Chapter 17: Ambush on the Return Journey and the Emerging Barrier

The massive wreckage of the contaminated aggregate still emitted a pungent burnt smell in the factory, but the "Echo" squad had no time to linger. Completing the B+‑grade mission yielded abundant experience and supplies, yet it also drained the team's considerable stamina and energy. Chen Mo knew that in this peril‑laden wilderness, a weary squad was the most tempting prey.

"Move quickly, leave this place," Chen Mo's voice carried unmistakable decisiveness. The team members sprang into action, carefully securing the high‑value monster materials, the energy‑filled Ordinary Magic Core, and the precious Fine Tactical Axe Forging Blueprint.

Su Yu's complexion had improved considerably; the continuous high‑intensity perception still left her mentally exhausted, but the sense of uncontrolled terror was gradually being replaced by confident control. She took the initiative to walk in the middle of the formation, her perception like invisible feelers continuously scanning the surrounding environment.

"At one o'clock, about five hundred meters away, there's a slight energy disturbance, looks like… a human‑made trace, very concealed," Su Yu whispered, warning Chen Mo.

Chen Mo's gaze hardened as he raised his hand to signal the squad to halt. They were currently beneath a broken overpass, the terrain complex and ideal for an ambush.

"Seems the 'Flame' people, or whatever 'friends' they have, lack patience," Chen Mo sneered. His Keen Sense of Smell had already picked up several deliberately suppressed murderous auras carried on the wind, starkly different from the feral energy of the factory's monsters.

He issued orders swiftly: "Han Qing, Zhang Yang, take the broken concrete pile on the left. Li Siwen, Wang Hu, the abandoned truck compartment on the right. Zhao Lei, Liu Qian, stay close to Su Yu and hold the cover in the middle. They aren't launching an immediate assault; they're waiting for us to enter a more perfect encirclement, and then… we'll give them a 'surprise.'"

The squad members nodded silently, quickly spreading out according to the orders, their movements clean and efficient; after the factory battle, their mutual coordination had risen another notch.

Chen Mo inhaled deeply, his Shadow Step skill primed; his form seemed to merge with the mottled shadows around him, slipping silently toward the direction Su Yu indicated.

Less than thirty seconds after the "Echo" squad finished setting up their defenses, seven or eight figures suddenly erupted from the ruins ahead!

They wore mismatched combat uniforms without unified insignia, yet moved with lithe agility and seamless coordination; the cold glint of their weapons showed they were seasoned Awakened ones. Leading them was one of the guards who had previously followed Luo Heng, his gaze ominous.

"Attack! Leave none alive; that woman must die!" the ominous man shouted harshly, brandishing a poison‑coated dagger aimed at the Su Yu protected in the center.

However, the panicked target they expected did not appear.

"Boom!"

A refined white‑hot energy beam shot out from behind the left‑side broken pile, striking the chest of a forward‑charging ambusher with pinpoint accuracy, blasting him backward and leaving his chest charred!

It was Chen Mo's Energy Shot! He had somehow already maneuvered to the flank!

Almost simultaneously, behind the right‑side truck compartment, Li Siwen and Wang Hu lunged forward, hurling several pre‑prepared stones coated with corrosive slime from the soft‑mud monster. Though their aim was average, the splashing corrosive liquid successfully blocked the charge path of the ambushers on the other side.

"Ambush! Spread out!" the ominous man's complexion changed; he hadn't expected such a rapid response, and it seemed the opponents were already prepared.

But it was already too late.

Han Qing surged out from behind the broken pile like a ferocious tiger, his heavy blast‑proof shield charging forward and slamming into an ambusher attempting to bypass the fire‑net, shattering his bones. Zhang Yang followed closely, his tactical axe wielded with a fierce wind, forcing another foe to retreat repeatedly.

Chen Mo, like a specter, activated Shadow Step again, appearing behind an ambusher wielding a bow and preparing a ranged sneak attack on Su Yu; his tactical axe cleaved horizontally without flourish.

"Pfft!"

A spray of blood erupted!

【Successfully eliminated LV. 7 ambusher, gained 180 experience points!】

【Death Echo triggered! Successfully replicated skill: Precision Shot (LV. 1 passive)!】

【Precision Shot (LV. 1): Passive skill. Slightly increases hit rate and stability of ranged attacks.】

From the moment combat began, the tide was overwhelmingly in their favor. The "Echo" squad adopted a patient stance, their coordination flawless, and each member's strength had markedly improved after the factory trial. Moreover, Chen Mo, a monster possessing multiple skills and super‑class attributes, rendered the average LV6‑LV7 ambushers utterly outmatched.

The ominous man, seeing the unfavorable turn, feigned a move and turned to flee.

"Trying to leave?"

Chen Mo's gaze turned icy; he raised his hand and fired another Energy Shot, blocking the man's escape route while his body surged forward in pursuit.

The ominous man gritted his teeth, spun around and hurled three throwing knives, their angles sharp and cunning.

Chen Mo neither dodged nor evaded; Bone Armor Technique instantly covered his vital points, his tactical axe deflected two knives, allowing the last one to graze his arm armor, leaving a white scar. His speed did not wane, and he closed the distance in an instant!

"Wait! I…" the ominous man's eyes flashed with fear as he tried to beg for mercy.

But Chen Mo gave him no chance. The tactical axe, bearing a cold arc of light, swept across his throat.

【Successfully eliminated LV. 8 Flame Squad elite (???), gained 220 experience points!】

The battle ended swiftly; all eight ambushers were wiped out. Fresh scent of blood lingered in the air.

Chen Mo crouched and rummaged through the ominous man's body; besides ordinary supplies and ammunition, he found a metal plate engraved with a flame emblem but no specific information. Indeed, it belonged to the 'Flame' faction, who acted cautiously and left no direct evidence.

"Clear the battlefield and withdraw quickly," Chen Mo rose, his tone unchanged. Mercy toward the enemy is cruelty toward oneself; this principle had already been etched into his bones in his previous life.

The squad members obeyed the order silently; the respect in their eyes toward Chen Mo deepened. The captain's strength and decisiveness repeatedly exceeded their expectations.

However, just as they prepared to set out again, Su Yu suddenly lifted her head, gazing at the sky, her face showing extreme shock and bewilderment.

"Chen Mo… heaven… sky…" her voice trembled with disbelief.

Everyone instinctively looked up.

The eternal blood‑red moon still hung in the sky, emitting an ominous glow, but beyond the moon, along the horizon that should have been the silhouette of ruined city and distant mountains, a colossal, almost transparent barrier flickered with faint data streams, appearing and disappearing like a mirage!

The barrier resembled an inverted bowl, enveloping the entire sky and stretching to the edge of sight. Though immaterial, it radiated a heart‑pounding, rule‑bound force that cut off everything.

【Region Notice: Detected that the average level of players in the C‑07 Beginner Zone has exceeded LV8; the regional barrier "Beginner Protection Film" will deactivate in 71 hours 59 minutes. After the barrier lifts, this area will connect with other zones, and higher‑level monsters, resource nodes, relics, and hostile players may appear. All players are urged to raise their strength promptly and prepare accordingly.】

The cold system notice sounded at the right moment, confirming that it was no illusion.

"The regional barrier… is disappearing?" Li Siwen pushed his glasses up, his voice hoarse.

"Connecting with other zones… hostile players?" Wang Hu swallowed, the excitement from the recent battle instantly replaced by greater fear.

That meant they would not only face more terrifying monsters, but also confront humans from other 'Beginner Zones'—also struggling to survive in the apocalypse, yet potentially hostile…

Chen Mo stared up at the massive barrier that seemed forged from the power of rules, his pupils narrowing slightly. In his previous life he had also witnessed a regional barrier lift, but that had been months after the apocalypse began. In this life, due to his rebirth and a series of actions, the process had been greatly accelerated!

Opportunity and danger coexist. A broader world means more resources and chances to grow stronger, but also harsher competition and unknown powerful foes.

"Seventy‑one hours…" Chen Mo withdrew his gaze, his eyes once again sharp and resolute, "Not much time left."

He glanced at the Ordinary Magic Core he had taken from the aggregate, then at the steadfast companions beside him who had endured successive fierce battles, finally fixing his gaze on Su Yu.

"Avoid the sanctuary. We need to process this haul, forge new gear, and then…" his voice carried a resolve of burning the boats, "Before the barrier disappears, we must become stronger."

The atmosphere on the return journey grew especially heavy, yet everyone's steps grew more steadfast. The faintly visible barrier in the sky, like a Damocles sword, hung over each head, forcing them to keep moving forward.

A new storm was gathering beyond the barrier. And "Echo" must, before the storm arrives, forge fangs capable of tearing everything apart.