Chapter 263: Chapter 237 Undercurrents_2
Li Ruikang observed everyone’s expressions, nodded slightly, and said, “The reason I called you back is exactly this. Duan Jie and Wang Hu are in charge of camp defense. We need to tighten defenses where necessary, but scouts must be sent out. The safety of nearly seventeen to eighteen thousand lives in the camp hinges on your efforts.”
“As for tonight, Yaqian, you accompany , and we’ll see who exactly is causing trouble and to what end.”
“Commander, you…”
Zhao Yaqian spoke up to interrupt, saying, “I possess Third Order abilities and also have a Talent, which makes safer to be around. If they can assassinate Second-grade Monsters, they must have a number of Second-order Contractors. You shouldn’t take the risk.”
But Li Ruikang said, “That’s why I’m asking you to protect . I am the civil officer of South City, as you all know, and surely others are aware too. If I don’t go, they probably won’t agree.”
As the range of activities at the South City camp continued to expand, naturally, the survivors in the southern district were developing an impression of it.
It wasn’t necessarily recognized that Li Ruikang was the leader, but seeing him appear compared to seeing Zhao Yaqian was intuitively different.
The forr was an official before the apocalypse and now the logical camp leader.
“Old Yan, Old Guo, the camp here is entrusted to you to oversee, work with Duan Jie, Wang Hu to ensure nothing goes wrong.”
“We understand. Take care of yourself.”
Although Li Ruikang currently possessed Second-order Interdiate abilities, he was, among those present, the weakest in strength.
Once the eting had set plans in motion, the entire South City camp began to operate rapidly, entering a state of defense preparedness.
It seed like a great fuss over a single letter, but only the managent level such as Li Ruikang knew how precarious the situation at the South City camp really was.
What worried them most was not the surpassing individual powers; a large number of Second Orders, or even one or two Third Orders were not insurmountable.
With a sufficient number of Spiritual Energy rifles and cannons, and including Zhao Yaqian’s assistance, they could completely withstand an attack from High Order monsters.
But it was specifically the swarms, the thousands of monsters that attacked without regard for their lives, engulfing them like a tide.
Even if Zhao Yaqian was powerful, and even if the Second-order Contractors fought with all their might, they might not be able to stop such an assault.
Killing one might an letting two, three, or even more slip through.
They certainly didn’t have walls as tall as the Tree Domain’s; trying to block the monsters was not going to be easy.
Therefore, preparations were necessary: taking streets for the depth of defense, digging trenches, placing cheval de frise, establishing barricades, setting up fire points, all these were part of the strategizing to construct an even stronger defensive camp.
This was originally in response to a potential ergency during the upcoming Fog Tide, but unexpectedly, preparations for unforeseen events had beco necessary now.
Spiritual Energy rifles and cannons were delivered to designated fire points, and the Southern City Guards began to spread out to various posts, ready for battle.
Li Ruikang and Zhao Yaqian both donned plate armor, and about a hundred team mbers accompanied them, including three at the Captain Level, and the rest were from the Ard Forces, now Southern City Guards.
With the convoy ready and the sky darkening, Zhao Yaqian sat in the co-driver’s seat of the second vehicle with a grave expression, and Li Ruikang was right behind her.
“Depart, be vigilant of your surroundings, and take care to avoid monster attacks.”
Zhao Yaqian gave the order to move out, and the convoy slowly proceeded from the industrial park into the street area, and then slowly left the range of the South City camp, entering the city streets shrouded in fog.
Placed atop every few vehicles were Lamp Tree Crystals, whose light dispersed the fog, gradually illuminating the decayed visage of the city in the convoy’s wake.
The streets were littered with rubbish, the shops on either side were damaged, shattered glass was strewn all over, and even varied bloodstains could be seen everywhere.
“Vehicle 1, three monsters to the left front, mind the Angel Envoy’s aim.”
“Understood.”
“Vehicle 7, be wary of monsters hiding in the shop on the left. If anything charges out, take it down.”
Zhao Yaqian utilized her intuitive abilities as a Spirit Senser to sense the environnt. She dared not fully subrge herself into her senses. Instead, she commanded the operation continually based on her standard intuition.
Anything that moved was imdiately cut down, and the ones that stayed hidden were temporarily ignored. The priority was to keep moving.
Li Ruikang watched as Zhao Yaqian’s command grew more proficient, nodding inwardly.
This was the successor chosen by Guo Wutao, and also the person he was cultivating.
The ultimate authority in this world will only be strength, he understood this, and so did Guo Wutao.
Although they were both Second Order, in terms of talent, compared to Zhao Yaqian and Duan Jie, they were quite lacking.
Dealing with various affairs at the camp while also striving to beco stronger was an even more difficult task.
Therefore, if South City camp was to continue existing, the new leader there must be soone with great strength, like Zhao Yaqian and Duan Jie.
This was the main reason they kept training the two of them.
“Officer, is there sothing wrong?”
Zhao Yaqian, with her keen senses, quickly noticed Li Ruikang’s gaze and turned to look back at him from the rear seating.
Li Ruikang shook his head slightly, he said, “You don’t have to be too nervous.”
Zhao Yaqian was taken aback and said, “I’m worried that sothing unexpected will happen, this might be a trap to force us there.”
“Your perception is very sharp, and your talent is impressive, but you have to learn to look beyond the surface to analyze the intentions. Whoever it is, whatever they do, there’s always a direct purpose.”
Li Ruikang’s words gave Zhao Yaqian sothing to ponder, and he slowly explained, “They might speak threats, but the emphasis is on the first half of the sentence, aid at cooperation, or forcing us to cooperate. If they had malicious intentions, those in the shadows could have launched an attack already.”
“What if it’s a ploy to lure the tiger away from the mountain?”
Li Ruikang laughed, “That’s a possibility, which is why the weakest among us ca out, and of course, the most powerful among us ca out too, but there’s still more strength back at the camp. The Bird and Flower Market is close, I might not make it back from this distance, but you certainly can.”
Given such a statent, if it were before, they would have checked everything from surveillance to fingerprints, and even the material of the paper and ink thoroughly.
Now they did not have the conditions to do that, but it did not stop the three old n from deliberating over those words several tis, with all necessary arrangents and planning scrutinized thoroughly.
Zhao Yaqian was stunned, realizing that her thoughts were indeed not as ticulous as those of Li Ruikang and the others, which left her feeling sowhat disappointed.
“Don’t be too disappointed, learning is a process. Old Guo and I can still pave the way for you.”
She managed a forced smile and said, “Thank you, Officer.”
Having soone to teach was a good thing, but it also required ti, and no matter how much they could teach, could they really be more formidable than the person who started from nothing and took control of the entire Tree Domain?
Seeing Zhao Yaqian’s expression, the experienced Li Ruikang knew she might be comparing herself with the man from the north.
He could only sigh silently to himself, yet it was not his place to say anything.
Tis of chaos give birth to heroes, and in this post-apocalyptic world, there are always those who will stand out and rise triumphantly, unstoppable.
Facing Su Han, even he could feel the pressure.
“Officer, Captain Zhao, we have arrived at the Bird and Flower Market.”
Just then, one of the Southern City Guards in the driver’s seat spoke, his tone grave, for under the illumination of the Lamp Tree Crystals, the sides of the street were piled high with the corpses of monsters.
And at the entrance to the entire Bird and Flower Market, monster heads were piled up into two small hills, looking remarkably similar to Jingguan, with the stench of blood assaulting the senses, while outside the range of the light, the Bird and Flower Market was pitch-black, like an abyss.
“Click”
The group got out of the vehicle, and the Angel Envoys enveloped the entire convoy. Several Southern City Guards threw Lamp Tree Crystals into the center of the Bird and Flower Market and around its surrounding environnt, dispersing more of the fog and darkness.
Quiet still enveloped the area, Zhao Yaqian furrowed her brow, and then her senses swept over the place.
Quickly, her expression changed, and she imdiately said, “Be on guard, there are fallen ones, get in the car and evacuate imdiately…”
“Hold on, we’re not here to ambush you.”
A hoarse voice interrupted Zhao Yaqian’s words, as a large figure slowly walked out of the darkness, his body was covered with a tattered cloak that could barely hide what looked like a monstrous shape.
The fallen one’s eyes were blood-red, a hideous smile on his face, as he turned his gaze towards Zhao Yaqian and Li Ruikang.
“We’ve co to seek cooperation with you.”
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