The First Order

Chapter 181: Wait for me

Translator: Legge Editor: Legge

But Li Shentan suddenly smiled and said, “I know something very terrifying is making its way towards Stronghold 109 as we speak. The main defensive forces of the stronghold supposedly made up of the Li Consortium’s combat troops are now holed up in a university because of you people. When those terrifying things arrive, who will defend the city? Guess how many people will die to the hands of those things. And who is going to take responsibility for that?

“The Saboteurs, the Qing Consortium, the Yang Consortium, or the Pyro Company?” Li Shentan questioned, “Which of you are qualified to throw stones at me?”

Luo Xinyu stayed silent.

“We’re all sinners,” Li Shentan lamented.

“Since you’ve already gotten your revenge, isn’t it time to reel it in?” Luo Xinyu said, “You have to trust that even though justice may be delayed, it won’t be denied.”

Li Shentan reacted like he had heard a hilarious joke. “That isn’t the original version of the saying. The original goes like this: ‘Justice delayed is justice denied.’”

Luo Xinyu suddenly asked, “What do you think is the essence behind turning supernatural?”

“Isn’t it already summed up in the mission statement of your Saboteurs organization?” Li Shentan chuckled. “When a disaster comes, mental strength becomes the best weapon humanity has in the face of danger. But my understanding of mental strength is based on… furthering the development of the brain.”

Luo Xinyu calmly said, “But studies about furthering the development of the brain have been refuted since before The Cataclysm.”

“Anything that hasn’t been rigorously argued over can only be taken as rumors. Even now, humanity still hasn’t fully discovered which part of the brain corresponds with the human emotion, so how dare they say they’ve completely understood it?” Li Shentan said in seriousness, “But I still can’t be sure if supernatural beings have unlocked a new area in their brains or whether they’ve just achieved an increase of their brain’s potential to a 100%. I guess it’s better to just call it something like mental strength for now.”

“Then according to your logic,” Luo Xinyu said, “does it mean that the more powerful a supernatural being is, the closer they are to destroying themselves?”

“Theoretically, yes.” Li Shentan said, “The moment the brain’s potential reaches a 100% capability, humanity might evolve a will that’s equivalent to that of a god. Their bodies could also disintegrate as a result of not being able to handle this extremely vast will. This might even start happening once the brain reaches 70% capability.”

Li Shentan was suddenly reminded of a youth he knew and seemed a little unsure as he said, “But I think there are also exceptions to that. So whatever we’re discussing right now is pointless. It’s only when humans evolve to that level that we’ll know the answer.” Li Shentan then ignored Luo Xinyu. He continued walking with Si Liren towards the university to see for himself the destruction of Stronghold 109’s Li Consortium troops.

Luo Xinyu did not bother questioning him any further as she had something more important to handle. Time was running out.

Even for an organization as powerful and well-connected as the Saboteurs, they couldn’t gain access to all the secrets of this world. Whatever had been discussed here today, Luo Xinyu would have to write up a report detailing every single word that was said so the others in the organization could readjust their research direction.

But at this moment, the other districts of the stronghold that had been peaceful burst into an uproar. It was as though something extremely alarming had happened. Those who were in the know shuddered in their hearts as they knew the Experimentals must have arrived in advance!

Luo Xinyu ignored this and just stood outside the university. She closed the Shadow Door she had opened up next to Li Shentan. When she opened the Shadow Door again, she walked right through it.

Step by step, she went from where she was to an enclosed research laboratory that looked very technologically advanced. Luo Xinyu examined her environment.

Whatever she was looking for was in here.

Luo Xinyu held a gun in her hand and kept her guard up in case any security personnel inside the lab became a threat. However, no one seemed to be in the lab anymore. It looked like everyone might have already escaped due to the unrest that was happening outside.

The entire lab was empty.

At this moment, she noticed a portable hard drive that was locked inside a bulletproof glass case. Luo Xinyu raised her gun and fired continuously at the glass to break it open. She then got ready to take the hard drive out and leave through the Shadow Door.

But a second later, the lab’s ceiling lit up brightly. The entire interior of the lab turned bright as day. There were no blind spots where the light could not reach!

Luo Xinyu attempted to open the Shadow Door to leave, but it could not be formed in this place where no shadows could be cast. The Shadow Door she tried to conjure up materialized as a dull shadow that quickly dissipated after swaying a couple times.

This lab was actually fitted with anti-theft measures specific to her ability!

Luo Xinyu frowned as she decided to go and open the lab’s door instead. However, she discovered she did not even know how to open the steel door several centimeters thick.

Frankly, Luo Xinyu felt a little powerless now. This was the first time she had encountered a measure that was specially tailored to her!

However, she was not worried for herself but Yang Xiaojin, who was currently waiting for her on the rooftop of the high-rise building.

…

Ren Xiaosu carried his bicycle and ran ahead of the group. Along the way, they saw several residents who had been hypnotized by Li Shentan sprinting past them. None of those residents gave them a second look.

When the students saw the crazy looks on those people, they felt a little scared. Ren Xiaosu tried to comfort them. “Don’t be afraid, the entire Western District has become like this. They won’t attack us.”

When the students heard what the entire Western District had become, they got even more frightened.

Within two minutes, Ren Xiaosu and the group arrived at the stronghold’s gate. Right now, alarms were going off everywhere inside the stronghold, as if to say that something terrifying was coming to attack the stronghold.

Or rather, those terrifying things had arrived a while ago. However, they only started a full-scale attack after the chaos broke out.

The Experimentals had broken into the stronghold through the sewer system. However, they were not in a hurry to attack and had chosen to set up an ambush instead.

And now, they felt it was time.

Luo Lan should count himself lucky that he had only gone a short distance underground today. Otherwise, he might have gotten a nasty surprise if he bumped into the large group of Experimentals.

At this point, the private army’s soldiers that were assigned to guard the stronghold’s gate had also rushed over to the university upon hearing the alarm. This place was now void of people.

Yan Liuyuan frowned and said, “Bro, how do we open the gate?”

Ren Xiaosu thought for a moment and said, “It’s fine, I have bombs.”

Yan Liuyuan and the others looked at Ren Xiaosu with anticipation. Then their eyes grew wide when they saw him taking out four poker cards with the number three.

Wang Fugui, Wang Dalong, and Chen Wudi were confused.

Were these the legendary bombs he was talking about? How the hell could they possibly blow the gate up with that?

What? Are you going to throw out four threes 1 at the gate, then let it say “pass” before opening up the gate for you?!

Yan Liuyuan’s face darkened. “Bro, can you be a little more serious at a time like this?”

“Don’t panic, it’s not a big problem!” Ren Xiaosu said as he waved for everyone to step back. Then he stuck the four cards onto the gate and also ran far away to take cover.

At this moment, Ren Xiaosu said in his mind, “Detonate!”

Suddenly, those four poker cards stuck on the gate exploded with a shocking amount of power and a fiery glow. Afterwards, there was a lot of dust and smoke around where the gate used to be.

After the blast, the powerful explosion lifted a large cloud of dust and smoke in the opposite direction. Debris from the remnants of the gate scattered everywhere while Yan Liuyuan and the others all felt the ground tremble below them!

Ren Xiaosu looked over to check. “It’s done!”

The gate had a huge hole blown through it!

Wang Fugui was shocked. So it was actually that dangerous to play “Fight the Landlord”?!

“Everyone, get out of the city. We’re going to head north.” Ren Xiaosu was planning on leading the way. As for whatever was happening in the stronghold, it really had nothing to do with him anymore.

But when he turned around to have another look at the stronghold, he saw Yang Xiaojin standing on top of that building far off in the distance. There were over a dozen Experimentals crawling up towards her like spiders. Ren Xiaosu froze for a moment. Why hadn’t Luo Xinyu gone to fetch Yang Xiaojin yet?!

This wasn’t how he had imagined it would be. Based on past experience, Yang Xiaojin and Luo Xinyu should have made the most comfortable retreat of all.

But as it stood, Yang Xiaojin was still ten stories high on that building’s rooftop. She was a lone boat in the dark ocean. She could capsize at any moment.

Ren Xiaosu only hesitated for a moment before he turned to Wang Fugui and the others and said, “You guys, leave first. I need to make a trip back to the stronghold! Chen Wudi, make sure you protect everyone!”

Wang Fugui panicked. “Xiaosu, no one’s gonna survive in that stronghold.”

Ren Xiaosu looked at them and said firmly, “Head north, and don’t turn back! I’ll catch up to y’all!” Ren Xiaosu then turned around and headed back to the city that had now turned into a hell.

In fact, Ren Xiaosu was unsure why he had chosen to turn around. Perhaps it was because of the familiarity of facing those wild beasts that led him wanting to be among them again. Or perhaps it was because he liked the night sky in this city that he wanted to take in more of the scenery here. Or even perhaps he had forgotten to grab his wallet?

Well, alright! Ren Xiaosu knew all those were poor excuses for turning back. Perhaps it was only because he didn’t want that girl to die here.

Ren Xiaosu started running faster and faster, with his clothes flapping loudly in the wind. He was a male lion on the hunt.

He looked at the top of the high-rise building, while the girl at the top also seemed to quietly look back at him.

The chaotic gunfire around him and the Experimentals that were choosing who to eat, all of those things made this world feel a little absurd right now.

The dark sky even felt like it was about to split apart in the middle.

But none of that was important.

Wait for me.