Mo Tuo

"From now on, if you have any problems, go to those two first. Only matters they cannot decide will be passed on to me. I usually stay in the laboratory."

Art Student explained this to everyone.

After arranging everything, Art Student left, placing Gaia and Ares fully in charge.

Gaia and Ares were two subsystems split off from the Gaia Mainframe. One served as the chief steward, while Ares handled all combat-related matters.

Art Student returned to the laboratory alone and continued the unfinished experiments.

Over the next three months, Gray and the others lived fulfilling lives, studying all kinds of basic knowledge every day and broadening their horizons.

Gray, David, and Nack had it the hardest. Of everyone in Gray's scavenger team, only the three of them wanted to grow stronger, so they spent every day studying and training.

Cellular Enhancement Fluid.

An ingestible medicine that had to be taken in a small tube every morning before training. It increased cellular activity, and through extensive basic training, made the body stronger.

Ares looked at Gray and the other two, who were still training, and shouted.

"Fall in!"

The three, who had been focused on their training, immediately stopped and ran before Ares, lining up in a row as they waited for his instructions.

"Not bad. The three of you have reached the limits of the human body. Continuing this training will be pointless. If you want to become stronger, you can only seek out the master.

"However, you took on the recruitment task yourselves, so you can only seek the master after completing it."

Hearing Ares's praise, Gray and the other two were overjoyed. After enduring so much hardship, they had finally earned praise from Instructor Ares.

Gray and the other two had undergone earth-shaking changes compared to when they had first joined Art Student. They were all nearly six foot three now, with powerfully built muscles.

Though muscular, they did not look clumsy. Instead, they looked more agile and ferocious.

"I understand, Instructor. I will complete the task perfectly before seeking an audience with my master."

Gray spoke with complete confidence.

Gray felt that he could now easily take down ten versions of his former self.

"When you go out to carry out the mission, the master has also equipped you with gear to protect your safety."

As Ares spoke, a logistics robot entered from outside the training field, carrying a large case. After placing the case before Gray and the other two, it stepped aside and stood quietly.

Ares stepped forward, opened the case, took out the items one by one, distributed them among the three, and introduced them in detail.

"Nanofiber bulletproof vests. They can effectively defend against bullets from most ordinary weapons.

"Two laser pistols per person, with three batteries for each pistol. The laser pistols have two power settings. At normal power, the laser shots are slightly stronger than ordinary bullets, and one battery can fire two hundred shots.

"At high power, the shots have tremendous penetration. Even the Gene Stealers you encountered last time can be killed with a single shot. However, one battery can only be used ten times.

"Each power setting has its own advantages and disadvantages, so you must judge for yourselves how to use them.

"The batteries can be recharged directly over a fire."

Ares held up the two items as he explained them in detail to the three.

Gray and the other two listened intently. Although they had studied these things over the past three months, none of them dared to let their guard down.

If anyone dared to lose focus while Instructor Ares was speaking, the three of them would suffer for it later.

"All right. You may go say farewell to your families, then focus on carrying out the mission. Take your equipment. Dismissed."

After speaking, Ares ignored the three and strode straight out of the training field.

After Ares left, Gray and the other two put on their equipment and departed as well.

"Mo Tuo, it's only been a few months, and you guys are doing even worse than before."

Gray looked at his old friend Mo Tuo and teased him.

"Sigh! If it hadn't been for your help just now, I might have lost many more family members."

Mo Tuo, a short, sturdy bald man, looked at Gray with a bitter smile and spoke helplessly.

Mo Tuo's camp had just been attacked by a group of raiders. When the battle between both sides was at its fiercest, Gray led his men in an attack from behind the raiders.

Caught in a pincer attack, the raiders could not withstand the losses after more than a dozen of them died, and they fled on their own.

"By the way, how come you and your brothers have changed so much in just a few months?"

Mo Tuo looked at Gray standing before him and asked in confusion.

"It's a long story. Aren't you going to invite me inside so I can explain?"

Gray smiled at Mo Tuo. Everyone was still standing outside Mo Tuo's camp, chatting.

"Sorry, that was my mistake. You helped me so much, yet I kept you outside. Please!"

Mo Tuo hurriedly apologized to Gray and led him into the camp. Mo Tuo's subordinates followed everyone back inside as well.

Several armed men stayed behind voluntarily, clutching their weapons as they stood guard behind the fence.

Though Mo Tuo's place was called a camp, it was really just a refugee camp protected by walls made from collapsed ruins and piles of broken buildings.

The camp was neither large nor small, housing more than a hundred people of all ages. The place Gray had once lived was no different from Mo Tuo's camp. The only difference was that after the Gene Stealers attacked, only twelve people had survived. Everyone else had been killed or captured by the Gene Stealers.

Mo Tuo led Gray and the other two to a shack deep within the camp, pieced together from all kinds of junk.

Only after Gray and the other two sat down did Mo Tuo continue pressing for an answer.

"Now can you tell me?"

Gray chuckled and stopped keeping him in suspense, beginning to tell Mo Tuo what had happened.

"Three months ago, my camp was attacked by several monsters. Although all of us resisted with everything we had, it was futile. Those monsters easily smashed through the walls and charged into the camp.

"With a casual swipe of their claws, they tore a person into several pieces. In the end, I had no choice but to flee with those who were still alive.

"While fleeing, I was fortunate enough to encounter my master. My master is a powerful god who easily killed the monster pursuing us. With a wave of the hand, the master healed my brothers' injuries. Even my daughter Lilith's mechanical prosthetic limbs were restored to those of a normal person.

"We followed my master to where the master lived. There was an endless supply of clean water and food there, and we could also become much stronger.

"So I came back this time to invite familiar faces like you to join my master's service."