Chapter 651: Crisis at the Safe Zone

Sir! We’re from the Fire Snake Squad! Our leader is registered on the Safe Zone list.

Here’s our badge!

Seeing that their attempted bribe had only attracted rebel attention, Ming Luo quickly produced a badge from his chest to signal they were locals.

Before the operation, everything was in place. Yenir and his three teammates were disguised as a Third-Stage Supply Squad led by a chief.

As one of the most common private factions in the Safe Zone, Supply Squads are always on the move—they’re easy to impersonate and hard to trip up under questioning.

Fire Snake? A team under the Fire Snake Merchant Guild?

Taking the badge, the squad captain on duty eyed Ming Luo warily. He murmured a few questions over his radio, then compared the data on his tablet. Only then did the frosty look in his eyes ease slightly.

The Fire Snake Merchant Squad is an old hand in the Safe Zone. Their knack for scrounging up pre-apocalypse supplies like liquor has kept their ties with the Military in good standing.

In fact, both Ming Luo and Yenir’s personal details even matched their registration.

But the inspecting soldier suddenly seemed to recall something, and the faint suspicion in his eyes immediately spiked!

Why aren’t you evacuating with your Merchant Guild?!

Your President just left with our team!

How on earth did your group come from outside the city?!

With predatory stares, as they spoke, four rebel Awakeners swiftly closed in—as if any hint of inconsistency in Ming Luo’s answers would trigger immediate action.

The rebels were far stricter than expected. Still, Ming Luo, a seasoned Third-Stage operative, wasn’t about to be intimidated by the display.

Sir! Look at how disheveled we are! Didn’t we just return from gathering supplies at Tianjin Port?

Squads like ours, hustling everywhere to earn a living, simply can’t get back this quickly…!

While speaking, Ming Luo, with a pleading expression, slyly pulled out a pack of cigarettes from behind and, feigning distress, discreetly slipped it into the rebel captain’s hand.

This run cost us a few brothers—we even ran into a mutant.

But sir, we left a loaded truck outside the city packed with valuable supplies. Since we were planning to transfer it, we thought…

Ming Luo winked, bowed, and nodded—his unspoken message was crystal clear.

Having prepared well to blend in, the truckload of supplies was simply their prearranged alibi.

Sure enough, when the squad captain noticed a faint, fishy odor on Ming Luo, his eyes flashed as he immediately caught on.

He must be bribing him—refusing to let go of the supplies he recovered, hoping to grease the wheels.

But to Ming Luo’s surprise, after a quick exchange of glances, several rebel Awakeners sneered:

“Forget it. Dump your goods there and don’t even think about taking them back to the Safe Zone.”

“The highest command has been issued: all Awakeners must gather at Base One! And don’t even think about operating freely or carrying supplies—everyone’s weapons and gear will be confiscated and reissued later!”

“Get back! Return to your unit, and if you don’t comply, military punishment awaits!”

As the orders rang out, Ming Luo was struck dumb, his face instantly darkening.

At the same time, Yenir’s heart sank.

They had planned to leverage their identity as the Fire Snake Squad and bribe the soldiers to cruise around in a car, gathering intel. But they never expected these rebels to instantly switch to war mode and impose complete control!

Glancing instinctively at the massive group of Awakeners, seemingly ‘escorted’ by rebels, Yenir’s eyes sparkled as he quickly strategized.

All Awakeners are heading to Base One, while ordinary folks go to Base Two…

That means if Yuanlong has set up a Military infiltration, there’s a high chance he won’t be at Base One!

We must not enter Base One!

(What should we do? Should we eliminate these rebels and sneak in, or just blend in as survivors?)

(But then again…)

Just as Yenir was rapidly assessing the number of Third-Stage fighters around and hesitating on whether to act,

a series of furious roars suddenly echoed from nearby.

“Grab her! That woman is a spy!”

“Frontline troops, stop her escape! Don’t let her get away!”

In the long line of Awakeners being herded away, a nimble girl in her twenties suddenly sprang into action, slashing a rebel as the guards checked her ID.

With the explosive burst of Second-Stage spirit energy, she swiftly drove her blade straight through the rebel’s chest.

Amidst the roars of over twenty Second-Stage rebels, the girl darted like a rabbit, sprinting desperately toward the city’s outskirts—toward Yenir and the others.

Though this so-called spy’s speed was exceptional, she seemed to possess an Agility Type speed-boost ability.

Yet in the crowded Safe Zone teeming with survivors, she couldn’t fully unleash her potential.

“Stop her! Her identity is suspicious!”

No sooner had those words been shouted than the rebel squad, previously on guard against Yenir’s group, abandoned him.

Seeing the girl about to burst out of the city, they quickly decided to intercept her!

At the same time, Ming Luo, now fully alert, looked on in astonishment at the girl’s uniform and the radiant burst of spirit energy as she fled at full tilt.

“Lord Yenir! Damn, that looks like someone from the Action Team! Her speed-boost ability is exclusive to them!”

“But why is she wearing a rebel uniform?!”

Before Ming Luo could recall if he’d ever seen her with the Action Team, he noticed Yenir trailing behind the rebels, chasing after her.

“Keep up! Pretend to help!”

Their response was lightning-fast.

Yenir, who had been fretting about drawing attention and being unable to break free, suddenly realized that the girl’s appearance provided a golden opportunity.

Without hesitation, harnessing his formidable willpower, Yenir channeled his spirit energy into the girl’s legs, instantly boosting her speed!

She’s luring them out of the city! We need to quickly subdue these rebels and then transform them into Otherworldly Ghosts!

Even though these rebels were of much lower rank than the high-level ones Yenir originally intended to infiltrate,

at this point, he had no other choice.

“Roger that!”

Understanding Yenir’s signal, Ming Luo decisively led three Military members to follow him, theatrically shouting;

“Sir! Our Fire Snake Squad will help you catch her!”

In the ensuing chaos, the situation rapidly became one where the girl led the escape—as if a flash of lightning, she leapt over the Safe Zone’s high wall while a relentless rebel squad and Yenir closed in behind.

“Damn it! How is her speed so unbelievable?!”

“Call for backup! Her speed is nearly on par with Third-Stage fighters!”

They couldn’t fathom how a girl, supposedly at Second-Stage, could suddenly boost her speed so dramatically.

After receiving orders to capture the girl, the rebel squad immediately called for backup. Noticing Yenir and his crew yelling for help, they instinctively relaxed their guard.

“Hey, Fire Snake Squad! Attack her from the right! We’ve called in Third-Stages to intercept her at the perimeter!”

“She won’t get away!”

It was almost as if they were playing mind games.

Hearing the relentless angry shouts behind her, the girl fleeing with all her might bit down hard on the miniature capsules meant for suicide, nearly breaking them in the next second!

If it weren’t for the critical intelligence she needed to deliver, she might have chosen to end it all the moment her cover was blown!

Or maybe it was the sudden surge of inexplicable spirit energy beneath her feet!

“Who is it? Who’s helping me?”