55. Poisoning

On the fourth day, the last glimmer of dusk, like a dying man's sigh, vanished completely beyond the tunnel entrance. The carriage was plunged into a thick, deliberately oppressive darkness. Only a camping light, set to its lowest power, cast a faint, yellow halo in the corner, barely outlining a few silent, solemn figures.

The air was thick with the chill of metal maintenance oil, the bitterness of herbs, and a tense, almost dangerous atmosphere. Everyone was making final preparations, their movements slow and precise, avoiding any unnecessary noise.

Lei Qing stood at the edge of light and shadow, his dark gray combat uniform almost blending in with the shadows. He inserted the last magazine into the tactical strap on his chest, his movements steady and composed. He raised his gaze, his deep eyes sharp as a falcon in the dim light, scanning Ling Ye and Xingchen, who were about to infiltrate the enemy camp with him, as well as Su Lin and the others who remained behind to carry out crucial tasks. Without words, that gaze itself conveyed a silent command and trust.

Ling Ye had already changed into a tight-fitting black nightgown, which accentuated his already nimble frame, making him look even more lean and sharp, like a cheetah, silent in the darkness. The usual hint of cynicism on his face had vanished, leaving only a calm and alert expression. He was checking the tool pouch at his waist one last time. The small lock picking tools, sturdy ropes, and the sealed sachet containing Bai Yan's carefully formulated paralyzing toxin were all conveniently placed. His ever-shifting eyes, like the most sophisticated detectors, repeatedly confirmed the perilous infiltration route in his mind.

Stardust stood in the deeper shadows, as if he were part of the darkness. He wore a dark hooded jacket, the hood pulled up, obscuring most of his increasingly angular face, revealing only a taut jawline and a pair of eyes that shone brightly in the dimness. His aura was calm and restrained, all his outward mental energy condensed to the utmost, like a spring compressed to the utmost, waiting for the moment to explode.

Su Lin looked at the three of them, his heart beating uncontrollably in his chest, his palms brimming with sweat. He was wearing light-colored clothing that made him easy to move in, which stood out in the dim light. But this was precisely so his teammates could quickly locate him amidst the chaos of the subsequent operation. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to remain calm, feeling the flow of spatial energy within him. That tiny space would hold the hopes of everyone.

A Yan half-leaned on his bunk, fists clenched, knuckles white from the strain. His flaming red hair lost its former brilliance in the dim light, and his golden eyes burned with resentment and anxiety. The dull ache beneath the bandages at his waist was a constant reminder of his powerlessness. Mu Lin stood beside him, a hand gently resting on his shoulder. His fingertips were slightly cool, carrying both a soothing power and an unwavering restraint. Mu Lin himself wore a light blue combat uniform, his demeanor as gentle as jade, but a subtle chill emanated from him, suggesting that he could, when necessary, transform into the calmest battlefield controller. Bai Yan stood a little further away, still wearing his off-white turtleneck sweater and dark work vest, his rimless glasses reflecting the dim light. He slung his first aid kit tightly to his back. In addition to standard medications, it also contained several potent remedies for extreme situations. His calm gaze, like a scanner, ensured that everyone's health was under control.

"Confirm the route and target one last time." Lei Qing's voice was extremely low, like a whisper, but it reached everyone's ears clearly. "Maintain absolute silence. The action signal is Xingchen's mental fluctuations. The poisoning is successful, Xingchen notifies Su Lin. Su Lin, Mu Lin, upon receiving the signal, immediately move to the warehouse area as planned. A Yan, upon receiving Su Lin's confirmation, immediately create chaos on the east side. Understood?"

"Understood." The response was low and short, with a determination to burn the boats.

"Set off."

Without hesitation, without a goodbye, Lei Qing turned first, slipping silently out of the train like a fish merging into an undercurrent, disappearing into the darkness deep within the tunnel. Ling Ye and Xingchen followed closely behind. In an instant, the three of them were swallowed up by the thick darkness, leaving only a faint, dangerous aura lingering in the air.

The carriage suddenly seemed empty and silent. Su Lin subconsciously took a half step forward, his eyes following the direction they disappeared, his fingertips slightly curled.

"Su Lin." Mu Lin's voice sounded gently and firmly beside him. He gently pressed his arm with one hand to prevent him from following unconsciously. "Believe in Lei Qing, believe in them. What we need now is patience and preparation." His touch was cool and effectively calmed the uneasiness in Su Lin's heart.

Su Lin nodded, took a deep breath, returned to his original position, and forced himself to focus on the upcoming material transfer mission.

A Yan growled in frustration, his fist thumping against the edge of the bunk. "Fuck!" he cursed, his gaze fixed on the door, as if he wanted to burn through the darkness with his eyes.

Bai Yan walked over, silently checked the condition of the bandages around his waist and abdomen, and whispered: "Anger will affect judgment and consume unnecessary physical strength. Stay calm, your fire will be needed soon." His words were calm, but with the authority unique to doctors.

A Yan's chest heaved violently several times, but he finally suppressed his boiling anger, but his clenched fists never loosened.

…

Beyond the tunnel, the abandoned city lay like a vast, silent corpse, its distorted outlines visible under the bleak moonlight. Like three ghosts, Lei Qing, Ling Ye, and Xingchen navigated a maze of shattered concrete, rusted steel, and wildly growing mutant plants.

Ling Ye, the vanguard, walked in front. His movements were incredibly light, each footfall precisely avoiding loose gravel and tangled vines, making almost no sound. He occasionally raised his hand, making complex gestures, signaling a patrol approaching around the corner, or a potential sentry hidden behind a collapsed window.

Lei Qing followed closely behind, his presence a moving fortress, steady and reliable. His gaze, like the most sophisticated radar, constantly scanned the surroundings, assessing potential risks. The sniper rifle in his hand gleamed coldly in the shadows, ready to respond to any sudden threat.

Stardust led the way, his face expressionless beneath the brim of his hat. However, his powerful mental perception spread forward, centered around him like invisible tentacles. He could clearly "sense" the fluctuations of life hidden in his blind spots—a half-conscious guard dozing against a broken wall; two mutant wild dogs fighting over rotten meat in a garbage dump, emitting confusing signals... His mental power was like the finest sand, silently brushing against the surface of the guards' consciousness, creating a brief sense of drowsiness or a subtle lapse of focus, paving the way for the team's progress.

Several times, they narrowly escaped danger, nearly brushing against patrols from the Guichen Cult. Most recently, the heavy footsteps and muffled voices of the other party were just inches away. The three of them clung to a cold, damp, mossy, recessed wall, holding their breath, their bodies tense as iron. Only when the heart-pounding sounds faded did they slowly exhale the breath choking in their chests, continuing to stalk on the brink of death.

After nearly an hour of highly intense trekking, they finally approached the area marked on Ling Ye's map - the "farm" on the edge of the Guichen Sect's controlled area.

Before I even got close, an indescribable stench—a mixture of human and animal excrement, rotting food, and a deeper, more disgusting stench of corruption—became overwhelming like a physical wall, nearly suffocating me. The air was also faintly tinged with suppressed, intermittent sobs and feeble groans, like a dirge drifting from the cracks of hell.

The three of them hid behind a half-collapsed wall covered with dried stains, and looked forward cautiously under the cover of broken bricks and stones.

The sight before him made even Lei Qing, accustomed to the horrors of the apocalypse, gasp for air. Ling Ye's face instantly turned ashen, his stomach churning. His body beneath the Stardust hood trembled imperceptibly, a violent fluctuation in his mental field forming before he forcibly suppressed it.

It was a vast area crudely enclosed by barbed wire. It looked more like a concentration camp than a farm. There were no crops, only low, filthy, and foul-smelling shacks, barely constructed from tattered plastic sheeting, rotten wood, and rusted iron sheets. Between the shacks, huddled and lying, densely packed, were scores of "people." Barely clothed, their bodies emaciated, their skeletons wrapped in a layer of loose skin. Their eyes were hollow and numb, like puppets with their souls drained away, they lay silently in the mud and filth, awaiting their fate. Many had heavy, crude chains shackled around their ankles or wrists. In the corners of the area, piles of suspiciously colored, rancid-smelling paste lay, buzzing with flies. It was their "food."

At the other end of the "farm," there were a few relatively neat sheds, and inside, slightly better-dressed but equally sallow-faced figures could be vaguely seen bustling about mechanically. They seemed to be... sorting something.

"Damn... these bastards..." Ling Ye cursed softly through his teeth, his voice filled with uncontrollable rage and disgust. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his churning stomach. In a very low voice, almost a whisper, he explained to Lei Qing and Xingchen, as if to remind himself of this hatred:

"See that over there?" He pointed to a few relatively neatly organized sheds. "The 'rejects'... the old, weak, sick, or those who try to resist will be dragged in from over there... and disposed of. The bones are ground into powder and mixed into the 'feed,' and the meat... is what you know as 'holy meat.'" His voice trembled slightly. "They have a set process... bleeding, cutting, salting, smoking... to make the smell less noticeable. Those who work in there... are either coerced, or willingly become... accomplices just to survive a few more days."

He paused, and his Adam's apple rolled with difficulty, as if he was swallowing a mouthful of bloody saliva.

"The upper echelons of the Guichen Cult... those priests and guards, they eat the 'selected' portions. The rest is distributed to those below them, or... as we've seen before, used as rewards, or as a means of control." Ling Ye's eyes flashed with an icy light. "They treat us less than human beings... just... just hogs, consumables."

Lei Qing's jawline was as hard as rock, and the knuckles of his fingers gripping the gun were white from the extreme force. He didn't speak, but a storm was gathering in his deep eyes, and murderous intent spread like a substance. His face beneath the Stardust hood was as pale as paper. He bit his lower lip tightly until he tasted a hint of blood. Only then did he use the pain to force himself away from the boundless anger and grief, and re-gather his almost shattered mental strength.

They had no time to dwell on their anger, much less to act rashly and alert the enemy. Every detail of this hell on earth, seared into their souls like a branding iron, the three men suppressed their overwhelming murderous intent and, like the most patient hunters, skirted this death-scented "farm" and continued their treacherous journey towards their ultimate destination: the remains of the abandoned water purification plant.

Target, poisoning.

The path leading to the purification plant was even more heavily guarded, with patrols significantly more frequent and manned. Every step felt like dancing on the edge of a knife. Relying on Ling Ye's intimate knowledge of the area and Xingchen's increasingly precise and resilient mental interference, they narrowly avoided numerous visible and hidden checkpoints, infiltrating like shadows, and finally reaching the vast interior of the purification plant, a maze of rusted pipes, abandoned reactors, and shattered glass.

The hollow sound of dripping water echoed throughout the vast space, adding a touch of eeriness. Following the pre-planned plan, Ling Ye, like a nimble monkey, used the pipes and steel structures for cover to silently climb the thickest main water supply pipe. He found the gap at the valve connection and, with extremely gentle movements, opened the sealed sac. He evenly and rapidly poured the colorless, odorless paralyzing powder inside into the gurgling water. The powder dissolved instantly, vanishing without a trace.

Ling Ye lowered his head and made a clean and neat "done" gesture towards Lei Qing and Xingchen in the shadows below.

Lei Qing nodded sharply.

Xingchen immediately closed his eyes, and all his mental strength condensed into an invisible arrow, crossing the distance of space and accurately shooting towards the tunnel carriage, towards the person he swore to protect with his life - "Brother Su Lin, the poison has entered the water. Prepare to act."

This spiritual message was clear and steady, with a cold determination.

Meanwhile, inside the tunnel carriage, Su Lin, who was nervously waiting, suddenly raised his head, a glint of light flashing in his amber eyes. He looked at Mu Lin and A Yan, and said in a low voice, yet with undeniable certainty, "Stardust has sent the news: the poisoning was successful. It's our turn."

The poisonous blade has been unsheathed silently.

The deadly paralyzing force was flowing silently along the life-water of the Guichen Cult towards its heartland. And under the cover of this darkness, the flames of revenge and the desire for survival were about to ignite into a raging flame.