Chapter 80: Mo Xiao is Injured
Only four spiritual entities remained outside the light membrane, fighting ferociously to drive back the last of the persistent pollutants.
It wasn’t until the outside world fell into a deathly silence that Su Tang finally let out a breath of relief.
The light membrane was covered in jagged cracks. Zhan Ye was busy instructing a Sentinel on how to repair the generator to restore the barrier’s integrity. Outside, the residual heat from the laser cannons had yet to dissipate, and the air was a pungent cocktail of gunpowder smoke and the rotting stench of the pollutants.
The Golden Eagle shrunk in size and landed on a nearby table to preen its feathers. The blood clinging to its pale gold wings had dried into a dark brownish-crimson, and flecks of black mist swirled around its body, refusing to fade.
Su Tang walked over to the eagle and manipulated her spirit power to help it disperse the lingering black mist.
Zhan Ye, who was still discussing repairs with the Sentinel, suddenly felt a wave of warmth wash over him. The heavy, oppressive sensation that had been weighing on his soul abruptly vanished. He turned back and saw Su Tang holding a bottle of water, helping his Golden Eagle clean its feathers. An involuntary smile quirked the corners of his lips.
āCaptain Zhan, the core device of the generator isnāt destroyed. I should be able to fix it in about twenty minutes.ā
The voice of the remaining Sentinel was hoarse, sounding like someone who had just survived a catastrophe. Zhan Ye waved him off to get to work and walked over to Su Tang.
āWater is precious. Using it to wash this little thingās feathers is a waste.ā
The Golden Eagle had been enjoying the gentle touch of the little Guideāher soft hands felt like a massageābut upon hearing its tactless master utter such a mood-killing sentence, it immediately turned around. It faced Su Tang and pointed its bird-butt directly at Zhan Ye.
ā…ā
Zhan Ye frowned. He really had been too good to it; now even a bird dared to give him attitude.
Su Tang couldn’t help but laugh.
āItās not a waste. Anyway, itās water from your personal quota. Youāll just have to drink one less bottle.ā
As she spoke, she triumphantly shook the water bottle, which only had a little bit left at the bottom, at him.
Zhan Ye tilted his head helplessly.
āFine, fine. Youāre the boss. Since Iām practically yours anyway, never mind a bottle of waterāyou could tell me to stop eating and drinking just to save rations for this āancestor,ā and Iād do it.ā
He couldn’t even go two sentences without acting like a rogue again. Su Tang rolled her eyes, tightened the cap, and set the bottle on the table. Her gaze drifted involuntarily toward the dense forest.
āThereās still no news from Mo Xiao and the others. The communication we just sent out hasn’t been answered either. Could something have happened?ā
Zhan Ye followed her gaze, his brows knitting together.
Something had definitely happened. However, he believed that a guy like Mo Xiao would surely find a way to get everyone out safely. According to the original plan, Mo Xiao was leading the First Squad to clear the high-level pollutants around the Cocoon while the Third Squad took the chance to plant explosives. The fact that neither squad had returned meant both sides had encountered trouble. Now, they could only hope the teams had noticed the danger early enough to retreat.
Silence fell between them until the sound of running footsteps suddenly came from outside the light membrane. Zhan Ye instantly went on high alert. The little black cat in Su Tangās arms let out a meow; its expression was calm, unlike the urgency it showed when they had encountered the pollutants earlier.
Su Tang speculated, āIs it them? Are they back?ā
The little black cat immediately nodded.
āOpen the passage!ā Zhan Ye ordered.
A gap opened in the fragile light membrane. Klei came sprinting through, carrying someone on his back, shouting frantically as he ran:
āQuick! Medical kit! Captain Mo is injured!ā
Su Tangās heart leaped into her throat. She rushed forward several steps and saw Mo Xiao, deathly pale, leaning against Kleiās back. His left arm was twisted at an unnatural angle, his combat suit was soaked in blood, and black pollution patterns were spreading wildly from the wound.
The Silver Wolf following beside them was staggering. Su Tang looked down and saw a deep, bone-deep wound on its front leg. The little fellow let out a pitiful whimper when it saw her.
āWhat happened?ā
Zhan Ye grabbed a long table nearby and swept the clutter onto the floor so Klei could lay Mo Xiao down. When Zhan Ye tore open the combat suit at Mo Xiao’s shoulder and saw the carnage beneath, he couldn’t help but gasp.
The left arm was a bloody mess, and black mist was seeping into the wound. Zhan Ye frowned and looked at the Vice-Captain of the Third Squad, who had just entered.
āWhat exactly happened?ā
āIt was a trap,ā the Vice-Captain said, wiping blood from his face, his voice trembling.
āTell me clearly what you encountered,ā Zhan Ye said, his voice cold and stern.
āWe split up according to the plan. The First Squad started engaging the pollutants when suddenly, over a dozen reinforced pollutants tunneled out from the ground. Their speed was insanely fast, and they specifically targeted our spiritual entities. Captain Mo was blindsided while trying to protect the Silver Wolf,ā Klei explained.
The Vice-Captain added, āOur Third Squad had just finished planting the explosives around the Cocoon when it suddenly released a red mist. Then, every pollutant in the Abyss swarmed us like they were crazed. We wanted to manifest our spiritual entities to escape, but… we suddenly couldn’t release them at all…ā The Vice-Captainās eyes were red, his voice bordering on a sob.
āMore than half the team members we took are gone. If Captain Mo hadn’t had the Silver Wolf blow a hole in the swarm with a bomb, we might not have made it back. In the end, the main explosives didn’t detonate successfully.ā
Su Tang felt a chill at the tips of her fingers.
There were definitely high-level intelligent entities in the Abyss. Knowing they were intelligent wasn’t the scary part; the scary part was that the team was completely in the dark about their enemy’s trump cards.
Su Tang pursed her lips and focused. She knelt down and gently pressed her hand near Mo Xiaoās wound where the black mist was spreading. A thread of gentle spirit power slowly probed inside.
āIāll purify the pollution first. Get the medical kit; we need clotting factors.ā
Klei wiped the blood off his face and immediately dashed into his tent, bringing out the entire medical kit and finding the clotting factors to stand by Su Tangās side.
As the gentle spirit power followed the wound into Mo Xiao’s body, Su Tang concentrated entirely on manipulating her power to chase down the mist that had invaded his system.
Mo Xiao let out a muffled groan and struggled to open his eyes.
ā…Donāt waste your spirit power on me. I can handle this bit of pollution.ā
āShut up.ā
Su Tangās tone was firm. Her fingertips continued to pulse with spirit power as she helped Mo Xiao drive the mist out.
āIf something happens to you, whoās going to look after the safety of these Sentinels?ā
Once the last trace of mist was expelled, Su Tang looked at Klei. The man understood and immediately applied the clotting factors to Mo Xiaoās wound.
Recommended Reads
