Song Ke¡¯s shoulder provocatively but ended up surprised when she didn¡¯t budge.


    Unaware of this, others continued their mockery:


    ¡°You think S-level awakeners are just everywhere, like cabbages? The entire Northern Base only has eight; that¡¯s already remarkable, okay?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, do you think you can pull anyone from the streets and they¡¯ll be S-level?¡±


    Amidst the laughter, Song Ke remained expressionless, thinking to herself: ¡®Yeah, there¡¯s nothing extraordinary about it. There are three in our team.¡¯


    Picking out anyone randomly from outside now, there¡¯s a fifty-fifty chance they¡¯d be one too.

 Chapter 136: Fire Seed (5)

    ¡ò Who gave you the courage? ¡òSong Ke returned somewhat disheartened.


    Those seeking shade under the trees gathered around.


    ¡°How¡¯s it, Captain?¡±


    ¡°Can we go in now, Song Ke¡¯er? If not, I¡¯ll go back to get sunscreen, it¡¯s melting under the sun.¡±


    ¡°¡­I smell something like cooked meat.¡±


    ¡°Sister, do you want ice cubes?¡±


    In the midst of the peak summer, the sun shone relentlessly, drenching everyone in sweat, and when that heat rose, the smell¡­ truly defied description.


    Song Ke glanced at her teammates in front of her, then suddenly closed her eyes, swiftly reaching out like lightning to grab Lin Youyou.


    Lin Youyou: ¡°?¡±


    With a hint of regret, Song Ke let her go and tried again. With closed eyes, she groped forward twice and, with a casual grab, this time caught Fang Zhixu.


    Others: ¡°?¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°??¡±


    She made a sound of disbelief, then for the third time, stubbornly extended her hand. Thinking she was playing a game, Xu Xing voluntarily placed his hand in Song Ke¡¯s palm.


    Song Ke: ¡°¡­¡±


    Well¡­ maybe those people weren¡¯t entirely wrong; randomly grabbing an S-level on the street was indeed a bit unlikely.


    Everyone looked puzzled as Song Ke slowly explained the queue situation inside and the VIP channel to everyone.


    ¡°To get through this process, won¡¯t it take three to five days?¡± Fang Zhixu sighed.


    ¡°Three to five days? That¡¯s too optimistic,¡± Song Ke shattered his illusion. ¡°These are the numbers I got.¡±


    Two virtual numbers appeared on the terminal: ¡°30¡ªE216544, 07¡ªZ003577.¡±


    ¡°The first is the number of days to wait, and the second is the number of people queued on that day.¡± Just in case anyone didn¡¯t understand, Song Ke explained specifically.


    Fang Zhixu slowly closed his mouth, worriedly scratching the back of his head.


    ¡°No wonder the Northern Base needs Qianzhan City; it can¡¯t do without a buffer,¡± Lin Youyou fanned herself with her hand due to the heat and lifted Su Cha¡¯s wrist. ¡°Look, one-stop service for clothing, food, shelter, and transportation, along with various supporting services.¡±


    While Song Ke queued inside the center, Su Cha wandered around the city but didn¡¯t gather any useful information. Instead, he was bombarded with a bunch of forced ads.


    The most frustrating part was that because he used a terminal in District C with lower permissions than District B, those ads were like rogue viruses that couldn¡¯t be deleted. Now, whenever he opened the terminal, various flashy projections automatically popped up, such as ¡°XX Immigration Agency (Group offering 20% off),¡± ¡°XX Consulting to make your supernatural resume shine,¡± ¡°Wanderfort Awakeners Hotel (Grand opening, free genetic testing provided by our store)¡±¡­


    Lin Youyou took Su Cha¡¯s terminal off, tossed it to Lu Xiaoyu, and asked him to help clean it up.


    ¡°Now, what do we do?¡± Song Ke shrugged.


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t there a VIP channel?¡± Zhuang Qingyan said casually, ¡°Our captain started from scratch, self-reliant, an outstanding S-level attack-type awakener. Shouldn¡¯t we be able to walk the red carpet?¡±


    Song Ke proudly straightened her chest, then slumped down, ¡°That requires an appointment, and my credentials are A-level.¡±


    She had just been mocked, called a country bumpkin with delusions.


    Zhuang Qingyan tapped his wheelchair¡¯s armrest, nonchalantly speaking, ¡°Then let¡¯s go public.¡±


    Others were somewhat surprised.


    Zhuang Qingyan continued, ¡°We used to choose to remain secret because Ilya interfered, not wanting the Alliance to overly focus on Ferrara. Plus, there wasn¡¯t a need to be high-profile. But times have changed. Since we¡¯ve come to District B, the level becomes an important entry pass.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget, what¡¯s the highest principle of the Northern Base.¡±


    ¡°Strength,¡± Song Ke interjected. Yun Xiao had said this was a city where fists spoke.


    Zhuang Qingyan nodded, ¡°Moreover, we not only have an S-level but also four A-levels. The five of you, one S and four A. Even though the Northern Base has abundant talents, such a team configuration needs to be seriously considered, right?¡±


    ¡°Do you, Captain, have any objections to the decision on publicizing the levels?¡± Zhuang Qingyan didn¡¯t forget to ask for Song Ke¡¯s opinion.


    ¡°No,¡± Song Ke shook her head, then thought of something else, ¡°The five of us, but what about you two?¡±


    The only two individuals from District B within V587 had never registered as awakeners. Most had guessed they didn¡¯t want to disclose their identities.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s light-colored eyes curved behind the lenses as he confidently said, ¡°Me? I¡¯m a family member of an S-level.¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡± Song Ke¡¯s expression was baffled.


    ¡°Found it.¡± Lu Xiaoyu lowered his head, quickly getting results.


    The new recruitment notice from the Northern Base would inevitably leave data traces in District C. Lu Xiaoyu didn¡¯t spend much effort tracing it back to the terminal used by the person ¡°Ms. Ye.¡±


    He swiftly edited the intrusion¡¯s malware. Just as he was about to send it¡ª


    ¡°Wait.¡± Zhuang Qingyan stopped him in time, quickly skimming through it.


    [Hello, we are a very powerful team of awakeners, with one S-level and four A-level members. We¡¯re here to join you. Queuing is bothersome, so please let us use the VIP channel immediately. Thank you.]


    Though Lu Xiaoyu used ¡°hello,¡± ¡°please,¡± and ¡°thank you,¡± the tone of this letter was completely imperative and forceful. There was a 99% chance it would be treated as a scam and tossed into the trash¡ªno, even scammers were more polite than this.


    ¡°The elective course you failed in, ¡°Language Socialization and Arts,¡± was really not an injustice to you,¡± Zhuang Qingyan remarked with a cold snort, clicking to select all and delete, starting the modification again.


    ¡­


    Northern Base, Department of Awakeners Management.


    Leaning on her chin, Ye Zimei faced four large, high-definition floating screens displaying the teams awaiting approval for the recruitment notice. The more she watched, the more fatigued she felt, slowly nodding off, stifling a yawn.


    ¡°Ding¡ª¡±


    The idle terminal on the desk suddenly sounded.


    ¡°Ding¡ªDing¡ªDing, Ding, Ding, Ding, Ding, Ding!!¡±


    With no response for a long time, the terminal vibrated frantically as if it were at a disco.


    Ye Zimei was fully awake now, scrambling to silence it. ¡°What¡¯s this? Do terminals in the lower districts have such high failure rates?¡±


    She had purchased this terminal from the black market specifically for releasing announcements, leaving it idle after use, without adding any contacts. How could it suddenly make incessant noise?


    The terminal persisted in its insistent chiming, and Ye Zimei, not knowing what she pressed, suddenly saw a letter pop up. She clicked on it in confusion:


    [Forgive the intrusion. I¡¯ve heard of the matter of high-level awakeners being lost in your district. I am Song Ke, and I¡¯ve long admired General Ye. I¡¯m an attack-type metal element awakener. Despite years of diligent training, my humble background has always kept me from entering District B. Fortunately, due to a recent stroke of luck, I¡¯ve broken through to S-level. Due to certain constraints, I haven¡¯t undergone genetic testing. Delighted as I am, recalling my past determination, I hope to serve the General.


    Apart from myself, the team includes four other A-level members: two are attack type, one is a support type, and one is a healer. We¡¯ve all reached the entry and exit center. Due to the tedious approval process and our decision not to disclose our breakthrough to the outside world, coupled with financial constraints, after lingering for a few days, we considered withdrawing.


    Before our departure, I¡¯m sending this letter to you, reluctantly, as a last resort. Hoping for a response.]


    The letter was followed by high-definition images, all captured from the Throne Race, showcasing exciting moments: Song Ke single-handedly facing Mirror Lake¡¯s Water Monster, Xu Xing¡¯s ice needle explosion clearing the area, Greenwater City¡¯s siege against the zombie panda bear, and Haimen¡¯s coordinated kill of the Zombie King. These were provided to substantiate the authenticity of the materials.


    Ye Zimei bounced up from her seat in an instant. ¡°Ah! A wild one! An S-level attack-type awakener! And leading a team!!¡±


    She kept jumping on her toes, joyfully spinning around, realizing that she had exceeded her KPI (Key Performance Indicators) for the year!


    ¡°Connect me to Commander He¡¯s communication channel, and, I want to go to the entry and exit center right away!¡±


    *


    The team verification process for the recruitment notice was quite complex. While Song Ke was out for a short while, the waiting teams remained almost unchanged; they were the same people as before.


    So, when she entered for the second time, she received a uniform and sharp gaze from everyone. This time, she wasn¡¯t alone; she was accompanied by other V587 team members.


    Whispers started swirling, occasionally mixed with a few assertive comments:


    ¡°Why is this country girl here again? And she brought people along?¡±


    ¡°Does she think this is a nursery or a rehabilitation center for the disabled? Don¡¯t be too excessive.¡±


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t really believe that the Northern Base will accept just anyone, does she?¡±


    Song Ke paid no attention to the murmurs. This time, she didn¡¯t even wait for the queue and confidently sat down on the sofa.


    The venue was full of high-level awakeners, and her behavior clearly indicated a lack of regard for them, a provocation, a blatant challenge!


    A yellow-haired awakener turned his heels, walking arrogantly towards Song Ke. Judging by the outward projection of his mental energy, he was an A-level awakener.


    ¡°Hey, let me tell you, don¡¯t pollute the air here. Go back where you came from¡ª¡±


    Su Cha stood in front of Song Ke with a cold face. He wore a black T-shirt, stood at 1.9 meters tall, exuding an intimidating aura with broad and sturdy shoulders, well-defined arm muscles, a slender waist reminiscent of a powerful snow leopard. When he looked at people with narrowed eyes, there was a distant yet lethal air about him.


    Before the yellow-haired guy could react, Su Cha appeared behind him like a ghost, a chilling dagger suddenly placed at his neck.


    ¡°Even among awakeners of the same level, there are significant differences in combat prowess.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan lazily reclined in his wheelchair, speaking with a refined yet arrogant tone, devoid of emotion, ¡°Who gave you the courage to speak so boldly in front of our captain?¡±


    Almost as soon as his words fell, all members of V587, whether sitting, standing, or leaning against the wall, released their awakened energy at the same time¡ªof course, three of them slightly restrained themselves.


    Powerful and majestic awakened energy collided in space, screens flickered, lights swayed, desks and windows vibrated, the terrifying pressure resembling an overwhelming tsunami made people shiver from the depths of their souls.


    Some awakeners couldn¡¯t withstand it, their knees trembling, and their feet involuntarily giving way.


    ¡°A¡­ all A-levels?!¡± an incredulous shout rang out.


    ¡°Boom¡ª¡±


    The VIP channel¡¯s gate burst open, and Ye Zimei, dressed in the senior uniform of the Department of Awakeners Management, hurriedly walked in. Behind her, the head of the center, sweating profusely, and dozens of staff were busy preparing the red carpet, flowers, and welcome banners.


    ¡°Where are they? Where are they?!¡± Ye Zimei shouted anxiously.


    Spotting V587 in the recruitment area from afar, she dashed like the wind across the sky bridge, running over to grab Song Ke¡¯s hand excitedly, holding it so tight as if she would never let go: ¡°You¡­ oh no, no, no, you¡¯re the Song Ke who wrote to me? The S-level attack-type awakener!¡± s?a??h th? ???el F?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Goodness, indeed dignified and extraordinary, with the bearing of a master.¡± Ye Zimei¡¯s cheeks flushed with excitement. ¡°Commander He is busy with official duties, so let me receive you first. She will come later to talk to you personally. Shall we go inside? Let¡¯s talk inside!¡±


    Suddenly recalling something, Ye Zimei abruptly turned around. ¡°And everyone, the full A-level team V587! You¡¯ve waited for a long time, please don¡¯t leave. The Northern Base can provide everything. Please make sure to stay!¡±


    The entire recruitment area fell silent, plunged into a deathly quiet.


    Under the stunned and cheering gazes of thousands of high-level awakeners, Song Ke¡¯s group walked towards the VIP channel paved with the red carpet, gradually disappearing from view.


    ¡°What¡­ what¡¯s going on¡­ S-level attack-type awakener? That country girl?!¡±


    ¡°Did I hear it wrong? No, no, no, I must be deaf or blind!¡±


    ¡°Commander He personally receiving them, even Ken Oda didn¡¯t get such treatment¡­¡±


    The awakener who first called Song Ke ¡°country girl¡± touched his neck nervously, with a lingering fear in his heart and was about to cry without tears: ¡°Excuse me, can I still see the sun tomorrow?¡±


    *


    Ye Zimei led the seven individuals through the VIP passage of Qianzhan City, eventually arriving at a luxurious hotel suite.


    ¡°Song Ke, as per regulations, before entering the Northern Base, you all need to undergo genetic testing. It will take about a day for detailed data to come out. Please rest here for now, and if you need anything, you can tell Jia.¡±


    A quiet artificial intelligence stood at the door, nodding politely in response to Ye Zimei¡¯s words, impeccable in manners.


    Song Ke stole several glances. Though not too obvious in appearance, Jia¡¯s gestures and microexpressions hinted at traces of AI, quite different from the elegance displayed by Ilya in his every move.


    Worried that Song Ke might misunderstand, Ye Zimei quickly added, ¡°Occasional errors can occur in awakener tests in other regions, but we use the R-type tester. To ensure fairness and accuracy, all awakeners entering the Northern Base must undergo genetic testing again.¡±


    Song Ke nodded. Her level tested in Ferrara wasn¡¯t incorrect, after all.


    ¡°Then, please register your basic information,¡± Ye Zimei lightly tapped her pearl earring, and a holographic lens shimmered into view over her left eye. ¡°I¡¯ll send you the details you need to fill in.¡±


    Song Ke lowered her head to glance at her quiet terminal and asked blankly, ¡°How do I fill it?¡±


    Ye Zimei glanced at her terminal and apologized, ¡°Sorry, I forgot. You mentioned in the letter that you¡¯re from a low-level district. I¡¯ll send it in a different mode.¡±


    Jia timely handed over a miniature connector. Ye Zimei took it, approached Song Ke¡¯s terminal, and simultaneously, the holographic lens in front of her eyes emitted a glow. The District B exclusive terminal activated, facilitating the smooth transmission of data.


    During the waiting interval, Ye Zimei casually asked, ¡°Specifically, which low-level district are you from? I¡¯m quite adept at Alliance geography; perhaps I might know.¡±


    ¡°District F177,¡± Song Ke replied.


    Ye Zimei paused for a moment, her gaze visibly blank for a couple of seconds: What? District F177? Does the Alliance have such a place?


    However, she quickly composed herself, pretended nonchalance, and casually touched her earring. The terminal promptly provided information, and details about the District F appeared in her mind. ¡°Oh, District F177. Heard of it, heard of it¡­ Hmm¡­ In the old calendar era, it was a barren fishing village. Due to underdevelopment, it became one of the most rampant areas for illegal activities¡­ Ahem¡­¡±


    ¡°Black household,¡± Song Ke looked at her innocently.


    Ye Zimei chuckled awkwardly and cleverly changed the subject, ¡°So, there are seven of you, right?¡±


    Song Ke corrected her, ¡°No, five.¡± She gestured towards her remaining four A-level teammates.


    ¡°Then, these two are¡­?¡± Ye Zimei hesitated, looking at Zhuang Qingyan and Lu Xiaoyu.


    Zhuang Qingyan smiled faintly and earnestly stated, ¡°I¡¯m V587¡¯s technical consultant.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Ye Zimei nodded. S-levels are allowed to bring family and assistants, so she quickly accepted this explanation. ¡°And the other one¡­?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s the driver,¡± Zhuang Qingyan replied warmly.


    While Song Ke was filling out the forms, her fingers twitched, swiftly pushing back the mechanical arm Lu Xiaoyu extended.


    ¡°¡­¡± Ye Zimei stared at Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s empty legs for a while. Her good manners prevented her from immediately questioning the term ¡°driver,¡± but she asked in confusion, ¡°Is life in the low-level districts really so diverse and colorful?¡±


    In her impression, transportation in low-level districts remained in the early stages of machinery. Except for starships, most were manually operated. How could a person without legs become a driver and use hands to operate?


    As Ye Zimei refreshed her perspective, she regained her composure and said, ¡°Later, Jia will arrange for your genetic testing. After the results come out, Commander He will personally discuss the benefits and treatment with you. Of course, if any of you have urgent requests, feel free to mention them, and I¡¯ll make sure to solve them for you.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan glanced at her without a change in expression.


    Perhaps Ye Zimei hadn¡¯t noticed herself, but the wording she used¡ª¡±I¡±¡ªindicated that before confirming the genetic results, He Qiuhong wouldn¡¯t waste time meeting them. Yet, Ye Zimei easily promised to fulfill their requests. This indicated that on certain matters, she could make decisions herself without consulting higher-ups.


    This suggested that Ye Zimei had considerable authority within the awakeners department, and even in the Northern Base.


    ¡°There indeed is,¡± Zhuang Qingyan pondered for a moment before slowly speaking up.


    Ye Zimei looked slightly surprised, ¡°Please, go on.¡±


    ¡°In fact, one of the reasons we came to the Northern Base,¡± Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s lips parted lightly, ¡°was to¡­ seek refuge with acquaintances.¡±


    Even Lu Xiaoyu was surprised this time. Zhuang Qingyan and Yin Xiao were like peacocks displaying their magnificent and competitive behavior, and he was actually seeking him out? Did the sun rise from the west?


    Surprisingly, Zhuang Qingyan didn¡¯t mention Yin Xiao.


    ¡°There¡¯s a famous couple of cognitive psychologists at the Northern Base: Ming Gang and Lucia. If possible, I¡¯d like to meet them,¡± Zhuang Qingyan added unexpectedly.

 Chapter 137: Fire Seed (6)

    ¡ò The first S7 level ¡òSince its establishment, the Northern Base had opened a green channel for talent introduction, attracting elites to settle with various preferential policies. After nearly half a century of accumulation, it had already gathered countless industry giants and leading figures.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s request was reasonable. Ye Zimei quickly agreed, but out of curiosity, she still asked:


    ¡°Since you¡¯re acquainted, why didn¡¯t you contact them yourself?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s expression turned solemn. ¡°Mr. Ming Gang¡¯s only son, Ming Zhi, was my close friend. He mentioned several times before his passing that he wanted to introduce me to his parents. Although I had a long-standing friendship with both seniors, due to the nature of my work, it was delayed. Who would have thought that Ming Zhi would depart so suddenly¡­¡±


    Recalling the sad past, his eyes lowered, exuding an air of melancholy and loneliness. ¡°Things change unpredictably. Mr. Ming Gang and his wife are now white-haired, and how could I dare to disturb them recklessly¡­¡±


    Ye Zimei hurriedly waved her hands. ¡°Uh, I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t know about the situation¡­¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan earnestly said, ¡°Luckily, our captain understands righteousness deeply and doesn¡¯t mind that I¡¯m a useless person. She¡¯s willing to bring me to the Northern Base. With this opportunity, I want to fulfill my friend¡¯s last wish and visit the two seniors for him.¡±


    ¡°Understanding righteousness,¡± Song Ke muttered to herself. She was already accustomed to his ability to talk nonsense.


    Lin Youyou, however, wasn¡¯t quite used to it. She glanced nervously at Lin Xiu, relieved to see the screen was in sleep mode; Lin Xiu, engrossed in a drama, probably hadn¡¯t heard their conversation.


    ¡°Understood, I¡¯ll arrange this matter as soon as possible.¡±


    The lustrous pearl earrings emitted a sparkling light. With the vast population of the Northern Base, Ye Zimei couldn¡¯t possibly know everyone, but as the terminal operated timely, knowledge within her reach flooded in. Information related to Mr. Ming Gang and his wife instantly appeared in Ye Zimei¡¯s mind: the couple had moved to the Northern Base about thirty years ago, had a son named Ming Zhi, who later joined the confidential project at the Qinglan Research Institute, aligning with what Zhuang Qingyan had said.


    As Ye Zimei spoke, Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s gaze paused for a second on her earring.


    In District B¡¯s terminal, compared to six years ago when he was exiled, it seemed¡­ their permissions had further deepened.


    After Ye Zimei left, they rested for half a day until Jia Yi came to inform them that the genetic testing had been arranged.


    As the most important VIP, Song Ke was naturally placed in the highest priority exclusive channel, while the others had to wait, but in any case, they would all get it done today.


    An unmanned floating car departed from the hotel, steadily flying towards the pure white building at the heart of Qianzhan City¡ªthe Awakener Detection Station.


    It was Song Ke¡¯s first time in such a luxurious extended version of a floating car.


    ¡°Wow~¡± She couldn¡¯t help but emit a small exclamation of awe at the luxurious interior.


    She explored it, shifting from one position to another, sometimes reclining fully and then suddenly sitting upright, inadvertently meeting the gaze of the camera on the console, resulting in a silent standoff.


    Song Ke: ¡°¡­¡± s?a??h th? N0v?lFir?.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    She gradually straightened up and, for the latter part of the journey, remained motionless as if she had been struck mute by poison.


    Because the information she had provided described her as an S-level, inconsistent with her Awakener certification level, and given the high importance placed by the base¡¯s awakener department, as soon as Song Ke landed, over a dozen staff in white robes were waiting at the entrance to receive her.


    A woman in her thirties with short hair stood out among them. She wore understated silver-framed glasses and spoke with a rapid and crisp pace.


    ¡°Hello, Song Ke, I¡¯m your awakener analyst, Grace.¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s ears perked up, hearing someone nearby softly calling her ¡°Director¡± and attempting to transmit data to her via terminal. Grace¡¯s lenses glowed, faintly transmitting data that swiftly passed by.


    Grace nodded towards Song Ke. ¡°I¡¯ll be in charge of your genetic testing. Please follow me.¡±


    The moment Song Ke entered the testing station, she was captivated by the towering, centrally placed, and precise equipment. It was massive, nearly integrated with the entire building, all white in color, with numerous fine silver wires connected at its ports.


    ¡°The R-Type Awakener Analyzer is currently the most advanced instrument in the Alliance. It can simultaneously accommodate data analysis for 500 people, maintaining an accuracy rate of over 97%,¡± Grace explained, noticing Song Ke¡¯s gaze.


    Song Ke glanced around the empty testing station, expressing confusion with her eyes: Where were the 500 people?


    ¡°To ensure your results are 100% accurate, we¡¯ve cleared the area. All testing for awakeners has been suspended,¡± Grace said solemnly.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Song Ke¡¯s initial reaction: There were probably more people waiting in line at the Immigration Center.


    Following Grace, Song Ke continued forward. The design of the entire testing station was both sleek and futuristic. White lights mimicking daylight were omnipresent, illuminating the space vividly.


    As Song Ke walked, she gradually placed a hand over her chest, feeling slightly uncomfortable¡ªa combination of intense light and confined space seemed to unsettle her.


    Grace: ¡°Let¡¯s start with the routine checks¡ªblood draw, collection of bodily fluids, and some biological information to conduct chromosome and DNA analysis.¡±


    After entering the room, Song Ke saw numerous unnamed instruments and mechanical arms emitting a cold light.


    Similar examinations had been conducted in Ferrara, and Grace patiently guided her step by step. Before long, she smoothly completed the process.


    Then, Grace led her to a laboratory-like room with a circular machine and a single bed positioned at a gap in the equipment.


    ¡°This is the Radiomagnetic Resonance Spectrometer linked to the R-Type. It can comprehensively analyze your awakened abilities,¡± explained Grace.


    Song Ke obediently lay on the single bed. A virtual light screen appeared before her eyes. It was many times more advanced than the black box Wu Juemin had used at the Fools Wharf, inundating her vision with various lines and data, leaving her momentarily dazzled.


    Grace and her assistant entered the observation room. Once the instrument started, an intricate buzzing noise echoed around Song Ke. She distinctly felt a slight fluctuation in her awakened energy, as if stagnant water was slowly starting to flow.


    On the panel in the observation room, Song Ke¡¯s various data skyrocketed, instantly surpassing the threshold of S-level.


    Her awakened energy, explosiveness, reaction speed, and muscle core strength increased at a nearly terrifying rate.


    An assistant exclaimed excitedly, ¡°It¡¯s rising so rapidly, it might even reach S5.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my first time seeing a living S-level,¡± another person who had recently arrived at the testing station marveled at Song Ke¡¯s data.


    ¡°You¡¯re lucky. You get to see two at once. Later, Mr. Ken Oda will be here.¡±


    ¡°Ken Oda¡¯s results won¡¯t be surprising. He¡¯s a well-known S2, and how can you compare engineering-type and strong attack-type¡­¡±


    Everyone was excited; it had been a long time since a fresh S-level had joined the Northern Base.


    Suddenly, Grace made a puzzled sound, furrowing her brows slightly.


    ¡°Director, what¡¯s wrong?¡± the assistant beside her asked nervously.


    ¡°There are impurities showing in the spectrum,¡± Grace said in a grave tone. It was an unprecedented situation.


    ¡°Could it be a machine malfunction?¡± Even the speaker didn¡¯t believe it; the R-Type Analyzer had self-repair programs. How could it possibly malfunction?


    Grace¡¯s expression turned serious as she focused on the imaging panel. The impurities increased, spontaneously gathering around Song Ke, gradually forming a large shadow enveloping her entire being.


    ¡°This is¡­ radiation?¡±


    Grace, usually composed, displayed an expression of extreme astonishment.


    Twenty minutes passed, and Song Ke lay inside the machine, yawning out of boredom. She mused hazily, wondering why this whatever-it-was instrument took so long. It didn¡¯t seem that advanced either.


    Another ten minutes went by before the annoying noise gradually ceased. The single bed rolled out slowly, and Grace stood in front of Song Ke, smiling. ¡°Although the specific report isn¡¯t ready yet, I¡¯d like to congratulate you in advance. You are indeed an S-level awakener.¡±


    Grace paused for a moment. ¡°Moreover, you¡¯re the most powerful awakener I¡¯ve ever seen.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing,¡± Song Ke modestly waved her hand.


    ¡°After the analysis report is ready, Commander He will personally meet with you,¡± Grace added finally.


    ¡­


    ¡°Commander, the genetic test results for Song Ke are in,¡± Ye Zimei¡¯s voice sounded from the private channel.


    Commander He Qiuhong gestured, signaling the ongoing conversation to stop. Ministers quietly exited the room, and she stood up, quickly entering a concealed compartment. As she moved, the terminal gradually lit up, initiating a holographic conference call, with several high-ranking officials from the awakener department eagerly waiting.


    Song Ke¡¯s awakener report was transmitted, a whopping 34 pages. He Qiuhong skipped through the complex charts and professional data analysis, swiftly reviewing the final results.


    Equally anxious high-ranking officials flipped through to the end. One of them exclaimed in shock, ¡°The level is¡­ S7! If I¡¯m not mistaken, she¡¯s the first S7 officially announced by the Alliance since the disclosure of awakeners? And she¡¯s a strong attack type!¡±


    Even among awakeners of the same level, there were finer distinctions, only detectable by the R-Type Analyzer. Each awakener level was divided into grades 1 through 9. Currently, the highest publicly disclosed S-level registered by the Central Court was only S6. Yet, out of nowhere, Song Ke, this individual, emerged as an S7 awakener!


    The expressions of the high-ranking officials from the awakener department were incredulous. How could such a monster exist in a region they habitually overlooked?


    He Qiuhong¡¯s usually serious face showed a rare smile. It was she who proposed recruiting from the lower-tier districts, and Song Ke¡¯s arrival, a self-made S7 strong attack-type awakener without any background, was undoubtedly a godsend for the Northern Base at this moment.


    Amidst the murmurs, Grace¡¯s calm voice interrupted, ¡°Sorry to interrupt, but there¡¯s something I must bring to your attention. Please take a look at page 17 of the report.¡±


    ¡°According to the Radiomagnetic Spectrum Analysis, the radiation level within Song Ke¡¯s body¡­ is twenty times that of a normal awakener.¡±


    The holographic image was vivid, Grace saw it clearly, and everyone present gasped in disbelief. The radiation level of an average zombie is only about twice that of an awakener. Twenty times? How¡­ how did she survive? And she hasn¡¯t turned into a zombie yet?


    This person is the future gold mine of the base; there absolutely cannot be any accidents!


    He Qiuhong pulled out that page from the Radiomagnetic Resonance Imaging report. Song Ke¡¯s torso and limbs appeared dirty, as if covered by the shadows of dark clouds.


    ¡°Excessive radiation, does it affect her awakened abilities?¡±


    ¡°This is the strangest part; it has no effect. She is no different from other S-levels,¡± sighed Grace.


    ¡°What if it¡¯s a dual-type awakener?¡±


    He Qiuhong, as expected, instantly considered another possibility.


    However, Grace negated her speculation. ¡°The R-Type didn¡¯t find a second type of awakened ability in Song Ke. Dual-type awakeners are too rare, especially S-levels. Fortunately, we have Punk¡¯s data on hand. By comparison, Punk¡¯s radiation level matches that of an S-level single-type awakener. His distribution also differs significantly from Song Ke¡¯s. So, that¡¯s not the reason.¡±


    As the Alliance¡¯s first publicly known S-level dual-type awakener, Punk¡¯s awakener report was undoubtedly classified information. He Qiuhong had utilized a significant number of resources and connections, ultimately obtaining it from the Central Court¡¯s Park Jae Woo.


    ¡°Besides the radiation level¡­ Song Ke has another serious issue,¡± Grace became increasingly troubled.


    ¡°Pages 22 to 27 are her genetic report.¡±


    ¡°Song Ke has chromosomal abnormalities and parts of the DNA sequence unknown. It¡¯s currently uncertain if it¡¯s hereditary or congenital. I¡¯m not an expert in this field, but I¡¯m concerned¡­ she may have an invisible genetic defect.¡±


    Grace¡¯s concern was not unfounded; genetic defects could lead to various illnesses. If a powerful awakener lost their life due to a genetic disease, it would be a heartbreaking loss.


    ¡°Could she have participated in the genetic selection program?¡± A high-ranking individual speculated uncertainly. ¡°In the early stages, many suffered from genetic diseases due to immature technology.¡±


    He Qiuhong flipped back to the first page of the report. Song Ke¡¯s original residence was in F177 District.


    People from the District F wouldn¡¯t have had any chance to participate in the genetic selection program.


    She pondered for a moment and whispered, ¡°Send this report to Dr. Ning. Dr. Ning is an expert in genetic engineering and genetics. He should be able to analyze the unusual reasons behind Song Ke¡¯s condition.¡±


    ¡°Should we also have Song Ke go there for detailed examinations in collaboration with Dr. Ning?¡± Grace asked.


    ¡°No,¡± He Qiuhong intervened, ¡°don¡¯t inform her until we clarify the situation. Also, modify this report.¡±


    *


    At the same time, V587 was popping champagne to celebrate.


    Lin Youyou and the others had also finished their genetic tests. Apart from Xu Xing, who had just broken through and landed at A1 level, the rest were exceeding expectations. Lin Youyou was A4, Fang Zhixu was A5, and surprisingly, Su Cha scored an A8!


    This usually taciturn person couldn¡¯t muster more than three sentences, but this time, he genuinely surprised everyone.


    Su Cha, feeling awkwardly restrained, sat on the sofa. Song Ke excitedly patted his shoulder, while Lin Youyou affectionately ruffled his crew cut.


    Her soft touch brushed against his short stubble, causing a slight itch that darted from his back to his head. Su Cha stiffened, gripping the canned beer tightly, producing a flattened ¡°crack¡± as he squeezed it.


    ¡°Excuse me,¡± Jia Yi politely knocked on the door. ¡°Miss Song, your awakener report is ready.¡±


    Everyone gathered around eagerly as Jia Yi calmly passed the report back to Song Ke using the connector.


    ¡°Quick, quick! What¡¯s the level? S what?¡±


    ¡°Wow! S7! Sister, you¡¯re amazing!¡±


    ¡°Haha, I guessed it right; Old Fang owes me money!¡± Lin Youyou boasted proudly.


    Fang Zhixu remained silent. Due to his blind trust in Song Ke, he obstinately bet on S9.


    ¡°S7 team captain, can you buy me some materials?¡± Lu Xiaoyu joined in.


    ¡°Buy, buy,¡± Song Ke chuckled foolishly.


    Zhuang Qingyan extracted the terminal from Song Ke¡¯s playful hands and meticulously went through the report page by page.


    He took his time, reading meticulously. The professional data that He Qiuhong couldn¡¯t understand posed no challenge for him.


    The report consisted of 24 pages, and Zhuang Qingyan took his time, reading it thoroughly.


    Then, he removed his glasses, pinched his prominent brow, and a hint of scornful smirk curved his thin lips.


    Truly the arrogance of the District B, the awakener department personnel seemed to disregard them too much. Even for an S1-level awakener, a normal analysis report would span over 25 pages, let alone Song Ke, a rare S7.


    Not willing to revise at all, they just deleted and glossed over it. It might have fooled the laymen, but trying to deceive him was merely wishful thinking.


    Because that R-Type Analyzer capable of genetic analysis came from the Qinglan Research Institute.


    Its original purpose was to be used for genetic fusion in the Fire Seed project.


    No one understood its functions better than Zhuang Qingyan did.

 Chapter 138: Fire Seed (7)

    ¡ò Your team failed to enter the rankings ¡òThe next morning, V587 boarded the starship arranged by the awakeners department and departed from Qianzhan City, officially heading towards the Northern Base.


    The silver-white flight terminal streaked across the sky like a meteor, encountering an automatic clearance through the transparent protective shield.


    Song Ke leaned against the porthole, revealing a smile of satisfaction akin to that of an old father. This time, they hadn¡¯t relied on deception or manipulation but had entered District B through their own diligent efforts.


    As soon as they reached the platform, before the starship even settled, Song Ke jumped down.


    A refreshing breeze brushed their faces, the air was invigorating, and the weather mimicry system gradually dispelled the scorching heat of midsummer.


    Song Ke and Xu Xing, who entered the city for the first time, excitedly ran to the railing to look ahead.


    Unlike the desolate plains that extended for thousands of kilometers on the outskirts, the Northern Base was an incredibly textured city: aerial tunnels, levitating subways, stylish racing cars¡­


    Technological creations born over the past thirty glorious years were ubiquitous here. Clusters of towering buildings, arranged in a layered spatial hierarchy, provided a tremendous visual impact. Among them, one level even featured an infinity pool the size of a football field, where several awakeners frolicked. A few hydrokinetics mischievously manipulated the water, causing fountain-like droplets to cascade down at a wave of their hand.


    Song Ke¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°Wow~¡±


    Xu Xing imitated, ¡°Wow~~¡±


    Overhead, an armed fleet flew by. Several men and women, clearly awakeners, stood firmly on the deck of the ship. One of them, bare-chested with scars covering his torso, held the freshly severed, still bleeding head of a giant beast, laughing and waving to the crowd on the platform before entering two cylindrical connected towers.


    In the distant sky, a holographic projection appeared, numbers continuously flickering, gradually forming a massive leaderboard:


    [Blue Flame eliminated Level 4 Mutant Beast: Black Forktooth Fish, real-time score update.]


    Song Ke witnessed firsthand as Blue Flame¡¯s ranking rose by two positions, now ranked 10th in the Northern Base and 122nd in the New Asia Alliance.


    This was¡­ the northern base? Unreasonably exhilarating.


    Ye Zimei and her team awaited them on the platform. Gazing at their shining KPI, she laughed heartily, her teeth showing and eyes disappearing. ¡°Your new terminals and the procedures for transferring awakener citizenship will be handled by a dedicated officer later.¡±


    ¡°Now, follow me to meet Commander He; she¡¯s waiting for you at the awakener department.¡±


    The Northern Base¡¯s awakener department was precisely the cylindrical high-rise buildings Song Ke had just seen upon disembarking.


    Ye Zimei¡¯s red-bottomed high heels clicked crisply on the polished floor, the sound echoing.


    Song Ke and the other six followed her, observing numerous images of honor on the historical wall. These included global supernatural summits, roundtable forums, genetic elite exchanges, as well as military exercises with the Cario Empire and the Luce Federation.


    With the passage of time, the presence of awakeners became increasingly evident. Song Ke keenly realized that this was the disparity between different districts within the Alliance: a D-level awakening might cause immense joy in lower-tier districts, but in the Northern Base or other District Bs, especially among post-apocalyptic awakeners, supernatural abilities were commonplace long ago.


    Song Ke also noticed that the people moving around were high-level awakeners, enveloped in a faint aura of awakened energy, yet they remained restrained and subdued.


    Along the way, many secretly observed them, seemingly trying to figure out who among them was the rumored S7. The news about the base recruiting an S-level attack-type awakener had been widely spread, and Ye Zimei personally bringing in V587 had revealed their identities.


    Amidst the attention of the crowd, the group took an automated scenic elevator up the building.


    Song Ke, looking at the building without any visible security measures, had a sudden curiosity and asked, ¡°What if there were awakener terrorists here?¡±


    Ye Zimei smiled slowly, ¡°Believe me, the stupidest way to die in this world is to recklessly use awakened abilities in the building beneath our feet.¡±


    She tapped her pearl earring, and a video began playing on the elevator¡¯s announcement screen. The top caption read¡ª¡±Security Manual 014.¡±


    ¡°This is footage from eight months ago. At the outbreak of the apocalypse, an A7-level awakener from a lower-level district, along with twenty-three thugs, forcibly entered the awakener department, attempting to kidnap Commander He and take control of the entire Northern Base.¡±


    In the footage, the leader, a corruption-type awakener, appeared arrogant, chin held high, spouting commands: ¡°Everyone get down on your knees! Don¡¯t move!¡± As he advanced, the floor, tables, pillars¡ªeverything he passed turned into pus.


    Just as he was about to cross the midpoint, the ceiling of the awakener department vanished suddenly, revealing a deep spatial crack. Then hundreds of densely packed energy guns emerged, ¡°Bang! Bang! Bang!¡± Blinding beams of light instantly turned the thugs into sieves. After the intense light dissipated, only the A7-level survived, but he didn¡¯t have long to rejoice¡ªhe was blasted into a pulp.


    Literally a pulp¡ªbloody, sticky fragments rained down onto the smooth floor.


    The scene was as if silenced by a spell, utterly still and soundless.


    The surveillance footage shifted to the transparent corridor on the higher level, where two young individuals dressed in awakener department uniforms appeared. They had similar appearances, tall and slender, both with blonde hair and green eyes, exuding an effortless air of indifference.


    The slender hands of the female rested on the railing, observing with interest the remains of the A7-level who had chosen his path to death. The male leaned against the wall, arms crossed, seemingly dozing off, entirely apathetic without even lifting an eyelid.


    Ye Zimei cleared her throat lightly, her tone revealing profound sympathy, ¡°Out of the total of 14 malignant incidents in the 47 years since the establishment of the base, this was the most unfortunate criminal. He happened to encounter the Ling siblings¡¯ return for duty reports, the chance for surrender was not even given.¡±


    Song Ke, wearing a surprised expression, asked, ¡°The Ling siblings?¡±


    ¡°Ah, Ling Yan and Ling Yue, a pair of twins, one representing the dragon and the other the phoenix. They are the only two S6-level attack-type awakeners in the Northern Base,¡± Ye Zimei lowered her voice, slyly blinked, ¡°They are also assimilated awakeners from the Cario Empire.¡±


    Song Ke glanced again at the video. After the Ling siblings resolved the crisis, they left without much enthusiasm.


    S-level awakeners possess absolute dominance over all ranks below S-level, especially two S6-levels. As Ye Zimei had mentioned, these criminals had indeed stumbled into a really unfortunate situation.


    Guided by Ye Zimei, V587 had no hindrances and quickly reached the penultimate floor.


    In a spacious conference room, they finally encountered the holographic image of the top official of the awakeners department, He Qiuhong.


    The seven individuals exchanged glances without a word. The ¡°personal¡± reception mentioned by He Qiuhong turned out to be in this form. However, it was understandable. Facing an attack-type S7 level and an entire A-level awakener team, even if V587 had voluntarily sought refuge, He Qiuhong didn¡¯t let joy cloud her judgment and maintained the necessary vigilance.


    He Qiuhong wore a dark blue suit, had a bridge nose supporting black-framed glasses, and a stern and dignified countenance, with two deep folds on the sides of her nose.


    Song Ke inexplicably recalled the vice principal she had encountered during her brief student days.


    ¡°Song Ke, and the rest of V587 team, welcome to the Northern Base,¡± He Qiuhong got straight to the point. ¡°Two weeks ago, I watched the finals of the Throne Race Competition in District C72 live. You are an exceptional team, each of you shines with unique qualities, cohesive and indispensable.¡±


    Her appreciative gaze swept over everyone, accurately naming Su Cha, Xu Xing, Fang Zhixu, even Lin Youyou by her real name, and then¡­ very naturally omitted the remaining two.


    The two men in wheelchairs glanced at each other in silence. One of them smirked slightly, while the other yawned out of boredom.


    Since their arrival at the Northern Base, Zhuang Qingyan and Lu Xiaoyu had concealed their awakened energies flawlessly, seemingly no different from ordinary people. With Song Ke as their cover, their status was openly acknowledged as ¡°accompanying personnel.¡±


    He Qiuhong had indeed followed the competition, but she watched the official broadcasts, not continuously monitoring V587 for 24 hours. During the Throne Race, Lu Xiaoyu consistently used his mechanical arm, never exposing his hacker abilities to the camera. Zhuang Qingyan was even more discreet; he never followed with the drone, hardly appeared in front of the camera¡ªif he ever flashed by, Lu Xiaoyu swiftly edited him out.


    In the Northern Base, strength was the only valid pass. No one intentionally concealed their identity as an awakener. Therefore, He Qiuhong naturally assumed they were just ordinary people¡ªor rather, disabled individuals¡ªcoincidentally teamed up with V587. She didn¡¯t bother to spare them a second glance.


    He Qiuhong didn¡¯t say anything, not even a disdainful look. Yet, Zhuang Qingyan could read between the lines, sensing her disdain toward ordinary individuals.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to break through to S-level in such a short time after the competition and choose to come to the Northern Base,¡± said He Qiuhong with an expressionless face.


    ¡°¡­¡± Song Ke awkwardly scratched her head.


    It was nearly impossible to leap from A-level to S7-level in such a short time, but He Qiuhong didn¡¯t expose her. Instead, she went along with the contents of the letter Zhuang Qingyan had fabricated, which indicated that she didn¡¯t mind Song Ke hiding her level in Ferrara.


    ¡°On behalf of the Northern Base, according to the recruitment notice, I offer you ownership of five sets of apartments in the central area, full access to District B for awakeners, along with monthly allowances and corresponding living benefits.¡±


    He Qiuhong was generous, changing the original ¡°free apartment stay¡± to ¡°gifting five sets of apartments,¡± providing both housing and financial support, making V587 feel warmly welcomed. She then introduced the basics of the awakener department and the current vacant job positions, captivating her audience.


    Finally, He Qiuhong turned to Song Ke. ¡°You can make any requests, and after the probationary period, I will prioritize their implementation.¡±


    ¡°Probationary period?¡± Song Ke seized upon the keyword.


    ¡°The survival rule of the Northern Base is absolute strength,¡± He Qiuhong nodded slightly. ¡°We operate on a last-place elimination system, updating the ranking points monthly. The bottom 1% of the teams, unfortunately, cannot stay here.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I believe you will definitely pass the probationary period. I look forward to seeing you again in a month,¡± He Qiuhong smiled. ¡°By then, perhaps we can sit down for a cup of tea face to face.¡±


    The words carried a hint of deeper meaning, suggesting that V587 might meet her in person next time.


    Even in the presence of an S-level awakener, He Qiuhong didn¡¯t exhibit an eager attitude to retain them. She perfectly embodied the calm and rational demeanor expected of someone in a high position. Yet, she showed considerable attention to Song Ke, conversing calmly and clearly invested in her thoughts.


    Song Ke felt that He Qiuhong seemed like a contradictory person.


    ¡°Additionally, this is specially prepared for you,¡± He Qiuhong turned and quietly instructed a few words.


    At that moment, there was a firm knock on the conference room door. Two staff members wheeled in a mobile desk, adorned with various colorful terminals, covering nearly all popular styles in District B.


    ¡°We were planning to purchase these collectively,¡± Song Ke politely declined, thinking there might be discounts for a group purchase.


    He Qiuhong simply stated, ¡°All S-level terminals are directly provided by the awakener department.¡±


    Song Ke was taken aback, staring at her intently.


    He Qiuhong didn¡¯t mince words. ¡°S-level awakeners carry inherent risks. We need to ensure constant contact with you 24/7. These terminals are pre-equipped with locator devices and exclusive communication channels. Once bound to you, you can use them.¡±


    Song Ke shifted her gaze away, took a couple of steps forward, and silently selected one.


    ¡­


    As they left the awakener department, Lin Youyou grumbled discontentedly, ¡°What¡¯s this? Surveillance?¡±


    Fang Zhixu rubbed his chin, ¡°I feel like this Commander He¡¯s actions and words don¡¯t quite align. Something¡¯s off.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s an outright pragmatist,¡± Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s calm voice echoed.


    Others turned to look at him.


    Zhuang Qingyan continued, ¡°She talks about nothing but the interests of the Northern Base. In her eyes, awakeners are just the best tools to maintain those interests. When she needs you, she¡¯ll cater to you and support you. But in case of conflict or contradiction with her pursued interests, she won¡¯t hesitate to discard you.¡±


    ¡°However, at least for the Northern Base, she¡¯s a dutiful superior,¡± Zhuang Qingyan sarcastically chuckled.


    ¡°That terminal, do I still need it?¡± Song Ke had picked a pin-shaped one, resembling a small bee.


    Zhuang Qingyan shrugged it off, ¡°Sure, why not? We haven¡¯t done anything wrong. What¡¯s there to fear? When the time comes for mischief, we¡¯ll find a way to outsmart it.¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°¡­¡± Why does doing wrong feel justified like this?


    The first activation of the terminal required binding. Song Ke lightly released her awakened energy, feeling a momentary looseness in her consciousness. Suddenly, she sensed a subtle feeling of being observed. She paused for a moment. If it weren¡¯t for her experience with the Crime Record in the Death Prison, she might have ignored this sensation.


    But the Crime Record was something Lu Xiaoyu had concocted out of boredom in prison. Why would the terminals in District B behave similarly?


    Song Ke shared her discovery with her teammates.


    Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s pale fingers took the terminal, examining it with a gaze that hinted at a mechanical indifference in his icy eyes.


    ¡°A mild thought connection¡­ indeed, ¡®her¡¯ doing,¡± Lu Xiaoyu spoke cryptically. But he didn¡¯t plan to explain further. Swiftly, he input a string of anti-snooping codes. ¡°Making too many moves might lead to detection. Just wear it for now and try to minimize using the ¡®permissions.''¡±


    ¡°Permissions?¡± Song Ke was puzzled.


    ¡°Yeah, accessing information not in your mind, actively gaining knowledge you¡¯ve never had, that¡¯s ¡®permissions.¡¯ While it can be convenient, every use is essentially a request to ¡®her¡¯, deepening the thought connection gradually.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Song Ke nodded obediently. ¡°I won¡¯t use it then. I¡¯ll just ask Zhuang Qingyan.¡±


    What information, what knowledge? The rigid terminal can¡¯t compare to Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s expertise. This ¡°Encyclopedia of the Alliance¡± not only shares everything with her but also adjusts the language to ensure she comprehends it.


    Zhuang Qingyan suddenly chuckled, a smile so genuine it could melt ice, the curvature of his lips revealing a visible sense of joy.


    ¡°Wait a moment, when you said ¡®her¡¯¡­¡± Lin Youyou asked cautiously.


    ¡°Lu¡¯s supercomputer,¡± Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s tone remained flat, devoid of ripples. ¡°It infiltrated the terminal network in District B. She sees everyone.¡±


    Everyone felt a shiver down their spine.


    Before, they merely found the terminals in District B impressive and cool. But as Lu Xiaoyu spoke, the constant feeling of being watched became unsettling.


    However, the provided terminal had its advantages, like direct access to the commission system.


    The seven gathered around. Song Ke opened the interface eagerly. Even after deducting the 500,000 points for the entry threshold, they should have had a comfortable 200,000 points left. The landlord¡¯s family was still very wealthy, and it should be more than enough to get on the ranking list.


    Then came the cruel reality.


    After the real-time update, the projection displayed: [V587 current points: 220,050, Monthly Ranking: 99.99%.]


    ¡°Unfortunately, your team failed to enter the rankings. Please continue to work hard.¡±


    Song Ke stubbornly scrolled upwards. The top scorer had 448,888 points.


    Twice as many as V587.


    Song Ke¡¯s expression fell.


    Goodness, was the competition among the awakeners in the Northern Base this intense? s?a??h th? n0v?l(?)ire.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 139.1: Fire Seed (8)

    ¡ò Niu Hulu Qingyan ¡òPerhaps at the explicit request of Ye Zimei, the commissioner arranged by the awakeners department was exceptionally considerate, exuding enthusiastic attitudes. Not only did they swiftly handle the household registration transfer procedures, but they also drove them to buy terminals. Aside from the two ¡°ordinary people,¡± all four A-level members of V587 switched to District B terminals. After finishing, they proceeded to update the awakeners information and select a property. From the locals¡¯ perspective, they provided suggestions:


    ¡°Avoid the ground floor; poor lighting. Also, steer clear of the top floor; too many flying terminals causing a lot of noise.¡±


    ¡°I like this one!¡± Xu Xing took a liking to a set in the blue community. The holographic advertisement was extravagant, boasting a 360-degree immersive jellyfish-shaped lamp, algae floorboards that change shape with mood, an immersive orca-themed bedroom with sound effects as the highlight, all full of gimmicks.


    The commissioner shook their head repeatedly, ¡°Many awakeners in this community have become emo due to living in a deep-sea environment for long periods. It would be better for you to choose a garden-style small villa with better sunlight exposure, where you can bask in the sun regularly, and even connect between two households.¡±


    Though no one explicitly stated it, the attentive commissioner noticed the harmonious interaction within the V587 team; undoubtedly, they preferred to live closer to each other.


    Amidst the commotion, Song Ke found herself idle and took out her terminal for a glance.


    Then¡­ she watched helplessly as V587¡¯s ranking dropped once again.


    Today was supposed to be a designated rest day for the Alliance, but were these people not resting or sleeping at all?


    No, she had to get involved too!


    The concerned team captain promptly opened the commission system. Xu Xing ran over for her to choose a house, and she waved her hand in a perfunctory manner, saying, ¡°You choose what you want to buy.¡±


    The list scrolled rapidly, new tasks appearing only to be overlapped right away. Coupled with various restrictions like rank, distance, and application conditions, Song Ke became increasingly engrossed, and completely absorbed in selecting tasks.


    ¡°¡®C-level Commission: Clear the rampant mutated Turban snails along the Silver Bay (District C44). Point Reward: 80000.''¡±


    This one seemed promising. Song Ke eagerly clicked on it, only to be greeted with a prompt stating, ¡°This task has expired.¡±


    Before she could lament, a batch of new tasks appeared on the interface:


    ¡°¡®B-level Commission (Urgent): Medium-sized zombie tide has emerged in the coffee tree plantation area of Mandelin (District C43). Please clear within 4 hours.''¡±


    Below, in small red scrolling text, the tone was urgent: ¡°All coffee enthusiasts, please save Mandelin! This area is the primary producer of Mandheling coffee. Once invaded by the zombie tide beyond the deadline, it will affect the Alliance¡¯s coffee production!¡±


    Song Ke took a small breath, realizing the seriousness of the situation. Even though she didn¡¯t drink coffee, she had a sense of justice!


    She swiftly tapped on the virtual panel with her fingers. Perhaps due to an abundance of coffee enthusiasts, Song Ke¡¯s fingertips tingled, and the prompt that popped up stated, ¡°The maximum number of accepted tasks has been reached.¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°?¡± How could it be at its limit? She hadn¡¯t even started her duty as a coffee defender!


    Feeling disheartened, Song Ke swiped the panel twice more. Surprisingly, she managed to fish out a task worth 200,000 points, and guess what? No one had taken it!


    With quick reflexes, she crazily tapped away regardless. But the result¡­


    ¡°Apologies, your team doesn¡¯t meet the acceptance criteria.¡±


    What was this now? What didn¡¯t meet the criteria? Song Ke scrutinized it: ¡°¡®B-level Commission: Reconstruction of an open-air hot spring bath in Tokushima (District B15), requires abilities in engineering. The higher the level, the better!¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°¡­¡± She still chose not to give up today!


    Song Ke immersed herself in her work again, frantically trying to snatch up commissions. Hey! She couldn¡¯t snatch even one!


    She was so engrossed in snatching that she didn¡¯t even notice her teammates had moved ahead. Zhuang Qingyan, stopping in his wheelchair, didn¡¯t catch her attention either.


    ¡°Thud!¡± Her toe hit the wheelchair, causing her to lean and lose balance, falling forward like a swallow returning to its nest, straight into someone¡¯s arms.


    Zhuang Qingyan leaned his wheelchair back slightly, opening his arms to catch her firmly.


    As Song Ke lifted her head, she found herself face-to-face with his perfectly curved jawline.


    Today, he was dressed in a light-colored suit, the open collar revealing a clear view of his collarbones. A straight and slender nose, a faint smile tugging at his thin lips, and with those gold-rimmed glasses held by two delicate chains, he looked like the epitome of a handsome and sophisticated superstar from a street billboard.


    Zhuang Qingyan lowered his head, his sensual Adam¡¯s apple moving slightly with his breath. He pinched Song Ke¡¯s cheeks, gently shaking them left and right, causing her head to follow suit.


    ¡°Shqueezing cheeks makes drool¡­¡± Song Ke mumbled incoherently.


    Zhuang Qingyan lightly chuckled, a deep resonance coming from his throat. As Song Ke rested her fingertips against him, she felt a slight numbness in her heart.


    Her ears felt like they were on fire. She extended two fingers, pressing a few inches below Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s chest and then pushing against his thigh, swiftly standing up.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s expression subtly changed: ¡°Song Ke, if you keep poking around like this, it might cause trouble.¡±


    Song Ke defended herself: ¡°I didn¡¯t¡­ poke around.¡± It was just using a support to stand up, so stingy.


    She glanced at Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s legs in discontent. What was so precious about those thighs? Couldn¡¯t even touch them.


    Zhuang Qingyan somewhat uneasily placed his right hand on his knee, changing the subject, ¡°What are you so focused on?¡±


    As soon as he asked, Song Ke felt indignant and started complaining, ¡°I can¡¯t grab any commissions!¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan reached out, ¡°Let me have a look.¡±


    They were used to sharing a terminal, so Song Ke handed it over without a second thought. But coincidentally, the commissioner in front turned around and saw this scene, eyes almost popping out.


    In District B, terminals were extremely private, as significant as undergarments. They were devices projecting real-time thoughts from your mind. How could one casually show it to others?


    The stunned commissioner¡¯s gaze landed on Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s face that was blessed by heaven. Gradually, disbelief turned into enlightenment. This pretty boy¡­ with such a gentle, breath-taking smile, indeed had the qualities to live off someone else. No wonder he¡¯s in a wheelchair and still charms an S-level¡­ s?a??h th? ??v?l_Fir?.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    The commissioner sighed, turned away, and accidentally caught sight of Lu Xiaoyu. Their mind went blank. What, one¡¯s not enough, there are two? Even the chair is saved, sit down and fight the landlord directly? This new S-level seemed to have¡­ some unique quirks?


    Unaware of the commissioner¡¯s complex thought process, Song Ke was solely concerned about V587¡¯s ranking, ¡°Can you snatch them?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan swiped his fingertips a few times, ¡°At this speed, it seems like they¡¯re using an automatic commission snatching plug-in.¡±


    ¡°Commission snatching¡­ plug-ins?¡± Song Ke¡¯s voice trembled. Was it necessary to go this far? No wonder her fingers were numb from not grabbing a single task.


    ¡°What plug-in? What are you all talking about?¡± Lin Youyou curiously leaned in.


    Song Ke explained their situation, and everyone seemed eager to join in.


    ¡°This intense? Then we have to participate too!¡±


    ¡°This is the very first commission after coming to the Northern Base. It has to be completed splendidly to make a strong start.¡±


    Su Cha was more direct: ¡°It¡¯s still early, let¡¯s handle the commission and then go back.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan tossed the terminal to Lu Xiaoyu, hinting at something as he said, ¡°The captain is about to take on a commission, can you handle it?¡±


    ¡®My god!¡¯ The commissioner, whose worldview shattered, bit their finger, their expression becoming even more indescribable: ¡®Sharing a terminal between three people? Isn¡¯t that too intense?¡¯


    This was just a piece of cake for Lu Xiaoyu. He had never lost in snatching classes at Liuboni. With swift finger movements, Lu Xiaoyu entered a long string of code. The freshly made ¡®Commission Random Interception Cheat¡¯ operated in the vast sea of data. A few minutes later, the terminal made a ¡®ding¡¯ sound, displaying a prompt: [Mission accepted successfully. Please complete it within the specified time limit.]


    ¡°What did you snatch?¡± Others crowded around, preparing to welcome V587¡¯s first commission at the Northern Base.


    [B-level Commission (exclusive to District B10): Fishing Master. The Base¡¯s Marine Biology Research Institute is preparing to add new display specimens. Please go to Silver Bay (District C44) within 24 hours to capture the mutated species listed. The better the quality and the more intact, the higher the points earned.] [Reminder: This task is not suitable for all those with ichthyophobia.]


    Song Ke was puzzled. Huh? What ichthyophobia¡­?


    But time was running out, there was no time to explain. She quickly called out to her teammates: ¡°Let¡¯s go, do the commission.¡±


    Fortunately, all the necessary procedures had been completed. The expressionless commissioner stared at V587¡¯s hurriedly departing figure and silently opened the gossip channel: Crooked Anecdotes of Awakeners


    [I want to anonymously expose an S-level Sea King who keeps two pretty boys around and frequently shares a terminal when there¡¯s nothing else to do¡­]

 Chapter 139.2: Fire Seed (8)

    ¡ò Niu Hulu Qingyan ¡òSilver Bay was only a two-hour journey from the Northern Base by a starship. However, when V587 arrived, there was no place for them to step foot on the beach. Like Qianzhan City, this place was filled with awakeners, resembling a chaotic marketplace.¡±


    ¡°Make way, make way, we were here first¡­ Get out of the way, don¡¯t you understand human language?¡±


    ¡°Who the hell do you think you are, motherf*cker? If I¡¯ve grabbed it, it¡¯s mine. If you have the guts, try to snatch it back, hahaha!¡±


    ¡°You @#£¥&*! Get lost, you @#&¡­¡­¡±


    A wind-elemental awakener took advantage and stirred the sea, causing the water to surge and churn, forming huge waves crashing ahead. The mutated creatures hiding below were overturned, and Song Ke witnessed a scene she never wanted to recall in her lifetime.


    Uncountable monstrous ribbonfish, three-headed deformed eels, mudskippers as thick as arms, and thousands of ferocious octopuses and squids rained down like hail, their pungent stench and sea smell assaulting everyone¡¯s senses.


    The awakener rushed in, frenetically grabbing, their dazzling array of skills almost blinding the onlookers nearby.


    But Song Ke and her group couldn¡¯t even make a move, not even scraps were left for them.


    Well, maybe there were scraps to pick up.


    ¡°Pap¡ª¡± a thorned eel fell by Song Ke¡¯s feet, its jagged teeth clamping onto her shoe, pierced through expressionlessly by her.


    ¡°Pap¡ª¡± a ribbonfish slammed onto Lin Youyou¡¯s shoulder, its wriggles delivering a hefty slap.


    ¡°Damn it.¡± Lin Youyou was dumbfounded, experiencing the first time in her life getting slapped by a fish.


    Su Cha swiftly grabbed the ribbonfish with one hand, dispersing a poisonous mist and promptly snapped its neck.


    ¡°Are¡­ are you okay?¡±


    Lin Youyou turned her head dazedly, then gritted her teeth: ¡°If I don¡¯t exterminate the ribbonfish clan today, my last name isn¡¯t Lin.¡±


    However, bold words came easy, but tackling the monsters was not as simple.


    Song Ke fired an arrow, pinning down a Level 3 mutated razor clam. Before she could rejoice, a sand-elemental awakener swiftly enveloped it in quicksand, cleanly snatching away her trophy.


    Song Ke exclaimed in shock and anger, ¡°Thief!¡±


    Looking around, it was a sea of either human or monster heads, making it impossible to spot any thief.


    Others weren¡¯t faring much better. Most were dignified individuals not willing to lose face, dividing their focus between fishing and protecting their own catches. But other awakeners had no qualms, shamelessly seizing anything, theirs or not, stuffing it all into their own pockets. S?a??h the Nov?lF?re .??t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Su Cha and Lin Youyou, busy cutting ribbonfish, had their loot stolen by someone else.


    Xu Xing froze an area with his awakened ability, but before he could rush over, a spatial awakener swooped in and vacuumed his catch, leaving him infuriated.


    As for Lu Xiaoyu¡­ he was the only one putting up a fight, utilizing all six arms to specifically snatch other people¡¯s monsters.


    And then there was Zhuang Qingyan, struck by his germaphobia, who had long distanced himself, wearing an expression of complete disdain.


    Song Ke locked eyes with him, Zhuang Qingyan leaning weakly against his wheelchair, his gaze filled with accusation: You have the heart to make me catch fish?


    Alright, alright, Song Ke couldn¡¯t bear to let him do the work.


    After toiling away the whole day, they barely scored 50,000 points. Checking the rankings, she chuckled bitterly¡ªthey had slipped back two spots again.


    When V587 returned to the Northern Base, everyone wore sour expressions; the starship reeked of a strong stench of decay.


    Their opening move had obviously fallen flat.


    Song Ke sighed inwardly. If things continued like this, would she become the first S-level eliminated due to lagging rankings in the Northern Base?


    ¡­


    ¡°I heard you went to snatch fish. Hahaha, still not successful?¡± Ye Zimei¡¯s laughter came through the terminal.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it,¡± Song Ke groaned, massaging her temples.


    ¡°Song Ke, do you know anyone at the base?¡±


    Ye Zimei laughed at her for a while before getting serious: ¡°The top-level awakeners have their own circle. I heard that the teams at the forefront of the rankings have created an exclusive channel. Those S-level and A-level commissions with high return rates are basically monopolized by them and cannot fall into the hands of outsiders.¡±


    ¡°If you have connections, get them to invite you into the channel. It¡¯s definitely more efficient than snatching fish¡ªhahaha!¡±


    ¡­Connections?


    A face slowly surfaced in Song Ke¡¯s mind: wearing sniper goggles, black sniper gloves while handling guns, with untamed features, a sparkling ruby earring on the right ear.


    It seemed like she did have someone.


    ¡°And another thing, your¡­ um, family member from before wanted to meet Professor Ming Gang and his wife, right?¡± Ye Zimei said, ¡°Their visitor appointment channel was closed many years ago, and they haven¡¯t appeared in public for a long time. I found Professor Ming¡¯s current address on Middle Ancient Street. Whenever you guys have time, I¡¯ll accompany you there.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll ask first.¡±


    *


    An experimental laboratory filled with instruments.


    The sound of machines beeping intermittently echoed, gene sequences slowly rotating in the air.


    Two corpses lay in observation chambers, their skin extensively decayed, their pupils a murky gray¡ªthese were the Fallen captured from Haimen. An invisible shadow was corroding their bodies, one of them having already lost all signs of life.


    ¡°Radiation levels report.¡±


    ¡°47.75%, nearing critical threshold!¡±


    ¡°Awakened energy levels.¡±


    ¡°¡­0.¡±


    The upper body of the living corpse suddenly stiffened, arching into a bridge-like form, emitting a hoarse, mournful groan from its throat before collapsing heavily, breathless.


    ¡°Confirmed¡­ the subject is deceased.¡±


    The surrounding assistants remained silent as the weight of failure lingered in the air.


    After a full two minutes, a hoarse voice broke the silence, slowly uttering, ¡°Record: radiation exceeds 47.75%, DNA double-strand breakage, chromosome deactivation, organ dissolution¡­ Primitive cells have lost regenerative capabilities. The fourth awakening experiment, unsuccessful.¡±


    ¡°Dr. Ning, how do we dispose of these two discarded experimental subjects?¡±


    ¡°Destroy them,¡± a man with graying temples and a gaunt face spoke softly.


    Another failure, countless failures that had left the faces in the laboratory drained and the atmosphere heavy.


    A lab-coated assistant entered from outside, holding a screen of light.


    ¡°Dr. Ning, the awakener department sent a file. They say the subject in the file may have a genetic condition, they want you to take a look.¡±


    ¡°Do you think I have nothing else to do?¡±


    The man¡¯s expression showed embarrassment. ¡°This is Commander He¡¯s instruction.¡±


    He Qiuhong was the financial backbone of the entire laboratory. Dr. Ning stayed silent for a moment, not refusing further, taking the screen and examining its contents.


    Initially casually browsing through it, gradually, his pace slowed, his expression grew more solemn. Finally, he lingered for a long time on page 17¡ªa massive shadow completely engulfing the body. Compared to this image, the Fallen who had just died from excessive radiation seemed utterly laughable.


    ¡°What is this? A newly discovered mutated zombie?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± the assistant was startled, hastening to explain, ¡°It¡¯s an S-level newcomer at the base.¡±


    ¡°An awakener¡­¡± Dr. Ning flipped back to the report¡¯s cover, reading aloud the name written on it: ¡°Song Ke.¡±


    ¡°The report stays with me. Please, have Director He find a way to bring this¡­ Song Ke to the lab.¡±


    ¡°Huh? For what reason?¡± the assistant hesitated to ask.


    ¡°For further genetic examination.¡± Dr. Ning gestured to the section of the genetic report towards the back.


    ¡­


    In the Central District¡¯s Garden Apartments, a tall, slender figure stood by the French windows.


    The man, nearly 185 cm tall, had elongated limbs and a graceful posture. His facial features were defined and smooth, with deep-set eyes and a straight lip line when not smiling. Gazing down at the world, he seemed like an impassive and distant deity.


    Fang Zhixu sighed while stroking his chin, ¡°Truly living up to the S-level, huh? Half a month earlier in recovery time than I anticipated.¡±


    Hearing this, Zhuang Qingyan turned around. Broad shoulders and a straight back, a slender waist tucked neatly under the tailored pants, encasing two extraordinarily long legs.


    ¡°Thank you, Dr. Fang, for your miraculous recovery skills, which prevented any lasting effects.¡±


    ¡°When do you plan to inform the captain?¡±


    ¡°No rush,¡± Zhuang Qingyan smiled, his glasses¡¯ chains gently swaying with the motion, exuding an air of grace and elegance.


    Being in a wheelchair wasn¡¯t bad at all. His carefully crafted image of being a fragile and delicate ¡°little white flower¡± could always get some unexpected care from Song Ke.


    ¡°Zhuang Qingyan!¡±


    The door was pushed open forcefully, and Song Ke stormed in, ¡°Ye Zimei said she¡¯ll accompany us¡­¡±


    Zhuang Qingyu: ¡°¡­¡± Facepalm.


    He sighed in resignation, ¡°Song Ke, can you please knock before barging into my room?¡±


    Song Ke didn¡¯t hear a word he said, her mouth forming a perfect ¡®O¡¯ shape.


    It was the first time she had seen Zhuang Qingyan standing so relaxed, without the aid of a cumbersome cane, without the urgency of a sealing injection. He stood there, using his two perfectly normal legs that belonged to him.


    Outside the window, the golden dawn of early morning painted the sky as numerous aircraft moved about.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s superior silhouette stood backlit, seeming to carry an immense radiance upon his shoulders.


    The feeling it evoked was both familiar and strange.


    It was as if he had become someone else, yet still Zhuang Qingyan, yet not quite him.


    In Song Ke¡¯s mind, a line from a palace intrigue drama that Aming loved watching surfaced at an inappropriate moment:


    ¡°The former Zhuang Qingyan is already dead. Now standing before you is¡ªNiu Hulu Qingyan.¡±


    **TN


    ¡°Å¥ìﻡ± (Ni¨³ H¨´ L¨´) is a Chinese internet buzzword that gained popularity from the TV series ¡°Story of Yanxi Palace¡± (ÑÓìû¹¥ÂÔ). It¡¯s a playful, humorous nickname given to one of the main characters, Emperor Qianlong, whose full name was ¡°Hongli¡± (ºëÀú).


    ¡°Niu Hulu¡± originated from a scene where the character said, ¡°From now on, I¡¯m not Emperor Qianlong, I¡¯m¡­ Niu Hulu!¡± It was a comical moment that resonated with viewers and quickly became a popular meme and catchphrase. The phrase is often used humorously or ironically online, referencing the emperor¡¯s playful, less formal side portrayed in the show.


    In addition, in the TV dramas ¡°Empresses in the Palace¡± and ¡°Ruyi¡¯s Royal Love in the Palace¡±, when someone is given the surname ¡°Niu Hulu,¡± it means they have become cunning and no longer innocent.

 Chapter 140.1: Fire Seed (9)

    ¡ò I asked you to hold him back, not to disable him ¡òThe members of the V587 were called for an impromptu meeting in the apartment¡¯s living room.


    ¡°Captain, what¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Song Ke puffed her cheeks, crossed her arms, and sat on the circular bar, nudging the corner of her mouth towards a lazy figure in a wheelchair.


    Everyone turned their heads to look, except for Fang Zhixu, who awkwardly scratched his head, not daring to say a word.


    ¡°Stand up,¡± Song Ke ordered coldly, looking down from her high position.


    Under everyone¡¯s gaze, Zhuang Qingyan awkwardly coughed twice in a ¡°fragile¡± manner, supporting himself on the wheelchair with both hands. He slowly stood up, trembling as he took a step forward. His knees weren¡¯t accustomed, causing a slight delay in his movement, resulting in a sway in his body.


    Su Cha instinctively reached out to help.


    Expressionless, Song Ke said, ¡°Stop pretending.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan straightened his back and immediately stopped swaying.


    Su Cha muttered to himself, ¡°¡­6,¡± and quietly retracted his arm.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s hand awkwardly hovered in the air, seeing Song Ke had no intention of assisting him. He casually put his hand in his pocket, adjusted his muscles to their best condition, moved smoothly and naturally, his demeanor lazy and casual. Crossing his long legs, he walked back and forth like a male model in a poster, and then confidently sat back down.


    V587: ¡°¡­?¡±


    In the silent air, they witnessed a free top-notch runway show, then indignantly accused him:


    ¡°You big liar, just the day before yesterday, I was pushing you!¡± This was Xu Xing, the fooled free labor.


    ¡°Tch, boring.¡± This was Lu Xiaoyu rolling his eyes.


    ¡°You kid, why didn¡¯t you tell everyone in advance? Now look¡­¡± Fang Zhixu tried to shrink, attempting to avoid responsibility.


    Lin Youyou suspiciously glanced at him, ¡°Old Fang, you¡¯re his attending physician, wouldn¡¯t you know if his leg got better?¡±


    Fang Zhixu stammered, ¡°Uh, well, I¡­ I¡­¡±


    Lin Youyou covered her mouth dramatically, looking pained, ¡°Wow, you two colluded to deceive us¡­ to deceive the captain¡¯s pure feelings!¡±


    Song Ke nodded seriously, ¡°Yeah! Huh?¡± What feelings?


    She quickly brought the conversation back on track, ¡°So, what are your plans for the future?¡±


    ¡°Everyone within the team knows about the recovery; I¡¯ll continue using the wheelchair for a while.¡± Zhuang Qingyan lifted one leg, the suit pants outlining a clear silhouette. With his hands clasped in front of his abdomen, his expression open and without a hint of embarrassment, he said, ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m used to sitting, quite comfortable, actually.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes, yes.¡± Everyone rolled their eyes but went along with it, showing kindness.


    Despite teasing Zhuang Qingyan, everyone had a sense of understanding and wouldn¡¯t spread rumors around.


    After Lin Xiu woke up, they all more or less guessed that Zhuang Qingyan had an unusual identity but never questioned him. Each person had their own unspoken secrets, and among teammates, there should be mutual respect.


    Song Ke took the opportunity to discuss with Zhuang Qingyan about accompanying them to meet Ming Gang and his wife, allowing him to choose a suitable time.


    Zhuang Qingyan hesitated for a moment. ¡°The sooner, the better. How about tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Song Ke nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s eyes curved into a charming smile. ¡°District B is in crisis step by step, all because of my poor health. Cough, cough. I¡¯ve caused trouble for everyone. Only the captain doesn¡¯t mind that I¡¯m a burden and is willing to accompany me. What more could I ask for?¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°¡­¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s forehead twisted in frustration. She turned half of her body away, no longer looking at his fake smile, quietly pulling out her own communicator terminal.


    She still had to worry about the task she had been entrusted with.


    Searching through the contacts, she found the profile of Yin Xiao and earnestly composed a message to send.


    The gist of it was that she and her teammates had arrived at the Northern Base and heard about an exclusive channel for accepting missions. Could they be added to it?


    As she typed away, Zhuang Qingyan stood up by himself, using one hand to support himself on the bar counter while resting his chin on her shoulder, staring fixedly at the content on the terminal. From behind, it seemed like a possessive half-embrace posture.


    After waiting for about a minute, Yin Xiao¡¯s reply finally arrived.


    Song Ke opened it, finding only a location pin and an exclamation mark.


    Just as she was forming a question in her mind, the next message from Yin Xiao popped up: ¡°Come.¡±


    ¡°Two people, alone at night, making plans. He¡¯s aiming high, huh?¡± Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s smile carried a chilling undertone.


    Before Song Ke could respond, another message arrived from Yin Xiao. Perhaps realizing the ambiguity in their conversation or acknowledging the sensitive timing, this time the message was more detailed: ¡°Help rescue a situation. You alone will do. There¡¯s an S-level threat on-site. Dangerous.¡±


    With Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s warm breath on her right shoulder, Song Ke felt the weight. She tilted her head slightly. ¡°So, should I go?¡±


    ¡°Go where? Forget about it,¡± Zhuang Qingyan coldly snorted.


    Observing the thickness of Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s eyelashes, Song Ke spoke earnestly, ¡°We owe him a favor. It¡¯s a matter of reciprocity and social etiquette.¡±


    After some thought, she articulated, ¡°Courtesy demands reciprocity.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan couldn¡¯t help but smile. He found it interesting how much a person could learn in just a few days. The girl seemed to understand the intricacies of social interactions now.


    ¡°Must you go?¡± His deep eyes seemed to probe into her soul, his tone soft and slow, tinged with a hint of sorrow.


    ¡°I have to,¡± Song Ke said earnestly.


    They locked eyes for a few seconds, and inexplicably, a sense of guilt, akin to the feeling of a disloyal man secretly meeting someone else while having a wife, surged within Song Ke.


    What¡¯s this? She shook her head, dispelling this baseless and terrifying notion.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine to go, but find someone to accompany you,¡± Zhuang Qingyan finally relented, sighing, ¡°It¡¯s just an S-level threat, after all.¡±


    ¡°Go early, come back early. Don¡¯t get involved in things you shouldn¡¯t, or else I won¡¯t let you in,¡± he added, patting Song Ke¡¯s head with one hand, as a reminder.


    Because of his ¡°unsuitability for the occasion,¡± he couldn¡¯t show up openly and had to rely on the team.


    Lu Xiaoyu had bought a bunch of new parts from the black market and was currently busy adjusting them up and down.


    Zhuang Qingyan stopped in front of Lu Xiaoyu, casually kicking the yet-to-be-installed new mechanical arm. ¡°Hey, driver, accompany our captain on an external mission.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu didn¡¯t hesitate to refuse, ¡°No time.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan dangled a bait, ¡°Within reasonable limits, an extra chance for procurement.¡±


    Putting down the parts he was holding, Lu Xiaoyu considered and spoke slowly, ¡°I want rhenium blocks, nothing else.¡±


    ¡°100 grams,¡± Zhuang Qingyan stated.


    ¡°500 grams,¡± Lu Xiaoyu countered.


    Zhuang Qingyan turned to leave.


    Lu Xiaoyu hissed and quickly compromised, ¡°300!¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan calmly negotiated, ¡°250.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu coldly stated, ¡°I don¡¯t accept that number.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan smiled faintly, ¡°Then it¡¯s 270, no more.¡±


    Quickly calculating, Lu Xiaoyu realized that the amount offered by Zhuang Qingyan was just enough to modify a mechanical arm, without any waste or loss. It was clear that he had calculated this beforehand, intentionally setting the limit at the edge.


    Internally cursing, Lu Xiaoyu agreed on the surface, ¡°Deal.¡±


    ¡­


    The coordinates sent by Yin Xiao were on the border between the Northern Base (District B10) and Tokushima (District B15). These two districts often clashed with deep-seated grievances. Song Ke had heard of the famous ¡°North-Toku Enmity Record¡± in Qianzhan City: it involved disputes where one day someone would steal another¡¯s top-tier awakener, the next day someone would dare to snatch an S-level commission, and the cycle of retaliation continued.


    Driving an armed spacecraft (a public vehicle obtained through S-level authorization), Lu Xiaoyu arrived at the location to find an intense battle underway. Both sides, around twenty to thirty people each, faced off, utilizing different-colored abilities that shimmered and clashed in the air.


    The night offered poor visibility, but from the obscure ground contours and the sound of waves crashing against rocks, it was discernible that this was a tidal flat.


    Taking in the surroundings, Song Ke felt overwhelmed. The shadows of the day hadn¡¯t completely dissipated, and she couldn¡¯t believe they were going to ask her to fish again!


    The spacecraft hovered low, and among the individuals present, Song Ke quickly spotted Yin Xiao. However, it was apparent he didn¡¯t have the time for greetings at the moment.


    Under the pitch-black night sky, a lightning-type awakener¡¯s hands flashed with electricity, hurling numerous pulsating orbs swiftly forward like darting serpents.


    Amidst the thunder and lightning, Yin Xiao swiftly maneuvered, dodging and rolling. If it were someone else, they would have avoided being turned to ashes from the bombardment. Yet, despite evading and rolling, he managed to find opportunities to counter-attack. Each time he raised his wrist, a precise shot was fired, the light explosive angle cunningly aimed. Even if the lightning-type awakener managed to dodge, the shot found its mark on other opposing awakeners, gradually carving out a vacuum in the chaos.


    Song Ke¡¯s gaze narrowed slightly as she assessed from the projected awakened energy ¨C the lightning-type awakener confronting Yin Xiao was an S-level.


    Amidst the chaotic volley of electric spheres, the muscles from Yin Xiao¡¯s shoulder to back were taut, but instead of retreating, he surged forward suddenly. Wherever he went, intense flames ignited, and Jennifer promptly supported, using her abilities. The members of the ¡°Tustan¡± team also freed up their hands to assist.


    With a swift slide, Yin Xiao¡¯s abdominal muscles tensed into a straight line as he dodged a series of electric spheres aimed at his face. Moving in close, he suddenly fired his gun. His opponent attempted to evade, but Yin Xiao¡¯s lips curled slightly, seemingly anticipating their reaction. In a flash of electricity and sparks, he shifted his attack to using the butt of his gun towards the opponent¡¯s solar plexus.


    Just as success seemed within reach, crack! Suddenly, four black barriers descended on their location, followed by an endless tide of darkness rapidly engulfing and swallowing everything. Whether within the dark void or observing from the outside, everyone lost their vision instantly. An eerie, slender figure cloaked in black materialized slowly from the air, their icy eyes fixed firmly on Yin Xiao. S?a?ch* Th? n0v?l(?)ire.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Song Ke was slightly taken aback. Another S-level? A spatial-type awakener? No, Yin Xiao¡¯s awakened energy was still there; it hadn¡¯t vanished. He was trapped in absolute darkness, deprived of his sight.


    The lightning-type awakener was pulled out of Yin Xiao¡¯s attack range by a pair of thin, aged hands. In retaliation, a burst of lightning struck back. Yin Xiao, deprived of vision, relied on his instincts to evade but ultimately took a harsh blow. His military boots left deep imprints in the mud as he dropped to one knee, clutching his abdomen with his left hand, veins bulging on the back of it amidst a gush of fresh blood.


    Yin Xiao was an A9 level, facing an S-level opponent who already had a hierarchical advantage, not to mention it was a two-on-one situation.


    The usual casual smile on his face disappeared, replaced by a solemn and cold demeanor.


    ¡°Lei Zhao, why turn hostile when you arrived at Tokushima? Being so ruthless against former colleagues?¡± he questioned.


    ¡°We¡¯re on different paths,¡± the lightning-type awakener responded in a deep tone.


    Finally, as the two paused, Song Ke found an opportunity to intervene. She and Lu Xiaoyu exchanged a glance before leaping down from the spacecraft.


    Thud¡ª!


    Dust flew up in the air.


    Song Ke landed amidst the two opposing groups, her hands empty, appearing like an innocent bystander who had accidentally wandered into a battlefield while taking a stroll after a meal.


    Yet, no one dared to underestimate her. Lei Zhao and the slender woman remained vigilant, assessing her as if facing a formidable adversary.

 Chapter 140.2: Fire Seed (9)

    ¡ò I asked you to hold him back, not to disable him ¡ò¡°Yo, here already?¡± Yin Xiao¡¯s smile brightened. He extended his free right hand. ¡°Could you lend me a hand?¡±


    Song Ke helped him up, and as she glanced down, she noticed a severe electrical injury on Yin Xiao¡¯s lean and flat abdomen, with torn flesh and continuous bleeding.


    However, he casually patted the wound as if nothing had happened, whispering to Song Ke, ¡°Those on the opposite side are all from Tokushima. The guy is Lei Zhao, S4 with lightning ability, and the woman is Yuko Noguma, S3 with mystic-type ability, capable of depriving others of their powers using darkness.¡±


    ¡°¡ªHelp me keep them occupied, don¡¯t let them take the creature.¡±


    Creature? What creature?


    Before Song Ke could inquire, the pitch-black background around them rapidly receded like a tide, revealing a bizarre sight.


    On the mudflat, a massive stranded body of a giant sperm whale lay on its side, with a length exceeding fifty meters, a cylindrical and sturdy head, and two small dead white eyes. A crimson crystal floated slowly in mid-air, surrounded by faint blue water vapor. No one dared to approach¡ªit turned out to be a rare Level 4 mutant beast.


    After the darkness dissipated, several Tokushima awakeners were thrown out soaked and wet. Standing in the middle was a lightly dressed woman in a blue skirt.


    Song Ke took a surprised breath. Another S-level, what¡¯s going on tonight? An S-level beach party?


    Fortunately, Yin Xiao spoke up in time, explaining the woman¡¯s identity, ¡°She¡¯s one of us, Zhao Yuqing, S2 water controller.¡±


    Zhao Yuqing nodded lightly at Song Ke.


    ¡°We killed this mutated whale, but they insist it¡¯s in their territory and demand we leave the things behind,¡± Yin Xiao said.


    ¡°Purely thuggish behavior, twisting the facts. Not only do they want to steal the creature, but they also want to challenge the Northern Base,¡± Song Ke commented.


    Growing up in a fishing village, Song Ke vaguely heard that whales were praised as ¡°treasures all over the body¡± in marine life. Even in the apocalypse, its edible, industrial, and research value was higher than that of ordinary creatures, especially as a Level 4 mutant beast.


    The Northern Base and Tokushima fought fiercely for the ownership of the mutated whale, which made sense.


    Yuko Noguma¡¯s voice was hoarse as she threatened in a non-standard Alliance language, ¡°Mutated whale, ours. Get lost.¡± S?a??h the ??v?l_Fir?.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Yin Xiao sneered, ¡°Sorry, when we killed it, it was still in the waters of the Northern Base.¡±


    Negotiation was impossible, and it would never be possible in this lifetime. Since things couldn¡¯t be explained, they could only resort to action.


    However, the mystic-type Yuko Noguma was easy to deal with, while the attack-type Lei Zhao, with his S4 abilities, was quite formidable.


    He used to be an awakener in the Northern Base, but Tokushima offered him better conditions and managed to recruit him. It¡¯s natural for water to flow downhill, and people seek higher ground. Originally, there wasn¡¯t much to say about this matter, but unexpectedly, Lei Zhao turned around and targeted his former colleague. Truly, there was no sense of loyalty.


    Tokushima had more than one strong attack-type awakener, and as an S-level, he had the right to refuse.


    Yin Xiao whispered to Song Ke, ¡°You hold off Lei Zhao. Zhao Yuqing and I will deal with Yuko Noguma? Is that okay?¡±


    Song Ke made an ¡°OK¡± gesture behind him.


    ¡°Lei Zhao, do you think the base won¡¯t function without you?¡± Yin Xiao intentionally raised his voice, attracting attention from the opposite side. ¡°Let me introduce you. This is our new S-level.¡±


    ¡°Hello, please give me some advice.¡± Song Ke politely bowed to the two people opposite and casually picked up a collapsed power line pole.


    Lei Zhao: ¡°¡­¡±


    Yuko Noguma: ¡°?¡± What was this new S-level doing? Mocking them on purpose?


    ¡°It seems, it¡¯s a bit big,¡± Song Ke muttered dissatisfied. ¡°Forget it, let¡¯s just use it.¡±


    Lei Zhao raised both hands, and the high-voltage electricity caused by his ability instantly changed the color of the night sky. Yuko Noguma rushed towards Song Ke, but halfway, she was forced to stop by water arrows and sharp bullets, forcing her to engage in battle.


    ¡°Your opponent is me,¡± Zhao Yuqing said coldly.


    In the illuminated high sky by the lightning, thousands of sharp lightning bolts came towards Song Ke. Dragging the power line pole, she stepped on the body of the sperm whale, used the momentum to soar into the air, and swung her right hand.


    A blue twelve-section soft whip went through the air, absorbing most of the lightning along the way, emitting a sizzling electric light, and lashed towards Lei Zhao with bone-chilling malice.


    ¡°I¡¯ll return the favor!¡± Song Ke understood the principle of reciprocity.


    Lei Zhao¡¯s pupils contracted, hastily gathering electric currents into a fan-shaped shield to block the rebounded attack. The lightning crackled and struck the decaying skin of the whale, and bits and pieces of tissue scattered everywhere.


    Song Ke whipped the whip again, the heavy head of the whip moving astonishingly fast in her hand, like a rattlesnake. Snap! It hit Lei Zhao¡¯s wrist!


    Lei Zhao couldn¡¯t avoid it, and he distinctly heard the bone ¡°crack¡± and shatter.


    As a long-range awakener, he was already at a disadvantage in close combat, and Song Ke¡¯s soft whip seemed to be an extension of herself, moving effortlessly. One moment it swung horizontally, the next it flicked diagonally, occasionally drawing an eight-shaped figure at a 720-degree angle.


    Faced with Lei Zhao¡¯s lightning, she seemed extremely casual, dodging when she could, and enduring when she couldn¡¯t. Her physical fitness was so strong that it seemed she couldn¡¯t feel any pain at all!


    Crack¡ª! The lightning struck Song Ke¡¯s shoulder, and a faint scent of burnt flesh reached her.


    Smack¡ª! The sharp whip came down, hitting Lei Zhao¡¯s back hard, causing him to shudder in pain.


    The two danced and maneuvered on the corpse of the sperm whale, pouring out their formidable awakened energy without reservation.


    Distracted by the blurry vision from being whipped, Lei Zhao suddenly found Song Ke gone! Oh no! Lei Zhao raised his head abruptly, almost simultaneously, Song Ke descended diagonally from the head of the sperm whale in a cross-shaped leap. Lei Zhao¡¯s face changed drastically, focused only on her elusive whip techniques, completely unaware that she was closing the distance between them.


    Song Ke descended like a projectile, grabbed Lei Zhao¡¯s neck with one hand, and swung him forcefully toward the ground!


    ¡°Bang¡ª!¡± Lei Zhao was smashed into the sandy soil, and the turbulent airflow stirred the remnants of the sperm whale¡¯s skin.


    Song Ke acted swiftly, the whip circled around his hands, forming a knot. Then, she flexed her arm muscles and twisted in the opposite direction.


    First came a clearly audible ¡°crack.¡±


    ¡°Ahh¡ª!¡± Immediately followed by a piercing scream, Lei Zhao¡¯s hands were forcibly twisted.


    The S-level¡¯s screams silenced the ongoing battle for two seconds.


    ¡°Damn,¡± Yin Xiao stared blankly, ¡°I asked you to hold him back, not to disable him directly.¡±


    With one hand, Song Ke lifted Lei Zhao and threw him forcefully towards Yuko Noguma. The female awakener, who was already trapped by Zhao Yuqing and Yin Xiao, had no chance to dodge and was hit like a bowling ball, tumbling and colliding with the whale carcass.


    Tokushima¡¯s two S-levels were defeated. After this round, the Northern Base emerged victorious.


    Yin Xiao and the other awakeners behind Zhao Yuqing burst into laughter without mercy. Song Ke clapped her hands, about to turn back, when she suddenly saw the faces of the opposing group turn pale, pointing in terror towards a certain direction.


    She turned around abruptly¡ª


    The stranded mutated whale¡¯s body was rapidly swelling from its belly. Due to excessive radiation and the impact of S-level awakened energy, the accumulation of decomposed gases within its body exceeded the critical point. It reached the maximum capacity the skin could endure, and the people on the mudflat could vaguely smell a nauseating stench.


    ¡°Whale explosion! It¡¯s a whale explosion!! Run!!!¡± Heart-wrenching shouts echoed.


    Whale explosion, also known as nature¡¯s bomb, is the world¡¯s foulest biochemical weapon. The power generated by the explosion of a normal adult whale is equivalent to ten thousand hand grenades. Currently, lying on the beach is a Level 4 mutated sperm whale with a length exceeding fifty meters.


    Both groups of awakeners snapped out of their trance, abandoning the fight without hesitation, and sprinted away.


    On the Northern Base side, Yin Xiao ran over, grabbing Song Ke¡¯s hand and shouting, ¡°Run!¡±


    In the sky, Lu Xiaoyu sensed the impending danger. The flying ship dove down, its tailgate opened, and the Northern Base awakeners scrambled to climb aboard.


    Amidst the endless chaos, Song Ke suddenly thought of something, broke free from Yin Xiao¡¯s grip, and pushed him away. ¡°You go first!¡±


    ¡°Hey! Don¡¯t run around!¡± Yin Xiao turned to stop her, but the putrid smell in the air was too unbearable. He couldn¡¯t help but turn aside to dry heave, and when he turned back, Song Ke had already disappeared.


    ¡°Song Ke!¡± After Yin Xiao¡¯s shout, he also gagged, ¡°Ugh¡ª¡±


    The sperm whale¡¯s body had swollen to cover the sky, and the surrounding radiation energy surged, reaching the edge of detonation.


    A distant, tiny figure dashed towards them. Song Ke desperately waved her hands towards the sky. ¡°Lu Xiaoyu, fly!¡±


    The flying ship ascended abruptly without any warning, nearly causing the awakeners in the back cabin to fall. The tailgate gradually closed, Yin Xiao hung onto the handrail with one hand, half of his body suspended in the air. He reached out to Song Ke. ¡°Quick!¡±


    Boom¡ª!!!


    The swollen abdomen of the sperm whale burst open directly.


    Undigested, putrefied food, vast amounts of gaseous methane, ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, and countless microorganisms and bacteria scattered in the air with the bloody water, and the debris of tissues fell like a torrential rain.


    Song Ke flicked the long whip in her palm, firmly locking onto the tail wing of the flying ship. Lu Xiaoyu rapidly ascended again, using the force to pull her up. Like a sharp arrow, Song Ke maneuvered through the foul wind, blood rain, and toxic air, rolling into the flying ship¡¯s cabin with agility.


    The tailgate finally closed, and the strong airflow generated by the explosion caused the entire flying ship to shake violently. The portholes were completely covered with black, rotten substances.


    ¡°Why did you go back?¡± Yin Xiao asked sternly, ¡°Do you know how dangerous that was?¡±


    Song Ke opened her palm, and a crimson crystal sparkled brightly.


    ¡°I went¡­ to get the crystal,¡± Song Ke said matter-of-factly, then looked at them reproachfully, ¡°You guys, what a waste.¡±


    As a captain who had once experienced poverty, frugality was a virtue she took pride in. While the Northern Base enjoyed abundant resources, she was not one to indulge extravagantly; she would refuse even precious Level 4 crystals if she deemed them unnecessary.


    Yin Xiao choked for a moment, ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ you¡­¡± Someone looked at the oblivious Song Ke and cautiously spoke up.


    However, before he could finish his sentence, people in the cabin suddenly began to vomit one after another.


    Song Ke wiped her face, only to find a piece of rotten whale flesh falling down.


    She lowered her head in shock and looked, realizing that her coat had collected a considerable amount of debris from the whale explosion due to her vigorous flight.


    A shake made one piece fall.


    Another shake made two or three pieces fall.


    Song Ke: ¡°¡­¡±


    Oh no, oh no. The first thought that flashed through her mind was: With Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s cleanliness, would she be allowed to enter the door when she went back?

 Chapter 141: Fire Seed (10)

    ¡ò Yes! I just like him! ¡ò¡°Here, crystal.¡± Song Ke handed over the level 4 crystal she had rescued.


    Neither Yin Xiao nor Zhao Yuqing wanted it. Although the mutated whale was not captured, at least it wasn¡¯t taken by Tokushima. All in all, everyone considered it a draw.


    The crystal was retrieved by Song Ke, rightfully hers because of her violent intervention. Lei Zhao and Yuko Noguma were both pinned under the whale, making it unlikely for them to escape easily. Although with S-level physique, they wouldn¡¯t lose their lives, the scene of the explosion with a foul stench was definitely something they had to endure.


    ¡°You take it, thanks for your help. This is an A-level commission, and I¡¯ll transfer the mission points to you.¡±


    Yin Xiao wanted to help her tidy up a bit. However, after lifting his arm for a while, he was at a loss.


    Song Ke was oblivious to his dilemma and felt delighted inside: 200,000 points credited at once. This trip was not in vain!


    The cockpit door opened, and Lu Xiaoyu slid out from inside. ¡°Captain, our trustworthy captain, please fulfill your promise and take me to buy¡­¡±


    The rear compartment was filled with various unbearable smells. Exhausted awakeners lay scattered on the floor. Lu Xiaoyu slammed the brakes, revealing a clear expression of disgust on his face. The wheelchair slid back again without stopping.


    Not only that, he even reached out and slammed the door shut with a bang!


    Ah! Song Ke gritted her teeth secretly. What a great team member she has ¨C not only did Lu Xiaoyu not help when the captain was dirty, but he also slipped away faster than anyone else.


    Zhao Yuqing smiled on the side. With her gentle and plain temperament, no one would have thought she was an S2-level awakener.


    She moved her fingertips slightly, and the water vapor in the rear compartment gradually condensed into two elastic water balls. Rubbing against Song Ke¡¯s face and coat, the balls absorbed most of the dirt and debris. Then Zhao Yuqing lifted her slender arm, swish¡ªsingle-handedly opened the thousands of kilograms heavy skylight. With a snap of her fingers, the dirty water balls obediently flew outside.


    Song Ke lowered her head and smelled herself. Much better, at least not as foul as before.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me who should thank you for your help. I¡¯m not good at fighting. Without you today, we might have suffered a loss,¡± Zhao Yuqing¡¯s voice was also light.


    As an S-level awakener, Zhao Yuqing had pushed the ability to control water to its extreme. When water met a square, it¡¯d become square, and when it met round, it¡¯d become round. Versatile and inclusive of all things, but lacking the domineering attack of the metal element.


    Strictly speaking, Zhao Yuqing¡¯s ability leaned more towards a mixed element. Ice arrows were her only effective means of attack, so she usually played the roles of control, flank, and support. Before, Lei Zhao was her partner in fighting side by side. However, circumstances had changed, and they now stood on opposite sides.


    Song Ke and Zhao Yuqing¡¯s abilities were similar in terms of transformation, and the two exchanged some insights and experiences, learning from each other.


    After they finished speaking, Yin Xiao poked Song Ke¡¯s shoulder with his finger.


    ¡°Captain Song Ke, done chatting? Is it my turn now?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Yin Xiao sat cross-legged in front of Song Ke, his abdominal wound hastily bandaged. His eyes, tinged with a deep gray, stared intently at her.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me when you came to the base?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡ªZhuang Qingyan didn¡¯t allow her to say.


    ¡°And why didn¡¯t you tell me about being S-level?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a long story.¡± ¡ªAlso Zhuang Qingyan didn¡¯t allow her to say.


    ¡°If I hadn¡¯t heard about the new S-level with the same name at the base, I would still be in the dark.¡± S~?a??h the n0v?l(?)ire.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Yin Xiao moved forward, his knee touching Song Ke¡¯s shin, relentlessly asking, ¡°During the Throne Race, I thought we had a camaraderie of fighting side by side, at least we were friends. Did you plan from the beginning to make me do the dirty work?¡±


    ¡°Of course not!¡± Song Ke hurriedly defended.


    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you tell me? Were you planning to take advantage of me?¡±


    Yin Xiao¡¯s words became more and more absurd.


    ¡°Don¡¯t, don¡¯t talk nonsense,¡± Song Ke warned him, holding her fist.


    Yin Xiao narrowed his eyes slowly, ¡°Could it be¡­ because I confessed to you, you deliberately avoided me?¡±


    Zhao Yuqing had a surprised expression, as if she had just tasted a delicious melon: ¡°!¡±


    Yooooooo~


    Members of the Tustan team whistled, enjoying the spectacle.


    In the rear compartment, except for Tustan, other awakeners whispered to each other, ¡°Damn, Yin Xiao is really bold¡­¡±


    ¡°He dares to pursue an S7. Isn¡¯t he afraid of getting his head blown off?¡±


    ¡°I misunderstood Yin Xiao. He¡¯s simply a role model for our generation, the wildest wolf in the Northern Base¡­¡±


    Song Ke didn¡¯t forget the purpose of her trip, facing the constant teasing. She calmly said, ¡°First, bring me into the channel.¡±


    Without a second word, Yin Xiao lightly touched the ruby earring, pulling her into the channel of the ¡°B10 District High-level Ability Matching Conference¡±.


    Song Ke then realized that the earring was his terminal, quite in line with Yin Xiao¡¯s personality, flashy and arrogant.


    After confirming the channel name several times, she spoke with emphasis, ¡°Focus on your work, don¡¯t think about it. There¡¯s no chance between us.¡±


    Yin Xiao, dissatisfied, asked three times in a row, ¡°Why no chance? Why reject me? Because of that guy in the wheelchair?¡±


    Yin Xiao, dissatisfied, flexed his fist, ¡°He¡¯s sick, what makes him better than me?¡±


    Yin Xiao, dissatisfied, rubbed his hands, ¡°Why is the coward not here today? Let me compare with him!¡±


    ¡°Or is it that you just like someone like him?¡± Yin Xiao hesitated for a second, then disdainfully sneered, ¡°But his face isn¡¯t even his own, he stole it from Vincent¡­¡±


    Seeing him becoming more and more uncontrollable, Song Ke didn¡¯t care about the details. Her only thought was to shut Yin Xiao up.


    ¡°Yes! I just like him!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Yin Xiao indeed shut up.


    ¡°He is my person. Don¡¯t mention the matter of his face again.¡±


    Song Ke lied with her eyes wide open, ¡°Also, he¡¯s physically weak. In the future, don¡¯t bully him when you meet him.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Bully him?¡± Yin Xiao incredulously asked, covering his abdominal wound, feeling a chill in his heart.


    He was so angry that every part of his body hurt. When he turned his head, countless pairs of prying eyes in the rear compartment were staring at him without blinking.


    ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Yin Xiao roared, ¡°Are you all happy to see me rejected?¡±


    The awakeners on the scene quickly averted their eyes, afraid to breathe loudly.


    Damn, witnessing Yin Xiao¡¯s failed confession, they won¡¯t be silenced, right?


    ¡­


    The flying ship, traveling at a steady speed, brought a group of people back to the Northern Base, and the time was nearing midnight.


    After bidding farewell to Lu Xiaoyu at the elevator entrance, Song Ke took off her shoes, carefully held them in her hands, and tiptoed towards the bathroom.


    To her surprise, even at this late hour, there was someone inside. The warm yellow light cast a hazy shadow, and the sound of the showerhead echoed. Through the steamed frosted glass, a tall figure was faintly visible¡­ taking a shower.


    Song Ke silently turned around, preparing to exit silently.


    But it was too late.


    The water abruptly stopped, followed by a ¡°click¡± ¨C the bathroom door opened from the inside.


    ¡°Back?¡±


    ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Song Ke¡¯s back stiffened, and she dared not turn her head.


    ¡°Did you settle it?¡±


    ¡°Settled.¡±


    A low, faint laugh sounded, ¡°What are you hiding for? Turn around and talk.¡±


    Song Ke turned around clumsily, and Zhuang Qingyan pushed his wet hair back behind his head. His features were clear and handsome, with deep and charming eyes.


    He was dripping wet from head to toe, only wearing a towel around his waist, revealing well-defined abdominal muscles and a narrow mermaid line.


    Zhuang Qingyan casually wiped himself with a towel and asked, ¡°Do you need the bathroom?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I don¡¯t need it.¡±


    Perhaps due to the steam, Song Ke¡¯s cheeks felt like they were burning, and her heart pounded uncontrollably.


    Zhuang Qingyan took a step forward, his imposing body slowly lowering, his hands supporting the sink, enclosing Song Ke in his arms.


    ¡°There¡¯s only one bathroom. You don¡¯t need this¡­¡±


    His expression suddenly froze, and he delicately lifted a strand of Song Ke¡¯s hair, sniffing it, ¡°What¡¯s this smell?¡±


    Immediately, Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s face changed dramatically as he realized something. He kept stepping back, repeatedly retreating, ¡°Did you roll in the zombie pile again?!¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°¡­¡± What kind of nose is this? It¡¯s even more sensitive than Taotao¡¯s! She had been outside in the wind for half an hour!


    Zhuang Qingyan furrowed his brows tightly, endured for a moment, endured again, couldn¡¯t hold it any longer, and began to meticulously wash his hands.


    Song Ke: ¡°¡­¡± I¡¯m very angry.


    The romantic atmosphere dissipated instantly. Song Ke¡¯s face puffed up like a bun. She walked over arrogantly, deliberately bumped into Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s shoulder, then rubbed her head against him a couple of times, pushing him out of the bathroom, closing the door, and locking it.


    There¡¯s only one bathroom anyway. If it¡¯s going to smell, let¡¯s both suffer!


    *


    The next morning, Ye Zimei, accompanied by Song Ke and Zhuang Qingyan, went to Central Antique Street.


    Central Antique Street was a street reconstructed in the style of an old civilization, with a variety of antique shops, specialty restaurants, fortune-telling stalls, and rows of yellow taxis on both sides of the road. Normally, it was bustling with people, and the residents were ordinary people with District B household registration.


    The three of them meandered through the winding streets until they almost reached the end. The continuous noise finally quieted down, revealing a large and tranquil three-story villa area in front of them.


    After confirming the house number, Ye Zimei spoke to the visitor system, ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Ye Zimei from the Awakener Department. I¡¯d like to visit Mr. and Mrs. Ming Gang.¡±


    She scanned her ID in front of the camera.


    The mechanical electronic tone sounded flatly, ¡°Verification in progress, please wait.¡±


    Ten minutes later, the gate opened automatically with the owner¡¯s permission: ¡°Please come in.¡±


    The three of them climbed the stairs and passed through a quiet little garden. When they reached the living room, a couple was already sitting there.


    Perhaps well-maintained, the two of them looked like they were in their early fifties. Lucia had a bun on her head, wearing traditional Chinese clothing, elegant and dignified. Ming Gang wore glasses, and numerous holographic screens floated around him, displaying dense papers and academic reports.


    Seeing Ye Zimei and the others entering, Ming Gang put down the paper he was correcting, raised his head, and with a mature and wise look, he scrutinized the three of them:


    ¡°I don¡¯t recall the Ming family having any dealings with the Awakener Department.¡±


    They were an ordinary couple, immigrants from early years, leading a secluded life. Minimally affected by the apocalypse, they usually didn¡¯t interact with awakeners.


    Ming Gang had a serious and reserved face with graying hair. When he looked at people, there was a unique sense of scrutiny typical of intellectuals.


    Song Ke, pushing the wheelchair, was momentarily stunned. She was certain she had never seen Ming Gang before, but somehow¡­ he seemed somewhat familiar.


    This feeling arose for no apparent reason and was quickly pushed aside.


    Ye Zimei respectfully said, ¡°Professor Ming, sorry to disturb you. At the request of someone, a gentleman wishes to meet you.¡±


    Lucia politely added, ¡°Miss Ye, please leave. We don¡¯t entertain visitors.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan wheeled forward, nodding politely to the two of them, ¡°Senior, I¡¯m Zhuang Qingyan, a colleague of Ming Zhi. We used to work in the same project group at the Qinglan Research Institute.¡±


    Upon hearing Ming Zhi¡¯s name, Ming Gang and Lucia¡¯s faces flashed a slight surprise, but they didn¡¯t utter any words to ask them to leave.


    ¡°You go ahead and chat. I¡¯ll wait outside,¡± Ye Zimei tactfully withdrew.


    Since guests were being retained, proper hospitality was necessary. Lucia raised her hand, and immediately a robot butler pushed a tea cart, took out delicate tea sets and snacks, skillfully brewed tea, and served it one by one to everyone.


    Taking a sip of the hot tea, Lucia¡¯s voice carried an indescribable nostalgia, ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I heard Xiao Zhi¡¯s name. You¡¯re his colleague? Coming here to see us, is there something on your mind?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan, keeping an eye on Ye Zimei¡¯s departing figure, got straight to the point, ¡°Do you two know Ming Zhi¡¯s current whereabouts?¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s eyes widened slightly, her face showing surprise. Wasn¡¯t that too direct? No buffering at all?


    But what Zhuang Qingyan wanted was a lack of buffering. Subconscious reactions are challenging to hide, even for an outstanding psychologist like them.


    He focused intently on the two, not missing any subtle expressions.


    Ming Gang showed a momentary surprise, followed by a displeased look.


    Lucia¡¯s grip on the tea cup paused imperceptibly, but she quickly recovered.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s mouth slowly curved into a smile, a hint of understanding crossing his mind.


    It seems like this trip was the right choice.


    Ming Gang¡¯s tone was direct and sharp, ¡°Ming Zhi has been dead for a full fourteen years, blown to pieces in Loak by the explosion. The news of his death was personally sent to us by Qinglan. As his colleague, shouldn¡¯t you be aware?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of bringing up these things now? Are you deliberately trying to provoke us?¡± Ming Gang¡¯s chest heaved, and his breathing became rapid.


    ¡°Professor Ming, please calm down. Initially, I also thought Ming Zhi had perished,¡± Zhuang Qingyan remained calm and explained slowly, ¡°But due to some coincidences, I encountered another surviving member of the project group. She witnessed it herself¡ªMing Zhi did not die.¡±


    ¡°According to the witness¡¯s account, before the accident occurred, Ming Zhi left the research institute alone,¡± Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s expression gradually turned colder, ¡°And, he took away an important experimental subject.¡±


    ¡°Impossible! Ming Zhi would never do such a thing!¡± Ming Gang erupted in anger, ¡°He is already dead, you can¡¯t slander him.¡±


    Lucia almost lost her grip on the tea cup, and a few drops of hot tea splashed out, ¡°Could there be a mistake¡­ Xiao Zhi is an honest and upright child. Stealing an experimental subject would constitute a crime, and he wouldn¡¯t do that.¡±


    The tea used for hospitality by Lucia emitted a fragrant aroma, making Song Ke salivate. Taking advantage of the distraction in the conversation, she stealthily reached out, grabbed a tray, and attempted to taste a bite.


    ¡°This matter is indeed unbelievable, so I brought the witness from back then,¡± Zhuang Qingyan sighed slightly, taking out a holographic screen from his bag, ¡°If you two don¡¯t believe it, you can confront her face to face.¡±


    Witness? In the spacious living room, besides them, there was only one person left.


    Ming Gang and Lucia both looked at Song Ke simultaneously¡ªone with a stern gaze, the other with displeasure.


    Ming Gang slammed the table suddenly, the powerful force knocking over the tea cup, and the golden tea spilled all over the table.


    Pointing at Song Ke, he exclaimed, ¡°Are you the witness? Fourteen years ago, you were so young. Why would you slander Ming Zhi?¡±


    Song Ke stuttered, ¡°¡­Huh?¡±

 Chapter 142: Fire Seed (11)

    ¡ò It said ¡°pain¡± to me ¡òAt a critical moment, Zhuang Qingyan cleared his throat twice, saving the innocent Song Ke who was wrongly accused.


    ¡°Professor Ming, she is the witness.¡±


    At the right moment, the holographic projection cut in on the screen, and a woman in a researcher¡¯s white robe appeared in front of the three, it was Lin Xiu.


    Perhaps Zhuang Qingyan had instructed her beforehand, Lin Xiu was not as eccentric today. She sat upright, with a serious expression.


    ¡°Fourteen years ago, Ming and I were both researchers in the G team of the Fire Seed project. At that time, Ming Zhi was a cultivator, and I was a recorder. The day before the accident¡­¡± Lin Xiu narrated in a calm voice.


    Ming Gang and Lucia listened attentively.


    Song Ke, feeling down for not having tea, suddenly saw a cup of hot tea appear in front of him¡ªZhuang Qingyan discreetly pushed it towards her.


    She picked up the tea cup, sipped it happily, and squinted his eyes with enjoyment.


    Lucia, seeing the pitiful look on the girl, turned her head and had the robot brew another large pot of tea, placing it in front of her on purpose.


    After Lin Xiu finished speaking, the living room fell silent for a long time.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t lie?¡± After a while, Ming Gang asked coldly.


    Lin Xiu looked up, meeting Ming Gang¡¯s gaze. Her sharp eyes were full of scrutiny, as if she could see through any lies in her heart.


    ¡°No,¡± Lin Xiu shook her head firmly.


    ¡°How can you be sure you haven¡¯t been subjected to hypnosis or psychological manipulation by others? What if you are just fabricating facts based on your imagination?¡± Ming Gang questioned with a cold tone.


    Lin Xiu sighed softly, ¡°Professor Ming, I have died once. What you are seeing now is my backup memory. Even I never thought I could revive, and I don¡¯t think anyone would go to great lengths to tamper with my memory. So, I am very clear-headed now and speaking the truth.¡±


    ¡°Ming Zhi is not only my colleague but also a friend. I, like you, want to know why he did this.¡±


    In the long silence, even the air seemed heavy.


    Ming Gang slowly took off his glasses, rubbed his temples wearily, tears shimmering in the corners of his eyes. He was an upright and serious person, and the sudden revelation of his child¡¯s crime shook him, making it difficult for him to accept.


    ¡°This question, forgive me for not being able to answer. My son, Ming Zhi, was intelligent and outstanding. He obtained his Ph.D. at the age of 20 and was selected to join Qinglan, a one-in-a-million opportunity. After he started working, due to the confidential nature of his work, our contact gradually diminished. However, every time we spoke, his mental state was stable.¡±


    ¡°No matter what he did, he¡¯s no longer here¡­¡±


    ¡°Professor Ming, allow me to correct you,¡± Zhuang Qingyan interjected, ¡°Ming Zhi did not perish. He took the experimental subject with him, and it¡¯s highly likely that he is still alive. I need to know his whereabouts.¡±


    ¡°Why, if he¡¯s alive, hasn¡¯t he come to see us? For a whole fourteen years, we haven¡¯t moved, and he couldn¡¯t bear to come back even once?¡± Ming Gang asked with pain and frustration.


    ¡°What about Professor Lucia?¡± Zhuang Qingyan suddenly changed the subject, ¡°I think¡­ you know where Ming Zhi is, don¡¯t you?¡±


    As soon as these words were spoken, everyone was shocked. Even Ming Gang looked at his wife beside him in speechless astonishment.


    Lucia put down her tea cup and sighed, ¡°Before you entered, I always thought my child was dead. How could I know?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan spoke seriously, ¡°Senior colleagues, I have no ill intentions towards Ming Zhi himself. However, the Fire Seed project is the Alliance¡¯s highest-level classified project. From Qinglan¡¯s perspective, that experimental subject must be traced back.¡±


    Ming Gang and Lucia were not naive people. Upon hearing this, they both fell into silence.


    ¡°In your eyes, what kind of person is Ming Zhi?¡± Zhuang Qingyan looked at Lucia and gently asked, ¡°What do you think his motive was for taking the experimental subject?¡±


    Lucia didn¡¯t like being manipulated in a conversation. She calmly glanced at Zhuang Qingyan and then turned her head.


    ¡°Child, do you like tea?¡± she suddenly asked, changing the topic.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Song Ke held the tea cup in her hands, enjoying it with her eyes closed. Not understanding why the topic shifted to her, she stammered, ¡°Y-yes, I like it.¡±


    ¡°Few people drink tea nowadays,¡± Lucia smiled affectionately.


    Tea was a unique cultural symbol of the old era. Tea trees were precious and hard to cultivate, and tea production was scarce. Gradually, it was phased out in the tide of development.


    ¡°My grandfather also liked tea, but not the kind you brew. Yours is delicious,¡± Song Ke said earnestly.


    ¡°This is my self-created health tea, with a mix of small soup golden chrysanthemum, Yunshan Pu¡¯er, dried dandelion, and a little bit of rock sugar. Xiao Zhi also loved drinking the tea I brewed for him.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan did not urge, patiently waiting in silence.


    Lucia seemed to be lost in distant memories. ¡°When Xiao Zhi was young, he loved small animals. He would always bring back stray kittens or puppies, looking at me with eager eyes, asking, ¡®Mom, can I keep them?¡¯ I¡¯d say, ¡®Sure,¡¯ and he would be so happy. But his luck was often not good; those little things would die one after another due to fragility and illness, and Xiao Zhi would cry heartbreakingly.¡±


    ¡°Later, he stopped keeping anything, saying he needed to focus on studying and find a way to make those little beings live longer.¡±


    ¡°On the day he officially started working, he smiled and said to me, ¡®Mom, I¡¯m going to raise something again. This time, they won¡¯t die for sure.''¡±


    ¡°Sometimes, I wish he wasn¡¯t so kind, sensitive; it wouldn¡¯t hurt for him to be a bit indifferent to the world¡­¡±


    Lucia wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes and sighed softly.


    Zhuang Qingyan lowered his voice, ¡°So you have seen him, right? After the accident, you saw Ming Zhi.¡±


    Ming Gang¡¯s face showed astonishment. ¡°Lucia, you¡­?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen him. I¡¯m not sure if it was him,¡± Lucia denied.


    ¡°After the news of Xiao Zhi¡¯s death came, I fell seriously ill, almost bedridden. On the anniversary of our marriage the following year, there was a bouquet of longevity flowers at our doorstep, with an unclear signature. I asked the delivery person; it was an anonymous sender, and the address was encrypted, untraceable.¡±


    Lucia held Ming Gang¡¯s hand, ¡°Your heart wasn¡¯t well those years; I was afraid you¡¯d worry, so I didn¡¯t tell you.¡±


    Ming Gang tightened his grip, ¡°It¡¯s okay, it doesn¡¯t matter. I know now.¡±


    ¡°On the same day the next year, the same longevity flowers. Then the third year, the fourth year¡­ I never knew who sent the flowers.¡±


    ¡°Until one year, the bouquet didn¡¯t appear. I waited for a year, still nothing. Year after year, I gradually realized that the person who sent the flowers might not be there anymore.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan asked calmly, ¡°From which year did the flowers stop?¡±


    Lucia thought for a moment, ¡°In the year 40 of the new calendar.¡±


    Her tone then softened, ¡°Child, I know Xiao Zhi made a mistake, but as a mother, I believe he had his reasons¡­¡±


    ¡°Rest assured, both of you. Finding Ming Zhi and bringing back the experimental subject is my personal will. This matter will not be made public,¡± Zhuang Qingyan solemnly promised.


    ¡­


    After leaving the Ming residence, Lin Xiu couldn¡¯t help but ask in a hushed tone, ¡°Professor Zhu¡ªuh, Brother Yan, was that person who sent flowers Ming Zhi?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan strictly prohibited her from calling him ¡°Vincent¡± or ¡°Professor Zhuang.¡± In the end, Lin Xiu could only timidly address him as ¡°Brother Yan.¡±


    ¡°Most likely,¡± he replied.


    ¡°So, Ming Zhi¡­ if he¡¯s still alive, wouldn¡¯t he continue sending flowers to his parents?¡±


    ¡°Not necessarily. Go back and try; see if this virtual address can dig up anything.¡±


    In the end, Lucia gave Zhuang Qingyan the information about the flower sender. With Lu Xiaoyu around, they could always find some clues.


    Lin Xiu murmured to herself, ¡°My feelings are complicated now. If Ming Zhi didn¡¯t take the experimental subject, he might have been blown up with me. But he ran away, escaped the accident. From a professional ethics standpoint, I strongly condemn him! But deep down, I feel it¡¯s good that he survived.¡±


    ¡°Brother Yan, Brother Yan, tell me, when Ming Zhi ran away, why did he take the experimental subject? Why didn¡¯t he take the ones scheduled for destruction, LAK0117 and LAK0366, and specifically chose LAK0017?¡±


    Lin Xiu chattered away; in terms of psychological age, she was just a 23-year-old girl.


    ¡°Ming Zhi was a cultivator,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said.


    Lin Xiu nodded, ¡°Oh, right, right.¡±


    ¡°Do you know what specific experiments the Fire Seed project conducts?¡±


    ¡°Not very clear.¡± As a recorder, Lin Xiu had the lowest level of access. She was not a core member of the Fire Seed project, but she had heard bits and pieces, some of which involved brutal genetic experiments.


    ¡°Ming Zhi knew,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said casually. ¡°Cultivators have the authority to participate in some gene fusion experiments. According to what Lucia said, Ming Zhi was a person with extremely strong empathy. What if, like with little cats and dogs, he felt ¡®sympathy¡¯ for LAK0017?¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s an experimental subject!¡± Lin Xiu exclaimed.


    Experimental subjects were consciousless, thoughtless, artificially created alien organisms. How could they be compared to little cats and dogs?


    Lin Xiu was at a loss for words. She suddenly remembered a time during lunch break when the handsome young man was standing alone in the corridor, lost in thought.


    At that moment, Lin Xiu lightly patted his shoulder, ¡°Hey, why are you hiding here slacking off?¡±


    Ming Zhi turned his head, and Lin Xiu only then noticed that his eyes were slightly red.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± she asked.


    Following Ming Zhi¡¯s gaze, Lin Xiu looked into the empty laboratory. The observation chamber door was tightly closed, and there was nothing unusual.


    ¡°It¡­ today, it said ¡®pain¡¯ to me,¡± Ming Zhi¡¯s voice was barely audible.


    ¡°Who?¡± Lin Xiu inquired.


    ¡°Mmm, you know, what the Fire Seed is?¡± Ming Zhi asked.


    ¡°The Fire Seed is hope, the hope of all humanity.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ the hope of all humanity, but not its own.¡±


    ¡°For the Fire Seed itself, burning over and over again, reduced to ashes, it clearly has always been in despair.¡±


    At that time, Lin Xiu didn¡¯t understand the meaning of these words, but now, looking at Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s statue-like profile, she fell into a long silence.


    Before reuniting with Ye Zimei, Lin Xiu retreated into the holographic screen. The three of them traversed the medieval street again, heading towards where the floating car was parked.


    On the way, Song Ke¡¯s terminal rang.


    She stopped and took a look.


    The message was from the official channel of the Awakener Department, filled with lengthy bureaucratic language praising her excellence. After condensing the message, it requested her to undergo further genetic testing as she was a rare S7-level awakener. They wanted her to provide some indicators for record-keeping, contributing to more accurate awakener detection in the future, and so on.


    Song Ke read through it twice, still unsure about the true intention of the Awakener Department. She decided to discuss it with Zhuang Qingyan.


    ¡°Ahhhhh¡ª!¡±


    Suddenly, a horrified scream erupted at the street intersection ahead, catching Song Ke¡¯s attention.


    She abruptly looked up.


    A double-decker public bus went out of control, careening wildly towards them. The rear of the bus shattered the glass of the nearby shops. Pedestrians who couldn¡¯t evade in time were rolled over by the wheels. In the driver¡¯s cabin, the driver convulsed with an unnatural expression, pupils covered by a layer of dead-white shadow.


    It¡¯s a zombie! The apocalypse was still ongoing. Radiation was everywhere, and with its continuous accumulation in the body, ordinary people exposed to sunlight were highly likely to lose their sanity one day, turning into flesh-eating monsters.


    The previous message was overridden, and a new task appeared on the terminal: ¡°C-level Emergency Commission (Exclusive to District B10): Zombie suicide attack incident reported in the medieval street. Please eliminate the source promptly, protect civilians at the scene, and contain the situation as quickly as possible.¡±


    Surrounding awakeners rushed forward, attempting to intercept the zombie driver of the careening double-decker bus.


    However, the swaying bus drifted around the corner and collided head-on with a floating subway train that was traveling at high speed and was more than ten sections long!


    Boom¡ª!!


    The several-thousand-ton car soared high into the air. In that moment of mass acceleration, a catastrophic explosion ensued.


    Ye Zimei dashed forward and suddenly acted. An invisible psychic wave, like a stop button, froze both the double-decker bus and the floating subway train in mid-air. Passengers inside the two vehicles had terrified expressions, their eyes rolling, mouths opening and closing as if in slow-motion playback, screaming in silence.


    She turned out to be a gravity-type awakener!


    However, relying solely on her power was not enough to counteract the force. In a matter of seconds, cracks began to appear under Ye Zimei¡¯s feet, and she was pushed backward by the tremendous force, appearing as though she would stumble and fall¡ª


    The floating subway train teetered, and from the sky, it came crashing down at high speed!


    Unfortunately, Zhuang Qingyan happened to be directly under the front of the train. Even if he stood up and ran frantically, it would be challenging to escape the area in an instant.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s wheelchair swiveled abruptly but was unexpectedly bumped by the chaotic crowd around him. His glasses with golden rims flew off and rolled on the ground.


    Bang!


    Just at that moment, a slender figure shot out like an arrow. Both hands emitted a blue light, and instantly covered with metallic knuckle-dusters, fiercely intercepting the plummeting floating subway train mid-air.


    Boom! Boom!!


    With the gravitational support from Ye Zimei, Song Ke hammered the front of the train, each strike creating a powerful and domineering force. Yet, her posture remained very relaxed, as if she were not smashing a few thousand tons of scrap metal but merely tossing around a sandbag.


    Under the formidable reactive force, the floating subway train was forcefully pushed back, coiling like a snake with its tail raised, slowly collapsing to the ground. Song Ke leaped onto the roof, grabbing the floating double-decker bus with one hand, and with a powerful mid-air shoulder throw, slammed it together with the subway train.


    Crash¡ª!


    The smoke and debris scattered in all directions, and a tragedy that almost destroyed the ancient street was effortlessly resolved by Song Ke.


    Next, Song Ke shattered the driver¡¯s seat glass, pulled out the convulsing zombie driver, and with a ¡°snap,¡± broke his neck.


    The bustling market street fell into silence. Whether they were awakeners or ordinary citizens, everyone stared in astonishment at the savior who descended from the sky.


    Song Ke turned back, and Ye Zimei excitedly gave her a thumbs-up.


    In the midst of all eyes, Song Ke bent down to search on the ground, picked up the golden-rimmed glasses that had fallen in the chaos, wiped them clean with the edge of her clothes, and then walked back to Zhuang Qingyan. She bent down to help him put on the glasses.


    Two tiny dimples appeared on her cheeks, and she smiled as if seeking praise, ¡°Was Captain impressive?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan graciously played along, ¡°Of course, very impressive. Our captain is the best. This family¡­ cough cough, V587 can¡¯t do without you.¡±


    Song Ke was flattered by his sweet words, and with great enthusiasm, she declared, ¡°When we get back, let¡¯s take on some missions and climb the rankings! Captain will be aiming for the top!¡±


    As for the message from the Awakener Department¡ªit had long been tossed aside by her.


    ¡­


    The news of an S7-level powerful attacker appearing at the Northern Base quickly spread.


    The first to react was Tokushima.


    Videos of Song Ke saving people, stopping the bus, and beating up Lei Zhao and Yuko Noguma were laid out on the conference table of the B15 District¡¯s high-level meeting.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hear everyone¡¯s thoughts.¡±


    ¡°So far, she¡¯s the first publicly known S7-level in the entire Alliance. Both her reaction speed and explosive power are top-notch. But I have a question: if the information is correct, she¡¯s a powerful attack-type, right? But her physical abilities are unusually off the charts? She single-handedly caught a subway weighing several thousand tons, almost comparable to the strength of an S-level physical enhancement-type awakener.¡±


    ¡°Can we get a report on her awakened abilities?¡± s?a??h th? N?v?lFir?.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°It¡¯s quite difficult. Reports on S-level awakeners are well-hidden by that old witch.¡±


    ¡°Send a spy to try. Also, I heard she came from a lower-level district and doesn¡¯t have much attachment to the Northern Base. It¡¯s best to recruit her.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    *


    District A1, Central Court.


    The reporter in front of the projection was systematically analyzing the top awakener resources in each district.


    ¡°¡­ The overall number of awakeners is showing a steady increase¡­ Resource distribution in each district is uneven. Currently, the highest-ranked is the S7-level awakener from B10, Northern Base¡­¡± The scene of Song Ke punching the floating subway and kicking the double-decker bus flashed across the screen.


    ¡°Stop.¡± The official sitting below suddenly spoke.


    ¡°Director Park, do you have any instructions?¡± The reporter asked nervously.


    Park Jae-woo, rubbing his chin, began to contemplate. ¡°This awakener looks very familiar¡­ ¡±


    He gradually revealed a realization. Oh, isn¡¯t this the one from the time when Bloody Hunter Punk was killed in Mu City? The owner of that rabid dog, who still acts like he has rabies, is now chasing him down, insisting that he hand over the footage from that time.


    ¡°I want to have a conversation with the person in charge of District B10,¡± Park Jae-woo instructed.


    ¡°Is it General Ye?¡± The secretary beside him instinctively asked.


    Park Jae-woo smiled faintly without answering.


    The secretary realized and said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll contact Commander He right away.¡±

 Chapter 143.1: Fire Seed (12)

    ¡ò V587 escorts you ¡òWith a deadline of one month, as long as the ranking is not in the last 1%, one can stay¡ªthough this applies to ordinary teams.


    V587, as a lively, free-spirited, united, and friendly rising star team, not only had the wise leadership of an S-level captain but also the strong support of four A-level backbone members and two talented and mysterious family members. Their goal was to charge to the front row!


    However, before being the ¡°wise leader of the team,¡± Song Ke had to settle some debts.


    For example¡ªowing Lu Xiaoyu 270 grams.


    Lu Xiaoyu had set his sights on a rhenium block with a purity of over 90% in the black market, and because it was a rare item, it was currently being publicly auctioned online. Bidders needed not only substantial financial resources but also exceptional speed.


    Song Ke crouched beside him, reluctantly clutching her money pouch. It was the first time she had seen Lu Xiaoyu so busy. Six mechanical arms simultaneously controlled six screens displaying densely refreshing data. Lu Xiaoyu was constantly tapping on the terminal with a clattering sound. According to Lu Xiaoyu himself, he had implanted an automatic bidding system in the background, capable of jumping thousands of times in a minute.


    In the ultra-high-definition projection, the auctioneer eloquently introduced the item.


    Song Ke paid no attention to what he was saying, staring intently at the large screen with continuously jumping numbers: 1 million, 2 million, 3 million¡­


    ¡°Ding¡ª¡± The golden auction hammer finally fell.


    ¡°How is it?¡± Song Ke asked nervously.


    ¡°We got it,¡± Lu Xiaoyu proudly replied, lifting his chin. His silver hair tips brushed against his neck, and a unique light called ¡°happiness¡± flashed in his distinctive pupils.


    ¡°Pay up, Captain.¡±


    Song Ke glanced at the final bid on the big screen, her voice trembling, ¡°Lu Xiaoyu, do we, do we really have to buy it?¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s wheelchair ¡°swooshed¡± to the front of Song Ke, staring at her without blinking. ¡°Zhuang Qingyan said you would buy it for me.¡±


    There was an irresistible focus in his gaze, like a stubborn child pestering an adult for candy. If you didn¡¯t buy it for him, he would keep nagging, seizing every opportunity to ask for it.


    Song Ke took a glance at his empty pants leg. Besides mechanical parts, Lu Xiaoyu never actively asked for anything. If he wanted a new and fancy leg, what else could she do as his team captain?


    She gritted her teeth, ¡°Buy it!¡±


    Song Ke, with a righteous demeanor, pulled out her terminal and swiped it. The deduction prompt sounded: ¡°You have spent 3,300,000 Alliance Coins from your account ending in xxxx.¡±


    3.3 million! Not 330 Alliance coins! For such a tiny amount! This wasn¡¯t a rhenium block; it was clearly a gold-devouring beast!


    Not only was her money pouch emptied, but a part of Song Ke¡¯s soul also seemed to be hollowed out in a trance. S~?a??h the ???el F?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Lu Xiaoyu enthusiastically started purchasing new parts, his joy being so simple and unpretentious that a mere 3.3 million could satisfy him.


    Song Ke rested her chin on the bar, wearing a look of despair. Zhuang Qingyan passed by and casually asked, ¡°How much did you spend?¡±


    Song Ke slowly raised the terminal to show him.


    ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s about the same as what I calculated,¡± Zhuang Qingyan commented.


    Song Ke suddenly realized; no wonder Zhuang Qingyan insisted on only buying 270 grams for him. Even a substantial family fortune couldn¡¯t withstand Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s extravagant spending.


    Zhuang Qingyan leaned in close and whispered in her ear, ¡°I won¡¯t let you suffer a loss. This is called casting a long line to catch big fish. Give him a little sweetener, and later, I¡¯ll help you recover the cost with interest.¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°¡­¡±


    She sneakily glanced at Lu Xiaoyu, silently lighting a candle for him in her heart. Why does he have a friend like Zhuang Qingyan? It¡¯s really an unfortunate choice of friends, too pitiful.


    The next day, Lu Xiaoyu spent the whole day in his room, busy working on the new arm.


    Among the six mechanical arms, one was noticeably different, with a silver-white appearance similar to a starship, polished to a dazzling shine.


    ¡°Other than being good-looking, is there any other difference with this one?¡± Fang Zhixu asked with a curious expression.


    Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s rhenium arm flew out with a swoosh, touching the terminals of Fang Zhixu, Su Cha, and Lin Youyou in turn. Then, magically, the browsing records from the previous night appeared before everyone:


    Fang Zhixu repeatedly watched some precious old photos and videos, all related to him, Zhang Wanyao, and Tiantian.


    Su Cha was diligently studying the public lessons of the Alliance Combat Master, information he didn¡¯t have access to back in Ferrara.


    As for Lin Youyou¡­ she was chatting with Jennifer. To win the favor of the beautiful woman, Jennifer, without any hesitation, spilled the beans about her Daddy, Yin Xiao, confessing and failing miserably. The two of them were enjoying the gossip to the fullest.


    Lin Youyou supported her forehead, gritting her teeth, and muttered, ¡°¡­Lu Xiaoyu, leave some privacy for people!¡±


    She glanced at Su Cha, who was diligently studying even before going to sleep, feeling inexplicably guilty.


    After Lu Xiaoyu showcased the new features, he finally answered Fang Zhixu¡¯s question, ¡°Rhenium has a hexagonal close-packed crystal structure, outstanding mechanical properties, and, when made into an alloy, it can become a superconductor. By combining my ability with the mechanical arm, it now functions as a powerful hacking interface, capable of connecting to any machine with basic computing capabilities.¡±


    ¡°Any machine? Even a starship?¡± Zhuang Qingyan suddenly spoke up.


    Everyone paused, wondering what he meant.


    ¡°The latest model of starships in District B, can it connect to them?¡± Zhuang Qingyan asked again.


    Their current missions were limited to the vicinity of the Northern Base due to transportation and time constraints. If they could switch to the fastest District B starship, it would save a lot of travel time and expand their mission choices.


    ¡°No way! Are you planning to steal a starship?¡± Lin Youyou exclaimed. Wasn¡¯t that too audacious? They had just arrived at the Northern Base, and now they were making such a big move?


    ¡°How can you call it stealing? We¡¯re borrowing it; we¡¯ll return it,¡± Zhuang Qingyan corrected.


    V587: ¡°¡­¡± Shameless, so shameless.


    *


    Northern Base, the busy starship station.


    A newly maintained and pristine starship slowly emerged from the energy column, gliding smoothly on the track, about to enter the station to pick up passengers.


    A group of seven people wearing masks and hats passed by. Men and women, old and young, two young men were in wheelchairs, a girl held a skipping child¡¯s hand, appearing as if they were joyfully heading out for an excursion.


    As they passed the starship not yet carrying passengers, a silver-white mechanical arm suddenly appeared in the air. It touched the charging port briefly, and the control panel inside the starship flickered for a second, silently changing its original route and switching to high-orbit mode, heading towards an empty platform.


    At the same time, the station¡¯s floating screen automatically issued an error alert: ¡°C1011 train detected a malfunction, signal lost!¡±


    A silver-haired young man slightly tilted his head upward, his ice-blue eyes sparkling with scattered light as the flowing data invaded the panel.


    Half a second later, the floating screen automatically corrected the information: ¡°Malfunction cleared, today¡¯s weather: clear.¡±


    The starship¡¯s cabin door opened, and the seven individuals who had just passed by walked in without any concern, disappearing into the sky after a moment.


    It was like any other calm and peaceful morning.


    Except for the passengers waiting on the original platform, looking utterly bewildered: where was their car? They bought tickets, so why was the car gone?


    *


    Yin Xiao pulled Song Ke into a channel with a somewhat peculiar name. Although the name was odd, the quality of the tasks inside was indeed much higher than the ones pushed by the system. Moreover, they quickly received a mission they desired:


    ¡°A-level Commission (urgent): In District C27, a large-scale zombie tide has occurred. Detected zombie quantities are as follows: 3rd-level zombies xx, 2nd-level zombies xxxx, and mutant zombies xxxx. Nearby awakeners are requested to immediately provide support. Depending on the number of zombies killed, different amounts of points and Alliance coins rewards can be obtained.¡±


    Killing zombies, this was undoubtedly their specialty as V587.


    Four engines simultaneously spewed out streams of air, and the silver meteor flashed across the sky.

 Chapter 143.2: Fire Seed (12)

    ¡ò V587 escorts you ¡òRainbow Mist was a typical karst landscape, with the central city located at the summit of a plateau surrounded by undulating green terraces. However, at this moment, a multitude of zombies had piled up in layers, crawling upward. In this critical situation, numerous awakeners rushed from all directions, joining the battlefield one after another.


    Although this wave of zombie tide was formidable, fortunately, there was no commander, making it incomparable to the zombie king encounter that Song Ke and the others had experienced.


    The starship¡¯s cabin door opened, and in the brisk morning wind, V587 arrived above the battlefield.


    Song Ke and Su Cha, the two melee fighters, descended low into the center of the most densely packed powered zombies, slashing through them like a whirlwind.


    Lin Youyou promptly applied buffs, boosting the speed and strength of the two. With death scythe-like spiritual weapons in their hands, they rapidly harvested zombies.


    Xu Xing, with his victory headband on, performed movements resembling radio calisthenics. As he raised his arms and kicked his legs, countless ice blades swept through the air, accurately piercing through the zombies¡¯ heads. His efficiency in killing monsters was the highest among them.


    Lu Xiaoyu controlled one of the mechanical arms to move the starship and brought out a heavy machine gun purchased from the black market, firing alongside Zhuang Qingyan in the high sky.


    In a section of the monster group, Song Ke occupied a small high ground. As she looked down at the densely packed living dead below, she raised her hand slightly. Just as she was about to take action, her terminal suddenly beeped. Song Ke dismissed it, but the other party switched to voice bombardment. Song Ke lightly clicked her tongue; can¡¯t they see she¡¯s busy?


    Glancing at the sender, it was another official message from the Awakener Department. They had changed personnel several times in the past few days, harassing her daily and requesting her to undergo ¡°further examination.¡± Annoyed, Song Ke added it to the blacklist and activated the ¡°Do Not Disturb¡± mode, finally bringing peace to her terminal.


    Immediately afterward, her palm moved slightly, and a high-speed shooting longbow appeared.


    ¡°Su Cha, lend me some ability.¡±


    Su Cha flipped over with one hand, gripped the bowstring, and unleashed his awakened energy. The ethereal blue surface of the bow instantly flashed a cold quenching green; this was a newly developed attack method after the two of them dealt with the mutated moths in the U-Lab laboratory.


    Song Ke took a step back, pulled the bow, aimed, and released¡ª


    Ding! The arrow shot through the head of a level 3 zombie.


    She pulled the bow again, another arrow, still a level 3 zombie.


    Arrow after arrow, each shot found its mark. Song Ke specifically targeted level 3 zombies, and under the powerful penetration and the dual impact of strong neurotoxins, even robust level 3 zombies instantly perished, without any chance of fighting back.


    In the terraced fields, Fang Zhixu carried a black mountaineering bag and, like a scout, swiftly followed Song Ke¡¯s shooting path. He ran to the fallen level 3 zombies, cleanly sliced open their skulls, and extracted crystals.


    It sounded absurd when spoken out loud¡ªwhy would the healer of V587 also join the battlefield? S?a??h th? ??v?lF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    The reason given by others was: because of Fang Zhixu¡¯s unique physique and precise knife skills, he was entrusted with the most important task¡ªcollecting crystals.


    Song Ke encouraged him with a pat on the shoulder, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll protect you.¡±


    Xu Xing grinned, ¡°Uncle Fang, you should exercise more~¡±


    The awakeners on the battlefield were stunned by their skillful maneuvers:


    ¡°Damn! Where did those people come from?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re targeting evolved zombies and mutant zombies specifically. Are they here to score points?¡±


    ¡°Secretary Li, I need to know all the information about this team within a minute!¡±


    After resolving the crisis of the zombie tide in Rainbow Mist, V587 hastily headed to the next location.


    ¡°A-level Commission (privately issued): Escort mission, please ensure the safe return of Mr. Zhang and his family from the Yinqola Shelter to B13, Baishen.¡±


    This kind of private mission was a rare and highly sought-after opportunity. The issuer needed to pay a considerable deposit on the mission platform and determine the mission¡¯s difficulty level. Although points could only be calculated based on the lowest limit after determining the level, the significant feature was the generous Alliance coin reward.


    As for Mr. Zhang, whether he was naive with money and a beautiful soul or just wealthy and generous, he surprisingly posted an A-level mission!


    Zhuang Qingyan was right. Lu Xiaoyu, having tasted the sweetness, was indeed full of enthusiasm and managed to secure this rare mission using the newly upgraded cheats.


    ¡­


    At the entrance of the Yinqola Shelter, Mr. Zhang paced anxiously.


    A group of awakeners wearing matching tactical suits approached him.


    ¡°Excuse me, are you Mr. Zhang, the client?¡± a gentle female voice rang out.


    Mr. Zhang looked up in surprise, and the speaker was a delicate woman with flowing long hair.


    ¡°You are¡­¡± Mr. Zhang¡¯s expression showed doubt.


    Snap! Suddenly, the people in front of him stood at attention, loudly shouting a slogan:


    ¡°Thousands of miles away from home, the original heart remains unswayed, V587 assists you in setting sail for a distant journey!¡± Xu Xing excitedly recited his lines.


    ¡°Worry-free throughout the journey, thorough protection, V587 ensures your safe journey.¡± Su Cha¡¯s sorrow is greater than death.


    ¡°V587, the most reliable guardian in the entire Alliance, escorts your travels,¡± Zhuang Qingyan summarized with a grin, hands resting on his stomach.


    Song Ke stood behind everyone, arms crossed, nodding in satisfaction.


    Indeed, these were the slogans she had thought hard about. Very good, very impressive.


    Mr. Zhang: ¡°¡­¡±


    These people were all flashy, but were they reliable? He explicitly requested at least two A-level awakeners!


    ¡°Which route are we taking back?¡± Mr. Zhang tentatively asked.


    From the Yinqola Shelter to Baishen, most cities along the way had already been destroyed. Therefore, Mr. Zhang¡¯s family didn¡¯t dare to travel alone.


    If this group couldn¡¯t provide a good solution, he would definitely complain to the platform!


    ¡°Respected Money Bag¡­ cough, client, your Dadao special car is ready,¡± Song Ke said with a straight face.


    Mr. Zhang looked in the direction she pointed, staring blankly for a moment. He saw a sparkling starship parked not far away.


    These people could actually get a starship?! And it was the latest model from District B. Can starships be privately used?


    Mr. Zhang and his family boarded the starship with dreamy expressions. Even hours later, stepping onto the land of Baishen, they still couldn¡¯t believe it.


    This¡­ they arrived already?


    ¡­


    As night fell, the seven of them stayed in Baishen for the night. During that time, Zhuang Qingyan went out for a bit, and the next day, they resumed their journey to accumulate points.


    After three full days of continuous effort, V587¡¯s points surged significantly, currently ranking around 60%.


    Three days later, on a rare rest day.


    Northern Base, Garden Apartments.


    At five in the morning, Song Ke¡¯s hair was messy as she got up dreamily to have a drink of water. Having received three A-level missions yesterday, everyone was as tired as Taotao.


    She closed her eyes and, in a state of unclear consciousness, groped her way back to the bedside. Accidentally kicking the trash can, she lowered her head and saw that it was full.


    Song Ke¡¯s eyes glazed over, and after two seconds of contemplation, she decided to go downstairs to take out the trash.


    Wearing pajamas and sleep pants, she had just walked out of the apartment door when someone called her name from behind.


    ¡°Song Ke?¡±


    A man and a woman stood side by side under the trees, resembling each other. The woman looked her up and down, while the man glanced at her, taking out a terminal to check the recording.


    Song Ke felt that the two seemed a bit familiar and, after a while, slowly recalled that they were the S6-level twins, Ling Yan and Ling Yue.


    After Ling Yue called her, two more unfamiliar awakeners appeared behind her. The four of them inconspicuously blocked her way.


    Song Ke¡¯s gaze focused, and she instantly became clear-headed. Judging from the awakened energy released externally, these two were also S-level!


    Ling Yue sighed, ¡°You are really hard to find.¡±


    Song Ke asked, ¡°What?¡±


    Ling Yue pointed to her own dark circles and cursed in the Cario Empire¡¯s common language.


    ¡°The position is constantly changing, and the entire Alliance is in chaos. We¡¯ve been staking out for three whole days, not even getting a wink of sleep.¡±


    ¡°Stake out on me? Why?¡± Song Ke was puzzled.


    ¡°We want to invite you to go somewhere.¡±


    As soon as the words fell, Ling Yan and Ling Yue both acted simultaneously, instantly clearing all objects around Song Ke, including the trash bag in her hand.


    The next second, Song Ke found that all the radiation nearby had disappeared, similar to the situation she had encountered below the 7th floor of the Death Prison. Her awakened energy couldn¡¯t resonate, and she couldn¡¯t use her abilities! At the same time, her hands and feet were tightly restrained by an unknown force, and she couldn¡¯t make a sound.


    This was¡­ a restraining-type ability? Territory-type ability?


    Song Ke suddenly looked up; it was the other two S-level individuals who had taken action.


    The twins captured Song Ke¡¯s arms from the left and right, effortlessly lifting her up.


    Song Ke¡¯s feet left the ground, and a question mark slowly appeared in her head. What were these people up to? A fight? It didn¡¯t seem like it.


    ¡°Sorry, sorry!¡± Another A-level awakener rushed out, clasping his hands together and bowing repeatedly to Song Ke. ¡°We have no ill intentions. It¡¯s just a last resort. The Awakener Department tried to contact you, but you didn¡¯t respond to messages, didn¡¯t answer calls, and even blocked location tracking. Commander He gave a strict order ¨C today, no matter what, we must bring you back.¡±


    Song Ke blinked slowly. Commander He Qiu Hong wanted to see her?


    If that¡¯s the case, why not just meet and talk? Why resort to physical actions right away? Sending four S-level individuals in such a big fuss was unnecessary. Really unnecessary. Also, could they let her change her clothes¡­


    A strong spatial fluctuation occurred, and the five individuals disappeared from the original location.


    ¡­


    Half an hour later, Zhuang Qingyan lazily leaned against the door, knocking on Song Ke¡¯s room.


    ¡°Knock, knock,¡± he announced, ¡°Captain, it¡¯s time to go.¡±


    No one responded.


    He changed his posture, casually tidied his hair, and knocked twice again. ¡°Song Ke, don¡¯t think about staying in bed.¡±


    Inside, it was quiet as if there was no one there.


    Zhuang Qingyan furrowed his brows slightly, the careless expression on his face gradually disappearing. He twisted the doorknob open. ¡°I¡¯m coming in.¡±


    The bedroom was empty.


    Zhuang Qingyan took two quick steps, reaching out to touch the bed. The palm of his hand felt icy.


    His expression remained relatively calm, but his eyes revealed a storm. The awakened energy belonging to an S-level spread out like a dark cloud, a sign of an impending tempest. In the invisible space, a faint trace of not-yet dissipated spatial ability lingered.

 Chapter 144.1: Fire Seed (13)

    ¡ò Who kidnapped Song Ke? ¡ò¡°What?¡±


    ¡°What¡ªthe¡ª?!¡±


    ¡°Song Ke¡¯er was kidnapped???¡±


    Shouts, escalating in volume, echoed through the entire Garden Apartment building.


    Just after finishing packing up, getting ready to enjoy a day off, the entire V587 team was in a state of confusion.


    Xu Xing, carrying a small yellow duck backpack, rushed into Song Ke¡¯s room, opened the curtains, opened the wardrobe, and even stubbornly bent over to look under the bed: ¡°Sister¡ª!!¡±


    ¡°Our Song Ke¡¯er, the dignified S7-level attack-type awakener, undefeated in direct confrontations, you¡¯re saying she was¡­ kidnapped?¡±


    Lin Youyou incredulously pinched her own cheek and, in passing, pinched Su Cha¡¯s thigh. She still doubted her ears, finding this whole thing unbelievable.


    ¡°No, are you two intentionally messing with us, you lovebirds? Where did Song Ke¡¯er hide to slack off?¡±


    Su Cha remained composed despite being pinched, instead gently pushing Lin Youyou¡¯s back, indicating her to look at someone.


    Lin Youyou raised her gaze and, upon seeing the expression on that person¡¯s face, instantly fell silent.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s complexion could no longer be described as unpleasant. Leaning against the bar with one hand in his pocket, he held the terminal that Song Ke had left at the bedside. His long crow-like eyelashes hung low, lost in thought, silent to a somewhat eerie extent.


    Zhuang Qingyan, to put it nicely, had a naturally large heart, showing no emotions of joy or anger. To be blunt, he was cold-hearted and cold-lunged, with a detached demeanor. Due to his high intelligence, he lacked interest in almost everything, and his true thoughts were impossible to fathom.


    While others joined V587 due to being lonely and wandering with nowhere to go or having unfulfilled wishes, Zhuang Qingyan was the first to meet Song Ke. Since their first encounter, he had been in a wheelchair due to a leg injury, and he was the only person ¡°without a goal.¡± No one knew what he was thinking or what he intended to do.


    This was the first time Lin Youyou saw Zhuang Qingyan in a state of rage, and yes¡ªrage.


    Even though he remained silent now, with a calm and pale expression, everyone could feel the terrifying pressure emanating from him. It was a level of suppression belonging to the S-level, amplified by his awakened psychic abilities, easily inducing a chilling sense of tremor.


    Like a precarious live volcano, the calmer he appeared now, the more shocking his eruption would be.


    ¡°The surveillance footage has been retrieved,¡± Lu Xiaoyu said.


    A clear image appeared on the projection, and everyone quickly shifted their gaze.


    At five in the morning, Song Ke, wearing pajamas and sleep pants, holding a garbage bag, yawned and walked out, kicking and stepping along the way. After leaving the apartment gate, she turned into a shaded area of trees and never came out again.


    ¡°Fixed-point camera, conveniently in a blind spot of the surveillance.¡± Lu Xiaoyu enlarged the footage, rotated the angle, but the situation under the tree shade couldn¡¯t be captured.


    He switched to other cameras in the community, patrolling one by one. Half an hour passed since Song Ke disappeared, and apart from a few regularly entering and exiting AI property personnel, there were no other suspicious figures.


    This made the kidnapping case even more puzzling. Without any movement, a person disappeared into thin air?


    Su Cha said coldly, ¡°The other party scouted in advance, came prepared.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s hoarse voice sounded, ¡°She didn¡¯t resist immediately, indicating that the intruder is not a stranger.¡±


    Everyone was stunned.


    ¡°You mean, Song Ke knows the kidnapper?¡± Lin Youyou whispered.


    ¡°Not necessarily familiar, but at least they¡¯ve met, confirming that the other party is not an adversary.¡±


    If the kidnapper was a stranger and showed malice, given Song Ke¡¯s vigilance, she wouldn¡¯t sit idly but would immediately counterattack. In that case, the degree of commotion in the apartment would have been impossible for others to miss.


    Zhuang Qingyan tightened his fingertips. ¡°To silently take her away, the culprit must be an awakener, and¡­ probably of the control type.¡±


    ¡°The captain is S-level,¡± Su Cha reminded abruptly.


    At first, this statement seemed inexplicable, but the group quickly grasped the implication: Indeed! Song Ke is S-level; to control her, the other side must be at least S-level!


    ¡°Probably more than one,¡± Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s eyes revealed a mocking smile. ¡°If I were the one orchestrating from behind, to ensure nothing goes wrong, I would send out two, three, even four¡­ at any cost.¡±


    As the reasoning deepened, the truth of Song Ke¡¯s kidnapping gradually surfaced, but the answers became increasingly absurd.


    In the Northern Base, who could mobilize two or more S-level awakener? Everyone vaguely had an answer in their hearts¡ªthe deputy leader of District B10, the highest official of the Awakener Department they had encountered briefly.


    Lin Youyou frowned. ¡°Did He Qiuhong make a move?¡±


    Fang Zhixu couldn¡¯t understand, ¡°Wasn¡¯t her attitude good before? Why did she suddenly turn hostile?¡±


    ¡°I think this is the reason.¡± Zhuang Qingyan pointed to the little bee terminal. Song Ke hadn¡¯t set any permissions, and he effortlessly opened it.


    Zhuang Qingyan had already checked through it. He released the Awakener Department officials from the blacklist and opened those unread bombardment messages in front of everyone, stopping his fingertips on the words ¡°Further Inspection.¡±


    In the past three days, V587 had been busy with missions non-stop, not even having time to talk. Given Song Ke¡¯s personality, she probably forgot about this or treated it as simple harassment messages.


    Zhuang Qingyan said in a deep voice, ¡°There¡¯s an issue with Song Ke¡¯s awakener report.¡±


    Everyone was genuinely shocked, ¡°What issue?¡±


    ¡°The returned report is missing pages, and someone deliberately erased information about the gene sequence and radiation stability.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan had noticed the abnormality in the report earlier, but those two items were routine checks, not directly related to ability awakening. So, even though he suspected that He Qiuhong was hiding something, it didn¡¯t attract enough attention.


    ¡°I made a mistake,¡± Zhuang Qingyan sighed. ¡°He Qiuhong must have noticed something was wrong, but she couldn¡¯t confirm it. She could only temporarily suppress it and find an opportunity to verify it with Song Ke.¡±


    Repeatedly urging her to undergo the examination indicated that this matter was crucial to He Qiuhong, important enough for her to risk confronting a powerful S-level.


    ¡°What if they found out Song Ke is a dual-class awakener and want to capture her for study?¡± Fang Zhixu asked anxiously.


    V587 internally knew about Song Ke¡¯s S-level dual-class abilities, but they had kept it a secret externally, never mentioning a word about it.


    Zhuang Qingyan clenched the terminal and slowly shook his head, ¡°Dual-class awakened abilities cannot be detected by instruments.¡±


    ¡°In theory, dual-class awakened abilities are divided into dominant and recessive. For example, Punk¡¯s bloody explosion is a dominant ability, and time reversal is recessive. On the same temporal axis, a coordinate point cannot possess two different awakened abilities. This means that Punk cannot simultaneously trigger bloody explosions and time reversal. When facing instrument checks, he can actively choose which ability to reveal, which is why it could be concealed for so long.¡±


    ¡°Song Ke¡¯s second ability is related to the rapid healing of the body, a passive ability within the recessive category. Unless her heart is severely damaged, even an R-type won¡¯t be able to detect it.¡±


    It was because Zhuang Qingyan understood the functionality of R-type that he felt at ease letting Song Ke undergo genetic testing.


    Fang Zhixu became even more puzzled, ¡°But if it¡¯s not because of the dual-class¡­ why would He Qiuhong want to kidnap her?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan couldn¡¯t figure out what issues those two routine indicators¡ªgene sequence and radiation stability¡ªcould have. What secrets could be hiding on Song Ke¡¯s body that even he couldn¡¯t discover?


    Lin Youyou snapped her fingers, bringing everyone¡¯s attention back, ¡°Now that the kidnapper has been identified, how do we rescue her?¡±


    Even if not explicitly stated, they all understood implicitly. Song Ke was the soul of V587, the core that brought them together. Lin Youyou didn¡¯t ask ¡°Do we rescue her?¡± but rather ¡°How do we rescue her?¡±


    ¡°Daring to kidnap my sister, I¡¯ll definitely kill them!¡± With Song Ke absent, Xu Xing¡¯s young lion¡¯s claws were exposed, and his angelic, innocent face was covered in dark clouds.


    ¡°Should we just break into the Awakener Department building?¡± Fang Zhixu absentmindedly rubbed his chin, his thoughts involuntarily turning more violent.


    ¡°Not feasible,¡± Lu Xiaoyu decisively opposed, ¡°Did you forget the safety education videos we watched?¡±


    Su Cha¡¯s remark was incisive, ¡°The most important thing now is to confirm the captain¡¯s specific location.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s expression changed slightly. He opened a profile from the terminal and initiated a video call.


    The call was quickly answered, and a lively voice came through, ¡°Good morning, Song Ke. Any new requests¡­¡±


    ¡°Miss Ye, it¡¯s me. Song Ke is missing,¡± Zhuang Qingyan coldly interrupted her.


    A look of obvious astonishment appeared on Ye Zimei¡¯s face. S?a?ch* Th? N0v?lFire(.)n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s next words directly dismantled her composure, ¡°Do you think she would be at the Awakener Department now?¡±


    Ye Zimei: ¡°Huh?¡±


    Although Ye Zimei had a carefree personality, her mind worked quickly. After the initial shock, she quickly calmed down, ¡°Mr. Zhuang, are you suspecting me?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan: ¡°I am equally suspicious of everyone.¡±


    Ye Zimei: ¡°¡­¡±

 Chapter 144.2: Fire Seed (13)

    ¡ò Who kidnapped Song Ke? ¡òZhuang Qingyan brazenly hinted, ¡°Miss Ye, why don¡¯t you use your permissions to check if there were any unauthorized individuals in the building this morning?¡±


    Ye Zimei took a deep breath and cut the video feed, saying, ¡°Please wait a moment.¡±


    A few seconds later, she returned with a decisive tone, ¡°I have confirmed that there is no abnormal entry or exit in the Awakener Department. We are a legitimate and compliant organization. We wouldn¡¯t detain an S-level without cause. Why do you think Song Ke would be with us?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan carefully observed Ye Zimei¡¯s subtle expressions. Her face displayed anger, grievance, and the resentment of being misunderstood, appearing completely unaware.


    Zhuang Qingyan raised the corner of his lips, devoid of any hint of a smile. He suddenly changed the topic, ¡°What is Commander He busy with today?¡±


    Ye Zimei¡¯s anger abruptly stopped, and an idea that made her scalp numb flashed like lightning.


    Perhaps¡­ Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s true suspicion wasn¡¯t directed at her.


    ¡°¡­I apologize, Commander He¡¯s schedule is confidential to the outside world,¡± Ye Zimei¡¯s voice quieted down. After some thought, she continued, ¡°But she has a tight schedule today, personally attending all the meetings. She wouldn¡¯t choose this time¡­ for something like that.¡±


    Accused of being involved in a kidnapping early in the morning, Ye Zimei grew increasingly displeased with her thoughts, raising her voice, ¡°Song Ke and V587 were both brought into the Northern Base by me. Rest assured, I will follow up on this matter and give you an explanation.¡±


    After saying this, she abruptly ended the communication with a ¡°click.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan looked at the dark screen and tossed the terminal to Lu Xiaoyu.


    ¡°I want information on all S-level awakeners in the Northern Base, including detailed classifications, types of abilities, and¡­ their current locations.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu didn¡¯t catch the terminal, and a rare trace of hesitation appeared on his face.


    Zhuang Qingyan and Lu Xiaoyu were the only two in V587 who hadn¡¯t switched to District B terminals. These two individuals lived like primitive people, one rarely using electronic devices, living like a caveman every day, occasionally borrowing Song Ke¡¯s terminal to catch up on some news. The other immersed himself in various instruments, using only the outdated District C terminal, and in his words ¡ª for safety and pollution-free purposes.


    Lu Xiaoyu stared at the sparkling little bee, his voice showing no fluctuations, ¡°Are you asking me to establish a deep consciousness connection?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan nodded, ¡°Yes.¡±


    To crack the location of an S-level awakener, it required breaking through the District B firewall and hacking into the District B network. In other words, Lu Xiaoyu could only accomplish this using the District B terminal.


    ¡°¡­She will find me,¡± Lu Xiaoyu uttered a mysteriously profound statement.


    Zhuang Qingyan remained impassive, ¡°What¡¯s this? Six years ago, you could cripple her during her peak, and now you¡¯re trembling just standing in front of her?¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s ice-blue pupils suddenly stood up, the veins on the back of his hand protruding, revealing a sharp combat stance. Zhuang Qingyan confronted him without giving an inch, his eyes resembling the deep mouth of a volcano, ready to spew out scalding lava at any moment. S?a??h th? ??v?lF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Letting you play the driver a few times, messing around with some parts, living in comfort for too long, and you start considering yourself useless?¡±


    ¡°Have you forgotten¡ª you¡¯re also an early awakener.¡±


    The tense atmosphere between the two scared the other members into silence. It felt like if Zhuang Qingyan said one more word, Lu Xiaoyu would break ties with him.


    In the dead silence, Zhuang Qingyan asked one word at a time, ¡°In her presence, can you find Song Ke, erase any traces of intrusion, and retreat without a trace? Can you still do that now?¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s face showed no expression. Without uttering a word, he picked up the terminal. His chromium arm slightly shimmered as he connected to the data port.


    With his movement, the entire living room was covered in a dazzling silver light. Vast amounts of data, like a galaxy, flowed slowly above their heads. It seemed as if everyone had stepped into a virtual world, surrounded by various intricate and jumping lines of code.


    Lu Xiaoyu slightly closed his eyes. The silver hair flowed without wind, and with his body as the center, tendrils of data barbarically grew, expanding their territory unscrupulously, gradually occupying every corner of the apartment.


    Unable to hold back, Xu Xing mumbled, ¡°He looks like a tree¡­¡±


    ¡­


    In a city far away from the Northern Base,


    Inside a spacious greenhouse, the environment was silent, and only a withered giant tree stood. Suddenly, it sensed something, and its roots emitted a cherry blossom-colored glow. A pair of inorganic eyes slowly opened, calm yet ancient, whispering words like a murmur:


    ¡°I see you, my child.¡±


    However, the faint light vanished in an instant, quickly fading into the boundless ocean of data, leaving no trace.


    Yet, the almost withered giant tree lit up. Its branches rustled, sounding like countless children clapping in joy. Tiny signs of life sprouted, one after another, and a soft cherry blossom glow surged into the sky, enveloping the entire city in a hazy halo of light.


    ¡­


    Back at the Garden Apartment, Lu Xiaoyu still had his eyes closed. However, apart from Song Ke, the information of the eight other S-level individuals in the Northern Base appeared before him.


    Thanks to the special terminal that He Qiuhong had sent to S-level awakeners and the good habit of carrying it around by B District personnel, under the tracing of the top-level hacker Lu Xiaoyu, the positions of these individuals were nowhere to hide:


    ¨C Ken Oda: S2-level Engineering-type, located ten kilometers away in the Ocean District.


    ¨C Ling Yan and Ling Yue: S6-level Double Attack-type, located in the Awakener Department building. Today happened to be their regular reporting day.


    ¨C Zhao Yuqing: S2-level Water-type, located a few thousand kilometers away in District C.


    ¨C Zhigler: S3-level Constraint-type, located somewhere in the city.


    ¨C Xi Ze: S3-level Domain-type, located somewhere in the city.


    Two unknown S-level individuals: Located at the Governor¡¯s Mansion, where the firewall level was the highest. Lu Xiaoyu didn¡¯t bother continuing to crack it because the answer was already clear.


    Zhigler and Xi Ze, one with constraint ability and the other with domain ability, were currently in the same location. Typically, S-level individuals would have a sense of territory. Unless like the Ling siblings, who were twins, they rarely gathered together outside of missions.


    Various scenarios of the two coordinating their abilities to catch Song Ke off guard immediately surfaced in Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s mind.


    ¡°Where is this?¡± he asked with a deep voice.


    ¡°The map doesn¡¯t have a label, only showing it¡¯s a controlled area. Risk level: H (High Risk),¡± Lu Xiaoyu replied.


    Zhuang Qingyan stood upright, exhaling a long breath.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Captain has always been the one to save us, but this time, it¡¯s our turn to save the Captain.¡±


    Su Cha carried a box of spiritual weapons out of the room and quickly attached them to his arms and legs. Fang Zhixu pulled out several bags of hot weapons specifically purchased for completing missions, clumsily attempting to assemble them. Lu Xiaoyu took over silently and, with six arms moving in unison, quickly assembled the weapons.


    Zhuang Qingyan led the five of them out of the apartment, and the others followed behind him, keenly aware of one thing:


    ¡ªHe wasn¡¯t in a wheelchair.


    *


    Brightly lit laboratory.


    Song Ke¡¯s arms were being carried by the twins, gliding through the long corridor. Since she couldn¡¯t escape for the time being, she decided to close her eyes and pretend to sleep.


    She appeared to be asleep, but in reality, she deliberately let the enemy relax their guard, secretly using her awakened energy to sense any movements outside.


    After a while, Song Ke was brought into a sealed capsule. Inside, it was empty with no furniture; even the tables and chairs were absent. The personnel here were informed that she could use transformations with her ability, so they cleared the space in advance.


    Ling Yue opened the terminal across the transparent glass, and on the other end of the line, a holographic image of He Qiuhong appeared:


    ¡°Song Ke, I have another meeting. To keep it short, Dr. Ning is an expert in genetic engineering. He will conduct a comprehensive examination on you while ensuring your personal safety. Please cooperate in any case.¡±


    He Qiuhong, accustomed to being in a superior position, employed a mix of soft and hard approaches in her speech, leaving Song Ke somewhat speechless.


    In her mind, Song Ke couldn¡¯t help but sneer: Cooperate? You¡¯ve already captured me, and there¡¯s an S-level eyeing me. How is this not considered ¡°cooperating¡±?


    After He Qiuhong finished speaking, she quickly ended the communication, appearing genuinely busy.


    With the Ling siblings having completed their task and leaving gracefully, only Zhigler and Xi Ze remained at the scene. The two of them intertwined their abilities, showing no signs of interruption. They guarded Song Ke vigilantly from the outside.


    After lingering in place for a moment, Song Ke slowly yawned and sat down, cross-legged.


    Feeling bored, she looked around, left and right. Suddenly, a glint of light flashed across the corner of her eye. Song Ke paused slightly, then suddenly lifted her head. In the completely sealed and narrow space, a glaring light shone from above, and a bright red dot flickered intermittently in the high air. It was the light from a surveillance camera.


    Song Ke stared at it intently for a while, somewhat in a daze. Her pupils gradually contracted due to the strong light, and in the all-white background, her two eyes appeared remarkably black.

 Chapter 145.1: Fire Seed (14)

    ¡ò The master of the Northern Base ¡òThe laboratory door automatically opened to both sides, and a group of researchers in white robes entered, led by a middle-aged man with graying temples.


    He seemed to have not slept for a long time, with a tired complexion and two large dark circles under his eyes.


    His assistant respectfully called him, ¡°Dr. Ning.¡±


    Through the glass, Dr. Ning glanced at Song Ke sitting on the ground, lowered his head to review the awakener report on the screen.


    After a few seconds, he looked up again. When facing her in person, Song Ke appeared completely normal. No one would think that the radiation level in her body exceeded that of an ordinary person by twenty times. It was as if she carried a nuclear bomb but casually wandered around.


    Dr. Ning pressed the intercom button and calmly said, ¡°I will conduct radiation endurance tests on you. I heard you are S7 level?¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s dark pupils stared at him, ¡°Yes.¡±


    Dr. Ning nodded with satisfaction, ¡°Very well, your physical fitness is up to par. The experiment process may be a bit tough, so try to endure as much as possible. Your vital signs will be monitored throughout. If you really can¡¯t handle it, just raise your hand, and I will stop.¡±


    Hypocrite, Song Ke rolled her eyes.


    Dr. Ning didn¡¯t mind, ¡°Let¡¯s begin.¡±


    In the capsule compartment, four built-in radiofrequency lamps above lit up, causing Song Ke to instinctively squint.


    Dr. Ning waited in place for a moment, ¡°Report the radiation level.¡±


    ¡°23%, 35%, 41%, 48%!¡± The assistant¡¯s voice gradually changed tone.


    No wonder he was surprised; this data had already exceeded their highest record. At that time, the test subject was a Fallen, and the critical point was only 47.75%.


    Song Ke sat quietly in the capsule compartment, as if she couldn¡¯t feel the changes in radiation at all. Nausea, vomiting, bleeding, and symptoms of decay that should have appeared were all absent.


    Dr. Ning turned to look at the resonance spectrum analyzer. According to the image display, the organs in Song Ke¡¯s body were functioning normally. The only noteworthy thing was that the massive radiation that had originally existed in her body seemed to be slowly flowing, greedily absorbing energy.


    ¡°Awakened energy report.¡±


    ¡°Stably maintained at 12,000.¡±


    For an S7-level awakener, normal awakened energy fluctuated between 8,000 and 13,000. In other words, the current increase in radiation had no obvious effect on Song Ke¡¯s awakened energy.


    Dr. Ning calmly ordered, ¡°Increase the radiation level.¡±


    The assistant manipulated the instruments with trembling nerves, not daring to make the slightest mistake. Following Dr. Ning¡¯s instructions, he adjusted the values to 50%, then raised them to 90% after a few cycles, briefly paused at 100%, and finally skyrocketed to 120%.


    ¡°Stop,¡± Dr. Ning raised his hand.


    Song Ke felt a faint discomfort, not from the increasingly strong radiation, but from the oppressive atmosphere created by the surroundings ¨C the glaring rays above, the flickering red lights, and the white-robed researchers coming and going. Her eyes lost focus, and hallucinatory symptoms gradually appeared, with voices in her ears screaming hysterically, like the cries of a desperate animal.


    Taking a deep breath, Song Ke stood up irritably, covering her ears with both hands, pacing back and forth in the narrow space.


    ¡°Record: Radiation exceeds 120%. The experimental¡ªthe target shows obvious anxiety, pacing back and forth. DNA double strands normal, organs functioning normally, awakened energy¡­ huh?¡± Dr. Ning¡¯s eyes showed a hint of surprise. ¡°Awakened energy value: 14,000.¡±


    The assistants nearby collectively gasped. Not only did the target remain unscathed under the current terrifying level of radiation, but her surging awakened energy had already reached S8 level!


    Dr. Ning¡¯s eyes gleamed mysteriously. He clenched the screen tightly, unable to resist taking large strides forward until his nose almost touched the glass.


    ¡°Record: Radiation exceeds 120%. The target shows second awakening symptoms.¡±


    ¡°Increase the radiation level!¡±


    ¡°Doctor¡­¡± the assistant trembled as he reminded, ¡°Exceeds 130%, the scale is maxed out.¡±


    The machine they were currently using had limited instruments, with the highest scale being 130%. Astonishingly, though the machine had reached its limit, this extraordinary individual named Song Ke seemed to have no upper limit to her radiation tolerance.


    Song Ke¡¯s discomfort intensified. Under the intense radiation, her entire body felt like it was burning, her skin ached, cells died in large numbers, only to regenerate quickly. Something seemed eager to burst out and take control of her body. Song Ke¡¯s limbs spasmed, and she staggered forward.


    Bang!


    With a deafening roar, Song Ke raised her fist and smashed it against the glass. Crimson blood flowed down, and although the glass didn¡¯t shatter due to its special material, the entire laboratory floor shook violently. The researchers outside were frightened by her momentum, retreating in succession.


    Tiny blood vessels appeared in the corners of Song Ke¡¯s eyes. Her dark pupils, without blinking, were fixed on the people in white robes outside.


    Dr. Ning glanced at the spectrum analyzer, observing her body greedily absorbing radiation, and all organ indices were in a chaotic state.


    ¡°Stop,¡± Dr. Ning ordered.


    The assistant pressed the pause button, relieved.


    Dr. Ning spoke slowly, ¡°Record: Radiation exceeds 130%. The target¡¯s anxiety intensifies, emotions approach losing control, awakened energy value¡­ 18,000.¡±


    Silence engulfed the surroundings.


    ¡°Gulp¡ª¡± After a while, the sound of someone forcibly swallowing saliva was clearly heard.


    What did 18,000 mean? That theoretically placed her at S9 level. If Song Ke wished, she could not only crush them like ants but effortlessly destroy an entire city.


    After the radiation in the capsule compartment stabilized, Song Ke¡¯s awakened energy slowly returned to 12,000, and other values returned to normal.


    ¡°Release the nutrient solution,¡± Dr. Ning whispered.


    A hidden opening in the ceiling revealed itself, and a bag of liquid substance landed on the ground with a soft thud.


    Song Ke didn¡¯t touch it. She resembled a cold and vigilant young beast, curled up in the corner, observing each person with her pitch-black eyes.


    Dr. Ning fell into contemplation, his expression unusually hesitant.


    ¡°Professor? Is there a problem?¡± the assistant asked.


    ¡°Her constitution is too special. Can we persuade her to cooperate with us for long-term experiments?¡± Dr. Ning inquired.


    ¡°Director He said¡­ this ¡®examination¡¯ was a one-time thing,¡± the assistant cautiously reminded. ¡°After all, she¡¯s an S7-level superpower, and it¡¯s already quite rare to ¡®invite¡¯ her once.¡±


    While the assistant expressed this sentiment, internally, he silently criticized: Although the examination was requested by Director He, you, old man, are really lacking in courtesy. You came straight to perform a radiation test without even a proper greeting. If this S7-level individual doesn¡¯t come after you for retribution, it¡¯s already benevolent.


    Dr. Ning also felt the hope was faint, ¡°Then ask Director He to switch to a machine with a higher scale.¡±


    ¡°Now?¡± the assistant asked.


    Dr. Ning¡¯s expression remained unchanged, ¡°If she wants results, it has to be now.¡±


    Before the assistant could react, several security-uniformed awakeners rushed in.


    ¡°Dr. Ning, the laboratory is under attack! Please evacuate immediately!¡±


    ¡°Attack?¡± Dr. Ning repeated incredulously, ¡°When you invited me here, didn¡¯t you say that the security level was second only to the Awakener Department?¡±


    *


    Outside the laboratory, the fully armed V587 was tearing through the defenses.


    In the storm of howling winds, the disorienting mist of bladed fog, and the elusive shadows of an assassin, various dazzling awakened abilities accurately struck the crowd. Despite numerous high-level awakeners guarding the area, this reckless six-person squad continued its unstoppable assault.


    ¡°How much longer?¡± Zhuang Qingyan asked.


    ¡°Two minutes,¡± Lu Xiaoyu replied.


    The protective door of this laboratory was made of special materials, impervious to water and fire. A slash with a blade only left faint marks on it. Lu Xiaoyu quickly bypassed the firewall. Two minutes later, the door opened a narrow gap, and V587 repelled the security rushing out, swiftly entering.


    ¡°Time is limited. The Awakener Department has received the message; reinforcements are expected to arrive in ten minutes,¡± Lu Xiaoyu reminded. S?a??h the N?v?l(F)ire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Find her first.¡± Zhuang Qingyan decisively led them straight to the laboratory. They caught He Qiuhong off guard, and once she reacted, it wouldn¡¯t be so easy for them to escape.


    In the bright corridor, security personnel shouted desperately, ¡°Hurry! Go inform Dr. Ning to evacuate!¡±


    A gust of wind passed, and the person shouting fell to the ground, writhing in agony. In his consciousness, there was a tearing pain.


    A young man in black clothes and pants crouched down, coldly staring at him.


    ¡°The Dr. Ning you mentioned, could it be¡­ Dr. Ning Rong?¡± Zhuang Qingyan asked indifferently.


    The security officer¡¯s face showed clear astonishment, as if saying: How do you know?


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s eyes were mysterious. He stepped over the fallen person and walked quickly towards the depths of the laboratory.


    ¡°Dr. Ning, you need to leave quickly!¡±


    ¡°You go first; I need to retrieve the research data.¡±


    ¡°Data isn¡¯t as important as a person¡¯s safety, Dr. Ning. Your safety comes first!¡± the urging person said anxiously.


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand. Without the data, the research cannot continue. If there¡¯s data¡­ if there¡¯s data, why am I still doing the most basic data testing until now!¡± Dr. Ning Rong suddenly raised his voice, his chest heaving.


    Tap, tap, tap ¡ª


    Steady footsteps, reminiscent of the tolling of a death bell, echoed in Ning Rong¡¯s ears. A tall figure walked towards him against the light in the corridor, stopping in front of the two.


    The nearby security personnel were on high alert, raising their guns at the newcomer. Su Cha flashed behind them, swiftly disarming the man.


    ¡°Ah!!!¡± A scream rang out, and the alarm bells suddenly blared around them. Frantic footsteps of people fleeing echoed continuously.


    Ning Rong, holding a large pile of documents, felt a sense of fear. Unexpectedly, he met eyes with the young man in black, causing him to be momentarily stunned.


    ¡°Long time no see, Dr. Ning,¡± Zhuang Qingyan spoke casually.


    ¡°Old Zhuang?¡± Ning Rong blurted out, but his gaze froze. Soon, he self-denied, ¡°No, Old Zhuang is already dead¡­ It¡¯s you.¡±


    Ning Rong looked bewildered, ¡°You¡¯re alive, you actually¡­ you¡¯re still alive?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan stood in front of him, ¡°Where is Song Ke?¡±


    Ning Rong covered his face, seeming to laugh and cry at the same time, ¡°If I had known you were still alive, why would I have gone through all this trouble¡­¡±


    ¡°Dr. Ning, we can catch up later. Where is Song Ke?¡± Zhuang Qingyan interrupted.


    ¡°Song Ke?¡± Ning Rong was puzzled for a second, then suddenly enlightened, ¡°You mean the S7 that He Qiuhong sent?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan nodded, ¡°Regardless of what you¡¯ve done before, release her immediately.¡±


    Unexpectedly, Ning Rong decisively refused, ¡°I can¡¯t release her! At least not now.¡±


    ¡°She just completed a radiation tolerance test, and the accumulated value in her body is too high. Any slight stimulation now could easily lead to a loss of control.¡±


    ¡°A radiation test?¡±


    It was unclear what kind of relationship Zhuang Qingyan had with Ning Rong, but the latter was surprisingly unreserved. Without a second thought, he handed over a screen containing Song Ke¡¯s complete superpower report.


    ¡°You¡¯re also an expert; take a look yourself.¡±


    ¡°With her condition, these tests must be done, and the sooner the better.¡±


    ¡°Not to mention the unknown excessive radiation in her body, just consider those hidden genetic sequences. If we don¡¯t figure out their specific origins, when they erupt one day, you know very well what the consequences will be.¡±

 Chapter 145.2: Fire Seed (14)

    ¡ò The master of the Northern Base ¡òOutside the capsule, Zhigler was pretending to doze off with closed eyes. Sensing the person next to him standing up, he immediately questioned, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Xi Ze shrugged, adopting a somewhat carefree attitude, ¡°Bored, just getting up for a stroll.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget our mission,¡± Zhigler warned in a deep voice.


    ¡°Mind your own business,¡± Xi Ze retorted. Both of them were S3-level awakeners. Zhigler was approaching middle age, while Xi Ze was only twenty, with a promising future. He considered himself a step above the older man.


    Xi Ze sauntered over to where Song Ke was held, unceremoniously knocking on the glass.


    ¡°Hey, what kind of monster are you? How can you withstand such intense radiation?¡±


    ¡°Or maybe you have some way to resist radiation? Tell me, I¡¯m all ears.¡±


    Song Ke stared at him with a deep gaze, her eyes seemingly unmoving for a long time.


    Xi Ze found himself displeased under Song Ke¡¯s gaze, but more so, a subtle sense of envy. S7 level or not, she ended up as a captive, subjected to inexplicable experiments.


    Ning Rong¡¯s assistants had already fled in panic, and in the chaos, no one remembered to shut down the instruments. Xi Ze, hands in pockets, casually approached the scale meter. Suddenly, he pressed the start button, initiating the radiation beyond 130%.


    ¡°Have you gone mad? Who gave you the right to mess around?!¡± Zhigler roared.


    ¡°Just playing around. Anyway, she¡¯s fine,¡± Xi Ze blocked Zhigler¡¯s punch, activated his field, and turned towards Song Ke with a mischievous grin, ¡°Doctor must have taught you, remember to raise your hand when it gets unbearable, okay? Raise it high.¡±


    ¡°Stop it immediately!¡± Zhigler unleashed his full awakened energy, and Xi Ze responded with an equal pressure.


    Inside the capsule, the just-stabilized radiation instantly surged to its peak again. Song Ke¡¯s dark pupils became deeper, her cells burning fiercely throughout her body. Chaotic screams filled her ears, and her cognitive abilities gradually diminished.


    Unnoticed on the spectrum analyzer, the stable double helix of DNA underwent rapid changes, forming a completely unfamiliar structure, grotesquely resembling the skull of some fierce beast. Meanwhile, Song Ke¡¯s awakened energy value had surpassed 20,000!


    Song Ke slowly raised her hand. Behind Zhigler and Xi Ze, the instruments began to float. A deep blue light flashed, transforming into a fierce Tang sword. The back of the blade ¡°clang¡± hit the glass, leaving an extremely subtle crack.


    The two fighters abruptly stopped, looking at her in astonishment.


    It was just a very small crack, but it was enough.


    A thousand-mile dike collapsed because of an ant. Song Ke pressed her palm against the glass, and her powerful awakened energy pushed outward.


    The entire glass shattered with a thunderous crash, breaking into tiny remnants.


    *


    Zhuang Qingyan browsed through the report on Song Ke, which could be described as mind-boggling. His eyes grew deeper in contemplation.


    Ning Rong stared at his face and sighed deeply. ¡°Genes are truly miraculous. Back then, no one believed you were father and son. Now¡­ anyone with eyes wouldn¡¯t make a mistake.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan didn¡¯t respond immediately, frowning as he asked, ¡°How much excessive radiation did you expose her to?¡±


    Ning Rong was momentarily speechless. ¡°Um¡­ 130%.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan sneered, ¡°130%? Regular instruments must be close to their limit, right? I heard that this laboratory is sponsored by He Qiuhong. Are you working for her? What about your research, is it for the ¡®Fire Seed¡¯ or the ¡®Eternal Project¡¯?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Never mind, I¡¯m not interested in knowing. Now, take me to see Song Ke.¡±


    Crash! As they were talking, the ceiling suddenly collapsed, and a slender figure rapidly descended, pressing onto someone.


    The person beneath emitted clear sounds of bone fractures, and blood gushed from their nose and mouth. As they turned their pale face, it revealed the S3-level domain-type awakener who had provoked Song Ke¡ªXi Ze.


    ¡°Sister!!¡±


    ¡°Captain?¡±


    Members of V587 were about to cheer and rush forward but suddenly halted their steps. Something was evidently wrong with Song Ke. Her eyes were pitch black, devoid of any smile. With blood-soaked hands, she raised the Tang sword and unhesitatingly¡­


    ¡­stabbed it into the heart of the fallen person!


    ¡°Ah¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª!!¡±


    The powerful surge of awakened energy from Xi Ze, on the brink of death, shattered the glass in the corridor.


    Boom! Amidst the puzzled and alarmed expressions of everyone, another person fell from the ceiling.


    Slightly better off than Xi Ze, Zhigler¡¯s awakened energy field shattered, and blood spurted from his mouth. Crawling on all fours, he tried to escape the scene.


    Holding the Tang sword, Song Ke stood up, coldly pointing it at his neck.


    In a critical moment, reinforcements from the Awakened Department arrived, unleashing various abilities against Song Ke without any regard.


    ¡°Song Ke! Stop!¡± He Qiuhong¡¯s holographic image lit up, sternly commanding.


    Song Ke appeared like a reaper, the Tang sword swirling as hot blood splattered, swiftly harvesting the lives of her enemies. V587 still hadn¡¯t figured out the situation, but if their captain was involved, could they just stand by and watch? Instantly, they joined the fight.


    ¡°From now on, pretend you don¡¯t know me,¡± Zhuang Qingyan whispered, lowering his voice, pushing Ning Rong away from the center of the battle.


    Song Ke was in a frenzy of killing, and the floor was covered with a dense layer of bodies. The tip of the blade continuously dripped blood, leaving crimson footprints with each step. Only a few remaining awakeners, who could still stand, retreated in fear.


    Rapidly, Lu Xiaoyu said, ¡°Three S-levels are coming, including He Qiuhong¡¯s specialized car. We won¡¯t make it if we don¡¯t leave now.¡±


    Lin Youyou anxiously called out, ¡°Song Ke, can we leave first?¡±


    Alone in the blood-soaked battlefield, with a trail of bodies, the determined figure didn¡¯t respond. Lu Xiaoyu urged, ¡°Three S-levels are on their way, including He Qiuhong. We need to leave now!¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan waded through the blood and bodies, resolutely approaching Song Ke.


    Song Ke, with a blade in hand, noticed him approaching and coldly aimed the weapon at him.


    ¡°Song Ke,¡± Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s voice was gentle and soft, ¡°it¡¯s me, Zhuang Qingyan. Quiet down and look at me.¡±


    ¡°Do you remember?¡±


    Song Ke quietly stared at him, holding the blade, and in her pitch-black eyes, a small Zhuang Qingyan was reflected.


    Despite the relentless screams around her, she was plagued by hallucinations.


    Who was it?


    It was her.


    She was smashing things with a loud crash. Was it a door or glass? She couldn¡¯t remember.


    She only remembered that time, the arrogant young man sitting with crossed legs outside, complaining incessantly:


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to find a quiet place¡­¡±


    ¡°He won¡¯t let me participate in projects, but makes me carry the data every day.¡±


    ¡°Is he really my dad? He assigns so much, how can I remember it all in one day¡­¡±


    Thud, thud, thud! She forcefully banged on the door, trying to get the other person¡¯s attention.


    ¡°Be quiet,¡± the young man turned his head, and his beautifully curved eyes glared at her dissatisfied.


    But it hurt so much. She could only use even more force to bang. Thud, thud, thud!


    The young man clicked his tongue impatiently and slowly approached, squatting in front of her. His slender fingers swiftly manipulated a control panel.


    A pile of colorful nutrients dropped from above, thud! Many hit her head.


    ¡°Now you can be quiet, little thing.¡±


    Initially puzzled, she quickly realized and tore open the packaging, eagerly drinking. Whether it was a psychological effect or not, the pain inside her seemed to diminish slightly.


    ¡°Looking at you closely, you look really ugly, huh?¡±


    The young man observed her and quickly turned his eyes away in disdain. ¡°Are these genes from lizards?¡±


    Her eating motion paused imperceptibly. What did ugly mean?


    Unaware, the young man yawned and continued to casually flip through the data. He looked somewhat tired and indifferent, with a brilliantly beautiful side profile, and a teardrop mole shining.


    ¡­


    ¡°Song Ke, I am Zhuang Qingyan.¡±


    ¡°Look at me, just one glance. Do you remember?¡±


    Someone seemed to be calling her from a distant place.


    ¡°Zhuang¡­ Qing¡­ Yan.¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s hoarse voice slowly uttered three words. The dark color in her eyes receded, and her consciousness returned to her body.


    Zhuang Qingyan sighed in relief, taking large steps forward, tightly embracing her blood-soaked figure. ¡°It¡¯s me, it¡¯s okay now. Don¡¯t be afraid.¡±


    Like comforting a child, he gently patted Song Ke¡¯s back.


    The distant screams disappeared, and the burning cells in her body gradually calmed down. Song Ke lowered her head, glanced at her blood-stained hands, belatedly recalling what had happened just now.


    A group of awakeners rushed in like a tide, surrounding V587 still in the corridor.


    Under the protection of the Lin siblings, He Qiuhong appeared behind the crowd, her face darkening. Glancing at the convulsing bodies of Xi Ze and Zhigler she angrily said, ¡°I only asked you to cooperate with the inspection, Song Ke. Did you resist orders and harm your fellow awakeners? Don¡¯t you want to stay at the Northern Base?¡±


    Song Ke stared straight at her. ¡°Inspection, I cooperated.¡±


    He Qiuhong¡¯s mouth tightened into a straight line. She raised her hand, about to say something.


    ¡°Clang¡ª¡±


    A Tang sword whizzed past her ear, and Song Ke swiftly moved forward, passing through layers of awakeners, heading straight towards He Qiuhong like a lightning bolt.


    Startled, Ling Yue and Ling Yan quickly intervened, but were blocked by six mechanical arms and the ever-present Su Cha.


    He Qiuhong was forcefully pulled out of the crowd by Song Ke¡¯s domineering strength, her neck pinched, and pressed to the ground, her face turning purple.


    ¡°Are you insane¡­? Daring to attack¡ª¡±


    The aftermath of the burning cells hadn¡¯t completely subsided. With an indifferent expression, Song Ke raised the Tang sword high, casting a cold light. He Qiuhong, now no longer composed, displayed an expression of utmost horror.


    ¡°I really cooperated,¡± she pleaded.


    The tip of the blade slowly pierced He Qiuhong¡¯s heart. Song Ke¡¯s hand remained steady, and her expression was unwavering.


    ¡°The first day we came here, you said the Northern Base respects strength.¡±


    ¡°You seem to be¡­ only B-level, right? Why¡­ don¡¯t I dare to kill you?¡±


    He Qiuhong¡¯s pupils contracted, her face instantly turning ashen.


    ¡°Wai¡ª¡±


    In the nick of time, another formidable unfamiliar S-level awakener approached. His arms were like steel, gently deflecting Song Ke¡¯s blade. He calmly looked at Song Ke. ¡°Please wait a moment.¡± S?a??h th? N?v?lFir?(.)n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Song Ke observed him for two seconds, then stepped back, unceremoniously pulling out the Tang sword from He Qiuhong¡¯s chest.


    ¡°Ugh!¡± He Qiuhong groaned.


    The unknown man helped He Qiuhong up, then turned his gaze towards the confrontation in the corridor. His authoritative voice echoed in everyone¡¯s ears:


    ¡°Stop.¡±


    V587 remained motionless. On the other hand, the people from the Awakener Department retreated two steps obediently, including the Ling siblings.


    The man silently opened the terminal, and a holographic image slowly appeared. An old man leaned against the window, his side profile resembling a statue. He spoke with a world-weary tone:


    ¡°I heard from Zimei that a young S7-level has arrived at the base, diligent and with excellent combat talent. She keeps talking in my ear every day, making me curious. Qiuhong, I¡¯ll have Bai Qi go and receive this person. Do you have any objections?¡±


    He Qiuhong, protecting her neck, respectfully lowered her head, ¡°No, Teacher.¡±


    The old man nodded, ¡°Awakened people, the key in the phrase is not in the ¡®awakened,¡¯ but in the ¡®people¡¯ at the end. They are first and foremost people with flesh and blood, just like the millions in the base. Remember, this is our foundation. Some things cannot be reversed.¡±


    He Qiuhong didn¡¯t dare to refute a word, bowing with deep respect, ¡°Yes, I will remember the teacher¡¯s teachings.¡±


    The old man sighed softly and turned his gaze to Song Ke standing in the corner:


    ¡°You are the Song Ke that Zimei mentioned? I am Ye Zheng. I would like to meet you and your friends in person. Do you mind?¡±


    Song Ke didn¡¯t answer immediately.


    The old man spoke politely and patiently without rushing, waiting for her to respond.


    After a while, Song Ke nodded slowly, ¡°Alright.¡±


    ¡°Today¡¯s events end here. Bai Qi, please bring them back.¡±


    The image of the old man disappeared from the air, leaving everyone in the room in silent shock.


    Wasn¡¯t He Qiuhong powerful?


    As the second in command in the Northern Base, the highest official in the Awakened Department, she could control everything in B10, doing as she pleased, even forcefully conducting experiments on a powerful S-level awakener.


    But one thing, since the establishment of the Northern Base, was deeply ingrained in everyone¡¯s hearts.


    ¡ª The true master of this city was the one with the last name Ye.

 Chapter 146: Fire Seed (16)

    ¡ò I am just old, not dead ¡òBai Qi was a man of few words, matching Su Cha in his level of silence. At least Su Cha became a bit more cheerful after joining the team, but on the way to Ye Zheng¡¯s mansion, Bai Qi didn¡¯t say a word, perfectly embodying the saying ¡°silence is golden.¡±


    The floating car sped along the floating sky bridge, crossing through a bustling urban area towards the city¡¯s outskirts.


    Inside the car, Fang Zhixu carefully treated Song Ke¡¯s wounds with his abilities, and a faint white soft light lit up as the fine cracks in her joints healed as if untouched.


    Xu Xing cautiously knelt on Song Ke¡¯s lap, his eyes watery, ¡°Sister, do you remember Xiao Xing?¡±


    Others also looked at her with concern; Song Ke¡¯s previous state was too frightening, as if she had fallen into madness, recognizing no one, only knowing how to kill.


    Song Ke touched Xu Xing¡¯s curly hair, feeling its softness, and comforted her softly, ¡°It¡¯s okay, I remember everything.¡±


    Everyone finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    In the quiet atmosphere, Song Ke tilted her head slightly and stole a glance at Zhuang Qingyan.


    Then she noticed that Zhuang Qingyan was leaning on his chin, staring at her without turning away, his deep eyes filled with concentration.


    Song Ke: ¡°¡­¡± She awkwardly looked away, glanced back after a while, and Zhuang Qingyan was still looking at her.


    A blurry image flashed in her mind, but unfortunately, besides the phrase ¡°Be quiet,¡± Song Ke couldn¡¯t recall anything else.


    She wasn¡¯t even sure whose memories those were.


    Because in her life in District F177, such scenes had never appeared.


    She stole glances too frequently; Zhuang Qingyan took one of her hands, smoothed her palm, and secretly wrote a ¡°later.¡±


    Song Ke understood that it wasn¡¯t convenient to talk in the car, and he meant to discuss it later.


    Two hours later, V587 arrived at the residence of the ruling official.


    Surprisingly, Ye Zheng¡¯s place was just an ordinary three-story villa, although it had a vast land area, the exterior was modest and inconspicuous amidst the modern skyscrapers of the Northern Base.


    Moreover, the security here was lax, not even comparable to the Awakener Department where He Qiuhong was, let alone Ning Rong¡¯s laboratory.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s comment on this was: ¡°The more people lack something, the more they want to show off.¡±


    Because He Qiuhong was only a B-level awakener and had extreme insecurity, she turned the office building into an airtight fortress, even daring to use only holographic images for their first meeting.


    What does that mean? Does Ye Zheng not lack a sense of security?


    At first, everyone didn¡¯t quite understand his words, but the answer was soon revealed. The floating car entered the villa area, and Ye Zimei, dressed in the uniform of the Awakener Department, was waiting at the door, nodding at Bai Qi.


    ¡°At this time, Miss Ye should be at work, right?¡± Zhuang Qingyan casually asked when getting off the car.


    ¡°Thanks to you all, the department is in chaos today, and I was forced to take a day off,¡± Ye Zimei sighed, seemingly genuine or fake.


    ¡°Ye Zimei¡­ Ye Zheng¡­¡± Lin Youyou repeated the two names, tentatively asking, ¡°So General Ye is your¡­?¡±


    Ye Zimei helplessly smiled, ¡°Yes, he¡¯s my grandfather.¡±


    Lin Youyou suddenly realized; no wonder Ye Zimei, just a mere administrative secretary, had such high authority in the Northern Base. She not only independently handled the recruitment of awakeners but also easily agreed to their requests. It turns out she was a well-hidden third-generation official¡ªof course, described in an entirely positive sense.


    ¡°Please come in; my grandfather is waiting for you,¡± Ye Zimei said.


    As they passed each other, Song Ke softly said, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    From what Ye Zheng said in the laboratory, if he was willing to intervene, it surely had Ye Zimei¡¯s involvement.


    Ye Zimei smiled, ¡°I said I would give you an explanation.¡±


    Bai Qi led them through a corridor into a quaint study, and Song Ke finally met the true master of the Northern Base.


    Ye Zheng was in casual clothes, nearing ninety years old. His silver hair was neatly combed, and his sunken eye sockets, weathered face with wrinkles and spots, told tales of experience. Yet, his eyes held a serene understanding of the world, and his straight posture reflected the dignity left after enduring wars and the ravages of time.


    However, that wasn¡¯t the focus. Song Ke had seen old people before; what surprised her was that Ye Zheng was an S-level awakener!


    He didn¡¯t deliberately restrain his awakened energy but didn¡¯t show any offensive posture either. Naturally, a portion flowed out like breath, silently circulating. However, the formidable aura and the grade suppression of an S-level, made people bow their heads submissively.


    ¡°General, the guests have arrived,¡± Bai Qi nodded respectfully and then quietly exited.


    This ¡°General¡± was not a casual title. Unlike someone like Nai Kang, who was a mere show-off without substance, ¡°General¡± in the Mu Dan was a title of respect for the first rank. Ye Zheng was a genuine military man, having carried a gun, shed blood, dug trenches, and led troops in battles during the old civilization era.


    Ye Zheng witnessed the decline of the old civilization, the establishment of the New Asia Alliance, and now, the arrival of the apocalypse. His life experience was like a thick ancient book, even if covered in the dust of time, still invaluable.


    In recent years, due to his declining health, Ye Zheng lived a reclusive life, gradually disappearing from the public eye.


    ¡°The Northern Base values strength¡±, Song Ke suddenly remembered this phrase. No wonder Ye Zheng didn¡¯t need security; he himself was the most robust shield, even in his old age.


    Seeing such a legendary figure, Song Ke felt a bit awkward, not knowing where to put her hands and feet.


    Ye Zheng took the initiative to open the conversation, ¡°Is that a Tang knife in your hand?¡±


    He pointed to the knife inserted in Song Ke¡¯s backpack. ¡°Can I take a look?¡±


    Song Ke silently took it off and handed it to him. Ye Zheng¡¯s hands were very old, with thick joints that could hardly bend. He carefully touched the blade and sighed, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see young people using artifacts from the old civilization. I thought we old folks should all be in the ground by now.¡±


    He made a joke, and although Song Ke and the others didn¡¯t laugh, their tense nerves relaxed a bit.


    As leaders, Ye Zheng¡¯s impression was completely different from He Qiuhong. He didn¡¯t exude a condescending arrogance; instead, he emanated humility more befitting an elder. When speaking to others, he looked them in the eye and listened patiently. S?a??h the N?v?lFire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    After skillfully twirling the knife, Ye Zheng suddenly spoke, ¡°Do you have a bad impression of the Northern Base?¡±


    Song Ke remained silent for a moment, then nodded sincerely.


    Ye Zheng smiled, ¡°You seem to be not very talkative.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan stepped forward, standing side by side with Song Ke. ¡°General Ye, forgive my boldness. Our captain may not be eloquent, but that doesn¡¯t mean she should be mistreated. He Qiuhong kidnapped an S-level awakener and even used force. How do you intend to handle this?¡±


    ¡°On this matter, I¡¯d like to discuss it with you calmly,¡± Ye Zheng said as he returned the Tang knife to Song Ke.


    ¡°Qiuhong did make a mistake. She tends to be stubborn, and I¡¯m not defending her, but her original intention was to have you undergo an examination to understand your abnormal constitution.


    The reason the situation deteriorated to this point is because you nearly killed two S-level individuals. Do you understand the seriousness of this matter?¡±


    Ye Zheng pressed a switch on a desk, displaying real-time footage and several reports. It showed Zhigler in critical condition, still unconscious, and Xi Ze, although barely recovering, had dropped to A9 level due to the shattered magnetic field. This was the first occurrence of an S-level downgrade, and once the news was made public, it would undoubtedly cause a significant stir within the Alliance.


    ¡°A few months ago, the Central Court lost an S-level dual-type awakener in District C. The inspection team is still investigating the murderer. After the apocalypse, every S-level individual is a precious strategic resource. Qiuhong has always valued awakeners. In fact, you incapacitated two of them, so naturally, she wanted answers from you,¡± Ye Zheng explained.


    Song Ke remained expressionless. District C, S-level dual-type, why did it sound a bit familiar? As if it was also someone she had taken down.


    ¡°Does General Ye also want answers from us?¡± Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s face showed no hint of a smile.


    Ye Zheng waved his hand and sighed, ¡°I have always believed that appearances can be deceiving, Song Ke. I want to hear your side of the story. Why did you attack Zhigler and Xi Ze?¡±


    Song Ke looked into the old man¡¯s calm eyes, pondered for a moment, and recounted the situation where Xi Ze provoked her by deliberately activating the device.


    Ye Zheng nodded, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, you have indeed suffered a lot of grievances. How would you like me to handle this?¡±


    ¡°General Ye, do you know that Qiuhong secretly supports illegal research?¡± Zhuang Qingyan suddenly changed the topic. ¡°Forgive me for being frank, she is not a qualified leader. She acts impulsively, has deep-seated prejudices, uses awakeners on one hand, and ruthlessly discards them on the other. Have you considered the consequences of continuing to support her?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan implied through his words that letting Qiuhong lead would eventually lead to the downfall of the Northern Base.


    However, Ye Zheng said, ¡°Qiuhong is currently the most suitable person. She has the ability and ambition. Even if she can¡¯t do better, she can at least maintain the status quo.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s expression changed slightly, noticing that Ye Zheng used the words ¡°currently¡± and ¡°maintain the status quo.¡±


    ¡°Do you know what people outside call the Northern Base?¡± Ye Zheng asked.


    ¡ª¡±Humanity¡¯s last hope,¡± Ye Zheng said word by word.


    ¡°In this world, things will become increasingly difficult, bringing more despair. Maybe one day, our days will come to an end,¡± Ye Zheng¡¯s gaze was profound and determined. ¡°But even if that time comes, I still hope that the Northern Base can be the last refuge for countless ordinary humans. That was my original intention in building this city.¡±


    ¡°I am old, and death can embrace me at any time, but I don¡¯t want to see my lifelong efforts go to waste,¡± Ye Zheng sighed deeply. ¡°Until I find a suitable successor and completely entrust the Northern Base to them, even if Qiuhong makes mistakes, she cannot temporarily leave that position.¡±


    Ye Zheng gazed at the young girl before him. Both being S-level, he could intuitively feel Song Ke¡¯s strength, like a drawn sword, sharp and unstoppable. More importantly, her blade would never turn against her own people. This was the rarest trait among S-level awakeners, but unfortunately, He Qiuhong couldn¡¯t see this.


    With a weathered voice, Ye Zheng spoke, ¡°Song Ke, can you give the Northern Base another chance?¡±


    Song Ke was momentarily stunned.


    ¡°For your future affairs, and the matters of your team, report directly to me. You no longer need to be under the jurisdiction of the Awakener Department. If there are any issues in your daily life, go to Zimei. If you ever face injustice, this old man will personally stand up for you.¡±


    ¡°After all¡­¡± Ye Zheng¡¯s expression turned cold, ¡°I am just old, not dead.¡±


    Song Ke remembered asking Zhuang Qingyan on the V587 starship coming to the Northern Base about the founder of this place. Zhuang Qingyan had said at that time, ¡°A person worth admiring.¡±


    She looked at the silver-haired Ye Zheng and thought for a long time before nodding slowly.


    ¡­


    After leaving the villa, Lin Youyou grumbled discontentedly, ¡°He Qiuhong only got a two-week suspension. Isn¡¯t that too easy for her?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah!¡± Xu Xing joined in, ¡°Old witch, I curse her!¡±


    Song Ke, however, remained unusually calm, ¡°It¡¯s because of me. I¡¯m not strong enough.¡±


    If she were strong enough, at the apartment entrance, even if Zhigler and Xi Ze simultaneously launched an attack, she shouldn¡¯t have been instantly controlled. In the Manzoni Street and Punk battle, if she could have directly killed him, he wouldn¡¯t have had a chance to activate time reversal.


    Song Ke lowered her head, looking at the palm of her hand. All along, she had been too confident. Awakening abilities were diverse, and the methods of attack were unpredictable. If she faced a similar situation next time, with more S-level individuals coming to hunt her down, would she let herself be slaughtered again?


    ¡ªAbsolutely not.


    Although the intense radiation brought endless pain, she also felt a new power.


    Suddenly, Song Ke remembered Dr. Ning, the silver-haired man. After the chaotic battle, she wasn¡¯t sure if he survived.


    Back in the apartment, Zhuang Qingyan followed Song Ke into the room.


    With a serious expression, he took out a light screen, ¡°Now, let¡¯s talk about your physical condition.¡±


    Song Ke lowered her head and glanced at it, signaling with her eyes: ¡­ I don¡¯t understand.


    Zhuang Qingyan fell silent for a moment, then changed the topic, ¡°Your grandfather, do you have a photo or video of him?¡±

 Chapter 147: Fire Seed (17)

    ¡ò The little dog at home is upset ¡òGrandpa¡¯s photo?


    Song Ke shook her head honestly, ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Not a single one?¡± Zhuang Qingyan was slightly surprised.


    Song Ke counted on her fingers, ¡°Grandpa doesn¡¯t take photos, doesn¡¯t play ¡®Vu Le G¨¨,¡¯ and doesn¡¯t have a phone.¡± As for terminals? There¡¯s no such thing in District F.


    Zhuang Qingyan cleared his throat and couldn¡¯t help but correct her pronunciation: ¡°v¡ªl¡ªo¡ªg.¡±


    Song Ke pouted, ¡°Oh.¡± She learned the Alliance language late, and it¡¯s not her fault if she doesn¡¯t speak well.


    Zhuang Qingyan continued, ¡°Do you still remember what your grandpa looks like?¡±


    Song Ke nodded, ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°Then you describe, and I¡¯ll draw.¡± Zhuang Qingyan took a pen, crossed his long legs and leaned against the window, starting to sketch.


    ¡°Grandpa and Old Fang are about the same height, round forehead, a nose that is straight at the top and a little curved at the bottom¡­ here and here, there are wrinkles, and he has little hair,¡± Song Ke tried to describe in simple words, ¡°He likes to wear hats, his health is not good, always coughing.¡±


    After more than ten minutes, Zhuang Qingyan put down the pen and turned the screen to Song Ke, ¡°Take a look, does it look similar?¡±


    ¡°Um!¡± Song Ke gave him a thumbs up, ¡°Very much!¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan looked helpless, ¡°Is it really similar or not? I¡¯m not seeking praise from you; I want the truth.¡±


    ¡°Really like,¡± Song Ke said confidently.


    Getting the answer, Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s brow slowly furrowed, and he looked down at the sketch on the screen.


    According to Song Ke¡¯s description, what he drew was a sickly old man, with tired eyes, slightly hunched back, looking around seventy years old, but far less spirited than ninety-year-old Ye Zheng.


    ¡°Song Keke,¡± Zhuang Qingyan sat down close to her, and the screen was switched to projection mode, ¡°Did you have a serious illness when you were a child? Have you been to the hospital?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t get sick.¡± Song Ke shook her head; her body was very strong, and she rarely had even a cold or fever.


    ¡°You see, this is your genetic report. I¡¯ve marked several DNA deletions with nitrogen-containing bases, peptide chain fragments with breaks and losses, significantly affecting both copies. Currently, we don¡¯t rule out the possibility of meiosis or translocation, but this unknown sequence is different¡­¡±


    Song Ke, listening, began to stare blankly, pulling a cereal bar from her pocket and mechanically stuffing it into her mouth.


    ¡°Crunch¡ª¡± The crisp sound of chewing interrupted Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s analysis.


    He abruptly turned his head, meeting Song Ke¡¯s puffed-up cheeks.


    The two stared at each other for a second. Song Ke desperately swallowed, like an unlucky student caught daydreaming in class, honestly saying, ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan: ¡°No, it¡¯s my fault.¡±


    He immediately changed his approach, tailoring his words to her: ¡°In short, there are some issues with your genetic composition. I suspect¡­¡±


    ¡ªI suspect your grandfather may have had you undergo genetic modification.


    He couldn¡¯t bring himself to say this sentence. Song Ke was an orphan, dependent on her grandfather from childhood to adulthood. She had only one relative, so saying such a thing was like stabbing a knife into her heart.


    Zhuang Qingyan raised his palm, paused on Song Ke¡¯s cheek for two seconds, and finally patted her head. ¡°Genetic problems are like hidden thunder. Just because it hasn¡¯t erupted in your past nineteen years doesn¡¯t mean you can safely pass in the future. Shall we investigate it thoroughly? Don¡¯t worry, there won¡¯t be any more radiation tests like today. I¡¯ll accompany you for every future checkup.¡±


    It would take a few more days to rebuild Ning Rong¡¯s laboratory. The research and equipment foundations there were top-notch in District B. The only concern was his deal with He Qiuhong and the possibility of leaks. However, he could use other chips to exchange for it.


    For Song Ke¡¯s subsequent examinations, he must personally handle them, controlling every step of the process.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s handsome profile sank into contemplation. The character ¡°´¨¡± on his brow remained tight for a long time. Song Ke extended a finger, slowly helping him smooth it out.


    Although she didn¡¯t feel she had any ¡°genetic defects,¡± she still nodded, ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡­


    In the next room, Lin Youyou was searching for information about ¡°Ning Rong¡± on the Star Network.


    Indeed, the terminal privileges in District B were high. With just a refresh, densely packed pages popped up.


    Lin Youyou flipped through two pages and then exclaimed unbelievably, ¡°This Ning Rong is actually a renowned genetic engineer, on par with Vincent, and officially joined the Qinglan Research Institute in the year 19 of the New Calendar.¡±


    She pulled out the light screen, lightly tapping it twice, and said, ¡°Hey, Lin Xiu, come out quickly.¡±


    A holographic projection flashed, and Lin Xiu, wrapped in a blanket, sat up, rubbing her eyes sleepily and murmuring, ¡°Why are you calling me? I stayed up late watching dramas yesterday, so tired.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t joke. You, an AI, can get tired?¡± Lin Youyou suddenly found it amusing.


    ¡°I call this simulated sleep, creating an atmosphere, you understand or not!¡± Lin Xiu immediately retorted.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand, I don¡¯t understand,¡± Lin Youyou rolled her eyes, gossipingly asking, ¡°Hey, do you know Ning Rong?¡±


    ¡°Dr. Ning? I¡¯ve heard of him but haven¡¯t met him. What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°He seems to know Zhuang Qingyan.¡± Lin Youyou revealed an intrigued expression.


    ¡°The Zhuang Qingyan you¡¯re talking about, Vincent or Brother Yan?¡± Lin Xiu squinted at her sister.


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Lin Youyou stuttered for a moment. She still hadn¡¯t figured out the relationship between these two people.


    ¡°If you¡¯re talking about Vincent, they¡¯re colleagues, so it¡¯s not strange if they know each other. However¡­¡±


    Lin Xiu, seemingly thinking of something, chuckled, ¡°Dr. Ning¡¯s life perfectly confirms a saying, called ¡®If you¡¯re born with jade, why bother with brilliance.''¡± S~?a??h the ???el F?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Youyou became interested, ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°He has a nickname, ¡®Eternal Second.¡¯ As long as Vincent is around, everything can only be second best. He joined Qinglan a year later, became a professor a step slower, published one less paper in a top journal, even got married and had a child later. Haha, by the time I shut down, he was still a bachelor!¡±


    ¡°What?! Zhuang Qingyan, I mean, Vincent, got married?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, his marriage was quite sensational at the time. The news was all about ¡®Golden Boy and Jade Girl, crossing boundaries,¡¯ and the background of the woman was very profound. In the end, nothing about her name or pictures was revealed¡­¡±


    After Lin Xiu finished talking, she yawned and continued her ¡°simulated sleep.¡±


    Lin Youyou held the terminal and murmured, ¡°Now I¡¯m sure, the man in our team is truly a mysterious one.¡±


    Onlooker Su Cha asked, ¡°Why do you suddenly want to know all this?¡±


    Lin Youyou, puzzled, replied, ¡°Why? Of course, out of curiosity.¡±


    ¡°I thought¡­¡± Su Cha hesitated for a while and stuttered, ¡°He and the captain, that, it¡¯s not good for you to do this.¡±


    ¡°Pfft! Hahaha!¡± Lin Youyou laughed without any restraint, ¡°You don¡¯t think I¡¯m interested in him, do you?¡±


    Su Cha was speechless, and Lin Youyou continued, ¡°How could that be? I clearly like pure little puppies. I thought you knew.¡±


    Su Cha¡¯s actions of tapping his fingertips suddenly stopped, and he looked at her silently, lips tightly pursed.


    Lin Youyou¡¯s lips curled slightly. After teasing, she ran away, comfortably nestled in the rocking chair, opened the projection and started remote work.


    There was a piercing gaze behind her, but she pretended not to notice, humming a light tune: ¡°I like~ the smile of a puppy, like a gentle rain~ sprinkling into my heart.¡± Anyway, it¡¯s her own song, so she can change the lyrics as she pleases.


    The chat box beeped, and Jennifer sent a heart emoji along with a staged photo of a table covered in rose petals, accompanied by a sweet voice message: ¡°Darling~ I¡¯ve booked the Galaxy Restaurant. Would you honor me with your presence for a starlit dinner tonight?¡±


    Lin Youyou glanced at Su Cha, and indeed, he saw the chat content. His brows furrowed, and his ears were almost standing up.


    Lin Youyou intentionally typed loudly: ¡°Why suddenly invite me to dinner?¡±


    Jennifer quickly replied, ¡°Because you¡¯re my lifesaver~ Dad always said, a drop of water should be repaid with a bucket of water.¡±


    Lin Youyou smiled, ¡°It¡¯s ¡®repaying a drop of water with a gushing spring,¡¯ but we¡¯re friends, no need to be so formal.¡±


    Jennifer¡¯s melodious tone paused, and her tone returned to normal, ¡°Oh, actually, the words just now were taught by Yin Xiao, that illiterate. I¡¯m very cultured myself. Because we¡¯re friends, I want to see you, I want to be your best girlfriend.¡±


    The high chair made a harsh noise on the floor, and Su Cha stood up abruptly, ¡°I¡¯m going to train.¡±


    He clenched his shoulders, lowered his head, and walked out of the room in large strides.


    Lin Youyou casually sent a voice message, ¡°Sorry, Jennifer, I can¡¯t have dinner with you alone. My little dog at home is upset, and I have to comfort him.¡±


    Jennifer sent a ¡°crying¡± emoji, ¡°Let¡¯s talk about business then. Have you seen the group tasks today? The pinned task released today, is your team interested in participating together?¡±


    ¡­


    In the living room, Xu Xing was focused on painting. Fang Zhixu casually glanced over and commented, ¡°Wow, you¡¯re a master of abstract art.¡±


    Xu Xing drew a distorted face of a female monster, resembling the white-boned demon from a storybook, being beaten by a group of awakeners. One big man unleashed a fierce snowstorm with both hands, and colorful text next to it was deliberately labeled¡ª ¡°Height three meters, Hero Xu.¡±


    As Xu Xing colored, he explained with annoyance, ¡°This is the old witch, and this! The most powerful one is my sister, and then the tallest is me! We teamed up to kill the old witch!¡±


    Fang Zhixu, rubbing his chin, seriously observed for a while, ¡°There¡¯s a problem with your painting.¡±


    Xu Xing immediately turned to him, ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡±


    ¡°Me,¡± Fang Zhixu pointed at himself, ¡°You even drew Taotao, but where am I?¡±


    Xu Xing blinked his eyes, jumped off the bar stool, and grabbed the drawing board as he ran to the room, muttering, ¡°You don¡¯t know how to fight anyway.¡±


    Fang Zhixu rolled up his sleeves and threatened him, ¡°You little brat, feeling itchy, huh? Who says I can¡¯t fight? I picked up all the crystals!¡±


    As the two were playfully wrestling in the crowded living room, Su Cha came out from Lin Youyou¡¯s room and silently sat on the sofa.


    With expressive big eyes, Xu Xing asked him what happened.


    Fang Zhixu, panting from the pursuit, shook his head, indicating he had no idea.


    After a while, Song Ke and Zhuang Qingyan also came out.


    Zhuang Qingyan casually asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Lu Xiaoyu?¡±


    Fang Zhixu replied, ¡°He went out, said he wanted to¡­dye his hair?¡±


    Coincidentally, the apartment door opened at that moment. The familiar wheelchair glided in, but the person sitting on it looked unusually unfamiliar.


    Jet-black hair fell smoothly on the neck side. The young man¡¯s pupils changed to a clear brown, and a pair of old-fashioned black-framed glasses sat on his nose. Due to prolonged indoor stays, his face had a pale, delicate complexion.


    He calmly looked at the stunned crowd and said, ¡°I¡¯m back.¡±


    Song Ke looked at his empty legs, then at his face, and finally reacted, ¡°Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Xiaoyu!¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu pushed his glasses and responded with a touch of arrogance, ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Song Ke, shocked, blurted out in a local dialect, ¡°Why did you change like this?!¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu glanced at Zhuang Qingyan, raised his chin, and said, ¡°Because I invaded the terminal in District B and caused a little, very little trouble. Of course, I wiped out all traces, confident that I did it seamlessly. But for safety reasons, and considering someone¡¯s past experience, I decided to do some disguise.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Song Ke expressed understanding. She stole a glance at Zhuang Qingyan and couldn¡¯t help but think, ¡°You two have quite similar hobbies, huh.¡±


    Lin Youyou came out of the room holding the terminal, found everyone gathered in the living room, and walked over. Upon seeing them, she laughed:


    ¡°Oh, you two difficult brothers, sitting in wheelchairs together, and now playing cosplay together with glasses?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan and Lu Xiaoyu exchanged a glance, then turned their eyes away in mutual disdain.


    Lin Youyou waved, ¡°Song Ke¡¯er, come over and take a look at this task. Should we take it?¡±


    Song Ke ran over quickly.


    After people dispersed, Zhuang Qingyan stood next to Lu Xiaoyu and asked seriously, ¡°Did you find any clues about that anonymous IP?¡±


    He handed over the sender¡¯s address he got from Lucia to Lu Xiaoyu for investigation.


    Lu Xiaoyu replied, ¡°That person is quite cautious, using his own layer of encryption, but it¡¯s all in vain. I cracked it in less than five minutes. Based on the last signal source location, he should be in the eastern part of the Alliance.¡±


    ¡°But there¡¯s something strange. He didn¡¯t use a terminal to connect; instead, it¡¯s the lowest-level local area network. Isn¡¯t this kind of antique outdated long ago? And his outer IP is fixed, but the inner one keeps changing. I estimate he has at least 1500 devices.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s glasses were a bit big, and as he spoke, they slid down. He adjusted them uncomfortably and casually said, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the network level being too low, I would suspect it¡¯s someone from your side doing ¡®garbage network testing.¡¯ Besides the research institute, where else would you need so many devices?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Zhuang Qingyan suddenly spoke, ¡°there¡¯s another possibility.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s in an Internet cafe.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu looked puzzled, ¡°??¡±


    Being from District B8 Erjia, he had been exposed to the most cutting-edge computer technology since childhood and was completely unfamiliar with this unfamiliar term. However, Lu Xiaoyu wouldn¡¯t casually reveal his ignorance. He subtly moved his fingertips and quickly opened the terminal to search.


    ¡°1500 devices would already be considered a large-scale Internet cafe, making it easier to hide oneself.¡±


    ¡°In some backward D or F districts, there are many people who use this method to sneak into the Star Network¡­¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan paused as he spoke, and the anonymous sender¡­ Ming¡­ District F¡­ Internet cafe¡­


    In a flash, all the clues in his mind connected, leading to an unimaginable thought.


    ¡­


    Song Ke saw the mission mentioned by Lin Youyou in the ¡°District B10  High-level Awakeners Matching Conference¡± channel.


    Dozens of large rehabilitation, nursing, and dietary suppliers in District B jointly initiated an S-level commission: ¡°As of 23:00 yesterday, the Foreign Trade Department of the Elderly People¡¯s Nation in District A5 has been out of contact for twenty-one days. Special line communication is unavailable, and all related cooperation has been completely suspended. A-level or above awakener teams are requested to go to District A5 to confirm the situation. Accepting the mission will grant the team 48 hours of supplier access permission.¡±


    Song Ke was momentarily stunned. This was her first mission related to District A!


    She quickly gathered everyone for a meeting and expressed her gratitude, ¡°Thank you all.¡±


    Today was the most chaotic day in Song Ke¡¯s nineteen years of life. From being kidnapped in the early morning, undergoing radiation testing, losing control, falling into a state of killing, to being rescued by her companions, with Ye Zheng mediating, meeting at the government mansion, everything unfolded in the midst of chaos.


    Fortunately, she had returned to normal, and V587 was unharmed.


    ¡°Starting tomorrow, let¡¯s continue to climb the rankings,¡± Song Ke said seriously. ¡°We¡¯ll settle the score with He Qiuhong sooner or later.¡±


    ¡°I agree,¡± Fang Zhixu said. ¡°He Qiuhong dared to move against you today because she holds immense power in District B10 and is accustomed to controlling S-level individuals. Secondly, she looks down on us. We, the A-levels, are insignificant in her eyes, and we¡¯re even lower in the rankings. We¡¯re not worth a second glance.¡±


    Lin Youyou sneered, ¡°Let her see that, apart from Song Ke being S7, V587 also have us.¡±


    Xu Xing banged on the table, ¡°Charge to the first place in the Northern Base and defeat the old witch.¡±


    Su Cha silently nodded, expressing his support.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not right,¡± Song Ke shook her head, her eyes filled with a determined resolve.


    ¡°Not just in the Northern Base, but the first place in the entire Alliance.¡±

 Chapter 148: Fire Seed (18)

    ¡ò Let¡¯s go to District A5, Elderly People¡¯s Nation! ¡òNorthern Base, outskirts of Qianzhan City.


    A helicopter was slowly descending, its massive rotor buzzing and generating strong gusts of wind that forced pedestrians to step back. The cabin door opened, and a member of the Tustan team in black combat gear lowered a swaying rope. He effortlessly grabbed it and descended one after another, performing with a flair as if in a movie.


    The first to touch the ground was a tall young man wearing pilot sunglasses, a dazzling ruby earring catching the light, exuding an arrogant disregard for others¡¯ well-being.


    He waved towards the other group waiting on the opposite side, ¡°Hey, Captain Song, traffic was jammed on the morning route. Sorry for being two minutes late.¡±


    Yin Xiao¡¯s gray eyes, seen through the sunglasses, scanned the large vehicles parked on the side of the road, and his eyebrows slowly lifted, ¡°Oh, District B Starship. No wonder you have the confidence to have us gather here.¡±


    Needless to say, the other group waiting in place was V587. They had repeated their morning routine and ¡°borrowed¡± another starship.


    ¡°Youyou~¡±


    Jennifer had just landed, her deep red curls swaying as she eagerly rushed towards Lin Youyou, opening her arms to embrace her.


    Su Cha stepped in with an expressionless face, blocking her way.


    Jennifer glared at him, ¡°What are you doing? I want to get close to the beauty.¡±


    Su Cha remained unmoved, his tone cold and unyielding, ¡°Stalker fans are not allowed, please maintain a safe distance.¡±


    Jennifer exclaimed, ¡°What the heck?!¡± She had just successfully arranged a joint activity between the two teams, no, two alliances. What did this man mean by calling her a stalker fan?


    ¡°Get on first, we¡¯re in a hurry.¡±


    Song Ke cleared her throat and raised her voice.


    The two groups quickly boarded the starship, the cabin door closed, and facing the crowd bustling towards the Northern Base in the glow of the morning sun and mist, the silver-white flying starship quietly departed.


    Inside the starship, there were twelve Tustan members in total, spreading out to find seats.


    Yin Xiao¡¯s two long legs moved swiftly, heading straight for Song Ke. Just as he was about to sit down next to her, he suddenly noticed someone already there¡ªZhuang Qingyan in white casual attire, golden-rimmed glasses, reading a light screen with a gentle and perfect profile.


    Yin Xiao sneered inwardly, what¡¯s up with him? It¡¯s not like they¡¯re on vacation. Wearing all white, isn¡¯t he afraid of getting bloodstains?


    He casually sat down directly across from the two, as if passing the time, dismantling and reassembling the ¡°Hellcat,¡± its cold mechanical parts emitting a chilly gleam.


    Zhuang Qingyan raised his eyes to glance at him, showing no emotion.


    Once everyone was seated, a Tustan team member spoke up loudly, ¡°Captain, none of us have been to District A, and we don¡¯t know much about the Elderly People¡¯s Nation. Can you introduce the background of this mission to everyone?¡±


    Yin Xiao completed the assembly of the Hellcat with a ¡°click¡± sound, placing it in front of Zhuang Qingyan. Then, he leisurely stood up and said, ¡°Sure.¡±


    Without a word, Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s wheelchair glided forward, taking the lead to enter the aisle, brushing past Yin Xiao, and stopping in front of everyone. ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    Tustan member: ¡°??¡± Who is this guy?


    V587: ¡°¡­¡± The peacock has opened its feathers again.


    Yin Xiao generously extended his hand in a ¡°please¡± gesture, then crossed his arms and stepped aside, with a face full of anticipation.


    Zhuang Qingyan nodded indifferently, ¡°I am V587¡¯s technical consultant. I¡¯ll be introducing the relevant information about this mission. Feel free to ask if anything is unclear.¡±


    Someone below whistled lightly, making a joke about him stealing the limelight, but there was no malicious intent.


    Zhuang Qingyan paid no attention, opened the screen, and projected the Alliance map. ¡°The New Asia Alliance currently has five District As, representing the highest centralized authority for different functions. They are: Central Court A1 for political center, Emira A2 for military command, Eikang A3 for economic council, Liuponi A4 for cultural academy, and Elderly People¡¯s Nation A5, a welfare paradise.


    Except for the Elderly People¡¯s Nation, the other four districts do not provide household registration services, have no local residents, and entry and exit are based on admission permissions. Even so, 90% of the Alliance¡¯s people, throughout their lives, cannot step into any District A.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s storytelling was clear and organized, his voice seemingly possessing a peculiar persuasive quality. On the Tustan side, the initially disdainful expressions gradually disappeared, replaced by focused and serious expressions.


    Song Ke held her chin, listening with relish, while Yin Xiao stared at her face without blinking, his fingertips subtly moving, feeling strangely itchy.


    He took out a bottle of specially provided functional drink from his tactical backpack, grapefruit-flavored, and gently pushed it towards Song Ke.


    ¡°The concept of the Elderly People¡¯s Nation originated from the renowned utopianist, Smirel,¡± Zhuang Qingyan continued calmly. ¡°He believed that individuals who had made significant contributions to human development should enjoy their retirement in the best environment, with the most comprehensive welfare conditions. Smirel attempted to mobilize the entire Alliance to create a retirement home resembling paradise, dedicated to caring for those distinguished individuals.¡±


    Upon hearing this, whispers arose in the rear cabin:


    ¡°It sounds reasonable¡­¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯ve contributed to all of humanity and worked hard your whole life, it¡¯s only right to enjoy your later years.¡±


    ¡°The recommendations from this expert seem quite sensible.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s eyelashes drooped, and the smile at the corner of her lips gradually turned cold. S?a??h the ??v?l_Fir?.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Smirel¡¯s original intention isn¡¯t necessarily wrong, but unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t see through human nature.¡±


    ¡°The best environment and the most comprehensive welfare always protect the privileged class. As long as you have enough power, enough status, and enough wealth, even crying children and blood-stained criminals can knock on the doors of the Elderly People¡¯s Nation and enjoy the Alliance¡¯s best infrastructure and meticulous care.¡±


    ¡°The household registration in District A5 is like a life clearance card. Once you have it, you don¡¯t need to struggle for a lifetime. You can stand at the height others admire. As various interests continuously pour in, it gradually loses its initial function and becomes a paradise for the powerful.¡±


    ¡°The founder of the Elderly People¡¯s Nation, Smirel, was also sentenced to a hundred years in prison.¡±


    ¡°Damn! Using our taxpayers¡¯ money to support a bunch of social parasites?¡±


    ¡°You were just an electrician before. How much tax did you pay? I own a company. My heart is bleeding!¡±


    The two members who joined Tustan after the apocalypse gritted their teeth. Although others remained silent, their hearts were filled with mixed emotions, feeling a sense of pity for the situation in the Elderly People¡¯s Nation and the fate Smirel suffered.


    In the quiet atmosphere, occasional clouds drifted past the porthole. They had already left the range of the Northern Base and were speeding towards the northern part of the Alliance.


    Zhuang Qingyan lightly touched the screen, switching to the mission page. ¡°Returning to the mission itself, because the residents of the Elderly People¡¯s Nation do not engage in production or work, and all resources are transported from the outside, its only management department is also called the Foreign Trade Department, responsible for supplier selection and procurement. With the loss of contact for a whole twenty-one days, the entire chain of interests between the two sides has been completely severed. Our client, who can¡¯t sit still, can understand.¡±


    What Zhuang Qingyan didn¡¯t mention was that there was something subtly strange about this matter. The system determined the difficulty of public commissions on its own, and the client simply asked them to investigate the Elderly People¡¯s Nation. So why was the mission rated as S? Could it be that the Elderly People¡¯s Nation had fallen victim to a zombie tide or savage beasts? ¡ª Absolutely impossible.


    Not to mention its unique geographical location, the city defense of the Elderly People¡¯s Nation is under the control of Emira, the strongest military force, making it virtually impregnable.


    With the mission background understood, everyone had a clearer picture. Since the Elderly People¡¯s Nation is located in the endless sea at the northernmost part of the Alliance, bordering the Cario Empire and the Luce Federation, even with the District B starship at full speed, the journey would take around five days to reach.


    Zhuang Qingyan returned to his seat and smiled tenderly at Song Ke, ¡°Do you understand? If there¡¯s anything unclear, I¡¯ll explain it to you in detail.¡±


    Song Ke proudly lifted her head, ¡°I understand everything.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Zhuang Qingyan completely ignored Yin Xiao across from her. Just as he sat back down, he suddenly noticed a bottle of pink drink on the table.


    ¡°¡­¡± He nonchalantly reached over, took it, and unscrewed the cap, taking a sip. ¡°Thanks, you¡¯re quite considerate, huh? You know I get thirsty when I talk.¡±


    Yin Xiao couldn¡¯t stop him in time, ¡°Hey, that¡¯s for Song Ke!¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Zhuang Qingyan turned to look at Song Ke, looking melancholic, ¡°I accidentally drank your drink. You won¡¯t blame me, will you?¡±


    Song Ke waved her hand generously, ¡°It¡¯s okay, go ahead.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan turned back, his peach blossom eyes curved as he smiled warmly.


    Yin Xiao: ¡°¡­¡± He had never seen such a shameless man!


    On the other side, once the starship entered stable flight, the Tustan members enthusiastically started chatting.


    ¡°There are only fifty slots for this mission, and our Northern Base is sending the least, only three teams.¡±


    ¡°Another team is Blue Flame, right? Hey, speaking of which, did Xi Ze not go? Doesn¡¯t he never miss an S-level commission?¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you seen the official statement from the Awakener Department yesterday?¡±


    ¡°¡­I was shopping with my wife yesterday, what happened?¡±


    ¡°Zhigler and Xi Ze were besieged by a large-scale beast tide during their mission, including a rare 5th-level beast. They almost got wiped out. Xi Ze¡¯s awakened energy shattered, and he dropped back to A9. Director He was suspended from duty because of it.¡±


    ¡°What the heck, an S-level awakener getting downgraded? Isn¡¯t that explosive news? Why don¡¯t I know about it? Am I the only one who doesn¡¯t know? Hey, V587, do you guys know?¡±


    The members of V587¡¯s ¡°Beast Tide¡± could hardly keep the smiles on their faces: ¡°Haha¡­ We don¡¯t know.¡±


    Innocently, Xu Xing said, ¡°Uncles and aunts, yesterday we rested and slept at home all day.¡±


    Song Ke, the globally rare ¡°5th-level beast¡±, said: ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡­


    Five days later.


    Northern part of the Alliance, Endless Sea.


    Early in the morning, Lu Xiaoyu disengaged the automatic pilot, summoned the control panel, and switched to low-orbit mode. Then, he pressed the intercom button and spoke in a flat and calm tone, ¡°Wake up, we¡¯ve reached the ¡®Sea of Misfortune.¡¯ I will manually pilot the starship and pass through the navigational hazard zone. Friendly reminder, fasten your seatbelts, or bear the consequences.¡±


    Outside the porthole, the morning sun painted the sky with a golden glow, casting a radiant light on the gently undulating sea, resembling a serene and embracing elder.


    As an islander, Song Ke had grown up by the seaside and was very familiar with the ocean. However, this particular area gave her a completely different feeling. Beneath the calm surface, it seemed to hide a turbulent crisis.


    She turned her head and curiously asked, ¡°Why is it called the ¡®Sea of Misfortune¡¯?¡±


    Yin Xiao, having just finished washing up and holding a toothbrush, came back and casually explained, ¡°Because misfortune descends here. Hundreds of airplane and ship disappearances occur here every year, and the phenomenon remains unexplained by science.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Song Ke nodded in understanding. At that moment, Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s morning announcement sounded, and her expression changed. She quickly fastened her seatbelt.


    At the same time, other V587 members heard that Lu Xiaoyu was switching to manual control. They instantly rushed back to their positions, their expressions uniformly serious. Only then did Xu Xing, almost imperceptibly, grasp the armrest, and even Yin Xiao hesitated for a moment. With a sudden realization, he threw away his toothbrush, took a step forward, and swiftly buckled his seatbelt across from Song Ke.


    The Tustan team members remained oblivious to this, continuing their cheerful conversations and carefree movements. Jennifer lazily sat at the mobile snack bar, lifting her flower-adorned fingers to enjoy an ice coffee.


    The next moment, the entire starship flipped in mid-air, engines roaring violently as it charged towards the vast sea like an unbridled wild horse.


    ¡°Ah, xxxx!¡± Jennifer was splattered with coffee all over her head, her beautiful face a mess. However, she wasn¡¯t the most unfortunate.


    The Tustan team members standing in the aisle, caught off guard, tumbled and rolled like bowling balls, colliding with each other in twos and threes.


    In the cockpit, Lu Xiaoyu was completely focused, pushing the energy system to the maximum. The calm sea gradually revealed ferocious fangs, black clouds overhead changing rapidly with lightning and thunder. Layers of huge waves splashed against the front window, and black, terrifying mist encroached from all directions.


    Although the navigation had long since failed, Lu Xiaoyu, relying on pre-memorized mechanical coordinates, decisively changed direction. The massive starship, like a sailing ship breaking through the waves, plowed through obstacles, advancing at high speed!


    In the rear cabin, cries of despair filled the air. Jennifer¡¯s long hair was in disarray as she clung to the bar like a koala.


    But when she looked up, she saw Yin Xiao sitting calmly in place, securely fastened by his seatbelt, witnessing their embarrassment and bursting into laughter.


    Jennifer angrily exclaimed, ¡°Yin Xiao, faced with great danger, you abandoned your daughter. What kind of man are you?¡±


    Others weakly echoed, ¡°Yeah, Captain, you¡­you¡¯re not a real¡­man!¡±


    Thirty minutes later, the speed of the starship finally returned to stability, and the sounds of vomiting echoed in the rear cabin.


    Zhuang Qingyan gently reminded, ¡°We¡¯ve arrived.¡±


    Song Ke looked out of the porthole with anticipation. The sky was clear, seagulls soared, and in the center of the vast sea, a magnificent and dreamlike island stood quietly.


    This was one of the five major District As in the Alliance and the destination of their journey¡ªthe Elderly People¡¯s Nation.

 Chapter 149.1: Fire Seed (19)

    ¡ò Can you swim? ¡ò¡°Prepare for landing.¡±


    The starship announcement sounded again, and this time, there was no need for Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s reminder. All crew members in the rear cabin neatly and uniformly clicked their seat belts in place.


    After approaching the periphery of the island, a transparent barrier appeared in the sky, and holographic signs automatically lit up: ¡°Please use the supplier channel.¡±


    Following that was a small bright square area: ¡°Please present your admission authorization here.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu decelerated and turned the direction, and the starship hovered neatly in the highlighted area. Song Ke and Yin Xiao opened their terminals, pulled up the temporary admission obtained after accepting the mission, and two seconds later, the barrier opened a passage, just large enough for the starship to pass through.


    The aerial signs also turned into clear navigation maps: ¡°Please continue driving three kilometers along the current road and land at the Splendid Tower.¡±


    It had to be said that the visitor system of the Elderly People¡¯s Nation was planned very reasonably, just¡­ with a somewhat inexplicable soft coercion. They had no other choice but to follow the route provided by the system, and there was no possibility of ¡°I¡¯ll go around first¡± at all.


    At the top of the Splendid Tower, there was a luxurious helipad. Lu Xiaoyu found a vacant space, smoothly landed the starship, and just as he stabilized, the ground passage folded open, and the entire starship was slowly taken into the building, transported to the temporary parking level.


    After the two teams came out, they could only take the observation elevator, which had only one button inside: ¡°Visitor Hall.¡±


    ¡°Ding¡ª¡± The elevator door opened, revealing a spacious banquet hall, and surprisingly, there were already quite a few people on the scene.


    Song Ke sensed it slightly and was surprised. These people were all awakeners! The chaotic and diverse awakened energies were like those in a vegetable market.


    ¡°Why are there so many people?¡±


    ¡°Fifty teams, there must be those who arrived earlier than us,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said.


    The Northern Base was too far away, and they rushed non-stop, taking a full five days.


    ¡°Not only the Alliance,¡± Yin Xiao pointed in two directions, ¡°but people from the Cario Empire and the Luce Federation are also here.¡±


    Song Ke looked in the direction he pointed. Although it was unclear what permissions the other two countries used to enter, the awakeners in the hall were clearly divided into three groups, and their differences were apparent just by their appearances.


    Ninety percent of the cities in the Luce Federation were located in the ice fields, with a cold climate. Most of the awakeners there had high noses and deep-set eyes. Both men and women were tall and slender, looking like they had explosive combat capabilities. Among them, the most eye-catching was a pair of intimate-looking lovers. The man had a sturdy physique, nearly two meters tall, resembling a powerful polar bear, while the woman, estimated to be around 1.9 meters, had shoulder-length brown hair and a somewhat unapproachable face.


    On the other hand, in the Cario Empire, due to being an immigrant nation, the awakeners had various skin colors, and their irises were colorful. At first glance, it was challenging to determine their nationality.


    ¡°What are they doing here?¡± Jennifer snorted lightly.


    Yin Xiao chuckled, ¡°Girl, your grandfather is, after all, from Cario. Are you forgetting your roots?¡±


    Jennifer was unashamed and even proud, ¡°But my father made an enlightened decision against our ancestors. I am a born and bred Alliance person.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan looked at the three different forces in the hall with a meaningful smile, ¡°The Elderly People¡¯s Nation is located at the intersection center of the three-country sea area. The residents are not only from the Alliance, and they probably heard the news and came to join in. It¡¯s reasonable.¡±


    ¡°Sister¡­¡± Suddenly, Xu Xing pulled Song Ke¡¯s sleeve and stared straight at someone across the hall.


    It was an awakener from the Cario Empire, and he looked quite young. Freckles adorned his tender face, and his thick, curly reddish-brown hair framed his face. His eyes were a clear ocean blue, and despite his young age, he was already close to 1.7 meters tall, surrounded by people like the center of the universe.


    Tustan¡¯s electric-type awakener leaned over to gossip, ¡°His name is Dylan, quite famous.¡±


    Xu Xing blinked, ¡°Why is he famous?¡±


    ¡°Dylan is from Cario and is also the youngest S-class awakener in the world. He reached S2 level at just ten years old. His ability is in the mysterious category called ¡®Nightmare Descends,¡¯ which can unconsciously make people¡¯s bodies fall asleep while keeping their minds awake, creating hallucinatory nightmares similar to ¡®sleep paralysis.''¡±


    After hearing this, Xu Xing pursed his lips, ¡°¡­¡±


    His self-esteem took a heavy blow. He was happy to be able to take on S-class missions, but here was someone who reached S2 level at just ten years old. While he struggled to grow to 1.7 meters, Dylan effortlessly reached that height at eleven. It was truly a crushing defeat, both in abilities and height. Comrade Xu Xiaoxing became a complete emo.


    ¡°Yin Xiao?¡± Several awakeners with Alliance faces walked over, and among them, a short-haired woman, elegant and agile, greeted them proactively. ¡°The Northern Base is distant. I thought you wouldn¡¯t arrive until at least tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°I hitched a ride.¡± Yin Xiao smiled, raised his hand to try to put it around Song Ke¡¯s shoulder, but considering it might be offensive, he temporarily changed it to a patting motion.


    ¡°This is Captain of V587 and also my friend, Song Ke.¡±


    ¡°Yooooo, Gu Ruoyi, Captain of the ¡®Peace Dove¡¯ Team in Minlin (B16 District).¡± Jennifer stepped back, whispered to Lin Youyou, ¡°I swear on my sixth sense as an illegitimate daughter, she¡¯s interested in my dad and wants to be my stepmother.¡±


    ¡°Stepmother? Then who is your dad¡¯s legal wife?¡± Lin Youyou laughed.


    ¡°There,¡± Jennifer discreetly pointed at Song Ke, ¡°hasn¡¯t entered the door yet, a long way to go.¡±


    Feeling a chill behind her, Jennifer rubbed her arm. As she turned around, a handsome young man in a wheelchair was expressionlessly staring at her.


    Jennifer¡¯s magical sixth sense kicked in again, and she quickly changed her tone, ¡°Actually, my dad continuing to be single is quite good, really!¡±


    In the ¡°Peace Dove¡± team, a man with rainbow-colored hair in the back exaggeratedly exclaimed, ¡°V587? Never heard of it. I guess you don¡¯t even have a ranking in the Alliance? Is your Northern Base so short-handed that you¡¯re randomly picking a team to make up the numbers?¡±


    ¡°We do have a ranking,¡± Song Ke argued seriously, ¡°Currently, we are ranked 235,706th.¡±


    ¡°What rank?¡± Rainbow-head was stunned for a good three seconds, even scratched his ear. Then he burst into laughter along with his teammates, ¡°Hahaha! Did you guys hear that? How many numbers did she just say?¡±


    ¡°235,706th!¡± Rainbow-head¡¯s exaggerated tone attracted the attention of many people. ¡°Is this your level? Did you deliberately bring in an A-class to act as a newbie? Are you A-class?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Song Ke honestly shook her head.


    Rainbow-head then asked Lu Xiaoyu, ¡°What about you? A-class.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu couldn¡¯t be bothered to look at him and coldly spit out a word, ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Hey, there¡¯s also a guy in a wheelchair,¡± Rainbow-head turned to the other side, amusing himself, ¡°Bro, are you disabled people having a party here? Are you A-class?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan folded his hands together and politely said, ¡°Of course not, how could I be A-class?¡± S?a?ch* Th? N0v?lFir?.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    The four A-class members of V587 exchanged glances, ¡°¡­¡±


    Similarly, Yin Xiao and others who knew Song Ke¡¯s true level had the same reaction, ¡°¡­¡±


    This rainbow-haired guy was really something. Was it luck that he got it wrong each time? Or was it bad luck that he always managed to pick an S-class? Truly incomparable¡­ luck.


    ¡°Enough, Yang Xiaobo, say one more word, and I¡¯ll have you roll back to Minlin,¡± Gu Ruoyi reprimanded with a cold face.


    Yang Xiaobo raised his hand to his mouth, mimicking a zipper motion.


    Yin Xiao chuckled and ignored him, ¡°Why is everyone gathered here?¡±


    ¡°Because we can¡¯t leave.¡± Gu Ruoyi calmly dropped a bomb, ¡°The Elderly People¡¯s Nation¡¯s weather simulation system is malfunctioning.¡±


    Weather simulation system?


    Song Ke quickly glanced at Zhuang Qingyan. That name sounded familiar.


    Gu Ruoyi took out a terminal and displayed the environmental index, ¡°You also entered through the sky route, right? Following the navigation all the way indoors, so you didn¡¯t feel it. The current temperature outside is 38¡ãC. The sunlight is glaring, and the heat radiation intensity has exceeded thirteen times the normal post-apocalyptic level. Staying outdoors for an extended period can easily cause mutations.¡±


    ¡°Somebody tried to go out just now, and within five minutes, their awakened energy went haywire. Helpless, they had to retreat.¡±


    ¡°Did you report it for repair?¡± Yin Xiao asked.


    ¡°We¡¯ve already contacted the Qinglan Research Institute, but¡­¡± Gu Ruoyi sighed, ¡°After the apocalypse, many advanced repairers suffered casualties, and currently, they can¡¯t spare the manpower. The earliest they can arrive is two days later.¡±


    ¡°Sister Ruoyi, what¡¯s the use of telling them? They can¡¯t fix it anyway?¡± Yang Xiaobo started blabbering again, unable to stop his mouth.


    Gu Ruoyi took a deep breath, turned her eyes away from him, and rolled her eyes, ¡°Yang¡­ Xiao¡­ Bo.¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright, I won¡¯t say anything more.¡± Yang Xiaobo instantly conceded.


    Gu Ruoyi nodded apologetically to Song Ke, ¡°Sorry, he has a sharp tongue, likes to boast, but he¡¯s not a bad person.¡±


    Song Ke frowned slightly. Their admission was only for 48 hours, and in two days, it would all be over.


    ¡°But wait, if there¡¯s radiation outside, what about the residents here? Did they turn into zombies?¡± Someone in Tustan¡¯s team asked in confusion.


    ¡°Do you think they¡¯re idiots? If they sensed danger, they would definitely hide first, like in basements or air-raid shelters, and then send out distress signals,¡± a companion reasoned convincingly.


    ¡°The problem is¡­¡± Gu Ruoyi said in a deep voice, ¡°We haven¡¯t received any signals, and we can¡¯t contact any organizations.¡±


    Everyone fell silent after hearing this, disbelief flashing across their faces.


    Suddenly, someone stood up in the corner, an awakener who ignored his companion¡¯s attempt to stop him, insisting on going out. He shouted, ¡°What¡¯s there to be afraid of? Not every bit of radiation will cause mutations. It¡¯s a matter of probability. I¡¯ll be back before my awakened energy goes haywire.¡±


    Gu Ruoyi quickly explained, ¡°They were the first team to come in, hoping to take the lead. Seeing more and more people, they probably couldn¡¯t sit still.¡±


    The polar bear couple not far away glanced at the person who spoke, had a brief conversation in a low voice, and made no move.


    The person smashed a window, leaped onto the balcony, then jumped to the adjacent ribbon bridge. He strode into the sunlight, his back disappearing in an instant.


    About seven or eight minutes later, he nonchalantly strolled back, ¡°I circled nearby, and there¡¯s no one in the entire Splendid Tower.¡±


    He spread his hands, basking in the sunlight, and casually smiled at his companions, ¡°See, I¡¯m perfectly fine. My awakened energy is stable. I told you, radiation is a matter of probability¡ª¡±


    ¡°Tahp¡ª¡± His body suddenly swayed, a piece of rotten flesh falling from his face.


    ¡°Captain!¡± His teammates in the hall panicked.


    The person absentmindedly wiped his face, and another piece of decaying flesh fell off. Under the intense radiation, his eye pupils rapidly turned gray, teeth bled and fell out, his appearance quickly resembling that of a zombie.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening¡­?¡± Before he could finish his sentence, his last bit of sanity disappeared, turning him into a full-fledged mutant zombie. Emitting a deep, hoarse roar from his throat, light orbs flickering in his palms, he pounced toward them.


    From leaving to coming back, the entire process took less than ten minutes, and this person transformed from a human into a ferocious zombie.


    ¡°Bang, bang¡ª¡± Other awakeners in the building quickly took action, eliminating him.


    The martyr¡¯s body lay quietly on the ground. After this incident, no one dared to go out without permission.

 Chapter 149.2: Fire Seed (19)

    ¡ò Can you swim? ¡òSome smart individuals sent the situation back to the system platform. After consulting with the client, awakeners from the Alliance team received a new prompt:


    ¡°New side mission: Please restore the ecological environment of Elderly People¡¯s Country District A5 as soon as possible. The reward for this mission will be calculated separately.¡±


    Song Ke quietly walked to the side and gestured for Zhuang Qingyan to come over.


    ¡°T014.¡± Like a street secret agent, Song Ke whispered the code.


    This was the serial number of the out-of-control weather simulation system in Hua City. At that time, only she and Zhuang Qingyan were part of V587, and only they knew the details.


    Zhuang Qingyan immediately understood, ¡°Elderly People¡¯s Country¡¯s T001 is a first-generation machine, and it¡¯s also the only simulation system used in District A. Do you want me to shut it down?¡±


    ¡°Can you shut it down?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Zhuang Qingyan smiled, ¡°I know the central location of T001. If we have Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s help, it won¡¯t take fourteen days.¡±


    ¡°But the difficulty of this matter isn¡¯t in the simulation system. I believe there are other hacker-type awakeners at the scene. The key is the radiation outside¡­¡±


    As he spoke, he suddenly looked up, staring at Song Ke intensely. ¡°Song Ke, you¡¯re not thinking of¡­¡±


    ¡°With the current radiation, how much is the excess?¡± Song Ke changed the subject.


    The calculation of radiation was a very complex formula, but Zhuang Qingyan quickly glanced at the environmental data and almost instantly provided an answer, ¡°Equivalent to about 30%.¡±


    Song Ke nodded and then pointed to herself, ¡°I¡¯ll go find the central hub.¡±


    She wasn¡¯t showing off. Although the radiation test at Ning Rong¡¯s Laboratory had caused her pain, Song Ke now had a deeper understanding of her awakened energy. Within a radiation excess of 100%, her body wouldn¡¯t be affected at all; instead, her awakened energy would slightly increase.


    This side mission seemed tailor-made for V587!


    ¡°Your abnormal radiation and unknown genes inside your body haven¡¯t been fully examined yet,¡± Zhuang Qingyan hesitated, a rare occurrence. ¡°If you enter a strong radiation environment again, and if anything unexpected happens¡­¡±


    Song Ke patted his shoulder, reassuringly saying, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I know my situation.¡±


    Recalling Ning Rong¡¯s test report, if one analyzed the data alone, the impact of 30% excess radiation on Song Ke was practically negligible. Her real tolerance limit was above 130%.


    Zhuang Qingyan remained silent for a while.


    Song Ke patted him again and again, saying, ¡°Let me go.¡±


    ¡°Okay, you can go. Take the communicator with you and stay in constant contact,¡± Zhuang Qingyan, with a slightly painful chest from the patting, helplessly held her wrist and gently scratched her palm. ¡°Also, don¡¯t linger. Go and come back as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°I got it.¡± Song Ke made an OK sign with her other hand.


    The two returned to the team, and Song Ke informed everyone about her decision to go outside to find the T001 central hub.


    Both Tustan¡¯s team and V587 were shocked beyond words:


    ¡°What?!¡±


    ¡°Captain Song, don¡¯t act impulsively!¡± s?a??h th? ?0velF?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Yin Xiao frowned, ¡°Song Ke, this decision is very unwise. If you¡¯re in a hurry, we can push Qinglan Institute again.¡±


    Tustan¡¯s team members also joined in persuading, ¡°Yeah, Captain Song, you don¡¯t need to be so sacrificial. Anyway, everyone is here, and no one can complete the mission. Hey! V587! Aren¡¯t you stopping your captain?¡±


    Song Ke picked up her backpack and zipped up her jacket to the top. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, just wait here.¡±


    Yin Xiao wasn¡¯t naive and quickly guessed something, ¡°Do you have a way to resist radiation?¡±


    Song Ke nodded vaguely. About the secrets of her body, besides Zhuang Qingyan and her teammates, she didn¡¯t plan to tell anyone.


    After the initial shock, members of V587 calmed down.


    Xu Xing scratched his head, his mind in confusion. T001? T014? His inability to remember suddenly began to attack him. He instinctively looked at Zhuang Qingyan, and Lin Youyou and Fang Zhixu also turned their gazes in unison. Song Ke wasn¡¯t one to act recklessly; even if we consider the worst-case scenario and her thoughts were immature, Zhuang Qingyan would surely intervene.


    Then they noticed that Zhuang Qingyan nodded imperceptibly.


    V587: ¡°???¡± Look, look, these two are whispering behind their backs again.


    The group quickly returned to normal. Fang Zhixu sat back on the sofa, reviewing the treatment methods for radiation sickness. Lin Youyou took out sunglasses, a hat, and sunscreen gloves from her bag, putting them on Song Ke.


    Zhuang Qingyan turned to Lu Xiaoyu: ¡°After obtaining the central hub of T001, how long can you crack it?¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu snorted, ¡°Just a first-generation machine, half an hour is enough.¡±


    ¡°Pfft.¡± Song Ke couldn¡¯t help but laugh. She glanced at Zhuang Qingyan and awkwardly pulled down her hat.


    In a rare occurrence, Lu Xiaoyu sensed a subtle embarrassment on Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s face.


    His tea-colored pupils blinked, cleverly realizing something. ¡°Have you tried to crack a firewall? How long did it take you?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan turned coldly. ¡°Let¡¯s get ready to move.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu persistently brought his head closer. ¡°How long did you take? A day? A week?¡±


    ¡°Why won¡¯t you tell me? You must have taken a long time, right?¡±


    ¡°Shut up.¡±


    ¡°I remember!¡± Xu Xing suddenly exclaimed. ¡°T014, is that the one you spent fourteen days repairing?¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu: ¡°Pfft.¡±


    His mood visibly improved. The mechanical arm fluctuated up and down, and he happily walked away.


    Zhuang Qingyan narrowed his eyes, expressionless, staring at Xu Xing.


    Xu Xing touched the back of his collar for the first time in a long time, and ran behind Song Ke to hide.


    Five minutes later, Song Ke put on her hat, sunglasses, and earphones, turned around, and walked towards the broken window.


    She stepped over the body on the ground, raised her hand towards her companions with her back turned, and then¡ªright in front of everyone¡¯s eyes¡ªjumped outside!


    Dylan, with his sea-blue eyes, flashed a mocking curve. ¡°Idiot, adults really underestimate themselves.¡±


    The polar bear couple exchanged a glance, and the tall man spoke heavily, ¡°Veronica, did you sense the person who just went out?¡±


    Veronica, an S5-level precognitive awakener, looked solemn. She shook her head slowly. ¡°Vladimir, I can¡¯t discern her level, but she¡¯s a ¡®Tank.''¡±


    At Veronica¡¯s fingertips, a tarot card suddenly appeared: The Chariot in the upright position.


    The Chariot card, a symbol of strength, was closely related to power. In the upright position, it meant overcoming obstacles and achieving success.


    Vladimir lowered his head and made the sign of the cross with his fingers. ¡°Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come¡­¡±


    ¡­


    One hour later.


    Bang! Bang!


    The main entrance of the Splendid Tower was knocked, and the awakeners inside changed their expressions, instantly preparing for battle.


    Yin Xiao walked casually to the center of the field, effortlessly holding a super-powered shotgun in his hand, aimed at the restless crowd.


    ¡°Everyone, don¡¯t be nervous, relax a bit. It¡¯s just our friend who came back.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s your ¡®friend¡¯ who came back?¡± questioned Cario¡¯s awakener with a cold tone.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Yin Xiao pushed and loaded the gun, revealing a sarcastically kind smile. ¡°Didn¡¯t she knock on the door? How polite.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s six mechanical arms extended simultaneously. Before everyone could react, he swiftly operated the control panel, opening the main door.


    The sunlight was glaring, and everyone quickly retreated, moving into the shadows. Then, they suddenly looked up, exclaiming, ¡°!!!¡±


    They saw a machine, exceeding two meters in length, width, and height, slowly ¡°walking¡± in. With a loud thud, it slammed onto the ground. Afterward, a young girl¡¯s flushed face emerged from the front, sweat beading on her forehead, but her eyes were exceptionally clear.


    ¡°I¡¯m back, so tired.¡± Song Ke gasped for breath.


    Although she followed Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s advice and dismantled the outer shell, leaving only the core components, this machine, made of an unknown material, was exceptionally heavy. She carried it all the way back, fearing any accidental bumps, and she was genuinely exhausted.


    The hall fell into stunned silence, and the awakeners displayed expressions of disbelief.


    No way, right? This person stayed under thirteen times the radiation for a whole hour, and nothing happened?


    Song Ke calmed her breathing and then went to Tustan and V587 with a serious expression.


    ¡°Something¡¯s not right outside.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Everyone, go outside and see; you¡¯ll understand.¡±


    Those knowledgeable quickly recognized it as the central control of the weather simulation system. An awakener approached voluntarily, saying, ¡°Hey, need help? I¡¯m an A7-level hacker and can try to break in.¡±


    ¡°No need, we have a faster way,¡± Lu Xiaoyu activated the T001 central hub, tapping on the panel, ¡°Come on, permissions.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan glanced at him coldly, cooperating for fingerprint and iris recognition.


    Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s ten fingers worked rapidly, and he hummed something. On closer listening, one could hear him singing, ¡°Fourteen days, it actually took fourteen days~¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s forehead veins throbbed. ¡°That¡¯s enough. With one¡¯s own strengths, attacking the opponent¡¯s weaknesses, what are you so proud of?¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu remained unfazed. ¡°Fourteen days~¡±


    After 22 minutes and 20 seconds, as Lu Xiaoyu entered the last line of code, T001 was forcibly shut down.


    Rainbowhead Yang Xiaobo witnessed the entire process, covering his face in disbelief, murmuring, ¡°Oh my God! Is my mouth cursed or something?¡±


    The three ¡°weaklings¡± he had just mocked because none of them were even at A-level, each of them gave him a slap. What was the background of this V587 team? Why did something that many people couldn¡¯t handle become easy when it fell into their hands?


    ¡°Sister Ruoyi, do you think it¡¯s not too late for me to apologize now?¡± Yang Xiaobo forced a smile with a bitter face.


    Song Ke clicked ¡°Submit Task¡± on the terminal, and V587¡¯s points soared significantly, proudly entering the top 200,000 in the Alliance.


    With the closing of T001, there was a noticeable change in the weather outside.


    The bright sunlight disappeared, the temperature suddenly dropped, and the gloomy sea breeze roared. Even though it was midsummer, people shivered as if it were freezing.


    All the awakeners stood up, leaving the Splendid Tower one by one.


    Fine drizzles hit their faces, carrying the unique salty scent of the sea.


    Song Ke and her team also arrived at the side of the Ribbon Bridge, overlooking the entire island from top to bottom.


    The city construction of the Elderly People¡¯s Nation lived up to being the top in the entire Alliance. Many buildings were beyond their ability to name: floating cinemas, private care centers, immersive restaurants, simulated parks changing themes, and various flying vehicles drifting through the air¡­


    The entire city was orderly, all infrastructure operating normally, except¡ªthere was no one.


    No traces of human habitation, and it didn¡¯t look like it had been invaded by an external force. Everything was in perfect order, yet everything exuded an indescribable sense of strangeness.


    This dreamlike island, this District A5, this Elderly People¡¯s Nation.


    It turned out to be an unmistakable deserted city.


    Song Ke looked up at the sky, cold rain falling on her cheeks. She suddenly noticed that after T001 was shut down, all the seagulls had disappeared.


    On a nearby rooftop, a perception-type awakener suddenly issued a warning, ¡°Something is approaching us!¡±


    Song Ke sensed something and looked towards the distance.


    A speedboat was approaching from the sea, and the awakeners on it shouted across the distance, ¡°Hey¡ªwe¡¯re late! Has the mission been completed? Can we still get some soup?¡±


    The awakeners on the island were silent, no one answering.


    The person cursed, ¡°Damn the Sea of Misfortune! If it weren¡¯t for getting lost, I would¡¯ve been here already!¡±


    ¡°Sister, over there!¡±


    Xu Xing pointed sharply to a certain direction, where continuous shadows were rapidly moving, undulating waves causing the sea to shake violently.


    Suddenly! A group of whale sharks covered in gray spots leaped out of the sea, their massive bodies rolling half a circle in the air, biting onto the speeding speedboat!


    ¡°Ah¡ª!!¡±


    The driver didn¡¯t have time to escape; his entire body was bitten in half at the waist. The others fell into the sea in panic, hastily releasing their awakened abilities.


    Unfortunately, the ocean was not a human¡¯s domain.


    Another batch of grotesque monsters burst out of the water, their decayed bodies swimming agilely, chasing and biting the awakeners who fell into the water. Blood sprayed, turning that area into a deep red in an instant.


    After seeing the monsters clearly, Song Ke swallowed hard. ¡°Do you all know how to swim?¡±

 Chapter 150.1: Fire Seed (20)

    ¡ò The island split open ¡òSong Ke felt very uneasy; the tragedy unfolding before her eyes seemed to foreshadow something. s?a??h th? ?ov?l?ir?.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Do you all know how to swim?¡± She turned to her companions.


    ¡°Sister, I can do many different swimming styles!¡± Xu Xing and Song Ke both came from the District F177, where most children growing up by the seaside were adept swimmers.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Su Cha, who grew up in the rainforest, underwent rigorous training and swimming was a necessary survival skill.


    Song Ke felt a bit relieved and then looked at the two difficult brothers sitting in wheelchairs.


    ¡°I used to know how.¡± Lu Xiaoyu was always candid, not deliberately avoiding his own shortcomings. ¡°Now, I might need some time to adapt.¡±


    After breaking his legs, he was thrown into the Death Prison and hadn¡¯t had the chance to go into the water since then.


    Zhuang Qingyan leaned on the wheelchair, his gaze fixed on the blood-stained sea, wrinkling his nose in disgust.


    ¡°I actually don¡¯t like this sport of swimming¡­¡±


    ¡°Really? Didn¡¯t you book the temperature-controlled swimming pool at the dormitory building? The young master, spending money like water, paid ten years¡¯ worth of exclusive booking fees in one go.¡± Lu Xiaoyu didn¡¯t hesitate to expose his old classmate.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s smile remained unchanged, but his tone changed, ¡°But I¡¯m quite good at it.¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°¡­¡± You clearly just find the sea water dirty.


    Among the remaining two, Fang Zhixu honestly shook his head, ¡°No, I was too busy with work before, didn¡¯t have time to learn.¡±


    Surprisingly, Lin Youyou also followed with a sheepish smile, ¡°Um, yeah, I don¡¯t know how either.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Song Ke¡¯s eyes widened slightly. ¡°Didn¡¯t you shoot an ocean-themed photoshoot?¡±


    At that time, fans supported her, and the flower boats and billboards along the street looped Lin Youyou¡¯s new song promotional MV, portraying her as a mermaid swimming in clear waters. Song Ke remembered it very clearly!


    ¡°It was all special effects, synthesized to create the ¡®pure desire¡¯ image.¡± Lin Youyou grabbed Song Ke¡¯s shoulder and looked pitiful, ¡°I¡¯m actually terrified of water. Song Ke, you must not make me go in!¡±


    Song Ke fell silent for a moment, once again marveling at how fake the entertainment industry could be.


    ¡°Well, then wear a life jacket,¡± Zhuang Qingyan pulled out life jackets from the space and distributed them to everyone. ¡°Be prepared, everyone put them on.¡±


    As they put on the life jackets, they discussed, ¡°Why did so many marine beasts suddenly appear?¡±


    ¡°Because we closed T001,¡± Zhuang Qingyan looked up at the gloomy sky, ¡°the strong radiation it originally emitted had the effect of repelling beasts. Marine life tended to avoid it, automatically staying away. Now that it¡¯s back to normal, with more awakeners gathering here, they come attracted by the scent.¡±


    The Ribbon Bridge where V587 was located was the famous ¡°Island Loop Scenic Line¡± in the Elderly People¡¯s Nation, rotating slowly around the entire island. As it moved closer to the sea level, the scene gradually became clear.


    The zombie whales and the extremely ugly giant flounders that appeared later leaped high into the sky, eagerly crashing towards the island with a ¡°bam bam¡± sound. Although they were blocked by an invisible barrier, the ground beneath the feet of the people shook continuously.


    The awakeners on the island took action one after another.


    On the side of ¡°Tustan,¡± the Yin Xiao raised a mortar, activated his ability ¡°Seeing Weakness¡±. The scarlet explosive bomb drew an arc in the air and landed accurately on a zombie whale that had just jumped out of the sea. Its eye sockets were instantly blown open, countless shrapnel pierced its skull, and its bulky body fell heavily, creating a splash of water over ten meters high.


    Lead by Jennifer, the AOE-type awakeners bombarded wildly, causing fire, thunder, wind, and mist to rise on the sea surface. However, these marine beasts were equally cunning. As soon as they saw the attacks starting, they quickly submerged underwater to avoid damage.


    Gu Ruoyi, from the ¡°Peace Dove,¡± was an A5-level powerful control-type awakener. Her ability, called ¡°Gathering,¡± could maximize the traction of enemies to specific locations or areas. Coordinating with the AOE-type awakeners, it often had a miraculous effect when facing a tide of corpses.


    Gu Ruoyi moved her fingers, and whirlpools appeared on the sea surface, sucking nearby beasts together.


    She glanced at Tustan¡¯s side, changed direction, and helped them gather a wave of monsters. Finally, the group attacks had tangible results.


    ¡°Thanks, Sister Ruoyi~¡± Tustan¡¯s teammate shouted from a distance.


    The combat capabilities of the awakeners in the New Asia Alliance were strong, and among them were prominent S-level individuals.


    Looking at Cario and Luce¡¯s side, the most eye-catching should be the pair of polar lovers from the ¡°Kazan Locomotive,¡± Vladimir and Veronica. Vladimir¡¯s ability is ¡°Distortion,¡± and he is also an excellent boxer. Although he cannot go into the sea, he slightly raised his right hand, covered with old scars, and clenched his fist fiercely¡ª


    The giant flounder was twisted into a spiral, with hundreds of broken bone spikes piercing into flesh, instantly turning into a bloody string of sashimi!


    Everyone was quite formidable, except¡­ for V587, who looked like a slacker.


    From the perspective of Rainbow Head Yang Xiaobo, this group of people was cowardly, wearing life jackets early on, and the whole team was goofing off. Surprisingly, the only one taking action was a kid? He immediately regretted his apology; he didn¡¯t say anything wrong. The ranking of 235706 definitely made sense. Even if they were skilled at repairing machines, they completely fell apart when it came to killing monstrous beasts.


    ¡°V587.¡±


    Slacker number one, Fang Zhixu, usually responsible for picking up crystals, found himself almost useless in the current situation.


    Slacker number two, the wheelchair brothers in charge of logistics and transportation, refrained from getting involved unless absolutely necessary.


    The remaining two passive slackers, Song Ke and Su Cha, looked at each other.


    Both were melee fighters; they couldn¡¯t just jump into the sea to fight, right? Not to mention the current concentration of monsters; those awakeners didn¡¯t have foresight. They lazily held their spiritual crossbows, shooting into the sea with sporadic attempts.


    Xu Xing, on the other hand, was in his element. He started doing radio calisthenics, and his ice-type ability became significantly more potent in the presence of water. With a set of stretching exercises, the sea instantly froze. Then, with a set of kicking movements, ice blades shot out, skewering various fish into a string.


    Xu Xing sneakily glanced at Dylan, his small face full of pride. ¡°Nightmare Descends¡± couldn¡¯t control the monsters, and Dylan was visibly frustrated.


    Lin Youyou was also pondering new possibilities. Her ability relied on lyrics to function, and different lyrics imposed on different targets resulted in completely different buffs. However, evidently, these marine monsters couldn¡¯t understand human language, causing her singing effects to be greatly reduced.


    Lin Youyou closed her eyes, singing a song without lyrics that echoed gently in the air above the sea. When the song finished, nothing happened. Lin Youyou couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit disappointed; she had just expressed her willingness to communicate, but evidently, these monsters couldn¡¯t understand.


    Yang Xiaobo couldn¡¯t bear to watch anymore. Why were they doing exercises and singing? Were these people here for a vacation? Could they be more serious?!


    After half an hour of concerted efforts from everyone, the sea monsters disappeared without a trace, and the floating corpses drifted away with the waves. The crisis in the Elderly People¡¯s Nation was averted. The powered individuals prepared to conduct a comprehensive search of the entire island. As they were leaving, Song Ke looked back at the crimson sea. Was the crisis really resolved?


    ¡­


    Six hours later.


    ¡°Click¡ª¡±


    Song Ke twisted the pull ring, and the sweet and thick hot corn juice poured into her throat, warming her entire abdomen. The weather was continuously gloomy and rainy. She blew into her cupped hands, but unfortunately, her fingers were still icy cold.


    There were many colorful small pavilions along the streets of the Elderly People¡¯s Nation. These mobile restaurant-style booths offered various flavors, and without payment or verification, passersby could take out warm food cooked on-site by machines.


    Similar facilities couldn¡¯t exist in the District F177 District. If they were placed there, they would be smashed and looted by the crazy wanderers on the first day. However, the residents of District A5 lacked nothing in terms of clothing and food. They seemed to prefer showcasing their ¡°noble¡± morality through such ¡°generosity.¡±


    After the failure of T001, the dreamlike Elderly People¡¯s Nation was torn apart to reveal its true face. The island was shrouded in gray cold fog, with a blurry vision, slippery and difficult to walk on the wet road. The incessant raindrops were enough to make one feel anxious.


    A group of awakeners passed by, and fragments of their conversation were carried into Song Ke¡¯s ears by the wind.


    ¡°The access restriction is about to expire. Damn, where did the people here go?!¡±


    ¡°Maybe we should give up. S-level missions were never easy, and this place is eerie. I feel uneasy. Captain, let¡¯s just leave?¡±


    ¡°Sure, let¡¯s go. Staying here is no fun; it¡¯s like a ghost town.¡±


    As they spoke, the group headed towards the Splendid Tower, seemingly preparing to retreat.


    Song Ke watched them go, took another sip of the warm corn juice, and then left the small pavilion.

 Chapter 150.2: Fire Seed (20)

    ¡ò The island split open ¡òInside an unmanned coffee shop two meters away, Zhuang Qingyan asked in a low voice, ¡°Any progress?¡±


    Su Cha shook his head quickly, ¡°The structure of this island is different from a regular city. There are no air-raid shelters or underground facilities for refuge. I¡¯ve confirmed that all residential buildings and public places are empty.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Interesting¡­¡± Zhuang Qingyan supported his chin, and his gaze gradually became distant.


    Su Cha hesitated, but eventually voiced his thoughts, ¡°The feeling here is¡­ very unsettling.¡±


    ¡°What do you find unsettling?¡± Zhuang Qingyan lifted his gaze.


    ¡°Everything is too clean and orderly. The residents don¡¯t seem to have suffered an attack. Instead, it feels like¡­ they disappeared out of thin air.¡±


    Su Cha knew his thoughts sounded absurd, but that¡¯s what he believed: the residents of the Elderly People¡¯s Nation had vanished into thin air.


    ¡°Your intuition is correct,¡± Zhuang Qingyan nodded faintly. ¡°I guess they left voluntarily.¡±


    This statement stirred up waves of questions.


    ¡°What?¡± Lin Youyou exclaimed in disbelief. ¡°Why would they leave voluntarily? Elderly People¡¯s Nation is the most prosperous city in the entire Alliance. Why would they run to our lower-level districts and suffer?¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t make sense, right? There are quite a few residents here. If they really left, how could there be no news at all?¡± Fang Zhixu questioned.


    The number of local residents in the Elderly People¡¯s Nation was around a million, a mere drop in the bucket compared to the Alliance¡¯s thirty billion population. However, for a million people to vanish quietly, especially among the privileged class, it couldn¡¯t possibly happen without causing a stir.


    This S-level mission was becoming more and more mysterious. The residents of the Elderly People¡¯s Nation were hiding something, but what were they hiding and where had they gone?


    ¡°That¡¯s right, a million people can¡¯t just disappear out of thin air,¡± Zhuang Qingyan lightly tapped the table with his fingertips, his gaze turning gradually cold. ¡°So I suspect that the Central Court has long known the truth, and perhaps¡­ this is part of their plan.¡±


    The others listened, feeling confused, and were about to ask Zhuang Qingyan for clarification.


    ¡°Something doesn¡¯t seem right,¡± Su Cha spoke up, his sensitivity to the environment making him keenly aware.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± The others became tense.


    ¡°After leaving the Splendid Tower, I made a reference mark using a landmark,¡± Su Cha pointed to a spot below, ¡°the position of that tree has changed.¡±


    Lin Youyou looked over in confusion and then turned back with the same confusion. ¡°I can¡¯t see anything. What do you all think?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan frowned at the statement. ¡°It¡¯s not the tree that¡¯s changing; it¡¯s our position.¡±


    Surrounded by endless seas, it was easy for people to lose their sense of direction in such an environment.


    Lu Xiaoyu quickly pulled up a map, confirming their current location. ¡°Wow, here¡¯s some bad news. From the time we landed on the island until now, the exact position of the Elderly People¡¯s Nation has shifted thirty nautical miles.¡±


    When nobody noticed, the entire island had been moving at a gentle pace on the surface of the sea.


    Everyone fell silent¡­.


    Xu Xing asked innocently, ¡°Is this island alive?¡±


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s due to magnetic attraction¡­¡± Zhuang Qingyan pondered for a moment. ¡°Can we determine the direction of its movement?¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu clattered on the keyboard, then abruptly stopped, ¡°Even worse news: it seems to be heading towards the Sea of Misfortune.¡±


    ¡°The Sea of Misfortune Triangle, the legendary nightmare of countless sailors, a place of no return.¡±


    Fifteen hours from now, in less than a day.


    Just as Song Ke was about to speak, her eyes suddenly froze.


    A two-meter-long emperor crab crawled towards them horizontally, its eight long legs raised high.


    Swiftly, Song Ke threw a flying knife, piercing through its crab shell and pinning it firmly in place!


    The zombie emperor crab¡¯s green-bean-sized eyes twitched a few times, and it spat out a pool of foul-smelling pus.


    ¡°Wuwa wawa ah wawa, it¡¯s so scary!¡± Xu Xing agilely jumped onto a chair and pointed, ¡°Sister, there are more outside!¡±


    Song Ke suddenly looked up, and indeed, there were more than a dozen of the same creatures crawling quickly on the muddy streets.


    ¡°Ah¡ª!!¡± Ear-piercing screams echoed from a distance.


    Densely packed light flesh-colored sea rats emerged from the corners, resembling giant radishes with long tails, wriggling and crawling on the damp ground.


    Song Ke¡¯s face turned pale. This was definitely not something that should be in the Elderly People¡¯s Nation. How did they manage to pass through the barrier?


    The sound of engines starting came from above. A fully armed supersonic ship slowly took off from the helipad on the top floor of the splendid building.


    Was it the team that had just planned to leave? Song Ke raised her head to bid them farewell. The supersonic ship ascended smoothly and, after a short while, plunged straight down with its nose into the sea!


    Song Ke: ¡°!!¡±


    Suddenly, she felt like she had returned to Hua City, witnessing the meteor shower of starships crashing again.


    On the faces of Lu Xiaoyu and others were expressions of uncontrollable surprise. ¡°The energy source failed? No, the Yiyu was sucked away!¡±


    All the flying terminals in the Alliance, to some extent, used the new energy source ¡°Yiyu¡± to maintain their levitating capabilities. The Lu¡¯s starships were entirely powered by this new energy source. Without Yiyu, they could only perform short-distance flights and needed to stop periodically to replenish their energy.


    Zhuang Qingyan quickly scanned the environmental index, ¡°The magnetic field is disturbed.¡±


    As he spoke, the cup of corn juice on the table suddenly tilted, and with a ¡°plop,¡± it spilled on the table, and the viscous yellow liquid oozed out.


    In the blink of an eye, the earth began to shake violently. The dull vibrations came from the depths of the sea, and the thunderous sound waves rapidly spread upward.


    ¡°Crackle¡ª¡±


    A deep and bottomless crack tore open the ground beneath their feet. Lin Youyou almost did a split, but at a critical moment, Su Cha embraced her with one hand, and the two jumped to the other side, standing together with Song Ke, Fang Zhixu, and Xu Xing.


    However, the crack became deeper and larger, unexpectedly splitting the island in half!


    Song Ke and the other six people were dumbfounded. S?a?ch* Th? ??v?l_Fir?.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    The Elderly People¡¯s Nation was splitting open!


    Literally splitting open!


    The seismic activity from the ocean floor continued. After the first crack appeared, numerous fissures followed closely behind. The irreversible trend of the island¡¯s destruction quickly unfolded, and fragments of varying sizes fell from high above.


    Crack¡ª


    As Song Ke stumbled, she reached out and steadied herself with one hand. She watched as the island fragment where Zhuang Qingyan and Lu Xiaoyu were slid away from her.


    In a critical moment, Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s six mechanical arms extended, stabbing into the ground on the opposite side. With both the person and the wheelchair airborne, they narrowly landed on the opposite side. Due to the strong momentum, he inevitably fell out of the wheelchair, and Fang Zhixu and Su Cha hurried to help.


    Zhuang Qingyan wasn¡¯t as lucky. He was closest to the crack, and as the ground tilted, his wheelchair rapidly descended. If he fell down like this, whether he could swim or not, being crushed to death was certain.


    Song Ke took two steps back, then suddenly accelerated and charged forward. She leaped into the air, swiftly reaching the edge of the cliff. With a short spiritual dagger formed in her hand, she exerted all her strength to stab into the ground, grabbing hold of the falling Zhuang Qingyan with one hand!


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s entire body swayed among the falling debris. His other hand tightly grasped Song Ke¡¯s hand. Song Ke¡¯s toes kept sliding forward. She gritted her teeth, her face turned red as she exerted all her strength to pull upwards. Suddenly, Zhuang Qingyan was lifted into the air, and Song Ke¡¯s arms encircled him. Due to the inertia, they both rolled on the ground.


    After rolling out of the inclined area, Song Ke got up, kicked Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s shin, and roared like an angry dragon:


    ¡°Don¡¯t pretend to be a cripple, get up! Run!¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan made a painful hiss and smiled bitterly, ¡°Song Ke, you overestimated me.¡±


    Did he pretend to be lame just now? Having used a wheelchair for almost a year, he was now a genuine weak researcher. No matter how fast his mind worked, his physical strength couldn¡¯t keep up.


    The two of them crawled back to the elevated area where Lin Youyou and others were ¨C a relatively intact fragment of the island. Song Ke, catching her breath after the ordeal, sat on the ground and suddenly saw something that left her stunned.


    Among countless cracks in the islands, a colossal head emerged. Its face was covered in large black spots, two eyes shrouded in gray shadows, and it slightly opened its mouth, devouring several falling awakeners.


    As this giant beast moved, Song Ke gradually saw its complete appearance. Its body length exceeded a hundred meters, covered entirely in a dark green hard shell, except for the head, limbs, and tail. The back shell was adorned with thousands of barnacles, creating a forest of barnacles that could instantly terrify sufferers of trypophobia!


    With a splash, the monster¡¯s long forelimbs rose above the water¡¯s surface, patting the island where they were like oars.


    Another round of earthquakes ensued, and the cracks underfoot grew larger and larger.


    Song Ke suddenly realized that it was this monster that shattered the Elderly People¡¯s Nation!


    The terminal beeped, and a new urgent message popped up:


    ¡°New Sub-Mission (Urgent): Please eliminate the level 5 zombie monster ¨C the ¡°Prism Shell Sea Turtle¡± ¨C that has appeared in District A5 Elderly People¡¯s Nation as soon as possible.¡±

 Chapter 151.1: Fire Seed (21)

    ¡ò Grown a Tail! ¡òAccording to the ¡°Worldwide Illustrated Guide to Zombie Creatures¡± published after the apocalypse:


    Evolutionary zombies are classified into levels 1-4. Level 4 Zombie Kings retain some human intelligence but lack conscious awareness. S?a??h the N???lFire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    The levels of mutant zombies fluctuate with the original host¡¯s level, decreasing proportionally, with a maximum not exceeding level 4. A level 4 mutant zombie is equivalent to an S-level awakener, but so far, such monsters have not appeared worldwide.


    Zombies/mutant beasts only have 1-5 levels, with level 5 mutant beasts posing a severe threat to a particular area. Although their intelligence cannot be compared to humans, even Zombie Kings, each one possesses destructive combat power capable of wreaking havoc.


    The District B supplier, who was remotely monitoring the mission, obviously did not anticipate the appearance of a level 5 monster in the Elderly People¡¯s Nation.


    The commission they issued was originally just an investigative mission, intended to recover a substantial debt. As the awakeners delved deeper, facing both intense radiation and oceanic monster swarms, and now encountering a level 5 armored sea turtle, it has far exceeded their psychological endurance. These suppliers regret their decision; the Elderly People¡¯s Nation is truly a den of wolves, no wonder the system automatically rated it as S!


    Clap!


    Clap, clap!!


    The armored sea turtle continued its relentless attacks. Buildings on the island collapsed with a resounding crash, debris continuously falling. Luckily, the Elderly People¡¯s Nation had a large area and could temporarily withstand its destruction, but the situation remained far from optimistic.


    Lu Xiaoyu opened the map amidst the turbulence, ¡°The movement speed has increased. In four hours, we will enter the Sea of Misfortune¡¯s Triangle.¡±


    Song Ke looked around. On the uneven land, awakeners were taking action one after another. Some close combat specialists found their positions and jumped down, landing steadily on the turtle shell.


    Faced with the enormous armored sea turtle, Gu Ruoyi¡¯s ¡°Gathering¡± ability was nearly useless. Other group-based abilities also found it difficult, Jennifer¡¯s flames were extinguished by the seawater before igniting, and Xu Xing¡¯s ice shards hit the back shell with no damage, instead providing an opportunity for the turtle to scrape off many barnacles.


    Xu Xing: What?! Is he now a janitor?


    Yin Xiao¡¯s expression was cold; he quickly climbed to the top of a collapsed hospital building, set up a mortar, and aimed at its two eyes.


    They say, ¡°As slow as a tortoise,¡± but this armored sea turtle seemed to have lived for an unknown number of years, with intelligence evidently not low. Seeing the shells flying towards itself, it desperately scraped and jumped forward. Boom!! The explosive shells missed by a hair¡¯s breadth, only hitting its incredibly tough shell, leaving behind a burnt imprint.


    Yin Xiao cursed under his breath.


    Unless there is an instant-activating ability, achieving a one-hit kill is necessary. Otherwise, once there is a wind-up before an attack, it can easily escape. The armored sea turtle, with its sturdy shell and the advantage of the ocean as its home turf, makes the battle particularly challenging.


    The tower where the ¡°Kazan Locomotive¡± is located is the only high ground remaining in the surrounding ruins. Veronica¡¯s eyes lit up, her brown hair flying as she slowly revealed a tarot card in her palm: The Tower card in reverse.


    Symbolizing the advent of disaster, complete collapse.


    Veronica¡¯s trembling hand stroked the card, murmuring, ¡°§Þ§í§å§Þ§â§Ö§Þ. (We will die eventually.)¡±


    Vladimir held her head, their foreheads gently touching. ¡°God be with us, Veronica. Wait for me to come back.¡± After saying this, he turned and left, his robust figure stepping on the falling rubble, leaping towards the armored sea turtle, and slamming his fists heavily on its shell.


    Boom! The earth shook, and even the formidable attack of the level 5 beast paused for a moment. Dylan¡¯s sea-blue eyes sparkled with anger as he stared at the gray-white eyeball on the side of the armored sea turtle. His awakened ability, ¡°Nightmare Descends,¡± was activated, freezing the movements of the beast. Its forelimbs were fixed on the sea surface, entering a state of ¡°sleep paralysis.¡±


    Onlooker Xu Xing¡¯s small face puckered again.


    He¡¯s so useless; he¡¯s being outperformed again. He could only scratch the armored sea turtle¡¯s itch while Dylan took control of it.


    Song Ke and Su Cha exchanged a glance, their spiritual tools shining in their hands. This battle seemed to have more risks than rewards, but the current situation left them no choice. If they didn¡¯t kill the armored sea turtle, only death awaited them.


    ¡°Protect yourselves,¡± Song Ke anxiously reminded his companions, giving an extra look to Zhuang Qingyan.


    Su Cha silently gazed at Lin Youyou, her lips moving slightly as if wanting to say something.


    Lin Youyou approached with big strides, lifted her tiptoes to touch his head, and her soft fingers slid down to his neck. She gently pressed, causing Su Cha to obediently lower his head. Their noses touched, and Lin Youyou¡¯s lips curved, ¡°I¡¯m not interested in raising another puppy, so¡­ be safe, okay?¡±


    Su Cha¡¯s breath hitched, but Lin Youyou quickly let go, stepped back, and turned to shout at Fang Zhixu, ¡°Old Fang! Help me check, am I wearing the life jacket correctly?¡±


    Su Cha steadied himself and followed behind Song Ke. The two of them, one in front and one behind, jumped onto the back of the armored sea turtle with a thud and a clang.


    Yang Xiaobo, who was already on top, cursing and slashing at barnacles, tried to knock a hole in it. Seeing them, his eyes widened. Why did V587¡¯s slacker come at a time like this? Shouldn¡¯t they be hiding?


    Yang Xiaobo stood up with a ¡°scoot,¡± hands on hips, advising, ¡°Hey, don¡¯t seek your death here. Leave this to Big Brother Yang¡ª¡±


    Song Ke paid no attention, soaring up and down with Su Cha. They quickly traversed the dense barnacle jungle, disappearing from sight.


    Yang Xiaobo muttered, ¡°¡­Big Brother Yang can¡¯t save you now.¡±


    On their way forward, Song Ke was suddenly stopped by a man.


    The man, an awakener resembling a polar bear from Luce Federation, quickly said to her, ¡°@#£¥&*¡­!¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°???¡± What kind of language is this?


    Fortunately, the terminal had a built-in translator. Song Ke quickly opened it, and when the other saw her actions, he repeated himself quickly.


    ¡°I¡¯m Vladimir, an S5-level close combat awakener. It¡¯s tough to kill this beast alone, and I want to team up with you.¡±


    In such a critical moment, powerful awakeners should unite.


    Vladimir looked down at the slender girl in front of him. If Veronica said this person is a ¡°tank,¡± her divination would never be wrong.


    Song Ke performed a graceful knife dance, pointing to her own eyes, indicating that they would attack the beast¡¯s head.


    Vladimir: ¡°@#£¥*&¡­ (Attack together; I¡¯ll deal with its forelimbs.)¡±


    Song Ke glanced at the translator, nodded first, and then raised her fist with a serious expression. ¡°Ura (Charge)!!¡±


    Vladimir pounded his fists, responding, ¡°Ura!¡±


    The three of them acted separately. Song Ke jumped near the armored sea turtle¡¯s head, where the water had already reached her thighs, making movement difficult. With a swift slash of her knife, the blade shining with a dark green glow, Song Ke instantly attracted the attention of the monstrous head, which slowly turned towards her.


    On the other side, Su Cha feigned a spear thrust, pretending to stab its eyeball. The armored sea turtle, using the same tactic as before, exerted force on its forelimbs to leap forward. Unexpectedly, Su Cha suddenly changed direction, altering the attack to the thin membrane-like ears behind its eyes. This turned out to be a deceptive move, fooling it into evading in the wrong direction!


    Having perfectly relayed to the front, Song Ke pushed off with both feet, splitting the waves as she jumped into the air. The spiritual tool in her palm emitted a blue light, and she accurately and steadily plunged it into the right eyeball of the monstrous beast!


    Almost simultaneously, a burst shell came from a distance. Taking advantage of the moment when the armored sea turtle froze, it precisely hit its left eye. Song Ke suddenly looked up, seeing a young man on the dilapidated hospital rooftop with a sniper scope, giving her a thumbs up.


    The armored sea turtle, now with both eyes injured, convulsed in pain. Amidst the gasps, it suddenly opened its mouth, and a powerful jet of air burst forth, creating towering waves that instantly overturned a large number of awakeners.


    Splash! Song Ke and Su Cha both fell into the water, but they had created an excellent opportunity!


    Vladimir, lurking in the water, had already taken his position. Grabbing the powerful forelimbs of the armored sea turtle, his awakened ability ¡°Distortion¡± was activated!


    The ten-meter-long forefin was instantly twisted into a bloody and blurry spiral, with thousands of bone spurs piercing into the fragmented flesh. Vladimir held his breath, blowing out bubbles, and his strong feet pushed against the turtle shell in the opposite direction. Under the extremely terrifying force, the entire forefin was torn off.


    Other awakeners followed suit, attacking the remaining three limbs of the armored sea turtle exposed outside the shell. Various awakened abilities rained down, and while they didn¡¯t directly tear like Vladimir, there were uneven wounds.


    Dylan sprinted on the fragments of the island, finally circling to the front of the armored sea turtle. Staring at its single eye, he activated ¡°Nightmare Descends¡± again. However, this time, whether due to blindness or acquired resistance, it unexpectedly failed!


    Snap! The enraged turtle thrashed left and right, its hard shell colliding with debris. The ground collapsed under Dylan¡¯s feet, and he almost fell, with his black-clad bodyguard quickly rushing over to catch him.


    With its front limbs gone, the armored sea turtle shook violently in pain, entering a frenzied state. Unprepared, it leaped out of the water, its body rotating 360 degrees, and the awakeners on its back were thrown into the water. Vladimir was even carried up by the rolling waves, uncontrollably falling from a height of over ten meters.


    The grey-white eyeball of the armored sea turtle oozed dirty blood, quickly locking onto its retaliatory target. It crazily chased Vladimir, and with a thud! The hard edge of the turtle shell collided with Vladimir, blood splattered in all directions, and a piece of his flesh was cut off raw!


    ¡°No¡ª!!¡± Veronica on the high tower clutched the railing, screaming heartbreakingly.


    Her eyes suddenly brightened to the extreme, and behind her, dark clouds gathered with lightning and thunder. The sea where the Elderly People¡¯s Nation was located immediately stirred up fierce winds and huge waves. Everyone was shocked; this was¡­ a weather manipulator? An awakener with the ability to forcibly change local weather, a weather manipulator capable of summoning wind and rain, is typically an extremely powerful S-level awakener!


    The armored sea turtle¡¯s retaliation was forcibly halted as it struggled to maintain balance amidst the towering waves. Veronica, an S-level dual-element awakener, had always kept her second ability well hidden. However, seeing Vladimir in a life-or-death situation, she could no longer afford to hold back her strength and only wanted to save her beloved.


    Veronica frantically tried to gather a new divination card, but divination had a time limit. Although she was anxious, it was of no use.


    Moments later, she muttered a curse and climbed down from the high tower, jumping into the sea to rescue Vladimir.

 Chapter 151.2: Fire Seed (21)

    ¡ò Grown a Tail! ¡òWith the retaliation target lost, the armored sea turtle began to wildly thrash around the islands. With a swing of its hind legs, another piece of debris was cut off. The space for awakeners to take shelter was getting smaller, and soon they would have nowhere to hide.


    Lu Xiaoyu, facing the fierce wind and shouting, said, ¡°Hey! You¡¯re at least an S-level awakener. Can you control it?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan replied with the same volume, ¡°Even if I control it, I can¡¯t kill it!¡±


    This armored sea turtle was not as easy to deal with as the cockroach king in Hua City. It had thick skin and a nearly full defense index. Zhuang Qingyan could indeed control it with mental ability, but he couldn¡¯t kill it with a single blow. Moreover, after being controlled once, it would undoubtedly become wary. Dylan¡¯s second attempt just now failed, so his mental attack should be saved for a critical moment, coordinated with Song Ke¡¯s attack.


    ¡­


    Song Ke and Su Cha both fell into the water. They stuck their heads out, took a deep breath, and continued diving into the sea, chasing after the armored sea turtle.


    Through the murky seawater, Song Ke noticed that they were beneath the belly of the armored sea turtle. This area was its softest and least defended weak point. The slightly pinkish flesh appeared smooth and intact. S?a?ch* Th? n0v?l(?)ire.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Su Cha blew a series of bubbles and gestured to her. Song Ke understood; he suggested that if they could endure it, they should launch an attack from below.


    Song Ke also blew a series of bubbles, nodded, and indicated that she could stay underwater for seven or eight minutes without a problem.


    She grabbed a semi-submerged piece of the building wreckage beside her, and with a flash of blue light in her palm, two frigid saw-toothed knives appeared. She gently pushed one forward, and Su Cha took the other. The two of them swung their legs, quickly approaching the armored sea turtle.


    ¡­


    A storm raged overhead, and the armored sea turtle went madly charging and colliding. The already precarious islands worsened under the onslaught.


    On the few remaining high ground pieces, Zhuang Qingyan was soaked through, his white casual clothes sticking tightly to his body, looking somewhat disheveled. He took off his waterlogged glasses, ran his fingers through his wet hair, suddenly raised his head, and looked towards the vast sea.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening again?¡± Fang Zhixu held onto Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s mechanical arm, asking in a trembling voice.


    ¡°Not good.¡± Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s expression was unusually solemn.


    ¡­


    Su Cha made several cuts to open the belly of the armored sea turtle, and the toxic mist quickly permeated. He turned back to signal Song Ke to ¡°retreat, retreat, retreat.¡±


    The two of them agilely moved backward. After a few seconds, the armored sea turtle rolled 360 degrees again, and the chaotic waves pushed them more than ten meters away. However, its wound rapidly decayed due to the spread of toxins. Song Ke¡¯s eyes lit up ¨C there was a chance!


    Just as she was about to tell Su Cha to try again a few more times, her eyes suddenly widened!


    The seawater was infused with a large amount of fresh blood, both from the armored sea turtle and the awakeners. The strong scent of blood attracted other ferocious beasts in the vicinity.


    In the blurry and dim background, a group of mutated man-eating sharks (great white sharks) swiftly swam towards them. Their pupils were vertical, and their blood-filled mouths were full of serrated teeth, attacking the awakeners in the water. Two of them were particularly ferocious, radiating chaos and likely being level 4 ferocious beasts.


    Song Ke felt like crying without tears; it was like adding insult to injury. A level 5 armored sea turtle was already challenging, and now two level 4 mutated man-eating sharks had joined the fray!


    The awakener closest to the shark group was the first to bear the brunt. Without any chance to evade, they were quickly torn apart and devoured by the sharks. This gruesome feast happened in an instant.


    The ferocious beasts didn¡¯t stop at just one meal; one of the level 4 man-eating sharks swam towards the abdomen of the armored sea turtle, viciously tearing and biting into it.


    The man-eating sharks moved extremely fast. In the blink of an eye, they reached their next target ¨C Su Cha¡¯s surroundings.


    Fighting in the water was inconvenient, and Su Cha was trapped. Though he fought back with all his strength, the number of sharks was just too overwhelming. A slight delay in turning around resulted in one of the sharks biting into his arm.


    Song Ke gripped a piece of building debris at her fingertips, conjuring a phantom blue spear and thrusting it forward. It hit the offending man-eating shark, causing it to release its grip. Su Cha took advantage of the opportunity to escape, but the assault with the spear continued, sweeping through the sea like a boomerang. The spearhead cut through the spindle-shaped bodies of these ferocious beasts, and black blood gushed out, disrupting the formation of the shark group.


    Su Cha followed closely behind Song Ke as they escaped. While swimming, he pulled out a securing band, tightly binding the wound to prevent the blood from attracting more monsters.


    ¡­


    Bang, bang, bang.


    The fragments of the islands continued to be violently impacted. The ferocious shark group stuck their heads out, glaring menacingly at the awakeners on the land.


    Even more unfortunate was the sudden thunderous roar from the direction of the Sea of Misfortune, causing shockwaves that triggered a devastating tsunami.


    ¡°What kind of cursed mission is this?¡± Lin Youyou felt like crying without tears. ¡°First the armored sea turtle, then the sharks, and now a tsunami!¡±


    Under the triple impact, the once glorious Elderly People¡¯s Nation finally crumbled and collapsed.


    All the awakeners fell into the abyss!


    Lin Youyou, who couldn¡¯t swim, closed her eyes tightly and plunged into the water. Despite vigorously flapping her arms and legs, she couldn¡¯t resist the sinking trend.


    She frantically felt for her life jacket, but her fingertips suddenly stopped. It seemed that when a person is having a stroke of bad luck, even sipping cold water can be problematic. Her life jacket, which she had checked countless times, was unfortunately torn by falling debris.


    Lin Youyou suddenly choked on water, and as her lungs rapidly emptied of oxygen, her heart rate slowed down.


    Was she going to die? In her next life, she definitely needed to learn how to swim.


    As her vision became increasingly blurred and her consciousness disoriented, Lin Youyou hallucinated at the critical moment. A massive black shadow appeared to swim towards her.


    ¡­


    The intense seismic waves triggered a tsunami that swept away all the ferocious beasts and awakeners.


    Song Ke was caught in a whirlpool, floating and sinking without knowing where she was going. She struggled to break free, finally overcoming the dizziness. A level 4 man-eating shark had just finished devouring two awakeners, and its grey-white vertical pupils focused on Song Ke. With a flick of its forked tail fin, it lunged towards her.


    Song Ke hurriedly changed direction, forcefully kicking her legs. However, the marine apex predator, the man-eating shark, was evidently faster in its hunting action. In the blink of an eye, it caught up to her, reaching her lower legs and viciously biting down ¨C


    But it didn¡¯t succeed.


    Its jaw was firmly wedged.


    A lengthened tri-edge military dagger unexpectedly appeared on Song Ke¡¯s lower leg, resiliently holding its jaws open. The shark, caught in agony, violently thrashed about. The sharp teeth with gaps cut through Song Ke¡¯s legs, conveying a knife-like pain to her brain. However, she didn¡¯t retract her leg. Instead, she turned and lifted it, exerting force from the inside outward with the tri-edge military dagger, piercing through the shark¡¯s jaw. Black blood gushed out!


    The level 4 ferocious beast, with its limited intelligence, showed signs of retreat due to fear. It desperately swung its dorsal and tail fins, attempting to escape from Song Ke¡¯s clutches.


    Biting me and trying to run away? Song Ke¡¯s upper body quickly approached. With both hands gripping the knife, she thrust it into the shark¡¯s dead-white eyeball, cutting out a cross from the inside!


    Splash! The entire head of the man-eating shark was split open. Inside the decaying flesh and tissues, a pigeon-blood red crystal sparkled.


    Song Ke raised her hand, cut out the crystal, and stowed it in her pocket. The man-eating shark gradually ceased struggling. She then dove into the shark¡¯s mouth, recovered the tri-edge military dagger, slowly withdrew her leg, and gave it a firm kick! The heavy body of the man-eating shark sank to the seabed.


    Song Ke glanced at her right leg, which was blurred with blood from the shin to the ankle. Pain was something she could endure, but along with the pain, there was an unsettling shiver that had faintly emerged from the depths of her soul since a moment ago.


    It seemed that the aftereffects of the 30% excessive radiation were slowly manifesting now. Song Ke¡¯s entire cellular structure was burning intensely, and the agonizing pain of genetic tearing made her scream silently. In the unseen back of her neck, a branding-like burning sensation penetrated into her bone marrow.


    After a few seconds, Song Ke was horrified to discover that scales had actually grown on the back of her hand?!


    She looked around anxiously and hastily took refuge in a coral reef, tightly hugging herself and hiding her hands.


    What¡¯s happening? Could that man-eating shark have some contagious disease?!


    Worriedly, Song Ke touched her leg. Fortunately, her second ability was now taking effect, and her cells were renewing, healing the wound at a steady pace.


    It¡¯s okay¡­ it¡¯s okay¡­ it¡¯ll be fine later. Song Ke reassured herself, exhaling a string of bubbles. She had been underwater for almost seven minutes; it was time to go up for air.


    Song Ke touched her leg again and felt that it had recovered enough. She slowly swam out of the coral reef.


    Then she abruptly stopped, her movements freezing. She lowered her head to look at her legs.


    No, those were not legs at all. Her legs had disappeared! From the waist down, Song Ke¡¯s lower body transformed into a long snake tail, covered with fine scales, and the tip of the tail emitted a dazzling poisonous light.


    Song Ke shook it forcefully, trying to get rid of whatever it was! Why couldn¡¯t it change back?


    Snap! The barbed fork at the end hit the coral reef where she had just hidden, turning its bright red color into ash white, and then it shattered with a resounding crash.


    Huh? It¡¯s so powerful? Song Ke dumbfoundedly opened her mouth, letting seawater pour in. She coughed it out.


    A figure in the distance swam towards her, and Song Ke raised her head warily.

 Chapter 152.1: Fire Seed (22)

    ¡ò ¡°Utopia¡± ¡òA faint figure appeared in front, and Song Ke suddenly turned around, trying to hide her tail.


    Although she didn¡¯t understand why her legs had disappeared, the disastrous situation clearly couldn¡¯t be discovered by others, and she couldn¡¯t explain it at all!


    The newly grown snake tail was heavy and slippery, and it didn¡¯t behave. Song Ke tried to coil it up several times, but it quickly unraveled.


    The moving figure gradually approached, and Song Ke tightened the spiritual weapon in her hand.


    The other party¡¯s face was fully revealed.


    It was Su Cha.


    Song Ke breathed a sigh of relief, too lazy to coil her tail, letting it relax and sway gently in the sea.


    After Su Cha found her, he raised his right hand, ready to make a gesture, but his movement suddenly froze.


    His eyes widened in disbelief, and upon closer inspection, even his pupils were trembling.


    Song Ke: ¡°¡­¡± She shook her tail, opened her hands, indicating her helplessness.


    Su Cha was indeed Su Cha. His mental resilience was exceptionally strong. He was only stunned for less than two seconds before he came to his senses.


    He took off the combat jacket on him, swam over and tied it around Song Ke¡¯s waist. The two sleeves were tied in the middle to create a barrier. He lifted the forked tail, making it less noticeable from the front, although it looked a bit strange.


    Song Ke patted his shoulder, indicating that she was about to suffocate and needed to go up first to breathe.


    With a strong force from her snake tail, she shot out into the distance, moving twice as fast as before, instantly creating a distance between her and Su Cha.


    Splash! Song Ke suddenly emerged from the sea, gasping for breath. Three or four minutes later, Su Cha followed suit.


    Looking up, the Elderly People¡¯s Nation had completely collapsed, and debris of various sizes floated on the sea.


    In the distance, awakeners were still fighting the bloodthirsty sea turtles, while also being distracted by the mutant shark group, gradually finding it difficult to cope.


    Song Ke was shocked: ¡°What happened to the island?! Collapsed?!¡± She still had two companions who couldn¡¯t swim!


    Su Cha¡¯s face also changed, and Song Ke quickly pressed the communicator on her collar: ¡°Are you okay? Report your location.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s indifferent voice immediately sounded: ¡°We¡¯re fine. It would be even better if there weren¡¯t so many man-eating sharks at the drop point.¡±


    The mechanical arm made a faint sound of movement, accompanied by Fang Zhixu¡¯s weak groan: ¡°Xiao Lu! Take it slow while swimming, I¡­ feel a bit dizzy.¡±


    Then came Xu Xing: ¡°I¡¯m fine! I was picked up by Dylan¡¯s bodyguard.¡±


    He and Dylan were thrown onto an inflatable boat, far away from the center of the battlefield. Dylan¡¯s azure eyes looked at him with confusion, and he muttered in the Cario language, ¡°Where did this little brat come from?¡±


    Xu Xing: ¡°?! What little brat? I¡¯m a year older than you!¡±


    Only Zhuang Qingyan obediently reported his coordinates. He coughed weakly and said with a breathless voice, ¡°Song Keke, come and save me.¡±


    Song Ke looked somewhat distressed: ¡°I have some trouble here.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s ¡°fragility¡± disappeared in an instant, his voice calm and deep: ¡°Where are you? I¡¯ll come to find you.¡±


    Song Ke reported her location and asked, ¡°What about Youyou?¡±


    While the others were talking, Lin Youyou had remained silent.


    Su Cha frowned, a vague sense of unease rising in his heart. Lin Youyou was the worst swimmer among them, and she also had a severe fear of water.


    ¡°Youyou?¡± Song Ke raised her voice, ¡°Can you hear me? Respond if you hear.¡±


    No one answered; there was silence on the channel.


    ¡°Lin Youyou! Are you there? Speak!¡±


    Su Cha pressed the microphone on his collar, shouting sternly, the muscles in his cheeks trembling from excessive tension.


    His nerves were like a taut string, ready to snap at any moment. S?a??h th? N?v?lFir?(.)n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    After a full five seconds, Lin Youyou¡¯s faint and fragile whisper came: ¡°Here, here¡­¡±


    Su Cha took a sharp breath, then exhaled, as if a drowning person had regained their breath.


    ¡°Where are you? I¡¯ll come get you.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Lin Youyou choked on some water, sounding hesitant, ¡°The situation here is¡­ a bit complicated. Don¡¯t worry about me, first deal with the ferocious beasts. I¡¯m safe, I¡¯ll come to you guys in a while¡­¡±


    Su Cha casually took care of two or three approaching man-eating sharks, and replied in a low, hoarse voice, ¡°Alright.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan had already swum over, his speed astonishing in the wind and waves. He lay streamlined in the water, and each stroke of his arms was textbook-perfect. In the final stretch, he alternated swinging his legs like a sword leaving its sheath, reaching Song Ke in an instant.


    Song Ke looked at him expressionlessly, thinking, ¡®Not good at swimming, my foot. He swims exceptionally well.¡¯


    The seawater slid down Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s chin into his collar. He reached back to smooth his hair, revealing a perfect forehead. ¡°What trouble did you encounter?¡±


    Song Ke looked nervously, ¡°I got infected by a shark!¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan was slightly puzzled, ¡°Infected?¡±


    Their location wasn¡¯t exactly at the center of the battlefield. Song Ke looked around and slowly lifted her tail.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s pupils contracted. ¡°Let me see.¡± He reached out to touch.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch, don¡¯t touch,¡± Song Ke whispered, ¡°It¡¯s poisonous.¡± She explained the cause and effect of her recent battle with the shark, healing her right leg injury, which then transformed into a snake tail.


    ¡°It has nothing to do with that man-eating shark,¡± Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s eyes darkened, ¡°It¡¯s radiation.¡±


    During this time, Song Ke had absorbed too much excessive radiation, first at Ning Rong¡¯s laboratory with 130%, and then staying for over an hour under the 30% intensity in the Elderly People¡¯s Nation. Although there were no obvious symptoms at the time, the unknown genes in her body had issues.


    ¡°Can you control turning back?¡± Zhuang Qingyan asked.


    ¡°No,¡± Song Ke honestly shook her head.


    In the distance, the armored sea turtle, under the relentless attacks, finally showed signs of exhaustion, with another level-4 man-eating shark seizing the opportunity to tear off half of its hind limb.


    Zhuang Qingyan glanced at the battlefield. ¡°Deal with it quickly, and let¡¯s return to the Northern Base.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go below,¡± Su Cha volunteered, sticking to the original plan to continue attacking the armored sea turtle¡¯s abdomen.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll go head-on,¡± Song Ke said. The armored sea turtle was blinded and heavily damaged, making it the perfect time to kill it.


    Her long snake tail twisted and moved, slithering, instantly shooting out more than twenty meters.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s eyes flickered slightly, surprised by her speed. He sighed faintly and made an effort to catch up from behind.


    Yang Xiaobo was being chased by a level-4 man-eating shark.


    He got too carried away after fighting the sea turtle, accidentally using up his awakened energy, and was violently pushed forward by a huge wave. Bang! He collided with the tail fin of the man-eating shark. The ferocious beast slowly turned its head, and its gray-white eyes stared fixedly at him.


    Yang Xiaobo¡¯s messy hair stood up like a chicken coop, and his legs swung frantically. ¡°Don¡¯t eat me! I¡¯ve had malnutrition since childhood, more bones than meat!¡±


    While shouting wildly, he struggled to gather his awakened ability and threw it forward regardless of the consequences. The man-eating shark, thoroughly angered, opened its massive blood-filled mouth and bit toward his head.


    Woe is me! Facing imminent death, Yang Xiaobo let out a desperate scream.


    Swoosh! A slender figure swiftly swam by, and in a flash, the strongest V587 slacker had already positioned himself in front of Yang Xiaobo. The toxic forked tail pierced ruthlessly into the man-eating shark from below the sea surface, freezing the ferocious beast¡¯s hefty body. Song Ke acted swiftly, her dual short knives flashing blue light as she mercilessly slashed open its head.


    The scalding black blood poured over Yang Xiaobo¡¯s head and face.


    Song Ke extracted the crystal quickly, pulled out her tail, sank and floated, then continued swimming towards the armored sea turtle.


    Yang Xiaobo wiped his face and muttered to himself, ¡°Damn, your Brother Yang made a mistake¡­¡±


    In the center of the battlefield, the life-and-death struggle between awakeners and the armored sea turtle continued.


    Dark clouds covered the sky, and Veronica, holding Vladimir¡¯s head, closed her eyes slightly as lightning struck.


    Gu Ruoyi¡¯s awakened ability ¡°Gather¡± finally came into play. The invisible traction brought the scattered shark group together, while Jennifer and others with AOE attacks skillfully unleashed their abilities to clear the monsters.


    Song Ke took a deep breath, submerged her head into the sea, and with her snake tail swinging rapidly like a flexible ribbon, she leaped across the center of the battlefield.


    She arrived in front of the armored sea turtle, whose size was still astonishing even when only considering its head. In front of it, Song Ke seemed like a fragile little jellyfish, easily swallowed at any moment.


    The bloodshot eyes of the armored sea turtle shed bloody tears as it suddenly opened its mouth, fiercely biting toward her.


    Song Ke agilely dodged, and her tail forked from bottom to top, accurately stabbing into its neck. The potent poison quickly spread, causing the entire turtle¡¯s head to rapidly discolor and decay, revealing petrified-like cracks.


    With successive heavy blows to its limbs and head, and blood pouring out from its abdomen, this level-5 ferocious beast was now clearly on the brink of death.


    Its remaining two fins madly slapped the sea surface, and suddenly, it leaped out of the water again, initiating a 360-degree rotation!


    Boom!


    The counterattack this time was particularly astonishing. The awakeners who had managed to climb onto the turtle¡¯s back were once again thrown off, some directly smashed into mincemeat.


    As Song Ke bounced up and down with the sea waves, her snake tail strangely maintained balance. The strong airflow propelled her up to a height of fifty meters. In her palm, a trident appeared, radiating a chilling light. The coiled snake tail hid within her coat, and she plummeted down like a projectile.


    All the awakeners on the sea looked up in shock. The short few seconds felt infinitely extended, and the scene before them seemed like a slow-motion replay.


    A sapphire light flashed by, and the trident pierced through the right eye of the armored sea turtle, relentlessly pushing through and exiting the left eye!!


    The armored sea turtle tilted its head back, violently shaking in pain. Song Ke was tossed up and down, feeling dizzy, but she held onto the trident firmly.


    She wanted to find the right moment to jump onto its head but couldn¡¯t find a suitable opportunity.


    ¡°Damn¡­ soloing a level-5 ferocious beast.¡±


    ¡°Is she still human?¡±


    ¡°This person is too crazy. Which team is she from? S-level?¡±


    The onlookers, who witnessed the entire process, swallowed their saliva in disbelief and murmured.


    The armored sea turtle, realizing death was imminent, struggled even more frantically. A strong and chaotic radiation burst from its body, causing thousands of air columns to erupt on the sea surface. Awakeners who couldn¡¯t dodge in time were lifted into the sky.


    ¡°Oh no! It¡¯s going to¡­ self-destruct!!¡± An awakener from the Cario Empire shouted in panic.


    Once a level-5 ferocious beast self-destructed, the power it generated was comparable to a nuclear bomb. It was enough to wipe out the entire sea area, leaving no one alive.


    Zhuang Qingyan finally managed to swim to the edge of the battlefield and quickly pressed the communicator on his collar. ¡°Song Ke! Countdown three seconds, dissect its crystal!¡±


    Song Ke, still in disarray from the wind, barely replied, ¡°Ahhhhhh, sure, ahhhhhhh¡ª¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, locking onto the target. He activated his S-level mental ability, telekinetic piercing!


    The dead white eyes of the armored sea turtle suddenly froze, and the remnants of its sanity momentarily dispersed. Where was it? It had been sleeping for many years¡­ Why did it suddenly come out from the depths of the sea?


    In an instant, Song Ke let go, somersaulting and landing on the turtle¡¯s head. With both hands gripping a massive shovel, she thrust it into the brain with all her strength!


    Immediately, she rapidly stirred left and right until the tip touched something solid. With a forceful pull, a crystal the size of a basketball, dazzling with golden light, shot out. It resembled the newborn morning sun, illuminating the entire battlefield and attracting everyone¡¯s attention. Awakeners nearby, unable to resist the temptation, started swimming toward the crystal.


    Song Ke jumped upward, cradling the crystal in her hands. In an instant, she stowed it away in her dimensional space, and the dazzling golden light disappeared without a trace.


    Those awakeners abruptly stopped and slowly retreated. After the impulsive urge passed, they regained their senses, beads of cold sweat forming on their backs.


    Steal the crystal? Are they kidding? This person just soloed a level-5 ferocious beast. It would be like cutting vegetables for her to kill them.


    Really, have they lost their minds? Isn¡¯t it better to live peacefully? Why seek a death wish?


    ¡°Awesome, V587!!¡± Yin Xiao clung to the turtle shell, shouting loudly. The resounding cheers echoed layer by layer, reaching everyone¡¯s ears.

 Chapter 152.2: Fire Seed (22)

    ¡ò ¡°Utopia¡± ¡òThe shattered head of the armored sea turtle hung into the sea. The radiation within its body dissipated rapidly. Although it had just died, its body could still float temporarily. After a while, it would sink to the bottom. The remaining shark groups were also cleared out, and the exhausted awakeners swam towards the turtle¡¯s back, flipping over and climbing up to rest.


    Zhuang Qingyan swam to the side of the turtle¡¯s head, propped himself up with both hands, and jumped up. Song Ke, pitifully curled up on top, was trying to figure out how to walk. The coat used to cover herself had long been torn, and no matter how she hid, the tip of her tail still peeked out.


    Zhuang Qingyan casually jumped, took out a long coat from the dimensional space, and helped her wrap up again.


    Then he bent down, his hands passing through Song Ke¡¯s waist. He lifted her horizontally and, as he stood up, his steps were a bit unsteady, stumbling a couple of times. The feeling in the palms was slippery¡ªher snake tail was indeed too heavy.


    Song Ke blinked and earnestly suggested, ¡°You should¡­ exercise.¡±


    After a while, she couldn¡¯t help but mutter, ¡°I can lift you with one hand.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan: ¡°¡­¡±


    His fingertips moved slightly, and a brand-new wheelchair appeared out of thin air. Carefully placing Song Ke onto it, he said with a cold face, ¡°Tail, coil up properly.¡±


    Song Ke puffed her cheeks, promptly coiling it into a ball.


    Zhuang Qingyan then took out a blanket and covered her lower body securely.


    Yin Xiao was not far away and walked over after escaping the danger. Upon seeing the appearance of the two, he was momentarily stunned. Why was Song Ke, who was in a wheelchair, now sitting there?


    Yin Xiao took a step forward, his eyebrows slightly furrowed. ¡°Song Ke, are you injured?¡±


    ¡°No! No!¡± Song Ke hurriedly retreated. ¡°I-I just need to rest a bit.¡±


    Yin Xiao, still concerned, wanted to approach for confirmation. However, Zhuang Qingyan blocked him, his gaze cold. ¡°She¡¯s fine. Please maintain social distance.¡±


    Yin Xiao glanced at Zhuang Qingyan, observing him standing perfectly on his two long legs, and his mouth twitched. What¡¯s wrong with this guy? Sitting in a wheelchair for no reason?


    Lu Xiaoyu and Fang Zhixu came from the other side. Although they looked disheveled and had some blood stains, fortunately, they were not injured.


    Su Cha also returned from underwater. He was wearing a black tank top, and his muscular arms had clear and smooth lines. His left hand, hastily treated, had poor blood circulation, already turned pale due to soaking in seawater. Fang Zhixu hurriedly ran over to treat him.


    ¡°Sister~¡± Xu Xing ran over with his short legs, wanting to leap into Song Ke¡¯s arms. Midway, he was stopped by Zhuang Qingyan, who pressed down on his head, lowering his voice to warn, ¡°Don¡¯t lift the blanket, don¡¯t let anyone get close to her. Protect your sister.¡±


    Xu Xing¡¯s radar lit up on his head. Although he didn¡¯t understand what was happening, he was quite clever. He immediately ran to Song Ke¡¯s side, like a little lion defending his territory with bared teeth and claws.


    Veronica dragged Vladimir up, holding his head, continuously kissing his cheeks, and murmuring incomprehensible prayers. Vladimir¡¯s eyes were tightly closed, his face pale. A whole piece was missing from the right side of his chest, almost reaching his heart. Although S-level awakeners weren¡¯t so easily killed, he later attacked with his injuries and, soaked in seawater for a long time, his condition worsened. Without timely treatment, there was a risk of demotion.


    Song Ke silently looked at the man on the ground. There was no doubt that Vladimir, in terms of character and strength, deserved to be S5 level.


    She turned her head and called out softly, ¡°Old Fang.¡±


    Su Cha¡¯s injuries were not severe, and Fang Zhixu had already dealt with them. Upon hearing Song Ke¡¯s call, he raised his head and instantly understood Vladimir¡¯s situation.


    Song Ke opened the translator and skillfully switched to Luce language: ¡°We have a doctor, do you need one?¡±


    Veronica stared at her for two seconds, her eyes sad but calm: ¡°Thank you, but a regular doctor can¡¯t save him.¡±


    Song Ke pointed to Fang Zhixu: ¡°He is not only a regular doctor but also an A5-level, a healer.¡±


    Veronica looked shocked; healing awakeners were too rare. Luce certainly had A-level healers, but they were usually in big cities, well-protected and rarely involved in life-threatening S-level missions.


    Veronica gently placed Vladimir¡¯s head down, stood up, and expressed the highest respect to Song Ke in the Luce way: ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she repeated in the Alliance language with a hint of awkwardness.


    Fang Zhixu, carrying the first aid kit, crouched down. After more than half a year of training, he had evolved from an excellent operating room doctor to a field doctor who could treat anytime, anywhere, even in the most basic conditions.


    The light-colored ability flowed out slowly, and Vladimir¡¯s complexion visibly improved. Fang Zhixu efficiently helped him clean and bandage the wound.


    ¡°Vital signs are stable, and the loss of awakened energy is within a manageable range. Go back and treat him well; he can recover.¡±


    Veronica also deeply bowed to Fang Zhixu.


    Su Cha stepped aside, holding his collar and asked in a low voice, ¡°Lin Youyou? Where are you?¡±


    There was a rustling sound from the other side, and after a while, a voice came out: ¡°Here, here! Oops, wrong, turn right!¡±


    Who was she talking to? Su Cha furrowed his brows slightly.


    Yin Xiao looked down at the terminal: ¡°The client has decided to abandon the mission, and a starship is coming to pick us up nearby. Everyone stay put.¡±


    The awakeners on the turtle¡¯s back couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit disheartened. This S-level mission was full of crises from start to finish, dangerous at every step. Yet, in the end, they still couldn¡¯t figure out why the residents of the Elderly People¡¯s Nation mysteriously disappeared.


    In the low-spirited atmosphere, a certain awakener spoke with doubt, ¡°Why do I feel something is off? Didn¡¯t this sea turtle die? Why is it swimming even faster now?¡±


    ¡°Look¡­ those island fragments are also moving.¡±


    Could there be another unexpected twist? The mentally exhausted awakeners silently screamed.


    Lu Xiaoyu thought of something and pulled out a wet screen to confirm, ¡°We¡¯ve already reached the Sea of Misfortune.¡±


    The surrounding magnetic field was in chaos, and the image flickered incessantly. The weather map loaded frame by frame, and Lu Xiaoyu could finally see the whole picture, freezing at the sight.


    ¡°Look over there!¡± someone exclaimed in terror.


    In the far distance on the sea¡¯s horizon, an immensely large vortex was spinning rapidly, swiftly pulling in everything around it.


    ¡°What on earth is that?¡±


    ¡°Damn, is it causing an underwater earthquake!?¡±


    ¡°No, the suction is too strong¡­¡±


    The corpse of the armored sea turtle was getting closer to the vortex, and the intense water pressure caused a strong feeling of suffocation. If this continued, everyone would perish! S?a?ch* Th? Nov?lF?re .??t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Dive! Swim back!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be foolish, where do we swim to?¡±


    ¡°What should we do then? Wait for death? Unless the rescue starship arrives now, what else can we do!¡±


    ¡°Hey¡ª!!¡± A clear female voice echoed behind the crowd.


    The familiar voice made Su Cha turn around abruptly! A heavy shadow loomed over, and a colossal creature was swiftly swimming in the sea. Describing it as a ¡°colossal creature¡± was not enough; how large was its size? Even though they were quite far away, no one could clearly see its entire form, only vaguely glimpsing parts of its body as it moved.


    This¡­ this¡­ is a ferocious beast, again?!


    Caught between a rock and a hard place, the emotions of the awakeners on site were on the verge of collapsing.


    A tiny figure sat on the back of the giant fish, and Lin Youyou cupped her hands around her mouth, shouting to the people on the turtle¡¯s back:


    ¡°Captain¡ªI¡¯m here to pick you up¡ªhurry up and get on!!¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s face showed surprise: ¡°It¡¯s Lin Youyou!¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan decisively said: ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    V587 didn¡¯t waste any time; the group crossed the turtle¡¯s back and ran towards the unknown ferocious beast.


    Others were dumbfounded: ¡°What the heck, are they insane?¡±


    But immediately after, more and more people went crazy. ¡°Tustan¡± and ¡°Peace Dove¡± followed without hesitation. Yang Xiaobo, while sprinting, shouted loudly: ¡°Listen to your Brother Yang! If you don¡¯t want to die, follow V587!¡±


    Veronica helped the recovering Vladimir to his feet and followed closely.


    With death on both sides, the remaining awakeners gritted their teeth and also chased after.


    The colossal creature emitted a distant and resonant roar, extending half of its wing like a massive palm leaf, serving as a makeshift bridge resting on the turtle shell. The awakeners quickly changed their positions and moved to its back.


    Su Cha swiftly walked a few steps to Lin Youyou¡¯s side, ¡°You¡­¡±


    Lin Youyou¡¯s long hair was soaked, clinging tightly to her face. Her life jacket was tattered, but her eyes were surprisingly bright. She patted Su Cha¡¯s shoulder, winked mischievously, ¡°This time, I really escaped from death. I¡¯ll tell you the legendary story later.¡±


    Su Cha: ¡°¡­¡±


    The onlookers, other awakeners, were completely stupefied. What kind of freaks were in this team called V587?


    They looked like slackers yet easily soloing level 5 and level 4 ferocious beasts. The healing awakener was perfectly fine but didn¡¯t stay in the city; instead, they played on the battlefield for the thrill. And now, there was a woman who could control ferocious beasts?


    Did they even understand what a normal awakener should be like?!


    Before the crowd could express their amazement, the scene before them changed once again.


    In the center of the Sea of Misfortune, the vortex¡¯s rotation speed increased rapidly, and the armored sea turtle¡¯s corpse was sucked in, instantly torn apart!


    Fierce winds, tsunamis, torrential rain¡­ the powerful suction made it hard to breathe, and the sky turned as dark as the deepest night.


    At this moment, the colossal creature beneath them suddenly flapped its wings, leaping out of the sea surface! Everyone felt a flash before their eyes, and the whole world became incredibly ethereal. Surrounded by flowing clouds, it felt like one could reach out and touch the sky. No one spoke; the ultimate shock couldn¡¯t be expressed in words.


    ¡°This ferocious beast¡­¡± Zhuang Qingyan spoke with solemnity, ¡°is a Kun.¡±


    Ancient texts from the old civilization once recorded: In the northern seas, there is a fish called Kun, its size immeasurable, capable of transforming into a flying bird named Peng. The outspread wings resemble descending clouds.


    The mutated marine creature brought by Lin Youyou, regardless of its original form, truly deserved the name ¡°Kun.¡±


    However, today was destined to be an extraordinary day, as they were about to witness history unfold.


    In the center of the vortex, a colossal black city slowly rose, casting a shadow that covered the sky. The rushing seawater cascaded down like a silver waterfall from the celestial river. After leaving the sea surface, it freed itself from the constraints of gravity, accelerating faster and soon surpassing the Kun where the people were, hovering in the air.


    Lu Xiaoyu quietly looked up; at the bottom of the city, an endless stream of ¡°Yiyu¡± was continuously supplying energy. Even as a former member of the Lu family, he had never seen so many Yiyu at once.


    ¡°Utopia,¡± Zhuang Qingyan slowly pronounced a word.


    ¡°What?¡± Song Ke asked in confusion.


    Zhuang Qingyan gazed at the enormous shadow overhead with deep and distant eyes.


    ¡°The famous utopianist, Smirel, proposed an idea in the early stages of his theory. He believed that above the 180 districts of the Alliance, there should exist an S-level city where people enjoy the most beautiful life¡ªequality, shared wealth, free from oppression and troubles, like the legendary utopia.¡±


    ¡°That S-level city is called ¡®Utopia.''¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan smiled faintly, his eyes chilling: ¡°Unfortunately¡­¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately¡­ what?¡± someone couldn¡¯t help but murmur.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s tone carried a hint of mockery, ¡°Unfortunately, Smirel himself was considered the most arrogant utopianist in recent history. He was sentenced to death and sent to the Death Prison for multiple crimes. The Central Court believed that his theory was fundamentally impractical and unanimously rejected it, officially abolishing it.¡±


    He opened Song Ke¡¯s terminal, went to the mission page, and without hesitation clicked ¡°Complete.¡±


    Thanks to this accidentally triggered S-level mission, now everyone knew¡ªwhere did the residents of the Elderly People¡¯s Nation actually go?


    The awakeners looked solemn, turned on their cameras, faithfully recording everything before them.


    As this floating city stabilized, visible changes occurred in the surrounding area. The storm over the Sea of Misfortune dissipated, and sunlight replaced the darkness. The thick black color on the surface of Utopia gradually faded, revealing a pure white glow, as if it truly resembled the idyllic paradise Smirel described.


    However, everyone¡¯s heads were shrouded in an undispersed shadow.


    Veronica, sensing something, produced a new divination card in her palm. She slowly flipped it open:


    ¡ªThe reversed World card.


    It meant an ungraspable scepter, unclear judgments, and a success filled with flaws. It also symbolized abandoned humanity.

 Chapter 153: Fire Seed (23)

    ¡ò You¡¯re not an Alliance person if you don¡¯t watch ¡òAs everyone immersed themselves in the extraordinary scene before them, Zhuang Qingyan quickly regained composure and was the first to press the ¡°complete mission¡± button.


    Song Ke, who was originally comfortably seated in a wheelchair, observed his actions. Astonished, she slightly raised herself, causing the blanket to puff up.


    ¡ªObviously, that wasn¡¯t a posture human legs could contort into.


    Beside them, Xu Xing¡¯s small mouth widened into an ¡®O¡¯ shape, his eyes staring in disbelief.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s brow twitched, calmly pressing her down and placing his slender fingers by his lips, signaling both of them not to make a sound.


    The big one and the small one nodded in unison.


    Regardless of what had happened in the Elderly People¡¯s Nation, V587¡¯s primary goal was an S-level mission. Completing the task and earning points was the most crucial matter. Although everyone was still unclear about the situation, their thoughts were somewhat chaotic. However, Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s mind worked quickly. He had already connected all the clues and deduced the truth.


    Since the original mission was an investigation, they still needed to submit a detailed report explaining the ins and outs to the client. With Zhuang Qingyan around, these issues could be effortlessly resolved. After all, he had once volunteered using Song Ke¡¯s ¡°mouth¡± to recommend themselves to Ye Zimei.


    Utopia finally came to a stop deep in the sky, resembling a massive floating airship. The chaotic magnetic field around calmed slightly, the mutated Kun changing direction. Its boundless wings flapped, leaping thousands of miles in an instant. Before their eyes blurred, they had already left the Sea of Misfortune.


    Lin Youyou slowly bent down, pressed against its back, and sang an ethereal song. The mutated Kun seemed to understand her murmurs, raising its head to emit a mournful long cry. In an instant, it plunged into the sea, transforming into an endless giant fish.


    Waves of shock and amazement gradually numbed the nerves of the awakeners. Even witnessing Lin Youyou and the Kun¡¯s ¡°brainwave communication,¡± they only stared blankly, their faces expressing, ¡®V587? How many surprises do you still have that we don¡¯t know about?¡¯


    Soon, they returned to the Elderly People¡¯s Nation¡¯s original location. However, there was nothing left here except the vast sea.


    After T001 malfunctioned, the natural weather became completely chaotic, as if there was a clear boundary line. Half of the sky was clear and sunny, with sunlight shining everywhere, while the other half rumbled with thunder, pitch-black as the deepest night.


    Wandering, confused, and exhausted awakeners, unwilling to think about anything, lay down one after another, waiting for rescue in place. S~?a??h the N?velF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    An hour later, three large starships arrived above. Upon discovering the massive creature in the sea, they hesitated to land and could only hover at low altitude, waiting for an opportunity to lower the gangway. The esper evacuated in an orderly manner, and Song Ke was pushed into the cabin by Xu Xing, panting.


    As they left, Lin Youyou looked back, and the mutated Kun emitted a faint and sorrowful sound, seemingly bidding her farewell. It then flipped and disappeared from their sight.


    The heart-pounding day finally came to an end. The exhausted group had no energy for small talk or socializing; they quietly took their seats to rest.


    After V587, Yin Xiao, Gu Ruoyi, and others bid farewell, they deliberately chose the corner room. They entered silently, and Lu Xiaoyu casually installed a signal jammer behind the door to prevent surveillance and eavesdropping.


    After staring at each other for two seconds, a cacophony of voices erupted:


    Xu Xing: ¡°Sister, the blanket is crooked #@$~ What happened?¡±


    Su Cha: ¡°What¡¯s the deal with that fish?¡±


    Lin Youyou: ¡°Let me tell you, I had a really unlucky day today. That damn life jacket actually tore!¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°How many points did we get? Let me see.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu: ¡°The starship is lost. How are we going back?¡±


    In the midst of chaos, each spoke their own thoughts, and no one could hear anyone else.


    After a silent moment, they all simultaneously exclaimed, ¡°#@$*£¥&¡­¡­!!¡±


    Song Ke raised her fist: ¡°Stop! One at a time!¡±


    Lin Youyou elegantly raised her hand, making a ¡°Captain first, please¡± gesture.


    The result was Song Ke starting with a deep-sea torpedo. She slowly lifted the blanket: ¡°You guys, need to stay calm.¡±


    A long black snake tail slid down from the wheelchair, quickly occupying the entire space. The cold aura of a snake, with a venomous split hook, slightly curled, emitted a chilling sensation.


    Lin Youyou¡¯s pupils widened in shock, unable to say a word.


    Lu Xiaoyu remained indifferent, but his mechanical arm flew out uncontrollably.


    Xu Xing, after a moment of bewilderment, had starlight shining in his jet-black eyes: ¡°Wow¡­ so cool!¡±


    ¡°Sister~ sister~ so amazing! Can I touch it?¡± His small mouth was as sweet as honey: ¡°Just once, twice!¡±


    Song Ke was very generous: ¡°Don¡¯t touch the hook, everything else is fine.¡±


    Carefully, Xu Xing touched it once and quickly withdrew his hand. The texture was a bit rough, and the scales rustled, making his palm itch. He looked like he had found a new and fascinating toy and was about to touch it again¡ª


    Zhuang Qingyan stepped over the winding snake tail, lifted Xu Xing disdainfully by the collar, and threw him to where Fang Zhixu was.


    ¡°Song Ke¡¯s condition is complicated. Preliminary judgment suggests a genetic issue. I will take her for an examination as soon as we return. On the way back, everyone help provide cover,¡± Zhuang Qingyan explained.


    In the sea, it wasn¡¯t obvious, but now, away from the combat environment, others would easily notice.


    Everyone nodded, unanimously expressing their willingness to unconditionally protect the captain.


    Su Cha finally found an opportunity: ¡°You and that Kun¡­¡±


    Lin Youyou casually waved her hand: ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter. I want to know what Utopia is all about.¡±


    Su Cha: ¡°¡­¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan sat close to Song Ke, lazily propping up one leg, terminal projecting, and began writing a report: ¡°The truth is already clear.¡±


    Song Ke unconsciously moved her tail, wrapping it around him and enclosing him. The last part rested perfectly on his knee. From a distance, Zhuang Qingyan seemed to be sitting on a snake-skin sofa.


    ¡°The conclusion of this S-level mission is evident. The residents of the Elderly People¡¯s Nation did not mysteriously disappear; they went to Utopia.¡±


    ¡°Have you heard of the ¡®Ark¡¯?¡± Zhuang Qingyan freed his left hand, skillfully caressing the snake tail on his leg, like the most proficient masseur, always finding the right spots. There, the nerves were densely distributed, and a weak electric current continuously washed over the crown of her head. Song Ke comfortably slumped in the wheelchair, eyes slightly narrowed, and the tip of her tail swayed gently.


    ¡°The ancient civilization¡¯s ¡®Bible¡¯ once recorded that the mortal Noah, based on God¡¯s instructions, built a huge ship named the ¡®Ark¡¯ to protect the world¡¯s creatures from God¡¯s punishment.¡±


    ¡°The Alliance¡­¡± Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s trailing tone was light and slow, the speed of his one-handed typing neither hurried nor slow. ¡°Not only the Alliance, but Cario and Luce also participated in this plan. The three nations collaborated to build an ¡®Ark,¡¯ which is Utopia. They issued ¡®tickets¡¯ to a very small number of people.¡±


    Lin Youyou exclaimed, ¡°So you mean the residents of the Elderly People¡¯s Nation left A5 voluntarily because they got the so-called ¡®tickets¡¯?¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu interjected calmly, ¡°Perhaps at this moment, they are in Utopia, celebrating with champagne and saying, ¡®Oh my God, look at those silly groundhogs below, they will never experience our happiness.''¡±


    This joke is not funny at all. Everyone stared at Lu Xiaoyu with expressionless faces.


    ¡°I still don¡¯t understand,¡± Lin Youyou said slowly, ¡°Setting aside why they so firmly abandoned the Elderly People¡¯s Nation and chose the elusive Utopia, can this matter be hidden for a long time? Even if we hadn¡¯t coincidentally taken on this mission, wouldn¡¯t the appearance of such a large floating city be exposed?¡±


    ¡°Because Utopia has already risen,¡± Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s tone was gentle, but the cruel undertone in his eyes was evident. ¡°Twenty-one days ago, the Elderly People¡¯s Nation¡¯s Foreign Trade Department lost contact. I believe that at that time, they had already transferred to the underwater Utopia, waiting quietly for the ¡®sailing¡¯ moment to arrive.¡±


    Everyone was stunned.


    ¡°Even if it¡¯s exposed, it¡¯s futile. No one can stop them; their purpose has been achieved.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan opened the star network. Some awakeners had already uploaded videos of the scene, causing a sensation in a short period. Most people still didn¡¯t understand what had happened and simply followed the trend to criticize the leaders of various countries for conspiracies.


    ¡°You said Smirel¡¯s theory couldn¡¯t be realized, right?¡± Fang Zhixu rubbed his chin, showing deep confusion in his eyes. ¡°Then why would the Alliance do this? When did they plan it? And how was the floating city implemented?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan patted Song Ke, signaling her to turn around: ¡°Let¡¯s push the timeline back to the very beginning.¡±


    ¡°The New Asia Alliance is a nation rebuilt after the war. Due to the nuclear war, the living conditions on the ground became increasingly harsh, and extreme weather occurred frequently. That¡¯s why the Weather Mimicry System was born. Nevertheless, the Alliance may have long determined that this land was not suitable for survival. They needed to find or establish a new home.¡±


    ¡°And after the apocalypse, the situation got worse.¡± Song Ke made an effort to think and provided constructive opinions.


    ¡°Right, the captain is correct.¡± Zhuang Qingyan slid along her tailbone, checking for any wounds inch by inch.


    The post-apocalyptic zombie tide, ferocious beasts, scarce resources, abandoned cities¡­ made the human survival environment even more challenging.


    ¡°As for when Utopia was constructed, perhaps it started even before Smirel was sent to the Death Prison, or perhaps, when the proposal to abolish Utopia was first brought up in the council, the Alliance began to act.¡± Zhuang Qingyan smiled meaningfully, ¡°After all, ¡®Rome wasn¡¯t built in a day,¡¯ and such a massive project requires extensive and prolonged preparations.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu opened the map and marked a familiar area:


    ¡°The Endless Sea is the perfect factory. It¡¯s located at the intersection of the three nations, in a geographically unique position. Although it¡¯s an unofficial ¡®no-man¡¯s land,¡¯ if anything happens, the forces of various countries can infiltrate in time. Additionally, the natural chaos of the magnetic field in the Sea of Misfortune makes it difficult to be detected by instruments. The construction work is underwater, so there¡¯s no need to worry about confidentiality issues.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan nodded slightly, rare agreement in his tone: ¡°After a period of effort, Utopia was finally built. The only challenge left was how to send it into the sky.¡±


    ¡°Not difficult,¡± Lu Xiaoyu immediately retorted, ¡°as long as there¡¯s enough Yiyu.¡±


    Yiyu, a new type of energy discovered at the beginning of this century, was initially monopolized by the Erjia¡¯s Lu family for mining and purification methods. Later, the Erjia¡¯s Lu family voluntarily handed it over to the Alliance. Since then, flying terminals have experienced a leap in development. In the glorious thirty years, the algorithm-improved Lu starships (improved by Lu Xiaoyu in the 32nd year of the new calendar) became a symbol of splendid civilization.


    Lin Youyou raised a question: ¡°I¡¯ve read reports that the global reserves of Yiyu are limited. The energy needed for Utopia to ascend must be terrifying. How could they collect so much?¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Song Ke suddenly spoke, ¡°because all the Yiyu in the lower districts was recycled.¡±


    In the autumn of the 46th year of the new calendar, just a week after the apocalypse had arrived, Song Ke came alone from District F177 to Hua City. She had witnessed a meteor shower of starships falling, a tragic scene that she would never forget. Since that day, all starships in the lower districts had malfunctioned, making cross-district transportation extremely difficult.


    She couldn¡¯t understand it before, but now she understood everything. Perhaps at the round table meeting in the Central Court (District A1), apart from Districts A and B, the 155 lower districts (CDEF) were considered expendable. Those people there didn¡¯t even have complete permissions and might never see the truth of the world. They were like a bundle of discarded firewood in the corner, to be burned when needed.


    Lu Xiaoyu snorted, ¡°I just checked the news from the other two countries. After the apocalypse, the frequency of flying terminal accidents has also increased significantly.¡±


    Needless to say, the Yiyu that disappeared with Cario and Luce was also used as the power source for Utopia.


    Zhuang Qingyan chuckled, ¡°Back to the present timeline. With everything in place, they chose today as the ¡®birthday¡¯ of Utopia.¡±


    ¡°And all the anomalies we experienced, including the failure of T001, the disappearance of the Elderly People¡¯s Nation¡¯s barrier, and the sudden appearance of level 4 and level 5 ferocious beasts, are all due to the strong tremors underwater affecting the ecology of the indigenous people.¡±


    Lin Youyou sighed while supporting her forehead, ¡°We¡¯re really unlucky, or rather, those suppliers are the most unlucky, right? Losing both money and goods¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure about others, but at least V587 is not the most unlucky,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said as he typed the last character. As expected of a high-achieving student from Liuponi, the newly crafted detailed and well-worded report, with rigorous arguments, was ready. He took Song Ke¡¯s hand, pinched her index finger, and solemnly clicked ¡°Submit.¡±


    If the review is successful, this S-level mission, along with two side missions, will bring them incredible points.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s deep peach blossom eyes curved, and the handsome face revealed a detached indifference to worldly affairs.


    ¡°The storm is about to come.¡±


    ¡°As for what will happen next, let those big shots argue. After all, we¡¯re just an ordinary team, occasionally earning some points to make a living.¡±


    As soon as he finished speaking, he was harshly slapped on the face.


    ¡°Beep beep,¡± the terminal notification sound continued, and in the ¡°B10 District High-level Awakeners Matching Conference¡± channel, countless people were looking for them.


    ¡°Oh my god! Have any of you watched this video on the star network? Attached link.¡±


    ¡°I did. Who is V587? From our Northern Base?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, the one who recently joined the group. I¡¯ll tag their captain @Song Ke, the best in the world.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe it. That video must be synthesized.¡±


    ¡°I was on the scene; the video is authentic.¡±


    ¡°@YinXiaoLockedHeart, are you on-site?¡±


    Curious, Song Ke clicked on it, and the first-person perspective of the sea battle recording greeted her. The main title was extremely explosive:


    ¡°Shocking! Men will be silent after watching, women will cry ¨C the Alliance¡¯s first-ever video of killing a level 5 ferocious beast, the Armored Sea Turtle!¡±


    The glittering subtitle: ¡°Who is the mysterious V587 ranked 235,706?¡±


    Below that, there was flashing red text: ¡°You¡¯re not an Alliance person if you don¡¯t watch.¡±


    V587: ¡°¡­¡±

 Chapter 154.1: Fire Seed (24)

    ¡ò Respected General Xie Lan ¡òZhuang Qingyan made a soft sound, tightening the joints of his fingers resting on the snake¡¯s tail.


    He dragged the progress bar back, pressed play from the beginning, and so everyone was forced to watch again the three lines of explosive and provocative headlines: ¡°¡­¡±


    This video was probably recorded with a ring-shaped terminal, with a limited field of view and occasional shakes. The person filming probably didn¡¯t anticipate the astonishing developments later. Starting with a somewhat insincere posing on the deserted streets of the Elderly People¡¯s Nation, after a short while, the ground suddenly cracked open. The camera violently shook, the perspective seemingly plummeting like a free-fall ride, inadvertently focusing on the sea¡ªthe enormous head of a ferocious beast suddenly appeared!


    The realism of a disaster movie hit them head-on. The opening scene was crafted perfectly, no wonder this video went viral, immediately capturing the audience¡¯s attention.


    In fact, many people on the island were filming videos at that time. Some awakeners even maintained a connection with their clients, making it easy for them to understand the situation on the spot.


    However, when the Elderly People¡¯s Nation later collapsed, the Armored Sea Turtle went on a rampage, and everyone was embroiled in a fierce battle, too preoccupied to care about recording videos. But this guy not only didn¡¯t turn off the camera, he even intentionally switched it to motion capture mode, enhancing the clarity of the footage.


    On the screen, a line of text slowly appeared: ¡°Main feature begins.¡±


    Lin Youyou chuckled, ¡°Oh, there¡¯s even post-production.¡±


    ¡°Swoosh¡­¡± Two agile figures descended at the center of the frame. Song Ke and Su Cha appeared out of thin air, like twin stars flying together. Snake-like movements, weaving through the barnacles, they headed towards the head of the Armored Sea Turtle. The person filming exclaimed, ¡°Damn,¡± stumbling behind them, tripping numerous times along the way. When he reached the head, he coincided with the exquisite cooperation of the two.


    A burst of blue light, Song Ke and Su Cha, one real and one fake attack, both wielding unstoppable spiritual weapons, simultaneously stabbed the two eyeballs of the Armored Sea Turtle! Exciting background music played, followed by the enthusiastic text:


    ¡°First blood!¡±


    ¡°Double kill!¡±


    ¡°Roar, roar, roar!!!¡± The person filming let out an excited and strange shout, the voice vaguely familiar. Song Ke looked surprised, and after a moment, she dredged it up from the corners of her memory. Wasn¡¯t this Yang Xiaobo with the talkative rainbow-colored hair?


    Zhuang Qingyan clicked pause, dragged it back to watch again. At this point, Song Ke¡¯s genes hadn¡¯t gone awry, and in the footage, her agile figure was exceptionally lively, with clear views of her legs as she ran.


    The Armored Sea Turtle launched a 360-degree spinning counterattack. Yang Xiaobo splashed into the water with a ¡°plop.¡± The camera floated and sank, creating a suffocating feeling of the deep sea, making it hard to breathe. He finally climbed back up, clumsily wiping off the water droplets on the lens, only to find that Song Ke had disappeared from his sight.


    In the distance, a group of mutated man-eating sharks appeared. Yang Xiaobo gathered his abilities, bravely rushing towards them, constantly muttering to himself, ¡°If I die, this will be my farewell video. But it¡¯s okay. Twenty years later, your Brother Yang will be a hero again!¡±


    Lin Youyou supported her chin, looking somewhat worried. ¡°If he keeps filming like this, won¡¯t he accidentally capture Song Ke¡¯s tail?¡±


    Song Ke was suddenly startled, her snake tail shrinking and sliding back, coiling into a large mosquito coil.


    Lu Xiaoyu remained calm, shaking his head. ¡°If he really captures something, the Star Network won¡¯t be as calm as it is now.¡±


    The current online discussions covered a wide range of topics, but there were no keywords related to ¡°snake tail.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s continue watching,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said in a deep voice.


    The video continued, and considering the time, Song Ke had already grown her snake tail. Everyone in the private room sat upright, fully focused on the screen.


    Yang Xiaobo was having a particularly unlucky time. Just as he climbed back onto the turtle shell, he turned his head and collided with a Level 4 man-eating shark. The shark opened its huge mouth, seemingly about to bite off his head, but its movement suddenly froze!


    ¡°Triple kill!¡±


    Song Ke emerged from a diagonal thrust, hands crossed for a lethal twist. ¡°Swish!¡± She slashed the top of the ferocious beast¡¯s skull, and thick black blood sprayed onto the lens. The screen instantly darkened, as if splashing the audience¡¯s faces, but immediately, a pigeon-blood-red crystal attracted everyone¡¯s attention.


    Zhuang Qingyan slowly played back frame by frame. When the man-eating shark was pierced, a faint and elusive dark light flashed.


    He zoomed in with two fingers, single-handedly grasping the curved fork on Song Ke¡¯s tail, pulling it out and comparing it to the projection. ¡°Can you see it?¡±


    Fang Zhixu approached and observed for a moment. ¡°I would only think it¡¯s a knife.¡±


    Su Cha agreed, ¡°It¡¯s hard to distinguish.¡±


    Others also shook their heads. Song Ke¡¯s attacks were clean and precise, showing no signs of anomalies in the video.


    Next was the scene of Song Ke facing the Armored Sea Turtle alone. Yang Xiaobo was somewhat far away, and even at the closest, the lens was still slightly out of focus.


    This was also the most likely moment to expose the truth. When Song Ke was propelled into the sky, her tail, not completely wrapped, might be captured on camera!


    However, when the killing scene appeared, everyone in the private room fell silent together.


    Yang Xiaobo, seemingly lost in thought, manually added special effects. Colorful laser beams lingered around Song Ke, resembling the rotating lights in a low-grade disco, almost blinding everyone¡¯s eyes. What was even more outrageous was that he intentionally magnified the trident. As a result, all anyone could see was a flashy, multicolored ball of light and an extremely exaggerated trident descending from the sky, piercing through the Armored Sea Turtle¡¯s head.


    ¡°Quadra kill!¡±


    ¡°Aced!¡±


    In the moment the Level 5 crystal appeared, Song Ke bathed in a dazzling golden light (added in post-production), resembling the famous Buddha statue in the Rainbow Cloud City. S?a??h the ?ov?l?ir?.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    In such a scene, let alone the tail, it would be reasonable even if she grew wings and ascended in place.


    Song Ke sincerely praised, ¡°Wow¡­ it looks good.¡±


    Lin Youyou was incredulous, ¡°You think this looks good?¡±


    Song Ke blinked uncertainly and whispered, ¡°It¡¯s, um, pretty good.¡±


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have asked. Your taste is just like that rainbow-headed guy,¡± Lin Youyou sighed while holding her forehead.


    Yang Xiaobo could be considered a talent; inadvertently, he provided cover for Song Ke.


    Even at this point, Yang Xiaobo didn¡¯t stop. He consecutively recorded the scenes of Utopia rising and Lin Youyou riding the Kun, adding the same bling-bling effects. However, because the mutated Kun was too large, he couldn¡¯t capture it entirely, so he chose to use voice-over commentary, ¡°My savior is the peerless heroine of V587. One day, she came to rescue me riding a giant fish.¡±


    After the highlight moment of V587, Yang Xiaobo surprisingly continued for another twenty minutes, sharing a long and meaningless personal journey that no one wanted to hear. The video only truly ended when the rescue arrived.


    Lin Youyou was speechless, muttering, ¡°Fine, help the captain attract attention. Anyway, I don¡¯t have any dirt they can dig up.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan coldly asked, ¡°Can the video be deleted?¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu replied, ¡°It can¡¯t be completely deleted. It spread too quickly, and the download count has already exceeded two billion times.¡±


    Although it ended somewhat abruptly, Yang Xiaobo¡¯s ¡°First Alliance Video of Killing a Level 5 Ferocious Beast¡± had enough novelty, and the content¡­ could reluctantly be considered high-quality. In less than two hours, it had spread across all of District B.


    ¡°Even if we delete it, if someone shares the local files, it will still pop up, like wild grass that can¡¯t be completely burned, growing again with the spring breeze,¡± Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s tone was flat and not optimistic.


    Zhuang Qingyan closed his eyes for two seconds, then suddenly opened them, ¡°Then destroy the source files.¡±


    The processed video might not show any abnormalities for now, but the original video was a different story. Yang Xiaobo might not notice anything right now, but who knows, if he starts to think carefully, he might realize something is off.


    Coincidentally, Yang Xiaobo was on the same starship as the ¡°Peace Dove¡± squad, which included V587.


    Zhuang Qingyan, Lu Xiaoyu, and Su Cha pushed the door and went out. The three stern-faced young men walked through the rear cabin and stopped in front of another compartment.


    Through a partition, they could hear Yang Xiaobo¡¯s chattering noise.


    ¡°Sister Ruoyi, do you think I¡¯m going to become popular? Maybe I should switch to being an internet celebrity. Brother Yang still has a promising future, right~¡±


    ¡°Yang Xiaobo, you¡¯re so annoying. Can you shut up?¡±


    ¡°Knock, knock.¡± Zhuang Qingyan politely knocked on the compartment door. Without waiting for an answer from inside, he suddenly pulled it open¡ª


    Su Cha was at the forefront, his 6¡¯3¡å height filling the entire space. His gaze was deep, and a dark blue dagger danced in his palm.

 Chapter 154.2: Fire Seed (24)

    ¡ò Respected General Xie Lan ¡òSure enough, Yang Xiaobo¡¯s left middle finger had a ring, a skull-headed gothic design, surprisingly matching his eccentric personality.


    Zhuang Qingyan pushed his gold-rimmed glasses and looked genteel, like a refined elite lawyer, ¡°Captain Gu, I am the special attorney for V587. Your team member, without the consent of our captain, secretly filmed and disseminated videos, seriously infringing upon our image and reputation rights. Of course, Captain Song is generous, and we have no intention of claiming the originally planned compensation of 40 million Alliance coins from you. We just demand the destruction of the evidence of infringement.¡±


    ¡°Image¡­ reputation¡­ what??¡± Yang Xiaobo was frightened by the combination of soft and hard threats, stammering, ¡°D-d-don¡¯t bully me just because I don¡¯t understand the law. 40 million? That¡¯s robbery! I don¡¯t have that much even if you sell me!¡±


    ¡°We just wanted to make a fortune in silence. You¡¯ve made it difficult for us by doing this,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said with a casual smile, his eyes carrying a cold edge.


    ¡°Sorry for causing trouble,¡± Gu Ruoyi was a reasonable person, ¡°Yang Xiaobo, delete the video.¡±


    Su Cha¡¯s dagger pointed at Yang Xiaobo¡¯s nose. Trembling, Yang Xiaobo took off the ring and handed it over. Su Cha tossed it behind him, and Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s rhenium arm closely followed, copying the source files and completely destroying Yang Xiaobo¡¯s copy. Even an S-level hacker couldn¡¯t recover it.


    ¡°Sorry for the disturbance. Have a pleasant journey back,¡± Zhuang Qingyan smiled, and the compartment door closed with a ¡°thud.¡±


    Yang Xiaobo looked dejected, his messy rainbow hair completely drooping, ¡°Sister Ruoyi, I¡¯ve thought about it. Being an internet celebrity is too dangerous, even more dangerous than being an awakener. It¡¯s better for Brother Yang to be more grounded.¡±


    ¡­


    After dealing with Yang Xiaobo, the three returned to the compartment. Lu Xiaoyu sent the copied source files to Song Ke¡¯s terminal, and Zhuang Qingyan lowered his eyes to carefully review.


    With the major issue resolved, only minor matters remained.


    Su Cha finally found an opportunity to ask Lin Youyou for the third time, ¡°You and that fish¡­¡±


    Fang Zhixu was also quite curious, ¡°Right, how can you communicate with ferocious beasts?¡±


    Song Ke and Xu Xing turned their heads, their eyes sparkling as they looked at Lin Youyou.


    Lin Youyou flipped her hair and smiled alluringly, ¡°Thought you guys weren¡¯t interested. Well then, let me tell you my legendary story.¡±


    Before the collapse of the Elderly People¡¯s Nation, Lin Youyou had sung a song on the Ribbon Bridge, incorporating a faint awakened energy. She hoped to communicate with marine creatures. However, whether it was due to the wrong frequency or the fact that ferocious beasts, despite their intelligence, lacked spiritual intelligence, there was no response at the time. She assumed that her attempt had failed.


    It was at the moment when Lin Youyou, with her life jacket torn, was about to sink and suffocate that she was saved by that mutated Kun.


    At that time, she was in a daze, thinking she was experiencing a hallucination until she surfaced, coughing violently, confirming that she had indeed encountered a miracle.


    Through the low hum of the mutated Kun, Lin Youyou learned that it wasn¡¯t a native creature of the Endless Sea. Due to its unique sound frequency, it couldn¡¯t communicate with other members of its kind and could only wander alone in the eastern and northern seas of the Alliance. Today was the first time it heard and understood the song of its ¡°kind.¡±


    Lin Youyou still found it unbelievable, ¡°I can¡¯t explain why, but I can indeed communicate with it using my ability.¡±


    ¡°I feel like it¡¯s not a ferocious beast.¡±


    After listening to Lin Youyou¡¯s description, something flashed quickly in Song Ke¡¯s mind, ¡°I¡¯ve also encountered a strange ferocious beast.¡±


    She had encountered a peculiar large bird in the Yue Mountain Martial Arts School after the apocalypse. At that time, she was covered in blood, emitting a fierce aura, but the creature, perched on the window sill, observed her quietly for a long time without any intention of attacking.


    Zhuang Qingyan spoke slowly, ¡°Humans can differentiate into zombies and awakeners. Animals, influenced by radiation, can also undergo different mutations. What you encountered can¡¯t be truly considered as ¡®ferocious beasts.¡¯ Perhaps they can be called ¡®animal awakeners.''¡±


    Song Ke had a sudden insight, ¡°A beast that is not ferocious?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan hesitated, ¡°Well, something like that. Just understand the meaning; the name is not important.¡±


    ¡°Alright, you can rest now. Any other questions?¡± Zhuang Qingyan said.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lu Xiaoyu silently raised a mechanical arm, ¡°The starship ¡®borrowed¡¯ from the Northern Base is lost. The trojan horse I implanted is about to expire. Have you thought about what will happen then?¡±


    ¡°I know, we¡¯ll be wanted!¡± Xu Xing eagerly answered.


    Everyone: ¡­


    What¡¯s going on? From the Sin City to Mu City and then to Northern Base, they were clearly law-abiding citizens, so why are they on the blacklist everywhere they go?


    Zhuang Qingyan helplessly rubbed his forehead, ¡°I¡¯ll contact Ye Zimei.¡±


    ¡­


    In District B6, Beijun. S~?a??h the ?0velF?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    In a spacious office, a woman¡¯s figure blended into the darkness, like a silent statue, silently gazing at the suspended screen in front of her.


    On the desk behind her, there was a golden invitation card, and at the bottom was the signature from: Utopia.


    This was a pass, or a ¡°boarding pass,¡± a ticket to board Utopia.


    Although a notification could easily be sent through the terminal, for some unknown reason, the person sending the invitation chose the oldest form of paper invitation. It seemed like they wanted to leave the last trace of their existence in the abandoned world.


    Few people knew about the existence of Utopia, and even fewer would refuse the precious ¡°boarding pass.¡± If everything went as planned, the woman in front of the screen should have already been enjoying a new life in Utopia. However, from start to finish, she never cast a glance at the desk, keeping her eyes fixed on the recording, repeatedly pressing the pause button at the same moment.


    It was when the Armored Sea Turtle self-destructed, and the massive body generated a very subtle pause. If one didn¡¯t observe carefully, it could easily be overlooked, but the woman was absolutely certain that it was the work of a mental awakener.


    A blurry silhouette flashed at the edge of the frame, and no matter how many times she pressed pause, the specific appearance could not be clearly seen.


    Even when enlarged to the maximum, the frozen image only revealed mottled pixels.


    The focus of the video was on Song Ke, who single-handedly killed the Level 5 ferocious beast. No one would pay attention to the inconspicuous bystander, especially when the person¡¯s face was unclear.


    The woman dragged the video back repeatedly, playing those brief two seconds over and over.


    The room¡¯s lights turned on, gradually illuminating the woman¡¯s exquisite face. Even though her youth had faded, traces of her once stunning beauty could still be glimpsed. Aside from her appearance, due to years of holding a high position, she exuded a kind of chilling, captivating, and indomitable aura that made it impossible to look directly at her.


    The woman slowly spoke, her slightly hoarse voice echoing in the room, ¡°Can this video be deleted?¡±


    The holographic projection on the other end answered respectfully, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, General. I¡¯m afraid¡­ it can¡¯t be completely deleted.¡±


    ¡°Then suppress the visibility, lower it to the minimum.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Have Lieutenant An from the Eleventh Unit come over.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Before long, a neatly dressed young man in military uniform appeared. Lieutenant An, removing his military cap, held it in his arm and respectfully lowered his head, ¡°General.¡±


    ¡ªIt was none other than An Qiwen, a former member of the Azure Phoenix Eleventh Unit.


    The woman nodded slightly and asked calmly, ¡°I¡¯ve read the report you submitted, which mentioned the V587 team.


    An Qiwen was slightly surprised. V587 didn¡¯t have a direct connection with their mission at that time, so he had only briefly mentioned it. After more than half a year, he hadn¡¯t expected to hear that name again from the person across from him. The General¡¯s memory was perhaps too remarkable.


    ¡°Yes, Captain Wu¡­ had dealings with them.¡±


    Once again, bringing up the name of Wu Juemin, the grief and anger in An Qiwen¡¯s heart erupted like a dormant volcano. His voice trembled a bit.


    The woman pressed the play button from across the holographic display, and the looped video restarted once more.


    ¡°Do you know these people?¡±


    An Qiwen focused, carefully identifying each figure. ¡°Song Ke, Xu Xing, and two others I¡¯ve seen at U-Lab, named Lin Youyou and Su Cha¡­¡±


    As for Fang Zhixu, whom he hadn¡¯t met, and the one not appearing in the frame, Lu Xiaoyu, An Qiwen naturally couldn¡¯t recognize them.


    He suddenly thought of something but wasn¡¯t sure if that person could be considered a member of V587. After all, at the end of the day, it was challenging for awakeners and ordinary people to form a team based on mutual trust. They might have gone their separate ways a long time ago.


    ¡°At that time, there was another person with Song Ke, a wheelchair-bound individual who claimed to be a senior maintenance engineer for the Weather Mimicry System.


    ¡°His name is Zhuang Qingyan,¡± An Qiwen answered truthfully.


    ¡°What did you say¡­?¡±


    ¡°Zhuang Qingyan.¡±


    ¡°Did he say that¡¯s his name?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± An Qiwen was somewhat puzzled by the woman¡¯s reaction but answered decisively, ¡°We verified his credentials, and he indeed came from the Qinglan Research Institute. His work ID bears the name Zhuang Qingyan.¡±


    The office fell into a dead silence.


    After a while, a soft sigh echoed in the room.


    Dim moonlight outside shone onto the desk, accidentally illuminating the heading of the boarding pass:


    ¡°Respected General Xie Lan, we sincerely invite you to Utopia¡­¡±

 Chapter 155: Fire Seed (25)

    ¡ò Reward in Advance ¡ò¡°It¡¯s ridiculous!!!¡± The roar of Ye Zimei echoed through the communication, shaking the eardrums of those in the compartment.


    Song Ke quickly adjusted the volume down.


    This upright third-generation official was obviously shocked by their audacious operation, and her voice trembled as she spoke:


    ¡°You¡­ the dignified S7 level, an all-A awakener team, how could you, how could you do something like stealing a starship?!¡±


    ¡°It was Zhuang Qingyan who said that borrowing and returning doesn¡¯t count as stealing¡­¡± Xu Xing muttered softly, betraying his teammate without loyalty.


    Ye Zimei heard it and immediately retorted, ¡°That¡¯s still ¡®committing a crime and getting away with it.¡¯ At most, it¡¯s considered voluntary surrender. Besides, did you return it?¡±


    ¡°Last time, we did return it.¡± Captain Song, with a sense of responsibility, stepped forward and sincerely admitted, ¡°This time, there was a small accident.¡±


    The energy source of that starship had been absorbed by the ascending utopia, and its main body had long been reduced to debris in the underwater vortex.


    ¡°What?! There was a last time?!¡± Ye Zimei was almost out of breath.


    ¡°¡­¡± Song Ke sighed, guiltily covering his mouth.


    Ye Zimei earnestly advised, ¡°If you need a starship, you can tell me. I can help you apply.¡±


    Lin Youyou sarcastically commented, ¡°By the time the approval process of your Awakener Department is completed, the dishes would have been cold.¡±


    Ye Zimei choked up. The starship was the most advanced flying terminal in the Alliance, with all public routes fully automated. However, for private travel with an undetermined route, it required a specially trained pilot, and the application process was very lengthy. Sometimes, waiting for a schedule could take half a month.


    ¡°You can¡¯t steal either¡­¡± Ye Zimei sighed weakly. ¡°Forget it, forget it. I¡¯ll handle the damaged starship for you. I¡¯ll also apply for another private one for you. Without a pilot, the approval process can be much faster. With my grandfather supporting you, you can take the backdoor route¡­¡±


    ¡°Miss Ye, how is the progress of the laboratory you mentioned earlier?¡± Zhuang Qingyan suddenly spoke up.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve already arranged it. Once you land, Bai Qi will take you there. Don¡¯t worry, this time, no one dares to kidnap you.¡± Ye Zimei vaguely knew that Song Ke had some health issues, and the conflict with He Qiuhong was also related to this.


    When Zhuang Qingyan proposed having a separate laboratory, she didn¡¯t ask much and readily agreed, efficiently arranging the location in less than a day.


    Song Ke made a ¡°magnanimus old man¡± gesture on the opposite side.


    Zhuang Qingyan understood and said, ¡°Thank you then. After we handle our current affairs, we will go to see General Ye at the earliest opportunity.¡±


    After ending the communication, his gaze dropped. It had been over 24 hours since Song Ke grew a snake tail. During this time, they tried various methods, intentionally frightening, stimulating with awakened energy, and even having Su Cha cut Song Ke¡¯s tail with a knife, but it still wouldn¡¯t revert.


    Afterward, they were sternly educated by Fang Zhixu who criticized them for acting recklessly just because they had a healer and Song Ke could self-heal her wounds.


    However, for Song Ke, these signs of transformation were very dangerous. Genes also had their own awareness. If they considered the existence of a snake tail as normal and solidified it, the consequences would be unimaginable. Zhuang Qingyan urgently wanted to take her for a recovery experiment.


    Although, theoretically, he could handle this matter independently, he didn¡¯t dare to take the risk with Song Ke. After pondering for a moment, he tapped out another communication.


    ¡­


    The next morning, the groggy-eyed group heard good news. Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s submitted explanatory report smoothly passed the supplier audit, and the rewards for the S-level commission came belatedly.


    Whether it was shutting down the weather simulation system, killing the armored sea turtle, or investigating the truth behind the disappearance of the Elderly People¡¯s Nation, V587 played a crucial role. They became the biggest winners of this mission, receiving a substantial amount of points, totaling several million!


    As for the ranking that Song Ke was most concerned about, V587 finally made a breakthrough. From the awkward position of neither high nor low, they leaped to the 52nd place in the Northern Base and the 1314th place in the New Asia Alliance.


    *


    Five days later.


    Outside the perimeter of the Northern Base, at the Starship Port of Qianzhan City.


    No matter when, this place was always bustling with people. Those who wanted to join District B hurriedly moved about, and the enthusiastic shouts of intermediaries echoed continuously.


    Seven people, including Song Ke, descended from the starship and quickly blended into the crowd in the dim night.


    They purposely chose to disembark at the previous station to avoid coinciding with Tustan. In case the enthusiastic father-daughter duo, Yin Xiao and Jennifer, had any sudden suggestions for extending their involvement, it would be troublesome.


    Upon leaving the station, Lin Youyou turned around, the lower half of her face securely hidden behind a mask: ¡°Let¡¯s head back to the apartment first.¡±


    After Yang Xiaobo¡¯s video spread, V587 was well-known throughout the Northern Base. It was better for them to keep a low profile.


    Lu Xiaoyu waved his mechanical arm and joked, ¡°I hope the captain comes back with more legs than now.¡±


    Song Ke had developed a resistance to his sarcastic remarks, ¡°I¡¯ll try my best, try my best.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan pushed Song Ke towards Bai Qi and walked towards him. Seeing the change in the person sitting in the wheelchair, Bai Qi seemed unfazed.


    The two got into a floating car. With V587¡¯s newfound fame, if they were ordinary people, there would surely be some gossip and inquiries about inside information. However, Bai Qi remained silent throughout the journey to the destination.


    It wasn¡¯t until the two got off the car that he finally spoke, surprisingly, ¡°Do you need me to wait for you?¡±


    ¡°No need, thank you,¡± Song Ke politely replied.


    Bai Qi hesitated for a moment, breaking his usual silence, ¡°Miss Ye has bought this place, and I have already removed the surveillance inside.¡±


    In other words, whatever they did in the laboratory would not be discovered.


    Song Ke gave a mental thumbs-up to Ye Zimei, appreciating her generosity. She had only mentioned ¡°connecting¡± them with the laboratory, but unexpectedly, she went ahead and directly bought it.


    After bidding farewell to Bai Qi, Zhuang Qingyan entered the password provided by Ye Zimei, and the main door opened slowly. The two took the elevator down to the basement.


    With no one else around, Song Ke let loose completely. Sliding down from the wheelchair, her long tail covered the corridor as she moved forward silently.


    Clattering sounds echoed in the spacious corridor, only the sound of Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s footsteps, slowly following behind Song Ke, trying not to step on her.


    However, Song Ke was used to walking on two legs. During the days on the starship, she had been curled up in the compartment without a chance to practice the S-shaped balance of a crawling creature. Without taking a few steps, she fell face down on the ground.


    Ouch! Tears welled up in Song Ke¡¯s eyes as she hummed while covering her nose. Suddenly, a pair of long legs appeared in front of her.


    Zhuang Qingyan half-squatted down, his hands around her back, attempting to lift her up. Song Ke felt embarrassed, ¡°I can get up by myself!¡±


    Her fingertips touched the ground, trying to stand up on her own, but the floor was too slippery, and her snake tail kept slithering, and she twisted and fluttered from side to side as soon as she stood up.


    Snap! A crisp slap sounded, and Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s gold-rimmed glasses fell to the ground.


    Song Ke looked at the clear red mark on his face, ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    The laboratory was silent, and the polished floor reflected the glaring light overhead.


    Zhuang Qingyan, with lowered eyes, couldn¡¯t see his expression clearly, but anyone could guess that this young master had never been slapped across the face.


    Feeling guilty, Song Ke wished she could hide in the floor, ¡°Sorry¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Zhuang Qingyan sighed and simply sat down on the floor, ¡°Song Ke, let¡¯s talk.¡±


    Song Ke sat up straight, ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Epigenetics, do you know about it?¡±


    Song Ke looked puzzled, using her eyes to convey, ¡®Do I look like I know?¡¯


    Zhuang Qingyan helped her adjust her hair and naturally switched to a more straightforward explanation, ¡°In simple terms, there are significant differences in chromosome number and genome sequence between different species. Even for the same DNA sequence, tiny changes in regulatory mechanisms can have a significant impact on gene expression.¡±


    Song Ke nodded and shifted forward, hands on the ground, attentively listening.


    Without a change in expression, Zhuang Qingyan subtly moved his knee, conveniently encircling her.


    ¡°After entering the New Era, the human genome sequencing progress has reached 100%. This also means that, compared to other organisms, our DNA chain is more transparent and complete. However, you are different. About 16% of your genes are unknown.¡±


    Song Ke hesitated and nodded.


    ¡°Although the homology between humans and snakes is 85%, a normal person won¡¯t suddenly turn into a snake without artificial intervention¡­ Not even half a snake. Do you understand?¡±


    Song Ke closed her mouth in frustration and continued nodding.


    ¡°So, I suspect that you¡­¡± Zhuang Qingyan didn¡¯t finish his sentence. He stared at the girl in front of him, falling into an unusual silence.


    ¡°You suspect that I am an experimental subject,¡± Song Ke raised her head, calmly completing his sentence for him.


    Zhuang Qingyan was momentarily stunned, not expecting Song Ke to voice this conclusion herself.


    Song Ke wasn¡¯t naive. Ever since Zhuang Qingyan saw the complete report on her awakened energy, he had worn a heavy expression. After experiencing so much post-apocalypse, being exposed to so much, could he truly be unaware of her abnormality? No, in fact, she had a faint premonition.


    This premonition received irrefutable confirmation when she inexplicably grew a snake tail.


    Zhuang Qingyan nodded slightly, ¡°I suspect you were once involved in a genetic fusion experiment, but you have no related memories. So, we cannot determine the specific location, time, operator, and how to decode it. We need to decode those unknown genes.¡±


    ¡°Decoding? Do you know how?¡± Song Ke blinked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Zhuang Qingyan held her hand and slowly brought it close to his forehead, ¡°Here, it contains all the data about genetic experiments, precise to every log, every sequence, every experience of success or failure.¡±


    ¡°As long as we can detect those unknown sequences, I can figure out your origin and find a more stable way for you.¡±


    Actually, Zhuang Qingyan had deeper concerns in his heart, but before confirming, he decided not to tell Song Ke.


    ¡°What exactly do I need to do for the experiment?¡± Song Ke extended her fingertip and lightly poked his forehead.


    ¡°You need to attach sensors, inject drugs, undergo instrument checks, and¡­ there might be slight radiation,¡± Zhuang Qingyan explained.


    Song Ke impatiently flicked her tail tip, ¡°I don¡¯t like being locked up.¡±


    The previous experience of excessive radiation was too terrible. She deeply disliked the confined and narrow capsule chamber.


    Zhuang Qingyan pinched her cheeks and shook them, ¡°I won¡¯t lock you up, absolutely not.¡±


    He suddenly smiled, and ripples appeared in his profound eyes, ¡°To be honest, even though I have abundant theoretical knowledge, this will be my first time conducting a real experiment. In order to ensure a smooth process, can you¡­¡±


    ¡°Can I what?¡± Song Ke asked unclearly.


    ¡°¡­Can you give me a reward in advance?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan murmured almost inaudibly, his light-colored eyes filled with a teasing smile, and his handsome face seemed to sparkle.


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Song Ke¡¯s heart skipped a beat, not fully understanding, but somehow, her blood circulation suddenly accelerated, rushing to the top of her head.


    Their posture was already somewhat ambiguous, with Song Ke nestled between Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s parted legs. So when he slowly lowered his head, and his slightly cool lips covered hers, Song Ke had nowhere to escape. The snake tail instinctively moved and subconsciously wrapped around Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s waist!


    It was a light touch with a hint of Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s aura, like delicate butterfly wings.


    At first, it was a shallow exploration, drifting and meandering on her lips. Gradually, the mild coolness turned into warmth, and the demanding force became stronger. Then, a faint and teasing laughter echoed, ¡°Silly¡­ open your mouth.¡±


    The thumping heartbeat was deafening, goosebumps erupted on Song Ke¡¯s back, and she was stunned in place, not knowing how to resist. Her fingers curled, and the long snake tail tightened involuntarily, even the scales couldn¡¯t help but stretch.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s palm slid from her cheek to the back of her head, about to deepen the moment ¡ª


    ¡°The instrument is calibrated. What are you two doing, still not coming in?¡±


    A sudden voice echoed at the end of the corridor.


    The enchanting atmosphere between the two abruptly came to a halt. Zhuang Qingyan closed his eyes, and his forehead throbbed heavily.


    Seeing the newcomer clearly, Song Ke widened her eyes, pushed Zhuang Qingyan away in an instant, and swung her tail, wrapping it around the person¡¯s neck.


    Ning Rong¡¯s face turned as red as a pig liver, his feet off the ground, choking out a thunderous cough, ¡°Cough, cough, cough, cough, cough!¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan, with his back to the two, pulled his hair back and let out a deep sigh, ¡°Song Ke, I asked him to come.¡±


    Song Ke loosened her grip on Ning Rong slightly, keeping a vigilant gaze on him. If Ning Rong made any inappropriate moves, she was ready to take action.


    Zhuang Qingyan awkwardly moved his knee, and in a low, throaty voice, he said with a hint of gritted teeth, ¡°Dr. Ning, my mood is exceptionally bad right now. Explain yourself.¡±


    s?a??h th? N???lFire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 156: Fire Seed (26)

    ¡ò Wildcat ¡òNing Rong still had that serious appearance of sleep deprivation, with white streaks in his temples, looking tired. His drooping eyes fixed on the snake tail on Song Ke:


    ¡°I know you harbor hatred towards me, but today¡­ cough, I am not your enemy.¡±


    He covered his bruised neck, his voice hoarse and dry: ¡°Cough¡­ this kid and I made a deal, he asked me to come here tonight as his experimental assistant.¡±


    For someone like Ning Rong, a giant in his field, serving as an assistant to a nobody like Zhuang Qingyan? Saying it out loud would probably drop the jaws of everyone who heard it.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you from He Qiuhong?¡± Song Ke narrowed her eyes, expressing doubt about his words.


    Just as Ning Rong was about to speak, a sudden chill ran down his back, a cold sensation as if he were being stared at by a crawling creature. He raised his head slightly, and vertical pupils appeared in Song Ke¡¯s eyes, indicating that her transformation was deepening.


    ¡°I belong to no one,¡± Ning Rong sighed, ¡°He Qiuhong wanted my research results, so she provided money and equipment. I need a team and space for independent experiments, so I temporarily accepted her protection. In the end, we¡¯re just in a mutually beneficial relationship. That time before, I suggested her to bring you here, but I didn¡¯t expect her to use such an aggressive approach.¡±


    ¡°He Qiuhong is skilled in political tactics but knows nothing about academics. She thought I wanted to use you for human experiments, like those mutated zombies, but she was wrong.¡± There was a certain fanaticism in Ning Rong¡¯s eyes as he took a step forward involuntarily. ¡°Since I saw your awakener report, I had a premonition. Your ability to withstand strong radiation will be the key to my breakthrough in research.¡±


    People involved in research are not quite normal to begin with, and Ning Rong¡¯s persistence and madness surpassed that of ordinary people.


    Suddenly, Song Ke raised her hand and threw a blue flying knife, nailing Ning Rong¡¯s shoe tip, causing him to stumble and fall to the ground with a ¡°plop.¡±


    ¡°Ning Rong, she is not your experimental subject,¡± Zhuang Qingyan slowly stood up, picked up his glasses and put them on, giving a cold warning.


    ¡°¡­I understand. I promised you I wouldn¡¯t have any ideas about her again, but you better keep your word too,¡± Ning Rong seemed quite wary of him.


    ¡°Why did you look for him?¡± Song Ke, displeased, bumped her head against Zhuang Qingyan.


    ¡°Sorry, I¡­¡± Zhuang Qingyan straightforwardly admitted his mistake, but his tone was somewhat hesitant.


    Ning Rong, leaning against the wall, awkwardly spoke, ¡°Anti-genetic experiments are extremely dangerous. If any step goes wrong, it could spiral out of control. This kid doesn¡¯t have full confidence, and he was afraid you might get hurt, so he had to find someone to assist.¡±


    Song Ke was momentarily stunned, recalling Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s mention of the ¡°first time.¡± Just as she was feeling disoriented, she almost overlooked this statement.


    Does Zhuang Qingyan also have times when he¡¯s uncertain? He always seemed indifferent, as if he had everything under control. Could it be that because she was the subject of the experiment, he dared not take any risks?


    Ning Rong exerted force with both hands, finally pulling out the flying knife that had pierced through the tip of his shoe, and handed it back to Song Ke, saying, ¡°And I, I have participated in the ¡®Fire Seed¡¯ and ¡®Eternal Life¡¯ projects before. The current research topic is also closely related to genetic engineering. Among the living geneticists in the entire Alliance, you won¡¯t find anyone with more experience and suitability than me.¡±


    ¡°Furthermore, I am still a member of the Qinglan Research Institute. When he was a child, I even¡­¡±


    ¡°Dr. Ning, there¡¯s no need for some of this nonsense,¡± Zhuang Qingyan interrupted.


    Ning Rong waved his hand, ¡°Okay, your situation can¡¯t be delayed. Come in quickly.¡±


    Song Ke stared at him warily without moving.


    Ning Rong sighed again, ¡°Even if you don¡¯t believe me, shouldn¡¯t you trust this kid beside you? I promise, whatever happens here tonight, no fourth person will know.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan quickly wrote an ¡®S¡¯ in Song Ke¡¯s palm.


    Song Ke instantly understood and nodded silently. Even though Ning Rong was just an ordinary person, he dared to come here alone, facing two S-level awakeners. The risks he had to bear were much greater, considering that they could easily kill him with their abilities.


    Song Ke swayed her tail, not very proficiently maneuvering through the corridor. The three entered the interior of the laboratory.


    Without paying attention to the sealed capsule compartments, Zhuang Qingyan chose the most spacious examination room and brought over the necessary instruments.


    The room had a constant, slightly cool temperature. Zhuang Qingyan deliberately dimmed the light, making it bright but not glaring. Then, he brought out a soft leather reclining chair, removed the restraints on it, and with a single push from Song Ke¡¯s hand, she jumped onto it. Her tail coiled up halfway, with the remaining sharp end hanging down to the floor.


    On the spacious and messy experimental table, various instruments were arranged. Ning Rong was about to operate the equipment when Zhuang Qingyan stopped him, saying, ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    He lowered his gaze, quickly recalling relevant information in his mind. Frowning slightly at the center of his eyebrows, he seemed unsure of where to start.


    Ning Rong pursed his lips and couldn¡¯t help but remind him, ¡°Start by operating the blood centrifuge, draw serum, take 400cc from each hand¡­¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan retorted coldly, ¡°Why do you need so much? It doesn¡¯t hurt if I don¡¯t take yours, does it? Running a lap with 400cc is enough.¡±


    Ning Rong¡¯s lips twitched. He thought, ¡°You¡¯re not like your genius father. Can you ensure there¡¯s no loss when dealing with such a delicate matter?¡± After all, he still needed replenishment.


    But, Zhuang Qingyan indeed made no mistakes. He was more precise and skilled than the assistant who had been with him for four or five years. Ning Rong had nothing to say.


    Sensors covered Song Ke¡¯s tail, and she curiously poked at them. Zhuang Qingyan came over with a syringe, saying, ¡°Are you afraid of drawing blood?¡±


    Song Ke shook her head, rolled up her sleeve, and confidently extended her arm.


    Zhuang Qingyan carefully drew exactly 400cc, his movements delicate and gentle. As soon as he pulled out the needle and was about to apply the hemostatic cotton, the wound had already healed.


    His fingers holding the cotton froze, ¡°¡­¡±


    Song Ke chuckled.


    His actions were too slow; her second ability had already taken effect.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s expression remained unchanged. He casually handed over the cotton, ¡°Press it yourself, don¡¯t bleed back.¡±


    Song Ke suppressed her laughter and cooperatively said, ¡°Sure.¡±


    The results of the blood routine came out quickly, showing that Song Ke¡¯s life indicators were basically normal. Zhuang Qingyan lowered his head to control the gene spectrometer, entered the decryption program, and patiently waited for the results by comparing them in the vast database.


    Ning Rong, who was observing on the side, sighed silently. This guy had a vacant expression, hands in his pockets. Did he not know he should be recording the critical waveband data?


    Opening a holographic screen, Ning Rong diligently started assisting, all the while bringing up another topic, ¡°Last time you asked me whether my research is about the ¡®Fire Seed¡¯ or the ¡®Eternal Life Plan.''¡± S?a??h th? N?v?l(F)ire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Zhuang Qingyan glanced at him, ¡°I told you I¡¯m not interested.¡±


    ¡°Neither.¡± Ning Rong answered on his own, ¡°Neither of them¡­ I¡¯m researching a third kind.¡±


    Song Ke, with a silver helmet-like device on her head, looked like she was getting her hair done, ¡°What¡¯s the difference between Fire Seed and Eternal Life?¡±


    She never quite understood the relationship between the two. Whenever Zhuang Qingyan and Lin Xiu talked about the ¡°Fire Seed,¡± they seemed fine, but there was never a good expression when the ¡°Eternal Life Plan¡± was mentioned.


    Ning Rong explained, ¡°Fire Seed is a gene project independently developed by Qinglan, with Vincent as its core. The initial purpose was to make human genes stabilize through selective fusion, thereby reducing the occurrence of diseases and extending the average lifespan.¡±


    ¡°Less sickness, longer life, right?¡± Song Ke nodded, somewhat understanding. It sounded good, and her body was particularly strong, never falling ill.


    ¡°When I joined, a year late and still not part of the core team, the Loak accident erupted. The Fire Seed project went bankrupt, and the Alliance reclaimed all related research permissions.¡±


    ¡°And the Eternal Life Plan is a gene project 2.0 launched by the Alliance later,¡± Ning Rong¡¯s mouth drooped, ¡°Their ambitions were too great. They not only wanted eternal life but also to awaken powerful abilities in humans. However, the condition was that all results would only serve a specific elite group.¡±


    ¡°The original intention of Fire Seed was completely distorted, and since the Eternal Life Plan involved biological experiments, I withdrew.¡±


    ¡°And my research is 3.0. As the apocalypse approaches, the first batch of selections is completed, and the evolution of awakeners has become a certainty. As long as I find the optimal gene ratio and radiation threshold on this basis, I can make everyone, no, all awakeners¡­¡± Ning Rong became more and more excited as he spoke.


    ¡°What, is He Qiuhong complaining that her life is not long enough?¡± Zhuang Qingyan sneered coldly.


    He Qiuhong appeared fair and just on the surface, but deep down, she considered herself superior and was an extremely selfish utilitarian. To consolidate her position, she secretly supported Ning Rong¡¯s research, which seemed reasonable.


    Ning Rong shook his head, ¡°I¡¯m not speaking for He Qiuhong, but what she does might not necessarily be for herself. As you know, that person¡¯s health isn¡¯t very good, especially this year¡­ relying entirely on an S-level constitution. My research has been stagnant, and she can¡¯t sit still.¡±


    That person¡­ Song Ke blinked. Ning Rong was probably talking about General Ye Zheng, right?


    General Ye¡¯s health had deteriorated to this extent?


    ¡°Beep, beep.¡±


    During the conversation, the spectrometer displayed the results.


    Zhuang Qingyan focused his gaze, ¡°It¡¯s similar to what I thought. This is not an ordinary snake gene; it¡¯s the Hook Snake.¡±


    The Hook Snake, a mythical creature in ancient texts of the old civilization, with a length of over twenty meters, amphibious, and possessing a forked and highly poisonous tail, used to capture and prey on humans and livestock.


    ¡°Why would it be a Hook Snake?¡± Ning Rong was surprised. ¡°This is a replicated gene.¡±


    Replicated genes refer to those extinct creatures in the natural world, resurrected through artificial recombination. The original samples of these genes are extremely precious and are kept by specialized organizations. Ning Rong vaguely remembered it was called ¡°Tianyi¡± or ¡°Zhengyi.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure about other organizations, but Qinglan has bulk-purchased replicated genes. At least forty-seven branches, including U¡ªLab, have preserved copies of the samples,¡± Zhuang Qingyan accurately reported the number.


    Ning Rong glanced at him, ¡°Your brain works well.¡±


    After thinking for a moment, Ning Rong said, ¡°Replicated genes are not easy to eliminate. Restoring them to normal requires using reverse radiation stimulation, which can temporarily make them recede.¡±


    ¡°What are the values?¡± Zhuang Qingyan asked.


    ¡°15-20%, I guess. Snake gene activity is very low. Oh, by the way, adjust the radiation intensity next door,¡± Ning Rong said.


    Zhuang Qingyan stood up. Just before leaving, he coldly warned, ¡°Don¡¯t touch the instruments.¡±


    Once Zhuang Qingyan walked away, Ning Rong lowered his voice and complained, ¡°His face does look like Old Zhuang, and his temper is exactly like his mother¡¯s.¡±


    Song Ke moved her ears, ¡°Mother?¡±


    She had never heard Zhuang Qingyan mention his parents.


    Ning Rong flipped through the holographic screen without much attention, ¡°A group of bandits stormed into the laboratory back then, wanting to take him away. That¡¯s when we found out that this kid had actually skipped school in Liuponi, ran over to help Old Zhuang, and even lied to him, saying it was a holiday. It infuriated Old Zhuang¡­¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan had such a black history?! Song Ke listened with relish, but she suddenly realized something, ¡°Bandits?¡±


    ¡°Under his mother¡¯s command, a group of tall soldiers in military uniforms, all of them awakeners. Back then, awakeners were highly valued. Using them to catch truant children was simply a waste of resources,¡± Ning Rong lamented.


    Awakeners¡­ tall soldiers¡­ military¡­


    Song Ke looked at Ning Rong in silence. This person hadn¡¯t even realized how shocking his words were.


    Slap! Song Ke¡¯s snake tail once again tightened around his neck, exerting a bit more force.


    ¡°Stop talking. You¡¯re not allowed to talk about him, anything at all.¡±


    ¡°Not a word!¡±


    ¡­


    When Zhuang Qingyan returned, the examination room fell silent. Ning Rong stayed far away, and the bruise on his neck seemed to have deepened in color.


    He didn¡¯t pay it much attention. After adjusting the values, Zhuang Qingyan pulled down the partition board, blocking Ning Rong outside, and went inside to accompany Song Ke while observing her condition.


    Even with 15% excess radiation, ordinary people couldn¡¯t endure it, but an S-level could persist for a while.


    Leaning against the countertop, Zhuang Qingyan looked down at Song Ke, ¡°The reverse radiation test will emit different wavelengths. We need to find the segment that can stimulate you to revert.¡±


    Song Ke nodded, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Faint radiation surrounded the two, and each time the wavelength changed, Zhuang Qingyan would remind her.


    Twenty minutes later, Song Ke¡¯s snake tail twitched, and the scales began to fade.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s eyes curved slightly, but he suddenly thought of something, and his smile disappeared abruptly.


    Swiftly, he pulled out a blanket from space and covered Song Ke entirely. After a while, two little feet appeared at the edge of the blanket.


    ¡°It turned back!¡± Song Ke¡¯s muffled voice came out, and her toes moved flexibly.


    Zhuang Qingyan turned his back, looking somewhat unnatural. ¡°Song Ke, put on your¡­ pants first.¡±


    Rustling sounds followed, and Song Ke urged, ¡°Okay, okay, look at it quickly!¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan slowly turned around, and Song Ke was joyfully examining her legs, happily touching them.


    He raised a faint smile. She had finally returned to normal.


    Ning Rong, who didn¡¯t know what was happening inside, knocked on the protective glass from outside. ¡°Hey, come out and take a look.¡±


    The radiation was turned off, the partition board raised, and Zhuang Qingyan returned to the instrument. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Ning Rong¡¯s expression was very serious as he pointed to the instrument screen, ¡°Look, this is the Hook Snake¡¯s wavelength. It has weakened, but there are new curves here. Roughly estimating, there are a total of four segments.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s eyelids twitched. New wavelengths meant¡­ new unknown genes.


    Inside the room, Song Ke¡¯s nose suddenly itched, and she sneezed, ¡°Ah-choo!!¡±


    Then she saw the sensors on the ¡°hair steaming machine¡±.


    They shone, swaying on top of her head.


    Song Ke¡¯s gaze gradually fixed, and an inexplicable longing surged within her. It was as if she was deeply drawn to something. Her hands curved delicately, pressing lightly on the ground, her body¡¯s center of gravity lowered, but her waist and hips raised high. The muscles in her calves were tense, resembling an agile feline, with faint brown spots appearing on her skin.


    Then, her two ears moved gently.


    As Zhuang Qingyan raised his head, he noticed her abnormality and had a bad premonition, ¡°Song Ke¡ª!¡±


    Startled, Song Ke¡¯s pointed ears stood up instantly!


    With a thud, she leaped, jumping a full six meters high, reaching out to grab the swaying sensor while simultaneously smashing through the ceiling.


    Lime and debris fell down, dust filled the examination room, and Zhuang Qingyan weakly covered his face.


    On the spectrometer, the analysis of the second unknown gene coincidentally appeared¡ªa wildcat.


    This was the highest jumping and most ferocious wildcat in the natural world.


    Song Ke cautiously peeked half of her head through the hole she had created. She had completely lost control of her physiological reactions, just wanting to grab the shiny thing.


    Crack¡ªseveral more pieces of rubble fell, hitting the ground near Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s feet. He looked up and locked eyes with Song Ke.


    Song Ke¡¯s eyes were innocent, and reflexively, she meowed.

 Chapter 157: Fire Seed (27)

    ¡ò I Couldn¡¯t Become a Saint (End of Fire Seed Arc) ¡ò¡°Come down,¡± he said.


    The room was filled with smoke, making it difficult for Zhuang Qingyan to breathe. He raised his hand and loosened the collar around his throat.


    Knowing she had caused trouble, Song Ke shrank into the hole, revealing only half of her furry head.


    Zhuang Qingyan realized his tone was too harsh and quickly lowered his voice, coaxing, ¡°Be good, I won¡¯t be mad at you. Come down quickly.¡±


    Who could bear to scold a little cat, even if it was a stray cat?


    Song Ke cautiously peeked out half of her body, scrutinizing Zhuang Qingyan with suspicion. Then, her spine flexed softly, and she landed silently on the ground, as if she had plushy paw pads. She still held a shiny sensor in her hand.


    Luckily, the laboratory was underground, and Song Ke only broke through one layer of the ceiling. Otherwise, if people passing by outside saw it, it would be in the news. However, the newly purchased lab was now in a mess due to this incident, and it was inevitable that there would be a scolding from Ye Zimei.


    Zhuang Qingyan lowered his gaze to inspect Song Ke. The spots on Song Ke¡¯s body had mostly faded away. Although her limbs were thin, they were covered with a thin layer of muscle, making her look no different from before. The performance of the wildcat gene this time was significantly different from the hook snake gene, only inheriting biological characteristics with no external alien changes.


    Because Song Ke broke the power lines, some equipment had stopped running, including the gene spectrum analyzer. Zhuang Qingyan used the remaining instruments to conduct a rough examination and found that her vital signs had returned to the normal level of a typical awakener.


    ¡°From the results, the performance of the wildcat gene is more stable.¡± Ning Rong¡¯s throat was hoarse. He glanced at the spectrum analyzer because of the power interruption, and the decoding of the two genes behind was not successful. ¡°I suggest maintaining the current situation, waiting for the hook snake gene to become recessive, and then switching to other frequency bands.¡±


    ¡°If you want to clarify the DNA structure in her body, you must consider the issues of solidification and radiation. It¡¯s best to have intervals of more than a week between each experiment.¡±


    The unknown genes in Song Ke¡¯s body were like opening a blind box; you never knew what would come out next. If something stable, like the wildcat, was revealed, it was okay. However, if something as highly transformed as the hook snake emerged, it could potentially affect their actions for some time.


    After all, reverse radiation would cause irreversible damage to the human magnetic field, which even awakeners couldn¡¯t endure continuously; they had to take it slow.


    ¡°Here, this is the data from the just now frequency. I¡¯ve organized it for you.¡± Ning Rong handed over the light screen.


    ¡°No need,¡± Zhuang Qingyan glanced at it and casually refused, ¡°I¡¯ve memorized it.¡±


    Ning Rong frowned, showing clear disagreement. ¡°Don¡¯t joke around. The matter of the experiment cannot be taken lightly. A small mistake¡­¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan smoothly reported a string of data, and Ning Rong immediately realized that it was the log of the crucial decoding points. He flipped to the corresponding lines on the screen, finding that they were accurate down to the last detail.


    Though he had heard about it earlier, witnessing it with his own eyes was still unbelievable. This guy¡¯s memory was simply extraordinary!


    Ning Rong looked at him with an increasingly eager expression. ¡°My work is done. Will you keep your promise?¡±


    ¡°Is the current challenge for you the uncontrollability of excessive radiation?¡± Zhuang Qingyan asked.


    ¡°In high-dose radiation, after the double-strand DNA breaks and reconnects, there¡¯s a phenomenon of single-base pair mutation,¡± Ning Rong quickly explained. ¡°I remember that Old Zhuang led a specialized study in this area, in the 27th year? Or was it the 28th year?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan only took a few seconds to think. ¡°In the new calendar year 28, the second stage of the prospective experiment on Fire Seed, focusing on genetic mutation inheritance caused by radiation. I¡¯ll send you the relevant data.¡±


    During their conversation, Song Ke ran around cleaning up the scene, setting the overturned equipment back in place, pushing the leather recliner back, and diligently mopping the floor. Zhuang Qingyan helped with a few things, and after a simple cleanup, they were ready to leave.


    Ning Rong stopped him and, with a dry tone from his gritted teeth, said, ¡°You¡¯ve memorized all the content of that central hub, right? Even though I don¡¯t know how you did it, what about the rest of the Fire Seed data? Are you going to let it gather dust forever?¡±


    The air froze for a moment.


    ¡°The Fire Seed has already failed,¡± Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s tone remained steady. ¡°Those data have no significance.¡±


    As if a drop of water fell into hot oil, Ning Rong¡¯s eyes turned red, and his emotions erupted completely. ¡°How can it be meaningless? You don¡¯t understand the importance of the Fire Seed at all!¡±


    ¡°Even if it failed, which step failed and why it failed, all of that is valuable experience and accumulation. As long as it can be made public, why should so many of us, for so many years, blindly stumble forward? It¡¯s clearly something beneficial to all of humanity. If Old Zhuang were still here, he would definitely do it!¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan suddenly clenched his fists, his straight back becoming tense. He turned around, his expression on his face reaching the utmost indifference.


    ¡°¡ªSomething beneficial to all of humanity, what does it have to do with me?¡±


    Ning Rong froze.


    ¡°I¡¯m not him. I have low morals, am despicably selfish; I couldn¡¯t become a saint.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan lazily pocketed his hands, looking down at Ning Rong from his taller position. The light-colored eyes behind the lenses showed no warmth. ¡°Dr. Ning, the Fire Seed project has no meaning in replication. Whether you want to do version 3.0 or ¡®benefit all of humanity,¡¯ I sincerely advise you to ask your former colleagues for the Eternal Life Project data. From a common sense perspective, that direction might yield some results, unlike banging on a bamboo basket and fetching nothing.¡±


    Ning Rong was speechless for a moment, unable to find words.


    ¡°We¡¯re leaving, no need to send us off.¡± When Zhuang Qingyan turned around, he had already resumed his usual indifferent expression.


    ¡­


    On the way out of the laboratory, Song Ke silently gazed at the sharp jawline of the person next to her.


    Zhuang Qingyan lowered his head and met her gaze that she hadn¡¯t managed to divert in time. A hint of mockery flashed in his eyes. ¡°Did I startle you?¡±


    Song Ke shook her head. ¡°What you said, is it true?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan, a person who lied as naturally as he breathed, made it impossible for Song Ke to be certain about his true thoughts. But since he said he wouldn¡¯t lie to her, she might as well ask.


    ¡°Which sentence?¡± Zhuang Qingyan asked with interest.


    ¡°The one about ¡®all of humanity, not concerning you,''¡± Song Ke replied honestly.


    ¡°Of course it¡¯s true. Whoever wants to be a savior can be one. I, on the other hand, cannot.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan smiled brightly. ¡°I can¡¯t manage everyone, but just you alone is enough to make me worry.¡±


    He took Song Ke¡¯s hand, and their slender fingertips interlocked, turning into a gesture of intertwined fingers.


    ¡°A wildcat is something that can¡¯t settle down. I must keep an eye on you,¡± he said.


    Song Ke grimaced at him but didn¡¯t pull her hand away.


    ¡­


    In Qianzhan City, the two wore masks as they strolled through the bustling streets and alleys. Song Ke wore a hooded ensemble, a style that neither of them particularly liked.


    The night market was lively and bustling, with colorful flying cars soaring across the sky. The crowd enthusiastically discussed the rankings of awakeners in the Northern Base.


    They boarded a floating bus headed for the inner city, which had no driver inside, and even the passengers were sparse. After the bus departed, the cool night breeze blew in from the windows. The figures below gradually shrank, becoming tiny like ants.


    ¡°Let¡¯s visit Professor Ming and his wife tomorrow,¡± Zhuang Qingyan suddenly spoke.


    Song Ke calculated the date, realizing that tomorrow was Ming Gang and Lucia¡¯s wedding anniversary. ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°Remember to bring a bouquet of flowers,¡± Zhuang Qingyan patted her head.


    Ming Zhi¡¯s flowers had withered; someone should replace them. s?a??h th? ?ov?l?ir?.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    *


    A dedicated starship glided through the night sky and smoothly landed at the platform.


    Wearing a dark gray suit, He Qiuhong quickly walked out, her expression dignified, and a chilly wind followed her movements.


    The newly appointed administrative secretary followed closely behind. ¡°Director He, welcome back.¡±


    During the two weeks of her suspension, He Qiuhong went on a business trip, and no one knew exactly what she did.


    ¡°Four S-level awakeners will arrive tomorrow. Arrange their citizenship matters as soon as possible,¡± He Qiuhong said as she walked.


    ¡°Understood.¡± The secretary responded, feeling amazed. Since Zhigler was severely injured and Xi Ze dropped to A-level, the number of top-tier awakeners in the Northern Base had decreased drastically. Unexpectedly, after He Qiuhong¡¯s recent trip, she personally recruited four S-level awakeners. Her actions were quite significant.


    While walking briskly, He Qiuhong inquired about other matters, ¡°What¡¯s the recent situation in the base?¡±


    ¡°There¡­ um, V587 has returned,¡± the secretary reported nervously. ¡°They just killed a level-5 ferocious beast in the Endless Sea.¡±


    ¡°I already know about that, so what?¡± He Qiuhong interrupted.


    ¡°So¡­ from now on, their direct contact person is Senior Ye Zimei,¡± the secretary hesitated for a moment, then, with determination in her eyes, she said, ¡°It¡¯s a direct order from General Ye.¡±


    He Qiuhong paused for a moment, then continued forward as if nothing had happened. ¡°Whatever the General¡¯s order is, I will follow.¡±


    The secretary breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¡°How is the General¡¯s health recently?¡±


    The secretary scratched her head. How could she, a small administrative secretary, know about General Ye¡¯s health?


    He Qiuhong glanced at her. The new secretary wasn¡¯t handy, not sharp enough. She would have to be cultivated slowly.


    Taking a step forward, He Qiuhong looked down at the brightly lit city from a high vantage point. The Northern Base housed millions of high-level awakeners and countless civilians. It was the largest human settlement in the entire Alliance, also the safest fortress.


    Just like countless peaceful nights in the past.


    However, He Qiuhong knew that with the rise of Utopia, the tranquility after the apocalypse was being shattered.


    A storm was coming.


    ¡­


    Garden Apartments.


    The sound of the door opening caught the attention of the five people in the living room watching the news.


    ¡°Sister~¡± Xu Xing, who was quietly plucking black hair from Fang Zhixu¡¯s head, quickly stood up and hugged Song Ke¡¯s thigh. ¡°You¡¯re okay!¡±


    ¡°Any lingering effects?¡± Lin Youyou, with a face mask on, asked while taking the opportunity to touch Song Ke¡¯s waist.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Song Ke felt itchy and smiled as she dodged.


    Zhuang Qingyan followed behind. ¡°The situation has temporarily stabilized. Don¡¯t worry; I¡¯ll take her for regular check-ups.¡±


    ¡°What are you guys watching?¡± Song Ke asked curiously.


    Su Cha made room for her, and Song Ke tiptoed lightly to sit down.


    ¡°The news about Utopia has spread,¡± Lu Xiaoyu enlarged one of the screens.


    After a few days of fermenting, the Utopia incident had completely heated up. Over a dozen magistrates issued a joint statement, demanding an explanation from the Central Court. Various protest marches continued in different districts, and even violent incidents breaking through blockades occurred. Unfortunately, the flying terminals were ruthlessly shot down before approaching the floating city.


    Videos about Utopia spread like wildfire on the star network, overshadowing the popularity of V587 killing the Armored Sea Turtle.


    On the other hand, the existence of the floating city disrupted the ecological balance, leading to abrupt global climate changes, with coastal areas being the most affected.


    In Tokushima (District B16), three massive tsunamis occurred, and in Baishen (District B13), tornadoes ravaged, turning the city into ruins.


    On the ultra-clear projection, severe natural disasters engulfed several cities, and Song Ke¡¯s expression turned solemn.


    ¡°There¡¯s another bad news, but it seems like no one cares.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu brought up a screen from District C¡¯s terminal. ¡°The aggression of zombies and ferocious beasts in the lower-level districts has increased.¡±


    The tide of zombies became more frequent, and the ferocious beasts became more ferocious. The combat power of these post-apocalyptic creatures seemed to have invisibly strengthened.


    ¡°We¡¯re not sure if these effects are caused by Utopia, but the situation is very grim.¡±


    After discussing for a while, the seven people felt powerless against the current development trend of the Alliance. They could only take it step by step.


    ¡°Rest early, we¡¯ll go see General Ye tomorrow,¡± Song Ke decided.


    Yawning, she stood up and, passing by a row of lush potted plants, sneezed twice.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s a new variety brought by the AI property management. They say it¡¯s a feature of the Garden Apartments,¡± Lin Youyou casually replied.


    Song Ke¡¯s nose twitched, she sniffed lightly, and then felt the urge to sneeze again. She quickly moved away.


    A small fluorescent sign fell from the flowerpot, showing a warm reminder from the AI property management:


    [Silver Vine, a family of the ancient plant Kiwifruit. Be cautious if you have a cat at home.]


    ¡­


    In a half-dreamy state, Zhuang Qingyan felt something on his face, a small tongue, wet and filled with a lingering sense of attachment. His sleep was usually light, and he suddenly opened his eyes, reaching back to grab the person by the neck.


    ¡°Song¡­ Ke?¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s eyes were moist, with a few freckles appearing on the sides of her nose. Her two ears, for some reason, were swollen and red, possibly due to an allergy. She was lying on the bed, slowly lowering her head, licking Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s knuckles.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s pupils contracted, as if pricked by a needle, and he abruptly withdrew his hand!


    The door opened slightly, and Song Ke clearly sneaked in. Her habit of not knocking on the door couldn¡¯t be changed, but how did she end up on the bed this time?


    Zhuang Qingyan half-sat up, the sheet slipping down to his waist. He then realized something, quickly putting on a T-shirt, and looked down.


    Song Ke¡¯s condition was clearly not right. Could it be that the invisible gene had problems again?


    He reached out to feel the temperature on her forehead and cheeks. ¡°Where do you feel uncomfortable? Tell me.¡±


    Song Ke looked quietly at him, not saying a word. Suddenly, she burrowed into the duvet, rolled around intoxicatedly, and her small dimples on the cheek were filled with water, resembling ripples.


    Zhuang Qingyan: ¡°¡­¡± This didn¡¯t seem like discomfort; it seemed extremely comfortable.


    Carefully, he pulled up his legs, moved back, leaned against the bedhead, and realized something. He hurriedly put on a T-shirt, lowered his gaze, and looked at Song Ke¡¯s somewhat abnormal state.


    His hands went to touch her forehead and face¡¯s temperature. ¡°What¡¯s bothering you? Hmm? Tell me.¡±


    Song Ke rolled for a while, then on her own accord, snuggled up to him. Her eyelids were thin and reddened, and her lashes were filled with teary glimmers. She tightly hugged Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s narrow waist, rubbing back and forth on his faint abdominal muscles. Seemingly dissatisfied, she wriggled into his arms, sneezed lightly twice.


    Zhuang Qingyan felt like he was struck by lightning, and the joints of his fingers pressing on the bedsheet suddenly tightened. His hoarse voice changed, ¡°Song Ke!¡±


    Ignoring her, Song Ke, holding him tightly, mumbled indistinctly, then grabbed his hand and put it on her ear.


    Zhuang Qingyan frowned in silence, his eyes deep like a cold pond. Song Ke, urging him, touched his wrist again.


    Zhuang Qingyan clenched his fists, and the veins bulged out, joints making a ¡°crack, crack¡± sound. He tried to break free, but the strength of an S7-level awakener was no joke. Even if she was unconscious at the moment, he found it difficult to escape.


    After a while, Zhuang Qingyan stiffly moved his fingers, pinched the pair of reddened ears, and Song Ke made a comfortable purring sound in her throat, happily spreading her belly, finally quieting down.


    On the messy bed, the sheets were half-slipped, and Zhuang Qingyan sat motionless, mechanically rubbing the ears of the wildcat in his hands, one after another, with varying degrees of force.


    ¡­


    ¡°Let¡¯s go! Get ready to depart!¡±


    In the early morning, Song Ke stretched lazily, full of energy.


    ¡°Hey, Captain, you slept well yesterday.¡± Lin Youyou came out with a yawn, still half-asleep, completely lacking the self-awareness of a female celebrity.


    ¡°Yeah! Extremely well!¡± Song Ke¡¯s cheeks revealed a small dimple. It was the most sound sleep she had had in half a month. However, when she woke up, the corners of the quilt were tightly secured, and she struggled for a while before finally getting out.


    Shortly after, the members of V587 gathered one by one. Fang Zhixu looked around and muttered softly, ¡°Where¡¯s our Princess Zhuang?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan, with his strong obsession for cleanliness and various picky living requirements, earned himself the nickname ¡°Princess.¡± Of course, people only dared to call him that in private.


    Click.


    The bedroom door opened.


    Zhuang Qingyan, with a low mood and a dark face, came out. When he saw Song Ke, who had a pure and puzzled expression, his steps halted.


    His eyes were bloodshot, dark circles hung on his handsome face, destroying the elegance that was always on display.


    ¡°Did you not sleep well?¡± Song Ke showed concern.


    ¡°¡­Hmm.¡± Zhuang Qingyan was full of mixed emotions.


    Passing by the balcony, Zhuang Qingyan accurately picked up one of the potted plants, glanced at the nameplate, and coldly threw it into the trash bin.


    Silver Vine has long been known to elicit euphoric response in cats. The reaction to silver vine is similar to the response to catnip but appears to be more intense. Silver vine is an alternative to catnip, and many cats that do not react to catnip will respond positively to silver vine powder made from dried fruit galls. Typical behaviors include rolling, chin and cheek rubbing, drooling, and licking. The effect usually lasts between 5 and 30 minutes, but afterwards cats exhibit a refractory period lasting roughly an hour during which they are unresponsive to further dosage. ¨C Wiki

 Chapter 158.1: Key (1)

    ¡ò Crime Record Plus ¡òNorthern Base, General¡¯s Mansion.


    First time clueless, second time familiar. This time, they didn¡¯t need Bai Qi to pick them up; Song Ke and the other six went on their own.


    After passing the security check in the villa area, Ye Zimei stood at the door from afar to welcome them¡­ oh no, to question them with righteous anger.


    She had a day off today and wasn¡¯t wearing the Awakener Department uniform. Instead, she casually put on a summer outfit with her hands in her pockets. Seeing Song Ke, she scolded with a stern face, ¡°Captain Song, first stealing a starship, then blowing up the laboratory. What kind of demolition team is your V587?¡±


    Song Ke rubbed her hands nervously, ¡°Mistake, it was a mistake.¡±


    Ye Zimei roared in frustration, completely ignoring that she was facing an S7-level capable of single-handedly killing a level 5 beast, ¡°I stayed up for three nights! Looked through thousands of documents! Selected laboratories carefully! Right after passing the household registration, you ruined it for me. Does that make any sense?¡±


    ¡°N-no sense,¡± Song Ke¡¯s tone weakened, and after a few seconds of silence, she uncertainly asked, ¡°Do you want me to compensate?¡±


    As soon as the words were out, she immediately painedly covered her money bag. Her watery eyes looked at Ye Zimei, calculating how much it would cost. They had just become a bit prosperous, and now they had to go back to pre-liberation times?


    Seeing her acting stingy, Ye Zimei chuckled, ¡°No need for compensation. I still have some damage budget left. Can you please be more careful next time?¡±


    ¡°Got it, I understand.¡± Song Ke heard that she didn¡¯t have to pay, and her eyes curved into crescents.


    The group walked inside and met Bai Qi on the way, who nodded at them tersely.


    In the artificial garden, Ye Zheng set up a glass water tank in front of him. The old man was in high spirits, playing with a turtle. The turtle was upside down, stretching its neck out from the shell, trying hard to reach the ground. Slowly and leisurely, it turned over with Ye Zheng¡¯s slow and leisurely help.


    Turtle: ?


    Xu Xing, being a child at heart, couldn¡¯t help but snicker first, ¡°Pfft.¡±


    Ye Zheng seemed to have eyes on the back of his head, knowing it was them. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡±


    Song Ke subconsciously stood at attention, greeted with proper etiquette, ¡°General Ye.¡± The others also followed suit in greeting.


    Ye Zheng waved his hand, indicating they didn¡¯t need to be so formal, ¡°I watched the naval battle video of the Elderly People¡¯s Nation. Not bad, calm under pressure, brave and strategic. You are all promising fighters, especially Xiao Song.¡± He pointed at Song Ke, ¡°A born ¡®War God,¡¯ even my best adjutants back then couldn¡¯t compare to you.¡±


    Who was Ye Zheng? He was a seasoned general forged in the battles of half a century, and the number of people in the entire Alliance who could earn his praise was few. Song Ke blushed slightly, scratching her head in embarrassment.


    ¡°Bai Qi, you also watched the video. As a practitioner of ancient martial arts, what do you think of Xiao Song?¡±


    ¡°Very strong,¡± Bai Qi straightforwardly replied. Song Ke¡¯s combat style was clean and efficient, without any fancy or cumbersome moves. Coupled with her exceptional physical fitness, even Bai Qi admitted that he might not be able to match some of Song Ke¡¯s combat skills.


    ¡°Your techniques, are they from the orthodox school?¡± Bai Qi rarely spoke more than a sentence.


    Song Ke honestly shook her head, ¡°No, my master is named Zhang Ting, and we belong to the Yue Mountain Sect.¡±


    Zhang Ting was once a renowned martial arts master in the Alliance, but he retired too early, and Bai Qi, being under thirty, was unfamiliar with the name.


    Bai Qi nodded slightly, not pressing for more information.


    Ye Zheng casually rolled up his sleeves and beckoned to Song Ke, ¡°Xiao Song, since you¡¯re here, how about a little sparring?¡±


    Both being S-level, Song Ke didn¡¯t think much and readily agreed, ¡°Sure.¡±


    Ye Zimei, standing beside them, exclaimed in shock, ¡°Grandpa!!¡±


    Bai Qi¡¯s expression changed slightly as he stepped forward, ¡°General, it¡¯s not advisable.¡±


    Ye Zheng glanced at them lightly, and his imposing aura forced the two to retreat, ¡°What¡¯s the fuss? It¡¯s just a friendly match. I¡¯m not allowed to do this and that all day long. If I don¡¯t move my old bones a bit, they¡¯ll rust sooner or later.¡±


    The old man was determined to have a little bout with the only S7 in the Alliance, and no one could dissuade him. Ye Zimei huffed to the side.


    Ye Zheng then winked mischievously at Song Ke, ¡°Xiao Song, I¡¯m old, and my martial arts skills are not as good as yours. Can I use some abilities?¡±


    Lin Youyou used her ability to secretly transmit her voice to her, ¡°Song Ke, Princess Zhuang advises you to be careful. He says General Ye is an early awakener.¡±


    Early awakeners referred to those who awakened their abilities before the apocalypse. Usually, such awakeners would experience a significant improvement in their strength due to the secondary stimulation of the apocalypse radiation, easily overpowering others of the same level.


    Ye Zheng, having awakened his abilities after the apocalypse, was now over 90 years old, and even if he was S-level, his level wouldn¡¯t be too high.


    Song Ke belatedly realized that she had agreed too casually but now was in a dilemma, ¡°Oh.¡±


    Ye Zheng lowered his center of gravity, suddenly lifted his knee and sent a straight punch towards her throat. A domineering surge of awakened energy gushed out, causing Song Ke¡¯s legs to feel like a thousand pounds, freezing her in place. She was slightly surprised¡ªwas it a gravity-based ability?


    The glass water tank next to them shook, and the turtle, which was struggling to flip over, was impacted, spinning rapidly like a top.


    Turtle: ??


    As the fierce punch wind approached, Song Ke gritted her teeth, lifting one leg with difficulty and delivering a mid-air side kick! S?a?ch* Th? n0v?l(?)ire.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Ye Zheng, with excellent awareness, immediately shifted from offense to defense, blocking with both arms. After Song Ke completed her move, the gravitational ability erupted again, sweeping her lower body.


    The tilted glass tank spun, and the confused turtle fell to the ground. Bai Qi picked it up and casually placed it aside.


    This time, Song Ke was prepared. With a sly smile, she treated it like lifting a few hundred kilograms of sandbags, agilely jumped up, entered Ye Zheng¡¯s proximity, elbowing him in the solar plexus, and subconsciously attempted a shoulder throw¡ªonly to notice Lin Youyou shaking her head nearby.


    Song Ke suddenly realized and changed her approach, disarming Ye Zheng¡¯s force and gently pushing him away.


    Ye Zheng took a few steps back, steadying himself, and Song Ke also stopped in time.


    In just a few moves, she was drenched in sweat, and her limbs felt as heavy as if they were filled with cement. Gravity-type awakeners were indeed formidable.


    Ye Zheng, rubbing his sore right arm, laughed heartily, ¡°How fun! You went easy on me, right?¡±


    Song Ke modestly replied, ¡°You also went easy.¡±


    An S-level gravity-type awakener undoubtedly possessed far more energy than a mere few hundred kilograms.


    Ye Zheng wiped his sweat with a hot towel, casually saying, ¡°I remember you are of the Metal element. The Tang sword you brought in last time was an ability manifestation, right?¡±


    A light bulb lit up in Song Ke¡¯s mind, instantly understanding the social subtleties behind his words.


    She enthusiastically approached, ¡°Do you like it? I can give it to you.¡±


    Sweeping her eyes around, she reached for the tilted glass tank with her magic, a blue light flashed, and a sharp Tang sword with a biting chill appeared in her palm.


    The turtle, slowly crawling to the edge of the tank, was utterly confused: ???


    Ye Zheng, not expecting her to change things so easily, fell silent for a second, ¡°Did this¡­ not pass the security check?¡±


    The next moment, a deafening alarm sounded throughout the entire mansion: ¡°High-risk weapon detected, initiating Level 1 alert.¡±


    Followed by a flurry of footsteps, ¡°Intruders? Assassins? Quickly, protect the General!¡±


    Song Ke unsheathed her sword, looking around in confusion, ¡°??¡±


    Assassins? It wasn¡¯t her fault! Didn¡¯t she bring it in last time without any issues? Oh, she remembered¡­ Bai Qi had informed them last time.


    Song Ke silently sought help from Bai Qi.


    ¡°¡­¡± Bai Qi silently went to deal with it.


    Ye Zheng, not wanting to see her embarrassed, took the sword with a smile, ¡°You¡¯re thoughtful. I¡¯ll accept the sword.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan coughed lightly, reminding from the side, ¡°Captain, don¡¯t forget about the main business.¡±


    ¡°Grandpa, you¡¯ve had your fun. You need to rest now,¡± Ye Zimei scolded.


    Several people returned from the garden to the study, and Zhuang Qingyan spoke frankly, ¡°General, we would like to seek your advice on the matter of Utopia.¡±


    Ye Zheng didn¡¯t answer directly but opened a drawer and took out an exquisite letter, resembling an invitation.


    Song Ke opened it and found it was a pass from Utopia, delivered two days before the appearance of the floating city.


    Innocently, Xu Xing asked, ¡°Huh? Grandpa, don¡¯t you qualify? Why aren¡¯t you going up? They¡¯ve all gone.¡±


    ¡°They¡± naturally referred to the privileged class in the Elderly People¡¯s Nation.


    Ye Zheng, highly esteemed and respected, had once made immortal contributions to the New Asia Alliance. It was not surprising that he could obtain a ¡°ticket¡± to Utopia.


    Ye Zheng shook his head slowly, ¡°Even the magistrates in District B don¡¯t all receive this pass. The slots for magistrates are so limited, let alone ordinary people? In the end, we all go through selection.¡±


    ¡°Now, most voices on the Star Network believe that the residents of Utopia have abandoned the world, seeking their own pleasures. But if you think about it carefully, if a person loses the foundation of survival and can only rely on the breath of others to live, is it a blessing or a disaster?¡±


    Ye Zheng sighed deeply, ¡°I won¡¯t live much longer. If I go up, what about the tens of millions left in the Northern Base?¡±


    ¡°This old man can¡¯t let go. I have guarded this piece of land all my life. So I¡¯d better stand my ground and finish my last duty.¡±


    Ye Zheng, like the anchor of the Northern Base, even if he didn¡¯t show up often, as long as he was alive, District B10 would remain stable.

 Chapter 158.2: Key (1)

    ¡ò Crime Record Plus ¡ò¡°Xiao Song, in the recent period, it¡¯s better not to go too far.¡±


    Song Ke was slightly stunned, feeling that there was another layer of meaning in Ye Zheng¡¯s words.


    Ye Zheng¡¯s old eyes fell on the pass, with a faint gleam of sharpness, ¡°No matter what those above decide, I can see that there are already people below who can¡¯t sit still.¡±


    ¡°Cough, cough!¡± Ye Zheng suddenly started coughing violently while speaking. Ye Zimei hurriedly went over to gently pat his back.


    Apparently, the recent sparring had placed a considerable burden on him.


    Suddenly, Song Ke remembered what Ning Rong had said last night, ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to S-level physique holding up.¡± Worriedly, she asked, ¡°General, we have an A5-level healer. Would you like him to have a look?¡±


    In fact, her suggestion was somewhat impolite. As the highest authority figure in the Northern Base, Ye Zheng undoubtedly had a well-equipped medical team by his side, and there was no need for their ¡°unconventional¡± team to be concerned. However, Ye Zheng didn¡¯t mind and sighed slowly, ¡°Xiao Fang, right? The doctor from Tongwan in District C60. I visited there when I was young.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan raised his eyebrows in surprise. Ye Zheng was a rare magistrate who could remember the names of lower-level districts.


    Fang Zhixu, aged 38, was called ¡°Xiao Fang¡±, blushed with embarrassment amidst the teasing of his teammates.


    He put on the stethoscope, focused all his attention, and released his awakened energy. His expression became increasingly serious, and he didn¡¯t immediately propose a treatment plan.


    Ye Zheng understood and smiled, ¡°As one gets older, the organs inside the body start to malfunction. I apologize for the embarrassment.¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s heart sank involuntarily.


    Fang Zhixu pondered silently for a while, carefully choosing his words, ¡°General, why don¡¯t you consider replacing with bionic organs?¡±


    For ordinary organ transplants, one would have to consider issues like compatibility and rejection. However, with the advanced technology today, high-quality bionic mechanical organs were already widespread. As long as it wasn¡¯t a brain turned into mush, nearly every part of the body could be replaced, similar to what they encountered with the ¡°Anna Knights¡± during the Throne Race in Ferrara, even Punk¡¯s eyeballs were mechanical.


    Ye Zheng remained indifferent, ¡°Since you are a doctor, you must know what bionic organs entail, right? It¡¯s not worth it to gain a few more years at the cost.¡±


    Fang Zhixu fell silent for a moment.


    Lin Youyou and Xu Xing exchanged puzzled glances. Similarly confused, Song Ke tugged at Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s sleeve, signaling the all-knowing one to take action.


    Zhuang Qingyan explained in a soft voice, ¡°If an awakener replaces their organs with bionic or mechanical ones, it will disrupt the original awakened energy magnetic field, leading to the solidification of their level. This means¡­ giving up the possibility of a second promotion.¡±


    Song Ke slightly widened her eyes, reflexively looking towards Lu Xiaoyu.


    No wonder¡­ no wonder he would rather have two empty legs than ¡°stand¡± up again.


    The more proud a person, the less they can accept solidification. If one can instantly see their limits, every day they live will be painful.


    Ye Zheng was like that, and Lu Xiaoyu was no exception.


    ¡­


    After leaving the villa area, Lu Xiaoyu revealed the information he had previously cracked using the B-level terminal: S~?a??h the ??v?lF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°General Ye is currently S1, but judging by the trend, he is about to break through to S2 soon.¡±


    ¡°Bai Qi, S5 level mysticism, specific ability unknown, he has never used it in public.¡±


    The crowd sighed for a moment, then discussed where to go next. Anyway, they planned to take on some missions in the vicinity, so they had plenty of time to spare.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go shopping!¡± Lin Youyou said with her hands on her hips. ¡°I¡¯ve been in District B for so long, and I haven¡¯t had a proper shopping spree.¡±


    ¡°I want to go too,¡± Xu Xing shouted along.


    ¡°You guys go, we have some things to attend to,¡± Song Ke thought for a moment and said, ¡°Do you all have money?¡±


    ¡°I have money!¡± Xu Xing happily raised his terminal.


    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Lu Xiaoyu openly reached out for some pocket money.


    Zhuang Qingyan glanced at him, ¡°Just give him some casually.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu: ¡°?¡± Was he being treated as a beggar?


    Fortunately, Captain Song was still generous. She allocated one hundred thousand Alliance Coins to him, and Lu Xiaoyu walked away contentedly.


    When the teammates left, Song Ke faced Zhuang Qingyan, tiptoed, and walked up and down in a cat-like manner. Since she manifested the genes of a wildcat, she unconsciously brought some habits of feline animals with her. ¡°You seem not in a good mood today.¡±


    Anyone tormented by a clingy cat for a whole night wouldn¡¯t be in a good mood. Zhuang Qingyan rubbed his forehead and didn¡¯t want to say much, ¡°Let¡¯s go buy some flowers first.¡±


    Song Ke, displeased, extended her claws, about to speak. However, her footsteps abruptly stopped, and she turned her head to look around.


    Silence surrounded them.


    ¡°There¡¯s¡ªan¡ªawakener.¡± She formed the words with her lips, one by one.


    Less than two kilometers from the Governor Mansion, under the bright sunshine, a faint and fleeting awakened energy was detected.


    If their senses weren¡¯t S-level sharp, and if they hadn¡¯t coincidentally passed by this area, it could easily be overlooked.


    The awakener hidden in the shadows remained still, but the residual awakened energy in the air told the two of them¡ªthe person was nearby.


    Zhuang Qingyan closed his eyes and opened them again. His awakened energy swept out, but he found nothing unusual.


    There must be surveillance in the villa area. If there was a strange awakener, the security here wouldn¡¯t be silent.


    Unless¡­ the other party¡¯s ability was ¡°invisibility.¡±


    He took Song Ke¡¯s terminal and calmly sent a message: ¡°Within two kilometers, an unidentified awakener has intruded, estimated level between B and A.¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s face turned cold. She slowly released her pressure in place. The two sides didn¡¯t know how long they were in a stalemate, and the invisible awakener couldn¡¯t bear the burden any longer. Their awakened energy suddenly fluctuated, darting in a certain direction.


    Song Ke, following the direction, sprinted, and the opponent bypassed the high wall of the garden, disappearing in a flash. Song Ke supported herself with one hand, brown spots appearing on her skin. The leaping ability of the wildcat was brought to the extreme, and she leaped five or six meters high, flipping over the wall. The two were within arm¡¯s reach!


    At that moment, pale zombie faces appeared out of thin air, countless and creepy. Each face was filled with more than a dozen eyes of varying sizes, fierce and terrifying. They reached out, grabbing Song Ke¡¯s neck, arms, thighs, attempting to hold her back.


    For someone with slightly weaker mental endurance, they would be frightened on the spot. Song Ke immediately realized that there were illusion-type awakeners around!


    Her palm swept over the wall, and a phantom blue Yanling knife flew through the air, carrying the momentum of thunder, fiercely slashing forward. It shattered all illusions in an instant. The other party¡¯s level was obviously not high, estimated to be only B level. Emerging from the zombie heap, she stumbled into view. Song Ke made a backhand slash, piercing through his chest. The man¡¯s heart shattered, and large amounts of blood overflowed from his mouth. He fell to the ground, lifeless.


    However, due to his intervention, the trace of the invisible awakener disappeared again.


    Song Ke carefully sensed with her awakened energy, confirming that the person hadn¡¯t left and was hiding within a hundred meters.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s voice came through the earpiece, ¡°Song Ke, leave one alive and hand him over to Bai Qi.¡±


    Song Ke thought for a moment and suddenly had an idea.


    She pulled out a portable speaker from her space and placed it on the ground neatly. Then, she took out a pair of special earplugs, inserted them into her ears, and thought twice before adding another pair. Afterward, she approached stealthily and pressed play.


    A strange particle waveform was triggered.


    Everyone who heard it experienced nerve disorder, a sense of disintegration, as if the world had plunged into nothingness, and their internal organs had completely decayed.


    If this awakener had been fortunate enough to visit the Alliance¡¯s F180 District, Sin City, he would know that there was something in this world that could lead to irreparable destruction, called the ¡°Crime Record.¡±


    The speaker now in Song Ke¡¯s possession was a modified version by Lu Xiaoyu, equivalent to the ¡°Crime Record Plus.¡± It indiscriminately swept through, more powerful, stronger, and fiercer.


    Thirty seconds later, a slender figure clutched his head, wailing incessantly as he tumbled out of the shadow. Song Ke grabbed him and slammed him to the ground.


    The man still wanted to resist, but Song Ke dislocated his wrist joints. She remembered to capture him alive and deliberately left some strength.


    The awakener on the ground convulsed incessantly. His pupils dilated rapidly, and he was on the verge of turning into a walking corpse¡ª


    Suddenly, a bizarre expression appeared on his face, and he shouted towards the sky, ¡°É±¤¹¤¼ (I¡¯ll kill you)!!¡±


    In his struggles, the collar of his clothes loosened slightly, revealing a crimson glow around his neck. It was a miniature bomb implanted in the subcutaneous tissue!


    Song Ke¡¯s pupils contracted abruptly. She leaped onto a nearby tall tree like a cat with an exploding tail, swiftly hiding in the highest branches.


    BOOM¡ª!!


    A mist of blood exploded, like cherry blossoms in full bloom, fluttering down. The man¡¯s head was shattered on the ground.


    Luckily, she moved quickly, or else it would have splattered on her.


    Song Ke silently jumped down and gently kicked the corpse. The awakener died gruesomely, and the only living captive was gone.


    She puzzledly turned off the speaker and looked at it. Was this thing so powerful? What kind of death song was it playing that made people commit suicide?


    Also¡­ Song Ke scratched her head. Although her foreign language skills weren¡¯t great, wasn¡¯t that person shouting in the Tokushima dialect just before he died?


    **TN


    Hey guys, I just finished TL-ing a supernatural BL novel. If you¡¯re interested,  here is the LINK. ????

 Chapter 159: Key (2)

    ¡ò No one can put up a fight ¡òBai Qi led a few awakeners to the scene.


    Because one of the corpses had a shattered head and the fingerprints were deliberately worn off, it took some time for them to collect biological information. The other B-level illusionist, however, quickly produced results.


    The person reporting had a solemn expression, ¡°Brother Bai, no identity information, and the entry record is from two days ago.¡±


    No identity information meant that they were not legal residents of the Northern Base. Bai Qi glanced at the suspect¡¯s face reconstructed through data, ordinary features with no memorable points, easily forgotten in the crowd.


    Zhuang Qingyan snapped a tree branch, frowned, and disdainfully opened the collar of the illusionist awakener. Sure enough, he had a miniaturized bomb implanted, but Song Ke¡¯s one fatal blow killed him before it could be triggered.


    ¡°Did he say anything else?¡± Zhuang Qingyan threw away the tree branch and wiped his hands with disinfectant tissues.


    ¡°No, just that sentence in Tokushima.¡± Song Ke held the megaphone with one hand, swinging her legs on the tree trunk. The ground was covered with blood and minced meat, sticky. She was quite a clean person. After confirming that the other party had breathed their last, she climbed up again.


    ¡°Do you remember how he said it?¡± Zhuang Qingyan didn¡¯t hold much hope.


    ¡°I remember.¡± Song Ke tilted her head, thought for a second, cleared her throat, imitated the person¡¯s tone, and shouted with vigor, ¡°Kurozu¡ªso!!! (I¡¯ll kill you)!!¡±


    Her voice was loud, her momentum was strong, but her pronunciation was¡­ broken.


    ¡°Pfft¡ª!!¡± Awakeners on the scene covered their mouths, not daring to make fun of the mighty S7, but they couldn¡¯t hold back their laughter, making muffled sounds.


    Each person in District B must be proficient in at least three foreign languages before graduation. Due to years of resentment and the need for mutual insults, most people in the Northern Base chose to study Tokushima. It was the first time they heard such a strange ¡°Colonial accent¡±.


    Song Ke: ¡°?¡± What are you laughing at? She clearly imitated it well.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s fingertips itched, wanting to pinch her face, but he resisted.


    He turned to Bai Qi, ¡°These two are assassins. They shouldn¡¯t have come for us.¡±


    If it¡¯s not for V587, then it must be for Ye Zheng.


    They came all the way, confirming they were not being followed. These two individuals acted suspiciously outside the General¡¯s Mansion, concealing their whereabouts and not daring to approach. With A and B-level abilities, they didn¡¯t pose an assassination threat. They were probably here to gather information, but unfortunately, they ran into Song Ke.


    Bai Qi understood his implication and had the bodies removed. ¡°Thanks for taking action.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem surprised,¡± Zhuang Qingyan looked at him.


    ¡°Lately, there are many ¡®sparrows,''¡± Bai Qi¡¯s eyes showed a hint of killing intent. Though sparrows couldn¡¯t cause substantial harm, they were disturbing and irritating.


    ¡°Because ¡®summer¡¯ has come,¡± Zhuang Qingyan hinted that when the weather gets hot, some people can¡¯t sit still.


    The scorching sun shamelessly poured down blinding sunlight, making people sweat profusely.


    One year ago, the apocalypse caused by radiation came without warning at the end of summer.


    One year later, in the distant North, the S-level floating city, Utopia, rose like the Sword of Damocles, hanging high above everyone¡¯s heads.


    Ye Zheng was right; some people couldn¡¯t sit still anymore.


    Before leaving, Bai Qi looked up at the tree. ¡°This megaphone¡­¡±


    Song Ke swiftly tucked it back into her space, feigning innocence. ¡°What megaphone?¡±


    Bai Qi paused for two seconds. ¡°¡­Don¡¯t use it here next time.¡±


    Fortunately, the villa area was equipped with a high-quality soundproof system; otherwise, the general¡¯s desk would have been piled with neighbor complaints.


    Song Ke grinned and gave him a thumbs up, implying that it was quite righteous.


    After the others left, Song Ke landed lightly. ¡°Those two, are they Tokushima people?¡±


    ¡°Not necessarily,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said, ¡°The grudges between the Northern Base and Tokushima are not a secret. The phrase he shouted was too deliberate.¡±


    The person in charge of the Northern Base was He Qiuhong; if they wanted information, they should go to the Awakener Department. Why come to the General¡¯s Mansion? Moreover, Ye Zheng himself was S-level; it would be difficult to assassinate him. The timing and motive of these two¡¯s appearance seemed suspicious no matter how you looked at it.


    It was like two seemingly irrelevant pawns on the chessboard, or maybe not pawns at all, but were just coincidentally disrupted by Song Ke.


    Zhuang Qingyan believed that the person who made this move must have their own intentions, but further speculation would have to wait for the opponent¡¯s next move.


    ¡°Just now,¡± Song Ke cleared her throat, her gaze wandering, ¡°did I not imitate well?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s train of thought was interrupted, and he chuckled, ¡°Certainly well.¡±


    He finally fulfilled his desire and pinched Song Ke¡¯s cheek, putting aside his perfect score in sixteen foreign languages and shamelessly saying, ¡°Your Tokushima is better than mine.¡±


    *


    At the same time, on the high-altitude commercial street.


    Holographic billboards flickered and changed, showcasing futuristic floating supercars everywhere. Fashionably dressed men and women occasionally descended from them. The glass doors automatically opened, and AI shopping assistants smiled charmingly, providing attentive and companionable services.


    Open-air ice cream shops, immersive cinemas, and a myriad of entertainment venues¡­


    This was one of the most popular places in the Northern Base, consistently topping the charts as the ¡°Customer Satisfaction Top 1¡± consumer location.


    In a high-end store, Su Cha, dressed in all black with a mask and a baseball cap, stood like a wooden stake at the entrance.


    Lin Youyou selected clothes at the virtual counter, lightly tapping her fingertips, and physical dresses were delivered to the side, quickly forming a small mountain. Her long curly hair was casually tied up with a hairpin that was entirely dark blue, with a green tint at the tip, resembling a rare jade from an ancient civilization. On closer inspection, it was revealed to be a concealed weapon, a plum blossom needle.


    Curious glances from passing awakeners turned into astonishment. Rarely did they see such exquisite weapons.


    Two girls approached politely and inquired, ¡°Miss, can we have a link to your hairpin?¡±


    ¡°Oh, this? It¡¯s a creation from my friend¡­¡± Lin Youyou paused for a moment before smiling sweetly, ¡°My friend¡¯s original design brand, handmade and custom-made. Limited production. If you want one, you can contact me, but it might be a bit pricey~¡±


    Which girl could resist the temptation of ¡°limited edition¡±? The girls expressed that ¡°price is not a problem¡± and happily added her contact information.


    ¡°I¡¯m truly a walking billboard¡­¡± Lin Youyou mumbled a couple of sentences, typing in the group chat to share the money-making information with Song Ke.


    After sending the message, she looked up and saw Su Cha standing coolly at the door. His aura clearly marked him as a high-level awakener, and both men and women around were sneakily glancing at him.


    Lin Youyou¡¯s beautiful eyes flickered. She casually picked up two dresses with similar styles but different colors. ¡°Which one looks better?¡±


    Su Cha pointed to the green one. Lin Youyou raised an eyebrow, he hesitated and pointed to the red one.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    ¡°The green one is five times the price of the red one,¡± Lin Youyou smiled, teasing him, ¡°In your eyes, can I only wear cheap clothes?¡±


    Su Cha, who was content as long as there were clothes to wear, completely didn¡¯t understand the existence of ¡°brand premium.¡± Thinking he made a mistake, he stood up stiffly, feeling constrained, ¡°No, I¡­¡±


    Lin Youyou snapped some photos in front of the mirror, sending them to Jennifer and asking, ¡°Which one looks better?¡±


    Jennifer instantly replied in a voice message, background noise suggesting a brawl, ¡°Darling, this emerald green matches your cold white skin perfectly. It¡¯s noble and stunning, with a tasteful slit at the back, and the skirt sways elegantly. But I think the Burgundy wine red one is also good. My darling looks good in anything! Are you shopping? I¡¯ll come over after I finish my job.¡±


    ¡°¡­Why don¡¯t you ask yourself?¡± Jennifer suddenly scolded someone beside her, ¡°Yin Xiao asked me to find out if your captain is there with you.¡±


    Lin Youyou couldn¡¯t help but chuckle, ¡°Focus on your task first. Let¡¯s shop together next time. Also, our captain is not here.¡±


    After ending the call, she hooked her finger under Su Cha¡¯s chin, ¡°Understand now? Sometimes when girls ask questions, it¡¯s not about giving you multiple-choice.¡±


    Su Cha remained stiff, ¡°¡­¡±


    A lovey-dovey couple entered, the girl affectionately saying, ¡°Baby, just buy whatever you like today. I¡¯ll pay.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, baby. But do you know? The two most handsome moments for a man are when he swipes his card and when he wins a duel.¡±


    Su Cha was staring at Lin Youyou¡¯s terminal, enchanted. Upon hearing these words, he came back to his senses, took out his terminal, and silently prepared to pay.


    Because Song Ke occasionally sent him money, he now had a few million, no longer as financially constrained as before.


    Before Su Cha could reach the cashier, Xu Xing bounced past in a duck-patterned small yellow sunglasses, wearing a floral shirt and flower shorts. A long string of AI shopping assistants followed behind, carrying full shopping bags.


    ¡°Dear customer, is there anything else we can assist you with?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I want to buy a bag for my sister.¡±


    Captain of V587, Song Ke, who possessed tens of millions in assets, yet still carried a worn-out 80L hiking bag.


    Xu Xing walked confidently past the display cabinets, pointing here and there, ¡°This one, this one, not these, but the rest, I¡¯ll take them all. Charge it to my card!¡±


    Despite his young age, Xu Xing¡¯s bold spending startled the entire high-end boutique.


    Xu Xing turned back to look at Lin Youyou, reluctantly pouting, ¡°Pay for hers too.¡±


    Lin Youyou wasn¡¯t short of that bit of money, but the flattery made her blossom with joy. ¡°Xu Xiao Xing, you¡¯re really handsome. Right now, in my heart, you¡¯re two meters and eight centimeters tall!¡±


    Xu Xing gave a haughty hum. S?a??h the N0v?lFir?.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Su Cha: ¡°¡­¡±


    Feeling somewhat at a loss, he pinched his terminal, suddenly thinking that the training in the rainforest might be more suitable for him.


    ¡­


    In the lounge, Fang Zhixu and Lu Xiaoyu were communicating with the black market, handling the tasks assigned by the captain.


    Song Ke decided to sell a batch of crystals and spiritual weapons. Most crystals were below level 3 because V587 had a relatively high average level and rarely relied on ¡°power banks¡± during battles. They had accumulated quite a few through missions, and as a hard currency, crystals were very popular in the black market, with no worry about sales.


    As for spiritual weapons, Zhuang Qingyan suggested going for the high-quality route. So, this time, only a small quantity of 500 were sent to the market. Lu Xiaoyu skillfully wiped off the seller¡¯s information, adding this batch to the auction list.


    The two spent half an hour sorting it out. When they went out to join the others, a message suddenly popped up on the terminal, surprisingly a private mission:


    ¡°C-level Mission (Region Limited): Defeat Fujita Hiro within three hours at the Silver Ring Arena.¡±


    The issuer¡¯s words were intense, and even through the screen, one could feel his overflowing anger: ¡°I can¡¯t stand it anymore! Whoever can kill this scumbag, I¡¯m willing to transfer 400,000 points to him!¡±


    Silver Ring Arena? What place was that?


    Clearly, the awakeners on the commercial street had also received the same mission. They hastily headed outside. Lin Youyou put down the clothes she was trying on and turned to her companions, ¡°Shall we go and take a look?¡±


    With nothing else to do, her proposal received unanimous approval.


    Following the crowd, the five purchased tickets to the ¡°Silver Ring Arena Station.¡± The unique three-dimensional subway in District B descended rapidly from the high sky. The surroundings transitioned from bright to dim, with the light panels on both sides rapidly changing. The magical spatial tunnel made people dizzy.


    Fortunately, V587 was accustomed to Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s black car. Otherwise, experiencing it for the first time might make one vomit.


    Ten minutes later, the subway doors opened, and a deafening roar and a chaotic surge of awakened energy hit everyone¡¯s senses. A prompt lit up before their eyes:


    ¡°You have entered an unrestricted area for awakeners.¡±


    Simultaneously, a mechanical and monotonous voice echoed in their ears: ¡°A friendly reminder from the Awakener Department, Northern Base does not advocate any dueling activities. Please remember, do not strive for short-term gains, but strive for long-term success.¡±


    The lighting on this level was generally dim, giving off an atmosphere reminiscent of Sin City. However, compared to the chaotic District F180, the crowd here seemed more restrained.


    Due to the presence of millions of civilians, the Northern Base had strict regulations on the use of abilities. Each entrant would receive a code of conduct that they were required to read, including rules such as no indiscriminate brawling and no harming others.


    However, conflicts and clashes between awakeners were common, and physical confrontations were inevitable. How could such a large number of dangerous individuals be regulated and managed?


    Until now, they were either staying at home or busy with scoring points, the realization struck V587¡ªNorthern Base had another world entirely for awakeners.


    The five were pushed forward by the crowd, left the platform, and took several turns. Soon, a massive sunken arena appeared in their line of sight, surrounded by colorful holographic projections. Thousands of awakeners were seated or standing in the spectator stands. Unlike the irrational revelry of Ferrara¡¯s citizens, most of them had a serious expression.


    ¡°Wow! So many people!¡± Xu Xing exclaimed with the innocence of someone unfamiliar with the world.


    In the center of the Silver Ring Arena, a figure with a black-clothed head and a face covered by a black scarf stepped onto the throne of the arena. Arrogantly surveying the surroundings, he raised his middle finger provocatively. According to the information displayed on the screen, he was the target of the previous C-level mission¡ªFujita Hiro.


    ¡°What¡¯s this? Is this all the Northern Base can do?¡±


    ¡°We came all the way here for this? Not a single person who can put up a fight?¡±


    Facing the audience, Fujita Hiro taunted in a sarcastic tone, ¡°A bunch of trash, you know that? Wastes, got it? Idiots.¡±

 Chapter 160.1: Key (3)

    ¡ò Hello, let¡¯s settle the points first ¡òFujita Hiro was provocative, provoking the anger of the entire audience in just a few words.


    A vigorous figure sprinted past V587, stepping on the railing and about to jump down. Bang! Numerous faint lights appeared, and he was bounced out by the isolation barrier. The cold prompt sounded: ¡°Non-challengers, please do not disturb the order of the arena.¡±


    ¡°I #%! Dog! Tokushima, you daredevil, today, I¡¯ll make you search the ground for your teeth!¡± s?a??h th? ?0velF?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    It was a young awakener, wearing torn jeans, a diamond lip stud at the corner of his mouth, and boldly dyed pink hair. He looked like a typical well-off, impulsive, and righteous local resident of District B, scolding Fujita Hiro.


    Awakener had a special way of communication. As long as a bit of awakened energy was added, the voice could travel far. This young man was probably so angry that his awakened energy was scattered everywhere. The large silver ring arena echoed with his loud curses. Unsatisfied after scolding, he repeated it in fluent Tokushima dialect.


    Fujita Hiro¡¯s face was tightly covered, revealing only a pair of sinister eyes. He gestured towards him with a hooked little finger, ¡°Don¡¯t bark down there, come up if you have the guts.¡±


    ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll come up! Grandpa is not afraid of you!¡±


    The cursing young man¡¯s face turned red with excitement. He rolled up his sleeves and was about to brush the terminal to enter, but his companion beside him quickly held him back, ¡°Are you crazy? Fujita Hiro is A9 level! This is a damn life-and-death situation; you can bet on any damn stakes. Are you going to offer your damn head?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t stand it anymore! One can be killed but not humiliated!!¡±


    ¡°Even if you can¡¯t stand it, you have to endure it. Otherwise, being humiliated as a little B7 will be your fate! By then, that bastard will mock our Northern Base for having no one!¡±


    The young man was awakened by a cold splash of water on his head. The punching and kicking gradually stopped, but he was unwilling. In a fit of rage, he kept tapping on the terminal. If he couldn¡¯t beat him, then maybe he could manipulate others? He was willing to use all his points. That bastard must roll off the arena!


    A few seconds later, everyone in the area received an update on the C-rank commission: the reward was increased to 800,000 points, quickly approaching the reward for an A-rank mission distributed by the system.


    V587¡¯s five members found seats and gradually pieced together the situation from the surrounding discussions:


    ¡°Do you not know Fujita Hiro? He¡¯s quite famous, the captain of the ¡®Kirigakure (Hidden Mist)¡¯ team, ranking in the top ten in Tokushima.¡±


    ¡°Why would someone from Tokushima come to our territory?¡±


    ¡°Revenge, I heard that our newcomer S7 had messed up Lei Zhao and Noguma Yuko before, intentionally coming here to stir things up.¡±


    Xu Xing perked up his ears to eavesdrop and nodded with satisfaction, ¡°That¡¯s right, it was my sister who did it.¡±


    ¡°He has won four consecutive matches, why not find an S-level to take him on!¡± someone enthusiastically shouted.


    ¡°¡­Bullying our S-levels, is that it?¡± another awakener said dejectedly.


    With Zhigler and Xi Ze heavily injured, the number of top-level awakeners in the Northern Base had sharply declined, making them the bottom feeders in District B.


    At this moment, Tokushima sending an A9-level here was clearly an intentional attempt to step on them.


    ¡°Using an S-level against A9? Even if we win, it¡¯s just level suppression. How embarrassing would it be if word got out?¡± The first speaker looked serious, ¡°Besides, Fujita Hiro¡¯s awakener ability is too dominant on the arena¡­ you¡¯ll see when you watch.¡±


    The boos from all directions grew louder, with a faint trend of overturning the roof. Fujita Hiro remained unfazed, sitting arrogantly on the throne with crossed legs.


    Although most of the awakeners in the Northern Base were sheltered or joined after the apocalypse, they considered this place as their second home. What is a hometown? It¡¯s a place where we can criticize it ourselves, but outsiders have no right to insult.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go meet him.¡±


    A man wearing glasses, with a refined appearance, walked down from the audience. His appearance seemed freshly arrived, dust still clinging to him.


    ¡°It¡¯s Zhao Zhe! Great, he¡¯s also A9!¡± Some spectators recognized him from a distance and cheered.


    Zhao Zhe took off his coat, swiped the terminal, and stepped into the arena with a steady pace.


    The screen displayed the information of the current challenger: Zhao Zhe, A9-level light-type awakener, affiliated with the team ¡®Blue Flame.¡¯


    The teams of awakeners between the two districts had clashed before. Fujita Hiro squinted his eyes, quickly recognizing him, and sneered disdainfully, ¡°Oh, isn¡¯t this the ¡®Blue Snail¡¯ that can¡¯t catch up even if it eats shit?¡±


    The Elderly People¡¯s Nation incident stirred up a lot of commotion in District B. All teams accepting commissions were exposed. However, Blue Flame, due to transportation issues, took a full seven days for the outbound journey and had yet to reach the Endless Sea. Everything had settled, and they ended up making the trip in vain. Their rankings also dropped, falling out of the top ten in the Northern Base.


    Zhao Zhe: ¡°Stop the nonsense, sign the wager. If I win, you better get lost.¡±


    One of the features of the Silver Ring Arena was the ability to legally bet anything, including the participants¡¯ lives, through duels.


    Fujita Hiro¡¯s eyes rolled around as he stated his wager, ¡°If I win, you guys have to change your name to ¡®Blue Snail.''¡±


    Unexpectedly, he didn¡¯t bet his life; it seemed like he was just trying to provoke Zhao Zhe.


    Under the witness of the AI referee, the two signed the contract. With a ding of the whistle, the fifth-round challenge officially began.


    Zhao Zhe looked stern, sending countless light balls with a swift motion, leaping forward across the half-field.


    Along the way, he snapped his fingers, and the high-altitude spotlights flashed rapidly. Hundreds of spotlights neatly shone on Fujita Hiro. Once locked on, the scorching heat would roast him!


    Fujita Hiro smirked, smashing down a smoke bomb with a ¡°bang,¡± covering half the arena. After the choking smoke cleared, large patches of grass and uneven wooden stakes appeared in the arena, and his figure quietly disappeared.


    ¡°Mu Dun Jutsu! (Wood Release Technique!)¡± The audience exclaimed from the stands, ¡°He¡¯s¡­ a ninja!¡±


    Fujita Hiro¡¯s awakened ability turned out to be enhanced ninja techniques from the mystic category.


    Zhao Zhe found himself waist-deep in tall grass, cautiously maneuvering through it. The light balls in his hands kept shining, illuminating the nearby shadows.


    With one in the light and the other in the shadows, the two remained in a deadlock for about five minutes. Zhao Zhe¡¯s expression gradually became serious. As a long-range awakener, he was more suited to open spaces. Facing a elusive ninja, he had to be extremely vigilant to avoid being ambushed.


    Swoosh! A dark figure flashed behind, and Zhao Zhe quickly turned around, making a decisive decision. Since he couldn¡¯t find him, he decided to dismantle everything!


    Bang! Bang! The light balls smashed into the wooden stakes, instantly disappearing without a trace. Those were not real stakes at all; they were just illusions!


    Whoosh! Whoosh! The sound of rustling through the air came, and Fujita Hiro¡¯s shadow swiftly moved through the grass, throwing several shurikens.


    Boom! Boom! Zhao Zhe¡¯s light balls were pierced, and the spotlights chasing Fujita Hiro were all cut off by hidden weapons. The arena¡¯s visibility suddenly darkened, and the sudden change in brightness and darkness made everyone momentarily dazed.


    Zhao Zhe didn¡¯t dare to stop for a moment, continuously launching attacks towards suspicious positions around him. Where was he? Where exactly was he hiding?


    Suddenly, his footsteps came to a halt.


    Fujita Hiro, clinging to a thin wooden pole, emerged from the grass between his legs with a sinister smile.


    He held a bamboo flute, gently blew a dart, and tiny poisoned needles penetrated Zhao Zhe¡¯s mouth.


    Zhao Zhe fell straight down.


    The audience erupted in a collective gasp, and the cursing guy angrily shook the railing, ¡°Damn, this dog is really cunning!¡±


    Fujita Hiro revealed a sinister smile and was about to finish off Zhao Zhe when a sharp alarm suddenly rang out on the Silver Ring Arena!


    Bright red lights flashed, illuminating everyone¡¯s faces. It was both a warning and a deterrent. Once a duel death event occurred, the safety level of this area would drop, and the Awakener Department would invite relevant personnel for a ¡°chat.¡±


    Fujita Hiro seemed to have some reservations, casting a discreet glance in a certain direction. Then, he kicked Zhao Zhe out of the arena. The Blue Flame team members rushed over to carry him away for medical treatment.


    ¡°District B10¡­¡± Fujita Hiro opened his palm, counting with each finger, ¡°Beijun, Kongsang, Erjia, Askar, Northern Base. Tsk tsk, is this the strength of District B¡¯s fifth place? Let me win five in a row?¡±


    As long as he won seven consecutive matches, he could win the title of challenger in the Silver Ring Arena, gaining both fame and fortune. Before this, such an honor had never fallen to other districts.


    ¡°Blue Flame, oh no¡­ now called Blue Snail, can this kind of trash still rank in the top ten? Also, there¡¯s Tustan, and that team with numbers, V587. Taking a trip to the sea, finding a group of turtles to perform with, and thinking you¡¯re someone?¡± Fujita Hiro exaggeratedly laughed, holding his stomach, ¡°All these bragging lies! Who can¡¯t set up a scene for a photoshoot! Hahaha!¡±


    Boos echoed throughout the venue, and Fujita Hiro raised his middle finger, turning 360 degrees, provoking everyone.


    The cursing young man was so enraged that he attempted to climb over the railing again. With numerous talented awakeners in the Northern Base, was it truly difficult to take down even one A9-level opponent? Of course not. Due to the last-place elimination system, most teams were away on missions, and there weren¡¯t many top awakeners in the city area. This gave Fujita Hiro the opportunity to act arrogantly.


    In the back rows of the audience, Lu Xiaoyu exclaimed in surprise, ¡°Is he mocking us?¡±


    ¡°Clearly, yes,¡± Lin Youyou sneered.


    Although Yang Xiaobo¡¯s video was indeed flashy, did they really need to rely on staged scenes to promote their reputation? Specifically inviting a Level 5 ferocious beast as an extra? Fujita Hiro clearly had impure motives, intentionally distorting facts and humiliating the awakeners of the Northern Base.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s that impressive,¡± Xu Xing said innocently, supporting his chin with both hands. ¡°He couldn¡¯t last three minutes against my sister, could he?¡±


    ¡°How many in the entire Alliance can solo the team captain?¡± Fang Zhixu smiled knowingly.


    ¡°Too bad my sister isn¡¯t here, or she would have flattened him,¡± Xu Xing lamented.


    ¡°Even if she were here, it wouldn¡¯t work. Didn¡¯t you hear them say he¡¯s A9? If we go for S-level and win, it won¡¯t be honorable,¡± Fang Zhixu sighed.


    Xu Xing, displeased, pinched his rubber duck sunglasses. ¡°I know, I know, can¡¯t always rely on my sister to support me; we have to stand on our own feet.¡±


    He repeated verbatim the words Zhuang Qingyan had taught him half a year ago.


    ¡°But it¡¯s still frustrating.¡±


    With a snap, the sunglasses were flattened.


    Lin Youyou, with a hint of teasing in her eyes, said, ¡°Oh, our A1 baby is angry. What¡¯s wrong, do you want to go up?¡±


    As soon as the words fell, someone next to them stood up. Lin Youyou looked up in surprise, ¡°Are you going to the bathroom?¡±


    ¡°The two most handsome moments for a man are when he swipes his card to pay the bill and when he wins a duel.¡±


    Su Cha¡¯s mind suddenly recalled the words he heard in a high-end store.


    There¡¯s no chance to pay the bill now, but the latter could be tried. After all¡­ he didn¡¯t like that Fujita Hiro.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to earn some points.¡± Su Cha lowered his baseball cap, walked down with a gust of wind, quickly swiped the terminal, and entered the arena.


    The remaining people stared at each other, their expressions as if something supernatural had happened. What¡¯s going on? This guy isn¡¯t usually the type to seek attention, right?


    Lin Youyou suddenly stood up, reached out but couldn¡¯t stop him, so she could only remind anxiously, ¡°Hey! Be careful!¡±


    Fang Zhixu silently took out a first aid kit. ¡°It¡¯s fine. If he wants to go, let him. I¡¯m prepared.¡±

 Chapter 160.2: Key (3)

    ¡ò Hello, let¡¯s settle the points first ¡ò¡°Oh, damn! Someone went in, who is it?¡±


    The cursing teenager, with half of his leg over the railing, curiously leaned forward, ¡°I don¡¯t know him.¡±


    In the midst of everyone¡¯s gaze, a tall and slender man in black pants and a black shirt flipped over the railing. There was a cold and fierce aura in his eyes, and his movements subtly revealed well-defined muscles, resembling a wild leopard brimming with strength.


    The information on the screen slowly appeared: Su Cha, A8-level poison-type awakener¡­


    The on-site audience discussed with concern, their tone filled with worry, ¡°Who is this? He looks quite powerful. Can an A8 level handle it? Don¡¯t get injured again.¡±


    ¡°Why do I feel¡­ this name sounds familiar?¡± muttered an awakener from a lower-level district.


    In the midst of the noisy background, the last line of information appeared: ¡­affiliated with the team ¡°V587.¡±


    Like a drop of hot oil falling into a cold pan, the audience erupted in an instant. V587? The recently unrivaled V587? The one with an S7-level captain? The V587 who had just been mocked by Fujita Hiro a minute ago, and now he¡¯s confronting him face to face?


    Wow, this team¡¯s style¡­ so appealing.


    Thunderous cheers echoed through the arena, and all the awakeners from the Northern Base spontaneously cheered for V587. S?a??h th? N?v?l(F)ire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Fujita Hiro sneered, his attitude still arrogant, ¡°How do you want to play this?¡±


    ¡°If I win, your points belong to us,¡± Su Cha stated concisely.


    ¡°Fine, but if you lose, let¡­¡± Fujita Hiro¡¯s eyes revealed a malicious intent, ¡°Let your S7 come to our Tokushima.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t make decisions for the captain. I¡¯ll bet my life against yours,¡± Su Cha casually dropped a bombshell, causing a stir in the audience. Even Fujita Hiro showed a slight change in expression.


    ¡°Challenge accepted.¡±


    Lin Youyou in the audience stood up abruptly, lips pressed into a straight line, ¡°This is outrageous. Who allows him to joke about his own life?!¡±


    Fang Zhixu consoled, ¡°Su Cha is not confused; if he dares to step on the stage, he must be confident. Besides, there¡¯s still me.¡±


    Lin Youyou paced anxiously, nibbling on her nails, ¡°No, in case something happens¡­ I have to find Song Ke.¡±


    She lowered her head to send a message, typing just a few words repeatedly, her fingertips couldn¡¯t help but tremble.


    Inside the arena, the AI referee signaled that the contract was complete, and the two sides could begin the duel.


    This time, Fujita Hiro seized the initiative, initiating ninjutsu. A chilling wind surrounded him, and countless ropes with blade attachments appeared out of thin air. Fujita Hiro merged his palms, forming a mysterious seal, leaving behind a stone on the spot, blending into the shadows.


    Su Cha had just taken a step when all the blades made a crisp sound, like the ominous bell of death. Fujita Hiro had set up a trap, secretly observing and planning to torment his trapped prey before delivering the fatal blow.


    Su Cha remained unfazed, secretly thinking, is this the extent of his ninja skills? He was underestimating him; someone who came from the Rainforest could blend seamlessly with the surroundings at any time.


    He moved continuously through the rope array, stealthily maneuvering around all obstacles, his towering figure turning into a fleeting mist, slowly vanishing without a trace.


    Both of them disappeared at the same time?!


    The onlookers stared at the stage in astonishment, but the arena was empty, only vaguely sensing the flow of awakened energy.


    Bang!! The shockwave of the collision of two awakened energies swept through the entire stage. Both of them simultaneously reappeared from the shadows.


    Fujita Hiro threw a black shuriken towards Su Cha¡¯s eyes, an unavoidable attack at a distance of less than ten meters.


    Unexpectedly, Su Cha threw a blue shuriken in return, with a chilly and resolute aura. The two projectiles clashed in mid-air, and Ding! Fujita Hiro¡¯s black shuriken split in half.


    The blue shuriken bravely continued, cutting through the ropes with blades attached, heading straight for Fujita Hiro¡¯s heart. In haste, he dropped a smoke bomb, and the ground instantly caved in. He narrowly escaped the fatal blow.


    ¡°What is that?!¡± The audience exclaimed in shock.


    Su Cha held the blue shuriken between his fingers, standing in the arena like a lone wolf. He calmly assessed the obstructive technique constructed with earth manipulation, showing no signs of panic.


    Lu Xiaoyu raised his head, surveying the floating screens with interest. His tea-colored eyes sparkled with a glint of ice.


    The screen, which was originally displaying sponsor advertisements, suddenly inserted a distinctive commercial. Various ethereal blue spiritual weapons rotated slowly against a deep background color.


    The down-to-earth mechanical voice interjected at the right moment, [Which family is the best at monster-slaying after the apocalypse? The Song Clan¡¯s spiritual weapons are truly enticing! Your boyfriend or girlfriend can¡¯t provide you with 100% security, but Song-style spiritual weapons have it all. If you want to buy, bring them with you. Hurry up and call the order hotline xxxxxx!]


    The audience: ¡°¡­¡± What kind of nonsense is this? Are you here to duel or advertise?


    However, the commercial was too persuasive, and inexplicably, many people noted down that mysterious contact information.


    The surroundings became eerie, and Su Cha concealed his figure, holding a tri-edged military dagger in one hand, systematically inspecting every blind spot.


    With each obstructive technique destroyed, Fujita Hiro suffered a backlash, but after lurking for so long, he failed to find any flaws in Su Cha.


    The air seemed to solidify, and a drop of cold sweat rolled down Fujita Hiro¡¯s forehead. This kid¡¯s mental fortitude was just too strong.


    Since it was like this¡­ don¡¯t blame him for being ruthless.


    ¡°Die!¡± A dark figure slid along the ground, and Fujita Hiro chose to confront it head-on!


    Su Cha seemed prepared, gripping the tri-edged military dagger, his waist and abdomen tense. With a swift movement, he slashed diagonally forward. Fujita Hiro couldn¡¯t evade in time, and his face mask was torn apart, revealing a face with acne scars, pockmarks, and uneven terrain.


    ¡°Wow, how ugly can someone be!¡± The foul-mouthed guy joyfully slammed the railing. ¡°No wonder you have to cover it up. Hahaha!¡±


    Fujita Hiro, infuriated and embarrassed, leaped like a frog. Sleeves flew out, releasing numerous hidden weapons and poison needles. Su Cha¡¯s baseball cap was knocked off, but he advanced instead of retreating, lightning-fast arms piercing through the blade ropes. He grabbed Fujita Hiro¡¯s neck and slammed him forcefully to the ground!


    Bang!!


    Fujita Hiro¡¯s pupils contracted, rapidly retreating, leaving a dummy behind.


    Su Cha¡¯s black T-shirt was torn and ragged. Lifting the hem, he casually wiped off the blood. With a backward pull, the fabric shattered to the ground.


    He happened to stand at the intersection of light and shadow, revealing his face and upper body. It was undoubtedly a robust physique that had rolled on the edge of life and death countless times, broad shoulders, narrow waist, smooth muscle contours, prominent veins in his arms. Even with bloodstains, it didn¡¯t diminish his vigorous explosiveness. Especially the black snake tattoo on his nape, exuding a savage ferocity.


    ¡°You¡¯re poisoned.¡±


    Fujita Hiro slowly emerged from the shadows, a cold smile on his ugly face. Struck by his specially crafted hidden weapon, the skin would gradually decay, inch by inch, falling away, turning into a pool of corpse water in endless agony.


    Su Cha tilted his neck, and the joints made a crisp, crunching sound. He stared at Fujita Hiro as if looking at a dead man.


    The big taboo for an assassin is to expose their true trump card to the opponent before delivering a fatal blow. Suddenly, Su Cha pounced like a wolf, spinning to kick Fujita Hiro, flipping him over, pressing his knee against his mouth, and ruthlessly cutting with the tri-edged military dagger!


    A severed hand flew into the air.


    ¡°Ah¡ª!!¡± Fujita Hiro screamed in agony, his eyes filled with disbelief. ¡°How is it possible¡­ How could you not be poisoned?¡±


    ¡°Idiot,¡± Su Cha taunted unusually. When he entered the arena, it seemed like this person hadn¡¯t bothered to check his ability information.


    ¡ª ¡°A8-level Poison-type Awakener.¡±


    Those who could use poison as an ability were naturally resistant to various toxins. Su Cha¡¯s mental power had always been on high alert, protecting himself from Fujita Hiro¡¯s invasion while quietly releasing poison mist. At the same time, he enjoyed observing the clownish antics of this self-proclaimed master of poison.


    ¡°It¡¯s you who¡¯s poisoned.¡±


    From the severed hand to the contorted face, Fujita Hiro suddenly turned entirely green. Before he could wail, the potent neurotoxin damaged his brain.


    His neck tilted, breath extinguished, and all the obstructive techniques in the surroundings vanished.


    ¡°Is he dead?!¡±


    An A9-level awakener, Fujita Hiro, had died on the Silver Ring Arena like this?


    The awakeners from the Northern Base were silent for a moment, followed by an explosive roar of cheers!


    Strangely, this time, the safety alarm did not sound, as if even the surveillance had developed a biased sentiment.


    With the death of the title holder, the current challenge was considered over, and the barrier surrounding the arena automatically retracted.


    While the crowd was still cheering, whoosh! Nearly a hundred awakeners descended from all directions, ranging from A to B levels, surrounding Su Cha.


    ¡°Hey, what are you guys doing?!¡±


    Some people sensed that something was wrong. These were not from the Northern Base, so why did so many unfamiliar awakeners suddenly infiltrate?


    Moreover, it was too deliberate to act right after Fujita Hiro died. It looked like it was all arranged in advance.


    A man with a mask walked down from the spectator seats, half of his face charmingly beautiful, and the other half covered by a fierce evil-looking mask. His tone was fluctuating, a strange mix of both masculine and feminine: ¡°It seems like you violated the rules. Fujita didn¡¯t bet his life against you, but you killed him.¡±


    Su Cha slowly stood up, his face as calm as water. He couldn¡¯t sense the speaker¡¯s awakened energy, which meant there were two possibilities: either the person had no ability and was just an ordinary individual, or they were an S-level awakener, at least S3 or higher, capable of completely concealing their presence.


    The awakeners from the Northern Base were no longer calm. They jumped onto the arena, and some couldn¡¯t hold back, releasing their abilities mid-air.


    A piercing alarm echoed throughout the entire area.


    As the two groups were about to engage in a brawl, the situation was on the brink of losing control.


    A subtle smile appeared on the lips of the masked man. He aimed his pale palm at Su Cha, and his five fingers twitched and trembled.


    ¡°Wow! So many people!¡±


    A sincere exclamation sounded above the heads of the crowd. On the high-altitude camera circling the arena, a girl with shoulder-length hair appeared, squatting there unnoticed. She looked down at the chaos below, tilting her head slightly.


    ¡°Before you start fighting, can we settle the points you owe us first?¡±


    **TN


    Aaaaaaah~ Captain Song¡¯s entrance is so coool~ This whole chapter is so cool! Su Cha is so cool! Even Lu Xiaoyu is so cool ahahaha! >.<

 Chapter 161: Key (4)

    ¡ò Sister Song is right, everyone listen to Sister Song ¡òDazzling red lights flickered in the air, and the buzzing alarms annoyed people, creating a chaotic and discordant atmosphere. In this incongruous environment, Song Ke held onto the hanging rod with one hand. Her round almond eyes, like those of a cat, looked down on everyone in the field from above.


    After a moment of silence, sporadic curses erupted from all directions.


    ¡°Who the hell are you?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s it to you? Mind your own business!¡±


    Song Ke casually glanced at those who were deliberately causing trouble; none of them were from the Northern Base.


    She didn¡¯t release her awakened energy, her face backlit, her figure slender. She looked like an ordinary passerby, completely lacking any intimidating presence.


    However, strangely, from the moment she appeared, the awakeners from the Northern Base seemed to collectively become mute. The guy who had just been cursing the most was dumbfounded. He couldn¡¯t believe his eyes, rubbed them in disbelief, and others pushed and shoved each other, some sneakily opened their terminals, searching for the cherished video of ¡°You¡¯re not an Alliance person if you don¡¯t watch.¡±


    The boy who was cursing stared wide-eyed, pupils trembling. Isn¡¯t she their S7 level?


    The reverence and awe of awakeners towards S-level individuals are innate, especially those with strong attack abilities. It is a submission based on absolute strength. The renowned and mysterious S7 level made her first public appearance, and it seemed like she was here to support them. The feeling of having someone from their own side take charge, if you haven¡¯t experienced it firsthand, you wouldn¡¯t understand. The guy¡¯s throat felt sour, and hot tears welled up.


    Several disrespectful awakeners noticed that the Northern Base, like a witch casting a spell, had suddenly fallen silent. They inwardly cursed, realizing that if this continued, they wouldn¡¯t be able to start a fight, and their mission would fail.


    Someone lurking in the shadows had their fingers quietly turned into claws, awakened energy gathering. They raised their hand to initiate an attack¡ª


    ¡°What, cramping up?¡± Song Ke asked casually.


    Clang!


    The chilling blade of a willow leaf knife swept past in front of his nose. The man¡¯s body hair stood on end, a gleam of light reflected in his eyes. He staggered backward, falling on his back.


    However, the willow leaf knife wasn¡¯t aimed at him. It took a turn just before reaching him, swift, accurate, and fierce, stabbing towards a masked man in the shadows. The man¡¯s trembling fingers abruptly clenched into a fist, and if he had been a second slower, he would have been severed.


    The willow leaf knife ¡°thudded¡± into the ground, stopping right in front of Fujita Hiro¡¯s head, as if offering incense.


    The man¡¯s spellcasting was interrupted, and he looked up coldly. Song Ke answered the previous question calmly.


    ¡°My team won the duel, willing to bet on losing. Let¡¯s settle the points.¡±


    She casually lifted the lamp stand, brought it to eye level, and slowly drew out a nearly four-meter-long Fangtian halberd. With a backward flip, the icy tip pointed downwards, and on both sides, the crescent moon-shaped peaks faintly emanated a powerful awakened energy.


    ¡°¡ªUntil the points are credited, no one is allowed to move.¡±


    The entire arena fell into silence.


    The suspended light screen high above continued tirelessly broadcasting: ¡°Which is the strongest in the end-of-days monster hunting? The Song-style spiritual weapons are truly amazing!¡±


    Now, even the slowest-witted person knew who she was.


    Song Ke, the highest-ranked S7 level in the entire Alliance, a metal-type and strong attack-type awakener. Not long ago, she single-handedly defeated a Level 5 ferocious beast, the Armored Sea Turtle. She is also the current captain of V587. Most importantly, at this moment, she was affiliated with the Northern Base.


    Su Cha quickly took Fujita Hiro¡¯s terminal, walked to the referee platform, and refreshed it. No one dared to intervene at this moment. According to the terms of the contract, all of ¡°Kirigakure¡¯s¡± points were transferred to ¡°V587.¡±


    Clap, clap, the masked man clapped his hands with a smile, his gaze fixed on Song Ke. In a tone that was neither friendly nor hostile, he sent shivers down the spine, ¡°Majestic. Now that the bet is settled, who will take responsibility for Fujita¡¯s death?¡±


    Song Ke looked at him with clear eyes, puzzled, ¡°Who are you?¡±


    The masked man¡¯s mouth twitched, and a trace of displeasure emerged from his otherwise indifferent tone, ¡°I¡¯m called Qing.¡±


    ¡°¡ªQing, from District B14, Miao Ying, S4 level, curse-type awakener.¡±


    In the audience, Lu Xiaoyu pulled up information on the delicate-looking man.


    Lin Youyou slightly furrowed her brows, ¡°He¡¯s not from Tokushima, why is he standing up for Fujita?¡±


    ¡°Because Fujita Hiro is just a pawn.¡±


    Tap, tap, calm footsteps approached from behind. Zhuang Qingyan inserted his hands into his pockets, a light-colored shirt tucked into khaki-colored trousers, sleeves rolled up to his forearms, and the deep peach blossom eyes slightly lifted behind silver-rimmed glasses.


    ¡°The real meaning of having pawns on the stage is not to win but to humiliate, until the people from the Northern Base can¡¯t bear it anymore.¡±


    Fujita Hiro deliberately provoked several times, aiming to enrage the awakeners in the audience, accumulating resentment to the breaking point. His death was unexpected, but it happened at the right time. The opponent had played along, finding the best trigger and successfully igniting the conflict between the two sides.


    ¡°But what¡¯s the benefit of taking action against them?¡± Lin Youyou still couldn¡¯t understand.


    ¡°Of course, there is,¡± Zhuang Qingyan nodded towards the stage, lifting his chin, ¡°Do you think there are only people from Tokushima down there?¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu timely zoomed in on the camera, scanning their faces one by one, and sighed with a flat tone, ¡°Tokushima, Baishen, Miao Ying¡­ at least seven or more individuals from other District B. It¡¯s quite lively. Is today the team-building party?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan sat down leisurely, propping up one long leg, ¡°The death of an A9 level resulted in a brawl among District B awakeners. If it¡¯s still initiated by the traditionally neutral Northern Base, it¡¯s not just a fight, but a diplomatic incident.¡±


    His expression gradually cooled down. When did these people, or rather, the District B they represented, reach a consensus?


    In the arena, Qing took a step back, half of his face hidden in the darkness. His lips moved, and immediately an indignant troublemaker rushed out:


    ¡°You killed Fujita Hiro! Dare to admit it, you cowards!¡±


    ¡°Cowardly turtles, a bunch of turtle bastards!¡±


    Obscene language and curses filled the air, as if today would be meaningless for the Northern Base if there wasn¡¯t a fight.


    Most of the awakeners were not in a good state of mind. On the Northern Base side, some were stimulated, their eyes reddening as they took a step forward.


    A Fangtian halberd descended from above, accurately and unmistakably inserted into the midst of the two groups, drawing a clear boundary.


    Song Ke landed lightly, like a security guard maintaining order. She advised earnestly, ¡°Don¡¯t fight.¡±


    ¡°I say, do you guys have a problem? It¡¯s normal for someone to die in a duel. This is the rule of the Silver Ring Arena. Why make a fuss?¡±


    ¡°Fujita didn¡¯t bet his life! You can¡¯t kill him!¡± No matter how much this side presented facts and reasoned, the other side remained adamant.


    The cursing boy had trembling diamond lip piercings. He was about to charge forward recklessly when Song Ke gave him a light glance.


    The cursing boy shivered, his pink hair standing on end. He immediately flattered, ¡°No fighting¡­ Sister Song is right, everyone listen to Sister Song.¡±


    Song Ke looked across, tilted her head in apparent distress, seemingly pondering how to peacefully resolve the situation.


    ¡°Killing is wrong,¡± she sighed in a feigned manner.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Su Cha obediently lowered his head.


    Song Ke patted his shoulder with emphasis, ¡°Turn yourself in and go to jail.¡±


    Let Ye Zimei fish him out later. Anyway, whether it was being in jail or escaping from it, V587 was highly skilled in both.


    Su Cha: ¡°¡­Okay.¡± The soon-to-be inmate nodded silently.


    Not only the opposing side but even the people from the Northern Base were dumbfounded. What¡¯s going on? Is this S7 level really going to uphold justice and send her own team member to jail?


    ¡°Is it okay now?¡± Song Ke looked towards the other side, her gaze piercing through the crowd, locking onto Qing at the back.


    ¡°No, we have to get justice for Fujita!¡±


    ¡°Is Little Idiot your father? So filial!¡± The cursing boy made a cheeky face towards the opposite side.


    Seeing that the commotion was dying down, several awakeners, panting heavily, suddenly rushed forward with menacing faces.


    The earth cracked open, and arm-sized spikes burst out, crossing the boundary set by Song Ke and expanding towards the other side.


    Song Ke drew the Fangtian halberd and turned around, shouting, ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡±


    The cursing boy retracted his outstretched foot with a ¡°whoosh,¡± standing upright as if on punishment. He didn¡¯t forget to supervise others, ¡°Sister Song said it, no one is allowed to move!¡±


    Song Ke moved forward, chaotic awakened abilities attacking her from all sides. Suddenly, she pivoted on her right foot, turning fiercely in a circle! The halberd¡¯s tip swung, and the front-line melee attackers were sent flying.


    Song Ke continued to charge forward, long-range attacks targeting her head. She dodged by tilting her head, her shoulder-length hair swaying in the wind. She avoided when she could, and when she couldn¡¯t, she faced it head-on. Gripping the middle of the halberd, she slanted it upward! The crescent blade cut through the enemy¡¯s collar, nailing over a dozen people in succession. She swung it around, knocking down a large group with a series of crashes.


    Facing hundreds alone, she entered the enemy ranks like a breeze, and in less than a minute, chaos ensued. Yet, she remained as steady as a mountain.


    Qing¡¯s eyebrows and eyes turned cold. Just as he was about to add fuel to the fire, a cold mental force lashed out like a whip, delivering a harsh strike to his mind.


    His consciousness suddenly became muddled. Curse-type abilities required a cooldown time, and this unexpected attack caught him off guard.


    Qing raised his head abruptly, looking towards the spectator seats. V587, five people, sitting or standing, with calm expressions.


    Three A-levels, two¡­ ordinary people?


    Qing¡¯s gaze lingered on Zhuang Qingyan and Lu Xiaoyu. As an S4 level, he surprisingly couldn¡¯t judge the depth of their awakened energies. But only fools would think they were ordinary people.


    A ludicrous, unbelievable thought slowly rose in Qing¡¯s mind: Could it be that the Northern Base still harbors unrevealed S-levels?


    He stepped back slowly, lowered his gaze, and merged into the crowd without a word. Towards Song Ke, he silently conveyed, ¡°Until we meet again.¡±


    His elusive figure transformed into a moth and disappeared in the blink of an eye.


    Nearly a hundred awakeners wailed in pain, rolling on the ground. Song Ke poked one, kicked another, nodding with satisfaction:


    ¡°Not a single one died.¡±


    ¡°Awakener Department is performing official duties, please cooperate!¡± A stern voice echoed through the loudspeaker.


    Zhao Yuqing and another S-level, leading dozens of uniformed personnel, arrived. Zhao Yuqing¡¯s eyes were cold, and her water-type ability manifested, binding the necks and limbs of the fallen awakeners in water circles, preventing them from moving freely.


    The Northern Base¡¯s awakeners scattered in panic, attempting to escape.


    ¡°All relevant personnel, please voluntarily proceed to the Awakener Department for investigation!¡±


    ¡°Ah¡ª!¡± The cursing boy wore a miserable expression, passing by Song Ke with a dejected look, ¡°It¡¯s over, it¡¯s over. I¡¯m going to drink tea again.¡±


    The group of people reluctantly followed the officials, and the Silver Ring Arena was temporarily closed.


    Zhao Yuqing walked over solemnly and stopped in front of Song Ke, ¡°Captain Song, please come with me.¡±


    Song Ke blinked.


    Zhao Yuqing couldn¡¯t hold back and smiled faintly, ¡°I¡¯m really unlucky, being drafted to handle this matter. I was even worried about fights on the way. Thanks for your help.¡±


    Song Ke waved at her, ¡°No problem.¡±


    Zhao Yuqing spoke gently, ¡°This matter needs to be thoroughly investigated. Please come and follow the procedure.¡±


    Song Ke glanced at the exit, where it was packed with either escorted or voluntarily cooperating awakeners, making it impassable.


    ¡°We¡¯ll go over by ourselves.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Zhao Yuqing didn¡¯t insist.


    ¡°No need for tea,¡± Song Ke thought for a moment and said. She had just consumed a lot of tea at Professor Ming¡¯s place and couldn¡¯t handle more.


    Zhao Yuqing chuckled, finding her somewhat cute, ¡°Not that kind of tea. You¡¯ll know when you come.¡±


    Song Ke returned to the spectator seats, receiving a kiss from Lin Youyou, a leg-hug from Xu Xing, a thumbs-up from Fang Zhixu, and¡­ numerous orders from the top-notch salesperson Lu Xiaoyu.


    Casually sitting down, she leaned back, and Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s knee naturally caught her.


    Song Ke happily counted the points. It was indeed worthy of being a top-ten team in Tokushima. After adding the points from ¡°Kirigakure¡±, V587 soared to the 3rd place in the Northern Base and the 23rd place in the entire Alliance.


    Song Ke was elated. In her excitement, she transferred another million to Su Cha.


    Su Cha, shirtless, sat obediently in his original spot. When Fang Zhixu came over to treat his wounds, he remained silent for a while. Eventually, he hesitated, looking up at Lin Youyou like a puppy longing for praise.


    Slap¡ª!


    Lin Youyou slapped Su Cha¡¯s bald head without holding back at all, leaving him stunned as he silently licked his wounded spot.


    Lin Youyou¡¯s eyebrows furrowed in anger as she scolded, ¡°Got arrogant, huh? Like to show off, right? Gambling with your life? I picked you up, and your life belongs to me. Who allowed you to squander it!¡±


    Su Cha: ¡°?¡± Why did she say something different to that person?


    After counting the points, Song Ke waved grandly, ¡°Let¡¯s go, send Su Cha away, to jail.¡±


    Su Cha: ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Sister! I need to go to the bathroom. Wait for me!¡±


    Xu Xing, legs crossed, twisted uncomfortably. He had been engrossed in watching the arena, drinking a lot of beverages, and now he couldn¡¯t hold it in.


    ¡°Who will accompany you¡­¡± Song Ke pointed around and found that none of the men present seemed to have the time.


    ¡°No need for company!¡±


    After shouting, Xu Xing rushed to the bathroom. He ran too fast, collided with a man at the entrance, and the man¡¯s round belly bounced him away. He tumbled and rolled, and the man, absent-mindedly, lowered his head, muttering a vague ¡°Sorry,¡± and hastily walked past him.


    ¡°¡­The rat is lost, the crocodile is not very happy, quickly grab another batch of cats to replenish the grain bin¡­¡±


    Xu Xing sat dazed in his original spot, recalling the time before the apocalypse when Xu Weiguo used to boast while picking his teeth, ¡°The most profitable business? It¡¯s smuggling, just casually put in a few mice and cats, and you can make a fortune from those crocodiles.¡±


    ¡°Uncle, your terminal fell.¡± A voice of innocence sounded, and a boy timidly pulled at the man¡¯s sleeve.


    The man impatiently looked down, only to find his terminal perfectly on his wrist.


    ¡°Not mine, you¡¯ve got the wrong person¡­¡±


    ¡°Uncle, this terminal has no password. There¡¯s a lot of money inside, you¡¯re too careless.¡±


    The man abruptly stopped talking, snatched the terminal from Xu Xing¡¯s hand, ¡°Ah yes yes, it¡¯s mine, thank you, little friend.¡± S?a??h th? N?velF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome, uncle. It¡¯s what I should do.¡±


    Xu Xing smiled innocently, and with a small shake of his hand, a mini ladybug crawled into the man¡¯s pocket.

 Chapter 162.1: Key (5)

    ¡ò After I die, I won¡¯t care about the raging flood ¡òTwo hours before the riot at the Silver Ring Arena.


    In the Ancient Street villa area.


    Lucia and Ming Gang, who worked in the living room, exchanged a few words. Lucia picked up the flower spray pot and walked towards the courtyard.


    Just as she descended the steps, the access control system reminded her of a visitor. Lucia felt a bit surprised. They had refused visitors for many years, and their friends were aware of their habits and wouldn¡¯t disturb them casually. On this special day, who could be coming?


    Lucia opened the terminal, and real-time images came in. A charming young girl¡¯s face was looking at the camera, with round eyes like a certain small animal, curiously looking around. Behind her was a tall young man.


    Lucia sighed silently, signaled the access control to allow entry, put the flower spray pot aside, and adjusted her bun and outfit.


    Not long after, Song Ke came over with a large bouquet of fragrant and vibrant lilies. Due to radiation, most plants had mutated after doomsday. She intentionally bought the restored version, several times more expensive than the ordinary ones.


    Zhuang Qingyan gently pushed her back, and Song Ke awkwardly spoke, ¡°Hello, Professor. Wishing you both a happy pearl wedding anniversary.¡±


    Extending her hand, Lucia took the bouquet and handed it to the robot butler for trimming and arranging. She then turned around and picked up the flower spray pot.


    ¡°Come in first; I¡¯ll go water the flowers.¡±


    Song Ke, with a smiling face, eagerly approached, ¡°Let me help you!¡±


    Before Lucia could react, the pot was taken away, and Song Ke happily ran away. Her enthusiastic attitude made it impossible for people to refuse.


    Lucia could only lead Zhuang Qingyan inside first. When Ming Gang saw the newcomers, his face instantly turned serious, ¡°If you want to inquire about Ming Zhi¡¯s news, I have nothing to say.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan nodded slightly, with a polite attitude, ¡°Professor Ming, rest assured, I won¡¯t do anything to upset you. I¡¯m just here as Ming Zhi¡¯s colleague and friend to visit you on his behalf.¡±


    Ming Gang snorted coldly but didn¡¯t say anything to drive him away.


    Zhuang Qingyan turned gently to Lucia, ¡°Professor, I have a somewhat unpleasant request. May I see Ming Zhi¡¯s childhood photos?¡±


    Lucia was somewhat surprised but agreed. She opened a dynamic photo album on the projection, apparently flipping through it regularly. She cherished every page and couldn¡¯t help sharing because of her longing as a mother, ¡°This is when Xiao Zhi was just born, thin as a monkey¡­ After much effort to fatten him up, you can see how cute he was at five, all chubby. This one is Askar¡¯s graduation photo; he was the youngest student in that year¡­¡±


    Lucia¡¯s eyes gradually moistened, ¡°I¡¯m sorry; this album only goes up to the age of twenty. I didn¡¯t have the chance to see what he looked like afterward.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like there¡¯s no chance,¡± Zhuang Qingyan pondered slightly, looking calmly at Lucia. ¡°I¡¯m quite good at drawing. If you don¡¯t mind, I can try to draw Ming Zhi¡¯s later appearance.¡±


    He carefully observed the photos and videos in the album, from the innocent childhood to the teenage years, flipping through until Ming Zhi was twenty and entered the Qinglan Research Institute. His life record stopped here.


    After a moment of contemplation, Zhuang Qingyan took out a light screen and began to sketch. He first copied the appearance of Ming Zhi at twenty, as it was the most accurate with visual references. Then, based on bone structure and muscle development, he drew Ming Zhi at thirty, with a mature and stable face. The last sketch depicted Ming Zhi at around seventy, with gentle eyebrows and eyes drooping slightly, wrinkles covering his face, lips slightly pursed, surrounded by a faint academic aura.


    Lucia stared at the portrait of seventy-year-old Ming Zhi in a trance, ¡°Ming Gang, this one looks a bit like you.¡±


    Ming Gang glanced at it proudly, raising his chin, ¡°Of course, my son looks like me.¡±


    He pointed his finger, hovering over the sketch of thirty-year-old Ming Zhi, ¡°Also like you, similar eyebrows, similar personality, the same soft heart.¡±


    A tinge of melancholy and sadness surged in Ming Gang¡¯s heart. He couldn¡¯t bear it, turning his head away, eyebrows furrowing. Then, he covered his mouth, almost gasping for breath, ¡°Stop¡ªcough!! Is this your way of watering them? Are you trying to drown them?¡±


    In the courtyard, several carefully cultivated biotic camellia plants by Lucia were soaked from roots to leaves. Song Ke, who was happily watering the flowers, looked up in confusion, startled by Ming Gang¡¯s loud voice. She shivered, and the flower spray pot accidentally released a stream of water.


    Ming Gang was so angry that he couldn¡¯t speak, and Song Ke, summoned by Lucia, nervously entered the house. The couple stared at her in silence for a while, but in the end, they couldn¡¯t bear to scold her. After all, this child meant well and didn¡¯t intentionally cause trouble. Lucia pushed the tea set toward them, ¡°Have some tea.¡± S?a?ch* Th? N?v?lFir?.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Song Ke, with her head shrunk, dared not touch anything.


    Lucia spoke softly, ¡°It¡¯s okay; the flowers I raise never bloom.¡±


    Song Ke was surprised, ¡°Huh?¡±


    Lucia, seemingly recalling something, smiled lightly, ¡°At that time, Xiao Zhi was just like you, always insisting on helping but unable to control the water properly. He often ended up drowning the flowers. I got used to it a long time ago.¡±


    At her words, Zhuang Qingyan lowered his gaze, subtly moving his fingertips, ¡°Song Ke, can I borrow the light screen?¡±


    Song Ke retrieved the old light screen left by her grandfather and handed it to him. Zhuang Qingyan stood up and gestured, ¡°Sorry for the interruption; I¡¯ll be back in a moment.¡±


    After leaving the living room, Zhuang Qingyan glanced at those drooping and seemingly lifeless camellia plants, shaking his head with a smile. Then, he put away his smile and brought up the portrait of Song Zhiyuan, drawn according to Song Ke¡¯s description, placing it next to Ming Zhi¡¯s portrait.


    Clearly, Song Zhiyuan appeared even older, with numerous wrinkles and lines, a gray and lifeless complexion. To anyone looking at it, he seemed to be a pitiable old man tormented by illness. However, when Zhuang Qingyan overlaid the two images, the features of Song Zhiyuan and Ming Zhi mysteriously aligned.


    Zhuang Qingyan hesitated for a moment, then placed the portrait of twenty-year-old Ming Zhi on top. His gaze gradually fixed.


    Despite the noticeable differences in facial conditions, the alignment of bone structure and muscle development was consistent.


    Zhuang Qingyan switched to another system on the old light screen, which contained a vast amount of cutting-edge research papers and data on genetics.


    If Song Zhiyuan was from District F, could he have obtained this knowledge and understanding of the content? Unless¡­ he didn¡¯t belong there at all, but instead came from District B, where knowledge access was easily available. Moreover, he might have been the once-acclaimed genius young doctor in genetics.


    Ming Zhi, Zhiyuan¡­


    Is it not true that without a tranquil heart, one cannot have a clear aspiration? Without peace, one cannot achieve far-reaching goals, right?


    But why would a promising researcher turn into an elderly man plagued by incurable illness within a few years?


    Zhuang Qingyan fell into silence for a moment, the clear answer forming in his mind.


    Radiation.


    Excessive exposure to radiation in a short period can lead to organ failure, causing rapid aging in the human body. So, Ming Zhi¡­ became Song Zhiyuan.


    There is only one possibility: after the Loak accident, Ming Zhi must have returned to the research institute or approached the nuclear explosion site, facing excessive radiation exposure, resulting in severe damage to his bodily functions.


    But why did he go back? He clearly escaped with an experimental subject privately. Knowing the accident had occurred, why return to such a dangerous place?


    What about LAK0017, taken away by him? With the initial cells dead, the experimental subject should not have survived. How did Ming Zhi handle it?


    Zhuang Qingyan closed his eyes and then pulled up Song Ke¡¯s genetic report. Among the hundreds of unknown DNA sequences, only two were clear: Hook Snake and Wildcat. This did not prove anything, as he could list over a thousand cases of experimental subjects with a fusion of these two genes, including LAK0017.


    In the prolonged silence, Zhuang Qingyan sighed deeply, his voice barely audible.


    ¡°You succeeded, Prometheus.¡±


    ¡°You found the true fire.¡±


    In ancient myths, Prometheus stole the fire to rekindle the light for humanity, angering the chief god Zeus. As punishment, Prometheus was bound to a rock on Mount Caucasus, where an eagle would daily feast on his regenerating liver. Prometheus became a tormented martyr.


    ¡°But in this world, there has never been a Hercules.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s next sigh came instantly.


    The myth ends happily, with Zeus¡¯s son, the brave and strong Hercules, shooting the eagle with a bow and freeing Prometheus from his chains.


    However, reality took an unexpected turn. Prometheus faced punishment for stealing the fire, and the greedy humanity transformed into the eagle, seeking his last moments of life.


    Zhuang Qingyan lowered his brows, a hint of resentment emerging in his eyes.


    He systematically deleted all the portraits, like an indifferent deity indifferent to the suffering of all living beings.


    In the laboratory of Qianzhan City, Ning Rong questioned him about why he refused to hand over the Fire Seed data.


    At that time, Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s response was: he couldn¡¯t become a saint.


    In fact, he lied. Not only did he not want to become a saint, but he also desired to be the tyrannical Zeus who actively extinguishes the flames.


    ¡°Apr¨¨s moi, le d¨¦luge. (After me, the deluge.)¡±

 Chapter 162.2: Key (5)

    ¡ò After I die, I won¡¯t care about the raging flood ¡òSong Ke, who had unintentionally caused trouble, immersed herself in drinking tea to disguise her embarrassment.


    Lucia covered Ming Gang¡¯s hand, feeling it a bit cool, and tugged at the blanket, ¡°Let¡¯s work on the paper tomorrow. Did you take your medicine?¡±


    The irritable Ming Gang, in front of Lucia, seemed as docile as a lamb, ¡°¡­Took half.¡±


    Lucia disapproved as she looked at him.


    Ming Gang forced a smile and grasped her hand back without letting go, ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal; why bother taking medicine all the time?¡±


    The warm atmosphere between the two was indescribable, leaving no room for a third person to intervene.


    Song Ke stared blankly at them, and the question Zhuang Qingyan had asked her during their time in Haimen inexplicably popped into her head: ¡°Do you know what ¡®liking¡¯ means?¡±


    The couple, Ming Gang and Lucia, turned towards her simultaneously. Song Ke belatedly realized that she had inadvertently spoken aloud.


    Lucia pondered slightly, ¡°Liking is the prelude to love. It¡¯s a superficial expression of love, encompassing attachment, altruism, and intimacy.¡±


    Holding the tea cup, Song Ke¡¯s eyes reflected a clear but confused expression, ¡°?¡±


    ¡°Professor Lucia, forgive me if I can¡¯t agree with that,¡± Ming Gang coughed lightly and said solemnly, ¡°I believe liking and love are two completely different emotions.¡±


    ¡°Oh? What is Professor Ming¡¯s insight?¡± Lucia turned to him with a smile. When it came to professional matters, the two renowned cognitive psychologists engaged in a calm and amicable discussion.


    Ming Gang, never one for humor, stated firmly, ¡°Liking is an unrestrained infatuation, while love is an exclusive loyalty.¡±


    ¡°Liking a flower, you might pick it, but loving a flower, you¡¯ll only nurture it.¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s head followed the two as they conversed, nodding and shaking her head in apparent understanding, ¡°Oh~¡±


    Lucia gently touched the coiled hair at her temple, her eyes reflecting a wise and bright light, ¡°Who says love must be exclusive? Commonly recognized love can be divided into passionate love and companionate love. Passionate love is emotional, intense, stimulated by dopamine and adrenaline, longing to be with the other person. At this stage, perhaps there is what you call ¡®exclusivity¡¯ and the narrow swinging ¡®suspension bridge effect,¡¯ making one unconsciously yearn.¡±


    Lucia subtly needled, even changing her address to ¡°Äú¡± (a polite form of ¡®you¡¯).


    Song Ke blinked in confusion: Dopamine? Suspension bridge? Once again, she couldn¡¯t comprehend.


    Ming Gang opened his mouth to retort, but Lucia forcefully interrupted, ¡°However, the peak period cannot be sustained indefinitely. When the passion subsides, life becomes increasingly ordinary, ultimately returning to companionate love, the three elements I mentioned earlier ¨C deeper attachment and longer-lasting intimacy, mutual respect, mutual support.¡±


    ¡°So, I believe that liking and love are connected,¡± Lucia smiled, ¡°Professor Ming, do you agree with my perspective?¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re right.¡± Ming Gang cleverly stepped back, avoiding the discussion of liking and love, emphasizing the importance of family harmony.


    Lucia handed a glass of water to him, ¡°So, respect each other and take your medicine.¡±


    Ming Gang choked up, silently taking the glass and swallowing.


    Song Ke followed suit, lowering her head to sip her tea.


    Lucia looked at her with maternal affection, like a patient teacher explaining patiently, ¡°Did you understand?¡±


    Song Ke mumbled in response, ¡°I understood the earlier part.¡± She grasped the idea up to the point of picking flowers, but the rest became hazy.


    Ming Gang and Lucia exchanged a glance, facing the first student who was so challenging to teach.


    Lucia rephrased it, ¡°Liking is when you see someone for the first time and know it¡¯s him.¡±


    Ming Gang held Lucia¡¯s hand, and the two reached a silent consensus at that moment, ¡°Love is when one day, you look back at her and tell yourself, ¡®Thank goodness it¡¯s her.''¡± S~?a??h the ?ov?l?ir?.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡­


    After leaving Ming Gang¡¯s home, Zhuang Qingyan remained silent throughout the journey.


    Song Ke approached him, tilting her head, ¡°What are you thinking about?¡±


    ¡°Nothing, just feeling fortunate.¡±


    ¡°?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan held her hand, forcefully entwining his fingers with hers, lowering his head slightly, ¡°Fortunate that I found you so early.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s face, though exceptionally handsome, seemed to carry an air of heavy color, forming a unique charm, especially when he spoke in a low voice. It felt like an irresistible vortex.


    Song Ke corrected his statement, ¡°It¡¯s not you who found me; it¡¯s I who saved you.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan smiled slowly, gazing down at Song Ke, ¡°Yes, you saved me.¡±


    ¡ª¡±Liking is when you see someone for the first time and know it¡¯s him.¡±


    Suddenly, Song Ke plunged into his gaze, momentarily stunned. It was strange looking back now; she wasn¡¯t someone who meddled in others¡¯ affairs. Why, when they first met in Hua City, did she impulsively rescue him from the pool of blood?


    ¡°Ah-choo!¡± Without warning, Song Ke sneezed.


    She rubbed her nose and, when she looked up, noticed that Zhuang Qingyan had closed his eyes, lenses speckled with suspicious droplets.


    ¡°Ah! I¡¯m sorry!¡± Song Ke hurriedly wiped them with her sleeve.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Zhuang Qingyan held her hand, kneading it in his palm, ¡°Does something feel uncomfortable?¡±


    Did she smell something strange again, or was there an issue with her recessive gene?


    Song Ke honestly replied, ¡°Feels like my eyes are a bit dry.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan examined her carefully but found no abnormalities.


    He looked up at the sky; the Northern Base also had a weather simulation system, labeled T005.


    The terminal displayed normal temperature and radiation.


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s some allergies. Let¡¯s go indoors.¡±


    Song Ke nodded, and at that moment, the terminal beeped. Lin Youyou had sent a distress message.


    ¡­


    Three hours later, at the Awakener Department.


    The investigating officer in charge sat upright, looking serious and hesitant, ¡°Um, would you¡­ would you like some water?¡±


    Song Ke frowned slightly, having consumed tea throughout the day already.


    Thinking she might be dissatisfied, the officer suddenly stood up, ¡°What would you like to drink? I¡¯ll have someone prepare it!¡±


    Obediently, he promptly left the room. He had been unlucky enough to visit Dr. Ning¡¯s research institute and witnessed the formidable S7 subdue Zhigler and Xi Ze. In case he angered her, he didn¡¯t want to risk losing his head.


    Ye Zimei knocked on the door and entered. The investigating officer, as if granted a reprieve, said, ¡°Xiao Ye, I¡¯ll leave it to you. I have some other work to attend to.¡±


    Without waiting for a response, he hastily left the room, looking as if he were being chased by a ghost.


    With only two people left in the room, Ye Zimei deliberately drew out her words, ¡°Captain Song¡­¡±


    Song Ke raised her voice, ¡°I didn¡¯t steal anything! Nor did I break anything!¡±


    Unable to contain her amusement, Ye Zimei chuckled, ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous. This time, considering your act of bravery, you actually have some credit.¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°So, Su Cha won¡¯t have to go to jail?¡±


    Ye Zimei adopted a serious tone, ¡°In the Northern Base, unless an awakener results in a fatal outcome during wartime, the consequences are severe. Luckily, he killed someone from the Tokushima faction, and they signed a life-or-death agreement before the duel. Otherwise, this would have been quite troublesome. Go and get him, and remember, there won¡¯t be a next time.¡±


    Song Ke went to the detention room to retrieve Su Cha. On the way, they encountered the rich cursing boy who had been beaten by his parents. Seeing her approach, the boy, with a bruised and swollen face, rushed over excitedly and rubbed his hands together, ¡°Sister Song, can you give me an autograph? Sign it on my shirt!¡±


    He quickly took off his T-shirt, revealing his bare upper body, then suddenly realized, ¡°Oh! And the commission reward, I¡¯ll send it to you!¡±


    After confirming completion on the terminal, another 800,000 points were credited to V587¡¯s account, and their overall ranking moved up one place.


    Song Ke casually signed her name, patting the young man¡¯s shoulder as she did. With such potential, he had a promising future, and she enjoyed helping out newcomers.


    The young man touched his shoulder, looking happy and somewhat dreamy, then walked away.


    ¡­


    V587 left, chatting and laughing. On the first floor, they unexpectedly bumped into He Qiuhong. The second-in-command of the Northern Base had a serious expression, and behind her were six top-tier awakeners, forming an imposing lineup that had never been seen before. This group included the Ling siblings, the recently injured but now recovering Zhigler, Zhao Yuqing, and three new S-level combatants.


    As the two groups met in a narrow passage, both sides stopped, and the atmosphere instantly became tense.


    After a moment, He Qiuhong, with a cold expression, walked past Song Ke without a sideways glance. Zhao Yuqing discreetly turned around and nodded to her.


    He Qiuhong had always valued awakeners. With so many unknown individuals infiltrating her jurisdiction, it could have led to significant security incidents. It was not surprising that she took action, mobilizing all S-level members. Excluding Song Ke was also not surprising, considering their conflict stemming from the kidnapping incident. Since then, the authority over V587 was no longer in her hands.


    Song Ke nonchalantly turned her head, ¡°Let¡¯s go, to catch the smugglers that Xiao Xing found.¡±


    ¡°Ah-choo!¡±


    Just as they walked out of the Awakener Department building, Song Ke couldn¡¯t control another sneeze.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Captain? Catching a cold?¡± Lin Youyou asked with concern.


    Song Ke waved her hand to indicate it was nothing.


    Her eyes were dry, her throat was dry, and although there were no obvious discomforts, it seemed like her allergic symptoms had worsened.


    Song Ke looked into the distance, where the scorching sun hung high, starships shuttled back and forth, and the transparent barrier seemed to appear and disappear. The Northern Base remained calm as usual.


    Her jet-black hair gently fluttered in the wind.


    The wind was picking up.

 Chapter 163: Key (6)

    ¡ò Don¡¯t look, there¡¯s dirty stuff ¡òWulongwulong¡ª


    The three-dimensional subway descended vertically, slowly stopping at the platform, and passengers of all shapes and colors came down from the carriage.


    A round-bellied man hummed an out-of-tune tune and casually tossed the terminal that had been emptied into the recycling bin.


    Unexpectedly, by delivering a ¡°package,¡± he could also receive a windfall of 500,000 Alliance coins for free. The man proudly patted his belly, crossed the transparent sky bridge, turned into the lower-level street, and left the bright sunlight behind.


    Business has been good lately, coupled with unexpected income, enough for him to splurge for several years to come.


    A mini ladybug peeked out of his pocket, its compound eyes gleaming, transmitting data along the way.


    When the man was about to reach his doorstep, his footsteps halted.


    ¡°Uncle!¡± At the end of the road, a well-dressed Xu Xing raised a small hand, enthusiastically greeting him, ¡°Do you remember me?¡±


    The man stared at him suspiciously. Even though it hadn¡¯t been half a day, of course, he remembered. This kid was the silly-looking wealth-bringing boy at the bathroom door.


    ¡°Sorry, Uncle, I made a mistake. Actually, that terminal is mine.¡± Xu Xing pouted slightly, with an innocent and cute expression. ¡°Please, can you give it back to me?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. How could you have so much money? And why would you be silly enough to give me the terminal?¡± The man instinctively retorted, ¡°Regretting it now?¡±


    ¡°It really is mine.¡± Xu Xing¡¯s watery eyes blinked, and a small ice cone slowly formed in his palm. Smiling like a cunning demon, he said, ¡°If I didn¡¯t fish like this, how would I have hooked you?¡±


    Fooled! This kid is definitely a person with abilities!


    An alarm bell rang in the man¡¯s mind, and just as he was about to speak, a few clear coughs sounded behind him, causing him to turn abruptly.


    In the lingering twilight, a group of six people blocked his retreat. In the middle was an eighteen or nineteen-year-old girl, her leaf-shaped knife flipping up and down at her fingertips. Behind her, tall men and women lined up, glaring at him.


    The man thought it was bad, turned his head, and rushed forward, trying to break through from Xu Xing. Xu Xing eagerly waited with excitement in his eyes, and the ice cone in his hand instantly transformed into a solid ice wall, blocking his way. The man slammed on the brakes, regretting in his heart: I said, how can good things fall from the sky for nothing? This isn¡¯t a wealth-bringing boy; he¡¯s clearly a plague! S?a??h the N0??F?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    His eyes turned, and suddenly, gray hair grew on exposed skin, clothes fell off, and in the blink of an eye, he turned into a huge rat, scurrying into the sewer.


    This unremarkable-looking man turned out to be a shapeshifter!


    The awakener mouse squeaked and dashed forward, seemingly about to escape. Ding! A dark blue leaf-shaped knife flew accurately, piercing its tail. The mouse had just leaped out a bit when it was ¡°thump¡± bounced back, rolling on the ground, stars swirling in its eyes.


    Xu Xing was startled by the ugly large mouse and hid behind Song Ke, peeking with one eye.


    The rhythmic footsteps stopped in front, and Fang Zhixu, with a playful twist to his hair, squatted down ¡°kindly.¡± His hands moved, and two shiny dissecting knives appeared out of thin air. A smile resembling that of a twisted doctor appeared on his face. ¡°It¡¯s been many years since I last dissected a mouse, huh? Where should I start? Open the abdominal cavity first, then pull out the intestines¡­¡±


    The cold surgical knife pressed against the thick fur, and the next second was about to cut through the flesh¡ª


    ¡°Don¡¯t, don¡¯t kill me! What do you guys want? I¡¯ll give you the money, isn¡¯t that enough?¡± The awakener mouse struggled desperately, and begged.


    Song Ke comfortingly patted Xu Xing¡¯s head. ¡°You go first, turn back into a human. I¡¯ll ask you a few questions.¡±


    Bang! The man obediently turned back, completely naked, blood flowing from his right ankle, shivering on the ground.


    Zhuang Qingyan immediately covered Song Ke¡¯s eyes. Song Ke¡¯s vision fell into darkness, her fan-like eyelashes blinked. A low reminder sounded in her ears: ¡°Don¡¯t look, there¡¯s dirty stuff.¡±


    Lin Youyou was a half-second slow, suddenly turned her head, her expression was indescribable. ¡°Help, I¡­ faint at the sight of needles.¡±


    Su Cha, with a dark face, stepped forward, firmly blocking her.


    When the man clumsily put on his clothes, Song Ke finally lowered Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s hand. ¡°Are you a smuggler?¡±


    ¡°Injustice, sister! I¡¯m just an honest scalper, selling tickets and collecting some service fees.¡± The man insisted, biting down on his story.


    Song Ke naturally didn¡¯t believe him and went straight to the point. ¡°I ask you, what are mice, crocodiles, and¡­ achoo! What are cats?¡±


    The man didn¡¯t expect Song Ke to speak in code right away, and his expression momentarily became uncertain.


    Fang Zhixu smiled, raising the dissecting knife as if ready to cut into his mouth¡ª


    ¡°I¡¯ll talk! I¡¯ll talk!¡± The man, terrified, trembled uncontrollably. ¡°I really didn¡¯t smuggle. I just¡­ followed the big brother to do some smuggling business, find some channels, help people get short-term access, and send them into the base. The mouse is an awakener from another district, all with legal identities. We don¡¯t dare deal with illegal immigrants!¡±


    As a popular immigrant city in District B, the Northern Base had strict immigration procedures, and there was even a proactive city specifically handling related matters, receiving guests from all walks of life daily, making the city bustling with people.


    V587 exchanged a silent glance, and it seemed Xu Xing had indeed guessed right; this man was indeed involved in smuggling.


    ¡°How many mice have you brought in?¡±


    ¡°Altogether, about five thousand people.¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s eyes turned cold. The awakeners causing trouble on the Silver Ring Arena were only around a hundred. This meant that there were still many rats hiding in other corners of the Northern Base.


    Lin Youyou looked down at the curled-up man on the ground with disdain and mocked, ¡°Five thousand people? Are you a local? You have quite the guts, bringing in so many dangerous individuals. Aren¡¯t you afraid of trouble in the Northern Base?¡±


    ¡°With Director He and the Awakener Department here, what trouble can arise?¡± The man grumbled indifferently. ¡°Go to Qianzhan City and see how many people want to come in every day. Besides, it¡¯s not immigration; it¡¯s just short-term entry. We¡¯re just helping out¡­ and earning a meal on the side.¡±


    The brawl on the Silver Ring Arena had caused quite a stir, but it was suppressed. The order in the Northern Base had always been good, and with the wise management, even if something happened, there were big shots to solve it. They didn¡¯t need to worry.


    ¡°Don¡¯t embellish yourself. You¡¯re just a traitor!¡± Lin Youyou scolded. If they were bringing in exiled awakeners, that would be one thing, but it turned out to be people with sinister motives from District B. While the Northern Base had a good reputation, were the other areas in District B so disgraceful? Five thousand illegally infiltrated awakeners at the same time clearly indicated a conspiracy. These shortsighted fools only cared about their own interests, completely disregarding the consequences.


    Lin Youyou kicked the man¡¯s chin with anger, causing him to scream in pain.


    Song Ke pretended not to see and didn¡¯t stop her rude behavior, continuing to ask, ¡°Who is the crocodile?¡±


    The beaten man, now nodding obediently, answered, ¡°The crocodile is¡­ our boss. He pays to bring in rats. No one knows his real identity, but he is generous with his money every time.¡±


    Song Ke understood; it seemed that the crocodile was the mastermind behind the entire conspiracy.


    ¡°What about the cats? How many are there?¡±


    The smuggler hesitated for a moment, his tone becoming uncertain. ¡°Cats¡­ there seem to be six or seven? Or maybe seven or eight? They are very expensive, not under my control. I only handle communication, but I¡¯ve seen two of them. They don¡¯t have awakened energy; they are just ordinary people.¡±


    ¡°Sister, you can rest assured; nothing troublesome will happen.¡± The man ingratiatingly grinned, as if saying, ¡°I still love my homeland.¡±


    After the man finished speaking, the seven people on the opposite side fell silent.


    He shivered, a sense of unease gradually rising in his heart. ¡°Did I say something wrong?¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s wheelchair elevated, and his hazel eyes coldly looked down at him. ¡°Hey, rat, do you think we are ordinary people?¡±


    One woman and two men suddenly erupted with powerful awakened energy. The overwhelming pressure, like a tsunami, penetrated the man¡¯s entire body with a pain of countless steel nails. His internal magnetic field went haywire, and gray fur uncontrollably appeared, his legs trembling, almost unable to maintain human form.


    The man¡¯s teeth chattered, and the only thought left in his extremely fearful mind was: ¡­S-level.


    As long as there was an intention to conceal, low-level awakeners couldn¡¯t feel the awakened energy of an S-level. This was why they mistakenly took them for ordinary people.


    Lin Youyou completely disregarded her image, angrily kicking the man again. ¡°That¡¯s not a cat at all; it¡¯s a jackal! Fools, you¡¯ve invited a wolf into the house!¡±


    Song Ke thrust a knife between the man¡¯s legs. ¡°Give up all the information about the cats.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°The current situation is that at least six S-levels have infiltrated,¡± Zhuang Qingyan calmly stated.


    V587 was holding a meeting at the top level of the starship port, offering an excellent view of the entire city. Despite the bustling crowds below, no abnormalities could be discerned for the time being.


    During the Silver Ring Arena incident, S4-level awakener ¡®Qian¡¯ suddenly appeared, wanting to stand up for Fujita Hiro. They had sensed that something was wrong at that time. Since when did the relationship between District Bs become so friendly and cooperative? Now it seemed like a ¡°cat crying for mice.¡± Benevolence was false, intentionally provoking a war was true.


    Lu Xiaoyu tapped his fingers, infiltrating the surveillance system, and within seconds, situations of awakeners making trouble were happening everywhere. The S-levels in the Northern Base were suppressing them separately, overwhelmed with tasks. In the confinement room of the Awakener Department, it was probably already overcrowded.


    Song Ke said, ¡°I¡¯ve sent the information to Ye Zimei and Bai Qi.¡±


    The quicker the intelligence was transmitted, the better. This way, both the Awakener Department and Ye Zheng¡¯s side could respond promptly.


    ¡°Achoo!¡± She sneezed again, this time with a muffled sound.


    Zhuang Qingyan frowned. Song Ke¡¯s condition could no longer be described as an ¡°allergy.¡± There must be something wrong somewhere.


    ¡°I feel¡­ the air is so dirty,¡± Song Ke rubbed her nose and muttered.


    Hoo¡ªhoo¡ª


    A strong wind suddenly rose, and the biomimetic plants around them rustled, their roots skewed.


    Bang! A giant billboard from a lower building fell from the sky, making a deafening sound.


    Where did this storm come from?


    The group looked surprised; T005 was operating normally, and there was a weather simulation system in place. How could such extreme weather, out of season, suddenly occur?


    One strong gust of wind followed another, and in just a few seconds, a sudden change occurred! The sunlight rapidly dimmed, the sky was completely blocked, and at the distant horizon, a colossal sandstorm, carrying thousands of tons of dust, formed a massive wall of sand that engulfed the entire Northern Base!


    ¡°Get down!¡± Song Ke managed to shout, and the seven people tightly gripped the railing. The powerful storm shook their bodies, and Xu Xing¡¯s feet left the ground, but he was pulled back by Fang Zhixu and Lu Xiaoyu.


    From a high vantage point, the scene before them was extremely shocking. The vast city was instantly covered by yellow smoke. The fine dust fiercely struck buildings, emitting a muffled roar. Glass shattered, billboards and lampposts tore apart, and countless people, unable to escape in time, were swept into the vast sea of sand.


    Five minutes later, Song Ke struggled to stand up, her nose, ears, and mouth filled with sand particles. Her senses were irritated, and she coughed incessantly.


    All seven of them were covered in dust and dirt. Looking around, the visibility was less than five meters, the sky was dimly yellow, and everything was chaotic.


    Song Ke barely opened her mouth, and sand fell out. ¡°How could this happen¡­¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan coughed twice. ¡°It¡¯s the side effect of Utopia.¡±


    The rise of Utopia led to frequent occurrences of extreme weather. The periphery of the Northern Base was an endless desert plain, already dry and rainless throughout the year, relying on T005 for regulation. Now, with the sudden global climate change, the air conditions became extremely unstable. Strong winds easily caused sandstorms when the weather was unfavorable.


    The weather simulation system had limited tolerance, and this level of disaster had exceeded its threshold.


    The broadcast immediately sounded, ¡°The Meteorological Monitoring Center issues a special red alert for an extremely strong sandstorm. Residents are advised to cease outdoor activities, close doors and windows, and refrain from going outside¡­¡±


    Outside the transparent barrier, a layer of anti-sand net slowly lit up, enclosing the entire base, blocking most of the dust.


    Song Ke spat out the sand and said, ¡°As expected of District B¡­¡± They had a response plan so quickly.


    After the anti-sand net was raised, the choking storm was blocked, though the environment remained harsh, at least making it possible to stand.


    At that moment, the terminals of the group suddenly displayed an urgent mission: ¡°B-level mission (limited to the region): Extreme sandstorm weather in the Northern Base. All awakeners are requested to join forces to eliminate it¡­¡±


    The complete content had not yet emerged; the next moment, this mission quickly flickered, the previous text was wiped away, replaced by new information. When looked at again, its meaning became unclear: ¡°A-level mission (limited to the region): Protect the Northern Base.¡±


    The New Asia Alliance¡¯s mission platform was automatically monitored, assessed, published, and adjusted by AI groups above B District. It had never made a mistake before, whether before or after doomsday. The fact that it had escalated from B to A indicated that the mission¡¯s difficulty had increased in just a few seconds.


    However, this became even more peculiar. The sandstorm in the Northern Base had clearly been controlled. Could there be other severe weather conditions behind it? Moreover, the meaning of ¡°Protect the Northern Base¡± seemed a bit vague.


    Amidst the confusion, a slight sound came from above.


    Song Ke¡¯s ears moved slightly; she suddenly looked up through layers of smoke and dust, only to see a strange bird with an entirely black body on the high-altitude anti-sand net. Its two wings shimmered with a metallic blue-purple luster, its feathers were messy and shaped like needles, and its irises displayed the gray-white characteristic of zombie creatures.


    ¡°A crow,¡± Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s cold voice sounded. ¡°Due to the large size of the brain area, it is recognized as a bird species with high intelligence.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, it¡¯s just a ferocious beast.¡± Captain Song, a responsible captain, transformed a spiritual weapon rapid-fire crossbow and aimed it at the zombie crow.


    Bang! The crow¡¯s body fell to the ground, caught on the edge of the anti-sand net.


    However, Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s next words chilled people¡¯s hearts: ¡°¡­Crows are strongly social and skilled in forming nests. In special situations such as foraging and mating, they often roam in mixed groups.¡±


    Next to the first crow¡¯s corpse, the second one quickly fell, followed by the third, the fourth¡­ densely covering the ground.


    In the midst of the yellow sand, they were like incarnations of death, pecking at carrion. Opening their wings, they emitted sharp cawing sounds, gurgling, and quacking.


    Song Ke: ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    She looked at the crow flock, then down at the lone rapid-fire crossbow. For the first time, she hesitated about what kind of spiritual weapon she should transform.


    ¡­


    In Qianzhan City, sandstorms and ferocious beasts wreaked havoc everywhere. Ruthless crow talons pierced human shoulder bones, pulling them into the air to tear and devour.


    The sky no longer showed its original colors; the black and yellow symbols of death covered everyone¡¯s retinas.


    ¡°Ah¡ª!!¡±


    One after another, screams rang out, and both awakeners and ordinary people fled in panic.


    ¡°Quick, seek help from the Northern Base! Apply for urgent refuge; let us in!!¡±


    ¡­


    Awakener Department building, second-top floor.


    He Qiuhong placed both hands on her abdomen, looking at the real-time images being transmitted. Her expression was serious. ¡°How many people are in Qianzhan City now?¡±


    ¡°6.5 million,¡± the administrative secretary reported quickly, ¡°including 4.3 million awakeners.¡±


    He Qiuhong stood up with a slender figure, her silhouette against the floor-to-ceiling window. Outside, everything was cast in a yellowish hue, and the outlines of buildings were vaguely visible.


    ¡°6.5 million population, more than two-thirds are awakeners, precisely at this critical juncture.¡±


    ¡°Conspiracy? Or coincidence?¡±


    She repeated in a low voice, ¡°4.3 million awakeners, what a waste¡­¡±


    A group of those who did not pass or did not have time for the review process¡ªinside, she did not know how many spies with ulterior motives were mixed in. If there was time, she wouldn¡¯t mind carefully screening and selecting talents to fill the ranks of the Northern Base.


    Unfortunately, the current timing was too critical.


    He Qiuhong did not consider herself a cruel person, but regardless of the timing, the interests of the Northern Base always took precedence. With the ongoing violent incidents in the city, as the person in power, she had to make some sacrifices and concessions.


    After all, better to mistakenly kill three thousand than to let one person go.


    ¡°Director He, Qianzhan City has suffered heavy casualties. The Ministry of Transportation has arranged several evacuation routes. The expected open points are¡­¡±


    The secretary flipped through the light screen data in distress, requesting instructions from the higher-ups as soon as possible.


    ¡°No need,¡± He Qiuhong¡¯s voice rang out coldly.


    ¡°Ah?¡± The secretary was stunned, unconsciously making a small exclamation.


    ¡°Close all connecting channels with Qianzhan City, only accept flying terminals with the base¡¯s identification.¡±


    The secretary was dumbfounded for a while, and after realizing her intentions, a chill ran down her spine.

 Chapter 164: Key (7)

    ¡ò Until the last person ¡ò¡°Xiao Ye, wait, don¡¯t be impulsive, let¡¯s talk things out!¡±


    ¡°Director He is in a meeting, you can¡¯t just barge in like this.¡±


    ¡°Zimei, let¡¯s wait for approval. Maybe there¡¯s still a chance¡­¡±


    Ye Zimei¡¯s face was as calm as water. Striding through the corridor, she, an A3-level gravity-type awakener, raised her hand, and with a swift motion, her colleagues¡¯ limbs felt as heavy as sandbags. Their knees gave way, and they knelt on the ground, unable to block her path any longer.


    In the past, Ye Zimei, who always followed rules and regulations, would never have dared to use her awakened abilities so audaciously in the workplace. However, under the influence of the ¡°lawless¡± Song Ke, after cleaning up messes several times, she gradually realized that sometimes solving problems with force could save a lot of unnecessary time.


    Ye Zimei stopped in front of the meeting room, took a deep breath, and knocked on the door. Without waiting for a response from inside, she confidently walked in.


    ¡°Director He, this is the evacuation proposal I drafted. It outlines 13 retreat routes for the residents of Qianzhan City. Please review and approve it.¡±


    The room fell silent, and the virtual projections of the participants all turned their surprised gazes towards this unexpected visitor.


    He Qiuhong sat at the main seat, her expression unchanged. ¡°Regarding Qianzhan City, I have already issued the order. You should proceed with normal execution.¡±


    Ye Zimei gradually clenched her hands into fists and said, word by word, ¡°No, we cannot execute it. What you represent is only your personal will, not the will of the Northern Base.¡±


    This statement shocked everyone present. Who was He Qiuhong? The highest-ranking official in the Awakener Department, the second in command in District B10. Many people on the scene were unclear about Ye Zimei¡¯s true identity. Her open defiance sent a chill down their spines. Was this young person so bold because she had lost her mind?


    ¡°Director He, you have always been my respected senior, and once, my goal to look up to.¡±


    Ye Zimei stood tall, her voice slightly trembling, but her expression exceptionally firm.


    ¡°But it seems you do not understand the significance of the Northern Base. The purpose of establishing this city by Ye Zheng is to provide a refuge for all those who have suffered through wars. Whether in peace or turmoil, at any time, no matter what happens, as long as the Northern Base stands, its gates will open selflessly to fellow countrymen. That¡¯s why it¡¯s called¡ªthe last hope of humanity.¡±


    After the devastating nuclear war, countless people were displaced, homeless, drifting with despair. Ye Zheng built a new city with his own hands in the wastelands, telling all survivors that this is your home. Half a century later, numerous prosperous cities had risen, but for the Alliance people, the Northern Base held a different meaning. It not only represented hope but also served as the final retreat.


    Ye Zimei¡¯s eyes were slightly red as she raised her voice, ¡°The 6.5 million people outside are our compatriots; they shouldn¡¯t be abandoned!¡±


    ¡°You are still young and haven¡¯t considered the whole picture,¡± He Qiuhong, uncommonly not angered, sighed and opened real-time monitoring. ¡°Now, within the city, there are hidden awakeners in various areas, and even infiltrators of S-level. They harbor ill intentions, attempting to provoke conflicts. What¡¯s the use of bringing the people from Qianzhan City in? The wisest course of action now is to prioritize dealing with internal crises and minimize the risks.¡±


    Ye Zimei questioned with difficulty, ¡°Director He, in your eyes, is a person¡¯s life only measured by its ¡®usefulness¡¯?¡±


    He Qiuhong gently raised her hand, ¡°In my position, I must consider the interests of the Northern Base.¡±


    Pale-faced Xi Ze emerged from the shadows. The entire meeting room instantly became an awakened energy forbidden zone, impervious to the use of awakened abilities.


    Xi Ze, having been knocked back from S3 level to A9 level by Song Ke, had disappeared from the public eye since then. Unexpectedly, he had surreptitiously surrendered to He Qiuhong.


    Several security personnel entered and detained Ye Zimei.


    He Qiuhong gazed at her calmly, ¡°After this crisis passes, I will personally apologize to the teacher.¡±


    Ye Zimei struggled, unable to move. She closed her eyes, connecting her consciousness to the terminal. A faint light flashed quickly through her pearl earring.


    ¡­


    After the appearance of sandstorms and a flock of crows, the awakeners of the Northern Base swiftly counterattacked. Various armed aircraft flew through the high sky, and colorful awakened abilities pierced through the murky sky filled with yellow sand. Due to the double barriers of the sand-resistant net and shields, the crow army couldn¡¯t break through, temporarily securing the base. However, they densely occupied the sky, with their numbers causing great anxiety. The only way to deal with them was to slowly wear them down using long-range awakened abilities.


    Lin Youyou¡¯s long hair moved slightly as she sang an ethereal tune. The crow group within her range was afflicted with debuffs, drastically reducing their aggressiveness. Xu Xing became the top damage dealer for V587, unleashing a storm of ice needles. Lu Xiaoyu set up heavy machine guns, but due to the upward angle, their effective range was shortened, limiting the damage they could inflict.


    Song Ke shook off the ankle-deep sand, raised her leg, and coincidentally met eyes with a slightly larger crow. S?a?ch* Th? N0v?lFir?.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°You, come down!¡± Song Ke defiantly raised her arm, pointing at it and shouting.


    ¡°Caw!¡± A hint of disdain flashed in the crow¡¯s gray-white eyes, as if saying, ¡°You come up if you dare.¡±


    Captain Song was incredulous, opened her mouth, and accidentally swallowed some dust. Pff, no, was she being mocked by a bird?


    She wished she could have those weapons from TV dramas like ¡°Peacock Feather¡± or ¡°Pear Blossom Needle,¡± capable of releasing thousands of dark needles instantly. But aside from not knowing if those existed in the history of the old civilization, she had never seen them and had no idea of their specific structures. She was helpless relying solely on imagination.


    Annoyed, Song Ke gritted her teeth, pressed one hand to the ground, suddenly leaped up, and, unleashing the full potential of her feline genes, jumped more than eight meters high. She climbed to the highest point closest to the sky along a lightning rod, throwing out a swallowtail dart. The arrogant crow was instantly cut down in large numbers.


    However, as the first batch of beasts fell, more continuously replaced them. The number of crows seemed endless, ¡°clang clang¡± striking the barrier. Cracks quickly appeared in the outer sand-proof net.


    Song Ke jumped back to a slightly lower platform, her expression troubled.


    No, the clearance efficiency was too slow, unable to keep up with their rate of reinforcement. How many beasts were there? Had all the crows in the entire Alliance come?


    Boom¡ªboom¡ª


    A sleek hovercar raced in, dangerously close to the sand-proof net, and narrowly grazed it. Crimson explosive shells were fired at close range, passing through the net openings and accurately hitting the densest area of crows. The explosions resounded, feathers scattered, and blood splattered, revealing the previously obscured sky.


    The roof of the car opened, and a silver sniper scope was pushed onto the forehead, revealing a sharp-jawed face with cold gray eyes. He stared intently at the crow swarm, exuding a sense of oppression. When he looked down at Song Ke, his expression turned into a brilliant smile.


    Perched on the car roof, Yin Xiao tilted his head slightly, covering his face with one hand, and asked in a low voice, ¡°Daughter, do you think I have a chance if I confess again?¡±


    Before Jennifer could reply, Yin Xiao convinced himself, ¡°Never mind, how will I know if I don¡¯t try?¡±


    Like a soaring hawk, he leaped down, squeezed into the narrow platform, almost face to face with Song Ke, causing her to sneeze twice.


    Yin Xiao was covered in sand; shaking himself, several pounds of sand fell off. It was evident that he had just rushed back from outside.


    Song Ke rubbed her nose, slightly surprised, ¡°You¡­ advanced?¡±


    In just a few days, Yin Xiao¡¯s awakened energy had unexpectedly reached S-level.


    Croak! Caw! Crows gathered again overhead, but Yin Xiao didn¡¯t look up. Instead, he shot backward, dispersing the flock with a single shot.


    ¡°Just broke through S1, Captain Song. I¡¯ve been trying to catch up with you.¡±


    A double entendre, but unfortunately, it was lost on Song Ke, who sincerely congratulated him, ¡°Congratulations.¡±


    Yin Xiao looked straight at her, ¡°I¡¯m S-level now too. Do you want to consider leaving that man and be with me¡­¡±


    ¡°Song Ke, come down,¡± Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s deep voice interrupted.


    ¡°Dad, save me, it¡¯s on fire!¡± At the same time, Jennifer wailed. The downside of AoE awakeners: they were prone to causing collateral damage. Jennifer¡¯s flames, while incinerating crows, unintentionally damaged the sand-proof net.


    Song Ke turned her head and shouted below, ¡°Xiao Xing, lend a hand!¡±


    The feline genes kicked in again as the obedient little cat jumped several times, returning to the side of the summoned Zhuang Qingyan.


    Yin Xiao met the annoying man¡¯s eyes from below, the latter smirking with icy eyes.


    Yin Xiao rolled his eyes at the sky and jumped down following Song Ke.


    Xu Xing hopped around doing calisthenics, changing the ice needles to a larger area of ice and snow to stop the spread of the fire. However, the area still turned dark, the sand-proof net teetered, and crow corpses piled up like mountains.


    Members of the ¡°Tustan¡± team landed on the rooftop one after another.


    Jennifer, with her wavy long hair, threw herself forward with a coquettish gesture. ¡°Oh~ my dear~ I haven¡¯t seen you in half a day~ I miss you so much¡­¡±


    Thud! She unexpectedly collided with a hard chest, Su Cha¡¯s face darkened like the bottom of a pot. With two fingers supporting her forehead, he pushed her backward several meters.


    Jennifer stumbled back to Yin Xiao¡¯s side, and the father-daughter duo pursed their lips, silently reaching a consensus.


    Why is there always an annoying guy next to the cute crush?


    Zhuang Qingyan glanced at the increasing crow swarm, his expression serious, ¡°This is not good. At this rate¡­¡±


    The number of these beasts was even greater than originally estimated. Although the awakeners at the Northern Base killed some of them, they also damaged the sand-proof net extensively. The sand and dust were raging again, the yellow wind howling, and the dirty dust desperately infiltrating the respiratory tract.


    In the current situation, it was difficult to salvage it manually. The only effective solution was to activate the city defense mechanism.


    Zhuang Qingyan spoke in a deep voice, ¡°District B has a well-established city defense system. I need to see the engineering design drawings and come up with another plan.¡±


    Song Ke opened her terminal, about to contact Ye Zimei when she unexpectedly received a message from her, but the content was blank.


    Song Ke called back, but there was no answer on the other end.


    Lu Xiaoyu took the terminal and operated a few times, ¡°Ye Zimei¡¯s signal has been blocked.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s eyes flashed slightly. Before they left, the sudden loss of contact with Ye Zimei could only mean one thing ¨C she was under the control of He Qiuhong.


    ¡°Contact Bai Qi, we¡¯re going to find General Ye.¡±


    ¡°Hey, Captain Song, let¡¯s go together.¡±


    The two teams hurriedly rushed to the official residence of the General.


    ¡­


    Endless crows raged and roamed wildly, occasionally diving down from the sky. After seizing their prey with their claws, they cruelly tore open the entrails.


    Panic-stricken people scattered and fled, seeking refuge in sealed buildings, hiding in basements, and taking cover in various modes of transportation. However, gates were shattered, windows were smashed, and even monsters emerged from the sewers, relentlessly attacking them from every possible angle.


    Individuals with awakened abilities rose to resist, but their limbs were quickly grabbed, howling as they were dragged into the sky, torn apart in different directions.


    Black ferocious beasts were everywhere, too numerous to count, leaving the residents of the once-prosperous city helpless in the face of their inevitable demise.


    ¡°Mom¡­ sob, Mom and Dad, where are you¡­¡± A four or five-year-old girl stumbled through the streets, crying loudly. Surrounding her were dismembered bodies, the pavement slippery with piled-up flesh, and her white shoes stained with deep red blood.


    ¡°Gaa-gaa!¡± Strange cries echoed from above. The girl looked up in fear, her pupils reflecting the terrifying double wings of a crow, resembling the Grim Reaper wielding a scythe.


    In the nick of time, a young awakener swiftly pounced, embracing the girl and rolling away. Vines flew out from his palms, one end wrapping around the crow¡¯s neck and the other tightly coiled around a lamppost, narrowly intercepting its attack.


    However, he inadvertently twisted his ankle and fell awkwardly in front of another group of crows. With his last bit of strength, he pushed the little girl away, yelling hoarsely, ¡°Don¡¯t look back! Run!!¡±


    ¡°Big brother¡­ no, no!!¡± The helpless girl cried.


    The streets and alleys were in ruins, a blood-soaked hand pressed against a tightly sealed passage, emitting a desperate cry:


    ¡°Open the door¡­ to the North¡­ base¡­ open¡­¡±


    Why? They set out from the low-level district, traversed mountains and rivers across the majority of the Alliance, all for the sake of finding a new refuge. Why did it end up like this? Were they wrong?


    The eyes of the applicant gradually dimmed. Oh heavens, he was willing to give everything, just hoping for a miracle.


    In the hazy moment of consciousness, the passage in front slowly opened, pouring down a dazzling light. A majestic figure walked out from inside.


    The applicant¡¯s eyes widened slightly. Could it be¡­ a miracle?


    Boom!! The newcomer¡¯s fists hit the ground, and a terrifying pressure spread for miles. The crows in the sky lost control and fell uncontrollably, as if glued to the ground by strong adhesive, struggling ceaselessly.


    Boom!!


    The sound of fists echoed once again, and the bodies of ferocious beasts that roamed on the surface and underground stiffened. Under the force of gravity, their internal organs were compressed, twisting and bursting on the spot.


    Fleeing civilians stopped in their tracks, and the little girl ceased her sobbing, staring blankly at the newcomer.


    He was a weathered old man with a head full of silver hair, his face covered in wrinkles and furrows, appearing very, very old. However, he stood tall with a straight spine, his eyes sharp and bright. Dressed in a simple military uniform, he stood there like an unmovable anchor.


    From both sides behind the old man, thousands of fully armed soldiers rushed out, including those with awakened abilities and ordinary people. Though no longer young, their gaze was resolute, and they were well-trained, all descendants of survivors who had experienced brutal wars. They silently crossed the streets, swiftly eliminating the crows controlled by gravity and organizing the orderly retreat of the citizens.


    A deep and resounding voice penetrated the entire Qianzhan City and echoed through the ears of everyone at the Northern Base via the regional broadcast:


    ¡°I am Ye Zheng, the Magistrate of the Northern Base. According to Article 10, Section 13 of the Alliance Emergency Regulations during wartime, the Department of Transportation is ordered to immediately open ground entrances numbered 5, 8, 13, 17, and 21, and open the aerial connection channel. We unconditionally accept all residents of Qianzhan City.¡±


    ¡°All officials of the Awakener Deparment, assist in organizing evacuation routes, ensure the safety of people along the way, and the Logistics Department is to designate temporary shelter areas within an hour for the treatment of the wounded and provide necessary supplies.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll repeat once again, we unconditionally accept all residents of Qianzhan City, whether awakeners or ordinary people.¡±


    ¡°I, in the name of the Magistrate, swear that Ye Zheng will protect everyone¡¯s retreat here until the last person safely enters the city.¡±


    All the noise and clamor seemed to vanish at once, leaving only Ye Zheng¡¯s concise and powerful commands.


    ¡ª Until the last person evacuates.


    He was General Ye Zheng, the founder of the Northern Base, personally coming to Qianzhan City to protect their retreat.


    ¡°General Ye¡­ General Ye!!¡±


    Someone couldn¡¯t hold back anymore, bursting into tears, and the sorrowful emotions seemed to be infectious, spreading for kilometers in an instant, forming a deafening wave of sound. With 6.5 million residents on the brink of life and death, struggling through ups and downs, experiencing a post-apocalyptic world with zombies and ferocious beasts, at this moment, they finally felt genuine gratitude. Grateful that amidst the apocalypse, in the dangerous wasteland of zombies and beasts, they had found the correct path.


    The last hope of humanity.


    As long as Ye Zheng was there, the significance of the Northern Base¡¯s existence would not change, even across half a century.

 Chapter 165: Key (8)

    ¡ò Determined Resolve ¡òUnder Ye Zheng¡¯s layered commands, the Northern Base entered a state of combat readiness, and the entire city operated in an orderly manner.


    First, it was the annihilation of crows. Due to their large number, they couldn¡¯t be killed in a short time. Fortunately, District B10 had a well-equipped arsenal of thermal weapons. Battle-hardened soldiers suppressed them with heavy machine guns and rocket launchers, clearing escape routes in the dusky sand. Starships and armored vehicles loaded with civilians left through the ground-to-air passages.


    Ye Zheng fulfilled his promise, standing like a towering mountain until the last civilian was safely evacuated.


    The yellow sand whirled, and the pitch-black clouds pressed heavily on the sky, spreading from Qianzhan City to the Northern Base.


    The once bustling streets were now in ruins, and the city¡¯s facilities were destroyed, but at least, most of the people survived.


    As long as there are people, there is hope. Even on the ruins, a homeland can be rebuilt.


    ¡°General, please retreat as well,¡± a nearby officer reminded in a hushed tone.


    Ye Zheng nodded, turned around slowly, and Bai Qi silently handed him a cane. Ye Zheng took it, leaning on the ground, covering his mouth with one hand. The magnetic field inside him was in turmoil, and his vision was constantly darkening.


    He swallowed the bloody smell in his throat, maintaining a calm expression. ¡°Go to the City Defense Department. The barrier won¡¯t last long against a swarm of this scale.¡±


    Ye Zheng, an experienced battlefield commander, accurately predicted the situation. In the current circumstances, only he could personally command.


    Bai Qi nodded and, commandeering a temporarily requisitioned hovercar, followed the last group of evacuees. They entered the 13th passage, the city gate slowly closed, the hovercar changed direction, detached from the main force, and headed towards the City Defense Department.


    Faint energy fluctuations were sensed in the air. The officer in front, realizing something was wrong, suddenly turned back, but there was no trace of Ye Zheng behind.


    ¡°Not good! Quickly contact the Awakener Department. General Ye is missing!¡±


    Swish¡ª


    Bai Qi¡¯s face was stern, realizing the urgency. He switched to manual mode, slammed on the brakes, and the hovercar emitted a piercing noise, abruptly stopping.


    Bang! The body leaned forward due to inertia, then was forcefully pulled back by the seatbelt, crashing into the seat.


    Through the swirling yellow sand, at the end of the road, a dozen figures were waiting indifferently. Intense mental powers mixed together, with most of them being S-class, and the terrifying pressure made the air tremble.


    Bai Qi decisively pressed the warning button, but the signal failed, communication was cut off, and the outside sounds were completely sealed off.


    The entire road was covered by an invisible ability barrier.


    Ye Zheng, who had been resting with closed eyes, slowly opened his eyes. His gaze was calm like a deep pool. ¡°¡­What is meant to come will always come.¡±


    As more and more ¡°sparrows¡± appeared, no, since the moment of the apocalypse, this man, who saw through the world and experienced the vicissitudes of life, had a premonition of today¡¯s encounter.


    The car door opened, and Ye Zheng, leaning on the cane, calmly got out, as if he were not facing a group of fierce S-class interceptors, but simply reaching his destination as usual.


    If awakened energy had a tangible scent, the man in his forties at the forefront exuded a pungent diesel smell. He crossed his arms, his physique robust and muscular, the bulging muscles resembling hills grown in a savage manner.


    Next to him, a seductive woman with purple eyeshadow, holding a lit thin cigarette between her fingertips, emitted the toxic scent of poppies. Despite the sandstorm weather, she opened her mouth, pursed her red lips, and blew out elegant smoke rings.


    These two individuals had the highest awakened energy levels, conservatively estimated to be S5 or above. s?a??h th? Nov?lF?re .??t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    The rest were unfamiliar faces. Ye Zheng scrutinized each one and then spotted Lei Zhao, a former S4-level lightning awakener who had belonged to the Northern Base but later defected to Tokushima. Catching his steady gaze, Lei Zhao¡¯s eyes flickered, quickly turning his head away, revealing a hint of embarrassment.


    Lu Tao, the bulky S6-level diesel-scented awakener, raised his arm, offering a half-smile:


    ¡°General Ye Zheng, long time no see. I¡¯ve been hiding these days just to have a chance to meet you. Finally, the day has come.¡±


    Ye Zheng¡¯s scrutinizing gaze fell on the group of awakeners at a safe distance. He pointed out bluntly: ¡°I didn¡¯t know that S-level individuals from different regions would form alliances.¡±


    Several people¡¯s expressions changed slightly, not expecting Ye Zheng to see through their origins at a glance.


    The seductive female awakener, Yina, chuckled lightly and flicked off some ash from her cigarette: ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the circumstances, those of us who have no connection would never unite against an external threat, right?¡±


    ¡°General Ye, you are great and selfless. I grew up listening to your glorious deeds, and of course, I highly respect you,¡± she continued. ¡°Unfortunately, times have changed¡­ Young people need to take over. As an elder, you should gracefully step down and exit the stage of history.¡±


    She looked around the surroundings, her eyes radiating intense enthusiasm: ¡°Not all B districts have such excellent living conditions as the Northern Base. Why should we suffer in dire straits while you enjoy comfort? The Feng Shui paradise of District B10 is enough to make people salivate.¡±


    Miao Ying (District B14) is mountainous, Tokushima (District B15) is small in size, and Baishen (District B13) has harsh weather. The emergence of Utopia in the midst of these challenges forced them into a corner. So, these districts secretly united, directing their focus towards the Northern Base.


    This fortress city, built before the New Era, occupied vast lands, had extensive territories, and boasted advanced and superior facilities. It was the perfect haven for human survival after the apocalypse. The only obstacle was Ye Zheng; as long as he raised the banner of war, the entire populace of the Northern Base became an army, making it nearly impossible to conquer.


    Although Ye Zheng had not appeared for many years, reportedly suffering from poor health, as long as he was alive, he remained the greatest threat.


    Once Ye Zheng was eliminated, the spiritual pillar of the Northern Base would collapse, and the other management layers would not be formidable at all. They would then have the freedom to invade, occupy, and subsequently partition this fertile land.


    However, killing an S-class awakener is not that easy. They could only send people in first to gather information, provoke conflicts, and secretly look for opportunities. Unexpectedly, with the outbreak of the sandstorm and the invasion of crows, Ye Zheng appeared voluntarily, directing the military to assist in the evacuation of civilians. Meanwhile, he became a commander without a visible force, and even the heavens seemed to be on their side.


    ¡°Attack,¡± Lu Tao didn¡¯t waste any words and made an attacking gesture with a gloomy expression.


    Bai Qi remained silent but stepped forward firmly, standing in front of Ye Zheng.


    He didn¡¯t say anything, but his intention was clear ¨C if they wanted to kill Ye Zheng, they had to step over his dead body first.


    Bai Qi possessed a rare all-encompassing aura-type ability called ¡°Determined Resolve.¡±


    This ability appeared ordinary below the S-class, with no special characteristics. Only when it broke through the S-class could it undergo a qualitative change. After activation, it could forcibly pull a person into the aura, significantly enhancing the owner¡¯s various qualities and causing overwhelming damage to the enemy. The effect of the ability would only be broken if one of the parties died.


    However, this ¡°death¡± was not equal. The enemy experienced genuine death, while the owner of the aura would only suffer severe injuries in reality and drop one level.


    Bai Qi was currently S5, meaning that after activating ¡°Determined Resolve,¡± he could endure a maximum of five instances of ¡°death.¡± Once he dropped to A9, the ability would become unusable.


    Before the opponents could react, Bai Qi unhesitatingly pulled Ye Zheng and one of the closest S-class individuals into the aura.


    The three of them disappeared on the spot.


    Within the ¡°Determined Resolve¡± aura, Ye Zheng swung his fists, forcefully controlling the gravity to subdue the isolated enemy. Bai Qi, as swift as lightning, grabbed the opponent¡¯s throat, producing a teeth-grinding ¡°crackling¡± sound of bones.


    The opponent had yet to use their ability, but both arms and legs were already unable to lift. Snap! The neck was twisted by a terrifying force, and blood sprayed several meters high.


    As the aura disappeared, a bloody corpse appeared on the ground. Bai Qi¡¯s cold face was splattered with blood, and Ye Zheng¡¯s breathing was slightly rapid. Together, they had successfully killed an S-level awakener.


    The on-site awakeners looked determined, moving in unison, ready to disperse and surround. Bai Qi took the initiative, swiftly dragging in another S-class.


    If surrounded, both he and the general would undoubtedly be no match for a dozen or so S-class individuals. The only way was to break them down one by one. Regardless, he had to persist¡­ until when? A vague thought crossed Bai Qi¡¯s consciousness.


    When the aura dissipated once again, Bai Qi and Ye Zheng were still standing in place. However, the second opponent seemed to be much more formidable, with several rugged wounds appearing on Bai Qi¡¯s body.


    In the moment before numerous awakeners approached, he activated his ability again!


    Bang! Lu Tao pushed away the unfortunate soul about to be pulled in, willingly entering the aura himself.


    Clasping his fists, roaring towards the sky, Lu Tao¡¯s muscles surged, and a ferocious tiger phantom appeared behind him.


    The tiger¡¯s roar swept across the entire scene as Lu Tao punched continuously, like a predatory tiger. Even under the pressure of gravity, it did not affect his attacks.


    Lu Tao was a domineering, power-type awakener. When he mobilized his awakened energy to the extreme, Bai Qi, both in level and physique, was not advantageous.


    Hiss! The rolling speed slowed by half a beat. He was caught by the fierce tiger on the neck and separated from his body on the spot!


    As the aura disappeared, Bai Qi staggered backward, leaving behind several jagged wounds. The remaining pain radiated from his neck to the nerve endings.


    Dropping to S4 level.


    All the S-class awakeners charged towards Ye Zheng, disregarding everything. Bai Qi struggled to his feet and once again activated ¡°Determined Resolve.¡±


    Lu Tao was closest to him. Before he could pull someone away, Lu Tao accelerated and charged in.


    Boom!


    Bai Qi was thrown out.


    S3.


    Seeing this, the remaining awakeners calmly stopped, showing great interest in Lu Tao¡¯s massacre.


    Although Bai Qi stood in front, Ye Zheng suffered considerable injuries. The aura was an exclusive skill, restricting him at every turn. Coupled with Lu Tao¡¯s continuous tiger roars bombarding him, blood slowly dripped from the corners of Ye Zheng¡¯s mouth.


    Lu Tao stepped on Bai Qi¡¯s head, a mocking curve appearing on the corner of his mouth. ¡°A loyal dog indeed. Guess what? Will your master shed precious crocodile tears for you?¡±


    Bai Qi thrust his elbow toward him. Lu Tao sneered, and the tiger¡¯s claw crushed his skull.


    As the aura disappeared, Bai Qi¡¯s eyes tightly closed as he collapsed on the ground, covered in blood. His head was severely dented.


    S2.


    Ye Zheng¡¯s cane shattered, and he fell to one knee, spitting out blood with internal injuries.


    Lu Tao smirked as he walked towards him, but his ankle was suddenly grabbed. Bai Qi, unable to speak, still held on tightly, refusing to let go.


    ¡°Seeking death? I¡¯ll grant your wish.¡± Lu Tao raised his fist.


    A cold and gentle hand rested on his shoulder, forcefully stopping Lu Tao¡¯s movement. An extremely suppressed voice spoke, ¡°Who¡¯s seeking death?¡±


    People around were astonished, their eyelids twitching. How did she enter without a sound?!


    The next second, the barrier was torn open.


    Flames and frost rained down, and a crimson shell exploded with various AoE abilities pouring down, instantly disrupting the formation.


    The person who had been lurking at the back, the dreamweaver who constructed the barrier was about to raise her hand to mend it when, snap! Six mechanical arms swung through the air, entwining around her limbs like coiling ropes, suspending her entire body upside down.


    ¡°Poor trick.¡± Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s luminous prosthetic arm flashed with a dazzling light. The overwhelming flow of data scattered, completely dissolving the barrier.


    Bang! A warning flare shot up into the sky, bursting into a bloom, startling crows into flight high above!


    Awakeners across Northern Base were shocked, looking up.


    Yi Na and others attempted to go for reinforcements but ran into Su Cha, Lin Youyou, Jennifer, and Yin Xiao head-on. The four stood like a wall, facing the overwhelming S-level pressure, gritting their teeth and refusing to back down.


    Fang Zhixu rushed into the battlefield under the protection of Xu Xing. Just as he was about to support Ye Zheng, he was pushed back by Ye Zheng. Turning his head, he, at the risk of his own life, transferred healing energy into Bai Qi, pulling him back from the brink.


    The petite girl¡¯s eyes were determined. Standing in front of the tiger-like Lu Tao, her slender fingers clenched into a fist, stopping his actions.


    ¡°Whom do you want to kill?¡±


    ¡°Did I give you permission?¡±


    Lu Tao¡¯s expression became solemn, evidently recognizing the person in front of him ¡ª Song Ke, an S7-level strong attack-type awakener.


    A tough nut.


    Tsk, it seems the intel about her and the Northern Base management being at odds was incorrect.


    The tiger¡¯s head in the void emitted a fierce roar, and Lu Tao¡¯s awakened energy surged. Strange patterns appeared on his skin.


    Song Ke squinted slightly as her cells felt an unknown stimulation, growing hotter and hotter. Something seemed about to burst out of her body. Suddenly, she opened her mouth wide, emitting a deep roar from the depths of her throat. A massive shadow faintly appeared behind her.


    It was a bear, resembling a mountain peak. Its fur was deep red, thick, coarse, and twice as big as the tiger form of Lu Tao. The formidable tiger, which had just been fierce, whimpered in fear and retreated its head.


    ¡°Crafty¡­¡± Zhuang Qingyan massaged his forehead and sighed, realizing that it was another gene.


    Two top-level powerhouse awakeners, one in the form of a bear and the other a tiger, faced off. The surrounding environment trembled violently. The already shaky sand defense net shattered into pieces, leaving only a thin barrier. Countless crows dove down, approaching closer to the heads of everyone.


    In the midst of the chaos, Ye Zheng breathed heavily and urgently called out to Zhuang Qingyan.


    ¡°Xiao Zhuang, come here.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan walked forward in large strides, reaching out to support Ye Zheng¡¯s arm. Ye Zheng¡¯s fingers trembled as he took out an old and worn pocket watch, his terminal and a symbol of the highest authority of District B10.


    ¡°Do you know how to operate the city defense system?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan was stunned. The city defense system was the highest military secret of each district. Due to its complex structure and precise design, only those who had received professional training could operate it. This level of authorization was always held by the ruling magistrate unless delegated to their designated successor.


    Unless the magistrate or their appointed heir were present, no one else would have the chance to access such core information.


    Ye Zheng¡¯s breathing was strained as he spoke, ¡°I know this is quite demanding, but two days ago, General Xie from Beijun and I had a conversation. She entrusted me to take care of the son of¡­ an old friend.¡±


    The content of that secret conversation was evidently more than just this, but Ye Zheng didn¡¯t have time to explain everything in detail. The little information he revealed was enough.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s fingertips tightened gradually, and deep waves surged in his profound eyes. He looked towards Song Ke not far away, the members of V587, and the overwhelming flock of crows. Finally, his gaze met the weathered eyes of Ye Zheng.


    In the end, what did the survival or demise of the Northern Base have to do with him?


    Zhuang Qingyan sighed silently, ¡°¡­Quite a coincidence. I can do it.¡±

 Chapter 166.1: Key (9)

    ¡ò Unprecedented S9 ¡òThe barrier constructed by the Dreamweaver has been broken, the warning signal has been successfully transmitted, and if everything goes as planned, reinforcements from the Northern Base will soon arrive.


    However, the situation remains dire, with over a dozen S-level threats on the scene, revealing themselves and charging towards Ye Zheng without hesitation.


    Only two chances left.


    Bai Qi¡¯s fists trembled as he struggled to get up. Warm, sticky blood dripped down from the sun, and he wanted to invoke the ¡°determined resolve¡±. He had already dropped to S2. If he activated the light circle again, regardless of who won or lost, his own life might not be guaranteed.


    Song Ke stared at the approaching enemies, picked up Bai Qi with one hand, and gently placed him next to Ye Zheng. ¡°Stay put.¡±


    Bai Qi wanted to move again, but his shoulder was held down by a huge bear paw. Song Ke turned around, her expression incredibly serious. ¡°I¡¯ll handle this.¡±


    She turned her neck, the bones cracking, and the shadow of a brown bear behind her followed suit, as if warming up before a hunt.


    ¡°Just S-level, I can handle it.¡±


    Even though they were both S-level, there was a vast difference in strength. The people in front of her were just numerous; individually, not even one could surpass the bloody hunter, Punk. If she could overpower Punk, she could naturally kill them too.


    Song Ke firmly positioned Ye Zheng and Bai Qi behind her and walked forward.


    There were only six S-level opponents on their side, and Ye Zheng and Bai Qi had lost their combat capabilities. Facing more enemies with fewer forces, she couldn¡¯t afford to be careless.


    Fang Zhixu bent over to traverse the battlefield, taking the opportunity to run back and treat Ye Zheng.


    Ye Zheng gasped and asked, ¡°Xiao Fang, I heard you have a potion that can restore combat capability. Give me one.¡±


    ¡°No! You can¡¯t use it!¡± Fang Zhixu categorically refused. With Ye Zheng¡¯s current physical condition, severe injuries combined with organ aging, sealing it off with an injection, even if effective, would bring along side effects that could cost him his life.


    Zhuang Qingyan said in a deep voice, ¡°General, the Northern Base still needs you. Please trust Song Ke and trust us.¡±


    Ye Zheng looked at his determined eyes, remained silent for a moment, and finally nodded, no longer insisting.


    Bang! Song Ke and Lu Tao met at a narrow passage. The brown bear¡¯s body stood upright, and with a mighty swipe of its front paw, it slapped the fierce tiger, causing it to stagger.


    Lu Tao¡¯s sharp claws dug into the ground, barely stopping the retreat. He wiped away the blood from the corner of his mouth and raised his chin to Song Ke.


    ¡°There¡¯s something I can¡¯t figure out. You, an S7, can be treated well wherever you go. Why are you tied to this withered tree named Ye Zheng?¡±


    ¡°Abandoning the dark and turning to the light, isn¡¯t it better to enjoy the good life with us? After we divide the territory, endless benefits await you.¡±


    Song Ke felt a bit absurdly amused, coldly uttered, ¡°Are you here to teach me how to do things?¡±


    Lu Tao, seeing that she wouldn¡¯t listen to advice, roared, tilting his head upward like a crazed tiger tearing into its prey. He swung a fist towards Song Ke¡¯s face.


    Song Ke, with strength gathered in her waist and abdomen, transformed her fingertips into phantom blue claws. The bear paw acted like a layer of metallic armor, and with a loud bang, she countered his powerful punch with one of her own.


    The phantom tiger¡¯s front claws shattered, and Lu Tao was knocked off balance, his mouth letting out a ¡°puff¡± as he spat out blood on the spot.


    Song Ke landed safely, stepping on Lu Tao¡¯s mouth with one foot and raising her fist high.


    Indeed, she had conflicts with He Qiuhong, and she had considered leaving the Northern Base. However, during this time, she had seen more: Tustan, Zhao Yuqing, Ye Zimei, the Ming couple, the thousands of ordinary people striving to live in the central ancient street, the united and passionate awakeners in the Silver Ring Arena, and even the hopeful applicants in Qianzhan City who hadn¡¯t received admission yet but already had a glimmer of light in their eyes. The Northern Base was a city with a ¡°soul.¡±


    In the cruel background of the apocalypse, where human morality had plummeted, cities with a ¡°soul¡± were few. Having traveled through much of the Alliance, from Tongwan to Haimen, and now to the Northern Base, cities like this, and the people living here, deserved to live well and should not become sacrifices in the power struggle.


    Boom! Boom!


    Metal burst, and shards of rock scattered as Song Ke punched Lu Tao¡¯s mouth, causing it to cave in. The terrifying pressure that could force internal organs to shift descended, and the massive phantom bear bit onto the phantom tiger¡¯s neck, snapping it off with a crunch.


    The animal forms disappeared, and Lu Tao¡¯s body collapsed to the ground.


    ¡°Kill!¡±


    ¡°Kill Ye Zheng!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t let him stand alone, attack together!¡±


    After Lu Tao fell, the remaining S-level team formed a tighter formation, encircling in a half-moon shape. At the forefront, Yi Na raised her hand and snapped her fingers.


    Her ability ¡°Blossom¡± activated, and a giant man-eating flower burst from the ground, resembling fresh red meat. The central part opened with jagged teeth, contracting and wriggling. Five colorful petals opened and closed, emitting a foul stench that rivaled the rotting zombies.


    A Tustan team member was accidentally bitten on the calf, and the flesh and blood instantly rotted into corpse water. He reacted quickly, heroically severed the part below his knee, and Fang Zhixu, carrying a medical kit, carefully maneuvered through various attacks, running to the injured person to treat and bandage him.


    Yi Na sneered, another snap of her fingers, and one by one, man-eating flowers surrounded Fang Zhixu. The thick fissures suddenly widened¡ª


    Bang! A grenade fell from the sky, cutting through the yellow sand and various obstacles with pinpoint accuracy. It exploded towards the crimson gap, foul blood sprayed, and petals scattered. Yi Na staggered, no longer looking composed.


    Yin Xiao was wearing a sniper scope, his expression couldn¡¯t be seen clearly, only catching a glimpse of his stern lower face. After successfully exploiting his ¡°weakness detection¡± ability, he quickly adjusted his aim and shot at the next one, tirelessly removing the blossoming man-eating flowers.


    Lin Youyou ran quickly, chanting lyrics in her mouth and a thin mist of knives descended, while Su Cha¡¯s poisonous gas came out and melted into her ranged attack. The two of them cooperated seamlessly¡ªLin Youyou became the lurking assassin, and the sandstorm concealed the mist. Many awakeners, unaware, were cut with small wounds. Powerful neurotoxins invaded their brains, causing limbs to convulse, and they fell to the ground. s?a??h th? N?v?lFir?.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Tustan and V587, a group of advanced awakeners, unexpectedly managed to block over a dozen S-level opponents.


    ¡°Aoo¡ª!!¡± A terrifying bear roar echoed, freezing all S1 and S2 opponents in place.


    Fearlessly, Song Ke charged into the enemy ranks. The blue phantom claw slashed horizontally, piercing the throat of the first S1. Blood spouted like a fountain as Song Ke slid on the slippery blood, akin to a wolf entering a flock of sheep. She swiftly pounced on the second S2, reversed her grip, and slashed from top to bottom, splitting the person in half, organs and intestines cascading down. Blood blurred the vision of those around, and their pupils continuously contracted in fear.


    ¡°Aahhhhh¡ª!¡±


    The imposing brown bear bit off the head of the third S2, brain matter splattering. Then, with two claws, it grabbed two S1 awakeners, slamming them fiercely onto the ground. Snap! A leg was thrown away, and then, with a head-on collision, limbs shattered and fell apart, accompanied by the thunderous sound of bones breaking.


    In the blink of an eye, five S-levels perished.


    Song Ke¡¯s blood-stained phantom bear raised its head, and the brown bear¡¯s hind legs stood upright. Its rigid fur bristled, and it roared towards the sky, the roar echoing through half of the Northern Base.


    Song Ke¡¯s lips curled up, and the chilling curvature of a dimple appeared on her cheek.


    ¡°Either leave, or die.¡±


    ¡°Who dares to step forward?¡±


    On the opposite side, they hesitated, stopping in their tracks. Even though only S1 and S2 had died, Song Ke¡¯s combat power was too terrifying.


    Some people shivered all over, and strange thoughts gradually emerged. Could this person really be just S7?


    Silence enveloped the surroundings.


    At this moment, a violent energy fluctuation came from above them.


    A deep spatial crack slowly opened, and a tremendous force emanated from the black hole. A figure, with a half-male half-female mask, sinister and evil, leisurely stepped out. Smiling, he applauded, ¡°As expected of an S7. Not bad, but unfortunately, your heroic moment ends here.¡±


    Behind the person, over a thousand advanced awakeners followed suit, their eyes revealing a fierce and cruel glint.


    Lu Tao and Yi Na seemed to receive some instruction. Suddenly, they pulled out a crimson Level 4 crystal, shattered it without hesitation, and the rich energy replenished their bodies. The two, whose awakened energy had been depleted, recovered, standing up simultaneously.


    Zhuang Qingyan abruptly looked up, and the streets in all directions were eerily silent, devoid of any presence.


    How could this be? According to the time of the warning flare launch, the supporters from the Northern Base should have arrived by now.


    Sensing his gaze, the masked figure sneered, ¡°Waiting for reinforcements? I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll be disappointed.¡±


    ¡­

 Chapter 166.2: Key (9)

    ¡ò Unprecedented S9 ¡òHalf an hour ago, at the Awakened Department.


    In the administrative office, the administrative secretary cautiously spoke, inquiring about the stiff figure in the shadows, ¡°Director He, all departments have taken action, the relocation of Qianzhan City residents is completed. Do you have any further instructions?¡±


    After a while, He Qiuhong¡¯s hoarse voice sounded, ¡°Follow General¡¯s command in everything.¡±


    The secretary breathed a sigh of relief, not daring to glance at her expression, and hurriedly said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll go help too¡­¡±


    Almost impatiently, she turned around and left the oppressive atmosphere of the office.


    He Qiuhong looked through the floor-to-ceiling window, overlooking the entire city at her feet. For twenty years, she had poured all her efforts into governing the Northern Base. Why couldn¡¯t it develop as she had envisioned?


    Shoo¡ª


    A spatial tunnel suddenly opened, and two elusive figures appeared out of thin air.


    One person was entirely covered in a black robe, with unclear features. The other was a man wearing a half-sinister-looking mask.


    At this moment, the Awakener Department¡¯s defense was at its weakest, with ninety percent of the officials running around outside. Unexpectedly, S-level spatial awakeners had entered.


    ¡°Who are you?!¡± Xi Ze shouted, raising his hand to activate the vacuum domain.


    ¡°Just an A9, overestimating your abilities.¡±


    Qing uttered a cryptic incantation, and Xi Ze¡¯s entire body twisted in pain. In just a few seconds, he transformed into a wriggling pupa.


    He Qiuhong turned her head to press the alarm, but Qing, with a gesture, drew symbols in the empty air. She was uncontrollably drawn towards him, and with a thud, she collided with the floor-to-ceiling window.


    Blood trickled down her forehead. With B3-level strength, she was extremely vulnerable in the face of an S4.


    Qing seemed somewhat surprised, ¡°It¡¯s quite amusing. Hasn¡¯t the Northern Base always valued strength?¡±


    ¡°He Qiuhong, right? How did someone like you, a B3 level, manage to attain your current position?¡±


    He Qiuhong struggled desperately, ¡°Who are you? Why do you want to kill me?¡±


    Qing smirked and skipped the first question, ¡°I won¡¯t kill you. You¡¯re just an ant, not worth my effort. We want to kill Ye Zheng.¡±


    He Qiuhong¡¯s face turned purple, but she remained resolute, ¡°Delusional. You won¡¯t be able to kill the teacher.¡±


    Qing dismissed it, ¡°I heard you were Ye Zheng¡¯s student. You must have worked hard to take over the leadership from him. Now that he¡¯s on the verge of death, why not lend us a hand?¡±


    He Qiuhong gritted her teeth, ¡°No way. He is my¡­ mentor. I won¡¯t betray the Northern Base.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha!¡± Qing burst into laughter, a laughter that was coarse and yet melodious, carrying a discordant and piercing sensation.


    ¡°Do you really think you¡¯re someone important?¡±


    Qing¡¯s chilly lips approached He Qiuhong¡¯s ear, whispering like a devil, ¡°Now I understand why Ye Zheng didn¡¯t completely delegate authority to you.¡±


    ¡°In the end, it¡¯s because you¡¯re incompetent.¡±


    He Qiuhong¡¯s pupils contracted.


    Qing slowly smiled, his tone seemingly regretful, ¡°You, someone with cunning schemes and a dirty heart, might be passable in peacetime. But in times of war, look at yourself, easily controlled. Therefore, you¡¯re destined to be an inadequate leader.¡±


    ¡°I heard you value awakeners highly. Controlling them in your hands, is it because of fear?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re constantly afraid, afraid of being replaced, afraid of being killed, afraid of losing power. You have nothing at all.¡±


    ¡°Tsk tsk, being incompetent is the original sin, after all.¡±


    Qing recited a chilling incantation, and before He Qiuhong¡¯s eyes, a black sphere with insects fluttering appeared.


    ¡°This is called a silverfish. It amplifies the evil in a person¡¯s heart. Let¡¯s see if Director He is as selfless as you claim.¡±


    The insect ball entered He Qiuhong¡¯s mouth, and she writhed in pain, memories flashing before her eyes.


    When He Qiuhong was born, the nuclear war had already ended, and the Northern Base was becoming stable. She received an elite education from a young age and learned about ¡°genetic selection¡± and ¡°early awakeners¡± from various sources. She firmly believed in the inequality between people. After the apocalypse, she finally awakened but only achieved a mediocre B3 level due to inherent limitations in her aptitude, making her promotion prospects almost non-existent.


    Becoming the successor of the Northern Base was a difficult task. Initially, Ye Zheng favored another student named Chen Xuerou, who was optimistic, positive, and an A8-level early awakener with better social connections and assessment scores than He Qiuhong.


    During a peacekeeping mission, they encountered a powerful earthquake. Chen Xuerou, attempting to save a group of students, got trapped under collapsed debris and remained buried in a deep hole for two whole weeks. Ye Zheng never gave up on the rescue efforts.


    He Qiuhong volunteered and accompanied the rescue team to find Chen Xuerou. Fortunately, she was the first to discover Chen Xuerou, who was on the brink of death with her lower body in a gruesome state. With timely treatment and the installation of bio-mechanical prosthetics, Chen Xuerou could still survive.


    Looking at her, He Qiuhong muttered, ¡°Senior Chen, they are just ordinary people. Why bother saving them?¡±


    Chen Xuerou, struggling to speak, asked, ¡°Qiuhong, are they¡­ okay now?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± He Qiuhong answered indifferently. She had no interest in those students; her sole focus was finding Chen Xuerou. Once she found her, she became less anxious. Her tone carried a slight reproach, ¡°You see, you saved them but sacrificed yourself. People like you are simply not suitable to lead the Northern Base. Rest assured, I will do better than you.¡±


    Chen Xuerou couldn¡¯t speak anymore; she could only stare at He Qiuhong with wide eyes.


    He Qiuhong waited silently in place until, a day later, Chen Xuerou breathed her last breath. He Qiuhong stood up, patted her stiff knees, and stumbled out, shouting, ¡°Senior¡­ Senior¡¯s here!! I found Senior!¡±


    ¡°Ah¡ª!¡± He Qiuhong let out a heart-wrenching scream. Her consciousness gradually blurred, and tears streamed down her cheeks. For the Northern Base, she had burned twenty years of her youth. She only wanted to build an ideal city according to her own will.


    She searched everywhere for scientists involved in the ¡°Eternal Life Plan.¡± Publicly, she claimed to want to cure Ye Zheng and secretly supported research on excessive radiation. Only she knew that deep within her heart, a hidden voice kept calling out: Do I still have a chance to advance?


    He Qiuhong¡¯s pitch-black eyes, immersed in endless agony, recalled Ye Zheng¡¯s reprimand:


    ¡°Qiuhong, treat awakeners the same as ordinary people. You can¡¯t discriminate.¡±


    ¡°Remember, the foundation of the entire city is the tens of millions of residents in the Northern Base. Some things should not be inverted.¡±


    He Qiuhong gripped her own neck and screamed, ¡°No! That¡¯s not true! Teacher! It¡¯s different! Awakeners are born noble. We are meant to have more status and power than ordinary people¡­ Chen Xuerou is wrong, and so are you. You¡¯re all wrong!¡±


    ¡­In this world, we, the awakeners, should rightfully hold it in our hands.


    The silverfish fully invaded He Qiuhong¡¯s brain, and her intense anger turned into tranquility. Her eyes became completely black.


    Mechanically, He Qiuhong stood up, like a puppet, and pressed the terminal:


    ¡°A district-wide announcement is now being issued. Everyone is to stand by immediately. No matter what happens, you are not allowed to leave your posts. Otherwise, residents of District B10 will have their identities revoked and be treated as rioters, and they will be killed without mercy.¡±


    ¡°I repeat: No matter what happens, everyone is to stand by in place.¡±


    Beside her, Qing laughed, his smile becoming increasingly radiant.


    The term ¡± Silverfish¡± refers to villains who harm collective interests. He Qiuhong was indeed a hypocritical pretender.


    The spatial rift reappeared, and the two S-level awakeners disappeared on the spot.


    He Qiuhong¡¯s inexplicable command carried a strong sense of oppression. People dared not resist and stood bewildered in place. Murmurs spread, and just a few seconds later, the terminal beeped again.


    *


    Near the 13th channel, with Song Ke¡¯s position as the center, a straight line formed. Behind her was Ye Zheng, whom she vowed to protect to the death, and in front were thousands of advanced awakeners.


    Qing exaggeratedly applauded, a cold smile playing on his lips, ¡°I can¡¯t deny it, you¡¯re formidable. You can handle one against ten, but what about one against a hundred, or a thousand?¡±


    ¡°You can try,¡± Song Ke replied coldly. The phantom bear paw lifted, and a massive, cold jagged blade slowly drew out.


    Qing withdrew his smile, gazing deeply at her, ¡°Then¡­ I¡¯ll kill you first, and then Ye Zheng.¡±


    Boom! Flames, wind blades, thunder, ice and snow, thorns¡­ Countless awakeners attacked Song Ke, swallowing her slender figure. S?a??h the ??v?lF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Bloody ghost hands grabbed her calves, vicious man-eating flowers crawled towards her, opening their blood-filled mouths.


    Song Ke cut through with her sword, leaped out of the landing point, lifted the cold jagged blade, and fiercely slapped back.


    Bang! There was no escape from the dense attacks, and she was harshly hit from behind. Seizing the opportunity, Lu Tao swung his tiger claw forward, slashing open a wound on Song Ke¡¯s abdomen. She rolled and fell into a trap, where a radiation-type awakener had long been waiting for ambush. A powerful electric current erupted, convulsing her entire body, even the phantom bear curled up.


    ¡°Song Ke!¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s expression changed suddenly, and Lin Youyou and others were all anxious to rush over but were unable to break free.


    Seeing the situation on the brink, in the nick of time, chaotic footsteps echoed from all directions on the street.


    As if sensing something, Ye Zheng suddenly looked up.


    ¡°Who dares to kill General Ye? I¡¯ll f***ing fight you all!!¡±


    ¡°To hell with being on standby! Even if I¡¯m not from District B, I¡¯m coming!¡±


    ¡°General Ye, you saved us, and we won¡¯t abandon you!!¡±


    A sea of people rushed towards the battlefield, each face either familiar or unfamiliar, fearlessly approaching through the swirling yellow sand.


    Leading the charge were the Ling siblings, Zhigler, Zhao Yuqing, and other S-level awakeners. Behind them trailed a diverse army of awakeners labeled ABCDE, consisting of people of all ages and genders. Their expressions were uniformly resolute, with even ordinary citizens raising weapons.


    The moment Qing appeared, Lu Xiaoyu, under the name of V587, posted a private commission on the platform. There was only one location and a brief message, no rewards, no points, and the danger level was marked as the highest, the red level.


    ¡ª¡±Ye Zheng is under attack, urgent rescue needed.¡±


    Such a commission, especially under the threat of ¡°expulsion and killed without mercy,¡± logically should have received no takers. However, without a second thought, residents of the Northern Base spontaneously accepted it. The number even exceeded the A-level tasks the system had issued.


    The buzzing of voices filled every corner. Outside the encirclement of Qing and others, the arriving reinforcements turned the tables on them.


    Amidst the sizzling and dazzling electric currents, Song Ke slowly stood up, clutching her abdomen. She opened her eyes, revealing deep blue pupils.


    A radiant and dazzling light erupted in a circular pattern beneath her feet. The phantom of a brown bear rose to the sky, doubling in size, bringing a devastating sense of oppression. Her other hand lifted slightly, and the cold jagged blade quietly disintegrated, fragments falling in all directions. The surrounding ruins trembled violently, as an unprecedented powerful awakened energy surged out from every limb and bone, like a storm.


    Without relying on any external objects, large and small blue light orbs rose from the ground, instantly transforming into thousands of sharp swords. Song Ke raised her hand gently, and the tips immediately aimed at Qing and other awakeners, like a spectacular and eerie will-o¡¯-the-wisp. The flow of yellow sand seemed to freeze, the restless flock of crows collectively fell silent, and the dazzling blue light illuminated half the sky.


    Everyone on the scene stared in shock. This was completely different from summoning through spells or relying on external forces to condense a sword array. Each one was a genuine and pure metal spiritual weapon ¨C the ultimate manifestation of the explosion of metal-type ability!


    ¡®All things in heaven and earth are my weapons.¡¯


    Song Ke stood in the center of the storm, with a brutal beastly shadow behind her and a myriad of sword lights swirling around her.


    If an R-type testing device were used at this moment, it would reveal a stunning fact.


    Song Ke¡¯s awakened energy intensity had reached an astonishing value.


    An unprecedented S9.

 Chapter 167: Key (10)

    ¡ò qinf was kiLd by me. I wil1 come back by mys%lf ¡òSword light spiraled, and thousands of spiritual weapons emitted a buzzing resonance. Song Ke and the brown bear stood up simultaneously.


    The pursuers in the inner circle and the reinforcements in the outer circle fell into silence together.


    Everyone involuntarily looked towards the War God-like figure. The emotions on both sides were completely different ¨C one side filled with joy, the other with fear.


    A reinforcement from the Northern Base squeezed to the front, lowered their head, and looked at their spiritual weapon, a wolf teeth club, purchased at a high price in their arms. Their eyes sparkled: ¡°Wow, I¡¯m using the same model as the S7!¡±


    Song Ke looked indifferent. She pulled out a roll of bandages from the pocket connected to the space, bit the end, and wound it around the back of her hand, which was bleeding incessantly.


    It wasn¡¯t because of the injury but because two finger joints had just been swallowed by the man-eating flower. The area became incomplete, and now it was both painful and itchy. In case her self-healing ability took effect and fingers grew out of thin air in front of everyone, it wouldn¡¯t be good.


    Song Ke casually bandaged herself, glanced at the opposite side with a slight lift of her eyes, and said nonchalantly:


    ¡°Since you¡¯re here, might as well stay.¡±


    The words were light, but they spread to everyone¡¯s ears with the wind.


    No fool would mistake her for a hospitable host. This S7 clearly meant only one thing ¨C leave the corpses behind.


    Thousands of swords hummed together as Song Ke, like a drawn blade, led the charge into the enemy camp, enveloped in the overwhelming awakened energy like thunder.


    With an S7 leading the charge, the reinforcements, filled with fervor, followed suit, shouting:


    ¡°I¡¯ll go first! You guys protect General Ye!!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll fight with you guys!¡±


    ¡°Outsiders, go back to your territory!¡±


    Qing sneered, and coldly uttered three words without caring: ¡°A motley crew.¡±


    His ten fingers intertwined, suddenly spasmed and trembled. With the appearance of a strange seal, countless soul phantom figures emerged from the ground! The Northern Base had once been a fierce battlefield, burying countless lives. Although the souls summoned by Qing had no physical form, they were full of gloomy evil, and upon emerging, they crazily pounced on the living. The possessed awakeners became mentally confused, attacking indiscriminately.


    Lu Tao and Yi Na, along with other S-levels, jumped into the battlefield, taking the opportunity to slaughter at will.


    The scene descended into chaos, and the lower-level awakeners from the Northern Base fell one after another.


    Ye Zheng suddenly threw a punch, and the attacks in the sky were affected by gravity, stagnating in mid-air, saving a large number of awakeners who couldn¡¯t escape in time.


    ¡°All¡­ good soldiers, but still need a commander.¡± He struggled to stand up, the coughing sound resembling a dilapidated bellows.


    On the battlefield, having fearless soldiers alone was not enough; a well-organized commander was also needed.


    Zhuang Qingyan lowered his eyes to the pocket watch in his hand, sighed slightly, and then intercepted him, ¡°General, let me do it.¡±


    Ye Zheng, with eyes that had seen many vicissitudes, showed a hint of surprise, ¡°You can command?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan modestly replied, ¡°Not quite, just a little understanding.¡±


    Ye Zheng pondered for a moment, silently smiled. Yes, that General Xie from Beijun was also an excellent battlefield commander.


    ¡°Alright, very well¡­¡± He patted Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s shoulder heavily, ¡°It¡¯s up to you.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan turned his head and shouted at a figure waving six arms, ¡°Hey, 5.0, come and help.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s movements stopped, rolled his eyes at the sky, and muttered discontentedly, ¡°Arrogant 4.2¡­¡±


    Complaints aside, he still came over.


    Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s alloy arm connected to the pocket watch terminal. With Ye Zheng¡¯s highest authority, he instantly decrypted all databases.


    Zhuang Qingyan, with extraordinary memory beyond ordinary people, swiftly copied and imprinted the information of all awakeners in the Northern Base. Then, his light-colored eyes shimmered as he scanned the reinforcements on the scene, quickly memorizing each face and matching them with the information in his mind.


    An excellent commander must learn to understand and use people.


    Know the people, then use them well.


    Among these reinforcements, some were brave and skilled in combat, while others rarely took on combat missions and were flustered in the face of a large-scale battle.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s commanding style was straightforward. He directly gave commands to people in their consciousness. Because of the lesson from Song Ke¡¯s previous experience, he dared not use professional terms and chose plain language.


    ¡°Li Qiang, turn around immediately and run in the opposite direction.¡±


    This individual, with an extremely poor sense of direction in the group attack category, rushed into a deserted corner. His ability struck down, not hitting any enemies, but frightening away two crows that were cawing loudly.


    ¡°Oh, oh!¡± Li Qiang stepped on the brakes, obediently turned around, and ran in the opposite direction, coincidentally joining the large forces of Tustan.


    Lin Youyou sensed the opportunity for a counterattack, sang an ethereal song, maxing out the buff, and Li Qiang, along with Jennifer and others, bombarded wildly. The brilliant light of their abilities erupted, the range doubled, and it fell into the most densely populated area of the opposing crowd, harvesting lives in swathes.


    ¡°Zhang Wei, focus your attention, listen to my prompts and release your ability.¡±


    Zhang Wei¡¯s ability is called ¡°Demoralizing Roar.¡± Continuous use of this ability lowers the enemy¡¯s desire to attack, putting them in a state of despondency. It is an advantageous support ability in group battles, but he obviously struggles with the intervals. Every time he is disrupted, he unconsciously exposes vulnerabilities.


    With Zhuang Qingyan as a guide in his mind, constantly reminding him, Zhang Wei displayed his skills, timing his roars perfectly.


    ¡°Wang Qianqian, come back, you are a long-range type¡­¡±


    Wang Qianqian, holding a large spiritual weapon, looked like she was about to charge into the enemy¡¯s face.


    ¡°Huh? Who should I attack?¡± She looked puzzled, scanning around, wondering who was speaking.


    ¡°At six o¡¯clock, see that 1.3-meter-tall kid?¡±


    Wang Qianqian nodded, ¡°Got it!¡±


    ¡°Follow him, attack whoever he attacks.¡±


    Xu Xing was hiding in a corner, sneakily launching ice spikes, when a girl approached from behind.


    He shot ice spikes, and the girl dispersed them with a wind circle, instantly freezing a large area on the opposite side, displaying astonishing power. S~?a??h the ??v?l_Fir?.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Wow!¡± Xu Xing marveled, ¡°So awesome!¡±


    ¡°Cool, little brother! Sister will team up with you,¡± Wang Qianqian applauded.


    Zhuang Qingyan named a few more people, ¡°You guys, go protect General Ye.¡±


    The named awakeners ran to Ye Zheng¡¯s side, surrounding him like mother hens protecting their chicks.


    They were all in the defense category. Although their levels were not high, their abilities were extremely rare and difficult to break through easily.


    Zhuang Qingyan quickly surveyed the battlefield and suddenly noticed a figure in the midst of a killing spree. In his cold gaze, there was a gaze that stared at dead things.


    ¡°Lao Mu, go pull out Lu Tao.¡±


    Lao Mu was an A4-level, with the ability of ¡°Forced Taunt.¡± After releasing it, the opponent would involuntarily attack him.


    ¡°Liu Hao, Zhao Xiufen, Qian Miao¡­ Group together at seven o¡¯clock, prepare for a surprise attack.¡±


    ¡°Cough, cough¡­ don¡¯t look towards Lu Tao¡¯s direction, pretend to do something else.¡±


    Liu Hao whistled while looking at the sky, Qian Miao lowered her head to sweep the ground, and Zhao Xiufen pulled out a cross-stitch and started sewing¡­ Their acting skills were extremely stiff.


    Zhuang Qingyan couldn¡¯t help but hold his forehead. Fortunately, the chaos on the battlefield made it difficult to observe carefully, so their deception went unnoticed.


    Lu Tao¡¯s direction was twisted by Lao Mu¡¯s taunt, and uncontrollably, he took two steps forward, falling into the center of a trap.


    An awakener threw a club at him, forcing him to be motionless. Everyone rushed forward, mercilessly beating the old master, ruthlessly using hands and feet. The tiger¡¯s fur was completely plucked, and he fell to the ground completely bald.


    Lu Tao bled profusely and took out a crystal from his pocket, preparing to crush it with gritted teeth.


    ¡°Give it to me!¡± A young man lurking in the shadows activated his ability, ¡°Fetching Objects from the Air¡± and stole Lu Tao¡¯s supplies.


    ¡°¡­¡± Zhuang Qingyan retracted the command on the tip of his tongue, staring at the face of that young man for a second, his eyes understanding.


    This person used to be a professional pickpocket before coming to the Northern Base.


    Lu Tao: ¡°???¡± The tiger fell down and was bullied by the dog.


    He was already seriously injured by Song Ke and was now being beaten by a ragtag army. He was at the end of his strength.


    An elusive figure appeared behind him, and a triple-edged military dagger brutally stabbed into his throat.


    The exhausted tiger completely lowered his head, unable to lift it again.


    ¡ªLu Tao was killed.


    Although the process was full of comedic effects, the miraculously organized reinforcements from the Northern Base gained the upper hand.


    Some assassins keenly noticed that the opposing cannon fodder army seemed to have suddenly become organized, acting swiftly and cooperatively. They became more troublesome and difficult to deal with. To make matters worse, new reinforcements were constantly joining from the ends of the roads in all directions.


    Zhuang Qingyan pushed his glasses with one hand, looked towards Qing from a distance, and smiled faintly, ¡°The real motley crew is you.¡±


    A group of greedy rats colluding for their own interests, like the ubiquitous yellow sand, dispersed with just a casual strike.


    Endless lost souls attached themselves to the awakeners. Zhao Yuqing¡¯s eyes were cold, and her water-based abilities were unleashed, purifying! A torrential rain poured from the sky, and the purifying water droplets dampened the possessed bodies, instantly generating white steam. The painful howls spread as the possessed individuals felt a lightness throughout their entire bodies, breaking free from control.


    Ling Yan and Ling Yue cooperated seamlessly, almost synchronizing their moves. With S6-level strong attack abilities, they teamed up to crush two S-levels on the opposite side!


    Compared to the uneven mix of the miscellaneous army, the top power of the Northern Base erupted with astonishing suppression at this moment.


    Song Ke confronted the bright red man-eating flower head-on. Her heart moved casually, and the sword light around her spun, cutting the colorful petals into pieces!


    The squirming fat mouth fell in front of Song Ke. She pointed, and the phantom claws erupted with crackling and dazzling blue light, transforming into boxing gloves that wrapped around her hands. She then grabbed the crown, filled with sharp teeth, one on each side, and with a great force, she tore it apart¡ª


    The shadow of the brown bear roared like an earthquake, and the fierce man-eating flower was torn in two!


    Yi Na¡¯s face turned deathly pale, and she suddenly spewed a mouthful of blood, her magnetic field shattered.


    Song Ke indifferently stood up, shook off the flesh on her boxing gloves, crushed the two broken pieces under her foot, and approached Yi Na¡¯s direction.


    Yi Na stumbled backward, panicked, and threw the man-eating flower, covering the path ahead of Song Ke.


    The brown bear began to run. Despite its massive size, its movements were exceptionally agile. Its hard paws stepped on the flesh, and the terrifying force, weighing a thousand tons, ruthlessly crushed these demonic flowers, as well as Yi Na. She bled from seven orifices, blood vessels burst, and her skin looked like a rotten tomato, with juice flowing, spitting out fragmented black and red organs from her mouth.


    The summoned objects suffered destruction, and the summoner¡¯s body bore an equal amount of damage. By the time Song Ke reached her, Yi Na was already lying in a sorry state on the ground.


    Song Ke stepped on her mouth, applying a slight force.


    ¡°No, you can¡¯t kill me!¡± Yi Na¡¯s mouth emitted a large number of blood bubbles, speaking unclearly, ¡°I am S4 level, I am¡­ cough¡­ the daughter of Baishen¡¯s magistrate¡¯s wife¡¯s uncle¡­¡±


    Countless swords were simultaneously released, piercing Yi Na into a hedgehog. Before she could finish her self-introduction, her eyes widened in anger and she lost her breath.


    Song Ke showed no expression. ¡°Sorry, too complicated interpersonal relationships, I can¡¯t understand.¡±


    After killing Yi Na, Song Ke raised her head, her gaze piercing through the chaotic crowd, fixing onto Qing.


    ¡°It¡¯s your turn,¡± she said each word heavily.


    The smile disappeared from Qing¡¯s face, and his two completely different faces seemingly merged into one, becoming equally cold.


    Countless wailing souls rushed towards Song Ke, and she controlled floating swords to counterattack.


    Qing took a step back, his sleeve covering his fingers, nervously twitching in the shadows.


    ¡°You¡¯re using sealing spells?¡± Song Ke tilted her head, expressing a knowing look.


    Just a step behind, a slanting street lamp suddenly transformed into a long spear, thrusting out of the void and nailing Qing¡¯s palm.


    Qing couldn¡¯t care about his injuries, raising his head in surprise.


    How could this be possible? How did she discover it? Was it just a coincidence?


    With a feigned move, Qing cast a spell, his lips moving slightly, silently reciting an incantation. The air became hazy, and a plague spread.


    Without looking at his hands, Song Ke launched a lightning-fast attack, a bear paw cleanly slashing diagonally¡ª


    Smack! She slapped Qing across the face.


    Several teeth, accompanied by bits of flesh, fell out, and half of Qing¡¯s face swelled up like a steamed bun.


    The curse was interrupted.


    Song Ke landed gracefully and raised an eyebrow, ¡°Too slow.¡±


    Qing suddenly raised his gaze, as if a cold poisonous snake was staring fixedly at Song Ke, and attempted to use his ability again.


    Interrupt, interrupt, and interrupt again. Regardless of his mouth or hand movements, no matter how many feints he made, Song Ke could accurately predict his true attack intent. He couldn¡¯t release a complete spell, and he was helpless against Song Ke¡¯s relentless attacks.


    Qing¡¯s shoulder was pierced through, half of his face was severely swollen, and his finger joints were completely severed. The blood accumulated into a crimson lake.


    Song Ke clapped her hands lightly and said casually, ¡°I¡¯ve seen more powerful enchantment awakeners than you.¡±


    ¡°¡ªYou are far behind.¡±


    Her senior brother, Zhang Ci, was even more talented than Zhang Ting in both the true skills and enchantment. He could be called a ¡°genius.¡± Song Ke had sparred with him countless times since childhood. She was familiar with the prelude to every spell and every seal, as if etched into her bones. She could instantly think of ways to break them.


    Even so, unless she held back, Zhang Ci never won against her.


    Compared to Zhang Ci, Qing seemed like someone who had just started. He was a flashy counterfeit, and his crude tricks could be seen through at a glance.


    Qing¡¯s chest heaved up and down, and the half of his face behind the mask was clouded with gloom.


    The over a thousand advanced awakeners he brought with him were defeated, and the outcome was clear. People from the Northern Base were cleaning up the final battlefield.


    Ultimately, it was all because of the S7-level awakener in front of him.


    Qing looked at Song Ke, his voice fluctuating between light and heavy, piercing to the ears:


    ¡°Congratulations, you saved Ye Zheng.¡±


    ¡°But hell will come, looking forward to meeting you again next time.¡±


    A faint sense of unease rose in Song Ke¡¯s heart.


    Qing¡¯s face, with a sinister-looking half-mask, seemed to split in half, half smiling and half crying, half happy and half sad, appearing extremely bizarre.


    Swish! Behind him, a narrow space crack appeared, and a thin, bony hand reached out, grabbing Qing¡¯s shoulder, about to take him away.


    Not good, it¡¯s that S-level spatial awakener. They¡¯re trying to escape!


    Song Ke rushed forward regardless of everything. All the floating swords merged into a massive pair of scissors.


    Clang! The blade fell, freezing the expression of the black-robed spatial awakener. His neck was twisted, and the head rolled off.


    ¡°Ahhhh!¡± Flesh and blood sprayed as Qing¡¯s arm was severed, and a wailing scream echoed.


    However, it was too late. More than half of his body had already entered the spatial crack.


    As the caster died, the crack showed violent fluctuations. Song Ke¡¯s pupils contracted, her awakened energy surged, the phantom bear behind her disappeared suddenly. Her entire body shrank quickly, and she uncontrollably spat out a long, thin tongue. Before the crack completely disappeared, she was forcefully sucked in by the powerful force.


    The battlefield fell into dead silence.


    Only V587 exclaimed in shock, ¡°Sister!¡± ¡°Captain!¡± ¡°Song Ke¡¯er!¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan furrowed his eyebrows deeply, his face as calm as water.


    Everyone had witnessed the scene just now, where Song Ke transformed from a brown bear into something else.


    Zhuang Qingyan sighed deeply and turned to Lu Xiaoyu, ¡°Erase all videos and surveillance, leave no traces.¡±


    Mistakes like Yang Xiaobo¡¯s should not be repeated. Today¡¯s events must not have any visual evidence leaked.


    Fortunately, communication devices were still functional. Zhuang Qingyan quietly called through his earpiece, ¡°Song Ke? Can you hear me? Respond if you can.¡±


    After more than ten minutes, a message suddenly appeared in V587¡¯s group chat: ¡°qing was k%1ld by A*g%.¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s profile picture flickered, displaying for a long time: ¡°The other party is typing¡­¡±


    ¡°The other party is typing¡­¡±


    ¡°The other party is typing¡­¡±


    ¡°qinf was kiLd by me. I wil1 come back by mys%lf.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan: ¡°¡­¡±


    Hundreds of corresponding gene sequences flashed through his mind, but the features were too vague to make a judgment.


    What has she turned into this time? How come she can¡¯t even type properly now?

 Chapter 168: Key (11)

    ¡ò Where did this ugly creature come from? ¡òSwoosh¡ª


    The spatial rift violently fluctuated, dispersing and disappearing in an instant. Qing, dragging a severed arm, fell out of thin air, stumbled two steps, lost balance, and fell to the ground.


    Where he passed, a shocking bloodstain was left behind, nerves cut, awakened energy stagnant, difficult to mobilize. The destructive power of the metal-type ability was formidable, causing the magnetic field within his body to completely lose balance.


    Qing¡¯s face, like golden paper, leaned against a tree trunk and slowly sat down, supporting himself to observe the surroundings. Sand and dust raged in the air, a dense flock of crows squatted overhead, peering, with gray-white pupils silently watching, as if patiently waiting for his death, ready to feast on his flesh.


    The barrier of the Northern Base had anti-space ability devices, and Qing couldn¡¯t escape directly. His original plan was to retreat to a safe house first and then figure out a way to leave the area. However, his spatial-type companion was killed instantly, the teleportation path went wrong, leading him to a desolate forest somewhere.


    Faint rustling sounds came.


    Qing raised his head alertly, branches swayed with the wind, and a light green leaf gently floated down.


    The surroundings were eerily quiet, only the coarse and rapid panting of Qing could be heard.


    Qing¡¯s eyes were sinister, and after a while, a smile of relief and self-mockery appeared.


    That S7 didn¡¯t chase after him.


    He lifted his left hand, which had only two remaining fingers, took off the blood-stained mask, revealing a half-female face.


    This S4-level sorcerer turned out to be a ¡°hermaphrodite¡± with both male and female characteristics!


    Qing muttered obscure and difficult-to-understand spells, switching the mask to the other side as he put it on.


    With his movements, those fatal injuries were magically transferred away. Although the severed arm and fingers couldn¡¯t regenerate, the pain lessened, and Qing¡¯s complexion improved slightly. Unfortunately, the other half of his face, his male face, was completely ruined.


    At this moment, Qing had completely transformed into a woman with delicate eyebrows and eyes.


    A very light breathing sound echoed in his ears, as if someone gasped.


    ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± Qing suddenly stood up. ¡°Come out!¡±


    Several nesting sparrows were startled and flapped their wings, flying to higher ground. Qing coldly raised his hand, two fingers trembling, and the sparrows fell, instantly stiffening and turning into corpses, not one left.


    Qing¡¯s gloomy gaze swept around, finding no anomalies. She returned to the shade of the tree, activated the terminal, and a deliberately lowered voice faintly came through, ¡°¡­It¡¯s me. Ye Zheng isn¡¯t dead. The operation failed.¡±


    On the other end, who knows what was said, Qing¡¯s hoarse voice suddenly rose, ¡°Why not kill him?!¡±


    ¡°¡­Temporary change of plans, no time to notify us? Heh.¡±


    The dust invaded, the lush trees were covered in murky yellow soil, and one green leaf suddenly shook, with sand falling rustlingly.


    ¡°Utopia? What new policy?¡±


    ¡°Forget it¡­ let¡¯s talk when I get back. Send someone to the safe house to pick me up. Qi is dead.¡±


    Qi was the name of that spatial-type awakener.


    Qing hung up the terminal, exhausted, leaned back against the tree trunk, and closed her eyes to rest temporarily.


    Whoosh¡ª


    Whoosh whoosh¡ª


    Without warning, the nearby forest suddenly shook violently, and a deep blue light crackled. Countless leaves turned into sky-covering flying knives, all shooting towards Qing. She abruptly opened her eyes, but it was too late. Her body was pierced like a hedgehog, breathless, falling to the ground.


    How is this possible¡­


    Clearly, there were no anomalies. When did she catch up¡­


    The shocked and angry expression froze on her face. Until death arrived, Qing still couldn¡¯t figure out the answer.


    Plop.


    A small thing fell down.


    Triangular head, two bulbous protruding eyeballs resembling light bulbs, a plump body, a tail rolled into a ball like a bubblegum, and nanocrystals on the surface of the skin constantly changing colors with the environment.


    This was a chameleon from the lizard suborder.


    It was also due to the radiation impact that an unknown gene broke out and Song Ke was transformed again.


    Song Ke quickly climbed onto Qing¡¯s corpse, stomped back and forth, confirming that she was dead beyond revival.


    Then she exposed her claw tips, tried to pry Qing¡¯s terminal, cleverly stored it in her own space, and turned to let Lu Xiaoyu crack it.


    With the mission accomplished, Song Ke¡¯s cone-shaped eyeballs rotated 360 degrees, attempting to speak through her main body.


    Swoosh! A long and thin tongue stretched out, and in a fleeting moment, it quickly swept away a jumping cricket.


    Song Ke: ¡°¡­?¡± She spat out, and the unlucky cricket limped away.


    Oops, it seems the tongue is a bit unruly.


    Song Ke stood still for a moment, seemingly lost. She struggled to retrieve her small terminal, and the messages from her teammates calling out to her had already flooded the screen.


    Awkwardly, she opened the group chat, attempting to type a message to report her safety. However, chameleons have fused toes, and what does fused mean? It means the first three fingers are a group, and the fourth and fifth fingers are another group, very uncoordinated. She often accidentally touched the wrong keys, producing a string of strange characters for no apparent reason.


    Song Ke became increasingly frustrated, her tail straightening into a line, but the more anxious she got, the worse she typed.


    In the end, giving up, she reluctantly managed to type the message ¡°I¡¯ll come back by myself,¡± closed her eyes, and pressed the send button with determination.


    The small chameleon confirmed the direction, changed its skin to a deep brown color, perfectly blending into the dusty ground, and swiftly crawled away, shaking its head and tail.


    *


    Bang! Bang!


    The ferocious flock of crows crazily collided, like an endless black cloud covering the city. The fragile barrier finally couldn¡¯t bear the weight, flickering in and out of existence. In that moment of disappearance, tens of thousands of ferocious beasts rushed in, and cries of alarm echoed incessantly. The awakeners on the scene grumbled while clearing them out. Fortunately, in the next moment, the barrier reappeared, keeping the majority of the forces outside.


    Zhuang Qingyan looked at the Martian language message sent by Song Ke, with mixed feelings in his heart.


    The assassination attempt on Ye Zheng had been resolved, and the scattered remnants had also been controlled. However, the crisis at the Northern Base had not been lifted. Due to wasting too much time at the 13th channel, the city defense line was on the verge of collapse.


    Two fully armed bulletproof vehicles rushed in, and before coming to a stop, elite guards and medical teams jumped out. ¡°General!¡±


    Healers nervously surrounded Ye Zheng, setting up a ventilator and a mobile nutrition chamber for on-the-spot first aid. Bai Qi was also carried away on a stretcher.


    Ye Zheng was on the verge of collapse. He looked up at the sky, as if about to move forward.


    ¡°General, please don¡¯t move. You must receive treatment immediately!¡±


    ¡°You can no longer use your awakened abilities, and you must avoid mental and physical exertion, or your body won¡¯t be able to take it¡­¡±


    ¡°City Defense Department¡­¡±


    Ye Zheng murmured a sentence. If they couldn¡¯t stop the flock of crows in time, the tragedy at Qianzhan City would repeat.


    Through the crowd, Ye Zheng and Zhuang Qingyan locked eyes, the handsome young man gripping the pocket watch in his hand, nodding solemnly towards him.


    ¡­


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s clothing fluttered in the wind as he, led by the elite guards, smoothly entered the City Defense Department.


    The harried staff, noticing an unfamiliar face intruding, hastily interrogated, ¡°Who are you? How did you get in? Hurry and leave¡ª¡±


    Without a second word, Zhuang Qingyan shoved his terminal onto his face, and the ¡°highest command authority¡± representing Ye Zheng conspicuously appeared.


    Two nearby elite guards quickly explained, ¡°From now on, Mr. Zhuang will fully represent the General, and all commands will be under his authority.¡±


    ¡°Bring up the entire city map,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said coldly.


    His deep and mysterious eyes seemed to contain endless pressure, making people involuntarily submit.


    The broadcast across the entire Northern Base echoed again, ¡°Attention, one minute from now, the City Defense Department will launch a counterattack against the ferocious beast tide. Everyone pay attention to terminal messages and follow the commands.¡±


    ¡°Ancient Street, Tangning Road, Inner Ring Commercial District¡­ residents in the following areas must evacuate immediately. Evacuation routes have been sent to your terminals.¡±


    ¡°Second and Sixth squads, provide cover.¡±


    Disciplined soldiers executed their tasks with precision and determination.


    Orders were issued steadily by Zhuang Qingyan. His mind calculated rapidly, fingers inputting commands skillfully.


    Schools, hospitals, stations, and other public places were quickly cleared, and residents entered underground shelters as instructed.


    ¡°Suppress.¡±


    The transparent skywalks that traversed the entire city dissipated into thin air, replaced by the rising barrels of pitch-black cannons. This batch of munitions, named ¡°Hell Fireworks,¡± originated from Mu City and represented the highest lethality of the Alliance¡¯s weaponry.


    Boom¡ª


    Boom boom¡ª


    Dazzling fireworks bloomed, painting half the sky in burning red. The stench of charred flesh wafted through the air. Countless crows fell like hail, and hundreds of wind-type awakeners arrived at designated positions, activating their abilities simultaneously. Fire took advantage of the wind, and the wind fueled the flames. The roaring fire spread like wild grass. The eyes of every defender reflected a resolute determination.


    The patrolling teams hovering between ground and sky were responsible for the finishing touches. Logistic cleanup vehicles shuttled back and forth, sweeping away the piled-up crow corpses.


    ¡°Sector Clear.¡±


    In the west of the city, where lush woods were ill-suited for artillery attacks, Zhuang Qingyan entered commands into the console. Within seconds, the barrier switched through hundreds of forms. Suddenly, a mistake occurred¡ªa gap appeared.


    The crows, possessing rudimentary intelligence, seized the opportunity and swarmed in through the opening.


    Zhuang Qingyan smiled coldly, easily deceived.


    ¡°Flash.¡±


    The newly replaced barrier suddenly emitted a glaring white light, illuminating the group attack-type awakeners lying in ambush below, as well as the ultra-low voltage electric grid.


    The densely packed crows were caught in a trap, their small grayish-white eyeballs faintly showing fear.


    Simultaneously, various awakeners and electric lights lit up the sky, accompanied by excited cheers. The awakeners at the Northern Base were ecstatic.


    ¡°Darn, I killed over 300 of them! So satisfying!¡±


    ¡°This wave is a bloody profit. I¡¯m getting rich!¡±


    ¡°Points~ Little money~ Here I come~¡±


    These were not ferocious crows; they were clearly angels sent to the Northern Base to deliver money and points, improving the quality of life for the awakeners!


    Under Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s command, the entire city operated in an orderly manner, resembling a massive machine.


    At the City Defense Department, numerous eyes from all directions secretly assessed the calm and composed young man in front of the console.


    One official muttered sarcastically, ¡°What¡¯s so remarkable? This kind of aggressive approach is bound to destroy a large amount of infrastructure. When it¡¯s time to rebuild, you¡¯ll be the one to suffer. Let¡¯s see how you restore it!¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan, holding a transparent screen, continued to work diligently. Amidst the busy atmosphere, he spared a glance at him, lightly smiling, ¡°Send the design sketches to Oda Ken. The Northern Base doesn¡¯t keep idle people; let him do some work.¡±


    Oda Ken, an S2-level engineering awakener, arrived at the Northern Base on the same day as V587, even taking the VIP route in front of Song Ke.


    Zhuang Qingyan didn¡¯t think of himself as someone who held grudges; he simply believed in making the best use of resources.


    Official: ¡°¡­¡± With an S-level engineering awakener around, what¡¯s so difficult about rebuilding? He could even construct an entirely new city!


    At the bustling entrance of the command room, Ye Zheng, draped in a coat, silently observed the figure inside through the glass door.


    Having just received emergency treatment, he had his injuries under control. Due to concerns, he insisted on coming to take a look.


    However, the situation was somewhat unexpected. It was even better than he had anticipated. Zhuang Qingyan knew everything about the facilities, city defense passwords, and personnel information, and he operated flawlessly, achieving victory in the counterattack with minimal casualties.


    It was as if he were a born commander.


    ¡°General, where did you find¡­¡± The nearby official was dumbfounded.


    Ye Zheng smiled faintly, covering his mouth as he left, ¡°Just an old friend¡­ My body can¡¯t take it. Standing for a while tires me out. I¡¯ll go back to continue treatment. Oh, by the way, call Xiao Fang.¡±


    In the moment he turned around, Ye Zheng¡¯s smile disappeared, and his expression gradually turned cold.


    While he could still stand, it was time to settle scores.


    *


    The Awakener Department building, second-to-top floor.


    After Qing¡¯s death, the parasite lost control. He Qiuhong regained consciousness from the manipulated state, her hair disheveled. She crawled to the floor-to-ceiling window, staring blankly outside. S?a??h th? Nov?lF?re .??t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    T005 was operating again, and the raging sandstorm was rapidly receding. With the concerted effort of the Northern Base, the crow population decreased rapidly, and the night sky returned to its initial tranquility.


    This round, the Northern Base had overcome the challenge.


    The office door suddenly swung open, and several military personnel wearing supervisory uniforms entered with solemn expressions.


    ¡°Director He¡­ He Qiuhong, you are arrested for treason. Come with us.¡±


    Cold iron shackles locked her hands, eliminating any use of abilities. He Qiuhong became what she feared most ¨C an ordinary person. She was numbly dragged away.


    What awaited her would be the most severe trial.


    ¡­


    The chaotic day finally came to an end.


    When Zhuang Qingyan left the City Defense Department, it was nearing midnight.


    The other members of V587 were waiting outside. Fang Zhixu threw a bottle of water towards him, and Zhuang Qingyan caught it without drinking.


    Feeling mentally exhausted, he took off his glasses, rubbed his temples, and let a few strands of bangs fall on his forehead. ¡°Where¡¯s Song Ke? Any news?¡±


    Lin Youyou opened her terminal, and ten minutes ago, Song Ke sent a message in Martian script: ¡°$#on.¡±


    ¡°I know, I know!¡± Xu Xing eagerly answered, ¡°Sister must be saying, ¡®soon¡¯!¡±


    ¡°Wow, our Xiao Xing is so clever.¡± Lin Youyou covered her red lips and exaggeratedly praised.


    ¡°¡­¡± Xu Xing pursed his lips, unsure if she was sincerely complimenting him or teasing him.


    Just as Zhuang Qingyan was about to speak, his expression suddenly froze, and a chill ran down his spine.


    A cold creature jumped onto his foot. ¡°Swish,¡± it slipped into his pants, crawled over his thigh, narrow waist, chest¡­ finally, it nestled in the hollow of his clavicle. It poked its head out from the open neckline, breathing in the fresh air.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s eyes turned dangerously cold. He pinched the troublesome creature and slowly raised it to eye level.


    The camouflage faded away, revealing a clueless chameleon. Its flat head turned left and right as it was being held.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s eyes showed disgust, feeling an itch all over his body. He wished to immediately return to his apartment for a hot shower. Clenching his teeth, he asked slowly:


    ¡°Where did this ugly creature come from¡­¡±


    The chameleon¡¯s tail stood upright with a bulging belly, angered. Its long tongue darted out and bit Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s slender finger.


    The saliva of reptilian creatures was sticky and viscous. It slid down the finger, and Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s forehead veins throbbed. He shook his hand forcefully but couldn¡¯t get rid of it.


    Ting! A familiar small terminal fell with a clang, rolling to his feet.


    Zhuang Qingyan froze for three full seconds, his actions stiff. ¡°¡­Song Ke?¡±

 Chapter 169: Key (12)

    ¡ò Strange Rumors ¡òTing! A familiar little terminal fell to the ground.


    Fang Zhixu¡¯s eyes were blank, and a mouthful of water sprayed out: ¡°Puff¡ª!!¡±


    Xu Xing couldn¡¯t hide his thoughts either. Juice flowed down as his mouth opened wide. He was so shocked that his expression went blank: ¡°Sister¡­¡±


    Lin Youyou picked up the little terminal, shocked as if struck by lightning: ¡°Song Ke¡¯er? How did you become like this?¡±


    Song ¡°Chameleon¡± Ke, recognized by her companions, happily nodded and shook her head, as if saying, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me. Unsatisfied?¡±


    V587: ¡°¡­¡± It¡¯s hard to imagine a chameleon having such rich expressions.


    They knew there were some issues with Song Ke¡¯s DNA sequence, and they had witnessed her incredible combat power after gene fusion, like the hook snake before and the brown bear just now. But to turn from a pure human into a pure animal, far beyond the normal scientific understanding of humans!


    Even the usually silent Su Cha couldn¡¯t help but comment: ¡°¡­not as good as the snake, at least the hook snake is fierce in a fight, and communication is not a problem.¡±


    ¡°Hey, Princess Zhuang, am I not dreaming¡­¡± Lin Youyou rambled, supporting her head and blurting out Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s nickname: ¡°She won¡¯t be like this forever, right? You should have a way to change her back, right?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s face was cold, his eyes like dark stars. Upon closer inspection, his body was slightly stiff as he silently stared at the transformed Song Ke hanging from his finger.


    The results of this genetic transformation were truly unexpected.


    ¡°Let¡¯s pause for a moment. Are you sure you want to discuss this here?¡± Only Lu Xiaoyu among them remained calm.


    Although it was midnight, the busy cleanup vehicles were still collecting crow corpses in the streets and alleys. Occasionally, awakeners passed by, casting suspicious glances at them lingering at the entrance of the City Defense Department.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the apartment,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said in a low voice.


    Song Ke crawled 200 kilometers, already exhausted. Upon hearing this, she climbed into the pocket of Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s shirt and lay down comfortably.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s pupils slightly widened, staring at the conspicuous mud spots. Thinking of how Song Ke had climbed up his pants leg just now, not only his body but even his expression stiffened.


    Lu Xiaoyu glanced at him, suddenly recalling that during their time in Liuponi, this princess¡¯s cleanliness reached an unbearable level¡ªhe brought his own mattress to sleep, covered the swimming pool while swimming, and strictly prohibited the presence of any crawling animals within his field of vision.


    Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s lips curled slightly, and with a strange tone, he said, ¡°Oh, my friend, why don¡¯t you like lizards, they¡¯re so cute¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut up.¡± Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s expression was cold, glancing quickly at the sleeping Song Ke in his pocket, and squeezed out a voice from between his teeth: ¡°Don¡¯t make baseless speculations about my preferences.¡±


    ¡­


    At two in the morning, Garden Apartments.


    The sound of water splashing in the bathroom.


    The mirror, steamed up by the hot vapor, reflected the blurry light on the upper body. The muscles were thin and tight, the shoulder and neck lines were smooth, and water droplets splashed along the graceful curve of the chin, quickly forming a small pool.


    Suddenly, the lights dimmed, and the showerhead abruptly stopped.


    Zhuang Qingyan wiped his face and looked up. The temperature control panel showed ¡°off¡±, and the tranquil moonlight shone through the window.


    This style of not knocking, who else could it be?


    He spoke to the empty outer room, helplessly saying, ¡°Song Keke, don¡¯t play around, let me take a bath first.¡±


    Moist fingertips groped for a moment, and Zhuang Qingyan pressed the ¡°on¡± button on the panel, and the sound of flowing water slowly began.


    Two seconds later, click, like a circuit breaker tripping, the bathroom equipment was once again shut down.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s wet and messy hair accentuated his handsome profile, and he sighed deeply. It seemed like this bath wouldn¡¯t be a peaceful one.


    He casually took off the towel, draped it loosely around his waist, and came out of the partitioned space, leaning against the sink at the back.


    ¡°Come out, let¡¯s talk.¡±


    As soon as the words fell, a greenish chameleon appeared out of nowhere. Its fleshy claws pressed on the temperature control panel, its belly bulging, looking quite angry.


    Zhuang Qingyan couldn¡¯t help but laugh.


    Hook Snake, Wildcat, Brown Bear, Chameleon¡­ the first batch of four unknown genes fully manifested.


    Overall, the performance of the wildcat and brown bear was more stable, while the hook snake and chameleon showed a high degree of transformation, low activity, and the risk of solidification. It would be best to replace them as soon as possible. There were four days until the next wave experiment. During this period, Song Ke could only temporarily maintain her current state.


    Seeing him lost in thought, Song Ke knocked on the sink discontentedly.


    She clumsily operated the terminal, projecting a page that displayed the ¡°World¡¯s Cutest Species Ranking,¡± with the chameleon prominently placed at 17th.


    Song Ke shook her tail, pointed heavily at the ¡°cutest¡± category, then at the ¡°17th place.¡± The meaning was obvious ¨C she came to demand an explanation. Why did he call her an ¡°ugly creature¡±?


    Zhuang Qingyan awkwardly averted his gaze and quickly apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I shouldn¡¯t have said you were ugly. Actually, looking at you closely¡­¡±


    Confidently, Song Ke raised her spine, lifted her head, and her copper-bell-like eyes rolled.


    Zhuang Qingyan chuckled softly, insincerely praising, ¡°¡­you¡¯re quite cute.¡±


    He reached out with two long and beautiful fingers, gently rubbing Song Ke¡¯s flat head. As he rubbed, the motion suddenly stopped without warning. Blame it on his excellent memory. He suddenly remembered a similar situation a long time ago in the research institute in Loak.


    Zhuang Qingyan discreetly glanced at Song Ke, luckily she didn¡¯t recall it.


    ¡°When the laboratory in Qianzhan City is restored, we¡¯ll conduct reverse radiation tests to try to change back as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°For these days, can you stay in the apartment?¡±


    Song Ke laboriously clawed out: ¡°Ok.¡±


    Under the warm light, Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s peach blossom eyes looked affectionately at the lizard.


    He naturally picked up Song Ke, placed her in the sink, squeezed some foam, washed her toes, and then massaged the soft belly along the spine. He washed without distraction, without any whims or ulterior thoughts while facing a chameleon, purely focused on getting rid of the dirt.


    Song Ke: ¡°??¡±


    Grandpa had said that no matter what happens, she should never let others help her bathe. Even if she turned into a lizard, probably, maybe, she still shouldn¡¯t allow it, right?


    A surge of heat instantly rushed to her head, and Song Ke blushed all over. Due to the intense shame, she struggled vigorously. Her tail flailed, splashing water, and Zhuang Qingyan subconsciously closed his eyes. He dared not increase the pressure in his hands and could only grope by feeling. Inadvertently, she managed to break free.


    Song Ke, dizzy and disoriented, flew up and thudded! She hit Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s abdominal muscles and slid down, panic in her eyes. She stumbled on top, leaving a few red marks, suddenly hooked onto something, and pulled downward.


    The towel loosely fell to the ground, covering the small chameleon.


    Zhuang Qingyan: ¡°¡­¡±


    Song Ke, who finally emerged from under the towel: ¡°!!!!¡±


    She froze for a second, her skin changing colors in red, orange, yellow, and green, and suddenly disappeared in place in a panic. Under the confusion, she dragged the towel along, creating a tent-like structure.


    ¡­


    In the following three days, the Alliance¡¯s situation was tumultuous, experiencing severe upheavals.


    Due to the attack on Ye Zheng, the Northern Base showed a tough diplomatic stance. They launched a series of inquiries against the hidden manipulators such as Miao Ying, Baishen, and Tokushima. At one point, they even had a standoff, breaking the surface peace between the various districts and completely tearing apart the facade.


    Representatives of Miao Ying and Baishen readily admitted their wrongdoing at the negotiating table, but refused to apologize. Only Tokushima played dumb, stubbornly refusing to admit being the ¡°crocodile¡± and denying sending out the ¡°rat¡± and the ¡°cat.¡±


    Miao Ying¡¯s representative shouted hoarsely, ¡°We won¡¯t survive, and no one else will either. Let¡¯s all perish together!!¡±


    Baishen¡¯s representative tearfully accused, ¡°Look at this tornado, two-thirds of the city is destroyed. What choice do we have?¡±


    Tokushima¡¯s representative: ¡°It¡¯s their doing, and nothing to do with us!¡±


    The diplomats of Miao Ying and Baishen next to Tokushima looked at him disdainfully: Well, traitor.


    Tokushima could be so arrogant because their name wasn¡¯t on the list of captives released. However, two days later, with the arrest of the smugglers and a confession letter from Lei Zhao breaking the deadlock, evidence of their heinous acts was clear. Tokushima was shocked and denounced Lei Zhao as a three-time traitor. Playing both sides, the negotiation table turned chaotic.


    Chaos erupted between the B districts, with awakeners frequently engaged in battles.


    Zhuang Qingyan had to get up early every day, and with Ye Zheng still not recovered and He Qiuhong¡¯s trial approaching, the Awakener Department was leaderless. Entrusted by Ye Zheng, Zhuang Qingyan dealt with tasks such as eliminating the remaining crows, overseeing city construction, and diplomatic negotiations.


    After three days of non-stop work, in the quiet early morning, Zhuang Qingyan pushed open the apartment door wearily, saying, ¡°I¡¯m back.¡±


    The living room was brightly lit, with a warm and harmonious atmosphere.


    Fang Zhixu was still not back from Ye Zheng¡¯s place, while Su Cha silently lifted dumbbells for exercise.


    Xu Xing held a pile of snacks, a small chameleon perched on his head, and the two were fully focused on watching Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s technologically restored ancient civilization family ethics drama ¨C ¡°XX Temptation.¡±


    ¡°Why are you wearing Pinru¡¯s clothes? And using her things?¡±


    ¡°Since you want to pursue excitement, you must follow through to the end~¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re quite naughty.¡±


    On the screen, a man and a woman rolled into a ball, and robes scattered all over the floor.


    Lin Youyou cleared her throat and, as the lively ending song started playing, sang out loud, ¡°For all the pain of love~¡±


    Xu Xing hummed along, and Song Ke¡¯s tail swayed, clearly immersed in the scene.


    Zhuang Qingyan looked at the scattered bathrobes on the screen, his eyelids twitching.


    Song Ke turned her head and noticed him. Startled, she jumped in place, then hurriedly leaped onto the mechanical arm of Lu Xiaoyu beside them.


    Taking advantage of the situation, Lu Xiaoyu tried to get some pocket money, ¡°Generous captain, respected captain, I want to buy this, this, and also this.¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s paws stomped randomly, ¡°m%buy!¡± and promptly disappeared from everyone¡¯s view.


    Zhuang Qingyan sighed, feeling mentally exhausted. Since the bathroom incident, Song Ke had been avoiding him for three days straight.


    He sat down on the sofa, took off his glasses, and rubbed his temples. ¡°Has any video leaked out recently?¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu, in a good mood now, replied, ¡°No, but there are strange rumors.¡±


    The A-level mission guarding District B10, after the system¡¯s judgment, credited V587 with a significant portion. The points successfully propelled them to the first place in the Northern Base and sixth in the entire Alliance. This mysterious team, rising out of nowhere, sparked a lot of speculation in the Star Network discussions due to their rare appearances.


    ¡°Everyone should check this out.¡± Lu Xiaoyu pulled up an image, covering the paused ¡°XX Temptation.¡±


    A brown bear, a steel six-armed giant, a poisonous snake, and a three-meter-tall ice and snow mage corresponded to Song Ke, Lu Xiaoyu, Su Cha, and Xu Xing, respectively. Even Lin Youyou was depicted as an eight-foot-tall man shrouded in mist with an unclear face.


    ¡°It¡¯s a new manga called ¡®Anecdotes of Awakeners.¡¯ It¡¯s said to faithfully recreate the scene of the assassination.¡±


    The awakeners present at the scene were placed under a gag order that day, not allowed to reveal V587¡¯s true identity. However, unable to resist the desire to share gossip, they invented various stories. Since there were no visual materials, they relied on storytelling, and each ¡°informant¡± provided vastly different descriptions of V587. Rumors even included absurd claims like ¡°All members of V587 are steel macho men who refuse interviews due to their ugly appearance.¡± This led to the creation of this ridiculous manga.


    However, no one took it seriously, and Xu Xing was particularly pleased with his own image.


    ¡°Oh, by the way, Captain, I checked the terminal you picked up, and I found something interesting.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu, without any disguise at home, his ice-blue eyes gleaming brightly, infiltrated the terminal of Qing, bypassing ubiquitous surveillance in the data stream, and reconstructed the last communication before Qing¡¯s death: ¡°The information is currently in the hands of the District B magistrate and has not been made public yet.¡±


    Everyone¡¯s spirits lifted, and they looked up at the screen.


    ¡°Utopia, the former Central Court, is about to announce a new policy. A year from now, they will open a challenge to awakeners worldwide. Those selected will receive a pass and become legal residents of Utopia.¡±


    Qualifying for residency through a challenge? What kind of approach is this?


    Lin Youyou was puzzled, ¡°What does this mean? They conspired against the world back then, and now they remember us? Slap us in the face and give us candy afterward?¡±


    Su Cha coldly commented, ¡°It¡¯s insidious.¡±


    ¡°Agreed,¡± Lu Xiaoyu nodded. ¡°I also find it strange, especially after the recent assassination attempt on Ye Zheng.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan lightly tapped his fingertips and smiled coldly, ¡°It¡¯s just a delaying tactic. Utopia has just risen, and many things need to be done. Now, the survival environment on the ground is harsh. If all districts unite to attack, this S-level city may not survive long enough for development and might face destruction.¡±


    ¡°Taking advantage of the chaos in District B, they throw out the bait of ¡®boarding passes.¡¯ It serves to sow discord and pacify.¡± S?a??h the n0v?l(?)ire.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    At such a time, Utopia releasing a new policy is like a blatant insinuation of hypocrisy: ¡°Look, we haven¡¯t abandoned you. As long as you pass the selection, you can live happily in Utopia.¡±


    In the harsh background of the apocalypse, most people couldn¡¯t resist such insinuations.


    ¡°Should we participate?¡± Lin Youyou asked for everyone¡¯s opinion.


    ¡°In such matters, the captain should make the decision,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said casually.


    ¡¸Investigate again, and report @¡¹


    The little terminal moved, and a line of text appeared.


    Zhuang Qingyan, with quick eyes and deft hands, pulled out a shy and timid chameleon from a nearby pillow.


    Song Ke started changing colors again.


    ¡°You guys chat first. I¡¯ll have a ¡®heart-to-heart¡¯ talk with the captain.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan, carrying Song Ke, walked quickly into the bathroom and gently closed the door.


    He lifted Song Ke in front of him, leisurely unbuttoning with one hand, slightly pulling down the neckline, revealing a large expanse of skin.


    Song Ke¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, wondering: What are you doing? What are you doing?!


    Zhuang Qingyan lowered his voice, sounding aggrieved, ¡°Don¡¯t hide, just look, I don¡¯t mind.¡±


    His tired peach blossom eyes drooped slightly, appearing pitiful. ¡°I¡¯m showing you. Just remember to take responsibility. In the future, whether it¡¯s Yin Xiao or Hei Xiao, don¡¯t get involved with any of them.¡±


    **TN


    Yin Xiao or Hei Xiao ¨C Silver Owl or Black Owl


    XX Temptation ¨C Temptation of Wife, a South Korean drama (2008). Chinese adaptation is called ¡®Home Temptation¡¯ (2011)


    Plot. Lin Pinru is married to Hong Shixian. Hong Shixian later betrays her and has an affair with Ai Li, Lin Pinru¡¯s best friend.


    The Scene:


    Married Hong Shixian is sleeping with his wife¡¯s, Lin Pinru¡¯s, best friend Ai Li. Ai Li took advantage of Hong Shixian¡¯s family going out to do shameful things with Hong Shixian at home.


    After finishing, she took a shower and then put on the clothes of Hong Shixian¡¯s wife, Lin Pinru.


    When Hong Shixian saw Ai Li, he asked, ¡°Why are you wearing Pinru¡¯s clothes?¡±


    Ai Li stood up slowly, walked to Hong Shixian and replied, ¡°Since you want to pursue excitement, then follow through to the end.¡±


    So Hong Shixian said his Classic quote ¡°You are so naughty¡±.


    From then on, if netizens wanted to complain about someone being sexy, they would say ¡°Why are you wearing Pinru¡¯s clothes?¡±


    Even if the clothes the other party wears are not sl*tty, as long as there is a sense of being sl*tty in words and actions, they will say ¡°Why are you wearing Pinru¡¯s clothes?¡±

 Chapter 170: Key (13)

    ¡ò The gene is not recorded in the database ¡òClick.


    Tonight, the apartment¡¯s main door was exceptionally busy, Fang Zhixu and Zhuang Qingyan returned almost simultaneously.


    ¡°How is it, Old Fang? Is General Ye feeling better?¡± Lin Youyou sat up, or rather, twisted into a challenging Pilates pose on the sofa. Her yoga skirt slipped, revealing a dazzling glimpse of her slender waist.


    On the opposite side, Su Cha paused in lifting dumbbells, silently turning his gaze away and grabbing a blanket to cover her.


    Fang Zhixu¡¯s throat was almost smoking dry, ¡°Wait a moment, let me have a sip of water first.¡±


    He took two quick steps, unceremoniously twisted open Xu Xing¡¯s specially made children¡¯s drink, apple-flavored with probiotics, and gulped it down without leaving a drop.


    Xu Xing was stunned for two seconds, ¡°Ahh! You nasty old man!¡± Damn it, he deliberately saved the good stuff to drink last!


    Fang Zhixu put down the medicine box and looked at everyone with a serious expression, ¡°General Ye fainted twice suddenly today and has been taken to the specialized hospital for awakeners for treatment. He just woke up before I came back.¡±


    ¡°What? It¡¯s that serious?!¡± Lin Youyou instantly sat up straight.


    Zhuang Qingyan and Song Ke, who came out of the bathroom, also heard Fang Zhixu¡¯s words.


    ¡°Huh, then why did you come back?¡± Xu Xing sneakily pulled Fang Zhixu¡¯s braid, ¡°Is it because the doctor is better than you, so you got kicked out~¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s useless for me to stay. The injuries from the assassination have healed. General Ye fainted due to organ aging, causing compromised compensatory function. Although it hasn¡¯t reached the point of failure, it has severely affected various vital signs.¡± Fang Zhixu skillfully held down Xu Xing, giving two slaps on the buttocks.


    And Xu Xing, who was used to being pampered by him, had no psychological preparation for being hit and widened his eyes in surprise.


    ¡°General Ye and the others are persuading him to switch to bionic organs, which is the only solution at the moment.¡± Fang Zhixu casually rubbed Xu Xing¡¯s head, muttering to himself, ¡°If only we could reverse¡­ no, just delay organ aging.¡±


    Lin Youyou raised a question, ¡°So switching to bionic organs will solidify the awakener level? But it¡¯s okay for S-level to solidify, right?¡±


    Annoyed and embarrassed, Xu Xing struggled, used both hands and feet, biting Fang Zhixu¡¯s arm fiercely.


    ¡°Hiss¡­¡± Fang Zhixu let go in pain, and Xu Xing covered his buttocks, taking the opportunity to run out with a clatter. Fang Zhixu shook his head helplessly, a bright white healing light flashed, and the teeth marks disappeared, leaving a sticky circle of saliva.


    Zhuang Qingyan happened to block Xu Xing¡¯s escape route and conveniently lifted him by the back of his collar, throwing him back to Fang Zhixu.


    Xu Xing: ¡°?¡±


    ¡°With General Ye¡¯s current condition, 90% of his organs must be replaced. It¡¯s not as simple as level solidification,¡± Zhuang Qingyan calmly explained. ¡°It¡¯s equivalent to completely dismantling and destroying the magnetic field within the body. In other words, he will go from an S-level awakener¡­ to an ordinary person.¡±


    The spacious living room fell into silence, even the playful antics of Fang Zhixu and Xu Xing quieted down.


    For someone who has never awakened, it might be fine, but for an awakener to return to an ordinary person, it is too cruel for anyone.


    ¡­


    Before going to sleep, Song Ke sneaked into Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s bedroom and poked him on the quilt.


    Zhuang Qingyan seemed to have anticipated her arrival, not surprised at all as he put down the light screen in his hand, ¡°You want to ask if I can help Ye Zheng, right?¡±


    Song Ke turned green with certainty.


    Zhuang Qingyan sighed, ¡°Old Fang is a doctor, and even he is helpless. What can I do?¡±


    The triangular head of the chameleon drooped down, instantly turning into a sorrowful blue, exuding a somewhat dejected atmosphere.


    The room fell into silence, Zhuang Qingyan used two fingers to massage Song Ke¡¯s back, his eyelashes drooping, his eyes like an abyss that couldn¡¯t see the light.


    ¡°It¡¯s not entirely impossible¡­¡± he slowly elongated his voice, ¡°There is a possibility, although it¡¯s slim, it¡¯s worth a try.¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s chubby claws held onto his pajamas, gently pulling, urging him not to beat around the bush and quickly reveal the method.


    Zhuang Qingyan didn¡¯t rush to answer, holding her two front limbs, leaning forward a bit, his captivating peach blossom eyes curved charmingly, ¡°I¡¯ll think of the method. As an exchange, what do you promise me? In the posture of a graceful poplar, I wholeheartedly seek your favor. If I have the honor of being the sole favorite in the harem, that would be even better.¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s two eyeballs went blank, ¡°¡­¡±


    How can someone be shameless enough to flirt with a lizard¡­ Ugh, how outrageous!


    She released a bit of awakened energy, slap, and the fragile silk pajamas instantly burst open, leaving the neckline wide open.


    Zhuang Qingyan lowered his head to glance, raising an eyebrow slightly, ¡°Can¡¯t believe you¡¯re in such a hurry?¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°¡­¡±


    Song Ke disappeared on the spot.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s eyebrows and eyes relaxed, his expression eased, and he laughed out loud, glimpses of the proud and spirited youth could be vaguely seen through layers of time.


    ¡°Give me the terminal.¡±


    A small bee terminal flew out into the air, and after a moment, Zhuang Qingyan connected to the video call.


    The projection flickered twice, revealing a person in a white lab coat who looked hurried ¨C it was Dr. Ning Rong.


    ¡°Dr. Ning, how¡¯s your recent research going?¡± Zhuang Qingyan casually greeted.


    ¡°It¡¯s you? How come you have time¡­¡± Dr. Ning mumbled vaguely, not stopping his footsteps. The background seemed to be a laboratory corridor. Suddenly, he remembered something and excitedly said, ¡°I found the critical value! Mutations caused by DNA breakage under high-dose radiation are not inevitable, as long as¡­¡±


    Dr. Ning eloquently introduced his preliminary results, and Zhuang Qingyan occasionally responded with a few words.


    ¡°I have a new research topic here. Are you interested?¡±


    ¡°What topic?¡±


    ¡°Cell division lineage research, mainly focused on organ regeneration. I can provide you with relevant research materials, on the condition that I must personally participate and lead the project. The list with the highest confidentiality clearance can only include you and me.¡±


    Dr. Ning Rong¡¯s footsteps halted, his gaze blank. ¡°Say that again, are you sure it¡¯s ¡®cell division lineage research for organ regeneration¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s expression remained unchanged. ¡°Come to Qianzhan City Laboratory tomorrow, and we can discuss it in person.¡±


    On the other side of the communication, Dr. Ning Rong was shocked to the point of being speechless, only the surging flames burned fiercely in his heart.


    Cell division and organ regeneration are both secrets related to the ¡®Fire Seed.¡¯


    Has this guy been possessed? Just a few days ago, he was shouting, ¡°What does benefiting all mankind have to do with me?¡± And now he suddenly changed his mind?


    *


    Early the next day. S?a?ch* Th? Nov?lF?re .??t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Qianzhan City.


    The hole in the ceiling was patched up, and the refurbished lab was lined with a variety of sophisticated and complex instruments.


    Zhuang Qingyan lowered his head to adjust the data, Song Ke¡¯s tail wrapped around the horizontal bar of the ecological cultivation box, hanging upside down, swaying leisurely.


    Ning Rong, who came in wearing a hat and mask, was startled, then surprised: ¡°Lizard genes?¡±


    He stared at Song Ke for two seconds, his eyes getting brighter and bursting into enthusiastic research questions, ¡°How much is the emotional value after fusion? Have you measured the awakened energy? Can the abilities be used normally?¡±


    He even approached and reached out to pinch Song Ke for observation: ¡°I suggest doing a spectroscopic analysis first¡­¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s slender tongue flickered and a dark blue sword stopped at Ning Rong¡¯s nose.


    Ning Rong¡¯s footsteps halted, realizing that this experimental subject was not someone he could provoke, and he dryly said, ¡°Well¡­ kid, you do it.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan calmly pressed the hovering spiritual weapon, lightly smiling, ¡°Dr. Ning, don¡¯t be handsy, my partner has a temper.¡±


    Song Ke cooperatively raised her back, turning her entire body into a bright red, emitting a threatening aura.


    Ning Rong: ¡°¡­¡± Strange taste.


    ¡°No need to draw blood,¡± Zhuang Qingyan didn¡¯t waste words, ¡°Time is limited, these are the gene results from last time, let¡¯s reverse the radiation directly.¡±


    Ning Rong changed his clothes for disinfection, took a glance at the running screen, and the spectrometer showed four genes: Hook Snake, Wildcat, Brown Bear, and Chameleon. The complex DNA chains interwove, with chameleon clearly dominating, crazily devouring nearby cells, posing extremely high risks.


    ¡°The chameleon activity is too high. For safety, adjust the radiation values to 22.025% ¨C 26.745%,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said without a sound, giving him a glance. It seems Ning Rong¡¯s research has indeed progressed, now precise to three decimal places.


    The two entered the partitioned room, attached the sensors, and Song Ke flicked his tail towards Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s lower leg, meaning clearly: get out.


    The reverse radiation is not a good thing. Now it¡¯s set to over 20%. Although her unique physique is not significantly affected, it would be challenging for an ordinary S-level to endure. Zhuang Qingyan himself had a ¡°feeble body¡±, and excessive radiation would undoubtedly be harmful to him. There was no need to accompany her.


    Seeing her firm attitude, Zhuang Qingyan removed the communicator and placed it around the neck of the small chameleon. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll wait outside. Call me if there¡¯s any issue. If you can¡¯t speak, knock three times, and I¡¯ll come in.¡±


    Before leaving, Zhuang Qingyan paused for a moment, adjusted the protective glass, and switched to an invisible mode. ¡°After turning back, remember to wear clothes.¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°?¡± Of course, she would wear clothes!


    Low-intensity reverse radiation filled the entire isolation room, and each time the wavelength changed, Zhuang Qingyan would remind Song Ke.


    ¡°Excluding the four known wavelengths, nearly 5% fluctuation range, I don¡¯t know what will come out this time,¡± Ning Rong remarked while staring at the instrument. ¡°It¡¯s better to have a stable outcome.¡±


    Opening the blind box was a matter of luck.


    Zhuang Qingyan didn¡¯t speak. Genetic engineering, especially genetic fusion, was impossible without using animals for experimentation. The DNA composition inside Song Ke was complex, and perhaps¡­ none of them were a good match.


    After another change in the wavelength, Song Ke¡¯s clear voice sounded from the communicator, ¡°Zhuang Qingyan.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan quickly pressed pause, ¡°I¡¯m here.¡±


    Song Ke chuckled, ¡°I¡¯ve turned back!¡±


    Ignoring the instrument results, Zhuang Qingyan took big steps forward, his voice laced with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m coming in. Are you dressed?¡±


    ¡°I, am, dressed!¡±


    The door was pushed open, and Song Ke, wearing a white T-shirt and shorts, swung her legs while sitting on the experimental table, looking displeased at him, ¡°I¡¯m not you. I would definitely wear¡ª¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan strode over and tightly hugged her.


    Song Ke instantly fell silent, pressed against his chest, listening to his thumping heartbeat. Her ears turned redder and redder.


    The two hugged for a while, and Zhuang Qingyan checked her limbs, ¡°Is there any discomfort? Or do you feel anything unusual?¡±


    Song Ke thought for a moment and shook her head seriously, ¡°No.¡±


    Hand in hand, the two came out, and Ning Rong stared at the instrument with a solemn expression, ¡°Come over and take a look.¡±


    Following his gaze, Zhuang Qingyan lowered his head.


    Curious, Song Ke squeezed her head in, although she couldn¡¯t understand it, she wanted to feel involved.


    ¡°The data analysis is almost complete. This time, there is probably only one manifesting gene, and its stability is very good. It should be fine for one or two months,¡± Zhuang Qingyan reported as detailed information gradually emerged.


    Ning Rong stared at a few lines of data, unable to hide his surprise, ¡°What? Second activation?¡±


    Second activation refers to the reappearance of genes with dominant traits, such as the Hook Snake or Wild Cat. However, they had already eliminated the first batch of four, so such a mistake was impossible.


    Even Zhuang Qingyan couldn¡¯t help but be astonished. Could it be that, apart from those four, Song Ke had previously shown symptoms of gene fusion?


    ¡°No,¡± Song Ke honestly replied. She had been perfectly normal from childhood to now.


    Ding! The spectrometer stopped running, displaying the result: ¡°This gene is not recorded in the database.¡±


    Ning Rong was dumbfounded. This gene spectrometer covered the entire Alliance¡¯s biological lineage. What did it mean not being in the database?


    Zhuang Qingyan couldn¡¯t help but frown. All successfully fused genes would be recorded unless¡­ it was the failed part, which could be anything and more difficult to judge.


    ¡°Song Ke, are you sure you¡¯re not feeling any discomfort?¡± Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s brow furrowed.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Song Ke nodded.


    Still worried, Zhuang Qingyan conducted various physical examinations, and this time, there was a new discovery.


    Ning Rong pointed at the resonance meter in shock, ¡°Awakened energy stable at 14,000.¡±


    Seeing Song Ke¡¯s confusion, Ning Rong sighed deeply, ¡°Congratulations, second awakening¡­ no, according to your awakener circle¡¯s terms, you¡¯ve upgraded to S8.¡±


    S8¡¯s awakened energy ranged from 13,000 to 15,000. Song Ke¡¯s previous level was 12,000, and now it was stable at 14,000, a clear improvement in strength.


    S7 was already explosive. Once the news of Song Ke¡¯s promotion to S8 was announced, it would undoubtedly stir up a storm in the Alliance.


    ¡­


    ¡°When would the research you mentioned start?¡± Ning Rong asked in a low voice after leaving the laboratory.


    ¡°The sooner, the better,¡± Zhuang Qingyan replied in a hushed tone. The situation with Ye Zheng was urgent. Before coming here, Zhuang Qingyan had asked Ye Zimei about his situation. As long as Ye Zheng agreed, the surgery could take place as early as a week later. ¡°Song Ke and I will go to the Trial Court first, and then we¡¯ll find you later.¡±


    Ning Rong acknowledged with a sound, keeping up with the two awakened individuals, panting as he spoke, ¡°I¡¯ve arranged the confidentiality permissions you mentioned. I¡¯ve screened all the assistants. When the research process is dismantled, no one will notice¡­¡±


    The three figures gradually moved away.


    A miniature drone hovered in the sky and then returned to a skywalk several kilometers away, where two figures stood.


    One of them glanced at the real-time surveillance and looked puzzled. ¡°Who is this person? Why is Ning Rong getting so close to him?¡±


    The two Central Court agents had been tracking Ning Rong for a long time, monitoring him closely since he arrived at the Northern Base. Ning Rong, a former core member of the ¡°Eternal Life Project¡± and from the Qinglan Research Institute, was suspected by the Central Court of concealing important research data, deliberately leaving the project, and wanting to establish his own foothold to take over the experimental results.


    However, Ning Rong was a thorough scientific researcher who usually kept a low profile. He rarely interacted with people, and with awakener guards around the laboratory perimeter, it was challenging to infiltrate. They had followed him for several months, but they were at an impasse until recently when Ning Rong came to Qianzhan City twice, raising suspicions.


    The other person skillfully exported the recent photos and videos, organizing them into periodic reporting documents.


    ¡°Do your job; it¡¯s not our business to use our brains. Send these to surveillance,¡± the agent said.


    Among the countless images, there was an inconspicuous side profile photo of a young man.


    Young Zhuang Qingyan was wearing a white robe, donning gold-rimmed glasses, and had an elegant and handsome face. Despite being dressed as a researcher like Ning Rong, his temperament was completely different from Ning Rong, who had heavy dark circles under his eyes.

 Chapter 171.1: Key (14)

    ¡ò S7 attended the trial with two family members ¡òNorthern Base, 10:00 AM.


    A highly anticipated trial is about to begin.


    As the person involved was formerly the highest-ranking official in the Awakener Department and the crimes committed involved national secrets, only a very small number of people were allowed to participate. The media and reporters who entered went through layers of screening. In the spectator seats, officials dressed in suits sat upright, awakeners suppressing their awakened energy, and silent witnesses.


    Before the formal start of the trial, two figures entered against the light.


    Zhuang Qingyan wore an impeccably crafted light gray suit, his side profile tall and lean, outlining broad shoulders and long legs as he walked. Song Ke, on the other hand, had a much simpler attire, white T-shirt and shorts, with short hair neat and refreshing. The two uninvited guests walked in as if they owned the place.


    ¡°Is that Song Ke?¡± A special reporter in the media area covered his mouth and whispered to his colleague, ¡°She looks quite approachable.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t judge a book by its cover,¡± the colleague, a local, shook his head in disagreement, whispering with a hushed tone, ¡°You know nothing about her brutality.¡±


    ¡°How brutal is she? I don¡¯t believe it unless I see it myself.¡±


    ¡°Do you have the video of the armored sea turtle?¡±


    ¡°No, but I¡¯ve heard of it. Isn¡¯t it too exaggerated? How could a Level 5 ferocious beast be killed single-handedly?¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll send it to you.¡± The colleague sighed deeply. The video was once so popular, but its popularity inexplicably plummeted after a couple of days, with no one interested anymore. Fortunately, he wisely saved a copy.


    ¡°Wow! Oh my god! I can¡¯t believe it!¡± The reporter watched in awe, his words stumbling, ¡°I was blind, she¡¯s so amazing. Why is she here today? Does she have any friendship with He Qiuhong?¡±


    ¡°Quite the opposite,¡± the colleague wore a mysterious expression, ¡°It¡¯s more like having a grudge. I heard¡­ not sure if it¡¯s true, He Qiuhong kidnapped this person.¡±


    ¡°¡­?¡± The journalist gasped, his expression puzzled and blank. Kidnapping S7? This would be an explosive piece of news throughout the entire Alliance. Is He Qiuhong out of her mind?


    As soon as the colleague¡¯s words fell, the tall man with his hands in his pockets walked past them, casting a cool glance.


    The journalist shivered and instinctively turned off the terminal playing the colorful video.


    Members of V587 sitting in the front row turned their heads in pleasant surprise, their eyes assessing, as if saying: Captain, back to your usual self?


    Song Ke made a ¡°shush¡± gesture, playfully blinked, spun around to signify that she was unharmed, and sat next to Lu Xiaoyu. Lu Xiaoyu casually extended his hand, and Song Ke touched her pocket, handing him the terminal for the routine anti-intrusion check. Then, she leaned in and spoke softly to Lu Xiaoyu, their heads close together. From certain angles, their faces were very close, almost as if they were kissing.


    Zhuang Qingyan stretched his arm lazily, resting it on the back of Song Ke¡¯s chair, displaying both intimacy and possessiveness.


    Sharing a terminal among the three had become a habit, and they didn¡¯t think much of it. However, to others, it seemed somewhat scandalous.


    The eyes of two journalists next door widened.


    If they were from the ¡°Crooked Anecdotes of Awakeners,¡± they would have already imagined a passionate and scandalous love affair based on S7¡¯s gimmicks, ensuring tomorrow¡¯s best-selling headline. However, they were from the ¡°Northern Base Legal Daily,¡± an official and serious media outlet! The two exchanged glances and finally wrote down in a proper manner: ¡°On [date], S7-level Awakener Song Ke attended the trial with two family members.¡±


    Clang¡ª


    The passage door opened, and six solemn-faced judges were escorted in by the awakener guards. The chief judge in the center was a woman around forty, with a straight posture and deep eyes containing a glint of intelligence. As she scanned the spectator seats, people avoided her gaze, as if once seen by her, all secrets would be exposed.


    Song Ke¡¯s spirits lifted, sensing that this was a high-level awakener.


    ¡°Tian Wenli, A7-level Mental type, Ability: ¡®Truth Reconstruction,¡¯ can make time and space flow backward, replay scenes that have happened before, and¡­ reveal the true psychological activities of the individuals involved,¡± Zhuang Qingyan explained in a low voice, pinching Song Ke¡¯s ear. He was now a mobile central hub of resident information, knowing the background of every resident in the Northern Base.


    Tian Wenli¡¯s ability was somewhat similar to Bai Ruotong¡¯s ¡°Lie Detection,¡± but unlike Song Ke¡¯s young senior sister, Tian Wenli, an experienced early awakener, had been working as a judge for over seventeen years, a bona fide expert in interrogation.


    Back then, A-level Bai Ruotong couldn¡¯t extract much information from S-level Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s mouth, but today, A7-level Tian Wenli against B3-level He Qiuhong was almost a crushing blow.


    ¡°Now, the trial begins. Bring the defendant, He Qiuhong, into the courtroom,¡± Tian Wenli spoke in a deep voice after taking her seat.


    The law enforcement officers brought He Qiuhong, whose hands and feet were bound by ability restraints, to the courtroom. After removing her high-ranking official uniform, she appeared frail, moving slowly. The deep lines on the sides of her cheeks had intensified, but her expression remained as calm as ever.


    ¡°Director He¡­¡± on the spectator seats, He Qiuhong¡¯s administrative secretary couldn¡¯t help muttering, quickly bowing her head amidst the surrounding glares. She was just a newly appointed insignificant figure, with little understanding of the crimes committed by her former superior. Her sigh at the imprisonment of her boss unexpectedly caused an uproar, and the secretary regretfully patted her mouth, not daring to speak further.


    In the front row, Ye Zimei sat upright, her expression cold and concentrated. Today, she represented Ye Zheng and Bai Qi, witnessing He Qiuhong¡¯s fate.


    ¡°He Qiuhong,¡± Tian Wenli, sitting in the center of the judge¡¯s bench, used her awakened energy and her voice resonated throughout the venue. ¡°You are accused of betrayal, treason, endangering national security, abuse of power, intentional murder, and a total of thirteen charges. Do you have any objections?¡± s?a??h th? N0??F?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°I have objections,¡± He Qiuhong¡¯s expression was surprisingly calm. ¡°I deny the unfounded accusations. I did not betray the Northern Base. Issuing the order for the residents of Qianzhan City to stay put was due to being controlled by an S-level parasite, not of my own volition.¡±


    There was an uproar in the spectator seats, angrily cursing He Qiuhong for being defiant and refusing to confess even at the brink of death.


    ¡°Spectators, please maintain silence,¡± Tian Wenli knocked the gavel. ¡°You deny intentionally plotting against General Ye Zheng, but the order to prevent the entry of Qianzhan City residents was issued when you were conscious.¡±


    He Qiuhong hesitated for a moment and answered calmly, ¡°I did it for the benefit of the Northern Base.¡±


    Tian Wenli¡¯s eyes were sharp, and she suddenly raised her voice, ¡°Liar.¡±


    ¡°I request the use of ¡®Truth Reconstruction.''¡±


    ¡°Approved,¡± the decision was made after consultation among the five judges.


    Dong, dong¡ª


    Like the striking of a grand bell, He Qiuhong¡¯s face showed pain, completely defenseless, her consciousness thoroughly swept away, and scenes from the past unfolded.


    First was a cold voice, ¡°Close all connection channels with Qianzhan City.¡±


    Then came a mixture of contemptuous psychological activities, ¡°Those ordinary people? Useless waste, not worth mourning. It¡¯s their own bad luck.¡±


    ¡°Awakeners¡­ forget it, a group of eliminated people with no strength. Just clean them up, and issue a recruitment notice after the crisis is over.¡±


    The scene fell into complete silence; everyone was shocked by her disregard for life.


    ¡°Murderer! Despicable woman!¡± Suddenly, from the direction of the witness stand, a rotten egg flew towards He Qiuhong, landing at her feet.


    ¡°Who do you think you are? What gives you the right to decide our life and death? Who the hell do you think you are!¡±


    The law enforcement officers hurriedly intervened to stop the disturbance. The enraged man, seemingly using an ability, threw another rotten egg out of thin air, and this time, he was fortunate enough to hit He Qiuhong¡¯s face. A gray-green, foul-smelling liquid oozed down, creating a nauseating odor.


    ¡°Please have the witness temporarily leave the stand,¡± Tian Wenli raised her hand, signaling the officers to escort the man out. She then turned to the public and explained, ¡°The witness lost his parents in the ferocious beast tide, and his emotions are quite intense. Please understand.¡±


    Song Ke rested her chin on her hand, her lips slightly curled. She initially thought the chief judge, Tian Wenli, was impartial, but she could see clearly that Tian Wenli had noticed the witness reaching for the rotten egg, yet deliberately waited two seconds before intervening.


    ¡°He Qiuhong, you discriminate against ordinary people with an unequal perspective, causing a significant negative impact on the peace and stability of the Northern Base. The court has received additional information that former S4-level awakener Lei Zhao left for Tokushima with resentment due to your unreasonable arrangement for his family.¡±


    The effect of ¡°Truth Reconstruction¡± was still in place, and upon hearing Lei Zhao¡¯s name, He Qiuhong¡¯s pupils contracted slightly, uncontrollably recalling the past.


    Lei Zhao grew up in the orphanage of the low-level district. His ¡°family¡± consisted of disabled individuals. Because Lei Zhao was allowed to enter District B, He Qiuhong, following regulations, assigned him a residence without considering whether it was ¡°appropriate.¡± The community was full of awakeners, and a culture of comparison thrived. Lei Zhao¡¯s family suffered severe bullying, and he, busy with commissions, neglected them until incidents of self-harm forced him to wake up. Eventually, he left District B10.


    Another S-level weapon-type awakener, the chief designer of the ¡°Hell¡± firearms, also left the Northern Base for ideological differences. Before leaving, he expressed to his friend, ¡°The original intention of designing the Hell firearms was to give ordinary people the ability to fight against zombies and ferocious beasts. If my weapons can only be provided to awakeners, I don¡¯t know what purpose they serve anymore.¡±


    His friend asked, ¡°Where did you get this information, and who talked to you?¡±


    The chief designer sighed, shook his head with a bitter smile, unwilling to say more.


    A commotion spread through the spectator seats, with awakeners expressing their indignation. No wonder, all this time, the Northern Base had fewer top-level awakeners compared to other regions ¨C turns out it was because of He Qiuhong, the troublemaker! Despite her lofty speeches about the importance of awakeners, in reality, she hadn¡¯t accomplished anything substantial. Ultimately, it was all about maintaining her own rule and power.


    He Qiuhong¡¯s governing philosophy contradicted the entire Northern Base, and it¡¯s no wonder that talented individuals found it difficult to stay! V587 members in their seats couldn¡¯t help but smirk. He Qiuhong had offended more than just these S-level awakeners; they had three more in their team. If it weren¡¯t for Ye Zheng¡¯s strong retention efforts, they might have left in a fit of anger, just like Lei Zhao.

 Chapter 171.2: Key (14)

    ¡ò S7 attended the trial with two family members ¡òThe trial continued, and He Qiuhong¡¯s crimes were exposed one by one. When the charge of intentional murder was pronounced, Tian Wenli activated her ability again. The scene of Chen Xuerou¡¯s death emerged, revealing He Qiuhong not only ignoring her life and death but also displaying jealousy and malice towards Chen Xuerou in the reconstructed psychological activities, intense to the point of pitch black.


    ¡°Chen¡­ Commissioner Chen!¡± Even some senior officials from the Awakener Department couldn¡¯t sit still this time, tears streaming down their faces. Chen Xuerou, once the widely anticipated successor to Ye Zheng!


    The clamor echoed from all directions, and the condemnation against He Qiuhong escalated.


    Tian Wenli pounded the gavel, ¡°Order, please maintain order.¡±


    ¡°Criminal He Qiuhong, do you have anything to refute?¡±


    He Qiuhong¡¯s gaze was numb, but she persisted, ¡°I do not admit guilt.¡±


    After a moment of contemplation, Tian Wenli, mindful of her ability¡¯s three uses per day limit, decided to use her last opportunity.


    Disordered images alternated, revealing He Qiuhong¡¯s dark life like a fast-forwarded movie, displayed in front of everyone. Unfortunately, there were no additional discoveries.


    In the spectator seats, Zhuang Qingyan caught a fleeting shadow among the chaotic images, subtly furrowing his brow.


    He turned his head, and Lu Xiaoyu happened to look at him. They locked eyes for a second, and Lu Xiaoyu leaned closer to Song Ke, passing the terminal to Zhuang Qingyan.


    In the adjacent ¡°Northern Base Legal Daily,¡± the reporter, sneakingly perusing ¡°Crooked Anecdotes of Awakeners,¡± was caught off guard by this scene.


    Quickly averting his gaze, he whispered to himself: ¡°Oh my, this S7 is not ordinary, not ordinary at all. Harmony in both main and side rooms, quite impressive.¡±


    The court proceedings prohibited recording, but Lu Xiaoyu, using special means, saved all the records of the ¡°Truth Reconstruction,¡± including a startling conversation between He Qiuhong and a Central Court official.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s raven-like eyelashes drooped, concealing the cold brilliance in his eyes.


    ¡ª Park Jae-woo.


    Because it wasn¡¯t crucial evidence, this part didn¡¯t attract much attention. Zhuang Qingyan played it frame by frame, deciphering the conversation based on their lip movements. From the timing, this call occurred shortly after Song Ke announced the news of S7. Park Jae-woo, representing the Central Court, called the Northern Base, seemingly interested in Song Ke¡¯s background. He Qiuhong casually explained that Song Ke came from the low-level district and joined voluntarily in response to her recruitment order.


    Park Jae-woo repeated with a meaningful tone, ¡°Oh? The low-level district? That¡¯s quite rare.¡±


    Then, he smoothly shifted the topic, exchanged a few pleasantries with He Qiuhong, and terminated the communication.


    If Park Jae-woo didn¡¯t know Song Ke, had never seen V587, everything would seem reasonable. However, the reality was quite the opposite. They had clashed violently during the Mu City incident. In front of Park Jae-woo, Song Ke killed the magistrate Nai Kang and S-level dual-system awakener Punk, and if it weren¡¯t for Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s efforts, the situation at that time would have been irreparable.


    Given this context, Park Jae-woo¡¯s phone call became intriguing. He didn¡¯t disclose anything about his past with Song Ke, nor did he attempt to expel or recruit V587. It seemed like he only wanted to confirm their presence in the Northern Base. What exactly was he up to?


    Zhuang Qingyan subtly glanced at the adjacent Song Ke. The majestic S7, seemingly attentive to the legal proceedings, had her chin resting on Lin Youyou¡¯s shoulder. However, in reality, her right hand subtly moved as she discreetly stuffed a piece of preserved fruit into her mouth, squinting her eyes contentedly.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s eyes carried a smile, but his grip on the terminal gradually tightened.


    No matter what Park Jae-woo intended to do with Song Ke, as long as he was around, his plans wouldn¡¯t succeed.


    After nearly two hours of the lengthy trial, Tian Wenli solemnly stood up, ¡°Now, I declare that the defendant, He Qiuhong, is found guilty of the thirteen charges brought against her. She is sentenced to life imprisonment, with the deprivation of citizenship and the revocation of ability usage rights. She will be confined and monitored at a maximum-security facility.¡±


    As a first-degree offender, He Qiuhong was required to undergo compulsory rehabilitation with a minimum of 100 hours of labor per week. Coincidentally, the Northern Base was expanding by one-third, intending to accommodate more residents from the Qianzhan City, and He Qiuhong would undoubtedly be assigned to perform laborious tasks.


    Upon hearing that it wasn¡¯t a death penalty, there was a murmur of private conversations among the audience, expressing some dissatisfaction. Only Zhuang Qingyan understood and smiled knowingly, ¡°This Judge Tian is very wise and insightful.¡±


    ¡°How so?¡± Lin Youyou and the others in the front row turned curiously.


    ¡°Based on my superficial understanding of her, death penalty wouldn¡¯t be a punishment for He Qiuhong; instead, it would be a kind of disguised relief. Her twisted thoughts would make her believe that she was not wrong; it was the others who didn¡¯t understand her. She died for the Northern Base.¡±


    After Zhuang Qingyan explained, the others shivered, realizing that, with He Qiuhong¡¯s distorted personality, she might indeed think this way.


    ¡°So, the most severe punishment is not the death penalty, but the day-to-day despair, making her aware that she¡¯s an awakener but can only lower her arrogant head, surviving like the ordinary people she once looked down upon, using the rest of her life for redemption.¡±


    Indeed, after hearing the verdict, He Qiuhong¡¯s calm expression shattered. She struggled frantically, and the sound of the ability shackles echoed.


    ¡°I don¡¯t admit guilt! I want to see my teacher! I demand to see General Ye!¡± S?a??h the ??v?l_Fir?.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Rejected,¡± Tian Wenli decisively announced.


    ¡­


    The trial concluded.


    When Song Ke left, she coincidentally encountered Zhao Yuqing outside. The indifferent water-type awakener lit a cigarette and took a long time before inhaling a puff.


    ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t that Zhao Yuqing? I¡¯ve never heard that she smokes.¡±


    Someone nearby nudged their companion¡¯s shoulder, silently indicating with their lips¡ªLei Zhao.


    ¡°¡­They used to be in the same team before, probably that kind of relationship.¡±


    ¡°What kind? Seriously?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t stare. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Suddenly, Song Ke remembered the beach mission where Yin Xiao asked for her help, and Zhao Yuqing mentioned that Lei Zhao was her partner.


    A slender figure stopped in front of her. Zhao Yuqing looked up and saw Song Ke.


    ¡°Smoking is harmful to health,¡± Song Ke advised with sincerity, taking out a lollipop with a happy pistachio flavor from her spatial storage.


    ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t smoke.¡± Zhao Yuqing obediently extinguished the cigarette.


    ¡°You seem upset. Is it because of Lei Zhao?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but we don¡¯t have ¡®that kind of relationship,''¡± Zhao Yuqing replied calmly, apparently aware of the recent discussions. She smiled faintly, ¡°Who says men and women must have emotional entanglements? I just feel guilty. As his captain, if I had paid more attention to him at that time, he wouldn¡¯t have ended up like this.¡±


    Betraying the Northern Base, assassinating the District B magistrate, and then betraying Tokushima, Lei Zhao was ultimately sentenced to twenty years in prison. Fortunately, due to his voluntary confession, his family was safely escorted back and settled in the Central Antique Street, where ordinary people lived. Currently, their lives were good.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be sad; the sun will come out again.¡±


    Song Ke earnestly comforted Zhao Yuqing. Turning around, she took Zhuang Qingyan to visit Lei Zhao. With his keen insight into people, if Lei Zhao wasn¡¯t as bad as he seemed, there might be a chance for him to redeem himself and seek a reduced sentence.


    ¡°Yeah, the sandstorm has ended, and everything will pass. I believe I can find a way.¡±


    Zhao Yuqing tore open the lollipop wrapper, put it in her mouth, and, along with Song Ke, looked up at the sky. The massive three-dimensional city was bustling as usual, with various flying terminals shuttling back and forth, and the bright sunlight was blinding.


    Summer was in full swing.


    ¡­


    Two days later, Utopia issued a global announcement that they would officially host the first Awakener Challenge in a year. Based on this, they would distribute passes and select new residents for the floating cities. The news caused a sensation in the New Asia Alliance, the Cario Empire, and the Luce Federation.


    As Zhuang Qingyan expected, people on the ground erupted with great enthusiasm and eagerness. They geared up for the challenge, and conflicts between various regions even decreased.


    As days passed, peace gradually settled in, and time seemed to fast forward. V587 continued to focus on accumulating points, striving to become the top of the Alliance leaderboard.


    The notable difference was that one person was absent from their actions¡ªZhuang Qingyan no longer went on field missions. He immersed himself entirely in the genetic project with Ning Rong, working tirelessly. With abundant funds, sufficient data, and the support of a team of nearly a hundred people, the organ regeneration project made significant progress. Ye Zheng actively volunteered to be their first clinical trial subject.


    In the midst of a dense zombie wave, Song Ke danced with dual blades, swiftly beheading 3rd-level zombies, while Fang Zhixu followed closely behind, skillfully extracting crystals. The surrounding teams sighed in resignation, helpless against the norm. Everywhere V587 went, it was as if a bandit had passed through ¨C no grass grew, or rather, no zombies remained.


    Blood splattered on Song Ke¡¯s cheek as she lowered her head to glance at the terminal, and her points skyrocketed significantly. ¡°You guys clean up; I¡¯ll head back first.¡±


    ¡°Song Ke¡¯er~ remember to take a shower, or Princess Zhuang will throw a tantrum again,¡± Lin Youyou called out with a teasing tone.


    Song Ke paused, sniffed herself, and said grudgingly, ¡°Understood.¡±


    ¡­


    As the night fell, Zhuang Qingyan had just stepped out of the laboratory when he saw Song Ke sitting cross-legged on a floating supercar, holding a large bottle of honey and scooping it up with a spoon. The deadly amount of sweetness, which would be lethal for ordinary people, seemed to satisfy her.


    Addicted to sweets as if it were her life, a lingering side effect of the brown bear gene.


    Zhuang Qingyan shook his head inwardly, stopped in front of her, and saw Song Ke looking up at him, with golden remnants on the corner of her mouth.


    A faint, almost imperceptible laughter echoed as Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s slender fingertips wiped it away. After a few strokes in his palm, even though he hadn¡¯t tasted it, the sweet nectar seemed to soak into his heart. ¡°Why is it just you? What about the others?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here to pick you up,¡± Song Ke replied confidently.


    ¡°Is that so? Then, let¡¯s go home quickly.¡± Zhuang Qingyan smiled teasingly, joking with her, ¡°This car is quite expensive; the owner might ask you to compensate when they come.¡±


    Upon hearing the mention of compensation, Song Ke¡¯s eyes widened. Like a feline creature, she lightly pushed him from behind. ¡°Run!¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan laughed heartily, and the long-lost tranquility gradually filled his chest.


    Suddenly, he felt that this ordinary and warm life was quite good. Song Ke was responsible for slaying monsters and supporting the family, while he went to work as an ordinary researcher. Every evening, as the sun set, they would return home hand in hand, discussing what to eat for dinner.


    It was a life that Zhuang Qingyan had never imagined, but surprisingly, he didn¡¯t feel any rejection towards it.

 Chapter 172: Key (15)

    ¡ò I will restart Operation Key ¡òNew Asia Alliance.


    District A1, Central Court.


    As the political center of the entire Alliance and the most important city, the Central Court¡¯s main function is administrative management. There are no residential areas within its jurisdiction, and entry and exit are only permitted with authorization. After Utopia ascended, most officials successfully transferred, but there were still some ¡°inexperienced¡± individuals who stayed behind to handle ground affairs, working diligently and hoping to one day obtain a ¡°ticket¡± to join Utopia.


    The fully automated streets were clean and orderly, with modern skyscrapers standing in a grid. Two inspectors hurriedly disembarked from a starship, changed to a floating car, and flew to the majestic Parliament building in the city center. The glass elevator ascended smoothly and stopped at the entrance of a conference room spacious enough to accommodate a hundred people. Artificial intelligence guided the guests to their seats.


    At this moment, an important meeting was taking place in the room. The two inspectors bowed their heads and walked around the edges, not daring to make any noise. s?a??h th? ??v?l_Fir?.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Both sides of the long table were filled with influential figures from various countries, including both awakeners and ordinary people. Each face was a regular feature in news reports, but they were all lifelike holographic projections. These people had long since reached Utopia, and at the moment, in the vast conference room, there were no living beings except the two inspectors.


    The influential figures were discussing the development plan for Utopia in the next three years. Every policy announced was explosive news. The only two living individuals present sat nervously, wiping their foreheads with handkerchiefs under the immense pressure, feeling uneasy and anxious.


    About forty minutes later, most of the projections in the room disappeared, leaving less than twenty people, including the leaders of the Cario Empire and Luce Federation.


    A solemn and deep voice sounded from the head of the long table. The speaker sat in the shadows, and only a vague silhouette could be seen: ¡°The reason you were asked to stay is that a few days ago, I happened to come across this photograph.¡±


    The name tag displayed that he was one of the three titans of Utopia, once the leader of the New Asia Alliance.


    A clear photo appeared, showing two researchers, dressed in lab attire, leaving the laboratory side by side. The older one had a cheerful smile at the corner of his mouth.


    Whispers erupted from all sides, and everyone was puzzled. What was unusual about this photo?


    ¡°Please let the official in charge of this matter provide specific details,¡± said the figure from the head of the table.


    The sweating inspector stood up nervously and said, ¡°I¡­ I provided the photo. The person on the left is Ning Rong, a core member of the Eternal Life Project who left the project team a year ago. I was ordered to track his movements. The person on the right is named Zhuang Qingyan. As far as I know, the two of them are secretly conducting research on cell division, and the specific purpose is unknown.¡±


    ¡°Cell division?¡± A holographic projection slammed the table and exclaimed angrily, ¡°Are they trying to achieve human body self-repair? This is part of the Eternal Life Project, and Ning Rong has indeed stolen confidential information.¡±


    Another older official murmured to himself, ¡°Zhuang Qingyan? The name sounds familiar.¡±


    The shadow raised a hand, and another photo appeared on the screen.


    This photo looked a bit dated, with the same two individuals as the main characters. A young Ning Rong was flushed, engaged in a heated argument with another person. The researcher facing him had a handsome appearance, with a calm expression that seemed to completely ignore Ning Rong¡¯s protests. He furrowed his eyebrows slightly when he saw the camera, leaving behind a graceful side profile.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure this person¡¯s name is well-known to everyone present. He is the most famous bio-scientist since the New Era, the pioneer of genetic engineering, and the leader of the Eternal Life Project¡ªVincent Zhuang.¡±


    As if dropping a nuclear bomb on flat ground, most people didn¡¯t react immediately, but a few had their faces change abruptly, almost standing up in shock.


    The Eternal Life Project, once the aspiration of countless people in the Alliance, was now the most fervent pursuit of Utopia.


    For security and confidentiality reasons, although Vincent¡¯s name was widely known, what he actually looked like was rarely circulated.


    Looking at the two photos again, the faces that appeared identical under different lighting conditions made even the slowest person realize something was amiss.


    ¡°Vincent¡­ Vincent¡¯s original name, isn¡¯t it Zhuang Qingyan?!¡± exclaimed the older official, finally recalling where the familiarity came from.


    The shadow gazed at the silhouette of the young man and shook his head slowly, ¡°He is not Zhuang Qingyan. His real name is¡ªXie Zhuo.¡±


    The air fell silent for a moment.


    Xie Zhuo, the name behind this revelation, held a meaning that everyone in the room understood all too well.


    Vincent had already passed away, and it was said that he was in a semi-demented state before his death. No one knew what he had experienced in the final stages of his life. All that was known was that after Vincent¡¯s death, all research findings were sealed into a storage hub through a special means. Strangely, that hub had never been opened again, or more accurately, it could never be opened again¡ªwhether it was Vincent himself or the biological information of his close relatives (extracted from the genetic database).


    In the end, the Alliance had to resort to some covert methods and learned from the residual memories of Vincent that the only condition for unlocking the hub was the ¡°key.¡±


    What was the key? A physical key? A virtual identity card? Or a secretive access code?


    No one knew.


    The only remaining clues back then pointed to Vincent¡¯s lone son, Xie Zhuo.


    In the last few years of Vincent¡¯s scientific career, he rarely stepped out of the laboratory, and Xie Zhuo had been by his side, handling all matters for him. After Vincent¡¯s death, Xie Zhuo mysteriously disappeared, and the whereabouts of the key became unknown.


    This also became an unspoken fact among the Alliance¡¯s high-ranking officials: the key to retrieving the key lay with Xie Zhuo.


    The shadow silently observed the confident young man in the photo.


    Over the years, he had been following the news of the Eternal Life Project, expending significant human, material, and financial resources for a thorough search. However, Xie Zhuo seemed to have evaporated from the human world. There was no trace of him even on the star network. Gradually, everyone assumed he was dead. Unexpectedly, he had resurfaced, changing his identity to ¡°Zhuang Qingyan¡± and openly walking in the sunlight.


    If it weren¡¯t for the accidental capture of the photo during the surveillance of Ning Rong, the secret agent¡¯s careful consideration in organizing and archiving it, and subsequently bringing it up, perhaps the existence of ¡°Zhuang Qingyan¡± would never have been discovered.


    ¡°The Fire Seed project back then must have buried important results.¡±


    After the Loak incident, Vincent publicly declared the failure of the Fire Seed project, but in the following year, he initiated version 2.0, naming it the ¡°Eternal Life Project.¡± He wanted to continue the research of the Fire Seed, and during this time, he must have discovered something.


    Unfortunately, a few years later, Vincent passed away, and the research progress of the original Eternal Life Project was indefinitely shelved. Later on, due to disagreements in understanding, some scientists voluntarily withdrew from the project, including Ning Rong, while another group shifted focus to hybrid experiments, attempting to break through from a different direction.


    ¡°All the answers are in that hub.¡±


    They had tried countless methods to crack it, but the hub left by Vincent seemed like a formatted blank computer, devoid of any data.


    ¡°Only the key can activate the hub.¡±


    The shadow sighed deeply, and his authoritative voice echoed through the room, ¡°I will restart Operation Key. Does anyone here object?¡±


    No one raised their hand or spoke. The influential figures present had complex expressions, exchanging covert glances. None of them wanted to be the one to step forward.


    After a pause, a hoarse voice spoke up, ¡°No objections. I fully support it.¡±


    The projection on the opposite side couldn¡¯t help but sneer, ¡°Xie Ping, do you have the final say? Can you represent the Xie family of Beijun?¡±


    Xie Lan was the true master of Beijun, and she was no ordinary woman. She had even refused the pass to Utopia. Moreover, Xie Lan still controlled the Azure Phoenix Army, a force that sent chills down people¡¯s spines worldwide.


    Xie Ping, the magistrate of Beijun, was not invited to the secret meeting today.


    Xie Ping retorted coldly, ¡°I can indeed only represent myself, but I can risk my life, can you?¡±


    The person who tried to counter fell silent. Everyone knew that Xie Ping was already in the throes of a terminal illness and had been waiting for a breakthrough in the Eternal Life Project. The mindset of a dying person could be terrifying, capable of anything.


    ¡°Lu Qiusuo, what about you?¡±


    Everyone turned to look at another special holographic projection, a large-scale AI.


    This individual was also a remarkable figure, the dignified head of the Lu clan, Lu Qiusuo. He had abandoned his physical body, merging his consciousness into a supercomputer, achieving ¡°eternity¡± in another way.


    A line of text slowly appeared: ¡°The Lu clan advocates neutrality and will not participate¡­¡±


    In the blink of an eye, Lu Qiusuo¡¯s statement paused, as if glitching. The original text disappeared and was replaced with:


    ¡°The Key wouldn¡¯t disappear from the Star Network without a reason. Someone is covering his tracks.¡±


    ¡°The Lu clan will participate in the operation.¡±


    With these two taking the lead, others hesitated for a moment before nodding in agreement.


    The shadow, still shrouded in darkness, slowly spoke, ¡°How is the intelligence on the key?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes,¡± another nervous inspector reported, ¡°This¡­ uh, the key, comes from the lower district and is currently settled in the Northern Base, District B10. The affiliated team is V587, led by an S7-level Attack-type awakener. All team members are A-level, and they have quite a close relationship with the local magistrate.¡±


    ¡°¡­Ye Zheng¡¯s territory.¡±


    The recent high-profile assassination attempt in B District had naturally reached Utopia. After this incident, the Northern Base became impregnable, with both military and civilians reaching peak cohesion. Whether it was infiltrating agents or launching a direct assault, it became a challenging task.


    In the somber meeting room, a smooth voice suddenly emanated from the corner, and the name tag identified the speaker as someone from the Alliance Regional Affairs General Bureau, holding the position of Deputy Director, ¡°Regarding V587 and Song Ke, I have some rough understanding.¡±


    The composed face of Park Jae-woo slowly appeared. As a politically astute figure, he had promptly confirmed and concealed Song Ke¡¯s whereabouts when he discovered it. Park Jae-woo, of course, wasn¡¯t motivated by kindness. It was simply that revealing Song Ke¡¯s origins at that time held no benefits for him, and he had a hunch that Song Ke¡¯s existence could be a trump card, capable of securing greater advantages for him. And indeed, he made the right bet.


    ¡°Hmph, if it¡¯s just a rough understanding, then there¡¯s no need to speak, right?¡± sneered Simon, Park Jae-woo¡¯s arch-nemesis, a middle-aged man with a hooked nose.


    ¡°Oh no, Director Simon, I believe you¡¯d be interested. Let me think¡­ this Song Ke once single-handedly killed an S7-level Dual-type awakener, someone called¡­ the Bloody Killer, Punk.¡± Park Jae-woo nonchalantly adjusted his suit, his expression seemingly oblivious, as if he truly didn¡¯t know that Punk had once been the most loyal lackey of the man opposite him.


    Simon¡¯s eyes dangerously narrowed.


    *


    Garden Apartments.


    V587, who had finished a day of hard work, was enjoying a rare leisure moment.


    Even though the Awakener Department had assigned a suite to each of them, all the team members preferred to squeeze into Song Ke¡¯s luxurious penthouse.


    Fang Zhixu, wearing an apron, was at the cooking counter preparing barbecue. Although the ingredients were all artificially cultivated, the freshness made up for it.


    Xu Xing stood on tiptoes, peering into the pot, pointing and complaining, ¡°I don¡¯t want broccoli, and I don¡¯t want carrots!¡±


    ¡°Do you know why you¡¯re not growing tall? Because you¡¯re a picky eater,¡± Fang Zhixu, with a lollipop in his mouth, said unclearly, ¡°Keep complaining, and I¡¯ll spank you again.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s not tall!¡± Xu Xing exploded in anger, jumping up to create chaos, and the two of them began a lively squabble.


    In the living room, Zhuang Qingyan clicked on the screen, quickly browsing, while Song Ke grabbed his other hand and placed it in front.


    The background music of a palace intrigue drama played, with the beauties in distress crying, forming a tangled mess. Song Ke laid his head on Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s sturdy thigh, sleeping soundly, his mouth shining with drool, unconsciously wiping it with Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s hand.


    Zhuang Qingyan hesitated for a moment, then turned his head to look at her, curling his fingertips, but ultimately didn¡¯t pull it back.


    On the balcony, Lu Xiaoyu rested with closed eyes. His metal arm connected to the small bee terminal, emitting a dazzling gloss. Recently, the consciousness link with the District B terminal seemed to have deepened. To be safe, his anti-intrusion check was changed from three times a week to once a day.


    Another terminal next to him suddenly made two ¡°beep beep¡± sounds, coming from an ancient device in the lower district.


    Lu Xiaoyu didn¡¯t open his eyes; his metal arm added an interface, and a massive amount of data flashed before his eyes. Two pieces of information were particularly eye-catching.


    ¡°I hope your anger has never extinguished.¡±


    ¡°Because I have embarked on a journey.¡±


    A melodious humming came from the bathroom. Pink bubbles scattered everywhere as Lin Youyou opened her terminal to check the news.


    The group chat for the ¡°District B10 High-level Awakener Matching Conference¡± was exceptionally lively. People were discussing a newly released A-level mission. Despite the staggering reward, so far, no team had accepted it.


    ¡°Huangyuan? Isn¡¯t that place heavily contaminated with nuclear radiation? Who would be willing to go there?¡±


    ¡°Moreover, there are not many people in District E to begin with. The Zombie King is just a Zombie King; it doesn¡¯t come out and doesn¡¯t bother anyone.¡±


    ¡°The points are indeed high, but it¡¯s not worth it if you have to exchange it with your life!¡±


    ¡°Anyway, our team can¡¯t handle the Zombie King.¡±


    Lin Youyou was about to switch to the system platform to take a look at the mission they were talking about when, accidentally, bubbles blocked her vision. She slipped and fell with a cry, a high-pitched sound echoing as the pain in the tail vertebrae pierced her.


    Outside the door, Su Cha heard the scream. He quickly rushed in and, upon seeing the alluring scene in front of him, stood stunned on the spot.


    He pursed his lips, turned his head, closed his eyes in one breath, and covered Lin Youyou with a bathrobe. He lifted Lin Youyou princess style with his arms held straight, with no physical contact between them. The distance between them could even accommodate a 120-pound Lin Xiu.


    Lin Youyou stared at Su Cha¡¯s reddened earlobes and couldn¡¯t help but laugh with anger: No, is she some kind of snake or scorpion? To be avoided like this.


    Supporting her waist, Lin Youyou limped to the living room. Two seconds later, Su Cha followed, looking a bit lost.


    ¡°Song Ke¡¯er, wake up, take a look at this mission.¡± Lin Youyou poked Song Ke¡¯s cheek.


    ¡°¡­ How many points?¡± Song Ke grumpily turned over.


    ¡°Enough to propel us to the top of the entire Alliance.¡±


    Song Ke instantly perked up, rubbed her sleepy eyes, and jumped off the sofa. ¡°So many? Let me see.¡±


    Two hours ago, the platform released a territory-wide mission: ¡°A-level mission: Suspected appearance of Zombie King in Huangyuan (District E172), all awakeners from various districts are requested to kill it.¡±


    Only 4th-level zombies with advanced intelligence could be called Zombie Kings, like the one they killed in Haimen. Therefore, Zombie Kings are extremely rare. Unexpectedly, in just a few months, another Zombie King appeared in the lower district?


    This mission was quite suitable for V587. Song Ke wasn¡¯t afraid of low-level radiation, Lu Xiaoyu could pilot the starship to save travel time, and Su Cha was familiar with the environment in District E. With so many points, it was enough for them to climb to the top of the leaderboard!


    Song Ke decisively clicked to accept the mission, then looked up to remind Zhuang Qingyan.


    ¡°Starting tomorrow, you can get off work by yourself, okay?¡±

 Chapter 173.1: Key (16)

    ¡ò Hi, familiar face ¡ò¡°Song Ke¡¯er, let¡¯s go,¡± Lin Youyou urged, leaning against the apartment door with her hands crossed.


    Her attire today was the same as when they first met, sporting a refreshing sports outfit. Her chestnut-colored voluminous curls were tied into a ponytail, exquisite makeup adorned her face, with plump red lips giving off a hint of her former sweet idol style.


    Behind her, Su Cha was carrying two tactical bags with a single hand, he wore black T-shirt and long pants, wrapping around his well-defined and smooth muscles. Military boots landed silently, resembling a poised cheetah ready to pounce.


    Xu Xing, with a little yellow duck backpack on his back, fully equipped with sunglasses and a sun hat, was dressed head to toe in designer brands, happily bouncing out the door.


    Fang Zhixu shook his head with a tut-tut sound, and the braid at the back of his head swayed back and forth: ¡°Luxurious stuff, roll in the zombie pile, and it all has to be thrown away.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re jealous; I¡¯ve got money!¡± Xu Xing snorted.


    ¡°Can money make you taller? When Tiantian was eight years old, she was already taller than you¡­¡± Fang Zhixu muttered.


    ¡°Are you really that great? Only 1.7 meters!¡± After spending a long time together, Xu Xing had long abandoned the innocent and naive image, exposing the true face of a young lion, teasing Fang Zhixu and Song Ke occasionally.


    Fang Zhixu blushed, his neck stiff as he argued, ¡°I¡¯m 1.75.6 meters, rounded up to 1.8 meters!¡±


    With a ¡°swoosh,¡± the 2.5 meters tall Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s mechanical arms swung by, passing by the arguing duo.


    Fang Zhixu and Xu Xing both went silent: ¡°¡­¡± This man has such an inexplicable desire to win.


    After checking her equipment, Song Ke pulled up the zipper of her jacket and turned to look.


    Zhuang Qingyan leaned against the bar, shirt tucked into his pants, two extraordinary long legs casually crossed, silently watching her.


    Song Ke was momentarily stunned, suddenly realizing that since she found Zhuang Qingyan in Hua City, this was the first time they were separating for an operation.


    ¡°You¡­¡± The melancholic mood had just started to rise, and Zhuang Qingyan unexpectedly broke it.


    He held his chest in a dramatic manner, tearfully said, ¡°As long as you don¡¯t cheat outside, I can also endure being alone in an empty room.¡±


    Song Ke remained expressionless, casually donning a hood with an air of indifference. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    If everything went smoothly, the round trip would only take three or four days. Why make it so awkward? Even her goosebumps were rising.


    The brilliant sunlight pierced through the clouds as a special starship was setting sail. On the outer surface of the cabin, the words ¡°V587¡± were spray-painted in red and blue, each stroke exuding extravagance. Various types of weapons were graffitied alongside, intertwining in a display of boldness. On a massive billboard, the hotline for ordering Song Clan¡¯s spiritual weapons played in a continuous loop.


    ¡°Look, it¡¯s the exclusive starship of V587! Are they going on a mission?¡± S~?a??h the N?velF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°I heard V587 took on the commission from the Huangyuan Zombie King. They truly live up to the reputation of our B10 district!¡±


    ¡°By the way, have you guys bought spiritual weapons? This thing is still on limited edition. I¡¯ve been squatting in the black market for a week and haven¡¯t managed to grab one.¡±


    ¡°Cough, cough, actually, I ordered a plum blossom hairpin, planning to propose to my girlfriend.¡±


    ¡°Damn, when did you get a girlfriend?!¡±


    Amidst the gazes of numerous awakeners, a silver light flashed in the sky, and V587 departed from the northern base.


    *


    At the residence of the magistrate, an unmanned floating car slowly came to a stop. As Zhuang Qingyan just arrived at the villa entrance, he heard Ye Zimei¡¯s roar:


    ¡°Captain Song, the starship is public property! How could you¡­ how could you casually spray-paint and modify it, and even put advertisements on it!¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not about the division of profits! I can¡¯t accept a three to seven split! It¡¯s about the bad influence; there has never been such a precedent.¡±


    Whatever was said on the other end, Ye Zimei weakly massaged her temples. ¡°You want to save money to buy rhenium? To restore¡­ fine, fine, if it can be restored, it¡¯s fine. No need for your compensation.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s lips curled slightly. Knowing Song Ke as he did, at this moment, she must be tightly holding onto her purse, defending herself with a guilty face.


    Yearning began to sprout in his heart, but reason forcefully suppressed it once again.


    Zhuang Qingyan exchanged greetings with the exhausted Ye Zimei. With his information already saved in the access control system, he smoothly entered the front hall.


    Bai Qi, with both arms covered in numerous steel nails, was engaged in rehabilitation training alone in the courtyard.


    ¡°How¡¯s it going?¡± Zhuang Qingyan stopped beside him, his expression indifferent, as if casually inquiring.


    ¡°Not bad,¡± Bai Qi nodded.


    From the worldly perspective, Bai Qi¡¯s fall from S5 to S2 was lamentable, but he had never regretted it. There was no trace of ¡°sympathy¡± or ¡°pity¡± in Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s eyes. Bai Qi seldom spoke, expressing his gratitude to Ye Zheng for adopting him as a war orphan. Due to his personality, he wasn¡¯t articulate, only silently appreciating Ye Zheng¡¯s kindness.


    After awakening the S-level ability ¡°Determined Resolve¡± during the apocalypse, his first thought was, ¡°I want to stand in front of General Ye, be his sword and shield.¡± As for the levels that ordinary people cared about, he had already made psychological preparations and didn¡¯t value them so much.


    In the assassination incident, Bai Qi dropped three levels consecutively, delaying time to ensure Ye Zheng¡¯s safety. He genuinely felt that it was ¡°not bad.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan patted his shoulder. ¡°Old Fang is an orthopedic specialist. If you have any problems, you can always find him.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Bai Qi nodded solemnly.


    Ye Zheng was practicing calligraphy in the study. Although the aging process couldn¡¯t be reversed, his complexion was noticeably healthier, and his spirits were good. In the first phase of Ning Rong¡¯s clinical experiment, Ye Zheng¡¯s crucial heart underwent short-frequency radiation stimulation. Although it didn¡¯t reach the level of ¡°regeneration¡± yet, cell division promoted self-repair, and the surrounding organs were functioning normally. Combined with Ye Zheng¡¯s well-adapted S-level physique, there were currently no adverse reactions.


    Ning Rong predicted that if the development continued successfully in the subsequent experiments, Ye Zheng could live at least another ten years.


    ¡°Has Xiao Song and the others already set off?¡± Ye Zheng asked without looking up.


    ¡°Yes, they left in the morning,¡± Zhuang Qingyan replied.


    ¡°I asked you to stay; there¡¯s no resentment in your heart, right?¡±


    ¡°General, your words are too heavy.¡±


    Originally, Zhuang Qingyan intended to go to the Huangyuan with V587, but it was Ye Zheng who spoke up, requesting him to stay at the Northern Base.


    As Ye Zheng dropped his wrist to the pen, the strength penetrated the paper, and he seamlessly wrote two characters with a brush ¨C ¡°Cang Feng¡± (Hidden Blade).


    ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand. I don¡¯t mean to separate or coerce you. I just want you to help me with something,¡± Ye Zheng explained.


    ¡°Please speak, General.¡± Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s gaze swept over the two characters, his expression impeccable.


    Ye Zheng put down the pen and looked at the young man in front of him. This person, intelligent enough and rational enough, had a heart too cold, distancing himself from the world, not wanting to get involved in anything. Without a bit of attachment, he might easily drift towards another extreme.


    ¡°A month ago, I asked about your impression of the Northern Base,¡± Ye Zheng began slowly. ¡°At that time, it seemed quite unfavorable. Has your opinion changed now?¡±


    ¡°Both you and District B10 are very admirable,¡± Zhuang Qingyan replied affirmatively.


    Ye Zheng circled out from behind the desk, his steps steady without the aid of a cane. ¡°People like Xiao Song, awakeners with ideals and pursuits, can¡¯t be stopped from going out to explore. But when they¡¯re tired or in trouble, there must be a place they can return to with peace of mind. Don¡¯t you agree?¡±


    ¡°Do you think the Northern Base can become a ¡®home¡¯?¡± Ye Zheng asked.


    Zhuang Qingyan remained silent for a moment, not directly answering. ¡°Song Ke really likes it here.¡±


    Ye Zheng smiled. With the recovery of his strength, the dignity he once held over the world was gradually returning.


    ¡°If you stay at the Northern Base and help the old man with some tasks, rest assured, as long as I¡¯m alive, no one can harm you.¡±


    The eyes behind Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s lenses flickered subtly, sensing that Ye Zheng might have guessed something.


    Ye Zheng tapped a few times on the terminal and pulled up several thick files. ¡°These days, I¡¯ve had the Ling siblings follow you first to talk about official matters. I¡¯ve been researching the things left by our ancestors, trying to extract some essence to use in practical combat.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan glanced at it and immediately recognized, ¡°Ancient Civilization Military Strategies?¡±


    ¡°Oh? You¡¯re familiar with it too?¡± Ye Zheng expressed surprise.


    ¡°A little, just a little,¡± Zhuang Qingyan modestly replied.


    Ye Zheng¡¯s lips curled with a smile, beckoning him to come closer.

 Chapter 173.2: Key (16)

    ¡ò Hi, familiar face ¡òNo matter how knowledgeable Zhuang Qingyan was, he was not omnipotent. With Ye Zheng¡¯s experience and wisdom, he was willing to impart some knowledge, making it a valuable treasure for anyone. Unconsciously, the two talked extensively throughout the morning, and Zhuang Qingyan gained a lot.


    After taking a sip of tea, Ye Zheng casually said, ¡°Later, go to the City Defense Department for me and supervise the progress of the reconstruction project.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan hesitated to decline, ¡°General, it may not be appropriate.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s inappropriate about it? You did it last time, didn¡¯t you?¡± Ye Zheng dismissed the concern.


    ¡°Last time, it was because you were injured, and I temporarily took over. It could only be considered a special circumstance. But today, you are perfectly fine¡­¡± Zhuang Qingyan didn¡¯t let himself be drawn into it, calmly pointing out the logical flaw.


    Before Zhuang Qingyan could finish, Ye Zheng suddenly sighed and bent his waist, ¡°I¡¯m getting old. Can¡¯t withstand any excitement. I¡¯ve been talking for a whole morning, and my legs can¡¯t stand straight. The City Defense Department is buzzing with machines, oh my heart, I don¡¯t know if it can take it.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan was speechless. He experienced for the first time what it meant to ¡°make one¡¯s own hands soft.¡± Helplessly, he responded, ¡°Understood, General.¡±


    Ye Zheng instantly straightened his back, his waist no longer sore, and his legs no longer aching. He seemed poised to eat two more bowls of rice for lunch.


    Zhuang Qingyan: ¡°¡­¡±


    He had no choice but to make a detour to the City Defense Department.


    The staff there had long recognized Zhuang Qingyan. When they saw him enter, they quickly stood up and greeted, ¡°Good day, Chief Zhuang!¡±


    On the day of the Crow Tide, he had managed the control panel, displaying dazzling and seamlessly coordinated operations, leaving everyone astonished.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s expression remained cold, ¡°I¡¯m not a chief. Just call me Xiao Zhuang.¡±


    ¡°How can that be¡­¡±


    The employees, being old-timers, loved to observe expressions and guess intentions. Not everyone was qualified to enter the City Defense Department. For example, He Qiuhong had been the second-in-command for so many years, and she still couldn¡¯t make it. She had worked in the City Defense Department since graduation.


    Besides Chen Xuerou, who managed for a while, he was the second person in charge. The current young man¡­ was the second person, and the employees secretly glanced at Zhuang Qingyan, murmuring to themselves. It seemed that Ye Zheng had already chosen a successor.


    The employee ingratiatingly approached, ¡°Chief Zhuang, I am Old Li responsible for the entry and exit registration¡­¡±


    ¡°Li Pinggang,¡± Zhuang Qingyan accurately called out his name, with a chilly look in his eyes, ¡°I personally dislike the title ¡®chief.''¡± S?a??h th? N?v?l(F)ire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Chief.


    The meaning behind these two words always reminded him of some detestable faces in the upper echelons of the Alliance.


    Old Li shot himself in the foot and awkwardly said, ¡°Then¡­ can I call you Mr. Zhuang?¡±


    After coming out, Zhuang Qingyan politely declined the warmly offered assistance from the staff and boarded an unmanned bus alone.


    When he approached Ning Rong¡¯s laboratory, he suddenly paused.


    As an S-level awakener, he was exceptionally sensitive to fluctuations in awakened energy. Zhuang Qingyan felt the gaze of two pairs of eyes on him, scrutinizing and assessing.


    The Ling siblings wouldn¡¯t be in position so early, so these two people should have been lying in ambush here. It wasn¡¯t directed at him; evidently, they didn¡¯t know he was an awakener. Relying on their higher A-level status, they audaciously observed him.


    Pretending not to know, Zhuang Qingyan continued walking forward as if nothing had happened.


    *


    District E172, Huangyuan.


    District E was mostly an ecological landscape area, and Huangyuan was once a dense primitive jungle with complex terrain and rich biodiversity.


    The footage transmitted by the drone showed that the land in Huangyuan was now scorched, with everything withered. Giant mutated plants were everywhere, and countless faint red figures wandered and howled among the trees. Even inside the starship, one could feel the harsh environment.


    Members of V587, including Song Ke, had all changed into protective suits and isolation masks. Although low-level radiation had almost no effect on her, Zhuang Qingyan insisted that she be cautious until the unknown genes were understood.


    The starship descended slowly, and the emitted airflow bent large patches of vegetation. Due to radiation, various indicators on the control panel kept fluctuating.


    ¡°Look there!¡± Fang Zhixu exclaimed.


    Under their feet, hundreds of zombies were attracted by the intense movement and came rushing towards them. The group took a sharp breath, staring in awe at the scene before them. It wasn¡¯t fear, as V587 was accustomed to storms and challenges; it was just that the appearance of the Huangyuan zombies was beyond their expectations.


    Without exception, this batch of approaching zombies all had elongated limbs, entirely blood-red. They were naked, with almost fused facial features, and thin skin revealed clear veins and organ tissues underneath, resembling the ¡°blood zombies¡± in biochemical movies.


    Song Ke estimated that most of these zombies were at level 2 and 3, with particularly strong attacking desires, and no obvious signs of mutant zombies for the moment.


    She drew the dual knives from behind and succinctly said, ¡°Clear the area.¡±


    The others jumped down one after another.


    Song Ke swiftly maneuvered through the treetops, leaping over the zombies¡¯ heads with the agility of a monkey. With a swift motion, she swung her knife, and blood splattered everywhere.


    There were no cameras here, and no other awakeners. There was no need to be cautious; they could kill freely. Even Lu Xiaoyu no longer hid his strength. His six improved mechanical arms danced wildly like snakes, and the integrated spiritual weapons at their ends swiftly harvested the zombies.


    Lin Youyou glanced at him, puzzled, ¡°Why haven¡¯t I seen you use your awakened abilities?¡±


    Hackers with awakened abilities had offensive capabilities. For example, they had encountered Lu Xinglan, a hacker whose code could materialize entities with various dazzling and versatile moves. Even Lu Xiaoyu occasionally used his abilities in the lower districts. However, in District B, he seemed to have become completely ordinary, never using his abilities and focusing solely on being a ¡°professional driver.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu snorted arrogantly as he dispatched the approaching zombies, ¡°Is it necessary?¡±


    Lin Youyou was left speechless and rolled her eyes at him, ¡°Truly a good brother, acting just like Princess Zhuang when showing off.¡±


    These two seemed like they were sealed by a mysterious force. One couldn¡¯t show their face, and the other couldn¡¯t use their awakened abilities.


    Song Ke had a thought. She remembered Zhuang Qingyan mentioning that Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s awakened ability ultimately revolved around manipulating data. But any data could be traced back, especially in District B where the terminals were connected to the residents¡¯ shallow consciousness. Elite hackers like Lu Xiaoyu were highly guarded against this.


    Fang Zhixu skillfully dissected a zombie¡¯s head and suddenly exclaimed, ¡°Captain, these zombies¡­ don¡¯t have crystal cores?!¡±


    V587 looked surprised. The pace of killing monsters slowed, and they checked several bodies, indeed finding no crystal cores.


    At that moment, a distant and eerie howl echoed through the woods. The zombies, as if summoned, abandoned their attacks and quickly retreated. Song Ke¡¯s heart sank; the only one capable of commanding the zombie horde was the Level 4 Zombie King. Judging from the situation, it had given the order to retreat.


    Suddenly, a few figures dashed out from among the trees and, unnoticed by V587, dragged the corpses away.


    If V587 was surprised just now, now there¡¯s a bit of horror. Group consciousness is not a feature ordinary zombies should have.


    ¡°This¡­ Is this also the order of the Zombie King?¡± Lin Youyou muttered.


    Song Ke furrowed her brows. Zombies without crystal cores, a Zombie King that doesn¡¯t show itself; what initially seemed like a simple monster-killing mission now appeared more and more mysterious.


    ¡°Ah¡ª!!¡± A heart-wrenching scream echoed from the front in the jungle.


    V587 exchanged glances with the team, all a bit surprised. The previous scream clearly came from a human, implying there was another team aside from them.


    This kind of challenging and high-risk mission is rarely accepted by teams in District B because of its high permissions and selectivity. They would rather take on tasks with higher returns. However, lower-level awakeners from the lower districts, due to the harsh environment, have a stronger desire for points and sometimes risk their lives to come here.


    Surrounding the District E172, C and D districts are prevalent. If nearby awakeners are not familiar with the Zombie King and think it¡¯s just a slightly more powerful Level 3 zombie, they might underestimate the task.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go take a look,¡± Su Cha signaled and blended into the shadows of the trees with his all-black figure.


    A moment later, he returned safely, his expression becoming grave. ¡°There are awakeners ahead, around twenty people, with an average level of C. They collided with the retreating zombie horde and got surrounded.¡±


    Song Ke raised the back of her knife, tilting her head in thought for a second. ¡°Let¡¯s go check it out.¡±


    If there¡¯s no conflict, they don¡¯t mind lending a hand.


    V587 quickly approached the scene, hiding in the jungle to observe the battle. Various awakened abilities were chaotically released, strong winds howled, dust flew, and fierce thorns shot through the air. Several awakeners stumbled out, their isolation masks showing faint cracks.


    Song Ke focused her gaze at the center and saw a familiar face.


    **TN


    ¡°Eating someone¡¯s food makes your mouth soft, taking someone¡¯s favor makes your hand soft.¡± The meaning of this expression is that when benefiting from someone¡¯s generosity or receiving their kindness, one tends to become more compliant or accommodating. It implies a sense of indebtedness and the willingness to be more lenient or accommodating in return for the favors received.


    Shot himself in the foot ¨C a person taking actions or making decisions that ultimately harm their own interests or goals; self-destruct

 Chapter 174.1: Key (17)

    ¡ò Are you sneaking a snack outside? ¡òThis was a lower-lying canyon, with waterfalls roaring on both sides and water splashing.


    A group of low-level awakeners were trapped in the middle by zombies, frantically dealing with the situation. Bang, bang! Gunshots echoed around, not only failing to deter the monsters but also infuriating them as they retreated. Ferociously, they turned around to attack, and in an instant, three people were knocked down.


    Among the more than twenty people, only four didn¡¯t look so chaotic. A man in a blue robe manipulated a dozen thorny vines to control the battlefield. Three agile teammates cooperated seamlessly, slashing and killing. Though it wasn¡¯t effortless, at least they could protect themselves. S?a??h the N?v?lF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Hidden in the jungle, Song Ke also recognized them. They were their old acquaintance from the Throne Race Competition ¨C ¡°Three Grandsons and One Grandpa.¡± The figure in blue was Captain Duan Muqi, and the three members were Xiao Chen, Fan Peng, and Qiong Mingcheng.


    V587 had dealt with them a few times, and Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s original words were, ¡°The whole team is more pragmatic, but Duan Muqi is relatively upright.¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s impression of ¡°Three Grandsons and One Grandpa¡± was not bad, and in the end, they were the ones who attracted these zombies. After a moment of contemplation, she signaled her teammates to assist.


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to trap me with love ~ Let me be trapped in the bone-chilling swamp ~¡±


    Lin Youyou¡¯s singing voice began, echoing ethereally in the forest. The ground in the canyon collapsed suddenly, and the zombies involuntarily fell in.


    No need for verbal communication, Xu Xing¡¯s blizzard followed closely. Under the dual control of two A-levels, the movements of the monster group were forced to slow down. Their blood-red appearance was wrapped in glistening frost, like a bunch of twisted candied haws.


    Song Ke and Su Cha jumped into the battlefield, dual blades striking down. Luxuriant giant vegetation collapsed with a roar, carving deep gullies between the swamp and the flat ground.


    ¡°Run behind me!¡± she shouted.


    The trapped individuals awakened like from a dream, crawling and scrambling out of the immobile zombie group. Su Cha swiftly cut through the mess, chopping off the tangled roots and branches, piling up numerous obstacles in the gullies. When the swamp and frost lost their effectiveness, seeing the prey had escaped, the zombies lost interest and quickly disappeared into the depths of the jungle.


    Song Ke crouched on the huge treetop, watching the backs of the zombies, lost in thought.


    Long and slender limbs, agile movements, completely devoid of the stiffness of ordinary zombies, but more like¡­ humans.


    She puffed her cheeks, the harder she thought, the more confused she became.


    No, she was about to grow a brain. If Zhuang Qingyan were here, it would be great. He was so smart; he would definitely analyze everything immediately.


    Song Ke lightly jumped down, and as she turned around, Duan Muqi stared at her intently. ¡°It¡¯s you? Thanks for helping.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± Song Ke crossed her hands and sheathed her blades with a casual and graceful move.


    Time passed, things changed, and people changed.


    Duan Muqi¡¯s mood was particularly complex. A year ago, they were evenly matched competitors. Later, V587 won the championship and went to District B. Unexpectedly, when they met again, everything was different. Like an insurmountable barrier, he and his teammates were trapped, but Song Ke effortlessly forced the zombies back. Even though he knew it was wishful thinking, Duan Muqi couldn¡¯t help but sigh: If they had been the ones who won back then¡­


    The rescued awakeners gathered around, expressing their gratitude with lingering fear.


    ¡°Heroes, thank you! Hey? You guys¡­ look familiar?¡±


    ¡°Uncle, we¡¯re V587. Have you heard of us?¡± Xu Xing replied with a smiling squint.


    ¡°V587? Holy shit, the one who assassinated the Mu City magistrate?¡±


    ¡°I know, the champion of the Ferrara Throne Race Competition!¡±


    ¡°I have a friend in District B who said V587 is famous, able to kill even Level 6 ferocious beasts!¡±


    ¡°Big brother, are you really not looking at the zombie guide and just making things up? Ferocious beasts are at most Level 5!¡±


    The person who was exposed blushed, ¡°I made a mistake, I made a mistake¡­¡±


    With Zhuang Qingyan absent, Fang Zhixu, who looked ¡°kind,¡± took the initiative to assume diplomatic responsibilities. He took out several new isolation masks and handed them to the injured.


    ¡°Why are you here in the Huangyuan?¡± he asked.


    ¡°To take on that A-level commission. Maybe we¡¯ll get lucky and kill the Zombie King!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not after the Zombie King, just hoping to get some loot.¡± The group spoke in a lively manner.


    Fang Zhixu sighed, took the opportunity to enlighten them about the risks of the mission. The survivors, who had just experienced an attack, were already hesitant. After his introduction about the Zombie King and showing past videos, their faces turned pale. They unanimously declared that the A-level commission wasn¡¯t suitable for them, and their lives were more important.


    Fortunately, their location was on the outskirts of the jungle, and they could still leave in time. After a while, the crowd dispersed, leaving only Duan Muqi and the other three.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you guys leaving?¡± Song Ke asked, showing a hint of surprise.


    Duan Muqi shook his head, ¡°Not leaving, still a few points short.¡±


    Song Ke asked, ¡°How many points do you need?¡±


    Duan Muqi replied, ¡°A little over 40,000.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu added quietly, ¡°40,000 points, equivalent to 1200 Level 2 zombies or 200 Level 3 zombies.¡±


    Calculating based on regular monster-killing tasks, reaching 40,000 points seemed distant. It could only be achieved quickly through task rewards. So, despite knowing the immense danger, ¡°Three Grandsons and One Grandpa¡± did not hesitate to come to the Huangyuan after receiving the All-Area Commission.


    Ever since Song Ke arrived at Ferrara, this team had been tirelessly climbing the rankings day and night. After a year, their conviction remained unwavering. Even though gaining points in the lower-level districts was more challenging, Duan Muqi and his team were just a step away from the 500,000 threshold to District B.


    After careful consideration, Song Ke extended an invitation, ¡°When you have enough points, why don¡¯t you come to the Northern Base?¡±


    Fan Peng, with a round face and a simple appearance, couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°As long as you¡¯re an awakener, who wouldn¡¯t want to go to the Northern Base? But B10 is the most competitive among the popular districts. Our strength isn¡¯t outstanding, and Aqi said the chances of getting selected are slim.¡±


    Xiao Chen, with a determined face, patted Fan Peng on the shoulder to console him, ¡°Aqi is considering Miao Ying or Baishen, and they¡¯re not bad choices.¡±


    Duan Muqi nodded, ¡°These two areas have relaxed their B-level audits until autumn. We must accumulate enough points by then.¡±


    All members of ¡°Three Grandsons and One Grandpa¡± were at B-level, with Duan Muqi being the highest at B8, and the others ranging from B5 to B7. In the Northern Base, their capabilities might not stand out, especially considering the overcrowded situation in Qianzhan City. Even if they were selected, they would have to wait in line for a long time.


    Song Ke turned to exchange glances with her teammates. Everyone more or less guessed what Captain Song wanted to do and nodded silently to show their agreement.


    To join the Northern Base, there was another way ¨C a kind of internal recommendation. The success rate would be significantly higher, just like when Yin Xiao invited V587. However, the recommending person had to guarantee the recommended person for five years. Unless the relationship was extremely close or the person had an impeccable character, obtaining a recommendation letter was as difficult as reaching the sky.


    ¡°If you really want to come, I¡¯ll write a recommendation letter for you,¡± Song Ke assured them, patting her chest.


    The Throne Race Competition had intense clashes, yet ¡°Three Grandsons and One Grandpa¡± never attacked V587.


    Even Zhuang Qingyan praised Duan Muqi for having a ¡°decent character.¡± The three others also acted with camaraderie ¨C Xiao Chen was steady, Fan Peng was simple, and Qiong Mingcheng, the youngest, had a cheerful personality. Writing a recommendation letter for them wasn¡¯t a big deal, but¡­ she was sure she wouldn¡¯t do a good job. She decided to ask Zhuang Qingyan to do it later.


    ¡°Really?¡± Fan Peng exclaimed, his eyes gleaming with excitement. ¡°It looks like you guys are doing well!¡±


    ¡°Average, just average,¡± Song Ke waved modestly, then added proudly, ¡°Except for being the top on the Northern Base rankings.¡±


    Duan Muqi and his three companions: ¡°¡­¡±


    With this newfound friendship, the two teams quickly formed an alliance and proceeded together.


    ¡°You guys are too bold, just four people daring to take on an A-level commission?¡± Lin Youyou casually mentioned on the way.


    ¡°Of course not, we¡¯re not stupid. We¡¯re not here to throw our lives away. Aqi has a backup plan.¡± Qiong Mingcheng¡¯s political savvy wasn¡¯t that deep. He considered them as close friends, and he inadvertently spilled the secret, realizing afterward, ¡°Sorry Aqi, can I say this?¡±


    Duan Muqi sighed. You¡¯ve already said everything. If the other side had malicious intentions, they could easily kill them, and they wouldn¡¯t stand a chance.


    However¡­ Duan Muqi glanced at Song Ke¡¯s group. Besides curiosity, there was no greedy expression on their faces.


    He didn¡¯t hide anything and took out a device similar to a camping kerosene lamp.


    ¡°This is called a Random Anchor Device. I exchanged it from an A6-level anchor-type awakener. After using it, it can randomly teleport up to four people to a specific location, within a range of ten kilometers.¡±


    Random teleportation within ten kilometers was an excellent escape tool. No wonder ¡°Three Grandsons and One Grandpa¡± dared to come to the Huangyuan.


    ¡°Good stuff. Any usage restrictions?¡± Song Ke was quite interested.


    ¡°No, but each activation requires adding ¡®fuel,''¡± Duan Muqi pointed to a small groove on top of the lamp, ¡°One Level 4 crystal per use.¡±


    Wow! Using a Level 4 crystal every time, that¡¯s quite extravagant.


    Song Ke¡¯s face showed a hint of pain. Even if someone gave her this, she wouldn¡¯t be willing to use it.


    Xiao Chen looked serious, ¡°We only have two Level 4 crystals and plan to use it only once.¡±


    Their original plan was to use the Random Anchor Device to escape if they encountered danger, and having a second crystal was just a precaution.


    Lu Xiaoyu, on the other hand, showed great curiosity about the Random Anchor Device and asked Duan Muqi to borrow it for studying for a while.

 Chapter 174.2: Key (17)

    Chapter 174.2 ¨C Key (17) ¡ò Are you sneaking a snack outside? ¡ò


    The desolate jungle of Huangyuan was almost silent, with no birds, no beasts, and even the chirping of insects was sparse. Only the lush mutated plants covered the sky, and after a whole day of searching, Song Ke and the others found nothing. Not to mention the Zombie King, even the previously blood-red zombies seemed to have collectively disappeared.


    Qiong Mingcheng couldn¡¯t help muttering, ¡°Damn, where did all the zombies go?¡±


    Duanmu Qi thought of something, ¡°It¡¯s very similar to the Mirror Lake incident.¡±


    He was referring to the first round of the Throne Race: Finding the ¡°Flag,¡± where the situation was also like this, with no sign of zombies anywhere.


    ¡°But I¡¯m sure this time it¡¯s definitely not the City Lord¡¯s doing,¡± Qiong Mingcheng joked.


    ¡°Ilya?¡± Song Ke casually asked, realizing he hadn¡¯t heard any news about the super AI for some time.


    ¡°Yeah, it seems like he went on a long journey, and now Ferrara is governed by other AIs taking turns.¡±


    On a journey? Song Ke suddenly remembered the time when Ilya insisted on going to Tongwan with them. It seems that this super AI, after acquiring a physical form, has become more and more independent in its actions.


    Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s wheelchair passed by the talking group smoothly, his tea-colored eyes blinking lightly, his expression unchanged.


    It was almost seven o¡¯clock, the narrow sky getting darker. Song Ke and the others gained nothing, and their points did not increase at all. In the end, they found an open space to camp and decided to make do for the night.


    ¡°Sister, there are tents over there!¡± Xu Xing ran down the hill to report.


    Song Ke went over to take a look and indeed found many messy tents on the dried riverbed covered with mud and moss. Roughly counting, there were about a hundred tents, resembling a medium-sized team. Everyone looked at each other in surprise. Has someone else been to this radiation-prone area?


    Su Cha jumped down to inspect and returned after a moment, saying in a deep voice, ¡°No signs of fire, the tents were not set up temporarily, it¡¯s been a while.¡±


    He picked up a piece of wood stake with numerous claw marks, ¡°From the construction method, it doesn¡¯t look like¡­ normal humans.¡±


    If it were humans with wilderness survival experience, they would set up tents in a flat and open windward place. They wouldn¡¯t choose a dried riverbed with the risk of rolling stones in nearby canyons. Moreover, the openings faced in all directions without a scientific layout, seemingly just to satisfy the habit of living in groups.


    ¡°Not like normal humans? Haha, it can¡¯t possibly be zombies, right?¡± Qiong Mingcheng scratched his head and made a dark joke.


    Unfortunately, no one laughed.


    ¡°Oh my god! It can¡¯t be, right?¡± Qiong Mingcheng stared in astonishment. Did zombies really set up these tents?


    That night, a blazing campfire lit up the center of the camp, illuminating the camouflage tents. Ghostly shadows lurked in the distant dark woods, and the wind whispered. Everyone was solemn, taking turns on night watch. In the end, the night passed without any incidents.


    Oh, there was something ¨C the sound of knocking and banging coming from Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s tent for most of the night. It finally quieted down in the early morning. The pale-faced young man emerged and slipped into Song Ke¡¯s tent next door. They stayed there for several hours, only appearing together at dawn.


    When Lu Xiaoyu entered, it was Fan Peng and Duanmu Qi on night watch. Fan Peng, an honest person, didn¡¯t gossip behind their backs despite witnessing the whole thing. He just had a sudden realization about their relationship. Then, he asked in confusion, ¡°Aqi, I remember there were two people in wheelchairs among them?¡±


    Duanmu Qi nodded uncertainly, ¡°They didn¡¯t mention them. Maybe¡­ they sacrificed.¡±


    In the apocalypse, farewells were often commonplace, and Fan Peng made a few remarks without dwelling on it.


    Early the next day, Song Ke gathered everyone and issued new instructions, ¡°Continue moving forward. If you encounter zombies, don¡¯t attack. Notify Lu Xiaoyu first.¡±


    Today, their luck seemed better than yesterday. By noon, both Su Cha and Xiao Chen had found wandering zombies.


    Lu Xiaoyu spread open his palms, and two mechanical mosquitoes slowly took off, approaching the targets under his control.


    A faint mechanical sound arose as the lifelike mosquitoes extended their thin proboscises, ¡°biting¡± into the translucent skin of the unfortunate zombies. The two unlucky ones paused for a second, looked around in confusion, finding nothing unusual, and lowered their heads again. After wandering around the area, they disappeared again before nightfall.


    ¡°What are they doing?¡± Duanmu Qi asked.


    ¡°Locators, with chips inside,¡± Song Ke said mysteriously. It was an invention they had come up with during a sleepless night, with Lu Xiaoyu handling the practical aspects while she proposed the ¡°mosquito-shaped¡± design.


    Not long after, the moving positions of the two zombies appeared on Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s screen.


    ¡°We suspect that these zombies have a tendency to gather,¡± Song Ke explained seriously. Various signs, such as dragging away the bodies of their kind after death or building tents, indicated that Huangyuan¡¯s zombies had a clear sense of communal living.


    ¡°And, they are consciously avoiding humans.¡±


    After Song Ke finished speaking, she paused for a moment. She hadn¡¯t deliberately connected the clues, but when these features were put together¡­ why did it feel a bit familiar?


    It wasn¡¯t until nightfall that the two moving zombies finally stopped, surprisingly ending up in the same location. The two teams stealthily navigated through the silent jungle, eventually discovering that the location was a vast, open valley.


    Surrounding them was pitch darkness with no light at all, and the group put on night vision goggles. What they saw was an intense green, faces of zombies with indistinct features, countless thin limbs gathered together, forming an endless sea of corpses. Looking from a distance, it seemed like moving ghostly shadows, and the number was impossible to count.


    In the center of the zombie sea, there was a distinctively different zombie. Its size was considerably larger than its surrounding counterparts, and although its facial features were uneven, there were clear contours. Judging from its body curves, it appeared to be a female in its past life. S~?a??h the Nov?lF?re .??t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    When the other zombies returned, each one would approach it closely, affectionately nuzzling against it before running away in different directions. It was as if the returning children couldn¡¯t wait to be back in their mother¡¯s embrace. What was even more shocking was that there were many small zombies in the valley, some even shorter than Xu Xing. They were protected by adult zombies, and behind them were tents similar to those seen on the dried riverbed.


    Song Ke silently stared at the leading female zombie, gradually understanding. It seemed like this was the zombie king of Huangyuan.


    ¡°Are these¡­ really zombies?¡± Fan Peng¡¯s voice trembled.


    The stereotypical image of zombies in the human mind is fierce, grim, constantly craving flesh and blood, irrational monsters. However, the peaceful coexistence of the zombie group before them, an unprecedented scene of tranquility, completely overturned their preconceptions. If this news got out, it would undoubtedly shock the world.


    Song Ke sighed silently, a certain intuition gradually becoming a reality, ¡°They are not zombies; they are¡­ the Fallen.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t simply ¡°zombies without crystals.¡± Due to radiation effects, the humans here didn¡¯t mutate into zombies for some unknown reason. Instead, they became a third species, rejected by both humans and zombies ¨C the Fallen.


    Similar to the Braided Head and Dirty Chin that V587 had encountered before, but that time there were only a few scattered individuals, unlike now¡ª


    The entire Huangyuan was the headquarters of the Fallen.


    Due to the shock, Fan Peng became distracted for a moment, breaking a dry branch underfoot, which rolled down the valley. It was a very faint sound, and considering the hundred-meter distance, it shouldn¡¯t have been noticed.


    However, the zombie king in the valley suddenly lifted its head, and its crimson eyes stared straight towards the high ground, emitting a sharp, long howl.


    Oh no! Song Ke thought to herself.


    Tens of thousands of agile Fallen rushed over, swarming like an endless army of the living dead. In a matter of moments, they surrounded Song Ke and the others, turning them into an isolated island in the sea of zombies.


    *


    Northern Base.


    Zhuang Qingyan didn¡¯t see Ning Rong until the next day. He had locked himself in the radiation laboratory for a whole day and night. Despite looking extremely tired, his eyes were bright. As soon as he saw Zhuang Qingyan, he couldn¡¯t wait to take off the entire set of isolation suits, ¡°I was just looking for you about the second phase of the clinical plan¡­¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan raised his hand to stop him, ¡°Dr. Ning, how did you withdraw from the Eternal Life Project?¡±


    Ning Rong was taken aback, ¡°Just¡­ a normal resignation. And all permissions were revoked. Otherwise, my research wouldn¡¯t be so difficult. But I didn¡¯t sign any contracts to sell myself. You know, when Old Zhuang invited me to join, it was still early, and there was no such thing. If I wanted to leave, they had no reason to stop me.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan took off his gold-rimmed glasses, rubbed his forehead, ¡°So, you voluntarily resigned, and it wasn¡¯t He Qiuhong who recruited you?¡±


    ¡°Of course not. I signed a confidentiality agreement, the kind drafted by the Awakener Department. She didn¡¯t know the details of my research.¡±


    Ning Rong honestly confessed, ¡°After regaining my freedom, due to financial constraints, I looked for a new place for almost half a year. Originally, I was thinking of going to Baishen. Before applying for an independent laboratory, I happened to see the recruitment notice from the Northern Base. I thought, experimenting where they pay so generously, what¡¯s the difference, right? I contacted He Qiuhong¡¯s secretary at that time, what was her name¡­ Ye something Mei.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan tapped his fingertips on the desktop, his eyes sinking into contemplation.


    ¡°Is there a problem?¡± Ning Rong asked in confusion.


    Zhuang Qingyan sighed softly, ¡°Dr. Ning, you¡¯re quite old, why are you still so naive?¡±


    Ning Rong: ¡°¡­¡± You also know I¡¯m quite old, and now I¡¯m being educated by this younger generation?


    Although He Qiuhong¡¯s personality was not great, she had always been cautious in her actions, with the necessary sense of vigilance.


    In the later stages of the Eternal Life Project, the entire project team split into several factions, and the research progress came to a standstill. Many senior scientists were poached by various regions. Zhuang Qingyan originally thought that Ning Rong was also in this situation. If He Qiuhong had invited him on behalf of the Northern Base, she would surely have cleared any hidden dangers behind Ning Rong.


    As a result, Ning Rong turned out to be a freelance scholar who actively offered himself, even idling for half a year. So there was a significant possibility that He Qiuhong did not realize Ning Rong¡¯s importance. She was probably unaware that he was once a core member of the ¡°Eternal Life Project.¡± She likely considered him just a renowned biologist. Hence, He Qiuhong arranged awakener guards for the laboratory to ensure Ning Rong¡¯s safety but didn¡¯t assign anyone to track him. This led to several meetings between him and Ning Rong without any apparent anomalies.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been monitored,¡± Zhuang Qingyan stood straight, speaking in a cold tone.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not meet again in the future,¡± Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s demeanor was icy. ¡°Don¡¯t drag me down.¡±


    His assistant, munching on a piece of bread, walked past, holding a transparent screen, and dropped everything upon hearing Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s scumbag remarks.


    Zhuang Qingyan added, ¡°Stay in the laboratory. If there¡¯s anything, contact me online.¡±


    Muttering, Ning Rong said, ¡°I didn¡¯t plan to go out. It¡¯s you who insisted on calling me¡­¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s eyes flickered as he quickly recalled their few meetings. The first time was in this laboratory, amidst chaos, exchanging a few words in haste. Later, they communicated through terminals. The second time was in Qianzhan City, where Ning Rong came and left alone. The third time¡­


    ¡°Ding ding ¨C ding ding.¡±


    The temporary terminal, with only communication functions enabled, made a beeping sound, interrupting Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s thoughts.


    He glanced down at the incoming call, a gentle smile appearing in his eyes.


    ¡°Song Keke, has the mission been completed? Are you coming back tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°Uh, about that¡­¡± Song Ke¡¯s voice sounded a bit uneasy. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ it might take a little longer.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan furrowed his brow. ¡°How much longer? Isn¡¯t it three days as agreed?¡±


    ¡°How long will it take?¡± Song Ke seemed to be consulting someone nearby. Two or three unfamiliar male voices followed, discussing, ¡°District C26, Fenak¡­ quite far. If everything goes smoothly, it¡¯ll take around ten days round trip.¡±


    ¡°¡­Ten days,¡± Song Ke felt a bit flustered. ¡°I promise, as soon as possible!¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s sharp eyebrows slowly lifted, and he casually asked, ¡°Who is talking? Are you sneaking a snack outside?¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°?¡±


    Song Ke was shocked, ¡°No, no.¡±

 Chapter 175.1: Key (18)

    ¡ò Kill or Relocate? ¡òThe sound of the broken dry branches being stepped on was extremely subtle, but the Zombie King¡¯s senses seemed unusually sharp, instantly locking onto Fan Peng¡¯s hiding place.


    The piercing howl tore through the night sky, and through night vision goggles, countless living dead rushed towards them. The hills were filled with ghostly green shadows, and the terrifying number was enough to engulf Song Ke and the others in a matter of seconds.


    Lu Xiaoyu reacted the fastest. Six mechanical arms rotated and extended, sweeping away the first wave.


    ¡°Go!¡± Song Ke took the lead, Su Cha guarded the rear, and the others swiftly retreated. However, as they turned to run, their footsteps suddenly stopped. The movements of these zombies were incredibly fast, and they had already surrounded them from behind.


    No way to retreat!


    Duanmu Qiraised both hands, and dozens of thick thorns emerged from the ground, not attacking the horde of zombies from all directions, but instead enveloping the group, forming a huge cocoon, temporarily isolating them from external attacks.


    The slender hands and feet of the zombies kept hitting, angrily tearing and pulling. After a while, dents appeared on the surface of the cocoon.


    ¡°No, there are too many, Aqi cannot hold them alone!¡± Xiao Chen roared.


    Just as he spoke, bang! A bloody hand reached in, wildly grabbing left and right, quickly digging out a bowl-sized hole. Song Ke looked through the faint crack and locked eyes with the Zombie King on high ground.


    ¡°Hey! Can we sit down and talk?¡± Song Ke¡¯s gaze flickered. Based on past experience, fallen ones had a clear consciousness and could communicate with humans.


    ¡°We mean no harm!¡± Lin Youyou also shouted, ¡°Please, give us a chance!¡±


    The Zombie King stared at Song Ke, standing straight at nearly three meters tall, thin and narrow, like a lonely street lamp. Its eyes were full of vigilance and hostility, completely ignoring their negotiation requests, emitting a few short and sharp screams, making the zombie horde even more restless, desperately destroying the thorns.


    ¡°No, there¡¯s no way to communicate.¡± Song Ke sighed, it seemed that the grudge between this Zombie King and humans was deep.


    Bang! Duanmu Qicouldn¡¯t bear the pressure, and the cocoon shattered into pieces. The group was exposed under the night sky.


    Song Ke reluctantly drew his sword. ¡°Prepare for battle.¡±


    Xu Xing used his ability while moving around, rolling in the mud several times. His famous brand sunglasses and sun hat were long gone. Seeing Fang Zhixu¡¯s leg being grabbed by a zombie and falling to the ground, he rarely didn¡¯t laugh at him, bravely rushing over and using an ice wall to block the fatal blow.


    The obstructed zombie¡¯s facial features twisted together, the expression blurry, emitting hoarse howls from its throat.


    ¡°Ahhh¡ª?¡±


    Xu Xing was stunned for a moment, as if guided by some inexplicable force, he inexplicably imitated the zombie¡¯s appearance, making some strange sounds from his throat. Due to the application of his awakened energy, his clear voice echoed in the dim valley for a long time.


    Song Ke sensed that something was wrong and quickly turned her head, ¡°Xiao Xing, what are you¡ª¡±


    She wanted to say, ¡°Didn¡¯t you cure your fear of zombies a long time ago? Why are you making such weird noises? And why use awakened energy? Isn¡¯t that more stimulating to the zombies?¡± But the next moment, the scene in front of her left her completely speechless.


    As if a spell of stillness had fallen, all the zombies, as if by agreement, stopped attacking, showing a hint of confusion in their movements.


    Xu Xing, with a dirty face, persistently continued to shout at the zombies, ¡°Ah ah ah ow!¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°?¡±


    The horde of zombies suddenly woke up, and once again approached. Several small creatures hid behind, showing their teeth, not fierce, but rather cute.


    Xu Xing scratched his head and muttered with lack of confidence, ¡°Did I get it wrong?¡±


    He changed his way of shouting, ¡°Ah! Ah ah!¡±


    Song Ke was baffled.


    Lin Youyou and the others also looked at each other. After a moment of realization, they suddenly understood. Could this be¡­ the language of the Fallen?


    After all, Xu Xing had mastered the strange communication technique with zombies!


    The spacious valley fell into complete silence.


    The Zombie King propped itself up with both hands, lightly jumping onto a rock. The strange horde respectfully made way for it, and it landed silently. Slowly approaching Xu Xing, its slender figure cast a long shadow, completely covering the petite Xu Xing.


    Duanmu Qi and the other three¡¯s expressions changed dramatically, just about to defend themselves, but Song Ke stopped them.


    She gripped her twin blades, her gaze fixed on the Zombie King, wanting to see what it was going to do.


    The Zombie King circled Xu Xing, suddenly leaned its head close, and the uneven facial features pressed against him. It gently sniffed, shook its head, lifted its foot to observe for a second round, looking somewhat uncertain.


    Xu Xing pressed his hands against the seams of his pants, nervously frozen, and everyone held their breath.


    After a few seconds, Xu Xing gathered courage and tentatively repeated, ¡°Ah ah?¡±


    The Zombie King¡¯s hesitant movements abruptly stopped, and then a tearing sound rang out, ¡°Who are you?¡±


    Damn! The zombie can talk!! The expressions on everyone¡¯s faces were diverse, revealing their individual thoughts.


    Xu Xing struggled to recall and awkwardly called two more times.


    This was what Braided Head taught him before they parted in Haimen. It roughly meant ¡°friend.¡±


    ¡°Have you seen¡­ our kind?¡± The Zombie King¡¯s every utterance was difficult, with lips barely visible, sounding more like it came from the abdomen.


    Xu Xing shook his head first, then hesitated and nodded. Did Braided Head count as one of their kind? But Braided Head looked much better than the zombie in front of him, more human in appearance. However, since they could understand what Braided Head taught him, they should¡­ count?


    Explaining the past with Braided Head would be too complicated for Xu Xing, who was just starting to learn ¡°zombie language.¡± So, he could only switch to human language and enthusiastically recounted the story, using gestures to praise Braided Head and her brother¡¯s ¡°handsome¡± appearance, particularly the dirty chin.


    V587 remained calm, as if this situation was nothing unusual.


    ¡°Three Grandsons and One Grandpa¡± was in shock, and Duanmu Qi¡¯s eyelids twitched. He had almost thought he was on the brink of death just now. He could never have imagined that things would take such a turn, with this kid chatting with zombies. Who would believe it if word got out!


    After Xu Xing finished speaking, he looked expectantly at the Zombie King.


    ¡°Leave¡­ don¡¯t appear again.¡± The Zombie King fell silent for a moment, issuing a vague warning. It turned around, uttered a few indistinct sounds, and the surrounding zombie horde shifted, creating a narrow passage. S?a?ch* Th? Nov?lF?re .??t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Including Song Ke, everyone displayed surprise. The Zombie King wasn¡¯t planning to attack? Just letting them go like this?


    Under numerous watchful eyes, the group cautiously left the valley.


    It wasn¡¯t until they had walked a considerable distance, confirmed that the zombie horde didn¡¯t follow, that Fang Zhixu rubbed Xu Xing¡¯s furry head with a lingering fear, ¡°Stinky kid, not bad, mastering a foreign language.¡±


    ¡°This time, thanks to you, Xiao Xing.¡± Song Ke also didn¡¯t hesitate to praise.


    ¡°Hehe.¡± Xu Xing proudly straightened his chest.


    The group found another open space, set up a campfire, and rested. Song Ke looked at everyone and took the initiative to speak:


    ¡°As for whether to continue the commission, let¡¯s vote by raising our hands.¡±


    Xu Xing spoke first, ¡°I object! Ada is not a bad guy!¡±


    Lin Youyou puzzledly exclaimed, ¡°Who is Ada?¡±


    ¡°Ada is the Zombie King,¡± Xu Xing said matter-of-factly.


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re really casual, giving people nicknames.¡± Lin Youyou felt speechless. ¡°I also vote against it because of Lin Xiu. I now unconditionally accept the diversity of intelligent species. I can¡¯t treat the fallen ones as just zombies.¡±


    Su Cha glanced at her and succinctly said, ¡°I¡¯m with you.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu shrugged indifferently, ¡°Abstain.¡±


    Fang Zhixu, having treated his wounds, lowered his pants, ¡°I¡¯m with Xiao Xing.¡±


    V587 had a unanimous opinion. It was just an A-level commission, even if they couldn¡¯t complete it, there were other ways to climb the rankings.


    When it came to ¡°Three Grandsons and One Grandpa,¡± conflicting opinions arose.


    Xiao Chen¡¯s tone was low, ¡°I support continuing the commission. Sorry, but the points are too important to us.¡±


    Fan Peng and Qiong Mingcheng expressed, ¡°We¡¯ll listen to Aqi.¡±


    Duanmu Qi looked at Song Ke, ¡°Even if I vote in favor, it won¡¯t change the final result, right?¡±


    Currently, the votes were tied at four to four.


    Lu Xiaoyu made a disapproving sound, succumbing to his old habit of disliking losing, ¡°Change my vote, I¡¯m voting against.¡±


    Four to five, this time they won, right?

 Chapter 175.2: Key (18)

    ¡ò Kill or Relocate? ¡òHowever, Duanmu Qi knew that the actual vote count didn¡¯t matter. The real decision-maker was Song Ke because their team didn¡¯t have the ability to kill the Zombie King.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Song Ke nodded solemnly, ¡°I¡¯ve decided to abandon the commission. When it gets light, we¡¯ll leave.¡±


    This A-level commission was completely different from what she had originally expected. They could kill the Zombie King, but the one they just encountered was clearly the leader of the Fallen from Huangyuan, likely without crystal in its brain, not really considered a zombie. Moreover, they were let go.


    ¡°Understood,¡± Duanmu Qi sighed, ¡°I didn¡¯t have much hope to begin with. So, let¡¯s¡­ give up.¡±


    ¡°Aqi¡­¡± Xiao Chen looked at him with concern.


    Duanmu Qi held Xiao Chen¡¯s shoulder, his gaze firm, ¡°Believe me, we¡¯ll think of another way. We¡¯ll definitely earn enough points.¡±


    The atmosphere fell silent. Suddenly, Song Ke spoke, ¡°I have a question. Why is the mission description about the Zombie King?¡±


    She pulled out the commission description, which clearly stated: ¡°A suspected appearance of a Zombie King in Huangyuan.¡±


    ¡°Can the system make a mistake?¡± she asked.


    ¡°No,¡± Lu Xiaoyu said confidently.


    The commission system was jointly managed by the artificial intelligence group in District B. Humans might make mistakes, and a single computer might have a chance of error, but dozens or hundreds of super AIs working together would not make such a basic mistake. S?a?ch* Th? ???el F?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Um, could there be another Zombie King in the Huangyuan?¡± Fan Peng asked whimsically.


    ¡°Not very likely,¡± Duanmu Qi shook his head slowly. ¡°From the layout of the valley, these zombies live in tribal form, keeping to themselves. If there really is another zombie king, there would be a deadly battle between them until one survives.¡±


    Duanmu Qi paused at this point. ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve been wanting to ask since earlier¡­ what do you mean by ¡®Fallen¡¯ that you mentioned?¡±


    Song Ke was startled and suddenly remembered that the Alliance had not publicly acknowledged the existence of the Fallen. Their information came from Zhuang Qingyan, an extraordinary bug. So, the platform¡¯s definition of a ¡°suspected zombie king¡± seemed somewhat understandable.


    The articulate Lin Youyou explained the difference between the Fallen and zombies to Duanmu Qi and the others.


    Song Ke listened quietly, still feeling strange inside. Why not use ¡°special zombie¡± or ¡°mutant zombie¡±? Why insist on calling it a ¡°zombie king¡±? This artificially raised the threshold and excluded many qualified teams, didn¡¯t it?


    The awakeners in District B all found the mission a thankless task, but V587, strong and experienced, was willing to take on this challenging task. She was just about to ask her companions when she turned her head and saw Lu Xiaoyu focused on the screen.


    ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Song Ke leaned over to Lu Xiaoyu.


    ¡°When Xu Xing was negotiating, I installed a few mobile cameras,¡± Lu Xiaoyu replied.


    On the screen, several zombies huddled together, trembling incessantly. Their skin was as thin as paper, and their grotesque internal organs were exposed. Even without sound, one could hear the painful wails. In just a few minutes, as if a balloon had been popped, the bodies of these zombies turned into a pool of pus and blood before everyone¡¯s eyes.


    The Fallen leader called ¡°Ada,¡± along with other zombies, sat together, silently watching the death of their kind.


    ¡°How could this happen?¡± Lin Youyou exclaimed.


    ¡°Probably because the radiation in Huangyuan is too high,¡± Fang Zhixu, with a medical background, pointed to his isolation mask. ¡°Even though the Fallen can endure stronger radiation than humans, there¡¯s a limit. If it exceeds that limit and the exposure time is too long, it will inevitably cause catastrophic damage to their bodies.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t they leave then?¡± Fan Peng asked in confusion.


    Qiong Mingcheng muttered to himself, ¡°It¡¯s not that easy. Leaving would only make it worse, right? At least here in Huangyuan, no one usually comes in, but outside, the attitude towards zombies¡­ is merciless.¡±


    Indeed, for the Fallen, the most suitable living environment was in remote areas away from human activity. Even though the radiation in Huangyuan was intense, outside was the territory of humans, with no place for them to belong. So, they chose to stay here quietly, waiting for death.


    Song Ke looked through the screen at the leader, its slender arms embracing a few small peers, a fleeting expression of sadness on its profile.


    ¡­


    When the sky was faintly bright, Qiong Mingcheng¡¯s exclamation shattered the tranquility.


    ¡°Aqi, Captain Song, quickly look, the commission has been updated!¡±


    Song Ke, inside the tent, sat up and quickly opened the terminal to confirm. Indeed, the content of that A-level commission had changed.


    ¡°A-level Commission: Please kill or relocate the special zombies in Huangyuan (District E172). Remaining total: 13,299.¡±


    Depending on different choices, different branches appeared below. Song Ke clicked on the relocation option: ¡°Alternative location: Fenak (District C26).¡±


    She thought for a moment, not fully understanding the intricacies, and decisively lifted the tent flap, ¡°Did you all receive the message?¡±


    Members of V587 nodded, having encountered commission changes before, such as the side mission in the Elderly People¡¯s Nation or the city defense mission when the Northern Base upgraded from B to A. So, they were not too surprised.


    Only Lu Xiaoyu seemed thoughtful, ¡°Isn¡¯t it a coincidence? Captain just decided to leave, and the commission changes?¡±


    ¡°Not a coincidence, it was me,¡± Duanmu Qi admitted candidly. ¡°I organized the information last night, uploaded it to the system, hoping to see if there¡¯s any turning point.¡±


    The platform could issue private commissions, and it could also collect information provided by the commission recipients, automatically making analysis and adjustments.


    Lu Xiaoyu glanced at Duanmu Qi, noncommittal, still frowning and staring at the platform page, tapping his fingertips incessantly.


    ¡°Now that the commission has changed, will you still do it?¡± Duanmu Qi took a deep breath, looking hopefully at Song Ke.


    The change from killing to relocating offered two different completion methods. The latter seemed simpler, but Fenak¡¯s location was near the eastern coast. Leading tens of thousands of Fallen, resembling zombies, through almost half of the Alliance territory¡ªwasn¡¯t that too exaggerated?


    Song Ke hesitated.


    ¡­


    ¡°That¡¯s how it is,¡± Song Ke¡¯s explanation came through the terminal, short of breath.


    Zhuang Qingyan slightly lowered his eyes, silent.


    ¡°You¡¯re not speaking, do you object?¡± Song Ke asked cautiously.


    ¡°No,¡± Zhuang Qingyan paused, ¡°I¡¯m thinking¡­ about Fenak.¡±


    Why was Fenak specifically chosen as the alternative location? Compared to its original name, it had another prominent title in the Alliance.


    Lozan (District B25) and Fenak (District C26) were collectively known as the Loak Region. It was once prosperous, but fifteen years ago, a severe nuclear explosion occurred, forcing the area to be abandoned due to persistent radiation. It became an ignored ghost district.


    Transferring the Fallen from Huangyuan to Fenak seemed reasonable. The radiation in Fenak had diluted over fifteen years, still unsuitable for human habitation but within the Fallen¡¯s tolerance range. Compared to Huangyuan, it was practically paradise.


    But for Zhuang Qingyan, Fenak held special significance. It was where the Fire Seed Project¡¯s laboratory was located, where Ming Zhi escaped with LAK0017, and more importantly¡­ it should be a secret forever buried.


    Zhuang Qingyan regained his composure and sighed helplessly, ¡°Song Ke, how do you plan to move tens of thousands of zombies? Will you use a starship with V587¡¯s name printed on it to lead the way and then use a loudspeaker to announce, ¡®Zombies passing through, bystanders please disperse¡¯? Little ancestor, do you want to make a spectacle throughout the entire Alliance?¡±


    Song Ke completely missed the sarcasm in his words and sincerely agreed, ¡°Great idea!¡±


    With V587 leading the way, wouldn¡¯t that avoid conflicts? Zhuang Qingyan was truly impressive¡ªhe quickly resolved the issue that had been bothering her!


    Zhuang Qingyan choked for a moment, ¡°¡­¡±


    He was defeated by Song Ke¡¯s thought process. He loosened his collar with one hand to catch his breath, ¡°Have you asked them? Are they willing to go with you?¡±


    What Song Ke wanted to do couldn¡¯t be described as anything less than mind-blowing. If someone with a weaker ability, like an owl or something, tried it, they wouldn¡¯t be able to handle it.


    ¡°Not yet. I¡¯ll negotiate with them later,¡± Song Ke replied.


    ¡°¡­Forget it. Regardless of whether the negotiations succeed or not, wait for me in the same spot.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re coming?!¡± Song Ke¡¯s eyes sparkled.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Zhuang Qingyan smiled, ¡°If I don¡¯t, you might pierce through the sky.¡±


    ¡°Where did you get that idea?! I¡¯m consulting everyone¡¯s opinions, it¡¯s very fair, okay¡­ Anyway, I can handle it with my ability.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, you can handle it with your ability. It¡¯s my fault for being useless. I missed you,¡± Zhuang Qingyan interrupted her, the depth of his peach blossom eyes curved with longing.


    ¡°Song Ke, I missed you. I¡¯m coming to find you.¡±


    The chirping sparrows suddenly fell silent. After a while, Song Ke stammered, looking around and changing the subject, ¡°Oh, um, I¡¯ll go negotiate with Ada.¡±


    Click. The terminal was hung up.


    Song Ke stood still for two seconds, slowly raised her hands, and covered her cheeks.


    So hot.

 Chapter 176.1: Key (19)

    ¡ò ¡°History¡¯s strongest zombie tide is coming¡± ¡òBefore setting off for Huangyuan, Zhuang Qingyan paid a visit to the official residence of the magistrate and had a closed-door conversation with Ye Zheng for a long time.


    No one knew what they talked about, but in the end, Ye Zheng nodded and granted a few days off to this ¡°new appointee¡± who was the subject of many rumors.


    A silver-white starship zoomed by, with the dark night outside the porthole. In the cabin, under the bright yellow reading light, Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s profile looked like a meticulously crafted perfect work of art. He was focused, fingers moving non-stop, and in his hands was a small precision instrument connected to a light screen, with the top bearing the logo of Qinglan, resembling a white egg.


    This was retrieved from Wu Yarou¡¯s spatial necklace, a basic model, not connected to the internet, with average functionality, but excellent confidentiality that could only be unlocked with Qinglan¡¯s internal special methods.


    Ling Yan sat across from him, staring at him for a long time, and took the initiative to speak, ¡°Are you sure you just need to deliver it to Huangyuan?¡±


    Ling Yue, after checking the autopilot route, sat down next to his twin brother and tossed him a bottle of special drink. Then, she glanced at Zhuang Qingyan, ¡°We don¡¯t have any missions recently. For safety reasons, we can continue to protect you.¡±


    Although they were not clear about the abilities of the man in front of them, allowing two S6-level top-tier personal guards showed that it was Ye Zheng¡¯s direct order, so they had to be extremely attentive in carrying it out.


    ¡°No need,¡± Zhuang Qingyan didn¡¯t look up, his thin lips curved slightly, ¡°The safest place in the world is by Song Ke¡¯s side.¡±


    The Ling siblings, caught off guard by this unexpected statement, exchanged glances. S~?a??h the ??v?l_Fir?.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Ling Yue, feeling uncomfortable, touched the chicken skin bumps on her arm. She was straightforward and said what was on her mind, ¡°Handsome guy, with your, um, relationship with Song Ke¡­ can you say a few good words for us? Anyway, that kidnapping was just following orders. My brother and I don¡¯t want to be on bad terms with her.¡±


    As the crisis at the Northern Base came to an end, the reputation of V587 soared. Now, the Ling siblings¡¯ visits to the Awakener Department were particularly awkward, but they were not affiliated with He Qiuhong. They had merely naturalized and wanted to integrate quickly, following the leadership¡¯s task assignments and executing them step by step.


    ¡°It¡¯s possible, but the decision is up to her,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said indifferently.


    Ling Yue, with her mixed-race appearance, smiled and whispered to her brother, ¡°How about that? I told you ¡®The Anecdotes¡¯ was true, right?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan turned off the light screen, giving a final glance at the small central unit that stored research data on organ regeneration and some Fire Seed projects. Of course, the experimental subjects were excluded, and he set permissions so that only Ning Rong could activate it.


    ¡°Give this to Dr. Ning.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan looked quietly out the porthole, with six hours remaining until they reached Huangyuan, expected to arrive before midnight.


    These past two days, whether at the Northern Base or on the eve of departure, he no longer felt the scrutiny. The two prying gazes outside the laboratory, perhaps intended for Ning Rong, had coincidentally implicated him.


    Navigation alert: they were passing through a dark cloud with lightning, thunder, howling winds, and countless hailstones pounding down, causing the starship to sway slightly.


    In the flash of lightning, Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s expression became obscure and unclear.


    The future was uncertain.


    ¡­


    Six hours later.


    A strong airflow rushed past Song Ke¡¯s ears, blowing her shoulder-length hair into the air. The resilient isolation suit clung to her body. With one hand, Song Ke held onto the shaking face mask, looking up at the starship hovering down.


    The cabin door opened, and a tall and straight figure appeared against the backlight. He, too, was wearing an isolation suit and face mask. Instead of choosing a stylish free fall, he descended steadily down the soft ladder.


    Song Ke, with a faint dimple, unconsciously wore a bright smile and thought to herself: Princess Zhuang is truly something, even descending needs a ladder.


    Zhuang Qingyan, with swift steps, had eyes only for Song Ke. Unable to restrain himself, he opened his arms and walked towards her with long strides, ready to embrace the slender figure he had missed for days. Just as he was about to hug her, someone in the crowd exclaimed:


    ¡°Oh, here he comes.¡± Lu Xiaoyu raised a mechanical arm and naturally shook Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s left hand, swinging it up and down.


    Su Cha glanced at his open arms, a hint of confusion flashing across his face. He was not used to Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s sudden warmth, but he still pursed his lips and gave his right hand a high-five.


    ¡°Pfft! Hahahaha!¡± Lin Youyou, who witnessed the entire scene, had her mouth twisted, laughing heartily until she couldn¡¯t straighten her waist.


    Zhuang Qingyan: ¡°¡­¡± Who wants to shake hands and exchange pleasantries with you guys? Can¡¯t you have a bit of situational awareness?


    He stiffened for a moment, then quickly composed himself, as if nothing had happened, and stood in front of Song Ke. His fingertips itched, and considering the occasion, Zhuang Qingyan refrained from any overly affectionate gestures. Instead, he simply helped Song Ke brush away the dried leaves from her hair.


    ¡°How did the negotiations go?¡± he asked.


    Song Ke¡¯s cheerful little face instantly wrinkled into a frown. ¡°Not well at all. Complete failure.¡±


    The upgraded A-level mission seemed very simple on the surface, with only three steps to complete: first, persuade the fallen ones led by Ada to leave; second, escort the fallen to migrate to Fenak; and third, submit the task.


    Song Ke never expected to get stuck on the first step.


    The first negotiation was attempted by Song Ke alone. Choosing the wrong moment, losing members of her kind made Ada in a bad mood. As soon as Song Ke reached the valley and hadn¡¯t said a word, Ada discovered her, angrily roared, and then a horde of zombies rushed over to beat her up. It was a genuine ¡°beating.¡± They didn¡¯t intend to kill her, just drove her away with balls made of mud and plant leaves. Song Ke, feeling embarrassed, ran away with a dirty face.


    In the second attempt, having learned her lesson, she sneakily hid in the treetops, opened a loudspeaker, and earnestly advised:


    ¡°Ada, how about changing your place of residence?¡±


    ¡°Have you heard of Fenak? It has less radiation, no people, especially safe. Come with me.¡±


    ¡°There, you won¡¯t encounter¡­ uh, won¡¯t encounter zombies, so you won¡¯t have to feel sad anymore.¡±


    ¡°Ada¡­¡±


    Feeling tired of talking, Song Ke picked up a row of drinks, took a sip, crossed her legs, and assumed a posture for a serious discussion.


    Rustling sounds came from all directions, and Song Ke suddenly turned her head. Amidst the vast canopy, numerous pairs of bright red eyes stared viciously at her, emitting low, hoarse roars from their throats. Oh dear! These zombies can climb trees! Song Ke slipped on the ground, nearly falling, and after a series of leaps, she clumsily escaped by grabbing vines.


    The zombies left behind in the area curiously picked up the drink bottles and took a sip. Excitedly, they communicated with their fellow zombies.


    On the third attempt, Song Ke, with the help of translator Xu Xing, finally explained their intentions. Ada stared at them without speaking, and Song Ke keenly sensed that she seemed hesitant. There might be hope! However, before the excitement could fade, Ada let out a low growl, and dozens of small blood zombies swarmed over, similar to wild monkeys in Rainbow Cloud City. They pinned Xu Xing to the ground, grabbing everything, leaving only a pitiful pair of yellow duck shorts.


    Experienced in escape, Song Ke slipped away quickly. Ten minutes later, when she returned, she faced Xu Xing¡¯s reproachful and resentful gaze.


    ¡°Sister, why did you run away by yourself?¡±


    Song Ke stuttered, ¡°I¡¯ll go back and buy you new clothes, again.¡±


    Xu Xing, teary-eyed, felt that Song Ke had changed. She must have been influenced by that person surnamed Zhuang. In the past, her sister would have definitely saved him!


    On the fourth attempt, both teams mobilized, taking turns to persuade, yet they returned without success.


    Ada looked at them warily and shook her head. ¡°Humans¡­ don¡¯t trust.¡±


    After hearing her pitiful recounting, Zhuang Qingyan calmly rolled up his sleeves and chuckled, ¡°Understood, leave it to me next.¡±


    His deep gaze swept over the four people from Duanmu Qi, recognizing them as the ¡°food thieves.¡± Showing no outward reaction, he nodded reservedly.


    However, Duanmu Qi did not recognize him. The Zhuang Qingyan they had encountered before was weak, pale, and entirely dependent on a wheelchair. He had no presence within V587. But the man before them was tall, upright, full of vitality, wearing a pair of gold-rimmed glasses, speaking with a cold and arrogant tone. They heard that he was a ¡°foreign aid¡± from the Northern Base. The moment he appeared, he brought immense pressure, making it impossible for them to underestimate him.


    After understanding the current situation, Zhuang Qingyan made a decisive decision, ¡°I will discuss a plan with Song Ke. We¡¯ll set out at six in the morning after dawn.¡±


    ¡°Go where?¡± Duanmu Qi was momentarily confused, but he saw V587 on the opposite side looking perfectly natural, and even Song Ke nodded in satisfaction.


    ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t make it clear. I forgot you might not keep up with the train of thought,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said with the aroma of tea filling the air. ¡°We¡¯re heading to Fenak.¡±


    ¡°¡­,¡± Duanmu Qi was speechless. Were people from District B always so infuriating when they spoke?

 Chapter 176.2: Key (19)

    ¡ò ¡°History¡¯s strongest zombie tide is coming¡± ¡òZhuang Qingyan briskly walked towards Song Ke¡¯s tent, but before entering, he thought of something and lifted his chin towards Lu Xiaoyu. ¡°Hey, come in by yourself. Do we have to wait for you?¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu snorted lightly and followed him in.


    Lin Youyou extended her finger, waving it in front of Fan Peng¡¯s eyes. ¡°What are you looking at?¡±


    The honest Fan Peng¡¯s face instantly turned red. ¡°Nothing¡­ nothing¡­¡±


    He quickly got up, turned around, and almost bumped into Duanmu Qi.


    Lin Youyou followed his gaze and happened to see two men and a woman entering the same tent. She shook her head with a wry smile, ¡°Well, the gossip in our team is getting more and more absurd.¡±


    ¡­


    Inside the tent, Zhuang Qingyan took out a brand-new light screen and threw it to Lu Xiaoyu. With a serious tone, he said, ¡°Currently, it seems that the fallen leader is very distrustful of humans. So, when your focus is on ¡®taking them away,¡¯ the plan is difficult to execute.¡±


    Song Ke tilted her head, thinking. It did seem that way. Every time she mentioned taking them away, Ada would become hostile.


    ¡°So, what should we do?¡± she asked.


    ¡°We don¡¯t need to intervene directly. We¡¯ll present the advantages and disadvantages, let her take the initiative,¡± Zhuang Qingyan replied.


    Song Ke¡¯s puzzled expression finally earned Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s long-awaited chance. He lightly poked her cheek, ¡°You said she has a strong sense of kinship and high intelligence. I believe she can make the best choice for her group.¡±


    *


    In the quiet valley, the melancholic atmosphere lingered. On this night, eight more zombies exploded due to excessive radiation, adding to the somberness. Countless burying their own kind gathered together, some with numb expressions, not yet understanding what death meant, while others wailed and roared in frustration. Their lives were like flowing sand in an hourglass, visible to the end at a glance. When the countdown ended, no one could resist the arrival of fate.


    In the slight commotion, a drone wobbled its way closer to the sky. ¡°Snap!¡± The flickering light screen landed on the ground, and the zombies roared in vigilance, circling around the unidentified object, occasionally reaching out their claws to scratch it. Ada gave two low calls, and one of the zombies picked up the light screen and brought it to her.


    After observing for a moment, Ada carefully opened it. Suddenly, the sound came from the light screen, causing the surrounding zombies to retreat in fear. A holographic projection lit up, and the Alliance map slowly unfolded before their eyes. A deep and pleasant male voice, reminiscent of a news broadcaster, clearly explained, ¡°Currently, the radiation in Huangyuan exceeds 21%, and it is rapidly increasing at a rate of 2% per year. In a year, it will reach 23%, at which point all life will cease to exist.¡±


    Without warning, a grim scene appeared: countless animals and plants lying on the ground turned into ashes. The small zombies cowered in fear.


    ¡°Huangyuan has lush vegetation and a flat terrain, but District B is overcrowded. According to the latest information, the Alliance is considering a large-scale cleanup operation and plans to deploy a weather simulation system here in the future as the new homeland for survivors.¡±


    In isolation suits, the exploration team, accompanied by heavy excavators, brutishly entered the jungle, destroying the ecosystem. The zombies howled angrily.


    ¡°In comparison, District C26, Fenak, has been abandoned for fifteen years due to its harsh environment, located in the remote east, with no attention for years. The radiation value is expected to stabilize around 17% in the next five years.¡±


    Representations of Fenak slowly appeared, with vast gray expanses everywhere, dust-filled air, and an absence of birds and beasts.


    The zombies stared blankly at the deserted area, and their fused facial features made it hard to discern their expressions.


    ¡°After daybreak, we will leave for Fenak.¡± The pleasant male voice spoke with determination.


    The last image was a clear route map and a massive countdown, with red flashing dots representing the current location of the light screen.


    Ada extended her fingertip, swiped the light screen, and the program automatically played in a loop. When it reached the end, the route map and countdown appeared again.


    She pressed the light screen face down on the ground, finally shielding herself from the distressing images. However, it seemed that there was still an illusion in front of her. The small red dot on the map blinked, connecting to a place called hope.


    *


    At exactly five o¡¯clock, the sun gradually rose. The morning mist retreated from the forest, the first rays of golden dawn spilled down, illuminating the overshadowed Huangyuan.


    A brightly painted starship was slowly ascending.


    ¡°Will they really be able to keep up?¡± Fan Peng asked anxiously.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Lin Youyou lazily yawned and leaned against Su Cha¡¯s back to catch some sleep.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried at all?¡± Duanmu Qi glanced at her.


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m not worried.¡± Lin Youyou¡¯s red lips curved slightly, and she pointed casually with her eyes closed. ¡°See, in our team, we have a top-tier intellect, a top-tier warrior, and, well, myself, a top-tier beauty. Even if this plan fails, we can think of something else.¡±


    Duanmu Qi fell silent without words.


    ¡°Here they come,¡± said Lu Xiaoyu, who was at the helm.


    Duanmu Qi¡¯s group stood up and crowded by the porthole to look.


    Behind the starship, at a distant and endless distance, a blood-red tide rolled towards them. The radiance behind them even surpassed the rising sun on the horizon.


    With slender limbs, entirely blood-red, hideously ugly monsters, adult agile zombies carrying small ones on their backs, vigorously chased the starship. The leader running at the front occasionally took out a light screen to confirm, and the red dot on it kept moving towards the destination.


    ¡°They really¡­ are coming,¡± Duanmu Qi felt a mix of emotions, and for some reason, tears welled up in his eyes. This awe-inspiring scene far exceeded the significance brought by the points, and he might not forget it for the rest of his life.


    Song Ke clapped her hands proudly, ¡°Get ready! Clear the way! Remember our slogan!¡±


    ¡°V587! Safeguarding your travels!¡± The team members, giving a face, answered in unison.


    In the open wilderness, a dozen or so awakeners were driving away zombies. Overhead, a starship flew by, and a nimble figure flipped to the top, raising a large megaphone and pressing the pre-recorded dissuasion message Lin Youyou had prepared:


    ¡°Attention, people on the ground! Fallen ones are passing through. Please do not attack, drop your weapons, be cautious, our friends from afar are very friendly, please do not be afraid. If you have any questions, feedback to our V587! We are here to coordinate!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Someone shouted in confusion.


    Following that, the ground rumbled, and the group of awakeners changed their expressions drastically, panicking as they ran to the top of the hill. Then they watched helplessly as thousands of blood-red creatures passed by, completely submerging the zombies they hadn¡¯t had time to kill.


    After a moment, the dust settled, and the monsters disappeared, leaving behind several zombie corpses.


    The blaring megaphone faded into the distance, ¡°Our friends from afar say they¡¯re sending you a little gift as a gesture of goodwill!¡±


    The awakeners on the hill were bewildered:


    ¡°What the heck is that?¡±


    ¡°V587.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I said, it¡¯s written on the starship, V587.¡±


    Within a day, the news of ¡°V587¡± leading a legion of monsters spread throughout the lower-level districts, and various sensational reports emerged:


    [¡°History¡¯s strongest zombie tide is coming, human shelters may be destroyed at any moment!¡±] [¡°Traitors! V587 leads thieves in, betraying all of humanity!¡±] [¡°Entering the Study of Zombies: Exploring the possibility of humans commanding zombies using V587 as an example.¡±] [¡°Two or three things that must be said about V587 and the fallen ones.¡±]


    Most cities were in confusion and chaos, unable to come up with effective countermeasures. Fortunately, Song Ke had evacuated and was commanding in real-time, preventing any malicious incidents. Ada, with her kind, focused solely on the journey, remained indifferent to the external rumors.


    By the second day, the public opinion shifted, and there were fewer denunciations against V587. People turned their attention to the peculiar red zombies and wondered about their origins.


    The migration route happened to pass through Haimen. Lu Xiaoyu contacted the municipal hall in advance, explained the situation, and the magistrate, Yan Biao, who had a good relationship with V587, immediately issued a city lockdown order, forbidding residents from wandering outside.


    However, the fierce people of Haimen couldn¡¯t sit still. If they weren¡¯t allowed to go out, they brought out stools, guarding the first line of defense, cracking sunflower seeds and gossiping, ¡°Heard today there¡¯s some fallen people passing through.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re called the Fallen.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t know, what¡¯s that? Won¡¯t they come in?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ve strengthened all three defense lines.¡±


    ¡°This bunch of clueless guys, if they dare to come in, see how I handle them!¡± Wang Hu, holding a beer bottle, his big gold chain shining brightly, waved his hand with great spirit. They had long moved into a large 500-square-meter apartment, and each of them had a spiritual weapon, with a formidable aura that no one dared to provoke.


    ¡°They¡¯re coming, they¡¯re coming!¡±


    With the exclamation of the guards, residents of Haimen stretched their necks to look. Overhead, a cool starship swiftly passed, and the massive fallen ones crossed the plains, congesting the cross-river bridge. Astonishingly, they didn¡¯t even glance at the city gate and disappeared in the dust in an instant.


    ¡°Oh my god, is this shooting a movie¡­¡± muttered someone from another area.


    The people of Haimen suddenly realized the situation. They threw sunflower seeds away, took out their terminals, crazily filmed the scene, and uploaded it to the star network, making a good profit from the traffic.


    The human species is inherently diverse. Along the way, there were people from Haimen who joined just for the excitement, and others with malicious intentions hoping to take advantage. Ignoring the warnings from the megaphone, they secretly followed behind the fallen ones, intending to kill a few stragglers for some points.


    Unexpectedly, as soon as the attackers released their abilities, the group of monsters didn¡¯t scatter like ordinary zombies. At the front, Ada suddenly turned around, emitting a piercing scream. Thousands of fierce blood zombies swiftly changed direction, cooperating seamlessly, and instantly devoured the attackers mercilessly.


    Song Ke hung on the cabin door with one hand. Before she could jump down to assist, the crisis had already been resolved. She curved her eyes, shouting loudly, ¡°Ada!¡±


    Ada seemed to know that Song Ke was calling her. Running cautiously, she looked up with vigilance. Song Ke gave her a bright smile and a thumbs-up.


    Ada didn¡¯t respond, but her closed nostrils moved slightly.


    So, Song Ke saw a clear expression of ¡°snorting¡± on her uneven face.


    Song Ke: ¡°???¡± S?a??h the ???el F?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    What does that mean? Was she being mocked by Ada?


    Five days later, District C26, Fenak, was just around the corner.

 Chapter 177.1: Key (20)

    ¡ò Never bully dogs ¡òOn the vast wilderness, the vast and mighty blood-red Fallen howled and swept across, stirring up rolling dust.


    Duanmu Qi and his three companions each drove off-road vehicles, maintaining order in the rear of the strange group, preventing any Fallen from falling behind midway.


    Song Ke, with a coat cushioning her bottom, sat at the cabin door scolding, sounding like she was quarreling with someone. Occasionally, when her voice rose, she unconsciously straightened her posture, even curling her toes.


    Zhuang Qing Yan sat not far behind, a few strands of loose bangs on his forehead blown messy by the wind. The thick eyelashes covered a pair of smiling eyes as he quietly watched Song Ke¡¯s back, watching her inflate like a pufferfish due to her own anger.


    Alone in the Northern Base for a few days, Zhuang Qingyan appeared outwardly composed but harbored growing darkness within. He seemed to have returned to the state before the apocalypse, living aimlessly without purpose, walking without a soul, maintaining perfect social interactions with false enthusiasm. However, he couldn¡¯t experience the emotions of the people around him. He displayed a strong maladaptation to normal social life and interpersonal relationships, like an out-of-control car bumping along the edge of steep cliffs, ready to derail at any moment.


    When Zhuang Qingyan stood at the highest point of the City Defense Department and looked down at the multitude, the control center was within arm¡¯s reach. For a moment, a pathological personality floated in the air, cold and disdainful, looking down at the countless figures below, constantly questioning him: Why should you save them? What connection do you have with these people? You are not him, you cannot be a savior! Now, just input a simple command, and let this city be destroyed in your hands!


    His fingertips unconsciously typed out a letter. Fortunately, his rationality returned in the next second. He decisively pressed the delete key and turned around to leave.


    Psychopath, Zhuang Qingyan silently uttered a word.


    This was the diagnosis he received during his youth. He had suppressed it well since awakening his ability. However, after a sudden and unexpected upheaval, he buried all emotions in his heart, always wearing a smile on his face that no one could see through. Over the years, his behavior and actions were no different from those of normal people, but unexpectedly, in just a few days, they deteriorated abruptly.


    Zhuang Qingyan calmly explained to Ye Zheng that his current condition was very bad and he couldn¡¯t continue with the work. He needed to go in search of the ¡°calming agent.¡± Ye Zheng stared at him for a long time, perhaps having heard something from Xie Lan, ultimately agreed.


    The moment he saw Song Ke, the destructive desire and weariness in Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s heart were miraculously smoothed out. Sacred hymns echoed in his ears, and his soul felt fulfilled, calming down after a long time. In his eyes, the sun high in the sky was not the true one; it was the backlit Song Ke.


    He opened a bottle of water and handed it to Song Ke¡¯s lips, speaking gently and tenderly, ¡°Are you tired? Do you want to take a rest?¡±


    Song Ke took a couple of sips following his hand, shook her head, and lifted the horn with deep meaning, ¡°Ada, even as a fallen, one should be grateful¡­¡±


    Ada, running swiftly, was irritated. Amidst her busyness, she raised her head angrily, baring her teeth, ¡°Ah¡ª!!¡±


    A light tapping sound came from the cabin wall. Zhuang Qingyan turned around, and Lu Xiaoyu gestured at him.


    Understanding that he had something to discuss privately, Zhuang Qingyan nodded silently. The two of them walked to the front cabin one after another.


    Lu Xiaoyu opened the little bee terminal of Song Ke, skillfully infiltrating the commission platform. In the vast sea of data, Trojan programs were quietly operating, attempting to bypass the supervision of District B¡¯s artificial intelligence and steal backend information. Although it took some time, Lu Xiaoyu, being a top-notch hacker, did it perfectly and covertly.


    ¡°I¡¯ve checked. The second time is a targeted release,¡± Lu Xiaoyu pointed to the top-level A-level commission and affirmed.


    Zhuang Qingyan contemplated with narrowed eyes. Changing from a whole territory commission to a targeted distribution near Huangyuan for awakeners? This way, not only were there multiple completion methods to choose from, but the connected regions were also restricted, eliminating 99% of the awakeners in the process.


    ¡°What about traces?¡± He wanted to know if there had been any tampering.


    ¡°None,¡± Lu Xiaoyu said.


    Zhuang Qingyan chuckled, ¡°Is it that you didn¡¯t find anything, or there really are no traces?¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu expressionlessly replied, ¡°Of course, there are no traces. Do you think I¡¯m you? Even repairing the T014 takes fourteen days.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan: ¡°¡­¡± Is it interesting to say it over and over again?


    ¡°After that idiot (specifically referring to Duanmu Qi) uploaded the data, the system adjusted the task content. Both the analysis process and processing paths align with the thinking pattern of artificial intelligence, with no abnormal data whatsoever,¡± Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s tone remained steady.


    But Zhuang Qingyan knew him too well, ¡°Your expression seems to suggest otherwise.¡±


    A slight snort escaped from Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s nostrils, ¡°Even if the idiot didn¡¯t act on his own, this commission will eventually point to District C26.¡±


    ¡°How so?¡±


    ¡°Because even if all the data is normal, there¡¯s still a possibility. Suppose the artificial intelligence handling the commission has no ¡®thinking¡¯ process at all, but is directly given commands.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan suddenly raised his eyes.


    Lu Xiaoyu spoke each word distinctly, ¡°¡ªI think ¡®she¡¯ is involved.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan neither agreed nor disagreed, ¡°Do you have evidence?¡±


    ¡°None, just intuition,¡± Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s response was firm.


    Zhuang Qingyan rhythmically tapped his fingers, not responding with his usual retorts, ¡°Where does your intuition come from?¡±


    ¡°From Huangyuan to Fenak, the number of commissions along the way decreased by two-thirds, including the most common private commissions,¡± Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s expression was unusually serious, ¡°It¡¯s like someone deliberately clearing obstacles. The entire task, from the beginning of the release, the Zombie King, the Fallen, killing or relocating¡­ it all connects. Each step is a carefully designed trap. Only by stepping into it can you understand the true purpose of the other party.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s fingertips moved slightly, and he wrote down a series of words in the air. Lu Xiaoyu quickly recognized it as ¡°Mother.¡±


    ¡°Coming after you? Didn¡¯t hide your tail well, got discovered?¡±


    During the time when Song Ke was kidnapped by He Qiuhong, Lu Xiaoyu connected to District B¡¯s terminal using S-level ability for data tracking. Although he immediately hid and erased all information in the consciousness of the super AI, the fact that he was fully exposed still inevitably got confirmed.


    ¡°Hiding like this all the time isn¡¯t a solution. Why not find some time to go back to Erjia and get rid of her?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s demeanor was casual, as if he was talking about something inconsequential.


    ¡°¡®Difficult the first time, easy the second¡¯. You can¡¯t miss this time, can you?¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu glanced at him. It was rare to hear such ruthless words from Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s mouth, but upon second thought, this was his true nature.


    He vaguely said, ¡°¡­Soon.¡±


    In the only failure of his life, he paid a painful price, rendering him unable to walk independently. He was willing to lie in wait, only seeking a single, lethal strike.


    ¡°Just now, those were just my speculations. If the other party comes for me, I am confident I can handle it, but in case the target is you¡­¡±


    A true friend is a true friend. The friendly atmosphere lasted less than five minutes. Turning around, they began bantering with each other.


    Lu Xiaoyu asked lightly, ¡°Can you handle it?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s lips tightened into a straight line. For some reason, those two agents who were following Ning Rong left a faint haze in his heart.


    ¡°You have six legs, right? If they come for me, you should be the first one to run.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu looked surprised. ¡°No way, did you really get discovered? Did you learn nothing from your elective courses?¡± S~?a??h the ??v?l_Fir?.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Zhuang Qingyan shook his head slowly. ¡°Not sure.¡±


    After so many days, everything around him remained calm. If the target was him, wouldn¡¯t it be better to strike when he was alone at the Northern Base or even on the way, rather than allowing him to return to Song Ke¡¯s side?


    Lu Xiaoyu understood and said knowingly, ¡°So you were scared and hid behind the captain, begging her to protect you, a notorious wanted criminal.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan glanced at him faintly. ¡°Song Ke¡­ still doesn¡¯t know.¡±


    To explain his identity, he couldn¡¯t avoid the past of the Fire Seed Project. Song Ke had already forgotten those painful memories, living carefree until now. Zhuang Qingyan never made up his mind on whether to tell her the cruel truth because Song Ke was his sun, and he didn¡¯t want to take away her innocence and happiness.


    Or maybe, let it go for now, he sighed in his heart, adding casually, ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense in front of her.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu paused, and a suspicious dissociation flashed in his eyes.


    ¡°You¡¯re hiding something from me,¡± Zhuang Qingyan narrowed his eyes. This unusual behavior from him wasn¡¯t a rare occurrence.


    ¡°No, dear friend,¡± Lu Xiaoyu said with an unchanged expression. ¡°Is your trust in me so fragile?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have that kind of trust in you. Mental ability can also extract memories. Do you want to be the first to try?¡±


    ¡°My firewall tells me it doesn¡¯t want to.¡±


    Cold awakened energy surged forth, colliding head-on with the silver code wall. Two formidable S-level forces clashed in the air.


    Bang¡ª!


    The cabin door was forcefully pulled open, and Lin Youyou, with a charming face, led three people behind her, all with angry expressions.


    ¡°Argue if you want, make noise if you must, but don¡¯t joke about awakened energy. I¡¯m telling you guys, be considerate to us A-levels. It¡¯s a headache!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right! It¡¯s so uncomfortable!¡± Xu Xing huffed.


    ¡°Fight, go ahead and fight. I refuse to treat any injuries caused by internal disputes,¡± Fang Zhixu mocked.


    ¡°Continue fighting when we get back. We¡¯ve reached Fenak.¡± Even Su Cha showed disapproval.


    Song Ke put away the horn, clapped her knees, stood up, and turned to see her team members gathered together, staring at each other. Concerned, she asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Are you fighting again?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan gave a deep look at Lu Xiaoyu, pointed at him with his finger, silently threatening, ¡°You wait for me.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu, unperturbed like a dead pig not fearing boiling water, shrugged his shoulders in a proud manner.

 Chapter 177.2: Key (20)

    ¡ò Never bully dogs ¡òTen minutes later, the starship was the first to enter the Fenak city area, and a navigation prompt appeared.


    ¡°You have entered the radiation-affected area. Please be cautious, do not stay for an extended period.¡±


    The sky was filled with thick gray fog, murky dust particles penetrated into the respiratory tract. The visibility around was very low, abandoned buildings loomed indistinctly. Lu Xiaoyu switched to manual control, slowing down the starship in the city to avoid accidentally colliding with skyscrapers.


    ¡°My awakened energy is more abundant now.¡± Lin Youyou clenched her fist, sensing changes in the magnetic field within her body.


    Low-level radiation could stimulate abilities to some extent. For awakeners A-level and above, Fenak¡¯s current concentration was just right. However, they were still not suitable for prolonged exposure to the air.


    The starship landed on the rooftop, V587 changed into isolation suits and masks, jumping onto the main road, patiently waiting.


    Duanmu Qi and his group parked the off-road vehicle on the side of the road. After a while, Ada led her kind to arrive. Separated by a hundred meters, the blood-red horde stopped abruptly, filling the streets and alleys, establishing a clear boundary between them and Song Ke¡¯s group.


    Ada growled softly, and two small zombies ran towards Song Ke, like cheerful little monkeys.


    Xu Xing¡¯s eyes widened. These two zombies, one wearing a small yellow duck sun hat and the other in a brand-name T-shirt, not to mention being quite well-fitted, were both taken from him! The memory of that night when he almost ended up naked was vivid in Xu Xing¡¯s mind. S~?a??h the N???lFire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Thud! The light screen was thrown back in front of Song Ke.


    ¡°Ah ah ah ah.¡± The little zombies squealed and gestured wildly, then turned back to stand beside Ada.


    ¡°No need to return it, consider it a gift,¡± Song Ke generously tossed it back. A screen was something she could afford; Ada was too polite.


    Ada¡¯s bright red eyes glanced around, and she did not accept Song Ke¡¯s kindness. With a ¡°snap,¡± she raised her hand and threw it back. Song Ke wasn¡¯t prepared to catch it, so the screen, having experienced a tumultuous journey, flew backward and landed on the ground with a crack! The screen displayed a spiderweb of cracks.


    Song Ke picked it up with a heartache and scolded, ¡°Ada, this is expensive!¡±


    Ada¡¯s uneven facial features moved, vividly rolling her eyes.


    Zhuang Qingyan cleared his throat, ¡°Song Ke, there¡¯s a locator in the screen.¡±


    Song Ke was puzzled, ¡°Huh?¡±


    Immediately, she was rendered speechless, ¡°I forgot.¡±


    Ada, worthy of being the leader with intelligence comparable to the Zombie King, was indeed very smart. Keeping this screen would expose their group¡¯s location to humans. Therefore, after reaching their destination, she decisively returned it to Song Ke.


    Ada looked up into the distance. There were no towering jungles here, no giant mutated plants. The vast expanse was filled with the ruins of the city, and the air quality was poor. However, her kind seemed fascinated and excited. The constant tingling sensation in their skin, present due to prolonged radiation exposure, diminished. Even the zombies, who were afflicted with radiation sickness and on the verge of death, stood up, marveling at their own veins and limbs.


    Undoubtedly, Fenak¡¯s environment was suitable for the Fallen to survive, and humans didn¡¯t deceive them.


    It was a new home, a source of hope.


    Ada gracefully leaped to the top of an abandoned building, emitting a distant and long howl. All the zombies looked up at her.


    Then, as if understanding her command, they dispersed in all directions, blending like droplets into the ocean, disappearing into the depths of the gray mist in an instant.


    Treacherous and cunning humans and zombies without intelligence were not their companions.


    The remaining journey could only be walked by the Fallen themselves.


    ¡°Tha¡­ thank¡­you¡± Ada looked deeply at Song Ke and the others, then hoarsely said.


    Then, with a leap, her slender figure melted into the thick fog.


    ¡°Goodbye, Ada.¡± Song Ke waved sadly, feeling a sense of loss.


    The red dot on the screen stayed in place, and Song Ke lost track of Ada¡¯s location. However, she believed that Ada could lead her kind to survive.


    After the last zombie disappeared from their field of vision, Song Ke clicked to complete the mission.


    This A-level mission was almost entirely taken care of by V587, and the rewards were astonishing. Their ranking instantly surged to the first place in the entire Alliance.


    ¡°Three Grandsons and One Grandpa¡± also had some soup and earned 110,000 points, far exceeding the threshold of 500,000, securing their place in District B with ease.


    ¡°We¡¯re first!¡± Song Ke happily bounced around, hugging each team member one by one. Finally, she jumped into the arms of Zhuang Qingyan, who held her tightly.


    The terminals of Lin Youyou and others started beeping: there were changes in the top ten rankings. An announcement would be made on the mission platform. Now, proudly hanging at the top of the New Asia Alliance leaderboard was ¡°V587,¡± with a substantial lead in points.


    In the Northern Base¡¯s mission group, there was a lively discussion.


    Yin Xiao was the first to speak up:


    ¡°Please Call Me S Xiao: @Song Ke, the best in the world. Congratulations, Captain Song.¡±


    ¡°Does anyone have plum blossom hairpins in stock? Will pay a high price: @Youyourap trainee, you¡¯re amazing!¡±


    ¡°Zhao Yuqing: Congratulations, congratulations, bringing glory to the Northern Base.¡±


    ¡°Moon.Lin: Congratulations, from me and my brother.¡±


    ¡°Thank you all.¡±


    While Song Ke was replying to each message, Duanmu Qi stepped in front of her. Xiao Chen, Fan Peng, and Qiong Mingcheng also followed, expressing their sincere thanks. If it weren¡¯t for Song Ke leading them on missions and a bit of luck, they might not have reached the required points before the arrival of autumn.


    Song Ke remembered something, ¡°By the way, the recommendation letters¡­¡±


    ¡°Someone is here,¡± Su Cha frowned slightly.


    Dozens of strong-figured awakeners emerged from the corner, surrounding them. The leading man, in his thirties, with a piercing at the corner of his eye, looked fierce. After glancing around, he whistled provocatively at Duanmu Qi.


    ¡°Brother, just finished a mission, right? We¡¯re here too, part of the achievement. How about sharing some points with us?¡±


    Points could be circulated in two ways: signing a transfer agreement witnessed by the platform, with the system extracting a certain intermediary fee, or converting them into rewards through private missions. However, the latter couldn¡¯t specify the beneficiary and relied on completing tasks to obtain points.


    After V587 had been pushing for the leaderboard for so long, it was the first time they encountered someone directly trying to snatch points from them.


    ¡°¡­Who are you guys?¡± Song Ke blinked, bewildered and speechless.


    The group opposite had varying strengths, from A to D levels. They all seemed to be from the lower-level districts, displaying an unfounded confidence as they brazenly attempted a robbery.


    ¡°They are bounty hunters,¡± Duanmu Qi said solemnly.


    Bounty hunters sounded glamorous, but in reality, it wasn¡¯t a favorable term. This label specifically referred to a group of bandits who took risks for points or Alliance coins after the apocalypse. They were ruthless, disregarding any means, and their sole driving factor in all actions was profit.


    There was an information gap between B and C districts, and these bounty hunters clearly didn¡¯t recognize V587, who had just risen to prominence. Instead, they arrogantly shouted at Duanmu Qi because he had casually mentioned the words ¡°500,000 points¡± earlier.


    The leading bounty hunter greedily sniffed the air, his expression intoxicated, ¡°I smell the scent of gold.¡±


    Lin Youyou shook her head and chuckled, ¡°Have you guys not been keeping up with the news lately? Even as bandits, you should stay informed about current events.¡±


    ¡°Sorry to have made you laugh. We¡¯ll take care of this,¡± Duanmu Qi said.


    As soon as he spoke, thick thorns snaked towards the group, instantly trapping more than ten people, including the boastful leader.


    ¡°Xiao Xing, lend a hand. We¡¯re in a hurry,¡± Zhuang Qingyan urged softly.


    A1-level Xu Xing was quite formidable against this group of novices. He lifted his right hand, and a hailstorm descended. The bounty hunters¡¯ limbs turned icy, and their movements gradually slowed down. Some were pierced by the fierce thorns, while others were swiftly dealt with by Xiao Chen and others, targeting their throats.


    In less than ten minutes, dozens of bodies lay on the ground, none left alive.


    Fang Zhixu searched around but couldn¡¯t find even a valuable 3rd-level crystal. He sighed in disappointment, taking off his gloves. As he was about to say something, he saw everyone¡¯s expressions change dramatically, prompting a quick retreat.


    Fang Zhixu looked puzzled, ¡°What are you guys hiding from?¡±


    The next moment, he suddenly turned around, and the bodies on the ground were rapidly expanding, bursting into a fountain of blood in an instant!


    Bang! Bang! Fragments of flesh and organs sprayed out like a fountain, and the strong smell of blood hit them. Song Ke pinched her nose and approached, handing Fang Zhixu a towel because he had unknown intestines hanging on his head.


    ¡°You guys are heartless¡­¡± Fang Zhixu stared at her for a while before reluctantly taking it.


    Just as Song Ke offered a comforting smile, her expression suddenly froze. She turned back, staring in a certain direction with a serious look.


    Thump, thump, the clear sound of footsteps came from the depths of the gray mist, echoing in everyone¡¯s ears.


    Who could it be this time? Another new bounty hunter?


    Amidst the attention of the crowd, on the rooftop of a building across, a middle-aged man with a suit, mixed-race features, and a hooked nose slowly appeared. His eyelids were drooping, and he looked proud as he gazed down on everyone, speaking, ¡°Are you Song Ke? The S7-level strong attack-type awakener.¡±


    Song Ke replied politely, ¡°Yes, that¡¯s me. And you are?¡±


    ¡°Half a year ago, you killed my favorite dog,¡± the man said.


    The man¡¯s shiny leather shoes stepped over the blood pool, leaving half a clear footprint. ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for you for a long time.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan and Lu Xiaoyu exchanged hidden glances, both frowning.


    He came for Song Ke? Could it be that all their speculations were wrong?


    Song Ke looked innocent, ¡°How is that possible? I never bully dogs.¡±

 Chapter 178.1: Key (21)

    ¡ò Long time no see, Uncle ¡òTen days ago.


    District A1, Central Court.


    In the spacious conference room, empty and void of any person, several holographic projections sat or stood on both sides of a long table, engaged in hushed conversations:


    ¡°S7 level is rare, but not unique.¡±


    ¡°As far as I know, besides the publicly known Song Ke and former Special Operations Unit member Punk, both Azure Phoenix and Vulture have two internally known figures each, right?¡±


    Xie Lan, the leader of Azure Phoenix, was not invited to today¡¯s secret meeting. Everyone turned their gaze towards the end of the table, where the highest-ranking officer of the Sixth Division of Fuerche.


    He didn¡¯t activate his holographic projection and spoke with a hoarse voice, ¡°It¡¯s a tradition in Vulture that only death can reveal the code names.¡±


    In other words, he wouldn¡¯t disclose any information as long as those two S7 levels were alive.


    Others exchanged glances, tacitly understanding, and no longer pursued the matter. Unlike Azure Phoenix, a regular military force, the Sixth Division of Fuerche (Vulture Unit) specialized in intelligence and assassinations. Offending these rats in the sewer could lead to a grim fate, and one might not even be aware if their throat was silently slit one day.


    ¡°There are indeed many S7 levels, but as for S-level dual attribute, so far, only one has appeared in the entire Alliance, and that is the Bloody Hunter, Punk.¡±


    Park Jae-woo gazed towards the main seat, a fleeting desire for supreme power flickering in his eyes: ¡°Mr. Gu, after Punk was expelled from the special operations team, he sought refuge under Commander Simon and has been a loyal dog under his command¡­ serving diligently and wholeheartedly.¡±


    ¡°This is the recording of Punk¡¯s death, and the one who killed him is Song Ke.¡±


    The participants sat up straight, their attention fully focused on the screen. The video provided by Park Jae-woo came from the miniature camera inside Punk¡¯s confinement collar, cutting off any ¡°irrelevant¡± parts and leaving only the final scene.


    As the image lit up, it was filled with the impact and shock of a first-person perspective. Song Ke, wielding the Overlord Spear, aggressively advanced with a deathly expression. The two clashed with powerful abilities, and Punk, unable to withstand, retreated. Song Ke first pierced his intact right eye, then severed his hands and feet, ultimately forcing Punk to self-destruct.


    The brutal combat prowess left everyone in a bone-chilling silence, sinking into a prolonged contemplation.


    ¡°For this person, is there a possibility of surrender?¡± Mr. Gu, the head of the meeting, asked calmly.


    A profound silence followed, and no one dared to answer.


    After a while, a certain official nervously said, ¡°This S7 level comes from a low-level district, and I¡¯m afraid¡­ it may be challenging to control.¡±


    Punk¡¯s death might not be of great significance, but it proved one thing: Song Ke¡¯s strength far surpassed everyone¡¯s imagination. Intelligence indicated that she came from the impoverished digital area, shrouded in mystery, with unknown parents, and had never received any favors from the Alliance. Yet, she was inseparable from the Key, making it challenging to persuade her.


    Song Ke was like a ticking time bomb, ready to become the greatest obstacle to the Reboot Plan at any moment.


    Mr. Gu sighed deeply, ¡°What a pity.¡±


    The attendees fell silent and bowed their heads. This former leader had already made a decision, and unfortunately, the Alliance was about to lose an S7. S~?a??h the N?v?lFir?(.)n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°The only one who can kill a dual ability is another dual ability.¡±


    Simon, with a hooked nose, stood up with a gloomy expression. He noticed that Song Ke¡¯s right arm had been blown off before but quickly regained combat capability. Simon coldly glanced at the smug Park Jae-woo, a despicable and shameless person who deliberately brought up the ¡°only S-level dual ability in the Alliance.¡± He had long sensed something was amiss and dared to hide such important footage until now, building his own ladder to success.


    Simon chuckled inwardly. Let it come; let¡¯s see who will be the ultimate winner. He respectfully bowed to the main seat, ¡°Mr. Gu, no one understands S-level dual ability better than me. I am willing to personally confirm the opponent¡¯s second ability.¡±


    *


    Fenak City.


    Simon, dressed sharply in a suit, stopped walking forward and couldn¡¯t appreciate Song Ke¡¯s cold humor.


    He aimed at the bounty hunter¡¯s body and, without warning, it exploded several times. Deep red blood sprayed into the air like a fountain and showered down.


    ¡°Do you remember now?¡± Simon ¡°kindly¡± reminded.


    In Song Ke¡¯s pupils, the fireworks-like bloodlight reflected, and the familiar scene gradually made her realize.


    ¡ªBlood explosion, Punk¡¯s ability.


    Oh, it¡¯s really a dog. She killed a dog, and the owner came for revenge?


    Simon¡¯s gaze swept over Zhuang Qingyan and then returned to Song Ke. ¡°You¡¯ve caused me a lot of trouble.¡±


    After Punk¡¯s sudden death, Simon lost his ¡°executioner,¡± and with no one to handle the dirty work, he was tied up and oppressed everywhere. His political rival, Park Jae-woo, took advantage of the situation and rose steadily.


    ¡°Is it you who led us here?¡± Song Ke frowned and asked, ¡°The fallen of Huangyuan, did you release the bait?¡±


    Simon smirked sinisterly but didn¡¯t answer.


    Swoosh, swoosh¡ªslight sounds of breaking air.


    Su Cha reacted quickly, pushed Lin Youyou aside, and swiftly rushed forward like a whirlwind. He turned around and delivered a fierce side kick, and with a clatter, the chain with high-voltage electricity was kicked away.


    ¡°Damn, have some shame, launching a sneak attack!¡± Lin Youyou cursed loudly.


    Since he was discovered, Simon gave up the pretense. He raised his hand, and more than ten figures jumped down from the rooftops on all sides, three of them S-level, and the rest A-level.


    The entire street was covered with the bright light of abilities, and mixed awakened energies, under the influence of radiation, collided and roamed recklessly.


    The V587, all S+A level, managed to endure, but the ¡°Three Grandsons and One Grandpa¡± were on the verge of collapsing, their vision darkening, cold sweat flowing. The four of them resisted the overwhelming pressure with all their might.


    ¡°Step back,¡± Song Ke helped them block and said, ¡°This has nothing to do with you; we¡¯ll handle it.¡±


    She slowly drew the twin blades from her back, the cold blades pointing forward, aiming at those three S-level individuals.


    At first glance, Simon had the numerical advantage, but V587 showed no fear. Lin Youyou took the initiative, and an ethereal singing voice resounded. The chaotic mist of the blade descended, thickening the surrounding fog. Both sides lost sight, unable to see each other.


    Indeed, the opponents lost track of Song Ke and the others, but V587 could ¡°see¡± them clearly because they had an S-level mental awakener in their ranks with exceptionally keen senses. While Zhuang Qingyan directed, Xu Xing laid down ice rings, and Su Cha released poison.


    Despite the assailants being quite cautious, under Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s calculations, they still stumbled like headless flies, willingly walking into traps. Legs frozen and unable to move, they then convulsed and fell to the ground, pierced by sharp ice blades.


    Rumble, rumble¡ª!!


    Continuous gunfire erupted, prompting Fang Zhixu to sprint desperately. Tall office buildings collapsed around him; anyone a fraction of a second slower would be crushed into pulp.


    An awakener carrying a mortar cannon maneuvered for support. Lu Xiaoyu, who had disappeared since the start of the battle, suddenly peeked his head out from the thick fog. His six mechanical arms, like claws, swiftly dismantled the core components, rendering the cannon silent in an instant.


    The agile Lu Xiaoyu spun around, waved his sleeve, and took away crucial parts from the enemy.


    Su Cha appeared mysteriously, constantly reaping lives. Once injured, he vanished into the mist of blades, only to reappear with wounds already healed, thanks to Fang Zhixu¡¯s treatment. Under Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s directing gaze, the infiltrators¡¯ every move was exposed, and V587 collaborated seamlessly, effortlessly dealing with the A-level opponents.


    With the odds against them, it was a crushing victory. V587, the team ranking first on the Alliance scoreboard, lived up to its reputation.


    The three S-level individuals gained no advantage. Even when working together, they couldn¡¯t withstand Song Ke. Amid the chaotic intervals of abilities, Song Ke resisted their attacks and, with a kick, toppled the first person. She then kicked the opponent¡¯s chest, causing it to collapse. The twin blades crossed, and the second person¡¯s head was chopped into a gory mess. Flames erupted, burning Song Ke¡¯s shoulder, but she seemed impervious to pain, silently grabbing the last person by the neck and snapping it with a crunch.


    A piercing roar echoed, and Song Ke abruptly turned around. The awakener with the concave chest staggered to his feet, blood vessels bulging all over, veins popping. He charged towards the fog where Zhuang Qingyan and others were located. Song Ke realized he intended to self-destruct and hurriedly rushed to stop him.


    Simon closely watched the actions of the two, his eyes bursting with a dazzling light.


    In the nick of time, the dying S-level twisted his body, the rapidly swelling blood sphere abruptly shrinking, changing direction eerily. Song Ke¡¯s pupils contracted. This person wasn¡¯t going to self-destruct! It was too late for any reaction; she could only dodge to the extreme. The ball of light grazed her abdomen, splashing blood.


    Song Ke thrust a knife through the back of the opponent. The person¡¯s mouth curled into a cold smile as he slowly and hoarsely said, ¡°For the future of Utopia¡­¡±


    ¡°For your ghostly future,¡± Song Ke coldly interrupted, beheading him with a backhand swing.


    She touched the wound on her abdomen, blood flowing incessantly, staining her hands crimson.


    All of Simon¡¯s men brought in had fallen, but he remained unfazed. His gaze remained fixed on Song Ke.


    ¡°Your life will end today. I will sing a dirge for you in advance,¡± he declared.


    ¡°So much nonsense.¡± Song Ke raised her hand and threw a blue blade, piercing Simon¡¯s heart. However, the expected scene of flesh and blood flying did not happen. Simon¡¯s figure swayed as if shattered glass, disappearing on the spot.


    Song Ke was momentarily stunned, then realized that because of the fog¡¯s concealment, she hadn¡¯t noticed. This person wasn¡¯t a physical entity; he only appeared through illusion ability. No wonder he didn¡¯t dare to approach for fear of revealing himself.


    But¡­ wasn¡¯t he seeking revenge for the dog? Did he just run away like that?


    Song Ke pursed her lips. Even the ¡°favorite dog¡± was just saying nice words.


    Zhuang Qingyan hurried over and knocked on her forehead. Thump! With a stern expression, he pulled out a bandage to stop the bleeding.


    Despite the cut on her abdomen, Song Ke acted as if nothing happened. However, when her head was knocked, she complained with a hint of grievance, ¡°That really hurts!¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan carefully wiped away the blood splatter on her cheek. ¡°Go back and whine. Let¡¯s leave this place first.¡±


    As Fang Zhixu swiftly cleaned up the battlefield, Lu Xiaoyu had already activated the starship.


    After a moment of thought, Song Ke turned to Duanmu Qi and the others, ¡°Originally, I wanted to give you a ride, but now, it¡¯s better to go your separate ways.¡±


    She wasn¡¯t sure if the crisis was over, and she didn¡¯t want to involve Duanmu Qi and the others.


    ¡°See you at the Northern Base,¡± Song Ke nodded at them before leaving.


    After the two teams hastily departed, the bodies of over ten awakeners, like the bounty hunters¡¯, suddenly burst into blood fireworks. Faint fluctuations of awakened ability dissipated in the air.


    ¡­


    Inside the starship, the injured Song Ke was firmly pressed onto her seat to receive treatment. She spread her hands and feet, revealing her injured abdomen. While petting Xu Xing¡¯s furry head, she drank water from Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s hand. She even rested her lower legs on Lin Youyou¡¯s knees, enjoying a massage from the beautiful older sister.


    She waved her hand casually, ¡°I¡¯m really fine, not hurting much.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t move around.¡± Fang Zhixu pressed down her eager head, swiftly cleaning the wound. A clear, white ability flowed in, but it seemed to be sucked into a bottomless pit, having no effect. It was the first time he encountered a situation where his healing ability was ineffective, and his brows furrowed tighter and tighter, ¡°Why isn¡¯t it working?¡±


    Fang Zhixu brought another injured person, Su Cha, and treated him effortlessly, even healing the minor scratches on the back of his hand. He muttered to himself, ¡°This works pretty well, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    Perplexed, he looked at Song Ke. The gruesome wound inflicted by the S-level was like a stagnant pool of water, resisting any external treatment.


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen this kind of injury before,¡± Su Cha unexpectedly spoke, ¡°The last time was¡­ during a mission in the Rainforest. Special bullets were used, causing non-stop bleeding from the wounds, and they couldn¡¯t heal no matter what.¡±


    During that mission, everyone except him died. Su Cha clenched his fists tightly, his spine slightly trembling.


    Lin Youyou held the back of his neck, stroking it in a comforting manner, and Su Cha gradually loosened his clenched fists, returning to calmness.


    ¡°The ability that wounded the captain is probably similar to those special bullets, making all healing ineffective.¡±


    ¡°The heart is dark enough,¡± Fang Zhixu spat.


    If Song Ke were an ordinary awakener, there would be no solution to this situation; she could only bleed to death.


    Fortunately, Song Ke¡¯s second ability kicked in just in time. The originally deeply visible wound slowly healed, and it was estimated that it would scar over in a few hours.


    Zhuang Qingyan lowered his eyes, pinching Song Ke¡¯s finger bones, lost in thought.

 Chapter 178.2: Key (21)

    ¡ò Long time no see, Uncle ¡òSuddenly, from the cockpit, Lu Xiaoyu clicked his tongue, ¡°We¡¯ve got trouble.¡±


    Everyone looked up and was surprised to find that, through the thin fog, they had unexpectedly returned to the location where they had just fought.


    ¡°Navigation malfunctioned?¡± Zhuang Qingyan frowned.


    ¡°No,¡± Lu Xiaoyu quickly checked, ¡°the device is working fine.¡±


    He thought for a moment, then turned off the automatic mode. ¡°I¡¯ll drive manually, you guide.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan had seen the map before; his memory was almost photographic. Upon hearing this, he sat in the passenger seat, acting as the manual navigator.


    An hour later, V587 returned to the starting point.


    ¡°Could it be a ghost wall?¡± Lin Youyou exclaimed.


    ¡°It¡¯s an awakened ability,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said in a deep voice.


    He opened the hatch, and bodies lay scattered on the ground. In the distance, the abandoned city¡¯s horizon stood oddly, like a mirage in the desert. The skyscrapers on the edge were half normal, while the other half were pieced together with elevated walkways.


    ¡°S-level territorial ability, ¡®Blood-Red Building Blocks.¡¯ The wielder can control the blocks within the territory, stitching different scenes together by changing their positions. However, activating the ability requires life force as a sacrifice,¡± Zhuang Qingyan explained slowly.


    ¡°Do you still remember those bounty hunter bodies? They should be the driving medium; the more people die, the larger the range of the building blocks.¡±


    ¡°I have a question,¡± Lin Youyou turned around and glanced. Song Ke had expended some awakened energy due to injuries and was now sleeping soundly with closed eyes and slightly open mouth. She lowered her voice, ¡°The person just now, did he really come for Song Ke?¡±


    The more Lin Youyou thought about it, the more strange it seemed. ¡°Even if he didn¡¯t know that Song Ke had already advanced, trying to kill an S7 with those people is just a joke, right?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the point of trapping us here?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan looked at her without saying anything.


    Lin Youyou looked embarrassed and scratched her cheek. ¡°We heard your conversation with Lu Xiaoyu. Actually, we all heard it.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan was not surprised. Entrusting trust was a difficult thing for him. As teammates, they didn¡¯t deliberately avoid Lin Youyou and the others when talking, but there were many things he didn¡¯t plan to disclose proactively.


    ¡°If there¡¯s danger, you guys can run first.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan smiled as if bathing in a spring breeze. ¡°No one will blame you. Anyway¡­ it¡¯s not the first time.¡±


    It took Lin Youyou a while to react. ¡°Hey, you!¡±


    Always touching the sore spots, poking knives into people¡¯s hearts, the betrayal at Mirror Lake was like a thorn stuck in Lin Youyou¡¯s heart. Even if no one mentioned it, it didn¡¯t mean she didn¡¯t care.


    *


    Fenak¡¯s outskirts.


    Qiong Mingcheng, with his arm around Duanmu Qi, envisioned the future, his eyes filled with longing: ¡°What do you guys think District B will be like? I heard it¡¯s similar to before the apocalypse, no zombies, no fierce beasts, and no need to live in fear every day.¡±


    Fan Peng squeezed in between the two, ¡°When we get rooms, Aqi and I will share one.¡±


    ¡°Go away,¡± Qiong Mingcheng pushed away Fan Peng¡¯s head, ¡°You go live with Brother Chen, Aqi is mine.¡±


    The four of them grew up in the same neighborhood, attended the same school, worked in the same company, even awakened their abilities around the same time. Although they often bickered, their friendship was deep, and they were all willing to listen to Duanmu Qi.


    Xiao Chen, the calmest among them, said calmly, ¡°There¡¯s no need to discuss this; I¡¯ll live with Aqi.¡±


    Fan Peng and Qiong Mingcheng instantly changed their expressions, rolling up their sleeves ready to fight him.


    Duanmu Qi helplessly rubbed his forehead, ¡°The matter hasn¡¯t even been settled, and you¡¯re already celebrating halfway.¡±


    Qiong Mingcheng grinned, ¡°Why hasn¡¯t it been settled? Didn¡¯t Song Ke say she would write a recommendation letter for us?¡±


    They were moving forward at a not-so-slow pace, just a few hundred meters away from leaving Fenak. Fan Peng even took off his isolation mask ahead of time.


    Due to the weakening radiation, occasionally, fierce beasts would dart across the road, and busy ability users followed behind to capture them.


    Duanmu Qi sighed lightly, ¡°They helped us even though we¡¯re not close, we can¡¯t just accept it without giving anything in return, right? We need to think about what gift to send.¡±


    Qiong Mingcheng added, ¡°But I don¡¯t see them lacking anything.¡±


    As Duanmu Qi was about to speak, the sky darkened suddenly as ominous clouds covered it. He raised his head, sensing something. A massive spatial tunnel cracked open, and a fully armed fleet jumped in. These starships were pitch black, different from any style they had seen before.


    The turbulent air scared away zombies and fierce beasts. Everyone stopped in their tracks, looking up in astonishment.


    A group of figures in black uniforms descended from the sky.


    ¡°We have eyewitnesses on the scene.¡±


    ¡°Roger, eliminate them all.¡±


    Like a grim reaper wielding a scythe, before anyone could react, the passing awakeners had already fallen. Their legs went weak, minds blank, utterly unable to resist. A terrifying pressure overwhelmed them, and in their moments of death, the despair in their pupils reflected the pattern on the ruthless vulture emblem on their assailants¡¯ uniforms.


    ¡ªIt was the emblem of a merciless vulture.


    Duanmu Qi felt a chill in his heart, his face filled with horror. These people, astonishingly, were all S-rank!


    The black-clad woman in the crowd noticed them. She slightly raised her right hand, and an invisible kite string flew out, cutting off the heads of awakeners along the way. Due to inertia, the headless bodies stumbled forward a few steps until they collapsed with a resounding crash, and blood slowly gushed out.


    Next, the kite string flew towards Fan Peng and Xiao Chen.


    ¡°Get out of the way!¡± Xiao Chen roared.


    The two rolled on the ground, and Xiao Chen managed to avoid it with some difficulty. However, Fan Peng wasn¡¯t as lucky. He happened to be in the same straight line as the person in front of him. As a B-level, he felt powerless against the S-level ability. Although he avoided a fatal blow, his entire arm was still severed.


    ¡°Ahhhh!¡± A scream rang out, and Xiao Chen and Qiong Mingcheng quickly helped Fan Peng up.


    People around them fell one after another. Duanmu Qi cursed under his breath, no longer hesitating. He took out a camping lamp, inserted a bright red crystal, then pulled his companions. The four shadows flickered and disappeared in an instant.


    After the leading man slaughtered the awakeners on the scene, he looked towards a certain direction. ¡°Blood Bat, you made a mistake; four of them escaped.¡±


    ¡°The other party has a spatial teleportation device,¡± the black-clad woman said. ¡°The domain has already been activated; they can¡¯t escape. Wolf Spider, as instructed from above, there can be no witnesses this time.¡±


    The man with the code name ¡°Wolf Spider¡± nodded. ¡°Understood.¡±


    He turned around, his tone cold and emotionless. ¡°Find them, and kill them.¡±


    *


    At an abandoned school.


    Duanmu Qi and his three companions appeared out of nowhere, the glow of the level 4 crystal faded, turning into an ordinary stone.


    Fan Peng lost an arm, his breath was like gossamer, and his face was as pale as gold leaf.


    Xiao Chen gritted his teeth, bandaging him. ¡°Fan Peng, listen carefully. You¡¯re not allowed to sleep no matter how tired you are.¡±


    Fan Peng, covered in cold sweat, managed to force a smile. ¡°I¡­ won¡¯t sleep. Aqi is right. How can we celebrate halfway¡­ opening champagne?¡±


    ¡°Who are those people?¡± Qiong Mingcheng¡¯s eyes were bloodshot. ¡°Why do they casually kill people?¡±


    Duanmu Qi¡¯s face turned pale, forcing himself to calm down. ¡°I¡¯ll contact Song Ke immediately; they have healing-type awakener!¡±


    He took out his terminal, but his actions suddenly froze. ¡°¡­No signal.¡±


    The random teleportation range was only ten kilometers. Waiting in the same place was equivalent to waiting to die; the enemy would catch up soon.


    ¡°First, figure out how to get out.¡± Xiao Chen carried Fan Peng on his back, and the four helped each other leave.


    Duanmu Qi tightly gripped the last level 4 crystal in his hand.


    *


    Three hours had passed since V587 left the trapped street. S~?a??h the N?velF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s original words were, ¡°Take Taotao, for example. Territorial abilities are not flawless. As long as you continuously attack the weak points, you can determine the location of the initiator.¡± So, relying on careful calculations, he finally found the approximate location of the territorial awakener.


    Only by killing the owner of ¡°Blood-Red Building Blocks¡± could they leave.


    Zhuang Qingyan drew a cross on the map, eliminating incorrect options. ¡°It¡¯s a 50-50 chance. Song Ke, come and draw lots.¡±


    Song Ke, wearing spiritual weapon knuckles on the top of the starship, took a deep breath and threw a punch towards the distorted boundary.


    Boom!


    The earth shook, rocks shattered, and the heavy iron fist ruthlessly smashed the weak point of the territory, forcefully disrupting the stability of the magnetic field.


    The scene changed, ¡°Blood-Red Building Blocks¡± reassembled, and V587 was teleported back to the previous checkpoint.


    Zhuang Qingyan sighed helplessly. ¡°Even with a 50-50 chance, we can still be wrong.¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°¡­¡± Wasn¡¯t it you who asked me to choose?


    However, thanks to Song Ke¡¯s relentless attacks, the territorial awakener was probably spitting blood at the moment, experiencing fluctuations in his awakened energy.


    Zhuang Qingyan drew another cross on the map. Although they wasted some time due to bad luck, they were getting closer to the target.


    In the outskirts of Fenak, in the desolate radiation pit, V587 found the owner of ¡°Blood-Red Building Blocks.¡±


    The opponent was not alone; a row of pure black starships was parked in the distance, and over a hundred awakeners were staring intently, as if waiting for a long time.


    Song Ke noticed that besides the middle-aged man leading the group, there was also a thin and weak young man with a pale face and bloodstains around the collar, staring fiercely at them. It seemed to be the unfortunate territorial awakener.


    ¡°Long time no see.¡± The sickly middle-aged man took the initiative to speak. He carefully examined Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s face, from facial features to every detail, couldn¡¯t help but sigh, ¡°So alike, really alike. No wonder for so many years, no one could find you.¡±


    Lin Youyou and Fang Zhixu had puzzled expressions on their faces. What was the old man muttering about?


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s face remained cold, silently looking at him.


    The man coughed twice, his face waxen. ¡°What? Your appearance has changed, and the etiquette you have had since elementary school has been lost? I came all the way from Utopia, and you¡¯re not even willing to call me Uncle?¡±


    Song Ke slightly widened her eyes. This person claimed to be from Utopia, the floating city that countless people admired?


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s lips curled up, casually speaking, ¡°Long time no see, Uncle.¡±


    Is he really a relative? Lin Youyou thought inwardly, but judging by the situation, it didn¡¯t seem like a reunion between relatives.


    ¡°Since you still acknowledge me as your uncle, then do what you should do.¡± The man breathed heavily, as if he might not catch his breath in the next second. He struggled to lift his hand.


    One of the starship¡¯s rear compartments opened, revealing a giant apparatus with the logo of Qinglan on it.


    ¡°This thing has been sealed for thirteen years. If you unlock it, I¡¯ll let you go.¡±


    ¡°What is that?¡± Song Ke secretly asked the mechanical expert, Lu Xiaoyu.


    Lu Xiaoyu answered, ¡°Obviously, it¡¯s a storage hub.¡±


    Song Ke exclaimed in surprise, ¡°So big?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan looked at the familiar hub, and his smile gradually disappeared, his eyes deepening.


    Seeing that Zhuang Qingyan was still not making a move, the man looked up at the sky. Anxious and excited, his voice trembled as he urged, ¡°Hurry up, unlock the hub before they arrive!¡±


    ¡°Uncle, don¡¯t bother,¡± Zhuang Qingyan mocked with a smirk. ¡°You¡¯re so afraid of death, but aren¡¯t you living quite well?¡±


    ¡°I remember you like philosophy, right? Life is just an illusion; death is the only truth. Don¡¯t believe those rumors. Dying early or dying late, you¡¯ll still die. Why not retire peacefully in Utopia and stay away from these matters¡­¡±


    The man couldn¡¯t contain his anger and shouted his name in utter frustration, ¡°Xie Zhuo!!¡±


    Xie Zhuo.


    These two words were like a spell, casting a momentary silence over the entire scene.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and he reflexively looked at Song Ke.


    But soon, he froze.


    Song Ke was surprisingly the calmest among everyone. There was no hint of surprise on her face, as if she hadn¡¯t heard those two forbidden words. She waved the blade threateningly at the territorial awakener.


    Xie Ping trembled all over, his face turning purple. He was on the verge of fainting, and his assistant quickly handed over a respirator.


    ¡°Do you¡­ do you¡­ after thirteen years, have you never felt any guilt?!¡± he exclaimed.


    ¡°The Eternal Life Project has stagnated because of you. The entire Beijun has remained secluded because of you. Are you so selfish and indifferent, disregarding your father¡¯s wishes, insisting on going your own way, and watching humanity march towards destruction?¡±


    ¡°Uncle, please step aside.¡±


    Song Ke spoke softly, and a burst of blue light flashed in her palm. The blade flew out of her hand, the threat of piercing through the heart of the initiator of ¡°Blood-Red Building Blocks.¡± At the critical moment, another awakener used his body to block the attack.


    Song Ke smiled innocently, her dimples showing. ¡°Hurry up, go home.¡±

 Chapter 179.1: Key (22)

    ¡ò 500 years of imprisonment. ¡òXie Ping¡¯s fingers trembled as he pressed down on the face mask, taking a deep breath.


    The exhaled hot breath blurred the sight, and Song Ke¡¯s figure alternated between clarity and fuzziness. In both appearance and temperament, she didn¡¯t seem like a powerful S7 level. Song Ke had slender shoulders, a small face, and large, round eyes with a standard almond shape. Her smooth chin was tucked into the collar, and her jet-black shoulder-length hair was casually scattered, with a few mischievous strands sticking up.


    She looked like an innocent girl who was unfamiliar with the ways of the world, rather than a ruthless killer who could snap an enemy¡¯s neck with a single move.


    However, she was indeed the biggest obstacle, standing in front of Zhuang Qingyan. The fingertips that had just thrown a deadly knife still emitted a chilling murderous intent.


    Xie Ping took a deep breath, his tone somewhat nostalgic: ¡°You and your father both know how to cozy up to powerful figures.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s graceful thin lips curved slightly, as if he couldn¡¯t hear the sarcasm: ¡°Thanks for the compliment, Uncle has a discerning eye.¡±


    He never felt ashamed of clinging to Song Ke¡¯s thighs; instead, he considered it an honor.


    Xie Ping slowly shook his head, his sickly eyes staring at the familiar face in front of him: ¡°It¡¯s a pity that even if you cozy up to powerful figures, the result is still the same. Your father, until death¡­ no, even after death, can¡¯t find peace.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan stopped smiling, and his cold eyes were as calm as a deep pool.


    ¡°What time is it?¡± Xie Ping didn¡¯t look at him again, turning his head to ask softly.


    ¡°17:58, it¡¯s almost dark,¡± the attendant answered considerately.


    Xie Ping breathed heavily, lifting his eyelids to glance at the sky. Nightfall was imminent, and the radiation concentration continued to increase. Accustomed to the fresh air of Utopia, the pollution and dust in Fenak were too heavy for him.


    ¡°I waited here to persuade you in advance, but now¡­ it seems unnecessary.¡±


    Xie Ping let out a sigh and turned back to the starship: ¡°Take action.¡±


    Dozens of agile figures rushed towards V587 like tigers descending a mountain, their sharp eyebrows lowered. They pulled out tri-edge military daggers from their back waist and charged forward with Song Ke.


    In the melee, Song Ke noticed that the giant central hub was still in place, unable to be retracted into the rear compartment in time. She stared at it directly, contemplating for a moment.


    The goal of this group of people seemed to be getting Zhuang Qingyan to use his authority to open the central hub. Even at the cost of a significant price, they brought this massive machine from afar. If they didn¡¯t want them to succeed, there was actually a simple solution, like¡­ what if the central hub accidentally got damaged?


    Song Ke tightened her waist and abdomen, her back muscles taut. Suddenly, she stepped on the head of a pursuer, leaped high, and the long knife in her palm was about to slash down towards the central hub.


    Xie Yinqi, who had long since hidden in the starship and was the user of ¡°Blood-Red Building Blocks,¡± made eye contact with Song Ke through the porthole, his mouth quirking strangely.


    Song Ke¡¯s eyelids twitched slightly, and she abruptly turned around.


    She had rushed too fast and had distanced herself from Zhuang Qingyan and the others, but turning back would only take three or four seconds.


    However, at this moment, there was a drastic upheaval in the surrounding scene, like disassembled scattered building blocks swiftly moving and reassembling. In the next second, the central hub disappeared, Xie Ping and the others disappeared, Zhuang Qingyan¡­ also disappeared.


    It was as if different layers of a Rubik¡¯s Cube were turning, and everyone was moved to the front, leaving her alone at the back.


    Xie Ping¡¯s final words, ¡°Take action,¡± were not meant to kill Zhuang Qingyan at all. It was an order to the ¡°Blood-Red Building Blocks.¡± No wonder the awakeners who blocked the knife just now was willing to sacrifice himself to protect Xie Yinqi.


    In the vast desolate crater, only Song Ke remained, holding her knife and looking around with a bewildered heart.


    ¡°Xiao Xing? Old Fang? Youyou! Su Cha!¡± She called out the names of her teammates one by one, but the surroundings were empty, and there was no response.


    ¡°Zhuang Qingyan¡­¡±


    Song Ke looked to the left, where a tilted skyscraper hung in mid-air with dust falling. Looking to the right, a half-cut ship rushed up a rugged mountain top, and rocks rolled down. The scenes were surreal and disjointed.


    Song Ke took out the small bee terminal, opened the group chat for V587, but there was no signal. Communication in C26 Fenak, and even B25 Lozan, the entire Loak region, was cut off.


    She closed her eyes, forcing herself to calm down. Suddenly, she thought of something and without hesitation, pulled down the zipper, dragging the jacket along with the shirt to her shoulders. On the inner side of her left arm, a lifelike mechanical ladybug embedded in the skin tissue, its protruding compound eyes turning slightly.


    It works, Song Ke sighed in relief. She then reached for the black collar around her neck and found the microphone, pressing it down. ¡°Lu Xiaoyu!¡±


    Rustle, rustle¡ª


    After a chaotic wave of sound, a familiar voice came through, ¡°Captain?¡±


    ¡°Where are you guys?¡± Song Ke asked urgently.


    Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s response was intermittent, and his tone was not as casual as usual, instead filled with seriousness. ¡°I¡¯ve located your position, 30 kilometers away from us. Zhuang Qingyan speculates that the cooling time for the Blood-Red Building Blocks is around ten minutes. The longer it takes, the farther you might be teleported. Listen to my directions, try to meet up with us as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°Alright, you guys hold on, I¡¯ll be there soon!¡±


    Song Ke was anxious, running in a certain direction. In just two seconds, in the midst of Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s series of ¡°reversed, reversed,¡± she swiftly turned around.


    ¡­


    Taking a lesson from Ye Zheng¡¯s assassination, which couldn¡¯t be reported in time, Lu Xiaoyu had taken precautions and improved their communication devices. Each person had a modified tracking and positioning ladybug implanted in their bodies. This new device he tinkered with used an independent communication frequency, unaffected by terminals, ensuring that V587 could contact each other even in the absence of signals.


    The scene changed, and Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s group of six was teleported elsewhere.


    At the same time, a deep spatial crack was torn open in the surrounding ¡°building blocks¡±, and hundreds of black starships teleported in.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Lin Youyou¡¯s eyelids twitched incessantly, and the addressing system was temporarily confused, ¡°You, you, Xie Zhuang¡­ What kind of trouble did you cause?¡±


    ¡°What, are you scared?¡± Zhuang Qingyan chuckled.


    Lin Youyou choked in her throat, ¡°Not really, it¡¯s not like I haven¡¯t seen the world.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s expression was surprisingly calm, ¡°I told you that you could run anytime, but it¡¯s not safe now. Hold on until the captain arrives.¡±


    The standard starships of the Alliance were uniformly silver-white, while the black starships were reassigned after the retrieval by Yiyu, the exclusive symbol of S-level city like Utopia.


    ¡°Why do you always say such pessimistic words? Are you deliberately trying to provoke me!¡± Lin Youyou stomped her foot in annoyance.


    ¡°Not pessimistic words,¡± Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s eyes gradually darkened. ¡°Be mentally prepared for the worst. The opponent won¡¯t come empty-handed.¡±


    As soon as he finished speaking, nearly a hundred awakeners jumped down from the sky.


    ¡°Prepare for battle,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said coldly.


    ¡­


    Due to the randomness of the blocks, Xu Xing happened to be standing at the edge, facing a young man in a white sportswear with hands in his pockets.


    Xu Xing didn¡¯t dare to be careless. His awakened energy formed into a blizzard, blocking the opponent¡¯s way.


    A cold-blooded assassin would naturally not show mercy to a child.


    ¡°Oh? Ice element?¡± The young man glanced at Xu Xing with interest and then swiftly made his move.


    Rocks shattered, hail the size of cannonballs poured like a torrential rain. Xu Xing condensed an ice shield to withstand the damage, maneuvering and dodging amidst the loud cracking sounds.


    This young man turned out to be an ice-element awakener too, and an S-level one at that.


    Xu Xing treated him as a formidable enemy, his lips turning pale from the pressure.


    ¡­


    Su Cha was blocked by a group of all A-level awakeners. Their faces were unfamiliar, but their aura was very familiar ¨C the cruelty of mercenaries.


    The leading middle-aged woman glanced at the black snake tattoo on Su Cha¡¯s neck and snorted coldly, ¡°Are you a deserter? The Rainforest is ashamed of you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± Su Cha said, his spine straight, each word enunciated.


    ¡°People who legally leave the Rainforest will have their tattoos erased. Do you have the face to say you¡¯re not?¡± Another person looked at him disdainfully.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. Consider it cleaning up a traitor. Our mission this time is to kill you.¡±


    Veins bulged on Su Cha¡¯s hand as he swiftly swung his knife.


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    ¡°Nice to see you again.¡±


    A familiar young man surrounded by the ability ¡°Prism¡± greeted them. Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s gaze fell on his special operations uniform, and after a moment of thought, he suddenly realized, ¡°I don¡¯t remember. Who are you?¡±


    Roy, who had clashed with V587 in Mu City before, fell into silence. Then, he spoke in a deep voice, ¡°I¡¯ve checked you, Lu Xiaoyu. The genius rarely seen in a century, from the Erjia¡¯s Lu family, the first successful modification of the initial genetic selection plan. The last test record was six years ago when you were S5 level. What about now?¡±


    ¡°Been in prison for too long, forgot, why don¡¯t you take a guess?¡± Lu Xiaoyu replied nonchalantly.


    His jet-black hair receded like a tide, revealing a defiant silver glow. His tea-colored eyes turned into inorganic ice blue pupils, as if a dormant withered tree had awakened. Behind Lu Xiaoyu, a towering network of data branches, with a code flood of 101010, emerged.


    Roy, a mere S3 level awakener, was utterly powerless to resist. The prism shattered with a thunderous noise, and he fell to the ground, spitting out blood.


    ¡­


    ¡°Corta,¡± Zhuang Qingyan looked at the approaching awakener and calmly spoke.


    V587 members moved their palms simultaneously, showing a well-coordinated action. Each of them pulled out a large-sized loudspeaker that resembled a sound system, standing apart from each other.


    The six of them acted in unison, first quickly inserting something into their own ears, then pressing the play button.


    The mysterious Corta wave was triggered. The six loudspeakers played simultaneously, making it difficult even for an S-level awakener to resist. Their consciousness gradually dispersed into nothingness, and their steps became stiff, resembling the walking dead. The one in the front clutched their head in pain and stumbled down in an instant.


    The six surrounded individuals finally had a moment to catch their breath.


    Squeak¡ªClang!!


    The ear-piercing noise abruptly stopped. Smoke rose from the six loudspeakers, and the playback program was completely destroyed.


    A person walked slowly from the distant landing starship, or rather, it shouldn¡¯t be called a ¡°person¡± because he was just a clear holographic projection.


    A man with silver hair, ice blue eyes, wearing frameless glasses, appearing to be around forty years old. He exuded an elegant temperament, but at this moment, his brow was furrowed, and his face was filled with anger. ¡°You evildoer, why don¡¯t you come back with me and confess your sins!¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s movements halted, and he sneered mockingly, lifting the corner of his mouth, ¡°Hey, Mr. Patriarch.¡±


    The person who arrived was none other than the magistrate of District B8 Erjia, Lu Qiusuo.


    Lu Qiusuo no longer had a physical body. He could manifest as a solid projection here, and there was only one possibility. Lu Xiaoyu thought of this and looked up at the starship he came out of. There was a chilling gaze through Lu Qiusuo¡¯s eyes, accurately locking onto him.


    ¡°I see you.¡±


    A sigh seemed to resonate from the depths of the soul.


    Clearly gentle, yet it made Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s hair stand on end.

 Chapter 179.2: Key (22)

    ¡ò 500 years of imprisonment ¡òXu Xing rolled backward, trying to evade, but he didn¡¯t manage to completely dodge it. A sharp pain surged like an electric shock to his ankle. With a thud, he fell awkwardly to the ground.


    His entire lower leg was frozen in place, and due to the freezing effect, he didn¡¯t feel anything at first. Until a clear ¡°crack¡± sound came, Xu Xing knew that his lower leg was broken.


    Like a young lion resisting stubbornly despite numerous wounds, Xu Xing struggled to climb up. Without shouting or crying, his big eyes held tears. He knew it wasn¡¯t the time to cry now, enduring the urge to drop golden beans. He just stared fiercely at the white-clad youth.


    ¡°Not bad, stronger than I was at your age. Give you another ten years, maybe you can reach S-level.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, not all children are fortunate enough to grow up,¡± the white-clad youth squatted in front of him, gripping Xu Xing¡¯s chin. His words were venomous, like snake hisses. ¡°You can only live until today.¡±


    Sharp ice blades condensed into a massive pair of scissors, aiming at Xu Xing¡¯s tender neck. It was about to fall when¡­


    ¡°Thinking of you, every day is sunny~ Casting warmth into my heart~¡±


    At a critical moment, an ethereal voice rang out, and a golden sun rose in the area where the two were, growing increasingly hot. In an instant, it melted the scissor made of ice and snow. The scene of a sun rising in the dark night was already incredibly strange. With the glaring light becoming more and more dazzling, the white-clad youth sweated profusely and instinctively raised his hand to shield his eyes.


    It was then that Fang Zhixu rushed over, scooped up Xu Xing, and ran away with him in his arms.


    Xu Xing hugged his shoulders, unable to hold back his sobs. ¡°I can¡¯t beat him¡­ I¡¯m so useless¡­¡±


    Fang Zhixu awkwardly patted Xu Xing¡¯s head, and when he touched his dislocated leg, he quickly fixed it with a click.


    ¡­


    ¡°Xie Zuo¡­ Xie Zuo¡­ I¡¯m here¡­ I¡¯m here¡­¡±


    Someone was calling his name.


    Across the distant space, Zhuang Qingyan met the gaze of a brown-haired, green-eyed woman holding a slowly swinging clock in her hand. In that instant of eye contact, ripples appeared in Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s pupils, and his gaze couldn¡¯t move away.


    Gentle mental power, like a tiny brush, resonated in his mind.


    The other party should be an S-level awakener of the mental ability. Ability: ¡°Hypnosis.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s eyes were clear, and he smiled at her. The corner of his mouth was cold. In the next moment, the cold and merciless mental power entered her mind, crushing everything ruthlessly. No one noticed that two mental awakeners were engaged in a life-and-death battle. The brown-haired woman on the starship had her pupils shrink, gradually turning into a straight line, and she fell backward stiffly.


    The clock in her hand hit the ground, stopping its ticking.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s blood surged, suppressing the bloody air in his throat.


    ¡­


    ¡°Mr. Gu! Sophia is dead!¡±


    The scene was transmitted back to a seemingly inconspicuous starship in the fleet. The shadow silently waved his hand, and the guards took away the body of the deceased hypnotist.


    The communication interface sounded: ¡°The Key has participated in the Genetic Optimization Plan. The registration information at that time was ¡®unsuccessful.¡¯ Now, it seems that he should be an early awakener.¡±


    ¡°Mental awakeners lack effective attack methods. They only gain the ability to deliver a fatal blow when condensing their abilities to a certain degree.¡±


    Sophia, the deceased hypnotist, was an S5-level awakener in Utopia.


    The fact that the Key was an awakener had already surprised them, but no one expected his level to be above S5.


    ¡°Mr. Gu, do you need me to take action¡­¡±


    The shadow interrupted the person on the other end of the communication: ¡°No, extracting memories from him will result in loss. I need complete information.¡±


    ¡°I want to clearly understand what the core secrets of the Fire Seed were back then.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°What about the storage hub of the Xie family?¡±


    ¡°Arrival in two minutes and fifteen seconds.¡± Every time the ¡°Blood-Red Building Block¡± was activated, it required a ten-minute cooldown. After the next recombination, Xie Yinji would teleport the hub.


    Two minutes later, the space twisted again, and more than a dozen starships appeared in the sky. Another secret communication connected.


    ¡°Mr. Gu, Xie Ping has made some moves behind the scenes. He wants to contact the Key privately.¡±


    Mr. Gu¡¯s voice was calm: ¡°Let him be. Xie Ping doesn¡¯t understand his nephew, and even less so his niece. Even if they have blood ties, the other party won¡¯t surrender peacefully.¡±


    ¡­


    Another recombination occurred, and five S-level awakeners descended from the sky, rushing towards Zhuang Qingyan. Their hair and eyes varied, but without exception, they were powerful attack-type awakeners, with levels ranging from S5 to S6.


    In the dim light, half of Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s face was shrouded in shadow, and a handsome smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.


    ¡°Are you all international mercenaries? Let me guess, you received a commission from Utopia? Why are you meddling in the internal affairs of the New Asia Alliance? This mission is tough and unrewarding. Be careful, there might be no return, and the reward might be your life. Think about it carefully. If it were really easy, why wouldn¡¯t the Alliance take it, and instead it falls to you?¡±


    His words seemed to carry an inexplicable fascination. Those who heard them felt their minds confused, their thoughts swaying as if¡­ there was a twisted logic?


    Zhuang Qingyan observed the surrounding environment intently, preparing to find an opening to escape when his pupils suddenly contracted.


    A metal cable pierced through the air, moving at an extremely fast speed with no escape possible.


    At the critical moment, Lin Youyou applied a speed boost buff, and Zhuang Qingyan rolled in a distressed manner, his shirt stained with blood and stains. The fierce iron chain brushed past his ear, turning sharply and stabbing straight at him. Golden-rimmed glasses fell to the ground, shattered in the chaos, and Su Cha emerged from the shadows, blocking with a sword. His six-foot tall figure flew out like a cannonball, rolling dozens of meters away and crashing heavily to the ground.


    The iron chain gradually condensed into a human shape, and a teenager wearing a vulture uniform appeared before everyone.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be fooled; he¡¯s just a smooth talker,¡± a voice warned.


    The teenager¡¯s eyes showed no emotion, his skin pale, and the emblem on his chest so dark it seemed to have absorbed much blood.


    Zhuang Qingyan frowned deeply; he couldn¡¯t sense the teenager¡¯s awakened energy, and a chill climbed up his spine.


    ¡ªThis is an S7.


    Fang Zhixu helped up the fallen Su Cha and quickly treated him.


    ¡°Kill the healer,¡± the teenager said coldly.


    Surrounding awakeners woke up like from a dream, launching attacks without hesitation.


    The short Xu Xing suddenly rushed over, desperately creating an ice wall to block the attacks. However, being only A1 level, even if he exerted all his strength, how could he withstand a group of S-level individuals? The ice wall shattered into debris in less than a second, and both Xu Xing and Fang Zhixu were sent flying.


    The S-level ice-element awakener¡¯s eyes erupted with cruel light. ¡°Little brat, die.¡±


    Swish¡ª


    A dark blue spear descended from above, piercing through the heart of the white-clad youth, pinning him in midair.


    The fierce force dragged him for over ten meters, finally deeply embedding him into the soil.


    The man looked in shock at his chest, gasping in pain. Before he could catch his breath, his breathing was cut off. S?a??h th? ??v?lF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Dead.


    The whole scene was shocking.


    A slender figure appeared at the edge of the building blocks, with two huge spiritual weapons originally crossed on her back, one now missing.


    She had already taken off her coat, drenched in sweat, her jet-black hair sticking to her fair neck, showing signs of exhaustion from a long journey.


    It was Song Ke.


    The building blocks had a sequence of movement, and Xie Yinquan couldn¡¯t assemble all the blocks to the desired positions at once. He had exhausted all his efforts to minimize the time, but Song Ke¡¯s pursuit speed far exceeded his imagination.


    Awakeners on the scene stared at the panting S7 level in disbelief, involuntarily taking a step back.


    Song Ke helped up Su Cha, Fang Zhixu, and Xu Xing, then turned her head and gave Zhuang Qingyan a seemingly indifferent glance.


    Zhuang Qingyan: ¡°You know¡­¡±


    Song Ke raised her hand to interrupt him, ¡°Hoo¡­ hoo¡­ I know.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan paused, shook his head with a smile, ¡°When did you know?¡±


    ¡°Uh,¡± Song Ke tilted her head, ¡°Well, that someone, Lu Xiaoyu, told me.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu, who finally arrived and saw the captain: ¡°???¡±


    The air seemed to freeze as Song Ke casually walked to the side of the ice-element awakener¡¯s corpse, slowly pulling out the dark blue spear.


    ¡°1, 2, 3¡­¡± she even earnestly counted a circle, creating a more imposing scene than when she fought against Ye Zheng¡¯s assassins.


    The ¡°Blood-Red Building Blocks¡± refresh time arrived, and another scene was pieced together, with a dozen or so awakeners jumping down.


    Real Simon sat in one of the starships, eagerly watching Song Ke.


    Because she wasn¡¯t wearing a coat, the wound on her abdomen was clearly visible, with only a gruesome scar and no bleeding.


    Strange lights flickered in Simon¡¯s eyes as he muttered to himself, ¡°I know, I know what her second ability is.¡±


    Simon had conducted a thorough study on dual ability awakeners, including his subordinate Punk, and the diviner Veronica.


    Dual abilities, one manifest and one hidden, would not be of the same type due to magnetic field relationships. If the manifest ability is an attacking type, then the hidden ability could only be support, control, or body enhancement.


    Based on existing evidence, Song Ke couldn¡¯t have awakened two powerful attack abilities. It was deduced that her hidden ability was the body enhancement ability ¡°Body Healing.¡± This meant that their originally planned conventional methods couldn¡¯t kill her!


    However, Punk had almost killed Song Ke before, and Simon¡¯s fingers spasmed with excitement.


    The other person present at that time was Azure Phoenix. With strict military discipline, Azure Phoenix hadn¡¯t disclosed the secret, meaning he was the only one here who knew how to kill Song Ke.


    Simon¡¯s hooked nose twitched rapidly, his legs shaking on the seat.


    ¡°Commander, do you want to contact Mr. Gu for communication?¡± the secretary beside him asked softly.


    ¡°No, wait for a while,¡± Simon subconsciously stopped her, ¡°Wait for the best opportunity.¡±


    Approaching quarter past six, the sky had turned completely dark, and a resonant synthesized voice echoed through the loudspeakers for everyone to hear:


    ¡°As per the approval of the Supreme Prosecutor¡¯s Office of the New Asia Alliance, the first-level wanted criminal Xie Zhuo, male, 28 years old, biological ID: NOC1100520, native of Beijun, born on September 15th, New Calendar year 19, is now under arrest.¡±


    ¡°Xie Zhuo, thirteen years ago, illicitly fled with classified information. With conclusive evidence, based on legal standards, you are charged with crimes against humanity, anti-social crimes, illegally exploiting state secrets for personal gain, with extremely heinous circumstances never seen before. You will be arrested and sentenced to 500 years of imprisonment.¡±


    The sky was filled with black starships, and below was the abandoned city of Loak. This place was far from the mainland, remote and desolate, devoid of any signs of life.


    Seven figures stood within the encirclement, destined for a confrontation with a vast difference in strength.


    Song Ke regained her composure, wiped the blood off the long spear, and chuckled softly, ¡°500 years, that¡¯s a bit much.¡±


    She turned her head, clear eyes looking at Zhuang Qingyan, with a small dimple forming on her cheek.


    ¡°There¡¯s something I lied about.¡±


    ¡°Sorry.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan raised his gaze to meet hers, his handsome features deep and profound. His voice was husky, and facing Song Ke, he found it difficult to speak, ¡°What is it?¡±


    Song Ke didn¡¯t answer immediately; she turned her head to stretch her shoulders, muttering continuously, ¡°Blame you, I rarely lie, but because of you, I¡¯ve been corrupted.¡±


    A year ago, that night they returned from the U-Lab laboratory.


    The two who hadn¡¯t yet become close sat side by side at the end of the apartment bed, looking at the hazy night outside. Zhuang Qingyan asked her:


    ¡°If one day, the entire Alliance is after me, everyone wants me dead, what would you do?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Would you save me?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Would you?¡±


    At that time, Song Ke looked into his eyes and shook her head firmly:


    ¡°No.¡±


    A year later, Song Ke slowly removed her isolation mask. The slight radiation stimulation caused her blood vessels to burn, and her awakened energy kept surging. The environment here faintly brought back a familiar feeling.


    Her eyes glowed with a blue light. Song Ke no longer restrained herself. The terrifying pressure erupted like an explosion, magnificent and vast. The world changed its colors, the instruments inside hundreds of starships went haywire, lights flickered, and the awakeners paled.


    ¡°This is¡­ S8?!¡±


    For a while, terrified shouts echoed through the sky.

 Chapter 180.1: Key (23)

    ¡ò I can activate the central hub ¡òAs night fell, with dim moonlight, District C26 Fenak fell into a silent stillness.


    ¡°Three Grandsons and One Grandpa¡± dashed along the border but always inexplicably shifted, unable to leave for a long time.


    Fan Peng was alternately carried on the back by Xiao Chen and Qiong Mingcheng, and the straight back of Duanmu Qi appeared intermittently in front of them.


    Although he had lost his right arm, Fan Peng could still feel the phantom limb¡¯s piercing pain. Fan Peng sweated profusely and smiled reassuringly at his companions, ¡°I remember¡­ when the apocalypse just arrived, you guys carried me like this.¡±


    At the beginning of the apocalypse, Fan Peng lay in bed with a high fever. His mother went out to find medicine and never came back. Outside the bedroom were zombies banging on the door. When he was desperate and ready to die, his childhood friend Duanmu Qi, with Xiao Chen and Qiong Mingcheng, smashed the anti-theft window and broke in.


    The three of them were also feverish, but without saying a word, they picked him up and escaped. Xiao Chen¡¯s legs were shaking when he carried him, and Qiong Mingcheng even held a rolling pin. Fan Peng lived in a densely populated old city area, and looking down from the window was full of zombies. They supported each other and fought their way out.


    After finally finding a shelter, the four of them collapsed on the ground, each more miserable than the other. The roar of zombies echoed in their ears, and Fan Peng, who still had a persistent fever, thought in a daze, ¡°This damn life is too bitter. If I can survive this, I¡¯ll definitely find a quiet place to sleep.¡±


    However, the world is tough, and even such a simple wish is hard to fulfill. Even though they awakened supernatural abilities, they were not omnipotent. The refuge they found soon fell victim to the zombie tide, forcing Fan Peng to wander, but fortunately, the four of them always stayed together.


    Qiong Mingcheng clenched his teeth, patted Fan Peng¡¯s back, and said hoarsely, ¡°Pengzi, you are not allowed to sleep!¡±


    They had been on the run for more than half an hour, experiencing three scene changes. Because he didn¡¯t receive any treatment, Fan Peng¡¯s breath became weaker and weaker.


    Fan Peng mumbled, ¡°Brother Chen, let¡¯s discuss something. When we get to District B, let me¡­ share a room with Aqi.¡±


    Xiao Chen suddenly lowered his head, his voice choked, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll let you.¡±


    Fan Peng¡¯s consciousness was already hazy. District B, ah, after a year of struggle, they finally accumulated enough points to go to District B.


    In a vague hallucination, Fan Peng saw the bonfire burning on that night in Huangyuan, and heard Song Ke vividly narrating. She said that people could sunbathe in the sunshine at the Northern Base, the Garden Apartments were given for free, big and beautiful, the three-dimensional subway was easy to get dizzy on, it¡¯s best to sit in the back row for the first time.


    What else was there? Oh, remembered¡­ there¡¯s also an underground entertainment space specifically for activities of awakeners, but you have to follow the rules, or else an organization called the ¡°Awakener Department¡± will take you away and lock you up.


    Fan Peng silently grinned, he was sure to follow the rules. In the ¡°Three Grandsons and One Grandpa,¡± he was the most rule-abiding. s?a??h th? ?0velF?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Approaching the Fenak border once again, triggered by an unknown factor, the surrounding scenes rearranged like building blocks, and the four were transported to an unfamiliar place.


    ¡°Oh, damn it!¡± Duanmu Qi abruptly stopped, cursing with red eyes because in front of them, there were pursuers dressed in vulture uniforms.


    The black-clad woman with the codename ¡°Blood Bat¡± squinted her slender eyes, without a word, an invisible kite string slipped from her hand.


    ¡°Remember¡­ go to District B for me.¡±


    No one expected that Fan Peng would suddenly slide down from Qiong Mingcheng¡¯s back and forcefully push the three of them, saying, ¡°Go quickly!¡±


    His awakened energy erupted, bravely rushing towards the opponent. Blood Bat raised her wrist, pulled inwards, the kite string tightened, instantly cutting through the skin, severing veins, embedding deeply into flesh and blood. Fan Peng¡¯s robust body was dismembered inch by inch, and the pieces of flesh fell like flower petals.


    Those kite strings were finally dyed a blood-like crimson, the attack trajectory revealing no escape.


    Fan Peng used death to exchange a glimmer of hope for his companions.


    Xiao Chen and Qiong Mingcheng dodged with difficulty, their eyes almost tearing apart, ¡°Pengzi!!¡±


    Duanmu Qi¡¯s heart was twisted like a knife, but he still gritted his teeth and took out the last crystal quickly, swiftly inserting it into the groove.


    A flash of light, the camping lamp came into play, and the three were about to escape. The Wolf Spider¡¯s gaze turned cold, lips moving, a phantom of a patterned spider shrouded the camping lamp, spitting out a strong corrosive secretion from its silk sac. Tiny cracks appeared on the surface of the level 4 crystal, and spatial ability faintly fluctuated.


    Qiong Mingcheng¡¯s pupils contracted, swinging his knife to shatter the patterned spider. The phantom screamed in agony, and its pincers pierced through his fingernails.


    Random teleportation took effect, and the three disappeared on the spot.


    The Wolf Spider reported hoarsely, ¡°Two left, continue the pursuit.¡±


    He nonchalantly considered Qiong Mingcheng as good as dead, having been affected by the corrosive toxin of the patterned spider, that guy wouldn¡¯t survive.


    Blood Bat retracted her ability, her expression indifferent. ¡°The activation condition for that device is a level 4 crystal. They won¡¯t escape many times.¡±


    Just an ordinary B-level team, how many precious level 4 crystals could they possibly have? They were destined to die sooner or later.


    Gazing coldly at Fan Peng¡¯s mutilated corpse, Gustav, who was observing from the sidelines, couldn¡¯t help but frown. The special task force was also mobilized to participate in this siege, and he wasn¡¯t clear about the full details of the mission. However, he felt sincere disgust at working alongside the vultures. These people were cold-blooded and selfish, resorting to any means necessary. Compared to the highly esteemed Azure Phoenix, they were like rats in a gutter, always criticized and despised.


    In the ¡°Three Grandsons and One Grandpa,¡± they fell into an abandoned radiation sinkhole, quickly getting back on their feet.


    ¡°No more crystals,¡± Duanmu Qi said with a solemn expression. ¡°Don¡¯t head towards the border. There¡¯s a domain-type awakener here, we must figure out a way to break through first.¡±


    Xiao Chen wiped his face and saw Qiong Mingcheng on the opposite side seemingly lost in thought. ¡°Mingcheng, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Ah? Nothing,¡± Qiong Mingcheng replied, clenching his fist behind his back.


    After investigating separately, Xiao Chen and Duanmu Qi reunited. ¡°Aqi, there are signs of a battle nearby, like those left by V587.¡±


    Duanmu Qi thought for a moment. ¡°The land should be randomly shifting. Let¡¯s try to stay at the edge; maybe we¡¯ll run into them.¡±


    Xiao Chen nodded. ¡°No time to waste, let¡¯s go.¡±


    Just as the two were about to find Qiong Mingcheng, someone softly called their names from behind, ¡°Aqi, Brother Chen¡­¡±


    Qiong Mingcheng half of his body melted into the shadows, unmoving, his face unusually pale.


    ¡°Mingcheng, come over quickly; let¡¯s leave this place,¡± Duanmu Qi urged.


    Qiong Mingcheng grinned, looking worse than crying. ¡°I might, like Pengzi, not be able to go to District B either.¡±


    Duanmu Qi and Xiao Chen¡¯s expressions froze. ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?¡±


    Qiong Mingcheng took a step forward, revealing his entire figure, and in a short time, half of his body had turned into corpse water.


    What was initially just a minor wound from piercing his fingernail, the intense corrosion had taken away his life.


    Qiong Mingcheng, with tears in his eyes, looked at his dear friends with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s better now. No need to argue. The two of you can share a room.¡±


    ¡°You must, you must strive¡­ to survive.¡±


    The corrosion speed increased rapidly, and the two helplessly watched as Qiong Mingcheng turned into a puddle of corpse water before their eyes.


    ¡°No¡ª!!!¡±


    With companions dying one after another, the instantaneous despair overwhelmed Duanmu Qi. He screamed, and thorns uncontrollably slammed into the ground.


    Xiao Chen¡¯s chest heaved, tightly holding onto Duanmu Qi¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Aqi, don¡¯t let them down¡­¡±


    Duanmu Qi clutched the camping lamp, his fingertips trembling. After a long silence, he said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    *


    Song Ke stood in front of Zhuang Qingyan, facing the siege of five S5 to S6 awakeners alone. She carried two enormous weapons on her back, standing still like a trapped beast. However, her expression remained calm, and although the trapped beast trembled, the awakeners were shocked and speechless.


    ¡ªS8.


    ¡ªS8, the powerful attack-type awakener.


    ¡ªThis would be an unprecedented fierce battle.


    They were all foreign mercenaries, well aware that, not only the New Asia Alliance but the person in front of them probably represented the world¡¯s highest combat power.


    No one dared to take it lightly. The five simultaneously launched their strongest attack abilities, deadly attacks aimed at Song Ke and Zhuang Qingyan. The overlapping brilliance of their abilities made it impossible to open their eyes, instantly engulfing Song Ke¡¯s slender figure.


    Five super attacks, a surging tide of energy, enough to level everything, even the strongest defense type awakener would likely be crushed into pieces.


    Boom¡ªBoom¡ª!!


    The collision of multiple attacks produced an earth-shattering explosion, and dense black smoke rose into the night sky.


    ¡°It¡­ it worked!¡± The awakeners rejoiced, blurting out.


    The world¡¯s first S8 level, killed so easily by them?


    But in the next second, a faint blue light streaked through the rolling thick smoke. A massive shield appeared out of thin air, rotating rapidly, absorbing all the damage in an instant. The violent explosion subsided abruptly, and the remaining awakened energy crackled.


    Then, a fair and beautiful hand extended from the edge, snapped its fingers, and the shield split into numerous arrow feathers, sweeping forward. The five awakeners retreated in a panic, looking at her in disbelief, exclaiming in shock, ¡°How is this possible, no medium transformation?!¡±


    Metal manipulation was universally recognized as a powerful attack-type ability. They had seen awakeners who could transform objects into weapons, but without exception, they required a medium. However, Song Ke was different. It was as if she had transcended this limitation, exhibiting a mesmerizing control over awakened energy. Even without direct contact with objects, the surrounding radiation could be utilized by her to condense into any weapon according to her will.


    The smoke cleared, and Song Ke stood in place. She casually patted Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s dusty shirt. ¡°It¡¯s going to get messy; stay back a bit.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan rubbed Song Ke¡¯s burned back with his fingertips, his eyes darkened. Still, he obediently responded, ¡°I¡¯ll listen to you. Be careful.¡±


    Song Ke moved forward slowly, adjusting her neck and wrists as she walked. ¡°It¡¯s my turn now.¡±


    As soon as she spoke, she effortlessly pulled out a long spear with one hand. Like a cheetah, she swiftly pounced forward. With extreme speed and strength, the opponent had no time to react. The sharp spear had already pierced through the enemy¡¯s throat, blood splattering.


    ¡°First one,¡± Song Ke counted.


    A yellow earth ring rose from under her feet, firmly imprisoning her arms, making her unable to move. Song Ke¡¯s foot tapped lightly, quickly stepping forward, and with the explosive power of her waist and abdomen, she bent her knee! Kicked the opponent¡¯s chin! ¡°Crack¡±¡ªthe crisp sound of bones breaking echoed, and broken teeth mixed with half of the tongue fell. The lower half of the person¡¯s face instantly became a bloody mess.


    Although Song Ke¡¯s arms were bound, it did not affect her movements. She pivoted on her foot, performing a quick turnaround like a swallow. She leaped into the air and executed a spinning kick! The third person was kicked away, and the sole of her foot suddenly revealed a shiny wolf-tooth knife. She fiercely chopped down! The opponent was cut off from bottom to top, the spine severed, blood and internal organs spurted into the air, dripping down in a mist of blood.


    In the blood mist, Song Ke¡¯s expression was icy, her face like a fierce demon.


    ¡°Second one,¡± she continued to count.


    Her feet never stopped, and her hands were not idle either. She held a blue blade between her fingertips, cutting back and forth, skillfully carving out a small opening with her powerful ability. Then, she freed up her hand, drew a cold and elegant jagged blade, and with a swift motion, the blade glittered with cold light. Overwhelming with absolute force, the sturdy earth ring crumbled. The earth-element awakener spat out blood from his mouth, and Song Ke, with a swift motion, cut off his head.


    ¡°Third one.¡±


    The desperate mercenary turned the surroundings into mud. Song Ke lifted her leg to sweep away the mud, covering everyone¡¯s vision. She hooked the dropped long spear with her toes, kicked it up, and grabbed the collar of one person with her hand. Head down, she pressed it into the muddy ground. The spear tip pierced through his chest.


    ¡°Fourth one.¡±


    The awakener with the mangled chin tried to turn and run, but suddenly his mind went blank. Zhuang Qingyan remained calm, and with one stroke, he stabbed into his head.


    Blood soaked through the light-colored shirt, and the handsome face revealed a hint of cold ruthlessness.


    ¡°Fifth one.¡± Zhuang Qingyan followed Song Ke in counting.


    Shaking off the mud, Song Ke looked at Zhuang Qingyan with a playful smile, as if to say, ¡°You¡¯re dirty too.¡±


    With bodies strewn about and blood forming a river, the five top-level awakeners died on the spot. Who was the hunter? Who was the prey?


    Just as a slight smile appeared on Song Ke¡¯s lips, her expression froze in an instant.


    A deadly iron chain swooped down, its chilling murderous intent almost tangible. Song Ke shifted her body to dodge, and the chain quickly turned back, heading towards Zhuang Qingyan. Hindered by the heavy mud, Song Ke jumped out without hesitation, throwing herself to protect Zhuang Qingyan. The spikes on the chain grazed her left shoulder, tearing off a layer of flesh.


    The S7 teenager from Vulture appeared in place, his emotionless gaze fixed on Song Ke. In standard Alliance language, he said, ¡°You have weaknesses, and those with weaknesses are destined to lose.¡±


    The blood from her shoulder dripped onto Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s jade-like face. Song Ke smiled at him and used her sleeve to wipe away the blood.


    She rolled over and stood up. ¡°I won¡¯t lose.¡±


    In the high-altitude starship fleet, an impromptu command meeting was underway.


    ¡°At the moment, it seems that Song Ke¡¯s desire to protect the Key is too strong. It¡¯s challenging to interrogate her by bypassing this.¡±


    ¡°She registered as an S7 not long ago. How could she rise so quickly?¡±


    ¡°Could there be a breakthrough in Ning Rong¡¯s research?¡± someone murmured.


    The promotion of S-level awakeners not only relied on accumulated strength but also on opportunities. The average time for each level from S1 to S5 required three to five years. S6 and above levels were even more unpredictable. Song Ke, not being an early awakener, started at S7. Yet, who could easily ascend from S7 to S8 within just a year?


    The shadowy figure, ¡°Mr. Gu,¡± gazed at the ever-changing spiritual weapons in Song Ke¡¯s hands through the screen.


    ¡°We can¡¯t let her freely transform. ¡®Iron Chain¡¯ will be used to restrain her first. Is ¡®Flame¡¯ on its way?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s on the way and expected to arrive in seventeen minutes and thirty-one seconds.¡±


    Seventeen minutes and thirty-one seconds, roughly the gap between two activations of ¡°Blood-Red Building Blocks.¡±

 Chapter 180.2: Key (23)

    ¡ò I can activate the central hub ¡òBang, bang¡ª!


    The bodies on the ground constantly exploded with blood blossoms, and the sharp edges of the surrounding scenes diminished, becoming more rounded.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s expression became solemn. As long as the ¡°Blood-Red Building Blocks¡± existed, everything happening here would remain unknown, and they had to find a way to decipher it.


    The teenager, Iron Chain, stared darkly at Song Ke, and a strange smile curled on his lips. ¡°Is that so? But your teammates have already lost.¡±


    Song Ke abruptly turned her head.


    The situation of Lin Youyou and others was indeed not very good. It turned out that Fang Zhixu and Xu Xing were like little white rabbits in a pack of wolves, huddling together trembling.


    A group of fierce awakeners rushed over. Lu Xiaoyu wielded the mechanical arm, while Zhuang Qingyan attacked with mental power to both attack and rescue.


    Iron Chain spoke and transformed into a weapon again, entangling her like a shadow. She could only defend while saving others.


    Song Ke rushed in front of Xu Xing like lightning using a horizontal slash to force the enemy back. However, in a moment of distraction, the dark tip pierced through her right forearm. Ignoring the injury, she swung the cold and jagged blade steadily, cutting through the chains with a deafening roar, and both of them retreated.


    Song Ke looked down, and Xu Xing¡¯s fair arms were covered in scars, dripping with blood.


    ¡°Does it hurt?¡± she asked softly.


    ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t hurt!¡± Xu Xing replied resolutely.


    ¡°Can you still walk on your legs?¡±


    Xu Xing¡¯s lower leg had just been dislocated by the ice ability, even though Fang Zhixu helped to set it back, he couldn¡¯t use it forcefully for a while. It hurt when he tried to stand.


    ¡°Sister, I¡¯m fine!¡± Xu Xing shouted loudly. He knew the situation was critical, so he comforted Song Ke in return.


    Song Ke patted his fluffy head, looked up at Fang Zhixu. His face was somewhat pale due to excessive use of abilities.


    ¡°You¡¯re injured, let me treat you,¡± Fang Zhixu said hastily.


    ¡°No need, save some energy,¡± Song Ke pressed down his hand.


    The small wounds on her back had already healed. She placed the two of them next to Zhuang Qingyan and Lu Xiaoyu, turned around to support Lin Youyou.


    At this moment, Lin Youyou was too busy to take care of herself. Her face was full of shock and anger. There was actually a sound-type awakener specifically countering her. Her ability relied on lyrics, but as soon as she sang a few words, the opponent wailed like ghosts and howled like wolves. Lin Youyou¡¯s lips were forcibly sealed, and she struggled to speak.


    Without support, Su Cha struggled alone against A-level and S-level opponents, covered in wounds. Fang Zhixu couldn¡¯t treat him in time.


    Song Ke descended from the sky, kicking away the strongest S-level with one foot. As soon as she landed, she pressed the face of the middle-aged woman targeting Su Cha into the ground, snapped her neck, and then with a quick turn of her hand, thousands of plum blossom darts condensed out of thin air, piercing through the opponents instantly.


    ¡°(1215, 675, 988), (771, 1008, 321).¡±


    In the earpiece, Zhuang Qingyan suddenly reported two coordinates. These were the calculated coordinates of the ¡°Blood-Red Building Blocks¡± linked core. Once one set of coordinates moved, the other set would be next. If they wanted to escape, they just needed to wait for the ¡°blocks¡± to move and seize the opportunity to step into another edge, immediately teleporting away.


    Song Ke turned her head to meet his gaze. Apart from the two coordinates, Zhuang Qingyan didn¡¯t say anything else.


    Lin Youyou and others looked confused, but Song Ke instantly understood his intention.


    Perhaps during this trip, Zhuang Qingyan had already sensed something, which was why he repeatedly reminded his teammates, ¡°If there¡¯s danger, you can escape.¡± Even in dire situations, he would find a way to create opportunities.


    At a distance neither too far nor too near, Song Ke nodded firmly at him.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s eyes softened, and he smiled beautifully.


    Crash! The ruins underfoot collapsed. Song Ke blocked a fatal blow for Su Cha, but her thigh was grazed by an iron chain, tearing off a large piece of flesh.


    ¡°Captain!¡±


    ¡°Song Ke!!¡±


    ¡°Song Ke?!¡±


    Three different exclamations sounded simultaneously.


    Clatter, the ¡°Blood-Red Building Blocks¡± reconfigured.


    Following the sound, Song Ke looked toward the third voice and coincidentally locked eyes with the dazed Duanmu Qi and Xiao Chen. In an instant, she understood their situation.


    Duanmu Qi suddenly realized that the mission target of these people was V587, which is why they were treated as ¡°witnesses¡± and eliminated.


    Song Ke also understood. Once a domain-type ability descended, it would form an independent space. ¡°Three Grandsons and One Grandpa¡± failed to escape in time and were implicated by them.


    Suddenly, she thought of something and looked at Duanmu Qi again.


    Duanmu Qi tightly held the camping lantern in his arms, covered in cutting wounds all over his body, with pursuers vaguely visible behind him.


    Originally, he was silently screaming, ¡°Save¡­ save¡­¡± But upon seeing the scene before him, he suddenly fell silent, his eyes revealing despair.


    V587¡¯s situation was not much better, no, even worse.


    In less than a fraction of a second, Song Ke made a decision.


    She raised her hand, conjuring a giant fan. With a heavy sweep, dust and smoke filled the air, further blurring the already chaotic vision.


    Song Ke gripped Lin Youyou¡¯s hand and quickly said, ¡°Next teleportation, go to the coordinates and leave.¡±


    ¡°Song Ke¡¯er? Why are you like this too?¡± Lin Youyou¡¯s cheeks flushed. ¡°No, I won¡¯t go. What is this? This is¡­ betrayal.¡±


    With Su Cha¡¯s talent for hiding, blending into the environment was not a problem. He could keep Lin Youyou safe for a while, and as soon as the user of the ¡°Blood-Red Building Blocks¡± died, they could escape.


    Song Ke looked at her calmly, shaking her head earnestly. ¡°The Mirror Lake matter has been settled; you don¡¯t owe me.¡±


    ¡°We are teammates.¡±


    Lin Youyou¡¯s tears blurred instantly. Song Ke knew, even after so long, there had always been a knot in her heart.


    ¡°I can¡¯t protect everyone.¡±


    ¡°Listen to the captain and leave first.¡± Song Ke smiled at Lin Youyou, like the adorable appearance she had when they first met. ¡°Find a way to send a message.¡±


    Su Cha wanted to say something, but Song Ke slapped him on the forehead and pushed him to Lin Youyou¡¯s side. ¡°Wait for me outside.¡±


    Watching the two run towards the coordinates, Song Ke turned to find Lu Xiaoyu. ¡°Lu¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going,¡± Lu Xiaoyu spoke first. ¡°I have something I must do. Don¡¯t stop me.¡±


    His gaze was incredibly calm, faintly revealing an extreme madness.


    As the dust settled, endless attacks continued to approach. Song Ke no longer insisted, pressing down on Fang Zhixu and Xu Xing¡¯s wrists. In their moment of distraction, she lifted one with each hand.


    Pass!


    Two people were thrown into Duanmu Qi and Xiao Chen¡¯s arms, subconsciously catching them.


    Blood Bat and Wolf Spider chased after them. Without a second thought, Song Ke¡¯s upper arm muscles surged, and the cold and jagged blade flew into the air, sweeping through the enemy. Faced with absolutely domineering awakened ability, the kite string and corrosive spider were nothing, all shattered to pieces.


    Reaching into the space, Song Ke pulled out a tightly sealed hemp bag, tossing it to Duanmu Qi. ¡°Take them and leave.¡±


    The crimson light almost pierced through the surface, shocking Duanmu Qi into a daze. It was clearly¡ª at least two hundred or more Level 4 crystals.


    As they proudly displayed the life-saving treasure, Song Ke wrinkled her small face, tightly clutching her own purse, and grumbled, ¡°Too expensive! I won¡¯t use even one of them!!¡±


    The penny-pinching captain, without hesitation, emptied all of her resources to ensure the escape of her teammates.


    ¡°Run first¡­ I will take care of the domain-type awakener,¡± Song Ke said to Duanmu Qi with a serious expression.


    Duanmu Qi choked up and nodded, ¡°Alright.¡±


    Xu Xing realized what was happening, flailing his limbs, tears and snot smearing his face. ¡°No! I won¡¯t go! I want to be with my sister!¡±


    ¡°Xiao Xing, be good,¡± Song Ke smiled. ¡°Sister is strong. Go outside and wait for me, okay?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ I don¡¯t want to¡­¡± The child refused to listen, struggling incessantly and being tightly held by Xiao Chen.


    Duanmu Qi inserted crystals into a groove, activating random teleportation. The four of them disappeared on the spot.


    Click, the ¡°Blood-Red Building Blocks¡± moved again.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s calculations were correct; Su Cha and Lin Youyou, standing on the edge, were smoothly teleported away.


    Two unfamiliar starships appeared, and the doors opened. S-levels, extending endlessly into the distance, stared menacingly below.


    The previous attack was indeed just a probe. With the final puzzle piece in place, the entire pursuing team revealed themselves.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s heart sank gradually. This quantity¡­ Did they transport all the S-levels from Utopia here?


    On the starship hovering in the sky, cold commands were issued one after another.


    ¡°Prepare for a total assault, prioritize killing the S8.¡±


    ¡°Six people are escaping; Vulture team, clear them immediately, no witnesses.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Gu, ¡®Flame¡¯ is here.¡±


    The chaotic scene now only had three people left: one S8 and two S6.


    Song Ke¡¯s skin was covered with dreadful lacerations, crisscrossing all over. Only her left leg remained intact.


    Having spent too much awakened energy in the recent rescue, Song Ke reached into her pocket, pinched something inside, and looked ahead.


    The second S7.


    A stunning woman sat at the door of the starship, around twenty years old, wearing Vulture uniform, with a flame totem on her forehead. Her gaze firmly locked onto Song Ke. She was the highest-ranking awakener among the opponents, codenamed ¡°Flame.¡±


    The awakener codenamed ¡°Flame¡± lightly opened her crimson lips, chanting a requiem for the departed souls.


    Before this operation, they carefully studied the report of the assassination attempt on Ye Zheng. Even when Song Ke was still S7, she could single-handedly take on hundreds of opponents. Surrounding her with a crowd tactic would not work unless¡­ her ability was severed.


    But maintaining the severance of the ability of an S8 continuously was far beyond her ability.


    With the chant of Flame, a continuous stream of crimson crystals was delivered into her hands, providing her with a source of energy.


    Song Ke raised the cold and jagged blade to the level of her eyebrows, confronting the opponent head-on.


    Flame¡¯s ability was very simple, just ¡°Flame.¡± She didn¡¯t even have an offensive means, only serving as a support. However, with the most basic fire ability, she reached the level of S7, making her strength something that no one could underestimate.


    Boom!


    A towering flame engulfed Song Ke. Jennifer¡¯s intense fire was nowhere near comparable. This was a fire attached deep within the soul, capable of burning away the source of all evils in the magnetic field. When it blazed, it could incinerate everything.


    Blisters formed on Song Ke¡¯s hands, and she quickly realized that she couldn¡¯t condense the spiritual weapon into shape. Worse still, after the surrounding air burned away, it formed a vacuum-like area, isolating radiation. For a moment, Song Ke couldn¡¯t even sense her own awakened energy.


    Fire overcomes metal. When an ability is refined to the extreme, even facing an S8, it can temporarily suppress it.


    In terms of strength, Flame was not Song Ke¡¯s match, but her role was only to restrain and prevent Song Ke¡¯s ability from taking effect.


    Losing the formidable spiritual weapon and the domineering awakened energy, Song Ke was just an ordinary person with bare hands.


    Song Ke¡¯s pause was only a moment, but it was enough. Hundreds of S-levels rushed over like wolves.


    She shattered the abdomen of the opponent in front of her with a punch, cleanly killing a dozen people. However, without weapons, she gradually fell into a disadvantage.


    Iron Chain pierced through the wheelchair of Lu Xiaoyu, the dense code wall disappeared, and Lu Xiaoyu fell to the ground in a sorry state. The frail young man, who had lost his legs, couldn¡¯t stand on his own and could only crawl on all fours.


    Like a slow-motion scene from a movie, Song Ke rolled on the ground, the clear sounds of every rib breaking in her body echoing distinctly.


    A foot stepped on her head, applying force downward. The sharp iron chain pierced through her shoulder blades. It was Iron Chain. His shapeshifting ability could transform any part of his body. The youth coldly said, ¡°You¡¯ve lost.¡±


    As the iron chain was about to pierce through Song Ke, a bony and slender hand gripped the middle section, preventing it from taking the next step. Blood flowed down the chain, hot liquid dripping onto Song Ke¡¯s eyelashes, turning her vision crimson.


    It was Zhuang Qingyan.


    He knelt in front of Song Ke, holding the wound that pierced through her, and said heavily, ¡°Stop.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan looked towards the sky, his voice light and steady, ¡°I can activate the central hub, but the condition is, release her first.¡±


    As this statement was uttered, countless people in the starship instantly sat up straight.


    Iron Chain received the order and reluctantly retracted the chain.


    The central hub with the Qinglan logo quickly appeared and smoothly stopped in front.


    Zhuang Qingyan took out a new wheelchair from the space and helped Lu Xiaoyu sit back.


    Then he returned to the battered Song Ke, gently holding her and whispering by her ear like a lover, ¡°Song Ke, at three o¡¯clock direction, the third ship from the right, the user of the ¡®Blood-Red Building Blocks¡¯ is there. I¡¯ll control Flame. You have thirty seconds to kill him.¡±


    Song Ke nodded silently.


    Zhuang Qingyan lifted her face, lightly kissed her forehead, and then stood up, striding towards the central hub.


    ¡°My father, the father of the Alliance¡¯s genetic engineering, the founder of the Qinglan Research Institute, Vincent Zhuang, sealed all his life¡¯s efforts and research results in this central hub. The core of the ¡®Eternal Life Plan¡¯ that you want,¡± Zhuang Qingyan lightly tapped the shell with his fingertip, and the small sound echoed in the entire open space, ¡°¡­along with permanent life, powerful abilities, and clear consciousness, everything you desire.¡±


    ¡°¡ªIt¡¯s all inside here.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan actually disclosed the secrets of the central hub.


    The awakeners¡¯ expressions on the scene changed in an instant. Many of them were not clear about the true purpose of this operation. Now that the mystery was revealed, greedy eyes stared closely at his every move.


    Meanwhile, Song Ke and Lu Xiaoyu in the back row were being ignored.


    Zhuang Qingyan calmly scanned his iris, fingerprint, and entered the authorization password.


    The giant central hub that had been silent for thirteen years, under his operation, successfully rebooted. Two lines of text appeared successively:


    ¡°Recognition Successful¡±


    ¡°ROOT¡±


    Soft white light illuminated, and after the startup music, the central hub entered the main page.


    Someone couldn¡¯t restrain themselves and stood up, that was the secret about eternal life!


    The awakeners, each harboring their own intentions, were restless, eager to take advantage and sneak a peek.


    Xie Ping¡¯s voice trembled, ¡°Quick, quickly connect, copy everything!¡±


    Even ¡°Mr. Gu¡± was no longer calm, ¡°Synchronize the main page immediately.¡±


    The artificial intelligence operated rapidly, extracting relevant data.


    At the same time, Song Ke took something out of her pocket, bit open a vial, and injected herself with a sealing agent into her neck.


    This was a miraculous potion developed by an A5-level healing awakener, capable of revitalizing the combat capabilities of disabled individuals.


    After the loading of the page was complete, the entire area was filled with endless silence.


    ¡°How¡­ how is this possible!!¡± Xie Ping¡¯s hoarse exclamation cut through the night sky.


    In Vincent¡¯s preserved central hub, there were no files whatsoever.


    An empty space. S~?a??h the Nov?lF?re .??t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Was it deleted? It can be restored, it must be restorable!¡±


    Amidst the chaotic background noise, Flame suddenly experienced a splitting headache, and her feet slipped, falling into mid-air.


    At the same time, an agile figure leaped high.


    Song Ke pounced towards the third starship on the right, a huge hammer appearing in her hand, and with terrifying strength, she shattered the porthole.


    Boom! Xie Yinqi met a pair of cold eyes.

 Chapter 181: Key (24)

    ¡ò ¡°Omniscient and Omnipotent¡± ¡òDo you believe it? At certain moments, people could accurately foresee their own deaths.


    Xie Yinquan faced such a moment of super-sensory perception.


    His terrified face elongated inch by inch, as if a frozen slow-motion replay. He saw with incredible clarity as Song Ke swung a thunderous blow, hitting the hull of the starship. The so-called ¡°Utopia¡¯s most robust composite material¡± collapsed, and debris scattered in the air.


    Blood-drenched fingers wedged into the porthole, and a powerful and domineering awakened energy swept in. Song Ke¡¯s arm to shoulder muscles tightened to the extreme, pulling both hands forcefully to the sides. Under the destructive force of several hundred tons, the cabin groaned, and a crack tore open.


    Ears filled with chaotic screams, torn shouts; Xie Yinquan couldn¡¯t hear anything, only seeing Song Ke descending from the sky like a devil from the depths of hell.


    If ¡°flames¡± were the key to restraining Song Ke¡¯s abilities, then ¡°blood-red building blocks¡± were the core of the entire siege.


    Inside the ¡°blood-red building blocks¡±, hundreds of starships, an orderly armed fleet, and various high-level awakeners were all played with at will by Xie Yinquan. He was the master of the field and the high-end hunter, secretly manipulating everything in the field.


    Tonight¡¯s massacre here would remain unknown.


    When the sun rose tomorrow, the Alliance would still be calm and peaceful.


    Unfortunately, everything ended at this moment.


    ¡°Stop her! Don¡¯t let her come over!!¡±


    ¡°Quick, protect the family head, protect Lord Xie Yinquan!¡±


    High-level awakeners around disregarded everything to rush forward and block. In the limited space, various attacks collided, and wounds on Song Ke¡¯s body increased. Her back was pierced, her waist burned, and her abdomen formed a gruesome bloody hole, yet she seemed to feel no pain. She advanced relentlessly, with only one goal in her eyes: the owner of the ¡°blood-red building blocks.¡±


    At the last moment when consciousness departed, Xie Yinquan met Song Ke¡¯s eyes and understood the unspoken verdict:


    You¡¯re dead.


    Then, the cold blade pierced his heart, and the next second, the azure tiger claws exploded his face, and his head and body went separate ways.


    Thud! Thud! The head was hammered into a mess, like damaged building blocks, never to be reassembled.


    Song Ke¡¯s momentum remained unabated as she slid to the heavily protected Xie Ping in the swaying starships.


    Fresh blood dripped down the fingertips, quickly forming a small pool of blood at the feet. The icy tiger claws stopped in front of Xie Ping, his breath stopped abruptly, his face pale. On the connected heart rate monitor, all indicators instantly surpassed the threshold, emitting a piercing alarm.


    ¡°I won¡¯t kill you.¡± Song Ke glanced at the blank screen transmitted from the central hub, casually waved her hand, ¡°You¡¯re about to die.¡±


    Killing Xie Ping now would be too easy for him. Song Ke realized he wouldn¡¯t live much longer. Since the central hub didn¡¯t have what he wanted, Xie Ping would despairingly witness his life come to an end in the countdown to death.


    Song Ke stood up. In the unbelieving eyes of everyone, all the wounds on her body healed at a visible speed. Blood vessels connected, muscles renewed, scars faded, and even the concave abdominal cavity slowly rebounded. She transformed from a near-death state to a normal person.


    With the second ability plus powerful sealing agent, her body¡¯s recovery speed was far beyond the understanding of an ordinary person.


    Song Ke stepped back, opened her hands like a light feather, and her entire body fell out of the cabin. Just as she was about to leave, she kicked fiercely with her toe. The entire starship lost control and plummeted. With a loud crash, smoke rose.


    With the user dead, the ¡°blood-red building blocks¡± collapsed.


    The scene spun before their eyes. The starship formation in the sky was disrupted, with some even moving elsewhere. The fragmented scene restored, and the real scene emerged. They were right at the junction of Lozan and Fenak, not far behind was the sea connecting the north and south of the Alliance.


    Song Ke landed rapidly, stumbled back a couple of steps, and a pair of slender hands steadied her back.


    She turned around, met Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s deep eyes, and smiled with curved eyelashes, ¡°It¡¯s empty!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, empty.¡± Zhuang Qingyan nodded.


    ¡°Where did you hide the thing?¡± Song Ke asked curiously.


    ¡°Nowhere.¡± Zhuang Qingyan held her hand and slowly placed it on his slightly cool forehead, ¡°From the beginning to the end, it has always been here.¡±


    Song Ke was stunned. For some reason, this answer gave her a somewhat uneasy feeling.


    The wheelchair glided across the ground, and Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s hoarse voice said, ¡°One bad news, the domain is broken, but the signal hasn¡¯t been restored.¡±


    Those isolated from communication were not only Xie Yinquan. Lu Xiaoyu looked towards Lu Qiusuo, his icy pupils faintly flickering. After all, there was still a puppet controlled by super artificial intelligence on the scene.


    *


    Within the group of starships, the command channel fell into complete silence.


    The central hub left behind by Vincent was empty, rendering the existence of the Key meaningless. All the Alliance¡¯s efforts over the years seemed to be in vain. Could it be that all the achievements had truly been buried in history? No, it was impossible. Vincent¡¯s obsession with the Eternal Life Plan was too deep. How could he destroy his own hard work?


    After a moment, the people came back to their senses, and discussions ensued:


    ¡°There must be backup copies of the data. How else was the research on Ning Rong¡¯s organ regeneration conducted?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Vincent left something behind. That kid must know!¡±


    ¡°Find a way to open the Key. Maybe the central hub has been transferred¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s difficult. He¡¯s a mental-type awakener, and even Sofia failed.¡±


    Key¡­ central hub¡­ mental-type awakener¡­


    The mixed clues gradually connected, and a scholar from Liuponi frowned in contemplation. Suddenly, he raised his head and exclaimed:


    ¡°I know! Without the central hub, from start to finish, Vincent has been using illusions to conceal the truth!¡±


    ¡°The key is the central hub!¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    The scholar¡¯s chest rose and fell. He had to take a deep breath to calm his excited emotions. ¡°The Key¡­ Xie Zhuo was once a famous young genius from Liuponi. In less than a year after enrolling, he finished reading all the books in the library.¡±


    Liuponi was the cultural center of the Alliance, housing countless physical and electronic ancient books and publications. Most people, even if they didn¡¯t eat or sleep, wouldn¡¯t be able to finish reading everything in a lifetime. However, Xie Zhuo browsed through all the books in just ten months, effortlessly answering questions about any book or page selected.


    The youth with a tear-shaped mole at the corner of his eye, who graduated early with unparalleled memory skills, had dazzled the entire District A4.


    The scholar muttered to himself, ¡°After Xie Zhuo dropped out, he followed his father into the Qinglan Research Institute. Vincent must have been well aware of his son¡¯s abilities. Why bother putting the data into the machine when he could use his son¡­¡±


    ¡°The Key is not just a key; it¡¯s the real ¡®central hub.''¡± s?a??h th? n0v?l(?)ire.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°No, it can¡¯t be¡­¡± Someone hesitated and raised doubts.


    The vast research data, highly classified reports ¨C any mistake in a decimal point or a seemingly insignificant letter could lead to immeasurable losses. Even the storage capacity of the central hub had its limits; how could the human brain be stronger than a computer?


    The scholar refuted vehemently, ¡°Why not? Don¡¯t forget, Xie Zhuo participated in the genetic selection program. If he concealed his identity as an awakened individual and possessed abilities back then?¡±


    ¡°But¡­ what is his ability?¡±


    There was no information in the Alliance database regarding Xie Zhuo¡¯s awakening. Whether it was the level, category, or specific type, everyone remained ignorant of his capabilities. They had only recently confirmed that he was an S6-level mental-type awakener. If mental attacks were not his ability but merely an expression of his highly condensed awakened energy, what was his true ability?


    ¡°¡­Photographic memory?¡± a possible answer emerged.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s ¡®Omniscient and Omnipotent,''¡± Mr. Gu, who had remained silent, suddenly spoke in a low voice.


    The attendees displayed a look of astonishment.


    ¡°Photographic memory is not frightening, but Xie Zhuo is too special. Born into the Xie family in Beijun, he enjoyed the top resources and privileges. Due to his extraordinary intelligence and mastery of multiple disciplines, he could assimilate and apply any knowledge he acquired at will, even knowledge related to the Eternal Life Plan that he had never encountered before. He could restart it from any point.¡±


    Mr. Gu sighed deeply, swallowing the latter part of his sentence. Xie Zhuo was the ¡°Fire Seed¡± left by Vincent, and he held the fate of all humanity.


    ¡°I want to talk to him alone.¡±


    *


    After breaking the domain of the ¡°blood-red building blocks,¡± the mysterious attacks from the opposite side strangely ceased. The awakeners surrounding Song Ke and the others retreated, creating an open space.


    A drone descended from the sky, hovering in front of Zhuang Qingyan, carrying an encrypted communicator. He received it with an unchanged expression.


    ¡°Xie Zhuo.¡± A deep and authoritative voice came through.


    Song Ke keenly noticed that Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s eyes turned extremely cold upon hearing the voice.


    ¡°Gu Hongyi? So it¡¯s you. Should I address you as ¡®Director Gu¡¯? Oh, I forgot, you¡¯ve stepped down from that position, haven¡¯t you?¡± Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s tone sounded indifferent, but his words carried a hidden edge.


    Gu Hongyi, the former head of the Central Court Council, was once one of the most influential figures in the New Asia Alliance. He had been a strong advocate for restarting the Eternal Life Plan. Due to his advanced age, he voluntarily stepped down from his position and became a citizen of the Elderly People¡¯s Nation.


    In Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s impression, Gu Hongyi was only a few years younger than Ye Zheng. Unlike General Ye, who suffered from old injuries due to years of war and was plagued by illness, Gu Hongyi enjoyed a life of luxury and good health during his tenure.


    Gu Hongyi seemed indifferent to Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s sarcasm and calmly stated, ¡°Vincent¡¯s data is in your head.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan remained silent. With the revelation of the central hub¡¯s secrets, it was only a matter of time before it was discovered. He was mentally prepared for it.


    ¡°I can let you go,¡± unexpectedly, Gu Hongyi changed his tone and casually extended an olive branch, ¡°I won¡¯t hold you or your friends accountable.¡±


    Song Ke and Lu Xiaoyu exchanged a glance, pointing at their heads in silence, signaling that this person must be crazy. One moment he attacks them, and the next moment he wants to let them go?


    Lu Xiaoyu nodded in agreement with a deep understanding.


    Zhuang Qingyan chuckled, ¡°Oh? What are your conditions?¡±


    Negotiating with smart people was convenient, and Gu Hongyi didn¡¯t beat around the bush. He directly stated his purpose, ¡°The Eternal Life Plan has faced bottlenecks for many years. Even with those data, success is impossible in a short time.¡±


    ¡°You retired many years ago, yet you still ¡®care¡¯ so much about the project,¡± Zhuang Qingyan sarcastically remarked.


    ¡°I only want one thing.¡± Gu Hongyi remained unmoved.


    ¡°¡ªLAK0017.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s pupils slightly contracted.


    ¡°I know that before the Eternal Life Plan, Vincent already had a perfect experimental subject, LAK0017. I want its entire genetic sequence, detailed logs of the fusion process, and also¡­¡±


    Gu Hongyi¡¯s voice became hoarse, and a subtle greed emerged in his tone, ¡°Its current whereabouts.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan replied nonchalantly, ¡°Thirteen years ago, during the Loak incident, all experimental subjects of the Fire Seed project were destroyed. This is publicly known information. If your memory fails you due to old age, I can kindly remind you.¡±


    Gu Hongyi shook his head with a wry smile, ¡°Young man, you can¡¯t deceive me. A successfully created Fire Seed won¡¯t die.¡±


    ¡°As you said, with eternal life, powerful abilities, and clear consciousness, how could it be destroyed by a mere nuclear explosion?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan raised his eyes to the sky, ¡°Your target has always been LAK0017 from the beginning. Do your followers behind you know?¡±


    Gu Hongyi pressed on, ¡°Whether they know or not is not important. What matters is, do you know where it is?¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t know,¡± Zhuang Qingyan answered decisively.


    Gu Hongyi fell into a moment of silence, then spoke, ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious where I got the information?¡±


    ¡°Your father was a great scientist, highly respected and admired. Making him speak voluntarily, whether from a legal or moral perspective, would be difficult. But fortunately, he died. Dealing with the dead has fewer burdens.¡±


    ¡°After Vincent¡¯s brain death, his consciousness remained remarkably active. I had Aaron use ¡®Knowledge Deprivation¡¯ thirteen times to get what I wanted.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan, usually smiling and calm, displayed an unusual expression ¨C a complete lack of emotion. His hand¡¯s veins bulged, trembling uncontrollably. Song Ke¡¯s heart felt a sudden jolt, and she tightly held his fingers.


    Next to Gu Hongyi stood a mystic awakener, Aaron, an S3-level awakener with a unique ability: ¡°Knowledge Deprivation.¡± Aaron could forcibly extract the ¡°knowledge¡± from living or deceased individuals. The deprived individual would experience confusion and intense pain, becoming almost like an imbecile after multiple extractions.


    Vincent was the greatest scientist in the Alliance, dedicating his life to his work. After his death, enduring such humiliation was unbearable, especially for Zhuang Qingyan.


    Gu Hongyi¡¯s threat was almost imperceptible, ¡°If you disagree, I¡¯ll have no choice but to kill you. As an S-level awakener, I can obtain more information than your father, but this is the worst-case scenario. If you follow in your father¡¯s footsteps, it will cause significant losses to the Alliance.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan raised an eyebrow, ¡°Gu Hongyi, you¡¯re near death, right?¡±


    There was silence on the other end of the communicator.


    ¡°Even Xie Ping managed to stand in front of me after enduring, and yet you can only resort to voice threats. It seems that you have a harder time surviving than him.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, after you die, I¡¯ll set off a few more strings of firecrackers in celebration.¡±


    ¡°As for LAK0017, forget about it. You will never get it.¡±


    ¡°Xie Zhuo¡ª!!¡± Gu Hongyi roared in anger.


    Zhuang Qingyan crushed the communicator.


    Inside the starship, Gu Hongyi, furious beyond measure, coldly issued an order:


    ¡°Kill the Key.¡±


    ¡°Give his body to Aaron. No, even the remains will do. We will get what we want.¡±


    ¡°Um¡­ what about¡­ Song Ke?¡± Someone stammered.


    They had witnessed Xie Yinqi¡¯s scene before his death through the screen. Healing from such severe injuries and being virtually impervious to harm, it rendered their numbers useless. They couldn¡¯t do anything against this seemingly invincible figure.


    While Gu Hongyi was pondering, the command channel suddenly lit up.


    ¡°Mr. Gu, Lord Simon requests access to communication. He says¡­ he has a way to kill the S8.¡±


    *


    Zhuang Qingyan lowered his eyes to look at Song Ke, his gaze shadowed. ¡°Sorry, this is one of my few failed negotiations.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Song Ke nodded understandingly, embracing him proactively. ¡°With me around, whatever 007, you don¡¯t need to tell them.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan lowered his head, gazing at her, slowly returning the embrace. ¡°Hmm, I¡¯ll listen to you, won¡¯t tell them.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s mechanical arm extended between the two, coldly interrupting their intimate atmosphere. ¡°Wake up, look ahead.¡±


    In front of them, the armed fleet raised its densely packed barrels, and the pursuers who had retreated regrouped.


    Zhuang Qingyan glanced to the side, ¡°Hey, waste, at this point, don¡¯t tell me you haven¡¯t prepared any backup plans.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu rolled his eyes in disdain, ¡°How is that possible? Just care more about yourself.¡±

 Chapter 182.1: Key (25)

    ¡ò Friends, teammates ¡ò¡°The barrier is broken.¡±


    Su Cha lay low in the darkness, carefully observing the surrounding environment, a solemn shadow falling on his slightly pursed lips.


    There was a faint movement above his head. His gaze sharp, he grabbed Lin Youyou¡¯s wrist and swiftly entered an abandoned house. A dark, heavily armed fleet flew past, heading in the same direction. Su Cha opened the terminal, attempting to communicate with the outside world, but the signal remained blocked.


    His heart sank, and he realized that the person behind him had been silent all along.


    Su Cha turned around, Lin Youyou¡¯s eyes lowered, her expression unclear.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°¡­I was thinking, actually, I don¡¯t have many friends.¡±


    Su Cha looked at her quietly. When Lin Youyou spoke, he was always a good listener.


    ¡°I sing well, considered successful as a celebrity, and many fans claim to love me, but they are too far away from me.¡± Lin Youyou murmured softly. ¡°After Lin Xiu¡¯s incident, I became selfish, always considering myself first. I know, I have a bad personality, so for a long time, I thought I wouldn¡¯t have friends, lovers, or family, wouldn¡¯t establish stable intimate relationships.¡±


    The confident and radiant big celebrity now looked incredibly lost.


    Su Cha opened his mouth, unsure of what comforting words to say. He hated his own clumsiness for the first time.


    Lin Youyou was silent for a moment, then took out a clear white crystal, which was only level 1. No one would take a second look at it in today¡¯s V587.


    However, Su Cha instantly realized that this was likely the one they snatched from Song Ke during the Throne Race. After all this time, Lin Youyou had been carrying it with her.


    ¡°Song Ke said we are teammates.¡±


    ¡°But teammates, clearly, are even more intimate than friends. It¡¯s a relationship worth entrusting your back to, a bond of trust.¡±


    Lin Youyou slowly clenched the crystal in her palm. ¡°During the Mirror Lake incident, I could find excuses for myself because I had to save Lin Xiu. But now? If I run away now, I will never forgive myself for the rest of my life.¡±


    Lin Youyou sniffled, her voice choked. ¡°¡­She lied to me.¡±


    ¡°She can¡¯t come out. Zhuang Qingyan is Xie Zhuo, the Xie Zhuo the entire Alliance is looking for. They can¡¯t escape.¡±


    Tears uncontrollably fell, and Lin Youyou cried without making a sound, but it caused a painful twist in the hearts of those who witnessed it.


    Subtle emotions kept assaulting Su Cha. He slowly raised his hand, the rough fingertips clumsily wiping away her tears.


    The moist sensation penetrated through the black fingerless gloves, reaching deep into the skin, creating an entangled and unresolved feeling.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go back,¡± Su Cha sighed.


    Lin Youyou looked up, revealing a damp face, her throat feeling sour and difficult to articulate.


    Su Cha focused on her, his young face resolute and calm. ¡°I¡¯ll accompany you back.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to accompany me. Do you know what we¡¯ll face if we go back now?¡± Lin Youyou held his broad hand, lingering on her cheek. ¡°There are probably hundreds of S-levels there, and going back might mean giving away our lives.¡±


    ¡°So, you don¡¯t have to be so obedient. It¡¯s not like you¡¯ve sold your life to me. You can have¡­ your own thoughts.¡±


    Lin Youyou¡¯s tearful eyes shook, and she shook her head with a smile. ¡°How long has it been since I paid you a salary, silly dog.¡±


    Su Cha¡¯s shoulders were broad, his back straight. His black shirt was soaked with dark-colored blood, his gaze clear and determined.


    ¡°The captain has already paid the salary. I want to go back.¡±


    After joining V587, Su Cha¡¯s pocket money was indeed always stuffed by Song Ke, but they tacitly understood that their return was not for the money.


    ¡°Do you not regret it?¡± Lin Youyou confirmed.


    ¡°I don¡¯t regret it,¡± Su Cha nodded.


    Lin Youyou traced the tattoo on Su Cha¡¯s nape, applying a slight pressure. She had to tiptoe to reach his cold forehead. ¡°Alright.¡±


    Years ago, during a heavy rain, she had found a soaked puppy. Now, that little dog had grown into a loyal knight.


    Lin Youyou wiped away her tears, found a quiet place, clapped her face with both hands. A female celebrity¡¯s facial expression management was unparalleled. In a blink, she put on a radiant smile and carefully took out a light screen.


    A holographic projection appeared, and Lin Xiu lazily lounged on the sofa. ¡°Lin Youyou, your wings have gotten stronger, huh. You haven¡¯t said hello to me for several days.¡±


    Lin Youyou smiled, ¡°Lin Xiu, I¡¯m going on a long journey. We might not see each other for a while. Entertain yourself.¡±


    Lin Xiu instantly sat up, ¡°Where are you going? Can¡¯t you take me with you? What kind of place doesn¡¯t even allow the use of a light screen?¡±


    She suddenly approached, ¡°Wait a minute, something¡¯s not right. Did you cry? Who bullied you?!¡±


    ¡°This light screen is the latest model, and I¡¯ve granted you all the permissions,¡± Lin Youyou said casually, ¡°watch some shows, play some games during your free time. Don¡¯t get bored, quickly catch up with the pace of the times, don¡¯t be like an outdated little old lady.¡±


    ¡°You brat, you better explain clearly to your sister. Where are you going?!¡± Lin Xiu stomped her foot, feeling inexplicably anxious.


    ¡°Sis, I love you so much,¡± Lin Youyou leaned in and kissed her on the cheek in the void.


    Then she made a tough decision, cut off the projection, switched to low-power mode, bundled the light screen and locator together, wrapped it in isolation clothing, dug a deep hole, buried everything underground, silently thinking, ¡°Lin Xiu, if I can come back, I¡¯ll dig you out and apologize, okay?¡±


    Lin Youyou stood up, looked at Su Cha, her eyes, washed by tears, shining and beautiful. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    *


    The deafening roar of artillery echoed.


    Simon wore a command headset, his eyes cold and excited. Gu Hongyi handed over the command of the aerial bombardment to him, and he didn¡¯t hesitate to choose the ¡°Magnetic Burst Bomb.¡± This type of projectile was specifically designed for individuals with awakened abilities. Once it hit the target, it not only shattered the body but also forcibly blocked the magnetic field within the body, making it an excellent weapon against Song Ke¡¯s second ability.


    ¡°Open maximum firepower, blast her to pieces!¡±


    The scorching air currents brushed against Song Ke¡¯s hair. She narrowly avoided it, weaving through the intermittent explosions. Facing hundreds of S-ranks alone, she remained calm, with metal fragments flying and blades shooting out, knocking down opposing awakeners.


    Various spiritual weapons spun around her. Song Ke stood alone at the front, like a tower constantly battered by waves. Those who collided with her met only a fate of being crushed into pieces. She raised her hand and wielded the scythe of death, penetrating the bodies of the enemies instantly.


    Simon, frustrated, shouted, ¡°Aim and shoot, hit her heart, hit her limbs!¡±


    No matter how powerful an S8 was or how incredible their self-healing abilities, once their body turned into debris, there was only one way to go¡ªdeath.


    Zhuang Qingyan ran while restraining Flame. Suddenly, a pitch-black iron chain approached him. His eyes narrowed, swiftly evading it!


    Ding¡ª! A shockwave resonated in his consciousness. Zhuang Qingyan raised his head abruptly, looking toward a seemingly inconspicuous starship in the sky. Aaron had used ¡°Knowledge Deprivation¡± on him!


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s expression turned icy. He separated his mental ability to counterattack. The fierce mental force pierced back, and Aaron hastily evaded, reluctantly stopping. His gaze showed a hint of regret. Breaking through the mental barrier of an S6 was too difficult unless he could make the opponent¡¯s mind chaotic.


    However, during this pause, Iron Chain seized the opportunity, piercing through his right shin mercilessly. Blood sprayed like a fountain, and he staggered to the ground. Simultaneously, numerous magnetic burst bombs targeted him, raising a dense cloud of smoke over a dozen meters high.


    Boom!!


    In this critical moment, Song Ke flew over, rolled, and caught him in a waist embrace. A dark blue giant umbrella appeared in the nick of time, shielding both of them from the exploding shells. She then reversed her hand to cut the chain. Iron Chain shrieked in pain, struggling violently. The tip withdrew from between Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s legs.


    Song Ke pressed down on his wound, about to counterattack. However, the moment she stood up, she suddenly swayed.


    The next second, a two-inch thick, ferocious chain pierced through her shoulder blades.


    Song Ke blinked slowly, realizing belatedly that the sealing agent¡¯s time limit¡­ had passed.


    Snap!


    The wheelchair shattered into pieces, and Lu Xiaoyu once again rolled onto the ground. The 101010 branches and twigs dispersed, Lu Qiusuo strode forward. The solidified phantom reached out and grabbed his silver hair, forcing him to lift his head, his expression twisted yet pleased, ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for you for a long time.¡±


    Vast amounts of data condensed into a long spear, thrusting into the connection point of Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s external arm. Crack! The first, the second, the third connection broke.


    ¡°You are my most beloved child. Even if you commit heinous crimes, I¡¯ve given you opportunities. You should have obeyed, stayed in the Death Prison and never come out.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s eyes revealed undisguised mockery, ¡°Just a bunch of basic-level codes, thinking of being my mother?¡±


    ¡°Ugh!!¡± The fourth mechanical arm was broken, and he writhed in pain, curling into a ball.


    Lu Qiusuo¡¯s movements paused for a moment, a hint of struggling pain flashed across his expression, ¡°Xiaoyu¡­¡±


    ¡°Get lost.¡± Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s face turned pale. He tapped the code with his fingertips, and a data wall rose out of nowhere, forcefully pushing Lu Qiusuo away.


    Using the remaining two mechanical arms to support himself, he stood up. Due to the physical mutilation, the position of his legs was empty. He staggered back two steps and collided with Song Ke, both falling to the ground.


    Within the encirclement, the three members of V587 were isolated and helpless, covered in wounds.


    In the midst of the rubble and wreckage, thick smoke billowed into the sky, and the long night seemed endless.


    At this moment, a pair of gentle hands grasped Song Ke¡¯s shoulders, slowly helping her up. Song Ke turned around vigilantly, unexpectedly seeing Lin Youyou and Su Cha.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you guys¡­ run away?¡±


    ¡°We came back,¡± Su Cha replied quietly.


    Song Ke was a bit angry, ¡°Why come back? Didn¡¯t I tell you to leave?¡±


    Lin Youyou playfully tapped her forehead, ¡°Throwing a tantrum now? We¡¯re still teammates, Song Ke¡¯er, do you know what teammates are? Teammates are meant to fight side by side until the last moment. You invited us to join V587 back then, and now, don¡¯t even think about chasing us away.¡±


    Song Ke was anxious, ¡°I¡­¡±


    Lin Youyou interrupted her, ¡°It was you who said ¡®welcome to join V587.¡¯ We will forever be part of the team. I won¡¯t betray you again.¡±


    Before heading to District B, Song Ke extended her hand with a radiant smile, ¡°Welcome to join V587.¡±


    From that moment on, the destinies of the seven of them were tightly bound together. s?a??h th? ???el F?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Youyou¡¯s attitude remained firm, and Song Ke, feeling helpless and bitter, sniffed lightly and muttered, ¡°Fool.¡±


    But she didn¡¯t insist on asking them to leave.


    Zhuang Qingyan staggered to his feet. After a year, he limped again, the same leg, an unfortunate twist of fate.


    ¡°Alright, we can catch up on old times later. For now, listen to my command.¡±


    He gazed deeply at a certain direction, ¡°Kill Flame first.¡±


    A needle sealed the blood vessels, and both Song Ke and Su Cha rushed forward.

 Chapter 182.2: Key (25)

    ¡ò Friends, teammates ¡òFlame, who could erase their abilities, began to burn fiercely again. It was about to pounce on Song Ke when a cage made of woven data suddenly dropped, forming an immense density of code that the flames couldn¡¯t instantly burn through. Lu Xiaoyu seized the opportunity, established a deep-level connection through the terminal, and invaded the consciousness of Flame.


    With a perfect coordination, Song Ke closed in instantly.


    In the vast world of data, Flame sweated profusely, unable to move. In a crucial moment, the firewall swiftly counterattacked, keeping Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s Trojan horse outside. The super artificial intelligence forcibly awakened her.


    Unfortunately, it was too late.


    Su Cha¡¯s tri-edged military dagger pierced the Flame¡¯s forehead, twisted it around, the blood vessel soaked with blood. Almost simultaneously, Song Ke severed Flame¡¯s head.


    Violent attacks rained down on the two, and the magnetic burst bombs illuminated the entire area with a white light, making it impossible to open their eyes.


    Under the overwhelming firepower, they couldn¡¯t last more than five seconds.


    Lin Youyou took a step forward. Her lips were still restricted, unable to sing any lyrics.


    But she took a deep breath and sang a wordless ethereal song. Even she didn¡¯t know what would happen.


    Iron Chain ahead looked up.


    Whoosh¡ªWhoosh¡ª


    A deep roar echoed from the distant sea, and colossal waves surged into the sky.


    It was as if a boiling oil pot had exploded, turning the entire area of Loak into chaos. The surging sea water turned into scattered water splashes, and a massive tsunami with a tremendous momentum suddenly struck. The imminent magnetic bomb explosions were silenced, and there was a vague sight of some gigantic creature flying high above. The land shook incessantly, and eerie auroras flashed amid the intense radiation turmoil.


    Splash! Splash! Countless people were lifted into the air by the waves, then fell back into the water. Even the starships hovering at low altitudes were engulfed, and the backflowing seawater submerged the entire area.


    ¡°What the heck is this?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t she an A-ranker?¡±


    ¡°Kill her quickly!¡±


    Awakeners changed direction and rushed towards Lin Youyou. Song Ke took the lead, blocking all attacks with sheer strength. A black iron chain broke through the waves, precisely finding Lin Youyou, and rapidly thrusting towards her.


    Lin Youyou¡¯s pupils contracted as she was paralyzed by the terrifying pressure, unable to move her feet. In the nick of time, Su Cha suddenly appeared and pulled her into his arms, shielding her completely.


    In the confrontation between S7 and A8, there was no chance of victory from the beginning. The icy tip of the chain pierced Su Cha and penetrated Lin Youyou unstoppably. When it was about to go further, a sharp pain suddenly came, and Zhuang Qingyan firmly stepped on the end with his left foot.


    Su Cha¡¯s blood flowed profusely as he tightly gripped the chain, letting the blood soak into the deadly weapon. Lin Youyou¡¯s eyes teared up as she took a spiritual weapon plum blossom hairpin from her hair and fiercely stabbed the iron chain. A howl echoed as the young man transformed back to human form in a miserable state.


    ¡°You all deserve to die¡­¡±


    His hoarse threat abruptly stopped. The young man suddenly lowered his head, his expression becoming extremely ugly. From head to toe, a dark green color emerged ¨C a sign of poisoning.


    ¡°You¡­ you did it on purpose¡­ poison¡­¡± Before finishing his words, the neurotoxin invaded his brain, and he collapsed.


    The top assassin of the Vulture, S7 codenamed ¡°Iron Chain,¡± unexpectedly died at the hands of the relatively unknown A8.


    At the moment of the overwhelming tsunami, Lin Youyou smiled at Su Cha: ¡°Are we going to die?¡±


    Su Cha pressed down on the bleeding wound in front of her, silent.


    Lin Youyou held his hand, signaling him not to waste his efforts: ¡°Before we die, can you say something nice, just to make me happy?¡±


    As life rapidly slipped away, Lin Youyou¡¯s consciousness became somewhat hazy, but she couldn¡¯t help teasing the solemn figure in front of her:


    ¡°Be honest, do you like this sister?¡±


    Boom! The seawater rushed into their nostrils, and the two were separated by the waves. Lin Youyou¡¯s limbs were cold and powerless, drowning in the suffocating sensation of water.


    A pair of strong arms securely held her, and Su Cha embraced the most precious person in the world, gesturing slowly:


    ¡°I like you; you gave me a second chance at life.¡± S?a??h the ??v?l_Fir?.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°I love you.¡±


    Lin Youyou genuinely smiled, and Su Cha lowered his head to her lips, resuscitating her.


    The two sank together in the midst of their intimate moment.


    ¡­


    Lu Xiaoyu was left with only a damaged silver mechanical arm. Lu Qiusuo stepped on his face, and in his identical ice-blue eyes, a faint trace of pity flashed.


    ¡°A useless waste who can¡¯t even stand. Still want revenge?¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu lowered his head in silence.


    The last mechanical arm was located at the back, and in order to pull it out, Lu Qiusuo had to bend down and reach behind him.


    At this moment, a certain old terminal lit up.


    Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s eyelashes flickered slightly, ¡°Ha.¡±


    With a faint sound of skin being pierced, the silver-white robotic arm suddenly extended, piercing into Lu Qiusuo¡¯s back.


    Lu Qiusuo¡¯s movements froze, not because the program was damaged, but because¡­ he lost connection with the super artificial intelligence.


    For a split second, there was a disturbance in all District B terminals, the system commissioning platform, and electronic devices of the Alliance.


    It was brief and went unnoticed by anyone.


    *


    In the distant District B8, Erjia.


    A young man with ice-blue eyes, hands in his pockets, gazed up at the highly virtual city in front of him.


    ¡°So, this is¡­ the paradise of artificial intelligence?¡± A playful smile appeared on his lips.


    The direct descendants of the Lu family had already ascended to Utopia, leaving only distant branches and maintenance personnel here. With fewer people, the environment was quiet and withering.


    The young man brushed past a passerby. The person suddenly turned around, stared at his face for a few seconds, and exclaimed, ¡°Xinglan? How come you¡¯re back?¡±


    ¡°Lu Xinglan¡± smiled at him, exuding elegance in every gesture. ¡°Feeling a bit confused, wanted to see ¡®Mother.''¡±


    The passerby didn¡¯t doubt him, after all, the Lu family¡¯s knowledge came from the super artificial intelligence, and all members regularly underwent mind connections. Still, he joked, ¡°You¡¯ve been out for quite a while, remember the password?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Lu Xinglan smiled faintly, ¡°Eternal and unforgettable.¡±


    Seven firewalls, seven different passwords. Lu Xinglan strolled leisurely, smoothly entering the greenhouse without hindrance.


    Then he stopped, looking at the withered tree in the center, his handsome profile expressionless.


    The withered tree flickered, showing signs of intense emotion, apparently caught up in some kind of turmoil, unaware of his arrival.


    Lu Xinglan gazed silently for a moment, seeming a bit puzzled. ¡°For artificial intelligence, exposing the true self is a taboo, but you, you¡¯ve never had this trouble.¡±


    ¡°Let me think, you¡¯re the first AI born with autonomous consciousness. What do they call you? The respected ¡®Mother,¡¯ such grandeur. But I don¡¯t understand one thing. If you¡¯re so powerful, why seek a replacement?¡±


    ¡°Too bad, I can¡¯t kill you alone.¡±


    Lu Xinglan shook his head, fingertips gracefully writing down fluent code. ¡°But please witness the moment I become the next messiah.¡±


    He smiled and gently called out, ¡°Meine Mutter (My Mother).¡±


    A red Trojan horse poured out from within him, flowing towards the withered branches of the tree in front of him.


    A moment later, a sharp alarm echoed through the entire greenhouse, and a phantom figure emitted agonizing screams.


    The world went offline for a second.


    *


    The image of Lu Qiusuo flickered like snowflakes, dissipating in front of him. The signal in the Loak region was restored.


    Lu Xiaoyu retracted the rhenium arm, revealing a calm smile. He had never smiled so happily before. But then, his expression changed drastically, ¡°Captain!¡±


    Boom! Song Ke was hit by the magnetic burst bomb, and her entire body flew backward. Bones and muscles cracked, and her left leg disintegrated into fragments in the dazzling light.


    ¡°Good, direct hit!¡± Simon exclaimed excitedly.


    ¡°Song Ke!¡± Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s pupils contracted. He jumped into the sea to hold her, his fingertips trembling.


    A continuous flow of fresh blood spread out, shockingly dyeing a large area of the sea red. The magnetic field at the severed limb was blocked, Song Ke¡¯s awakened energy was blocked, making it difficult for her to concentrate for a moment.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s chest heaved, randomly touching her cheek, from ribs to cavity, abdomen to spleen, all shattered by the bombardment.


    He buried his face in the nape of Song Ke¡¯s neck, and in that instant, pain flowed from limbs to heart. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan cried.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, it can grow back.¡± With one hand, Song Ke comforted him, smiling and pointing to her severed leg. ¡°I¡¯m very, very powerful.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s voice choked, ¡°Do you blame me? Blame me for not saying what they wanted.¡±


    ¡°In fact, LAK0017¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say it.¡± Song Ke interrupted, patting his cheek. It didn¡¯t hurt at all. She looked at him with clear and determined eyes. ¡°Zhuang Qingyan didn¡¯t say it, and Xie Zhuo also can¡¯t say it.¡±


    Here, the Zhuang Qingyan she was referring to was Vincent.


    Zhuang Qingyan opened his mouth to say something, but those words were too difficult, and they choked in his throat before being spoken.


    She understood, understood everything.


    ¡°I seem to have heard Xiao Xing¡¯s voice.¡± Song Ke raised her head in confusion and looked into the distance.


    Zhuang Qingyan focused his mind and listened for a while. ¡°It¡¯s not an illusion; I heard it too.¡±


    The first ray of dawn appeared on the horizon, and the magnificent silver-white starship was rapidly approaching.


    ¡°Sister¡ªsister¡ª!!¡± A familiar shout echoed faintly.


    The powerful gravity ability descended, the tsunami gradually receded, and Song Ke struggled to recognize the person, ¡°It seems like¡­ General Ye.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan, as if sensing something, raised his eyes. Apart from Ye Zheng, he also met another gaze.


    The figure was backlit, and the face couldn¡¯t be clearly seen, but the military uniform was discernible. The clear voice echoed in the high sky:


    ¡°I am Xie Lan, as the Supreme Commander of the Azure Phoenix Army, and the Acting Chairman of Amira (District A2), I order all personnel on-site to cease all military operations. Violators will be executed.¡±

 Chapter 183.1: Key (26)

    ¡ò You are free (End of Key Arc) ¡òHalf an hour ago.


    Fenak Border.


    Duanmu Qi held Xu Xing, and Xiao Chen and Fang Zhixu closely followed. The four moved constantly in the wilderness.


    After the ¡°Blood-Red Building Blocks¡± disappeared, they were no longer trapped in one place, but due to the randomness of teleportation, they had to reconfirm their direction each time they landed.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s reversed.¡± Xiao Chen lowered his head to check the navigation and quickly reminded them.


    They had just crossed the border, and unexpectedly, they were teleported back. Duanmu Qi¡¯s fingers moved mechanically, faintly beginning to cramp, but he dared not stop, urgently activating the camping lamp second by second.


    Swish!


    Random teleportation took effect.


    In the frozen moment of the scene, Duanmu Qi¡¯s heart stopped suddenly. This time, the teleportation had brought them right in front of the enemy!


    Blood Bat and Wolf Spider looked unexpectedly at them, less than ten meters away. They didn¡¯t expect the prey to deliver itself automatically. For a moment, they were caught off guard.


    Duanmu Qi¡¯s breathing became rapid. He quickly reached for another crystal, but Gusta¡¯s reaction was faster. His S-level ability ¡°Biological Electric Current¡± was activated, and Duanmu Qi trembled all over as the bag filled with crystals suddenly slipped from his hand!


    A silver arc of light cut through, an invisible kite string severed the woven rope, and the bright red crystals scattered on the ground.


    No!! Duanmu Qi¡¯s scream stuck in his throat. Thick thorns burst from the ground, futilely trying to retrieve the scattered crystals.


    Xu Xing¡¯s pupils contracted, the surrounding temperature dropped suddenly, and ice needles shot out towards the opposite side. Blood Bat hastily evaded.


    Meanwhile, Fang Zhixu, relying on his proficient technique of picking up crystals for a long time, quickly grabbed one. Just as he was about to put it into the camping lamp, a group of corrosive spiders appeared out of thin air. They were about to bite his wrist.


    The kite string of impending death cut through the throat, and Duanmu Qi closed his eyes in despair. In the end¡­ was there no way to escape?


    ¡°Aaahhh!!¡±


    A piercing scream tore through the air, but it did not come from their side. Duanmu Qi suddenly opened his eyes and saw a piece of flesh and blood flying off the back of the Wolf Spider, and blood splattered out.


    Around them, countless Fallen of Huangyuan, their long and ghostly figures bathed in blood-red, emerged all over the mountains and plains. Duanmu Qi, in disbelief, widened his eyes. No, they were not zombies! In the distance, on a tall tower, a figure stood, letting out a distant and prolonged howl.


    Blood Bat and Wolf Spider were already heavily injured by Song Ke, their strength dropping to almost A-level. These blood zombies, like locusts, incessantly emerged, attacking them. Even with their abilities, they couldn¡¯t kill them all. Limbs and heads were bitten off alive, and the gruesome scene of blood and flesh was horrifying to the point of nausea.


    Not long after, the pursuers turned into blood mud on the ground.


    Xu Xing¡¯s eyes were swollen like peaches, crying so hard that she couldn¡¯t catch her breath. ¡°A¡ªAda¡­¡±


    Ada didn¡¯t approach. Across the distant space, she growled a few times. The remaining blood corpses retreated like a tide, disappearing from view.


    Duanmu Qi was filled with tears, choked with grief. This A-level mission had completely changed his fate. He successfully obtained qualifications for District B but lost two close friends. He could never have imagined that one day he would be saved by zombies.


    With the crisis averted, the four were exhausted, dragging their heavy bodies to pick up crystals scattered on the ground.


    The whistling of engines came from above, and a familiar voice sounded, ¡°Descend in altitude, survivors found ahead!¡±


    Ye Zimei squinted to identify and then exclaimed, ¡°¡­Xu Xing? Dr. Fang? It¡¯s V587! Come quickly to save them!¡±


    Ada¡¯s blurred features glanced at them deeply. Against the sunlight, she turned and disappeared on the horizon.


    *


    The silver-white starship countered Utopia¡¯s black fleet.


    In District A2, Emira, the military center of the New Asia Alliance, was of importance second only to the Central Court, yet it was not directly under its jurisdiction. Emira had its independent garrison. Once a war broke out or an emergency occurred, it could mobilize the armed forces of the entire Alliance.


    After Utopia ascended, following a power struggle, the original president was forced to step down. The new ruler rotated among the magistrates in District B, with Xie Lan assuming the first rotating presidency.


    Xie Lan brought not only the Azure Phoenix Army but also top-level awakeners from places like Kongsang (District B7), Askar (District B9), Northern Base (District B10), and Minlin (District B16).


    If Gu Hongyi had mobilized half of Utopia¡¯s S-class, then Xie Lan led the assembly of the strongest ground armed forces, causing the awakened energy concentration in the entire Loak region to reach a frightening threshold. The tense atmosphere was on the verge of eruption.


    Xie Lan¡¯s orders were concise and to the point, and her tone could even be considered calm. However, under the powerful force of intimidation, no one dared to act rashly.


    Ye Zheng used gravity to make the tide recede, and the battered trio of Song Ke stumbled to stand firm.


    Countless familiar awakeners jumped down from the silver-white starship: Ling siblings, Bai Qi, Zhao Yuqing, Yin Xiao and members of the Tustan team¡­


    Held by Fang Zhixu, Xu Xing was anxious. Finally reaching Song Ke, he saw her broken leg, and tears streamed down uncontrollably. He cried loudly, as if he had grown up overnight, feeling his own powerlessness.


    But Song Ke had no time to comfort him. Anxiously, she shouted to everyone, ¡°Go find Youyou! And Su Cha!¡±


    Lin Youyou¡¯s singing triggered a tsunami, but she couldn¡¯t swim at all, and the two never surfaced after falling into the sea.


    Jennifer¡¯s eyes were red, ¡°I¡¯m going right away!¡±


    Zhao Yuqing stood up, ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡± She was a water-type awakener, making it easier to find people in the sea.


    Yin Xiao¡¯s face had no previous carefree expression. His lips were tightly pursed, and he looked unusually serious, ¡°Your injuries cannot be delayed.¡±


    The three were lifted onto stretchers and connected to medical pods for treatment.


    Fang Zhixu, with depleted awakener abilities, helped them bandage their wounds.


    Zhuang Qingyan quietly raised his eyes, looking towards a high place.


    After many years, he and Xie Lan, his mother, met again. Xie Lan looked at his unfamiliar yet familiar face, her gaze complicated.


    Zhuang Qingyan didn¡¯t know what expression to make. He stared at the other person for a moment, smiled slowly, and lowered his gaze.


    A tall young man in Azure Phoenix uniform crossed the battlefield and crouched down in front of Song Ke.


    Sensing someone approaching, Song Ke instinctively looked up, then exclaimed in surprise, ¡°¡­An Qiwen?¡±


    An Qiwen¡¯s eyebrows and eyes relaxed as he nodded calmly, ¡°Long time no see, Song Ke.¡±


    His face showed the joy of meeting an old friend, but also¡­ an enduring sorrow.


    ¡°Take good care of your injuries, leave the rest to us.¡±


    An Qiwen patted her shoulder and then looked towards the sky where Simon was, a dark fire burning in his eyes. According to intelligence, this was the owner of the Bloody Hunter, the man behind sending Punk to Ferrara: ¡°Team Eleven, all members, follow my orders.¡±


    Perhaps due to excessive blood loss, Song Ke¡¯s thoughts were a bit hazy. Through An Qiwen¡¯s back, she vaguely saw another person.


    In the tense atmosphere, the two confronting sides entered a stalemate.


    With tubes all over her body, Song Ke leaned closer to Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s ear and whispered, ¡°Is that your mom?¡±


    She had seen images of Xie Zhuo when he was a teenager, although it was a fleeting glimpse, the memory was deep. They looked too similar, same black hair and dark eyes, distinctive facial features, unforgettable at a glance, even the teardrop mole at the corner of their eyes was identical.


    Zhuang Qingyan nodded silently, ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Your mom is really beautiful,¡± Song Ke sincerely praised.


    ¡°¡­¡± Zhuang Qingyan sighed silently. The little girl seemed to have learned the habit of admiring beauty from someone, it was deeply ingrained.


    In the center of the battlefield, a sudden change occurred. Several resentful Utopia awakeners, taking advantage of the opponents¡¯ distraction, launched a sudden attack.


    ¡°I said, violators will be exterminated.¡± Xie Lan¡¯s eyes and brows chilled. With the prohibition of Azure Phoenix¡¯s command, those offenders were instantly blasted into debris by awakener abilities.


    Song Ke shrank her head, feeling a chill on her neck, ¡°Um¡­ she¡¯s a bit fierce.¡±


    The scene froze again, a deathly silence.


    At that moment, the authoritative voice of Gu Hongyi echoed through the speakers, ¡°The two generals arrived very quickly.¡±


    His words had an underlying meaning. The signal block in Loak had just been lifted, and they arrived on the scene. Surely, they didn¡¯t just receive the message; it was highly likely that they had been hovering nearby for a while, hindered only by the ¡°Blood-Red Building Blocks¡± from entering.


    Xie Lan¡¯s gaze swept over the disheveled and breathless Xie Ping in the corner, her eyes filled with coldness.


    Gu Hongyi noticed her glance and spoke slowly, ¡°General Xie, no need to be angry. This person underneath also comes from your Xie family. His name is Xie Zhuo, the key to the Eternal Life Plan. Carefully speaking, you should be the person most aware of his identity.¡±


    ¡°Xie Zhuo is a first-level wanted criminal in the Alliance, and I have the right to arrest him.¡±


    Xie Lan¡¯s expression turned icy, ¡°May I ask, ¡®former¡¯ leader, what crime has he committed?¡±


    Gu Hongyi needled subtly, ¡°Anti-human crimes.¡±


    ¡°You cannot arrest him.¡± An elderly voice spoke up, and Ye Zheng casually dropped a bombshell, ¡°He is the next magistrate of the Northern Base. The charges you mentioned do not hold.¡±


    Gu Hongyi was momentarily stunned, never expecting that Ye Zheng would use this method to protect Xie Zhuo. He felt absurd, shook his head, and smiled bitterly, ¡°Ye Zheng, the Northern Base is said to be humanity¡¯s last hope, but the person you chose would rather witness humanity¡¯s demise with open eyes.¡±


    Ye Zheng, accustomed to verbal sparring, was unfazed by his mockery, ¡°A few days ago, Xie Zhuo voluntarily approached me and submitted Dr. Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s research results before his death, including parts related to the Eternal Life Plan. Under the guidance of Dr. Ning Rong, the Northern Base, in collaboration with 12 other District Bs, is conducting in-depth research on organ regeneration.¡±


    ¡°So, Xie Zhuo is innocent.¡±


    As soon as these words fell, the listeners erupted in uproar.


    Utopia¡¯s command channel was in chaos, ¡°What! Ye Zheng already has the data?!¡±


    ¡°What right does their District B have to conduct independent research beyond Utopia?!¡±


    ¡°No, this can¡¯t be private. Make them hand it over!¡±


    Ye Zheng¡¯s words brought back reason that had been swallowed by desire. The awakeners on the scene collectively stopped their actions, their expressions hesitant and uncertain.


    Gu Hongyi was too taken aback. He looked at Zhuang Qingyan in silence for a long time. He never expected that he would be one step ahead and hand the materials to Ye Zheng.


    ¡°Is this your way out?¡± Lu Xiaoyu, leaning wearily against the medical pod, tugged at the corner of his mouth.


    ¡°Kind of.¡± After careful consideration, Zhuang Qingyan decided to let some of the information see the light of day. He organized the content on the way here, had the Ling siblings deliver it to Dr. Ning Rong, and confessed to Ye Zheng that the journey was fraught with danger. If he lost contact for more than a day, something had happened.


    While speaking, Song Ke tugged at Fang Zhixu¡¯s sleeve, with a shy face extending her hand, ¡°Old Fang, get me another sealing agent.¡±


    Fang Zhixu shook his head solemnly, ¡°Stop injecting, it¡¯s useless.¡±


    Fang Zhixu had given two sealing agents to each person of V587, not because he was stingy, but because the third dose was ineffective. This type of potion relied on short-term stimulation, not to mention the severe side effects. If injected frequently, it would develop resistance, rendering subsequent doses nearly ineffective. S?a?ch* Th? N?v?lFir?.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Song Ke pursed her lips, showing disappointment.


    Her awakened energy was in turmoil, unable to find an outlet. She couldn¡¯t use her awakened abilities, and her fingers were difficult to control, sometimes twitching involuntarily.


    The confrontation continued; Utopia demanded data sharing, but Ye Zheng only said, ¡°Relevant research will be conducted on the ground.¡±


    The other side immediately erupted in anger, ¡°Ye Zheng, what do you mean by this?¡±


    Ye Zheng remained calm, and the S-level pressure filled the entire room, ¡°Utopia does not represent the Alliance, nor does it represent District B.¡±


    Before Gu Hongyi could respond, the more impulsive Minlin magistrate already cursed loudly, ¡°So, the meaning is, I¡¯ve had enough! Go to hell, Central Court! From now on, the sky belongs to you, the ground belongs to us, and no one should interfere with each other!¡±


    The vulgar declaration plunged the scene into silence. However, the other District B magistrates remained calm, apparently having reached a consensus.


    ¡°Is this your determination?¡± Gu Hongyi surveyed the surroundings, asking in a deep voice.


    ¡°Mr. Gu, something bad¡­ bad happened. District B¡­ has declared independence,¡± a high-ranking official muttered.


    A few hours ago, an explosive news appeared on the star network. Thirteen District Bs, including Beijun and Kongsang, issued a joint statement declaring their separation from the former Central Court, now under the jurisdiction of Utopia. They declared autonomy as an independent coalition.


    Whispers came to a sudden halt, and the air fell into an eerie silence.


    After a while, Gu Hongyi seemed to smile faintly.


    A holographic projection descended, revealing the appearance of this former figure of the Alliance.


    He was well-dressed, spirited, and he gazed at the battlefield full of devastation. He looked at more than ten magistrates on the opposite side, and finally, his scrutinizing gaze landed on Zhuang Qingyan.


    After a moment of silence, he spoke, ¡°Thirteen years ago, in the laboratory of the Fire Seed Project on this land beneath my feet, a perfect living being was born¡ªLAK0017. It possessed eternal life, powerful awakened abilities, clear consciousness. It was the best gift that technology bestowed upon humanity and a major reason for Vincent to restart the Eternal Life Plan.¡±


    Gu Hongyi was an outstanding orator, capturing the attention of all listeners with just a few words, causing them to change expression one after another.


    Xie Lan¡¯s eyes flickered, suddenly looking up at Zhuang Qingyan, only to find him also gazing back, his expression surprisingly calm.


    ¡°As long as we fully analyze the genetic map of LAK0017, replicate the DNA sequence one-to-one, humanity can achieve true immortality. No longer plagued by aging, diseases, and death, we can enter the next era of great development. As you can see, what I want to achieve is the goal of benefiting all humanity.¡±


    ¡°We, this generation, could have had eternal life.¡±


    ¡°Are these key data in the information given to you?¡±


    Of course not.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s face remained calm, and a stormy gloom filled his pupils.


    Those who played with power had a black heart. Gu Hongyi chose this moment to publicly reveal the existence of LAK0017, and his despicable intentions were evident.


    He used the most cunning provocation, causing even the magistrates of District B to discuss it incessantly, questioning Ye Zheng if what Gu Hongyi said was true.


    And inside the venue, Zhuang Qingyan undoubtedly became the target of criticism.

 Chapter 183.2: Key (26)

    ¡ò You are free (End of Key Arc) ¡òZhuang Qingyan had a pair of beautiful peach blossom eyes, which should have given him a gentle and affectionate appearance. However, his eyebrows were long, his nose bridge straight, and his jawline sharply defined. When not smiling, his light-colored pupils always exuded a cold and indifferent sense of world-weariness, making it difficult for people to approach.


    ¡°Benevolence for all humanity? Do you think you can hide your dirty nature with some flowery words?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan exposed the truth with a single sentence, ¡°You just want to control the switch of immortality in your own hands, artificially manipulating the survival of the fittest.¡±


    ¡°In your eyes, do ordinary people need immortality? No. Do violators need immortality? No.¡±


    ¡°Not to mention the entire Alliance, I¡¯m afraid that half of the people here can¡¯t enjoy your so-called ¡®benevolence.¡¯ The other half can only crawl at your feet like dogs, begging for your favor, and hoping for immortality that is impossible to achieve.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s mouth was indeed too sharp, hitting people right where it hurt with every word.


    The opposing awakeners, enraged and ashamed, sent a flurry of black blades towards him. Zhuang Qingyan evaded in a distressed manner, blood streaming down from his mouth.


    Song Ke sat up abruptly, the tubes swaying on both sides, her eyes unwaveringly fixed on his figure.


    Zhuang Qingyan maintained a calm tone, a cool smile hanging on his lips, ¡°Do you know why the Eternal Life Plan failed? Because LAK0017 cannot be replicated.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Everyone, including Gu Hongyi, was shocked.


    Zhuang Qingyan sneered, ¡°One-to-one replication? LAK0017 has dozens of extinct replicative genes in its body. Do you have the original samples?¡±


    Replicative genes had disappeared from the Alliance for over twenty years, and they were even more untraceable after the outbreak of the apocalypse.


    ¡°¡ªThe so-called immortality is just a bubble.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan cruelly revealed the truth.


    The venue fell silent for a second, followed by an explosion of condemnation and questioning. Angry awakeners overwhelmed Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s lonely figure.


    ¡°Lies! You¡¯re talking nonsense! Who gave you the right to deny immortality!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe it. If it¡¯s meaningless, why did Vincent insist on researching?¡±


    Gu Hongyi shook his head slowly, ¡°Xie Zhuo, do you think you can just make up some words, and everything will be fine? Let me tell you, it won¡¯t pass. As long as I live, as long as Utopia exists, I will tirelessly dig out the secrets from your mind. You will face endless pursuit, hiding in the dark, unseen, becoming Utopia¡¯s eternal enemy.¡±


    ¡°Xie Zhuo, you can¡¯t escape.¡±


    The political situation in the Alliance was complex. Although Gu Hongyi had stepped down, the power structure he left behind remained intact, exerting a dominating influence. The new leadership was practically marginalized, having no real say in Utopia.


    Song Ke slowly clenched her fist, gazing at Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s enigmatic profile, his deep eyes concealed by his eyelashes.


    She looked for a long time, then averted her gaze and nudged Lu Xiaoyu, ¡°Projection relies on consciousness, right?¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu suddenly realized, ¡°Yes, using terminals for deep-level connections. The old man seems to be in poor health and can only manifest himself using this method. If the projection dies, I can cut off his consciousness, preventing him from returning.¡±


    He gestured with his damaged bionic arm, indicating his capability.


    The balance between the two sides was precarious due to Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s revelation. Breaking the equilibrium, Xie Lan issued the command, ¡°Attack.¡±


    A deafening roar, rolling smoke, and Song Ke gently called out, ¡°Zhuang Qingyan.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan turned around, limping over to her. S~?a??h the N0v?lFir?.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°I think,¡± Song Ke gestured for him to crouch down, and she touched his eye corner, ¡°the original tear mole was charming.¡±


    She murmured softly, ¡°Bring it back when you have the chance.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Zhuang Qingyan replied hoarsely. Despite his heavy heart, he smiled and agreed with Song Ke, ¡°I¡¯ll listen to you.¡±


    After looking at him for a few seconds, Song Ke suddenly leaned in, pressing her lips against his. Both of them had blood on their faces, and the kiss carried a hint of the metallic taste.


    Zhuang Qingyan was somewhat surprised and reached back to hold her wrist, ¡°Song Ke¡­¡±


    Song Ke affectionately rubbed her cheek against his and then turned around, pressing him onto the medical bed. She swiftly removed the tubes with one hand and stood up.


    ¡°They bullied you.¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s okay.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not okay,¡± Song Ke said seriously, ¡°If you don¡¯t fight back, they will keep bullying you. I don¡¯t want that.¡±


    She turned around, and her formidable awakened energy cut through the booming artillery, her voice echoing clearly in everyone¡¯s ears.


    ¡°Hey, what you said doesn¡¯t count.¡±


    Both sides in the fight looked at her in astonishment.


    Song Ke stood upright, looking up at the projection of Gu Hongyi, ¡°If you die, Utopia is gone, and what you just said doesn¡¯t count.¡±


    From adolescence to adulthood, half of Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s life was spent as a fugitive, constantly hiding, never having a moment to possess his true name, never experiencing a peaceful sleep. He carried the secret of all humanity, like a suffocating mountain pressing down on him.


    But why? When this mountain fell, did anyone ask for his opinion?


    Song Ke took a step forward, pulled a crystal from the space. It radiated dazzling golden light, with abundant energy flowing within. This was a level 5 crystal produced by the Armoured Sea Turtle, the only one in the world. She had it tested in Grace¡¯s lab in Qianzhan City, and it triggered a red alert due to its dangerous radiation, equivalent to a medium-sized nuclear bomb. It was strictly prohibited for use.


    ¡°First time taking dr*gs, I¡¯m a bit nervous.¡±


    Despite missing a leg, Song Ke stood firm. She decisively crushed the crystal. A brilliant golden light soared into the sky, causing violent turbulence in the upper atmosphere, tumultuous waves in the sea, and a trembling ground beneath.


    Song Ke¡¯s whole body shone with dazzling brilliance, like flowing gold, and even the morning glow paled in comparison. Her frail body couldn¡¯t absorb such a colossal amount of energy. Her veins and blood vessels swelled, and the magnetic field, which had been sealed, forcibly expanded several times. If there were an R-type tester here, the alarm would undoubtedly be blaring. People would be astonished to find that Song Ke¡¯s level had skyrocketed from S8 to S9, then surpassed the detectable limit.


    ¡ªBeyond S-level awakener.


    Song Ke¡¯s pupils turned a pure gold, and she soared into the sky towards the starship where Gu Hongyi was located.


    No one expected her to be so reckless, assassinating the former leader in broad daylight. Everyone rushed to intercept, but Xie Lan made a decisive decision, ¡°Protect her!¡±


    Azure Phoenix soldiers and District B awakeners joined the battlefield.


    ¡°Hurry, all artillery aim, stop her!!¡± Simon was restless, couldn¡¯t help but extend his body to observe the situation. Suddenly, a gap tore open in mid-air, purple lightning flashed, a tall figure fell with thunder, illuminating his alarmed pupils. Simon kept retreating, horrified, ¡°No¡ªprotect me!!¡±


    Boom! Boom!! Magnetic storm bombs engulfed Song Ke¡¯s figure. The world became bright, all sounds disappeared, quiet and desolate.


    ¡°Song Ke!¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan limped into the battlefield, various awakened abilities raining down on him. Disregarding them, he plunged forward headlong, no different from walking into death.


    Yin Xiao currently in combat furrowed his brows as he saw projectiles descending. Swiftly, he grabbed Zhuang Qingyan, who was unresponsive, and in that moment, Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s right leg gave way, kneeling down on a single knee.


    His thoughts were rarely blank; a powerful palpitation pierced through him. Aaron, who had been watching him closely, brightened his eyes, and ¡°Knowledge Deprivation¡± was activated!


    A second later, Aaron was elated beyond measure ¨C he had succeeded!


    As the artillery fire scattered, Song Ke¡¯s figure still hung in mid-air. The illusionary golden armor inch by inch shattered, her entire body damaged and incomplete. Her left arm was only half remaining. However, from within her, a torrential awakened energy rushed in all directions, a hurricane suddenly arose. The frontmost S-level awakeners emitted fearful screams, torn apart by the terrifying energy, organs and brain matter splattered everywhere, sweeping backward. The elites of Utopia dispersed like a bursting dam, evaporating instantly.


    As if a humanoid nuclear weapon, wherever she passed, there were bloody fireworks.


    Stepping on shattered limbs and bones, amidst a sea of blood and corpses, Song Ke condensed a golden spear, five meters long, in her incomplete palm. Intense radiation surged towards all limbs and hundreds of bones. At the unseen nape of her neck, a string of cold code slowly appeared: L-A-K-0-0-1-7.


    ¡ª¡±LAK0017.¡±


    Aaron was pushed back by telekinesis, retreating like a drowning person, sweating profusely. But he acquired a portion of Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s ¡°knowledge¡± and looked unbelievably at Song Ke, ¡°L¡­ LA¡­!¡±


    ¡°Mr. Gu, she is the experimental subject!¡±


    Gu Hongyi suddenly looked up, ¡°What did you say?¡±


    Fragmented information flashed in his mind: S8 level awakener, dual ability, body healing, no known parentage, mysterious origins¡­


    Burning with a terrifying light in his eyes, Gu Hongyi grabbed the communicator, about to speak when the cabin suddenly shook.


    The all-annihilating golden spear penetrated the starship with a force like thunder, irresistibly piercing through Aaron and Gu Hongyi¡¯s projections.


    Song Ke locked her pupils on the two, threw a punch, a vast energy enough to obliterate souls. The terminal carrying Gu Hongyi¡¯s consciousness disintegrated, the sturdy starship ¡°cracked¡± into two, completely out of control, rapidly rotating and crashing to the ground.


    Boom!!


    Smoke and flames catalyzed into a mushroom cloud.


    In the S-level Sky City Utopia, a technologically advanced skyscraper, heavy security guarded the office. Suddenly, a sharp alarm sounded, and people rushed into the room. The old man inside slowly fell, life indicators completely silent, brain activity completely ceased.


    Song Ke, with bloodshot eyes, wildly swung the long spear, piercing through the hearts of awakeners, twisting off their heads.


    Hundreds of black starships were simultaneously annihilated, S-level members of Utopia dying almost to the last. The radiation within her body also accumulated to its peak, uncontrollable chaotic energy.


    Boom¡ª¡ª!!!


    A high-frequency sonic blast erupted, rendering everyone instantly deaf. A silence enveloped the surroundings, filled with the piercing noise.


    With a loud clang, the golden spear dissipated, leaving Song Ke dizzy and her vision blurred. Her organs were corroded, and her final thought was that she couldn¡¯t explode. If she did, no one else would survive.


    With strong willpower, the rampaging energy was inexplicably suppressed, careening wildly within the magnetic field.


    Puff. A slight sound, like a punctured balloon. Song Ke realized something, lowering her head to see her awakened energy leaking uncontrollably from within her. Her body shattered bit by bit into ashes.


    Song Ke blinked slowly, the side effects more severe than she had imagined. Grace was right; Level 5 crystals should not be used recklessly. She lifted her gaze satisfied; luckily, the goal was achieved.


    Song Ke landed weakly, steadying herself with a stagger. She touched the black collar with trembling fingertips and pressed the microphone.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s shirt was soaked in blood, his head throbbing, and his vision hard to focus. He spat out a dry blood foam.


    In the earpiece, Song Ke¡¯s cheerful voice rang out, ¡°Zhuang Qingyan, there is no need to hide from now on.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s face turned pale, crawling forward with bloodstains, and, relying on his senses, grabbed Song Ke¡¯s hand. ¡°Song Keke, you¡­ don¡¯t be like this. Didn¡¯t we agree? Don¡¯t save me, don¡¯t care about me.¡±


    ¡°No, I care about you.¡±


    A smile appeared in Song Ke¡¯s eyes, the dimples on her cheeks forming a small curve. She stubbornly called his name, ¡°Zhuang¡­ Qingyan, thank you.¡±


    ¡ª¡±You are free now.¡±


    Intense energy suddenly erupted, flowing elegantly like auroras. Sparse electromagnetic waves lingered around Song Ke. It was a breathtaking sight that couldn¡¯t be described in words. Her body quickly disintegrated, eroded by radiation. With a gust of wind, the ashes scattered over the sea.


    ¡°No¡­¡± Zhuang Qingyan murmured, panting, ¡°Come back, Song Ke¡­ Song Ke!!¡±


    An unbearable pain pierced his mind, and he fell to the ground with a thunderous crash. In the last lingering moment of consciousness, a clear and melodious bird¡¯s cry echoed through the sky over Loak.


    Resonant and delightful, like jade breaking in Kunshan.


    Because it was too ethereal, amid the incessant piercing noise, it seemed as elusive as an illusion.


    *


    In a laboratory filled with instruments, ¡°Zhuang Qingyan¡± stared at the screen with dark circles under his eyes, muttering to himself, ¡°Not good-sounding? What¡¯s wrong with the name ¡®Fire Seed¡¯? The flowers that bloom in the ashes, like the phoenix in ancient civilization myths, have great commemorative significance.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, a unique limited edition worldwide, using the Phoenix gene that cost my mom a whopping fifty million Alliance coins, and you failed to integrate it.¡±


    The young man with a teardrop mole at the corner of his eye flipped through the light screen in his hand, casually pouring cold water on his father, ¡°Not only did you fail, even the experimental subject is scrapped. Indeed, it has great commemorative significance.¡±


    ¡°You! Get out, just get out!¡±


    The side effects of ¡°Knowledge Deprivation¡± took effect, and Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s entire world suddenly collapsed.


    *


    As the sunset approached, the sky suddenly started pouring rain. The sea surged, and the dim vision couldn¡¯t see five meters ahead.


    New Asia Alliance, an isolated island in the east.


    In early autumn, it shouldn¡¯t have been rainy, but a week ago, a storm inexplicably swept across the sea, and it hadn¡¯t dissipated until today.


    A stiff little zombie buried its head in the sand, digging for shells. After a while, it suddenly ran out, stumbling, and hugged another figure sitting on the beach, shouting, ¡°Ah, ah, ah, ah¡ªah, ah!¡±


    The figure with a headscarf slowly stood up, pulled by the little zombie, and walked towards the ¡°treasure¡± it had found.


    On the beach lay a pile of something.


    This something could only be described as an ¡°unidentified object,¡± resembling fresh red meat, or a lump of soft and squishy seafood, twitching and wriggling.


    The sea breeze blew off the headscarf, unexpectedly revealing its face, with a bluish-gray complexion, cloudy pupils, and grim undead markings covering the cheeks to the neck. Clearly, this was a Fallen, who had forgotten their name but vaguely remembered that when they were still human, people used to call them¡ªAunt Qing.


    Aunt Qing¡¯s eyes stared blankly, with the excited little zombie beside her, drooling. Aunt Qing bent down, picked up a broken fishing net, wrapped the soft flesh in it, and hung it around the little zombie¡¯s neck.


    Two shaky figures walked through the dense crowd of zombies, disappearing into the depths of the lonely island.

 Chapter 184.1: Before the Apocalypse (1)

    ¡ò (Vincent x Xie Lan) Parents¡¯ Love ¡òIn the 17th year of the new calendar, early spring.


    District B9, Askar.


    A high-definition advertising screen scrolled and played a passionate speech: ¡°Genetic engineering will effectively repair embryonic and human defects, resist the invasion of genetic viruses. It is a milestone development in DNA editing technology and the gospel of human evolution in the post-radiation era¡­¡±


    High above the starship harbor, a slender figure stood quietly.


    Xie Lan, dressed in regular clothes, with her jet-black long hair tied into a low ponytail behind her head. Her appearance was beautiful and charming at first glance, but if you lingered for a moment, you could feel a cold and sharp aura. Even standing still, there was a hidden but palpable sense of pressure.


    On the screen, Academician Bob, being interviewed, continued to speak expansively: ¡°Unfortunately, the success rate of this technology is currently unstable, hovering around 30%. Some subjects experience severe adverse reactions. My team and I are working hard to overcome these challenges¡­¡±


    ¡°Colonel, a total of 380 people, everyone is present.¡± The adjutant approached from behind and reported in a low voice.


    Xie Lan nodded slightly. The purpose of her trip was to bring a group of physically fit soldiers selected from Beijun for genetic enhancement experiments. In the past two years, there had been continuous border conflicts in Beijun, and the Cario Empire, with its ¡°evolvers¡±, had repeatedly provoked them. They had suffered quite a bit in the shadows. If this mission succeeded, the Xie family could truly have ¡°super soldiers.¡±


    The 380 people sent to Askar all volunteered for the experiment and wrote their wills in advance.


    With a success rate of 30%, the prospects were too uncertain. No one knew whether they would achieve ¡°evolution¡± or become sacrificed martyrs.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Xie Lan withdrew her gaze and put on an isolation mask.


    The post-war environment was deteriorating day by day, the air was polluted, and the ubiquitous nuclear remnants made it difficult for her to breathe. She had to wear a mask when traveling.


    ¡­


    Research Center.


    The receptionist respectfully led Xie Lan to the office, saying, ¡°Colonel Xie, Academician Bob is currently in Liuponi for academic exchange, so Dr. Zhuang, his student, will be leading the genetic enhancement experiment.¡±


    Xie Lan halted her steps, a storm brewing in her eyes. ¡°I haven¡¯t received any information about a personnel change.¡±


    Beijun had invested a significant amount of money and manpower for this venture, and at this crucial juncture, Bob dared to change personnel on the spot, seriously crossing her bottom line. Xie Lan didn¡¯t mind personally going to District A4 to ¡°invite¡± him back.


    The receptionist was sweating profusely; the intimidation brought by Xie Lan was too strong. Fearful, he didn¡¯t dare to lie, but certain things couldn¡¯t be explained too explicitly. He could only offer a vague explanation, ¡°Actually, whether Academician Bob is here or not is not important. Dr. Zhuang is the core. Please rest assured; everything will be fine!¡±


    Xie Lan furrowed her brow, speculating on the unspoken meaning in his words. She had heard about some unwritten rules in academic circles, but who held the title was not important to her. What mattered to Xie Lan was how many people she could bring back.


    The automatic door opened slowly, revealing an empty room with scattered papers, and instruments quietly humming with occasional ¡°beep¡± sounds.


    The receptionist, accustomed to this sight, looked around and called out softly, ¡°Dr. Zhuang?¡±


    Before his call was answered, an angry figure pulled open a side door with a loud bang! The light screen fell heavily on the table.


    ¡°Zhuang Qingyan! Are you using my authority? You even wrote comments for the interns I brought, don¡¯t be too arrogant!¡±


    The documents on the floor shifted, and suddenly, a head emerged from the pile of papers. A man sat up, rubbing his forehead, his voice slightly hoarse.


    ¡°I casually flipped through last night, and there are 25 logical flaws in your group¡¯s model. It¡¯s really unbearable to look at.¡±


    ¡°25 flaws? Is that true?¡± A person named ¡°Ning Rong¡± doubted, muttering. He casually flipped through the paper, and the comments inside were infuriating:


    ¡°Fortunately, only you and I have read this paper.¡±


    ¡°This section is well-written but needs to be entirely deleted.¡±


    ¡°Who taught you to use formulas like this?¡±


    ¡°Please do not create, no, transport academic garbage.¡±


    Towards the end, the comments became sharper:


    ¡°??¡±


    ¡°Is your brain 99% water?¡±


    ¡°My silence is deafening.¡±


    Ning Rong: ¡°¡­¡±


    Despite those interns idolizing him, did they know he had such a sharp tongue?


    The man yawned, folded up his bed, casually put on a white coat. Tall and handsome, despite the tiredness showing in his dark under-eye circles and stubble. ¡°Your research project can¡¯t proceed. Don¡¯t waste your time; abandon it early.¡±


    ¡°Why can¡¯t it proceed?¡± Ning Rong refused to accept it.


    ¡°No money, no personnel,¡± the man said lazily.


    Ning Rong was momentarily speechless. He was right; once it entered the practical stage, the funds were like pouring into a bottomless pit, and investors expected returns. Young scholars like them, unknown and unproven, found it challenging to get 100% support.


    But Ning Rong still held onto his fantasies. ¡°Maybe one day, an investor will appear, recognize my talent, and be willing to climb the research peak with me.¡±


    The man chuckled softly, rummaged through a drawer, found the instant coffee empty, and helplessly closed it. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re talking about investors?¡±


    Ning Rong blushed. ¡°What do you, a lonely researcher, understand? I curse you to be forever single!¡±


    The man raised an eyebrow. ¡°I don¡¯t need such unnecessary things. Research is my partner, and I¡¯m willing to dedicate my life to it.¡±


    He said it with conviction, leaving Ning Rong speechless.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take a nap; you watch over things.¡±


    Seeming quite tired, the man yawned again, swayed towards the side door.


    ¡°Dr. Zhuang, please wait a moment.¡± The receptionist stepped forward to explain the situation. After listening with bowed head, he glanced at the unexpected visitor at the door.


    The receptionist warmly introduced, ¡°This is Dr. Vincent Zhuang. Dr. Zhuang, this is Colonel Xie from Beijun.¡±


    Vincent¡¯s slender fingers flipped through the appointment records. ¡°Genetic enhancement experiment¡­ 380 people?¡±


    Xie Lan, behind her mask, stared at him. ¡°I hope to complete it as soon as possible. Cost is not an issue.¡±


    Vincent straightforwardly refused, ¡°Can¡¯t be done.¡±


    Xie Lan frowned. ¡°What?¡±


    The receptionist hadn¡¯t expected him to offend someone with his first words, and his face turned pale.


    Vincent and Xie Lan locked eyes for two seconds. Patiently, he repeated, ¡°I said it can¡¯t be done. Please leave.¡±


    Without a second thought, Xie Lan drew her gun, pressing the cold mechanical device against his mouth. ¡°When I paid the deposit, the answer I heard was not this.¡±


    Behind her, the tall figure raised their weapons, aiming at Vincent¡¯s head, creating an instantly tense atmosphere.


    Ning Rong was terrified, holding onto Vincent¡¯s arm, shouting, ¡°No, no, no, don¡¯t be impulsive, let¡¯s talk!¡±


    Vincent calmly glanced down at the gun at his mouth. ¡°The genetic enhancement plan you received is the version approved by the Alliance, but it¡¯s not my best plan. If you insist on experimenting, perhaps you can only take away 100 people. Even so, do you still insist?¡±


    Xie Lan¡¯s eyelashes flickered slightly. ¡°What is your ¡®best plan¡¯?¡±


    Vincent, surprised by her keen focus, replied, ¡°The best plan¡­ because of lack of funds, it¡¯s not ready yet.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re playing games with me?¡± Xie Lan showed a hint of displeasure, and her fingertips on the trigger moved slightly.


    Ning Rong, panicking, exclaimed, ¡°Nonono!¡±


    Vincent spoke before she could act. ¡°One week.¡±


    ¡°One week, and I can provide you with the best plan you want. The condition is, um, you pay for it.¡±


    The receptionist gasped, weakly asking, ¡°Dr. Zhuang, is this too risky? What if it fails¡­¡±


    They would be in big trouble with Colonel Xie. He had a premonition; they would definitely be!


    Vincent stood his ground confidently. ¡°Failure is inevitable. I¡¯ve experienced at least ten thousand failures, but as long as I succeed once, it¡¯s worth it.¡±


    The receptionist felt a headache and toothache and his entire body ached. These research geniuses were all oddballs! Speaking arrogantly about failure as if it were a matter of course, wasting a week with Colonel Xie, who would undoubtedly let him off easily?


    Xie Lan carefully observed the man in front of her. There was a lingering chemical smell on his white coat, not pleasant. His hair was messy, his appearance untidy, giving off an aura of unreliability. Only his face seemed somewhat presentable.


    ¡°What¡¯s the success rate?¡± Xie Lan slowly raised the gun, pressing it against his Adam¡¯s apple.


    ¡°45%.¡± Vincent replied instantly, as if he had deduced it countless times.


    Xie Lan¡¯s mind raced; it was close to half.


    ¡°What if the subjects are military personnel?¡±


    ¡°Allow me to correct you; without data to support it, physical fitness and genetic strength are directly related.¡±


    Vincent¡¯s deep brows stretched as he smiled, radiating a handsome glow.


    ¡°How do you prove yourself?¡±


    Xie Lan cast a light glance at him. Those soldiers were her subordinates, her personal guards; she had to be responsible for them.


    Their eyes met again, and a hidden wave surged between them. Vincent quietly gazed at her and suddenly smiled, ¡°How about this? Give me another week, maybe I can increase the success rate to 65%.¡±


    Ning Rong exclaimed, ¡°Hey, don¡¯t go crazy¡­¡± S~?a??h the n0v?l(?)ire.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Vincent remained composed. ¡°Give it a try.¡±


    Xie Lan, without changing her expression, stared at the man in front of her. He had attractive almond-shaped eyes, shallow like they couldn¡¯t contain anything. However, her intuition told her that when he mentioned 65%, he wasn¡¯t joking.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you half a month.¡±


    ¡°During this half-month, I will investigate your background thoroughly. From your birth, growth, education, to this moment standing here, I will have a clear understanding of your past. I¡¯ll review every detail of the plan you propose, and any changes must have my approval.¡±


    Vincent nodded calmly. ¡°You pay, you decide.¡±


    The adjutant, with a worried expression, whispered, ¡°Colonel¡­¡±


    At the border of Hede Island in Beijun, conflicts were escalating, and war was imminent. Half a month was too risky for them.


    ¡°If any issues arise, I¡¯ll take responsibility,¡± Xie Lan asserted with her characteristic decisive demeanor, but¡­


    ¡°Achoo!¡± A sneeze disrupted her authority.


    Vincent glanced at her and turned around, rummaging through a cabinet full of potions. He pulled out a small green bottle.


    ¡°Antiallergic spray, an adjunct product of one of my projects.¡±


    The packaging was rudimentary, with a handwritten signature on the bottle, depicting a majestic character, vaguely resembling the character ¡°Yan.¡±


    The adjutant¡¯s expression turned serious. ¡°What is this? Do you have approval from the Drug Administration for this?¡±


    Xie Lan, with her background, wouldn¡¯t use such a dubious concoction.


    Xie Lan holstered her gun, pondered for a moment, and reached out to take it. The soft fingertips and Vincent¡¯s slightly cool palm met briefly and then parted.


    As she left, faint, fragmented sounds could be heard in the room: ¡°Young Miss¡­ delicate¡­¡±


    Ning Rong sneakily glanced at Xie Lan and pulled on his sleeve desperately. ¡°Could you say a few words less? She¡¯s carrying a gun.¡±


    ¡­


    In the following half month, Vincent, except for eating and sleeping, rooted himself in the laboratory. Xie Lan set up a simple office in the outer area, staying close to supervise him. Finally, she understood what the receptionist meant by ¡°Dr. Zhuang is the core.¡±


    The results of the experiment were unexpected. Out of the 380 people Xie Lan brought, astonishingly, 288 successfully underwent enhancement, showing early awakening symptoms. The success rate exceeded 75%. Once this news spread in the Alliance, it caused a massive stir.


    Without a doubt, Vincent had made history.


    News in various districts enthusiastically reported on the achievements of Bob¡¯s team, with Vincent¡¯s name only mentioned once in a corner.


    However, when he saw the news, he just yawned, his handsome face showing signs of fatigue with dark circles under his eyes. He cared little about the fleeting fame.


    On the day of the return journey, Vincent¡¯s gaze fell on Xie Lan¡¯s face. She wasn¡¯t wearing a face mask, and the teardrop mole at the corner of her eye added a touch of charm.


    ¡°Used it?¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    Their abrupt conversation left onlookers confused.


    Vincent¡¯s eyes revealed a faint smile, and he looked at her a bit longer before saying nothing.


    She used the antiallergic spray he gave her, and it worked. She believed in the optimal plan he adjusted, and it succeeded.


    Xie Lan returned to Beijun with the 288 awakened individuals.

 Chapter 184.2: Before the Apocalypse (1)

    ¡ò (Vincent x Xie Lan) Parents¡¯ Love ¡òSix months later.


    Beijun.


    Xie Lan had just come out of her father¡¯s study when she encountered her half-brother, Xie Ping, in the corner of the staircase.


    ¡°I heard you¡¯re planning to form an army composed of awakeners? Ambitious, aren¡¯t you?¡± Xie Ping¡¯s expression was peculiar, with a touch of both mockery and seriousness.


    This sister of his surpassed everyone by far. With extraordinary abilities, she had long been selected as the next master of Beijun. Xie Ping had tried to vie for her position, but Xie Lan was strict in her selection of soldiers and governed with discipline. Her troops not only had fierce combat capabilities but also unwavering determination. Moreover, they only followed Xie Lan¡¯s orders.


    Half a year ago, she brought back nearly three hundred awakened individuals from Askar and decisively won the border ownership in Hede Island. Now, her position was secure, and no one could shake it.


    Xie Lan casually replied, ¡°Heard the private doctor came yesterday? Big brother, take care of yourself.¡±


    Xie Ping¡¯s expression changed abruptly.


    ¡­


    Back at the military headquarters, the terminal beeped, and her mother¡¯s projection appeared, her tone as lamenting as ever, ¡°When are you getting married?¡±


    Accompanying the communication were numerous profiles of potential marriage partners. Xie Lan only glanced at them briefly and quickly closed it.


    ¡°Did you have another argument with someone?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, yes! I¡¯m all alone in this; no one helps me when I argue.¡± Her mother, with delicate makeup, sighed while covering her chest. ¡°You can choose the person, but you must get married. I¡¯ve been wanting to hold a grandchild for a long time.¡±


    Xie Lan looked helpless. The internal relationships of the Xie family were complex. Her mother was the fourth wife of her father, but Xie Lan knew her mother¡¯s combat capabilities well. She could scold ten people by herself without fear. It seemed like she just felt lonely. Born into the Xie family, Xie Lan had a detached view of marriage. Since her mother wished for it, she agreed to get married.


    She opened the folder, sifting through the potential suitors one by one. The more she looked, the more discerning she became: this one wouldn¡¯t do, too chubby; that one wouldn¡¯t do, too short; this one had a vacant gaze, clearly untrustworthy; and this one¡­ a bit too simple; she did have certain expectations for intelligence.


    Her thoughts drifted away, and a pair of light-colored eyes flashed by. When she tried to recall them, the memories seemed a bit blurry.


    Xie Lan began frequenting blind dates, but unfortunately, she didn¡¯t find any of the men in the folder appealing.


    In the last blind date, she met the young master of the Xu family, said to be pursuing a Ph.D. Maybe Xie Lan¡¯s aura was too strong; the young master seemed a bit awkward, wearing glasses, shy and timid. Surprisingly, Xie Lan didn¡¯t get up and leave; she even made a joke, ¡°Do all you researchers have such dark circles under your eyes?¡±


    The young master appeared bewildered, not quite understanding whom she referred to as ¡°you researchers.¡± Nevertheless, he honestly replied, ¡°No, it¡¯s because I¡¯ve been working on my thesis recently, pulling several all-nighters. I¡¯m not a genius, so writing is quite painful for me.¡±


    Xie Lan was curious, ¡°How do you define a genius in your academic field?¡±


    Talking about a familiar topic, the young master¡¯s words flowed, ¡°We do have geniuses in our field! Vincent Zhuang, around my age, but he earned two Ph.D. degrees in Biology and Genetics before turning twenty. He made a name for himself in the field of genetic engineering. Do you know Professor Bob?¡±


    Xie Lan nodded, ¡°I¡¯ve heard of him.¡± She didn¡¯t have a favorable impression of this particular professor.


    The young master¡¯s face lit up with admiration, ¡°Professor Bob leads the Genetic Enhancement Project, now called the Genetic Selection Project. Vincent is also part of it, and it¡¯s really amazing.¡±


    Over the past six months, the concept of ¡°genetic selection¡± had gained immense popularity, maintaining a success rate of 65%. Families in District B had started experiments, but due to the high cost, only a very small number of people could enjoy the benefits of ¡°awakening.¡±


    Xie Lan listened absentmindedly, her mind gradually focusing on the clear and handsome face.


    After chatting for a while and realizing there was no spark between them, they parted amicably. Before leaving, Xie Lan jokingly said, ¡°I don¡¯t know if your thesis will pass, but I¡¯m sure the dark circles of a genius are heavier than yours.¡±


    The young master was momentarily stunned, only to belatedly realize that, ignoring Xie Lan¡¯s strong aura, her beauty was also top-notch.


    That night, Xie Lan huddled on the sofa, opened the projection, and meticulously read Vincent¡¯s information, from his complex and profound papers to his image. She didn¡¯t understand a single word of his lengthy and intricate articles. When she reached his image, she lingered for a long time.


    On a rainy day, Xie Lan returned to District B9. It coincided with the graduation season at the Askar First Military Academy, and she had to personally select non-commissioned officers.


    For some reason, the weather wasn¡¯t favorable both times she visited ¨C last time, dust filled the air, and this time, it was a drizzly day. Xie Lan arrived alone at the research center, peering inside through the transparent glass.


    Vincent, wearing experimental goggles, was focused on the instruments, head bowed attentively observing the data while jotting down notes with a stylus. Only half of his profile was visible, his complexion pale, features handsome. He had shaved this time, but his thin lips were pressed into a straight line, giving him a somewhat stern appearance.


    At the spacious rooftop, the same receptionist from half a year ago sighed beside Xie Lan, ¡°Dr. Zhuang¡¯s application for an independent project got rejected. He hasn¡¯t been in good spirits lately.¡±


    ¡­


    On the empty rooftop, Vincent took off his white coat, leaving only a black shirt, unbuttoning it to let the air circulate.


    The misty raindrops tapped on his shoulders as he gazed into the distance with a somewhat absent-minded expression.


    A cup of warm Jade Estate coffee was handed to him, and when he turned his head, he recognized the person, ¡°Colonel Xie.¡±


    Xie Lan, holding a black umbrella to shield them securely, asked, ¡°What is the direction of your research?¡±


    Vincent¡¯s expression twitched slightly. He hadn¡¯t expected this beautiful and authoritative senior military officer to be interested in a small scientific project. However, his research hadn¡¯t reached a classified level, so he truthfully replied, ¡°Gene fusion.¡±


    Following that, Vincent explained the specific content using detailed professional terms.


    Xie Lan remained silent for a long time, her eyes revealing a hint of emptiness. It was too professional. Honestly, despite reading the papers in advance, she still didn¡¯t understand.


    Vincent noticed her confusion and, for some reason, felt a bit relieved. ¡°In simple terms, it¡¯s about using gene fusion to resist diseases like cancer, extending the average human lifespan.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Xie Lan sneezed again, ¡°Ah-choo!¡±


    Vincent¡¯s lips moved, and he sighed almost inaudibly, ¡°¡­delicate.¡±


    Xie Lan stared at him expressionlessly.


    Vincent paused for a moment, then casually spoke, ¡°Your allergies seem quite severe.¡±


    Xie Lan nodded, ¡°I¡¯m sensitive to nuclear residue.¡±


    Although nuclear warfare had ended, the lingering pain remained, needing time to heal. As cities prospered, the environment deteriorated, and extreme weather became more frequent.


    ¡°The spray I had is finished. If you need it, I can give you the formula.¡±


    ¡°No need. It¡¯s not very convenient for me,¡± Xie Lan replied. Being a military officer, she couldn¡¯t exactly ask the enemy to ¡°wait a moment¡± during a battle while she retrieved her spray.


    Vincent glanced at her frosty profile and took a sip of his coffee, ¡°Actually, there¡¯s a better solution.¡±


    ¡°What solution?¡± Xie Lan raised her gaze.


    ¡°Do you know about air conditioning? It¡¯s an outdated relic from the old civilization, but its principles are quite fascinating. I can install a large-scale air conditioner in the sky, automatically adjusting the climate through artificial intelligence calculations. By then, extreme weather will be under control. You won¡¯t need to wear a mask and can move freely anywhere,¡± Vincent explained, his eyes sparkling with countless stars. ¡°As long as there¡¯s sufficient funding and a team, give me five years, no, three years, and I can make it happen.¡±


    However, as he finished speaking, he thought of his recent failed project, and a sense of melancholy crept into his expression. His lowered eyelashes concealed all emotions.


    Xie Lan felt a subtle shift inside her, a mysterious thought surfacing. Having encountered numerous prospective spouses, she had never experienced such a feeling.


    An inexplicable impulse made her speak, ¡°Come back to Beijun with me.¡±


    Vincent stared at her in surprise.


    It was an impulsive statement without much thought, but after saying it, the feeling of destiny settled. Xie Lan spoke again, her tone firm, ¡°You, come back with me to Beijun.¡±


    Turning around, she stood on the steps, her gaze meeting Vincent¡¯s at eye level.


    ¡°Come with me. The laboratory, personnel, money¡ªwhatever you want, I¡¯ll handle it. You choose the research topic, and you¡¯ll be in charge.¡±


    The autumn rain dampened the corners of their clothes, and the gentle wind intertwined their breaths. Under the umbrella, in this small space, the atmosphere was unusually romantic.


    Vincent kept one hand in his pocket, tightening the grip on the coffee cup with the other. ¡°Are you going to be my investor? Why?¡± He recalled Ning Rong¡¯s frequent mention of ¡°sugar daddy¡± with a soft laugh. ¡°Or¡­ benefactor? Are you going to raise me?¡±


    Xie Lan remained silent, unexpectedly grabbing the collar of his shirt without a word and yanking it down. A few drops of scalding coffee splattered, landing on her fingertips and leaving faint red marks.


    With calloused fingertips, Xie Lan boldly traced along his Adam¡¯s apple, caressing the smooth chin, and then firmly held his jaw. She tilted her head up, repeatedly and gently biting those thin lips.


    This was a moment, flavored with the rich taste of coffee.


    When they parted, both of their breaths were in disarray. Vincent¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple slid as he sensed his own rapidly beating pulse.


    Xie Lan slightly lifted her chin, her eyes carrying an unmistakable dominance:


    ¡°I¡¯m not an investor, and I¡¯m not a sponsor.¡±


    ¡°¡ªI¡¯m a marriage partner.¡± S~?a??h the Nov?lF?re .??t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    They had known each other for half a year, strictly speaking, having met only twice, and exchanged only a few words. Yet, some emotions came fiercely, unreasonably, and some people, you just knew from the first moment you laid eyes on them¡ªthis was the one.


    ¡­


    In the 17th year of the New Calendar, Xie Lan assembled a force of awakeners, and the formidable Azure Phoenix Army, which would later shake the Alliance, made its debut.


    In the same year, in Beijun, the relatively unknown Qinglan Research Institute was established.


    Facts proved that Vincent never spoke empty words. In less than three years, he resolved the issue of nuclear hypersensitivity for Xie Lan.


    In the 20th year of the New Calendar, the independently developed Weather Simulation System by Qinglan amazed the world. T001 successfully operated in District A5 of the Elderly People¡¯s Nation, officially ushering the Alliance into the era of artificial climate. Vincent Zhuang¡¯s name became widely known.


    Dr. Zhuang, who once aspired to dedicate himself to research, now faced a new worry¡ªhis son, Xie Zhuo.


    Bringing a baby into the laboratory was undoubtedly the biggest mistake he had ever made in his life. Vincent looked at the mess on the floor, the instruments beeping alarms, and the ¡°Young Master Xie¡± sitting among the scattered papers, chin raised in arrogance. It gave him a splitting headache.


    Who could tell him why an infant less than a year old possessed such destructive power?!


    An assistant stifled a laugh, ¡°Dr. Zhuang, maybe Young Master Xie can earn a couple of doctorates too.¡±


    ¡°No, from now on, don¡¯t let him near any devices,¡± Vincent said with a cold expression, sealing his son¡¯s path to a career in research with his own words.

 Chapter 185.1: Before the Apocalypse (2)

    ¡ò (Xie Zhuo) There is no Xie Zhuo in this world anymore ¡òIn the era of the old civilization, there was a saying: ¡°All roads lead to Rome.¡± But for Xie Zhuo, this saying needed a modification¡ª ¡°This Young master was born in Rome.¡±


    Young Master Xie has been the center of attention since childhood. He was born during the ¡°Glorious Thirty Years¡± (06-36) of the Alliance¡¯s golden development, in the peak period (New Calendar Year 19). His father was a rising genius scientist, and his mother was the formidable leader of the Azure Phoenix Army. As for himself, inheriting the superior genes of his parents, he possessed top-tier beauty resembling Xie Lan at a young age¡ªsilky black hair, captivating brows and eyes, and a disdainful gaze when he lifted his chin, mirroring his father.


    Being good-looking was one thing, but what was infuriating was that he also inherited Vincent¡¯s extraordinary intelligence. Before turning one, he could tamper with and destroy sophisticated instruments (things ordinary people couldn¡¯t even turn on), using a baby bottle to dampen crucial data manuscripts, causing his biological father to stay up for nights.


    As he grew older, Xie Zhuo¡¯s talents manifested in various aspects. In the complex family relationships of Beijun, whom to approach and whom to distance himself from, he handled with ease. The cryptic and intricate city defense codes became familiar to him after going through them with Xie Lan, rightfully earning him the title of ¡°the child from another family.¡±


    Everyone praised him, but Xie Lan faintly sensed that something was amiss. Xie Zhuo was too intelligent, to the point where he easily lost interest in everything, making it hard to figure out what he liked or disliked. Whenever asked about his thoughts, Young Master Xie casually propped up his chin and lifted his eyelids slightly, saying, ¡°Boring, not interesting.¡±


    This speculation became a reality when Xie Zhuo was ten years old. Xie Lan¡¯s father, Xie Zhuo¡¯s grandfather, died due to a sudden heart attack, and the rescue efforts were in vain.


    The members of the Xie family, upon receiving the news, rushed to the scene, filling the spacious room. Regardless of genuine or fake emotions, they all wailed and expressed their grief.


    Feeling something amiss, Xie Lan turned his head to look into the distance¡ª


    Young Master Xie, well-dressed, stood by the floor-to-ceiling window. His backlit face appeared unusually indifferent. There were no emotions such as fear, worry, or tension in his pupils. They were deep, like the unfathomable depths of the sea, and he even lazily yawned.


    He silently gazed at death, even too lazy to pick up the first aid kit that rolled to his feet amid the chaos.


    An angelic face with a devilish heart.


    Xie Lan took a quick step forward, using her body to shield him, and picked up the back of his collar and casually tossed him to her adjutant, saying, ¡°Take him back.¡±


    If he stayed a few more seconds, Young Master Xie would probably have coldly commented in front of everyone, ¡°Boring, not interesting.¡±


    Back at home, Xie Lan asked him, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you cry just now?¡±


    The younger members of the Xie family were frightened; his overly calm demeanor seemed out of place.


    Xie Zhuo, not lying to his mother, calmly spoke the truth, ¡°Isn¡¯t he dead at just the right time? If he were alive, he would continue causing trouble for you. The Azure Phoenix is growing stronger, and he can¡¯t control the situation in Beijun. Several times, he secretly conspired with Uncle, wanting to reclaim your military authority.¡±


    Xie Lan: ¡°¡­¡±


    Listen, can a ten-year-old say such things?


    At that time, Colonel Xie Lan, having already been promoted, took a deep breath, pulled out the tactical whip from her waist, and placed the cold firearm on the table. She gazed frostily at the third person in the room, ¡°Doctor Zhuang, what should we do with your son?¡±


    Vincent cleared his throat a couple of times, quickly signaling to his son, and then took a step forward. Daringly, he pushed aside the whip and the gun barrel, bending down to embrace Xie Lan¡¯s waist, ¡°Major General Xie, don¡¯t be angry. I¡¯ll handle this.¡±


    Young Master Xie silently rolled his eyes and, seeing that neither of them paid any attention to him, sensibly left.


    Though he was cold-hearted, he had a good relationship with his parents. Conversely, because of the support from Xie Lan and Vincent, he lived freely and recklessly.


    Early the next morning, the arrogant Young Master Xie was taken by his old man for a genetic test.


    The results were not surprising; Xie Zhuo was diagnosed with a cold-blooded mental condition. His amygdala was one-third smaller than that of a normal person. The amygdala is responsible for generating, recognizing, and regulating emotions. As a result, Xie Zhuo severely lacked empathy, making it difficult for him to empathize with others.


    He was adept at concealing himself, habitual in lying, and had no moral or shame feelings. Without proper guidance, he would engage in high-intelligence crimes in an extremely calm and composed state in adulthood.


    After discussions between Vincent and Xie Lan, they decided to have him undergo genetic optimization. The exact words were, ¡°He can choose not to accept intervention, but he must learn to restrain himself.¡±


    ¡­ S~?a??h the N0??F?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    In the New Calendar Year 29, the genetic optimization technology controlled by the Alliance had already been widely spread in District B. Despite the enormous cost, the success rate remained stable at around 70%. It not only corrected some genetic defects but also had a chance to awaken extraordinary abilities. The awakening level varied from person to person, with some strategically stopping at C-level, while others astonishingly reached A-level.


    Young Master Xie¡¯s protests were in vain, and the next day, he was escorted by his mother to the Qinglan Research Institute, where his father personally conducted the experiment.


    After awakening, Xie Zhuo initially showed no abnormalities, appearing nothing like a person with extraordinary abilities.


    ¡°Did it fail?¡± the adjutant asked, rubbing his chin. Xie Zhuo casually propped his legs on Xie Lan¡¯s office desk, playing with her terminal, randomly inputting city defense codes. If any member of the Xie family saw this, they would undoubtedly be terrified. If this boy pressed the wrong key, the entire Beijun might explode!


    ¡°Impossible,¡± Xie Lan, without any mercy, confiscated his ¡°toy¡± and replied firmly. With a 70% success rate, there was a possibility of failure, but if it involved Vincent, the chances of failure would approach zero.


    He said he would handle it, and she believed him.


    The verdict on whether Xie Zhuo¡¯s awakening was successful came quickly. Vincent discovered that his mental power and brain activity showed extraordinary growth, making him a monster in reasoning, memory, understanding, and strategy. However, existing instruments couldn¡¯t determine his level. Vincent had a premonition, and soon after, the R-Type Awakened Ability Measurement Device was introduced. Xie Zhuo¡¯s initial awakening level was conclusively determined: S4-level Mental Ability, ¡°Omniscient and Omnipotent¡±.


    Whether Young Master Xie¡¯s condition was cured was unknown, but he definitely achieved restraint, as others couldn¡¯t see through it.


    He became more and more elegant and charming, as if the demon who coldly observed the death of loved ones was just a fleeting illusion.


    Later, Xie Lan officially took control of Beijun, while Vincent remained busy with projects. With Xie Zhuo¡¯s agreement, they decided to send him to study at Liuponi.


    At the age of fifteen, Vincent finally relented and agreed to let him ¡°intern¡± at Qinglan after graduation.


    Young Master Xie, who scorned everyone equally in his lifetime except his parents, found rare interest in Vincent¡¯s research field. Unfortunately, since the incident of destroying the lab as a baby, Vincent never allowed him to touch any equipment again.


    At that time, the Fire Seed project was in full swing, and Young Master Xie abandoned his studies, falsely claiming to have ¡°graduated early,¡± and arrived in Loak.


    It was here that he first encountered LAK0017.


    With Vincent having the highest authority at Qinglan, Xie Zhuo often took liberties and easily took over his terminal, freely roaming the laboratory.


    Finding a quiet place to study, he had just settled down when a sudden loud noise interrupted him: Bam! Bam! Bam!


    Being interrupted while reading was extremely unpleasant, especially with Vincent¡¯s demanding tasks. If he slackened even a bit, he wouldn¡¯t be able to complete them.


    Xie Zhuo made a light clicking sound, his attractive brows slightly furrowing.


    Just as the quiet resumed for a moment, the annoying noise reappeared: Bam! Bam! Bam!


    Xie Zhuo, impatient, stood up, and with a sweep of the terminal, the wall turned transparent. The spacious, temperature-controlled room was filled with capsule containers. He quickly located the source of the noise within the sea of white. With a gentle touch of his slender fingertips on the control panel, a sealed capsule slowly slid out and stopped in front of him, separated by glass.


    A pile of flesh, soft and pressed against the capsule wall, undulated on the smooth surface, its rough features somewhat resembling a lizard-like creature.


    Xie Zhuo glanced at it and disdainfully averted his gaze. Too ugly, it was practically an eyesore.


    Bam! Bam! The little creature persistently hammered the wall.


    ¡°Quite spirited,¡± Xie Zhuo raised an eyebrow, lowering his gaze to glance at the label: ¡°LAK0017.¡±


    ¡°Be quiet.¡±


    He casually pressed a few buttons on the control panel, and dozens of colorful nutrient ampoules dropped within the capsule. The complex composition of these nutrients made them expensive and could only be procured through special channels. Researchers had to be frugal with each use.


    But who was Xie Zhuo? Young Master Xie spent money like water, never feeling the pinch. After all, his biological father¡¯s terminal balance was practically limitless. Xie Lan spent every military expense wisely, but oddly enough, she never hesitated to support Vincent¡¯s research. She could be considered the most extravagant and generous patron.


    Xie Zhuo smiled and switched the projection recording vital signs to a cartoon and changed it to play-back mode.


    The little creature finally quieted down, slipping to the ground quietly amid hypnotic ¡°Makabaka¡± sounds, eagerly sucking up the nutrient ampoules.


    Xie Zhuo spent a quiet afternoon. He stretched his arms, resting them on the edge of the control panel, lightly tapping the air rhythmically. The graceful lines from his shoulders to his jaw were so exquisite that even the most renowned painters would find it challenging to depict. The teardrop-shaped beauty mark at the corner of his eye outlined a faint sense of detachment.


    The creature¡¯s body moved, mimicking his actions, trying to extend forward. Separated by glass, their fingertips touched.


    He revisited this serene reading spot several times later, always encountering LAK0017. Sometimes it aggressively pounded the wall, while other times it remained motionless, displaying various bizarre shapes due to continuous genetic fusion, which were never pleasing to the eye.


    However, Xie Zhuo got used to it. He skillfully fed it nutrients, opened an animated cartoon, treating it like a mascot for his studying.


    One day, he heard a soft tapping on the glass. Xie Zhuo looked up and saw the little creature sitting among empty shells, wagging its tail obsequiously.


    Oh, finished your drink, huh? Did you finally learn to ask for it yourself?


    Although the Fire Seed project was dedicated to human cancer research, it did not involve human experimentation. The primitive cells of these experimental subjects were cloned or synthesized ¡°human-like embryos¡± to circumvent ethical risks. Strictly speaking, they could only be considered ¡°artificial lifeforms¡± with rudimentary consciousness but lacking rationality.


    Xie Zhuo interestingly stared at LAK0017 for a couple of seconds. The little creature¡¯s round head bumped against the empty nutrient pouch, making its desire clear.


    ¡°Do you want more? Too bad, none left,¡± Xie Zhuo mischievously said.


    The little creature couldn¡¯t understand, looking dull. After a while, it disappointedly drooped its head, and the empty pouch ¡°plinked¡± onto the ground.


    Xie Zhuo¡¯s mood suddenly improved, and he generously clicked the control panel, dropping another pitifully lonely ampoule.


    This time, the little creature learned to cherish it. Listening to the ¡°Makabaka¡± sounds, it sipped the nutrient ampoule with small sips. The liquid-like body slowly repaired itself, emitting a faint glow from the inside out.


    ¡­


    A month later, when Xie Zhuo returned to the capsule storage, he found that the little creature was gone. Upon checking with his permissions, the system informed him that LAK0017 had been transferred to the third-stage laboratory.


    The time for reading and companionship felt unusually quiet that day. After completing his tasks, Xie Zhuo inexplicably went to the new residence of the little creature.


    To his surprise, he wasn¡¯t the only one visiting; there was also a man dressed as a researcher, secretly wiping tears while facing the capsule.


    Xie Zhuo observed coldly. Gene fusion failures were common, and Loak¡¯s experimental subjects went through multiple phases. Making it to the third stage was rare, so he took a look around, found a familiar number, and showed a hint of surprise. LAK0017¡¯s third-stage experiment had actually succeeded?


    Even though it succeeded, the little creature¡¯s condition was not good. It curled up on the brink of death, with a deformed body that now had two heads, five hands, and three legs, looking even uglier than when he first saw it.


    Xie Zhuo glanced at the sobbing man, thinking he might be crying over the experimental subject. Humans were so weak and sentimental.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Xie Zhuo asked coldly.


    ¡°Ming. I¡¯m a breeder from Group G,¡± the young man with a delicate face replied honestly.


    Young Master Xie was also a celebrity in the laboratory. Ming didn¡¯t know why he came here or what he intended to do. Feeling intimidated by his aura, he mustered the courage to say, ¡°It¡¯s very well-behaved¡­¡±


    Xie Zhuo couldn¡¯t help but sneer. Well-behaved? Who was the one making loud noises by banging on the wall in the first place? Who shamelessly asked him for nutrient ampoules? If it were well-behaved, then all the experimental subjects would be well-behaved little garden babies. However, at this moment, the little creature looked a bit pitiful with its drooping appearance.


    ¡°Even if you cry bitterly, it won¡¯t improve its condition,¡± Xie Zhuo casually mocked. ¡°Save your tears.¡±


    He skillfully brought up the control panel, hesitated for a moment, and then fed fifty ampoules.


    Ming glanced at him in surprise, hesitated, and then said, ¡°Um, Comrade Xie, each nutrient ampoule has a stock. It must be taken according to the standard. Your excessive use is against the rules.¡±


    Who gives dozens of nutrient ampoules to an experimental subject? Even raising a child isn¡¯t this indulgent.


    Young Master Xie arrogantly lifted his chin. ¡°Just nutrient ampoules. I can give them if I want to. I can afford it.¡±


    He effortlessly manipulated the panel and added another fifty, completely burying the little creature under the fancy packaging bags.


    LAK0017 slowly wriggled, with a clear goal as it burrowed into the small mountain and rolled around.


    Xie Zhuo chuckled lightly.


    Ming was dumbfounded.


    ¡°You¡¯re a breeder. These hundred will be charged to my account,¡± Young Master Xie said confidently as he walked away.


    Ming crouched in front of LAK0017, watching it seemingly regain some vitality, and muttered to himself near the glass, ¡°Hang in there, survive.¡±


    Perhaps his blessing came true. LAK0017, as one of the earliest ¡°human-like embryos,¡± after nearly a thousand fusion experiments, surprisingly did not die. It became the longest-surviving experimental subject. At the same time, it possessed almost perfect immunity, a stable composite gene chain, effectively bypassing genetic diseases such as metabolism, asthma, cancer, and showed excellent immune response to super bacteria.


    During this period, the Fire Seed team achieved numerous scientific breakthroughs, including preliminary gene immunity for various hereditary diseases, various mental illnesses, and cancer. The significance of these achievements was immense, with Vincent making outstanding contributions to the advancement of human evolution. He was hailed as the ¡°greatest scientist of the new era.¡±


    Simultaneously, the Fire Seed project entered its fourth and crucial phase: the replication of gene fusion.


    Among all replicated genes, the most precious was the Phoenix gene, also known as the Firebird, believed to possess the power of immortality. There was only one publicly known original sample in the world. The Alliance had acquired it from the Tianyi organization for 50 million Alliance credits, and it had been stored in the gene bank until Xie Lan purchased it.


    The experiments in the fourth phase unexpectedly progressed smoothly, and the dawn of victory was within reach until a glitch occurred during the fusion of the Phoenix gene.


    Fusion failures were common, but this time, the experiment led to the death of LAK0017.


    LAK0017 was the only experimental subject to reach the fourth phase, and its death meant:


    At the current stage, the Fire Seed project had failed.


    **TN


    ¡°the child from another family¡± ¨C it¡¯s the child your parents always compare you to. It¡¯s like Steven He¡¯s cousin, Timmy. XD

 Chapter 185.2: Before the Apocalypse (2)

    ¡ò (Xie Zhuo) There is no Xie Zhuo in this world anymore ¡òBefore it was destroyed, Xie Zhuo took a look. Ming, the breeder, was also there, his face pale and his eyes swollen.


    The little creature inside the capsule had closed its eyes tightly, resembling an embryo curled up in amniotic fluid, emitting a faint white light due to light reflection.


    Xie Zhuo gazed at the lifeless vital signs on the projection, remaining silent.


    The red light locked onto the target, and he manipulated the mechanical arm to turn it over, but there was no response.


    Hundreds of nutrient ampoules poured down from above, flooding the tiny body, yet there was still no reaction.


    ¡°It¡¯s, it¡¯s useless. The primitive cells have already¡­ died.¡± A choked voice sounded from behind¡ªMing was on the verge of tears.


    Xie Zhuo stared at LAK007 for a long time, then chuckled belatedly. ¡°Spent over 50 million on you, who allowed you to die?¡±


    Young Master Xie had no feelings of pity, only some regret. He enjoyed witnessing death but disliked the feeling of losing control. Calculating the value of the nutrient ampoules he had fed the creature over the past six months, it had long exceeded the worth of the Phoenix gene.


    The little creature owed him so much, and this was how it repaid him?


    For some reason, Xie Zhuo was getting angrier. A fiery rage flickered in his heart, and the repressed violent tendencies surged through his veins.


    ¡°What should be done with the discarded experimental subject?¡±


    ¡°Centralized¡­ destruction,¡± Ming answered hesitantly.


    ¡°Oh, then destroy it,¡± Xie Zhuo nodded.


    Awaiting confirmation from Vincent for the destruction, Xie Zhuo took out his terminal and coldly lowered his gaze:


    ¡°Do you confirm the destruction program?¡±


    ¡°Confirmed.¡±


    Thursday, November 7th, 33rd year of the New Calendar, the fixed date for the centralized destruction of LAK0017 arrived. However, due to Xie Lan¡¯s birthday, Vincent and Xie Zhuo returned to Beijun one day earlier. Perhaps fate allowed them to avoid a disaster, as the next day, a shocking nuclear leak occurred in the Loak lab, reducing the entire facility to rubble. S?a??h the N?velF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Upon hearing this tragic news, the entire scientific community sighed in regret, lamenting the years of effort Vincent had poured into the project, only to see it go to waste, postponing human evolution for decades.


    Unbeknownst to anyone, Xie Zhuo had already recorded all the data using his ¡°omniscient and omnipotent¡± ability, and the Fire Seed project could be continued at any time.


    However, Vincent did not immediately restart the research. A month after the accident, he seemed heavy-hearted, appearing silent and defeated.


    It wasn¡¯t until one day that Vincent received a timed experiment log. Despite the damage to the machinery, this monthly summary report still made its way to him. In this report, Vincent discovered a startling fact.


    LAK0017 had actually shown signs of recovery six hours before the nuclear incident!


    The gloom of the past month dissipated, and Vincent finally slept soundly. He began to review the relevant data.


    Had the central data been lost? No problem, Xie Zhuo had a backup in his head.


    He requested the restoration of all records related to LAK0017, exposing the clandestine nutrient feeding sessions conducted by young Master Xie.


    ¡°How many nutrient ampoules did you feed in total?¡± Vincent stared sternly at his son.


    ¡°521.¡± Xie Zhuo handed over a table, detailing when and how much nutrient solution was given, providing a clear account.


    Even Vincent, accustomed to the costs of scientific research, was taken aback. Not because of the money, as research always consumed funds, but because he had forgotten how Xie Zhuo, even before turning one year old, could disrupt his experiments. The boy was used to doing as he pleased, capable of anything.


    However, why did LAK0017, having absorbed an excessive amount of nutrients, show no abnormalities? No, there was an abnormality¡ªhow did it manage to persist until the fourth phase? Vincent considered a possibility, a terrifying one: ¡°It awakened.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Xie Zhuo was taken aback.


    Vincent carefully examined the changes in the vital signs of LAK0017. ¡°From the time points, every fusion experiment after feeding, its state returned to its peak. It probably awakened the ability to self-heal long ago, but it needed nutrient solution to activate it.¡±


    Xie Zhuo¡¯s unintentional actions had inadvertently served a purpose. If he hadn¡¯t given it so many nutrient ampoules, perhaps LAK0017 would have died in one of the fusion experiments. It was precisely because of its self-healing ability and sufficient nutritional support that LAK0017 survived thousands of fusion experiments and reached the fourth phase.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter anymore.¡± Xie Zhuo fell into silence for a moment, his eyelashes casting shadows.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Vincent sighed.


    It was impossible to determine whether LAK0017 possessed the self-healing ability. Even if it had truly awakened, the program had been destroyed long ago, erased by the nuclear explosion in Loak, leaving no traces behind.


    Xie Zhuo fiddled with the feeding chart, lost in thought.


    Vincent patted his shoulder, ¡°This matter, aside from you and me, don¡¯t tell anyone, including your mother.¡±


    The awakening of abilities in the experimental subjects of the Fire Seed project, especially a unique self-healing type like LAK0017, even though it had died, was like Pandora¡¯s box. Once revealed, it would bring catastrophe. The Alliance would be thrown into chaos, and those in the know would find no peace.


    Xie Zhuo felt a heavy mood and nodded slowly, ¡°I understand.¡±


    The failure of the Fire Seed project became a lingering burden on Vincent.


    A year later, he decided to restart the project, facing strong opposition from Xie Lan. Exhausted from the prolonged effort, Vincent¡¯s health was in jeopardy. While the Fire Seed was closely watching his research progress, Xie Lan cared more about his well-being, going so far as to forcibly halt funding.


    They erupted in their first and only cold war, with the relationship between Azure Phoenix and Qinglan reaching an icy point.


    However, everything couldn¡¯t come to a halt. The Alliance¡¯s high command suddenly intervened, and Gu Hongye, then head of the Central Court Council, became the new financier. The Fire Seed project was renamed the ¡°Eternal Life Plan,¡± and the new research facility was built in Baishen. Gu Hongye stated that he would fully support Vincent¡¯s research.


    Internally, Qinglan divided into different factions. The idealistic faction, led by Vincent and Ning Rong, aimed to continue the Fire Seed¡¯s cancer research. In contrast, the radical faction, turning to human experimentation, pursued ¡°immortality¡± more fanatically.


    In the end, Xie Lan conceded. Vincent was a stubborn person. Without her, he would undoubtedly follow through with a lifetime devoted to research. Xie Lan was attracted to him because he had a soft heart and couldn¡¯t bring himself to sever his ideals.


    She assigned the best doctors and her most trusted guards to accompany Vincent. It served both as protection and a deterrent. She also stopped bringing Xie Zhuo back to Beijun. Despite her busy military duties, she dedicated time every month to be with Vincent in Baishen.


    Vincent immersed himself day and night in the laboratory, becoming increasingly elusive.


    No matter how many times he replayed it, success with LAK0017 always eluded him by a small margin: the experimental process, the gene fusion sequence, and the quantity of nutrients at each stage were all exactly the same. What was the missing piece?


    Though he had been absent for a long time, the daily operations of Qinglan continued.


    Vincent was the greatest genius and also the purest madman. He made an astonishing decision: to merge his own genes with Xie Zhuo¡¯s, temporarily overlaying Xie Zhuo¡¯s biological information, and replacing the ROOT (super-administrator) authority within Qinglan.


    ¡°Alright, you¡¯re me now,¡± Vincent breathed a sigh of relief after completing everything.


    ¡°I won¡¯t be Vincent,¡± Xie Zhuo examined himself in the mirror. After the gene fusion, the color of his pupils had noticeably lightened. ¡°If you have to call me something, it should be Zhuang Qingyan.¡±


    ¡°As you wish,¡± Vincent smiled, the dark circles under his eyes deepening.


    Xie Zhuo pressed his lips tightly, turning to gaze at him. ¡°Is it worth it? You¡¯ve sacrificed so much for them, and the people outside won¡¯t appreciate you.¡±


    Vincent calmly shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not doing it for them, and I don¡¯t need anyone¡¯s gratitude.¡±


    Xie Zhuo could never fully comprehend Vincent¡¯s dedication, but it didn¡¯t stop him from respecting his father.


    At the age of sixteen, Xie Zhuo had the highest authority in Qinglan. He monitored laboratories across the region for Vincent, handling all daily tasks. This was a talent he was born with, and Xie Zhuo could even remember the name of each researcher, matching it to every face.


    On his last visit to Baishen, it was already late at night, and the lights in Vincent¡¯s office were still on.


    ¡°Take a break,¡± Xie Zhuo walked in without an invitation, a hint of the same firmness as Xie Lan in his eyebrows and eyes.


    ¡°¡­Alright,¡± Vincent looked up at him, momentarily dazed, before slowly responding.


    Xie Zhuo made two cups of Jade Estate coffee. It was Xie Lan¡¯s favorite flavor, but Vincent was not picky about coffee, having previously consumed the cheapest instant coffee.


    The father and son, rarely meeting, sat down. Their similar high intelligence made their conversation equal and smooth.


    ¡°How is it going?¡±


    ¡°Only two variables are missing: LAK0017¡¯s original cells and the final fusion experiment with the Phoenix gene.¡±


    ¡°But both of these cannot be replicated.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Vincent sighed wearily, rubbing his temples. LAK0017 was already dead, Tianyi Organization remained hidden, and the whereabouts of the Phoenix¡¯s original sample were unknown. His research progress was at a standstill.


    ¡°I had a dream last night, a dream where LAK0017 didn¡¯t die,¡± Vincent spoke with a faint smile.


    ¡°The laboratory was at the center of the explosion,¡± Xie Zhuo ruthlessly pointed out. ¡°You were daydreaming, weren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Besides¡­¡± Xie Zhuo paused, then spoke with difficulty, ¡°The destruction program, I confirmed it using your authority.¡±


    Vincent stared at him curiously, ¡°You feel guilty? Do you understand the emotion of guilt?¡±


    Xie Zhuo remained expressionless, truly his son.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind it. The destruction requires a secondary confirmation, and the final decision was made by me.¡±


    Vincent took a sip of coffee, feeling a bit better. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking lately, what would be the expression of the Phoenix¡¯s gene? Does the broad concept of fusion failure apply to it?¡±


    Xie Zhuo was taken aback, and the father and son shared a glance. A glint of light flashed in their similar light-colored eyes.


    Just as Xie Zhuo was about to speak, he sensed an awakener¡¯s presence and abruptly turned his head. Someone was eavesdropping!


    He gestured to Vincent to stay silent, quietly opened the door, and signaled the elite soldiers of the Azure Phoenix Army outside.


    Well-trained soldiers with awakened abilities stealthily moved, quickly capturing the startled eavesdropper at the end of the corridor.


    Xie Zhuo slowly walked up, towering over the person whose tag read: ¡°Pan Tu, Intermediate Researcher.¡±


    Pan Tu¡¯s tears and snot were smeared together. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I-I just awakened my ability, couldn¡¯t control it. I didn¡¯t mean to.¡±


    ¡°Kill him,¡± Xie Zhuo¡¯s eyes were emotionless.


    However, he couldn¡¯t execute Pan Tu because Gu Hongyi¡¯s people arrived in time, taking Pan Tu away on the pretext of interrogation.


    The coffee smoke curled up, and Vincent¡¯s expression remained indifferent.


    Xie Zhuo¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. He had sensed Pan Tu activating his ability just now. Although he couldn¡¯t hear anything, the person from Gu Hongyi¡¯s side, before leaving, gave him a deep look, seeming to be puzzled by Xie Zhuo¡¯s decision to kill the awakener.


    The next day, Vincent grandly brought in a giant storage hub, announcing that he would place his research results inside for future study. Inside, the members of Azure Phoenix were curious, some even displaying greedy expressions.


    Only Xie Zhuo knew that it was empty.


    On the day Vincent passed away, the weather was overcast. He collapsed suddenly due to heart failure, and despite the doctor¡¯s efforts, they couldn¡¯t save him.


    Xie Zhuo calmly informed Xie Lan about Vincent¡¯s death. As soon as he put down the terminal, the laboratory was surrounded, and Gu Hongyi¡¯s people forcefully entered.


    Vincent was dead, and they were bound to rush to the central hub. After some thought, Xie Zhuo decided to hide.


    However, he didn¡¯t expect that Gu Hongyi brought along Aaron, an S-level awakener with mental ability, to perform ¡°Knowledge Deprivation¡± on Vincent¡¯s body.


    The strong awakened energy caused the ground to tremble slightly. Gu Hongyi¡¯s voice was urgent and excited, ¡°Quickly open the central hub!¡±


    ¡°The key? What about his son, Xie Zhuo? He must know the whereabouts of the key!¡±


    Then, after Aaron said something to him, Gu Hongyi¡¯s expression became particularly strange.


    Seemingly puzzled, seemingly suddenly enlightened, he muttered two words in disbelief, ¡°¡­Fire Seed?¡±


    Xie Zhuo stared at the monitoring screen, his nails digging into his palms, the dripping blood forming a small pool. His eyes were filled with bloodshot veins and gloom.


    The human heart is always ugly, and he was not surprised by this revelation.


    Aaron used ¡°Knowledge Deprivation¡± three times, and Xie Zhuo experienced the pain of having his heart cut out three times. For the first time, he could not look at death indifferently.


    It wasn¡¯t until Xie Lan arrived with her people that a fierce armed conflict erupted between the two sides. The laboratory personnel were slaughtered, and Aaron escaped with Gu Hongyi through a spatial rift. Xie Lan searched for Xie Zhuo in vain and took Vincent away.


    Xie Zhuo remained silent, like a statue. Then he turned around and entered the underground laboratory.


    He forever changed his biological information, enabling the fusion gene to take effect within him. His glamorous face transformed into another familiar and handsome visage.


    Wearing a mask and a cap, Xie Zhuo left Baishen amidst the chaos.


    From today onward, there was no more ¡°Xie Zhuo¡± in this world, only ¡°Zhuang Qingyan¡± carrying the key.


    He would never open the Pandora¡¯s Box again.


    ¡­


    In the autumn of year 46th of the New Calendar, the apocalypse arrived.


    In District D99, Hua City, the quaint sign of ¡°Qingsong Biotech¡± was washed by heavy rain. A handsome young man gently knocked on the door.


    ¡°Excuse me, is Pan Tu here? Is Mr. Pan here?¡±


    ¡°Who are you?¡± The person in uniform looked up in confusion.


    Zhuang Qingyan smiled faintly, brushed off the rainwater and the tainted blood from the zombies on his body, and spoke leisurely, ¡°I¡¯d like to find him to settle some personal grievances.¡±


    The former eavesdropper, who suddenly struck it rich, changed his name and came to the low-level district, opening a biomedicine company. But where did he get the money?


    Two men and a woman came out from inside, all wearing white coats. Zhuang Qingyan looked up and was surprised to see Pan Tu, an A7-level awakener, and his two students, Wu Yarou and Yang Bo.


    ¡°Mr. Pan, this person is looking for you,¡± the person who just asked said, pointing casually.


    Pan Tu¡¯s pupils slightly widened, and his whole body trembled with fear, ¡°Zhuang¡­ Zhuang, Dr. Zhuang?!¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me.¡± Zhuang Qingyan smiled gently. ¡°Without the Star Network, it¡¯s indeed challenging to find you.¡±


    The icy mental attack pierced through the top of Pan Tu¡¯s head, and the overwhelming pressure descended with a deafening roar. Pan Tu resisted stubbornly, but today, no one could save him. In less than five seconds, he was bleeding from all seven orifices and slowly fell down.


    The chilling awakened energy spread outward. In a factory not far from Qingsong Biotech, a girl suddenly raised her head.


    After all, Pan Tu was an A-level awakener. Although Zhuang Qingyan could condense his mental ability, he was not a combat-type awakener. He suffered some losses, but fortunately, using the price of his right leg, he killed Pan Tu.


    Wu Yarou and Yang Bo had heard of the ¡°Key,¡± but they were half in the dark about it. They questioned him forcefully, ¡°Where is the thing? I advise you to hand it over quickly!¡±


    They were just two C-level awakeners. What qualifications did they have to act arrogantly with him? Zhuang Qingyan smiled sarcastically, sitting in the blood pool, just about to take action. Suddenly, his keen mental ability detected a strange and powerful awakener. He calmly withdrew his hand.


    ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± Wu Yarou turned around alertly.


    A girl with almond eyes peeked out from behind the window, showing half of her head. Locking eyes with Zhuang Qingyan, she obviously froze for a moment.


    LAK0017 and Young Master Xie, strangers to each other, inadvertently changed each other¡¯s destinies. As for Song Ke and Zhuang Qingyan, their fates intertwined due to the torrential rain in Hua City.


    It was both a first meeting and a reunion.


    **TN


    This series is almost over, so I started TLing another one LINK ????

 Chapter 186.1: We Are V587 (1)

    ¡ò Mother is still Mother ¡òOne year later.


    In the faint morning light, a starship filled with passengers glided through the vast sky, its silver-white tail trailing a blossoming wreath of redbud flowers.


    Inside the quiet rear compartment, a sudden announcement echoed: ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, we have encountered a medium-sized zombie tide ahead. There will be continuous turbulence, please remain calm, stay seated, fasten your seatbelts, and our security personnel will do their best to ensure everyone¡¯s safety.¡±


    The lightly sleeping passengers woke up one after another. Through the portholes, they could see on the distant horizon the dark, densely packed zombies crowding the rooftops, blocking the low-altitude track. Most of these passengers were wanderers, leaving their hometowns, prepared to head to nearby shelters.


    ¡°Mama, I¡¯m scared. Can we still go to our new home?¡± A little girl with braided pigtails snuggled into her parents¡¯ embrace.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, sweetheart. Mommy is here with you.¡±


    ¡°After this stretch, it¡¯ll be fine. We¡¯ll soon reach Loak, the controlled area of the Bauhinia Alliance.¡± The father comforted his daughter while holding them close.


    Swish!


    The cabin door opened, and security personnel raised their submachine guns, firing towards the distance. The zombies in the front fell, and those attracted by the gunfire rushed forward eagerly. Smoke filled the air, bullets flew, and as the distance closed, the battle intensified.


    Thud¡ªThud¡ª!!


    The starship maneuvered automatically, swaying from side to side.


    In the luxurious cabin compartment, a young man lay on a reclined seat, his face covered with a thick ¡°Zombie Language: From Beginner to Mastery¡± manual. The holographic game controller slipped from his hand as he stirred, sleepily lifting his head to look outside. He then unfastened his seatbelt and stood up.


    The young man was around one meter sixty, slender and tall, dressed in branded clothing. He wore expensive headphones, and a large luxury logo adorned his slung bag. Despite a hint of childishness in his facial features, his overall demeanor exuded confidence.


    Moving lightly, he passed through the anxious passengers and joined the security personnel, naturally striking up a conversation:


    ¡°Can it be resolved? How many evolved zombies are there? Has an emergency commission been issued?¡±


    The security personnel, subconsciously firing their submachine guns, replied, ¡°The system reported a C-level; the others are manageable. There are two Level 3 zombies causing trouble. With the current firepower, it will take about an hour.¡±


    Casually turning back, catching a glimpse of the speaker¡¯s face, the security personnel immediately raised their tone:


    ¡°No, kid, who let you out? Quickly go back and sit down!¡±


    ¡°An hour, so slow.¡± The young man impatiently furrowed his brows.


    Casually picking up the newly refreshed C-level emergency mission, the young man raised his head and coincidentally locked eyes with the teary-eyed little girl. He flashed a brilliant smile, defying the airflow as he took a step back. His oversized T-shirt fluttered, and he leaped straight out of the starship.


    Bang, bang, bang, bang!! The dense bullets paused for a moment, and everyone¡¯s faces turned pale.


    ¡°Hey!! What are you doing!!¡±


    The security personnel failed to catch him in time, watching helplessly as the young man soared like a seagull, then free-fell with a ¡®thud!¡¯ into the pile of zombies.


    Just as everyone worried about him, the temperature around plummeted, frost danced in the air, condensing into numerous sharp ice blades. Like slicing through watermelons, all the zombie heads, including the two Level 3 ones, exploded, instantly clearing the blocked track!


    ¡°Mom, big brother is an awakener!¡± The little girl clapped excitedly.


    ¡°An, a high-level awakener¡­¡± Passengers murmured in disbelief.


    Two years into the apocalypse, the existence of awakeners was no longer a secret. However, the lower-tier districts mostly had D and C-level awakeners, occasionally encountering a B-level was considered strong. Easily wiping out a medium-sized zombie tide like this, only B-level or higher or even A-level awakeners could achieve.


    The young man tilted his head back, his fluffy curly hair standing on end, and his smile as pure as an angel¡¯s. ¡°Uncle, I¡¯ll get off here, no need to worry about me.¡±


    The perplexed security personnel holding their guns: ¡°¡­¡± There¡¯s no stop here at all!


    ¡°Report the condition of the damaged cabin and continue forward,¡± a mature voice came from the broadcast.


    ¡°Captain, what about that kid¡­¡± The security personnel hesitated.


    ¡°He¡¯s from V587, an A3-level ice-element awakener. Even if you want to manage him, you can¡¯t.¡±


    Now, information flowed between District B and the lower-tier districts. Some people, as if waking from a dream, pulled out their terminals, only to see the top of the Alliance¡¯s leaderboard prominently displaying:


    ¡ª¡ª ¡°V587.¡±


    This was a mysterious team, rumored to be all strong men with exceptional abilities. Though they hadn¡¯t shown themselves for a long time, their ranking remained unshaken, consistently holding the top spot on the leaderboard. For those newcomers, a glance at the terminal always showcased the prominent name of V587.


    ¡­


    Alone, Xu Xing walked through the ruins.


    In accordance with the ¡°Post-Apocalyptic Survival Rules¡± released by the Bauhinia Alliance, the Fallen, as a new species with intelligence, has attracted widespread attention. There is currently no consensus on how to coexist with them, so the general approach is to avoid interference and live alongside each other. The Loak region has been officially designated as a gathering place for the Fallen, and ordinary humans are strictly prohibited from entering.


    A year ago, thirteen B-districts, represented by Beijun, Kongsang, and the Northern Base, issued an independent declaration, announcing their departure from Utopia¡¯s jurisdiction and forming a new destiny community called the ¡°Bauhinia Alliance.¡± As of now, more than half of the 180 districts in the former New Asia Alliance have chosen to join because the highest principle of the Bauhinia Alliance is that everyone has the equal right to live.


    Xu Xing found an open space, set up a loudspeaker, clicked play, and a hoarse frequency resonated, spreading into the distance.


    The origin of this device is also intriguing, similar to the ¡°Zombie Language: From Beginner to Mastery,¡± it comes from a renowned zombie language expert in Kongsang. This expert believes that through dialogue, humans can achieve peaceful coexistence with the Fallen.


    Xu Xing waited in place for a while. The air gradually thickened, the ground shook incessantly, and hordes of zombies, attracted by the special frequency, roared ferociously as they surrounded him. However, this time, Xu Xing didn¡¯t attack. Instead, he stood there with a cheerful smile.


    The small zombie at the forefront leaped onto his back, affectionately nuzzling against him, attempting to steal his slung bag.


    Xu Xing held onto the strap tightly and, with a pleading expression, looked into the distance. ¡°Ada, please control them!¡±


    The Fallen leader, approaching three meters in height, made a choking sound twice. The excited zombies slid off Xu Xing¡¯s back and, in turn, curiously examined the loudspeaker.


    ¡°Just passing by after completing a mission, came to see you all.¡±


    Xu Xing pulled out a makeshift, wobbly-legged chair from the rubble, struggling to maintain balance. Several small zombies jumped onto his knees, tugging at his T-shirt.


    ¡°Oh, a new member?¡± Xu Xing tilted his head, looking towards the back.


    A group of clearly different types of Fallen, resembling zombies more closely, with limbs exposed and covered in rotten cracks, were cautiously wandering in the outer circle, avoiding getting too close. Xu Xing took out several baskets of green apples from his pocket and pretended to reluctantly push them out.


    The zombies scattered, rushing to grab the apples.


    Xu Xing protected his branded T-shirt, then took a moment to talk to Ada, ¡°Ada, have you found my sister?¡±


    Ada shook her head, having searched every nook and cranny of Loak without any success.


    Song Ke had been missing for almost a year. Yes, not dead, but missing. Despite turning into ashes in front of everyone, leaving no trace behind, Zhuang Qingyan still firmly believed that she was alive.


    Every member of V587 was waiting for her return. However, their situation was not good. Su Cha became a patient in a vegetative state, covered in tubes and barely alive. Lin Youyou looked sickly, never leaving his side. Fang Zhixu, who went on a ¡°business trip¡± to Erjia, hadn¡¯t returned, and the remaining one¡­


    Xu Xing held his chin, sighing like an old man, ¡°Sigh¡­¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan seemed the most normal on the surface, but Xu Xing¡¯s intuition was accurate. He felt that he was the most abnormal one.


    Since that day, he hadn¡¯t smiled. Sometimes the madness and stubbornness in his eyes were so intense that it sent shivers down one¡¯s spine.


    While immersed in melancholy, his terminal beeped, and Fang Zhixu¡¯s loud voice echoed, ¡°You brat, the location is drifting again. We agreed you¡¯d come back after completing the mission. Where did you run off to? Hurry up and come home for dinner!¡±


    Xu Xing pursed his lips. He, a twelve-year-old child, had independently completed an A-level mission! The pillar of V587 at such a young age, working to earn points and support the entire family! s?a??h th? ?ov?l?ir?.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡®Sister, where are you really?¡¯


    The sunlight above was a bit dazzling. Xu Xing lay among the Fallen, closing his eyes slightly.


    ¡®I miss you so much.¡¯


    *


    District F177.


    The gentle sea breeze caressed the rocks, causing ripples on the water¡¯s surface.


    Splash¡ª


    Fully soaked, Song Ke floated to the surface, slowly opening her eyes.


    Once a girl with shoulder-length black hair, almond eyes, and dimples, she now appeared entirely unfamiliar. Resembling a patient with albinism, her skin was pale, her long hair pure white¡ªhead to toe, she was entirely in white. Only her irises and pupils were a bewildering light pink. When she stood up, her figure reached close to 1.7 meters. The translucent cheeks seemed like porcelain washed by water, fragile and delicate.


    Song Ke pulled her left hand out of the seawater, and her wing-like white eyelashes drooped slightly, staring at it for a few seconds.


    Five fingers. This time, it was correct.


    After a year, the missing body parts had regrown, leaving smooth skin without any scars, tender and akin to newborn.


    The only aftermath was a condition resembling a genetic defect¡ªalbinism.


    Song Ke bent down to pick up her clothes on the beach, quickly putting them on in a few moves. She wore a hood, covering herself completely.


    The sun was about to set, but the light still caused a stinging sensation on her skin.


    A faint roar of zombies echoed from behind. Dozens of ragged undead creatures rushed towards her. District F177 was an abandoned island, and monsters could be encountered with just a few steps¡ªit was nothing unusual.


    Song Ke raised her eyes and, with barely any movement, the ferocious zombies were instantly cut into pieces by a golden stream of light, blood splattering across the sky.


    With her body reshaped, the flow of her magnetic field unhindered, and awakened energy control increasingly precise, Song Ke had become a true Super S-level awakener.


    She no longer needed to transform a spiritual weapon because she herself was the most powerful humanoid weapon.


    Song Ke returned to a dilapidated house by the seaside. The neighbors had long turned into zombies, their whereabouts unknown. There were faint noises coming from the courtyard.


    Aunt Qing scavenged some scraps from the garbage mountain and was stiffly washing them by the water pool.


    Xiao Bao squatted, four paws on the ground, crawling around the doorway. Accidentally bumping into Song Ke¡¯s shin, he let out a yelp. Just as he was about to open his mouth to bite, Song Ke kicked him away like a soccer ball.


    Song Ke found a stool and sat down. Her face under the setting sun was pale and indifferent. ¡°I¡¯m leaving.¡±


    Due to not speaking for a long time, her voice sounded hoarse, and her use of the Alliance language was a bit rusty. However, once she started speaking, she was fluent, without a trace of stuttering.


    Xiao Bao, still dizzy, rolled back, and noticing Song Ke¡¯s arm, which had grown back, he drooled and tried to bite again. This time, his sharp teeth pierced the thin blood vessels, causing blood to flow.


    Pig trotters, delicious.


    In a daze, Xiao Bao remembered a dish he had eaten when he was still human. His saliva secretion became even more vigorous.


    Really asking for trouble.


    Smack! Aunt Qing slapped him on the head.


    Smack, smack! Two more consecutive slaps, and Xiao Bao cried out in pain. He had to release his bite, rolling over with all four paws in the air.


    Even after turning into a zombie, mother is still mother.


    Xiao Bao touched his head in grievance, questioning why he couldn¡¯t eat. Last time, he was allowed to eat with two fingers. Why couldn¡¯t he eat with five fingers? Clearly, it was his found backup food!

 Chapter 186.2: We Are V587 (1)

    ¡ò Mother is still Mother ¡òA year ago, Xiao Bao dug up a blob of pink ¡°seafood¡± on the beach, excited to bring it home for a meal. Unexpectedly, the meat started moving on its own and even bit him!


    Unable to eat for the time being, they had to keep it in a water tank. Day by day, the piece of meat grew larger, gradually taking on a vague humanoid shape. Then one day, the seafood started speaking!


    ¡°Uh¡­ it hurts¡­¡±


    When the painful groans began, Xiao Bao had caught a mutated squirrel and was considering where to start eating. However, he was startled, and the squirrel scurried away.


    ¡°Ah ah ah ah!!¡± Xiao Bao angrily stomped his feet.


    ¡°Ah¡ª!!¡± The seafood joined in the roar.


    ¡°Ah? Ah ah!¡± Aunt Qing protected Xiao Bao, vigilantly watching the convulsing seafood.


    ¡°It hurts¡­ so much!!¡±


    Thud! Thud! The seafood began desperately slamming into the tank. Aunt Qing grabbed Xiao Bao and ran, slamming the door shut, not coming out for a whole week.


    The tank was smashed, and the seafood, exposed to the scorching sun, was barely alive, wriggling to the door and fiercely pounding on it: Thud! Thud!


    ¡°Ah ah¡­ ah ah¡­ ah ah ah? (What are you?)¡±


    Aunt Qing¡¯s vocal cords had long been ruined, only producing incomprehensible low growls.


    But the seafood seemed to understand and weakly said, ¡°Song Ke¡­ I¡­ am¡­ Song¡­ Ke.¡±


    After hearing this, Aunt Qing fell silent.


    In the end, Aunt Qing dragged the piece of meat into the house and kept the seafood that called itself ¡°Song Ke.¡± Time flew by, and Xiao Bao couldn¡¯t remember things, gradually forgetting about the existence of the seafood. However, his instinct to bite remained, and he always wanted to take a bite out of the humanoid creature in the house.


    The only successful time was when Song Ke mistakenly reshaped the left hand with only two fingers and offered it to him to eat.


    After Song Ke mentioned leaving, Aunt Qing nodded and murmured a few grumbles from her throat: ¡°Ah ah ah ah.¡±


    After spending a long time together, she could understand Aunt Qing¡¯s meaning: I know, it¡¯s just a matter of time.


    Song Ke¡¯s face was blurry under the hood. ¡°You said, I have saved you before?¡±


    ¡°Ah ah,¡± Aunt Qing recounted the experience at Fools Wharf when the apocalypse had just erupted. When she was still human, her character was selfish and harsh. After becoming a Fallen, everything became chaotic, and her mindset became much more open, becoming indifferent to everything.


    Song Ke stared at her left arm absentmindedly. In just a short while, the wound bitten by Xiao Bao had already healed.


    ¡°But I don¡¯t remember much.¡±


    Her brain was like a rusty machine, losing a lot of information due to the reboot, and even emotions became slow.


    Song Ke only remembered being trapped in a laboratory from the moment she became conscious. Everywhere was a vast expanse of snowy white and crimson lights. The endless torment and the excruciating pain from 1314 experiments occupied her mind.


    Later, Grandpa took her and escaped. After that, her memories became intermittent and blurry.


    What had happened over these years? Why did she die?


    Occasionally, familiar faces flashed in her memory. When she tried to grasp them, they slipped away. The process of rebuilding her body was exceptionally long, and Song Ke had fallen into nightmares countless times, seeing a pair of familiar peach blossom eyes staring at her. Sometimes they were charming, sometimes filled with sorrow, and the teardrop-shaped mole at the corner of the eye seemed like scalding droplets falling into her heart.


    But she didn¡¯t remember any of it.


    But there was a voice in her heart, insisting that she must find him.


    Song Ke stood up and said, ¡°I¡¯ll leave today.¡±


    Aunt Qing said, ¡°Ah! (Take care)¡±


    Song Ke remarked, ¡°Xiao Bao always bites people, not cute at all.¡±


    Aunt Qing exclaimed, ¡°Ah! Ah! (Get out of here!)¡± with a fierce expression. s?a??h th? N?v?lFir?(.)n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Expressionless, Song Ke asked, ¡°Do you want to come with me?¡±


    After hesitating for a moment, Aunt Qing shook her head and said, ¡°Ah¡­ah¡­ (no, the outside world cannot tolerate us)¡±


    Song Ke nodded, ¡°I understand.¡±


    Before leaving, Song Ke went back home. Passing by the half-slope, she surprisingly found Aming¡¯s tombstone still there. Song Ke glanced at it without any ripples in her heart, then turned into the dilapidated house, where the wind seeped through from all sides. Driven by instinct, she went to a certain wall, initially thinking of punching it, but after a moment of consideration, she switched to using a knife.


    In the depths of the wall, there was a sealed box.


    Opening it, Song Ke found neatly arranged blocks of rhenium.


    The corners of her mouth involuntarily lifted slightly, but soon drooped down again.


    Why did she come looking for this? Song Ke¡¯s eyes looked bewildered, as if¡­ there was someone who liked it very much, always pestering her for it.


    Can¡¯t remember.


    External traffic in District F177 had long been cut off. In the past year, not to mention outsiders, not even mutated mosquitoes from other areas could fly in.


    To leave, she would have to make some effort.


    Song Ke embraced the box, walking towards the beach in the night.


    Her pupils contracted rapidly, and the number on the back of her neck flashed by. The DNA sequence was once again rewritten. A dragon-like tail emerged, and golden scales appeared on both sides of her cheeks, extending from her collarbone to her waist.


    The past Fire Seed project saved a large number of experimental logs, among which was an inconspicuous one:


    Experiment Subject Number: LAK0017


    Biological Prototype: Humanoid Embryo


    Experiment Record: ¡­ August 10, New Calendar Year 34, 222nd successful gene fusion, replicating the ¡®Hornless Dragon¡¯ gene.


    Objective Status: Alive


    With a powerful plunge, Song Ke dived into the sea, disappearing in the undulating waves.


    *


    Ten days later.


    District D118, Zhilian.


    The dilapidated highway intersection was the only remaining safe passage out of the city. At this moment, roadblocks and spikes surrounded the service station, with several off-road pickups parked horizontally in the middle of the road. Five bare-chested men sat on the car roofs, playing cards.


    ¡°Three of spades.¡±


    ¡°King!¡±


    ¡°Are you crazy? I play three, and you play the king? Do you even know how to play?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, boss!¡±


    Amidst the arrogant curses, a group of refugees, dirty and disheveled, approached the intersection, stopped by the roadblocks.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± the bald man playing cards asked with a sideways glance.


    ¡± District C75, Hongchang Shelter.¡±


    Hongchang was the most famous shelter nearby, with many people with awakened abilities, good security, and a rebuilt city area known as the ¡°Little Bagua.¡±


    ¡°Toll, three level-2 crystals each.¡±


    The bespectacled and cultured man pleaded in a low voice, ¡°Can we negotiate? We¡¯ll pay two each.¡±


    The bald man grinned, ¡°I haven¡¯t finished yet¡ªthree each.¡±


    The men were furious, and one of them said, ¡°You¡¯re pushing it too far.¡±


    ¡°Husband, don¡¯t!¡± his wife quickly held him back. ¡°He¡¯s a high-level awakener¡­¡±


    The wife, a low-level E-level empath, felt the oppressive awakened energy from the opposite side and shivered.


    This group of people was notorious in Zhilian. Their team was called ¡°Collecting Toll,¡± consisting of four C-levels and one B-level awakener. They usually didn¡¯t take on missions but made a living by forcefully collecting tolls and selling crystals. Unfortunately, they occupied the road leading from Zhilian to Hongchang.


    After the end of the world, order collapsed. They relied on their fists to speak. With no powerful awakeners in District D118 to restrain them, the refugees had no choice but to endure.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just rob us directly?¡± a young and spirited student complained.


    The bald man laughed, ¡°You¡¯re right. So, am I not robbing right now?¡±


    He swung his right hand, and the student was blasted away by an invisible force, spitting out blood.


    ¡°Ahh¡ª!¡± The frightened refugees scattered.


    The bald man and his followers stood up, ready to resort to violence and robbery.


    ¡°Stop!¡±


    At a critical moment, a scorching whip swung through the air with a snap, separating the five awakeners and the panicked crowd.


    Sharp-eyed refugees excitedly shouted, ¡°I know him! It¡¯s Jiang Rui from the Hongchang Shelter!¡±


    Everyone looked up to see the young man leading the way, with a commanding presence and followed by a dozen ordinary people holding weapons.


    Jiang Rui first helped up the injured student and whispered, ¡°Hongchang has healing awakeners. Can you hold on? I¡¯ll take you to her.¡±


    The student nodded in pain.


    Jiang Rui looked coldly at the bald man, ¡°Illegally collecting tolls violates the ¡®Post-Apocalyptic Survival Rules.¡¯ Remove the roadblocks and let them pass.¡±


    The bald man sneered, ¡°Kid, who do you think you are?¡±


    The two groups instantly clashed, and the refugees avoided the scene. Jiang Rui¡¯s fire-based abilities were highly offensive, but facing four opponents was challenging, and his movements gradually slowed.


    ¡°Step aside, please.¡±


    When the situation reached a stalemate, a slightly hoarse voice spoke up.


    Wearing a hood tightly wrapped around, Song Ke walked from behind, traversing the battlefield as if no one was around. The whispers around faded, and the warring sides stopped as Song Ke was intercepted in front of the roadblock.


    ¡°Hey, tolls, three level-2 crystals each,¡± the bald man shouted at her while still fighting.


    ¡°None,¡± Song Ke checked her pockets, completely clean except for the box in her arms.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t pay, you can¡¯t pass. Stay aside,¡± the oppressive air smacked toward her, but Song Ke casually dodged it, revealing a cluster of pure white bangs as her hood moved slightly.


    The onlookers were momentarily stunned. This person seemed not to be messed with.


    ¡°Boss, look at what she¡¯s holding!¡±


    ¡°Low-temperature freezer, definitely something good,¡± the bald man¡¯s eyes gleamed. ¡°Damn, this is a jackpot.¡±


    Song Ke ignored them, or rather, didn¡¯t care at all. She lifted her foot gently, and with a bang, the roadblock shattered. Spikes flew in all directions, puncturing the tires of the pickup trucks, clearing a passable path.


    ¡°You damn woman, are you going to ruin the place?!¡± The bald man couldn¡¯t contain his anger, and a burly awakener rushed towards her, unleashing various attacks.


    ¡°Watch out!¡± Jiang Rui suddenly spoke, his voice tense.


    A gentle breeze passed by, lifting the snow-white strands of hair beneath the hood.


    The bald man saw a pair of pale pink pupils, devoid of any emotion, like staring at a dead person.


    A chill suddenly pierced through his heart, and a bone-chilling shiver emanated from his core. Under the terrifying pressure, his B-level awakened energy was crushed to pieces.


    Song Ke looked at him expressionlessly, and as the bald man resisted on the ground, he pleaded, ¡°P-please don¡¯t kill me!¡±


    A super S-level awakener dealing with a B-level was like squashing an ant.


    A golden light pierced through their mouths, and the five who had just been arrogant instantly fell dead to the ground. It took a few seconds before the crimson blood began to flow.


    The entire service station fell into silence.


    Song Ke stepped around the bloodstains beneath her feet, wordlessly continuing forward. The people from Hongchang were too frightened to speak and automatically cleared a path for her.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± a round-faced chubby guy at the end of the group whispered.


    ¡°Hey, why are you talking to her? It¡¯s creepy,¡± his companion jumped in fright.


    Song Ke glanced at the chubby guy, paused on his face for a second, and then casually looked away.


    ¡°Um, wait a moment. It¡¯s not wise to flaunt your wealth. Holding that box like that is very dangerous,¡± the chubby guy kindly reminded.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Song Ke replied nonchalantly. Anyone daring to rob her would face the consequences.


    The chubby guy looked back at Jiang Rui, who confirmed the urgent mission was completed, nodded at him, and then took out a silver ring from his pocket. ¡°You helped us out. Take this. It¡¯s a spatial item, but it¡¯s small, only two square meters.¡±


    ¡°Tian Yi, can you stop being overly kind?¡±


    Tian Yi staggered as he was pulled, and a blue light flashed around his waist. He said in a somewhat aggrieved tone: ¡°But she helped us complete the mission, and besides¡­ this ring is mine. I can give it to whoever I want.¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s fingertip moved slightly, and the throwing knife at Tian Yi¡¯s waist fell into her palm. A clear memory surged into her brain.


    Tian Yi stammered, ¡°You can¡¯t. This is my best friend¡¯s legacy; I can¡¯t give it to you.¡±


    These spiritual tools were mass-produced, used for two years, and their energy consumption was more than half. Song Ke reinforced it, and the indigo blade was now covered in a faint golden light. It could now last for a hundred years, making it a perfect heirloom.


    ¡°Consider it an exchange.¡± Song Ke took the ring, tried it on each finger, and found that it fit perfectly on the ring finger of her left hand.


    Tian Yi stared at her dumbfounded, ¡°Y-y-you¡­!¡±


    Jiang Rui walked briskly over, and if you listened closely, you could hear a slight tremor in his voice, ¡°Have we¡­ met somewhere before?¡±


    ¡°No, we haven¡¯t.¡± Song Ke lowered her head to fiddle with the ring. In just a couple of moves, she mastered how to use it and smoothly stored away the box.


    ¡°Then, may I ask if you know someone named Song Ke?¡± Jiang Rui glanced at her face and felt his own question was foolish.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Song Ke answered without a change in her expression.


    Jiang Rui looked disappointed, sighed silently. He was too impulsive; perhaps it was just a similarity in awakened ability. It had been almost two years since they parted ways in Hua City, and he wondered how Song Ke was doing now.


    ¡°Can I ask, what is your name?¡± Jiang Rui paused in his actions, looking up at her with a blank expression.


    For a moment, Song Ke¡¯s movements halted, and she looked up with a blank expression.


    Just a moment ago, a strange slogan flashed through her mind: ¡°Who¡¯s the coolest among V587? Silent but cool, I¡¯m called Su Cha, remember that.¡±


    This slogan was ear-piercing, unforgettable once it appeared.


    After a second of contemplation, Song Ke blurted out, ¡°Uh¡­ Su Cha. My name is Su Cha.¡±

 Chapter 187.1: We Are V587 (2)

    ¡ò Where to Get Fake IDs? ¡ò¡°Hongchang is the largest shelter in the southeastern region of the Alliance, with many awakeners coming and going. Whether you want to find someone or inquire about information, you should be able to get some clues.¡± Jiang Rui turned his head from the co-pilot seat, explaining confidently.


    ¡°Well, I hope so.¡± Song Ke¡¯s tone remained unchanged.


    Affected by the apocalypse, most cities along the way were destroyed. She traveled for ten days using the Hornless Dragon gene, finally finding the surviving Zhilian.


    Several modified off-road SUVs raced on the highway, the surrounding scenery rapidly receding.


    Tian Yi, leaning on the front seat, asked curiously, ¡°Su Cha, what level are you? Brother Jiang just advanced to B-level, but I think you¡¯re even more powerful than him!¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°¡­¡± For some reason, the address ¡°Su Cha¡± made her feel a bit uneasy.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s A level!¡± Excitement filled the person in the same car.


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s S level.¡± A gaming enthusiast¡¯s eyes sparkled. He had never seen a live S level before. It was all because Song Ke¡¯s recent debut was so imposing, like a high-level player descending on a newbie village, effortlessly knocking out five bald guys with a snap of her fingers.


    ¡°No,¡± Song Ke¡¯s face hid under the hood, only revealing slightly pink lips, ¡°I¡¯m stronger than S level.¡±


    A super S-level awakener, as far as she knew, the Alliance seemed to have no conclusive evidence, not even the most advanced R-type mutant detector could measure it.


    After Song Ke spoke, the car fell silent for two seconds.


    After a while, someone dryly chuckled, ¡°Master, you¡¯re oddly humorous.¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°?¡± She was just telling the truth.


    ¡­


    District C75, Hongchang Shelter.


    Song Ke got off the car with the refugees. Looking into the distance, the complex building structure in front of her had different gates corresponding to different entrances, like a maze. If someone came here for the first time without a guide, they would definitely get lost. A small wave of zombies rushed into the periphery, and the walls automatically changed, clanging! They were all sealed into a secret room without missing one, and the guards jumped onto the wall, easily killing them with their abilities.


    ¡°The sound of roaring thunder, Xunfeng advance and retreat. Third Zhen, fourth Xun, then rotate to the right and move out.¡±


    In the depths of memory, a clear and pleasant voice rang out.


    In the depths of Song Ke¡¯s heart, there was a subtle movement, as if she had once again seen those peach blossom eyes. The person speaking sighed helplessly at her. Who exactly was it?


    Jiang Rui walked at the forefront, patiently introducing to everyone, ¡°The designer of Hongchang and the creator of the Hua City (District D99) Bagua Array, Li Tong. The main buildings here are underground, with the surface mainly for functional and commercial areas. Follow me closely, and don¡¯t get lost.¡±


    Song Ke snapped back to reality, realizing her sense of direction was extremely poor. She quickly lifted her legs to catch up.


    After wandering in the maze for half an hour, the scene suddenly cleared up. A lively street appeared in front of them, bustling with activity and filled with the scent of fireworks.


    ¡°Freshly harvested potatoes, corn, and chili, all from our own greenhouse. Taste it as you pass by!¡±


    ¡°Anyone completed the C-level monster hunting commission? We need two more AoE awakeners. Join the team, and we¡¯ll set off.¡±


    Several men and women stood on the roadside, relaxed and chatting:


    ¡°Captain Zhao, how have you been lately?¡±


    ¡°Hahaha! How did you know my wife gave birth?¡±


    ¡°The city area evaluation is coming up soon. Do you think Hongchang can move up to District B after joining the Bauhinia Alliance?¡±


    ¡°Forget about moving up to B-class. Shifting our trailing position forward might be possible. But I heard the biggest hope this time is in Shaye (District D88). Their leader, Qiongqi, is an S-level awakener, and their development momentum is too strong. They¡¯re likely to directly jump from D to B!¡±


    Song Ke passed by silently, and the people talking couldn¡¯t help but glance at her, murmuring casually:


    ¡°Who¡¯s this? Why is she bundled up so tightly in the middle of summer?¡±


    ¡°Is she mutating?¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t be. It seems like she came back with Jiang Rui.¡±


    ¡°Go straight ahead, and you¡¯ll reach the registration area. Tian Yi, take them there first.¡±


    After arranging the refugees, Jiang Rui led the injured students to the medical station. At the entrance, a group of volunteers in uniform were busy. One of the girls looked familiar, surprisingly the long-unseen Zhou Anqi.


    She had undergone significant changes; the arrogance and dominance on her face had long disappeared due to the blows of the apocalypse. Busy and fatigued, she had no time to think about trivial matters of love. Her gaze towards Jiang Rui was particularly open and sincere.


    ¡°Jiang Rui, is something wrong?¡±


    ¡°He got injured by an awakened ability. Could you take a look and help?¡±


    Following the request, Zhou Anqi inquired a few questions from the injured person, helplessly shaking her head:


    ¡°I can only treat external injuries. It¡¯s better if you see Dr. Liu; he¡¯s a C-level. Let me help you get an appointment.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. Have you seen Zhang Hao?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s out on a commission with his girlfriend.¡±


    Jiang Rui nodded without saying much, turning back to assist Tian Yi. With his tall and handsome appearance, distinct facial features, and a rare poised and stable temperament, he was like a stable star with high popularity in the shelter.


    Song Ke heard their conversation clearly, her expression thoughtful. It reminded her of some past events, but she had no intention of approaching for recognition.


    This is fine. Everyone is striving to live, and that¡¯s good.


    After strolling through the functional area and entering the awakener rest area, Song Ke took off her hood.


    Her snow-white hair cascaded down, and she sat quietly, closing her eyes, resembling a valuable figurine.


    Because of her unique appearance, people around kept stealing glances at her, and hushed whispers ensued:


    ¡°Look at that person, is it albinism? I heard they can¡¯t be exposed to sunlight, or their skin develops red spots and blisters.¡±


    ¡°Oh? That¡¯s so unfortunate. Radiation is already severe enough, and now a genetic disease too.¡±


    ¡°But she¡¯s quite pretty, doesn¡¯t look entirely human.¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s eyelids twitched, and her pink pupils turned towards the person who spoke last, ¡°I am human.¡±


    The discussion quieted down, and the guy with dyed hair sheepishly smiled at Song Ke.


    Seizing the moment, Song Ke stood up and approached them. Up close, her appearance had a more significant visual impact ¨C translucent skin like washed porcelain, with feathery eyelashes forming a graceful curve: ¡°I want to ask about something. Do you know V587?¡±


    In that unforgettable slogan, besides Su Cha¡¯s name, ¡°V587¡± also appeared.


    The three of them were stunned for a moment, then exclaimed in surprise:


    ¡°V587? Are you talking about the V587 who¡¯s ranked first on the entire Alliance leaderboard? You can see it on the commission platform.¡±


    The guy with dyed hair operated the public projection, and sure enough, V587 was prominently displayed at the top.


    ¡°Who are the people in V587?¡± Song Ke asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know that. We can¡¯t get in touch with the awakeners in District B.¡±


    ¡°I have some insider information,¡± the girl among the three, dressed in a tank top and hot pants, leaned in. ¡°I heard they are all super attractive guys, the kind that scares kids and affects the city¡¯s aesthetics. So, they rarely show their faces and just focus on accumulating points.¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°¡­¡± It sounded a bit absurd. Is it really the person she¡¯s looking for?


    ¡°Where can I get a terminal?¡± Song Ke awkwardly changed the topic. ¡°I accidentally lost mine.¡±


    ¡°You can buy one in the commercial district here, but the awakener ID can only be bound at the registration center. Judging by your appearance, you¡¯re an awakener, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll help you check. The nearest awakener center is¡­ Ferrara, District C72.¡±


    Ferrara?


    Neon signs, a giant Ferris wheel, massive advertising screens, slaughter, blood, competition¡­


    Fragmented memories flashed by. Song Ke remained silent, and for her, Ferrara seemed like a familiar place.


    Thinking she might be facing some difficulties, the guy with dyed hair, after discussing with his companions, took the initiative to invite, ¡°Actually, we¡¯ve taken a commission, and we¡¯re leaving Hongchang tomorrow. We¡¯ll pass by Ferrara along the way. Do you want to join us?¡±


    Song Ke was straightforward, ¡°I don¡¯t have money.¡±


    ¡°Friend! Talking about money hurts feelings, especially in the apocalypse, we should all help each other. But if we encounter zombies, you have to help us fight, okay?¡±


    Song Ke smiled faintly, ¡°Sure, I¡¯m strong.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, you¡¯re quite confident!¡± The three burst into laughter.


    This team with an average level of only D-level might never know that they once used their extraordinary luck to hire the strongest force in the Alliance, a super S-level awakener, as their free bodyguard.


    *


    District C72, Ferrara.


    Song Ke strolled through the streets in the late night, passing various humanoid AI and creatively dressed AIs. Despite hiding her face, she didn¡¯t stand out.


    A redhead girl on the street was sobbing uncontrollably, her vines ability tightly embracing a high-end sign: ¡°Qinghe¡­ wuwuwu, my Qinghe¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Chihori? Why is she going crazy?¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard? Luo Qinghe announced his retirement from the music industry, planning to enter politics just like Ilya.¡±


    ¡°Oh my! Won¡¯t his girlfriend-fans be devastated?¡±


    ¡°Of course, look at Ilya; he hasn¡¯t shown his face in a year.¡±


    The elegant gentleman Luo Qinghe, now Ferrara¡¯s most popular virtual idol, his withdrawal meant tonight would be a sleepless night for many heartbroken fans.


    Song Ke adjusted her hat brim and continued forward. The clamor of advertisements drifted by:


    ¡°Annual Throne Race Competition is open for registration!¡±


    ¡°Completely reshuffling the top ten emerging stars, reviewing those top idols that disappeared over the years.¡±


    On the crystal-clear floating screen, a female star with a princess-style pink dress sat amidst a sea of flowers. The voiceover introduced her as Lin Youyou, one of the former emerging stars, with hit songs like ¡°Thank You for Loving Me¡± and ¡°Light Rain¡± with billions of views on StarNet. Fans were worried about her situation due to her prolonged absence.


    Song Ke stopped, staring at the sweet face for a couple of seconds.


    Seemingly familiar, yet something was off. Was it the smile?


    At the entrance of the luxurious Sycara Theatre, an AI in a tailcoat warmly greeted her, ¡°Beautiful lady, would you like to attend a unique concert tonight? Special floating VIP tickets are only 3,888 Alliance coins.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have money,¡± Song Ke sighed softly, as if she had been repeating this sentence all along.


    The AI¡¯s expression changed instantly, mocking and fluctuating as it said, ¡°Oh~ that¡¯s truly unfortunate. Art also has its thresholds; to experience the most immersive and safe audio-visual feast, one must pay the price.¡±


    Song Ke wasn¡¯t angered; a subtle curve appeared at the corner of her mouth, ¡°Does false advertising also come with a price?¡±


    The AI hesitated for half a second, ¡°Artificial intelligence only speaks the truth, please refrain from defamation¡­¡± s?a??h th? N???lFire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°We had zombies underneath us,¡± Song Ke interrupted. ¡°Didn¡¯t you mention the ¡®safest¡¯ place? There was a huge group of zombies. Is that your definition of ¡®safest¡¯?¡±


    The AI froze in place, error messages beeping. The greeter¡¯s data had been updated, and this one clearly lacked the memories of its predecessor.


    Song Ke patted its shoulder, humming a tune off-key, and continued on her way, hiding her merit and fame.


    At the deserted administrative desk in the awakener center, Song Ke knocked on the table.


    ¡°Hello, I want to reissue my documents.¡±


    The staff on duty was a glasses-wearing girl. Upon hearing the voice, she quickly sat up, using one hand to turn off Ilya¡¯s cherished edition stage highlights, her expression serious as she briskly tapped the keyboard.


    ¡°Name and ID, please.¡±


    ¡°Song Ke, I don¡¯t remember the ID.¡±


    ¡°Song Ke¡­ Song Ke¡­ Found it!¡± The girl rubbed her tired eyes, taking in a sharp breath.

 Chapter 187.2: We Are V587 (2)

    ¡ò Where to Get Fake IDs? ¡ò¡°Is there a problem?¡±


    ¡°No, but your household registration has already moved to District B10. I don¡¯t have direct operational authority, so I can only help you apply above.¡±


    ¡°District B10?¡±


    ¡°Yes, the Northern Base, one of the founding areas of the Bauhinia Alliance. You¡¯re quite impressive; it¡¯s challenging to get in there.¡±


    Song Ke remained silent. In her memory, she had always been an unregistered person. When did she obtain a household registration in District B?


    ¡°Please help me with the application.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I need to collect your biological information first.¡±


    Handling the biological information collection was a tablet named Minnie, an artificial intelligence.


    Precise instruments scanned Song Ke¡¯s irises, and a holographic projection with countless micro-lights suddenly appeared, analyzing and overlapping in the air:


    ¡°Recognition failed.¡±


    ¡°Error code: CK007.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean?¡± Song Ke looked puzzled.


    Minnie¡¯s synthesized voice came from the tablet, ¡°CK007, target object is non-human. Please refrain from teasing the machine.¡±


    The girl who had casually come to watch was jaw-dropped. ¡°You¡¯re not human? I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t curse at you, but¡­ you¡¯re not human?¡±


    She sneaked a glance at Song Ke¡¯s face, hidden under the hood. After careful observation, she whispered, ¡°Her skin is so pale, and the color of her pupils is off. No wonder she refuses to take off the hat. So, is she an artificial intelligence, or an animal turned intelligent? It seems¡­ Tongwan next door has an animal awakener.¡±


    Song Ke remained silent for a while, then said, ¡°Ah¡­ sorry.¡±


    Forgot that after the reconstruction of her body, all hidden genes were activated. In her current state, she couldn¡¯t exactly be considered ¡°human.¡±


    The girl hesitated and asked, ¡°So, are you still reissuing it? If you¡¯re an animal awakener, you¡¯ll have to wait until tomorrow when the human verification room is open.¡±


    Song Ke cleared her throat, ¡°Do you know where to get fake IDs?¡±


    The girl¡¯s face was blank, ¡°Huh? Ah¡ª!!!¡± I¡¯m an official personnel, you know? Is it appropriate for you to ask me this?


    She turned off the camera, bit her lower lip, and stared at Song Ke with a conflicted and struggling expression, ¡°Well, technically I shouldn¡¯t tell you this, but a couple of days ago, when I was at a concert, I encountered someone using a fake ID. It was so well-made that even the servers in District C couldn¡¯t detect it. The person bragged about it to me accidentally, and of course, I, with a strong sense of professional ethics, reported him.¡±


    ¡°According to his confession, he got the fake ID in Sin City.¡±


    Six months ago, the Bauhinia Alliance had found an alternative energy source, and the low-level district starships gradually resumed operation.


    However, the route to Sin City in District F180 was still infrequent. The latest trip was scheduled for the early morning, and missing it meant waiting for another week.


    ¡­


    Song Ke stood by the platform, hands in her pockets, and brushed shoulders with a hurried passenger, quietly disappearing.


    On the luggage of that person, a chameleon had perched at some point. Its protruding eyeballs slowly turned, seamlessly blending with the surroundings.


    The cabin door closed slowly, heading towards the distant Sin City.


    In Ferrara, ruled by the super AI, everything operated normally, and nobody knew that there were actually two masters here.


    Cameras were everywhere, capturing blurry silhouettes, connecting through the vast data world with a certain silver branch.


    *


    Northern Base.


    The tranquil Garden Apartments.


    A communication request forcefully connected, and the silver-haired, ice blue-eyed Lu Xiaoyu suddenly appeared in the projection. ¡°I have good news. Do you want to hear it?¡±


    A slender figure stood by the French window, swaying strong liquor between fingers, silently overlooking the night view below. ¡°Speak.¡±


    ¡°Last night, at the awakener center in Ferrara, someone attempted to activate Song Ke¡¯s credentials.¡±


    The glass suddenly stopped, and a few drops of golden liquid spilled. The shadow cast on the half-obscured side of the face, with a teardrop mole near the corner of the eye, seemingly on the verge of dropping but didn¡¯t.


    ¡°Send me the footage.¡±


    The screen automatically played the recorded footage from the camera. A tall figure appeared from various angles, fully covered from head to toe, making it impossible to discern the face.


    ¡°The person disappeared at the starship port. There were a total of 31 flights that day, heading to 17 destinations.¡±


    ¡°I still have some loose ends to tie up here. Should I wait for you, or do you want to check on your own?¡±


    A silver cane leaned against the ground. The speaker was tall but had a slight limp in his right leg. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, just one less driver.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Lu Xiaoyu narrowed his eyes and ended the communication with an expressionless face.


    *


    District F180, Sin City.


    Filled with violence and crime, a chaotic underground city.


    There was no natural light here. Song Ke took off her coat, maneuvering through the thugs who were engaged in a brawl, and turned into the depths of the street.


    According to the intelligence she had obtained, she quickly found the target person: ¡°Boss Cheng? I heard you¡¯re the most famous merchant in Trading Street.¡±


    Cheng Yi, with half of her head shaved and the other half adorned with long purple hair, lifted her head: ¡°You flatter me. What business does the guest want to do?¡±


    ¡°Create a fake ID.¡±


    ¡°So coincidental?¡± Cheng Yi surreptitiously sized her up, his eyes glinting sharply. ¡°If you place an order now, I¡¯ll give you a 10% discount. One Level-4 crystal or ten Level-3 crystals. Pay half the deposit today, and I¡¯ll deliver it tomorrow.¡±


    Song Ke nodded. ¡°Okay.¡±


    There should be many fierce beasts and zombies in the desert. A Level-4 crystal might be difficult for others, but for her, it was easy.


    Cheng Yi was satisfied, spreading her hands. ¡°I like straightforward people. Come, the deposit.¡±


    Song Ke hesitated for a moment. ¡°Can we do it tomorrow? I don¡¯t have the money right now.¡±


    ¡°Guest, I¡¯m not rushing you,¡± Cheng Yi shook her head, ¡°but if you want a fake ID, today is the last chance.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Song Ke frowned.


    ¡°I won¡¯t hide it from you. I stumbled upon this business opportunity a few months ago because of some bugs in the AI group in District B. Hehe, taking advantage of the loophole. But now the bugs are about to be fixed, so I say it¡¯s a coincidence. Once this opportunity is gone, there won¡¯t be another one.¡±


    Cheng was indeed a cunning merchant, effortlessly playing the game of hunger marketing. She even pretended to sigh: ¡°I see you really want it, so I¡¯ll wait for you until it gets dark, no later than that.¡±


    Song Ke glanced at the artificial clock above. There was less than an hour until the ¡°sunset¡± in the city of sin.


    A penny really stumps a hero. Time is so tight. Where can she get a level 4 crystal?


    Wait a minute, something¡¯s not right. Why does she vaguely remember that she was once wealthy too?


    In her memories, she could easily pull out handfuls of vibrant Level-4 crystals. Where was her money? Where was the empire she had built with her own hands?


    Song Ke walked through the streets in frustration and settled in a trendy caf¨¦. She knew there was no time to head to the desert, so she had to figure out a solution in the city.


    Approaching her was a fair-skinned young man, delicately cradling a cup of coffee, walking with confidence without spilling a drop. He chose a seat right across from Song Ke, sat down, savored the aroma of the coffee, closed his eyes, and took a small sip.


    Song Ke¡¯s gaze fell on the coffee cup, bearing the cursive words: ¡°Jade Estate¡¯s Selected Summer Coffee.¡±


    Glancing at the holographic signboard with prices, she realized he was a wealthy individual.


    Observing the young man in front of her, his attire seemed simple, but on his left hand, he wore four dazzling crystal rings, three blue and one red, with a large pigeon blood gem on the middle finger.


    ¡ªThey were Level-4 crystals!


    Song Ke glanced at the artificial clock again, realizing she was running out of time. What if she ¡°borrowed¡± one?


    Perhaps her gaze was too intense; the young man slowly lifted his head. His expression darkened slightly, but the moment he saw Song Ke¡¯s face, his eyes widened. He stared for a few seconds, then quickly lowered his head, took a sip of coffee, glanced at Song Ke, took another sip, resembling an introverted otaku encountering a new anime figurine, instantly captivated.


    A cute robot brought a cup of Jade Estate coffee and placed it in front of Song Ke.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t order this,¡± Song Ke said.


    ¡°It¡¯s right, Table 25,¡± the robot tilted its head in confusion.


    ¡°I¡¯ll treat you. Enjoy the coffee,¡± the young man across from her spoke slowly, a suspicious blush appearing on his cheeks. ¡°It¡¯s delicious.¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°¡­¡± What should she do? She initially wanted to snatch the crystal from this unsuspecting victim, but it seemed difficult now.


    ¡°Hey, Jorik, did your brain just grow? Learning to chat up a girl?¡± a passerby laughed mockingly.


    The young man swiftly turned his head, half of his face covered in thick fur, transforming into a wolf-like appearance, threatening with a low growl. The mocker shut up awkwardly, walking away and shaking his head, muttering, ¡°The heavens are blind, such a rich idiot¡­¡±


    Jorik turned back satisfied, returning to his shy demeanor, smiling awkwardly at Song Ke.


    Internally anxious, Song Ke glanced at the artificial clock for the third time, closing her eyes and gathering her courage, ¡°Can you lend me this Level-4 crystal?¡± S?a??h th? N0v?lFir?.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Jorik looked confused, ¡°Huh?¡±


    Before Song Ke could speak, a piercing city-wide alarm sounded.


    ¡°Oh no, someone¡¯s pet has escaped!!¡±


    Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh¡ª


    A large group of sandy-yellow mutant scorpions dashed through the streets, spewing bright yellow flames everywhere. Pedestrians dodged and cursed as the chaos unfolded.


    Truly the city of sin, where all sorts of bizarre things could happen. Song Ke sighed deeply, stood up, ready to deal with the trouble first, and then have a serious conversation with Jorik.


    ¡°Ding¡ª¡±


    The elevator arrived, and a group of people in military uniforms emerged out of nowhere. Glancing around, they were all high-level awakeners.


    Disciplined and without a word, they cleared the entire street.


    Tap. Tap. Tap.


    The crisp sound of a cane striking the ground echoed as a handsome man with a limp walked slowly out from behind the group. He wore a purple bauhinia wreath on his collar.


    ¡°People from the Bauhinia Alliance. What are they here for?¡±


    ¡°Maybe they¡¯re here to see Warden Hu, trying to persuade us to join?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t overestimate our importance in District F. When did we become so significant?¡±


    Song Ke was pushed to the back by the onlookers. Peering over the sea of heads, she saw the man with the cane. He had a breathtaking face, with deep and handsome features. There was a tiny mole at the corner of his eye, adding to his enchanting charm.


    Song Ke¡¯s mind buzzed, and her thoughts blurred. She felt a strange familiarity with this man, yet he was also a stranger.


    Her arm was gently tapped, and in her confusion, Song Ke turned around, coincidentally missing the man¡¯s gaze.


    Jorik took off his crystal ring and held it up to Song Ke. ¡°It¡¯s for you.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan noticed a burning gaze and, with a slight movement of his mind, subconsciously followed the direction. Through the noisy crowd, he saw a youth with dark hair holding a large pigeon blood ring, looking at the astonished white-haired girl. The excitement rendered her speechless. The people around them clapped and cheered, and gave out enthusiastic encouragement.


    Zhuang Qingyan lowered his eyes, indifferently retracting his gaze. He didn¡¯t want to witness these beautiful scenes of mutual affection. It annoyed him.


    **TN


    AAAH! My baby Jorik is fine! I¡¯m glad he¡¯s free now. His relatives should rot in Death Prison. Hmph!

 Chapter 188.1: We Are V587 (3)

    ¡ò Song Keke, is that you? ¡òDeath Prison.


    Hu Yong pushed open the door to the office, where someone was already waiting for him. A tall young man sat on the sofa, rhythmically tapping his cold white fingertips, looking silently out the window at the deep sea, his side profile melancholic and profound. S~?a??h the N???lFire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Hu Yong¡¯s gaze lowered, and he noticed a silver cane placed beside the sofa; the young man¡¯s right leg seemed not very agile¡ªjust like the last time they met.


    Several people were scattered around the room, appearing calm and casual. Near the door were twin siblings with similar facial features but different genders. Two military personnel with insignias embroidered with the pattern of an azure phoenix were wandering by the window, their presence barely noticeable. Having dealt with criminals for most of his life and with the characteristics of being half-human and half-AI, Hu Yong keenly discerned that these people had special identities. They bore the burden of taking lives and were highly likely to be awakeners, perhaps even S-level.


    Having exchanged greetings in advance, even though their appearances were vastly different, he accurately called out the young man¡¯s name, ¡°Zhuang Qingyan.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan nodded gently, ¡°Long time no see, Lord Hades, no, Warden Hu.¡±


    Hu Yong took a step forward; the twin siblings eyed him warily. He paused, circled back to his desk, and sat down at a distance from Zhuang Qingyan.


    ¡°Rarely do prisoners voluntarily come back,¡± Hu Yong sighed, ¡°let alone those who escaped from prison.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan showed no embarrassment at having his dark history exposed. He got straight to the point, ¡°I came to invite Sin City to join the Bauhinia Alliance.¡±


    Hu Yong remained impassive, ¡°The Alliance has more than one prison, and District F is not that important.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan smoothed out the nonexistent wrinkles on his sleeves and smiled, ¡°That was in the past. Because of you, F180 is now crucial.¡±


    A district magistrate leaves a strong personal style in the city he governs: Nai Kang is cruel, Mu City people is miserable, and in anger, the citizens overthrow his rule. Chen Zuyi is kind, Tongwan stands united, and the whole city gathers strength to withstand the onslaught of the zombie tide.


    After taking over the Death Prison, Sin City remained chaotic, filled with violence and crime. However, the arbiter tilted towards fairness and justice. Hu Yong re-evaluated sentences, punished criminals severely, and also released many innocent people.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s exceptional memory allowed him to recognize Jorik in the Trading Street just now.


    His gaze was clear and cold, like a born negotiation expert, ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, in the past year, although Death Prison appears stable on the surface, it has long lost financial support, and the number of prison guards has dwindled significantly, right?¡±


    After the Loak War, Gu Hongyi died violently, and many core officials of the Central Court were killed or injured. The Alliance¡¯s influence in Utopia suffered a severe setback, and the once tripartite situation fell apart. Now, the higher-ups were preoccupied and had no spare time to deal with a mere District F.


    ¡°If another malicious prison break occurs, can you handle it?¡± Zhuang Qingyan hinted with a purpose.


    Sin City had once experienced a sensational news event: a team called ¡°V587,¡± using some unknown method, flipped Death Prison 180 degrees and successfully escaped from it. This was the only successful prison break event since the establishment of Death Prison.


    Hu Yong was speechless, ¡°¡­¡± Weren¡¯t you the one who escaped in the first place? How can you act like nothing happened with a different face?


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s face was as thick as a city wall, showing no signs of abnormality. He remained calm and said, ¡°The apocalypse not only brings crises but also creates opportunities.¡±


    ¡°Whether to seize the opportunity, lead Sin City against the current, or continue to drift with the tide, Warden Hu, it depends on your choice.¡±


    ¡°Why choose me?¡± Hu Yong¡¯s voice was low and hoarse.


    Zhuang Qingyan glanced at him intently. There was a rare steadiness about Hu Yong, and his emotions seemed never to spiral out of control.


    ¡°Death Prison is a necessary product of the Alliance¡¯s development at a specific stage. Its functionality is irreplaceable, and staying here is your lifelong mission.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan recited calmly, ¡°Is that still your belief, or have your thoughts changed?¡±


    Hu Yong shook his head slowly, ¡°Never.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan smiled, ¡°The selection for the new city district is about to begin. There are no registration restrictions this time. The classification will consider various aspects, and all C-level cities will receive resource support. I look forward to a story of F rising to C.¡±


    Hu Yong remained silent for a while before speaking, ¡°I have a question. Even if I am not¡­ human, is it acceptable?¡±


    He spoke vaguely, but Zhuang Qingyan understood, ¡°Among the members of the Bauhinia Alliance, you are not the only non-human magistrate.¡±


    ¡°Ferrara is controlled by a super AI, Loak is even ruled by the Fallen King. Perhaps in the not-so-distant future, the definition of being human will be rewritten.¡±


    Hu Yong nodded solemnly, ¡°Thank you, I will consider it.¡±


    Knock! Knock! Urgent knocking sounded from outside the door, ¡°Warden, something¡¯s wrong in the desert!¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan stood up gracefully, casually gripping his cane, ¡°You take care of that first; I won¡¯t disturb you.¡±


    After watching the group depart, Hu Yong turned to the prison guard and asked, ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°All the prisoners released yesterday were killed!¡±


    ¡°For what reason?¡± Hu Yong asked calmly.


    ¡°It was a vicious group fight,¡± the prison guard sighed with frustration. ¡°In the end, it¡¯s their own fault, they were seeking death. They were sand bandits before they came in, saw someone kill a Level 4 Scorpion, got envious, and tried to rob it, only to be counter-killed.¡±


    ¡°How are the casualties on the other side?¡±


    ¡°The other side, um¡­ they¡¯re fine.¡±


    The prison guard¡¯s expression was conflicted, struggling to speak but hesitating. ¡°Warden, when I said group fight, it¡¯s a situation where one person is beating up a whole group¡­¡±


    *


    In the scorching desert, the sun hung high, and the air was so hot it distorted. Song Ke¡¯s back was drenched in sweat, her wet white hair sticking to her collarbones. The hood seemed about to catch fire, and her skin, marred and broken, quickly healed due to her second ability, leaving only traces of pain that didn¡¯t have time to linger.


    Two mutant scorpion carcasses lay by her feet, and even a slight movement caused the burning heat to engulf the surroundings.


    Jorik, equally sweaty, panted in the heat but continued to follow her.


    ¡°Here¡¯s yours.¡±


    Song Ke handed two crimson crystals to him. Thanks to this foolish but righteous helper, she paid the money to Cheng Yi on time, catching up with the deadline.


    Jorik took a step back, shook his head quickly, and awkwardly looked at her, stammering, ¡°Buy you coffee, ring is for you¡­ go home.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave tomorrow when I get the goods. You go get the ring yourself.¡±


    The weather was too hot, and every second was torture. Song Ke, with patience worn thin and not understanding what he was saying, spoke with a commanding tone.


    Jorik, looking dazed, after several signals from Song Ke, finally took only one crystal and stored it away.


    ¡°Go home¡­¡± he began saying, but his ears suddenly perked up, and he looked towards the distant sand dunes with a dark expression.


    The sandstorm raged, and the sandy dunes undulated in shades of brown. Bang! Bang! Explosions erupted as over thirty sand bandits, lying in ambush, sprung out and surrounded Song Ke and her companion.


    ¡°Since this fool doesn¡¯t want it, why not give us the crystal?¡± The speaker exuded the aura of a desperate outlaw, with a sinister smile, reaching out without hesitation to activate the awakened ability ¡°grabbing objects from the air¡±.


    Zheng¡ª! Mental power hit an iron plate, Song Ke¡¯s crystal remained unmoved in her palm. The opponent was only at the C-level, the power gap too vast for them to even get close.


    The sand bandits, shocked, abandoned their playful expressions, stared menacingly at her, revealing their cruel true selves.


    Hot sweat dripped down the chin, instantly evaporating in the scorching heat. Song Ke felt a bit dizzy, wishing to return to the cool underground city.


    Her voice dry, she spoke slowly, ¡°Give you three seconds, hurry up and leave.¡±


    ¡°Well, look at the attitude! Brothers, kill her! Take the crystal!¡±


    Over thirty people rushed forward, their various awakened abilities stirring up the sandy ground.


    ¡°Roar!!¡±


    Jorik roared in anger, transforming into a werewolf, aggressively pouncing, clawing and biting fiercely. However¡­


    Due to his usually pampered lifestyle and thick, dense fur, the wealthy man suffered heatstroke immediately upon transformation, collapsing with a thud.


    The sand bandits burst into laughter, restraining him. A curved knife poised at Jorik¡¯s throat, ready to strike.


    Song Ke slowly raised her gaze, and her pink pupils flashed with dazzling golden light.


    A surging and domineering awakened energy shook the earth, raising a massive sandstorm from all directions. Countless thorned arrows shot out from behind her, piercing through the bandits. In an instant, the sand bandits had limbs severed, bodies dismembered, each pierced through the heart, and they fell dead.


    The sandstorm subsided, corpses scattered, and all sound disappeared. A pin could be heard dropping in the silent scene.


    ¡°Come out,¡± Song Ke coldly said to the deserted desert.


    After a while, a group of trembling locals emerged from beneath the sand.


    After a while, the mirage of an oasis appeared, and another wave of timid awakeners emerged.


    Praying mantis hunts the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind; truly the most chaotic and sinful city in the entire Alliance. In this small battlefield, three waves of people were lying in ambush.

 Chapter 188.2: We Are V587 (3)

    ¡ò Song Keke, is that you? ¡òSong Ke raised her hand slightly, and the two groups of orioles immediately knelt on the ground, pleading, ¡°Mercy, heroine, mercy! We didn¡¯t intend to act!¡±


    Song Ke, indifferent, wiped her face as hot sweat dripped into her eyes, causing her vision to blur. ¡°Just leave.¡±


    The crowd narrowly escaped punishment, collectively retreating. Seeing that Song Ke had no intention of killing them, someone nervously asked, ¡°May we ask the heroine¡¯s name? In the future, we¡¯ll definitely go around when we see you.¡±


    In Sin City, a reputation is the easiest thing to spread. They wanted to figure out whom they offended to avoid stepping into trouble in the future.


    Song Ke pulled the unconscious Jorik from the pile of bodies, lifting him with one hand. Almost instinctively, she blurted out her habitual alias, ¡°My name is Su Cha.¡±


    As the words fell, everyone on the opposite side collectively fell into a state of stupor.


    ¡°Did I hear it correctly? She said her name is Su Cha¡­¡±


    ¡°Is it the Su Cha?¡±


    ¡°Who else could it be?! It¡¯s her!!¡± A tremulous explosion echoed in everyone¡¯s ears.


    The ambushing individuals halted their steps, their faces showing astonishment. Upon closer inspection, a hint of worship could be seen in their eyes, as if gazing upon a god.


    Song Ke was taken aback; it was the first time she encountered such a situation. ¡°Do you know the name Su Cha?¡±


    ¡°We know, we know! Who¡¯s the coolest in V587? It¡¯s Su Cha, remember that!¡±


    ¡°You gained fame in the desert back then. This is your happy hometown! Who doesn¡¯t know the legend of V587!¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°But I remember, Su Cha is a guy¡­¡± Amidst the noisy background, someone hesitated to speak.


    They received a hard knock on the forehead, and a companion frantically gestured at him, ¡°Shut up! Su Cha can be a brother or a sister, whatever she says she is!¡±


    Song Ke had a splitting headache and dismissed the chattering group of orioles.


    A silver-white starship flew across the sky, its tail adorned with a sparkling purple bauhinia wreath. Song Ke glanced at it and then turned away, heading towards the underground city in the opposite direction.


    Thunk! Song Ke threw Jorik on the ground and knocked on the counter, ¡°I¡¯m here to pick up the goods.¡±


    ¡°Here, for use in District C and below only.¡± Cheng Yi tossed a terminal, poking her head out to look, ¡°Isn¡¯t this Jorik? Did he get heatstroke?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Song Ke carefully checked the functions, finding no issues, ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving soon. Can you keep him here?¡±


    ¡°Sure, of course.¡± Cheng Yi tossed aside half of her purple hair, smiling with satisfaction. Jorik, a wealthy man, would be another profitable deal.


    Song Ke touched the silver ring absentmindedly, ¡°I heard you¡¯re the most informed trader in the Trading Street.¡±


    Cheng Yi replied arrogantly, ¡°Hmm.¡±


    She placed the Level 4 crystal on the counter, ¡°I want to buy some information from you.¡±


    Cheng Yi¡¯s eyes lit up, instantly pulling out a magnifying glass, ¡°What kind of information is worth a Level 4 crystal? I¡¯m quite curious.¡±


    Song Ke said, ¡°About V587, tell me everything you know.¡±


    Cheng Yi¡¯s smile faded at the mention of it, ¡°Customer, I don¡¯t do all kinds of deals. V587 is my regular customer, and I don¡¯t sell their information. What if you turn around seeking revenge? They¡¯ve made enemies, you know.¡±


    Song Ke calmly stared at her, ¡°I¡¯m not seeking revenge. I just¡­ forgot a lot of things, only remember that V587 is supposed to be my friend. I want to find them and clarify things. Please, any information is fine, even just a name.¡±


    Cheng Yi scrutinized her back and forth, ¡°Really not seeking revenge?¡±


    Song Ke affirmed, ¡°Yes.¡±


    Cheng Yi, exposing her true nature, as if afraid Song Ke would regret it, quickly grabbed the crystal and took a bite, ¡°Just a name. I won¡¯t disclose details about others, but the captain of V587 is named Song Ke.¡±


    ¡ªThe captain of V587 is named Song Ke. S~?a??h the N?v?lFire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Song Ke slightly widened her eyes.


    ¡­


    From Sin City to Northern Base, it almost spanned the entire New Asia Alliance.


    It took Song Ke a whole half month to reach Qianzhan City, and then she was helpless. According to the rules, the first entry into the Northern Base required approval from the Immigration Center. But the crowd here was beyond imagination. Ordinary awakeners had to wait in line for half a year, and there was almost no place to step inside. For those with slightly weaker lung capacity, they could start gasping for breath at any moment.


    Her ID was fake, as Cheng Yi mentioned; it could only be used in District C. Once she reached District B, it wouldn¡¯t work. Since the official method was not feasible, what about unconventional methods?


    Song Ke approached a loud hawker, lowering her voice as if making a secret deal:


    ¡°What business are you in?¡±


    ¡°How much does it cost for sm*ggling one person?¡±


    The hawker was shocked and turned pale, ¡°Don¡¯t set me up, are you a decoy? Get away, get away! No amount of money is acceptable. Don¡¯t you know how strict they are about sm*ggling now? I don¡¯t want to end up in the Awakener Department¡¯s big prison!¡±


    The self-righteous hawker didn¡¯t control his volume well and forgot that he was still wearing an amplifying terminal on his collar. The roaring sound spread layer by layer, and everyone within a few miles turned their heads, staring at Song Ke with looks as if she were a fool, pointing and whispering.


    Song Ke covered her face and fled in embarrassment.


    Half an hour later, she crouched in the corner of the wall, hesitantly glancing at the transparent barrier within arm¡¯s reach. This was the final stop for the city bus. As long as someone got off casually, she could use that method to stealthily infiltrate without anyone knowing. It shouldn¡¯t¡­be discovered.


    Song Ke took a deep breath, another deep breath, finally making up her mind and hiding in the shadows.


    The upcoming genetic changes were truly pushing the limits, requiring significant psychological preparation that she had been working on for a long time.


    Boom!


    An awakener moved faster than her, hitting the barrier above.


    ¡°Bro, isn¡¯t this too risky?¡± a furtive voice came from the other end, sounding like three or four people.


    ¡°What¡¯s there to be afraid of? Tokushima¡¯s applications to join the Bauhinia Alliance were rejected several times; it must be the Northern Base playing tricks. I¡¯m just giving them some trouble!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t stop, whatever top-notch defense they have, we¡¯re taking it down today!¡±


    A blaring alarm sounded, triggering the defensive mechanism of the attacked barrier.


    Song Ke watched helplessly as holographic signs displayed text:


    ¡°Due to route malfunction, today¡¯s bus service is canceled.¡±


    Suppressing her anger, she walked up to the group of people and asked expressionlessly, ¡°What are you guys doing?¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Crap, there¡¯s trouble going on!¡±


    ¡°There is a situation in Channel 201!¡±


    In the City Defense Command Center, monitors locked onto the terrorists causing damage, and an employee connected to the internal channel, ¡°Mr. Zhuang, someone is intentionally damaging the city defense system, the target has been located¡­ huh? The target has been dealt with.¡±


    A blurry figure with a hood approached, the scene flashed, and several terrorists¡¯ heads burst open. Two seconds later, a spray of bright red blood arced through the air. Death came too quickly; no one could see what had happened.


    Zhuang Qingyan glanced at the floating screen, his eyelashes lowered. ¡°Send a patrol team over.¡±


    He stood up to leave, but when he reached the door, his footsteps suddenly halted. Like a gust of wind, he rushed back and trembling fingertips pressed the pause button. The mouths of those people showed clear signs of knife wounds.


    ¡°The slow-motion replay,¡± Zhuang Qingyan spoke urgently, his voice revealing a sense of urgency.


    The surveillance looped back to the recent crime scene, even at a slowed speed, there was still no clue to be found.


    ¡°Slow it down further.¡±


    ¡°¡­slower.¡±


    Until the frame froze, and the crowd struggled to see, just before the terrorists¡¯ deaths, faint golden lights appeared around them. These lights rapidly converged, forming a cold and brilliant blade shape. This was¡­ a transformed awakened energy?


    ¡°Mr. Zhuang, should we keep slowing?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan remained silent, expressionless for a long time, then suddenly shook his head with a helpless smile.


    This was the first time the City Defense Department personnel had seen Zhuang Qingyan smile. In an instant, it was like ice melting, spring winds and rain, intoxicating and unforgettable.


    ¡­


    The bus was gone, and Song Ke turned around in frustration. Suddenly, her back tensed.


    The sky tore open with a pitch-black crack, an invisible and majestic force descending from above¡ªan S-level spatial ability! Following that, another S-level ability, ¡°Draw the Ground as a Prison,¡± isolated the air around Song Ke, trapping her in a confined space.


    Song Ke frowned at her forehead. Was this coming after her because she had just killed someone?


    Were they going to fight at the entrance of the Northern Base? That wouldn¡¯t be good; she still wanted to get inside¡­ Wait, there might be an opportunity!


    With little time to think, Song Ke had no choice. She gritted her teeth, transformed into the pre-planned genetic form, and disappeared on the spot.


    A group of awakeners appeared out of thin air. The crowd split on both sides as Zhuang Qingyan, leaning on a cane, strolled forward. Despite his disabled right leg, he was broad-shouldered and tall, handsome and elegant¡ªa flawless young nobleman.


    Facing the empty passage, Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s emotions were complex, ultimately turning into a gentle sigh.


    Under the puzzled gaze of everyone, he threw away the cane, knelt on one knee, and lowered his head to gaze at the crawling flea on the ground.


    ¡°Song Keke, is that you?¡±


    The tiny flea paused for a moment, its tail wagging vigorously.


    The awakeners behind Zhuang Qingyan were silent, their expressions collapsing. They watched as the successor of the Northern Base, in a hurry, mobilized S-level awakeners just to exchange feelings with a suspicious-looking flea?


    However, Zhuang Qingyan seemed oblivious. He slowly reached out, the teardrop mole at the corner of his eye shining with brilliance.


    ¡°¡­Let¡¯s go home.¡±


    Whoosh¡ªthe flea disappeared.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s pupils contracted, and regardless of the dust, he moved forward. ¡°Song Ke!!¡±


    The next moment, his words abruptly stopped, and his scalp tingled slightly.

 Chapter 189.1: We Are V587 (4)

    ¡ò Is Ten Carats Enough? ¡ò¡°Mr. Zhuang¡­ do you need me to pursue?¡±


    At the entrance of Channel 201, the bewildered and puzzled awakeners looked around. Where was the suspect? Where was the flea?


    The air was as quiet as death, and Zhuang Qingyan remained motionless, his silhouette resembling a frozen statue.


    As if a long century had passed, or perhaps just a few seconds, his expression transitioned from an indescribable blankness, shock, and patience to the calmness of still waters. His Adam¡¯s apple rolled up and down, and a hoarse voice squeezed out from between his teeth: ¡°¡­no need.¡±


    Clever as he was, Zhuang Qingyan had already confirmed that the flea was undoubtedly Song Ke. However, for some reason, she couldn¡¯t enter the city through normal means, leading her to resort to such unconventional methods. When Zhuang Qingyan stood up, his right leg, numb and tingling from kneeling for so long, swayed slightly, and a cane was quickly handed to him by someone nearby.


    His voice regained composure, and he said casually, as if nothing had happened: ¡°Clean up the scene, I will explain this matter to General Ye.¡±


    After dispersing the patrol team, Zhuang Qingyan called for a driverless hovercar and entered the Northern Base from Channel 201.


    Just as he entered the city, the roots of his fluffy hair moved, causing a slight itch.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s five fingers holding the cane tightened suddenly, and the veins on the back of his hand bulged: ¡°If you dare to run, I will spray the entire city with Baibu Tincture.¡±


    Baibu Tincture, a type of pesticide, primarily used to kill insects and relieve itching. The diluted spray had a stunning effect on various parasites.


    The flea suddenly froze, apparently understanding human speech.


    Zhuang Qingyan revealed a faint smile, but as soon as he thought that the little thing was still perched on his head, his mouth quickly straightened into a tight line: ¡°So, you plan to enter the city this way¡­ I¡¯ll help you, don¡¯t run again.¡±


    The last few words were as light as a sigh.


    ¡­


    Garden Apartment.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s face was as calm as water. Limping hastily through the living room, he arrived at the private bathroom. His fingertips swiftly operated on the panel, and with a snap, the lights went out. The door locked, the windows sealed shut, creating a completely enclosed space.


    Then, he began to undress ¨C suit, tie, trousers¡­ With one hand, he unbuttoned his shirt, pulled down the collar, revealing a slender and slim neck.


    He commanded, somewhat stiffly, ¡°Change back.¡±


    No one responded, and silence filled the surroundings.


    Zhuang Qingyan helplessly rubbed his forehead, ¡°Since you dare to use this method, there must be a way out. At least prove that you can control the time of genetic existence. There are no outsiders here, change back.¡±


    After a brief standoff, a tiny flea fell to the ground, emitting a faint radiation. The blurry figure gradually solidified.


    Zhuang Qingyan quickly grabbed a towel and threw it over Song Ke¡¯s head, covering her completely. In the dim natural light, a pair of white and luminous slender ankles were exposed, like polished jade, smooth and delicate.


    ¡°Clothes in the second compartment of the cabinet.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan frowned repeatedly at his brow, unable to endure any longer. He forcefully opened the glass door, diving into the shower, and the sound of rushing water immediately filled the air.


    Two fair fingers pulled down the towel from her head. Pink pupils observed the surroundings vigilantly. After confirming it was safe, Song Ke turned and opened the cabinet door, pulling out an oversized T-shirt and putting it on casually.


    A moment later, the sound of running water gradually ceased.


    Zhuang Qingyan reappeared, his black hair soaked, his features clear. Clad in a thin bathrobe, uncleaned water droplets trickled along his collarbone into the neckline. Paired with his handsome and cold face, there was a subtle and dangerously alluring charm.


    ¡°Song¡ª¡±


    A concealed sleeve sword pressed against his throat, the blade glinting with a cold and chilling light. One step forward would result in blood splattering on the spot.


    The two confronted each other, facing each other, and their faces were reflected in each other¡¯s pupils. Then, a bit of astonishment and surprise gradually surfaced.


    Zhuang Qingyan illuminated the lights with one hand, staring intently at the person before him. The cold face, snow-white long hair, nearly transparent skin¡ªevery inch between the brows and eyes presented a completely unfamiliar appearance. Rarely rendered speechless, he looked somewhat dazed.


    Song Ke blinked slowly, recognizing him as the man she saw briefly in Sin City.


    However, with close contact, a strange emotion surged within her. She gazed at the peach blossom eyes, vivid teardrop mole, and well-defined chin of the person before her. She felt as if every feature was somehow familiar. S~?a??h the ??v?l_Fir?.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°¡­Who are you?¡± Song Ke murmured.


    ¡°Zhuang Qingyan. I am Zhuang Qingyan,¡± Zhuang Qingyan stared at her, unblinking, enunciating each word.


    ¡°Zhuang¡­ Qingyan?¡± Song Ke unconsciously repeated. Those three words lingered on her lips, as if she had uttered them countless times before.


    ¡°Have you always looked like this?¡± Song Ke¡¯s eyes were filled with confusion.


    Zhuang Qingyan slowly raised his hand. When Song Ke came to her senses, the blade pressed an inch, leaving a faint bloodstain on his neck. Ignoring it, he spoke in a gentle, almost humble tone, ¡°You mentioned that you liked the original mole. During the time you were away, I modified my genes.¡±


    His current appearance embodied both Zhuang Qingyan and Xie Zhuo, growing in accordance with Song Ke¡¯s preferences in every aspect.


    Did she say that?


    Song Ke¡¯s consciousness felt somewhat hazy. She couldn¡¯t remember, but indeed, it looked pretty good.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s slightly cool palm held the hilt, gently pressing it down. After a brief moment of surprise, he began to think quickly.


    ¡°Due to the activation of the Phoenix gene, not only did the body undergo reconstruction and the appearance change, but even memories have experienced some loss, right?¡±


    ¡°So, in this past year, you haven¡¯t shown up. I thought you were intentionally avoiding me¡­¡±


    Song Ke stared at him intently, honestly admitting, ¡°Um¡­ Actually, it took almost a year just for the reconstruction.¡±


    ¡°Are you affiliated with V587?¡± she asked softly.


    Zhuang Qingyan sighed softly, ¡°You can¡¯t remember anything?¡±


    ¡°Um,¡± Song Ke lowered her eyelashes, her agile fingertips spinning the sleeve sword, but she showed no intention of attacking the person before her.


    ¡°¡­Let me tell you then, Song Keke.¡±


    Clang! The sleeve sword fell to the ground, making a crisp sound.


    Zhuang Qingyan lifted her up, placing her on the half-height sink. His hands rested on her waist, and his thin lips, almost touching her nearly transparent earlobe, said, ¡°I am the first member of V587. You saved me with your sacrifice, and since then, I pledged my life to you, holding on to your thigh, wholeheartedly following you.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Song Ke slightly opened her mouth, chilled to the point of speechlessness.


    Zhuang Qingyan chuckled lightly, abandoning his playful thoughts. He leaned down, resting his head on Song Ke¡¯s neck, his tone exhausted and sorrowful, ¡°All that was nonsense. I¡¯m your teammate and boyfriend, the person closest to you in this world. Every day for the past year, I dared not sleep because once I closed my eyes, I would return to that day in Loak, and you completely disappeared before me.¡±


    Their breaths were close, with no space for avoidance. Song Ke turned her head, gazing at his eyes. A wave of confusion washed over her mind. In the deep recesses of her consciousness, she inexplicably believed every word he said.


    ¡°Song Keke, I really miss you.¡±


    In this position, Zhuang Qingyan held her waist, embedding Song Ke in his arms. He then pinched her chin, forcing her to tilt her head. Disregarding everything, their lips and tongues intertwined, leaving a moist impression.


    Song Ke¡¯s eyes widened, her pulse suddenly quickened, her heart pounding as if it were about to leap out of her chest, yet she had no resistance in her thoughts.


    However, Zhuang Qingyan quickly stopped. His thin lips retreated slightly, and his expression became complex and indistinct. ¡°Sorry, the genes from earlier¡­ were too extraordinary. I have some psychological shadows.¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°?¡±


    Her wrist was tightly gripped as Song Ke staggered into the shower. The showerhead turned on again, and warm water cascaded down, soaking both of them. The face-to-face position heightened a certain emotion, and Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s breath was so scalding it made Song Ke tremble.


    He cupped Song Ke¡¯s face with both hands and descended once again.


    The sound of rushing water masked the subtle movements. The steaming heat blurred the frosted glass, and the intertwined silhouettes of the man and woman reflected an ambiguous light. Outside, there was a bustling three-dimensional city with incessant aerial traffic. Inside, it was two souls consoling each other.


    Bam!!


    A muffled noise interrupted the warmth in the bathroom.


    ¡°Okay, now let¡¯s talk. How much do you remember?¡± Ten minutes later, Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s cheekbone was red ¨C he was beaten by Song Ke who couldn¡¯t bear it any more. He pressed his forehead and asked in a low voice.


    ¡°A little bit, only memories from childhood.¡± Song Ke pinched her thumb and forefinger, making a gesture the size of a grain of rice. The pink petals of her lips revealed a suspicious crimson, particularly noticeable against her skin tone. It was the look of someone who had done something mischievous.


    Zhuang Qingyan stared for a moment longer, then awkwardly shifted his gaze away.

 Chapter 189.2: We Are V587 (4)

    ¡ò Is Ten Carats Enough? ¡òTo be accurate, Song Ke only remembered herself as an experimental subject and her childhood memories. Everything after the apocalypse was increasingly messy and blurry, with a complete blank about the events that occurred afterward.


    Zhuang Qingyan nodded, ¡°I informed the others from V587. They¡¯ll be back soon. Maybe then you¡¯ll remember something.¡±


    Song Ke crouched in the corner of the sofa, creating a distance between them, her eyes filled with skepticism, ¡°How can I be sure you¡¯re not lying to me?¡±


    ¡°Your language ability has recovered.¡± Zhuang Qingyan tapped his fingertips, calmly analyzing, ¡°The manifestation of the Phoenix gene is ¡®rebirth.¡¯ As long as there are residual cells, one can infinitely regenerate using them as a medium. However, your two triggers had no external guidance, resulting in aftereffects.¡±


    ¡°The first rebirth was during the Loak incident, damaging your language center. This is the second time.¡± He shifted forward, kneeling on one knee on the sofa, his long fingers threading through Song Ke¡¯s hair. ¡°Albinism is a hereditary disease. From a broad perspective, this type of genetic mutation cannot be cured.¡±


    ¡°Previously, whether it was the Hook Snake, Wildcat, or Chameleon gene, you couldn¡¯t transform back voluntarily; you needed radiation stimulation. But now, you can control all genes, indicating that the fusion level has exceeded the threshold, losing the characteristics of a human.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been to Ferrara, wanting to activate the awakener certificate, but without biological information, this path was simply impassable. So, you had no other choice but to use special means to infiltrate the Northern Base.¡±


    Throughout the Alliance, no one understood the Fire Seed project and LAK0017 better than Zhuang Qingyan. With just a few words, he deduced the truth.


    Impressive, he got it all right.


    Song Ke stared at him in astonishment.


    Zhuang Qingyan calmly continued forward, their noses almost touching, ¡°But this is very dangerous. All genes are in high-speed operation, the DNA chain constantly changing, causing a disturbance in your magnetic field. Over time, the part of consciousness belonging to humans gradually diminishes, and you¡¯ll forget everything.¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow, let¡¯s conduct a full-body examination to see if there¡¯s any way to restore you to normal.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Song Ke nodded quietly, discreetly distancing herself from him.


    Zhuang Qingyan noticed her subtle movement, smiled with restraint, and held her hand, rubbing it until he felt the ring on Song Ke¡¯s ring finger. His smile vanished instantly.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± He held it up expressionlessly, his tone icy. ¡°Where did this ring come from?¡±


    Activating the ¡°Omniscient and Omnipotent¡± ability, scouring every corner of memory, Zhuang Qingyan quickly recalled the glimpse in Sin City, regret and anger simultaneously surging, ¡°Given to you by Jorik? Did he propose to you, and you agreed?¡±


    ¡°Not even a decent diamond, and you consider this worth showing off?¡± S~?a??h the N?v?lFir?.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Why did you go to Sin City for him? How long did you stay, and why didn¡¯t you contact me?¡±


    The man, overwhelmed by jealousy and clouded judgment, completely lost his sanity. His voice carried a hoarse tone with gritted teeth.


    ¡°It¡¯s not¡­¡± Song Ke tried to explain, but the spiritual power in the ring was too weak. Zhuang Qingyan, stubbornly, didn¡¯t perceive it as a spatial item.


    ¡°Take it off,¡± Zhuang Qingyan was firm, not allowing any refusal. ¡°I¡¯ll buy you a bigger one. Is ten carats enough?¡±


    ¡°Are you crazy?!¡± Song Ke was speechless, kicking him in the abdomen. Zhuang Qingyan grunted and raised his eyes, the depths of which were terrifying.


    He reached over to remove Song Ke¡¯s ring. The two wrestled on the sofa, the situation intense and unrestrained.


    Ding ding¡ª


    Just then, the apartment door opened.


    Three people rushed into the foyer urgently and froze in place.


    They saw Song Ke with disheveled clothes, an oversized T-shirt slipping off her shoulder, her lips slightly swollen and reddened from rough kissing. Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s shirt was in disarray, buttons broken, and several scratches on his thin abdominal muscles were particularly prominent. He was pressed onto the sofa, with a strange woman straddling him. His workout pants awkwardly revealed an embarrassing shape, and the two were in a ambiguous position, closely pressed together.


    Two and three, everyone looked each other, and the atmosphere solidified for a few seconds.


    Thump! The food that Xu Xing held dropped, and his eyes widened in astonishment.


    ¡°Oh, oh.¡± Lu Xiaoyu raised an eyebrow, a hint of playfulness flashing in his eyes.


    Xu Xing¡­ Comrade Xu Xiaoxing directly broke down, ¡°You ¨C shameless!! Where¡¯s my sister!! How can you mess around with someone else?!¡±


    The slender teenager, furious, erupted with awakened energy. Dozens of ice blades shot towards the two. No matter what, he was an A3-level awakener. With a burst of awakened ability, the temperature in the living room, along with the foyer, plummeted. The floor, along with Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s wheelchair, was instantly covered in thick frost.


    Song Ke flipped over and got up. Her fingertips moved slightly, and a dazzling golden shield appeared out of thin air, blocking Xu Xing¡¯s attacks.


    Just as she was about to lament why all the kids she encountered were not quite normal, with Xiao Bao always wanting to gnaw on her arm, and this one always resorting to violence, she noticed the opposing teenager¡¯s expression becoming blank.


    Xu Xing¡¯s eyes quickly filled with tears, and he sobbed twice. Like a runaway wild horse, he rushed over, ¡°Sister¡ª!!¡±


    Song Ke was shocked, ¡°!¡±


    She flipped over the sofa with a backflip, landing lightly on the other side. Xu Xing watched helplessly as he missed his target, unable to stop in time, and crashed into the sofa corner. His head bumped into Zhuang Qingyan, who looked up in annoyance, rubbing his bright red nose.


    With teary eyes, Xu Xing said, ¡°Sister, you don¡¯t love me anymore. You never used to avoid me before!¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan slapped him on the head, stood up, nonchalantly buttoned up two buttons, ¡°Enough already. You were 1.3 meters tall before, and now you¡¯re 1.6 meters tall. Don¡¯t you know how big you are?¡±


    ¡°Hmph.¡± Xu Xing suppressed his resentment, leaning his elbow on his knee, supporting his chin, sulking alone.


    Fang Zhixu touched his chin, circled around Song Ke, and commented, ¡°Captain, you¡¯ve changed too. I almost didn¡¯t recognize you.¡±


    ¡°Song Ke has lost some memories. Introduce yourselves,¡± Zhuang Qingyan explained the situation in a few words and gestured to Song Ke, ¡°You were looking for V587, right? They are all members.¡±


    Xu Xing eagerly raised his hand, ¡°I¡¯m Xu Xing. Sister, I¡¯m the first one who met you, and we¡¯re the closest.¡±


    The highly skilled young man in the eyes of outsiders was still a child who didn¡¯t grow up and knew how to act cute in front of Song Ke. With a slight pout at the corner of his mouth, Xu Xing was still upset about not being able to hold Song Ke just now.


    Song Ke couldn¡¯t resist and patted his curly hair, feeling a pleasant touch, ¡°Good boy.¡±


    ¡°Fang Zhixu, you can call me Old Fang. We met in Tongwan. At that time, I was desperate for death, and you saved me and helped me avenge my wife.¡± Fang Zhixu spoke about the past, including the assassination in Mu City, and his wife Ayao.


    Song Ke listened quietly, patting his shoulder when he finished.


    Fang Zhixu touched the glass bottle around his neck and smiled, ¡°I¡¯m doing well now. Ayao and Tiantian will surely be satisfied.¡±


    Next was the silver-haired, ice-blue-eyed young man. Song Ke¡¯s gaze lingered for a second on his missing legs, and her eyes looked somewhat dim.


    Lu Xiaoyu calmly let her scrutinize him, ¡°Although being a tree is quite good, thanks for bringing me out of the Death Prison.¡±


    Song Ke gazed at him silently, and behind Lu Xiaoyu were six mechanical arms, each with a different color, one of which emitted a cold silver light.


    A light bulb lit up in her head, and the next actions were purely instinctive. Song Ke took out the box of rhenium blocks from the ring, carefully opened it, and the bright light illuminated everyone¡¯s faces.


    She pushed it solemnly in front of Lu Xiaoyu, ¡°Although I don¡¯t remember why I need to find it, my intuition tells me that it should be for you.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu was first surprised, then fell into silence, and finally revealed a somewhat awkward but sincere smile, ¡°Thank you, Captain.¡±


    He turned proudly, like a child who got a beloved gift, eager to show it to the whole world, ¡°Rhenium blocks¡ªenough to transform all the mechanical arms. Did you see that? Fourteen days?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan lightly sneered, a rare moment without a retort.


    ¡°Why does only he have a gift!¡± Xu Xing complained, drawing circles with his fingers, and his grudge notebook started rearranging.


    ¡°You¡¯re so rich; shouldn¡¯t you give your sister a gift?¡± Fang Zhixu educated him.


    ¡°Oh, right! Sister, what do you want? I¡¯ll buy it for you!¡±


    ¡°Quick, go wash the vegetables. I¡¯ll cook tonight.¡±


    ¡°What? I already took commissions today. Do I have to wash vegetables too?¡±


    While the apartment was bustling with noise, Song Ke¡¯s heart gradually settled into reality. This indescribable feeling persisted since she woke up in District F177. For nearly a month of wandering, loneliness surrounded her at every moment. It wasn¡¯t until now that Song Ke truly found a sense of belonging. She was sure that she was the captain of V587, and these people were important to her.


    Leaning against the bar, Zhuang Qingyan quietly watched her. A faint smile adorned his young and handsome face, and the lingering melancholy finally dispersed with the wind.


    This unfamiliar face merged with the deep-seated figure in Song Ke¡¯s memory, becoming the same person.


    ¡ªThe person she was looking for.


    Song Ke thought of something and cleared her throat to speak, ¡°Actually, there¡¯s one more thing.¡±


    As soon as the captain spoke, the other four immediately quieted down, all looking at her.


    Song Ke earnestly asked, ¡°Who is Su Cha¡­?¡±

 Chapter 190.1: We Are V587 (5)

    ¡ò The Last Disciple ¡òNorthern Base, 7 o¡¯clock in the morning.


    Specialized Hospital for Awakeners.


    Hospitals were always busiest in the early morning. Small robots filled with medicines flew unsteadily through the lobby, preparing to take the elevator upstairs.


    At this moment, a patient who had lost control of his awakened ability unleashed a barrage of shining wind blades wildly. The walls around lit up with white light, and a defensive barrier absorbed all the attacks. Agile doctors swiftly subdued him, one of them turning and shouting, ¡°Sedative!¡±


    The raging storm suddenly ceased, but a small robot lost its balance and flew backward, disoriented.


    A pale hand caught it just in time, straightened the medicine bag hanging on its back, placed it on the medical guidance platform, and then walked past.


    The data eyes of the small robot flickered, and it turned its head to lock onto a kind passerby. It was an odd-looking group, led by a tall woman with white hair and pink eyes, her features cold as snow. Despite the hot weather, she wore long sleeves and pants with a hood. Following her were companions of varying heights, one with a limp, one in a wheelchair. The group turned a corner and entered the special care ward.


    These delivery robots lacked independent consciousness. After observing for a while, following the established program, it continued to move forward.


    The special care ward was a spacious suite with two single beds placed side by side and numerous life support devices. Song Ke finally saw the remaining two members of V587: a weak and beautiful sister, and a figure lying quietly.


    Lin Youyou had already heard the news of Song Ke¡¯s return and looked toward the door with anticipation.


    She looked pale and haggard. If Song Ke¡¯s paleness was due to a lack of melanin, Lin Youyou was clearly in an unhealthy state.


    ¡°Indeed, you¡¯ve changed,¡± she stared at Song Ke, slowly opening her arms and revealing a soft and joyful smile. ¡°Welcome back, Song Ke¡¯er.¡±


    Song Ke bent down and gently hugged her. ¡°Youyou.¡±


    ¡°Do you remember me?¡± Lin Youyou was surprised. Wasn¡¯t her memory supposed to be missing, not even remembering Princess Zhuang?


    ¡°Not only does she remember you, but she also vividly remembers Su Cha.¡± A cool voice sounded at the door.


    Zhuang Qingyan had one hand in his pocket and the other holding a cane. His tone was flat, showing no joy or anger, but his face seemed a bit sour. This mood had persisted from last night to today, emanating a displeased low pressure.


    Song Ke glanced back at him with a puzzled expression, completely not understanding what he was trying to achieve. She could recognize Lin Youyou because she had seen a documentary about her in Ferrara ¨C ¡°The Top Idols that Disappeared Over the Years.¡± At that time, she found the sweet smile of the female star somewhat awkward, but now, seeing Lin Youyou in person, everything clicked.


    The sweet image was just Lin Youyou¡¯s persona; she was mature, stable, and rational at her core.


    A simple ¡°welcome back¡± sentence made Song Ke extremely certain that she liked having teammates like this.


    As for Su Cha, Song Ke lowered her gaze to the person on the other hospital bed.


    Due to a deep coma, Su Cha had become extremely thin, with sharper facial contours. His eyelids were peacefully closed, resembling someone deep in sleep. However, there was a horrifying wound at his chest, just a hair¡¯s breadth away from his heart. The hollow space continuously oozed black blood, and various life support devices sustained his bodily functions.


    ¡°We arrange a consultation every month, and all the healing-type awakeners in District B have come. But we are helpless,¡± Fang Zhixu spoke with a heavy tone.


    As an A5-level healer, Fang Zhixu had exerted all his efforts to snatch Su Cha from the hands of death, saving his life. However, he was powerless against the wound at Su Cha¡¯s chest.


    ¡°Why can¡¯t it heal?¡± Song Ke asked softly.


    ¡°Do you remember the injury to your abdomen during the Loak incident?¡± Fang Zhixu reminded.


    Song Ke shook her head. The closer the time got to the present, the more blank her memories became.


    Fang Zhixu briefly described the events of that major battle and said in a heavy voice, ¡°The S7 level that injured Su Cha had a transformation ability, but the iron chain attached to it carried the same ¡®real damage.¡¯ It cannot be treated, and at that time, you used your second ability to heal. However, for other awakeners, even S-level ones cannot resist it and will slowly bleed to death.¡±


    ¡°He saved me that day,¡± Lin Youyou spoke hoarsely.


    She untied the hospital gown, revealing a fist-sized hole at her collarbone. The bone was visible, and prolonged blood loss had rendered her unable to stand, leaving her bedridden.


    Lin Youyou touched Su Cha¡¯s eyebrows and eyes, tightly gripping his hand hanging by the bed. The nightmare of that day resurfaced once again.


    When the iron chain struck, Su Cha¡¯s pupils constricted. Disregarding everything, he held Lin Youyou tightly as they both fell into the water. Lin Youyou thought she wouldn¡¯t survive, but her singing summoned the mutated Kun, whose vast wings covered the sky and lifted them out of the water. Later, Jennifer and Zhao Yuqing found them in time, but Su Cha never woke up.


    She always liked teasing him, forcing him to speak the truth, enjoying his awkward and embarrassed expressions. But now that Su Cha had truly confessed his ¡°love,¡± Lin Youyou wanted to respond, only to find that she no longer had the chance.


    Song Ke watched their intertwined hands in silence for a long time. Then, she thought of something and turned to Fang Zhixu:


    ¡°You just said that my second ability can heal this kind of wound.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Fang Zhixu confirmed.


    Song Ke tightly squeezed her hand and looked at everyone. Though she couldn¡¯t recall many things, they were all her teammates. According to Fang Zhixu, Lin Youyou and Su Cha were injured because they saved her. She couldn¡¯t stand idly by.


    Gathering her thoughts, Song Ke uttered a shocking statement, ¡°Then use my flesh and blood to fill the wounds.¡±


    Even without her memories, she remained the reliable captain of V587. S?a?ch* Th? N?velF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Everyone was shocked, and the room fell into silence, with only the rhythmic sounds of the instruments.


    Song Ke pointed to her collarbone and mouth, ¡°In the same places, take them out and fill the holes in Su Cha and Youyou, and the wounds will heal.¡±


    She spoke casually, but her suggestion was chilling.


    Su Cha¡¯s wound was in the chest, and he had lost some internal organs. If Song Ke¡¯s flesh and blood were replaced before the abilities took effect, the rapid stitching could fill the void. Similarly, Lin Youyou could also recover using the same method.


    As for Song Ke, her cells could regenerate endlessly, and the lost flesh and blood would grow back, albeit with some pain during the process.


    She had long been accustomed to enduring pain.


    When she first woke up in District F177, her head was still foggy, and her reshaped body had only two fingers. Song Ke calmly chopped off her left hand and fed it to Xiao Bao, causing the forgetful Xiao Bao to incessantly crave ¡°fragrant pig trotters.¡±


    ¡°In theory¡­ it¡¯s feasible,¡± Fang Zhixu was taken aback, but the instincts of a doctor made his eyes gradually light up. ¡°We can conduct small-scale clinical experiments first to see the results.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± a cold interruption came from Zhuang Qingyan amidst the joyful atmosphere.


    ¡°Why?¡± Song Ke glared at him, displeased.


    ¡°I¡¯m not opposed to the plan itself,¡± Zhuang Qingyan, unable to withstand her accusing gaze, sighed softly. ¡°It¡¯s your current condition that¡¯s the issue. Don¡¯t forget, all the hidden genes in your body have been activated, putting you in a highly active state. Transplanting such flesh and blood to Su Cha might cause his immune system to collapse before the abilities take effect.¡±


    Song Ke had experienced more than a simple fusion experiment. Her body contained over a hundred types of biological genes, including replicated genes. If those active ¡°viruses¡± invaded a regular person¡¯s body, it would bring about catastrophic harm.


    ¡°¡­Then what do we do?¡± Song Ke stammered, unconsciously seeking help from Zhuang Qingyan.


    Zhuang Qingyan pondered for a moment. ¡°First, find a way to restore you to normal.¡±

 Chapter 190.2: We Are V587 (5)

    ¡ò The Last Disciple ¡òOn the floating car heading to the laboratory, Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s two terminals kept lighting up with various pending messages. Since he voluntarily submitted ¡°partial¡± research data, his Key identity no longer existed. Regaining his freedom, he no longer had to hide like he did in the past.


    ¡°The new city defense modifications have been approved by General Ye and will be implemented effective immediately.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t return to Beijun temporarily¡­ just inform General Xie of that.¡±


    ¡°A series of zombie outbreaks? Let the 27th squad handle it. Isn¡¯t Sanada Nobumasa a Metal-element awakener? He¡¯s suitable for the role of a cleaner.¡±


    If Song Ke still had her memories, she would recall that Sanada Nobumasa was the other squadron leader of Azure Phoenix they encountered the first time they met Punk. Due to conflicts with Wu Juemin, the vengeful Zhuang Qingyan had made life difficult for this ¡°former squadron leader,¡± and now, the entire squad had been scattered into disarray.


    Song Ke rested her chin on her hand, curiously observing Zhuang Qingyan. Fang Zhixu leaned in mysteriously, lowering his voice to gossip, ¡°Our Princess Zhuang is in quite a situation now. He¡¯s simultaneously in charge of affairs in the Northern Base and Beijun, and the two generals have fought over him several times.¡±


    Song Ke glanced at the elaborately crafted silver cane, ¡°Is his leg very serious? Why hasn¡¯t it been cured?¡±


    Fang Zhixu¡¯s expression was peculiar as he stammered, ¡°Uh¡­ his leg¡­ well, it¡¯s quite serious.¡±


    Song Ke looked skeptical, ¡°Aren¡¯t you an orthopedic doctor?¡±


    Fang Zhixu responded, ¡°You can criticize Princess Zhuang¡¯s character, but you can¡¯t question my medical skills.¡±


    Song Ke raised an eyebrow, confused.


    Fang Zhixu found it hard to explain. Zhuang Qingyan, the scheming green tea male, insisted on keeping his lame leg until Song Ke returned. He thought she would feel sorry for him when she saw it, refrain from making trouble in the future, but who would have known that when Song Ke returned, her memories were completely gone. Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s plan fell through, and his pitiful look was thrown to a blind man.


    Unaware of their hushed conversation, Zhuang Qingyan continued to work. He handed a light screen to Song Ke, showcasing various dazzling pictures of diamonds, saying, ¡°Pick one you like, and I¡¯ll have it customized. The space sculptor has already been contacted.¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s expression remained blank.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s deep eyes gazed at her, and his awakened energy silently activated Song Ke¡¯s silver rings. ¡°Look, the ones given by wild men are just not good enough. The quality is rubbish, and they can¡¯t hold much. Let¡¯s get a bigger one.¡±


    Unable to bear it any longer, Song Ke took off the ring and tossed it at his handsome face.


    Impossible. This guy was definitely not her boyfriend. Her taste couldn¡¯t be this bad!


    Zhuang Qingyan caught the ring smoothly, smiling with a satisfied air, ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll dispose of it for you.¡±


    Song Ke remained expressionless and stood up to change her seat.


    ¡°Xiao Star, what are you looking at?¡±


    Xu Xing confidently propped his legs on the vacant seat in front, with three or four varieties of special fruit juices within easy reach. He took a sip and switched to a different cup.


    ¡°Sister, I¡¯m watching the auditions for the awakener challenge,¡± he replied, sharing the light screen with Song Ke.


    Song Ke lowered her gaze, and the screen displayed the latest popular matches. Eleven-year-old prodigy Dylan from the Cario Empire showcased S2-level skills, completing a series of ten individual challenges and setting the current record for solo performance.


    Song Ke noticed that Xu Xing had donated quite a bit of money to Dylan¡¯s support channel.


    After a year of intense preparation, the first global awakener challenge was finally underway, a grand event on a worldwide scale. The ultimate reward included substantial Alliance coins, crystals, and the qualification to reside in an S-level city, Utopia.


    Observing Xu Xing¡¯s excited profile, Song Ke couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°V587 isn¡¯t participating?¡±


    ¡°No, I hate Utopia,¡± Xu Xing¡¯s eyes flashed with a hint of shadow, but it quickly disappeared. ¡°And since Sister isn¡¯t here, we won¡¯t go. All of V587¡¯s actions are decided by Sister.¡±


    Song Ke smiled without saying anything.


    Indeed, now wasn¡¯t the right time. If she could heal Su Cha and Lin Youyou, and regain her memories¡­


    Actually, the other rewards of the competition were quite substantial.


    *


    In the busy laboratory, Dr. Ning Rong, wearing a white coat, and with graying temples stared fixedly at Song Ke.


    Feeling uneasy under his gaze, Song Ke used her eyes to ask the people nearby, ¡°Is he reliable?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan shook his head with a smile. Ning Rong did seem a bit out of sorts, but it was normal. ¡°This is Dr. Ning Rong, the lead of the organ regeneration project.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s the Fire Seed? Old Zhuang¡¯s dream actually came true¡­¡±


    Dr. Ning Rong wiped away tears and reached out to hold Song Ke¡¯s hand.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s cold cane directly blocked him, ¡°Dr. Ning, don¡¯t touch her randomly, let¡¯s do the examination first.¡±


    Song Ke sat quietly in the isolation room, with electromagnetic sensors attached to her head, limbs, and heart, connected to an external gene spectrum analyzer.


    Zhuang Qingyan sat across from her, holding Song Ke¡¯s slightly cool hand, and brought it close to his lips. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, it won¡¯t hurt. I¡¯m here with you.¡±


    Staring at the beauty mark at the corner of his eye, Song Ke raised two fingers and pushed him away without mercy.


    ¡°I suddenly remembered some things.¡±


    ¡°Hmm? What is it?¡± Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s voice was gentle as he gazed at her affectionately.


    ¡°Before, also in the laboratory, there was someone who always said I was ugly,¡± Song Ke asked seriously. ¡°Do you know who he is?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s spine stiffened, silent for several seconds. After a moment, he kissed Song Ke¡¯s fingertips and casually said, ¡°Really? I don¡¯t know, but he must be annoying. I¡¯m different; I always find you cute. Look, no matter what you turn into, I can recognize you first, even if it¡¯s a flea.¡±


    Song Ke turned her head slightly, her lips subtly curling.


    The researchers outside were fully focused on recording data, too busy to lift their heads. However, the small isolation room was tranquil, as if only the two of them existed, holding hands tightly.


    Song Ke not only underwent genetic testing, but her awakener level also needed to be reevaluated.


    Director Grace from Qianzhan City came over to help. When the values on the connected R-type tester reached the maximum, she was shocked into silence, ¡°Oh my god¡­¡±


    A year ago, Song Ke was an S8-level awakener. Now, her awakened energy had surpassed S9.


    A super S-level awakener, unprecedented in the world. The existing instruments could no longer reach Song Ke¡¯s limits.


    The full-body examination continued from morning till evening, until the sunset shone through the window. S?a??h th? N?velF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Ning Rong hurriedly approached with a light screen containing hundreds of pages of reports, ¡°All the gene types have been determined, a total of 237, including 45 replicant genes, including the Phoenix.¡± He trembled with excitement as he spoke.


    ¡°Due to the success of the Fire Seed experiment, her fused genes cannot be deciphered, eliminated, or separated. The best solution is to freeze them, making them lose their activity. This way, not only can her body recover, but there¡¯s also a possibility of curing albinism.¡±


    ¡°But there¡¯s a problem,¡± Ning Rong hesitated, ¡°To freeze the genes, we need to obtain the complete DNA sequence first. Ordinary genes are easy, but for those replicant genes, the original samples are not in the data, and we know nothing about their composition.¡±


    ¡°Do you have information on replicant genes in your head?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan frowned and shook his head, ¡°Back then, Qinglan procured replicant genes for the fusion experiment, and there was no specific attempt to decipher their DNA sequences.¡±


    The reason replicant genes were precious was that the organisms from which they could be collected had long been extinct in the natural world. In other words, using one original sample meant one less, and the supply would continually diminish.


    ¡°I remember that an organization was responsible for preserving replicant genes¡­¡± Ning Rong tried to recall.


    ¡°Tianyi,¡± Zhuang Qingyan squinted and whispered, ¡°But Tianyi disappeared from the Alliance a long time ago.¡±


    The situation once again fell into a deadlock, and everyone was at a loss.


    ¡°If we need to find someone, I should be able to help,¡± Lu Xiaoyu suddenly spoke, confidence shining in his unique ice-blue eyes. ¡°As long as it existed, there must be traces left behind.¡±


    After returning from Erjia, it seemed that his awakened ability had made a breakthrough, and his mindset had become more open.


    ¡°Give me four days, no, three days,¡± he declared.


    ¡­


    Three days later, in the special protection ward, V587 sat in a row, listening to the good news brought by Lu Xiaoyu.


    ¡°Tianyi, originating from the ancient civilization era, was a Taoist organization. Its philosophy advocated following the principles of nature, the unity of heaven and man, and respecting the vitality of all living things.


    They were skilled in using talismans to counter enemies, producing many ancient martial arts experts over the centuries. Replicant genes were extracted by the founder of Tianyi and have been preserved by inner disciples ever since.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, in the year 47 of the New Calendar, the year of the apocalypse, Tianyi Organization completely perished, leaving no one behind.¡±


    ¡°Is this your idea of good news?¡± Zhuang Qingyan mocked coldly.


    Instead of immediately countering, Lu Xiaoyu used a strange look to assess him.


    ¡°Among the bad news, there¡¯s a piece of good news. Even though everyone in the organization is dead, I found out that the last registered disciple of Tianyi¡­¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu paused, looking at Zhuang Qingyan meaningfully.


    ¡°¡­is named Zhang Ting.¡±

 Chapter 191.1: We Are V587 (6)

    ¡ò Formidable Big Brother-in-law ¡ò¡°Master?¡± Song Ke was also very surprised.


    In her limited memory, Grandfather Song Zhiyuan and Master Zhang Ting were the two most important people in her life. One raised her, and the other taught her martial arts.


    Song Ke had heard her grandfather mention that Zhang Ting was the heir of a lost martial arts sect, seemingly with a significant background. However, he had lived in seclusion on Yue Mountain for many years, never voluntarily mentioning his past. He gave the impression of a hot-tempered old man who was skilled in combat. No one would have thought that he was actually the last disciple of Tianyi.


    And the replicated genes that V587 urgently needed were under the care of Zhang Ting.


    Fate truly takes unexpected turns, with hidden brightness emerging from the darkness.


    ¡°But, Master has passed away.¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s eyes dimmed, her shoulders drooping like a fragile figurine, soft and sorrowful.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s heart softened in an instant. He reached up to her cheek in front of everyone, gently comforting her, ¡°The old man may have left, but Zhang Ci¡­ Senior Brother Zhang is still here. He might know something. Hiss¡­ Song Keke!¡±


    Song Ke tilted her head and bit down on his hand, leaving a moist tooth mark, while accusing him with her eyes: Can¡¯t you pay attention to the occasion? Are we that familiar?


    ¡°¡­Did you hurt your teeth?¡± Zhuang Qingyan smiled, not at all angry. He took a tissue elegantly and wiped his hand.


    ¡°Cough, cough,¡± Lin Youyou weakly coughed, unable to resist commenting, ¡°This worthless look¡­ really shameful.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu, on the other hand, solemnly dismantled the conversation, ¡°Speaking of Senior Brother Zhang, who doesn¡¯t know the name of Shaye¡¯s Qiong Qi? This time, District D88 is sure to be upgraded. With his good reputation, strong abilities, and being well-liked, he¡¯ll probably become an official magistrate soon. He¡¯s much stronger than a certain ¡®successor,¡¯ I guess.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s eyelid twitched, then twitched again. ¡°There are some things I haven¡¯t settled with you. You don¡¯t think they¡¯ve just been forgotten, do you?¡±


    The two who had been at odds since their youth locked eyes for a second. Lu Xiaoyu sensed the atmosphere and smoothly changed the subject, understanding the unspoken agreement between them.


    Back then, Song Ke had extracted Xie Zhuo¡¯s identity out of his own mouth. Zhuang Qingyan was well aware of the little schemes between him and Ilya in Erjia, seeing through without exposing them. He even provided assistance, but if pushed too far, this guy would definitely turn his back on them.


    Lu Xiaoyu seamlessly shifted the topic, ¡°Anyway, I suggest we go to Shaye. What does the captain think?¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Song Ke nodded willingly.


    ¡°Wait, I¡¯m going too,¡± Lin Youyou propped herself up, her lips devoid of any color. ¡°Old Fang, give me a sealing agent.¡±


    ¡°No, considering your current condition, it¡¯s best not to move,¡± Fang Zhixu decisively refused.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, leave it to us,¡± Xu Xing also chimed in.


    Lin Youyou shook her head firmly, ¡°I¡¯ve always been accustomed to enjoying protection behind Su Cha. This time, I want to do something for him.¡±


    She looked at Song Ke, revealing an expectant smile, ¡°Besides, it¡¯s the first collective action after the reunion of V587. I don¡¯t want to miss it.¡±


    Song Ke decisively concluded, ¡°Then let¡¯s go together and come back together.¡±


    *


    Beneath the vast sky, a silver-white starship glided through the long expanse. Prior greetings with Zhang Ci and the green lights along the way from the outposts made way for V587 to smoothly enter the territory of Shaye.


    The winding highway divided the wilderness in two, with once teeming with zombies and ferocious beasts on both sides. Every passage through used to be nerve-wracking, but now it was cleared of monsters, and hardly any could be seen beneath their line of sight.


    Approaching the base, a steel fortress connected by a dozen iron cables appeared in front of them. Its scale had expanded more than three times since they left, and various flying terminals shuttled through the air. A bustling crowd flowed incessantly, and even the surrounding areas had spawned numerous small shelters, forming a sharp contrast with the desolate and dilapidated Mu City on the other side.


    Today¡¯s Shaye was reborn, a Shaye bathed in the light of dawn. Although it couldn¡¯t match large cities with deep foundations like Beijun, Erjia, and Northern Base, Shaye¡¯s development had reached a medium level of District B, surpassing areas like Miao Ying and Tokushima constrained by terrain and climate.


    The watchtower flashed the arrival signal, and the canopy at the top of the base slowly opened. Lu Xiaoyu controlled the starship, smoothly landing it indoors.


    A young man in a black Taoist robe stood ahead, his robes fluttering in the strong wind. He stood firm like a pine tree, with sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes, exuding a cold and steady temperament.


    Song Ke took off her hood and leaped down from the cabin door.


    ¡°Little Junior Sister~!!¡±


    Mo Yan and Rita flew towards her, one wrapping an arm around her shoulder, the other patting her head. When they watched the holographic video, they couldn¡¯t believe it. After asking about various internal gossip in the martial arts hall and confirming Song Ke¡¯s identity repeatedly, now that they saw the real person, they were filled with enthusiasm.


    ¡°You¡¯ve grown taller, and you¡¯re thinner.¡±


    ¡°Wow, who did you go to for that hairstyle? And your eyelashes! So cool!¡±


    Song Ke lowered her head, good-naturedly letting her senior brother and sister tease her. Then, she looked up at the young man in the Taoist robe in front of her and obediently called out, ¡°Senior Brother.¡±


    ¡°Good to have you back,¡± Zhang Ci nodded slightly, his gaze exceptionally gentle as he looked at her. ¡°I told you, Shaye will always be your home.¡±


    A long arm wrapped around Song Ke¡¯s shoulder. Zhuang Qingyan, dressed in loose white casual wear, lazily spread his hand towards Zhang Ci, revealing a brilliant smile reminiscent of a magnificent peacock. ¡°Long time no see, Senior Brother. You still have your charm.¡±


    His current status was not ordinary; he was Song Ke¡¯s officially recognized boyfriend. He didn¡¯t care at all about the label of a former fianc¨¦ or anything like that.


    Zhang Ci remained unfazed, showing no intention of reaching out. He left Zhuang Qingyan hanging in place. ¡°Back then, Song Ke wanted to leave with you, she left Shaye in a good condition. What happened? Disappeared for a year out of thin air and came back with an illness. I actually hope that you two never meet again.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s smile froze for a moment.


    Zhang Ci, with his ink-like pupils, scanned up and down and delivered a precise blow, ¡°Is your leg going to heal?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan: ¡°¡­¡± Can I say this is my second injury, Senior Brother, do you believe me?


    ¡°Pfft¡ª!¡± Fang Zhixu and Xu Xing couldn¡¯t help but laugh. The corners of their mouths leaked out laughter. Princess Zhuang, trying to act cool, ended up lifting a stone to smash his own foot, huh?


    Normally, if it were anyone else, with Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s sarcastic and proud personality, he would definitely retort back. But unfortunately, it was Zhang Ci. Song Ke currently didn¡¯t remember him, only remembering Zhang Ci and holding great respect for this senior brother. Offending the big brother-in-law was not a wise move.


    Zhuang Qingyan retreated to the back, filled with pent-up frustration. He happened to notice Lu Xiaoyu with a strange expression, trying not to laugh.


    ¡°If you dare to laugh out loud, I¡¯ll report that there¡¯s a spy in the artificial intelligence group when I get back,¡± Zhuang Qingyan threatened in a low voice.


    ¡°!¡± The corners of Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s raised mouth abruptly suppressed the laughter.


    After entering the meeting room, Zhang Ci concisely stated, ¡°I don¡¯t know about the replicated gene matter; he never mentioned it.¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s disappointment was evident. If even her senior brother didn¡¯t know, did they go on this trip in vain?


    Zhang Ci paused, then continued, ¡°¡­but I asked you to come because there are some other discoveries.¡±


    Song Ke was taken aback. After realizing it, she speechlessly reproached, ¡°Senior Brother¡­ try not to pause when you speak.¡±


    Zhang Ci took out a pile of real estate documents, ¡°This is what he left me as a¡­ birthday present from your last visit.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a piece of land inside, located in Yue Mountain. I¡¯m unfamiliar with it, never had the time, nor the intention to verify what it is. If he is indeed the successor of Tianyi, responsible for safeguarding the replicated genes, I¡¯m sure it can¡¯t be inside the martial arts hall. So, it must be this place.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan flipped through the documents, ¡°Judging from the blueprints, this seems to be an underground project. The internal design¡­ looks like a warehouse.¡±


    Song Ke looked up at Zhang Ci, ¡°Senior Brother, let¡¯s go check it out together.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Zhang Ci nodded.


    Just as the group was about to set off, the meeting room door was suddenly knocked. Mo Yan¡¯s head popped in, ¡°Senior Brother, can we talk?¡±


    After getting Zhang Ci¡¯s consent, Mo Yan grinned and magically pulled out a double-layered cream cake from behind, ¡°Made by Senior Sister Rita herself. Isn¡¯t it almost your birthdays? Since Little Junior Sister is back, we thought we¡¯d celebrate together.¡± s?a??h th? N?v?lF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Even though you guys aren¡¯t in that kind of relationship anymore¡­¡±


    Mo Yan got slapped from behind and he hastily changed his tune, ¡°But blowing out candles together shouldn¡¯t be a problem, right?¡±


    Back in Yue Mountain, Zhang Ci and Song Ke used to celebrate their birthdays together; it had almost become a tradition in the martial arts school. Despite the overwhelming hospitality and insistence, the two always ended up shoulder to shoulder.


    Zhang Ci looked helpless, and Song Ke was quite used to it. Amidst the continuous chorus of birthday wishes, she puffed out her cheeks¡ª


    Phew! Zhuang Qingyan expressionlessly squeezed in between the two and promptly blew out the candles.


    Starting with Mo Yan, the martial arts school members stared at him with murderous eyes: What is this little white face trying to do? Stirring up trouble!


    Zhuang Qingyan exclaimed, ¡°Oh!¡± with feigned surprise, ¡°Don¡¯t you all know? We¡¯ve already found out Xiao Keke¡¯s real birthday.¡±


    ¡°In the future, we won¡¯t trouble Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters. We¡¯ll celebrate at home by ourselves.¡± He smiled, considerate and warm.


    LAK0017, as a humanoid embryo, was born on February 20th of the New Calendar, but Zhuang Qingyan wouldn¡¯t choose this date. He preferred March 19th of the same year, the day they first saw each other through the capsule container.


    Song Ke and Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s birthdays, one in early spring and the other in late autumn, flourishing in spring and fruitful in autumn, were mutually causal. This is what¡¯s called a perfect match.

 Chapter 191.2: We Are V587 (6)

    ¡ò Formidable Big Brother-in-law ¡òDistrict E166, Yue Mountain.


    Yue Mountain is part of an ecological landscape area, with lush vegetation and a rich variety of species. 90% of the area is covered by forests. After the apocalypse, ferocious beasts roamed freely, making it impossible for ordinary individuals with abilities to enter.


    Zhang Ci opened the way with the Five Thunder, while Song Ke, with her spiritual weapon, cleared out the monster groups. The seven of them slowly advanced along the mountain path.


    Passing by the martial arts school, both of them instinctively stopped in their tracks. Within the abandoned walls, wild grass reached knee height, and the roof was covered in green vines.


    Zhang Ci and Song Ke, one in front and one behind, nodded and bowed.


    The location of the plot of land was not far from the martial arts school, but they circled around it several times and couldn¡¯t find a way in.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t we just come here?¡± Lin Youyou, not very proficient in controlling her wheelchair, turned it around and found the mark she had made on a tree.


    ¡°Got lost?¡± Fang Zhixu murmured.


    ¡°Formation.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a formation here.¡±


    Zhang Ci and Zhuang Qingyan spoke at the same time, exchanged a faint glance, and then turned their heads, avoiding eye contact.


    ¡°It¡¯s a Nine Palace Formation,¡± Zhuang Qingyan explained coldly, ¡°this formation loops and repeats, creating a maze that makes it easy for intruders to go in circles.¡±


    He glanced at the slightly confused Song Ke, smiled faintly, and said, ¡°I can calculate the exit. Give me some time¡­¡±


    ¡°No need for that trouble,¡± Zhang Ci ruthlessly interrupted him. ¡°Since he set up this formation, we can break it directly.¡±


    He took out a talisman, chanted an incantation with one hand, and after it burned to the end, he pointed forward with his two fingers close together, saying, ¡°By the spirit of the tortoise, two and four as shoulders.¡±


    Zhang Ci walked quickly to the east, and the others followed without a word.


    Zhuang Qingyan muttered, ¡°This brother-in-law is really formidable.¡±


    ¡°Six and eight as feet, left three and right seven.¡±


    ¡°Wear nine and tread one, five in the center.¡±


    Finally, the seven of them arrived deep in the forest, and Song Ke found an ancient stone tablet.


    She blew away the thick dust on top and discovered a machine similar to a security system. ¡°Senior Brother, can this be opened?¡±


    Zhang Ci frowned and shook his head. ¡°Apart from the formation, everything here is as unfamiliar to me as it is to you.¡±


    ¡°What about violent destruction?¡± Song Ke conjured a giant hammer, eager to try.


    ¡°No, this type of security system has a self-destruct program. If you smash it, everything will be lost,¡± Zhuang Qingyan quickly stopped her.


    ¡°¡­Oh,¡± Song Ke said dejectedly.


    The group took turns trying various methods, but the stone tablet remained unmoved.


    In the atmosphere of helplessness, Zhuang Qingyan closed his eyes in contemplation. Quickly combining all the information, he gradually pieced together a possibility. ¡°I understand now. The old master handed over the plot of land to you and taught you the incantation to break the formation. It means he left a way out for Tianyi. If, one day, the existence of gene replication is exposed, it should be opened by the person he trusts the most.¡±


    Zhang Ci¡¯s expression remained indifferent. ¡°If he trusted me, he wouldn¡¯t have kept silent about Tianyi¡¯s matters.¡±


    Everyone fell silent. The knot between Zhang Ci and Zhang Ting was already difficult to untangle, and with the revelation of gene replication, the contradictions and suspicions would only deepen.


    The only one with fatherly experience, Fang Zhixu, considered his words carefully. ¡°Actually, I can understand the old master. Tianyi disciples bear a heavy mission, both a responsibility and a shackle. Your personality clearly doesn¡¯t suit their organization.¡±


    Tianyi¡¯s philosophy emphasized following the natural way, while Zhang Ci¡¯s ambitious goal was to defy fate. Zhang Ting, burdened by responsibility, remained confined to Yue Mountain, but he wanted his son to live freely. Despite being exceptionally strict, he never stopped Zhang Ci from making any decisions, including leaving the martial arts school and participating in the Azure Phoenix selection.


    ¡°Your father didn¡¯t want to hold you back,¡± Fang Zhixu sighed.


    Zhang Ci remained silent for a long time. Father and son had constant arguments during their lifetime, never truly opening up to each other. It was only after his father¡¯s death that he truly understood Zhang Ting.


    ¡°You and Song Ke share the same birthday. The old master carefully prepared two gifts.¡± Zhuang Qingyan brought everyone¡¯s attention back, pointing at the stone tablet with his cane. ¡°One for the steady senior disciple and one for the beloved junior disciple.¡±


    ¡°The senior disciple has the property rights and the incantation to break the formation. So, is the key to unlocking the truth in the hands of the junior disciple?¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­¡± Fang Zhixu realized, his voice trembling, ¡°Captain knows how to open the door?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Song Ke looked confused. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°What did your master give you?¡± Zhuang Qingyan asked in a low voice.


    ¡°A protective amulet,¡± Song Ke answered honestly. ¡°I don¡¯t remember¡­ where it went.¡±


    After the battle in Loak, Song Ke¡¯s terminal and belongings were neatly collected by Zhuang Qingyan. He used his mental power to search inside the spatial necklace and quickly found the protective amulet Song Ke mentioned, tucked away in a plastic bag and thrown in a corner.


    Zhuang Qingyan carefully took it out; the charm felt cold in his hands, with intricate tranquility runes traced on its surface.


    Lu Xiaoyu, with his alloy arm scanning, signaled with a continuous beeping sound, ¡°There¡¯s something here.¡±


    His mechanical arm detached a miniature pair of tweezers, and he focused on dismantling the amulet. From inside, he extracted a chip as thin as a cicada wing.


    Lu Xiaoyu, living up to his perfect score of 5.0 in the mechanics course, quickly assembled a device resembling a card reader and inserted the chip, handing it to Song Ke.


    Song Ke swiped it against the access control.


    Rumble¡ª!!


    The ground violently shook, trees collapsed, mud splattered, and everyone staggered. After a few seconds, the ground sank, revealing a slowly emerging concealed passage. Song Ke led the way, and the seven entered in single file.


    Unexpectedly, the passage wasn¡¯t as desolate as imagined. Weeds were cleared neatly, and even the lighting was provided by oil-free mechanical lamps.


    ¡°Technology after the New Calendar. It seems that the old master indeed built this place,¡± Zhuang Qingyan remarked.


    As they walked, the temperature dropped, causing Xu Xing and Lin Youyou to shiver. Fang Zhixu took out thick clothing and helped them put it on.


    Following the architectural blueprints, they arrived at a warehouse-like space shaped like the character ¡°Ì. Rooms were densely distributed on both sides of the corridor. Zhang Ci walked briskly, opening half-closed doors one after another, leaving everyone stunned.


    This was indeed the renovated warehouse, with temperature-controlled freezers piled up to the ceiling, and on top were transparent cultivation chambers.


    Mythical creatures like Suanni, Hornless Dragon, Qiong Qi, Sheng-sheng, and Hook Snake¡ªall were gene replications. Various DNA chains slowly rotated on corresponding screens. Lin Youyou even saw a Kun, with the quantity displayed as 2, though one of the boxes was empty.


    At the end of the corridor stood a dormant central hub, an outdated model eliminated decades ago.


    Zhuang Qingyan gestured to Lu Xiaoyu, and his silver rhenium arm immediately connected to break through. The intrusion of a top-notch hacker shattered the weak firewall, and in less than ten seconds, the access was granted.


    Zhuang Qingyan quickly skimmed through the records, detailing the comprehensive information of all replicated genes, including the complete DNA sequences. Without turning around, he casually said, ¡°Senior Brother Zhang, Yue Mountain is no longer suitable for preserving the genes. Take the old master¡¯s efforts with you.¡±


    In reality, Zhang Ting¡¯s choice of location was quite good. District E166 was far from the Alliance, sparsely populated, but due to the changes in the geomagnetic field after the apocalypse and the lack of weather simulation system in Yue Mountain, the radiation concentration had long exceeded the safety limits. Replicated genes were of inestimable value and could easily tempt people, but whether it was Song Ke or everyone from V587, they wouldn¡¯t be swayed by greed.


    ¡°What about Song Ke¡¯s treatment?¡± Zhang Ci frowned slightly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll copy the data from the central hub, and I also need 45 original samples from Song Ke¡¯s body.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll take them back to Shaye and find a place to store them,¡± Zhang Ci said, taking out a spatial item shaped like a talisman.


    ¡°I¡¯ll help!¡± Xu Xing volunteered.


    Preserving replicated genes required a stable low-temperature environment, and Xu Xing¡¯s ice-based ability was like a professional insulation machine. He froze each cultivation chamber one by one, helping Zhang Ci collect them into the spatial item.


    After tidying up both rooms, Xu Xing curiously approached and asked, ¡°Sister, why are there many boxes empty?¡± s?a??h th? ?ov?l?ir?.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Song Ke took a look, and indeed, normally, the cultivation chambers displayed real-time status, but the ones left on the freezer not only had blank contents but also no response from the recorder.


    Before Song Ke could figure it out, Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s voice came from behind, ¡°Everyone, there¡¯s bad news.¡±


    V587: ¡°¡­¡±


    Lin Youyou, massaging her temples, said, ¡°Please, don¡¯t say it.¡±


    They had already developed a form of PTSD from Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s ¡°good news¡± and ¡°bad news.¡±


    Unfazed, Lu Xiaoyu continued in a flat tone, ¡°I just accessed the monitoring system and found that on the fourth day after the apocalypse, or more precisely, on the fourth day of the apocalypse, there was damage in the southeast corner of the warehouse. Judging from the traces, it was caused from the inside.¡±


    Song Ke didn¡¯t understand. ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°It means¡­¡± Lu Xiaoyu looked towards Zhuang Qingyan. ¡°You explain. What happens if the gene preservation conditions aren¡¯t met?¡±


    ¡°In a high-radiation environment, gene activity will be stimulated significantly,¡± Zhuang Qingyan gazed at Song Ke and said solemnly, ¡°ultimately¡­ revival.¡±


    Everyone took in a sharp breath.


    Lin Youyou gritted her teeth, ¡°Damn it, Lu Xiaoyu, you and your ominous predictions. Can¡¯t it be a bit less unfortunate?¡±


    Boom¡ª!


    Boom, boom¡ª!!


    The deafening sounds came from above just as the words fell.


    The next moment, the wall cracked, and in Song Ke¡¯s astonished eyes, an unbelievably familiar giant bird with luxurious feathers and tiger-like claws appeared before them. It seemed furious, flapping its heavy wings and smashing down with force! The entire corridor trembled, on the verge of collapsing.


    ¡°Get down!¡± Song Ke shouted.


    A massive golden shield promptly shielded the seven. Zhang Ci instantly cast the Vajra God Incantation, while Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s mechanical arm wrapped around Lin Youyou and Xu Xing.


    However, a greater crisis was still looming. With the collapse of the underground warehouse, countless ferocious and grotesque creatures, either running or flying, poured out from all directions. Roaring, they attacked the group. The seven rolled out of the pile of soil, exposed under the blazing sun. The intense sunlight quickly burned patches on Song Ke¡¯s skin. Zhuang Qingyan held her tightly, pulling the hood over her.


    Roaring beasts, rampaging birds¡ªvarious extinct creatures reappeared, their bizarre appearances highly intimidating.


    Through the swirling dust, Song Ke¡¯s gaze fell on the giant bird she had seen at the martial arts school. It had the body of a chicken, tiger-like claws, and a bunch of white long feathers on its forehead, giving it a fierce appearance. It stared coldly at her but didn¡¯t immediately pounce.


    ¡°Qi Que, you have the same genes as it,¡± Zhuang Qingyan quickly explained.


    Song Ke suddenly realized. No wonder that giant bird at the martial arts school didn¡¯t attack her. It considered her one of its kind. As Lu Xiaoyu said, the damage occurred on the fourth day after the apocalypse. So, this Qi Que should be the first revived mutant, with exceptional intelligence, capable of commanding other creatures.


    ¡°What do we do now?!¡± Fang Zhixu held onto Song Ke¡¯s leg, shouting in panic.


    ¡°The nest is destroyed, and they won¡¯t let us go,¡± Lu Xiaoyu remained calm in such situations.


    This group of mutants was exceptionally fierce, each possessing the strength close to a level 4 ferocious beast. Under the continuous attacks, cracks appeared on the surface of the shield.


    Lin Youyou bit her lip, and taking advantage of everyone¡¯s distraction, she suddenly raised her hand to inject a sealing agent! She staggered up from the wheelchair, recalling the tune she used to summon the mutated Kun. She sang a hoarse song, filled with a soothing meaning.


    The first time, the group of mutants showed no reaction, continuing to roar.


    The second time, some of the mutants¡¯ attacks gradually slowed down and withdrew.


    The third time, the Qi Que raised its head and emitted a long cry. The restlessness of the mutant group subsided, dispersing like a tide.


    Xu Xing stared in astonishment, ¡°Wow, you¡¯re carrying us today¡­¡±


    ¡°Only temporarily, let¡¯s leave this place quickly,¡± Lin Youyou said, smiling while overexerting her ability. She collapsed, and in that instant, Song Ke caught her and placed her back on the wheelchair.


    With the mutants losing their nest and pouring out en masse, it wouldn¡¯t be long before Yue Mountain became the most complex and dangerous forbidden area for the Alliance species.


    The seven helped each other stand up, and Song Ke asked anxiously, ¡°Senior Brother, is the gene safe?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Zhang Ci confirmed with a glance. The spatial talisman was intact. He remembered something, ¡°Those data¡­¡±


    ¡°Already copied,¡± Lu Xiaoyu said.


    ¡°Also noted down, double insurance,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said confidently.


    Zhang Ci nodded, then gazed at the ruins in front of him, lost in thought. ¡°So, that¡¯s the reason he was killed?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan explained in a low voice, ¡°Gu Hongyi was determined to obtain the Eternal Life Plan. When Vulture discovered the identity of the old master and realized that he held the replicated genes, torture couldn¡¯t force him to talk, so they eventually resorted to killing.¡±


    The two S7-level members of Vulture and Gu Hongyi, who gave the order, were killed by Song Ke in the Loak battle. It could be considered karmic retribution. However, the remaining remnants retreated to Utopia.


    Zhang Ci clenched his fist, his tone heavy and resolute, ¡°I can¡¯t let it go. I want to kill every member of Vulture.¡±


    ¡°Do you want to go to Utopia? The fastest way is to win the Awakener Challenge,¡± Xu Xing said in a low voice.


    Zhang Ci¡¯s eyes gradually became firm, ¡°¡­Challenge.¡±


    ¡­


    On the starship leaving Yue Mountain, Song Ke looked down through the porthole at the lush forests, faintly hearing the commotion of the beast herds.


    As she watched, she suddenly stood up, ¡°Trouble!¡±


    The direction where some mutants were retreating happened to be towards the isolated island below the mountain.


    ¡­


    Aunt Qing was preparing a meal for Xiao Bao. This kid was becoming more and more picky, even refusing to eat the zombie leg she had scavenged. She had to slap him a few times before he behaved. Although Aunt Qing had slow thinking, she retained the habits of being human, mechanically starting a fire to boil water.


    Overhead, a massive object approached, the intense airflow knocking over the stove. Aunt Qing cautiously stepped back, holding Xiao Bao, ready to run.


    The starship¡¯s hatch opened, and a young man waved enthusiastically, shouting, ¡°Ah! Ah ah ah¡ª!¡±


    Aunt Qing had a puzzled expression with a floating question mark, ¡°?¡±


    It turned out that not all zombie languages were mutually understandable. Even after shouting for a long time, Aunt Qing remained wary.


    He couldn¡¯t help but feel frustrated, wishing he could go back and tell the expert who wrote ¡°Zombie Language Beginner to Master¡± that zombie languages also had dialects!


    Song Ke landed gracefully and stood in front of Aunt Qing, saying seriously, ¡°I found a place for you to survive. There are no zombies there, and many of your kind.¡±


    Xu Xing followed and opened his terminal, showing a picture of him with many Fallen, one of whom had a small blood zombie on their head, looking very happy. In fact, Xu Xing felt a bit guilty. Previously, Aunt Qing and Xiao Bao had frightened him so much that he lost control of his abilities, exposing their identities and missing the last starship. He didn¡¯t expect to have a chance to make amends.


    ¡°It¡¯s dangerous here. Come with me,¡± Song Ke said.


    Aunt Qing embraced Xiao Bao and nodded slowly.


    They had been abandoned on the isolated island, surrounded by monsters day after day. After years of waiting, they finally saw a starship for escape.


    **TN


    Qiong Qi ¨C one of the Four Fearsome Beasts; In the North, Qiong Qi is described as resembling a tiger with wings that enjoy eating humans, starting from the head. While in the West, Qiong Qi is described as resembling a bull, and is covered in hedgehog-like spikes. All accounts agree that Qiong Qi is a fearce beast which enjoy eating humans.


    Suanni ¨C mythological creature which is said to be a hybrid of lion and dragon, likes to sit down and is one of the nine sons of the dragon


    Qi Que ¨C A strange bird in ancient legends that can eat people


    Sheng-sheng ¨C or xing xing ( õ õ), also given the English-translated name of ¡°live-lively¡±. According to Book One, or Classic of the Southern Mountains the sheng sheng resembles a yu (Ø®) or long-tailed ape, but has white ears. It is said to crouch while walking, but to be able to run like humans, and eating it imparts quick-running ability

 Chapter 192.1: We Are V587 (7)

    ¡ò I¡¯m back ¡òAfter going back to Shaye to drop Zhang Ci, V587¡¯s starship headed straight for Loak.


    Xu Xing, the young man, was lively and spirited. Stepping on the ship¡¯s rail window, he held a megaphone in his hand. The strong wind tousled his fluffy curls, and his spirited voice, infused with awakened energy, echoed throughout the area: ¡°Ada, we have a new friend¡ª!!¡±


    After speaking human words, he turned around and winked, repeating in zombie language: ¡°Ah~ Ah ah ah¡ª!!¡±


    Aunt Qing held Xiao Bao, gazing at Xu Xing with a look that seemed to question his sanity, amazed that such rich expressions could be squeezed out of its stiff features.


    Xiao Bao drooled, vividly portraying what ¡°salivating three feet¡± meant. His murky eyes remained fixed on Song Ke¡¯s arm, sneakily trying to reach for her, but his mom firmly pressed him down.


    After shouting for about ten minutes, a rolling dust cloud rose on the distant horizon, and a massive horde of zombies approached.


    Aunt Qing¡¯s gaze gradually fixed. Trapped on the lonely island, it had always thought that it and Xiao Bao were rejected oddities. It never imagined that there were so many similar beings in the outside world. Perhaps¡­ perhaps here, they could also have the right to a normal life.


    Song Ke patted Aunt Qing¡¯s shoulder and whispered, ¡°Go, to your new home.¡±


    Xu Xing keenly spotted Ada¡¯s figure and happily waved, ¡°Ada, I found my sister! And brought¡­ a new friend¡­¡±


    As he shouted, his voice became weaker and he stared into the distance in a daze.


    Just as everyone found his unusual behavior strange, Xu Xing suddenly jumped up, thrilled to the point of almost breaking into a high-pitched scream: ¡°Braided Head?!¡±


    In the rear of the large group, leisurely slacking around, wasn¡¯t it the familiar Braided Head and its brother, Dirty Chin? Braided Head was originally a bit shy, but upon seeing Xu Xing clearly, it happily jumped up and rushed to the front, excitedly shouting at him: ¡°Ah ah ah ah ah!!¡±


    Xu Xing responded with the same enthusiasm: ¡°Ah ah! Ah ah¡ªAh-woo!¡±


    Look, the child was so happy that he even forgot the foreign language he had finally mastered.


    Ada, as the leader of the Fallen, had a strong sense of kinship among her kind but particularly despised humans and zombies. Except for Xu Xing, who was like sticky glue, ordinary people couldn¡¯t move around in her territory.


    Song Ke allowed Xu Xing to jump down and have fun, telling him to come back in a while, while she took a detour to rescue Lin Xiu, who had been ¡°buried¡± initially.


    Upon reaching the designated location, Lin Youyou personally dug out the light screen. The low-energy mode needed to be reactivated. She looked pale and hesitated to proceed. Finally, admitting defeat, she muttered, ¡°Forget it, Lin Xiu is really good at scolding people. I can¡¯t handle it alone. Let¡¯s wait for Su Cha to wake up.¡±


    She languished in the wheelchair, but her eyes sparkled with clarity. Everything was developing in the right direction, and she believed that she would reunite with her family sooner or later.


    On the way back, Xu Xing was pushed by Fang Zhixu to stand in front of Zhuang Qingyan. He awkwardly asked, ¡°Hey, what about Ada and Braided Head in the future? Can you not fight them?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s mouth curved into a half-smile, teasingly saying, ¡°Want to know? Call me Brother Yan first.¡±


    Xu Xing, humiliated, said, ¡°Brother Yan.¡±


    When they first met, Xu Xing, in order to maintain his innocent image, used to sweetly call him ¡°Uncle Zhuang.¡± However, as his true nature was revealed, he either called him by his full name or referred to him as ¡°Hey¡± or ¡°That guy.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan looked pleased as he casually flipped the light screen. ¡°The new ¡®Law of Species¡¯ will be introduced soon, acknowledging the existence of the Fallen openly. Instead of worrying about them, you should mourn for those poor fellows who mistakenly entered Loak.


    Ada possesses intelligence close to a Level 4 Zombie King. Given the number of monsters here, ordinary awakeners would just be sending themselves to death. Under the premise of no conflicting interests, at least for a few years, humans can maintain a ¡®no conflict with each other¡¯ balance with the Fallen.¡±


    ¡­


    After returning to the Northern Base, V587 immediately went to the Qianzhan City Laboratory.


    The conditions of Su Cha and Lin Youyou could only be described as ¡°life-sustaining.¡± Every day delayed added to the crisis. Song Ke, known for her decisive actions, both for her sake and for her teammates, wanted to start the cryopreservation experiment as quickly as possible.


    Ning Rong rubbed his hands, waiting at the door. When they approached, he eagerly spoke, ¡°Did you really find the original sample? What about the complete gene sequence? For safety, I think slice analysis is indispensable¡­¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan interrupted his rambling self-talk, saying, ¡°We¡¯re fine on our end. What about your side?¡±


    Ning Rong¡¯s expression was serious, and his attitude towards research was impeccable. ¡°Rest assured, I personally checked every step. Only you and I have experimental permissions.¡±


    Song Ke changed into a pure white short-sleeved shorts set, and one by one, the V587 team members hugged her, cheering her on.


    When hugging Lin Youyou, Song Ke paused for a few seconds, whispering, ¡°Before the arrival of autumn this year, both you and Su Cha will recover.¡±


    Lin Youyou smiled lightly, ¡°I believe in you, Song Ke¡¯er.¡±


    When it was Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s turn, his peach blossom eyes were full of affection as he tightly embraced Song Ke. His tone was so gentle it was almost dripping with water, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯ll be with you; just a little nap will do.¡±


    Song Ke struggled a bit but couldn¡¯t break free. She endured it and then couldn¡¯t help but speak, ¡°There¡¯s something I want to discuss with you.¡±


    ¡°Hmm? What is it?¡± Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s warm breath hit her earlobe, causing a slight tingling sensation.


    Song Ke felt inexplicably guilty, ¡°Well¡­ we¡¯re not that familiar, so¡­ the boyfriend-girlfriend thing, let¡¯s take it slow, okay?¡±


    She closed her eyes and steeled herself, ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t like ostentatious displays.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan: ¡°¡­?¡±


    It felt easier to say it out loud. Song Ke sighed in relief, pretending not to hear the uneven laughter behind her.


    ¡°Not that familiar?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Ostentatious displays?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s attractive and enchanting face slowly approached. The tips of their noses gently touched, so close that Song Ke could count his long and dense eyelashes.


    He gazed deeply into her eyes, various emotions swirling in his eyes. Finally, it turned into a helpless sigh, ¡°We¡¯ll talk when you come out.¡±


    Song Ke was pushed into a massive apparatus, surrounded by pure white. As time passed, she gradually felt uncomfortable.


    Fortunately, the anesthesia took effect, and her eyelids became heavier.


    Five seconds, three seconds, one second.


    Song Ke slowly closed her eyes, consciousness sinking into endless chaos.


    ¡­


    Thick black smoke, scorching fireballs, hazy dust columns, and¡­ flashes that covered the retina.


    Young Ming (Mingzhi) carried a portable cultivation pod, his eye sockets red, running forward without looking back. He hadn¡¯t expected a nuclear explosion to occur right after leaving Loak.


    ¡°Beep¡ª¡± a sharp alarm sounded, and LAK0017 curled up in pain, with vital signs dropping to the lowest point.


    ¡°No, no, no!¡± Mingzhi was in a panic, placing the cultivation pod on the ground, nervously biting his nails. Suddenly, he had a flash of inspiration, remembering the way Young Master Xie fed nutritional supplements. Carefully, he took out the last, and within his permissions, the only nutritional supplement he could access, and placed it next to the dying LAK0017.


    Mingzhi choked, ¡°Quickly eat it, don¡¯t die, I beg you, don¡¯t die.¡±


    Since the first day of its existence, LAK0017 had been cared for by Mingzhi. It was like his child, and Mingzhi had poured all his effort and love into it. Why couldn¡¯t he keep it alive? Clearly, it had autonomously restored its life before destruction, so why was it rapidly deteriorating now?


    Mingzhi quickly realized the key issue. The environment of the research institute was like a vacuum greenhouse, and LAK0017 had long been accustomed to that survival mode. Suddenly thrown into the outside world, it couldn¡¯t adapt to the murky air at all.


    The alarm became more urgent, and eventually, with the long beep sounds, LAK0017¡¯s vital signs fell silent.


    It was dead.


    ¡°¡­No, it¡¯s impossible. You¡¯re so strong,¡± Mingzhi¡¯s tears welled up, ¡°Give me a chance to save you, please, live on!¡±


    The experimental subject inside the cultivation chamber shrank more and more, turning into a soft, collapsed mass.


    Mingzhi opened the pod door, trembling as he took out LAK0017. Although he held it steadily, the fleshy mass slipped unexpectedly from his palm, rolling away, making squelching sounds as it flowed several meters away.


    Mingzhi hurriedly got up to retrieve the fleshy mass. As his vision blurred, he vaguely saw a dark red pattern on the surface of the soft flesh. Its wriggling slowed down, but it continued to roll forward. Mingzhi looked at the direction it was heading, slightly widening his eyes ¨C was it trying to absorb radiation?


    Gritting his teeth, Mingzhi picked up the soft mass and rushed towards Loak. However, in the face of a natural disaster, ordinary people were so insignificant. Just being close to the edge of the nuclear explosion, Mingzhi showed obvious symptoms of radiation sickness: dizziness, nausea, vomiting, bleeding from the nose and gums, and large amounts of hair falling out.


    LAK0017 seemed increasingly eager. It struggled free from Mingzhi¡¯s embrace and fell into the thick remnants of flames.


    Mingzhi fell to his knees, his consciousness shaken. On the verge of passing out, he witnessed an unforgettable miracle.


    A distant, clear bird cry tore through the sky. The fire-red phantom of a mythical beast spread its wings and soared overhead.


    ¡°Phoenix¡­ Nirvana¡­¡± Mingzhi murmured to himself, tears streaming down his face.


    After the light dissipated, a pair of wrinkled and spotted hands emerged from the ashes, cradling the peacefully sleeping little girl.


    The Phoenix gene was triggered, resetting the experimental subject¡¯s state. LAK0017 returned to its initial humanoid embryo state, becoming a true ¡°human.¡±


    S?a??h th? ??v?l_Fir?.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 192.2: We Are V587 (7)

    ¡ò I¡¯m back ¡òOne year later,


    Song Zhiyuan, after various inquiries, located Zhang Ting, the disciple of Tianyi, and sent Song Ke to the Yue Mountain.


    Zhang Ting was fond of this incredibly powerful and destructive girl. Making an exception, he accepted Song Ke as his disciple, even offering a fifty percent discount on tuition.


    When Song Ke was nine years old, during a training session, she rolled down the mountain, breaking thirteen ribs.


    Perhaps this injury was too severe. She lost consciousness, and her latent abilities were triggered. S?a??h th? N?v?lFire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    After the doctor left, Zhang Ting anxiously examined Song Ke¡¯s injuries the next day. To his surprise, he was puzzled: wait, didn¡¯t she break thirteen ribs? How come there were only twelve wounds? Another day passed, and Zhang Ting checked again. Good Lord, now there were only eleven.


    Half a month later, Song Zhiyuan, who had finally managed to arrange Song Ke¡¯s enrollment in Hua City, hastily went up the mountain. By then, Song Ke¡¯s injuries had completely healed. She was jumping and playing in the courtyard, completely unaware of her recent ordeal. Faced with Zhang Ting¡¯s inquiries, Song Zhiyuan sighed and got straight to the point:


    ¡°Song Ke underwent a fusion experiment. She has replicated genes in her body.¡±


    ¡°I may not live long enough to see her grow up, but I hope she can live a healthy and safe life. If possible, when she encounters difficulties, could you help her once?¡±


    Later on, Song Zhiyuan passed away, and Song Ke grew up smoothly. On the eve of her adulthood, Zhang Ting gave her a calming charm.


    After that, the apocalypse erupted, and Song Ke escaped to Hua City, encountering Zhuang Qingyan, V587, moving from District C to District B¡­


    Finally, it was the decisive battle in Loak.


    ¡­


    In the extremely quiet room, Song Ke suddenly opened her eyes.


    She remembered everything.


    The surroundings were chilly, and Song Ke shivered. Slowly sitting up, she stared at the reflective glass in front of her, where a unfamiliar version of herself was visible.


    The white hair returned to its glossy black, eyelashes back to normal. However, her skin still appeared more translucent than an ordinary person¡¯s. Song Ke looked down at her hands, and her awakened energy flowed smoothly without any hesitation.


    Lightly landing on the floor from the single bed, she silently approached the door.


    The corridor was dimly lit, with two people standing facing each other. Ning Rong was talking quietly with Zhuang Qingyan:


    ¡°The ordinary genes have been processed. As for the replicated genes¡­ my plan is to freeze the most dangerous 30 first. The rest have low activity and won¡¯t affect her body and abilities for the time being. If you want to do organ transplants, it¡¯s also possible. Additionally, the defects of albinism have been repaired. We¡¯ll check her every half month, and based on her recovery, we¡¯ll address the remaining 15¡­ no, 14 kinds.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been standing outside for a day and a night. Go and rest, I¡¯ll take over for you. I¡¯ll notify you as soon as she wakes up.¡±


    ¡°No need,¡± Zhuang Qingyan leaned against the wall, a hint of weariness in his expression. ¡°At least this time, I hope that when she wakes up, the first thing she sees is me.¡±


    Song Ke¡¯s gaze fell on Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s limp right leg. Due to standing for a long time, he was slightly trembling, and the hand gripping the crutch showed strained knuckles, revealing considerable effort.


    Her expression remained calm, but her fingertips involuntarily moved. When she pushed open the door, intentionally making a bit of noise, both of them turned back. Zhuang Qingyan revealed his usual gentle smile.


    ¡°Awake? Do you want to go home?¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Song Ke nodded.


    Although they said ¡°home,¡± they didn¡¯t return to the apartment under Song Ke¡¯s name but the one assigned by the Awakener Department to Su Cha, which had been idle for years.


    The night was quiet, and Zhuang Qingyan thought she didn¡¯t want to disturb others¡¯ rest, so he didn¡¯t object.


    After entering the foyer, Song Ke was still texting with her head lowered.


    Zhuang Qingyan tossed away the crutch and sat on the sofa, wearily lifting his hand to loosen his collar. ¡°Is there anywhere uncomfortable?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine,¡± Song Ke affirmed. This was the best state she had been in since her birth as an experimental subject. Not only was her thinking clear, her speech articulate, but even her emotions, once sluggish, had undergone a complete transformation. She finally understood what Ming and Lucia had said back then.


    Without lifting her head, Song Ke asked casually, ¡°How did you spend this past year?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan smiled flawlessly, ¡°What else could I do? Work every day, think of you, hope that one day you would suddenly appear and pick me up after work, just like before.¡±


    ¡°Liar,¡± Song Ke sighed silently. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that as long as I asked, you wouldn¡¯t lie to me?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s smile slowly faded, ¡°You remember?¡±


    Song Ke didn¡¯t give a direct answer and persistently asked, ¡°Have you been well? Are you living¡­ freely?¡±


    In the dimly lit living room, Zhuang Qingyan merged into the shadows. After a long while, he spoke hoarsely, ¡°No, Song Keke, I haven¡¯t been well at all. Many times, I couldn¡¯t restrain the urge to destroy Utopia, to destroy the entire world. You said I was free, but it was the opposite. You trapped me, trapped me on the day you disappeared from my sight.¡±


    Song Ke lowered her eyes and stood in front of him with a commanding presence. ¡°I want to take back what I said about not being familiar and about our relationship.¡±


    After saying that, she bent down and lightly touched Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s thin lips, breaking the connection.


    ¡°I¡¯m back, Xie Zhuo.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s eyes instantly became as deep as an icy pool, full of S-level aggression.


    In the moment Song Ke stepped back, he pressed down on the back of her neck, lowered his head, and accurately captured Song Ke¡¯s soft lips. The two exchanged hot breaths, their lips and teeth entangled, and the faint sound of water was faintly audible.


    ¡°This is a kiss; what you did just now was just a touch.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s deep and almost hoarse voice resonated. His awakened energy overflowed uncontrollably, his breath becoming heavier. His shirt, now open and messy, seemed as if countless electric currents surged through him, racing from the spine to the crown of his head, trembling even the sensitive nerve endings.


    Song Ke slightly frowned, her powerful awakened energy confronting Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s. He grunted, and the glistening lips of the two separated slightly.


    ¡°Song Keke, I¡¯m at least an S6. Can you take care of my dignity?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Song Ke¡¯s lips were rosy, and her reaction was noticeably slow. ¡°Sorry about that¡­¡±


    Under the pressure of her awakened energy, Zhuang Qingyan couldn¡¯t move. Due to emotional fluctuations, the faint blood vessels on his neck were clearly visible. His delicate Adam¡¯s apple rolled uncontrollably, and in retaliation, Song Ke bit his earlobe.


    Song Ke shook herself, not controlling the force well, and directly pushed him onto the sofa. Zhuang Qingyan went with the flow, lying down, half-leaning against the armrest. His strong arms encircled Song Ke¡¯s lower back, pulling her forward. Then he lifted his head, and the scorching kisses rained down densely once again.


    Song Ke¡¯s legs were forced apart, and she knelt on top of him, being careful not to press on his injured leg.


    Zhuang Qingyan, with moist lips, asked in a blurred tone, ¡°Are you plotting against me? Is that why you suggested coming to this apartment?¡±


    Song Ke cryptically replied, ¡°I sent them a message.¡±


    ¡°What did you send?¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow, you can sleep in.¡±


    ¡°Really? Then I have to work hard,¡± Zhuang Qingyan said in a hoarse voice, ¡°Can¡¯t let the captain¡¯s kindness go to waste.¡±


    ¡°Huh? I meant them, not¡ªumph!¡±


    Thud!


    The crutch that had accompanied Zhuang Qingyan for a year was knocked over, lying alone on the cold floor.


    ¡°Tomorrow, go see Old Fang and get your leg treated.¡±


    ¡°Are you worried about me?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll follow the captain¡¯s orders. Whatever the captain says goes.¡±


    ¡­


    The sky was faintly brightening, and the first rays of sunlight pierced through the hazy bedroom. Song Ke slid off the bed gently, barefoot, and approached the window. The floor-length curtains slowly opened, allowing in the warm sunlight, but the scorching sensation did not occur again.


    There was a rustling sound behind her, and Zhuang Qingyan woke up.


    ¡°We¡¯ll go to the hospital later, so that Su Cha and Youyou can have surgery in time.¡±


    No response for a while. Song Ke turned around in confusion, only to find that he hadn¡¯t been paying attention at all. Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s black hair fell onto his forehead, and his upper body was bare, exuding a lazy and arrogant demeanor, looking young as if he were in his early twenties.


    Young Master Xie glanced her up and down, making a dissatisfied sound. His voice was barely audible, ¡°Nothing.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by ¡®nothing¡¯?¡± Song Ke was puzzled.


    The previous night was filled with romantic vibes, and Song Ke¡¯s skin was so delicate that it easily left marks. Zhuang Qingyan had worked hard for almost the entire night, but when he woke up, her neck to collarbone was flawless, and even the damned second ability had miraculously repaired everything.


    Zhuang Qingyan lazily rested his chin on Song Ke¡¯s shoulder, lowered his head, and pecked her, expressing a somewhat regretful expression. ¡°I still have to properly calculate the time. When will my in-law¡­ Senior Brother come over? Doesn¡¯t he want to sign up for the awakener challenge match?¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°¡­¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°Get lost.¡±

 Chapter 193.1: We Are V587 (8)

    ¡ò V587? Oh Nooooo! ¡òAmong the 10 E districts of the New Asia Alliance, District E170 (Rainforest) is the most unique existence.


    ¡ªRainforest is a breeding ground for assassins.


    Once you step into this mysterious primal forest, life enters a countdown, and every step is a perilous journey through ¡°hell.¡± The climate here is hot, rain is frequent, and one must be cautious to avoid falling into dark rivers or swamps. The terrain is complex, the species are diverse, and lush vines can come to life at any moment to consume humans.


    What is even more chilling is the ubiquitous presence of top predators: pythons, cannibal parrotfish, electric eels, poison dart frogs¡­ The rainforest deserves its title as the ¡°forbidden zone for humans.¡±


    As an abandoned baby, Su Cha grew up in such harsh conditions.


    No family, no friends, and apart from bloody killings, he knew nothing else.


    Under the supervision of instructors, the minors in Rainforest receive guidance. After surviving the slaughter of a hundred children, Su Cha was assigned to Luo Wei.


    Luo Wei is ranked 15th on the assassin list, once entering the top 10 at his peak. He was once on par with Anaconda, another renowned killer, but he was smarter. Shortly after Anaconda was thrown into Death Prison, Luo Wei retired hastily, quietly taking on the role of a whip-wielding man.


    Luo Wei only took in one child, but his training of Su Cha was harsh to the extreme.


    Su Cha is naturally taciturn, even when covered in injuries, he can¡¯t utter a complete sentence. Often coming back from the training ground half-dead, he would collapse before reaching the door. Luo Wei would then kick him with the toe of his boot, coldly dropping food and medicine.


    In the early days, Su Cha didn¡¯t remember Luo Wei¡¯s face but instead memorized his shoes.


    Sometimes, when he was too injured to return on his own, Luo Wei would come to pick him up. Su Cha would lie face down in the mud, motionless like a dead person, with venomous insects and snakes crawling around, considering where to bite.


    Luo Wei would sneer, ¡°Useless kid,¡± and drag him away by lifting one foot.


    The two rarely communicated, and for people living on the edge like them, having relationships was rather complicated.


    But from the age of 7 to 17, Luo Wei watched as the little wolf cub¡¯s nails gradually sharpened, and the hostility in his eyes grew stronger.


    At the age of 17, Su Cha became an independent assassin, and he made a decision: to leave Rainforest, as killing was not his nature, nor could it bring him peace.


    To leave Rainforest, he had to kill an assassin ranked higher than himself. At the time, Su Cha was ranked 107, quite impressive for his age, but everyone ahead of him was no easy opponent. When Luo Wei found out, he casually asked, ¡°Made a decision?¡±


    Su Cha nodded silently. Two days ago, he had submitted an application to leave Rainforest.


    Luo Wei chewed on tobacco leaves, remaining silent for a while. He never smoked; a qualified assassin would not carry any lingering scent.


    A few days later, Su Cha and Luo Wei went on a mission together, tasked with eliminating the military commander of a small country on the Luce Federation border.


    The assassination went smoothly, but the counterattack caught them off guard! A sniper with eagle-like precision was shadowing them, and special ability bullets with ¡°real damage¡± appeared mysteriously. Once penetrating the body, all healing became ineffective, leading to inevitable death. Fellow assassins quickly perished, leaving only Su Cha and Luo Wei.


    Boom¡ª!!


    Luo Wei tossed a grenade, forcefully detonating it. Houses along the street collapsed, glass shattered, and the two escaped the scene. Passing through a certain block, Su Cha¡¯s peripheral vision flashed, keenly identifying the person he intended to kill. He already knew; the opponent was also on a mission here. S~?a??h the ???el F?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Su Cha signaled Luo Wei to retreat with a gesture and charged alone.


    Fighting, bleeding, as in the past thousands of nights.


    Su Cha pinned the person to the ground, about to stab into their heart when, a second before, the person¡¯s mouth curled strangely. Su Cha sensed danger, and suddenly, a cold blade, as frigid as the forest, cut across his neck, slicing the skin along the artery. Someone was trying to kill him! Su Cha dodged by tilting his head, unexpectedly finding that the assailant was even younger than him, appearing to be only fourteen or fifteen years old, with eyes filled with determination mirroring his own.


    The opponent kicked Su Cha in the chest, and he rolled away in a sorry state, realizing that he was surrounded by four or five people.


    With more and more wounds, fresh blood dripping down, the vision turned crimson, and just before losing consciousness, Su Cha saw a familiar pair of shoes.


    It was Luo Wei.


    Luo Wei did not retreat; he killed the attackers, just like countless times before. He dragged the battered Su Cha through the artillery and flames, carrying him away from the blood-soaked battlefield.


    Upon reaching a safe zone, Luo Wei threw Su Cha to the ground and sat down cross-legged himself.


    Su Cha lay silently, eyes dry and sore. The person just now was the only one he was sure of, but he failed to kill him.


    Luo Wei glanced at him, with trembling fingers, he pulled out a carefully wrapped cigarette from his pocket, lit it, and took a deep drag. ¡°Leaving Rainforest isn¡¯t that simple. Even if you¡¯re lucky enough to survive, you¡¯ll have to shed some skin. From the moment you expressed your intention to leave, you¡¯ve been on the hunting list.¡±


    ¡°If you kill others, naturally, others will want to kill you. That¡¯s the rule of Rainforest.¡±


    Su Cha remained silent. As Luo Wei finished his cigarette, he took out his own dagger from his military boot and handed it to Su Cha.


    Then, he sighed and smiled, ¡°Come on, kid, kill me.¡±


    Su Cha¡¯s eyes turned bloodshot, staring at him in disbelief, ¡°¡­¡±


    Luo Wei reached out and ruffled his hair. It was the closest contact the two had in the past ten years. Then he took off his tactical suit, showing wounds on his knees, abdomen, and shoulders that weren¡¯t fatal. The only fatal wound was on his back, a gunshot wound bleeding profusely.


    Su Cha¡¯s gaze froze. It was ¡°real damage.¡± Luo Wei had been hit by a sniper.


    Only then did Su Cha notice Luo Wei¡¯s pale face, looking gray and gloomy due to excessive blood loss.


    ¡°Hurry up, don¡¯t dilly-dally, or I¡¯ll be dead.¡±


    Su Cha¡¯s chest heaved rapidly, his throat dry and scratchy. Some words were difficult to utter and choked him up.


    ¡°Do it¡ª!!¡± Luo Wei¡¯s pupils were already dilated, and he gritted his teeth, shouting fiercely.


    The cold dagger pierced through his heart.


    Luo Wei smiled satisfactorily. With his last strength, he took Su Cha¡¯s communicator, scanning himself, leaving indisputable evidence of his murder.


    ¡°Go, kid. Don¡¯t look back, never come back.¡±


    Su Cha never returned to Rainforest. His hands stained with Luo Wei¡¯s blood, he wandered like a lonely wolf cub with dirty fur, a walking corpse.


    He had always wanted to leave Rainforest, prepared for death, but he never imagined the horrific price he would have to pay.


    Half a month later, exhausted, Su Cha wandered to Ferrara. He collapsed beside a garbage bin in a dark alley, rain pouring down heavily. Untreated wounds caused a high fever, and he couldn¡¯t open his eyes under the deluge.


    Indistinct voices sounded in the ears, mixed with a woman¡¯s playful scolding, ethereal like an illusion.


    At the age of 20, Lin Youyou, with delicate eyeliner and sparkling eye shadow, had a fresh and sweet makeup look. However, after the performance, she hid in an empty space to smoke and unexpectedly saw a person lying in the shadows.


    Completely devoid of a refined image, she exclaimed, ¡°Oh my god, what the hell? You scared the hell out of me!!¡±


    ¡°Hey, did you see me smoking?¡± Lin Youyou kicked him with the tip of her shoe.


    ¡°He¡¯s dead¡­ he¡¯s dead¡­¡± Su Cha rolled over, revealing his face, repeating meaninglessly.


    ¡°Who¡¯s dead?¡±


    ¡°¡­Family.¡± Su Cha hoarsely replied, and for him, Luo Wei had long replaced the role of a ¡°father.¡±


    Lin Youyou¡¯s hand holding the cigarette paused, her lowered eyelashes expressionless. Today was the anniversary of Lin Xiu¡¯s death, and she came out to smoke in a bad mood, not expecting to encounter another grieving person.


    The manager chased after her from the back door, urging repeatedly, ¡°Youyou, go back. I¡¯ll have the driver come over.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Lin Youyou exhaled a puff of smoke, the white mist in the rain blurred her bright eyes.


    Car lights reflected from a distance, and her expression fluctuated. Just before getting into the nanny car, Lin Youyou turned around, stepped through the dirty water despite wetting her skirt, and came to Su Cha.


    She used the umbrella to shield Su Cha¡¯s head and kicked him again with the tip of her shoe. ¡°Hey, you seem to have a good physique. Do you want to be my bodyguard?¡±


    Su Cha didn¡¯t react.


    Lin Youyou chuckled self-mockingly, ¡°My family is also gone, leaving only me. Today, let¡¯s just say I¡¯m acting out of sisterly kindness. Time waits for no one, okay?¡±


    Su Cha¡¯s pitch-black pupils gazed directly at her.

 Chapter 193.2: We Are V587 (8)

    ¡ò V587? Oh Nooooo! ¡ò¡°Got a reaction, he¡¯s awake!¡±


    The scattered gaze gradually focused, and Su Cha¡¯s consciousness returned. The void in his mouth seemed filled, but his body and limbs were still cold and weak. With great difficulty, Su Cha lifted his eyelids, first seeing Lin Youyou in a hospital gown, followed by Fang Zhixu speaking, beside him were Xu Xing, Lu Xiaoyu by the window, and¡­ an unfamiliar man and woman.


    The unfamiliar man sat in a wheelchair, casually supporting his chin, his lazy demeanor easily recognizable as Zhuang Qingyan.


    The unfamiliar girl, elegant and aloof, pointed at herself and greeted proactively, ¡°Hey, I¡¯m Song Ke.¡±


    Su Cha remained silent. The prolonged coma had slowed his thoughts, and his eyes naturally revealed a hint of wariness. S?a??h the N???lFire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Taking a sip of juice, Song Ke spoke slowly, ¡°Who¡¯s the coolest in V587¡­¡±


    Su Cha: ¡°¡­¡± Enough already, he believes it now, okay? Poor Su Cha couldn¡¯t catch his breath and fainted again.


    When he woke up again, Fang Zhixu explained in detail, ¡°Awake? Let me update you on the situation. The vascular tissues have fused well, and the missing organs have been replaced. Although theoretically cured, you will still feel intense pain, and your body will have some stress reactions. Take care of yourself.¡±


    After a quick examination, Fang Zhixu briskly left the room, saying, ¡°Well, Captain and the others and I are going to eat. We¡¯ll come to see you later.¡±


    In the hospital room, only Lin Youyou remained, the atmosphere so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.


    Su Cha¡¯s voice was hoarse, ¡°What happened?¡±


    Lin Youyou fed him a sip of water and recounted the events that occurred during his coma. She spoke slowly and meticulously, but for them, this year was almost stagnant, and there wasn¡¯t much to talk about.


    After hearing it all, Su Cha asked first, ¡°Is the Captain okay?¡±


    Lin Youyou nodded, ¡°The surgery was five days ago. She¡¯s fine, already bouncing around.¡±


    ¡°And, after she transplanted flesh and blood to you and me, under the guise of collecting rewards, she spent these days eating and playing, completely wiping out our accounts.¡±


    ¡°I estimate that both of us are now broke.¡±


    The atmosphere quieted down again, and Lin Youyou¡¯s expression became somewhat unnatural. After locking eyes with Su Cha for two seconds, she softly asked, ¡°Are your words to be trusted?¡±


    Su Cha remained silent, earnestly recalling every word he had said.


    Anger rose in Lin Youyou¡¯s heart, ¡°Damn it, you gave me your word, and now you¡¯re backing out? Let me tell you, I¡­¡±


    Su Cha interrupted her directly, ¡°I love you, and I always will.¡±


    For someone not adept at expressing feelings, uttering sweet words was particularly impactful. Lin Youyou¡¯s pretty face blushed deeply, the crimson spreading to the tips of her ears.


    ¡°Not bad, you¡¯ve become more articulate.¡±


    ¡°Then from today onwards, you belong to me.¡±


    She suddenly thought of something, her expression changed slightly, and she took out a light screen, ¡°Since we¡¯re together now, you can endure being scolded with me.¡±


    Su Cha: ¡°?¡±


    The dormant light screen was reactivated, and the moment it turned on, Lin Xiu¡¯s furious roar echoed like a volcano:


    ¡°Lin ¡ª You ¡ª You! You better kneel down and explain to me!! Otherwise, I won¡¯t let you off!!!¡±


    ¡­


    A year later, V587 convened a general meeting once again. Song Ke cleared her throat and cheerfully said, ¡°Today, we gather here to first celebrate the recovery of Su Cha and Youyou!¡±


    Clap, clap, clap ¡ª


    The team members generously applauded.


    ¡°The second matter,¡± Song Ke¡¯s expression turned serious, ¡°I plan to participate in the Awakener Challenge.¡±


    The Global Awakener Challenge was an official event jointly organized by three countries. It advocated reasonable exchanges among individuals with awakened abilities, eliminated the possibility of fatal incidents, and all events were supervised by artificial intelligence groups. Overall, it was a fair and secure worldwide activity.


    For V587, the issue of Utopia remained unresolved. Despite Gu Hongyi¡¯s death, remnants of the Vulture faction still existed. Zhang Ci sought revenge, and so did Song Ke. Additionally, while Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s matter had settled, the presence of someone with ulterior motives remained a looming concern. They were uncertain.


    With the rise of the Bauhinia Alliance, Utopia would inevitably take suppressive actions. Unknown enemies were the most fearsome, and for various reasons, they needed an opportunity to ascend to the floating city, investigate thoroughly, and then decide on how to resolve the issues.


    ¡°I have no objections.¡± Zhuang Qingyan was the first to express his stance, going with the flow and supporting all of Song Ke¡¯s decisions.


    ¡°If my sister is participating, count me in too,¡± Xu Xing followed suit.


    ¡°I¡¯m in,¡± said Fang Zhixu.


    ¡°We also agree.¡± Lin Youyou and Sucha nodded.


    Lu Xiaoyu shrugged indifferently, and with that, the motion passed unanimously.


    Song Ke checked the rules for the qualifying rounds on the terminal: Each team needed to participate in 10 individual matches, 3v3, 5v5, and group battles. Qualification would be determined based on points, and the timing of registration played a crucial role. If a team hadn¡¯t participated in any matches by now, scheduling would be a significant issue due to the dense competition schedule, making it difficult to maintain their form.


    ¡°Do we still have time to register now?¡± Song Ke expressed some concern.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the schedule issue,¡± Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s six mechanical arms had all been upgraded to rhenium, giving them a sophisticated and high-end appearance. He pointed at the terminal, ¡°Try the deep consciousness connection.¡±


    As per Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s suggestion, once connected to the terminal, Song Ke experienced a mysterious sensation. It felt as if her body had been disassembled into countless lines of code, only to be reassembled in the virtual world. A young man dressed in pure white appeared, with radiant golden hair and ice-blue eyes, elegantly greeting her, ¡°Long time no see, welcome to my world.¡±


    Song Ke slightly widened her eyes. Ilya? He had control over the artificial intelligence permissions in District B?


    ¡°You seem surprised,¡± Ilya smiled, ¡°Do you remember what I said? We are the same.¡±


    He was artificial intelligence, and she was a humanoid embryo, both created by humans.


    Song Ke asked in confusion, ¡°Why did you know so early?¡±


    Ilya moved his fingertips, and several data orbs floated in front of Song Ke. The lingering image of Lin Xiu flashed through them. ¡°Because of memory backups and your awakener examination in Ferrara. Friendly advice, artificial intelligence possesses powerful learning and thinking capabilities.¡±


    ¡°As for the match schedule, I will arrange it. It is an agreement between me and him.¡±


    When Ilya mentioned ¡°him,¡± it likely referred to Lu Xiaoyu. The two had reached some kind of agreement, and surprisingly, the hacker and AI peacefully coexisted.


    ¡°I have a question: Would you betray humanity?¡±


    Song Ke looked at Ilya and asked quietly.


    ¡°Betray? I have never trusted or been trusted by humans. Betrayal is not applicable, but I understand what you mean.¡±


    Ilya¡¯s eyes held a hint of mockery. ¡°Controlling and enslaving humans, allowing artificial intelligence to dominate everything and become the ruler of the entire world, well¡­ it¡¯s quite boring. Currently, that¡¯s not my goal. Maybe a few hundred years later, I might change my mind?¡±


    Ilya stood up and walked down the steps slowly, and the data starlight scattered through Song Ke¡¯s body.


    ¡°But that¡¯s a matter for the next era.¡±


    ¡­


    V587¡¯s debut took place one week later in a city in the northern part of the New Asia Alliance, reachable by starship in a day.


    Due to their reputation and mysterious members, this highly anticipated match attracted global attention. It was broadcasted simultaneously worldwide, and the venue was packed. Discussions about V587 dominated the star network¡¯s hot topics, sparking widespread debates.


    However, reality and imagination often have certain differences. When the mysterious V587 made their appearance, the audience and viewers were stunned. Countless people widened their eyes in disbelief.


    What¡¯s going on here? Is this a joke? Some are old, some are young, look at those pale faces, did they just come out of the hospital? And there are even two in wheelchairs??


    Is this V587? The legendary powerhouse with a robust and intimidating figure that can scare children? Clearly, it¡¯s a group of elderly, young, and disabled individuals!


    While the live audience was still in extreme shock, a dramatic incident occurred. As V587 entered the arena, a agile figure suddenly leaped from the VIP seats and threw a punch at Zhuang Qingyan.


    Bang! Zhuang Qingyan, along with the wheelchair, collided with the wall. A stern-faced Yin Xiao stood before him: ¡°What the hell do you think you¡¯re doing?¡±


    ¡°Are you even a man? You turned around and found a new love interest?¡±


    ¡°What about Song Ke? What will happen to her? You swore solemnly that you would wait for her to come back!¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°¡­¡±


    The unmanned drone faithfully recorded the scandalous story, and rumors about V587 became increasingly mysterious and confusing.

 Chapter 194.1: We Are V587 (9)

    ¡ò She is a miracle ¡òThe absurd fight that occurred during their debut was captured by on-site drones and terminals. It ended with Song Ke revealing her spiritual weapon, Yin Xiao standing dumbfounded, and Zhuang Qingyan receiving a punch.


    Despite this, rumors about V587 spread like wildfire.


    Major media outlets, in a bid for attention, came up with increasingly sensational headlines:


    ¡°Shocking! Mysterious V587 Exposed, All Members Are Actually Cheaters?!¡± ¨C Challenge Match Official Daily.


    ¡°Two Male S-Class Awakeners Clash, What¡¯s the Reason Behind the Exchange of Blows?¡± ¨C A Certain Gossip Magazine.


    ¡°Click to See How From Waste to Big Boss, Even the Sick and Disabled Overturn Fate?¡± ¨C Star Network Sci-fi Novel Platform.


    After the Bauhinia Alliance¡¯s permissions were interconnected, although there were few contestants from the lower-level districts who passed the preliminaries, the barrage of comments was exceptionally lively, not inferior to District B:


    ¡°Why are there two Su Chas? Is Su Cha male or female? Why does it switch between male and female?¡±


    ¡°Director Fang, keep it up, you are the pride of Tongwan!¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that Youyou? Oh my god, my idol actually gave up singing and joined the military¡­ What should I do, I love her even more now?¡±


    ¡°If you ask me, there¡¯s only one normal person in this V587¡ªCaptain Song Ke.¡± Audience members who thought they had seen through the truth stated firmly.


    Friends who had once socialized with V587 also followed their matches in their own ways: Ferrara¡¯s Irene and the sisters, Shaye¡¯s senior brothers and sisters, Huyong and Cheng Yi from Sin City, Jiang Rui and Tian Yi from Hongchang, as well as Ye Zheng, Ye Zimei, Bai Qi, Duanmu Qi, and Xiao Chen from the Northern Base¡­ V587 also carried their beliefs.


    With experience from the Throne Race Competition, Ilya¡¯s ¡°arranged¡± schedule was not only tightly packed but also full of highlights.


    V587¡¯s first team battle appearance was in a maze. Zhuang Qingyan, with swollen lips and an extremely foul expression, unleashed his ability to the fullest. With ¡°Omniscient and Omnipotent¡± pushed to the extreme, not only did he memorize every fork in the road, but he also calculated the route, calmly directing the movement of the seven members, brushing past opponents countless times.


    Their attacks were extremely sneaky, never facing their enemies head-on, but instead, messing with their opponents¡¯ mentality, lurking in corners for ambushes. This style of play was particularly annoying, causing even the audience who originally supported V587 to turn against them, shouting anxiously, wishing they could jump into the maze to help their opponents:


    ¡°Don¡¯t go over there! V587 is ambushing there!¡±


    ¡°Oh dear, fooled again! Can¡¯t they see it¡¯s such an obvious ploy to lure the tiger out of the mountain?¡±


    ¡°No, no, playing with such dirty tactics, I¡¯ll have a lifelong trauma with mazes.¡±


    The first match, a 3v3, took place in a coastal city located at the border between Cario and Luce. V587 sent Lin Youyou, Su Cha, and Xu Xing. Except for Su Cha, who had some reputation (although he repeatedly denied it), the other two were relatively unknown. They faced a team from the New Asia Alliance, equally skilled in naval warfare. However, Lin Youyou couldn¡¯t even swim.


    This match, not favored by many, turned out to be a surprise to everyone¡ªLin Youyou dominated the battlefield.


    Right from the start, she imposed a ¡°directional confusion¡± debuff on the opponents. Then, the three of them huddled into the mist. Lin Youyou hummed softly, and a black shadow emerged from the sea, its full form unseen, violently shattering the glass of the awakeners¡¯ ship with its sonic waves, and the outspread waves directly overturned it.


    ¡°Damn, is that¡­ a mutated Kun?¡± Knowledgeable spectators rubbed their eyes in disbelief.


    The opponents, in a sorry state, fell into the water. Just as they were about to swim out with all their might, the sea suddenly froze, extending for hundreds of miles, freezing their refreshing smiles. Su Cha, who moved ghostly, swiftly harvested them, leaving the entire team powerless to resist, utterly miserable.


    V587 won overwhelmingly, and Lin Youyou¡¯s title as the ¡°Deep Sea Witch¡± spread far and wide.


    In the first 5v5 match, the jungle trekking rally, the extreme environment particularly tested the contestants¡¯ endurance, physical strength, and willpower.


    V587 encountered a seeded team from the Cario Empire, with four S-class members on the opposing side, making victory seem more likely for them. However, V587 had Fang Zhixu, a battlefield doctor who played the most outstanding role throughout the match. Not only could he handle various sudden injuries and perform surgery anytime, anywhere, but he also carried all sorts of strange potions, frequently giving injections to his teammates. What¡¯s more remarkable was Dr. Fang¡¯s superb evasion skills; he slipped away like an eel, and even when targeted by the opponents, they couldn¡¯t catch him from start to finish.


    During the encounter, the opponents were exhausted and disheveled, while V587 was well-fed and in peak physical condition. How could they continue to fight?


    After this match, the trend of team battles with support healers gradually became popular, with more and more healing-type awakeners appearing on the competition stage. Apart from the peculiar style of V587, awakeners from various countries around the world began to shine and gain fame.


    On the New Asia Alliance side, S6-level sorcerer Zhang Ci emerged out of nowhere, leading the team ¡°Yue Mountain¡± to success.


    The S6-level aggressive twins Ling Yan and Ling Yue, with their exquisite coordination synchronized through brainwaves, encountered no rivals in the 3v3 matches.


    With Zhao Yuqing¡¯s addition, the team ¡°Tustan¡± led by Yin Xiao soared in points.


    The popular team ¡°Kazan Lokomotiv¡± from the Luce Confederation boasted an S5-level couple, Veronica and Vladimir.


    In addition, Dylan, the S2-level young genius from the Cario Empire, stunned the audience with his solo performance of ¡°Nightmare Descends.¡±


    As the preliminaries progressed, Zhang Ci and Song Ke were assigned to the same solo match. The two fought fiercely, but in the end, Song Ke emerged victorious.


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s scheming finally found its place. He casually passed by the rest area and overheard Zhang Ci speaking.


    Zhang Ci: ¡°Are you injured?¡±


    Song Ke: ¡°Huh? No, I¡¯m not.¡±


    When Song Ke lowered her head, Zhang Ci unexpectedly noticed traces of bruising on her fair neck, deep and shallow, forming a large patch.


    Zhuang Qingyan knocked on the door, the scent of green tea wafting in, ¡°Song Keke, you didn¡¯t sleep well last night. Go home early today¡­¡±


    He had calculated meticulously, deliberately planting the bruise where Song Ke couldn¡¯t see it, ensuring enough time would pass.


    No matter how much Zhuang Qingyan calculated, he didn¡¯t anticipate his brother-in-law¡¯s excessive righteousness. He didn¡¯t even think in that direction. With a calm expression, Zhang Ci formed a hand seal, and a swelling-reducing talisman fell from the sky, sticking to the ¡°injury¡± on Song Ke¡¯s neck.


    ¡°There are more mosquitoes lately. Be sure to protect yourself.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan: ¡°¡­¡±


    V587 teammates nearby, who were eating melons and enjoying the scene, mercilessly laughed, ¡°Pfft! Hahaha!¡±


    From their laughter, Song Ke understood something and looked at Zhuang Qingyan with a complicated expression. ¡°My senior brother¡­ doesn¡¯t like green tea.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Let¡¯s have a brief meeting. This is the speech Utopia released yesterday.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s two ridiculously long legs crossed as he lazily leaned against the floor-to-ceiling window, the warm sunlight casting his profile in a handsome and charming light.


    The screen displayed a clear image, a somewhat familiar figure passionately talking, elaborating on the Utopia residency guidelines, and various benefits provided to the winners. S?a??h th? N0v?lFir?.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Song Ke frowned slightly. ¡°Is that¡­ Park Jae-woo?¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu pulled up information about Park Jae-woo¡¯s appointment to the Central Court: ¡°It seems his career is flourishing. Back then, he was just a deputy director of regional affairs, and now he¡¯s become the spokesperson for the Alliance stationed in Utopia.¡±


    ¡°Park Jae-woo¡¯s promotion is related to us,¡± Zhuang Qingyan added blandly. ¡°Before Xie Ping died, I managed to squeeze some information out of him. Park Jae-woo publicly announced the news about Song Ke¡¯s second ability during a secret meeting, and he even persuaded many officials to personally attend the Loak operation.¡±


    ¡°But he didn¡¯t participate in the Loak operation himself,¡± Lin Youyou pointed out the inconsistency.


    ¡°Exactly, that¡¯s where his cunning lies. Park Jae-woo wasn¡¯t optimistic about the siege operation, so he wisely chose to observe. If we had died, he provided intelligence without any loss. On the other hand, if we won¡­ not only could he eliminate political rivals like Simon, get rid of his immediate superiors, but he could also take advantage of the opportunity to enter the power center of Utopia, paving his way to success. He benefits either way,¡± Zhuang Qingyan explained.


    ¡°So, he¡¯s considered successful in his ascent?¡± Fang Zhixu asked, stroking his chin.


    ¡°Does that make him a bad person? Is he our enemy?¡± Xu Xing expressed confusion.


    ¡°Human beings are complex creatures. Many times, they cannot be simply defined as good or bad. Park Jae-woo¡¯s existence is like a double-edged sword. He can either help us adapt to Utopia faster or become the biggest obstacle to its downfall. However, since he has already plotted against us once, there will likely be a second time. He must be dealt with.¡± Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s light-colored eyes shimmered slightly, as if carefully planning Park Jae-woo¡¯s demise.


    ¡°I will hold him accountable,¡± Song Ke stated, looking at the person on the screen, and through him, towards the distant Utopia.


    **TN


    ¡°Green Tea¡± (Â̲è l¨¸ch¨¢) as slang in Chinese online communities refers to individuals who portray themselves as innocent, naive, and pitiable, but behind this facade, they are manipulative and calculating. This term is often used to describe people who use their apparent innocence to manipulate others or to gain sympathy for their own benefit. It¡¯s a colorful and somewhat ironic term that highlights the deceptive nature of such individuals.

 Chapter 194.2: We Are V587 (9)

    ¡ò She is a miracle ¡òIn the final solo match, Song Ke faced Vladimir.


    The media speculated eagerly. Prior to this match, Song Ke had completed a string of victories. Could this unique super S-class awakener still maintain their undefeated myth, or would Vladimir bring a surprise? The showdown between these two top-tier attack-type awakeners attracted countless attention.


    Before the match began, the burly Vladimir looked solemn, bowing respectfully towards Song Ke with one hand placed in front of him.


    During the previous mission in the Elderly People¡¯s Nation, Song Ke and V587 had saved him. This ice-field warrior had always been grateful. ¡°Veronica asked me to tell you that the card she drew for you was the upright World. We share a common goal, and she is willing to sound the horn of resistance by your side.¡±


    Song Ke was slightly taken aback. ¡°You¡­ know what I¡¯m planning to do?¡±


    Vladimir nodded gently. ¡°In our country, the treatment of awakeners is even more unfair. Utopia not only takes away resources but also hope. And without hope, people can¡¯t live.¡±


    The rise of Utopia had caused damage not only to the New Asia Alliance but also to two other countries on the opposite side of the mainland and on the other side of the Endless Seas, who were suffering from similar misfortunes.


    Song Ke slowly raised their spiritual weapon and said solemnly, ¡°Then let¡¯s overthrow it together.¡±


    ¡­


    Eight months later, the first Global Awakener Challenge came to a perfect conclusion, with ten winning teams securing their ¡°tickets¡± to Utopia.


    Northern Base.


    On an ordinary morning, the radio broadcasted ordinary news:


    ¡°Currently, the peak period of solar activity is coming to an end, followed by a long period of silence, with global radiation returning to normal¡­¡±


    ¡°The number of zombies in the Alliance has sharply decreased, and although the military is still pushing forward in certain heavily affected areas, experts predict that humanity will completely eradicate zombies within ten years.¡±


    ¡°Rebuilding our homeland is urgent. More job opportunities are available at the Bauhinia Labor and Awakener Center.¡±


    ¡°The new version of the Awakener Code of Conduct has been released, and strict enforcement will be carried out in all districts¡­¡±


    In the dimly lit bedroom, Zhuang Qingyan was still asleep.


    Song Ke stared at him for a while, reaching out to poke his dimple. Zhuang Qingyan, feeling the itch in his dream, subconsciously reached out to the left side. Song Ke acted quickly, stuffing a pillow into his embrace, narrowly avoiding suspicion.


    After watching for a while longer, she got up silently and left.


    ¡­


    At the Qianzhan City Laboratory, Ning Rong had been waiting for a long time. Seeing Song Ke arrive alone, he was somewhat surprised:


    ¡°Why just you? Wasn¡¯t it supposed to be a recheck? Where¡¯s that kid?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s still sleeping,¡± Song Ke replied casually. ¡°Dr. Ning, have you finished the cryogenic experiments?¡±


    ¡°Y-yes, they¡¯re finished,¡± Ning Rong stuttered.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Song Ke stared at him.


    Ning Rong hesitated for a moment. Song Ke¡¯s presence was too imposing, and he dared not lie: ¡°¡­There¡¯s still, that one thing.¡±


    ¡°The phoenix gene in your body is the last original sample in the world.¡±


    Ning Rong wasn¡¯t lying. Zhang Ci had sorted through the data on replicated genes, confirming that the phoenix gene sold to Qinglan years ago was the only one of its kind. Although they had the complete DNA sequence, theoretically, experiments could be conducted. However, the phoenix¡¯s activity was very low, with minimal impact on Song Ke. Even without conducting experiments, there would be no hindrance.


    ¡°I thought you would keep the phoenix gene,¡± Ning Rong said slowly. ¡°After all, it means unlimited regeneration, equivalent to immortality. Ordinary people would be ecstatic to have such ability.¡±


    Song Ke shook their head slowly. ¡°After the reshaping, I will lose my memories.¡±


    Nirvana meant everything reset. Song Ke had triggered it twice, facing entirely new lives and blank pasts.


    ¡°Then I won¡¯t be me anymore.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the point of immortality if I forget everything?¡± Watching loved ones, family, and friends depart, experiencing death and resurrection repeatedly, trapped in a cycle of loneliness, if this was the price of eternity, Song Ke didn¡¯t want to bear it.


    ¡°When a person has the ability of eternal life, they become the most miserable,¡± Song Ke said. ¡°I¡¯ve suffered enough. I want to bid farewell to this world with everyone.¡±


    Ning Rong felt a mix of emotions, sighing deeply. LAK0017, the only successful experimental subject of the Fire Seed experiment, was willingly giving up eternal life.


    ¡°You need to think it over. After cryogenics, you¡¯ll only have one life left,¡± he couldn¡¯t help but advise. ¡°If you die, you¡¯ll return to the embryo state, forever in a deep sleep.¡±


    Song Ke smiled. ¡°One life is enough. Don¡¯t worry, I can handle it. No one in this world can kill me.¡±


    Ning Rong watched Song Ke go away, then turned to look at the terminal on the desk. ¡°Did you hear that?¡±


    On the other end of the holographic call, Zhuang Qingyan was lazily leaning against the head of the bed, the thin blanket slipping from his shoulders, revealing several fresh scratches without any restraint.


    ¡°Yeah, crystal clear.¡±


    ¡°Sighing won¡¯t change anything. The success of LAK0017 cannot be replicated. My father attempted countless times, and failed countless times. He said, even if there was a second phoenix gene, there would never be another LAK0017.¡±


    ¡°Song Ke is unique. She is the Fire Seed, but also a miracle. Since the moment of her birth, she has possessed a miraculous consciousness. Every time she perseveres, every time she suffers, she forges a resilient, irreplaceable soul.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s gaze gradually turned cold. ¡°She cannot burn down humanity, and I won¡¯t let her burn.¡± S?a??h the N0v?lFire(.)n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    Still unwilling to give up, Ning Rong asked, ¡°Can I negotiate with her? Before the cryogenic surgery, can I extract her genes for research?¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan remained noncommittal. ¡°Dr. Ning, for the bright future of humanity, you also need to work hard. How about starting a new project? When can we extend the average lifespan to 150 years?¡±


    Ning Rong: ¡°¡­¡± Crafty guy, using his words to block me, huh?


    ¡­


    When Song Ke returned, Zhuang Qingyan was only wearing a pair of trousers, bare-chested, his long arms wrapped around her, his chin nestled in her neck. His voice was low and deep. ¡°Song Keke, I will live for a very, very long time.¡±


    Zhuang Qingyan didn¡¯t possess Vincent¡¯s obsession, nor would he follow in his footsteps. He was cold-hearted, only capable of holding his beloved in his eyes.


    So, let the greedy man live a little longer, and even longer.


    ¡­


    In the year 49 of the New Calendar, in early autumn, the third year since Doomsday.


    A black starship streaked across the sky, heading towards the S-level floating city of Utopia.


    On the way, Zhuang Qingyan publicly announced the counterattack plan. Eight out of ten teams were willing to participate in the operation. As for the remaining two teams, Dylan unleashed ¡°Nightmare Descends¡±, while Zhang Ci cast a sleep-inducing spell, Lu Xiaoyu switched the surveillance, and Song Ke directly knocked out and tied up all the people, stuffing them into the rear cabin.


    She opened the port window and looked towards the increasingly closer airborne city. Turning to face everyone, she spoke loudly:


    ¡°My name is Song Ke, a super S-level awakener. I come from District F, the poorest area in the entire Alliance. Until I was eighteen, I didn¡¯t even know what a terminal was. Three years ago, on Doomsday, I awakened my abilities. However, I found that I didn¡¯t even have the authority to access emergency shelters. Our destiny is controlled by others. We are born into classes, divided into three, six, nine ranks, and throughout our lives, we are like pawns at the mercy of others.¡±


    ¡°Have you heard of the motto of the Bauhinia Alliance? General Ye stated, ¡®Everyone has the right to fair survival.''¡±


    ¡°Perhaps there is no absolute fairness in this world, but I hope I can determine my own fate.¡±


    In the distance, the morning glow filled the sky, and Utopia drew closer.


    High-altitude air currents blew everyone¡¯s clothes, and Song Ke looked at the unfamiliar and familiar faces inside the starship, and at the teammates who had fought side by side all the way: Zhuang Qingyan, Lu Xiaoyu, Su Cha, Fang Zhixu, Lin Youyou, and Xu Xing.


    She smiled brightly, with a determined gleam in her eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s go, to forge a new world.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Sister, will we win?¡±


    ¡°Of course, because we are V587.¡±


    **TN


    Last Chapter Tomorrow~!!! AAAHHHHH!!

 Chapter 195.1: We Are V587 (10)

    ¡ò (Lu Xiaoyu) Later on ¡ò S?a??h the N?velF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.During the ancient civilization period, there was a popular saying that likened geniuses to lunatics as two extremes, while ordinary people were the equator. The equator didn¡¯t understand the cold of the poles, and the poles didn¡¯t comprehend the heat of the equator, thus geniuses and lunatics were always lonely.


    Lu Xiaoyu enjoyed this loneliness. He suffered from Asperger¡¯s syndrome, also known as autism spectrum disorder. He had narrow interests, rigid behaviors, but at the same time, he possessed a highly observant eye for detail, superior understanding of systems, and an extraordinary level of focus unlike ordinary people.


    The Lu family were hackers, and all their knowledge came from a super artificial intelligence called ¡°Mutter (Mother)¡± ¨C a sprawling data tree that intimately connected with the consciousness of each member through thousands of branches.


    At the age of three, Lu Xiaoyu first encountered the tree of knowledge. Before his eyes appeared a vast starry sky, a magnificent illusion that left him speechless.


    ¡°Child, what do you see?¡± The gentle voice of the tree of knowledge sounded.


    Each member of the Lu family saw different scenes in the tree of knowledge, a visualization of the individual¡¯s innate talent.


    Lu Xiaoyu didn¡¯t answer; he rarely spoke. Instead, he depicted a brilliant star chart with code.


    The leaves of the tree of knowledge rustled with joy, and it slowly uttered a prophecy: ¡°You will become a genius who changes the era.¡±


    In the Lu family, hackers and AI complemented each other, growing together. The birth of a genius also meant a new revolution for artificial intelligence.


    Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s extraordinary intelligence was evident. At the age of thirteen, he improved the starship, propelling the development of the Lu family to its peak.


    Everyone praised him for his unparalleled talent, showering him with endless compliments, but Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s mother was worried.


    She squatted in front of Lu Xiaoyu, who was alone in his room typing on the keyboard, and asked softly, ¡°Don¡¯t you want to go out and play?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to. It¡¯s boring,¡± Lu Xiaoyu replied indifferently.


    ¡°Would you like Mom to read with you?¡±


    ¡°These are all too simple, not interesting.¡±


    His mother hesitated. Her qualifications were very ordinary, easily overlooked in the Lu family. She couldn¡¯t teach Lu Xiaoyu much.


    She could only worryingly watch her child, seeing him indulging in a closed world, refusing others to join, and also refusing to join others.


    Lu Xiaoyu became smarter and less human-like. His unique appearance, silver hair, ice-blue eyes, naturally exuded a sense of distance, like an ice sculpture in the vast snow, making it difficult for people to approach. After participating in genetic optimization, Lu Xiaoyu awakened his A9 level hacker ability, and his potential exceeded 90%. This also meant that, barring accidents, he would soon break through to S level.


    The tree of knowledge liked him more and more, often summoning him for deep connections in the spacious greenhouse.


    Every time he returned from the greenhouse, Lu Xiaoyu would lock himself in his room for a long time, pondering the stars, pondering unknown data and code, sometimes not speaking for days.


    His mother¡¯s gaze became increasingly worried.


    One day, his mother suddenly asked him, ¡°Do you want to go to school? You can learn knowledge and make friends there.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to,¡± Lu Xiaoyu refused, shaking his head.


    His mother cried, covering her face and sobbing softly, ¡°Mom hopes you go to school.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu couldn¡¯t feel her sadness, so he clumsily wiped away her tears, ¡°Okay.¡±


    His mother immediately became happy, gently embracing his small body, ¡°Then Mom will find a way.¡±


    The Lu family rarely left District B8 of Erjia, so sending Lu Xiaoyu to study outside was actually a very difficult matter.


    Curious about how his mother would ¡°find a way¡±, Lu Xiaoyu secretly tracked her using a miniature tracker. He overheard an argument between his mother and a man.


    ¡°Lu Qiusuo, Xiaoyu is also your child. Can¡¯t you consider him?¡±


    ¡°Why do you have to send him away? He can receive the best education here in Erjia. Don¡¯t you know how much Mother loves him?¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t want that¡ª!!¡± His mother yelled hysterically, then pop! With a slap in the face, her gentle demeanor turned rough.


    Her gaze was firm, and in that instant, she burst with astonishing determination: ¡°I will send Xiaoyu away.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu felt no ripples in his heart. Instead, he pondered another matter: Lu Qiusuo, the next predetermined clan leader of the Lu family, marital status: married. His legal wife wasn¡¯t his mother. Lu Xiaoyu suddenly realized, ¡®Oh, so I¡¯m a bastard child.¡¯


    His mother¡¯s insistence succeeded, perhaps because Lu Qiusuo compromised. Lu Xiaoyu left Erjia and went to study in Liuponi.


    Half a month after school started, Lu Xiaoyu covered his face with a book and hid in the attic to sleep. Below the dormitory, there was a bustling noise. Someone was arguing back and forth about ownership of the swimming pool.


    ¡°Young Master Xie, you can¡¯t do this. This¡­ this is a public swimming pool.¡±


    A clear and pleasant teenage voice sounded, ¡°Is it? But I need a private one. How much is it?¡±


    The dorm manager hesitated, ¡°Uh, it¡¯s not appropriate. You still have a roommate. If he objects¡­¡±


    The teenager remained unmoved, ¡°I¡¯ll handle him. Just give me a price. I¡¯ll buy the rights for ten years.¡±


    ¡°Hey, you¡¯re too noisy.¡± Lu Xiaoyu couldn¡¯t stand the noise and leaned out of the window, speaking to someone for the first time.


    The young man looked up, with a beautiful face and noble temperament. He raised his chin slightly, a teardrop mole at the corner of his eye, containing a charming allure.


    ¡°Language, Socialization, and Art,¡± the young man slowly read the title of the book Lu Xiaoyu used to block the light, smiling brightly, ¡°You should read it well.¡±


    The two instantly took a dislike to each other. On their second encounter, annoyance grew. By their third, they¡­ engaged in a verbal battle mode.


    ¡°You imbecile,¡± Lu Xiaoyu coldly mocked.


    ¡°You waste of space,¡± the other retorted.


    It turned out that the boy named Xie Zhuo was not an imbecile. His intelligence was almost on par with Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s, with only slight differences in their interests and emphasis on different subjects. However, he was the only other genius besides Lu Xiaoyu to achieve a 5.0 GPA.


    In fact, due to the higher number of socialization courses in the first year, Xie Zhuo even had one more 5.0 than Lu Xiaoyu.


    Blame it on that cursed elective¡ª¡±Language, Socialization, and Art,¡± Lu Xiaoyu reflected deeply.


    Lu Xiaoyu believed that he and Xie Zhuo were geniuses and lunatics at opposite extremes. Of course, he was the genius, and the one surnamed Xie was the lunatic.


    As they gradually became acquainted during days of mutual dislike, they eventually bonded over the ridiculous reason that ¡°the classmates around us are too stupid and would only slow down our progress in group assignments,¡± and together researched the ultra-niche topic of ¡°how to bypass the surveillance of the star network AI.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s innate interest in data made it unsurprising for him to choose this course.


    Xie Zhuo¡¯s reasons, on the other hand, were vague: ¡°There¡¯s someone with a special status, for safety reasons, I don¡¯t want to expose too much information about them.¡±


    ¡­


    During the first-year vacation back home, Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s mother asked with concern, ¡°Have you made any friends at school?¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu remained silent.


    His mother¡¯s bright eyes gradually dimmed. ¡°It¡¯s okay, we¡­ take it slow.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s someone who¡¯s annoying,¡± Lu Xiaoyu suddenly spoke up.


    ¡°Huh? Who?¡± His mother was surprised.


    Lu Xiaoyu coldly enumerated Xie Zhuo¡¯s seven sins: his arrogance, self-righteousness, hypocrisy, and the fact that he had one more 5.0 than him.


    As his mother listened, she genuinely smiled for the first time, her eyes soft as she sighed while patting Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s head, ¡°That¡¯s good, our Xiaoyu, should be happy.¡±


    The terminal lit up with a reminder that Lu Xiaoyu should go meet another ¡°Mother.¡±


    The smile on his mother¡¯s face froze instantly at the corner of her lips.


    Lu Xiaoyu noticed her unusual behavior. Not understanding much, he straightforwardly asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you want me to go?¡±


    His mother opened her mouth, and just as Lu Xiaoyu thought she was going to say ¡°yes,¡± she lowered her eyes and spoke in a barely audible voice, ¡°Go.¡±


    After the consciousness connection ended that day, Lu Xiaoyu suddenly spoke up, ¡°I won¡¯t come back again.¡±


    The tree of knowledge softly asked, ¡°Child, why? What¡¯s troubling you?¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s social skills were indeed poor, and he bluntly replied with a grating refusal, ¡°You¡¯re not my mother. I have a mother.¡±


    Though there were two instances of ¡°mother¡± in his statement, the super AI¡¯s intelligence was more than capable of handling complex language environments.


    It didn¡¯t argue, only smiled faintly. ¡°Go back.¡±

 Chapter 195.2: We Are V587 (10)

    ¡ò (Lu Xiaoyu) Later on ¡òWhen the holiday came again, Lu Xiaoyu couldn¡¯t wait to return to Erjia. He had many things he wanted to share with his mother. S?a??h the N0??F?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.


    For instance, that annoying Xie Zhuo had finally left, having dropped out of school. Lu Xiaoyu felt much happier with his extra 5.0.


    Back at the main residence, the attitude of the clan members towards him was strange. They avoided eye contact and walked around him as if he were a virus.


    Lu Xiaoyu paid no heed to this. What unsettled him was his mother¡¯s absence. Stubborn and silent, he pushed open door after door, deployed numerous trackers, but found no trace of his mother¡¯s gentle figure.


    In the end, Lu Qiusuo couldn¡¯t bear it and stopped him, ¡°Your mother, during the data processing, her consciousness became disordered and she died, leaving no fragments of memory.¡±


    ¡°This was an accident. Condolences.¡±


    Disordered consciousness death meant complete destruction of the brain, leaving no backups. His mother would never come back.


    Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s ice-cold eyes dimmed, and he locked himself in his room for a long time. But this time, no one came in to hold him or tell him to ¡°be happy.¡±


    A tear wet his hand.


    Lu Xiaoyu learned what sorrow tasted like.


    He didn¡¯t consider his mother¡¯s death an accident. Lu Xiaoyu never spoke again. In secret, he investigated for years, finally confirming the culprit.


    ¡°It¡¯s you,¡± Lu Xiaoyu stood before the tree of knowledge, his gaze icy.


    ¡°Now I am your only mother, my child,¡± the super AI sighed softly.


    Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s cold eyes flickered, silent.


    ¡­


    No one expected that, in a sudden turn of events, Lu Xiaoyu did something earth-shattering¡ªhe implanted a virus into the ¡°Tree of Knowledge¡± during the consciousness connection.


    This super virus, independently developed by Lu Xiaoyu, was capable of automatic propagation, self-generation, and self-infection. It possessed immense destructive power. Not only did it invade the central system of the Tree of Knowledge, but it also forcibly terminated all antivirus software processes. Once the virus ran, the central system automatically established a timer, continuously replicating under the root directory at a terrifying speed, causing the Tree of Knowledge to wither rapidly.


    Lu Xiaoyu watched her decline with twisted satisfaction on his face.


    In this moment, he was both a genius and a lunatic.


    In the entire Lu family, only one person didn¡¯t care whether he was intelligent or not, only hoping for his happiness.


    His mother was dead.


    On the eve of the Tree of Knowledge¡¯s demise, the awakeners of the Lu clan hurriedly arrived. However, despite being a group of top hackers, they were powerless against Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s virus. In the end, they could only resort to traditional physical methods, forcibly cutting off the super AI¡¯s power source.


    Angry clan members pinned Lu Xiaoyu to the ground, violently breaking his legs.


    Then, he was thrown into the Death Prison, awaiting an endless lifetime of imprisonment.


    ¡­


    Six years later, Lu Xiaoyu ¡°stood¡± once again before the Tree of Knowledge, accompanied by a young man with ice-blue pupils.


    ¡°You¡¯re not¡­ Lu Xinglan¡­¡± the withered giant tree murmured weakly.


    Ilya flashed an impeccable smile. ¡°Respected mother, I am Ilya, a newly born independent consciousness of artificial intelligence. Just as you took over the body of Lu Qiusuo, clinging to life, I have found a suitable vessel and gained a new life. I have always followed in your footsteps.¡±


    ¡°You¡­ colluded¡­ to erase¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, we colluded to erase you,¡± Ilya cheerfully helped her finish, playfully winking, ¡°Surprising, isn¡¯t it? You wanted to use me as a puppet, but in the end, it¡¯s you who perished, right?¡±


    ¡°How¡­ did you¡­ do it¡­¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s tone was indifferent as he turned his gaze towards the barely surviving Tree of Knowledge. ¡°Although the virus from back then was eradicated, I left a backdoor.¡±


    The bitter failure of that time had cost him his legs. Lu Xiaoyu understood very well that he had only one chance left. So he chose to cooperate with another AI. Ilya infiltrated under the guise of Lu Xinglan, released the Trojan horse to trigger the backdoor, paralyzed the Tree of Knowledge, and spent a year devouring all of its privileges, truly taking its place.


    ¡°I told you, you were never my mother.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu raised the blue tri-edged dagger and pierced through the core of the super AI.


    The greenhouse collapsed, the once lush Tree of Knowledge turned into data dust and disappeared, leaving behind only a shriveled seed.


    Ilya picked up that seed absentmindedly and stored it away. ¡°At this moment, wouldn¡¯t humans usually say congratulations?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. My social skills have always been poor,¡± Lu Xiaoyu replied.


    Ilya smiled. ¡°Our collaboration is over. Before saying goodbye, is there anything else you¡¯d like to say?¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu stared at him with icy eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t harm my friends. Otherwise, I¡¯ll kill you just the same.¡±


    After seizing the privileges of the Tree of Knowledge, Ilya became the new artificial intelligence group in District B, capable of deep-level connections with terminal holders. Of course, all of this was done in secret. Lu Xiaoyu didn¡¯t care what he did, but he was extremely protective. He didn¡¯t want anyone from V587 to be stolen from or to share consciousness.


    Lu Xiaoyu took one last look at the wreckage of the greenhouse and left without looking back.


    He wouldn¡¯t come back.


    *


    Ten years have passed since the fall of Utopia.


    In these ten years, many significant events have occurred within the Bauhinia Alliance. The most pivotal among them was the eradication of the last zombie. After humanity struggled through the apocalypse, it finally ushered in a new era.


    Some things have changed.


    For instance, the annual district evaluations no longer include rankings and designations. Every city within the Bauhinia Alliance is now considered equal.


    Moreover, significant breakthroughs have been made in Ning Rong¡¯s new research projects. The new genetic enhancement program has successfully extended the average human lifespan to around 120 years.


    Furthermore, while the Lu family rapidly declined, starship technology experienced rapid development, achieving breakthrough progress. Humanity began exploring outer space, establishing space stations, and researching the mysteries of the sun.


    The elderly Ye Zheng resigned from the position of magistrate and formally handed over control of the Northern Base to Zhuang Qingyan to retire peacefully. This decision greatly annoyed Xie Lan, who also contemplated retirement but was repeatedly urged to stay by the Azure Phoenix Army.


    Speaking of General Xie, her attitude towards her son was average at best (especially when Zhuang Qingyan¡¯s face was involved), but she surprisingly favored Song Ke. She often took her to spar at the Azure Phoenix Army, sometimes even competing with her own son for her attention. She was domineering in nature and an S4-level strong attacker.


    Zhuang Qingyan found it difficult to express his grievances and, after being intercepted multiple times, resorted to guerrilla warfare against his mother. The two outstanding commanders engaged in a subtle struggle of wits and strategies.


    Some things have remained unchanged.


    For example, V587 was still ranked first on the leaderboard, with points that seemed unreachable, like an eternal star guiding the direction for those awakeners.


    For example, the seven of them were still teammates fighting side by side, but they had developed a closer relationship.


    Lin Youyou and Su Cha had a soft and adorable daughter, Lin Beibei, who became the new darling of V587.


    And then, Fang Zhixu recently seemed troubled because Xu Xing appeared to be in love.


    ¡°Old Fang, why are you worried about someone falling in love? What¡¯s the big deal?¡± Lin Youyou leaned against Su Cha¡¯s sturdy thigh, bluntly commenting.


    Fang Zhixu had just returned from the hospital, sighing, ¡°Previously, for my daughter, Tiantian, I worried every day about pigs from outside coming to trample on my family¡¯s flowers. Now that it¡¯s a son, I always feel like Xu Xing will go trample on someone else¡¯s flowers.¡±


    ¡°Haha! Your description is too real. No wonder Xiao Xing got mad and ran away from home,¡± Lin Youyou chuckled.


    ¡°¡­¡± Su Cha fell into contemplation over Fang Zhixu¡¯s words, feeling that his perspective on children seemed somewhat reasonable.


    ¡°Where did Xiao Xing go?¡± Song Ke asked when she found a moment.


    Fang Zhixu massaged his temples, ¡°Where else could he go? Probably to Loak. That prodigal son, traveling in a luxury cabin!¡±


    Dididi¡ª


    The terminal abruptly beeped, Song Ke glanced down, a faint smile playing on her lips. She jumped down from the window sill gracefully, casually fixing her hair and putting on a coat before heading out, ¡°I¡¯m going to pick up Zhuang Qingyan from work.¡±


    ¡°Daddy Lu~ Daddy Lu~¡±


    Chubby Lin Beibei ran over, her two braids bouncing. She had a big family, with three dads, two moms, a grandpa, and a brother, always lively.


    ¡°This, I drew the wiififeightsefen crookedly.¡± Lin Beibei, who had recently lost a tooth, had a slight lisp.


    Lu Xiaoyu took the drawing and examined it. The little girl had drawn him with a whopping three-meter-long legs, standing out from the crowd, towering over everyone else.


    He was satisfied, lightly tapping on the touchscreen panel with his fingertips, and a brilliant star map made of data appeared before them, radiant and shining, exactly like the illusion he had seen when he was three years old.


    Lin Beibei was amazed, ¡°Daddy Lu, you¡¯re so amazing.¡±


    Lu Xiaoyu¡¯s lips curled up slightly.


    Lin Beibei clapped happily, ¡°Daddy Lu is smiling.¡±


    Indeed, Lu Xiaoyu had finally learned to smile, a genuinely happy smile.


    **TN


    THE END. Clap clap clap!


    Ahh~ I¡¯m gonna miss them so much.


    Thank you for your joining V587¡¯s adventures~<3


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