Chapter 6: The Surprise Attack
Moon Li wanted to say more, but then the unexpected happened.
A tremendous explosion echoed through the ship, and the cabin was bathed in red emergency lights. The sentries immediately grabbed their weapons, and Moon Li reacted swiftly, shielding Wen Li.
The spaceship was hit and began to lose balance.
Moon Li’s voice rang overhead: “The ship is under attack. The captain has ordered me to escort you...”
A massive shockwave cut off Moon Li’s words, ringing filled their ears. Wen Li could only see the assailant’s mouth moving as the world spun, her vision fading to black as she lost consciousness.
The sensation of wet lips roused Wen Li slowly. Opening her eyes, she saw the golden-haired sentry.
Carl was giving her water and, noticing she had awakened, hastily helped her sit up and explained the situation.
“Miss Wen, the ship was attacked by contaminated entities and forced to make an emergency landing near the 13th Military District. Reinforcements will arrive shortly.”
Looking around at the soldiers regrouping, Moon Li carried a medical bag, tending to the wounded, each injured sentry guarded by a spiritual entity.
Compared to these tall, iron-willed soldiers, the petite, golden-haired girl seemed out of place here.
Wen Li raised her eyes to Carl and asked, “How is the person you were escorting?”
Carl replied, “The target is showing signs of awakening.”
More and more curious gazes turned toward Wen Li.
Feeling uncomfortable under so many eyes, Wen Li looked up to the scenery, only to see Moon Li being shoved by a sentry.
The sentry, with a wounded face, cursed fiercely at Moon Li, tugging at the already bandaged dressing.
His arm muscles tensed as he struck toward Moon Li’s face.
Wen Li shouted angrily, “Stop!”
The sentry halted at her voice, looking at her with disdain.
“Who is this noble lady? Where’s your bodyguard sentry?”
Only a few knew Wen Li’s identity, and this sentry had no idea that this young lady was the precious “little cake” sent from the White Tower. He assumed she was just a civilian traveling on the ship.
For the sake of stealth, the return journey had followed a normal route, so there were other people on the ship.
But unexpectedly, just past a transfer station, they were discovered and attacked, forced to land on the forest’s edge.
A deafening roar then resounded, and a massive golden lion strode step by step to Wen Li’s side.
Carl exuded coldness, his commanding presence pressing the sentry to lower his head.
Stroking the lion’s mane, his golden eyes coldly fixed on the previously arrogant man.
“Watch your words, soldier.”
Enduring the spiritual pressure, the sentry responded, “Yes, Major.”
Wen Li pulled Moon Li aside, ignoring the reprimanded sentry.
“What’s wrong with him? His attitude is terrible, even when you’re treating his wounds.”
Moon Li shrugged indifferently. “Sentries are naturally hot-tempered; some are even worse.”
Bending down with a smile, she tilted her head like an adorable feline and leaned close to Wen Li.
“Of course, I’m no ordinary sentry.”
Wen Li reached out and ruffled the young man’s soft hair, teasing, “Big-headed!”
Their intimate exchange surprised Carl, who felt a twinge of jealousy.
He thought, I met you first...
Suddenly, the crowd stirred. Carl’s spiritual form let out a low roar toward the forest.
A vine shot out rapidly from within the trees, piercing the abdomen of a nearby civilian and hoisting him into the air.
The man flailed his arms, struggling and pleading to the sentries.
“Help me!”
Carl drew a dagger from his waist and sliced the vine, shouting, “Don’t go over there!”
The man half-kneeling on the ground clutched his bleeding abdomen.
Wen Li noticed the blood was filled with countless tiny green seeds, which took the man’s blood as nourishment and began to root and sprout.
Seeing the man’s miserable death, the civilians huddled fearfully together, while the sentries prepared for battle.
Carl issued orders: “Moon Li, take Squad One to protect Wen Li. Squad Two, gather the civilians. The rest, form a defensive line.”
The squads, each consisting of three members, took up their respective roles.
Moon Li and her team shielded Wen Li.
From the forest came rustling sounds, and a strange scent of decaying plants filled the air.
The civilians, upon inhaling it, felt weak and limp, while the sentries’ spirits became abnormally overactive.
The contaminated entities were eager to attack, their thick vines launching multidirectional assaults.
They were clever, first infecting more civilians as nourishment. Their rapid speed and force quickly entangled and crushed them.
The sentries could only fend off some, but many vines parasitized on humans, then rooted and grew more vines.
A vicious cycle!
But more troublesome than that was the sentry protecting the escort target being attacked, and the iron box’s door forcibly broken by vines.
Inside the iron box was a man enclosed in a transparent glass dome, a muzzle on his mouth, his bare upper body connected to various tubes extending to the back of the box.
Suddenly, a flash of light caused the man’s eyelids to flutter slightly, as if showing signs of awakening.
Carl said, “Maddy, block the light.”
The lion released the vine from its mouth and charged toward the glass dome.
Wen Li saw the battle in the distance was turning unfavorable, with more and more civilians dying.
She tugged at Moon Li’s sleeve, “Moon Li, you take them to help. Leave one sentry here.”
Moon Li gently rubbed Wen Li’s soft hair, showing no intention of leaving.
“Little Butterfly, don’t worry too much. Your safety is the most important.”
Wen Li had a premonition that something big was about to happen.
Still, she insisted, “Even if it’s just one, I think that escort target must not wake up.”
Moon Li nodded and sent one sentry to assist.
More and more vines surged forward, and Wen Li spotted creatures sneaking from the forest.
They resembled human forms, but their bodies were covered in dark green vines.
Their red eyes were wrapped in bark, their fingers pointing toward Wen Li.
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