Chapter 73: This Beast Tide... Probably Isn't That Simple

Inside the luxurious carriage, the atmosphere was somewhat tense.

"Bomb!"

"I'm just asking if you're dead or not!"

Han Mengqing slammed four cards onto the table.

At this moment, her originally fair and pretty face was covered with white sticky notes.

Obviously, she had lost badly.

But for this round, she was very confident.

"Hmph, Lin Mo, this time you're doomed!"

Han Mengqing looked at the remaining cards in her hand, a smile curling her lips.

Four 2s and a single card remained.

Lin Mo clearly had a bomb in his hand, but it didn't matter; this round was a certain win!

Han Mengyao, sitting nearby, put down the book in her hand, cast a cold glance at her own sister with an expression as if looking at an idiot, then silently shifted her gaze back to the book.

"Ahem..."

Chu Lingxuan shrank her neck slightly and whispered:

"Mengqing, how about... keeping a low profile?"

"Low profile my ass! Sister Lingxuan, I, Han Mengqing, will today use this deck of cards to win back all the strips on my face!"

Han Mengqing looked at Lin Mo with great pride.

"Lin Mo, I know you have a bomb, but you still have 17 cards in your hand; I don't believe you can wipe me out with 17 cards!"

"If you can wipe me out with 17 cards today, I'll eat this table right here!"

"17 cards, is it?"

Lin Mo slurped some juice, then casually started throwing cards.

"Bomb, airplane, done."

"?"

The smile on Han Mengqing's face froze.

"My thanks, my thanks."

Lin Mo clasped his hands and said with a smile.

Chu Lingxuan looked at Han Mengqing with some sympathy and said weakly:

"Um... Mengqing, forget about eating the table; this table is quite expensive, and besides... it's not hygienic."

"I'm not playing! It's no fun at all!"

Han Mengqing threw the cards in her hand onto the table and sat back on the sofa in a huff.

At this moment, Han Mengyao said quietly:

"With this hand of cards, even a dog could win. Tsk tsk... I suggest donating your brain to someone in need."

"Sister!!"

Han Mengqing was so angry she turned into a pufferfish, her cheeks round and puffed out.

She angrily tore off the sticky note from her forehead and muttered under her breath:

"You're all bullying me! No love left, there's no love in this world anymore..."

Just then.

"Ding-dong—"

"Attention, distinguished passengers: monster activity has been detected ahead, possibly accompanied by a beast tide assault. The train is about to activate defense mode."

"The train may experience slight turbulence; please return to your seats, fasten your seatbelts, and do not move around the carriage at will."

"Repeating: please fasten your seatbelts..."

Hearing the broadcast sound inside the carriage, Lin Mo frowned slightly.

A beast tide?

He turned his head and looked out the window toward the distance.

On the distant horizon, a thin black line appeared within his field of vision; that was the monsters surging forward.

In the sky and on the ground, a dark, oppressive mass stretched out.

"That's quite a large number."

Lin Mo sighed.

At the same time, Han Mengyao closed her book expressionless, stood up, and a silver long spear appeared in her hand, emitting a chilling coldness.

"Sister? What are you doing?"

Han Mengqing was stunned for a moment. "Things like a beast tide, the guard team can handle them; we can just sit and watch the show."

Han Mengyao ignored her sister, her tone flat:

"With great power comes great responsibility."

"Since we've encountered it, there's no reason to sit by and do nothing. I'll go see if help is needed."

Having said that,

she picked up the long spear and left directly.

"Sigh..."

Han Mengqing sighed helplessly.

Immediately after,

Chu Lingxuan, sitting nearby, also stood up cautiously. "Um... I'll go take a look too."

Chu Lingxuan's voice was gentle, but her tone was unusually firm:

"I'm a Knight class—protecting the weak is my duty… and I can also help block for Sister Mengyao."

After saying that, she nodded to Lin Mo and Han Mengqing, then jogged to catch up with Han Mengyao's pace.

Watching the two of them leave, Lin Mo rubbed his chin.

"Tch, didn't expect those two to have such high awareness."

The 'Fireball' in the skill bar also began to stir restlessly.

【'Fireball' trembled all over in excitement: So many monsters! So many monsters! Quick, this seat wants to level up, hurry and follow along!】

【'Earth Shield' cautiously advised: Big brother, it's so dangerous out there, it's safer to stay in the carriage. The broadcast already said don't run around.】

Lin Mo also soothed it in his heart.

"Xiao Huo, don't rush. Once we reach the capital, there'll be plenty of monsters for you to kill—no need to rush this moment."

"Besides, didn't Captain Shen say it? They brought three times the usual escort force. If we rush out now, we'd be stealing their job—not very decent."

"Our mission right now is to be a distinguished first-class carriage passenger and enjoy the journey."

At this moment, Han Mengqing pursed her lips and sighed:

"Sigh, it's just a beast tide—trains running into beast tides is perfectly normal."

"Clearly the escort team can handle it, yet they insist on rushing out to cause trouble for people. Don't they get tired of it?"

"And Lingxuan-jie too, insisting on charging to the front—really can't figure them out."

Listening to Han Mengqing's complaints, Lin Mo smiled and shook his head:

"You can't put it that way."

"It's precisely because of people like them in this world that we can lie back so comfortably."

"In a certain sense, they're pretty cool."

Hearing this, Liu Weiwei was briefly stunned.

She was silent for a few seconds, then chuckled softly:

"Seems like that's true too…"

"Didn't expect you to be quite the philosopher when you talk."

"You're too kind, too kind."

Lin Mo smiled and asked curiously:

"Right, aren't you a powerful support?"

"Why don't you go buff your sister a few times? Supports hanging back shouldn't be in much danger, right?"

"Ugh, my sis doesn't fancy my BUFFs."

Han Mengqing said with a wave of her hand.

"Hmm? Why?"

Lin Mo grew even more puzzled.

In this world, are there still people who don't like receiving buff BUFFs?

"Um… ah…"

Han Mengqing's gaze dodged about as she stammered:

"Maybe she thinks she's strong enough already? Or… thinks my BUFFs are a bit… redundant?"

"Ah, let's not talk about this!"

Han Mengqing forcibly changed the subject:

"Anyway, she's so fierce she doesn't need my little BUFFs."

"Come on, come on, Lin Mo, let's play 'Draw the Turtle'! I refuse to believe I can lose this hand too!"

……

Maglev train, rooftop.

This was the train's defensive position.

The gale howled, nearly making it impossible to stand steady.

On the armored deck atop the train, a magic-energy machine gun was mounted at regular intervals.

Members of the escort team nervously manned their respective posts.

Ranged-class professionals stood on the inner side, while melee-class professionals stood ready to protect their safety.

"Huh? You two students, what are you doing up here?"

A squad leader of the escort team, seeing Han Mengyao and Chu Lingxuan, and then noticing the gleaming badges on their chests, was momentarily stunned.

"It's too dangerous here! Get back to the carriage!"

Han Mengyao didn't waste words. She glanced at the distant beast tide and said calmly:

"We're here to help."

Chu Lingxuan beside her also nodded firmly, her face set.

"But… but…"

The squad leader looked at the two's determined gazes and was momentarily at a loss for words.

"No more 'buts'."

Han Mengyao cut him off, fighting spirit surging in her eyes:

"As professionals of Dragon Nation, having enjoyed the nation's protection and resources, we must shoulder the corresponding responsibility."

"One more person, one more share of strength."

Chu Lingxuan behind her also mustered her courage and said:

"Um… I'm a Light-element Knight. I can cast shields on all you big brothers. I want to do my part too!"

Looking at these two clearly young Misses who were, despite their age, full of hot-blooded zeal, the squad leader couldn't help but feel a warm surge in his heart.

"Good!"

The squad leader nodded heavily, no longer being coy:

"If that's the case, then I'll trouble the two of you!"

"Dazhuang! Erlei! You two come over here and protect these two classmates! If so much as a single hair on their heads is missing, I'll hold you responsible!"

"Yes, sir!"

Two burly shield warriors immediately ran over and flanked the two girls in the middle.

Afterwards, the squad leader also turned and left.

Han Mengyao's gaze swept over the front and rear of the train.

Suddenly, Liu Weiwei frowned slightly.

"Magic-energy cannons…"

"Sister Mengyao, what's wrong?"

Chu Lingxuan sensed the strangeness in Han Mengyao and asked curiously.

Han Mengyao looked at the magic-energy cannons charging up at the front and rear, her tone Serious:

"Magic-energy cannons—each activation consumes resources worth a fortune."

"Under normal circumstances, facing an ordinary beast tide, switching on the magic-energy machine guns is more than enough."

"This…"

Chu Lingxuan immediately tensed up as well.

Han Mengyao took a deep breath and tightened her grip on the long spear in her hand:

"Lingxuan, brace yourself."

"This beast tide… I'm afraid it won't be that simple."