Chapter 268: Chapter 268: Miles Sherman’s Arrangement
The plain-looking mecha didn’t stand out among the rescue teams filling the sky.
Once the Beta male was inside the mecha, it was even more impossible to know who was piloting it.
His only target was Zoe Pierce and her group.
For now, he was merely a scout, actively tracking their flight path.
Quentin Ford’s connections, while almost all-powerful, were still just that—almost.
It had already been a remarkable feat for him to understand the government’s current pressures and arrange for Zoe Pierce and her group to enlist so far in advance.
Learning which planet they were being sent to for the mission was even harder.
But he had no way of knowing the specific region Zoe Pierce and her team would end up in.
Aside from the military rescuers, the easiest way to slip onto the planet unnoticed was by joining the volunteer corps.
They were civilian-run and didn’t require registration.
Most of them were just people from neighboring planets.
The Beta male had been watching for a full day. Just as he was beginning to think Zoe Pierce and her team wouldn’t show up in this sector, he spotted several distinctive mechas.
He maneuvered his mecha to stay a moderate distance from the group. When he encountered Xenobeasts, he blasted them without hesitation.
He appeared no different from any other rescue team.
Only the pilot inside the mecha could see the split-screen display completely dedicated to tracking Zoe Pierce’s flight path.
Streams of data were transmitted via the mecha’s signal to the other Betas stationed on the planet.
The commander in charge didn’t act rashly or order an immediate attack.
"Keep an eye on the targets. Proceed slowly."
A drastic move like the last one outside Harvestfall was no longer an option.
They had to capture Zoe Pierce alive.
This complicated the entire operation.
The best approach was to make Zoe Pierce "disappear" when it would arouse the least suspicion.
Almost everyone sent to this planet was a veteran mecha pilot, brought in to ensure the mission succeeded on the first try.
They all knew this rescue mission would not be short. It would take at least half a month, and possibly even longer if unforeseen circumstances arose.
This was only the first day. They were in no hurry.
Zoe Pierce was unaware that a group was already lying in wait for her.
Ever since disembarking from the Starship, she had been consumed by the rescue effort, busy sealing the breaches opened by the Xenobeast Tide.
This was her first time piloting a mecha out in the open.
She was a little sentimental about it at first, but once the work started, she had no time for such feelings.
All one could say was that without a mecha, even an Alpha facing an average-level Xenobeast would be hopelessly outmatched.
Let alone the physically weak Betas and delicate Omegas.
In the span of a single afternoon, Zoe Pierce had already lost count of how many people her mecha had evacuated and how many Xenobeasts she had slain.
Her silver-gray mecha was now covered in dried bloodstains and large patches of soot from unknown sources. The once-distinctive machine was now a dingy, gray mess.
She worked late into the night before finally climbing out of her mecha.
Chase Shaw and the others were right behind her.
The Alphas’ spiritual power was also frayed and chaotic.
After so long inside their mechas, every one of them was drenched in sweat.
Finding a relatively secluded corner, the group sat on the ground.
Chase Shaw first pulled out some self-heating instant meals, followed by a few nutrient supplements.
"Everyone, eat up." Expending spiritual power also drained their physical stamina; they couldn’t go on without refueling.
Zoe Pierce walked over. Chase Shaw had already torn the plastic seal off a nutrient supplement and held it to her lips.
She glanced at him, then opened her mouth and clamped her teeth on it.
Then she squeezed the back of the plastic tube, emptying the contents into her mouth.
It was strawberry-flavored.
Nathan Lockwood was right next to her. After handing her the nutrient supplement, Chase Shaw immediately started heating up the meals, looking very busy.
Zoe Pierce grabbed Nathan Lockwood’s arm.
Nathan Lockwood’s hair was soaked through, plastered to his scalp in a way that gave him a different kind of appeal.
Zoe Pierce wanted to soothe him without any distractions, but after she grabbed his hand, Nathan Lockwood’s other hand mischievously covered hers.
It pressed down directly on the back of Zoe Pierce’s hand.
He even said, with a straight face, "You’ve worked hard, Zoe."
Zoe Pierce shot him an irritated glare, but it had no effect on Nathan Lockwood whatsoever.
He had barely used his spiritual power lately, and with the daily training back at the base, opportunities to be close to Zoe Pierce had been few and far between.
Seizing this opportunity, he wasn’t about to be polite.
With one of them setting an example, the others caught on quickly.
When it was Aaron Xavier’s turn, he grabbed her hand before Zoe Pierce could even reach out.
He held it firmly between both of his palms.
Aaron Xavier even shot her a wide grin.
Zoe Pierce was at the end of her rope. She was pulled into a sitting position beside him, her hand still not released.
Only when Aaron Xavier was completely satisfied was her hand finally released.
When it was Miles Sherman’s turn, he reached out and brushed the hair from her forehead. "Are you too tired?" he asked. "Should you get some more rest?"
The Alphas all had short hair, which would mostly air-dry after a little while.
But Zoe Pierce had medium-length hair tied back at the nape of her neck, and her scalp was soaked through.
His fingers still came away damp when he touched it now.
Zoe Pierce’s eyes instinctively narrowed. Miles Sherman’s gentle touch as he smoothed her hair, combined with his soft voice, was as soothing as stroking a purring kitten.
’It felt nice.’
"I’ll take a quick nap after we eat." If this were a short-term rescue mission, Zoe Pierce might have skipped sleeping altogether.
But since this mission was going to be a long one, she couldn’t afford to run her body into the ground.
She had to eat when it was time to eat and rest when it was time to rest.
She could get by on less rest, but if she didn’t rest at all, her body would inevitably give out.
It was already past midnight; soon, the sky would begin to lighten.
The scale of the Xenobeast Tide was much more manageable than it had been in the afternoon. There were no more sightings of exceptionally powerful Xenobeasts; most were just A-level or B-level.
The military had dispatched Super Magnetic Cannons to bombard the breach where the Xenobeast Tide was emerging.
Even now, they could faintly hear the booming explosions in the distance.
They had a high degree of autonomy on this mission. Instructor Joyce hadn’t given them any instructions about shifts, but Miles Sherman was already thinking about it.
"It’s not safe for all of us to rest at once."
"Some of us will stand watch while the others rest."
They could have gone to the simple rest areas set up by the military, but Miles Sherman had already discovered that seeking refuge in those safe zones would actually put them at a disadvantage.
Ultimately, this was all still part of their test.
They were expected to rely on their own abilities to conduct the rescue, not on official support.
This wasn’t like a true vanguard mission.
On a vanguard mission, you had no one to rely on but yourself.
Seeing Zoe Pierce turn her head and let out a delicate yawn, Miles Sherman made the decision. "Zoe, you rest first."
