Hello, Arknights

Chapter 361 Infected Fire

Following the actions of the leader of Deep Pool, the humiliating and absurd news was gradually spread along with the few remaining dry food supplies. The sound of the wind hit the empty valley, and expressions of disbelief and doubt were intertwined on their faces. A general sense of resistance was spreading.

"This is ridiculous! Becoming infected...wouldn't that mean you only have a few years to live?"

"Even if I survive... I'll be driven into the infected community, free—no, no, no, I'll die!"

"We may not die if we fight those monsters desperately, but if we get infected, we will definitely die!"

"After all... will becoming infected really help? There's no way they'll let us go!"

"Let's...go back, Leader!"

The soldiers' restlessness was gradually ignited. The psychological pressure of being threatened by the blood-red monster nearby for a long time, the fear of being hungry due to lack of food, and the grief of their compatriots' death, mixed with the surging emotions, gradually became uncontrollable.

They believed in their leader, but the situation before them was hopeless.

"Enough, be quiet, and think about it. Are we more mobile or are those *expletive* faster runners? If we retreat and don't reunite with the main force, how long will our food last? How did you get those wounds? Have any of you never seen the deformed? Do you also want to become those monsters who eat our compatriots?"

Mandela said irritably. She admitted that the team had no choice at the moment, and the soldiers' irrationality made her very anxious. However, her words did not have much effect, but only increased their uneasiness and anxiety, and the noise increased.

A Shenchi cadre wearing a half-mask pushed through the crowd and stepped forward, frowning and raising an objection: "Leader, where did you get this information? Is it credible?"

The orator would not care about arrangements and orders that had nothing to do with him, but what connected him to the question at the moment was the crimson color under the bandage on his chest.

He could feel the flesh around his wound moving uncontrollably... He was terrified, but at the same time, he resisted the absurd idea of being infected with oripathy - people always think they are special.

What if?

Shen Chi handed him the mobile device. After understanding the content, Shen Chi impatiently dragged the progress bar. After the video ended, he searched his knowledge and shook his head, trying to use his usual calm tone to imply that he was indeed calm.

"Ah, Leader, it's just a video. Wounds like this could have been caused by bandits with knives and axes. He could have suffered other injuries, like receiving medical treatment. Or maybe... he has a special physique..."

Long Zhong looked at him, and she knew that everything he said was actually what the orator himself longed for. The unfounded speculation and illogical logic all showed that his reason was expanding and contracting between survival and resistance.

As she was thinking about how to effectively appease and persuade the orator, she saw from the corner of her eye that the man who came back with Mandra was indicating to her that he had something to say.

"you?"

The irritable orator also noticed his actions. Ling Dengxian approached amidst the various gazes of the crowd and first looked at Mandela. The latter didn't know what he was up to and only warned him with a look not to mess around. Then he turned his gaze to the "deep pool" and took off his gloves.

The infected person's iconic Originium crystals on his body still reflected luster in the gloomy weather. It was true that he had only rested for a few days, but he had no chance to overdraw during these days. Under continuous care, the farthest end of the Originium crystals had spread to the elbows, and now only a few broken crystals were distributed near the elbows. The main body of the Originium crystals had retreated to the wrists. The signs of his body shining with Originium stimulated the orator to subconsciously take a step back, his eyes uncertain.

"Miss Shenchi, that gentleman may not be trustworthy. I can test the reaction of the blood tide for you." The blood-colored monsters that Ling Dengxian and his group encountered before also had a strong desire to attack them, so he doubted what Lorich said, but perhaps because the number of enemies was different, he did not directly deny it.

"Why are you doing this?" Shenchi turned to him, confusion mixed with wariness in his eyes.

"I can't get through this alone, and I... don't want to go on a detour and wait any longer. If a little help within my ability can help you make a judgment faster, then I'd be happy to do it."

Roerich showed a meaningful look. After witnessing his performance with his own eyes, he and his colleagues had similar views.

Maybe his "miracles" didn't just fall from the sky.

"Your reasons... no, I shouldn't ask your reasons." The white-haired dragon girl flicked her thick tail gently, her gaze gradually becoming more focused. "This is my responsibility to my fellow Tara people, and it shouldn't be shouldered by any outsider."

"Leader, it wouldn't be a bad idea to ask this friend to go," the orator said hastily. "If we have new intelligence, we can make a wiser choice..."

"...'Leader', this man is indeed capable and not weak." Mandela said reluctantly.

"How can we let outsiders take risks? Mandra, Orator, if we have to rely on others even for problems we are capable of solving ourselves, how can Tara become the Tara we expect?"

She thought of the words in the book, the ripples between the flying feathers and the earth, how it had grown on the earth and finally flew into the endless sky on its own arms.

After all, she took on the responsibility of leadership, didn't she?

Under the gaze of the Orator who was still trying to persuade him, the Deep Pool Leader took out a fragment of Originium and gently stabbed it into his arm before anyone could stop him.

Severe pain spread throughout her numb body, and the fire on her chest suddenly lit up. The strange pain made the tired Shenchi's shoulders twitch, and the flames at the tip of her tail rose. Only then did Ling Dengxian notice that she was a Drake - he had never seen a Vaifan whose tail could emit fire.

The blood dyed the doubts red and cooled the anxiety. This scene was witnessed by more than one or two Deep Pool soldiers. They were silent and shocked. They had seen the fate of the infected countless times in the past, and they had witnessed how they were treated. In their eyes, the leader was a blazing flame that would never be extinguished, but now, she had taken the initiative to withdraw the flame's base salary.

The orator shut up.

Panic can easily spread among anxious people who have no one to rely on, but once they realize that there is still hope - at least something to rely on, the spread of panic can be equally powerful, even excessive.

"The leader wasn't injured... Why did she stab herself with the Originium fragment? Is it..."

"No, there's no need... If you get oripathy, you'll die..."

The orator took a deep look at the "leader" of Deep Pool. Like Mandela, he knew that she was not the real leader, but at this moment he had to admit that he was a little impressed by her.

The anxious soldiers quieted down. At this moment, actively contracting the oripathy finally became an option they were willing to consider. Shenchi turned around and planned to go to Bloodtide to test the reaction.

"...Mandela, please go find my companions. I will go and check on you and Shenchi Xiao...Shenchi Leader." Ling Dengxian's words once again attracted the attention of the "leader" and the orator. Mandela was closer to the top of power and was stronger than him. However, after her expression changed, she still chose to obey Ling Dengxian's request and walked in the direction they came from.

"Incredible." The orator couldn't help but whisper. Mandela's usual domineering image was deeply rooted in people's hearts, and it was a fact recognized by them.

He couldn't help but start to pay attention to this foreign man.

The white-haired Draco glanced at him, a hint of gratitude in his exhausted eyes. He took out the medical kit he carried with him and said, "Take care of it."

"Thank you."

Just as he took the medical kit, screams and deafening roars suddenly erupted from behind the soldiers' camp. A crimson mist and splattered blood began to spread in the distance. The leader, who had just ripped off the bandages, immediately stood up, only to see the panicked messenger soldiers rushing over:

"Leader! The 'prisoner' is deformed!"

Shen Chi picked up his spear and immediately moved through the crowd to suppress the rioters. Ling Dengxian and the Orator reacted one after another and immediately followed. Rolichi looked at the panicked crowd, sighed, and turned to walk towards the direction of the blood tide.

Soon, the rampaging monster appeared in front of them, and several Deep Pool cadres were trying desperately to restrain it and kill it.

"Leader! The prisoner—"

"I understand. Stand back and leave it to me." Shen Chi did not stop for a moment and faced the monster head-on. Facing the huge claws swinging at him, he shot through its chest. Flames burst out and tore its chest apart. The powerful impact embedded the monster into the canyon wall. Draco flew up and the tip of the gun roared with flames and bombarded the still struggling monster again.

The prisoner was already tall, and the blood-red monster transformed from him was even more powerful. Its terrifying physical fitness allowed it to survive the attack of the deep pool. Its charred skin resisted the flames, and the carbonized rocks peeled off. It fell to the ground and stabilized its body on all fours.

Heavy breathing accompanied a body over four meters long rushing out of the smoke. Shen Chi reacted quickly and stabbed the monster's claws with her backhand, piercing through them. Then she pulled it down, stomped her foot hard to dig the claws into the hard ground, and was about to draw her gun to behead the monster.

However, during the struggle, the monster decisively tore off its controlled claws, and the gushing blood mixed with the broken bones turned into a sharp blade and slashed towards Draco!

The tip of the gun trembled and could not be pulled out immediately. Shen Chi let go of the gun, but the bloody and sharp blade had already fallen and touched the hair on her forehead. The fine hairs were cut off and flew away, but the sharp blade hovered in front of her forehead and could not move forward any further.

She stopped its attack with her bare hands. The monster roared and its muscles trembled. Shen Chi's boots plowed deep marks on the ground. She raised her head, exerted strength from her waist and legs, and the enemy could no longer advance.

"Thank you for fighting for Deep Pool... Goodbye."

Violent energy surged, and the result of burning appeared on the monster faster than the manifested flames. The monster roared and turned around to charge, stepping over the corpse of a Deep Pool cadre to escape, and leaped to climb the cliff of the canyon, but was pierced through the chest by a weapon in mid-air. The spear carried the last stroke of the hooking technique, and the flames ignited the monster again, and this time, the endless flames completely took away its vitality.

The huge corpse hit the cliff wall due to inertia, and then rolled to the ground. The flames went out faster than Shen Chi had expected. She frowned. The previous battle had added to her burden.

With a light sound, the flesh was torn apart, and the sharp sword light cut the ground. The monster's body made a crisp sound, and a slender bloody figure tore through the charred body and escaped, making a sharp roar.

However, the sword light was faster. Ling Dengxian flew up and stabbed the sword into the hole in its chest. The white sword smoothly cut it in half. With the second mutilated corpse falling to the ground, this time the blood-colored monster transformed by the prisoner was truly dead.

"...Thank you, I was a little... tired and really didn't notice anything unusual." Shen Chi gave Ling Dengxian a grateful look, held his forehead, and spoke weakly.

"I didn't notice it either. It's just that the corpse is too complete. Because of some lessons learned, I have the habit of finishing off the enemy." Ling Dengxian shook his head and frowned. The real body was hidden inside the shell. This was the first time he encountered such a mutation.

"I'm afraid your condition doesn't allow you to test the blood tide, right? Let me go." Ling Dengxian looked at Shen Chi, who wanted to refute, but her body's performance made her speechless.

"No need." The orator shook his head and took a deep breath. "We already know the truth and there is no time to lose."

"I'll arrange for the 'toxicologist' to prepare the infection injection as soon as possible. I'm sure it won't be difficult... The leader is right. The situation in the army has long been grim."

Ling Dengxian glanced at him and said, "Don't you mind becoming an infected person? You'll be a short-lived ghost."

He didn't care at all about what the orator had just said.

The orator's face froze, and he smiled wryly, "I've been so overwhelmed by the current situation. Please forgive me, Mr. White Dove... People always want to live.

"Rather than dying in a few hours... I'd rather live a few more years."

Soon, the body of the "accountant" who was killed by the "prisoner" was almost turned into a pulp and was cleaned up and disposed of. After witnessing the horrific scene, the soldiers of Shenchi basically accepted the "relatively better fate" after they woke up.

While waiting for Mandela to bring people back, Ling Dengxian sat in a corner to rest. Shenchi took the initiative to approach him and sat a few steps away from him as if to relieve the pressure.

"White Dove, thank you."

"Why do you always say thank you? Didn't we say before that we should help each other?" Ling Dengxian shook his head.

Shen Chi looked at him, a hint of confusion, or perhaps curiosity, in his eyes: "Why are you so anxious? You're not from here, are you?"

"I'm looking for a fool. She's a local. The rampage of the blood-colored monster swarm is becoming more severe day by day. I can't accept the possibility that something might happen to her, so even without you, the blood tide... I will give it a try." A bright and sunny figure appeared in front of Ling Dengxian's eyes. His tense face finally relaxed a little, revealing some of his usual easy-going nature.

"Do you care about her a lot?" Shen Chi asked.

"Yeah, I care about her a lot. She helped me regain my confidence, which led to where I am today." Ling Dengxian missed the City Breaking Spear. A few years ago, he had practiced against Fengpi in the mountains south of Victoria. Thinking about it now, he felt a little dazed.

I just remember that when she smiled, even the desolate valley would bloom with flowers.

Shen Chi looked at him and found it incredible that someone would actually risk their life to travel across the country for someone...

"Besides, you are so free." She couldn't help but say what she was thinking.

"What's wrong?" Ling Dengxian asked in confusion, but the other party just shook his head, announcing that his short rest was over, and got up to organize the team that was "transforming".

However, he also saw that Mandela had finally brought back a familiar figure, so he stood up and went to greet him.

Then he suddenly noticed something:

"Where's Roerich?"

On the ridge of the canyon, the muttered Filin calmly faced the horrific scene. The monsters with blood and flesh surrounded him, but he did not act rashly. The bloody corpses spread on the ground had already won the man the possibility of "negotiation".

"I know you're not stupid, I'm just giving you some honest advice. Those flesh and blood eroded by Originium really aren't worth the effort, are they?"

"Filin... We lost the opportunity to eat thanks to you... Your flesh and blood can still be used." The bloody monsters breathed heavily. They were indeed not simple monsters as he said.

"Victoria's blood soldiers, it's too early for you to eat me. I can still leave if you want. I came to see you because I have something to ask you, those of you who can still speak *Victoria swears*..." Roerich's eyes gradually turned cruel due to suppressed anger, and the power of the riot gathered around him in the form of light streams. "Of course, just consider it a favor to those poor people... Oh, yes, you have stronger vitality. I will remember to chop off your heads before asking questions."

Only when the blood tide of the leading monster is lost will it be consistent with the behavior logic of the bloody monsters he mentioned.

The light stream tore through the confrontation, and the Originium technique and the bloody demon burst into a brilliant "bloom".

Londinium, Victoria.

"King of Propulsion, you've been silent for a long time. Are you okay?" The doctor shook his hood to hide his face and asked the blonde girl who was looking out the window. "I know this is not a simple homecoming for you. Your silence is indeed worrying."

"...Doctor, is it really meaningful for us to come here as soon as possible?" The Aslan girl spoke, her voice a little hoarse. She saw the crowd in the wilderness, and they lingered in her mind.

"After all, we're nominally 'invited,' so we'd better proceed with caution in the city... After we get off the car, you can decide where to make the preparations." Precious nodded, crossed his fingers, and smiled at her. "Leave the annoying guys to me, don't worry too much."

"Keep a good attitude. Our battlefield this time is destined to be on the corpses of those bloody monsters." She said the cold words with a smile.

Sitting in the passenger seat, Huang was silent, not only because his hometown was being ravaged by disaster, but also because...

Bai Ge, you are here too, right?

What's wrong with me?