Doctor will never die in a hellish situation.

The so-called detonator is more for attracting attention than for the actual device itself, which is a small directional bomb.

Talulah, who thought she had deactivated all of W's traps, paid little attention to this inconspicuous device, which gave W the opportunity to secretly aim the detonator, which was marked "This side faces the enemy," at Talulah.

Although the power was not enough to harm the monstrous Talulah, the force of the explosion still made her let go, while W was blasted out of the core tower and took advantage of the smoke and dust obscuring his vision to escape hastily.

The good news is, he survived.

The bad news is that this injury is practically fatal, and he won't be able to fight for a while anyway.

The close-range explosion left W feeling like his body was falling apart. He managed to escape to the safe house that had been prepared beforehand, and after a quick bandage, he fell into a deep sleep. Even now, when he wakes up, his condition is still not much better.

She took out a few painkillers and put them in her mouth. She reached into the mountain for a while and pulled out a photograph that had been folded several times. She skillfully covered a quarter of it with her finger and lowered her head as if she wanted to take a closer look.

Actually, the content of this photo, which she had seen countless times, was very simple: a strange man with a mask, a Sarkaz woman with waist-length hair, a large lynx with a cold face as if someone owed money, and a Sarkaz girl squeezed at the very bottom, smiling incredibly brightly.

However, because all the energy was being supplied to the power system, nothing could be seen at all, and the sky above was pitch black, with even the moon obscured by dark clouds, so no light could be seen at all.

"Never mind, I'll just have to bear with it for now. Dawn will break eventually." She sighed and put the photo away.

So, whose face did W cover with his finger?

Chapter 86, Section 371: Behave Yourself and Don't Move Around

18 hours after the core city crashed into the Dragon Gate, outside the core city.

A Reunion group was patrolling the city wall. They were clearly different from the rabble under Mephisto's command. Their steps were steady and their formation was well-organized. Their equipment was also much better than that of ordinary troops, and they could vaguely be seen as the beginnings of an army.

The Reunion Movement members remaining in the city at this moment, apart from the guerrillas led by Patriot, are all Infected who followed Talulah before the Battle of Chernobog. They have experienced countless arduous battles, with the earliest even dating back to the Northwest Tundra period. Naturally, they cannot be compared to those opportunists.

"Look, what's that?" a sharp-eyed crossbowman pointed into the distance and said alertly.

In the pale light of dawn, a small black dot moved rapidly toward us, quickly growing larger in our field of vision and transforming into a highly technological aircraft.

This was clearly not one of their own vehicles, so without much instruction, the patrol team immediately went into combat mode, each finding cover to prevent possible enemy attacks, while one soldier was assigned to report the situation.

Patiently waiting for the aircraft to approach the city wall, crossbow bolts and spells immediately formed a barrage of fire, forcing the aircraft to take off again. However, it was clearly unwilling to leave just like that and began to circle around looking for an opportunity.

"This must be an attack force sent by Lungmen. Don't let it out of our sight!" The patrol captain made a decisive decision and led his subordinates to follow behind.

Now that we know it's an enemy vehicle, we can't let it land easily, no matter what it's carrying.

Under normal circumstances, even if the aircraft were mostly destroyed in the natural disaster, a little use of the city's defense system's firepower would be enough to easily shoot it down. But right now, all the energy is being supplied to the power system, and their conventional weapons are no match for it, so they have no choice but to resort to this clumsy method.

On the other side, Rhodes Island's convoy was already waiting on the only road leading to the core city, with several Reunion Movement corpses behind them.

“No mistake, these people are Talulah’s elite troops. It seems she was prepared all along.” Alex wiped the blood off his saber, pointed to the pack at the waist of a corpse, and said in a somewhat solemn tone, “Fortunately, we acted quickly enough and didn’t give them a chance to fire a signal flare.”

"In that case, there's not much time left. Get ready to ascend the city walls as soon as possible." Qin Duanyu nodded and turned to instruct the officers to get to work.

The high ground they were on was level with the base of the core city. They could use a small transport vehicle to launch a grappling hook to grab the wall, then slide a few dozen meters on a zipline to reach the bottom of the core city, and then sneak in through the waste exit.

As for the aircraft, it was merely a distraction. He only hoped to make a commotion with it and never expected to fool Talulah. However, the other party's caution was indeed somewhat unexpected, as they had even arranged reconnaissance teams outside the city.

It's obvious that similar teams are also watching over the other suitable landing areas, and they have a way to contact each other regularly to report on their safety. It won't be long before the core city discovers the anomaly.

Although Alex knew the Reunion Movement's internal code and could use it as a cover-up if necessary, it was hard to guarantee that Talulah hadn't changed the code for her direct forces during his absence.

We can only hope that this team recently reported their situation, so that we can buy as much time as possible.

Sigh, the more advantageous and stable a type is, the harder Talulah is to deal with. I don't know if the person who taught her the tactics was too cowardly, or if that's just her personality. Qin Duanyu sighed, watching the terrifying sandstorm stirred up by the moving core city gradually approach, and turned to board the transport vehicle.

Having abandoned the bloated and redundant living quarters, the core city looks like a giant land-based warship. According to Kal'tsit, if it weren't for the lack of energy at full speed, it could actually be used as a weapon, exuding the aura of a warrior nation.

The sandstorm that blotted out the sky provided excellent cover. The transport vehicles drove through it, maintaining a steady speed with the core city. Then, several grappling hooks were launched and firmly hooked onto the walls, forming several temporary passages.

After ACE confirmed that the rigging was secure, he rushed out first, followed by his team members. Then, several beams of light flashed rhythmically, indicating that the other side was safe. The Reunion Movement had not yet reacted.

Next came the various action teams. Even Amiya and Rosemary, two seemingly delicate little girls, skillfully operated the equipment and disappeared into the dust. Soon, there were only a few people left in the carriage.

However, when it was Qin Duanyu's turn, the scene became somewhat awkward.

At Rhodes Island, even trainee operators have to undergo several weeks of training in the use of equipment, so even nominally doctors like Saria and Shining can easily slip to the other side, but he is the only exception.

Despite being a Rhodes Island doctor who can develop training programs and guide operators with great expertise, he's just like a fairy godmother in a certain novel—all talk and no action, his practical skills are far behind his theoretical knowledge.

"Hurry up, Doctor! We're almost at the edge of the cliff, we have to slow down!" the driver in the front seat urged anxiously, then turned around and saw Qin Duanyu's bewildered expression. "Wait, didn't Dr. Kal'tsit assign you any assistants?"

"...It's not entirely her fault; even I forgot that myself." Qin Duanyu took a deep breath, silently recalling the operation manual she had written. "A mere zipline, it's easy to..."

"Hmph, at least you have a conscience!" a voice sneered, and then he realized that he was being held by someone and was suspended in mid-air without any protective measures.

The heart-wrenching screams had barely left their throats when they were drowned out by the enormous sound of the core city moving.

Even though the hand holding Qin Duanyu was steady and strong, driven by his survival instinct, he couldn't help but grab her back and try to climb up until he could find something easy to hold onto.

"Behave yourself, don't move! Believe me or not, I'll let go right now!" The slightly cold voice, coupled with the sudden reduction in the strength of his arm, made Qin Duanyu dare not resist at all, and he obediently told himself that he was a wooden man.

Even though they were both wearing thick protective suits, the person holding him was petite and quite soft to hug, definitely not a rough man, and that cool voice was also very familiar.

Could it be—

After calming down, Qin Duanyu immediately realized two things.

First, the person who carried him was Kal'tsit. Luckily, he didn't say anything bad about her earlier, otherwise he would probably be tormented to the point of ecstasy.

Second, it seems he's caught... cough cough cough.

Actually, I grabbed his shoulder, yes, his shoulder.

Section 372, Chapter 87: The Integration Movement is Not a Monolithic Structure

Three years ago, in the upscale residential area of ​​Chernobog.

After a long day of work, Mr. Sergei, the chief scientific officer of Chernobog, dragged his tired body home. He glanced at the closed bedroom door on the second floor and couldn't help but sigh.

Since his son and wife were discovered to be infected a few years ago and were forcibly taken away by the military and police, his surviving daughter has developed an unspeakable estrangement from him. The father and daughter, who should have depended on each other for survival, seem to have become the most familiar strangers.

He knew his daughter was blaming him for his inaction, but even as the chief research officer, he was utterly helpless when faced with a violent regime.

Perhaps this is his punishment for betraying the research institute? He abandoned everything for his family and became a shameful traitor, yet in the end, he still failed to protect what he cherished.

Sergei went straight to his study, intending to pour himself some wine to relax and then get the day's work moving forward.

"Long time no see, Dr. Sergei." A cold, emotionless voice rang in his ears.

“You…you are…Qin!? But you should already be dead…why are you here…” Looking at the masked man sitting at the desk, Sergei suddenly remembered something, and cold sweat dripped down his forehead.

“First of all, I am not dead. Before Okrina arrived, I received a notification from Director Kal'tsit and successfully escaped. Secondly, I am very familiar with the underground support structure of Chernobog, and the defenses there are lax, so finding your house was not difficult.” The man said coldly, without the slightest hint of smugness.

"So you've come here for revenge? That's right, sins never fade with time, and that day will come sooner or later..." Sergei said to himself, then suddenly smelled blood in the air and demanded sharply, "You... what did you do to Misha? If you have a problem, come at me. I'm willing to accept any punishment you give, but don't harm the child!"

The masked man glanced at him.

After just one instant of eye contact with those crimson points of light, Sergei completely lost the ability to speak, trembling involuntarily like a lamb being targeted by a predator at the top of the food chain.

Even Okraina, who was known as the emperor's eyes and ears and dagger, or the military police who had just returned from the mines to rest, these executioners who had been stained with the blood of countless compatriots, had never given him such a terrifying feeling.

"Dad, what do you want?" The girl's dazed voice came from the second floor, which temporarily relieved Sergei from the shock of fear.

"It's nothing, I thought you weren't home. Keep resting." He replied casually, then mustered his courage to face his former colleague again. "You're not here to catch up, so just tell me what you need."

After this shock, he slowly regained his ability to think and realized that the man in front of him was not there for revenge, but for something else.

"Have you calmed down? Very good. I'm going to the place where you sealed the stone coffin." The masked man stood up and pointed to the core area.

"The sarcophagus? You've unlocked its secrets!? That makes sense. The method of opening and closing it was something you and the director figured out together. So, the so-called divine power..." Sergei's inquisitive spirit as a researcher came into play at an extremely inopportune moment, and it was too late for him to shut up.

The entire research institute was destroyed because of the stone coffin and the altar. Getting involved with it will definitely not end well, not to mention that the person in question is such a formidable figure. What if we anger him because of this?

“I succeeded, but I also failed. And that stone coffin is my chance to turn things around.” The man turned his head and said coldly, “Consider this a favor I owe you. Do you have any wishes? Perhaps I can grant them.”

"If possible, please take care of my child for me!" Sergei said with a wry smile, sounding utterly helpless.

What Sergei really wanted most was the forgiveness of his former colleagues at the research institute, but he knew that this was impossible. So he made a condition that he thought he would never need in his life.

After all, Alex's fate was unknown after he was captured, while Misha had stayed by his side. Having experienced the pain of losing his son, he vowed never to let his daughter suffer any more grievances, and he didn't think he would need to take care of her anywhere in the future.

Unless, he is dead.

"Okay, I've got it figured out." The man nodded solemnly and walked towards the door first.

……

"Doctor, are you alright?" Amiya tugged at Qin Duanyu's sleeve, asking with some concern, "Are you still recovering from the shock you experienced when you landed?"

Although Qin Duanyu seemed to know this place as well as his own backyard, leading the operators along some roads that weren't even marked on the map and successfully avoiding a large number of patrolling enemies, he fell into a daze after stepping into the core city's supporting structure, and his tone revealed calmness and indifference.

This stirred up some unpleasant memories for her, making her think that Qin Duanyu, due to his long-term command of battles, was showing signs of developing into that dangerous situation again.

"Don't worry, I've checked on this guy, he's perfectly fine!" Kal'tsit crossed her arms, glared fiercely at Qin Duanyu, and said threateningly, "If you're really daydreaming and thinking about random things, guess what the consequences will be?"

If she hadn't brought it up, it would have been fine, but Qin Duanyu immediately recalled the soft touch of her hand at that moment, which was still unforgettable even through the protective suit...

"Wait a minute, I'm thinking about battle strategy. Maybe the upcoming battle doesn't have to be so difficult!" Feeling a familiar Yan Kingdom Chinese character appear above his head, Qin Duanyu quickly waved his hand and said in a moment of quick thinking.

"Speak!" Kal'tsit urged coldly, with a dark shadow flickering behind her.

“Under normal circumstances, even if all energy is used for the power system, the communication system, as the only means of external contact, should have a backup energy supply. That’s why Talulah was able to continuously transmit the city-state identification code using a long-wave radio from the core control tower,” Qin Duanyu said with certainty, recalling the enemies they had previously dealt with. “However, the Reunion Movement we encountered was only equipped with short-wave radios, with extremely limited communication range, forcing them to rely on things like signal flares…”

"In other words, the Reunion Movement in the city may not know about Talulah's plan, or even that the battle for Lungmen has been lost, so they think they are supporting the infected in Lungmen!" Amiya's eyes lit up as she thought of a possibility. "Then could we use this as a breakthrough to create chaos within the Reunion Movement?"

Although those remaining in the core city at this moment are undoubtedly the most elite forces of the Reunion Movement, and their loyalty to Talulah is extremely high, there is absolutely no reason for them to believe the enemy's words. However, these things are all true, and it is not difficult to find out if one is willing to investigate.

Unless Talulah brainwashes all her subordinates into becoming ultimate tools who are not afraid of death, this news could easily cause chaos within the team.

“That’s right, maybe we can do even better!” Qin Duanyu smiled mysteriously and touched the thing in his arms.

That was a gift from Froststar before she set off.

Chapter 88, Section 373: Only Magic Can Defeat Magic

Patriots, who had just left the control tower on the outskirts of the core city, rushed over after hearing about the anomaly.

"Soldier, report the situation!" He stopped a Reunion member and asked in a serious tone.

Although these people did not belong to the guerrillas, Talulah had previously handed over the authority to defend the core city to Patriot, and coupled with his enormous prestige accumulated in the Reunion Movement, everyone present stood at attention and saluted.