My Dad's Dying. Anyone Who Gets in My Way Burns

Night fell like a vast sheet of black cloth, mercilessly blotting out the entire sky.

Inside the base, the patrol teams, usually fairly orderly, now seemed somewhat panicked.

A powerful sense of unease welled up in Lu Chen's heart, as if something bad were about to happen.

"Captain, what do we do next? Should we step up the patrols?" The team member sounded anxious.

"Step up the patrols? Like hell!" Captain Lin swore irritably, his voice as rough as an unpolished stone. "Finding that little girl is what matters most right now!"

"The little girl?" The team member looked puzzled. "What's so important about her?"

"You don't know shit!" Captain Lin glared at the team member, frustrated by his failure to understand. "Lu Chen took that little girl with him, which means their relationship isn't ordinary. If we find her, we might be able to find out where Lu Chen is."

The team member finally understood and hurriedly nodded and bowed. "Brilliant, Captain!"

Captain Lin snorted, ignored the flattery, and headed straight for the command center.

He knew very well that if he wanted to catch Lu Chen, he had to find the little girl first.

Only then could he make up for his failure and hold on to his position.

"Captain Lin, you're here." A staff member hurried over to greet him respectfully.

"What's the situation?" Captain Lin asked.

"We've sealed off all entrances and exits and are thoroughly checking every vehicle and person," the staff member replied. "But so far, there's been no sign of Lu Chen or the little girl."

"Useless!" Captain Lin cursed. "Keep searching! Dig three feet into the ground if you have to, but find them!"

"Yes, sir!" The staff member trembled all over in fright and hurried off to carry out the order.

Captain Lin stood before the surveillance screens in the command center, his gaze sharp.

He knew Lu Chen had to be hiding somewhere, waiting for a chance to act.

He had to find him as soon as possible, or the consequences would be unthinkable.

He stared at the screens, determined not to miss a single suspicious detail.

Suddenly, he seemed to spot something and slammed the pause button.

On the screen, a man in ragged clothes was carrying a child and sneaking toward the base's back gate.

"It's him!" Captain Lin said through gritted teeth. "Catch them! Dead or alive!"

But when he got a clear look at the man's face, he froze.

"How could it be him?" he muttered, disbelief spreading across his face.

His hand drifted unconsciously toward the pistol at his waist. He instinctively glanced back at the empty room behind him, a chilling smile curling his lips as he murmured, "Long time no see..."

Lu Chen had no idea Captain Lin had already set his sights on him.

At that moment, he was hiding in an abandoned factory on the outskirts of the base, frowning deeply as he looked at his pale-faced father lying on the ground.

"Dad, how are you?" Lu Chen's voice trembled slightly.

Lu Chen's father struggled to open his eyes and said weakly, "I... I'm fine."

Lu Chen knew his father was putting on a brave face.

He could tell his father's condition was rapidly deteriorating.

His injuries, which had barely been kept in check by C-rank [Cell Regeneration], were on the verge of overwhelming him.

No, I have to find a nerve regeneration agent as soon as possible, Lu Chen told himself.

The nerve regeneration agent was an extremely rare special medicine that could repair damaged nerve tissue. It was the only hope for treating his father's injuries.

But the drug was available only in the base's medical area. To get it, he would have to break into the base again.

"Xiao Lu, are you ready?" Lu Chen asked.

"Don't worry, Brother Lu Chen." Xiao Lu's voice came through the communicator, tinged with excitement. "I'm ready. I'll have those idiots running around in circles."

"Good. Remember, be careful," Lu Chen cautioned.

"Got it, Brother Lu Chen. Just wait for my good news!" With that, Xiao Lu cut the connection.

Lu Chen took a deep breath. For his father's sake, he had to take the risk.

He changed into a set of shabby clothes and smeared dirt on his face, making himself look like an injured awakener.

Then he used the C-rank [Cell Regeneration] he had copied earlier to create the illusion that his self-healing had failed, making his wounds look even more gruesome.

Once everything was ready, Lu Chen carefully approached the base.

The darkness of night was the best disguise.

Under cover of darkness, Lu Chen avoided one patrol after another and finally reached the vicinity of the medical area.

"Stop! What are you here for?" A guard blocked Lu Chen's path.

Lu Chen put on a pained expression and said feebly, "I... I'm an awakener. I'm hurt, and I... I came for treatment."

The guard looked Lu Chen up and down, but still waved him through.

"Go on in, but register first."

Delighted, Lu Chen hurried inside.

The medical area was brightly lit.

Lu Chen spotted Sister Chen at once, busy at work.

He hurried over and put on a weak appearance. "Sister Chen, I... I'm hurt. Could you take a look at me?"

When Sister Chen saw him, she quickly put down what she was doing and helped him into a chair.

"You're badly hurt. How did this happen?" Sister Chen asked with concern.

"I ran into a group of zombies and barely fought my way out," Lu Chen said, mixing truth with lies.

"Alas, the world's in turmoil these days. It isn't easy for you awakeners either." Sister Chen sighed and began examining his injuries.

Lu Chen watched Sister Chen's movements in secret, silently admiring her.

Though the woman had a gentle personality, she held firm convictions.

She did her utmost to treat every injured person, no matter who they were.

While Sister Chen tended to his wounds, Lu Chen quietly copied the F-rank [Toxin Decomposition] talent of a doctor nearby.

Its rank wasn't high, but it might come in handy at a crucial moment.

"All right, your injuries have been treated. Go back and get some rest," Sister Chen said.

"Thank you, Sister Chen," Lu Chen said gratefully.

"No need to thank me. It's my job." Sister Chen smiled and went back to work.

Instead of leaving, Lu Chen pretended to be curious and wandered around the medical area.

His target was the nerve regeneration agent, and he had to find where it was kept as soon as possible.

Where would they keep the nerve regeneration agent? Lu Chen wondered.

Suddenly, his gaze fell on a room deep inside the medical area.

Two guards stood at its door, and it looked heavily guarded.

Could the nerve regeneration agent be in there? The thought stirred him.

He decided to take a chance. He quietly approached the room, looking for an opportunity to slip inside.

But just as he was nearing the door, an icy voice suddenly rang out.

"Madam, what are you doing here?"

Lu Chen's heart jolted, and he quickly turned around.

Captain Lin was standing behind him, watching him coldly.

"Captain Lin, what are you doing here?" Lu Chen asked, feigning surprise.

"Why can't I be here?" Captain Lin sneered. "Lu Chen, do you think I don't know how you got out? This time, you're not going anywhere."

Lu Chen knew his identity had been exposed. He dropped the disguise,

"Since you've found me, there's nothing I can do about it," Lu Chen said.

"Hmph, do you think you can still escape?" Captain Lin snorted and waved his hand.

Several guards immediately rushed forward and surrounded Lu Chen.

Without showing any reaction, Lu Chen secretly copied the B-rank [Gravity Manipulation] talent of one of the guards.

Then he elevated the talent to SSS-rank, ready to give these fellows a surprise.

"Attack!" Captain Lin ordered, and the guards immediately charged at Lu Chen.

Lu Chen sneered and activated SSS-rank [Gravity Manipulation].

In an instant, an invisible gravitational force enveloped the entire area.

The guards felt a sudden weight bearing down on them, as though they were carrying a mountain, and their movements became exceptionally sluggish.

"What's going on?" one guard shouted in terror.

"Gravity... the gravity's increased!" another guard said with difficulty.

Lu Chen gave them no chance to catch their breath.

He waved both hands, and flames appeared out of thin air, transforming into fire serpents that swept toward the guards.

The flames came from the D-rank [Flame Manipulation] talent Lu Chen had copied earlier. Though its rank wasn't high, it unleashed astonishing power when combined with SSS-rank [Gravity Manipulation].

Suppressed by the gravity, the guards moved too slowly to evade the flames.

Screaming, they were engulfed by the fire and fell to the ground, struggling in agony.

In just three minutes, Lu Chen had completely incapacitated the entire guard team.

Lu Chen didn't linger in the fight. He picked up the nerve regeneration agent kept in the room, turned, and left.

"I'm not here to cause trouble. I'm here to save someone." Lu Chen's voice echoed through the empty medical area.

Watching Lu Chen walk away, Captain Lin's face turned ashen. He clenched his fists and growled, "After him!" Looking at the security guards sprawled all over the medical area and smelling the aroma of meat in the air, Captain Lin was fit to burst with rage.

How was this saving someone? He was clearly here to demolish the place!

"After him! This time, bring him back no matter what!" Captain Lin roared, the veins in his neck bulging like twisted earthworms.

He glared viciously in the direction Lu Chen had disappeared, as though he wanted to burn holes in his retreating figure.

"What are you standing around for? Didn't you hear me?" Captain Lin kicked over a security guard beside him who was still breathing, spittle flying. "After him! Even if you have to dig three feet into the ground, find that brat!"

The few remaining security guards who could still move scrambled after Lu Chen.

Captain Lin spat, picked up a walkie-talkie from the ground, and shouted himself hoarse. "Attention, everyone! Lu Chen is fleeing the base. I repeat, Lu Chen is fleeing the base! Stop him at all costs! Dead or alive!"

The entire base erupted like a hornet's nest that had been kicked over. Alarms sounded one after another, piercing people's eardrums.

Patrol team after patrol team surged like a tide toward the base's various exits.

Captain Lin clenched his fists tightly, his fingernails digging deep into his flesh.