Chapter 157: Mini-Version

After Yingzhou closed the System Panel, not long after, the Communication Device Hu Jie had given him suddenly rang.

"Deputy Regiment Commander, it's so late, is there something you need from me?"

Yingzhou picked up Hu Jie's call and asked.

"Yingzhou, the Settlement Area where the survivors who returned with you from the Zerg Hunting Ground are staying was attacked by an unknown force. Although the soldiers and survivors there eventually repelled the attackers, they still abducted a group of children who had been rescued from the Zerg Incubation Nest, and even killed one child. Chief Ji Bu asked me to bring you there to take a look. Do you have time now?"

Hu Jie's voice was as calm as ever, but the information he provided made Yingzhou pause for a moment. However, Yingzhou quickly reacted and said, "No problem, I'll set off now."

After hanging up the communication, Yingzhou said in realization, "So those children were the main objective of this attack, and attacking the survivors was just to silence them? What kind of secret are those children hiding? Forget it, I'll go find the Deputy Regiment Commander first."

Yingzhou walked out of the room. Seeing that only his mother remained in the living room, Yingzhou walked over to her, squatted down, and said, "Mom, there's a situation at the military unit, I have to head back."

"You've only been back for a day, did something happen?" Seeing Yingzhou squat down, his mother already had a guess in her heart.

"Yes, something came up. These two will stay here to protect your safety."

Yingzhou summoned the medical Xiunu he had previously withdrawn and said to his mother.

"Then you must be careful out there."

Amidst his mother's instructions, Yingzhou left the house. He didn't know when he would be back next time; it was better not to involve his mother in the things he was about to face.

Ninth Defense Zone Military Region.

Nie Hao looked at the calm-faced Hu Jie and said with dissatisfaction, "Why are you the one taking Yingzhou? Why not let me go back to the Thirteenth Legion?"

Hu Jie wiped the glasses in his hand and said slowly, "Because you've been away from the Thirteenth Legion for a few days now, and it can't function without you. The Chief asked me to bring Yingzhou because those survivors have clearly undergone some physical changes, and Yingzhou might know something."

Nie Hao curled his lips, "If it weren't for this incident, we wouldn't even have known the Military Region was hiding a Settlement Area. Tell me, was this attack the work of those guys in the Inner City?"

"You can say that in front of me, but don't go around talking nonsense. Chief Ji Bu is very angry about this incident and has ordered all remaining survivors in the Settlement Area to be detained, pending further instructions."

Hu Jie put on his cleaned glasses and looked at Nie Hao as he spoke.

"Fine, then be careful and don't let Yingzhou run into any trouble."

Seeing that it was about time, Nie Hao got up and left the tent.

"Mm, don't worry."

Hu Jie followed behind Nie Hao and responded.

After seeing Nie Hao off, Hu Jie headed to the Military Region's Airport. As soon as he entered the airport, he saw that conspicuous big guy walking toward him.

"Deputy Regiment Commander, where are we going next?"

Yingzhou walked up to Hu Jie, saluted, and said.

"We'll talk on the way, come with me." Hu Jie pushed up the glasses on the bridge of his nose and said to Yingzhou in a flat tone, "After we get to the Settlement Area in a while, some people might ask you some questions. They shouldn't give you a hard time."

"Ask me questions?" Yingzhou followed by Hu Jie's side and asked in confusion.

"Yes, because you and those survivors all stayed in the Zerg Hunting Ground before. Their current physical fitness has increased, and they have grown more than 10 centimeters taller since they first entered the Settlement Area. Now, the shortest of those survivors is 1.9 meters, and the tallest is nearly 2.1 meters."

Hu Jie looked back at Yingzhou and said in a calm tone.

"I don't know. I used my Back Spirit's ability to strengthen their bodies while in the Zerg Hunting Ground. Could it be related to that?"

Yingzhou had no choice but to attribute these changes to the Back Spirit's ability, claiming he was unaware.

"Your Back Spirit has this kind of ability too?" Hu Jie looked at Yingzhou in confusion, thinking to himself: Does this Back Spirit have so many abilities? But since there is no record of this Back Spirit in the database, I can only learn about its abilities through Yingzhou.

"Uh, I'm not sure either, I'm still exploring it."

The two got into a military truck, and the truck drove out of the Military Region.

Ninth Defense Zone Military Region Settlement Area.

Shortly after the attack occurred, the Military Region sent a unit to secure the Settlement Area. Looking at the single child's corpse and the corpses of the Human Alliance soldiers who had been left behind, Ji Bu felt furious.

"Damn it, who the hell did this! Was their goal those children? But..."

At this point, Ji Bu looked at the more than twenty survivors gathered not far away. Seeing that although they had signs of having fought, no one had died, Ji Bu felt puzzled.

Logically speaking, these survivors should have been silenced too. How did they manage to survive this attack? And why did these survivors look so familiar to him?

Just as Ji Bu was thinking, his Guard trotted to his side and whispered to him.

"Chief, the Deputy Legion Commander of the Thirteenth Legion and Yingzhou have arrived."

Upon hearing the name Yingzhou, Ji Bu patted his own head and said, "Oh! I was wondering why these people looked so familiar. Aren't these just mini-versions of that kid Yingzhou? It's just that they don't look as monstrous as that guy Yingzhou!"

Ji Bu turned back to the Guard and said, "I know. Follow the standard screening procedure, and bring them to me when it's finished."

"Yes!"

Ajie looked at the middle-aged man in military uniform walking toward them. Judging by the attitude of the surrounding soldiers toward this man, he must be someone of high status in the Human Alliance Military Region.

The man walked up to Ajie and the others and said to them, "Did you know a young man named Yingzhou before?"

Upon hearing the two words "Yingzhou," the eyes of these survivors became a bit more lively as they looked at the man. Ajie asked in confusion, "Why do you ask?"

The middle-aged man did not answer Ajie's question but continued, "It seems Yingzhou holds a high place in your hearts. Is it because you survived with him in the Zerg Hunting Ground before?"

Ajie was unsure of the middle-aged man's true purpose, but seeing the other's gaze fixed on him, he could only answer simply, "Yes, he gathered us together, we resisted the Zerg's attack, and eventually, we were rescued."

The middle-aged man nodded and looked at Ajie meaningfully, "Then are the changes in your bodies also related to him?"

Ajie was startled, pursed his lips, and did not answer the middle-aged man's question.