42
Lianchuan stood in front of the bell tower, looking forward.
The noisy shouting and cursing in my ears gradually became distant, leaving only the sound of the wind.
To him, this experience in the ghost town was nothing, even the verbal insults and abuse that had nothing to do with pain.
I'm used to it. I can feel it whenever I'm seen in uniform in the main city.
The only difference is that now the travelers' goals are clearer and more definite. They hate and scold Lianchuan, and they can no longer hide behind the title of "hyena". They have changed from "one of" to "the only one".
The travelers were more emotional, and the tour leader clearly understood that if they wanted to get them to accept the reality that "Lianchuan is living in a ghost town," they must first be allowed to vent enough.
He could curse if he wanted to, and even if he occasionally launched a sudden attack, Li Xiang would not stop him.
Lian Chuan was hit on the back by the sixth attack. When he felt a little breathless, the captain raised his hand.
"He is stronger than you think," the leader said. "Ghost Town needs such a defector, a powerful weapon cultivated by the main city and aimed at destroying travelers."
"What if this is a scam by the main city!" someone shouted.
"Indeed, we have no way of judging." said the team leader.
When the travelers around heard this, there was a commotion. Some shouted, some cursed, and Lian Chuan was hit a few more times.
“But do we need to judge?” The leader raised his voice. In the chaos, his voice was loud and clear. “When we were chased by the main city and fled to the ghost town, we couldn’t judge whether it was a conspiracy by the main city to kill us all, but we still came here. When the first illegal-born population in the main city was expelled to the ghost town, we couldn’t judge whether it was a seemingly harmless undercover sent by the main city, so we kept him…
The noises around were slowly suppressed by the team leader's words, and the commotion began to subside.
"Every time we boarded the train and rushed into the main city, we couldn't tell whether the bats leading the way had been bribed, but we still went," the team leader paused and continued, "When I took you to the main city to rescue Ning Gu, I still couldn't tell whether it was a trap, who would never return to the ghost town, and even whether Ning Gu was still alive! But so what? We still rushed in without hesitation and killed our way to the old warehouse in area C!"
The crowd erupted in cheers, and everyone shouted and screamed in unison.
The captain's words suddenly made Lian Chuan feel a little emotional. Whether he was trying to incite confusion or was speaking from the heart, from the perspective of what he said, it was the truth.
Compared to bats that only seek profit, travelers more often live freely, regardless of consequences, gains or losses.
"Lian Chuan was expelled from the main city. We can't tell whether he is really willing to help us or is just doing it out of the main city's conspiracy." The team leader glanced at Lian Chuan, "But we need a weapon from the main city, and we need information from the main city! Why!"
"Take back the main city—" the travelers shouted in unison.
"Of course," the leader waited for the noise to subside and then lowered his voice, "We will not be completely defenseless. As a prerequisite for cooperation, we will first protect the ghost town and ensure the safety of the travelers."
"How can we guarantee that?" someone asked.
Lian Chuan also wanted to know and tilted his head slightly.
Li Xiang walked slowly from the back to the middle of the open space and put a small box in his hand on the ground.
"This is the tool we used to control the indigenous people for research when we first came to the ghost town. Many first-generation travelers have seen it. Later, when the shelter was safe, we no longer used it, but we have been improving it." Li Xiang said as he opened the box. As the lid opened, a black mist overflowed, and Li Xiang took out a black circle with a lock.
The circle seemed to be wrapped in burning black flames, and the tips of the flames kept rolling and entwining in the strong wind.
Lian Chuan felt that this black flame looked familiar and he quickly found the answer in his memory.
It’s Lin Fan’s ability.
He was somewhat surprised that the traveler was able to load his own personal abilities onto the device individually.
He had never seen the travelers use tools or weapons, they had always relied only on their abilities and their fists.
"This thing," Li Xiang walked in front of Lian Chuan with the black circle wrapped in black flames and looked at him, "can be activated at any time, making him lose his ability to move instantly."
The travelers cheered.
"Don't resist," Li Xiang lowered his voice, "Although I didn't tell you in advance, this is the condition. We must protect ourselves."
Lian Chuan didn't say anything.
Ning Gu sat on the roof of Crazy Uncle's hut, looking at the clock tower where the cold light bottles gathered in the center of the distant shelter.
I didn’t know what had happened, or what stage the trial had reached, and I couldn’t hear any movement from over there.
Originally, he was very afraid of experiencing Lian Chuan's pain again, but since nothing has happened so far, he became a little anxious. Judging from the time, it should be almost over. If Lian Chuan had been tortured, it should have been over by now, but he didn't sense it.
But to be on the safe side, he still sat on the roof, just in case his perception was delayed and someone came over while he was in the house in excruciating pain...
Thinking of this, he looked again in the direction of the shelter. Lin Fan said that he would not follow him and "wouldn't know", but based on his words, it was worth being wary of. Who knew if Lin Fan would be hiding somewhere watching him.
… Even if you sit on the roof, you can’t hide.
What exactly does Lin Fan mean
Ning Gu regretted very much that he had never been to Lin Fan's cabin in the past twenty-two years, and he did not have any deep impression of this person. Apart from knowing that he almost never smiled and seldom went out, and as the deputy of the team leader, he seemed to take care of nothing, but the team leader had never planned to change his deputy... he knew nothing else.
When he heard someone talking, Ning Gu suddenly changed from sitting to squatting on the roof and looked in the direction where the sound came from.
Soon, several cold light bottles were seen moving in the black fog, and then seven or eight people were seen coming over carrying a board.
There was a person on the board, it should be Lian Chuan, but his uniform was taken off, and a blue light was flashing on the hand of a person who was following him.
Given Lian Chuan's personality, if he was sober, he probably wouldn't accept being carried on a board...
Ning Gu immediately jumped down from the roof of the hut and blocked the road: "What's wrong?"
Li Xiang was walking in front. He raised his chin towards Ning Gu, motioning him to move aside: "He's fine."
"Fainted?" Ning Gu asked.
"If the nails were like this, you wouldn't be so nervous, right?" said a man carrying the board, with obvious displeasure in his voice.
This guy is the troublemaker in Shelter No. 2. Ning Gu has fought with him many times. If he doesn't say a few words to him when they meet, he's afraid that people will think they have reconciled.
Although the prickly guy's words were harsh, this was the first time Ning Gu had "communicated" with his companions after returning to the ghost town, except for being scolded. He actually felt a little emotional.
"If you want to lie down here, I will definitely come and lift you up myself." Ning Gu said.
Lian Chuan did not faint. When the board was lifted past Ning Gu, Ning Gu saw that his eyes were open, but he didn't know where he was looking, and they looked a little blank.
… were you beaten silly
Theoretically, it is unlikely. The team leader also hopes to get some information about the main city.
Li Xiang had Lian Chuan carried into Uncle Feng's hut and put him on the ground.
Ning Gu stood at the door and watched.
Only then did he notice that Lian Chuan's uniform had indeed been taken off and replaced with an ordinary traveler's coat, and around his neck, there was a circle of black metal.
The black circle was close to his skin, and near the black circle, blue-black veins could be faintly seen under the skin, extending from the neck upwards.
"He can't move now," Li Xiang whispered to Ning Gu when he came out, "He will be fine after a while. That thing won't have any effect on him normally."
"What is that?" Ning Gu asked.
"It is a prerequisite for him to move freely in the ghost town." Li Xiang did not give a direct answer and left with his men.
Ning Gu did not move. He stood there and watched them all disappear in the black fog. The light from the cold light bottle could no longer be seen. Then he turned and went into the house, quickly closing the door.
Then he squatted next to Lian Chuan: "Lian Gou? Can you talk?"
Lian Chuan glanced at him and said nothing.
But his eyes were no longer blank, and Ning Gu felt a little relieved.
"Li Xiang said you'll be able to move soon," he whispered, "They've already left..."
Before he could finish his words, Lian Chuan suddenly sat up.
His head almost hit him, and Ning Gu fell to the ground when he dodged backwards.
"I'm fine." Lian Chuan said.
"Can move?" Ning Gu looked at him in shock.
"Yeah." Lian Chuan touched the dark circle on his neck and frowned.
"Then this thing is useless?" Ning Gu asked, "Do they think this thing can make you unable to move?"
"It works," Lian Chuan said, "but it didn't work at first."
"Oh." Ning Gu didn't know for a moment whether he should be glad that the ghost town's device could not completely control Lian Chuan, or should he be proud that the ghost town's device could work on Lian Chuan.
"This is Lin Fan's ability," Lian Chuan flicked the black circle, which made a not-so-clear sound, "Who is Lin Fan?"
"The captain's deputy, an old traveler." Ning Gu said.
"What else?" Lian Chuan asked.
“…I don’t know.” Ning Gu said.
"You are an important figure that the leader brought up, and that Ghost Town was determined to rescue at all costs," Lian Chuan said, "How come you don't know anything?"
Ning Gu looked at him.
It seems that this person has done nothing serious, but he can still take revenge on others in a sarcastic way.
Lian Chuan lay back on the board.
Ning Gu was stunned: "Can't get up?"
"That recliner is not comfortable to sleep on." Lian Chuan said.
"Oh," Ning Gu thought for a moment and sat cross-legged next to him, "Why are you asking Lin Fan suddenly?"
"Why use Lin Fan's ability?" Lian Chuan looked at the roof. "His stronger ability is attack, not control. If he can't move, this ability is not uncommon among travelers, right?"
"Well," Ning Gu said, "Sister Qi's is stronger."
"It may be a secret research, so only the abilities of a few senior people can be used," Lian Chuan said, "It is also possible that only Lin Fan's abilities can be loaded into the device."
"Lin Fan..." Ning Gu thought for a moment and lowered his voice, "He seems to know that my ability is more than just control."
"Can you still control it?" Lian Chuan asked.
"Why can't I control you?" Ning Gu was very unconvinced. "How did you run away when I first met you? Doesn't that count as control?"
"Okay." Lian Chuan said.
"On the day you were expelled, the travelers rushed to Area C," Ning Gu said, "I don't know what happened, but I saved the leader once..."
Ning Gu had some difficulty describing the two times his abilities were activated. After all, he himself didn't understand how and what happened.
But Lian Chuan could still get the general idea. He was silent for a while and looked at Ning Gu: "Did they move or not?"
"Moved...right?" Ning Gu frowned.
"I always thought you could mess up time," Lian Chuan said, "It seems that you're more than that. It's normal for the main city to want to get your materials. It's stronger than Betelgeuse."
"Are you feeling inferior?" Ning Gu said.
Lian Chuan said nothing and slowly sat up again.
Ning Gu saw the black circles on his neck again, as well as the dark blue veins under his skin: "How does it feel when you wear this?"
"No, but..." Lian Chuan touched his neck, "I didn't expect that Gui Cheng could load abilities onto non-living things."
"I didn't even know they were doing this... So, I really don't know anything," Ning Gu said, suddenly feeling a little discouraged, "Isn't that amazing?"
"It's amazing, and it's much simpler," Lian Chuan said, "Based on this alone, it's not impossible for the Traveler to compete with the main city."
"Simpler?" Ning Gu didn't understand.
"All you need is enough materials, and enough..." Lian Chuan flicked the black circle, "It doesn't matter if the materials are good or bad, or even if they have their own consciousness. Simply copying will do."
Ning Gu suddenly felt his hair stand on end: "An army with only ability but no brains?"
The black fog rolled in from area D.
At first it was just a gust of black wind.
Pedestrians on the street looked blankly at the black wind blowing past from the sky.
Then came the thick black fog that rolled over the streets.
The people who came to their senses began to scream and flee in all directions.
Guang Guang closed the store door, and even the side door reserved for regular customers was closed. This chaotic scene was different from the riots that people were used to seeing.
She went up to the second floor and stood at the window.
It is noon now, the time when sunlight is brightest in the main city, but looking out the window, it is already dark outside.
She couldn't even see the windows of the building across the street.
Turning to look at the core area of the main city, it was still the same as usual, with the sky filled with soft light.
On the other side, area D was already pitch black, and the light in area C was also being slowly swept away by the black fog.
It was like a long flash from the outside to the inside.
Guang Guang closed his eyes, opened his arms, and took a deep breath.
Is this day finally coming
Chun San stood in front of a huge screen wall with his arms folded. Nearly half of the images transmitted back by the densely packed monitors had turned black.
The technicians behind him had restored order after the initial confusion and started looking for the source of the black fog.
Chen Fei's call came to the table next to Chun San, and she picked up the phone.
"There is interference on the intercom." Chen Fei said.
"Yes, but part of it has been restored," Chun San said, "The impact is not large. I will prioritize restoring communications with the various internal defense departments."
"Have you found the source?" Chen Fei asked.
"Not yet," Chun San said, "They came from the Black Iron Wasteland. There are people all around. The area is too large. It will take some time."
"Is there any movement in Lost Valley?" Chen Fei asked again.
"No abnormalities were detected." Chun San replied.
Chen Fei was silent, as if he was thinking.
"Need any ideas on how to contact the bats?" Chun San asked.
"No, continue monitoring. Report any abnormality immediately, no matter how small it is," Chen Fei said immediately. "Make every effort to ensure internal defense communications. We must prevent a sneak attack from Lost Valley."
"I understand." Chun San said.
Chen Fei put down the phone and looked at Consul General Su across the table: "There is no progress yet, the communication is being restored."
"Does the administrator have any news?" asked General Manager Su.
"No." Chen Fei replied.
"Get ready," Consul General Su sighed softly, "There's no progress after half an hour. I'm going to see the administrator."