After returning to the base, Lu Zhaoming discovered that Liu Feng's condition had deteriorated rapidly.
In the dim light, Liu Feng's brows were furrowed, his face was as pale as paper, and he looked extremely weak.
Su Li stood to the side, her eyes filled with worry. She gently stroked Liu Feng's forehead and whispered words of comfort to him.
Upon seeing Lu Zhaoming enter, Su Li immediately explained with a grave expression, "His mental resistance is nearing its limit. Forcibly removing the psychological suggestion device could cause permanent damage."
After listening, Lu Zhaoming remained silent for a moment. He stepped forward, gently took Liu Feng's hand, and whispered, "I'll stay by your side, don't worry." He sat on the edge of the bed, staring intently at Liu Feng, secretly planning his next move.
As the night deepened and all was quiet, the commotion in the stronghold gradually subsided, leaving only faint breathing sounds and the occasional rumble of machinery.
Suddenly, Liu Feng's eyelids twitched slightly, and he slowly opened his eyes.
A look of confusion and fear flickered in his eyes as he murmured, "They're here... Run!"
Lu Zhaoming's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly activated the system's scanning function to analyze Liu Feng's brainwave activity.
After confirming that this was a residual effect of the psychological suggestion device, he gently patted Liu Feng's shoulder and whispered reassuringly, "Don't be afraid, I'm here." (Lu Zhaoming's...)
The next morning, as the first rays of sunlight streamed into the room through the window, Xiao Hu rushed in anxiously, his face flushed and panting, reporting, "Old Wolf has brought news that Red Owl's men are active outside the stronghold, seemingly preparing to launch a surprise attack!"
Lu Zhaoming quickly stood up and calmly analyzed the situation.
He walked to the map, ran his finger across it, and said in a deep voice, "This is Chi Xiao deliberately putting pressure on us, trying to force us to reveal more of our trump cards. We must deal with this calmly." He turned to Qinglian and ordered, "Qinglian, lead the survivors to the backup safe house and ensure everyone's safety."
Su Li stood up and said with a determined look in her eyes, "I will continue to research the antidote improvement plan and strive to find a breakthrough as soon as possible." Lu Zhaoming nodded in agreement, then turned to Xiao Hu and said softly, "You stay and accompany your brother, but don't act rashly. Follow my arrangements."
Xiao Hu nodded in agreement. Lu Zhaoming's words were like a stabilizing force, making him feel at ease.
After making the arrangements, Lu Zhaoming left the room alone, pondering his next move.
In order to probe the enemy's intentions, Lu Zhaoming decided to disguise himself as a defector and take the initiative to contact Da Xiong, claiming that he was willing to provide key intelligence about the "Dawn of Light" plan.
He contacted Da Xiong through an encrypted communicator. Da Xiong was initially skeptical, but gradually lowered his guard after Lu Zhaoming showed him some of the forged data.
"I'm willing to betray my brothers just to get your protection," Lu Zhaoming said in the communicator, feigning panic, his voice trembling slightly.
Big Bear sneered, his tone tinged with suspicion: "If you dare to lie to me, I'll make you wish you were dead." Lu Zhaoming gritted his teeth, suppressing his anger, and said in a low voice, "As long as you're willing to help me, I'm willing to give everything."
The two parties agreed to meet at an abandoned factory to exchange information.
Lu Zhaoming secretly set up an energy trap just in case.
He deliberately chose a secluded factory, surrounded by surveillance equipment, to ensure that any abnormalities could be detected immediately.
On the day of the meeting, Lu Zhaoming arrived at the agreed location early and hid in the shadows to observe.
Soon enough, Big Bear led a team of elite mercenaries into the arena.
They were fully armed, their eyes filled with vigilance.
Big Bear stepped forward with a cold smile, questioning Lu Zhaoming about whether he had concealed anything else, and attempted to extract more information through threats.
Lu Zhaoming feigned panic and deliberately revealed false information to attract the other party's attention.
At the same time, he used the system's covert scanning function to analyze the frequency of the communication device carried by Big Bear and successfully intercepted Red Owl's next action plan - Red Owl planned to attack the largest survivor settlement in the wasteland in three days.
Lu Zhaoming chuckled inwardly; this was exactly the information he wanted.
He feigned helplessness and said in a low voice, "Red Owl's plan is very meticulous, we must take action as soon as possible." Big Bear's eyes lit up, seemingly satisfied with this intelligence.
Just as Lu Zhaoming was preparing to leave, he suddenly felt an ominous premonition and became secretly on guard.
Just as Lu Zhaoming was preparing to make a graceful exit, Big Bear's fat face was filled with a sinister smile, and his eyes were full of "I knew you weren't a good guy all along."
With a wave of his hand, the mercenaries around him, like sharks smelling blood, instantly surrounded Lu Zhaoming.
"Lu Zhaoming, you choose the path to hell over the path to heaven! Today is your death day!" Big Bear's voice was as piercing as a broken gong, as if announcing Lu Zhaoming's doom.
However, before Big Bear could finish speaking, a violent tremor suddenly came from the ground.
With a deafening roar, the pre-buried energy trap exploded instantly, and the blinding light and powerful shockwave engulfed the entire abandoned factory.
Dust flew everywhere, gravel flew in all directions, and the scene was chaotic.
Lu Zhaoming had anticipated this, and the moment the bomb was detonated, he slipped away like an eel.
Under the cover of smoke, he moved like a ghost through the ruins, disappearing without a trace in just a few breaths.
"Red Owl, don't be so smug! The show has only just begun, we'll see!" Lu Zhaoming's voice echoed in the air, carrying a hint of mockery and provocation.
Just then, the system notification sounded in Lu Zhaoming's mind like a death knell: "Ding! Host is facing a survival crisis, triggering the hidden mission 'End the Crimson Owl'. Mission failure will permanently shut down the Judgment System."
Upon hearing this, Lu Zhaoming felt a chill and stopped in his tracks.
He clenched his fists, his gaze piercing as if trying to penetrate the endless darkness.
Damn, are you going to go this far?
It seems there's truly no turning back this time.
We must eliminate Red Owl in order to continue our adventures in this apocalyptic world.
He licked his chapped lips, a glint of madness flashing in his eyes: "Red Owl, you just wait..."
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