They stayed in place for several hours. Several injured individuals drank the spiritual spring water, and after this rest, their spirits and energy improved significantly. Among the five people who had been there, besides Taylor Wyatt and his assistant, who were their objective for this trip, the other three were sent from City A.
They were originally a special forces team of sixteen. From the moment they set out, there were constant casualties. By the time they reached this island, only nine remained. They had been tricked by the bat-like alien, and four died during their capture. The remaining people were captured alive for experiments, as reserve food. Two died from torture within a few days.
If Shen Chongyan and the others had arrived any later, they would likely have been wiped out.
Through Taylor Wyatt's introduction, they learned that the bat-like alien was originally one of the heirs to an ancient aristocratic family in Country Y. Taylor was a globally renowned biological researcher. Before the apocalypse, he worked at a research institute under that family's name, assisting them in researching so-called vampire genes.
Perhaps due to the onset of the apocalypse, all the experimental subjects involved in the experiment before that had died. A few days before the apocalypse descended, they actually succeeded. That person couldn't wait and conducted the experiment, successfully transforming into a "vampire."
Hearing this, the system couldn't help but interject: [It wasn't because of the experiment. The arrival of aliens will change the entire world environment. As long as there is enough negative energy, anyone can turn into an alien. It has nothing to do with the experiment.]
The voice from the car radio startled a few people in the back seat. Only Shen Chongyan calmly asked, "Then have all the survivors in this city turned into aliens?"
[The communication system is paralyzed, and I cannot verify it. However, this city is very dangerous. You'd best leave as soon as possible.]
There was no need for anyone to say it; they intended to leave immediately. The problem was that the current number of people exceeded their plan, and they didn't know if they could all leave.
"Do you have a helicopter?" the man in the back seat asked. After asking, he was stunned, "A helicopter can't carry that many people. If you can't take us, please don't worry about us anymore, Mr. Shen. Although there is competition between bases, the fate of humanity is intertwined. If you successfully research an antidote, please help others."
Shen Chongyan would do this even without anyone asking. Zhu Ran and Jin Li both said he had caused the deaths of many people and needed to "atone." Moreover, he couldn't bear to stand by and watch his compatriots die when he had the ability to help.
"We will."
"There is no helicopter."
The female soldier in the back seat asked, "Then how did you get here? Did your helicopter break down when you landed?"
"We flew on swords," Jin Li said proudly. "I can change size, and I can take all of you back."
Half an hour later.
A group of them sat on a long sword, watching Shen Chongyan flying ahead on his sword. The boundless sea stretched out in the distance, and below them, they could see the dizzying heights. Each one was more shocked than the last.
The three special forces soldiers and Shen Qian were not afraid of heights. Taylor Wyatt and his assistant, however, were miserable. Before the apocalypse, they always traveled by plane. This was their first experience of flying so low with no protection, seeing the beautiful world below. They were so scared they cursed in their native languages, chattering incessantly.
Helplessly, the others had to surround them. The two held onto each other tightly, grabbed onto the pants legs of a special forces soldier, closed their eyes, and silently prayed for this strange journey to end quickly.
Gradually, the others got used to it and were less afraid. Some even walked behind Shen Chongyan and asked curiously, "Mr. Shen, are you really not a cultivator?"
"No."
"Then what is this?"
"Superpowers," he said. He didn't want others to know Jin Li and the identities of the others, so he had been using this as a cover.
However, that person was not easily appeased. "Your superpower is truly special, just like the cultivators in novels. This sword also has a sword spirit. In a book, it would be an unparalleled divine artifact. He said his name is Jin Li, taken from 'Forever detached from dark springs and obscure mansions, eternally blessed with longevity and free from sinking'? This name is very unique."
Shen Chongyan himself had never heard this phrase, yet this person knew it. It seemed he was very familiar with the mythical story of "cultivation." He worried that the more he said, the more mistakes he would make, and he didn't want to engage further.
"Mm."
The other person naturally felt his coldness, but he didn't want to give up. He tentatively asked, "Mr. Shen, where did your superpower come from?"
"You are also a superpower user. Where yours came from is where mine came from."
The man's expression froze for a moment. "We might not be able to go back. Our mission this time was to bring Taylor Wyatt back. Now, even we are relying on others for rescue. If we can't bring the person back, they won't send anyone to pick us up to save resources. Is Mr. Shen's base still in need of people?"
This was a sign of defection.
Shen Chongyan understood and didn't answer directly. He only said, "We are definitely in need of people, but I don't participate in base organization and management. If you are willing to stay, it won't be me making the arrangements."
He didn't want to be responsible for anyone other than his family and Zhu Ran.
The man had been rebuffed several times. Being a proud individual, he naturally wouldn't lower himself further to play word games with him. He just smiled and said, "If we truly become companions, please take care of me more in the future, Mr. Shen."
They flew for more than three hours. Because there was a researcher and his assistant, it took much longer than their arrival. They reached the city where they had rested yesterday during the hottest part of the midday sun.
Thinking about yesterday's experience, Shen Chongyan didn't want to stay here. Taylor Wyatt's assistant proposed taking a break, and after Shen Qian explained the situation, Taylor also agreed.
He said in broken Chinese, "Research requires pathogens. Your base probably doesn't have them yet. We can take one or two back for research."
Research required experiments, and their base indeed didn't have pathogens. Helplessly, they had to stop at that building. The others rested in place, while Shen Chongyan and Shen Qian went to capture people.
They weren't worried about those people sneaking away at all. It would take hours to fly from here to City A. Without transportation, venturing onto the road would be seeking death.
Not long after the two left, the system alerted them of a break-in. The two rushed back to see a group of people with Southeast Asian features landing on the rooftop with gliders and engaging in combat with the three special forces soldiers.
These people were all elite individuals, chosen from a hundred. Similarly, those Southeast Asian mercenaries had escaped death countless times. The scenes of their battles were spectacular.
Initially, they used superpowers. Later, when their superpowers were depleted, they resorted to hand-to-hand combat. One punch and one palm. The mercenaries had the advantage in numbers, and initially, both sides were evenly matched. Later, the special forces gradually fell behind, with two or three fighting one. Fortunately, the two arrived in time.
That group immediately shifted their focus, and everyone lunged at him.
Shen Qian went over, helped the few people to the side, and quickly gave them spiritual spring water. "Some of them may be infected with the R virus. This can heal wounds and restore blood. Drink more quickly."