Chapter 43 part 1
The feeling of riding the spatial teleportation elevator was very peculiar. As soon as he entered, the tactical glasses Luo Shizhen wore automatically adjusted to dark mode. After a few rumbling sounds, he was tossed out.
Since it was his first time, Luo Shizhen instinctively panicked a little. He rolled on the spot to dispel the momentum, landing somewhat clumsily.
Lu Qiujin lent him a hand: “You didn’t hurt yourself from the fall, right?”
He didn’t even realize it himself, but his tone was practically gentle.
“No.”
Luo Shizhen shook his head. Although it was his first time participating in combat, he had always practiced earnestly in combat class, and his force-dispelling maneuver was very timely.
He stood up, and the tactical glasses adapted to the light, adjusting back to transparent mode.
Luo Shizhen sensed a difference in the air. Looking back, he saw a semi-transparent thin film neatly separating this place from the outside world.
Lu Qiujin: “This is a Jiejie, it should be to trap the Anomaly inside.”
Luo Shizhen scanned it with his instrument: “It’s Tier Two.”
Even if a squad of Guardians wasn’t dispatched for a Tier One Anomaly, a single person going out could easily handle it.
Now, using a Jiejie and clearing out all the humans, expending all this energy and various resources, was entirely to improve the students’ combat experience.
Thinking of this, the nervousness in Luo Shizhen’s heart lessened quite a bit.
He said to Lu Qiujin: “We need to be careful. The teacher said that unless it’s a matter of life and death, the teachers responsible for protection won’t come out.”
In other words, even if they lost an arm or a leg while fighting the Anomaly, the teachers wouldn’t step in to save the day.
Although having a teacher as a safety net offered some peace of mind, Luo Shizhen definitely did not want to lose an arm or a leg.
There was one more thing: “You are already polluted right now. You absolutely cannot suffer any external pollution. If we encounter an Anomaly and things look bad, just stand behind me.”
“I have never been polluted. Even if the Qi from the Anomaly is highly infectious, it shouldn’t be able to do anything to me.”
Watching Luo Shizhen earnestly consider things for his sake, Lu Qiujin once again felt as if a little wife was making plans for her husband. With an expression that could be called docile, he nodded his head.
Luo Shizhen observed Lu Qiujin’s expression. Seeing that he didn’t look like he was in a state of madness, he relaxed slightly and began to assess the surrounding environment.
Before them was a giant amusement park, with a roller coaster suspended high above. Ever since advancing to Tier Two, Luo Shizhen’s eyesight had become exceptionally sharp. Even from the entrance, he could clearly see the bloodstains on the distant roller coaster.
He signaled for Lu Qiujin to look.
Lu Qiujin: “With this amount of blood, at least three people died.”
Luo Shizhen: “The roller coaster stopped up there where we can’t see clearly. Could the Anomaly be hiding on it? Let’s go up and take a look.”
The two walked over and were just about to head up.
With a bang, a figure plummeted fiercely from the sky above, like a tiger suddenly springing into view.
Luo Shizhen immediately raised his “gun.” This combat gun wasn’t a firearm; it contained a viscous material that could ensnare an Anomaly like netting a fish.
However, it was only effective against Tier Two or below. Anything above Tier Two, and it was useless.
The figure targeted by the muzzle slowly stood up, stretched his joints, and revealed a rugged, bold face.
It was another classmate who had also come on the mission.
Unlike Luo Shizhen, who obediently wore all his auxiliary equipment properly, this guy had pushed his tactical glasses to the top of his head. He had a lollipop dangling from his mouth, held a massive hammer in his hand, and looked down condescendingly at Luo Shizhen and his companion:
“I already checked. There’s nothing up there.”
This classmate’s attitude was highly arrogant, which was also the norm for young Awakeners.
Luo Shizhen, however, was unfazed. He moved the muzzle away and even offered a polite smile:
“Wen Hu, thank you for warning us.”
Wen Hu was an Atavistic Awakener. His beast form was said to be a tiger, though Luo Shizhen had never seen it.
His unceremonious words had been met with a good-natured response. Wen Hu raised an eyebrow: “You remember my name?”
Luo Shizhen: “Of course I remember.”
Counting himself, there were only twenty-eight people in the class. No matter how bad his memory was, he wouldn’t fail to remember everyone.
Luo Shizhen also looked around: “Where is Cheng Yunshao?”
He remembered from the roster that Wen Hu and Cheng Yunshao were teammates.
Wen Hu let out a cold laugh: “You’re actually operating according to the team roster? The moment everyone else came in, they split up.”
He looked Luo Shizhen up and down, met the other’s gentle and friendly gaze, and suddenly changed his mind.
“Makes sense. You’re a Support type, so you definitely need someone to protect you. But Lu Qiujin is on the verge of alienation; having him protect you isn’t safe.”
“I also want to know why every single one of them treats you so differently. Why don’t you team up with me, let me observe you properly. My temper isn’t as good as Lu Qiujin’s, but if you follow me, I guarantee you won’t lose a single hair.”
He stepped forward. His tall stature and fierce aura carried a natural intimidation. Luo Shizhen had no guard up against his classmates and made no movement.
Lu Qiujin, however, quickly blocked him.
Lu Qiujin’s face once again bore that standard, perfect fake smile. The surrounding vegetation suddenly shot up. The green grass looked the same, yet it inexplicably appeared ferocious and sharp, aimed straight at Wen Hu.
“No need for you to worry. Shizhen has me.”
Wen Hu grinned mockingly: “Look at you acting tough. You finally managed to catch a Purifier, and you just want to drag him back to your den and hide him away, don’t you?”
Although he hadn’t been at the school long, Luo Shizhen was already used to handling these kinds of situations. After all, Awakeners always seemed prone to fighting. He grabbed Lu Qiujin’s arm:
“Alright, alright, everyone is classmates, don’t argue.”
“Wen Hu, thank you for wanting to team up with me, but Lu Qiujin is my teammate. Since there are no Anomalies up there, we’ll take a different route. See you later.”
The ferociously swaying vegetation suddenly froze, as if it had been softened.
Lu Qiujin looked down at his arm, which was being held by Luo Shizhen. He couldn’t maintain the fake smile on his face anymore, allowing the other to pull him away.
Standing behind them and watching this scene, Wen Hu revealed a look of disdain:
“Tch! Just like a dog on a leash!”
Although he was a bit curious about what it would be like to team up with Luo Shizhen, seeing Lu Qiujin acting like this, Wen Hu quickly dismissed the idea.
If teaming up with Luo Shizhen meant being led around on a leash like a dog, he’d rather continue going solo.
However…
Like a wild beast, Wen Hu sniffed towards the direction Luo Shizhen had disappeared.
Luo Shizhen smelled really good; it was strangely comforting to inhale.
It was just that a faint fishy scent of Rong Nian was mixed in, which greatly detracted from the fragrance.
If only he could use his own scent to completely cover up Rong Nian’s.
Luo Shizhen carefully inspected the carousel, Ferris wheel, flying chairs, spinning teacups, shooting gallery, and water park.
The earlier attractions were entirely empty. The Anomaly seemed to be playing hide-and-seek with the Awakeners, making absolutely no noise.
Halfway through, they bumped into a few classmates fighting. Luo Shizhen guessed they were in a bad mood from failing to find the Anomaly, so they started fighting each other.
When the two of them checked the bumper cars, he saw a large pool of blood on the ground, along with human corpses that had been repeatedly run over by the vehicles.
Lu Qiujin grabbed him, preventing him from looking that way: “Don’t look.”
Luo Shizhen, however, pulled his hand down and said earnestly: “Are you scared? If you’re scared, I’ll go over by myself.”
Lu Qiujin: “…I’m afraid you’re scared.”
“I won’t be. They’re just dead people, not Zombies. They won’t jump up and attack us.”
“Even if they jump up and attack us, isn’t our mission to deal with Anomalies? Anyway, since we don’t have any clues yet, let’s collect their bodies first.”
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