Apocalyptic Era: Starting from picking up a Bishoujo
Chapter 172 - 164 Human Bureau Covert Operation 1

Chapter 172: 164 Human Bureau Covert Operation 1

Lu Youxun gripped my hand firmly.

At this moment, I felt as though some kind of spiritual entity had connected us. Since it doesn’t exist in the physical world, it’s hard to describe. If I were to try, it would be like the paper cup phones we played with in elementary school; the thin string connecting the two cups represents what now exists between us.

The string could transmit sound from one paper cup to another through vibrations, but right now, this "string" hadn’t vibrated yet; Lu Youxun hadn’t transferred the information in his consciousness over.

He paused for a second or two, seemingly gently tugging on the "string" to ensure the connection was secure.

"...It actually connected," he said in a complex tone, "so you really do consider me a partner."

"I wouldn’t say partner," I said.

"At least not an enemy... That’s enough," he smiled, "Let’s begin."

With that, he released his left hand allowing the white jade divination tool to fall to the ground.

Divination tools, resembling chopsticks in their slim stick form but unlike chopsticks usually appearing in pairs, had been used by ancient people for mathematical calculations since at least the Spring and Autumn period; the term "strategizing within the command tent" refers to these tools.

In ancient times, calculation tools were also often associated with divination, as the ancients believed these tools could be used to speculate personal prospects, world fates, and the answers to perplexing questions.

After the white jade divination tool fell, it didn’t shatter but arranged itself into a complex pattern. Primitive tribes, who used to analyze divine intentions through the heat-induced cracks in tortoise shells, believed that the accidental shapes harbored omens. Similarly, the random arrangement of the white jade pieces on the ground seemed to hold a random numeric calculation, containing an equation that predicted the future.

Lu Youxun examined the white jade divination tool with a profound gaze, like a tribal shaman scrutinizing tortoise shell cracks.

I became slightly nervous.

Could this succeed?

If this method worked, I wouldn’t have to take Mazao to the dangerous old base of the Human Bureau. I was indeed curious about the divine seal fragment there, but it would be better to use Lu Youxun’s divination vision as the breakthrough. That way, only I would need to take the risk.

Moreover, he was betting his life and reputation on my words; failing was not an option.

Gradually, his gaze became distant and his expression vacant, as if he was seeing scenes invisible to ordinary people.

Zhu Shi was visibly moved.

Meanwhile, Mazao quietly set down Chen Long’s broken arm and slowly approached me, seemingly ready to assist in case of any mishap.

"...It worked!"

Lu Youxun, as if in a trance, was clearly out of touch with the room.

However, his lips moved, undoubtedly speaking to me, his voice filled with excitement: "It worked, I saw it! Zhuang Cheng, I’m transferring the vision to your consciousness now!"

As he finished speaking, I felt my consciousness, like a ceramic urn filled with water, gently shaken. The surface of the water showed fine ripples, numerous lines crisscrossing, sketching the draft of an image; while the shimmering light reflected different colors, filling in the draft with colors.

I had a vision of an unknown place—

It was a dimly lit corridor, lined with tombstone-like large mechanical devices that seemed to slowly move forward like on a moving conveyor belt, surrounded by several figures.

The vision wasn’t clear, like diving into a swimming pool without goggles and trying to see the underwater objects. The specific appearance of those devices and the faces of those people were indiscernible.

Speaking of which, Lu Youxun had mentioned that he too could only see the secret base of the Human Bureau and the faces of the kidnapped demon hunters in a blurry manner. It seems this was the case.

Could I transfer myself over in this condition? I had never tried before. Fortunately, although the vision was blurred, I could still concentrate. Meanwhile, the mechanical devices and figures quickly moved out of the frame, leaving only the empty corridor.

That was better; diving into an unknown place for the first time, I wanted to set my transfer point in a secluded area. I concentrated my attention on a corner of the vision. It seemed like a spot that no one would notice, and I planned to primarily focus on infiltration next.

Though not skilled at infiltration, and with many surveillance likely inside the secret base of the Human Bureau, how would I know the outcome without trying?

Infiltration mission—just the thought was enough to make my heart race.

Lu Youxun’s voice, tinged with apprehension, rang out.

"How is it, did you see? Can you transfer over?"

"Sure," I said, reciting the line I had prepared for so long, "I’ll be right back."

After that, I activated Flame Transmission.

The covert operation at the Human Bureau’s secret base had begun!

-

Suddenly, everything went black before my eyes.

It wasn’t just a figure of speech; it was literally pitch black, as if the lights had suddenly gone out.

Things weren’t going as I had anticipated.

The skill "Flame Transmission" is different from Space Transfer. If I wanted to move from point A to B, I first had to construct a container for my consciousness with flames at point B, and then shift my focus, as if moving my weight from my left foot to my right, transferring my spirit into the container there. Moreover, since I had left "Fireflies" near Mazao, Zhu Shi, and Lu Youxun, even after the transfer, I wouldn’t lose sight of what was happening at the Luoshan Office.

However, this time something was clearly wrong. I had just begun to "shift my weight from my left foot to my right" when it felt as if the ground beneath my left foot, like a plank being pulled away, disappeared all of a sudden, along with the view from the Luoshan Office.

At the same time, I felt my body being roughly bound in a very uncomfortable place; it was shaking, and I was in pain all over. A few seconds later, my vision slowly began to clear up, and I could make out my surroundings.

Once I could see, I was at a loss for words.

Let me first describe the scene I found myself in.

I was in a wide, dim corridor, with partially broken, flickering tube lights hanging from the ceiling. The walls on either side were gray, probably once painted white but long neglected and stained with dark, decayed blood.

Every few meters, there were rusted iron doors, behind some of which seemed to contain raging beasts, emitting thick, muffled roars and repeatedly banging against the doors with a violent, ear-piercing noise.

The floor resembled a dense stack of wire mesh, through which I could vaguely see the glowing embers reminiscent of an iron smelting furnace below. The dry, scorching heat wafted up, turning the entire corridor into a sauna-like environment.

Additionally, I was not the only person here.

There were more than twenty people, most of whom were bound to crosses—yes, crosses made of wood. They were tied up with rough ropes. The crosses had iron bases with what looked like wheels underneath. Although no one was pushing, these crosses were moving forward on their own, carrying the "sinners."

Among them were men and women, both young and weathered, all looking disheveled and weary, dressed in the same attire. It was an old, white, long-sleeved jumpsuit with integrated black straps, seemingly designed as one piece.

This was far from normal attire; it looked more like a straitjacket from a mental institution.

By the way, though it may not concern me, I was one of the "sinners" tied to a cross. The sensation of being bound that I had felt earlier came from this. Naturally, I was also wearing the old white straitjacket.

A few individuals were not bound to the crosses; they followed around them like prison guards accompanying prisoners, watching our every move.

They wore black robes reminiscent of cultists, with large hoods hiding their faces; one could only see their chins.

Who were these people, and more importantly, where was I?

I was utterly confused. Just moments ago, I thought I was at the Luoshan Office, breaking into the Human Bureau’s secret base, but this place looked less like a research facility and more like an unknown factory seized by cultists.

Had Lu Youxun betrayed me? That didn’t make sense. Not only did he not bear any ill will towards me, but I also shouldn’t have been transported to a place so drastically different from what I had perceived earlier.

"Hey, you,"

The voice came from nearby, sounding like a coarse male’s voice: "Yes, you, the kid who just woke up. I’m talking to you."

Kid? What kid in this place?

Curiously, I looked toward the voice, and then I saw an unfamiliar man, also bound to a cross, facing my direction and meeting my gaze.

He studied me for a moment, then sighed deeply and asked, "Who are you? I didn’t know our city had a demon hunter as young as you. Did these villains capture you, too? This is just..."

Another person, also bound on a cross, said, "I remember now, he appeared nearby during our battle. He might have witnessed the scene, so they caught him as well."

"What do you mean ’my age’?" I wondered. "I’m already an adult."

The unfamiliar man replied, "Adult? What strange words you utter. You don’t look a day over twelve."