24. Setting Off
The next day, Su Tang got up early, gently patted the Golden Eagle lingering in her arms to wake it up, and then opened the bedroom window to let it fly away. After getting herself ready, she came to the living room and took the Silver Wolf with her to the First Squad’s training ground.
At the First Squad training ground, all members of the First Squad had assembled, wearing the uniform tight combat suits issued by the White Tower. Seeing her arrive, Kelai led her to the very front. Mo Xiao stood there, conducting pre-battle mobilization.
“For this mission, Guide Su Tang will follow us to the front lines.”
Mo Xiao’s words caused a commotion below.
“It’s Guide Su, Su Tang. Our First Squad’s accompanying Guide. I had a hard time grabbing a slot for her channeling last time, but unfortunately, Guide Su seemed to be in poor health and canceled the appointment for the next day. Now that she’s standing here, does it mean her health has greatly recovered?”
“This is our first time having a Guide accompany us. Oh, is this the luxurious life of dreams? It’s finally our turn to live it.”
“Guide Su is so small, so fair, so pretty. She must be fragrant and soft.”
“Of course. I’ve been in Guide Su’s channeling room before; she is incredibly gentle, hehe.”
“Damn it, can the show-off just roll aside for Grandpa?”
Sentinels were born with acute five senses. Hearing the voices coming from the brats below, Kelai couldn’t help but turn his head and chuckle lightly. Then, looking at Su Tang standing to the side, who seemed a bit constrained, he reassured her:
“Apologies, Guide Su. It is also their first time having a Guide accompany them on a mission, so they are a bit excited. You don’t need to pay attention to them.”
“Vice Captain Kelai, are they all going on this mission?”
“Of course not, Guide Su. The difficulty rating for this mission is Grade A. Captain Mo will lead 20 Sentinels to go. Please rest assured, Guide Su, your safety is the primary priority of this operation. The accompanying Sentinels of the First Squad will focus on protecting you.”
“Thank you, sorry to trouble you all.”
“Please don’t say that. Protecting Guides is a Sentinel’s bounden duty, not to mention you are the accompanying Guide of the First Squad.”
Hearing Su Tang and Kelai chatting very congenially, Mo Xiao frowned slightly.
“Kelai, count the head. Board immediately once everyone is present.”
“Yes!”
Kelai, who had just been chatting pleasantly with her, immediately straightened his body upon receiving the instruction. After saluting towards Mo Xiao’s direction, he turned to execute the man’s order.
Before Su Tang could turn her head, she felt her shoulder touch another familiar body.
“During this outing, follow by my side and don’t wander off.”
“Yes.”
Watching the girl sternly imitating Kelai to reply to him, Mo Xiao couldn’t help but curve his eyes.
Deadly cute.
Boarding the transport plane, Su Tang sat beside Mo Xiao. Although wary of the cold-faced captain beside her, some bold Sentinels still handed her various nutrient solutions and some supplement potions.
Su Tang thanked the Sentinels one by one, took the items, and carefully stuffed them into her carry-on backpack.
She selected one with a flavor she liked, opened it, put the nutrient solution in her mouth, and sucked slowly.
“Whoa, did you see that? Guide Su is using the nutrient solution I gave her. I said it, right? She would definitely like it.”
“Ah, she’s so cute. Such a small bit of nutrient solution, yet she needs so long to finish sucking the liquid inside. She really is so small and cute.”
“Damn it. If I had known earlier that Guide Su would also be in the queue for this mission, I would have picked some flavors Guides like. I wouldn’t have let that guy snatch the initiative to give the Guide a gift.”
Su Tang: “…”
Although her five senses weren’t as acute as a Sentinel’s, the transport plane was only so big. Plus, these Sentinels didn’t deliberately hide their volume, so she heard them clearly.
Was it that exaggerated?
She just drank a nutrient solution, didn’t she? It made her feel a bit unnatural. This feeling was like being a monkey in a zoo watched by people, with someone cheering for her every move.
Mo Xiao watched Su Tang lower her head, her action of sucking the nutrient solution becoming slower and slower. Knowing she was bothered by these people, he waved his hand. Kelai, sitting in the rear, immediately walked toward that group of Sentinels.
“During the mission, discussion of matters unrelated to the mission is prohibited. First warning. Next time, names will be recorded, and you won’t be considered for the next mission.”
With this order, there was no more movement from over there, only those burning gazes remained fixed on her.
After a while, Su Tang got used to these gazes. She quickly sucked the nutrient solution clean and threw the empty shell into a nearby bin.
“It will take about another hour. If you’re tired, rest for a while.”
The man’s considerate voice sounded in her ear. Su Tang nodded slightly. The Silver Wolf took the opportunity to jump into her arms, and the soft touch relaxed her nerves.
The girl leaned back against the chair and closed her eyes to rest, her fingers stroking the Silver Wolf lightly now and then. Waves of soft sensation transmitted from his body. Mo Xiao turned his body sideways, raising his knee slightly to cover the abnormality coming from his body.
About an hour later, the sound of the transport plane preparing to land reached Su Tang’s ears. Opening her eyes, she looked down through the glass; below was a boundless yellow wasteland.
The moment the cabin door opened, a strong stench hit her face. Su Tang choked and frowned, her small face scrunching together. She covered her mouth and nose with both hands, but she still couldn’t block waves of disgusting aura from drilling into her nasal cavity.
“Put on the mask.”
Mo Xiao’s voice rang in her ear, and then a cold object was pasted onto her face. Su Tang took it with both hands and nimbly fitted it over her face.
“This area was invaded by alien creatures three months ago. At that time, the rating wasn’t even Grade C, but now it has risen directly to Grade A. It’s evident there must be high-level species here. The mist here is highly polluting, and Captain Mo, the detection instruments we brought don’t work here at all.”
Kelai looked at the detector that had completely failed to function, his expression becoming increasingly grave.
“Visibility here is extremely low. Without the aid of detectors, the difficulty of our clearing mission this time will be very high.”
The problem before them plunged the present Sentinels into silence. The masks could only block and filter part of the toxic gas, but couldn’t filter out all pollution. Sentinels naturally had weak spiritual barriers. In such a highly polluted area, their movements were already restricted, and they couldn’t stay for long.
If even the detectors didn’t work and they couldn’t find the pollution source and species, this mission would be harder than ascending to heaven.
“Um, perhaps I can help you.”
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