Chapter 392 Join (2 in 1)
Upon learning that Xiao Jin and Cen Nian were going out on a mission, Duan Chenghong was silent for a moment.
Deep down he wanted to go with them, but he also knew he didn't have the ability to do so.
If Xiao Jin hadn’t been here these days, their family would have died countless times!
After Duan Chenghong left today, he successfully joined the security zone patrol team and learned a lot about the outside world.
After the second black rain, a large number of zombies appeared, and the original zombies began to evolve and even developed superpowers.
Then there is the mutant spider that Xiao Jin killed yesterday morning. Such animals with special abilities are not isolated cases.
Some animals are naturally hostile to humans, and too many people have died tragically at their hands.
And according to the superpowers who just came back, they also encountered mutant plants outside...
In general, as a middle-aged man with a family to support, it is better for him not to be too passionate like a child.
…………
Seven o'clock the next morning.
After breakfast, Xiao Jin and Cen Nian went downstairs together.
In order to cover up, the two of them also symbolically carried a backpack.
Xiao Jin had a space and Cen Nian also had storage items, so they only put two bottles of water and some chocolates and biscuits in their backpacks.
As for weapons and the like, Shattered Shadow was tied behind Xiao Jin, and Cen Nian also took out a pitch-black stick.
After completing the preparations, at about 7:20, Xiao Jin and the other person arrived at the gathering point at the gate.
The weather is nice today, it's a good time to go out.
Thick clouds blocked the sun, and without the baking heat of the sun, the surrounding temperature became noticeably more comfortable.
The clock has not yet pointed to eight o'clock, but a lot of people have already gathered in front of the gate of the safe zone.
There were shadowy figures under the sign. Xiao Jin and Cen Nian approached slowly. As far as their eyes could see, the crowd was divided into two distinct groups.
There was a larger group of people, about 7 or 8, and there were many familiar faces among them.
Xiao Jin saw this and a trace of coldness flashed across his face, and so did Cen Nian beside him. On the other side were four people, three men and one woman.
The two sides seemed to be at odds with each other, and the atmosphere was visibly weird. You glared at me, and I sneered.
All of these people wear superpower badges on their chests. I’m afraid that most of the superpower users in the safe zone are here!
When the figures of Xiao Jin and Cen Nian came into their sight, the crowd who were originally whispering suddenly fell silent.
Immediately afterwards, a slight commotion spread among the crowd, and many people frowned after seeing Xiao Jin and the other person.
After a moment, a burly, shirtless man broke the silence.
His muscles were as hard as rocks and there was a faint flash of electricity on his skin. He was obviously a person with supernatural powers who could control lightning.
The other party's voice was as loud as thunder: "Hey, I say, this is not a place for children to hang out. Where are the adults in your family?"
There was a hint of joking in the big man's words, but if you listened carefully, you could still hear the worry in them.
Standing next to him were two male psychics and one female psychic.
Especially the female psychic, she gently touched the arm of the big man next to her, with a playful smile on her lips.
"Hey, big guy, can you please speak a little more quietly? You've scared the little handsome guy!"
After these words came out, the big guy curled his lips.
The other two men exchanged a sly and secretive smile, which seemed to hide an unknown secret, filling the air with a subtle teasing atmosphere. Xiao Jin's face remained wooden, but deep in his heart, he felt as if he had been pricked by a needle. An inexplicable irritation surged into his heart. He vaguely felt that he seemed to have become the prey in this silent contest, being teased by some subtle emotions. His eyes unconsciously wandered around, trying to find a trace of relief from this subtle atmosphere.
In contrast, Cen Nian stood aside, looking particularly inconspicuous, as if he was still a child who had never experienced the world, but his thin body contained unknown tenacity and cunning. His eyes flickered from time to time, revealing wisdom and sharpness that was very inconsistent with his age.
After laughing, Wansha's face suddenly became serious, a solemnity rarely seen in normal days, as if she was standing at a crucial crossroads and needed to make a major decision. "The big guy is right," she said in a deep and powerful voice, every word seemed to come from the bottom of her heart, "This is not an area for you inexperienced people like you to set foot in. Go back! Go back to your safe place. This is not suitable for you."
"Yes, yes, let's go!" another man echoed, with a bit of impatience in his tone, as if he was eager to get rid of the trouble brought by these uninvited guests.
However, these words seemed to ignite a fire in Cen Nian's heart. A subtle mockery appeared on the corner of his mouth, and the light flashing in his eyes was clearly mocking those who regarded him as a child. In his heart, he was no longer a child at the mercy of others. He had experienced too much along the way, and every challenge made him more resilient and more aware of the cruelty and reality of this world.
"What a joke," Cen Nian sneered in his heart. His voice was small but full of unquestionable firmness. "If I really thought of myself as a child, I'm afraid my bones would have been eaten clean by those hungry wolves on this road." His gaze passed through the crowd and looked directly at the unknown and dangerous area in the distance. His eyes flashed with desire and indomitable spirit for unknown challenges.
Along the way, he experienced ups and downs and witnessed the darkness and light of human nature. Every fall and every rise made him more convinced that he had the courage and wisdom beyond his age, enough to leave his own footprints in this land full of unknowns and challenges.
"Hiss—smelly boy!" The big man's burly body shook slightly, and his big eyes like copper bells glared at Cen Nian fiercely, as if he wanted to swallow him whole. However, he adhered to the principle of not arguing with a child, and he suppressed the anger that was about to burst out. The corners of his mouth twitched slightly, and the big man finally chose to remain silent, because he clearly saw that Cen Nian's firm eyes had expressed his determination without any concealment—he would not go back, even if there were mountains of swords and seas of fire ahead, he would not look back.
Xiao Jin, who was standing aside, watched this scene quietly, with a complex look in his eyes. In his eyes, Cen Nian was like a kitten that was cornered. Although weak, he was desperately trying to defend his territory with bluffing. The stubborn and helpless look made Xiao Jin feel sad and emotional. As time went by, he once had such desperate courage, but now he was more bound by the shackles of reality.
Time flies by, and in a blink of an eye, there are only ten minutes left until eight o'clock. The night is as dark as ink, and the breeze blows, bringing a hint of coolness. At this moment, in the darkness in the distance, four black cars slowly approach like ghosts in the dark night, and finally stop steadily at the gate. The doors of the cars open one by one, and several figures come out one after another, with steady steps and extraordinary momentum.
Xiao Jin's eyes swept over these people one by one, and finally fixed on Lu Jiawei who was following a middle-aged man. Lu Jiawei was wearing a brand-name suit, with a smug smile on his face, looking very proud. However, in Xiao Jin's eyes, all this was just a superficial appearance, and he couldn't help but sneer in his heart.
This escort mission, as usual, was without Wang Zixuan. The girl who always attracted everyone's attention seemed to have nothing to do with it. However, it was puzzling why Lu Jiawei, the young man who usually had a special liking for Wang Zixuan, had to embark on this journey full of unknowns and dangers? The answer was self-evident. It was for her.
As early as when Xiao Jin caught sight of the familiar face in another group of superpowers, he had quietly planted the seeds of speculation in his heart. These superpowers were all extraordinary, and among them there were people Lu Jiawei knew well. How could he not think of the real purpose of Lu Jiawei's trip? Xiao Jin's eyes flashed with a hint of complexity, which was both worry about the mission and understanding and helplessness of Lu Jiawei's persistence.
At this time, several off-road vehicles slowly stopped, the doors opened one by one, and a group of people walked steadily into the open space dyed red by the setting sun. The leader was a middle-aged man, whose face was somewhat similar to Lu Jiawei's, a trace of blood connection, which made people see their relationship at a glance. This middle-aged man, with a powerful aura between his eyebrows, was obviously the leader of the team.
Lu Jiawei followed closely behind. After getting off the car, he seemed to ignore all the noise around him, walked straight around the crowd, and walked firmly into the team. But when he passed by Xiao Jin, he suddenly stopped and raised a provocative smile at the corner of his mouth. There was a bit of pride and provocation hidden in that smile.
This scene happened to fall into Cen Nian's eyes. Cen Nian, the girl who was always known for her coldness, now had a blazing anger in her eyes. She glared at Lu Jiawei fiercely.
"Okay, everyone is an elite handpicked by our security bureau," the middle-aged man said in a steady and powerful voice, instantly drawing everyone's attention to him. "This mission is of great importance, and we must unite to face the upcoming challenges together. Regardless of our personal feelings, from now on, we are all partners fighting side by side."
"You will go deep into the institute shrouded in fog and rescue those innocent researchers one by one. On this road, you will encounter countless unknown challenges and obstacles - perhaps hidden traps, perhaps the sudden attack of mutant creatures, or perhaps, the unpredictable human heart. But I firmly believe that with your courage, wisdom and teamwork, you will be able to overcome all difficulties and complete this mission perfectly."
His voice was deep and powerful, and every word seemed to strike at the heart of the team members, stirring up their fighting spirit and determination. However, behind this unquestionable trust, Lu Shibin's gaze quietly shifted to the two young men in front of the team - Xiao Jin and Cen Nian.
His eyes slowly slid from their resolute faces to their chests, as if he was looking for some crucial sign or token, but unfortunately, there was nothing there except the lapels swaying gently in the night breeze. This discovery made Lu Shibin's brows unconsciously frown, and a trace of imperceptible worry appeared between his brows. But this worry was fleeting, replaced by a trace of imperceptible indifference and determination.
In Lu Shibin's mind, Xiao Jin's joining was undoubtedly overestimating his own abilities, and Cen Nian beside him was just an ordinary young man. In his opinion, such a combination only added some unnecessary risks to the operation. Even if they encountered misfortune during the mission, they were just victims who attracted firepower for the entire team, and it was just a negligible loss for the overall situation.
"Of course," Lu Shibin's voice sounded again, interrupting the different thoughts in everyone's minds, "In addition to you, I have also specially arranged an ally who is familiar with the internal structure of the institute to accompany you. He will be your eyes in this adventure, guiding you to avoid those deadly traps and hit the target directly." At this point, a mysterious smile appeared at the corner of his mouth, as if everything was under control.
Around them, several off-road vehicles roared, raising clouds of dust, ready to embark on an unknown adventure. Everyone got on the car, excitement and anticipation intertwined in everyone's eyes, except Xiao Jin and Cen Nian, who stood quietly aside like a clear stream in this turbulent world, and did not rush to join the team that was about to set off.
At this time, Lu Jiawei, a young man who was always eager to prove himself and whose eyes were full of unwillingness and provocation, saw this scene and smiled disdainfully. The laughter was particularly harsh in the gradually quiet atmosphere: "Why, are you scared? Or is your courage only enough to bloom in a safe greenhouse?" His words were like a sharp blade, trying to cut through the tranquility and attract the attention of the people around him. Sure enough, everyone cast curious or watching eyes at him, and a subtle tension filled the air.
However, facing Lu Jiawei's provocation, Xiao Jin just tilted his head slightly, his deep eyes seemed to be able to see through people's hearts, but he did not give the other party any response. He just turned to the driver who was about to start the car, and said calmly and firmly: "We have a car, we will catch up with the team, don't bother." After that, his eyes returned to Cen Nian again, and there was a tacit understanding between the two that could be understood without words.
Lu Jiawei's face darkened instantly, as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over his head. His pride and defiance instantly froze. He turned around abruptly and strode towards the passenger seat of an off-road vehicle, making a thumping sound with every step.