Listening to the alarms, Chu Chengshan stared out the window, his expression steadfast.
Xiaoxun still hadn’t returned.
It seemed that, in the end, he would not be able to see his granddaughter one last time before his death.
At this moment, whether Xiaoxun was dead or alive, he, as her grandfather, did not even know.
With Yu Tao invading the base once more, Chu Chengshan had already prepared himself to use his sealing ability.
Nearby, Chu Muhuan was receiving treatment from a healing ability user. His face was still somewhat pale, and a patch of corroded wounds stretched from his palm to his wrist.
He listened to the blaring alarms, stood up, and halted the treatment.
“Grandfather, I am going too.”
He knew what his grandfather planned to do, but he did not want his grandfather to go through with it.
Chu Chengshan shook his head.
“There are still many ability users within the base. Your injuries are severe; you should rest.”
He did not want the newly awakened ability users in the base to make pointless sacrifices.
At this moment, the ability users within the base had already clashed with Yu Tao and his group.
The Central Base had a population of a million, yet there were fewer than two thousand awakened ability users.
Among them, only five possessed abilities above Level 6. Currently, the only ones present in the base were Chu Muhuan and the ice ability user, Wu Cheng.
Chu Chengshan noted: “Over the past few days, I investigated some matters within the base. Wu Cheng is highly likely to be the biggest traitor.”
Therefore, Wu Cheng was not to be trusted.
Aside from the Level 6 ability users, there were 200 users whose abilities ranged between Levels 3 and 5, 500 Level 2 ability users, and the rest were all people who had only recently awakened their abilities.
Among the Level 3 to 5 ability users, a portion was currently out on missions scavenging for supplies, and it remained unknown how many of the remaining ones were traitors.
In terms of numbers, Yu Tao’s group of invaders certainly could not compare to the base’s ability users.
However, they had about thirty people in total, and not a single one possessed an ability below Level 5.
These people were desperate outlaws of the apocalyptic world who had long since discarded their human conscience.
They were impatient to invade the base and seize its resources, while the ordinary citizens inside would only become their captives.
Chu Chengshan would absolutely never let them succeed.
Yu Tao was determined to win this time. Looking at the ability users blocking his path, he sneered mockingly.
“What, is there no one left in your base? Sending a bunch of low-level ability users to their deaths—the so-called number-one base of the apocalypse is nothing more than this.”
“Tell Chu Muhuan to drag his ass out here. How dare he injure me last time! I want him dead!”
The crowd of base defenders glared at him with fury.
“The likes of you are not worthy of Colonel Chu stepping in!”
“If Captain Lou hadn’t failed to return, and if so many of our ability users weren’t away from the base, do you think you’d have any right to clamor here?!”
“You forced your way into the base and harmed so many ordinary people, showing absolutely no regard for their lives. You are nothing but beasts!”
This gang of bandits was simply taking advantage of their vulnerability!
If Captain Lou were still at the base, he and Colonel Chu would have joined forces and never given these despicable invaders an opening to enter.
Yu Tao laughed mockingly and raised his hand to unleash his ability. In an instant, the pressure of a Level 6 ability user cascaded outward.
“It is already the apocalypse, yet you still talk about benevolence and morality. You people look disgustingly hypocritical.”
Ordinary people were meant to be weeded out by the apocalypse anyway.
What did it matter if he killed them?
Chu Muhuan blocked his attack and stood before the crowd of ability users.
Yu Tao curled his lips.
“So you finally crawled out, you shrinking turtle.”
He then looked at the corrosion wound on Chu Muhuan’s hand, his smile growing wider.
“These past few days must not have been easy. I know your base has no healing ability users above Level 6. Let’s see how long you can hold out against me while putting on such a brave front.”
Chu Muhuan’s expression remained calm. Far from being provoked, he shifted his gaze to Wu Cheng.
“Currently, you and I are the only Level 6 ability users in the base. This time, you go first.”
He was testing him.
Testing whether the man was indeed the traitor.
Wu Cheng’s heart skipped a beat.
He had purposely hidden himself away; how had Chu Muhuan still spotted him?
Faced with the gazes of the base’s crowd, Wu Cheng couldn’t help but curse inwardly.
Chu Muhuan had definitely begun to suspect him.
But he had always kept his cover well. How on earth had the man guessed he was the traitor?
Thinking this, Wu Cheng maintained a calm facade, though he dragged his feet as he walked forward.
He frowned, putting on a highly reluctant display.
“My ability is ice-type; my offensive power is not as strong as yours.”
Chu Muhuan said in a deep voice, “Right now, you are the only uninjured Level 6 ability user in the base.”
Wu Cheng scanned his expression, unable to read his thoughts for a moment.
What exactly did Chu Muhuan mean?
Opposite them, Yu Tao watched Wu Cheng with amusement, carrying a certainty that the man would definitely not strike him.
Wu Cheng put on an air of righteousness.
“Fine! For the sake of the base, there is nothing to fear!”
As he spoke, an ice blade flew straight toward Chu Muhuan.
Chu Muhuan had long been prepared.
“As expected, you are the biggest traitor in the base.”
Now standing beside Yu Tao, Wu Cheng sneered, “Since you’ve found me out, I won’t bother pretending anymore. That’s right—I leaked all the information about the base. I gave out the maps, and I had the communications cut.”
“You occupy such a massive base yet insist on feeding a huge crowd of ordinary people; it’s completely unrealistic. The base will destroy itself sooner or later.”
“Oh, by the way, let me tell you another piece of good news. I poisoned the water supply designated for the base’s ability users. Do you feel a tightness in your chest and shortness of breath right now, as if you can’t muster your abilities?”
Yu Tao looked at Chu Muhuan triumphantly.
“Look at that. This is what a smart person looks like. Now, even if you are a Level 6 ability user, what can you do?”
Chu Muhuan: “Enough nonsense.”
He would guard the base until his very last breath.
Chu Muhuan had already foreseen his end, but at this moment, a single regret remained in his heart.
Xiaoxun, my sister, where are you?
Are you alright?
Your brother might… no longer be able to protect you.
The battle within the base commenced.
Su Jin and the others had been driving for dozens of hours, day and night, following behind Chaoxun’s car.
They had never done anything so wild.
Even though Miss Chu had provided the best routes, they still encountered numerous zombies and mutated beasts.
Fortunately, the green vine was there; otherwise, they didn’t know how many casualties they would have suffered along the way.
Though they were exhausted now, at least everyone was safe and sound.
By this time, Chaoxun had acquired a large number of crystal nuclei, all gathered for her by Qilin and the green vine from killing zombies along the way.
She absorbed all the crystal nuclei and, in a brief moment, broke through to the Golden Core stage.
Chaoxun looked up at the sky; no lightning tribulation descended.
Su Jin was weary, but looking ahead, she let out a smile.
The Central Base was just before them.
Chaoxun looked at the structure ahead. Its reinforced, thickened walls stood out prominently amidst the ruined wasteland of the apocalypse.
That was the Central Base the original owner had yearned to return to; her grandfather and older brother were both inside.
As the group arrived before the base, Su Jin frowned.
“Strange, why is the base locked down? What on earth happened?”
Fortunately, she still possessed the authority to enter and exit the base.