ICAWZ Chapter 52

Thanks to Crystal for donating on ko-fi~!!

Earlier, Lu Yuan said they should go left, purely due to feudal superstition. However, the Zerg Race certainly wouldn’t believe in such things as left being lucky and right being unlucky. The right path has fewer variations among the mutant species, and it does seem safer. After all, no one knows the specific situation inside; they can only temporarily trust the instruments.

Since Lu Yuan has already spoken, there’s no need to argue further. General Saphir weighed the options and reluctantly ordered the troops to move to the right. However, as soon as they entered the dark and secluded path, they keenly sensed that something was amiss.

There was just too much silence around them.

This kind of silence wasn’t the complete absence of sound, but rather a desolate and dead silence. They could even hear the loud thumping of their own hearts and the slow flow of their blood.

At the end of the road, darkness loomed, surrounded by thick fog that obscured any view of the surroundings. Ancient trees covered the sky, their branches growing wildly and twisting into grotesque shapes, hiding in the darkness with an eerie and bizarre aura.

“Creak—”

A faint, crunchy sound suddenly came from the front, as if someone were chewing on something, and it seemed to be a hard substance like bones. In the silent forest, it felt particularly jarring.

Everyone exchanged glances, sensing that something was off. However, they could only grit their teeth and continue forward, tightly gripping their energy guns, ready for any sudden developments.

Lu Yuan, with keen eyes, noticed that ahead in the thin mist, there seemed to be a massive black bird, hunched over and feeding on something. Its feathers were mottled, disappearing around its neck, replaced by a head of long, black strands. Ignoring the avian claws on its lower body, it appeared as if a human were facing away from them.

Lu Yuan couldn’t help but feel a chill in his heart at the sight: What kind of creature is this?!

Yusto silently grabbed Lu Yuan and pulled him behind him, signaling with a raised hand for the team behind to stop advancing and immediately retreat.

They all sensed that something was off with the strange bird. Even Faeus did not speak; he frowned, gesturing for his subordinates to retreat silently, forbidding any noise.

The team consisted of well-trained military females who, upon seeing the signal, immediately began to slowly step back with their guns raised. However, at that moment, a crisp sound suddenly echoed in the air, freezing them in place in unison—

“Click!”

Maos, the StarNet journalist, had somehow lifted his camera and snapped a photo of the strange bird in the distance, the flash startlingly conspicuous in the dim light.

The strange bird in the distance, perhaps sensing something, paused in its feeding, slowly turning to look in their direction. Its visage caused all the zergs to collectively inhale sharply in astonishment.

The eyes of the strange bird were slender and upturned, adorned with a thick layer of lashes. Its nose, unlike typical birds, had not just two nostril holes but a human-like, well-defined bridge. The beak was short and sharp, and its slender neck lacked feathers, replaced by red-colored growths. Long strands of hair cascaded down from its head, partially concealing a face that resembled a human, sending shivers down everyone’s spine.

“Hehehe, hehehe, hehehe~”

Suddenly, the strange bird emitted a sharp, feminine laughter that echoed through the dense forest. It then unfurled wings several meters long and flew directly towards Lu Yuan and the others.

General Saphir’s face changed slightly upon seeing this, and he shouted, “Not good! Retreat quickly! It’s a t4 advanced mutant species!”

The Salaranfa Empire was only aware of mutant species up to t2 at present. The giant bird in front of them had already gained sentience and was at least a t4 level!

The team immediately turned and retreated, opening fire to halt the creature. However, it was too late. The giant bird had already spread its wings and swooped down, its steel-like claws grabbing two military females and soaring into the sky.

“Bang—!”

Lu Yuan and Yusto almost simultaneously raised their guns and fired, targeting the creature’s eyes with several shots. Though they didn’t manage to hit it directly, the strange bird still felt the pain, causing it to release the two military females from its claws.

“Second and third team, cover the retreat of the equipment! First team, stay back and hold the rear!”

In the face of crisis, General Saphir decisively ordered the team to escort the professor and the equipment to safety while he, with his wings spread wide, and a team member took to the sky to intercept the strange bird.

Yusto directly tossed a replenishment magazine to Lu Yuan, giving him a push backward. Urgently, he said, “You quickly retreat with them! I’ll find you later!”

After speaking, Yusto spread his silver wings and swiftly flew into the sky, entering a semi-zerg state, engaging in combat with the strange bird.

Lu Yuan, aware of his limited combat abilities, knew he would only complicate things by staying, so he assisted the team in their retreat. Turning around, he noticed the fearless StarNet journalist still snapping photos of the aerial battle. Frustrated, he kicked him hard in the backside, saying, “Stop taking photos, damn it! Hurry up and run!”

It was this guy taking non-silent photos that alarmed the strange bird earlier. Lu Yuan felt the urge to kick him to death!

Maos, the journalist, willing to sacrifice even his life for a scoop, obviously wasn’t afraid of a mere strange bird. However, after being kicked to the ground by Lu Yuan, he sensibly clutched his precious camera and joined the team in retreating to the left.

The Northern Zerg Clan remained motionless, their gaze cold and indifferent. Their beliefs, instilled since childhood, sharply contrasted with those of the westerners, advocating wisdom for self-preservation and prioritizing self-interest. This mindset persisted even before the split with the westerners tens of thousands of years ago. In the current perilous situation, charging forward would be suicidal, and they were even less inclined to act recklessly.

“Let’s go!”

Faeus gritted his teeth, uttering these words one by one. The pitch-black wings behind him suddenly unfolded, creating a swift gust of cold wind. The nails on his fingers instantly expanded, covered in a layer of tough, sharp scales. He took the lead and flew into the sky, joining the battle.

Upon hearing their leader’s command, the remaining northern military females hesitated for a moment, then one by one, they unfolded their wings and entered a semi-zerg state, following closely to assist.

At the moment when the pitch-black wings unfolded in the sky, it seemed as though they all abandoned their long-standing beliefs. Even before this land was completely divided, their ancestors had fought side by side in this way. At that time, camaraderie transcended both friendship and differences in skin color or status.

If I am destined to perish,

No need for gold or silver in my grave, no need for lavish attire.

Grant me a pair of flawless wings,

Right wing in black, left wing in white.

And then, erect a stone tablet for me, inscribe the deeds of the past,

So when I rest eternally, my comrades will not forget the battles we once fought.

The northern military females were numerous and inherently combative, noticeably turning the tide once they joined the battlefield. This eased the pressure on Yusto and the others to some extent. However, the massive size of the strange bird made it challenging to deal with, and engaging it remained quite difficult.

General Saphir clearly didn’t expect Faeus to lend a hand. He looked at them with surprise, frowning as he spoke, “Delay for another ten minutes and then find a way to fly out for retreat! Don’t linger and die!”

According to General Saphir’s estimation, ten minutes should be enough for Lu Yuan and the others to retreat to a safe location. However, what he didn’t anticipate was that the left path was infested with a dense swarm of giant flying ants. Their situation wasn’t much better than theirs, forcing Lu Yuan and the others to retreat back the same way.

“Damn it!”

Lu Yuan, looking at the overwhelming swarm of flying ants approaching, couldn’t help but curse vehemently. These mutant flying ants were as large as an adult’s fist, and their secretions had corrosive and paralyzing effects. In just ten seconds, they could reduce a person to a skeleton.

During Lu Yuan’s time wandering through the dense forest, he had witnessed these ants prey on creatures several hundred times their size. Normally, the ants would avoid them, so why had there suddenly been so many today?

The military females responsible for protecting them quickly reloaded their magazines and began a frenzied barrage into the air. However, the relentless waves of flying ants kept coming, one after another, seeming endless and impossible to completely eliminate.

A professor in protective gear, seeing the increasing number of ants, hurriedly opened an instrument case and urgently shouted to everyone, “There’s a flamethrower in the instrument case! Quickly, use the flamethrower to burn them!”

For some reason, the flying ants didn’t attack Lu Yuan. Upon hearing about the flamethrower in the instrument case, he swiftly climbed onto the transport truck, grabbing a bunch of cylindrical weapons from inside and tossed them to the military females who were shooting, saying, “Use these flamethrowers!”

Fire was evidently more efficient than energy bullets. The military females took the flamethrowers, immediately aiming into the air and unleashing sheets of flames. A pungent smell of burning filled the air as the ants were roasted into charred remains.

The leader of the second team, perhaps sensing something, suddenly frowned and exclaimed, “Not good! Behind them, there’s a queen ant controlling the swarm!”

Following the dense swarm of flying ants, they noticed a giant ant with a pristine white body lying quietly on the ground in the distance. Its body gently wriggled, surrounded by an immense number of ant eggs. Every minute, a large batch of flying ants would hatch.

The queen ant was protected by a group of higher-level flying ants, making it almost impervious. It diligently continued laying eggs, and its hatching speed was evidently faster than the flamethrowers’ ability to eliminate them. The military females were finding it increasingly challenging to withstand the onslaught.

Lu Yuan realized why burning them didn’t seem effective—they could replenish their numbers endlessly. The saliva of these flying ants had paralyzing properties, causing limbs to stiffen quickly after being bitten. Many military females had fallen victim, and at this rate, the entire team would be incapacitated soon.

Looking up at the queen ant, Lu Yuan pulled out his energy gun from his waist and began shooting. However, the queen ant’s skin defense was incredibly strong, and the energy bullets had no effect on it.

Seeing the situation, Lu Yuan gritted his teeth and picked up the only remaining flamethrower from the instrument case. Taking advantage of everyone’s distraction, he ran towards the direction where the queen ant was. The flying ants didn’t attack Lu Yuan, but when they collided with him in swarms, the impact felt like being slashed with knives—painful and stinging.

Someone behind him shouted, “What are you doing! It’s dangerous! Come back!”

Ignoring the warning, Lu Yuan covered his mouth and nose with his sleeve, using the flamethrower to fend off the giant flying ants. He struggled to reach the queen ant’s location.

The queen ant was the ruler of the entire flying ant colony, but aside from laying eggs, it had no offensive capabilities. With the flamethrower ammunition depleted, Lu Yuan drew a military knife from behind. Gritting his teeth and making a decisive move, he aimed for the top of the queen ant’s head.

“Crack!”

The queen ant’s head was unharmed, but the knife tip snapped off. Lu Yuan, in his determination, had exerted too much force. His entire palm was cut as the blade broke, and fresh blood streamed down the blade, seeping into the queen ant’s skin.

“Sizzle—!!”

At that moment, something astonishing occurred. The queen ant, who had just been calmly laying eggs, suddenly emitted a sharp and agonizing scream. Its body convulsed violently, and blue smoke billowed from the top of its head.

It was trying to command its subjects to kill Lu Yuan, but as the flying ants approached him, they were scared off by the blood on his body, creating a vacuum around him.

Lu Yuan then realized that they seemed to be afraid of his blood. He took the knife and cut his palm, grasping the bloodied blade tightly before thrusting it into the queen ant.

“Squelch!”

Lu Yuan’s blood was corrosive to the queen ant, and this time, the knife pierced through it effortlessly, directly into its head. A sharp and piercing cry echoed through the dense forest, causing Lu Yuan’s eardrums to ache. The swarms of flying ants suddenly scattered, disappearing in an instant.

In the sky, the strange bird that had been engaging with Yusto and the others seemed to sense something. It became agitated, flapping its wings forcefully. It sent the surrounding military females flying with a powerful sweep and then dove straight toward Lu Yuan’s location.

In the dense forest, the mutated flying ant eggs were an irresistible delicacy for birds. With the ancient queen ant now dead, the eggs beneath its body lost their protection.

The bird with a human face emitted that eerie, ghost-like laughter from its throat, indicating its readiness to feast.

Yusto, upon realizing that Lu Yuan was amidst the swarm of flying ants, had his pupils contract in shock. He unfolded his silver wings, swiftly ascending to rescue him. However, the bird with a human face was even faster. With a swooping motion, its talons reached out, knocking Yusto out of the sky and rapidly descending towards Lu Yuan.

“!!!!”

Lu Yuan, witnessing the monster injuring Yusto, was filled with shock and anger. In an instant, he moved like lightning, dodging the sharp beak attack of the bird with a human face. He seized its neck, and with the bloodied knife, made a forceful cut. Blood gushed out in an instant, splattering Lu Yuan all over.

The bird with a human face evidently didn’t anticipate being wounded by an ordinary knife. Its throat, corroded by Lu Yuan’s blood, emitted wisps of blue smoke. Realizing the situation, it began violently flapping its wings, letting out a series of short and pained cries. Its sharp claws directly scratched Lu Yuan’s right arm.

However, this move was akin to hurting the enemy while also injuring oneself. Lu Yuan’s blood only intensified the creature’s agony. Clutching the bird’s neck firmly, Lu Yuan forcefully pressed it to the ground. With furious stabs at its neck, he cursed loudly:

“F*ck your grandpa! I finally got you! I don’t even have time to feel the pain! You dare to attack him, damn it! You dare to come out and scare people with your bird-like appearance! Can’t you just stay in your nest?!”

Lu Yuan’s face was covered in blood, his expression stern. Stabbing with the knife and cursing vehemently, he resembled a furious god. The military females who initially thought of rushing to help were all stunned, watching the scene in front of them with wide eyes. Some struggled to swallow their saliva, thinking: This zerg is too ruthless!

Only Maos, the journalist, excitedly raised his camera, aiming it at the chaotic scene—a giant ant, a long-haired bizarre bird. What a sensational topic! It would definitely go viral when posted on the internet!

After a continuous series of stabs, Lu Yuan panted as he finally broke the knife from excessive use. The bizarre bird was already dead, pierced all over like a sieve.

With a clatter, Lu Yuan threw away the broken knife. His mind, previously clouded by anger, finally calmed down. It was then he remembered to check on Yusto’s condition.

Yusto had fought for an extended period, and by now, he was completely exhausted, even lacking the strength to fly. His chest and abdomen bore several deep lacerations, revealing bone and causing a gruesome sight. His military uniform was soaked in blood, presenting a disturbingly vivid dark red.

Lu Yuan was startled upon seeing this, quickly helping him up from the ground. “Yusto?!”

Yusto, with severe injuries, looked pale. Even the silver wings behind him silently retracted. He gazed at Lu Yuan, relieved to find him unharmed, and shook his head with a frown. “I’m fine…”

The team had military medics, and General Saphir quickly dispatched them to attend to Yusto’s injuries. Lu Yuan had to step back and give way, but as he stood up from the ground, his vision suddenly darkened, and he felt unsteady on his feet.

Witnessing this, one of the military medics exclaimed and rushed to support him. “Are you okay?!”

Lu Yuan struggled to gather himself and shook his head forcefully. “I’m… I’m fine. Just a bit…”

“A bit of what?” the medic inquired.

Dizzy.

Lu Yuan couldn’t finish his sentence. His eyes closed, and he fainted on the spot. The military medic instinctively caught him, only to discover gruesome claw marks on Lu Yuan’s back and shoulder blades. Panicking, the medic urgently called out, “Bring the medical kit over! We have another injured person here!”

The leaders in the team, aware of Lu Yuan’s status as a male zerg, were alarmed upon hearing about his injury. They quickly grabbed the medical personnel to attend to him, causing a chaotic scene.

However, Lu Yuan was unaware of this. He felt like he had slept for a very long time. In his dream, a yellow bus was slowly driving on a mountain road, swaying and jolting, eventually jolting him awake.

When Lu Yuan groggily opened his eyes, he found himself inside a green military tent, lying on a soft air mattress. His fingertips were slightly numb, and when he tried to move, half of his shoulder felt tingly.

Yusto had been staying up all night by his side. Sensing Lu Yuan waking up, he quickly got up from the ground and felt Lu Yuan’s forehead to check his temperature. Frowning with concern, he asked, “How are you feeling? Is there anywhere uncomfortable?”

Lu Yuan’s mind was still a bit fuzzy, and it took him a few seconds to comprehend the meaning of Yusto’s words. He asked slowly, “Where am I?”

Yusto explained in a low voice, “Inside the tent. We’re not far from the center of the forest. When it gets bright tomorrow, we’ll continue for a while and reach our destination.”

During Lu Yuan’s unconsciousness, General Saphir had been concerned that staying in one place might attract other mutated species. They had been moving swiftly, and fortunately, they didn’t encounter any particularly troublesome issues until the latter part of the night when they found a safe spot to set up camp and rest.

Lu Yuan lowered his head to examine himself and found a bandage wrapped around his wounds. It was evident that his injuries had been treated. He then looked up at Yusto and noticed that the latter was only wearing a loose white shirt. Through the collar, he could vaguely see thick bandages, and there were even faint signs of blood seeping through.

Yusto’s injuries were evidently much more severe.

Frowning, Lu Yuan sat up on the bed. “How about your injuries?”

Yusto shook his head. “I’m fine.”

He finished speaking and knelt half down at the bedside, checking Lu Yuan’s wounds on his back. Noticing that the bandage was bloodless, he then inclined his head and planted a cool kiss on Lu Yuan’s cheek. In a muffled voice, he said, “Your Excellency, I have to admit, I regret bringing you here…”

The depths of the jungle were so perilous, and even a powerful S-class warrior would find it challenging to survive in such an environment, let alone protect others. Yusto repeatedly recalled the scene of yesterday’s ambush, considering a myriad of possibilities. He realized that the best outcome would be for both him and Lu Yuan to die together, as there seemed to be no other chance of survival.

To die together…

This cruel statement stirred Yusto’s heart with conflicting emotions. He both yearned to be with the other person forever and hesitated to inflict any harm. It was only at this moment that Yusto realized he had been secretly hoping for Lu Yuan to live well, even if that hope had nothing to do with himself.

Lu Yuan noticed Yusto seemed to be blaming himself and fell into a brief silence before saying, “But I don’t regret coming here.”

Yusto, with his crimson eyes, gazed silently at him, as if he had already guessed something but had refrained from speaking it out loud. “You want to find your origin, don’t you?” he finally asked.

Or perhaps, that place could also be called home.

Yusto was the witness who had brought Lu Yuan out of the jungle with his own hands. He understood Lu Yuan’s unique background better than any other zerg. Lu Yuan and Salaranfa were such a mismatched pair, and besides the possibility of a foreign visitor, Yusto couldn’t think of a second explanation.

Yusto wasn’t actually afraid of the threat of Lu Yuan marrying a female consort.

He thought the other wanted to find his hometown.

So, even though he knew he shouldn’t, he still brought Lu Yuan here…

Just for this reason.

Lu Yuan shook his head, “It doesn’t matter anymore, Yusto.”

Whether they could go back or not was no longer important to Lu Yuan. He came here to ensure Yusto’s safety. Even if he couldn’t protect him, being there with him was enough.

“I’m just worried about your safety, that’s all.”

When he wanted to settle down in a place, the origin became less important.

Yusto frowned, “But I’m sure you’ve been searching for something.”

Lu Yuan didn’t answer immediately. After a moment of contemplation, he said, “I have a few lost companions. I want to make sure if they’re still alive.”

Yusto furrowed his brows, “You have other companions?”

Lu Yuan nodded, “Since I managed to survive in the jungle, maybe they can too.”

Yusto didn’t want to discourage Lu Yuan, but he had to be honest, saying, “It might be challenging. Not all males can handle the way you do.”

Not every male can take down two T4-level mutants barehanded. That level of ability is already formidable and somewhat abnormal.

Lu Yuan was unaware of Yusto’s inner thoughts. He lay on the air mattress and then made space, indicating for Yusto to lie down. “It’s getting late. Let’s get some sleep. If we encounter such a situation again, you don’t need to stay up all night watching over me. Just go back to your own tent and rest.”

Yusto, seeing that Lu Yuan’s injuries were not severe, finally relaxed his tense nerves. They lay quietly together on the bed and soon drifted off to sleep. Yusto, with a touch of helplessness in his voice, said, “Your Excellency, this is my tent.”

In the military camp, only the commander could stay in a separate tent. Lieutenants and soldiers slept in communal tents. Yusto had simply given up his bed for Lu Yuan.

Lu Yuan responded nonchalantly, “Oh.”

Unfazed, he closed his eyes and went to sleep.

After a large-scale battle, the mental state of the military females was prone to being on the verge of chaos. Moreover, as they got closer to the origin stone center, many military females in the team were experiencing headaches. Even the robust females from the northern region were not faring well.

The next morning, as the team continued its journey, Lu Yuan noticed that many military females had bloodshot eyes, and the entire group appeared unusually irritable.

Lu Yuan instinctively looked at the research institute professor accompanying them and asked, “Their condition doesn’t look too good. What should we do when we clear the origin stone later?”

The old professor shook his head, “Clearing the origin stones is our responsibility. Their mental state is currently very unstable, and it’s not suitable for them to get close to the contaminated origin stones.”

Lu Yuan nodded, “I see.”

He said so, why bring in a group of professors with no combat abilities? It turns out the real show is here.

As the team ventured deeper into the dense forest, the surroundings became more familiar to Lu Yuan. He systematically guided General Saphir on the route, and this time, no zergs voiced any objections. Even Faeus remained unusually silent.

During their journey, they passed by three lakes, two swamps, and finally, at sunset, arrived at a vast sea of roses—

It was the heart of the entire Solitiam Forest, and also the location where the origin stones were deeply buried.

The sun was about to set, and its silhouette slowly disappeared from the horizon, leaving behind a brilliant rose-colored sky. As dusk approached the edge of the evening glow, it reluctantly held onto the hem of the sky, attempting to linger, and then painted a gentle blue-pink on the horizon.

Below, there were endless mountain ranges and lakes, along with a sea of roses covering thousands of square kilometers. The evening breeze, carrying the fragrance of flowers, swept across this vast and untouched land, causing countless petals to swirl and fall, creating a shower of rose petals.

The white crow soared across the sky, and roses flourished. They had long been hidden deep in the forest, witnessing the immortality and rise and fall of this land, yet maintaining their original state.

Salaranfa had not seen such a vibrant scene in a long time. The military, caught off guard, unconsciously halted their steps, gazing in astonishment at the fragrant and splendid spectacle before them. Apparently, they hadn’t expected the place where the origin stone was buried to be so beautiful.

A professor, holding a device, seemingly detecting the polluted source, suddenly beeped twice, and the red light began to flash frequently. He subconsciously looked at the instrument, only to find the pointer pointing directly to the direction of the rose sea. He looked at General Saphir in amazement and said, “General, we… we’ve found the polluted origin stone?”

The old professor’s words carried a hint of disbelief. Towards the end, his voice suddenly became hoarse, even choked with a trace of emotion. He couldn’t control the trembling of the hand holding the device, and in a moment, his eyes turned red, tears streaming down his face. He said, “We… we’ve finally found it.”

Salaranfa had sacrificed countless soldiers, all in the dream of finding the origin stone.

Upon hearing this, General Saphir closed his eyes silently, tightly clenching his fingertips. He felt an indescribable sadness and sorrow. Despite the fatigue and aging apparent on his face from the battles, a sense of relief finally emerged. When he opened his eyes again, his gaze became resolute, and he issued orders, one word at a time, “All injured personnel, stay in place for recovery. The rest of the team, follow me to escort the equipment into the rose sea and eliminate the polluted origin stone!”

Returning to familiar ground, Lu Yuan couldn’t help but be a bit lost in thought. Hearing General Saphir’s orders, he snapped back to attention and silently followed the team into the rose sea. However, when he turned around, he noticed Yusto also tagging along. Frowning, Lu Yuan asked, “You’re an injured soldier. Why are you coming along?”

Yusto, still a bit pale but with a sharp gaze, raised a slight smile, just like in the past. “Your Excellency, it seems you’re also an injured soldier.”

Lu Yuan replied, “But I’m not a military female, and I don’t have the risk of a mental breakdown.”

Yusto seemed unconcerned, using his gun to clear a path through the flower sea, walking carefully to protect Lu Yuan behind him. “It’s okay, I have a sedative.”

After some consideration, Lu Yuan realized that, anyway, he had pheromones, and if needed, he could help soothe Yusto later. So, he didn’t voice any further objections.

They continued following the instrument’s pointer toward the center of the origin stone. However, as they got closer, the pollution radiation became stronger. Many military females were disturbed, dropping out one by one. Eventually, only a few professors wearing reinforced protective suits, Lu Yuan, and Yusto persisted.

And Yusto.

Lu Yuan was a bit out of breath, turning to look behind. He saw Yusto still following, his face as pale as paper, indicating that his mental strength had been stretched to its limit.

“Yusto, don’t go.”

Lu Yuan suddenly spoke, “Just wait for me here.”

The higher-ranked military females experienced stronger interference, and even General Saphir couldn’t persist. Yusto, being an S-class female, would suffer even more.

However, Yusto shook his head, “It’s okay. You go ahead. If I can’t walk any further, naturally I’ll stop.”

He knew that Lu Yuan wasn’t afraid of contamination, but he still wanted to follow, taking one step at a time.

Lu Yuan fell silent for a moment, “So, I’ll take ten steps, and you can take one. If you manage that, I’ll give you something when you come back.”

Yusto raised an eyebrow, “What something?”

Lu Yuan didn’t tell him, “You’ll know when you come back.”

He turned away, continuing to assist the professors in pushing the instrument forward. Glancing back, as expected, he found Yusto lagging behind, obediently following his pace, taking one step for every ten steps he took.

As the night darkened, Lu Yuan lost track of how long he had been walking. He felt his legs going numb, and just when he was about to give up, he heard the contamination detector suddenly make a rapid, urgent beeping sound. The professors, upon hearing this, immediately stopped and examined the instrument closely. Finally, with excitement, they exclaimed, “The origin stone is right here!”

Lu Yuan asked in surprise, “Are you sure?!”

One of the professors picked up the soil from the ground, turned on a light, and reconfirmed, “Yes, the origin stone is buried here. The color of the soil nearby matches the samples from the laboratory perfectly!”

After their confirmation, they quickly retrieved a military shovel from the instrument box and started digging directly into the ground. The contaminating energy of the origin stone mainly came from its core. As long as they extracted the core and sealed it in a specialized isolation box, bringing it back to Salaranfa’s laboratory for processing, this mission would be considered mostly successful.

Lu Yuan, seeing what was happening, found a military shovel and prepared to help with the digging. However, when he casually looked behind, he discovered a low valley. With the faint moonlight, he could vaguely see a dark shadow at the very bottom.

What could it be?

Furrowing his brows, Lu Yuan took a worried glance, fearing it might be another mutated creature. He borrowed a night vision telescope from the nearby professor and observed. However, when he looked down the valley, he saw an old and battered bus lying quietly at the bottom. The bus was severely deformed, covered in a thick layer of dust, and had several distorted characters barely visible through the telescope—

“Little Yellow Duck Tour”

extra updates as promised since someone supported me on ko-fi ʚ(´꒳`)ɞ