CKtalon
Under the setting sun’s rays, the Old Task Force’s jeep drove along the familiar street. It slowly advanced through the signs—hairstyling, supermarket, barbecue, foot bath, hotpot, police, clothing, and other signs that were hanging diagonally or missing.
Cars were randomly parked along the road, clearly ravaged by the elements. It seriously hindered traffic, but it didn’t mean that the jeep couldn’t pass through.
“It’s still the same old.’ Shang Jianyao—who was in the backseat—sighed.
For some reason, a sentence that originated from the Old World’s entertainment naturally surfaced in Long Yuehong’s mind: “He lita cigarette and started recounting his tale.”
The driving Bai Chen looked ahead and said, “It’s getting dark. Where are we camping tonight?”
“The place from last time, of course!” Shang Jianyao replied before Jiang Baimian could. “We have feelings for it!”
His small speaker came from there.
Who has feelings for this godforsaken place? Jiang Baimian muttered silently and nodded. “Same old place—at least it’s familiar.”
Bai Chen tersely acknowledged her words and turned the jeep to the left before entering the estate without a complete name. They then alighted, brought their items, tuned into a unit in the first building on the right, and familiarly arrived at the sixth floor.
After opening the door to the innermost room, a putrid smell drilled into their noses.
“The layout is no different from when we left.” Shang Jianyao looked around as if he didn’t smell anything.
The coffee table, the television cabinet, the dirty cloth sofa, the emerald-green cups, the round table, the recliner, and other items were all in the same position. They appeared frozen in time and had never been moved.
Jiang Baimian nodded. “It seems like no Ruin Hunter has been here.”
She then ordered, “Check the rooms and eliminate any latent dangers.”
The four people from the Old Task Force immediately split into two teams. One team walked to the bathroom, and the other went to the end of the corridor and opened the door to the child’s bedroom.
Jiang Baimian looked over and saw a person lying quietly on the bed.
The person was covered in a blue blanket with a small golden star. The exposed parts had already turned to bones, leaving only a cluster of white, messy hair.
Shang Jianyao fell silent for a few seconds before saying, ‘Let’s go somewhere else.”
Alright.” Jiang Baimian could understand his feelings.
The corpse in front of them likely belonged to the room’s original owner-the little gir] named Nan Nan in the photo album.
She had become a Heartless. She grew up year after year and gradually aged, but she never forgot where her home was. Every time the lights lit up at night, she would return to rest and flip through her photos.
‘When the power was cut, she would become a cruel Heartless and hunt outside.
In the blink of an eye, more than two years had passed. When the Old Task Force encountered her again, she had already become a corpse.
After briefing Long Yuchong and Bai Chen about the situation, Jiang Baimian led her team members to the same unit on the eighth floor.
It was also where they had stayed.
After settling down, Long Yuehong sighed with emotion. “I didn’t expect her to be dead..”
“It’s very normal.” Bai Chen consoled him. “Not many ordinary Heartless can live to the age of 40. They only lasted until a few years ago because of Xiaochong’s protection.”
After the previous incident, Xiaochong was scared away by Du Heng, Pangu Biology took over a portion of the area, and many Ruin Hunters came and went. The ‘environment here had completely changed.
This made Jiang Baimian vaguely feel like they had become villains.
Shang Jianyao sat by the floor-to-ceiling railed windows. He looked out and sighed. “It would be nice if there’s no Heartless disease.”
“This is our team’s mission,” Jiang Baimian replied in a joking manner, trying her best to lighten the mood in the team.
Long Yuehong looked out the window and exclaimed, ‘It’s already dark. Why aren’t the lights switched on.”
Before he could finish speaking, he shut his mouth.
The reason Swamp Ruin 1 could have electricity at night and replay the city’s former dazzling night scene was that the nearby hydropower station was still being ‘maintained. It was still working because Xiaochong was playing games near the underground engine room at the City Intelligence Network
Control Center. From time to time, it would power the entire city.
Now, there was no Xiaochong or the Superior Heartless with a certain level of intelligence.
Bai Chen also came to the floor-to-ceiling window and looked out. She acutely noticed: “There’s light over there.”
At the edge of the concrete jungle, balls of yellow or pure white light flickered.
There were definitely not many of them, but they were rather eye-catching in the setting sun.
Jiang Baimian exhaled and said, “That should be where the company’s garrison is stationed. They must’ve been to the City Intelligence Network Control Center to keep this ruin powered.”
That’s true. Having electricity and not having electricity are two completely different concepts. It’s the same for those being stationed and day-to-day living… Long Yuehong came to a realization.
At this moment, Shang Jianyao excitedly stood up, rushed to the dining area, and pressed the switch.
The white light lit up.
“There’s indeed electricity!” Shang Jianyao was rather happy.
Jiang Baimian’s eyes darted around. “Turn it off. It’s too eye-catching at night.”
After Shang Jianyao switched off the lights, Jiang Baimian looked around and said, “The arrangement for tonight is: Have dinner first, then rest for an hour. We’ll then go to a nearby block on foot to search for bookshops and other places to determine if this is Dajiang City.”
“We’re searching for information tonight?” Long Yuehong blurted out in surprise.
One had to catch their breath before hanging themselves.
Jiang Baimian smiled. “We should be carrying out operations at night and resting during the day. Otherwise, it’s very easy for us to encounter the company’s exploration team. Furthermore, we have to be constantly worried that a drone will fly over our heads. You don’t want this, right?”