Chapter 65 Revenge Begins
The spring chill lingered, and the remaining snow had not yet melted, but the frozen earth finally showed signs of loosening.
In Ruan Ning's space, the green vegetables have been harvested three times quietly, fresh and tender, containing a faint energy that far exceeds that of any other crop in the outside world.
And her superpower, after years of accumulation, finally broke through to the third level!
Whether it's the power and control of her water-based abilities, or the range and sophistication of her mental abilities, both have undergone a qualitative leap. At this moment, even when facing the Thunder Leopard Squad, she has the confidence to confront them head-on and even suppress them.
The spring she had been waiting for finally arrived, bringing with it a biting chill in the air.
Although the March mornings were still covered in frost and the temperature was far from warm, it was at least no longer the kind of extreme cold that could freeze one to the bone. Ruan Ning, who had returned to the post-apocalyptic world, knew that the climate had changed drastically, with long, harsh winters and scorching summers becoming the norm, and the brief spring and autumn seasons almost gone.
In this early spring when everything seemed to be reviving, her long-awaited goal began to move.
The Thunder Leopard Squad received a mission to clear an abandoned factory in the southeast of the base. It was said that a small group of troublesome mutated weasels were entrenched there, affecting a planned supply transport route for the base.
What made Ruan Ning's eyes turn completely cold was the information that Lao Dao had just sent, as well as the information she had personally obtained through her spiritual power—Lin Jiaojiao was on the list of those going to war!
This winter was undoubtedly a hellish ordeal for Lin Jiaojiao.
Driven by Ruan Ning's constant mental suggestions and fueled by her own ambition and fear, she repeatedly pestered Lei Bao, demanding to go out and find an "awakening opportunity."
At first, Lei Bao thought she was being delusional, but soon, as a newly favored woman completely occupied Lei Bao's sight and bed, Lin Jiaojiao's existence became increasingly obstructive.
Lei Bao's patience ran out, and his attitude changed drastically. He even treated Lin Jiaojiao as a plaything, giving her away to several of his capable but violent team members.
This winter, Lin Jiaojiao suffered unimaginable humiliation and torment, her last remaining pride and illusions were completely shattered. Her former "high and mighty" status became the most ironic joke.
It was this despair of hitting rock bottom and the constant mental suggestion that made her see "awakening her superpowers outside" as her only, twisted lifeline.
She practically begged Lei Bao to take her out, even if it was just as a burden to carry chores. Perhaps to get rid of this trouble completely, or perhaps to see if she could really be "used," or maybe he just wanted to let her die in the wild to save trouble, Lei Bao finally agreed impatiently.
On the day of departure, the vehicles of the Thunder Leopard Squad were assembled at the base entrance.
Lin Jiaojiao was wearing an ill-fitting combat uniform that was clearly someone else's old clothes. Her face was pale and haggard, her eyes were sunken, but her eyes shone with an abnormal light that was a mixture of fear and obsessive madness.
She stood trembling at the edge of the line, her former beauty long since worn away by torment and anxiety, like a frightened bird.
Lei Bao didn't even bother to glance at her, instead whispering and flirting with the newly favored fire-element female team member. The other team members also looked at Lin Jiaojiao with disdain and ill intent.
Ruan Ning, hidden among the crowd in the distance, coldly observed everything. Lin Jiaojiao's miserable state evoked no sympathy from her; she only felt that cause and effect were cyclical, and retribution was inevitable. The manipulators of her past life were now reaping the consequences, and this... was only the beginning.
She watched as Lin Jiaojiao was roughly pushed into the last and worst-condition off-road vehicle in the convoy, like an abandoned, broken doll.
"Let's go!" Lei Bao gave the order, and the convoy roared out of the base gate.
Ruan Ning's figure vanished silently. She had already prepared everything. The stage for revenge was set, and the actors were in place.
The hunt has finally begun.
Like the most patient ghost, she hung far behind the convoy, perfectly concealing her whereabouts and aura with her third-tier mental abilities.
Target: Abandoned factory.
The Thunder Leopard Squad's convoy stopped in an open area outside the factory. A strong, pungent odor, a mixture of musk and rotting flesh, filled the air—the scent of the mutated weasel's territorial markings.
"Everyone out of the vehicles! Stay alert!" Lei Bao jumped out of the vehicle, his expression grave as he surveyed the silent factory area. "According to intelligence, there are about thirty of these beasts. They are extremely fast, have poisonous claws and teeth, and are adept at ambushes. Earth-type characters, raise a low wall around the perimeter to slow their charge! The rest of you, use the vehicles as cover and prepare for battle!"
The team members acted swiftly. The earth-elemental ability user pressed his palms to the ground, and a nearly one-meter-high circular earthen wall rumbled up, temporarily protecting the convoy. The other team members took up advantageous positions, loaded their weapons, and concealed their abilities.
Lin Jiaojiao was roughly pushed off the car and stumbled behind the last car, her face pale, clutching the dagger that had been assigned to her, her whole body trembling like a leaf in the wind.
Looking at the solemn expressions of her teammates and the deathly silent factory before her, fear almost overwhelmed her, but the crazy idea of "awakening superpowers" in her mind entwined her like a poisonous vine, supporting her from collapsing to the ground.
"They're here!" the sensory ability user suddenly roared.
From the factory's broken windows and ventilation ducts, dozens of gray-black shadows darted out like ghosts! They were several times larger than ordinary weasels, comparable to medium-sized dogs, and moved with lightning speed. Their scarlet eyes flashed with a cruel light as they rushed straight at the convoy!
"Fire!"
"Thunderous Might!" Thunder Leopard roared, his body crackling with lightning. A thick chain of lightning shot out like a silver snake, instantly turning the three mutated weasels at the forefront into charred remains! The air was filled with the smell of burning.
The other team members also joined the fray. Fire-type members unleashed fireballs to bombard the swarm of rats; ice-type members conjured ice spikes and fired them precisely; and strength-type members wielded heavy weapons, smashing away the weasels that tried to climb the earthen wall.
Gunshots, supernatural explosions, and the screech of weasels filled the air.
The battle escalated rapidly from the outset. The mutated weasels were extremely cunning; instead of charging head-on, they used their speed and agility to launch attacks from different directions, attempting to find gaps in the defenses.
Their claws and teeth gleamed with an eerie light, clearly indicating they were highly poisonous, making one hesitant to harm them.
As the main force, Lei Bao continuously released lightning, clearing out large numbers of weasels, but it also consumed a great deal of energy, and sweat was already beading on its forehead.
Other team members also began to suffer injuries and deaths. One team member who was a little slower was pounced on by a weasel and had a piece of flesh torn off instantly. The wound immediately turned black and festered. He screamed as he was dragged to the back.
The area behind Lin Jiaojiao was also attacked. Two weasels used their speed to bypass the frontal defenses and pounced on her from the flank!
"Ah! Help!" Lin Jiaojiao screamed shrilly, wildly slashing with her dagger, but she couldn't even touch the weasel's fur. The gleaming claws were about to grab her face!
"Earth Wall!" At the critical moment, a nearby earth-elemental team member multitasked, raising a half-meter-thick earthen wall in front of her to block the attack. The team member cursed, "Useless! Stay hidden and don't cause trouble!"
Lin Jiao was still in shock. She quickly climbed back into the car, tears mixed with cold sweat streaming down her face. The fear of death felt so real.
The battle lasted for nearly half an hour. After the Thunder Leopard Squad suffered three minor injuries and one serious injury, they finally cleared out most of the mutated weasels, leaving only a few that burrowed back into the depths of the factory and dared not show themselves for the time being.
The scene was a mess, littered with charred and mangled weasel carcasses, and the air was thick with the stench of blood, burnt flesh, and filth.
Lei Bao was panting heavily, his face pale. The losses in this battle were greater than he had anticipated. "Clean up the battlefield, collect the crystal cores! Quickly! Be careful of the remnants!" he ordered, glancing darkly at Lin Jiaojiao, who was hiding uselessly in the car, his eyes filled with undisguised disgust.
The team members began to disperse, enduring the nausea as they searched for crystal cores among the rat carcasses.
Unbeknownst to them, in an abandoned two-story building across from the factory, Ruan Ning was calmly observing everything through a broken window.
Her gaze was fixed on Lin Jiaojiao, who was distraught and had just escaped death.
The time is almost here.
The "stage" she meticulously prepared for Lin Jiaojiao is about to begin its final act.
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