Woo! Woo! Woo!
The alarm blared, urgent and shrill, echoing through the underground world.
"Everyone, proceed to the shelter immediately!" The teacher said sternly from the podium.
The students below panicked instantly, but since this kind of drill happens every year, they managed to stay calm under the teacher's guidance.
Yu Qiaoqiao and Chen Qing felt a chill run down their spines, naturally understanding the meaning of this alarm.
When this alarm sounds in Dark Spring City, it means that something has invaded the gate to the underground world.
The most likely explanation is that alien monster that hasn't appeared for twenty years.
Following their teacher's directions, the two quickly ran out of the school building and headed towards the designated shelter.
"Hey, Chen Qing, where is Master now?" Yu Qiaoqiao asked softly, clutching Chen Qing's sleeve.
Chen Qing shook his head and said, "Master, didn't he say he would leave today? He might have already left Dark Spring City by now."
Yu Qiaoqiao's eyes widened, as if she had thought of something, " Xiao Qingzi, do you think it's possible that Master has been discovered?!"
Chen Qing looked around. The ecological Simulation screen above his head was trembling constantly, and he could even see that several Simulation screens not far away were about to collapse.
"Impossible. If Master had been discovered, do you think it would have been necessary to make such a fuss? If that were the case, why would he sneak in here?"
Yu Qiaoqiao breathed a sigh of relief, "Then it seems to be that alien monster."
"Shouldn't we go fight monsters?! We're supposed to be on the path of cultivation now!"
Chen Qing tapped her head, truly baffled by Yu Qiaoqiao's thoughts. "Do you think we're a match for that alien monster? You know, every alien monster in the records is over fifty meters long!"
"We two newbies are just going to deliver vegetables."
As Yu Qiaoqiao ran, she retorted, "How could that be? We've entered the cultivation realm now. I even feel like I could take on ten people. If we secretly infiltrate the Armed Team and use their equipment, even if we can't win, can't we just run away?"
Chen Qing frowned in thought. He was even somewhat tempted. It was impossible for that young man not to have the ambition to destroy that mere monster with a single hand.
Especially with Yu Qiaoqiao encouraging him from the sidelines, Chen Qing was also itching to join in.
The thought of the alien monster's size and his own strength made Chen Qing hesitate again.
"I think we should think about this carefully."
Yu Qiaoqiao didn't care about all that. She was a pragmatist and believed in doing things first. She glanced around and, seeing that the teacher wasn't paying attention to them, grabbed Chen Qing and quickly ran out of the line, heading towards the school gate.
Both of them embarked on cultivation, and their speed was far faster than that of ordinary people. The people around them didn't even notice that they had left.
Chen Qing didn't hesitate any longer. After all, he and Yu Qiaoqiao had already run out of the school gate, so they might as well do it!
" Yu Qiaoqiao, Chen Qing, where are you two going!"
Just as they rushed out of the school gate, the two suddenly stopped in their tracks. A fully armed middle-aged man was staring at them, with three large characters " Armed Team " emblazoned on his chest.
The middle-aged man had a weathered face and deep-set eyes. A hideous centipede-shaped scar extended from his right cheek to his neck, and half of his right hand was missing, with uneven and twisted edges. When he gripped the gun, the old scar on the missing part taut.
Behind the man were several other team members in similar equipment, who were continuously maintaining order on the street and guiding residents to evacuate.
Upon seeing the person who arrived, Yu Qiaoqiao immediately wilted, turned her pretty face away, and hid behind Chen Qing.
" Uncle Zhang..." Chen Qing's eyes darted around as he explained, "The teacher asked the two of us to check if any students had gone to the wrong place, so we can bring them to the shelter."
"Nonsense!" Zhang Mingyuan shouted. "You two kids, get into the shelter right now! This is a matter of life and death, not a game!"
" Uncle Zhang, we're not lying to you, it's true." Yu Qiaoqiao stomped her foot in protest.
Zhang Mingyuan's brows furrowed, his eyes blazing, making Yu Qiaoqiao feel Yu Qiaoqiao. As he walked forward, the guns and ammunition made a clicking sound as they rubbed together.
" Qiaoqiao, hurry to the shelter, don't let your parents worry!"
Yu Qiaoqiao's hard-won courage crumbled instantly, and she once again hid behind Chen Qing.
The soldier's unique, imposing aura rendered their carefully prepared words useless.
Zhang Mingyuan knew these two little guys very well; he had watched them grow up. He could tell they were going to the toilet just by the way they moved their bottoms.
He knew that the two of them running out at this critical moment were trying to sneak up.
The two children were like newborn calves, fearless and unafraid of tigers; the terror of the alien monster was beyond their comprehension.
Zhang Mingyuan recalled the terrifying experience of the alien monster that suddenly appeared twenty years ago, which destroyed the massive stellar engine in the blink of an eye.
He himself lost half a hand in that battle, and many of his teammates died in it.
If it weren't for the use of the most powerful weapon, Dark Spring City would probably have ceased to exist long ago.
"Beep! Comrade Zhang Mingyuan, the evacuation mission will be taken over by other personnel. Please proceed to the Fifth Squad elevator as soon as possible!" A mechanical voice came through the communication headset worn by Zhang Mingyuan.
Time is running out.
"Captain, time is running out," a teammate urged from behind.
Zhang Mingyuan grabbed Chen Qing's shoulder and said seriously, " Qingzi, a real man must protect Qiaoqiao. Be careful what you do, keep an eye on her, and hurry to the shelter. Alien monsters are no joke."
" Uncle Zhang... it's me."
"Alright, give me the pass. You little brat, you secretly took my pass, did you really think I didn't know?" Zhang Mingyuan patted Chen Qing's shoulder forcefully. "Don't worry, with Uncle Zhang here, it'll be over soon. Go to the shelter with Qiaoqiao and stay there."
" Uncle Zhang, don't worry, I will definitely protect Qiaoqiao. Even if I have to die, I will die before Qiaoqiao," Chen Qing assured him.
"Ahem, Qingzi's all grown up, he's a real man now!"
Zhang Mingyuan snatched the pass from Chen Qing's pocket and urged, "Hurry up, don't delay."
Zhang Mingyuan turned and walked into the jeep behind him, waving goodbye to the two men with his back turned. His back view was dashing and resolute, especially the look in his eyes that seemed to contain a death wish.
Chen Qing had a premonition that once Uncle Zhang left, he might never see him again.
He shook his head, trying to reassure himself, "What are you thinking? Bah! Chen Qing, Uncle Zhang will definitely come back safe and sound."
" Chen Qing, Uncle Zhang is gone," Yu Qiaoqiao said, looking at Chen Qing was in a daze.
"Call!"
Chen Qing let out a heavy sigh, took Yu Qiaoqiao's hand, and walked back to the school gate toward the shelter.
" Chen Qing... I hope Uncle Zhang will be alright. Should we go help Uncle Zhang? He's not even as well off as we are now," Yu Qiaoqiao Uncle Zhang weakly.
Chen Qing's mind was in complete turmoil. Uncle Zhang's expression before he left kept echoing in his mind. "Listen to Uncle Zhang, go to the shelter first."
"If Master were here, would he let us go?" Yu Qiaoqiao then asked.
Chen Qing couldn't give an answer; he was just an ordinary high school student, a high school student who had just embarked on the path of cultivation.
Such terrifying alien monsters were still too far removed from their lives.
The ecological Simulation screen overhead shook violently, causing the entire Dark Spring City to tremble and emit continuous groans.
Chen Qing and Yu Qiaoqiao slowly walked into the shelter, looking at the heavy door that was slowly closing in front of them, and behind them, countless people were huddled together one after another.
Outside the door, the torrential rain has arrived, and people are forcing themselves forward despite the heavy burden; inside, they are helpless and resigned to their fate.
It seemed as if an invisible choice was placed before Chen Qing Yu Qiaoqiao.