Ling Cage, pick up Lu Mingfei at the start.

The vehicle was cleverly hidden behind a broken wall, blending into the dilapidated surroundings.

"Take it."

Before stepping into that land of death, Xu Tong distributed several simple, metallic-looking small devices to everyone.

Lu Mingfei curiously examined the device in his hand that looked like a Bluetooth headset. Before he could ask any questions, Xu Tong, as if he could read his mind, explained in advance: "It's a communicator. You can make a call by lightly touching the outer shell with your finger. Wear it properly; this thing might be your lifeline inside, so don't lose it."

Lu Mingfei carefully inserted it into his ear as instructed. The cool touch made his ear, which was burning from tension, feel a little more comfortable.

An inappropriate thought even flashed through his mind: These are Bluetooth headphones, can I connect them to my phone and play a song?

Of course, this thought was quickly suppressed by a stronger will to survive. It looks like a Bluetooth headset, but it's not a real Bluetooth headset.

"Stay close, everyone be alert." Xu Tong lowered his voice, made a hand gesture, and took the lead in making his way toward the building that resembled the remains of a giant beast.

The heavy alloy door of the medical research institute had long lost its former majesty. It was twisted and deformed, leaning outwards, with large traces of strong acid corrosion remaining on its edges. It stood open menacingly, like the gaping maw of some monster that would never close after it had rotted, exuding an ominous aura.

"It's really shabby," Lu Mingfei muttered to himself, feeling his throat go dry.

"It's an antique from decades ago. Judging from the state of this door, it was probably breached by the Devouring Beasts in the early stages of the disaster." Xu Tong tapped the door with his chin, his tone calm as if he were discussing the weather.

He sidestepped and nimbly slid into the narrow gap, moving as lightly as a cat.

Lu Mingfei took a deep breath and followed his example, almost tiptoeing and holding his breath as he squeezed in, afraid of accidentally knocking over the rickety door and making a sound.

An indescribable stench, a mixture of musty smells, dust, and the sweet, fishy odor of some kind of rotten organic matter, hit Lu Mingfei, making him feel nauseous and instinctively cover his mouth and nose.

"Ugh... the smell here is so strong!" Xia Dou, who was following behind him, also frowned and couldn't help but complain.

The world inside the door is a tomb where light and shadow intertwine. Unlike the desolate openness outside, this is a meticulously preserved death scene.

Thick dust covered everything, and strangely colored molds spread across the walls, resembling ominous murals. The once pristine white floor was now covered in stains and dried, dark brown marks.

"Next, antidote pills. We might encounter bromine mist or some other weird stuff later." Xu Tong poured out a few black pills from a portable bottle at his waist and distributed them to everyone.

Lu Mingfei, Maiduo, and Xiadou took the pills and swallowed them. When it was Suixing's turn, she looked at the pill in her palm, her brows furrowing almost imperceptibly, and hesitated for a moment.

"Sister Suixing, why aren't you eating?" Lu Mingfei noticed her hesitation and asked curiously.

Sui Xing closed her eyes, as if she were heading to the execution ground, and suddenly tilted her head back to throw the pill into her mouth. She swallowed it almost immediately, and a very subtle expression, similar to "facing death without fear," flashed across her face.

Xu Tong watched from the side, letting out a few ambiguous "hehe" laughs, tinged with mischief.

Lu Mingfei glanced at Xu Tong, then at Sui Xing, whose expression was rather unnatural, and wondered to himself: Could there be something wrong with this antidote pill? But Mai Duo and Xia Dou both ate it.

He wanted to ask more, but Sui Xing seemed to see through his thoughts, shook her head, and gave him a look that seemed unwilling to explain. Lu Mingfei immediately gave up the idea of ​​asking.

Alright, it's best he doesn't pry into Cool Girl's secrets. He shook his head, trying to shake off those messy guesses and focus on the task at hand.

"What's wrong with him?" Maiduo asked Xiadou in a low voice, looking at Lu Mingfei who was suddenly shaking his head erratically.

"I don't know, maybe... I was too nervous?" Xia Dou guessed.

The further you go in, the thinner the natural light filtering in from the main gate becomes, until it is eventually swallowed up by almost complete darkness.

Only a few remaining emergency lights, like the eyes of a dying person, flickered with a ghostly green or pale blue light, barely outlining the contours of a vast space—this used to be the reception hall.

Overturned chairs, yellowed documents scattered on the floor, and unidentified dark stains solidified on the floor and walls... all combine to create a silent, apocalyptic scene.

What's most chilling are the scattered "flesh and soil," which retain the final posture of life being instantly taken away—dark gray, cracked, and the most direct sculpture of death.

The air was cold and damp, as if it could penetrate clothing and pierce to the bone.

Lu Mingfei involuntarily shivered, instinctively gripping the rifle in his arms, maintaining his Returning to Origin state to the extreme, fearing that even the slightest fluctuation of life essence would be like a stone thrown into stagnant water, disturbing the evil spirits sleeping in this abyss.

"Don't scare yourself. Stay in your original state, and they won't be able to find us." Mai Duo keenly noticed Lu Mingfei's momentary stiffness, reached out and gently patted his back, her voice steady and reassuring.

Lu Mingfei glanced at her gratefully and forced a smile, though he knew it looked worse than a grimace.

"Poor visibility, maintain formation, stay alert." Xu Tong's voice was low, yet exceptionally clear in the silence.

As if blending into the shadows, Shattered Star moved silently to the flank of the group. His composite bow was already half-drawn, and his sharp eyes scanned the darkness, not missing any unusual movements.

Maiduo, wielding a long spear, guarded the other side. Xiadou, on the other hand, was positioned in the relatively safe middle of the group, the screen of her detection device emitting a faint but reassuring light.

The exploration continued in the suffocating silence. The occasional "crack" sound of stepping on broken glass or unidentified hard objects was amplified infinitely in the absolute silence, making Lu Mingfei's heart skip a beat and his scalp tingle with unease each time.

Lu Mingfei felt like his nerves were being stretched taut like a rubber band, ready to snap at any moment.

My mind was uncontrollably playing classic jump scares from various horror movies, and I always felt that a hideous monster would pounce out from some corner at any moment.

"I mean... isn't it a little too quiet here?" Lu Mingfei finally couldn't help but ask in a voice barely audible, the darkness amplifying all his unease. "Really... not a single Devouring Beast?"

"Relax, they don't like to stay in places without life-generating substances." Xia Dou didn't even look up, her attention still mostly on her detector.

Maido added in a low voice, "But don't let your guard down. Some dangers don't necessarily come from the Devouring Beasts."

Just then, Xu Tong, who was walking in front, suddenly stopped and raised his fist. Everyone froze instantly.

Looking in the direction he indicated, at the end of the corridor, a grove of plants emitting a faint blue light came into view.

They resemble eerie sea anemones breathing in the darkness, clustering around a central, suspended, spherical, strange flower with petals that undulate slightly like those of a living sea urchin.

The sweet, fishy smell became particularly strong here.

"What is that?" Lu Mingfei was drawn to the eerie and beautiful creature, yet instinctively felt fear, and asked in a low voice.

"The Mana Flower," it was Shattered Star who spoke this time. Her voice was still cold, but it carried an explanatory tone, "the nests and supply stations of the Devouring Beasts. They absorb the life essence brought back by the Devouring Beasts and have a certain chance... to cause the Devouring Beasts to evolve."

"Evolution?!" Lu Mingfei gasped. "Then shouldn't we..." He subconsciously thought that if he could destroy it, wouldn't that count as doing a good deed?

"Don't get any funny ideas." Shattered Star immediately interrupted him, his tone serious. "The roots of the Mana Flower are connected to the 'Breath Soil.' Any attack could awaken them, and that thing will chase you like flowing death until it completely devours you and drains your essence."

Lu Mingfei immediately abandoned his little scheme, obediently followed the group, held his breath, and tried to stay as far away as possible from that alluring flower of death.

After searching several more rooms, they found nothing but more abandoned equipment and silent, lifeless soil. Just as Lu Mingfei began to doubt whether this trip was a waste of time, exciting news came from Xia Dou.

"Hey! Look what I found! A backup power control system!" She squatted in front of a dusty control panel, her fingers flying across the keyboard, her eyes gleaming with the light of someone who had discovered a treasure. "The wiring is badly worn, but the core module seems salvageable... Let me try to force a restart!"

After a faint hum of electricity, several previously lifeless fluorescent tubes above suddenly flickered, struggled for a few moments, and finally steadily cast a pale light!

Although the illumination range is limited, it is enough to dispel large areas of darkness and expose details that were originally hidden in the shadows.

The sudden light made Lu Mingfei squint, but a surge of joy welled up inside him. With light, he felt much safer!

"Well done, Bean!" Xu Tong praised, then his tone shifted to a more serious one, "But everyone, stay alert! This light might attract uninvited guests! Maintain your focus and speed things up!"

With the light providing guidance, efficiency improved significantly. In order to find the target as quickly as possible, Xu Tong decisively ordered them to split up and act separately.

"Shattered Star, east side. Mai Duo, Xia Dou, west side laboratory and archives. Lu Mingfei, come with me to the north warehouse. Maintain communication, report any findings immediately!"

Lu Mingfei followed Xu Tong toward the North District, his feelings a mix of emotions. He was both afraid of being separated from the group and vaguely felt a sense of mission from being trusted.

The aisles in the storage area were even narrower and filled with abandoned shelves and miscellaneous items.

"Keep your eyes peeled. Medicines are usually specially marked or stored in temperature-controlled warehouses," Xu Tong reminded her as she searched.

Lu Mingfei focused intently, leaving no corner unchecked. When he pushed open a half-collapsed fire door, the sight before him made his breath catch in his throat!

Behind the door was a relatively intact warehouse, with rows of metal shelves neatly arranged and piled high with boxes.

At the deepest part of the warehouse was a separate cold storage room with a malfunctioning access control system! Through the blurry observation window, they could clearly see that what was neatly stacked inside was their target—various tightly packaged medicines and medical equipment!

"Found it! I found it! It's in the cold storage of the North District warehouse!" Lu Mingfei suppressed the excitement that was about to burst out of his chest and immediately pressed the communicator to report, his voice trembling slightly.

"Great! Everyone, move towards Lu Mingfei's position!" Xu Tong shouted excitedly in the communication channel.

Soon, the team members gathered at the warehouse.

"Great! So much!" Xia Dou's eyes lit up as she looked at the supplies in the cold storage.

"Don't just stand there! Move the medicines, surgical instruments, and important equipment according to the priority list! Hurry up!" Xu Tong immediately gave the order.

A highly efficient production line was quickly established. Lu Mingfei also put aside his initial nervousness and devoted himself fully to the handling work.

Watching boxes of precious supplies being safely transported out and loaded onto trucks, an indescribable sense of accomplishment and belonging welled up in his heart.

Just as the last batch of supplies was about to be moved and everyone felt a little relieved and prepared to leave, Sui Xing's figure slipped back from the entrance like a ghost. Her face was cold and stern, as if covered with a layer of frost.

"Something's wrong." She lowered her voice, raised her hand to signal for quiet, and quickly crouched down. "There's movement outside. It's not a Devouring Beast. It's a vehicle, a lot of people, approaching."

Everyone froze instantly. Lu Mingfei's heart skipped a beat, and his relaxed nerves tensed up to their limit in an instant.

His first instinct was to peek out through the broken window of the warehouse, thinking that the village's helpers had arrived.

Just then, a gloved hand swiftly and forcefully covered his mouth, preventing him from making any sound.

"It's Sui Xing," she shook her head at him, her dark eyes filled with a stern warning.

Lu Mingfei swallowed back the question that was about to come out, conveying his confusion with his eyes.

Xu Tong squatted down beside the remaining supplies and secretly pointed upwards at Sui Xing with his finger.

Sui Xing nodded slightly. Lu Mingfei was even more confused. He looked up, but all he saw was a metallic ceiling. What did pointing upwards mean? An enemy from the sky?

"It's those guys on the pot lid again. Looks like they're here looking for supplies too, and they're going to compete with us for supplies again, humph!" Xia Dou complained.

"A big pot lid?" Lu Mingfei asked in a hushed voice, completely bewildered.

"It's a lighthouse!" Xu Tong spat, his tone filled with obvious disdain and wariness. "A giant aerial fortress floating in the sky, claiming to be humanity's last hope. They are the largest known human settlement, with an insane number of rules that divide people into different classes."

"There are other settlements outside?" Lu Mingfei was even more surprised.

"Of course there are, but they are few, and most are well hidden, like us," Mado added, her eyes fixed on the window. "Those guys at the Lighthouse, relying on their numbers and better equipment, are collecting resources everywhere, claiming it's for the continuation of humanity. We in Dragonbone Village have always avoided contact with them, and we don't want them to discover our exact location."

"Why? Aren't they all human?" Lu Mingfei asked, puzzled.

"Sigh, it's hard to explain in a short time. In short, it's a difference in ideology, and for some reason, the people at the Lighthouse think they are the last humans. They don't know we exist, and we don't want to have any contact with them. Plus, there are a lot of rules up there. Sigh, I'll talk to you about it later," Xu Tong said with a cold laugh, seemingly disliking the so-called Lighthouse.

"We've almost finished moving everything, just these last few boxes. Once they're all inside, we'll go out the other way so they don't see us."

Just then, the sound of an engine shutting off, heavy footsteps, and commands with static coming from a loudspeaker came from outside.

Through the cracks in the wall, one could see a team of personnel dressed in uniform gray combat suits, wearing standardized masks, well-equipped, and exuding a cold sense of order as they cautiously entered the main building of the research institute.

Their style, in stark contrast to the lively and dynamic Longgu Village team, carried an inhuman, mechanical sense of oppression.

The air inside the warehouse was almost frozen. Lu Mingfei held his breath, able to clearly hear his own heart pounding like a drum. He looked at the unfamiliar "Lighthouse" members, a complex mix of emotions welling up inside him. This post-apocalyptic world was far larger and more...complex than he had imagined.

"Don't be nervous, they're far enough away they won't spot us. They've left sentries outside, we'll have to lie low for a while longer." Xu Tong patted Lu Mingfei's shoulder, his tone surprisingly expectant, "Maybe there'll be a good show to watch later."

"A good show?" Lu Mingfei wondered when a heavy, rhythmic metallic stomping sound came from afar.

Before long, several steel giants, each three or four meters tall, came into Lu Mingfei's view with steady steps. They had sharp lines, heavy armor, and their cold metal shells gleamed in the dim light.

"Holy crap! Mechs?! They're so cool!" Lu Mingfei almost exclaimed, his eyes wide with amazement. As a former gamer, this thing was incredibly impactful for him.

"There are tens of thousands of people on the lighthouse, while we only have a few hundred. They have a much more complete industrial system." Xu Tong's tone was filled with undisguised envy as he looked on longingly. "Who wouldn't want one? They're so cool..."

Just then, a girl with short white hair skipped along beside a black mecha. Her hair was even shorter than Bai Yuekui's, and her bright smile made her appear exceptionally petite and lively against the backdrop of the massive mecha.

"Mark, there don't seem to be any Devouring Beasts here." The girl's voice was clear and cheerful.

"Ran Bing, stay alert and don't let your guard down." A calm and serious male voice came from inside the mecha, transmitted through the external speaker. It had a metallic texture, but beneath that seriousness, there seemed to be a hint of gentleness that was not easily noticed.

"Okay, Captain!" Ran Bing replied with a smile, her smile still bright.