That Day, the People Awaited the Hero's Return

The bullet comments were posted by Digging Princess herself.

She truly felt nothing now. If she had to describe her mood in one word, it would be numb.

At this moment, no one understood the meaning of "ice and fire in two heavens" better than she did.

Not long ago, she was still contemplating how to latch onto Bai Fu's thigh for a win-win situation, still fantasizing about the day she would truly become a top UP in the gaming community. But before she could rejoice for long, Bai Fu's fate and her own arrived at a turning point, a downward spiral.

What a disaster!

Digging Princess wanted to cry but had no tears.

What else could she do? She could only sit on the ground, like the other players, and blankly watch the departing pickup truck.

She wondered what the people who watched Jing Ke leave felt like when they bid farewell at Yishui.

[Is this considered a final goodbye?]

[Maybe, Fufu still has a one-in-ten-thousand chance of surviving?]

[You only dare to say one in ten thousand when making assumptions, doesn't that mean you actually believe there's no hope at all?]

[Damn it, the plot writers deserve to die!]

[Mom, I hate tragedy. I don't even like this kind of tragedy where one burns themselves to save the world.]

[Actually, if tragedy is executed well, it can make the plot more compelling. It's just that it came too suddenly and too fast. Bai Fu's story seemed like it had just begun.]

Yes, it came too fast, just like the pickup truck Bai Fu was driving at this moment. It was so fast that no one had time to react.

In the temporary livestream room opened by Patrick Star, Bai Fu, sitting in the driver's seat, only revealed a cold profile. Her hands gripped the steering wheel tightly, and she floored the accelerator.

No one knew when the passage within the Insect Tide would disappear, so she had only one thing to do now—

Accelerate, accelerate like crazy!

Road signs blocking the way? Ram them!

Fences blocking the way? Ram them!

Amoebas blocking the way? Ram them, damn it!

In just over ten seconds, the pickup truck shot out of the settlement, piercing the gap in the Insect Tide like a straight javelin.

The immense commotion attracted the attention of the amoebas frantically chasing the players. They immediately changed their target and surged towards the pickup truck like a tide.

"Shoot, shoot quickly!"

Patrick Star shouted, directing the players who had boarded the pickup truck with him. Their guns were taken from Xia Shi.

For a moment, dust flew under the wheels, and gunfire erupted from the cabin.

However, the sheer number of insects was overwhelming. A few sporadic shots couldn't change the situation. As the path ahead of the pickup truck was about to be blocked, everyone watching held their breath.

If there were only one or two amoebas blocking the path, the pickup truck could easily crush them. But if there were dozens, even hundreds, the pickup truck's horsepower would be insufficient to break through.

And once the pickup truck stopped, the people inside would be surrounded by countless amoebas.

[Death]

The word suddenly popped into their minds.

The hearts of the watching players pounded like the high-revving engine of the pickup truck, almost leaping out of their chests.

But before they could express their thoughts, the surging amoebas froze in place as if they had fallen into a time-stop field.

[What happened?]

[Did it bug out?]

[How could it be a bu... Holy crap, look!]

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The roaring sound exploded in the cold night. The next second, the pickup truck, like a ferocious beast, violently smashed through the Insect Tide blocking its path. After clearing a slope, it flew into the wilderness.

It... it flew?

Even Patrick Star and the others inside the car were stunned. It wasn't until the pickup truck landed, crushing an amoeba, and the car windows were splattered with blood that they snapped back to reality.

"We broke through, haha, we broke through!"

The players in the car, the viewers watching the stream, and Yago, Xia Shi all cheered loudly.

[How did you do it? Why did those amoebas suddenly stop moving?]

[I know! Look at the item Fufu just took out. It's exactly the same as what Number Seven used when attacking us!]

Everyone's gaze focused on the spherical device Bai Fu had just taken out of her pocket.

[Spiritual Energy Restraint]: Uses psionic shock to put targets within a 20-meter radius into a Stiffness state (Remaining uses: 1).

Trying to block my path?

Bai Fu's eyes blazed with killing intent.

This road was indeed a path of death, but she was the one spreading death!

[You have killed Type II Deformed Insect, Contribution: 100%. Experience gained after correction for level difference: 270 points.]

[You have killed...]

"There's a Shifter trying to attack the tires from the rear left. Send it on its way."

"Three Shifters on the right. Find a way to take out one, or the car door won't withstand their impact."

Bai Fu began to issue orders methodically.

Her expression remained stern, showing no hint of joy, nor any sign of panic. It was this very composure that was most captivating.

[FuFu is awesome!]

[Digging Treasure, stop slacking! Come out and see the divine!]

[We can't die, we absolutely cannot die.]

If everyone thought Bai Fu wouldn't return alive before, then now their courage had finally grown a little.

Perhaps, there was really hope?

The players sprang into action.

Those present at the scene intensified their attacks on the Shifters.

[Brothers, put in more effort! It doesn't matter if you don't have weapons, you can smash them with rocks. As long as we can hold off one more Shifter, FuFu will be a little safer.]

Players not present rushed to the official account, petitioning them not to kill off Bai Fu. Whether it was useful or not, they would spam it first, at least to show the officials their stance.

This scene of unity moved Yago and Xia Shi.

Humanity's pure emotions were more beautiful than gemstones!

Digging Princess was also moved by the passionate atmosphere. She stood up abruptly and charged towards the residents of the Abandoned Cooling Plant who were still in chaos.

FuFu had rushed out to save these people. Regardless of whether FuFu returned alive, to prevent FuFu's efforts from being in vain, it was necessary for her to do her best to ensure these people survived, and at the same time, let them know what FuFu had done.

FuFu might not care about fame herself, but she couldn't stand by and watch FuFu's sacrifice be ignored.

"All of you, stand properly and don't run around. If you keep running back and forth like this, when will you all be able to retreat to the Temporary Shelter?"

"You scoundrels, waiting here to die. Have you ever thought that someone drove out to save you, using herself as bait to attract the attention of those Shifters? Get up!"

"Get up! Are you worthy of Bai Fu's sacrifice?"

Digging Princess's appeal initially encountered some trouble.

"Who are you? Why should I listen to you? Bai Fu saved us, not you."

Bang!

At this moment, Xia Shi stepped forward and fired a shot into the sky.

She blew on the barrel with a cold expression: "Do as she says. Anyone who disagrees can take it up with me."

"..."

For a moment, even the most unruly people in the fleeing crowd became obedient.

Your logic is sound, you are right!

On the road to the Temporary Shelter, these fleeing residents looked up in the direction Bai Fu's vehicle had driven away.

Could she really lure away the Insect Tide?

In fact, after breaking out of the Insect Tide's encirclement, the situation did not develop in the direction the players had hoped.

The noise of the pickup truck driving was the biggest source of mockery in the dark night, constantly attracting Shifters to charge at the truck. But this was not the most troublesome thing. What was truly troublesome were the pollution sources randomly scattered throughout the contaminated zone.

Bai Fu had to maintain a high level of concentration at all times to avoid crashing into a pollution source, which greatly slowed down the pickup truck's speed. When the truck's speed slowed, the Shifters attracted by the noise could catch up to it.

A single Shifter's impact would not cause much damage to the pickup truck, but the situation was different when many Shifters attacked consecutively.

[If this continues, the car door will be ripped off. Once the door is gone, if a Shifter suddenly spits venom into the car, it's all over.]

[This distance isn't far enough yet. If we throw bait here, the attracted Shifters will still affect the Abandoned Cooling Plant.]

The players in the livestream watched anxiously.

At the critical moment, Convert to My Fu stepped forward.

"I'll cover the rear. I'll try to hold off these Shifters for as long as possible. You guys keep moving forward!"

Bai Fu stared at Convert to My Fu for a long time. Her eyes flickered at first, and then, as if finally accepting the fact, they became calm again.

"I hope we'll meet again someday."

"We will!"

Convert to My Fu smiled, revealing his pearly white teeth. He found an opening and jumped off the vehicle.

"Come on, you bugs, attack me!"

Under his shouts, most of the Shifters that had been trying to intercept the pickup truck turned their attention towards him and charged. Seeing this, he took to his heels and ran in the opposite direction of the pickup truck.

As he fled, he didn't forget to glance back at the pickup truck a few more times.

"Go, everyone, this is my final ripple!"

Convert to My Fu was the first to jump off the vehicle, but not the last. After him, other players, after emptying their ammunition, followed his example and jumped off to act as human bait.

One, two... jumping to the end, only Bai Fu and Patrick Star were left on the car.

"How far are we from the Abandoned Cooling Plant now?"

"About 5000 meters." Patrick Star answered instantly after checking the map.

Bai Fu shook her head, "Not enough. The lure's effective range is about 5000 meters. Using it here would still affect the Abandoned Cooling Plant. We need to drive at least another 500 meters."

Patrick Star agreed with the analysis. The only problem was that the car didn't seem to have that much time left.

His gaze passed through the windshield, locking onto the swarm of amoebas that had appeared at some point.

Were there twenty or thirty of them?

With so many amoebas attacking at once, the car would be scrap metal immediately. It was time for him to step up, but with his strength, could he even hold off these amoebas for a minute?

Maybe there was a slight possibility when he was at full strength, but his leg was injured during his previous fight with Yulia and hadn't fully recovered yet, so the chance was almost zero.

How unlucky.

Patrick Star's heart sank.

Even a few dozen seconds wouldn't be enough for Bai Fu to drive the car away. He felt that the mission [Insect Tide Invasion] might not be completed.

"I'll do it."

"Huh?"

When Bai Fu's voice rang out, a huge wave surged in Patrick Star's heart, and the players whose hearts were in their throats in the live stream exploded.

"Hey, hey, hey, don't do this. Don't give us hope only to stab us in the heart again."

"[Help! Is anyone going to help!]"

"[OMG, why can't this crappy car be bigger and fit more people?]"

"[I can't bear to watch anymore.]"

Bai Fu, who was taking a moment to check the live stream, chuckled inwardly. She had actually deliberately driven the car towards the area with more amoebas. After driving for so long, it was time to turn back and collect the enhancement potions from the laboratory.

Although she could have waited until after the lure was deployed to turn back, turning back then wouldn't have had the same impact or be as moving as "sacrificing" herself by getting out of the car now.

The current distance was just right. She would leave the Spiritual Energy Restraint for Patrick Star, ensuring that he could safely throw the lure to the designated location and complete the [Insect Tide Invasion] mission.

Bai Fu continued, "We've come all this way with courage that fears no death, precisely to lure away the Insect Tide. Now, with the hope of success right before us, how can we let this opportunity slip away because of personal life and death?"

This statement left Patrick Star, who had a thousand thoughts in his mind, with his mouth agape. In the end, he couldn't utter a single word.

"I'm sorry."

He heard Bai Fu say this.

"I've placed the burden that should have been mine onto your shoulders, but... just let me be selfish one more time."

Bai Fu shook her head and spoke in a chuunibyou manner.

If you feel this burden is too heavy, then simplify the problem. This isn't about saving anyone. Just do it for me. Use the lure on those amoebas!

Bai Fu forced a smile and handed both the lure and the Spiritual Energy Restraint to Patrick Star.

Then, she stopped the car, opened the door, and jumped out.

"Come on, you fearless bugs, come on!"

In the dark night, Bai Fu's shout was exceptionally clear.

Patrick Star was still speechless. He just felt his eyes suddenly blur. Damn it, this was the first time in all the games he had played that he was moved by an NPC!

He had an urge to jump out of the car and face the ferocious amoebas with Bai Fu.

But he knew he couldn't. If he did, Bai Fu's efforts would be in vain, and he couldn't save Bai Fu with his strength anyway.

The only thing he could do was slide over to the driver's seat and start the pickup truck according to the game's prompts.

Charge! For Bai Fu, charge forward!

"I'll be back! I'll definitely be back!"

Ahhh, whoever blocks me dies!

The shouts in his heart intertwined with the roar of the pickup truck, like a bursting symphony, breaking through the obstruction of the amoebas and also breaking through the boundary between the game and reality.

In the rearview mirror, Bai Fu's figure grew farther and farther away, until she completely disappeared into the dark night, as if she had never existed.

"[Hurry up, Patrick, hurry up!]"

"[I'm not going to be able to sleep tonight, ahhh, at this point, Bai Fu is still apologizing to us. Can't she be a little more selfish?]"

"[I'm crying so hard.]"

"[She is the true hero!]"

"[You must succeed! You absolutely cannot let Fu Fu's expectations be in vain!]"

Seeing the live stream comments explode, Bai Fu's heart was half at ease. When she saw the amoebas she had intercepted stop and then rush towards the direction Patrick Star had left, her other half of her heart was also at ease.

Next, all she had to do was wait patiently. The threat of the Insect Tide to the Abandoned Cooling Plant should be over. After all, the lure that No. 9 had dropped was in the center of the cooling plant. The reason so many amoebas were attracted was simply because many of them had followed the commotion in confusion.

Now that the lure was being deployed elsewhere, most of the amoebas wouldn't go to the Abandoned Cooling Plant to join the fun.

Congratulations.

This way, except for a few players who were taken down, a world where everyone is happy has been born!

Bai Fu punched a shapeshifter that tried to ambush her. With things as they were, there was no need to waste more time here. She turned and ran towards the Abandoned Cooling Plant.

About a few minutes after she left, a pickup truck rushed through the night.

As soon as the car stopped, Patrick Star stumbled out.

"Sister Fu, Sister Fu, I'm back, where are you?"

He searched everywhere, but there was no sign of Bai Fu in the vast wilderness.

Was it over just like this?

With hearts full of sorrow and screens filled with wails, only by searching in the crevices could a few relatively optimistic bullet comments be found.

[No body, no scraps of clothing, maybe Fu Fu is still alive?]

P S: Thank you to Shang Xin Ci and Shen Qi Bai Ma 1408 for the tip.

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