Chapter 86: An Abandoned Village

A few seconds later, the result appeared on the scanner’s virtual screen.

Beep.

[Pollution Level: 94.2%]

The second the doctor saw the result, he exclaimed in disbelief, "94.2%?! This is impossible!"

Bai Yi looked at the doctors’ and medical staff’s shocked expressions, then glanced at the sentinels standing on the side.

Receiving his meaningful gaze, the sentinels nodded. A second later, they exclaimed in shock.

"What?! How could it be?!"

"What is happening here?!"

Looking at the sentinels’ exaggerated words and expressions, Bai Yi was too embarrassed to watch and lowered his head.

Not noticing their awkward acting, the doctor hurriedly ordered, "Quick! Bring Commander Huo to the isolation room right away!"

Following his order, the other doctors and medical staff carefully carried Huo Jiyang into the medical transporter they had brought, then rushed him back to the First Military Fleet Headquarters.

After they left, the chief doctor turned to look at Bai Yi. "Captain Bai, are you guys alright?"

Bai Yi nodded and responded, "We are fine. Just some external wounds."

Looking at their bodies covered in wounds, blood, and dust, the doctor kindly suggested, "You guys should have those wounds treated."

"Although sentinels possess a very strong innate self-healing ability, you shouldn’t be careless. Even a small wound could kill you if it gets infected."

Knowing the doctor’s kind intention, Bai Yi didn’t refuse his offer. "Alright. Thank you, Doctor."

The doctor waved his hand casually, then packed his medical box and said, "You guys can go to the treatment center right away. The medical staff there will help you treat your wounds. I still need to check on Commander Huo’s condition, so I will take my leave first."

Bai Yi saluted the doctor as he said, "Please take care of Commander Huo. We will visit him after cleaning up."

"Alright." With that short answer, the doctor rushed back to the First Military Fleet Headquarters, leaving Bai Yi and the sentinels standing there.

After the doctor left, one of the sentinels asked, "Captain Bai, should we go to the treatment center now?"

Bai Yi glanced at him, thought for a second, then replied, "Mhm. We should clean up before visiting Commander Huo."

The sentinels exchanged looks, then responded in unison, "Yes, Captain Bai."

With that, Bai Yi led the sentinels and went to the temporary treatment center set up inside the First Military Fleet Headquarters.

While the doctors and medical staff were busy running tests on Huo Jiyang, far away in the Apocalypse World, the sun had disappeared beyond the western horizon while the Blood Moon climbed into the night sky.

Sitting in the passenger seat of one of the military armored cars, Lian Tianci looked at the map in his hand. Tracing the lines on the map with his index finger, he frowned slightly.

Glancing at him, the soldier driving the armored car said, "Captain, the Blood Moon has come out. Should we find a place to stay for tonight?"

Lian Tianci raised his head, then looked at the Blood Moon hanging in the night sky.

He stared at the Blood Moon for a moment, then said, "There is a village nearby. We can rest there for tonight. Follow this road, then take the first exit on the left later."

"Yes, Captain."

After giving the directions, Lian Tianci folded up the map, then looked at the Blood Moon again. This month’s full moon had passed, but the news he received from the headquarters this morning gave him a bad feeling.

’I hope nothing happens tonight.’

While the convoy slowly left the highway, the night deepened. By the time they reached the village, it was already eight o’clock in the evening.

After the soldier turned off the engine, Lian Tianci came out of the military armored car. He waited until the soldiers gathered in front of him before saying, "Half of you, form teams of four and search the area."

"Yes, Captain!"

Following the order, the soldiers quickly formed teams of four and began searching the village and its surrounding areas.

While half of the soldiers were checking the surroundings, the remaining soldiers guarded the convoy.

As one of the teams walked into the village, one of the soldiers shuddered and whispered, "This place gives me a bad feeling."

Glancing at him, a taller soldier said in a low voice, "Stay vigilant."

The soldier shut his mouth, but the bad feeling in his heart kept growing. Feeling a chill run down the back of his neck, he swallowed and whispered, "Brothers, this place really gives me an ominous feeling."

As comrades-in-arms who had fought side by side for years, the other three soldiers didn’t dare to be careless when they heard him say this.

Knowing how sharp and accurate his intuition was, the tall soldier raised his hand to stop the other three.

"What’s wrong?" asked another soldier.

The tall soldier scanned his surroundings, but he only saw a dilapidated wooden plank marking the village’s entrance and some abandoned houses made of mud and stones.

Frowning slightly, he thought, ’Did I hear it wrong?’

Just when he was beginning to doubt his own hearing, the youngest soldier suddenly grabbed his arm and urgently said, "Brother, let’s go back now."

Noticing how pale his face was, the third team member, a muscular soldier, quickly said, "Let’s go back."

The moment his words fell, the temperature suddenly dropped.

Knowing that the youngest soldier’s intuition was right again, the tall soldier hurriedly ordered, "Retreat now!"

The second he said this, the four of them turned around and rushed toward the village’s entrance. Before they could take another step, countless black vines shot out from the darkness.

Swish~! Swish~! Swish~!

Sensing something wrapping around his ankle, the youngest soldier looked down. The second he saw the thin black vines wrapped tightly around his ankle, he instinctively fired at them.

Pysiu! Pysiu! Pysiu!

His gun was equipped with a silencer, but the sound it made was loud enough to alarm his team members.

Turning around, they saw their youngest member entangled by a black vine.

"Save him!" the tall soldier ordered as he rushed back toward the youngest soldier.