Chapter 1496: The Top Sniper Escorting and the Nervous Little Eleven

"First Squad has reached the designated location."

Half an hour after the explosion, the First Squad's First Subteam of the Agriculture Department's Disaster Response Unit arrived at the high ground of Office Building A-9, three thousand meters from the Agriculture Department building, as ordered by their commander, to clear any hidden enemies in the surrounding area and remove obstacles for the rescue team.

First Squad Captain Xu Di gave the order: "Copy that. First Subteam, sweep for danger, then cover the advance of the Second and Third Subteams."

"Copy that." Xia Qing and He Zhongzhen responded in turn and began executing the mission.

Liehuo detonated thirteen high-intensity poison gas bombs inside the Hui-3 Safe Zone's inner city. All areas within the inner city entered emergency disaster-response status. Civilians without disaster-response duties were to stay indoors and were forbidden from opening windows or poking their heads out; otherwise they would be designated as targets for elimination. Only disaster-response personnel were permitted on the streets.

The area currently under First Squad's responsibility contained only the six members of the subteam. Any seventh person found was to be eliminated as a target.

After confirming no suspicious targets were found during the sweep, First Subteam covered the advance of the Second and Third Subteams, then advanced again under the cover of the other two subteams to occupy the high ground within a five-kilometer radius.

Upon receiving the order, the inner-city hospital rescue team immediately set out, rushing to the explosion site to save the wounded; the Emergency Management Department immediately dispatched a professional team to handle the spread of toxic gas caused by the explosion.

"Bang!"

Hearing the gunshot, the personnel in both vehicles immediately pulled over to the side of the road.

Rescue team member Xu Juan inside the ambulance looked through the window toward the direction the gunshot had come from, her heart beginning to pound uncontrollably.

On the rooftop, under the sun, stood their base's top sniper! It was too dangerous—she…

"Bang!"

"Thud!"

Just as Xu Juan's heart was pounding wildly, Xia Qing standing on the rooftop pulled the trigger again. The eliminated target fell from a height, slamming onto the ground in front of the ambulance. Xu Juan glanced at the corpse ahead, then looked back at the rooftop and found that Xia Qing had already left.

In her walkie-talkie came the voice of the Agriculture Department liaison: "Obstacles ahead have been cleared. The ambulance may continue forward. The Hui-3 top sniper will continue escorting you."

"Copy that!" The rescue team captain set down the walkie-talkie and ordered, "Full speed ahead!"

The ambulance driver floored the accelerator and sped toward the Agriculture Department.

"Wah—"

In the inner-city administrative hall, among the more than a hundred civilians squatting in a corner of the hall who had come to handle business, a little girl suddenly let out a loud wail, startling everyone with a jolt. The two armed guards in the hall immediately came over to check.

The source of the crying was easy to locate, because the crying little girl was sitting on the lap of a man in a wheelchair against the wall, a head taller than the others squatting on the ground.

Zhang Hongda, Tan Qi, and Yu Shou, who were squatting to the left, front, and right of Ye Yang and Little Eleven, immediately turned to check the situation. The three malicious auras that had been approaching their group of five stopped in place.

Ye Yang quickly checked Little Eleven's body. Finding no wounds on her, he patted her back and asked, "Don't be afraid, Eleven. Tell Uncle what happened?"

"My candy is gone, waaah…" Eleven buried herself in Ye Yang's arms, crying her heart out.

The guards breathed a sigh of relief and sternly reminded Ye Yang, "Keep an eye on the child!"

"That really scared the life out of me!"

"How dare you bring a child who can't control her emotions out in public!"

"If you want to die, don't drag the rest of us down with you."

"…"

The startled people beside them couldn't help muttering complaints. Being trapped here while out handling business because of a sudden incident was already irritating enough, and now they had to deal with someone bringing a child who didn't know any better—trouble on top of trouble. The malicious auras were growing more and more numerous, about to engulf those three people. Eleven grew a little anxious.

Ye Yang explained in a low voice, "Sorry, this child has lived with me in the territory for half a year. Today is her first time in the safe zone's inner city, and her first time eating candy."

A child born during the Calamity Era had never experienced humanity's most glorious age. To her, candy was the best food she had ever eaten, so it was understandable that she would cry when she lost it. The guards' tone softened a little. "Keep an eye on her."

Hearing that these people were from a territory, more than a dozen unfriendly gazes immediately fell on their backpacks, and people began shuffling toward them. Besides candy, their backpacks must surely contain natural food too!

The three people releasing malicious auras also edged closer bit by bit.

Tan Qi, who had grown up in the safe zone, was all too familiar with this kind of hair-raising malice. She clutched the bundle in her arms and fiercely warned the middle-aged woman staring at her: if she dared to reach out, Tan Qi would snap her fingers off!

Zhang Hongda and Yu Shou were also poised to strike, ready to fight back.

Ye Yang, holding Little Eleven, reminded her, "Lord, we can apply for official protection."

Applying for official protection required paying points, but now there was no choice. Tan Qi applied to the guards for protection: "I am Tan Qi, Lord of Territory Fifteen in Northern District One. These four are employees within my territory. Our safety is being threatened. We request official protection."

Before the guards could respond, one of the people emanating malicious aura spoke up: "Miss Tan, I am a member of the Azure Dragon Assault Team. Do you need help?"

The guards immediately breathed a sigh of relief. They were already short-handed and simply couldn't spare anyone to protect lords who had nothing better to do than come to the safe zone.

Sensing Zhang Hongda's aura turn sharp, Little Eleven, who had been crying in Ye Yang's arms, did not take any further action.

Tan Qi rose slightly, peered over a sea of heads, and found the man with his hand raised offering help. Discovering that she didn't recognize this person, Tan Qi refused outright: "No need. I've already applied for official protection."

Ye Yang could tell the guards didn't want to divert personnel to protect lords, and he understood their concerns. This hall had over a hundred civilians needing protection and surveillance, but only eight guards—nowhere near enough hands.

So he spoke up to negotiate with them: "These two children are still young. If a scramble or stampede breaks out later, they're very likely to get hurt. Could you let the five of us separate from the crowd and stay in that corner over there? The three of us are all veterans and can protect the two children."

After speaking, the three of them—Ye Yang included—showed their veteran ID cards.

After confirming they were retired soldiers, the guards' expressions improved noticeably. They pointed to a rest area with chairs on the other side: "The five of you, come out, move over there. Protect the two children."

"Great, thank you so much." Ye Yang expressed his thanks. Tan Qi and Zhang Hongda cleared the way ahead, while Yu Shou pushed the wheelchair forward. The few people who had been eyeing them as easy prey, seeing the fat sheep trying to escape, reluctantly shuffled aside, so the five of them moved forward only slowly.

The three strongest malicious auras pushed their way over. The fastest one squeezed right to the front. Little Eleven, sitting on Ye Yang's lap, gripped the wheelchair's handles tightly with both small hands, desperately using the method her mother had taught her to steady her breathing, heartbeat, and aura.

As they passed by the bad person whose malicious aura stabbed painfully at her brow, Little Eleven saw that person reach a hand out toward her.

"Ah!" Little Eleven couldn't help letting out a sharp scream and shifted to the side. Her protective mask knocked against the wheelchair handle, and her fragile little nose was bumped, sending fresh red blood streaming down.