Chapter 267: Chapter 267: Rescue
Once they joined the military, there was almost no time to be close.
Instead, this pending mission was like a carrot dangling before them.
Once they were out, the sky was the limit—sooner or later, an opportunity would arise.
Zoe Pierce was oblivious to Chase Shaw’s thoughts. Or rather, once she got serious about something, she didn’t think about anything else.
Despite being an Omega, she was more dense than some Alphas.
When the briefing shifted to the Draken System, Zoe Pierce started listening even more intently.
She completely failed to notice the growing intensity in Chase Shaw’s gaze.
Eventually, even Aaron Xavier could sense Chase Shaw’s pent-up frustration, yet the person in question remained completely oblivious.
This was perfect ammunition for him to tease Chase Shaw with.
Chase Shaw didn’t get angry, simply saying, "Just you wait."
His words were enough to shut Aaron Xavier up.
’As if Zoe Pierce would be any more enlightened with him instead,’ he thought.
It wasn’t until the mission truly began and Zoe Pierce had boarded the starship that she belatedly sensed something was off with Chase Shaw’s expression.
Unsure what had happened, she poked Aaron Xavier, who was sitting beside her.
She used her Intelligent Brain to ask, "What’s wrong with Chase Shaw?"
Aaron Xavier opened his own Intelligent Brain and typed out a rapid-fire explanation.
Zoe Pierce was a bit stunned as she read through it all.
When she looked at Chase Shaw again, she could finally decipher the hint of irritation in his brow.
But even though he was irritated, he said nothing, merely standing to the side as if resting with his eyes closed.
Zoe Pierce’s spiritual power quietly reached out to him.
Sensing something, Chase Shaw’s eyes, which had just been closed, fluttered open.
"Chase Shaw, are you feeling unwell?" In the quiet space, her sudden question drew the attention of everyone, including Instructor Joyce.
They all looked at the grim-faced Chase Shaw, from whom they could vaguely sense a turbulent spiritual power.
Chase Shaw’s mind suddenly cleared. He shot a glance at Aaron Xavier, then looked back at her and replied, "Yeah, a little."
It had been two days since she had last soothed him.
His spirit sea was growing agitated.
He watched as she turned calmly to Instructor Joyce. "Instructor, may I soothe Chase Shaw’s spirit sea?"
They were currently in transit, and strictly speaking, there were no restrictions on their activities. After all, even on a dedicated route, it would still take three days to reach their destination.
That was why, despite the two rows of seats on the starship, no one was reprimanded for using their Intelligent Brains.
Still, most people were simply leaning back quietly, waiting to land.
Instructor Joyce considered it for only a few seconds before agreeing.
Ignoring the casual glances from the others, Zoe Pierce calmly walked over to Chase Shaw’s side.
Seeing this, Nathan Lockwood shifted his position to make space for her.
Chase Shaw remained seated, his head tilted up to watch her.
Zoe Pierce sat down, her fingers coming to rest on the back of Chase Shaw’s hand.
The sudden warmth of her touch was enough to make him waver.
Chase Shaw was on the verge of grabbing her hand and pulling her fiercely into his embrace.
Zoe Pierce immediately noticed his unusual reaction and pressed down on his hand with her other one.
It was like a traveler in the desert finally getting a sip of water.
Naturally, it wasn’t nearly enough.
Chase Shaw felt that instead of achieving its intended purpose, Zoe Pierce’s soothing had only stirred up a deeper, more profound desire within him.
After confirming his spirit sea had stabilized, Zoe Pierce lingered for an extra ten seconds.
Finally, she gave him a small smile.
Chase Shaw’s voice was a bit hoarse. "Thank you."
Zoe Pierce withdrew her hand. "You’re welcome."
Everything seemed normal on the surface, but the other three could feel the turbulent undercurrents.
Three days passed in a flash.
Soon, one by one, the Alphas deployed from the starship in their mechas, dropping from the sky like dumplings into a pot.
Each planet had a garrisoned camp, and everyone carried a locator.
Their mission was simple: save as many people and accomplish as much as they could.
After all the other Alphas had departed, only Zoe Pierce’s team remained.
Only then did Director Joyce nod at Zoe Pierce.
Zoe Pierce launched her mecha.
It was the one Chase Shaw had personally designed.
As instructed, the rest of the team boarded their mechas as well.
Instructor Joyce’s voice crackled over the comms channel. "Starting now, for one full month, you will be responsible for the rescue operations on Planet E-987."
"I will not be supervising you for the entire duration, but there will be many assessing officers around you, grading your performance. I expect you to remember that."
Zoe Pierce and the others all responded with a quiet, "Understood."
When the rear hatch opened again, five mechas shot out in an instant.
They landed right on the outskirts of the city.
The situation on Planet E-987 looked much worse than it had on Planet B36.
It was worse than any planet Zoe Pierce’s team had seen before.
The first wave of the Xenobeast Tide had erupted right in the city center, and even with the government’s swiftest response, it had been too late.
Blood, so thick it was almost black, stained the city streets.
The remains of Xenobeasts and human limbs were scattered everywhere in pieces.
Even knowing what she would face down here, Zoe Pierce’s heart couldn’t help but clench.
The sound of crying filled the air.
Faint calls for help came from collapsed buildings.
Zoe Pierce shot forward in an instant.
Without a word, Nathan Lockwood and the others followed right behind her.
Two of them were tasked with eliminating approaching Xenobeasts, while the other three focused on rescuing people from the rubble.
They had performed this kind of coordinated effort many times recently.
By now, it was second nature to them.
At a medical aid station not far away, someone had already noticed the newly arrived mechas.
A Beta man, currently bandaging a patient, stared intently at the mechas dancing through the sky.
Thanks to his training, he recognized Zoe Pierce’s at a glance.
The silver and black mecha was especially eye-catching as it glinted in the sunlight.
It darted swiftly through the air, leaving a curved trail from its thrusters.
He lowered his head and said to the groaning patient, "There. I’ve given you a temporary dressing. You just need to wait in line, and you’ll be able to use a medical pod."
Even though the military had dispatched a huge number of medical pods, there still weren’t enough to go around.
It had even gotten to the point where people had to form a queue.
The Beta man stood up, rubbing his shoulders. He said to the person beside him, "I’m going to the restroom."
This was a volunteer aid station; they weren’t picky about their medical staff.
The Beta man had already been working in plain sight for nearly twenty hours.
"You should rest for a bit after. You’ve earned it." The person beside him said considerately. Both of them had been so busy they hadn’t even had time to eat or drink.
Their fingers were exhausted to the bone.
They had lost count of how many Omegas and Betas they had treated.
The man smiled at him. "I’ll just take a quick catnap."
"Yeah, I need a break after this one, too." The other person looked down at a patient who had passed out from pain and couldn’t help but shake his head.
His vision was already starting to blur.
The Beta man glanced up at the trails left in the sky, then started walking in that direction. "I’ll come find you after I use the restroom."
The other medic paid no mind to the Beta man’s movements, his attention completely focused on the patient in his care.
The Beta man slipped behind a small grove of trees, and after glancing around to ensure he was alone, he summoned a mecha.
