Saving Them Is on Me

"A group of people is transporting pregnant women underground."

Bai Zhu leaned against a tree trunk. The breath he had just managed to steady caught in his throat.

The ringing in his ears had yet to fade. The bandages soaked through with snowmelt were cold and heavy, and every inch of his muscles screamed in protest. But Milluki's words pierced his mind like a thorn.

"Say that again."

"Transfer orders intercepted from the underground passage!" Milluki's keyboard clattered rapidly on the other end. "A new batch of pregnant women is being sent underground! Their numbers, blood types, gestational ages, drug reactions—the list is all there, clear as day!"

That achievement notification still hung in Bai Zhu's vision.

[Ella's Suffering Holy Infant (4/6) · Save the Lab Rats!]

[Mission Hint: Rescue the pregnant women underground and cut off the supply route for pregnant women.]

Expressionless, he dismissed the panel and casually wiped snow and mud from his face.

"So there are more than just the ones underground?"

No one answered from the other end of the headset.

Bai Zhu continued on his own, his voice soft.

"Ella is the most special 'mother.' But what truly supports the ritual is an entire invisible supply chain."

"The ones at the altar are consumables."

"There are backups in the underground wards."

"And now they're even restocking from outside."

He paused, tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"These animals."

Milluki was silent for a full three seconds.

"Don't suddenly get all serious on me. It's creepy as hell."

Bai Zhu braced himself against the tree and forced himself upright, but his trembling calves betrayed his current condition.

"Fatty, I want to save them."

"I figured." Milluki's tone instantly turned cold, stripped of all the excitement from their beautiful wipeout just now. "But let me be blunt. The entire underground core area is locked down. Ella's side is only holding together because my brother forged medical records. The other pregnant women are scattered everywhere—medical bays, isolation rooms, backup transfer points."

"If you act rashly, you'll be selling my brother out."

"I'm not going in."

"You're intercepting them outside?"

"Yeah."

Silence fell over the comm channel again. Bai Zhu could even hear the faint crinkle of Milluki tearing open a snack wrapper. The fatty always did that whenever he ran into a difficult problem.

"Bai Zhu, you need to understand. Stopping the vehicles isn't the same as saving people."

"There are pregnant women in those vehicles, escorts, accompanying drugs, and maybe plenty of Nen users. Their ability to mass-produce ability users is no joke."

"And interception itself is a problem."

"If you make too much of a scene, pregnant women are incredibly fragile. Can you keep them safe?"

"Most importantly, my brother can't be exposed, and nothing can happen to Ella. We promised her."

Milluki's voice returned to a merchant's calm as he laid out each problem one by one.

Bai Zhu quietly listened until he finished.

"I know it's not worth it," he said, his voice a little hoarse. "But this time, put it on my tab. I promise that if anything goes wrong, I'll save your brother even if it costs me my life. And from now on, whenever you need something, just call."

The comms were silent except for the crackle of static.

Several seconds passed before Milluki finally cursed.

"You're seriously fucking annoying."

"So, are we doing this or not?"

"Can I even say no?!" Milluki slapped the desk in irritation. "My grandfather's commission was to investigate the church! But without you outside drawing their fire, my brother's investigation wouldn't be safe either. Now you want to play hero? Fine. But if you get yourself killed, my brother will be exposed along with you. In the end, won't I be the one taking the loss?"

Bai Zhu laughed when he heard that.

"Then it's settled."

"Cut the crap! Can you still move?"

"Yes."

"How well?"

Bai Zhu calmed himself and sensed the pitiful amount of Reiatsu left inside him.

After a whole night of fighting, Kaidō, Shunpo, White Lightning... his mana bar had long since hit bottom. No matter how high his total Reiatsu was, it was just a number. Every last shred he could squeeze out now had to be spent where it mattered.

He raised a hand and pressed it beneath his ribs.

"Kaidō #33: Angel's Glance."

A faint glow seeped into the bandages, and the sharp pain finally eased a little. He did not dare use too much, merely treating the injuries that most hindered his movement.

"You still dare use healing?!" Milluki roared through the headset.

"Couldn't be helped. Your family's bugs just gave me a full-body massage and treatment."

"That was because your positioning was bad!"

"Did your product manual say that?"

"Shut up!"

Bai Zhu rolled his shoulder. It still hurt, but it no longer affected his movements.

"Don't worry. Even if I'm out of mana," he said quietly, "I'm still very strong."

"That sounds like bragging."

"Relax. I take my promises seriously, and I always follow through. I'm terrified of dying."

Milluki switched channels, lowering his voice.

"Brother, can you confirm the list on your end?"

Illumi's voice was as steady as ever.

"Yes."

Bai Zhu immediately lowered his body and moved deeper into the forest.

Noisy background sounds from the underground passage came through the headset. Illumi seemed to still be with the medical team, and Bai Zhu could hear cart wheels rolling over the floor.

"The records room is outside the core area."

"The bishop is dealing with the altar's pipelines. No one is watching the medical records."

Milluki could not help complaining, "They check identities like they're about to execute someone, but they leave the records room empty?"

Illumi's reply was mild.

"Because they don't think anyone would steal a list of pregnant women."

Bai Zhu nearly laughed out loud.

"Reasonable. Cult logic runs on confidence."

Barely half a minute passed.

Illumi's voice rang out again, calmly reporting a string of numbers.

"The numbers go beyond fifteen."

"Seven in medical bays."

"Four in isolation rooms."

"Three at backup transfer points."

"Eight newly received at North Warehouse outside town tonight."

Bai Zhu's footsteps abruptly stopped.

"North Warehouse?"

"The abandoned lumber warehouse north of town." Milluki's map immediately switched over. "It used to transport timber, then the church bought it. Officially, it's a warehouse, but there's a short underground passage that connects to an old mine tunnel."

"Fuck." Bai Zhu covered his forehead. "They really built themselves a goddamn logistics center."

"This information can only be viewed by elders and silver-robed bishops," Illumi added.

Milluki's voice darkened.

"That means they activated a secret backup route."

Bai Zhu understood instantly.

"The Holy Knight's pursuit failed. That old bastard is afraid something else will happen aboveground, so he wants to move some 'materials' to North Warehouse and hide them first. And some qualified materials are being sent underground because the Pre-Sanctification Descent is imminent?"

"Mm." Milluki's keyboard rattled at high speed. "This is an opportunity. If they're underground, we have no way to reach them. But once the convoy moves, it can't hide its route."

"Provided they don't discover we're waiting for them." Bai Zhu bent down and passed through a patch of shrubs.

"The plan."

"Three lines." Milluki did not waste words.

"First, my brother stays underground and confirms the transfer list and exact route. The more details, the better."

"Second, I'll use the remaining bugs to cripple traffic in town, interfere with tracking, and cut their communications if necessary."

"Third, you intercept the transfer route to North Warehouse."

"We can't blow up the vehicles," Bai Zhu said immediately.

"I know."

"There are pregnant women inside. The vehicles can't take any violent impacts either."

"I know!"

"And leave the caretakers alive. We need to ask how to administer the drugs."