SCOM - Chapter 37
Chapter 37
Ding Wuming had lost too much blood, the wound on his chest was deep, and he was drowsy, almost losing consciousness. Because of the chest wound, Yan Yan couldn't carry him on his back. Qian Mao had to help build a simple stretcher on the spot, carried by Yan Yan and Jiang Hong.
They couldn't afford to delay, nor could they give up and withdraw. They could only push forward as quickly as possible.
Before setting off, Zuo Luohuan asked Ji Yuezhi, "How should we proceed? Tell me the route, we'll switch positions."
She deliberately walked over to Ji Yuezhi, opened the map on her wrist-mounted optical computer. She was stained with a bit of Ding Wuming's blood, carrying a faint scent of sandalwood.
It was another Alpha's pheromones. Ji Yuezhi never liked others' pheromones, but he didn't show it. Lowering his eyes, he extended a finger and drew a line on Zuo Luohuan's optical computer map.
"Ding Wuming is injured and can't handle rough travel. We'll take a different route." Ji Yuezhi's fingertip moved down, stopping at a valley depression. "There's a small stream here that flows all the way to the mountain before the secret base. We can take this path."
"The water route? Second-gen robot dogs aren't afraid of water. If we enter the water, once the light gun's energy block runs out, we'll only lose against them," Zuo Luohuan stated, glancing at Ji Yuezhi, whose lips were pressed into a straight line. She subtly shifted sideways, positioning the arm stained with Ding Wuming's blood downwind.
Ji Yuezhi shook his head. "The mountain path doesn't offer much advantage. Being near water is better for our current situation. Ding Wuming needs at least two or three days for his wound to improve slightly."
"Alright." Zuo Luohuan reached out and closed the optical computer map, turned her face, and looked up at Ji Yuezhi beside her. Her previously pursed lips relaxed unconsciously. Because she had just spoken, her upper lip was slightly upturned.
Sometimes, Zuo Luohuan had the illusion that the real Ji Yuezhi was softer than he usually appeared.
"Captain, we're ready," Yan Yan called out. He and Jiang Hong held either end of the stretcher; Ding Wuming had completely fallen asleep.
"Let's go." Zuo Luohuan took the lead with her light gun, while Ji Yuezhi moved to the rear.
Mountains were full of wild beasts. Besides the modified second-gen robot dogs set up for the drill, encountering any wild beast depended entirely on the team's luck. Zuo Luohuan walked at the front to clear threats ahead as quickly as possible.
A top-tier Alpha relied not just on pheromone suppression, but also absolute strength.
Zuo Luohuan led the way, maintaining a hundred-meter distance from the others, clearing all threats ahead. By the time Ji Yuezhi and the others passed, they often only saw a mess on the ground, occasionally littered with wild beast carcasses.
They walked like this until nightfall on the first day. Apart from the initial encounter, the rest of the journey was surprisingly smooth, unlike a drill.
"We've reached the stream," Jiang Hong heard the distant sound of water.
The group walked over and found Zuo Luohuan already waiting ahead, having even started a fire.
"Careful." Qian Mao ran over, found a suitable spot, and had Yan Yan and Jiang Hong lower Ding Wuming. "Slowly, slowly."
Guan Xue reached out and touched Ding Wuming's forehead. "He seems a bit feverish."
"Give him some medicine." Qian Mao took out the medicine from the medical kit and carefully examined his chest. "Luckily, the wound didn't reopen."
After putting down the stretcher, Yan Yan and Jiang Hong began setting up sleeping arrangements. They had no tents, only using streamside rocks to build windbreaks for sleeping.
"You rest first, we'll take turns on watch tonight," Ji Yuezhi said to Zuo Luohuan, who was sitting by the stream. He saw the bandages on her hands in the moonlight, his heart tightening. He asked in a low voice, "Are you injured?"
Zuo Luohuan finished filling her water container, looked up at Ji Yuezhi, then extended one hand to look at it, stood up, and chuckled. "Just preventing injury."
Ji Yuezhi's tense finger bones instantly relaxed. "Good that you're not injured... No one else on our team can afford to get hurt."
"Mm, you're right." Zuo Luohuan handed the water to Ji Yuezhi. "Want some? It's sweet."
Ji Yuezhi watched Zuo Luohuan walk towards the fire, empty-handed, then lowered his head to look at the water container in his hand. She said it was sweet... did she drink first?
His gaze fell on the mouth of the water container. Unsure what he thought of, his ear tips grew slightly hot.
Zuo Luohuan, approaching the fire, suddenly turned back and said to Ji Yuezhi, "I didn't touch the bottle mouth, it's clean."
"..."
Ji Yuezhi felt a bit disappointed. He thought... she had touched it.
The first day passed quietly as night gradually fell. Ding Wuming woke up once in the middle of the night and was fed some water and dry rations.
Ji Yuezhi, Jiang Hong, and the others took turns keeping watch. The first night was relatively calm.
The next day, they followed the stream and encountered the second-gen robot dogs again.
More accurately, they encountered the second-gen robot dogs led over by the United Military Academy. They had been following behind the First Military Academy, initially tracking their path. Because Zuo Luohuan and the others had cleared out the robot dogs, United Military Academy had avoided fighting yesterday.
An Yingjing saw the numerous 'corpses' of second-gen robot dogs along the way and noticed the large amount of dried bloodstains, deducing someone from the First Military Academy was seriously injured. They followed the trail, planning to trail behind the First Military Academy unharmed all the way to the secret base. But at 4 AM, someone from their team went far off to relieve themselves and triggered another wave of second-gen robot dog attacks.
United Military Academy's strength was inferior to the other three academies. An Yingjing decisively chose not to engage the robot dogs head-on, instead leading them towards the First Military Academy.
He underestimated the speed of the second-gen robot dogs. Originally planning to lead them over quietly while they hid, he ended up being forced to reveal himself before the First Military Academy team.
The second-gen robot dogs didn't care which team the people here belonged to; they attacked anyone they saw.
"An Yingjing, your United Military Academy couldn't be more shameless," Jiang Hong spat.
"All's fair in war," An Yingjing gasped for breath. "The First Military Academy is strong, help us United Military Academy share the burden, it's fine, right? We're all military students, destined to contribute to the Federation in the future."
The First Military Academy team had experience dealing with second-gen robot dogs and were much calmer this time. Plus, half the robot dogs were still attacking the United Military Academy team.
Ji Yuezhi held his light gun, glanced towards Zuo Luohuan, unsure what he was thinking. When she looked over, he quickly averted his gaze and said to An Yingjing, "Since you need the First Military Academy's help, United Military Academy should pay a price."
"I think their energy blocks are pretty good," Zuo Luohuan tilted her head and smiled, though no warmth reached her eyes.
An Yingjing's face instantly changed. He bit his tongue to regain composure. "So many robot dogs, you'll struggle to deal with them too. Still thinking about dealing with us?"
"Try me?" Zuo Luohuan raised her hand, flicked the gun's safety catch, saying casually, "Either you willingly leave four energy blocks, or we fight."
An Yingjing's face twisted for a moment. "Four? Our team is almost wiped out. One energy block as payment is plenty."
In the short time they spoke, Guan Xue and Jiang Hong had already eliminated two second-gen robot dogs, their progress incredibly fast. Yan Yan alone was also close to finishing off one. He had strength and learned techniques quickly. If observed closely, one could see a few moves mixed in that resembled Zuo Luohuan's from yesterday.
"One energy block?" Zuo Luohuan instantly raised her gun, aiming at An Yingjing. "Looks like you want to leave everything behind."
An Yingjing subconsciously stepped back two paces, turned to look at the United Military Academy members fighting the robot dogs beside him, already gradually losing ground.
"Fine, I'll give you four," An Yingjing gritted his teeth. "But you help us deal with these second-gen robot dogs first."
Zuo Luohuan tilted her head to look at Ji Yuezhi, a subtle smile playing on her lips. "Captain, do you agree?"
"Yes," Ji Yuezhi nodded.
Zuo Luohuan retracted her gun, pointed her chin at An Yingjing. "Hand over the energy blocks first."
"You!" An Yingjing's face looked like an overturned paint palette. Finally, he threw his own and a nearby technician's energy blocks to Zuo Luohuan. "After you finish, I'll give you the remaining two."
Zuo Luohuan caught the two energy blocks, weighed them, and handed one to Ji Yuezhi. "Captain, trouble you."
With Zuo Luohuan and Ji Yuezhi joining the fray, the situation instantly reversed. The second-gen robot dogs were rapidly harvested, and the pressure on United Military Academy greatly reduced.
An Yingjing watched Zuo Luohuan and the others closely, made a few gestures to the United Military Academy members gradually withdrawing from the fight, and they slowly gathered behind him.
Ji Yuezhi noticed their abnormality, alerted Zuo Luohuan, then looked towards An Yingjing, saying coldly, "Do you intend to go back on your word?"
"You're too greedy." An Yingjing's gaze quickly swept over Ji Yuezhi, Guan Xue, and Qian Mao, revealing a strange smile. "Originally, I didn't want to expose this so early."
Opposite Zuo Luohuan were still two second-gen robot dogs. Hearing his words, she was about to kick the robot dogs towards An Yingjing when an extremely thick Omega pheromone suddenly erupted on the field.
It was hard to describe the scent of this pheromone because it smelled different to everyone, causing immense impact on Alphas. Perhaps these military students had undergone pheromone confrontation training, but no one could resist instinct. This pheromone transformed into the Omega pheromone most desired deep within an Alpha's heart, something unknown, perhaps even unclear to themselves, causing the Alpha to lose resistance.
This pheromone had a similar effect on Omegas, allowing them to smell their most desired Alpha pheromones, though it couldn't control their minds like it did with Alphas.
Yan Yan and Jiang Hong instantly lost the ability to move, faces flushed, clearly trapped in illusions.
Even Zuo Luohuan's speed rapidly slowed.
"Guan Xue!" Ji Yuezhi's nose was filled with the scent of ice and snow. His eyes blurred for a moment before he called out to Guan Xue on his right, "Target, An Yingjing!"
Guan Xue was a Beta, least affected by pheromones on the field. Hearing Ji Yuezhi's voice, she instantly aimed her light gun at An Yingjing.
An Yingjing had already gathered information on the First Military Academy team, knew Guan Xue's marksmanship was accurate. He immediately had someone beside him provide cover, simultaneously shouting at Ji Yuezhi, "Don't you care about Zuo Luohuan and the others? If this continues, they'll die."
Opposite Zuo Luohuan were two second-gen robot dogs. Her attack speed had nearly stopped now, the veins on her neck bulging, clearly resisting her deepest instincts. Guan Xue could only give up shooting An Yingjing and turn to rescue Yan Yan and Jiang Hong.
Ji Yuezhi could only go assist Zuo Luohuan first. At this moment, two United Military Academy members had circled around to Qian Mao's side, pinning him down, snatching his energy block, and even trying to grab Ding Wuming's bag. Ji Yuezhi turned back and fired, hitting both their legs.
"Withdraw," An Yingjing ordered decisively. The First Military Academy team was harder to deal with than he imagined.
Central Control Room.
All instructors' gazes were focused on An Yingjing. Finally, the Yundong Military Academy instructor asked the United Military Academy representative, "What is his pheromone?"
"Poppy."
Instructors in the control room immediately cursed. This pheromone was extremely rare throughout history. Only two people were recorded possessing it, each the most terrifying Omega existence of their time because this pheromone could trigger human instinct. Both individuals lived too long ago; reportedly, their outcomes weren't good.
"Although your academy suffers a bit in the competition, it's a good thing for our Federation," the United Military Academy instructor said. "Your First Military Academy forced him to use his pheromones in the first round, quite impressive. However... Team 2's Alphas have probably all lost combat capability now."
Translator's note: Feel free to suggest any new or dropped novels in the comments—preferably Chinese (no Yaoi/BL or anything involving SA; everything else is fine). I also have some Korean novels I plan to work on.
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