Invasion - Chapter 57

Chapter 57

Lin Yuan crouched in a corner, watching the fierce battle between the man and the monster in mid-air.

The giant "mosquito’s" proboscis was sharp, easily piercing through the thick rock slabs of the roof when it swooped down.

Lin Yuan extended a finger, imitating the piercing motion.

The mutated creature flying in mid-air suddenly felt a sharp, needle-like pain in its brain, and with a scream, fell from the sky.

Although it quickly turned over, wanting to fly up again, Ni Ji wouldn't miss such a good opportunity. The sentinel drew his gun, the loud bang of explosive bullets echoing repeatedly in the air, one shot after another, dragging trails of white light, suppressing all the monster's attempts to take off.

Its legs, wings, head, and compound eyes were repeatedly blown open. Those exploded wounds quickly healed, but there was always another bullet flying over, accurately hitting another vital spot.

Almost every bullet predicted its movements, and the mutated man, hit by the dense barrage of bullets, rolled around on the ground, unable to take off.

Ni Ji retreated, his feet on the roof as he continued firing, not even needing close combat.

Lin Yuan moved her fingers, and every time the giant "mosquito" struggled, her fair fingers would gently make a tapping motion.

The mutated creature, clutching its head and screaming, would roll back to the ground, turned into a sieve by the barrage of bullets from the rooftop.

Focusing her strength onto a point as small as a needle tip, the effect of the attack multiplied several times.

Lin Yuan moved her white fingers, simulating the tapping motion a few times, feeling like she had learned a new skill from the mosquito.

As expected, battles could improve her.

"A Guide! You're a Guide, why is there a Guide here?"

The mutated creature rolling on the ground made a trembling, distorted sound, terrified, as if a Guide, a being that everyone thought was fragile, was a terrifying creature he feared.

Lin Yuan's attention was drawn to his heart-wrenching scream.

Ni Ji on the roof suddenly turned around, drew another gun, and fired a white phosphorus bomb from afar towards Lin Yuan.

White phosphorus bombs were expensive and there weren’t many left. Ni Ji had specially used his authority in the Royal Guard to apply for three before leaving. They were special bullets that targeted the weakness of the Golden Tree Contaminated Zone.

This special type of bullet would intensely burn after hitting an object, its flames long-lasting, inextinguishable until completely burned out. It was a powerful and terrifying weapon.

He had used one last night, this was the second. Ni Ji drew his gun and fired, almost without hesitation.

The white phosphorus bomb flew in a bright arc, and a burning fireball fell from the roof, very close to Lin Yuan, into the alley next to her, followed by a sharp scream.

The other half of the mutated sentinel's body, burning with flames, rolled out.

The giant "mosquito" screamed on the ground, trying to attract Lin Yuan’s attention.

And the other half of his body that he had left in the alley had, at some point, stealthily approached.

It had already gotten very close to Lin Yuan, perhaps a few more steps, and it could pounce on her. It even knew how to conceal its emotions.

Lin Yuan took a few steps back.

On the road before her, the half-human enemy twisted and struggled in the flames, screaming madly.

That half-human, half-monster body writhed and wailed in the raging flames until it gradually stopped moving, completely burned to ashes. The large fire, emitting thick yellow smoke, gradually died down.

Lin Yuan knew very well that this time, it was the monster that died. Next time, of course, it could also be her. They were all living beings, there wasn’t any real difference between them.

But she still wanted to live a little longer, if possible.

Lin Yuan looked up at the sentinel standing on the rooftop.

Ni Ji, having fired that shot, didn't pause, turning around, changing guns, firing several shots at the ground before him. His shots were incredibly steady and precise, not affected by changing guns at all, not giving the enemy, on the verge of death, any chance to escape.

Having received a little support from Lin Yuan, the sentinel had seized the opportunity, turning the tide of the battle.

He was a battle-hardened warrior, with battlefield experience honed from countless dangerous battles. He had many things she could learn from.

The sentinel's black military boots on the rooftop, his expression cold, with a hint of ruthlessness from having just taken a life, imbued with the confidence of a strong person, more striking than any other time Lin Yuan had seen him.

This was her companion, her comrade.

Lin Yuan suddenly felt that having someone to fight alongside, was much better than being alone on the battlefield.

Ni Ji, standing on the rooftop, put away his gun, and looked down at the dead mutated creature on the ground.

That twisted body, having been shattered countless times by bullets, finally lost its ability to regenerate, becoming limp and sticky, gradually dissolving on the ground.

Some root-like, golden liquid flowed out from the decaying monster’s body, seeping into the cracks in the bricks, disappearing without a trace.

"Stingy bastard, not even willing to give me a single drop of blood," the saber at Ni Ji’s waist grumbled. "Could it be that he’s really just embarrassed to take off his gloves in front of that person?"

"Shut up," Ni Ji said, his gaze subconsciously moving towards the Guide standing under the eaves.

Lin Yuan, seeing him look over, put her thumb and four fingers together, then with a flick of her wrist, made a “done” gesture.

It was a common hand gesture used by sentinels during battles. Lin Yuan, having stayed in Dongbin for a long time, had become very proficient at it.

Ni Ji looked at the girl standing under the eaves, using her small hand to make the familiar gesture.

He thought of his first battle at the northern border outpost.

That battle hadn’t actually been very difficult, but their coordination hadn't been good, and they had gone through many difficulties before finally completing the mission.

At that time, his captain had made this same gesture towards him with his thick hand.

"This means ‘it’s done’," the captain had said, smiling, teaching him, the new recruit.

Later, on the battlefield, he had made this gesture countless times, this gesture that meant the battle was over, the mission complete, that everyone was safe.

And countless brothers, who had trusted him with their lives, had also made this gesture towards him.

Now, the captain from back then was long gone, and those comrades had also gradually disappeared, not a single one left beside him.

Not a single one left, wasn't there a new one here now?

She was not only the bright moon hidden in his heart, but also a comrade he could trust his life with, a companion, a comrade-in-arms.

Ni Ji looked at Lin Yuan under the eaves, at the Guide who had put her fingers together, telling him that the battle was over.

His black fingers tightened, returning a “received” gesture.

The communication between two comrades on the battlefield, who trusted each other with their lives.

Ni Ji felt that the corners of his mouth might be smiling at this moment.

"Hmph, I knew it," the hilt grumbled unhappily. "With that Kraken around, you've come back to life, started caring about your own body, and are reluctant to give me blood.”

"Humans are really annoying creatures."

The demon blade, which hadn’t had a chance to taste blood during the entire battle, kept complaining.

---

The battle was over, and Lin Yuan and Ni Ji continued along the old wooden corridor.

Many people used to live in this camp, even the servants’ quarters formed a large area.

Lin Yuan looked as they walked, a small nameplate, with the resident’s name written on it, hung by the door of each of the narrow, dark rooms.

She hadn't really held out any hope, only, when she reached the last room at the corner, she happened to see the words “Windsor” written on it.

"I met this girl last night," Lin Yuan said to Ni Ji.

As she spoke, she pushed the door open.

They had opened countless doors here today, walking through long corridors, opening room after room, each one empty, they hadn’t seen a single person.

So Lin Yuan had gotten used to the idea that there wouldn't be anyone in the rooms.

The dilapidated wooden door was pushed open, the rusty hinges making an unpleasant sound.

A young woman in a dress was sitting quietly on a chair by the window.

The light in the room was dim, and a few strands of daylight came in through the window, separated by the window grilles, casting stripes of light and shadow onto the table and chairs that had been there for who knew how many years.

Falling onto the figure sitting by the window.

The girl was wearing a slightly old dress, her long curly hair loose, her head slightly lowered, sitting in that mottled light, like a hazy silhouette in the sunlight.

She had a face Lin Yuan was familiar with.

Last night, this girl had been sitting next to Lin Yuan, chatting and laughing, singing to her all night long.

Her singing voice sweet, full of gentleness and pity, making people relax from their pain, allowing them to sleep peacefully.

Lin Yuan couldn't feel anything in this room.

No emotions, no life, nothing at all.

In the world of the tentacles, the room before her, just like the other rooms, was just an empty room without any living creatures.

There was no living person by the window.

What sat there was just a well-preserved corpse, long dead.

Ni Ji wanted to walk past Lin Yuan to take a look, but Lin Yuan stopped him.

She hesitated. As if afraid of disturbing a friend's sleep, she carefully walked forward, looking down at that girl.

That girl who, last night, had been chatting and laughing by her side, singing to her.

Windsor, in a neat dress, sat by the window, her hands clasped gently on her lap, her long eyelashes lowered.

The daylight coming in through the window shone on her fair skin, as if she was still breathing, still alive, just sitting there, lost in thought.

Only when she got closer could she see that her skin was very pale, bloodless, her lowered eyes having lost their light, only a quiet darkness remaining.

Like someone who had been dead for a long time, dried by the wind for hundreds of years, having solidified into a beautiful sculpture.

Her body no longer held the emotions of a living person, no joy, no sorrow, no desire to sing.

Lin Yuan stood by her side, looking at her for a long time.

"Tonight, I want to go to the room we were in last night," she said to Ni Ji, thinking for a moment before adding, "I’ll go alone first."

---

"Daytime" quickly passed, and "nighttime" returned.

Colorful lights lit up in the Rose Camp again. Human shadows, noise, and liveliness gradually appeared in the mottled lights and shadows.

This place once again became a sleepless pleasure ground, filled with revelry and constant music and dancing.

Lin Yuan once again walked among the bustling crowd. This time, without the monsters chasing her, she was much more at ease.

She could carefully observe these people, these lights, everything she had seen last night.

Everyone was alive, talking, laughing, with emotional fluctuations of living beings.

A man, smiling, came forward, asking if she wanted to buy any drinks, enthusiastically recommending various services.

Lin Yuan remembered this person, he was the first one she had encountered when she rushed in last night.

But this person acted like he had never met Lin Yuan before, still with the same expression, repeating last night’s behavior, saying the exact same things.

Lin Yuan refused him and ran towards the familiar place.

Halfway there, a beautiful young woman stopped Lin Yuan. She had long curly hair and lively eyes, smiling as she asked Lin Yuan,

"Guest, my name is Windsor. Is this your first time here?"

Lin Yuan stopped and looked at her for a while.

The living Windsor had rosy cheeks and gave Lin Yuan a gentle, sweet smile.

The girl who had happily sat next to her last night, singing to her all night, had clearly completely forgotten her.

Her smile was very standard, with the unfamiliarity of a first meeting, politely greeting Lin Yuan.

"What's wrong, guest? Do you like listening to songs? Would you like me to introduce you to the boy with the best singing voice in our camp?" Windsor said with a smile.

Lin Yuan looked at her for a long time, not speaking, finally passing by her, running up the stairs.

This time, without the monsters chasing after her, having just come up after "nighttime" arrived, she was much earlier than last night.

The sound of a whip cracking came from behind the closed door, mixed with vulgar curses.

Lin Yuan lifted her foot, kicked the door twice, then a third time, breaking open the rickety wooden door.

The female sentinel she had bumped into in the corridor last night was now in the room, holding a long whip, fiercely whipping a person curled up on the ground.

The person, his hands tied, lay prostrate on the ground, motionless, whip marks crisscrossing his pale, thin back.

The sentinel, seeing Lin Yuan break in, had a look of shock and anger on her twisted face, and was about to curse.

Lin Yuan stared into her eyes and only said three words: "Get out."

At first, there was shock and anger in the person's eyes, then violence, then confusion, and finally, as if understanding something, she muttered, "Ah, okay, I was just about to leave anyway, this person is incredibly boring.”

Carrying her blood-stained whip, she walked out in a daze. Windsor, who had followed Lin Yuan up, blinked in surprise, watching this scene.

"Gu- guest, do you want to book Room 8?" She said, panting, with the same strained smile as last night, saying almost the same thing. "But it hasn’t been cleaned yet, how about we change to a cleaner room?"

Seeing Lin Yuan standing there, motionless, she glanced at the person lying on the ground, covered in wounds, a look of uncontainable worry in her eyes, and couldn't help but plead, fidgeting with her skirt,

"Xiao Xun, he… he's not very good at taking care of people, and his body… is also very weak…”

The body lying on the ground moved slightly, a blood-stained arm propping up his body a little, his silver-haired head turning, he glanced at Lin Yuan.

"Why is it you again?" he said coldly.

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