Kingdom of Corrosion
Chapter 185 - 130 Waste City (4)

Chapter 185: Chapter 130 Waste City (4)

Maya took the Silencer’s scope to observe the scientists and the green device, but Lucy’s information was momentarily useless. Right now, Maya was more concerned about whether approaching the green device would cause trouble. She and Lin Wu had witnessed the chaos just moments before; within a 5-kilometer radius, the zombies, as if called by a goddess, rushed toward the location of the green device with reckless abandon, not caring for their own lives.

This was an open area, and the nearest zombie to the green device was also about 50 meters away. Maya handed the Silencer back to Lin Wu, "Go take a look, and if possible, bring back the scientist first. Whatever you do, don’t touch the wounded soldiers." Once he got involved with the soldiers, they might be attacked by zombies after entering the mission, making it difficult for Lin Wu to extricate himself.

Lin Wu nodded and began to move. With one hand, he pushed down on the corridor’s handrail, causing Maya to quickly pull him back, "Use the stairs." Then she realized Lin Wu was just trying to scare her. Seeing Lin Wu’s successful trick, Maya kicked him in the calf without any reason, "Be careful."

Lin Wu walked openly for fifty meters before going into Stealth. Once Lin Wu entered Stealth, Maya couldn’t spot his position due to the lack of scopes and binoculars, and the longer distance.

Lin Wu easily reached the scientist’s side, "Hello."

The scientist said joyfully, "Hello, my name is Jack."

Lin Wu made a shushing gesture, which at least proved that Jack’s volume wouldn’t activate the device. Lin Wu said, "Follow me, and don’t speak."

Just like that, Lin Wu breezily brought Jack back to the waste transfer station. Upon seeing Maya, the captain of the supermarket squad, Jack immediately said, "Please save that soldier."

"Got it," Maya replied, and this time there was no mission countdown. Maya said to Lin Wu, "Make another trip, but again, don’t move the soldier. Get as close to the green device as you can. If possible, touch it."

Lin Wu looked at Maya, "I still have value, you know."

Maya said, "I’ve calculated it. With your speed and the zombies’ positions, they can’t surround you. The zombies are summoned by the device; their aim is to reach the device’s location. The device won’t order the zombies to chase after you. There won’t be a problem."

Lin Wu rolled his eyes at Maya, who then pointed in the direction of the device, "Go."

So Lin Wu went.

...

He would only do this in a game. Mumbling to himself, Lin Wu touched the green device’s transparent cover with one hand; it was certainly not glass. The green light inside the cover didn’t change at all when touched. Lin Wu whispered, "No problems."

"Kick it."

"Stone, someone’s trying to kill me," Lin Wu said sadly, and kicked it, yet nothing happened.

Maya then said, "Retreat to the soldier’s side, and shoot it."

"Tell Little Knife, not to avenge me."

With no response from Maya, Lin Wu could only move back to the soldier’s side and fired a shot at the green device, still no reaction.

"Stay put," Maya instructed, then asked Jack, "Did any squads come to rescue you before us?"

Jack scratched the back of his head, "Seems like it."

Maya asked, "How did you guys trigger the green device?" The player squad should have verified that the green device posed no threat as they passed by.

Jack pondered for a long time, "I have a head injury; it must be a concussion. I’ll need professional treatment before I can remember." In other words, if you deliver me back to the Ocean Fleet, I’ll tell you what you want to know.

The device is a machine, and it’s not Lin Wu; it wouldn’t act up for no reason. After thinking for a while, Maya said, "Lin Wu, give a shout."

"Awoo," howling at the moon.

Still no reaction.

Maya muttered to herself, "If it were a reality-emulating device, it wouldn’t have activated when we touched the soldier. Only one possibility remains: coincidence."

"I think there’s another possibility."

"What’s that?"

"Watch," said Lin Wu as he stood up, ending Stealth forcefully. Instantly, the device began to shake, and the ground trembled along with it. Lin Wu immediately ran away using Wind Stinger, then re-entered Stealth.

Maya couldn’t understand what was happening.

From about forty meters away, Lin Wu said, "Put on night vision goggles."

Maya put on the goggles, and she saw a green light emitting from the top of the green device, sweeping around 360 degrees. The light was about 1.3 meters off the ground, and Lin Wu, when in Stealth and crouching, was just over a meter tall, so the device hadn’t detected him.

Maya said, "It’s a special anti-theft security device; I have this feeling about the green device and that it’s somehow tied to humans."

Lin Wu replied, "A game is a game, reality is reality, don’t take it so seriously."

Maya countered, "No, I think Waste City is a reality-imitating copy; Dawn must have collected enough information and wants to use the players to uncover the secrets of Waste City."

"Oh," Lin Wu was skeptical of that claim.

Since Lin Wu’s trace was lost, the vibration of the green device stopped quickly, and the majority of the zombies didn’t even make it to their master before dejectedly returning to where they came from.

Lin Wu asked, "What now? Carrying the soldier would surely exceed 1.2 meters."

Maya instructed, "Put the soldier on your back, and crawl away."

"I’ll be flattened; I’ll be crushed," Lin Wu protested—he didn’t have enhanced strength, and even with the soldier on his back, his stamina would only allow him a few steps. Lin Wu said, "Come here, we need to drag him."

When Maya walked over, Jack immediately followed closely, maintaining a 3-meter distance within Maya. Unable to determine the coverage of the green light and being 50 meters away, Maya started crawling forward.

Each grabbing a leg, Lin Ma dragged the soldier while crouched, pulling him past the 50-meter mark before Maya picked up the soldier and headed toward the transfer station.