Inside the temporary headquarters’ communication tent, a signal from the search team—which had been disconnected for a long time—suddenly requested access.
Chu You’s expression remained unchanged.
She quickly typed commands on the keyboard and hit enter.
The frequency band representing the Second Search Team showed a successful connection.
Before Chu You could speak, a burst of static hissed through the headset.
“Bzzzt… Bzzzt…”
Immediately after, a breathless and incredibly anxious voice rang out: “This is Deputy Captain Su Tao of the Second Search Team. Emergency situation! After the Captain entered the Death Realm, it suddenly changed and is resisting anyone else’s entry!”
“We—we’ve been ambushed by aberrations. There are so many of them! Requesting immediate backup!!!”
“Bzzzt… Headquarters, do you copy? We—we’re surrounded and can’t break through the perimeter. Please send reinforcements immediately!”
Just as Su Tao finished speaking, the communication cut off again.
In the next moment, communication requests from the First and Third Search Teams appeared on the screen as pop-ups simultaneously.
Chu You’s heart skipped a beat.
She suddenly had a bad feeling.
It wasn’t just the Second Search Team; the First and Third were likely facing similar situations.
Then… what about Lin Mo?
Did he enter the Death Realm?
Or was he blocked outside by the sudden changes and currently trapped in a bitter struggle?
As Chu You’s fingers flew across the computer to stabilize and connect the other two emergency transmissions, she anxiously speculated about Lin Mo’s situation in her mind.
As soon as the connection was established, a chaotic roar of background noise—violent explosions, the whistling of energy, and the ear-piercing shrieks of aberrations—poured into her ears like a bursting dam, causing her heart to sink instantly.
“First—First Search Team reporting! We are surrounded by a massive number of aberrations and cannot break through! Captain Lin Mo has entered the Death Realm; his status is unknown! We are being repelled by the Death Realm and cannot follow! Headquarters! We need immediate support! I repeat, immediate support!”
“Bzzzt… Third Search Team casualties… we have casualties! Requesting backup! Requesting emergency backup!”
Chu You’s breath hitched, and her face turned pale and grim.
She forced herself to take a deep breath, using all her strength to suppress the panic and worry churning in her chest.
Keeping her voice as steady as possible, she grabbed the command walkie-talkie from the desk, pressed the talk button firmly, and announced with rapid but clear precision: “All headquarters personnel, attention! All headquarters personnel, attention! The three forward search teams have all been ambushed by large numbers of aberrations. The situation is critical!”
“Repeat, the situation is critical! Will Beifu Sword Bearer Investigation Team Leader Gu Qiancheng and Security Department Chief Zhao Dongyuan please report to the headquarters tent immediately upon hearing this broadcast to discuss an emergency rescue plan!”
The command spread quickly through the temporary camp via the broadcast.
In another tent used as a temporary office, Zhao Dongyuan was giving instructions to his subordinates regarding the allocation of supplies.
Hearing the broadcast, he froze for a moment before dropping his documents without hesitation.
With a solemn expression, he turned and stormed out with long strides.
In the cafeteria, Gu Qiancheng, who had been sitting on a small stool peeling potatoes with Xia Ji, stood up abruptly.
The relaxed look on his face was instantly replaced by seriousness.
He glanced at Xia Ji, who had also looked up with a questioning and tense gaze.
Without a word, the two moved in perfect sync, one after the other, quickly leaving the cafeteria and sprinting toward the headquarters tent.
Before long, Zhao Dongyuan was the first to lift the flap and rush into the communication tent, his voice low and urgent: “Specialist Chu, what happened?”
Following close behind, Gu Qiancheng and Xia Ji arrived.
Gu Qiancheng rushed to the front of Chu You, his brow furrowed.
“What exactly is the situation?”
Chu You ripped the headset off her head and slammed it onto the table, her tone heavy with suppressed weight and anxiety.
“…An unknown mutation occurred in the Death Realm. Only Lin Mo from the First Search Team successfully entered, and only Captain Gao Yuan from the Second Search Team made it in. All other team members are being repelled by the Death Realm’s power. The situation of the Third Team is unclear, but it’s likely the same.”
“Right now, all three teams blocked outside are being ambushed by a massive number of aberrations. The situation is dire.”
“I’ll go save them!”
Gu Qiancheng didn’t even think before turning to rush out.
“We might not have enough manpower,” Zhao Dongyuan spoke up from the side, his face ashen as he gritted his teeth.
“Even if we mobilize everyone in the camp right now, it’s definitely not enough to support three different engagement locations simultaneously!”
“We have to save them anyway!”
Gu Qiancheng turned back sharply, his voice carrying an unquestionable resolve.
“Are we just supposed to watch?! I…”
His gaze swept across and landed on Xia Ji, who was following closely behind him.
He made an instant decision.
“I’ll take Xia Ji! The two of us should be able to save one team!”
He knew very well that even at the edge of the Death Realm, it was unknown how much effect his [Peach Blossom Spring] Oracle would have.
Taking Xia Ji was the most reliable plan for now.
Then, he turned to look at Zhao Dongyuan, his expression more serious than ever before: “Old Zhao! If you take the brothers from the Law Enforcement Bureau, do you have the confidence to save another team?”
Zhao Dongyuan exhaled a heavy breath, his eyes sharp.
“I’ll try my best… I’ll put my old life on the line to bring them out!”
He then shifted the topic and asked the most crucial question: “Then… what about the remaining third team? Who will save them?”
“I will.”
A calm but exceptionally firm voice rang out.
Everyone looked toward the source and saw that Chu You had stood up at some point.
She clenched her fists, her knuckles turning slightly white from the force, but her tone carried an unshakeable determination: “…I will go save the third team. Even if I can’t help them completely break the encirclement, at least… I can help them hold out longer and reduce casualties.”
Her gaze swept over Gu Qiancheng and Zhao Dongyuan: “From here on, it’s up to you.”
“Whichever of your two teams succeeds in breaking through first, come to support me at top speed… With our current stretched-thin manpower, this is the only way to maximize the chances of keeping everyone alive.”
Hearing this, Gu Qiancheng’s expression changed drastically.
He stared at Chu You in disbelief: “Junior, you…”
Chu You making this decision was almost equivalent to publicly exposing her unspeakable demon identity to everyone who would witness her in combat.
“Senior, don’t say it… let it be this way.”
Chu You looked at Gu Qiancheng and shook her head slowly but firmly.
Her voice wasn’t loud, but it carried the weight of a thousand pounds.
“Those being besieged out there… are our comrades.”
No matter what, she couldn’t stand by and watch them die for nothing because help didn’t arrive in time.
If exposing her identity was the price for saving lives, she would accept it.
Seeing this, the words Gu Qiancheng was about to say died in his throat.
Looking at the unquestionable resolve in Chu You’s eyes, he finally just let out a long, complex sigh.
He reached out and patted Chu You’s shoulder heavily: “Junior, don’t worry…”
He looked straight into Chu You’s eyes, his tone decisive and carrying a weight nearly like a vow.
“Even if I have to give up this Sword Bearer uniform, I will definitely keep you safe!”
At that moment, Zhao Dongyuan also spoke up.
His voice was a bit hoarse but equally firm: “Old Zhao here… is getting old. My eyesight hasn’t been great, especially these past few days. I can’t see anything clearly…”
He spoke with deep implication before facing Chu You and actually giving a solemn bow.
“Specialist Chu, I believe most of the brothers and sisters in the Binhai Branch will be the same as me… They are in your hands!”
This gratitude was not just for the sudden rescue mission.
It was also for the immense debt he owed her from before, when Chu You had risked severe injury to save his wife and child.
Seeing this, a warm current and a stronger sense of power surged in Chu You’s heart. She nodded heavily: “No time to lose, let’s go!”
“Beep, beep-beep—!”
Just then, the computer on the console suddenly emitted a rapid notification sound.
Chu You froze and instinctively looked down at the screen—a strange communication frequency that hadn’t been recorded in the identification library was flashing, requesting a connection.
The situation was urgent, so she didn’t have time to overthink.
She immediately bent down, her fingers flying across the keyboard to input a series of commands to connect the unknown transmission.
At the same time, she put her headset back on and leaned in.
The next moment, a distinctively magnetic, slightly lazy yet efficient “big-sister” voice came clearly through the headset: “This is contact officer Hua Yao of the Seventh Tactical Team, ‘Night Hunt,’ from the Sword Bearer Beifu Headquarters.”
“Our unit is currently flying over the BHO2 Purge Traffic Line in a military aircraft… We have observed a large number of aberrations in the canyon area below engaged in intense combat with your allied forces. Please confirm the combat status and whether you need… uh…”
The magnetic female voice suddenly stopped as if she were listening to something.
Then, her tone took on a clear sense of helplessness and a headache as she spoke into the transmitter: “—Forget it, no need to confirm!”
Immediately after, her voice grew faint, as if she were covering the transmitter to talk to someone beside her.
“Tie Jiang, hurry up and follow Qing Luan! She didn’t put on her damn parachute!”