Chapter 310 - Return (2/2)

After doing all of this and walking back, Ge Lin suddenly heard a commotion ahead.

She was a little confused at first, but her heart tightened as she quickly rushed to her and her sister’s room.

She soon saw several people gathered outside the familiar door, and inside was her hunched sister.

Ge Miao’s eyes were turbid and bloodshot, and transparent saliva dripped from the corners of her mouth. Her face was contorted, no longer having the sweetness from a few minutes ago.

Ge Lin immediately felt the entire world peel away from reality and become abnormally surreal. The Heartless disease… Miao Miao contracted the Heartless disease…

Ge Lin stared at the door dazedly, not daring to approach or believe it.

Bang!

With a gunshot, Ge Miao collapsed. Blood pooled around her.

Her eyes were wide and bloodshot.

Ge Lin staggered over, squatted, and stretched her hand toward her sister’s eyes. Her vision had long turned blurry, and her throat was incapable of making a sound.

Someone approached her and bent down to comfort her. “This is the Heartless disease. No one expected it…

“Don’t be too sad. You just received a field. You will have your own family and children in the future. Everything will be fine…”

In the moving jeep, Jiang Baimian looked at Bai Chen in the passenger seat and sighed with emotion again. “Our previous understanding of Awakened was still too shallow. I didn’t expect DiMarco to have an ability that’s almost mythical…”

Destiny Connection, Divine Mirror Connection, and Six Senses Deprivation had completely exceeded the norm.

If it weren’t for the fact that the Old Task Force’s initial Operation Beheading had gone smoothly, allowing them to destroy DiMarco’s body, the subsequent development might’ve been very dangerous. They could only rely on Genava and the night pearl to last until Viel—Eidolon Nun’s reserve Oracle—to join the battle.

Even if their first step had been a great success, the Old Task Force’s confrontation with DiMarco had been fraught with dangers. Fortunately, they had obtained information in advance and managed to figure out DiMarco’s weaknesses in a split second. Furthermore, Shang Jianyao was sufficiently special and could effectively use this point.

Long Yuehong couldn’t help but say, “That’s why we were a little too rash regarding this operation…”

“You can’t put it that way.” Jiang Baimian deliberated and said, “We made sufficient preparations this time and even obtained Eidolon Nun’s blessing. If we didn’t give it a try this time, we might die without knowing why when we encounter Awakened with similar abilities in the future. At the very least, we’ll know why now.”

As she spoke, she laughed. “We also gained quite a bit. A total of 22 high-performance batteries, an M-45 military exoskeleton, and a night pearl that has DiMarco’s solidified aura.”

There were more high-performance batteries in the Underground Ark, but Jiang Baimian didn’t take them all, considering the management committee’s defense requirements.

These batteries had temporarily been left in Redstone Collection with Genava. As a former mayor of Tarnan, he became the Underground Ark Management Committee’s interim president. He would only head to Weed City’s Ah Fu’s Gun Shop and meet up with Shang Jianyao and the others when things were on track.

Considering that he was still wanted by Mechanical Paradise, Genava basically didn’t appear in Redstone Collection apart from needing to liaise with the Vigilance Church.

If anything happened, he would escape through the Ark’s Iron Mountain entrance.

As for the new military exoskeleton, M-45, it was something the Ark residents insisted on giving to the Old Task Force as a thank-you gift. Due to the Old Task Force’s actual situation, Jiang Baimian couldn’t refuse.

This way, Bai Chen’s combat strength would be greatly enhanced.

After Shang Jianyao’s experiments, the pearl—which had its color changed—was confirmed to have solidified DiMarco’s Destiny Connection. Of course, it was definitely much weaker than the original.

After talking about the harvest, Jiang Baimian—who was driving—looked at Bai Chen and smiled. “Only you were injured this time. Actually, I’ve always found it a little strange. Not only did Little White—who usually protects herself best—not object to Operation Beheading, but she also acted a little proactive.”

In the passenger seat, Bai Chen looked out the windshield and fell silent for a moment. “I’ve always believed that it’s already very difficult for everyone to survive in the Ashlands. They shouldn’t poke their noses into the business of others. Back when I was captured by Eugene and became a slave, I told myself the same thing.”

She paused for two seconds before her gaze gradually turned blank. “B-but I couldn’t help but think about how nice it would be if a team suddenly descended and rescued me…”

“It would be nice.” Jiang Baimian completely understood what she was getting at and didn’t mention it again.

Shang Jianyao smiled and said, “So, are you officially joining the operation to save all of humanity this time?”

Bai Chen ignored him.

As they chatted, Shang Jianyao massaged his temples, leaned back, and closed his eyes.

In the Sea of Origins, on an island with mountains, rivers, and sunlight.

A large, shocking crater appeared near the beach.

Shang Jianyao stared at the hole that hadn’t recovered from his departure and smiled.

He then split up more of himself. They dug ditches and directed the spring water into the hole.

While Shang Jianyao was ‘catching up on sleep,’ Long Yuehong listened to his team leader and Bai Chen chat. He would interject from time to time as he cast his gaze out the window.

At this moment, the sky was clear blue and dotted with clouds. The jeep was racing through the wilderness and hills, heading back to Pangu Biology in the distance.

Along the way, new greenery was everywhere, and beasts could be seen.

Winter was over, ushering in spring.

(End of Volume—Fate)