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Chapter 96: 96

Could the entire city of Yicheng be impacted by the blast from that underground lab?

As she was tossed about by the rough ride, faced with a life-or-death situation, Yu Zhiwan's mind raced. If it were her, she wouldn't bet everything on the underground lab because once it was discovered, the enemy's primary focus would surely be on their stronghold.

But what could cause a massive disaster in a short time, something unexpected and nearly impossible to neutralize right away?

Yu Zhiwan thought of Yihu Lake.

They had indeed tampered with Yihu Lake before, but what if the bodies floating at the bottom were just a ruse, misleading everyone into thinking Yihu was merely a dumping ground?

The lake's surface was calm.

The gentle breeze barely rippled the water, its slight disturbance already smoothed over by a recent acid rain. The lake lay still and quiet, like a giant winged creature resting peacefully.

The acid rain had dealt a devastating blow to the aquatic life. Countless fragile fish floated belly-up on the water's surface, their gills stretched open, revealing pale, lifeless flesh. Crayfish were barely clinging to life, and the water plants had withered entirely. In a matter of moments, the natural disaster had wreaked havoc on a lake that had thrived for hundreds of years.

Pei Yujang wore a diving mask, snatched from the seat of the motorcycle, along with some survival tools. Yet, she belatedly noticed the sting of the wound on her face.

There was no time to tend to the minor injury as she kept thinking about Yu Zhiwan's last word.

"Water."

Yu Zhiwan had only enough time to mouth that one crucial word. She must have meant for Pei Yujang to search the lake. But what was she supposed to find?

Pei Yujang's lithe form, with an oxygen tank strapped to her back, sank deeper into the lake. Drawing on her previous diving experience, she managed to hold her own. Fortunately, Yihu Lake was no ocean, nor had it been overtaken by the sea. The water was not very deep, and she could still move about.

But what met her eyes was far from a vibrant underwater world.

Pei Yujang quickly scanned her surroundings, her legs moving like agile fish tails as she weaved through the water. Soon, aided by her high-definition waterproof binoculars, she spotted a complex web of devices.

The acid rain had corroded the old structures, sizzling as it fell on the leaves, a sound that made her grit her teeth. In the countryside near Yicheng, a forest had been riddled with holes by the rain. An old woman, leaning on her cane, stared anxiously out the misty glass of her home. The windows hadn't been reinforced, and now, wind was seeping in.

Zhao Manlin had just visited her grandmother in the countryside. Seeing the elderly woman standing stubbornly by the window, she half-dragged, half-persuaded her into the bedroom, fearing that another acid rain could shatter the window.

"It's a sin!" Grandma Zhao stood in the bedroom, which Zhao Manlin had fortified with thick wooden boards. She could only catch glimpses of the foggy world outside through the cracks, shaking her head. She wasn't particularly frightened, more regretful. "They've talked about reforestation for years, but it's been no use. The factories pollute more, and no one listens. Instead, they're moving industrial parks out to the countryside!"

Ji Lingxian, who had conveniently come to the countryside to "bump into" Zhao Manlin, was in the kitchen boiling water for tea. Her ears perked up when she heard Grandma Zhao sighing and hurried out:

"Don't worry, Grandma. The higher-ups have already issued a yellow card warning. Unless people want to die, they'll start working together to fix this."

After handing the hot water to the old lady to warm her hands, Ji Lingxian glanced out the crack in the window, her smile slowly fading.

The recent spread of doomsday rumors had everyone on edge, and some had already begun hoarding supplies, causing market shortages. She had stocked up at home, just in case. But if a true apocalypse struck, could humanity really fight against nature and find a way to survive?

And what if it wasn't just nature at play?

In Xiangcheng, Pei Jinhui, Fan Zhao Zhao, and Jiang Wenxiu were all trapped indoors by the torrential rain, unable to leave. Now that the highways were closed, Pei Jinhui was frantic with worry for Pei Yujang and Yu Zhiwan, losing handfuls of hair from stress.

Fan Zhao Zhao noticed the premature graying on Pei Jinhui's head, her heart aching. She patted her friend's shoulder:

"Don't worry, they'll be okay."

Pei Jinhui nodded, but she knew it was an empty comfort with little meaning.

Jiang Wenxiu, sitting in the living room, was furiously refreshing the web, cursing under her breath. The rain had been so relentless that the network had become unreliable. Someone had promised to report from the front lines in Yicheng, but so far, there had been no substantial updates.

After countless refreshes, the "Civilian Rescue Team" post finally popped up. Jiang Wenxiu's eyes lit up, and she turned to the others, shouting, "Mom," not sure whether she was calling Fan Zhao Zhao or Pei Jinhui:

"My sister's out there fighting, and we're sitting here like idiots? We've got to help somehow! There's an emergency rescue team from Xiangcheng to Yicheng, and the high-speed train takes an hour. Are we going or not? Give me a straight answer!"

Back at Pei Yujang and Yu Zhiwan's residence, the noodle shop owner nervously glanced out the window. His eldest daughter stretched her arms, complaining:

"What kind of weather is this? Acid rain again. The roads are flooded, and going out will ruin our shoes. We might not be able to open for days."

"Open?!" The owner snapped at his daughter, his eyes clouded with memories and fear. "The last time I saw acid rain, I was just a kid. That one was much smaller, and we didn't go outside for days. They say there's a war in Yicheng, too. Who knows what'll happen after tonight. Sigh..."

The icy waters of Yihu Lake battered against Pei Yujang's body. In the vast lake, the figure of a single human seemed so small yet so determined.

Pei Yujang wore gloves and a diving mask, meticulously clipping wires with scissors. In her past life, fighting on the front lines, disarming bombs had been a mandatory skill for her patrol team. But a task this delicate, where a tiny mistake could lead to disaster, made her acutely aware of the stakes.

Ten minutes remained.

The lives of millions in Yicheng and surrounding areas hung in the balance. Sweat beaded on Pei Yujang's forehead but was quickly absorbed by her waterproof suit. Whether it was her imagination or the encroaching nightfall, the lake seemed darker, the cold water lapping against her like an unfeeling force, urging her away.

Most of the aquatic life had perished in the acid rain. Those that remained clung to life in hidden corners, leaving the vast freshwater lake seemingly lifeless, save for one solitary figure.

The physical and mental exhaustion gnawed at Pei Yujang, blurring her vision. She was forced to pause for a few seconds, then bit down hard on her tongue to stay conscious. The taste of blood filled her mouth as familiar images flashed in her mind, but there was no time to dwell on them, nor could she afford to let herself be consumed by worry for one particular person.

As the deadline approached, the lakebed seemed to tremble.

Five minutes remained.

Soaked in the acidic lake water, Pei Yujang felt an intense discomfort. No matter how well-trained a person was, the psychological burden of holding so many lives in her hands was overwhelming.

She had figured out the wiring, but doing this alone was nearly impossible within the remaining time. Frustration mounted as she struggled, facing the bitter taste of failure. Negative emotions surged uncontrollably.

She had bitten her tongue countless times already, the pain now dulled by repetition. As she reached out to cut another wire, she suddenly heard the sound of someone approaching.

It was definitely a person; even in her foggy state, Pei Yujang recognized the sound of flippers breaking through the water. She turned to defend herself, seeing the newcomer gesturing to her while displaying a work badge.

Pei Yujang wasn't entirely convinced by the badge, so the person pulled back their waterproof suit to reveal a tattoo from the research institute.

More people followed, diving into the water. After confirming their identities, Pei Yujang pointed out the wires, time slipping away. She couldn't even ask the questions that weighed on her, particularly her concern for Yu Zhiwan.

She swam to the central hub, marking key points and issuing commands. Thankfully, the team members had excellent memories, following her instructions quickly.

Ten minutes later, the tide in Yihu Lake surged, tossing out a group of exhausted people. But despite their ashen faces, they shared relieved smiles.

Pei Yujang's mouth was numb from the pain, her speech slurred. As she struggled to her feet after removing her diving suit, she noticed a crowd gathering on the shore. She squinted at a woman wearing a volunteer badge, finding her somewhat familiar, but her eyes burned too much to see clearly.

An Yao Yao lit a small lamp and used a loudspeaker to direct the crowd, her petite frame bustling with energy. The rain had started again, and her face was covered with a special transparent material as she ordered people to secure the sandbags.

After running back and forth, An Yao Yao finally had a moment to check on Pei Yujang, noticing something wrong with her condition. Frowning, she called over a strong female Alpha to support her.

As Pei Yujang's strength waned, she heard An Yao Yao say:

"Miss Pei, we won't let Yicheng fall."

An Yao Yao. Pei Yujang remembered now. She was the volunteer from Xiangcheng's welfare home, the one who had a falling out with Fang Nianjing and swore not to get involved again. But wasn't she supposed to be in Xiangcheng? Why was she here in Yicheng?

In her daze, Pei Yujang thought she heard some familiar voices, but her energy drained away, and everything went black as she lost consciousness.


Chapter 97: 97

Pei Yujang didn't sleep long.

She was utterly exhausted, her energy depleted, but a force within her kept her from slipping into a deep sleep. In her dreams, distorted faces snarled and clawed, reminding Pei Yujang not to miss something crucial.

What had she missed?

The biggest threat planted by the A Organization had been neutralized. If she could find Yu Zhiwan, everything would be fine. After Pei Yujang and her team dismantled the bombs submerged in the lake, the other end, connected to the sea, began to backflow into Yihu Lake. They needed to seal the breach quickly.

But compared to the bombs in Yihu Lake, this was insignificant and didn't pose a major threat. At most, it might lead to another incident like the one in Yaocheng, where sharks entered the waters.

When Pei Yujang woke up, the outside world was a hive of activity. People were still busy fixing the breach, working in an orderly manner. Due to the lack of manpower, Pei Yujang and her team had been assigned to rest in makeshift tents, insulated with soundproofing material.

She sat in the tent for a while, gradually regaining her clarity. As soon as she felt ready, she grabbed her gear and weapons, slipping out quietly while no one was paying attention.

The scent of Omega pheromones lingered thickly in the air. Pei Yujang had always had a peculiar sensitivity to Yu Zhiwan's scent, and now, the residual traces still hadn't faded completely. Following the trail, Pei Yujang pushed her speed to the limit in her pursuit.

Yu Zhiwan's condition, after exerting herself to the point of releasing her pheromones in full force, would be extremely fatigued, making it difficult for her to escape. In the hands of those people, an Omega like her would have a hard time breaking free. Yu Zhiwan wasn't reckless, but rather, she was someone who planned ten steps ahead. Whatever came next, she had undoubtedly thought it through.

So, why had Yu Zhiwan done this?

The trees in the forest were mostly destroyed by the acid rain, leaving a devastated landscape. Pei Yujang forced her mind to work faster. Images flashed through her memory, finally settling on the last glance exchanged between her and Yu Zhiwan.

Yu Zhiwan had instructed her to first eliminate the source of Yicheng's disaster. But when she was taken away, uncertain if Pei Yujang would find her, why had she waited to say something until Pei Yujang arrived, rather than tell the rescuers from the state?

There was only one possible explanation.

She only trusted those people as a last resort.

Deep down, the only person Yu Zhiwan could fully trust was Pei Yujang. The lingering scent of pheromones suggested that Yu Zhiwan had forced her glands to release them again, a dangerous move that also meant she was placing all her bets on Pei Yujang.

As the distance between them narrowed, Pei Yujang approached a rugged mountain pass. Suddenly, a large, fierce dog with bulging eyes leaped out from the underbrush, blocking the path of the pursuers.

The heavily armed men didn't think much of the ferocious dog. The leader didn't even spare it a glance, simply speeding up. But before he could react, the powerful beast lunged at him with lightning speed!

These men were skilled fighters, each capable of taking down several opponents. But they were caught off guard by the dog's speed and power. Before the man could react, the beast's bloodthirsty jaws clamped down on his throat, mercilessly snapping it.

In his final moments, the man locked eyes with the bloodthirsty creature and realized with horror that it wasn't a dog—its eyes were even more terrifying than a wolf's. This was the first Zombified Beast, barely in its infancy, yet already outmatching the notorious pit bull in speed and ferocity.

Pei Yujang pushed her motorbike to its limits, racing through the landscape like a blur. The acid rain pelted her, but she barely noticed the pain.

When she suddenly heard a voice in her ear, she nearly jumped, thinking she was hallucinating.

711, seeing that Pei Yujang hadn't reacted, would have grabbed the handlebars and changed her route if it had a physical form:

"Change course, take the shortcut—they've altered their path to take Yu Zhiwan toward Yihu Lake!"

Pei Yujang hesitated for two seconds before recalling the system she had bound to the day she crossed over. This was the system that had forced her to follow the plot, always favoring Liu Huanran to an unfair degree, leaving Pei Yujang with a bad impression of it.

711 had anticipated this reaction. Resigned, it kept things brief:

"Liu Huanran is gone, the world line is still collapsing, and you need to rescue Yu Zhiwan quickly."

711 was a system born from the world's will. When it said Liu Huanran was "gone," it didn't mean she was dead but rather that she had been stripped of her protagonist status.

When Liu Huanran was imprisoned, the system had hoped she would come to her senses, escape prison, and reclaim her rightful position. But instead, she spiraled into self-destruction, engaging in all sorts of unhealthy behaviors in prison, eventually falling ill and losing the capability to fulfill that role.

Because of this, 711 had been punished by the main system and had only recently regained its strength. Now, it found the situation had spiraled out of control.

711, fearing the consequences of another failure, had no choice but to help Pei Yujang.

Once it detected that Yu Zhiwan had been taken by the A Organization, 711 immediately pinpointed her location and directed Pei Yujang to it. If anything else happened to the other protagonist, the system wouldn't be able to function any longer. Not knowing what its punishment would be, 711 could only hope Pei Yujang could find her in time and even pointed out a shortcut.

Pei Yujang pushed her speed to the max, finally catching up to the group just as they were heading back.

The group, a small squad returning with Yu Zhiwan, had realized there was no explosion at Yihu Lake, meaning the bomb threat had been neutralized. They still had something buried there, intending to force Yu Zhiwan to hand over the half-finished zombie virus cure. But they were caught off guard when Pei Yujang single-handedly blocked their path.

Unwilling to waste time, they released a second Zombified Beast and signaled for backup.

Pei Yujang, with her extensive combat experience, anticipated the attack. As the beast's sharp claws and foul breath closed in, she dodged, using the momentum to leap onto its back. With a swift motion, her jungle knife sliced through the vulnerable neck, dodging the toxic blood.

Meanwhile, a bullet whizzed by, piercing through the head of the communicator. Pei Yujang cranked the throttle and leaped onto the bike of the person holding Yu Zhiwan.

The others opened fire, one shot aimed at Yu Zhiwan. Pei Yujang raised her left hand to block it.

Although she was adept with firearms, Pei Yujang was more skilled with a blade, honed by years in the apocalypse. Holding a knife between her teeth, she ignored the pain as she swiftly took down another assailant. The bike skidded, but Pei Yujang's long legs stabilized it, allowing her to break through the encirclement.

Despite the pain, she cradled the Omega in her arms, blood soaking through her clothes. Gunfire chased after them, but Yu Zhiwan, now conscious, smiled faintly at the familiar scent surrounding her. Though she knew Pei Yujang had no time to look down, her lips curled into a relieved smile.

Reaching for the gun, Yu Zhiwan fired back. Her marksmanship was good, taking down one pursuer before she frowned and urgently told Pei Yujang:

"Turn back!"

Pei Yujang didn't hesitate, veering sharply. A few shots followed, narrowly missing them.

Minutes later, Yu Zhiwan blew the smoke from her gun, retrieving a blueprint from the body of a fallen enemy.

Yu Zhiwan had counted the members of this squad, realizing they were relentless in their pursuit, except for one who had turned to flee. Her guess was right. After killing him, she retrieved the blueprint she needed.

Now it was time for her to act. Despite the sleepless nights, Yu Zhiwan felt a deep sense of peace, no longer plagued by fear.

The Omega rested her head against Pei Yujang's chest, catching sight of the bullet wound in her hand, her heart aching as she silently hid her concern.

After returning to camp and tending to their wounds, Pei Yujang, though exhausted, couldn't sleep. She chose to stand guard over Yu Zhiwan personally. This was a makeshift lab, with a medical room next door. The wounded came and went, but all were careful not to make too much noise to avoid disturbing the patients.

The scent of blood was thick in the air, overpowering even the smell of the medicinal ointment on Pei Yujang. Some had bullet wounds through their abdomens; others had legs pierced by steel beams at the riverbank, their appearances harrowing.

In the distance, a new group of people arrived to negotiate entry. Jiang Wenxiu wiped the sweat from her brow as An Yaoyao handed over the registration duties to her. After thoroughly checking their documents and confirming their identities, Jiang Wenxiu allowed them into the fenced-off area. It was as if she had matured overnight, standing firm in the wind and rain with unyielding determination.

These people had come to deliver food, as there were no cooking facilities available. In addition to those working on the river embankment, Pei Yujang and the other wounded were also able to enjoy a bite of hot, simple meals. When she tasted the familiar flavor of beef soup, Pei Yujang, with a bowl in one hand, called over Yu Zhiwan, who had stepped outside for some fresh air. She scooped up a spoonful and gently offered it to Yu Zhiwan.

The savory taste melted in Yu Zhiwan's mouth, soothing the burning hunger in her stomach. After quickly finishing the bowl, she walked over to the disinfection room, smiling at Pei Yujang. In return, Pei Yujang, despite her stiffness and difficulty, managed to form a "heart" gesture towards her, expressing her love.


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