Chapter 510: Journey Through the Wasteland

The next morning at 8:00, everyone gathered for breakfast, and by 9:00 they set off on schedule.

Heichao City lies at the western edge of the Alliance, roughly 3,000 kilometers from Qinggang. By car, the journey would take at least two to three days.

Yet it was the best option. After the Red Moon’s arrival, order crumbled, and long-distance passenger services practically halted. Even helicopter travel required establishing supply stops along the way, where any mishap could cause major trouble.

Thus, most high-wall cities predominantly relied on trucking.

Lu Xin’s single-soldier support team, with five members in total, led Han Bing to request a modified car.

It was the very same Steel Monster that Lu Xin and Gecko had ridden before—a vehicle with ample power, superb climbing ability, thick armor, bulletproof glass, and even a smart driving system. It was the safest and most enduring transport for those roaming the wasteland.

Much superior to the tractors used in the settlements…

Gecko drove while Lu Xin occupied the passenger seat, and Han Bing along with Red Serpent sat in the back; five was just the right number.

It was Lu Xin’s first time leading a team, and he was taking it very seriously.

After all, being new on the job meant that any misstep could jeopardize his future.

But with Han Bing by his side—a meticulous young girl who had planned every detail from the itinerary and supplies to the weaponry and even extra clothing—success was almost guaranteed.

Lu Xin’s so-called commitment was merely a signature on the materials Han Bing had submitted.

It was such a relief…

“We are now officially leaving the city. Our preliminary plan is to complete the mission and return within half a month,” he announced.

With everything set, the Steel Monster’s huge tires gripped the ground as it sped off the steel drawbridge and into the vast wasteland.

……

……

Meanwhile, in the Special Cleaning Department’s office, Professor Bai was diligently comparing batch after batch of experimental data. His reading glasses, adorned with a slender silver necklace, sat low on his nose when the phone suddenly rang; he casually switched to speaker mode.

“The single-soldier team has departed,” came the report.

Mr. Su’s voice sounded over the line, filled with urgency.

“Oh,” Professor Bai murmured.

He acknowledged with a nod and studied the data, mentally noting any discrepancies.

“How can you be so relaxed about this?” he asked.

Mr. Su, clearly unsettled, replied, “I’m telling you—the single-soldier unit has already left the city…”

“Oh?”

Professor Bai responded, “So what? Didn’t you sign off on this?”

“I did sign…”

Mr. Su, frustrated by the professor’s nonchalance, said, “But don’t you think this is serious? Qinggang now has a Doll as our shield, and the single soldiers are venturing out to clean up the pollution…”

“Don’t use the word ‘shield’ like that—it makes it sound like you’re hinting at corruption…”

Laughing, Professor Bai interrupted, “Are you suggesting that Doll acts as Qinggang’s shield while the single soldiers serve as its sword?”

“Exactly, exactly…”

Mr. Su nodded repeatedly and lowered his voice, “If everything goes smoothly, then Qinggang…”

Professor Bai interjected, “These plans and missions adhere strictly to regulations and the law. Don’t make it sound like you’re up to something sneaky…”

Smiling, the professor continued, “Besides, I know you and those with limited vision might think this way. With two S-level Ability Users—one providing unbeatable mental protection and the other representing Qinggang’s will to wreak havoc—it’s only natural for arrogance and unnecessary ambition to arise. But let me remind you…”

“Doll isn’t some shield perched above Qinggang’s head, and the single soldiers don’t embody the will of certain officials in the Administration Hall.”

“So let’s keep our feet on the ground and focus on our work.”

“Qinggang may currently hold an advantage, but in this world under the Red Moon, we have no right to be arrogant…”

……

“This…”

On the other end, Mr. Su’s tone faltered, his earlier enthusiasm dampened.

“By the way, I have something important to discuss,” he added.

Professor Bai suddenly remembered something and said directly into the phone.

“What?”

Mr. Su’s tone perked up slightly.

Professor Bai continued, “We might be short on funds. Transfer another 100 million for my use.”

“Ugh…”

Mr. Su drew a sharp breath, exclaiming, “Do you think I’m a walking wallet?”

Professor Bai retorted, “You casually ask for 100 million—do you know how much the Administration Hall has already allocated for the Heaven’s Kingdom Plan?”

Mr. Su shot back, “Do you have any idea I even promised off my yet-to-be-born granddaughter to appease those stubborn old men?”

He continued, “You always bring up another 100 million—as if my three wives wouldn’t be overwhelmed by that amount…”

……

Professor Bai said, “I’ll have my secretary draft a note for you. I’m too busy to handle the application myself.”

Mr. Su paused before dejectedly saying, “Alright then…”

……

……

Driving through the wasteland evoked a mix of complex emotions.

For those long acclimated to life within high-wall cities, the vast, open sky and endless expanse filled them with a liberating sense of space, as if both their hearts and minds were opened wide. Yet the quiet corners of the wasteland always hinted at lurking dangers, stirring an undercurrent of unease.

People are innately social creatures.

Otherwise, how can a vast wasteland provoke such oppressive panic?

Fortunately, Gecko’s rolling singing and witty quips kept the journey lively, breaking the monotony.

“Red Serpent, is there any song you’d like to hear?”

“Red Serpent, want me to show off my wild vocals?”

“Red Serpent, how about watching me drive this car like it’s flying?”

……

Sporting sunglasses, one hand gripping the steering wheel and a chocolate bar in his mouth, Gecko carried on an endless stand-up routine throughout the morning, unprompted by anyone else.

His act was full of perfectly timed jokes and punchlines, creating a full-house effect even without applause.

However, the ever-gracious Red Serpent only glanced down shyly when Gecko addressed her.

She seemed reticent by nature; despite her wild, sexy style, she remained rather reserved.

Of course, Gecko wasn’t bothered by the lack of verbal response—the gentle tilt of her head said it all.

Han Bing sat in the car, poring over maps and other documents. Occasionally she smiled when Gecko mentioned something amusing, while Lu Xin, in the passenger seat, watched the scenery rush by.

With a meticulously planned itinerary and abundant supplies, their journey went off without a hitch.

Well, except for one incident when Gecko, too excited while performing a blind-driving stunt, nearly drove into a ditch.

Everything went so smoothly that they encountered hardly any mishaps.

As they neared Heichao, they even passed a few convoys that seemed completely oblivious to the situation in Heichao City. This piqued Lu Xin’s curiosity, though Han Bing wasn’t surprised as she explained:

“Locking down high-wall cities is a major move.”

“Although Heichao City has confirmed severe pollution, they can’t openly announce a crisis. Most residents—no matter their status—remain unaware of the problem. So when we received the call for help, others still treated Heichao as a normal city; business went on as usual.”

“Admittedly, it’s a display of grave irresponsibility.”

“But in ten high-wall cities, seven would probably do the same.”

……

Lu Xin listened to Han Bing’s explanation and said nothing further.

Yet, his impression of Heichao City grew noticeably bleaker.

……

……

Given the severe pollution in Heichao City, starting early each morning was the best option, and they pressed on.

Two days later, they reached a point 700 kilometers outside Heichao City.

They planned to rest for the night and set off at first light the next day, expecting to arrive by dusk.

Han Bing then took out a simple signal receiver and called the contact on Heichao’s end mentioned in the earlier assistance request.

Unexpectedly, the call went unanswered.

After three attempts at thirty-minute intervals, her face grew grim as she reported to Lu Xin.

“Our contact seems to have run into a problem.”

She explained, “When Heichao City called for help, they mentioned that the pollution had been spreading for half a month, covering the Main City and four Satellite Cities. Every resident, regardless of rank, could be affected.”

“In the worst cases, their order might have completely collapsed.”

“If we can’t reach our contact, then our situation might be even graver than we thought.”

……

When it came to work, Lu Xin always approached it with great passion and responsibility, adding,

“Should we head straight into Heichao City to look for someone from the Administration Hall? According to our data, those deprived of sleep aren’t robbed of it all at once; they gradually lose sleep until it completely vanishes…”

“Which means some people may have already broken down from the pollution, while others might still cling to their sanity.”

……

“Entering the city is necessary, but I suggest we observe the situation before contacting anyone from the Administration Hall.”

After thoughtful consideration, Han Bing offered her advice,

“I have a nagging feeling that in this utterly fallen high-wall city, directly looking for someone in the Administration Hall might be too dangerous…”