Seeing the surrounding rat swarms cautiously advancing in an organized pattern again, Lin Jin knew the injured Mouse King had to be nearby.
He drew the dagger at his waist, leaped off the roof of the vehicle, and moved in front of his comrades.
In the next instant, the mutant rats surged forward like a tidal wave.
Lin Jin gripped his dagger, using his ability to form a protective shield and cast it over his comrades behind him.
’As for ... there are too many of them. I have to conserve my ability.’
He couldn’t tell if it was blood or sweat blurring his vision, or if his consciousness was simply fading. Just before the tide of rats overwheld him, Lin Jin felt his arms grow heavier and heavier.
After sweeping away several pouncing mutant rats with a roundhouse kick, he thought hazily, ’Getting eaten alive by tens of thousands of rats... what a damn pathetic way to die.’
’I wonder if Lin will avenge after I die. People say twins have a psychic connection. Lin should be able to find , right...?’
His mind grew heavier. Soon, all thoughts vanished. He was only chanically swinging his dagger, using the last of his ability to barely maintain the crumbling shield behind him...
Just then.
"Fall back." A calm voice called out from a distance.
Lin Jin didn’t fall back. Instead, he collapsed.
...
Lin Jin was covered in wounds; there was hardly an unblemished patch of skin on his entire body. In several places, bone was faintly visible. Qi Xiang knelt before him, hesitating, unsure where to even begin.
Half an hour later, Lin Jin awoke. Looking at his new, mummy-like appearance, he forced a smile. "I gotta say, this is a pretty unique look."
’It’s hideous. Definitely not Fang Rui’s handiwork.’
It was Qi Xiang’s first ti doing such ticulous bandaging, and she had just received the patient’s approval. She was about to gloat a little, but before she could speak, Lin Jin passed out again.
Qi Xiang instinctively looked up at Gu Xi. "Is he...?"
"It’s fine. He just exhausted his ability and lost too much blood. He’ll be okay after so sleep." Gu Xi said, then after a mont’s thought, she pulled a handful of transparent Crystal Cores from her spatial inventory and handed them to Qi Xiang.
It was Qi Xiang’s first ti handling so many High-level Zombie Crystal Cores. Their clarity was unlike anything she’d ever seen; they had obviously been purified by Gu Xi, and their energy was exceptionally pure.
She accepted them with both hands and asked uncertainly, "How... how do I use these?" ’One per hour?’
Gu Xi didn’t know how ability users absorbed Crystal Cores nowadays either. After thinking for a mont, she said, "Just pile them next to him."
Nearby, Zhao Li and the others, who had just regained consciousness, could only stare wide-eyed. ’Wow, that kid Lin Jin really hit the jackpot this ti.’
Within the Special Service Team, a maxim was always passed around: ’If you’re not dead, you’ve co out ahead.’
This ti, not only had they escaped with their lives, but it was a blessing in disguise. After Gu Xi’s ability had coursed through their bodies, they could all clearly feel that their various hidden injuries were now mostly healed.
Even the residual X-energy that had built up in their systems was swept away in one go by Miss Gu.
They had already lucked out big ti, but who knew Miss Gu was also a ga-whale!
Seeing the pile of perfectly transparent High-level Crystal Cores next to Lin Jin, they were so envious they were practically drooling.
But there was no real jealousy.
Without Lin Jin risking his life to protect them at the critical mont, they never would have held out long enough for Gu Xi’s rescue.
Gu Xi thought for a mont, then took out a large pile of Crystal Cores of various attributes and had Wei Heng distribute them to everyone. She had more than enough of them in her inventory anyway, and no use for them herself.
Zhang Wen and the others accepted them with trepidation. ’She’s just giving us sothing this valuable? Just like that?’
’This feeling of riding a powerful expert’s coattails is just too good.’
However...
After exchanging glances, everyone took only two Crystal Cores each. Ouyang collected the rest and returned them.
Gu Xi: "?"
"Miss Gu, these are too valuable. We can’t accept them." Ouyang was the team’s quartermaster. Every batch of Crystal Cores issued by command passed through her hands, so she imdiately recognized the difference between these and the ones from their own logistics departnt.
The energy was purer, and absorbing them had no side effects.
She had just tried absorbing one, and that silky-smooth feeling... Ouyang was certain that even thirty years ago, when Crystal Cores were a di a dozen, ones like these would have been a rarity.
And that was especially true now that Crystal Cores were scarce, with every one used being one less in the world...
Miss Gu might be generous, but they couldn’t be too greedy. Otherwise, wouldn’t they just be holding their captain back?
Qi Xiang, on the other hand, couldn’t stand Ouyang’s prim and proper act. She rolled her eyes in annoyance. "She gave them to you, so just take them. Our Gu Xi doesn’t give a damn about a few things like this."
Ouyang was speechless. ’You call this many High-level Crystal Cores "a few things"?’
’I guess that’s the confidence you get when you’re backed by soone powerful!’
...
Even though there was a downpour just last night, the temperature rose quickly during the day.
It wasn’t even noon, and Qi Xiang was already dying from the heat. She checked her personal terminal; the display showed the outdoor temperature had already reached a blistering 55 degrees Celsius.
’If this keeps up, I’m going to be cooked alive.’
They had placed several basins of ice around the camp, but the sun overhead was too scorching and the area was wide open. A hot gust of wind would WHOOSH by and instantly erase what little coolness there was. The few basins of ice were practically useless.
On top of that, her period was due any day now... Qi Xiang didn’t dare get too close to the ice, so she could only suffer in silence.
At tis like this, she was incredibly envious of the n on the other side of the camp, who could hug blocks of ice and snooze away.
The wounded had been settled. Qian Shan stood atop an off-road vehicle, a Crystal Core in his hand. He keyed the walkie-talkie, trying to contact their captain, but got only static. They were too far away.
They were cut off from the outside world. The walkie-talkies were their only ans of communication.
But their range was limited...
Qian Shan felt a growing sense of urgency.
The sky gradually darkened, and the temperature began to fall.
Qi Xiang, who had been complaining about the unbearable heat just that afternoon, was now huddled by the fire, wrapped in two thick winter coats and shivering uncontrollably.
After handing so brown sugar and ginger to Wei Heng, Gu Xi walked over to Qian Shan. "How many Energy Blocks do we have left?"
Yun Ye was sowhere nearby, and Gu Xi wanted to settle things quickly.
But this was an internal matter for their Doomsday Squad—a private affair.
Gu Xi didn’t want anyone else getting involved.
"Only a few." Qian Shan’s plan was simple. The convoy was low on power. If they couldn’t contact the captain, they would have to abandon so vehicles, consolidate everyone into the heavy armored off-roaders, and make a run for the next supply point.
But the biggest problem was that they were out of contact with the outside world. They had no idea if there would even be supplies waiting at the next checkpoint.
If they didn’t get resupplied in ti, the mbers of the Special Service Team could probably hold out, but the researchers in the convoy would be in serious trouble.
On top of that, Fang Rui was running low on dical supplies.
Under the circumstances, Gu Xi obviously couldn’t just leave on her own.
"The Guard Team and the research institute should have extra Energy Blocks," Gu Xi said suddenly. "They can’t be far from here." ’If we can find them, our energy problem should be solved.’
Qian Shan frowned. "But they won’t loan any to us."
Gu Xi hopped down from the roof of the vehicle. "Don’t worry. They will."
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