Chapter Forty-Eight: Escape from Desperation

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Number 3 was clearly unwilling to drag down the team. Within their ranks, Zhao Yihan and Number 4 possessed the martial skill Shadow Escape, which allowed them to move at nearly double the speed of other beings with similar physical attributes. Had it not been for Number 2 and himself, perhaps they would have left long ago.

Seeing the situation unfold, Long Yu no longer hesitated. He shouted to Zhao Yihan and the others, “I’ll let Leopard cover the rear, you all retreat quickly. Until we meet again!” With these parting words, Leopard, under Long Yu’s command, charged resolutely into the swarm of mutated beasts.

Then, Long Yu’s spatial gate opened, and in an instant, he vanished from the spot.

“Scatter!” Zhao Yihan called out, darting eastward. With the aid of Shadow Escape, she moved like a bolt of lightning.

Mutated beasts blocking her path were evaded with ghostlike agility; none could get close to her.

Number 2 and Number 4 also sped off in other directions, almost simultaneously with Zhao Yihan.

But soon after they set out, a sudden scream rang out—it was Zhao Yihan’s voice, clearly in peril.

After the group had split apart, the mutated beasts focused their pursuit on Zhao Yihan.

As more mutated beasts appeared ahead, Zhao Yihan again manipulated the surrounding trees as before.

Under her control, the trees surged upward, their branches twisting violently, finally forming an aerial bridge.

Zhao Yihan strode onto it, but after only a few steps, the bridge collapsed with a thunderous crash—a nearly ten-meter-tall beast struck, and the bridge formed of tree branches crumbled like paper, disintegrating at its touch.

“Captain,” Number 2 and Number 4 hesitated, torn. “If we try to save her, we may die ourselves; if we don’t, our conscience aches, urging us to rescue her.”

In a flash, they each made their decision. Number 2 sped farther away, quickening his pace.

Number 4 charged toward Zhao Yihan; he simply couldn’t bear to watch his teammate die and flee alone.

Number 4 quickly arrived. Zhao Yihan was already surrounded, countless tree branches rising to encircle her in layer upon layer of defense.

But under the relentless assault of the mutated beasts, these defenses were swiftly destroyed.

One side desperately defended, the other relentlessly attacked...

“Captain…”

Number 4 fought his way toward Zhao Yihan, attacking the beasts as he went.

But his progress slowed, as the mutated beasts encircled him.

Just then, a vine descended from above, dragging him out of the beast horde.

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The vine wrapped around Number 4, carrying him to the edge of Zhao Yihan’s plant-formed defenses, which parted to let him inside.

“Captain,” Number 4 called out, relieved to see his leader unharmed.

“Why did you come back?” Zhao Yihan’s eyes were red, her tone tinged with anger.

Her feelings were conflicted—touched that Number 4 risked his life to save her, saddened that he might die here as well, and irritated that he ignored her order, risking a fate where both might perish.

“Captain, what skill is this? I’ve never seen it before—you were holding back all along!” Number 4 quickly changed the topic, asking eagerly.

“This? It’s a newly awakened skill, likely an A-level one. Unfortunately, we’re about to die here, so even this won’t matter much.” Zhao Yihan spoke with a note of disappointment.

...

Zhao Yihan didn’t wish to pursue the matter or blame Number 4 further. She patted his shoulder and said, “Since you’re here, prepare yourself. Let’s show these beasts what we’re made of. If we’re to die, let’s die gloriously and leave them with a lasting impression.”

“Alright, Captain, don’t worry! I’m ready. Let’s show these beasts our strength.”

“Do you have any cigarettes?” Zhao Yihan suddenly asked.

“Cigarettes?” Number 4 replied uncertainly.

“Yes, let’s have one. I’ve never tried them in my life—today, let’s enjoy it once.” Zhao Yihan said.

Number 4 searched himself, finally producing a box labeled “Zhonghua.”

Opening it, he found exactly two cigarettes remaining.

He handed one over, his face pained, “These are my last two good cigarettes—they don’t make them anymore.”

Lighting up, the two sat on the ground and smoked.

Zhao Yihan’s face was pale—she had exhausted almost all her remaining energy to form the defenses.

“Cough, cough, why is this cigarette so harsh?” Zhao Yihan coughed several times after a drag, then tossed the remainder to the ground.

Number 4 felt a pang of heartache...

After throwing away the cigarette, Zhao Yihan sat quietly, saying nothing.

“How much longer can you hold out?” Number 4 asked after another drag.

“About thirty seconds.”

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...

He took another deep drag, and under the rush of oxygen, the cigarette glowed, burning fiercely.

More than half the cigarette was consumed in one drag. Number 4 exhaled a large smoke ring and stood up.

“Why did you come back? Isn’t it better to stay alive?” Zhao Yihan also stood.

“Watching you die, living alone has no meaning! In this world, maybe death is happier than living,” Number 4 replied with a sigh.

“Be content! We’re already much better off—at least better than those refugees in the city eating relief rations. They’re the ones for whom living is worse than dying,” Zhao Yihan responded to his lament.

Meanwhile, their defenses finally gave way under the ferocious attacks of the mutated beasts.

Yet, in the next instant, a flash of white light streaked by, and both vanished before the beasts’ very eyes.

Hidden creatures watched the sudden disappearance with fury, roaring at the mutated beasts around them. It was the Dreamcat, whom Long Yu’s group had been tracking.

These people had pursued it for so long; it had finally gained command of all the mutated beasts in the forest to take revenge, but now two of its enemies had escaped. It felt its dignity had been challenged.

After a long while, the Dreamcat calmed down. Since those two had escaped, it could not let the remaining two go.

With this resolve, Dreamcat leapt away toward the distance.

As for Zhao Yihan and Number 4, a white light flashed, their vision blurred, and as their surroundings cleared, Zhao Yihan realized she was in a strange place.

Looking closer, she saw what seemed to be a military camp. A dozen soldiers stood around them, with several others lying on the ground.

Then she heard a familiar voice—it was her grandfather.

“Yihan, you’re back!” Her grandfather’s voice trembled.

“Grandpa?” Zhao Yihan was clearly bewildered by what had happened.

...

Several dozen minutes later, Zhao Yihan had changed into a new uniform and finally understood the situation.

It turned out the army had recently acquired a new skill: Summoning. Because it required an enormous amount of energy, several spatial ability users formed the core, with other strong individuals supplying power. Eventually, they succeeded in forcibly summoning Zhao Yihan and Number 4 from afar.

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