Chapter 665: Chapter 392: The Defenders (Part 2)
Another person is the sole male survivor rescued by the train captain from the East City Association.
"When he arrived, his injuries were even more severe than Zhang Qiang’s. His limbs were broken, teeth pulled, a section of his tongue cut off, with sixteen fractures and over two hundred wounds. We spent several days treating him, thinking he wouldn’t make it, but he’s recovering over the last few days. He must be a formidable Evolver..."
Lin Xia introduced the identity of the comatose man.
Su Han sighed lightly in her heart. The mysterious organization had been lurking on the train for a long time; clearly, they wouldn’t bring someone so severely injured onboard.
Even if recruiting members, wouldn’t they have to be conscious?
Zhang Qiang gazed at the injured man thoughtfully.
This was a thin man, his skin exposed and covered with scars, tightly clinging to his bones. His eye sockets sunken, hair shaved off, large areas wrapped in bandages.
Perhaps hearing discussions about him, the man suddenly opened his eyes.
A short sound came from his throat, interrupting Lin Xia’s introduction.
"Huh!"
Lin Xia quickly walked over to check the man’s condition, yet before he could exhale in relief, he saw the man sit up abruptly, mouth opening wide, mumbling incoherently, reaching out towards Lin Xia.
Instinctively wanting to dodge the man’s hand, he realized the other’s hand was faster than expected, accurately grabbing the hem of his white coat.
The sudden change shocked everyone. Two injured officers squeezed in, wary of the man on the bed, ready to take action at Lin Xia’s order.
To grab the hem of a Tier One Evolver by hand, he would be considered a dangerous figure in the corps.
Lin Xia raised his hand, signaling them to stay calm.
"Don’t be excited, I’m a doctor."
The man became agitated, trying hard to say something, the severed root of his tongue moving in his mouth, turning into odd "uh uh..." sounds.
"Here’s pen and paper. Write what you want to say."
Su Han slipped a notebook through a gap, the man paused watching the girl before releasing Lin Xia, grabbing the pen and paper, moving with astonishing speed.
Then began scribbling clumsily on the paper, initially struggling, later speeding up.
Su Han watched the man on the bed with bright eyes, although unrelated to the mysterious organization, her intuition sensed he held a larger secret.
Zhang Qiang habitually wanted to slip away, but seeing Su Han motionless like a nail, he sighed inwardly and stood silently.
He only hoped the trouble brought by the man wouldn’t be too big.
The man flipped the paper and raised it.
"Medicine – antibiotics and anti-inflammatories. Gale border defense company, second platoon leader, responsible for guarding He Shui boundary markers 351 to 367."
The note’s information was chaotic, the handwriting sloppy, yet several keywords exploded like a thunderclap in their minds.
Lin Xia grabbed the man’s arm, eyes wide, "You’re military? Active duty?!"
The man nodded vigorously, quickly writing, "The apocalypse has come, we can’t contact superiors, Four Nations repeatedly intruding our defense zone, almost unbearable, I came out to find medicine..."
The group couldn’t wait, crowding beside him, reading each word as he wrote.
Each character was written forcefully, the sentences piercing their hearts like pencils.
They seemed to see a group watching helplessly as their hometown became ruins, yet clinging to their vow at the border, bloodied and determined, resisting the world’s changes, stubbornly holding the line, repelling enemy coveting.
...
Su Han took a deep breath, solemnly knocking on the second floor door of the dining car.
Inside were the train’s high-ranking officials holding a meeting.
...
After hearing the girl’s account, the room was silent enough to hear a pin drop.
A tall figure sat at the head, his forefinger paused at the chair edge, gaze heavy on the delicate girl, until her heart leapt to her throat, a magnetic voice sounded.
"Where is he?"
He Jie, staring directly at Su Huan, was overjoyed, jumping up and waving his hand, "Bring him up! And call all officers here, to the meeting room immediately."
The crowd slowly descended to await, possibly unlocking the biggest mystery since the apocalypse today.
Every heart was weighted.
Soon only Su Huan and He Jie remained in the meeting room, the paper covered in pencil writing on the table.
All the contents fell into their dark eyes.
This man initially suffered the worst injuries among all decoys, yet was the only Tier One Evolver. Driven by "catch as catch can" motives, he kept him, unexpectedly gaining something.
An active border guard, Ding Hui.
"Train captain..."
He Jie’s voice tightened.
Su Huan scanned each word on the paper repeatedly, "Don’t call me that so pitifully."
He Jie was stunned, inhaled deeply, "Old Su, I have a request for you."
Su Huan unfolded the notebook, carefully slotting the pages inside, "If you have something to say, say it, or it’ll be too late when we go down."
"I’m a soldier, at least I was."
"I know Old Liang waited for long, the train won’t change course, but I’d like you to grant me an opportunity, a chance to fulfill a promise."
The burly man stood straight yet hung his head deeply, murky liquid slowly dripping onto the floor.
Su Huan tidied the papers, passed him from behind, patting his sturdy shoulder casually, "Thought this over these two days, this route’s too slow, I’ll take Liang Kuan out, customary rule, you’ll command the train when I leave."
Said as he headed downstairs.
He didn’t ask who He Jie pledged to nor did he respond to his request.
Every strong person should hold their free will.
He hoped He Jie would become strong.
At least not weaker than in a previous life without him.
Otherwise, the train captain’s reputation would suffer greatly.
...
Soon the entire dining car was filled with the corps’ high-ranking staff.
Uncertain what occurred, they exchanged glances with companions, shaking heads silently. As the train’s leaders descended, the crowd’s expressions turned graver.
During previous missions like battling Black Kite or executing Old Wu, no meetings were held; a single command from the train captain, and they charged like fierce tigers, tearing enemies apart.
What incident required such a mass assembly?
Sound of a wheelchair came from the corridor, people made way, Lin Xia pushing a man in a wheelchair to the scene.
Seeing his unfamiliar face, most officers were puzzled, except for the veteran Giraffes whose gaze fell upon the man. From the moment he saw them, he became emotional, muddy tears streamed onto his collar, inexplicably stirring them.
Descending, Su Huan observed their standing tall gray-green figures around, with a tearful mute center, though shedding tears, his back was upright like spears fixed in the chair.
No wailing, no sounds, only breathing slowly calming emotions.
That immense pain fiercely touched everyone.
The man wiped away his tears, scrutinizing the surrounding uniforms, quickly spotting subtle differences, hearing footsteps he swiftly concealed his disappointment.
"Ding Hui?"
Su Huan collected himself, moved opposite the man, staring into his eyes, sensing stubbornness and deep pride, the source letting him overlook his physical pain, the man’s inner strength.
Such strength he’d seen once in Guan Chong.
Old, rigid.
Like forged steel.
This silent gaze lasted long, inexplicably heavy, no one dared speak.
Until the train captain slowly sat on his orange cat sofa.
Softly and calmly spoke.
"Have a drink."
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