Disclaimer: This chapter contains scenes of violence and is not recommended for readers under 16.
The next morning, as soon as Chen Luo woke up, he sensed that something about the island's atmosphere was unusual. Early sunlight spread across the ground, yet the monsters below wandered casually through the bright light without showing any sign of taking damage. There were also far more monsters gathering around the area than normal, almost as many as on the first night he had arrived. The writhing shadows crowding beneath the island made him frown.
He had intended to spend more time inspecting the island, but what was happening below forced him to put that plan aside. If monsters continued gathering at this rate, other places might be under similar pressure. The base could not go without someone watching over it for too long, especially since he had left the previous day.
-"Looks like I can't stay here any longer. System, next time something happens, could you give me a warning a little earlier?"
The system offered no response, only its familiar silence. Chen Luo could do nothing but sigh and quickly prepare to return to the base.
At the base, on the day Chen Luo had first appeared there.
-"Hey, Chris, are you sensing something?" Aaron noticed that Chris had been standing outside since early morning, his gaze fixed on the spot where Chen Luo had fallen the other day. Seeing his friend's focused expression, Aaron walked over and looked in the same direction, but there was nothing there except bare ground and traces already blurred by wind and dust.
-"Nothing. I just wanted to check something again."
Chris walked to that exact spot and stood silently for a long while, as though waiting for some sign to appear. But time passed and the surroundings remained quiet. At last, he turned and walked away, disappointment plain on his face.
Since Chen Luo had left the base, the number of monsters around the area had risen at a frightening rate. Just yesterday, the base had endured three attacks, all of them occurring while everyone was busy dividing up their tasks. The continuous alarms and roars of monsters made it clear to everyone that this place was no longer as safe as before.
The night before, everyone had split into several watch shifts. So even though morning had arrived, some people were still catching up on sleep; only a few had risen early to check the situation and prepare for the day's work. No one wanted to admit it, but they all felt uneasy with Chen Luo absent. His methods had been too unconventional: building walls to stop monsters was already hard to believe, yet they had worked remarkably well. When they tried to copy him, most of their attempts failed. The gap left some of them suspicious, though no one had enough evidence to conclude that Chen Luo had done anything extraordinary.
-"All right, we need to get to work too!" Galahad came out of the bedroom and clapped his hands to gather everyone. He quickly assigned the day's tasks: Chris and Aaron's group would go outside to hunt monsters, while the others would continue finishing the base. Helber would remain in charge of the Agricultural Station, as he had the day before, since the area needed careful supervision.
Everyone dispersed to work immediately, but vigilance clung to them like a shadow. Monsters still lurked outside, and after just one day without Chen Luo, they had realized how accustomed they had become to the sense of security he unwittingly provided. Whenever distant sounds reached them, they occasionally looked up, alert for another attack.
At the same time, a stranger quietly approached the Agricultural Station. Rather than using the usual entrance, he kept close to the blind corners, repeatedly looking around as though he had scouted the place beforehand. Helber quickly noticed the intruder. He did not act in haste; instead, he silently left the position where he could easily be spotted and retreated into a dark corner to wait for the man to venture farther inside.
The light inside the Agricultural Station was dim. Rows of crops blocked the view, while the equipment at the far end created many patches of shadow. Helber patiently hid behind a rack, keeping his breathing quiet. He knew his task was not only to protect the crops, but also to preserve this place until Chen Luo returned.
The stranger did not realize he was being watched. He drew a knife and crept toward a corner where some crops had ripened, then crouched to inspect the harvest greedily. The corners of his mouth lifted, and he spoke smugly.
-"Heh heh. Good thing that brat left, or I wouldn't have been able to get in. I'll take advantage of the fact that the guard hasn't come in yet..."
Click.
A dry metallic sound rang through the quiet room. The intruder froze, realizing he had been discovered. Without hesitation, he turned and tried to knock the gun from Helber's hand before escaping. The two struggled for a brief moment, but Helber quickly gained the upper hand. A gunshot rang out, and the bullet struck the intruder's leg, making him collapse onto the floor as his knife flew from his hand.
Clutching his leg in pain and panic, the man could not understand when he had exposed himself. As he struggled to get up, Helber slowly emerged from the shadows. There was no trace of panic on Helber's face, only a coldness that made his captive even more frightened.
-"You must be tired of living, huh? The day before yesterday, my boss put me in charge of this place, and now some little rat has already crawled in." Helber glared at him, then bent down to pick up the fallen knife. "Don't worry. This place is well soundproofed. I won't let you die that easily. I was taught to be merciful to people who need to be interviewed, but some cases call for this."
Helber drew a Jagdkommando Tri-Dagger from inside his clothes. Deep grooves ran along the blade, making it look even more menacing. He had once requested the tool from his superiors for interrogating a traitor. After that incident, he had been assigned to handle traitors in the military. One should not underestimate Helber just because he had lost to Chen Luo the other day; in the military, his nickname was the God of Interrogation. Some prisoners would rather reveal their comrades' positions than sit across from him.
His underworld upbringing had taught Helber how to deal with tight-lipped people. He knew when to threaten, when to stay silent, and when to let the other person imagine the worst possible things. Combined with the tools at his disposal, those techniques had made him one of the most notorious interrogators around.
-"Don't... don't come any closer. Spare me, please..."
Pleas quickly filled the enclosed room. Helber did not let them sway him. He patiently asked one question after another, forcing the intruder to reveal everything he knew. In the end, fear overwhelmed stubbornness, and the man's broken statements gradually formed a clearer picture.
Helber learned that the intruder belonged to a criminal group that survived by looting. During the chaos, cities had been destroyed one after another; a settlement could be built only to fall again soon afterward. The group exploited the turmoil to steal food, weapons, and supplies, gradually forming an organization with a reputation in the region. They had not dared to storm this place while Chen Luo was here, but had secretly watched and waited for an opportunity.
They had originally intended to act when they saw Chen Luo arrive at the base. However, the terrifying killing intent radiating from him frightened the entire group, forcing them to withdraw immediately. After scouting for a day, they realized Chen Luo had left and returned to target the Agricultural Station. They wanted more than food; they also intended to deliver their spoils to the person behind them. According to the intruder, that person was powerful enough to make Chen Luo bow his head.
-"Let me go! My boss is level 51. If you let me go, I'll spare your life!"
Level 51?!
Helber froze. Chen Luo's level immediately came to mind—he knew Chen Luo had not yet reached that number. If the man's claim was true, the criminal group's leader might be far stronger than they had imagined. If this information got out, the base would be in even greater danger.
He could not let the intruder escape, nor could he risk giving him the chance to warn his accomplices. Helber tightened his grip on the dagger, his gaze turning cold. One decisive movement cut off the unfinished threat. Without hesitation, he drove the blade through the man's skull. The man fell silent before he could finish speaking, blood spreading across the floor. Helber stood still for several seconds, then forced himself to regain control of the bloodlust rising inside him, reminding himself not to let the beast overwhelm the human. He needed to inform Galahad and the others as soon as possible. The Agricultural Station had been targeted, and the person behind the attack might pose a greater threat than the waves of monsters.
Meanwhile, outside the base, Galahad and the others had just finished the "front facade." They stepped back and looked up and down the structure. The fresh white paint made the walls look much brighter; the military-style lines gave it a sturdy appearance, while strange patterns running along the exterior made the whole design look rather intricate. After admiring it for a while, everyone slapped their thighs and nodded in unison.
-"Now that's more like it! It looks great!"
It had been a long time since they had worked together to renovate a building so thoroughly. Even though they were only repairing an existing base, its new appearance gave everyone a little relief. In a world where they had to worry about life and death every day, seeing their shelter become more presentable was enough to rekindle their spirits.
-"But I feel like something is missing..." Natasha said, still staring at the patterns running along the outside. She had noticed something strange about them but had not figured out exactly what was wrong. If the lines were meant to carry electrical wires, that would be even stranger: who would leave wiring exposed on the outside of a wall?
-"What could possibly be missing when it looks this good, Natasha? You're worrying too much," Galahad replied without the slightest suspicion. To him, the base was sturdier and more attractive now; that was enough to make the morning's work worthwhile.
-"I think it looks artistic. It must be Gaia Grand art," Ryan added. He had a reason for that guess: Gaia Grand had once been an artistic school of humanity before the era of chaos. It was famous for its soft curves, intricate carvings, and flowing patterns that resembled water. The school had nearly disappeared after the chaos began, and few people still understood it well.
-"No way. This isn't Gaia Grand; it's Mellohi. Have none of you ever studied archaeology?" Anthony immediately objected. In his opinion, the lines had features quite different from Gaia Grand. His remark set off a debate: some insisted it belonged to one style, while others were certain it was another. Everyone had an argument, but no one could produce evidence convincing enough to persuade the others.