Chapter 18: I've Found You

Chapter 18: I’ve Found You

Whoosh.

The first arrow flew out, pinning a Originium Larva to the ground. Then came the second and third. From the elevated platform, the sniper operators poured fire onto the steadily advancing enemies. Hongyun continuously drew arrows from her quiver; her personal supply had long been exhausted, and now she relied entirely on Rhodes Island's resupply. Otherwise, she would be reduced to a close-combat hunter wielding only a dagger.

Kroos’s archery was astonishingly exquisite. She always seemed to instinctively find the enemy’s weak points, delivering lethal damage. Many Originium Larvae fell under her arrows. Nearby, the Sakaz girl with her distinctive purple bun, a caster operator on an adjacent platform, was equally formidable. With each explosion, she obliterated swathes of the fragile foes, who were utterly insignificant before her.

On the ground, the heavy armored operator, Magallan, had already engaged the first enemy. She was the most formidable heavy armored soldier Hongyun had ever seen on the front lines; even Ursus soldiers might not match her endurance.

Hongyun thought to herself, Rhodes Island truly is a den of hidden talents.

At that moment, Kroos aimed her crossbow at the first giant High Energy Originium Larva within firing range and pulled the trigger. The arrow sliced through the air, its sharp steel tip slipping precisely into the gap between the Larva’s overlapping shell plates. Scalding hot molten fluid burst forth!

The High Energy Larva reared up, letting out an ear-piercing screech before collapsing. Its massive body exploded with a deafening roar, sending rolling waves of heat outward. Several vehicles parked near the collection point were pushed slightly by the blast, which also incinerated nearby Originium Larvae.

"Well done, Kroos! You can sleep the whole day once we’re back!" Magallan cheered, rallying her spirits. Though the blast’s aftershock reached her, it was within acceptable limits. Preemptively detonating one was a significant victory.

Hongyun watched in awe, her admiration for Kroos deepening. In the Infected communities, dealing with self-destructive monsters often required great effort and sometimes cost lives. Yet Kroos had slain one with a single arrow—truly remarkable.

“You know, I’ve actually reached my growth limit. Unless I manage a breakthrough, someday you’ll surpass me because your potential is greater. Miss Hongyun, have you considered joining Rhodes Island?” Kroos asked suddenly.

Hongyun parted her lips slightly, caught off guard by the unexpected invitation. She hesitated, then whispered, “It’s so sudden… I need to think about it.”

“That’s alright. For now, let’s deal with the situation at hand.”

...

In the distance, the glow of flames caught Zhou Jinru’s eyes. He knew a battle was ongoing ahead. The lead transport vehicle suddenly accelerated, charging forward—it was Fin’s car; she was growing impatient.

“Prepare the transports for transformation. We need elevated platforms,” Amiya ordered.

She rose from her chair, tightening the ring on her finger as she asked Zhou Jinru, “Doctor, do you need to rest more?”

“No, I’ll take care of myself,” Zhou Jinru replied, waving off concern and donning a pair of protective goggles.

“Ready to enter the battlefield.”

Every member of the convoy made final preparations. As they approached the collection point, another burst of fire erupted. Flames soared, sweeping away a large section of barricades. Wood chips flew through the air, and wrecked vehicles were crushed and twisted, steel contorted beyond recognition.

A furry foxhound soared briefly through the air, emitting a mournful howl before dissolving into the atmosphere before it could land.

Magallan lay on the ground, shielding a comrade beneath her. Her shield shattered into scrap metal amidst the fierce explosion, her protective barrier instantly depleted. Yet in her final moment of strength, she succeeded in protecting her ally’s life.

“Foolish attachments,” came a voice from the deep darkness.

Unable to move, weak, dizzy, surrounded by Originium Larvae at close range, with a third High Energy Larva approaching—and what was that? A galloping steed?

A streak of deep blue flashed past her side, landing and charging toward the enemies ahead, the gust it generated sweeping debris aside.

“Me too!” A tall man charged, shield in hand, slamming into a High Energy Larva’s head, staggering the creature.

Black Horn...

Reassurance.

Magallan collapsed, her neck monitor flashing dangerously red. The Originium concentration in her blood was dangerously high. She thought, Miss Wafarin’s side would hardly escape unharmed.

A raindrop pierced through the broken frame overhead, landing between her eyebrows.

It was going to rain.

“Finally caught up at the last moment.”

Three transport vehicles transformed into elevated platforms. The output surged. Amiya stood atop one, calculating the time needed to resolve the crisis. Looking down, she noticed the Doctor had quietly left the transport, hands in pockets, moving forward with the Ranger at his side.

“Thanks for the support,” Zhou Jinru said as he walked forward. Approaching Magallan, he saw several medical operators carrying her away on a stretcher. Suddenly, he stopped in his tracks.

Magallan’s expression showed joy—something he understood. But then a new entity appeared, named only with three question marks.

The ???’s mood was seething with anger.

As Zhou Jinru halted, he sensed a trace of surprise within that fury. Such strong counterintelligence—had he really been discovered?

He peered into the darkness, faintly seeing a figure glowing with a soft red light. The other party had noticed him too; the surprise in their emotions intensified.

“Ranger, low-angle shot to the left.”

The Ranger beside him frowned but obeyed, drawing the bow and releasing an arrow.

Carefully scrutinizing the shift in emotion—from surprise toward anger.

Zhou Jinru smiled slightly. Not only was he accompanied by a Ranger, but also another heavy armored operator, constantly guarding against ambush. The arrow was deliberately shot to convey a message: I have found you. You think you’re well hidden, but you’ve already been exposed. Stop playing games.

Amiya stared at the Doctor in astonishment. Following the Ranger’s arrow, she saw nothing either.

“Interesting.”

Zhou Jinru tried to sense the enemy again but found no trace. Everyone has emotions; his provocation had successfully angered the opponent. Such rage does not dissipate easily, and emotions do not lie. The sudden disappearance proved the foe had left his sensory range.

“Someone is definitely pulling strings behind the scenes. Doesn’t matter—I just need to find you…”

Suddenly, a rustling noise came from the darkness at the side, like a dense patch of trees being crushed by something massive.

This…

Zhou Jinru paused, sensing a strange emotion—chaotic, without leaning toward any of the four known emotional tendencies, like an ignorant infant.

What on earth is this?

[End of Chapter]