Chapter 38 Who are you?
The red light at the intersection ahead turned on, and the vehicles slowly came to a stop, forming a long queue.
The outside world no longer has traffic lights. Some old roads, preserved from the past, are covered with potholes of all sizes and cracks that stretch out like hideous scars due to long periods of neglect.
The desolate, lifeless landscape, devoid of any sign of life, stood in stark contrast to everything before them.
Yun Zhao closed his eyes slightly and released his spiritual energy along the sky above the city, searching for the edge of the barrier to the east.
Since the two reunited, the black lines that had been harassing her have never reappeared.
Did she overestimate the importance of the goalkeeper?
The rules... the single-player instance illusion is full of loopholes, but because of her existence, breaking through the barriers becomes very easy.
Found it, you useless piece of trash!
The little bluebird grew tired of the outside world and began to glare at people. Although it was cursing the gatekeeper, its eyes were fixed on Xie Tu.
Yun Zhao pointed to the intersection, "Stop the car, we've spotted the edge of the barrier."
"Okay." Xie Tu obediently drove the car onto the road and stopped.
How could he possibly miss the little guy's actions and expressions?
Open the car door and get out.
Xie Tu grabbed Yun Zhao's backpack strap again, raised an eyebrow at the little bluebird, his expression full of provocation.
Sure enough, the little guy started stomping his feet.
【Ugh! Ugh! Ugh!】
Yun Zhao was a little surprised that he would tease the little bluebird. "Captain, don't tease it. It can't take a joke."
"Hmm." Xie Tu composed himself, calmly withdrawing his gaze, instantly reverting to his aloof and unapproachable demeanor.
But he didn't let go of her backpack strap.
Following the swirling fluorescent lights, the two arrived at the entrance of the city library.
Through the glass doors and windows, one could see shadowy figures inside. Light shone through the windows, illuminating the dust particles floating in the air.
Xie Tu reached out to push the door, but was blocked by an invisible barrier.
The movement of his other hand changed from holding her backpack strap to lifting her backpack by the handle.
"Let's begin." Xie Tu squinted as he surveyed the vicinity of the library, planning his escape route.
Yun Zhao nodded, and countless green fluorescent spiritual threads climbed up the transparent wall, beginning to penetrate and attack the barrier.
It didn't take long for cracks to appear on the barrier and spread outwards.
Xie Tu remained vigilant about his surroundings.
But just like last time, her city remained normal, and none of the cars or people behind her were coming this way.
Why wasn't she affected by the hallucinations?
—Click.
As the barrier shattered.
Xie Tu grabbed her backpack, pulled her into his arms, and rushed into the library.
Yun Zhao was prepared, and instinctively placed one hand against his chest to adjust to a comfortable position.
The moment I pushed open the door, the sky behind me suddenly darkened, as if it had been instantly obscured by an invisible giant hand.
The magnificent urban illusion is like a shattered mirror, crumbling and dissipating piece by piece.
Separated by a glass door, all that remains outside is a chilling darkness and murky atmosphere.
The monsters did not appear.
The people reading in the library were unaffected, still keeping their heads down and doing their own thing.
"The library only has one door, shall we just go out?" Yun Zhao asked.
Xie Tu was looking around the library. Rows of tall bookshelves stood neatly, filled with a dazzling array of books, arranged in an orderly manner according to different categories and numbers.
Each book was brand new and clean, with clear and prominent text on the spine.
If I could bring them all back...
Outside the glass window, the sun was still shining brightly.
Xie Tu said, "Yes, just break the glass and get out."
He carried her to a glass window on the first floor and kicked it violently, shattering the window with a crash.
Yun Zhao nestled in his arms, then suddenly turned around and peered into the library through his broad shoulders.
The moment the two stepped out of the library, all the 'people' inside looked up and stared at them blankly.
That's strange.
Why not attack them?
Mutants are attracted to contaminated areas, where they can become like normal people. So... do they have self-awareness?
Yun Zhao thought of the square-faced uncle who was demanding his unpaid wages and the aunt who was looking for her daughter.
They exist consciously.
Is it impossible to resist under the absolute control of the gatekeeper?
*
The process went surprisingly smoothly.
Within minutes of entering the city, Yun Zhao and Xie Tu successfully found Duan Xi and Tao Haohao.
There was another man wearing a black combat uniform.
Three men were on the street, approaching passersby and asking, "What are you planning to do today? Is there anything we can help you with?"
"Do you have dreams and passions? We can help you achieve them..."
They were all holding guns, and the way they questioned him made them look like bandits robbing people in the street.
The mutated creature, momentarily bewildered after being stopped, suddenly extended its sharp mandibles and launched an attack.
--Bang
Duan Xi was prepared and sent it away with a single bullet.
Hearing footsteps approaching from behind, the three of them turned around at the same time.
Duan Xi froze for two seconds, then pointed his gun at the two of them. "This time, the illusions are actually the captain and the cloud guide..."
Xie Tu's dark eyes were full of disdain. "Idiot."
With the gun barrel as dark as a black hole, he turned to look at another young man in a black combat uniform.
They looked somewhat familiar; we'd met a few times before.
He is Zhou Tianqi, a member of Jiangmu Squad at Dawn Base.
Xie Tu asked directly, "Where is Jiang Mu?"
Zhou Tianqi shook his head and replied, "I don't know. We separated as soon as we came in. It seems like the people and things in this city have no attachments. We can't get the key..."
Tao Haohao and Duan Xi were stunned for a moment, then reacted and whispered to each other, "Look at Yun Xiangdao's shoulder. Mutants can't conjure up a spiritual body, right?"
"Does this look like the real Captain and Cloud Guide?"
Duan Xi swiftly holstered his gun, his expression one of despair. "We're doomed."
He actually dared to point a gun at the captain.
The captain seems nonchalant now, but he'll definitely settle old scores with him when they get back.
Yun Zhao leaned closer and asked them, "Have you seen any rabbits?"
Duan Xi was filled with anxiety and unease.
Tao Haohao replied, "No, we also discovered the truth behind the illusion. We ran into Zhou Tianqi when we were looking for the exit."
A barrier to mental illusions.
Sentinels are not good at establishing mental barriers. They might be able to find and break through a barrier, but it will take time.
I didn't expect the captain and the cloud guide to find us so quickly.
But how did those two end up together?
Yun Zhao was slightly surprised, "You two just met too?"
The two nodded in unison.
Yun Zhao turned his head to look at the two people who were talking. The unfamiliar sentry had a baby face, but was somewhat expressionless, giving people the feeling of a child pretending to be an adult.
Xie Tu was still talking to Zhou Tianqi.
Three days?
Xie Tu's eyes darkened. "You said you stayed in this barrier for three days, or that you were in Contaminated Zone 88 for a total of three days?"
“Three days in total.” Zhou Tianqi’s expression was very calm.
According to the outside time, Jiang Mu's team has been inside for a month.
"wrong."
Xie Tu said, "The flow of time within the domain will not affect the outside world."
After all, it is a spiritual realm.
The timeline can go back to the past, but it cannot change the present or influence the future.
It can only change based on the existing foundation.
In the first lesson of combat unit training, people often ask questions like, "If the flow of time is different, what if you go in to perform a mission and come out several years later?"
They have experimented many times.
This will not happen.
Without a second thought, Xie Tu drew his sidearm and pressed it against Zhou Tianqi's temple. "Jiang Mu's team has been in and out of countless contaminated areas. How could they not be able to tell the difference?"
The sudden turn of events left the others stunned, including Yun Zhao.
Xie Tu pulled the trigger, his tone suddenly turning cold as he questioned Zhou Tianqi, "Who are you?"
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