Xun

The captain of the Medical Team was a woman from the Western Continent. Her hair, eyebrows, and even her eyelashes were pure gold. Her blue eyes brought the ocean to mind, and her beauty was just as striking.

As an Ascender, she had no need for the rather bulky protective suit. Instead, she wore the Medical Team's long white uniform coat over a black blouse and a fitted skirt.

The moment he entered, Han Shu stared at her long legs in their black stockings, then began yowling like a tomcat in heat. "Luo Shan, it's only been a few days, but you've gotten even prettier. Especially in a hellhole like the Inverse Realm-it really brings out your breathtaking beauty."

The woman named Luo Shan put down the book she had been reading. Her sensual red lips curved slightly as she rose. "You've gotten quite the silver tongue yourself, Captain Han. But even so, I'm not agreeing to that date."

Without a blush or a flicker of shame, Han Shu walked over and reached his hairy hand toward her shapely backside.

Strangely, Luo Shan did not dodge. She let his hand land somewhere it had no business being.

Tianyang hastily shut his eyes, as though he had seen something he should not have.

Then he heard Luo Shan say, "Did you come here specifically to grope my butt? And you brought a child along, too. Captain Han, your behavior is rather baffling."

Tianyang felt himself being dumped into a seat, then heard Han Shu laugh. "To be precise, I came to grope your butt and brought this kid along to get bandaged while I was at it. My dear Luo Shan, sorry for the trouble, but could you find a pretty girl to dress his wounds?"

Only then did Tianyang open his eyes. He saw Luo Shan lift Han Shu's hand and toss it aside. Folding her arms, she smiled. "What kind of place do you think this is, asking for a pretty girl? Shall I dress his wounds myself?"

Han Shu tried to rest his hand on her lovely shoulder. "He's not that lucky. But if I get hurt, you could certainly consider it."

Luo Shan reached out and gave Han Shu a light shove in the chest, pushing the shameless man away before turning to call, "Xun, could you help me with something?"

Someone rose from a seat farther back and approached with light steps, asking softly, "What do you need me to do?"

Her voice was soft and lovely, with an ethereal quality that evoked a secluded valley.

Tianyang turned to look. Beside Luo Shan stood a girl about his own age, roughly a hundred and sixty-five centimeters tall. She wore a protective suit, so she was evidently an ordinary person.

Her hair was lacquer-black, her skin like jade. Her eyes were clear and bright, like a cloudless blue sky.

Noticing Tianyang's gaze, the girl named Xun looked back. Her expression was serene, like a still lake without a single ripple.

Tianyang, on the other hand, felt he had been a little rude. He gave a slight nod, then looked away.

An almost imperceptible smile slipped across Luo Shan's lips. She nudged the girl beside her. "Dress his wounds for him."

"All right."

Xun walked away, then returned carrying a medical kit.

As she opened the kit, she said, "Please take off your uniform."

Tianyang complied.

The girl said nothing more, quietly tending to his wounds. Meanwhile, Han Shu was off to one side, "whispering sweet nothings" with Luo Shan.

A short while later, Tianyang's wounds had all been bandaged. Watching Xun put away her instruments, the boy said shyly, "Thank you."

Xun raised her head, her clear eyes reflecting Tianyang's figure. She gazed at him for a moment, then looked away.

After packing away her instruments, Xun stood to leave. Just then, the train braked abruptly. The carriage lurched violently, and she lost her footing.

Tianyang hurriedly caught her. The girl landed on his lap, her back pressed firmly against his chest.

The boy's breath brushed her ear, and a faint blush crept over its pale base.

She instinctively tried to pull free and stand, but the momentum from the braking kept her pressed against Tianyang.

Only a few seconds later, when the train had come safely to a halt, did Xun scramble to her feet. Then she picked up her medical kit and returned to her seat.

Across the carriage, Han Shu had already grabbed the communicator. "What's going on? Why did we stop so suddenly?"

The train conductor's voice came through the communicator. "We can't get through, Captain Han Shu. There are Wanderers up ahead! Those things are on the tracks, blocking our way!"

"Fuck!"

Han Shu put down the communicator and told Tianyang, "Stay here and keep an eye on things. I'll go see what's happening!"

Tianyang put on his uniform. "I can help!"

Han Shu did not insist. "Suit yourself."

The two left the carriage. As they passed through Chen Liu's, the senior official from the Strategic Station stopped Han Shu. "Captain Han, what happened? Why has the train stopped?"

"Wanderers are blocking the tracks. We're going to deal with them now." Han Shu briefly explained the situation, pushed past Chen Liu, and hurried away with Tianyang.

"Wanderers?" A smile appeared on Chen Liu's face. "Here's my chance to put on a show."

Two minutes later, Tianyang and Han Shu met up with the other members of the Raven Squad outside the train.

They were in a valley. In the dim light, black vegetation grew rampant everywhere. When the wind blew, indistinct stone carvings emerged from among the grasses, exuding a sinister, evil air.

Several strange, twisted trees covered in burls grew nearby. Their tangled branches, long and short, resembled countless contorted fingers of lepers, a nauseating sight.

In the distance, they could just make out a great bridge spanning the valley, but its middle section was missing, like a giant's broken arm.

Ji Yu, who belonged to the Hunter class, jogged back from up ahead with a bow on her back. She reported in a low voice without a trace of hoarseness, "A small group of Wanderers has appeared ahead, between seventy and a hundred. They're crossing the tracks. If we force our way through, we could derail."

This was the first time Tianyang had heard her speak. So she could talk...

Han Shu nodded and waved a hand. "Let's go. Clear them out so we can get moving sooner."

When they reached the front of the train, they found grotesque, evil figures lingering on the tracks ahead, just as reported. In the gloom beyond the lights' reach, those creatures that belonged only in nightmares had will cages on their chests that gave off a sickly gray glow, like ghostly flames drifting through a graveyard.

Now and then, they let out a string of meaningless sounds, like aggrieved souls telling the living of their misfortunes.

Han Shu lit a cigarette and looked at the Ascenders, Tianyang among them, and the Nightwalkers soldiers who had put on their helmets. "Attack at will. Start clearing them out."

Cang Du charged first. As the ponytailed young man ran, a hazy glow began to shine all over his body. His Star Essence manifested, and his longsword left its sheath, becoming a cold flash in the darkness as it swept across the cages on three or four Wanderers' chests.

The cages shattered, their gray light scattering. The twisted figures immediately fell to the ground, finally granted their eternal rest.

PS: Thank you all for your support. We finally made the rankings! Let's keep pushing!