Chapter 885: with translation of chapter title

Linjiang City outskirts.

Standing in the back of a pickup truck, several Long'an Base soldiers chatted casually.

Since the cleanup operation began, the zombies in Linjiang City have been disappearing at a visible rate.

All usable supplies were moved back to the base, and the corpses were fed into the spirit-energy tower for incineration.

Under the base's buff, large numbers of survivors awaken each day.

Located remotely and with few third-rank mutants, the surrounding area of the Three Provinces of the Ring River seems to have entered a brief period of peace.

Humanity's strength temporarily overwhelmed the zombies and mutants.

"I don't even know when we'll be able to go back to before the apocalypse.."

"We're almost done wiping out these zombies..."

"Damn, just thinking that my mortgage is almost paid off, I've barely lived here a few days, and I feel so depressed."

Taking a pleasant drag on a cigarette, a somewhat older Awakened One casually leaned on a vehicle-mounted machine gun and exhaled a puff of smoke.

As an expeditionary force, they have far more credit points than ordinary Awakened Ones.

Buying a pack of cigarettes and exchanging for a few bottles of beer counts as a rare enjoyment in this apocalypse.

"Old Huang, what nonsense are you thinking?"

"How many mortgages do you have left... If you're willing, you can freely live in a villa in the city, stop talking nonsense."

The short-haired young man gave the somewhat talkative middle-aged man an annoyed glance.

Although they bicker, their relationship is fine; they often argue in daily life.

"The apocalypse won't end that easily."

"Haven't you seen the war zone channel? News of safe zones being overrun is everywhere."

"If we weren't in Faction: Long An, we'd be eating maggots by now!"

"Besides, there are still major catastrophes ahead; whether Laozi can live to twenty-four is a question!"

Feeling reluctant, he stubbed out the half-smoked cigarette, pocketed it, and the middle-aged man gave an embarrassed shrug, not caring.

He also knew he was talking nonsense.

Apart from the vicinity of Faction: Long An, no survivors in the other major war zones are as relaxed as they are.

Faction: Long An has too many Awakened Ones, to the point that everyone has started competing to hunt mutants.

With strong strength and ample weapons and supplies, their equipment and upgrade speed far surpass those of all safe zones.

As a result, these cleanup squads feel bored out of their minds these days.

"Alright, stop arguing."

"With this free time, we might as well think about how to kill mutants."

"The day before yesterday, a team reported that survivors in the city had sent out a distress signal, targeting the eastern commercial district of Linjiang City."

"That mutant is a bloody butcher, a First Level high-level."

"Killing that monster will give us enough credit points for the inner city."

Sitting inside the pickup, a female Awakened One carrying a massive battle-axe spoke in an indifferent tone to stop everyone.

"The eastern commercial district?"

Some clicked their tongues.

The short-haired youth rubbed his bluish chin, frowned, and looked at his captain, Wang Chunhua:

"Sister Wang, killing a First Level superior isn't hard. Our team's strength is a bit lacking, but we can also ask for help from inner-city Awakened Ones."

"But there are just too many zombies..."

"That damned commercial district—once you go in, it's street fighting. The danger level of zombies in the city has risen by more than one notch..."

"Even a slight scratch will get you infected..."

Although they said that, everyone's eyes suddenly burned with enthusiasm.

The inner city of Long'an Base, formerly the Linjiang College area, after the base began expansion, the inner city built on the land under the authority's regulations, is incredibly tempting to Awakened Ones!

But the inner city's population capacity is limited; the inner city of a total 360,000 people has already been completely divided up.

To enter, one must either have at least Second Level superior strength or have made a huge contribution.

Next, one can exchange credit points for a small residential qualification.

"Enter the inner city..."

His eyes lit up.

The middle-aged man unconsciously turned his head toward the direction of Long'an Base and couldn't help muttering:

"Isn't it possible to see those few?"

"I just don't know if, after entering the inner city, I'll be able to see Lord Lin An..."

The man's eyes held a hint of longing; it's not that Lin An's reputation is so high that every Awakened One hopes to meet this strongest person on the planet.

Whether it's the bragging rights or whatever.

Few people know that he is a survivor who escaped from the Auto Repair City.

Unlike others whose image of Lin An is only mysterious and powerful, he personally experienced that scene before the death battle, when Lin An intimidated all forces.

It can be said that his fate changed from that day.

"What the hell are you thinking!"

The short-haired man habitually blurted out his catchphrase, but his gaze also likewise turned toward the base.

"Seeing Lord Lin An... he's just too strong, too far away."

"I actually want to see Gao Tian; I also use a bow..."

"I heard he can kill a Second Level peak mutant with a single arrow; if he could teach me a bit..."

Yearning, they reached back and touched the bow and arrow.

For survivors, any chance to grow stronger, they will not let it pass.

With Wang Chunhua's words, the whole squad's discussion shifted from idle chatter to a yearning to gather enough credit points to move into the inner city.

At the rear of the team, several girls who had just become Awakened Ones also chattered away.

As those who had been 'screened', each of them looked quite decent.

As followers of the team, newly promoted Awakened Ones, their task was to lend a hand and gain some experience facing zombies.

As the convoy slowly approached the city, everyone tacitly lowered their voices.

Sitting in the driver's cabin, Wang Chunhua silently looked at her team members, feeling a sense of loss.

Everyone looked forward to entering the inner city, but she wanted more credit points to exchange for an awakening potion for her daughter.

Although the price was not high, she wanted to exchange for the best kind.

Before the apocalypse, she was merely an accountant who had hardly ever killed a chicken.

But after the apocalypse broke out, her husband turned into a zombie, and she, facing death repeatedly, transformed into a qualified warrior, eventually becoming the captain of the entire Awakened Ones squad.

Clutching the battle axe in her hand, thinking of her daughter, she couldn't help but show a gentle smile.

The credit points were almost enough; after completing the mission...

"Boom!!"

A sonic boom came from far to near, rapidly closing the distance.

As the strongest member of the team, Wang Chunhua suddenly stood up and hurriedly looked toward the source of the sound.

City center? Linjiang City district?

A fighter jet? No, Long An would not send supersonic fighter jets to patrol this direction.

The next second, a black dot flew rapidly from afar.

That was...

Upon seeing that the black dot was a human, the entire team suddenly tensed up.

Flying, at supersonic speed!?

Third Rank!

"Stop! Everyone on alert!"

Near Long An's war zone there are no Third Rank beings; as survivors who have lived to this day, everyone knows that encountering humans in the wild is not safe.

Out of instinctive vigilance, everyone stared fixedly at the rapidly approaching figure.

Just thinking that Long An lay behind them, a few people felt somewhat calmer.

"It's okay... it's okay."

"Even if it's a Third Rank, it probably wouldn't provoke us Long An on its own."

This is the confidence brought by Lin An; in external negotiations, any faction will consider the reputation of being number one in the world.

Especially Lin An's conduct, which carries considerable deterrent power in the ears of major factions.

The figure halted, as if observing.

Braking in place, upon seeing that the Third Rank Awakened One wore a military-green combat uniform, everyone suddenly let out a breath of relief.

Military?

Before they could speak, they heard the person expressionlessly gaze at their combat uniforms:

"Long'an Base?"

He was slightly stunned.

The leader, Wang Chunhua, forced a kind expression, desperately resisting the aura emanating from the other:

"That's right, we are the Long An Outer City Clearing Squad. May I ask which Military Region's Awakened..."

Before her words finished, a strong sense of danger erupted from the woman's heart.

"Bang!"

A pitch-black death ray suddenly pierced her skull.

The exploding brain matter sprayed onto everyone's faces; the sudden change left the team stunned in place.

"Captain... dead!?"

The first to regain his senses, a middle-aged man's eyes turned red, his liver and gall feeling about to burst, as he instinctively roared loudly:

"Enemy attack!!"

"Run!!"

Faced with a Third Rank, they had no choice but to flee; the attacker, after confirming they were Long An members, still dared to strike—clearly targeting Long An.

Barely preserving his rationality, the middle-aged man had only one thought: to send the message back!

He had to tell the base: a Third Rank has come to kill!

However, the suddenly appearing soldier in uniform gave them no time to react.

The next second, all that could be seen was him flashing at high speed, bringing a shower of blood.

After two seconds, standing amid a ground littered with corpses, the soldier in uniform deeply inhaled the scent of blood in the air, as if savoring a delicacy.

His gaze turned toward distant Long An, he casually moved his neck, giving a cruel smile:

"Little worms..."

"I have come..."

His aura burst forth without restraint, revealing him to be a mid-level Third Rank.

The ground trembled; a black tide of corpses surged wildly out of the city.

In the distance, a large number of mutants, as if guided, slowly gathered into a long black line.