Chapter 320

Chapter 320: The Interloper

Seeing the shocked and somewhat dazed expression on the other’s face, Lin Qingliu sighed inwardly.

Well, seeking answers from Fulan was somewhat unrealistic.

Lin Qingliu refused to entertain the notion that pets resembled their owners, feeling it inappropriate to use Fulan as a measure of his own intelligence.

Moreover, the scene before him had little to do with intellect; he himself had merely paused in astonishment before quickly accepting the reality.

This was mycelium, humanity’s greatest adversary.

If not for its remarkable adaptability and swift evolution, how could it have driven humanity to such a desperate state?

Given humanity’s survival and cooperative abilities, this planet should have been thoroughly explored by now, unless the opponent was truly extraordinary.

Lin Qingliu swiftly caught up with the repulsive swarm of insects.

As the five "wax figures" were being transported, some extraordinary beasts poured an unknown liquid into their mouths.

This liquid seemed akin to an energy drink, sustaining their basic vital signs.

This might explain why their bodies still retained a faint biological field; they must still cling to a thread of life.

After winding through the forest for about two kilometers, the swarm appeared to have reached their destination.

The five motionless humans were placed in a designated spot on the ground.

The slight indentation in the earth suggested this was not the first time such an event had occurred.

After positioning the humans, the insects vanished like rain into the desert, disappearing without a trace.

Seconds later, the five individuals, once immobile, began to stir once more.

They pulled out nonexistent notebooks and recorded maps from their backpacks, gesturing as they confirmed their next course of action.

The content of their dialogue was purely Lin Qingliu’s conjecture; the five seemed to have lost the ability to speak, so he could only infer their actions based on their movements and positions.

Soon, their plan was set, and the five began moving toward the predetermined direction, venturing into the unknown.

From their perspective, this was perhaps an exploration fraught with both peril and opportunity, requiring courage and meticulousness to yield rewards.

But to Lin Qingliu, unfiltered, this was merely five pitiful souls repeating their past actions.

The group’s subsequent movements unfolded exactly as Lin Qingliu had anticipated.

They continued along the path they had forged, even engaging in a brief chase with nonexistent foes at one point.

Their frail, partially decayed bodies could hardly sustain such exertion; the middle-aged man with reddened eyes collapsed into a small puddle of black liquid.

He paid no mind, allowing the filth to seep into his backpack, and rose to rejoin the group as if nothing had happened.

The scene repeated itself, with familiar branches tearing at their tattered garments, leaving fresh and old scars on their insect-repaired bodies.

The five remained oblivious, pressing forward until nightfall.

Lin Qingliu had witnessed this part of the story before.

Watching the superpowered individuals crawl into nonexistent sleeping bags, Lin Qingliu fell silent.

The individuals below were clearly beyond salvation; even considering extreme measures, he could only preserve their genes with his abilities. But cloning was another matter entirely.

Not to mention whether Hope City’s current technological level could support it, on a personal level, it had already lost its meaning.

This was entirely different from giving Luke a biotechnological arm; a person dies, and then an identical clone is created without any memory inheritance—how could that be considered saving or reviving someone?

This was both a disrespect to the deceased and a disrespect to the clones.

Lin Qingliu did not know if there was a definitive conclusion about this issue during the highly advanced human golden age, but regardless, having witnessed an entire cycle, it was time to set these humans free.

—

The sound of rustling came from the grass on the right!

Staying up late had not dulled Zheng Gaoya’s sharp senses. Though his abilities were nearly useless, relying solely on his normal five senses, he remained an exceptional sentinel.

In the forest outside Hope City, encountering another human was almost unthinkable, so there was no need for him to shout “Who’s there?” while raising his weapon, as he had been trained to do in the military.

Instead, he simply reached for the disposable weapon at his waist, his eyes locked on the patch of grass where the noise had originated.

Then, Zheng Gaoya saw a human emerge from the grass, dressed in ordinary sportswear.

The stranger carried no tools, no equipment, not even a backpack, as if the perilous forest outside the city walls was nothing more than a casual stroll for him.

“Stop. Don’t come any closer.”

Zheng Gaoya spoke coldly:

“Do you understand me?”

From a young age, he had been taught that Hope City was humanity’s last bastion, but like most children, he had never fully believed that Hope City was the only settlement left. He had always held onto the hope that other survivors might exist elsewhere.

So, upon seeing this stranger, Zheng Gaoya’s first instinct was not only to confirm his humanity but also to test his language.

“Of course I understand. I’m from Hope City too.”

Hearing this, a brief wave of disappointment washed over Zheng Gaoya—disappointment that the newcomer wasn’t from another settlement, disappointment that perhaps Hope City truly was the last lonely city in the world.

But that disappointment quickly turned to joy. Though they were in the middle of nowhere, wasn’t this a chance encounter with a fellow citizen? A meeting of old acquaintances in a foreign land?

Zheng Gaoya’s expression softened, but his grip on the weapon remained firm.

“You’ve come all the way out here dressed like that. You must be a powerful superpowered individual, right?

“State your rank and commanding officer. We need to verify your identity.”

Lin Qingliu nodded:

“I am a superpowered individual, but I’m not part of a regular unit. My direct superior… well, let’s just say it’s that old general, Wencheng.

“I have my own mission for being out here.”

Zheng Gaoya nodded. Within moments, the other four superpowered individuals had fully awakened, and the man before him showed no signs of deceit or suspicion.

Either he was telling the truth and was indeed one of them, or he was a true warrior, someone on par with the top five teams.

“My mission is to retrieve you.”

Lin Qingliu took a step forward, his expression warm and sincere:

“The mission is over. I’m here to bring you home.”