On the Ark.

Lin Ye remembered something and quickly got up to put on his clothes.

Thinking about it carefully, he realized that he had actually stayed in Longmen for a shorter time this time than the last time, less than a week. But because of what happened at the theater, it felt like he had been there for a long time.

Although Lungmen is more developed than Rhodes Island in many ways, Lin Ye still prefers staying on Rhodes Island. After all, he's been to Lungmen twice, and both times he nearly lost his life; the probability of being attacked was practically 100%. Lin Ye feels that Lungmen and he are just not compatible, so he was quite relieved when he learned he could return to Rhodes Island. He wonders if Nightingale has returned yet; he hopes she, Shining, and Nearl can successfully complete their mission.

As Lin Ye pondered this, he quickly packed his things. While putting the gun in his pocket, he suddenly realized he could ask Swire to help him buy one. Although Exusiai had said that even money couldn't guarantee a gun, Swire's family seemed to be more than just wealthy. With a try-it-and-see attitude, Lin Ye sent Swire a text message asking, then carried his luggage to the cafeteria.

He was also the last one to arrive.

Ifrit had been woken up by Himer and was sitting at the table, holding a sausage in her left hand and a sandwich in her right, but she looked like she hadn't woken up yet.

Himer stood behind Ifrit, braiding her hair like an old mother.

Just then, someone tapped Lin Ye on the shoulder from behind. Lin Ye turned around and saw a young face. Lin Ye even recognized his name—El, a member of Team E3.

"Dr. Lin, you and I will ride in the same car later."

"Huh?" Lin Ye was taken aback. "We only have one car, don't we?"

“There won’t be just one car on the way back,” El said with a smile. “How will our little car transport those large instruments? The delivery truck was prepared by Rhine Labs, but I’ll be responsible for driving Rhodes Island’s car back, so you can sit with me.”

"Oh, I understand." Lin Ye nodded. "No problem."

Squad E3 is one of Rhodes Island's elite standing squads. The squad is predominantly male, led by ACE, and its six members are all experienced warriors. For example, El, who is currently speaking to Lin Ye, is also a Guard operator and seems to possess strength comparable to Yato, who is the leader of Operations Group A4.

"Alright, let's grab a bite and hit the road." ACE carried a shield in his left hand and a black iron hammer in his right. Before speaking, he tapped his shield with the hammer to draw everyone's attention. "If we wait any longer, it won't be as easy to leave the city."

At this point, Lin Ye didn't understand the meaning of ACE, but half an hour later he knew why it was difficult to leave the city. The streets were now filled with Guard Bureau personnel, checking every passing vehicle and the people inside.

"That's why the captain told us to leave so early," El said to Lin Ye while driving. "Longmen is on high alert. Checkpoints have been set up, and it will be difficult to pass through when there are many cars and people later."

"I didn't expect what happened the day before yesterday to escalate to this extent." Looking out the window, Lin Ye asked softly, "How many infected people are there in Lungmen?"

“It’s definitely not a small amount.” El shrugged. “Mr. Wei should be having a lot of trouble right now. Look, the Guard Bureau has already come out, and they probably haven’t slept all night either.”

Lin Ye looked at the members of the National Guard in riot gear on the street, and suddenly remembered something. He took out his phone and found that Swire had replied to his text message.

"Huh? You want a gun? One of those Lateran guardian guns? What do you need that for?"

Just as Lin Ye was about to reply, Swire suddenly called.

As soon as the call connected, Swire's distinctive voice came through the receiver: "What's wrong with you? You texted me and then didn't reply."

"Uh, I didn't expect you to be up so early. Aren't you at the hospital anymore?"

“That damn dragon destroyed my ward, what am I still doing in the hospital? I’m already out on duty,” Swire said. “I’m very busy right now. To make a long story short, is what you want the Laterano’s Guardian Gun?”

"Yes."

"Tsk, it really is that kind of thing. I have to say, you really know how to ask for things. Can't you ask for something simple? I'll give you a piano instead."

"...I can't play the piano."

"So you just want a gun? Okay, okay, I'll go ask around for you and give you an answer in a few days. How much longer do you plan to stay in Lungmen?"

"Uh, I'm on my way out of Lungmen right now."

"Huh? What's going on? Leaving so early. You really are... Never mind, you're on Rhodes Island, right? I'll just have someone deliver it to you once I find it." Swire's voice suddenly became noisy. "Ugh, what a hassle. I'm not talking anymore, I have to work. Call me next time you're in Lungmen."

"Okay, thanks, goodbye..."

Before he could finish speaking, Swire hung up the phone.

After hanging up the phone, Lin Ye couldn't help but sigh inwardly. Swire's physical condition was just too exaggerated. She was stabbed so many times the night before last, and she was able to go out on duty today. There really is a difference between people, especially in the world of Terra.

"The Lateran's Guardian Gun?" El, who overheard Lin Ye and Swire's conversation, asked Lin Ye with some confusion, "What do you need that kind of weapon for?"

Lin Ye replied matter-of-factly, "For self-defense."

“Uh, but don’t you have a sword?” El looked at Lin Ye’s black steel sword. “I heard your swordsmanship is quite good, and you even defeated Night Blade.”

"That was because Yato was holding back; actually, I'm pretty bad."

"Can I interpret this as modesty?"

Lin Ye sighed: "Do I look like I'm being modest? I'm really bad at this. The Guardian Gun is the only weapon that suits me best."

"But this kind of weapon is very hard to get, even Anderscher doesn't have it."

Who is Andercher?

“The member of Reserve Group A4 is also a Lateran, an angel with a circle on his head,” El said. “He is a sniper operator, but he uses a crossbow. According to him, not every angel can have his own guardian gun.”

That's the same as what Exusiai said.

“The Lateran Guardian Gun is indeed an excellent mid-range weapon, but I prefer my own sword. I feel more at ease with the sword in my hand than with the bullets I fire,” El said with a smile.

The two chatted all the way. Compared to the older ACE, El seemed more like Lin Ye's peer, and peers always have a lot to talk about. The morning passed quickly, and at noon, they arrived at the factory ACE had mentioned. Rhine Lab's researchers were already waiting there, led by Kado.

"Why do these guys at Rhine Lab always like to wear clothes that cover their whole body? It looks weird and creepy," El complained.

Lin Ye nodded in agreement. He felt the same way, especially with that guy, Kado, who looked almost like Voldemort with a nose.

"Dr. Lin." Himer led Ifrit to Lin Ye's side. "Ifrit is in your care. You don't need to get out of the car. We can handle the work here."

Lin Ye, who was about to get off the bus, sat back down: "Okay, I don't want to move anyway."

Ifrit held onto Himer's hand tightly and wouldn't let go.

"What's wrong, Ifrit?" Himer asked, looking at Ifrit.

Ifrit was silent for a moment, then said, "I don't like those people. Himer shouldn't go there."

"What are you talking about?" Himer pinched Ifrit's cheek. "This is work. How can work be affected by personal preferences? Besides, they are all my former colleagues. They watched you grow up. How could they harm us?"

Ifrit kept her head down and didn't speak. Himer handed Ifrit over to Lin Ye, and then walked with Ace towards Kado and the others.

……

Kado smiled broadly at Himer as she approached: "Good morning, Himer."

“Good morning, Director,” Hamer asked. “Those instruments…”

"Don't worry, it's all ready." Kado turned slightly to the side, behind them was a truck. "Everything's loaded in here. Check it over, and if there are no problems, you can drive away."

Himer nodded slightly: "Thank you, Director."

Kado's smile widened: "Me too, Himer."

……

Lin Ye's phone suddenly rang.

He initially thought it was Swire, but upon closer inspection, he discovered it was Skadi.

Curious, Lin Ye was about to answer the call.

boom!

A truck suddenly exploded in front of the factory.

Lin Ye suddenly looked up and saw flames engulfing everyone, with a wave of heat hitting them.

Before he could understand what was happening, he saw Ifrit rush out: "Hermer!"

"grass!"

He cursed under his breath, and just as he opened the car door, a long knife slashed down from mid-air, splitting the door in two. He turned his head and saw a masked swordsman wielding a long knife.

Now he understood.

We've been attacked again!

Chapter 182 ACE

Lin Ye had lost count of how many times he had been attacked. Even though he had already left Lungmen, he still couldn't escape this calamity. Of course, the frequent attacks had also honed his reaction skills. After dodging the longsword man's first strike, he immediately pulled out his Colt Python from his pocket, pressed the hammer, and fired a shot at the longsword man's head. The whole sequence of movements was fluid and seamless.

It's a pity the shot went wide.

Because the longsword user's reaction was equally quick, he moved as Lin Ye drew his gun. After dodging Lin Ye's first shot, he immediately withdrew the knife he had used to cut off the car door, and then slashed at Lin Ye again. During this time, Lin Ye fired a second shot, which struck the longsword user in the shoulder, splattering a cloud of blood.

At this distance, the Colt Python's advantage far outweighed that of the longsword. The longsword user who ambushed Lin Ye only managed to land the first strike; the second strike, though raised, failed to land. Lin Ye then kicked the longsword user in the stomach, sending him flying. He had originally intended to finish him off with a shot, but hesitated at the last second. It wasn't a sudden surge of pity, but rather because he had five bullets in his magazine. Using three to kill one person, leaving only two, would be too passive. The remaining bullets were in his backpack, and retrieving them would take time. Without knowing the specific situation, recklessly emptying the magazine was clearly unwise.

He quickly realized what a wise decision he had made. Just as he was about to use the black steel sword to finish off the enemy instead of a bullet, El, in the driver's seat, suddenly grabbed him, and the two of them jumped out of the car and fell to the ground.

Before Lin Ye could ask what was wrong, a loud bang came from behind him. He turned around and was so shocked that he couldn't speak.

A huge axe came down from the roof of the car, splitting the seats they had been sitting in five seconds earlier in two.

The one who wielded that axe was a head taller than the car, a scruffy "giant" with red hair and a red beard.

"What the hell is this?!" Lin Ye had never seen anyone like this before.

“Don’t be surprised at a time like this.” El helped Lin Ye to his feet and then drew his sword. “We’ve been ambushed. These guys are infected, and they’re probably from the same organization that attacked the theater in Lungmen the day before yesterday.”

The red-haired giant picked up the axe from the carriage seat and slung it over his shoulder. He stared at Lin Ye and El, his throat bobbing as he uttered a hoarse, incomprehensible sound.

At the same time, the ear-piercing sound of chainsaws rang out from both sides. Lin Ye looked around and found that two equally tall "people" wearing huge protective suits and carrying blood-stained chainsaws were slowly approaching them from both sides. Unbeknownst to them, they had been surrounded.

Only then did Lin Ye realize that those guys with knives were actually the weakest.

Facing the red-haired giant's chilling gaze, Lin Ye felt a chill run down his spine. He immediately raised his gun and pulled the trigger, aiming at the giant's head. Although his marksmanship wasn't great, his luck was good; the shot struck the giant's forehead cleanly. The force of the bullet sent the giant's head tilting backward. Lin Ye initially thought it would die instantly, but it didn't. After a slight backward tilt, the giant lowered its head again, continuing to "stare" at Lin Ye with its eyes, which were still unable to see its eyeballs.

Lin Ye thought he had missed, but he clearly saw a hole in the red-haired giant's forehead, from which blood was slowly seeping out.

The red-haired giant let out a beast-like roar as he raised his axe.

They're still alive?!

If he hadn't rendered the knife-wielding man incapacitated with a single shot, Lin Ye would have thought he was holding a toy gun and that what he had just fired wasn't a bullet, but a BB gun!

"Don't stand there!" El growled. "Don't count on your gun against an enemy like this. Draw your sword!"

As he spoke, El deftly swung his sword, decapitating the man still struggling on the ground. He then charged at the nearest chainsaw-wielding soldier, who raised his chainsaw and brought it down. El swung his sword, and the brutal chainsaw clashed with the not-so-wide blade. Lin Ye had expected El's sword to snap in two instantly, but it withstood the chainsaw, albeit with considerable difficulty.

Another armed man had already moved behind Lin Ye. Given El's example, Lin Ye had no choice but to draw his black steel sword. But he was uncertain whether his sword could withstand the chainsaw.

The armed man slowly approached him. Lin Ye really wanted to shoot him in the head again. But he hadn't even managed to kill the completely unarmored red-haired giant, so this fully armed guy was even less likely to be killed. Right now, Lin Ye only had two bullets left. He absolutely couldn't waste them on an enemy he knew he couldn't kill with a gun before he took his backpack out of the car.

Gripping the sword hilt tightly, Lin Ye took a deep breath, trying to find the feeling of Leaping Wave Strike. However, the next second, a tall figure rushed out from the side, knocking the armed man down.

It is ACE.

"You brat, are you out of your mind?" Blood trickled from ACE's forehead as he glared at Lin Ye, shield in hand and hammer in hand. "Don't think you're invincible just because you've been learning swordsmanship from Yato for a few months."

"ACE, you're not dead?!"