Chapter 127

Chapter 127

Seeing Yan Bubu’s emotions had somewhat stabilized, Feng Chen let him go and told the two sentinels standing outside the house, "No need to search anymore, just draw the zombies out."

Feng Chen led Yan Bubu to a wall on the left, where they stood with their backs against it. The two sentinels immediately understood his intention and joined them.

Feng Chen raised his gun towards the sky and pulled the trigger, the gunshot echoing through the area.

"Zombies are coming!" shouted one of the sentinels suddenly.

From the shadows behind the distant houses, blocked by concrete blocks, several zombies burst out, howling as they lunged towards them. Unlit areas also revealed some staggering figures.

Several quantum beasts charged forward, and the three sentinels opened fire on them, simultaneously using their psychic powers to eliminate the zombies hidden in the dark.

It was Yan Bubu's first time sorting the mental domains for other sentinels and the first time doing so for three at once, making him somewhat nervous.

He was very familiar with Feng Chen's mental domain; it started to sort itself without his intervention. However, he was slightly surprised upon entering the mental domains of the other two sentinels.

Yan Bubu had thought all sentinels' mental domains were the same, but these two were different from Feng Chen's.

He had noticed that Feng Chen's mental domain was continuously expanding. When he was a child playing inside it, he would often hit a transparent wall that prevented his psychic power from progressing further, likely the boundary of the mental domain. As they grew older, Feng Chen's mental domain expanded like a growing universe, and he no longer encountered such barriers.

But the mental domains of these two sentinels were similar to what Feng Chen's had been like at thirteen or fourteen years old; broad, yet he could reach the boundaries while sorting their chaotic psychic powers.

As Yan Bubu was surprised, the two sentinels were also secretly amazed.

They had been reluctant to have this young guide in their squad. Although the young guide was attractive, they preferred more experienced guides in battle.

Inexperienced guides often wandered aimlessly in a sentinel's mental domain, bustling about without effective sorting. Experienced guides, on the other hand, could sort a sentinel's mental domain quickly and efficiently.

This young guide, looking only sixteen or seventeen, clinging to the team leader's hem, seemed to lack combat experience. Therefore, the two sentinels were cautious entering combat, releasing their psychic powers carefully and sparingly, worried the young guide wouldn't keep up.

Contrary to expectations, his sorting was both skilled and swift, without any oversights, even smoothing out those fine, unnoticed psychic strands.

This was no novice guide lacking combat experience; he was more professional than those soldier-guides who had been on missions with the army for years.

With Yan Bubu’s sorting, the two sentinels no longer held back, confidently releasing their psychic powers, striking the zombies hidden in the dark.

Because they were backed against a wall, there was no need to worry about attacks from behind, just focusing their assault forward. After about ten minutes, no new zombies appeared.

When the last gunshot ceased, a sentinel reported, "Captain, no new zombies are emerging."

"Sweep the area again with your psychic powers, extend further, don’t miss any corner."

"Yes."

After a thorough search confirming no more zombies, the trio started to head back.

Feng Chen asked over the communicator, "How are the other teams doing?"

Gunshots mixed with responses filled the earpieces, creating a cacophony.

Ding Hongsheng: "We've nearly cleared all zombies in the northwest direction."

Cai Tao: "Our team is near the small tavern in the southeast, almost done here."

An unfamiliar sentinel: "The soy milk shop in the south is clear."

Feng Chen: "Sweep the area again with psychic powers and regroup at the starting point."

"Yes."

"Yes."

Five more minutes passed, and all the teams regrouped in the alley. Intense gunfire still echoed in the distance. Ding Hongsheng asked Feng Chen, "Feng, where do we go now?"

Feng Chen replied, "We'll follow the commander-in-chief's orders."

Just as he finished speaking, a female voice came through everyone's earpieces.

"This is rental point two in area B. All zombies have been cleared. Awaiting further instructions from the commander-in-chief."

Wang Suizi murmured, "Are Ji Yi and their team also this fast?"

Yan Bubu asked, "Is that Ji Yi’s voice?"

"Yes," nodded Wang Suizi.

After a rustling sound, the commander-in-chief responded, "The personnel at the settlement point are sufficient for now, no reinforcement needed. All teams that have completed their tasks, stand by at your current location."

"Yes," Ji Yi replied.

Cai Tao brushed off the dust on himself, "The commander-in-chief has ordered us to stand by, which means our task is essentially over. We're just waiting to regroup and return. It's too dark here; let's wait on the main street for our ride."

"Okay, let's wait outside," everyone agreed.

As they left the alley, Feng Chen slowed down, holding Yan Bubu’s hand and walking at the back. Keeping a certain distance from the others, he whispered, "When we set off, I saw soldiers from the research institute also coming down to level one."

Yan Bubu turned to look at Feng Chen, squinting under the glare of the forehead light.

Feng Chen raised his hand to turn off the light on Yan Bubu's head and continued, "They went to reinforce the settlement point and won't finish as quickly as us."

Yan Bubu perked up, "You mean we should go there now?"

In the darkness, Feng Chen squeezed Yan Bubu's hand, "Right, now is a rare opportunity."

Since a section of the wiring had burned out, the streetlights along the path were extinguished, casting the surroundings in darkness. As they left the alley, they saw the earlier students gathering and chatting at the street corner, so they turned right and headed towards the checkpoint leading to the second level.

The two quickly disappeared into the darkness, with the black lion and Binunu silently following beside them.

Yan Bubu whispered, "No one noticed us."

Feng Chen didn’t respond but let out a soft sigh.

"I noticed you," Wang Suizi's voice suddenly came from behind them.

Yan Bubu jumped in surprise and quickly turned around, while Feng Chen remained still, continuing to look forward.

"When did you start following us?" Yan Bubu asked in shock.

"We’ve been following the whole time," Wang Suizi and Chen Wenchao stepped forward, stopping in front of him, "Feng knew we were following. His black lion looked back once."

Chen Wenchao looked towards Feng Chen, "Feng."

Feng Chen then turned around and asked calmly, "You’re coming too?"

"Yes, Principal Su already briefed me and Chen Wenchao. We’re to fully cooperate with your actions," Wang Suizi said, both nervous and excited, speaking quickly, "Chen Wenchao said you might act tonight, so we’ve been watching. I’m fully prepared and ready to charge at any moment."

Feng Chen paused, "We're not going to fight."

"I know, we’re going to the research institute to steal something, to find General Lin Feng," Wang Suizi's voice trembled, "Don’t worry, Chen Wenchao and I are ready for the heist."

Chen Wenchao also spoke up, "Feng, let us come too. We all come from Haiyun City. If it weren’t for General Lin, we wouldn’t be alive today. He and Colonel Yu have been missing for so long; we want to find out what happened to them."

Feng Chen remained silent, and Wang Suizi tugged at Yan Bubu's sleeve, "Bubu..."

Yan Bubu then shook Feng Chen’s arm, softly pleading, "Brother..."

Feng Chen glanced at him and then said, "Then let's go together."

"Great," Wang Suizi exclaimed excitedly, exchanging a glance with Chen Wenchao.

Just as she spoke, a clanging noise came from a dark house nearby, as if someone had knocked something over.

"Who's there?" Chen Wenchao called out.

There was no response from the house, and no further noise was made, clearly not a zombie.

Feeling emboldened by Feng Chen's presence, Yan Bubu threatened fiercely, "Speak up, or we'll kill you."

Binunu immediately rushed towards the house but was swiftly caught by Yan Bubu, "Shh..."

Feng Chen cooperatively extended his psychic powers into the widely opened house door, ready to subdue whoever was inside. However, a familiar voice then came from inside, "Don't, don’t kill, it's me."

"Cai Tao!"

"Cai Tao, what are you doing here?" Yan Bubu and Wang Suizi were shocked.

Feng Chen quickly withdrew his psychic powers as Cai Tao emerged from the house, followed by Ding Hongsheng.

"Well... I," Cai Tao coughed and then sheepishly explained, "We were planning to clear the houses on both sides of the street, we weren’t hiding here to eavesdrop on your conversation."

Ding Hongsheng also looked embarrassed, "The thing is... you were talking so fast, I couldn’t interrupt in time. Of course, we didn’t hear anything."

"Right, right, we heard nothing," Cai Tao hastily agreed.

Feng Chen didn’t comment, simply turning to say, "Let’s go."

"Okay, let's go," Yan Bubu and the others quickly followed.

Cai Tao caught up after a few steps, "Feng, I just want to explain."

"No need to explain, I know it was unintentional," Feng Chen kept walking without stopping.

"No, we heard everything you said," Feng Chen glanced at Cai Tao, who quickly amended, "Actually, just a little bit, just a bit."

Ding Hongsheng also caught up, speaking directly, "Feng, I don’t know what you plan to do at the research institute, and I won’t pry, but I know you must have a good reason and won’t do anything harmful to the central city. What I want to tell you is, even without soldiers guarding it, the research institute is still heavily secured. Just the few of you won't be able to get in."

"Really?" Chen Wenchao let out a cold laugh.

"Yes. The institute's perimeter wall is equipped with four air vibration and psychic power detectors. Anyone climbing over the wall, including quantum beasts, will be immediately detected. Inside, there are three detectors in the courtyard, and each floor and room also has monitoring devices, totaling seventy-eight. There's no blind spot in the entire building, detecting intruders and quantum beasts from all angles."

Feng Chen stopped, "Seventy-eight? How do you know?"

Ding Hongsheng explained, "I worked there for a while last year when the institute was servicing its detectors."

"Wow…" Yan Bubu looked impressed, "Are you a scientist?"

Ding Hongsheng smiled somewhat bashfully, "No, I just assisted in servicing the detectors. The institute was short-staffed and recruited a few students from the Sentinel-Guide Academy who were skilled in this area."

"That’s still remarkable. That’s what they call an engineer, very cultured," Yan Bubu said admiringly.

Ding Hongsheng replied, "Not exactly an engineer, I just adjusted the detectors' wiring and identified potential faults for improvements."

"So that means—"

"That means he’s an electrician," Chen Wenchao interrupted Yan Bubu's speculation.

Ding Hongsheng: "…Right, an electrician, but not exactly. To service the detectors, you need a lot of foundational knowledge—"

"Can you locate every detector?" Feng Chen cut off Ding Hongsheng.

"Yes."

Feng Chen paused, "Then can you come with us?"

Ding Hongsheng replied decisively, "No problem."

Feng Chen looked towards the distant settlement point, listening to the gunfire, "Then we don't have much time left. Let’s run."

The group, along with their quantum beasts, started sprinting, with Cai Tao saying as they ran, "Don't worry, Ding and I are just going to steal. We won't tell anyone else about this."

"It's not stealing, just borrowing an item to look at, and we'll return it in a couple of days," Chen Wenchao clarified.

"Right, borrow and then return," Cai Tao added.

Chen Wenchao growled, "I said it's not stealing!"

"Understood, borrow to have a look, just for a bit."

It was a long way from here to the checkpoint leading to the upper levels, about a half-hour run. Even though the sentinels had slowed down, the guides, slightly less physically fit, were already panting.

Feng Chen slowed down, waiting for Yan Bubu to catch up. Before he could speak, Yan Bubu guessed his intention, "Don't carry me, I want to run on my own." Feng Chen glanced at the black lion beside him, and Yan Bubu added, "No need for Sasa Ka to carry me either."

Understanding that Yan Bubu felt awkward being carried with Wang Suizi and Chen Wenchao running, Feng Chen didn’t insist. He just held Yan Bubu’s hand, matching his pace.

Suddenly, the sound of a car approached from behind, and two headlights shone over them. The group immediately stopped running and walked at a leisurely pace.

A military truck passed them but then stopped not far ahead. The driver leaned out of the window, a husky female voice calling out, "Hey, is this a hiking trip?"

"Ji Yi, it's you?" Wang Suizi asked.

Ji Yi responded, "Why can’t it be me?"

Wang Suizi then said, "You’re driving? Then hurry, take us to the second level."

"Where on the second level?"

"Back to the academy."

Ji Yi quirked one corner of her mouth and then patted the car door, "Then I need a cute guide to sit in the passenger seat."

Chen Wenchao, with drooping eyelids, walked over to the front passenger side, opened the door, hopped in, and then slammed it shut.

Ji Yi: "...Can we switch for someone else?"

Chen Wenchao leaned back in his seat, his eyelids still drooping, "Am I not cute?"

Ji Yi: "...Cute."

As the two conversed, the tailgate of the truck hadn't been lowered yet, but everyone else had already started climbing onto the truck, and the quantum beasts also jumped in, except Feng Chen, who remained still.

Yan Bubu, holding onto the rear gate, was hoisted up by the black lion, which then hopped into the truck, carrying Binunu in its mouth.

"Feng, come on, get on the truck," Ding Hongsheng and Cai Tao leaned out, pulling up Wang Suizi, who was still under the truck.

Feng Chen looked towards the distance, noting the gunfire wasn't intensifying, sighed inwardly, and reluctantly walked to the back of the truck, grabbing the frame and jumping in.

Yan Bubu was already seated on the bench, with Binunu on his left and the black lion squatting in front of him. He patted the space on his right, "Brother, come sit, sit next to me."

Feng Chen didn't say anything and sat down beside him.

The truck roared to life, and just as Wang Suizi caught her breath, she suddenly stood up and frantically knocked on the partition to the driver's cab, "Wait, wait, don’t drive yet."

"Sweetie, what's up?" Ji Yi asked from the front.

"My quantum beast hasn’t gotten on the truck yet," Wang Suizi said urgently.

Everyone looked out the back of the truck and saw a small black figure strolling leisurely on the distant sidewalk, clearly Wang Suizi’s koala.

After walking a few steps, the koala sat down on the spot, leaning against a lamppost as if tired and resting.

Cai Tao hurriedly suggested, "Call it back, retract it into your psychic domain."

Wang Suizi responded, "But it'll be slow to come out later."

Cai Tao retorted, "Why release it again? We're going to the research institute for a quick operation. Bringing it out would be like leaving behind living evidence, wouldn’t it?"

"…Alright, I’ll retract it."

"What? You're going to the research institute to steal something?" Ji Yi's surprised voice came from the driver's cabin, as the truck wasn't soundproof.

The group instantly fell silent, exchanging uneasy glances. Feng Chen closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Ding Hongsheng banged on the truck, "Hurry up, stop the chatter. We're on a tight schedule."

"I won’t drive unless you tell me—Ah! Chen Wenchao, keep your crocodile from biting me—Alright, alright, I’m driving."

The truck roared and suddenly accelerated, causing Cai Tao and Ding Hongsheng, who were standing at the back, to stagger, almost being thrown out.