Designated Mission

The mystery surrounding the Theseus Cell had lingered in Mo Ling's mind.

Li Luo, on the other hand, was remarkably carefree. She had already begun preparing for her next mission.

After resting for a few days, Li Luo replenished her equipment and food supplies, then returned to the mission counter.

As usual, she started from the bottom of the mission list, yet she hesitated for a long while without accepting anything.

Following Li Luo's gaze, Mo Ling finally understood why she was wavering.

Collection mission: Water Heart Lava, fifty kilograms, for experimental use. Reward: 1000 Monitoring Station Points.

Collection mission: Man Rolling Grass, twenty plants, for research use. Reward: 2000 Monitoring Station Points.

Hunting mission: Hunt one Giant Jet Stream in the storm belt west of the Monitoring Station. Video evidence and the Shining Spirit Core trophy must be submitted. Reward: 2000 Monitoring Station Points.

There were no investigation missions, and the remaining missions were all exceptionally difficult. Li Luo had lingered so long because she had not found a suitable one.

Further up were investigation missions worth only a few dozen points.

Just as Li Luo opened her electronic screen and prepared to settle for one of those, she received a message.

It was from Station Master Liang.

"Li Luo, you haven't accepted a mission yet, have you? I have something I need you to do."

Inside the research institute, Station Master Liang explained his thoughts to Li Luo. "The fewer people who know about the Theseus Cell, the better. You know what happened before, and there's no one more suitable than you."

He took out an electronic map and pointed to a location. "This area marked by the red line is the Theseus Cell Lockdown Zone. I need you to take a look there."

"Investigate whether there are any oversights or abnormalities in the Sealed Area. Of course, most importantly, explain in person to the personnel stationed at the Outpost Station that the Theseus Cell has appeared in the Outside World."

If there was an Outpost Station, why did Li Luo need to investigate? Mo Ling could not help but grow suspicious.

Li Luo's face was also full of confusion.

Station Master Liang noticed Li Luo's doubts and continued, "We haven't had any personnel exchanges with the Outpost Station for a long time. Our communication has been limited to transmitting information. I suspect something may have happened over there."

"No." Li Luo refused decisively. "I need to earn points. I don't have time."

Station Master Liang froze at Li Luo's blunt refusal.

After recovering, he said helplessly, "Then I'll issue you a designated mission. You can earn points once you complete it."

Station Master Liang returned to his office and operated his workbench for a while. Soon afterward, a notification sounded on Li Luo's electronic screen:

You have received a designated mission from the Seventh Monitoring Station. Issuer: Liang Zhi

Investigation mission: Patrol of the Theseus Cell Lockdown Zone. Reward: 2000 Monitoring Station Points.

Accept? Accept/Decline

"This mission carries a certain degree of danger. These points should be about right, shouldn't they? If you find anything extra, I can apply for additional points for you."

That many?

While Mo Ling was still shocked by the extent of the Station Master's authority, Li Luo had already pressed the accept button.

After obtaining the map to the Outpost Station and a passage permit from the Station Master, Li Luo set off immediately with the Cube.

The journey to the Sealed Area was not far, but it was extremely remote and hidden. After two days of winding travel, they finally reached the designated location.

Just as they were about to arrive, the sky suddenly darkened.

Night had fallen?

But the timing did not seem right.

Inside the Cube, Mo Ling could only sense day and night through changes in light and darkness.

He hurriedly glanced at the time on Li Luo's electronic screen and discovered that it was not yet evening.

Looking at Li Luo again, she had already slowed the vehicle and raised her head toward the sky.

As the small vehicle gradually moved forward, Mo Ling finally saw what lay ahead.

It was a towering wall.

The thick wall was built from reinforced concrete. Mo Ling's field of vision could not even reach its top, while its foundation ran deep into the ground, with no bottom in sight.

This wall was what had blocked out the light.

Only after reaching the wall did Mo Ling barely manage to see the scene within it.

The scenery was identical to that outside the wall: ordinary plants and tiny insects. He could not see anything unusual about the Sealed Area.

Yet at the thought that these animals and plants might all be made of Theseus Cells, a chill ran through Mo Ling's heart.

While he was still focused on studying the world beyond the wall, an angry shout interrupted his observation.

"Who goes there?!"

A group of soldiers clad in thick Combat Suits approached with various weapons in hand and surrounded Li Luo.

"Get out of the vehicle!"

The soldiers were well-trained and swiftly searched both the vehicle and Li Luo.

When they learned that Li Luo had been sent by the Seventh Monitoring Station, their expressions worsened instead, and they began complaining.

"We already know about the situation the Monitoring Station sent over. Hurry up and go back. There's nothing abnormal here."

"We'll send people to assist in investigating the Theseus Cell escape. There's nothing unusual inside the Sealed Area."

That attitude only made Mo Ling more suspicious.

Wasn't that a little too obvious?

Li Luo was no fool either. She showed the soldiers her mission and passage permit, insisting on entering.

When the inspecting soldier saw the issuer's name on the mission, he said angrily, "Liang Zhi again? He hides in the Monitoring Station every day and still bosses us around. If he has the nerve, why doesn't he come himself?"

His words drew agreement from the others.

"They want us to take the blame for the leak in the Sealed Area? Aren't they just bullying honest people?"

"Higher rank crushes lower rank. What's the point of us working ourselves to the bone here when it all comes down to one word from him?"

"At worst, we quit. We guard this godforsaken place, fend off those freaks every day, and still get suspected by our own people."

These soldiers clearly held a deep grudge against Station Master Liang.

"Enough!"

Just as the standoff reached an impasse, a hoarse yet forceful voice cut off the soldiers' complaints.

The soldiers hurriedly turned around and stood at attention, every one of them straightening their backs.

"Captain Su!"

"Captain Su!"

As the newcomer approached, Mo Ling finally saw what he looked like.

Frailty.

Every one of those soldiers was powerfully built and neatly dressed, but Captain Su looked like a shriveled old man, his entire body wrapped in filthy bandages.

The bandages even covered his face. Dried black blood had seeped through them, making him look like a decayed mummy.

He walked up to Li Luo, checked her mission and passage permit once again, then turned toward the soldiers beside him.

"The paperwork is complete. The inspection is done. Let her in. What are you dawdling for?"

The nearby soldiers hurriedly lowered their heads and admitted their mistake. Despite their tall, powerful bodies, they looked like children before Captain Su.

"Come on. I'll take you inside."

Captain Su did nothing unnecessary. He led Li Luo out of the encirclement and walked along the City Wall toward one side.

The soldiers who had been full of complaints moments ago all fell silent and quietly followed.

Mo Ling looked at the identification tag hanging around Captain Su's neck, and the words on it startled him as well:

"Level Three Hunter, Bone Crusher Su Yang."