Chapter 18 – Reconnaissance

Volume 2: Battlefield Between Two Worlds

"Oh? I'm not sure what Brother Wen Yu means. Out of respect for Brother Wen Yu, I've never made things difficult for Sun Ruixing." Li Quan'an was a little uneasy, afraid that Wen Yu would turn on him because of Sun Ruixing. After all, in everyone's eyes, Wen Yu and Sun Ruixing were on good terms.

Wen Yu pondered for a moment, then said, "What I mean is-given Sun Ruixing's personality and temper, could he affect tomorrow's plan?"

Hearing that Wen Yu wasn't here to call him to account, Li Quan'an let out a huge sigh of relief and answered directly, "That won't happen. Yesterday I took it upon myself to issue an order: tomorrow, anyone who refuses to leave, I'll kill on the spot in front of everyone. Sun Ruixing shouldn't dare to say anything."

"But…" Li Quan'an still couldn't quite read Wen Yu's attitude. "This order may still need Brother Wen Yu's support."

"Mm." Wen Yu nodded. "It's a good order-at least it prevents people from running their mouths. Anyone who doesn't leave tomorrow, I'll kill. Mayor Li doesn't need to worry about taking the blame."

Li Quan'an nodded, smiling from ear to ear.

"Oh, right. Find a few people to keep an eye on Sun Ruixing. If he says anything outside, you're responsible for killing him. For tomorrow's operation, I don't want any mistakes. I assume you don't want any variables either," Wen Yu said to Li Quan'an solemnly.

"That's no problem, but Brother Wen Yu-weren't you and Sun Ruixing on good terms? Why now…"

Seeing the confusion on Li Quan'an's face, Wen Yu gave a cold laugh and turned to walk out the door. But his words still reached Li Quan'an's ears, sending a chill through his heart.

"Good terms-what is that supposed to be? The situation now is this: I need someone to share the pressure for me. Sun Ruixing might sabotage our plan. Sabotaging my plan means blocking my path. Blocking my path means wanting my life. Wanting my life makes him my enemy. And with enemies, what good terms are there to speak of? Still, I do have some appreciation for Sun Ruixing as a person. I only hope he won't choose the road of becoming my enemy. So watch him closely. If Sun Ruixing makes any unusual move, kill him. If you can't, call me."

Li Quan'an opened his mouth, but no sound came out. Watching Wen Yu turn and leave, he only felt the cold sweat soak through his clothes.

The killing intent in Wen Yu's words just now made Li Quan'an's skin prickle with pain.

…

After leaving Li Quan'an's room, Wen Yu took One-Eye and walked straight out of the Camp.

It was still early. Wen Yu had come out mainly to further reconnoiter the situation in Hualin Town.

The air in Hualin Town was thick with tension. Wen Yu could even see that on the walls of some houses, there were already slightly twitching Mutated Vines.

They had already begun to spread toward Hualin Town.

Wen Yu drew his Steel Blade and chopped hard at a Mutated Vine. The Mutated Vine lashed violently twice, spraying a stream of pale green fluid. Then, with a whoosh, its base burrowed into the ground.

He touched the green liquid on the ground-icy cold, with a slightly slick feel-then even tasted it. There was no bitterness; instead, it carried a faint fragrance.

There was no toxic reaction, but there were no beneficial changes either.

After plants become Mutated, their properties can also change. In his previous life, people had conducted in-depth research into the characteristics of various Mutant Plant species, developing all kinds of strange and unusual medicines as a result.

Unfortunately, Wen Yu didn't have that kind of ability.

After tossing the severed half of the Mutated Vine into the Spatial Ring, Wen Yu took One-Eye and made another big circuit. Over the course of a day, the Mutated Vine didn't change much-but Hualin Town was being squeezed smaller and smaller. The area originally sealed off by the Mutated Vine had been the border between Hualin Town and Chaihe Town. Now, by Wen Yu's observation, the Mutated Vine's blockade line had already contracted by at least several hundred meters, not to mention that a few had even occasionally appeared near the town center.

If they didn't leave, then as the Mutant Beast and Zombie population in Hualin Town died off, the Mutated Vine's contraction would accelerate drastically. In less than a week, aside from those that could fly, there wouldn't be any Survivors left in Hualin Town.

"Right, I can do this…"

Just as Wen Yu thought about the remaining Zombies and Mutant Beasts in Hualin Town, an idea suddenly came to him.

"Rather than letting those Mutant Creatures become nourishment for the Mutated Vine, I might as well kill them myself."

Wen Yu immediately returned to the Camp, planning to ask Li Quan'an about the kind of item that could lure Mutant Creatures.

…

In the Camp, a meeting for everyone had just ended.

This was a lie Li Quan'an had carefully prepared. Of course, a small number of Class Holders in the Camp and their relatives knew the real situation.

Li Quan'an quietly watched the Ordinary People in the Camp happily pack up their belongings, preparing to return to life in civilized society. A flicker of reluctance passed through his eyes.

Only a little of it was for those few hundred lives. More of it was that the power he had built with his own hands was about to be destroyed.

"What's wrong? Regretting it?"

A teasing voice sounded from behind him. Li Quan'an recognized it-it was Wen Yu, the true driving force behind this plan.

"It's not too bad. You're right-power really is addictive."

Li Quan'an said with a sigh.

"No one could have foreseen things turning out like this. It isn't man-made disaster, just a natural calamity. Honestly, in the Apocalypse, what creature is ever absolutely safe? And how could any force stand undefeated forever? This little bit of manpower won't cost much. Once we break out, in a few days your faction will definitely be stronger than it is now."

After a few brief encounters, Wen Yu thought highly of Li Quan'an's capabilities. He was someone with ambition, methods, and ability.

Unfortunately, Wen Yu had him completely under control-simply because he lacked strength.

Hearing Wen Yu's words, Li Quan'an gave a perfunctory smile. Building and developing a faction required too many conditions, and there were too many accidents along the way. Li Quan'an wasn't going to harbor blind expectations about what came next.

"How's Sun Ruixing doing? He hasn't done anything stupid, has he?"

"Not that. I arranged for Lin Hu to keep five Class Holders on Sun Ruixing around the clock. I can absolutely guarantee he won't run his mouth."

Li Quan'an's surveillance arrangements for Sun Ruixing were, without question, top-tier.

"Good."

Wen Yu nodded in satisfaction, then asked, "That item you used last time to set Sun Ruixing up-the one that attracts Mutant Creatures-do you still have any?"

Seeing Li Quan'an look at him in surprise, Wen Yu smiled mysteriously. "What I know is far more than you imagine…"