Chapter 160

On ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍the sixth day in Spring City, Ji Qing was woken by noise.

At ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍5:47 a.m., Ji Qing, still half-asleep, vaguely heard a thunderous explosion.

The ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍bed beneath him trembled slightly. The voice-activated lights in the corridors of the high-rise buildings outside the Floor-to-Ceiling Window lit up one after another, followed by the sound of conversations coming from outside the window. Ji Qing struggled to open his eyelids, and his vision gradually became clear.

The ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍first thing that entered his eyes was the Floor-to-Ceiling Window, which had already been shaken until it fractured.

Ji ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Qing’s mind abruptly cleared.

He ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍quickly changed into an outer jacket and pants, then began checking the current environment. The Floor-to-Ceiling Windows in this high-end hotel were made from special bulletproof glass. According to the hotel manager, even if a shotgun fired at it from point-blank range, the glass could not be broken.

The facts also proved that the hotel manager’s words were correct.

Although it had suffered a violent impact, the bulletproof glass still had not cracked open. It had only shattered internally into a snowflake-like pattern.

Ji Qing pulled open the half-drawn curtain and calmly observed the tragic scene outside. His original intention was to judge, based on the degree of fracturing in the glass window, what kind of attack could have caused such a phenomenon. But his steps suddenly paused.

Ji Qing thoughtfully took one step forward, then one step back.

His lowered eyes could not help glancing at the wineglass on the low table nearby, whose position had shifted. Ji Qing could clearly feel that the hotel’s center of gravity had shifted, as though one corner of the hotel had sunk into the ground.

“A Ground Collapse? An earthquake?” Ji Qing muttered in confusion.

The words Gu Lingxue had told him earlier once again surfaced in his mind. The train Gu Lingxue had taken home had once encountered a Ground Collapse, and now Ji Qing seemed to have encountered the same kind of collapse as well. Could these two incidents be connected?

Before Ji Qing could think further, the doorbell of his room rang.

Ji Qing quickly walked to the door and opened it.

A hotel attendant stood outside. The moment the attendant saw Ji Qing, he first bowed deeply, then said apologetically, “Sir, we are very sorry to disturb you so early. Just now, the ground to the southeast of our hotel collapsed. According to the instructions of the Spring City government, the hotel staff and hotel guests must leave the hotel within six hours.”

“Because our hotel bears responsibility for this accident, all expenses incurred during your stay will be refunded through the original payment channel by our staff within twenty-four hours after the evacuation is completed. If you still wish to stay at one of our hotels afterward, we will provide the address of a sister hotel and arrange shuttle bus pickup.”

“Sir, please follow the government’s instructions and leave the hotel as soon as possible.”

Ji Qing froze after hearing this, then said gently, “Mm… all right. I understand.”

“Thank you for your cooperation, sir.” Hearing this, the attendant raised his head with a smile. “Then I will continue notifying the other guests now. Sir, please leave the dangerous area as soon as possible.”

“All right.”

Watching the attendant leave, Ji Qing scratched his head with deep helplessness.

Although he knew this was a high-end hotel, the hotel’s efficiency was a little too high. But fortunately, Ji Qing had only checked in last night, so there were not many things he needed to pack. Ji Qing thought absently: he just did not know how the other two were packing…

Ji Qing had not originally planned to change hotels, but Ling You’er had been very dissatisfied about that.

At the time, after hearing this, Ling You’er had put her hands on her hips and wagged her finger in dissatisfaction. “You weren’t planning to stay for many days in the first place, and now you still don’t plan to stay with us? Are you planning to specifically waste your free time on the road?”

Uh… Ji Qing had instantly felt that this was reasonable after hearing it.

Although changing hotels was troublesome, in terms of the three of them moving around afterward, it was indeed most suitable for them to stay together. Ling You’er had only considered the time needed to meet up, but Ji Qing, who had long since known the truth, had considered more.

If the three of them stayed together, it would also conveniently allow them to respond to the crises that would come one after another.

Thus, Ji Qing had gladly agreed that night.

But agreement was one thing. What happened this morning had not been within his expectations either. When Ji Qing left the hotel with his backpack slung over his shoulder, he happened to see the two people waiting to meet him on the open ground outside the hotel.

Ling You’er was sitting on her twenty-four-inch suitcase, propping up her cheek with an expression of utter despair.

Song Xiaoran stood at the side with a thoughtful expression. He did not have as much luggage as Ling You’er and, like Ji Qing, only had a Large-Capacity Backpack. But Ji Qing also noticed that Song Xiaoran had deliberately let his long hair fall loose today. From time to time, the fingers of his right hand touched his earlobe as though he were brushing aside his bangs.

Ji Qing blinked in surprise.

He recognized the meaning behind Song Xiaoran’s action. It was precisely because he recognized it that Ji Qing was especially surprised at this moment.

Song Xiaoran should have brought out that Horn Vine Aberrant.

Ji Qing belatedly thought: Come to think of it… Song Xiaoran’s Mutation really has eased a lot.

At the very least, when Ji Qing had gone out with Song Xiaoran yesterday, he had not sensed anything strange about Song Xiaoran’s behavior. You Xingluo had once told him that Mutation was irreversible, but judging from Ji Qing’s actual experience—

Although Mutation was irreversible, it could be controlled.

This was a little like autism, or other Chronic Illnesses. Patients and their families both needed to learn to adapt to the existence of the illness through day after day of living with it. Although the patients themselves might never become normal people, they could draw infinitely close to normal people.

“Good morning, Ji Qing.”

When Ji Qing walked up to them, Ling You’er said this with an unwilling expression. She complained in frustration, “If we had known earlier, we should have gone to the hotel you were staying at before. Running into something like this first thing in the morning really is infuriating.”

“There’s no helping it,” Ji Qing comforted her. “This kind of thing isn’t something we could have predicted.”

“Morning,” Song Xiaoran’s gentle greeting followed closely afterward.

“Morning.” Ji Qing also nodded with a smile.

But after saying this, Ji Qing naturally moved closer to Song Xiaoran and asked, “Judging from your expression, it looks like you’re thinking about something. Did you notice something special?”

Song Xiaoran froze after hearing this.

At first, he wanted to muddle through it, but then he suddenly remembered that Ji Qing was his classmate, one of the few people in the entire world who knew the truth and whom he could trust. Thus, Song Xiaoran said hesitantly, “It is a little strange, but it probably isn’t important.”

The problem is enormous. Ji Qing silently added in his heart.

Plants’ perception of the surrounding environment was much sharper than theirs. Back when they were attacked on the Island, it had also been the Horn Vine that gave the first warning. But at the time, Song Xiaoran had been able to quickly react to the Horn Vine’s meaning. Why could he not do so now?

A trace of contemplation flashed through Ji Qing’s eyes.

Perhaps even the Horn Vine itself could not understand the current situation. After all, it was an experimental strain born in a laboratory and had never come into contact with the real environment of the wasteland.

Ji Qing quickly sorted out the current situation and suggested kindly to the two of them, “Why don’t we first find a hotel to settle down?”

Ling You’er said with a heavy expression, “You’re right.”

“Mm… all right then.”

Song Xiaoran agreed with some hesitation.

Thus, the three of them quickly decided on their next target hotel. Although the incident had happened suddenly, their current hotel’s response measures were indeed decent, so the three of them did not hesitate for too long before choosing to take the shuttle bus and check into the sister hotel.

But before they got in the vehicle and left, Song Xiaoran, who was at the very back of the group, could not help looking back behind him.

Spring City’s City Defense Department Forces had already arrived at the scene one after another and pulled up several Yellow Police Tapes around the hotel. As tourists, it would be quite difficult for them to reenter the hotel now. A faint unease also welled up in Song Xiaoran’s heart.

At the moment the explosion had sounded, he had indeed sensed an Aberrant’s aura.

But the aura appeared very quickly and disappeared just as swiftly.

Both the person and the vine felt somewhat confused about it. Song Xiaoran instantly steadied his mind and lowered his eyes as he thought: perhaps he should first investigate the surrounding situation, or look at the Federation news. An Aberrant appearing inside the city was truly rather frightening.

It should have been an illusion, right? Could it have been an Infected?

Song Xiaoran then thought: if it were an Infected, that would be more reasonable. The vine and he often mistook the Infected for Aberrants. Although this point was still frightening, it was much better than an Aberrant directly appearing inside the city.

6:28 a.m., another high-end hotel in Spring City.

After an eleven-minute ride, the three of them finally arrived at the new hotel.

Because Ji Qing had not checked in together with Song Xiaoran and the others at the previous hotel, their room numbers had naturally not been arranged together. But this time, the three of them were successfully assigned three neighboring rooms on the same floor.

Ling You’er quickly sent Gu Lingxue the address of their new hotel and also specially explained the reason.

Since it was currently Summer Vacation and still relatively early, Ling You’er did not need to think to know that Gu Lingxue would not wake up that early. They had agreed to meet at ten o’clock yesterday, and there was still some time before ten.

On the other side, Song Xiaoran finally had time to glance at the Federation news.

He unfamiliarly searched for Spring City news and did not notice anything wrong from it. But Song Xiaoran’s gaze lingered for a long time on the publication date of the latest Spring City news. It had already been… seven days since today.

Perhaps he could consider searching for civilian news. Song Xiaoran thought thoughtfully.

On the other hand, Ji Qing was leisurely brewing himself coffee.

This high-end hotel not only provided tea bags, but also a Coffee Bean Grinder. As Ji Qing added milk to his coffee cup, he sighed: this was the treatment of a Deluxe Suite in a high-end hotel. What hardship had he been eating before this…

After adding the milk, Ji Qing returned to the luxurious sofa.

He stirred the coffee with one hand while picking up his Terminal with the other to check his messages. Because Red Heart was in Spring City, White Night had simply forwarded the Spring City intelligence he had gathered for Red Heart to Ji Qing as well.

Ji Qing roughly swept a glance over it.

At present, seven or eight Ground Collapse incidents had already occurred in Spring City, all of which had been taken over by the City Defense Troops. The Aberrants outside Spring City had not shown any obvious movements for the time being, but Spring City and seven neighboring cities had all been affected. The Railway Bureau had already suspended ticket sales for some routes.

Tickets to leave were surging wildly in price, while tickets to arrive were ignored.

Ji Qing took a light sip of coffee and could not help sighing. “The situation is developing very quickly. It’s only the second day now… It looks like they won’t be able to hide it for much longer…”

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