The Mole

Meanwhile, Flight Squad 1, whom Liu Sui had just sent to investigate the contamination protection, fought their way through the contamination to the communications room.

They were a four-person squad—or, more precisely, a team. This was a basic formation within the Firmament Squad, whose members typically worked in groups of four to scout and clear contaminated areas during missions.

The four were Xiao Xue, whose Mental Entity was a snowy owl and whose excellent eyesight made him primarily responsible for scouting ahead; Cang Yun, whose Mental Entity was a goshawk and who handled the main offensive during combat; You Ling, whose Mental Entity was a peregrine falcon and who mainly supported the goshawk's attacks; and Wu Lu, whose Mental Entity was a secretary bird and who primarily took care of the rear.

The four arrived at the communications room door, where the area was practically soaked through with contamination. Black contamination clung tightly to the door, forming flailing tentacles that lashed out at them.

You Ling caught hold of the tentacles, and the peregrine falcon swept down from above, severing them one by one with its beak. But the tentacles regenerated far too quickly. Even working together, the four managed to clear only a narrow gap.

Cang Yun made a snap decision and shouted, "Xiao Xue, go in first and take a look." The snowy owl was stronger and smaller, so Xiao Xue was the perfect choice.

Xiao Xue squeezed inside with some difficulty. The contamination was much less severe than he had expected: there was only a little around the door and hardly any farther in. The communications room was empty, and the screen on the workstation was even still lit!

He immediately breathed a sigh of relief and called urgently to the others outside, "It's clear in here. Hurry in!"

Cang Yun, You Ling, and the others squeezed in one after another. A loud, dull hum sounded behind them as the door closed, shutting all the contamination firmly outside. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief at the same time.

But none of them truly let their guard down. After a brief breather, they got to work.

Wu Lu was the best of the group at data processing. He strode over to the workstation and operated the firewall interface. As he repaired the protection system there, his frown deepened.

Xiao Xue was particularly bad with numbers that looked like astronomical symbols, and he hurriedly asked, "What's the situation?"

"The virus in the protection system was sent from a satellite orbiting an inconspicuous uninhabited planet in the Alpha Galaxy." Wu Lu paused, then decided to get straight to the point, his tone turning somewhat grave. "And it was received precisely by the communications room—which means whoever sent it knew our starship's exact coordinates."

"More coincidentally, the virus activated just as the starship entered the contaminated area."

"That means they knew our flight route just as well."

They exchanged glances, shock and disbelief reflected in their eyes.

There was a mole in the Firmament Squad!

Much as they disliked admitting it, the squad's core information could never have fallen into enemy hands so easily unless someone on the inside had leaked it.

It was all too coincidental.

Just then, the internal communications device suddenly lit up, and a cool voice tinged with urgency came through. It was Liu Sui.

"Guide Luo has been captured by an unknown contaminant." He spoke faster than usual, as if he were talking while fighting. "Her current location indicates she's moving not far from the communications room. Flight Squad 1, split into two groups. One will repair the protection system; the other will go rescue the guide immediately."

The reason Liu Sui knew Luo Ruzhuo's location so precisely was that, when they boarded the starship, he had shared access to his optical computer wristband with her so they could exchange information more easily. That was also what allowed him to remain barely calm now that Luo Ruzhuo had been abducted.

The vice-captain had given an order, so naturally they obeyed.

Xiao Xue had booked an appointment with Luo Ruzhuo long ago. How could he stand by and watch his guide disappear into a contaminated area when he had yet to receive even a single purification?

Before Liu Sui had finished speaking, Xiao Xue raised his hand without hesitation. "I'll go save Guide Luo!"

Xiao Xue was the youngest and a little more impulsive than the others. After a brief discussion, the remaining three decided that Cang Yun, the steadiest member of the team, would go with him. You Ling and Wu Lu would stay behind to repair the protection system as quickly as possible.

Liu Sui sent a set of coordinates to the four team members' optical computer wristbands.

The red dot on the screen flashed at an enclosed bridge not far from the communications room, but to reach it, they would have to pass through a long, narrow contaminated area.

Xiao Xue and Cang Yun wasted no time and set off immediately.

Their purpose was not to clear contaminants but to rescue the guide, so they did not linger in battle. Instead, they quickened their pace and hurried in the direction of the location signal.

Xiao Xue knew of the newly arrived guide only from the few things Lin Sheng had said. She did not seem as savage as the rumors claimed; instead, she had left Lin Sheng somewhat distracted.

A young person's imagination was always especially vivid. As Xiao Xue ran, he pictured her in his mind.

A girl whose parents had both died, choosing to take revenge on the powerful and privileged-frail yet brave, daring to rise up against even mighty capital.

A faint sound of wind came from the passage toward the enclosed bridge, carrying the decaying smell characteristic of contaminants.

Xiao Xue could almost imagine her situation now: the frail, helpless guide surrounded by contaminants, yet still gripping a weapon with determination despite the danger, quietly waiting to be rescued.

At the thought, Xiao Xue's steps quickened even more. He practically took flight.

For once, Cang Yun fell behind him. A question mark practically appeared over the usually taciturn sentinel's head.

Cang Yun: ...What's gotten him so fired up?

If Luo Ruzhuo had known what Xiao Xue was imagining, she would probably have laughed out loud.

The moment the black shadow abducted her, she did not resist. For one thing, she did not want to expose her strength; for another, she wanted to get close to the contamination and see what it actually was and where it was taking her.

Being wrapped in the black substance was not pleasant. If she had to describe it, it was like being firmly stuck to a layer of something slimy. At the same time, countless chaotic, violent emotions poured in wherever it touched her, as if a trash can full of malicious thoughts and negative emotions were dumping everything into her mental domain.

In several dazed moments, the substance even stirred up some unpleasant memories of her time in the apocalypse.

The tiny orange-red point of light in her mental domain suddenly blazed, yanking her out just as she was about to become lost in those memories.

Feeling the steady flow of power in her mind, Luo Ruzhuo quickly came to her senses.

So this is contamination?

She did not dare underestimate it. Something capable of dazing even a mental-power ability user truly deserved its title as this world's number one enemy.

The black contamination gradually slowed, seemingly about to reach its destination. Luo Ruzhuo stopped waiting passively and launched several mental attacks, immediately tearing an opening in the tightly wrapped black cocoon. She struggled free.

The moment her feet touched the ground, the sight before her made her freeze.