Rise of the Wasteland in Cultivation

Bi Lang was somewhat tempted by Xiang Zhenlong's invitation. After all, the conditions offered were very attractive, and with the frequent zombie hordes, the C-level camp had become unsafe. Working in a higher-level shelter would obviously be safer and offer a better future.

"Captain Xiang, we need to discuss this with you before we can give you an answer," Bi Lang said after a moment's thought.

Although Xiao San wasn't a member of the Canglang Squad, Bi Lang felt it was still necessary to consult him.

Seeing that Bi Lang did not refuse directly, Xiang Zhenlong said happily, "Okay, no problem. Once you've discussed it, come to shelter A-08 to find me anytime. Now I'll have someone take your statements."

After Xiang Zhenlong finished speaking, he sent someone to take a statement from Ye Wenrou and the others, while he himself walked towards the group of slaves. After talking for only a few minutes, he let them leave, but they only drove away with the mountain bike.

It's clear that Xiang Zhenlong managed to seize the other side's armored vehicle, demonstrating skill in striking a balance between pressure and persuasion.

About half an hour later, Ye Wenrou and the others had finished giving their statements. They only described the course of the zombie horde attack, and deliberately omitted the fact that the armored zombie was suspected of targeting Leng San, so as not to cause trouble for Leng San.

"Squadron Leader Xiang, the statement is done, can we go now?" Ye Wenrou was rushing to Camp C-444.

Zhang Ligang sneered, "Hand over the camp's core energy source before you leave."

Everyone was stunned. Bi Lang roared, "Zhang Ligang, I knew you were up to no good! What energy core? Don't try to pin this on me!"

Xiang Zhenlong quickly stepped aside from Zhang Ligang and said calmly, "Old Bi, please calm down. It's like this, the energy core of Camp C-361 is indeed missing..."

"That's none of my business. I didn't take it, that's all. It's such a big lump, weighing several hundred pounds. Where could I hide it?" Bi Lang said with a dark face.

Xiang Zhenlong hesitated for a moment, then finally nodded and said, "Alright, it shouldn't have been you who took it. You can leave now."

Zhang Ligang wanted to say something, but Xiang Zhenlong stopped him with a stern look.

Ye Wenrou didn't say a word and got into the passenger seat of the pickup truck.

Zhou Chen glanced at Zhang Ligang and chuckled, "Thanks for your keen observation, Squadron Leader Xiang. We're leaving now. Also, that guy surnamed Zhang, don't send anyone to deliver equipment to us again."

Zhang Ligang's lips twitched.

"Brother Chen, wait for me, I'll go with you." Tang Hao'er caught up and tried to help Zhou Chen, who had injured his thigh, but was ruthlessly pushed to the ground by the latter.

"You slut, get out of here!" Zhou Chen cursed. "Weren't you just going to be a slave and give birth? Why didn't you go with me?"

Zhou Chen got into the car while cursing, slammed the door shut, and ignored Tang Hao'er, who collapsed to the ground in a daze.

Ye Wenrou rolled down the passenger window and said calmly, "Get in."

Tang Hao'er was overjoyed and quickly climbed into the back of the pickup truck, which was quite sensible.

Xiang Zhenlong walked to the car and reminded them, "That young captain just now is called Duan Feng. He has some influence in the slave trade. You need to be careful."

"Thank you for the reminder, Squadron Leader Xiang," Bi Lang said politely, but he also knew in his heart that Xiang Zhenlong was not entirely acting out of kindness. This was a way of putting pressure on the Canglang Squad to make them choose to join the Alliance Guard.

How could someone become a squad leader without some cunning and skill?

Xiang Zhenlong watched the pickup truck drive away. Zhang Ligang asked, somewhat puzzled, "Why did you let them leave so easily, Captain Xiang? Even if they didn't steal the energy core, you should have waited until the investigation was complete before letting them go."

Xiang Zhenlong said calmly, "They didn't steal the energy core."

Zhang Ligang asked in surprise, "Why is Captain Xiang so certain?"

"Because in the past year or so, ten, no, including here, a total of eleven Class C camps have been destroyed by the zombie horde, and their energy cores have all disappeared without exception."

Zhang Ligang exclaimed in surprise, "Is that so?"

Xiang Zhenlong frowned and said, "At first, the alliance also thought it was stolen by surviving scavengers, but the disappearance of energy cores from ten camps in a row is obviously abnormal."

Zhang Ligang's heart skipped a beat, and he blurted out, "Could it be that the real purpose of the zombie horde attacking the camp is for the energy core? That's too absurd."

"It is indeed absurd, but there is no more reasonable explanation at the moment," Xiang Zhenlong nodded.

"What would zombies need an energy core for? Besides, they don't have any thoughts; they're just a bunch of walking corpses."

Xiang Zhenlong shook his head and said, "You can't say that. The mutated zombies have evolved a certain level of intelligence, and the armored zombies are even more intelligent. There were armored zombies in this attack on Camp C-361."

Zhang Ligang said sternly, "If the attack on the camp wasn't a random act by the zombie horde, then I'm afraid no Class C camp will be safe in the future."

Xiang Zhenlong said with a solemn expression, "It's not just C-level camps; all camps are no longer safe, which is why the Alliance is in a hurry to increase manpower. Old Zhang, it's not worth it for a woman. Some grudges should be put aside."

Zhang Ligang said with a somewhat unnatural expression, "Captain Xiang, don't worry, the conflict between Bi Lang and me is just a minor one. I have absolutely no objection to you recruiting the Canglang Squad."

…………

The pickup truck drove away from the destroyed C-361 camp. Ye Wenrou sat in the passenger seat, looking at the bracelet that was now covered in cracks, her eyes filled with heartache.

In the battle with the enslavers just now, this protective bracelet once again played a role in saving Ye Wenrou's life, but the magic artifact's energy was almost exhausted. It not only lost its original luster but also gained many cracks.

"Why did you, gentle girl, have to bring that bitch Tang Hao'er along?" Zhou Chen was still a little resentful.

Ye Wenrou was in a bad mood and said angrily, "Then just throw her out of the car now."

Zhou Chen said awkwardly, "Fine, we'll dump her when we get to Camp C-444. That bitch is a disgrace."

The fat man laughed and said, "Brother Chen, stop being stubborn. You just can't bear to part with her. If you could, you wouldn't have rescued Tang Hao'er and put her in the car last night, and you wouldn't have been angry because Tang Hao'er went with the slavers."

Zhou Chen was taken aback for a moment, then angrily kicked the back of the fat man's seat and cursed, "You fatso, you're talking nonsense! I'm a level two gene-enhanced warrior, why would I be interested in a bitch?"

The fat man said, feeling wronged, "I was just telling the truth. Maybe you don't realize it yourself, but it's true that you care about her. Otherwise, why would you always patronize her business?"

Zhou Chen sneered disdainfully, "You don't know anything. I'm just doing a good deed and taking care of my physiological needs. The books say, 'Do good deeds every day and don't worry about the future.'"

"Just do good deeds and don't worry about the future," Bi Lang corrected.

Zhou Chen said proudly: "Others are Dan Xing, but I am R-Xing!"

Everyone was speechless.

…………

When Leng San opened his eyes, he was surprised to see blue sky and white clouds, smell the fragrance of flowers and grass, and even hear the melodious chirping of birds.

This must be a dream!

Leng San closed his eyes, but he quickly realized that he was not dreaming, because the grass beneath him was quite prickly, and the air was clearly filled with spiritual energy.

When Leng San opened his eyes again, the first thing he saw was the azure sky, with the wind pushing the cotton-like white clouds slowly by.

Leng San was filled with confusion. Had he died and been transported to another world?

So Leng San quickly sat up, looked down at his clothes, and realized that he was still Leng San, the scavenger from the wasteland world. His physical body was still there, and he had not transmigrated at all.

So what exactly happened?

Leng San vaguely remembered that Jin Leimu suddenly burst out from his dantian and killed the armored corpse, after which he fainted and lost consciousness.

Thinking of this, Leng San quickly examined his dantian and found it empty and somewhat cracked, while the Golden Thunderwood was nowhere to be found.

At this moment, Leng San suddenly felt a throbbing pain in his head and quickly withdrew from the internal vision state.

The power of the Golden Thunderwood was too great; it was beyond what he, at the second level of Qi Refining, could use. It drained his spiritual sea in an instant, and his mental energy was also excessively depleted as a result.

Just then, a delicate white hand reached out, groping around, and finally touched Leng San's leg. Only then did Leng San realize that Chen Xi, the little girl, was lying next to him, clearly having just woken up from her coma.

Leng San quickly helped the little girl sit up and asked with concern, "Xiao Xi, are you alright?"

"Brother!" Chenxi called out, her voice melodious yet tinged with childishness.

Leng San was taken aback for a moment, then overjoyed and exclaimed, "You can talk?"

Chenxi nodded, but kept her eyes closed, reaching out to feel around as she asked curiously, "Brother, why can't I see you?"

Leng San chuckled, "How can you see with your eyes closed?"

"But I opened my eyes."

Upon hearing this, Leng San reached out and carefully pried open Chen Xi's eyelids, only to find that her pupils had turned dark gray.

Leng San's heart skipped a beat. Could this be a side effect of using his mind control ability?

"Am I blind?" the little girl asked softly, her voice as melodious as a nightingale's song.

Leng San comforted him, "It should only be temporary. You'll recover gradually, so don't worry."

Chenxi seemed slightly relieved upon hearing this, touched the grass beneath her, and asked, "Brother, where is this place?"

This stumped Leng San, who could only truthfully reply, "I'm not sure yet; I need to observe for a while before I can tell you."

Leng San stood up, holding Chen Xi's hand, and looked around. His expression suddenly became extremely strange.

The space in front of us wasn't large, probably only a thousand or two square meters, but it was lush with green grass and a variety of flowers and trees. Bees and butterflies danced among the flowers and grass, and there was a small pond nearby with clear water, where the fish could be clearly seen swimming.

A dark wooden stick was stuck diagonally in the pond; it was none other than the Golden Thunderwood.

Just then, a dark cloud drifted across the clear sky, and a light rain began to fall. Soon after, the rain stopped and the sky cleared. Some earthworms crawled out of the damp grass, attracting a few birds to peck at them.