Wei La
Tian Ji has a towering figure, and the vine-like tattoos on his face make him look extremely formidable. Faced with the slender man’s attempts at conversation on the side, he put on an indifferent demeanor. While smoking, he subtly steered the conversation away, seemingly saying a lot but providing no useful information.
The thin man asked, “The wilderness is so dangerous, and there are only two of you. Are you here to visit relatives in Yangyuan City?”
“Oh, we’re here for sightseeing,” Tian Ji looked up at the sky. “After spending too much time in the city, occasionally we want to escape the hustle and bustle, explore nature a bit.”
The thin man: “…”
What nonsense is this? Who goes to the wilderness for sightseeing? Do you think the aberrations are animals on display in a zoo?
“…I see.”
The slender man forced a smile, realizing he couldn’t get any valuable information from Tian Ji. He turned to Yao Guang, “You’re his younger brother, right?”
“Oh, I’m his uncle.”
Yao Guang appeared serious. “It’s just good maintenance; you see, my hair has turned white.”
“He’s already fifty-six years old, has dwarfism, so he has never grown tall,” Tian Ji added.
The thin man: “…”
I believe you ghost.
The two of them were weaving a tale full of fabrications, with no truth in any of their words. The slender man also found it somewhat uninteresting, exchanged a few polite words, and left somewhat disappointed.
“He was trying to trick us.”
Yao Guang watched the man leave and said to Tian Ji, “Their intentions are too obvious.”
“They won’t just let it go.”
Tian Ji remarked, “People from the black market never pass up any opportunity to make money.”
“It will take two more days to reach Yangyuan City,” Yao Guang said. “What should we do?”
“If their people are smart enough and don’t want unnecessary trouble, it’s best to safely escort us to Yangyuan City, and we settle the payment.”
Tian Ji squinted, “If they can’t accept that…”
Although there were only two of them, anyone thinking they were easy targets would be gravely mistaken.
The Big Dipper Squad’s strength, as a backbone force of the Netherworld Organization, was not solely reliant on Tian Shu’s abilities. With these people from the black market and two or three low-level mechas, it wasn’t nearly enough.
…
Hum—
A dull hum echoed in the air, and in the vast wilderness, a hint of pink slowly emerged from the swirling sand.
“42%…”
Ji Mingzhu glanced at the energy gauge displaying the remaining power, preparing to find a place to rest.
The cockpit of the mecha was designed for combat, and sitting in it for an extended period was far from comfortable. Ji Mingzhu had been driving the mecha in the wilderness for a whole day, feeling sore and fatigued. Although an S-class mecha was unlikely to encounter any dangers in the wilderness, with the Phoenix Redeemer effortlessly dealing with most aberrations, entering combat mode rapidly drained its energy. To conserve power, Ji Mingzhu had to choose to avoid battles unless attacked unexpectedly by aberrations, as initiating combat would quickly deplete the mecha’s energy.
“Axiu, how much longer until we reach our destination?”
“At the current speed, it will take approximately 37 hours and 40 minutes to arrive.”
Ji Mingzhu, lacking wilderness survival experience, could easily lose direction in the wilderness if not for Axiu constantly marking the route for him. While Ji Mingzhu stopped to eat dry rations and replenish his strength, Axiu suddenly spoke again, “Approximately two kilometers ahead, there seems to be traces of human activity.”
“People?”
Ji Mingzhu’s hand paused; he hadn’t expected to encounter others in such a place. Could it be Tian Ji and Yao Guang?
“Let’s check it out.”
Putting away the dry rations, Ji Mingzhu powered up the mecha and headed towards the location indicated by Axiu.
However, after walking for a while, Ji Mingzhu sensed that something was amiss.
While there were indeed traces of human activity, it didn’t seem like it was left by a transport team. Transport teams only briefly stayed in one place, and to avoid leaving scents that aberrations could track, they would tidy up the campsite before leaving. But upon reaching the location Axiu mentioned, Ji Mingzhu found signs that seemed more like the long-term presence of human life.
Could there still be people living in the wilderness?
This was illogical. The wilderness was a forbidden zone for most humans, and after humanity retreated to the Twelve Satellite Cities, the original cities had long been abandoned, becoming habitats for aberrations. Even the mecha units of the Inconstant Bureau wouldn’t dare to stay in one place for too long without supplies.
Ji Mingzhu cautiously piloted the mecha to explore further, quickly arriving at an abandoned town.
Compared to other places, this town was relatively intact, but most buildings were reduced to ruins, with steel bars and concrete exposed, and the faint outlines of some former furniture and appliances eroded beyond recognition.
Surveying the surroundings, Ji Mingzhu felt a sense of strangeness.
Continuing forward for a short distance, passing the corner of an abandoned street, Ji Mingzhu saw a figure in the distance.
That’s a human.
She looks like a young girl, with disheveled long hair and wearing old clothes covered in dust. Judging by her size, she shouldn’t be over sixteen.
People really exist here?
Ji Mingzhu hadn’t figured out this question yet, and the next moment, he saw two aberrations standing in front of the little girl.
Ruminant Hounds.
These were low-level aberrations Ji Mingzhu had seen in the Zong Bingyi Academy, but even so, Ruminant Hounds were unbeatable for most humans.
Ji Mingzhu’s heart tightened, and he quickly drove the Phoenix Redeemer towards them!
The whistling wind came from the side. The little girl in front heard the noise, turned around, and saw a towering mecha!
The Phoenix Redeemer rushed through the deserted streets of the small town, making a loud rumbling sound with every step. The town seemed to be awakened by this noise—ruins of buildings, hidden corners of streets—suddenly, aberrations’ growls came from all directions.
“Hiss—”
A serpent-like aberration with pointed horns rushed out from one side, heading towards the mecha!
Ji Mingzhu’s expression remained unchanged. Under his control, the Phoenix Redeemer quickly took action, grabbing the snake-like aberration and throwing it away.
Several aberrations suddenly emerged in front, blocking the way, but these low-level aberrations posed no threat to an S-class mecha. The Phoenix Redeemer kept moving, like an uncontrollable truck, directly smashing the aberrations in its way!
The aberrations flew through the air, landing heavily on the ground with a loud noise.
The little girl in front also heard the commotion. She turned around, and the fierce head of the Ruminant Hound emitted a growl, lowering its body and tensing up, producing a warning sound.
“Bubu, Koala!”
The little girl was surprised, looking at the Ruminant Hound in front of her and then at the approaching pink mecha.
The sunlight reflected on the Phoenix Redeemer’s body, and the cold metallic armor exuded a terrifying aura. Everywhere were aberrations that had been knocked away, highlighting the mecha’s war god-like demeanor.
“Clang—”
The blade mechanism flickered, and the Undying Slash appeared in Ji Mingzhu’s hand. His gaze slightly sharpened as he saw the astonishment on the little girl’s face. Without hesitation, he swung the blade towards the snarling Ruminant Hounds.
“Stop—”
The little girl suddenly shouted, running in front of the approaching Ruminant Hounds, spreading her arms as if protecting them, like a mother hen protecting her chicks, refusing to step back.
Swish—
Ji Mingzhu was taken aback. Watching the Undying Slash about to easily cut the girl in half, he immediately pulled back the control lever—
The sharp titanium alloy blade abruptly stopped. The little girl, trembling, opened her eyes, facing the sharp blade. Undying Slash, several meters long, was also huge for a human, and the sunlight on the blade was like a mirror. The little girl could even see her own reflection on the blade.
Several aberrations that had been thrown away had climbed back up. Although they were dizzy, the imposing force field emitted by the mecha made them feel a tremendous threat. However, instead of retreating, these aberrations surrounded the Phoenix Redeemer, assuming attacking postures.
Mecha, human, aberrations—this moment seemed to freeze in time.
“Are you… protecting them?”
After a while, the communication on the mecha was opened, and a clear voice of a young boy rang out.
The little girl was stunned. Faced with the towering mecha, her body was as small as an ant. Still, she showed no sign of retreating. Her lips trembled twice, as if encouraging herself. Then, the little girl shouted at the mecha, “Don’t hurt them!”
“Are you a human?”
Ji Mingzhu asked.
“…Yes.”
Even though surrounded by aberrations, the mecha still exuded an overbearing aura, suppressing a large number of aberrations. This indicated that this mecha must be of a very high level.
“What’s your name?”
“I’m Wei La.”
After a moment of hesitation, the little girl answered.
“Are you from Feibo?” Ji Mingzhu did not lower the Undying Slayer and continued to inquire.
Being able to stay with aberrations without being attacked, the first group of people Ji Mingzhu thought of was Feibo organization.
“Feibo? What is that?” Wei La’s eyes still had traces of tears due to fear. She sniffed and asked, “Is it something to eat?”
Ji Mingzhu: “…”
The expression of the little girl didn’t seem like she was lying, which only deepened Ji Mingzhu’s confusion.
“Are you… from the Satellite City?”
Seeing that the other party didn’t speak for a while, Wei La asked.
“Sort of.” Ji Mingzhu replied, “Do you live in this town?”
“Yeah, we’ve been living here for many years.”
“We?” Ji Mingzhu questioned, “Besides you, are there others?”
“Yes, my dad, mom, and my grandpa.” Wei La said, “We’ve been living here for a long time.”
The person piloting the mecha sounded very young, and he seemed to have no malice. Wei La thought for a moment and said, “Can you come down? I’ll take you to see my grandpa. It’s been a long time since anyone came here.”
Come down…?
Ji Mingzhu looked around, and the aberrations around him were watching him warily. He thought, if I come down, won’t I be giving them an extra meal?
“Don’t worry, they’re very well-behaved and don’t eat people.”
Wei La said, “Look, they’re obedient… Bubu, Koala, you go first, don’t scare them.”
In Ji Mingzhu’s surprised gaze, the two Ruminant Hounds seemed to really understand her words. They put away their vigilant expressions and then entered a nearby building.
The aberrations that were originally surrounding the Phoenix Redeemer also scattered one after another. After a while, this deserted small town returned to its silent state, making people doubt whether the scene just now was an illusion.
Ji Mingzhu even saw a few aberrations leaving. Before departing, their beastly pupils revealed a bit of laziness and helplessness, as if saying, “Disperse, there’s nothing interesting here. Go back to your own business.”
Ji Mingzhu: “…”
Am I dreaming?
Wei La
Tian Ji has a towering figure, and the vine-like tattoos on his face make him look extremely formidable. Faced with the slender man’s attempts at conversation on the side, he put on an indifferent demeanor. While smoking, he subtly steered the conversation away, seemingly saying a lot but providing no useful information.
The thin man asked, “The wilderness is so dangerous, and there are only two of you. Are you here to visit relatives in Yangyuan City?”
“Oh, we’re here for sightseeing,” Tian Ji looked up at the sky. “After spending too much time in the city, occasionally we want to escape the hustle and bustle, explore nature a bit.”
The thin man: “…”
What nonsense is this? Who goes to the wilderness for sightseeing? Do you think the aberrations are animals on display in a zoo?
“…I see.”
The slender man forced a smile, realizing he couldn’t get any valuable information from Tian Ji. He turned to Yao Guang, “You’re his younger brother, right?”
“Oh, I’m his uncle.”
Yao Guang appeared serious. “It’s just good maintenance; you see, my hair has turned white.”
“He’s already fifty-six years old, has dwarfism, so he has never grown tall,” Tian Ji added.
The thin man: “…”
I believe you ghost.
The two of them were weaving a tale full of fabrications, with no truth in any of their words. The slender man also found it somewhat uninteresting, exchanged a few polite words, and left somewhat disappointed.
“He was trying to trick us.”
Yao Guang watched the man leave and said to Tian Ji, “Their intentions are too obvious.”
“They won’t just let it go.”
Tian Ji remarked, “People from the black market never pass up any opportunity to make money.”
“It will take two more days to reach Yangyuan City,” Yao Guang said. “What should we do?”
“If their people are smart enough and don’t want unnecessary trouble, it’s best to safely escort us to Yangyuan City, and we settle the payment.”
Tian Ji squinted, “If they can’t accept that…”
Although there were only two of them, anyone thinking they were easy targets would be gravely mistaken.
The Big Dipper Squad’s strength, as a backbone force of the Netherworld Organization, was not solely reliant on Tian Shu’s abilities. With these people from the black market and two or three low-level mechas, it wasn’t nearly enough.
…
Hum—
A dull hum echoed in the air, and in the vast wilderness, a hint of pink slowly emerged from the swirling sand.
“42%…”
Ji Mingzhu glanced at the energy gauge displaying the remaining power, preparing to find a place to rest.
The cockpit of the mecha was designed for combat, and sitting in it for an extended period was far from comfortable. Ji Mingzhu had been driving the mecha in the wilderness for a whole day, feeling sore and fatigued. Although an S-class mecha was unlikely to encounter any dangers in the wilderness, with the Phoenix Redeemer effortlessly dealing with most aberrations, entering combat mode rapidly drained its energy. To conserve power, Ji Mingzhu had to choose to avoid battles unless attacked unexpectedly by aberrations, as initiating combat would quickly deplete the mecha’s energy.
“Axiu, how much longer until we reach our destination?”
“At the current speed, it will take approximately 37 hours and 40 minutes to arrive.”
Ji Mingzhu, lacking wilderness survival experience, could easily lose direction in the wilderness if not for Axiu constantly marking the route for him. While Ji Mingzhu stopped to eat dry rations and replenish his strength, Axiu suddenly spoke again, “Approximately two kilometers ahead, there seems to be traces of human activity.”
“People?”
Ji Mingzhu’s hand paused; he hadn’t expected to encounter others in such a place. Could it be Tian Ji and Yao Guang?
“Let’s check it out.”
Putting away the dry rations, Ji Mingzhu powered up the mecha and headed towards the location indicated by Axiu.
However, after walking for a while, Ji Mingzhu sensed that something was amiss.
While there were indeed traces of human activity, it didn’t seem like it was left by a transport team. Transport teams only briefly stayed in one place, and to avoid leaving scents that aberrations could track, they would tidy up the campsite before leaving. But upon reaching the location Axiu mentioned, Ji Mingzhu found signs that seemed more like the long-term presence of human life.
Could there still be people living in the wilderness?
This was illogical. The wilderness was a forbidden zone for most humans, and after humanity retreated to the Twelve Satellite Cities, the original cities had long been abandoned, becoming habitats for aberrations. Even the mecha units of the Inconstant Bureau wouldn’t dare to stay in one place for too long without supplies.
Ji Mingzhu cautiously piloted the mecha to explore further, quickly arriving at an abandoned town.
Compared to other places, this town was relatively intact, but most buildings were reduced to ruins, with steel bars and concrete exposed, and the faint outlines of some former furniture and appliances eroded beyond recognition.
Surveying the surroundings, Ji Mingzhu felt a sense of strangeness.
Continuing forward for a short distance, passing the corner of an abandoned street, Ji Mingzhu saw a figure in the distance.
That’s a human.
She looks like a young girl, with disheveled long hair and wearing old clothes covered in dust. Judging by her size, she shouldn’t be over sixteen.
People really exist here?
Ji Mingzhu hadn’t figured out this question yet, and the next moment, he saw two aberrations standing in front of the little girl.
Ruminant Hounds.
These were low-level aberrations Ji Mingzhu had seen in the Zong Bingyi Academy, but even so, Ruminant Hounds were unbeatable for most humans.
Ji Mingzhu’s heart tightened, and he quickly drove the Phoenix Redeemer towards them!
The whistling wind came from the side. The little girl in front heard the noise, turned around, and saw a towering mecha!
The Phoenix Redeemer rushed through the deserted streets of the small town, making a loud rumbling sound with every step. The town seemed to be awakened by this noise—ruins of buildings, hidden corners of streets—suddenly, aberrations’ growls came from all directions.
“Hiss—”
A serpent-like aberration with pointed horns rushed out from one side, heading towards the mecha!
Ji Mingzhu’s expression remained unchanged. Under his control, the Phoenix Redeemer quickly took action, grabbing the snake-like aberration and throwing it away.
Several aberrations suddenly emerged in front, blocking the way, but these low-level aberrations posed no threat to an S-class mecha. The Phoenix Redeemer kept moving, like an uncontrollable truck, directly smashing the aberrations in its way!
The aberrations flew through the air, landing heavily on the ground with a loud noise.
The little girl in front also heard the commotion. She turned around, and the fierce head of the Ruminant Hound emitted a growl, lowering its body and tensing up, producing a warning sound.
“Bubu, Koala!”
The little girl was surprised, looking at the Ruminant Hound in front of her and then at the approaching pink mecha.
The sunlight reflected on the Phoenix Redeemer’s body, and the cold metallic armor exuded a terrifying aura. Everywhere were aberrations that had been knocked away, highlighting the mecha’s war god-like demeanor.
“Clang—”
The blade mechanism flickered, and the Undying Slash appeared in Ji Mingzhu’s hand. His gaze slightly sharpened as he saw the astonishment on the little girl’s face. Without hesitation, he swung the blade towards the snarling Ruminant Hounds.
“Stop—”
The little girl suddenly shouted, running in front of the approaching Ruminant Hounds, spreading her arms as if protecting them, like a mother hen protecting her chicks, refusing to step back.
Swish—
Ji Mingzhu was taken aback. Watching the Undying Slash about to easily cut the girl in half, he immediately pulled back the control lever—
The sharp titanium alloy blade abruptly stopped. The little girl, trembling, opened her eyes, facing the sharp blade. Undying Slash, several meters long, was also huge for a human, and the sunlight on the blade was like a mirror. The little girl could even see her own reflection on the blade.
Several aberrations that had been thrown away had climbed back up. Although they were dizzy, the imposing force field emitted by the mecha made them feel a tremendous threat. However, instead of retreating, these aberrations surrounded the Phoenix Redeemer, assuming attacking postures.
Mecha, human, aberrations—this moment seemed to freeze in time.
“Are you… protecting them?”
After a while, the communication on the mecha was opened, and a clear voice of a young boy rang out.
The little girl was stunned. Faced with the towering mecha, her body was as small as an ant. Still, she showed no sign of retreating. Her lips trembled twice, as if encouraging herself. Then, the little girl shouted at the mecha, “Don’t hurt them!”
“Are you a human?”
Ji Mingzhu asked.
“…Yes.”
Even though surrounded by aberrations, the mecha still exuded an overbearing aura, suppressing a large number of aberrations. This indicated that this mecha must be of a very high level.
“What’s your name?”
“I’m Wei La.”
After a moment of hesitation, the little girl answered.
“Are you from Feibo?” Ji Mingzhu did not lower the Undying Slayer and continued to inquire.
Being able to stay with aberrations without being attacked, the first group of people Ji Mingzhu thought of was Feibo organization.
“Feibo? What is that?” Wei La’s eyes still had traces of tears due to fear. She sniffed and asked, “Is it something to eat?”
Ji Mingzhu: “…”
The expression of the little girl didn’t seem like she was lying, which only deepened Ji Mingzhu’s confusion.
“Are you… from the Satellite City?”
Seeing that the other party didn’t speak for a while, Wei La asked.
“Sort of.” Ji Mingzhu replied, “Do you live in this town?”
“Yeah, we’ve been living here for many years.”
“We?” Ji Mingzhu questioned, “Besides you, are there others?”
“Yes, my dad, mom, and my grandpa.” Wei La said, “We’ve been living here for a long time.”
The person piloting the mecha sounded very young, and he seemed to have no malice. Wei La thought for a moment and said, “Can you come down? I’ll take you to see my grandpa. It’s been a long time since anyone came here.”
Come down…?
Ji Mingzhu looked around, and the aberrations around him were watching him warily. He thought, if I come down, won’t I be giving them an extra meal?
“Don’t worry, they’re very well-behaved and don’t eat people.”
Wei La said, “Look, they’re obedient… Bubu, Koala, you go first, don’t scare them.”
In Ji Mingzhu’s surprised gaze, the two Ruminant Hounds seemed to really understand her words. They put away their vigilant expressions and then entered a nearby building.
The aberrations that were originally surrounding the Phoenix Redeemer also scattered one after another. After a while, this deserted small town returned to its silent state, making people doubt whether the scene just now was an illusion.
Ji Mingzhu even saw a few aberrations leaving. Before departing, their beastly pupils revealed a bit of laziness and helplessness, as if saying, “Disperse, there’s nothing interesting here. Go back to your own business.”
Ji Mingzhu: “…”
Am I dreaming?
