Chapter 242: Thoughts on Power

The impact of the high-tier mutant beast caused the cracks in the city wall to expand again, and rubble fell with a rustling sound.

The patrol members' shouts of killing were mixed with panic. Lin Chen leaped onto the city wall, his ice blade slicing through the air, slashing straight toward the mutant beast's head. The mutant beast roared in pain,

swinging its head to ram him. Lin Chen dodged to the side, activating his Absolute Territory to trap it firmly.

The mutant beast struggled frantically, its four limbs striking the barrier with dull thuds. Cold sweat seeped from Lin Chen's forehead, and his arms trembled slightly from the continuous mobilization of his power.

Chu Aiyao and A-Nian also leaped onto the city wall, their long sword and dagger coordinating to stab at the mutant beast's eyes and joints.

Xia Nuan's ice cones followed closely behind, piercing into the mutant beast's skin and flesh. The mutant beast's roars grew weaker,

the intensity of its struggles gradually diminished, and finally, it collapsed to the ground, motionless.

The mutant beast pack under the city wall saw their leader killed and instantly lost their formation. Lin Chen seized the opportunity, leaped down from the city wall, and swung his ice blade; wherever he passed, mutant beasts fell one after another.

The team members' morale was greatly boosted, and they followed Lin Chen in a charge, quickly clearing out more than half of the mutant beasts.

The remaining mutant beasts dared not advance further, turning and fleeing, disappearing into the distant forest. Lin Chen retracted his ice blade and stood at the chaotic city gate, watching the team members treat the wounded and clear the corpses, yet he felt not a shred of the joy of victory in his heart.

He thought of Shi Potian, thought of those dead brothers, thought of Lin Guodong's downfall,

and thought of the Black Scorpion Organization's madness. The power in his hands had helped him repel enemies time and time again,

and helped him hold the safe zone time and time again, but it had also caused him to lose the people around him time and time again. He used to think that power was for revenge, for retaliating against those who had hurt him,

and for taking back everything that belonged to him. But only now did he discover that after revenge, all that remained was emptiness, and endless fighting and sacrifice.

What, in the end, should his power be used for?

Lin Chen leaned against the city wall, looking at the distant sky, asking himself this question repeatedly in his heart.

He thought of the residents in the safe zone, thought of those elderly and children, and thought of the smiles on their faces. He thought of Xia Nuan, and thought of her worried eyes after every battle.

He thought of the brothers of the Starfire Group, and thought of their determination to follow him through life and death.

Perhaps, power should not be used for revenge, should not be used to vent anger,

and should not be used to fight for power and profit. Power should be used to protect—to protect those worth protecting, to protect humanity's last home, and to protect the last remaining warmth in this post-apocalyptic world.

This thought took root and sprouted in his heart, gradually becoming clear. He gripped the ice blade in his hand tightly,

and the confusion in his eyes gradually faded, replaced by determination.

He knew,

the road ahead was still long,

the fighting would continue,

but he would no longer be like before,

blinded by hatred. He would use the power in his hands to protect the safe zone well, and protect every person around him.

"Lin Chen." Xia Nuan's voice came from behind. She was holding a bottle of water and handed it to him, "Drink some water; you're tired."

Lin Chen took the water, unscrewed the cap, and took a sip. The cold water flowed down his throat,

making him much clearer-headed. He looked at Xia Nuan and nodded: "I'm fine."

Chu Aiyao and A-Nian also walked over. Chu Aiyao wiped the bloodstains off her sword,

saying: "Although the mutant beasts have retreated, the network has not been restored. The various safe zones have lost contact, and sooner or later, something will go wrong."

Lin Chen nodded: "I have already sent people to the Core Tower to check the situation, hoping to find a solution as soon as possible."

A-Nian raised the communicator in his hand and shook his head: "Still no signal. The Core Tower seems to have been completely destroyed and cannot be repaired at all."

Lin Chen's brows furrowed. The Core Tower was the hub of the global anti-virus network;

once completely destroyed, humanity would lose its last early-warning system, and attacks from mutant beasts and hostile organizations would become impossible to defend against.

Just then, a technician from headquarters ran over, holding a signal receiver, an excited expression on his face: "Team Leader Lin, there is a signal! It's a signal from the Northern Ice Plains."

Lin Chen's eyes lit up: "Quick, connect it."

The technician immediately connected the signal receiver to the portable computer, and a line of intermittent text soon appeared on the screen. Everyone gathered around, holding their breath as they watched the screen.

The text on the screen became increasingly clear; it was a communication sent from the Dawn Outpost on the Northern Ice Plains: "Secondary infection outbreak, mutant beasts out of control, requesting support, requesting support."

Following the text was an audio clip. The technician pressed the play button, and a burst of chaotic gunfire and screaming came from within, along with someone's roar: "They've broken in! Quick, close the door! Quick, close the door!"

The sounds in the audio grew increasingly chaotic and desperate, and finally, a violent explosion sounded, the signal was completely interrupted, and the screen turned blank once again.

Everyone fell silent. The Dawn Outpost on the Northern Ice Plains was the last outpost humanity had established on the ice plains; there were hundreds of researchers and soldiers there, responsible for researching the weaknesses of mutant beasts and antibodies for the secondary infection. Now, the outpost had sent its final communication, and the signal was interrupted, meaning it had completely fallen.

Lin Chen's expression turned solemn. A secondary infection outbreak meant that the mutant beasts' abilities would evolve again, becoming more ferocious and harder to deal with. And the fall of the Dawn Outpost meant that humanity had lost its last hope, and lost the opportunity to research antibodies.

"We must send people to take a look," Lin Chen said, his voice firm, "Regardless of whether the outpost has fallen, and regardless of whether there are any survivors there, we must go."

Chu Aiyao nodded: "I'll go with you. Among our people, there are those familiar with the terrain of the ice plains."

A-Nian also said: "I'll go too. I can calibrate the signal receiver; perhaps I can find survivors from the outpost."

Xia Nuan looked at Lin Chen, her eyes filled with worry, but she still nodded: "I'll go with you. The temperature on the ice plains is too low, and your body hasn't fully recovered; I can take care of you."

Lin Chen looked at them, feeling a wave of warmth in his heart. He knew that this trip was fraught with danger,

and he might even never return. But he had no choice; he had to go, had to see the situation at the outpost, and had to search for that glimmer of survival.

He turned to the patrol squad leader and said: "After I leave, you are responsible for the defense of the safe zone. Chu Aiyao's people will stay behind to help you. Remember, no matter what happens, you must hold the safe zone."

The patrol squad leader stood at attention and said loudly: "Yes, Team Leader Lin, don't worry, I will definitely hold the safe zone."

Lin Chen nodded and turned to walk toward the off-road vehicle. Xia Nuan, Chu Aiyao, and A-Nian followed behind him, and the four figures soon disappeared at the end of the street.

The off-road vehicle drove toward the Northern Ice Plains, the tires crushing the accumulated snow and splashing up patches of snow foam. No one in the car spoke; only the roar of the engine sounded in their ears. Lin Chen looked at the scenery rapidly receding outside the window, and the question came to his mind once again.

What, in the end, should power be used for?

He looked at the ice blade in his hand, looked at his partners beside him, and looked at the ice plains getting closer in the distance, the determination in his eyes growing stronger.

He knew that the answer lay ahead.

The off-road vehicle soon drove into the range of the ice plains; the temperature grew lower and lower, and a thick layer of frost formed on the car windows. Lin Chen opened the car window, and the cold wind poured in, making him shiver. He looked at the vast white ice plains in the distance, looked at the mutant birds circling in the sky, and gripped the ice blade in his hand tightly.

Just then, A-Nian suddenly shouted: "There's a signal! In the direction of the outpost, there is a faint signal." ===== CHAPTER 243 =====