SCOM - Chapter 30
Chapter 30
Ji Yuezhi led Qian Mao and Ding Wuming against the wind on the silent night road. After a while, he slowed down, waiting for Zuo Luohuan and the others to catch up.
"The Gashro robot dogs are too fast," Qian Mao said, still shaken. "And that's just the first generation. How strong is the second generation?"
Back then, the Gashro Empire nearly swallowed the entire Federation relying on second-generation robot dogs. Today, the Federation's border lines were all reclaimed by various army groups using human lives. Second-generation robot dogs not only had increased speed but were even equipped with light guns. The light gun weapons currently researched by the Federation were modeled after dismantling second-generation robot dogs captured from the Gashro Empire.
The second-generation robot dogs contained a special metal in their construction material, unique to the Gashro Empire. This was why the Federation had no robot dogs of its own.
"No matter how strong, they were pushed back by the army groups," Ding Wuming said. "Now the Gashro Empire can't compare to the Federation."
Qian Mao wasn't comforted. Instead, a grim determination arose within him, a future ambition to develop advanced weapons. Only when the Federation possessed weapons of the same level to counter the Gashro Empire could they truly rest easy; otherwise, they would forever live under their shadow.
"So, why did you reach out? I'm injured..."
Ji Yuezhi slowed down, quietly listening to Ding Wuming and the other talk. Suddenly, he faintly heard another voice drift over. Simultaneously, he smelled an extremely faint Alpha pheromone in the air. He turned his head abruptly and, sure enough, saw Zuo Luohuan, Jiang Hong, and the others catching up. The phrase just now was spoken by Jiang Hong.
"Guan Xue!" Qian Mao also spotted them, waving towards the back. "Are you guys okay?"
Although they were prepared beforehand, it was their first time fighting real robot dogs. Panic and lack of adaptation were inevitable; injuries were unavoidable.
"We're mostly fine, just bruises and scratches." Guan Xue walked over, looked at Zuo Luohuan, and said, "She got hit on the shoulder by a robot dog just now."
As the four approached, Qian Mao went over to look at Zuo Luohuan, saw a deep gash on her shoulder extending to her back, caused by the serrated curved blade, and exclaimed in shock, "What happened?"
Previously, Zuo Luohuan had handled two or three robot dogs alone and emerged unscathed. How did she get injured now?
"My fault." Jiang Hong's face wasn't looking good. He didn't know why he had blanked out for a moment then. A robot dog slashed towards his neck. Zuo Luohuan, still dealing with another robot dog, could only block the blow with her back.
"Bandage the wound first." Ji Yuezhi suppressed the emotions in his heart, took out medical supplies from his backpack, and said calmly, "The robots halfway up the mountain are cleared. We can pause and rest."
The narrowest part of the mountain path was passed. The path here was much wider, with a low stone wall along the outer edge. Zuo Luohuan sat directly on it, took off her jacket, looked up at Ji Yuezhi who had walked over, and reached out for the medical kit.
"...I'll help you." Ji Yuezhi added, "It'll be faster."
Zuo Luohuan glanced at the others who were also sitting down on the low wall, tending to each other's wounds. She shifted slightly, turning sideways towards Ji Yuezhi. "Thanks."
The low stone wall was about half a meter long, barely enough for two people. After Ji Yuezhi sat down, he was only a fist's distance away from her. He lowered his head, opened the medical kit, looked up at the wound on Zuo Luohuan's scapula, and unconsciously pursed his lips.
"Looks scarier than it is, didn't hit the bone," Zuo Luohuan said casually.
"Mm." Ji Yuezhi cut open the clothes around her back wound, took out a needle and a vial of anesthetic. Before the needle could pierce the vial stopper, Zuo Luohuan suddenly grabbed his wrist.
She turned her head sideways to look at Ji Yuezhi. "I don't need anesthetic, just stitch it directly."
"...We'll reach the endpoint tomorrow. No need to save anesthetic," Ji Yuezhi frowned.
Zuo Luohuan raised an eyebrow sideways. "I don't like anesthetics." Anesthetics were ineffective on her anyway; better not use them.
Ji Yuezhi pulled his hand back, put the needle and vial away, picked up forceps holding an alcohol-soaked cotton ball, and cleaned the wound. Zuo Luohuan's expression didn't change at all, as if the alcohol wasn't even touching her wound.
The blood around the wound was mostly cleaned, revealing its true appearance. The marks from the curved blade's serrations were clearly visible. Ji Yuezhi subconsciously reached out a fingertip, ultimately just touching the area around the wound.
Zuo Luohuan didn't mind the wound from the curved blade; it was far less painful than what she had endured before. But during the stitching, Ji Yuezhi's warm fingertips gently pressing on her skin made her back tense uncomfortably.
"I'm starting the stitches," Ji Yuezhi said softly after threading the medical needle.
Zuo Luohuan: "...Mm." A bit regretful for letting Ji Yuezhi help. Him sitting behind her, stitching the wound, leaning so close, she could even feel his light breathing.
"Does it hurt?" Ji Yuezhi noticed the muscles on Zuo Luohuan's back tense and involuntarily lightened his movements further.
Zuo Luohuan silently watched the pitch-black cliff below, after a moment saying, "Maybe you could be faster, I'd suffer less."
After she said this, Ji Yuezhi didn't reply. His movements remained gentle, but the stitching speed increased.
After Ji Yuezhi carefully stitched Zuo Luohuan's wound, he still needed to wrap it with gauze. The wound was on her shoulder extending to her back, requiring the gauze to wrap around front and back.
Because he was sitting behind, Ji Yuezhi was practically pressed against Zuo Luohuan's back. As his hands reached forward to wrap the gauze, it looked very much like he was embracing her from behind. He didn't notice, just lowered his eyes, focusing on bandaging.
Zuo Luohuan, however, lowered her head, watching his slender, beautiful fingers wrapping the gauze back and forth, feeling an impulse to grab hold of them.
To distract herself, Zuo Luohuan looked at the others who had finished treating their wounds and said, "There are still two ambush points. Everyone stay alert. The biggest advantage of the first-generation robot dogs is their speed. Their attack patterns are fixed; once you're familiar, they won't be too hard to handle."
"Done," Ji Yuezhi said softly after finishing the bandaging.
Zuo Luohuan heard him, put her jacket back on, and stood up. "Thanks."
After resting, the group set off again. But they still underestimated the instructors' ruthlessness. The robot dogs at the next two ambush points were surprisingly numerous, far exceeding thirty. Towards the end, everyone ran out of bullets and had to snatch the curved blades from the robot dogs to use as weapons.
However, as time passed, the group gradually familiarized themselves with the first-generation robot dogs' attack patterns, making them easier to deal with than the first time.
...
The night fog dispersed, clouds parted revealing the sun. The distant horizon slowly brightened. They had actually fought the first-generation robot dogs all night, or perhaps 'being chased' was more accurate.
"The terrain levels out downhill. The instructors won't let the robot dogs enter the village." Ji Yuezhi stepped on a robot dog's head, his fringe slightly damp. He pulled out the curved blade forcefully and said to the others, "Just rush down the mountain, no need to waste energy clearing these robot dogs."
Robot dogs could have their attack range set. Ji Yuezhi bet Jia Hailan had only set the range to this mountain.
"Go." Zuo Luohuan was the first to break through the blocking robot dogs, rushing downhill. The others immediately followed.
The robot dogs behind were still pursuing, but after the seven exited the mountain path, they indeed stopped advancing, merely gathering at the exit.
"Finally got rid of those damned things." Qian Mao breathed a sigh of relief. As a Weapons Development student, his combat skills were really lacking; he had needed protection the whole time.
Jiang Hong pointed ahead: "Enter the village, and we can find the endpoint."
Below the mountain path was a small road with a sign bearing the village's name. The map indicated that after entering the village ahead, the endpoint was inside.
Ji Yuezhi stood behind Zuo Luohuan, his gaze falling on the tear in her jacket. The white gauze underneath faintly showed red – bloodstains.
Fighting so many robot dogs in the latter half of the night, even the stitched wound had bled.
"What's wrong?" Zuo Luohuan sensed the gaze behind her, turned around, meeting Ji Yuezhi's eyes. Perhaps because she had just come through a fight, her tone was uncharacteristically serious, even carrying a hint of gentleness she herself hadn't noticed.
"Do you need to rest?" Ji Yuezhi shifted his gaze away, looking towards the others and asking.
Guan Xue, the submachine gun (out of bullets) still slung around her neck, wiped sweat from her face. "We're almost at the endpoint. Let's just push through and capture the flag, get back to school and rest early."
The others nodded in agreement.
Everyone continued forward. After walking about two kilometers, a village finally appeared before them.
"We're here!" Yan Yan shouted. His military jacket was long gone, his upper body covered in scratches, looking quite battered.
"The village center is the endpoint. Let's go capture the flag," Jiang Hong said, quickening his pace to the front.
As they walked through, many people looked at them; clearly, the appearance of the seven drew attention. Some kind-hearted residents even came over to ask if they needed help.
"No need, we'll leave after getting something," Guan Xue replied with a smile to the well-meaning person.
Following the map's route, they circled around and finally reached the village center. A Federation flag stood right on the central platform.
"Ready to wrap up and rest." Jiang Hong raised his hand, checking the time on his optical computer. "Still nine in the morning. We can make it back for lunch."
"Seniors, I'll go get the flag," Ding Wuming offered, seeing everyone else reluctant to move forward.
"Go ahead." Guan Xue had already sat down, unwilling to move.
Almost everyone relaxed, only Ji Yuezhi frowned, watching Ding Wuming approach the flag platform. He had a strange, indescribable feeling: "Don't pull the flag yet."
By this time, Ding Wuming had already stepped onto the platform. He grasped the flagpole and turned his head. "Senior Ji, what's wrong?"
Ji Yuezhi didn't reply, his mind rapidly sorting through the details of their journey. Ding Wuming waited there, growing impatient, grasped the flagpole firmly, and prepared to pull it out.
"Told you not to pull it." Zuo Luohuan rushed forward swiftly, yanking him away.
Ding Wuming was indeed pulled away, but his hand didn't let go, bringing the flagpole out with him. The next second, an arrow shot out from the platform floor, heading straight for Ding Wuming, piercing his thigh.
Simultaneously, Ji Yuezhi finally understood the strange feeling, looked up, and said, "This isn't the endpoint village."
"Damn!" Jiang Hong hadn't heard Ji Yuezhi clearly, but the hidden arrow from the flag platform made him instantly jump up from the ground.
On the platform, Ding Wuming knelt on the ground, clutching his thigh, his face pale with pain. He hadn't even reacted to what happened.
Zuo Luohuan dragged him down. Ji Yuezhi and the others were already fully alert.
"The flag's already pulled, haven't we completed the mission?" Qian Mao pointed to the fallen flag beside the platform.
Ji Yuezhi scanned the surroundings and said coldly, "This is a fake village."
As his words landed, people gradually surrounded them, including the kind-hearted residents who had asked them earlier.
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