Chapter 744: A Glimmer of Hope for the Survivors of the First Defense Zone (2)

"Don't shoot! We are Humans! Survivors!"

Sherlock hurriedly shouted, while slowly raising his hands to signal that he had no weapons.

"We are being chased by a Cyberk Patrol! We just shook them off!"

There was Silence behind the pile of trash for a few seconds.

The red laser dot remained steadily pointed at them, not moving away.

"Prove it!"

That hoarse voice sounded again, the tone even more severe.

"Who knows if you are bait for the Cyberk or Puppets under their control? Drop your weapons! Everyone!"

Sherlock took a deep breath.

At this moment, any unnecessary movement could trigger a bloody conflict.

He whispered to his companions.

"Do as they say! Drop your weapons! Slowly!"

Lao Jierui and Nicha hesitated for a moment, but under Sherlock's stern gaze, they still placed the live-ammunition shotguns that Dalton had cobbled together onto the ground.

Dalton also slowly set down his heavy toolbox, but two Smoke Bombs were hooked onto his mechanical arm.

"We've dropped our weapons!"

Sherlock shouted again.

"My name is Sherlock! We just escaped from the Xibian Lajichuliqu! The Cyberk are hunting us! We are also survivors from the First Defense Zone!"

Another silence.

Then, several figures cautiously walked out from the shadows of the trash pile.

Leading them was a middle-aged man with a tall build and a hideous scar running from his forehead across his left eye down to his chin.

He wore a tattered but thick jacket, and obvious cybernetic interfaces could be seen on his exposed arms and neck.

He held a modified Rifle with an extended barrel, the muzzle still aimed at Sherlock.

His one good eye scanned every person in Sherlock's squad, especially the traces of rough or precise modifications on their bodies.

Behind him followed four people, three men and one woman, similarly equipped with a mix of gear, but their eyes all carried the vigilance and exhaustion unique to survivors.

Their weapons were also pointed this way.

Bamian's gaze lingered for a moment on the weapons of Sherlock's squad and their slightly disheveled but clear-eyed faces.

Especially when he saw the parts of what were clearly homemade explosives exposed in Dalton's toolbox, his eyebrows twitched imperceptibly.

"Bamian."

He finally spoke, which counted as giving his own name, but the muzzle still did not lower.

"Where do you come from? Why are you being chased by tin cans? And..."

He gestured with his chin toward Dalton's toolbox.

"Those toys, did you make them?"

Sherlock answered clearly.

"We came from the First Defense Zone Outer City Waicheng Jixiuchang. We... we discovered a Cyberk Giant Weapon Factory! Right by the Inner City! We tried to contact the outside for help, but we exposed our location and drew the Patrol Squad! As for those 'toys'..."

Sherlock glanced at Dalton.

"They were modified by our engineer Dalton using Cyberk 'trash', and we just used them to stall two pursuers!"

"Giant Weapon Factory?!"

A young man behind Bamian exclaimed, his face showing an expression mixed with fear and disbelief.

The pupil of Bamian's single eye contracted sharply, his sharp gaze fixed on Sherlock.

"Are you sure? The location?"

"Very sure! We have coordinate fragments! We have blurry footage!"

Just then, the metallic footsteps unique to Cyberk soldiers and the buzzing of detector scans faintly came from afar.

The sound was approaching in their direction!

Bamian's expression changed, and he immediately made a decision.

He abruptly lowered his muzzle and growled at Sherlock.

"No time for questions! Take your things and follow us! Fast! I know a more hidden place! The tin cans are searching this way!"

The team members behind him also quickly put away their weapons, signaling Sherlock's squad to follow with practiced movements.

A weight lifted from Sherlock's heart for the moment, and he immediately called to his companions.

"Pick up your weapons! Follow them!"

Following Bamian through many twists and turns, Sherlock's squad was led into a massive, half-buried Feiqi Wushuichuli Sheshi.

The air was filled with musty dampness and the smell of machine oil, but compared to the outside, it had more signs of human life.

Pipes and concrete structures had been converted into makeshift living quarters and defensive fortifications.

When they passed through a gate reinforced with thick iron plates and sandbags, the scene before them lifted the spirits of Sherlock and the others.

As far as the eye could see, figures were moving about.

People were either repairing equipment, wiping down weapons, or tending to the wounded.

A rough estimate was nearly 200 people!

Bamian walked straight toward the central area, a command point converted from an old Control Console.

Several people stood there, led by a man around fifty years old with graying hair and a face covered in wrinkles.

He wore an old, washed-out work uniform and was assigning Tasks to the survivors in front of him.

Bamian walked up and gave him a brief report.

"Captain, the outer perimeter guard post spotted them. They were being chased by 'tin cans' and claimed to have discovered important intelligence regarding the 'Giant Weapon Factory'."

Bamian gestured with his chin toward Sherlock.

"His name is Sherlock; he should be their leader."

The man addressed as Captain swept his gaze over Sherlock and his group, lingering for a moment on Dalton's toolbox and Anna's prosthetic eye, before finally settling on Sherlock's face.

"Giant Weapon Factory?"

The Captain spoke, his voice not loud, yet the busy crowd around them quieted down slightly.

"Bamian says you have evidence?"

Sherlock stepped forward, straightened his back, and nodded as he spoke.

"Yes, in the border area of the Inner City. The heads of those giant weapons can be seen even from outside the city walls! We tried to call for help outside, which drew the pursuers. But the good news is, just before being hunted, we successfully contacted the Ninth Defense Zone!"

"The Ninth Defense Zone?"

A woman wearing a monocle nearby interjected.

"Are they still resisting? They are too far from us."

"They are not only still resisting!"

Sherlock's tone carried a hint of excitement.

"They possess a force capable of breaching the Cyberk Fortress! We transmitted the intelligence and coordinate fragments of the weapon factory to them! They confirmed the value of the intelligence and are currently evaluating it and preparing to act! They are waiting for a support signal from our side!"

Upon hearing that there was a Human force capable of breaching the Cyberk Fortress, the Captain's eyes sharpened.

"The Ninth Defense Zone's force? Can they really punch through a Cyberk Fortress?"

Seeing that the other party somewhat believed his words, Sherlock hurriedly spoke.

"Their Communications Officer promised it personally! But the problem is, the frequency of Cyberk capturing us has been increasing lately, which is very likely related to those giant weapons! My team is all that's left of us."

Sherlock looked around at the survivors who had gathered and were listening with bated breath.

"We cannot afford to wait! The reinforcements from the Ninth Defense Zone might be on the way, but we must also find a way to hold out until then!"

The Captain remained in Silence for a few seconds, his fingers tapping against the grease-covered Control Console. The entire underground space was deathly silent, save for the sound of dripping water from distant pipes and the nervous breathing of the people.

Finally, he extended his calloused right hand toward Sherlock.

"Sherlock, my name is Huo Ke. From now on, we are in the same boat. I also want to end these days of hiding from the Cyberk! I hope the Ninth Defense Zone support you spoke of can arrive at the First Defense Zone soon."

Sherlock gripped Huo Ke's hand firmly.

"The Cyberk have left us with no other choice, haven't they?"

"That's true."