Chapter 687: Survivors from the Third Defense Zone (1)

Fourth Defense Zone.

Sunlight illuminated the pale cyan curtains in Xiumini's room.

Xiumini habitually touched the smooth fabric with her severed fingers, feeling the sensations transmitted from them.

This simple action filled Xiumini with deep emotion; it was a luxury she had not dared to imagine while in the dark cages of the Seventh Defense Zone.

Thanks to those warriors known as Salamanders for rescuing her, and thanks to the Emperor; it was He who gave Human Civilization hope for a resurgence once again.

Xiumini had learned all of this from her coworkers after arriving at the Fourth Defense Zone.

This place had once been a purgatory after being overrun by the Beast Race, but just as the humans of the Fourth Defense Zone fell into despair, the Emperor descended and left those Orcs essentially trapped here.

Xiumini walked to the bed in her apartment; rhythmic hammering sounds came from a construction site in the distance, pedestrians on the street were busy with their own work, and everything was moving in a better direction.

"Xiumini! Xiumini! Wake up quickly!"

A crisp, slightly urgent knocking sounded, accompanied by the voice of a young girl.

"The Human Alliance Transport Plane from the Third Defense Zone has arrived, right at 'New Life Square'! The foreman wants us to go help immediately!"

Interrupted by the knocking, Xiumini immediately snapped back to reality; listening to that lively voice, it was her colleague Xiaoya.

Xiumini used her severed fingers to tidy up her messy hair, suppressed the familiar heavy feeling in her heart, and put on her dark gray work uniform.

"I heard there are a lot of people this time, and the situation doesn't seem very good!"

Xiumini pulled open the door to see Xiaoya wearing the same uniform, her cheeks flushed, her eyes filled with the vitality unique to young people.

"Understood, I'm coming."

As she spoke, Xiumini carefully pinned her identity card, which symbolized her status as a temporary worker, to her chest.

In the mirror, the scar on the corner of her mouth remained conspicuous, but in her pale blue pupils, there was no longer pure terror.

"Wow, that scar of yours..."

Xiaoya's gaze fell on the corner of Xiumini's mouth, then she saw the stumps of the severed fingers exposed as Xiumini adjusted her identity card; sympathy flashed in her eyes, but she quickly masked it and began to ask.

"Are you okay? Didn't you sleep well again last night?"

Xiumini shook her head gently and closed the door.

"I'm used to it. Let's go, don't keep the foreman waiting."

She never explained the origin of her scars and fingers to her colleagues; Xiaoya was a girl transferred from the Ninth Defense Zone and only had vague rumors about the brutality of the Seventh Defense Zone.

The two walked quickly down the steps of the dormitory building and merged into the early morning street.

The air was slightly cool, carrying the scent of cement dust.

There were more and more pedestrians on the road, mostly workers in uniforms like theirs, hurrying along.

Workers pushing small carts to transport building materials, technicians walking while looking at blueprints, and several missionaries in red robes were rushing toward their respective Xuanshidadang.

These missionaries were those who had been entrusted with heavy responsibilities by Yingzhou after passing his assessment to come to the Fourth Defense Zone.

Facing the Emperor's trust in them, these missionaries suppressed the ecstasy in their hearts, determined to tell these residents the true philosophy of the Emperor.

Xiaoya couldn't help but talk as they walked, trying to dispel some of the tension.

"I heard the Third Defense Zone was devastated by the Zerg! The transport plane is full of survivors who were barely rescued; they must be terrified. We have to settle them in properly, right, Sister Xiumini?"

She naturally used a more intimate form of address.

"Mm, I will do my best."

Xiumini's voice was very steady, her gaze sweeping over a newly erected, massive billboard on the street corner, which featured the logo of the Workers Association and the slogan "Unity, Labor, New Life."

This reminded her of the particularly capable "Xiunu" person-in-charge of the Workers Association that Xiaoya had mentioned during previous chats.

She forced herself to focus on the upcoming Task.

"Look over there."

Xiaoya pointed to a building ahead that was being topped off, her tone filled with pride.

"A new school! Once it's built, the Alien Race will have been wiped out by the Emperor, and those children who lost their parents will be able to go to school! Unlike us..."

Her words stopped abruptly, as if she realized that in front of Xiumini, who had experienced true hell, complaining about her own relatively stable but resource-scarce childhood was inappropriate.

Xiumini just gave a faint "Mm" and did not stop her pace.

The closer she got to New Life Square, the clearer that heavy feeling in her heart became, pressing on her chest like a cold stone.

Xiaoya also gradually quieted down, seemingly sensing the change in atmosphere.

Turning the last corner, the expansive New Life Square appeared before them.

The square was bustling with people, and staff members had already set up simple cordon lines.

A massive Human Alliance Transport Plane was docked in the center of the square, its tail ramp having just been lowered, kicking up a flurry of fine dust.

Just then, an indescribable, viscous scent—a mixture of rotting sweetness and some kind of cold chemical agent—rushed toward them!

This odor was far more suffocating than the bloody, metallic smell left behind by the Beast Race in the Seventh Defense Zone, instantly constricting Xiumini's breathing.

"Ugh... cough, cough! The Emperor is above, what is that smell?!"

Xiaoya immediately covered her nose and mouth, her face turning pale; her voice was muffled, filled with shock and discomfort.

She had clearly never smelled such a bizarre and nauseating odor.

Smelling this odor brought back bad memories for Xiumini; although she had been in the Fourth Defense Zone for some time, the trauma left by those memories could not be forgotten in an instant.

But seeing those survivors who looked much like she did when she was just rescued from the Beast Race cages, Xiumini took a deep breath and said to Xiaoya beside her.

"Let's go, they need us."

The pain she had experienced was in the past; she could at least help these survivors adapt to their new environment.

Xiaoya looked at Xiumini's straight back; although her face was still a bit pale, she quickly took her hand away from her mouth, nodded firmly, and followed quickly.

She watched Xiumini walk toward those who needed help the most and felt great admiration for Xiumini's actions.

There was a large number of survivors inside the transport plane cabin, and they were being guided out by staff members wearing protective suits.

These survivors from the Third Defense Zone who had been abducted by the Zerg were in even worse condition than Xiumini had anticipated.

Most of them were so thin they were misshapen, their skin a sickly grey-white or sallow yellow.

Many of them were covered in a hard shell formed by dried, translucent mucus.

Their eyes were filled with confusion, and upon seeing the scene outside the Transport Aircraft, these survivors clearly became somewhat agitated.

"Do not be afraid... do not be afraid... this place is safe... a place under the Emperor's protection..."

A missionary held a holy emblem, soothing them with a gentle voice.