N-A-A Chapter 52 Outpost 1
Chapter 52 Outpost 1
Upon entering the border area, the students seemed to have opened the door to a new world, staring intently at the scenery outside the window.
Towering trees, their tops invisible, are entwined with motionless, model-like snakes of various colors. A green spider stealthily moves toward the dormant snakes, instinctively spraying its web at the passing pickup truck as it goes.
Floating in mid-air, looking like a green lantern from a distance, with a head at each end, it's a two-headed bird-catching fly. Reaching up to 40 centimeters in length, it far exceeds the students' knowledge of flies.
About half an hour later, the convoy passed through an area so densely vegetated it resembled a primeval jungle, and arrived at an abandoned city.
Walking along the former avenue, one can see dilapidated buildings everywhere. Among the buildings submerged in withered yellow and dark green, there is a piece of a building that seems to have flown in from somewhere.
The tall building standing not far away, its massive blast-proof glass walls shattered like broken potato chips, crumbs scattered everywhere. Huge cobwebs hung from the windows, a sign that a new lord had taken over.
Many cars on the street were reduced to half or just shells. There were also electric vehicles crushed under broken walls, their metal parts corroded beyond recognition, with only the plastic structure standing firm, silently demonstrating their existence to the rare visitors.
"what!"
As they passed a large shopping mall, Lu Yan screamed again.
The girl was not very brave to begin with, and after experiencing all the bizarre and wonderful sights along the way, her nerves were on edge.
Everyone looked in the direction she was pointing, and Ji Chenyu lowered his eyelids speechlessly: "Please, stop being so jumpy, okay? We're scared to death by you before we're even startled by those strange creatures."
"That's a mannequin, not a corpse. The main materials are fiberglass and polyurethane, which have high corrosion resistance."
Qi Te, who had been silent the whole way, spoke up for once.
Joey couldn't help but laugh out loud: "Hey, genius, is there anything you don't know?"
"There are many things I don't know, like why you have an endless supply of lollipops?"
Joey laughed so hard she almost fell over, patting her backpack: "Because I brought a lot!"
"Then you should share some with Lu Yan. Sugar can stimulate the brain to release neurotransmitters such as dopamine, which can improve emotional tension and reduce anxiety."
After thinking about it, Joy seemed to agree with what Zite said, and immediately took out a few lollipops from her bag and handed them to everyone with a smile.
Lu Yan and Chen Jin immediately accepted, but none of the students from Class 3 of the second year offered any. G4 shook their heads and declined, stating that company policy prohibited them from accepting food or extra tips from those they were serving.
Just as Yue Wanwan was about to raise her hand, Qi Te subtly tugged at the corner of her clothes.
Lu Yan and Chen Jin unpacked the package, put the contents in their mouths, and soon after, they put on the masks of pain.
"Ptooey! What is this thing!" Chen Jin hissed and sucked in his saliva, his lips instantly turning red and even slightly swollen.
Lu Yan, who was good-looking, narrowed her eyes and distorted her features.
One was so spicy it made them feel like dogs, the other was so sour it made their teeth ache.
Through frequent contact over this period, Qi Te has figured out the perverse tastes of this dark lolita style enthusiast.
Joey smiled, her fate uncertain.
If she puts on an overly friendly smile, it means she's definitely up to some mischief and is going to play a prank on someone.
"Weird-flavored candy, it's really delicious."
Chen Jin rolled her eyes at Qiao Yi, annoyed: "Delicious my foot! Hehehe~"
"Attention all personnel, Outpost One is 500 meters ahead."
"Please put on your protective mask and check your respirator filter..."
"Temperature: -35 degrees Celsius; Air quality index: E (slight pollution); Oxygen content: normal..."
As soon as the notification sounded, G4 immediately took out eight aluminum boxes bearing the Oasis Technology logo from a hidden cabinet at the bottom of the partition.
The [Cleanser] mask effectively purifies air with extremely high pollution levels, while also isolating light pollution and toxic substances. Furthermore, it is bulletproof and blast-proof.
Of course, it can only stop bullets from ordinary handguns. When facing more powerful submachine guns and sniper rifles, it is no different from an ordinary mask.
G4 inspected each filter and, after confirming it was correct, handed it to the collection team members. Wearing it is very simple: just clip it onto your face, and the edges will automatically attach.
Qi Te and Ji Chenyu put on their masks and each pressed a button on their chest, causing their already puffy down jackets to swell even more.
Looking at the two men, who were now round and swollen, Yue Wanwan frowned slightly, feeling a pang of regret. She knew that Qi Te's family was poor, yet she had still overlooked such an important detail.
Everyone inside the vehicle wore protective winter jackets over thermal underwear, with temperature-controlled clothing underneath. This combination ensured that even in temperatures as low as -30 degrees Celsius, they wouldn't feel cold. It wasn't bulky at all, and it also allowed for greater freedom of movement.
"Do you know what you two look like right now?"
Joey swung the drawstring of her thermal hat, stared at Ji Chenyu and Qi Te, and couldn't help but burst into laughter.
"A blue cat, a big pumpkin."
"Hehe, you don't understand, do you?"
Ji Chenyu raised his hand and patted his chest, and his originally bulging jacket immediately deflated like a punctured balloon.
"Pshaw, it's just an inflatable suit. This kind of thermal gear has been obsolete for ages."
As Joey spoke, she put on her gloves. The wilderness is heavily polluted, the snow is even more corrosive, and many organisms are poisonous. Therefore, it's crucial to ensure not only respiratory safety but also that skin is kept completely dry.
As a hacker, she not only researched strategies but also attempted to hack into the Blue Shield network to obtain internal information.
Of course, it failed.
"Has everyone remembered the precautions?"
G4 said with a serious expression, and everyone responded, "We've got it."
"After you get off the bus, follow me. Don't wander off, and don't touch anything that looks strange. If you notice anything unusual, you can call me via walkie-talkie."
G4 responsibly added a few more words, and everyone tensed up again. Lu Yan, the most timid of them all, kept taking deep breaths.
Soon, the convoy stopped in front of a large building.
The car door opened, and G4 got off first, followed closely by the students.
..................
In less than two minutes, nineteen members of the collection team and twenty-one security personnel assembled at point number one.
This is a large building with a hall ceiling at least five meters high, and most of the items are covered with plants.
The tables and chairs were in disarray, the service counter was large, and behind the counter, on a large background wall, were several large characters. Although they had long been destroyed, the character for "wine" could still be vaguely discerned.
Clearly, this used to be a large hotel.
Several rusty, scorched metal fragments at the entrance and countless bullet holes on the interior walls testify to the fierce battles that once took place here.
"Regarding time."
The man, standing two meters tall and burly, had a deep, powerful voice with a bass cannon effect.
All the security personnel immediately moved closer to the burly man and raised their wrists one by one.
13:52
确认时间一致后，壮汉当即下达命令：「C3、C4、C5负责上层，D1、D2、D3负责下层...十分钟后，大厅集合。行动！」
Upon receiving the instructions, the team members quickly dispersed and proceeded to the designated location.
"Hey G, who's that?"
The freckled man stared at the burly man, who resembled a double-door refrigerator, and leaned closer to G4, asking curiously.
"Our Blue Shield Tier 1 captain, Xu Su."
G4 said with a proud look, "If it weren't for the winter break and the lack of high-risk missions, Captain Xu wouldn't have participated in such an ordinary security mission."
Equally curious, Chen Jin joined the conversation: "So, he's the B-level boss you were talking about before?!"
G4 nodded: "Captain Xu is not just a B-rank; he's proficient in firearms and melee weapons alike. His comprehensive abilities, including decision-making and emergency response, are extremely strong. Blue Shield has 25 security personnel worldwide, but fewer than a thousand can become captains. And only 11 can break into the T1 rank."
"The other ten team captains are all A-level, only Captain Xu is B-level. Just imagine how awesome he is!"
"Anyway, with Captain Xu around, as long as you don't do anything reckless, you'll definitely be fine."
After hearing G4's introduction, the students couldn't help but look at the captain with admiration.
Putting everything else aside, his imposing physique alone gives people a great sense of security.
The students gathered in the hall, whispering and talking about what they had seen and heard along the way.
Cao Yingchong then consulted several senior students about the process of data collection and the precautions that required extra care.
Ji Chenyu and Qi Te quietly eavesdropped on the conversation from the side. With their class monitor, a social butterfly, around, it really saved them a lot of trouble.
Just as he was listening intently, Qi Te suddenly raised his eyebrows.
His exceptional hearing allowed him to hear the gunshot.
The sound was not loud, but rather muffled and reverberant, likely coming from the underground parking lot.
The gunshots lasted for about two minutes, accompanied by the characteristic "buzzing" sound of an electromagnetic pulse.
Although the sound wasn't loud, quite a few students heard it and gathered together, some of them worried, whispering among themselves.
Qi Te looked curiously towards the gate, where Captain Xu Su was leaning against the pickup truck.
The other person seemed not to hear anything, leisurely smoking...