Chapter 850: Chapter 720: Doubt
The condition proposed by the A-level was really abrupt and somewhat shocking.
But Qu Jianlei replied nonchalantly, "Remember, don’t haggle with the Supreme."
Neither Xiao Moshan nor Flower Scorpion reacted.
The A-level sighed softly upon hearing this; he had long experienced the unreasonable behavior of the Supreme, but what could he say when he was outmatched?
"Alright, sir, I know I was wrong. They should still be alive..."
He paused slightly, and Flower Scorpion couldn’t hold back, "Why, are you still trying to keep us in suspense?"
"I wouldn’t dare," the A-level replied respectfully, he wasn’t trying to keep anyone in suspense, he just didn’t dare speak casually in front of the Supreme.
He wasn’t among the first to arrive at the Celestial District, but in terms of hierarchy, the A-level in the Gorge held a higher position than the A-levels in Central City.
Thus, he was privy to some information about Bentley.
When the old man was captured, he was already on the verge of death. However, he was an electromagnetic attribute Awakened who had independently evolved to B-level.
For the Divine Text Association, this sample was exceptionally valuable, and they wanted to grasp the cultivation technique and process.
So, at the first opportunity, they healed Bentley and even employed limb regeneration techniques.
But the old man was stubborn and refused to divulge anything.
After all his injuries were treated, the Divine Text Association subjected him to cruel torture, but it’s said that they still gained nothing.
Claire was just an ordinary person, so there wasn’t much information, but it’s certain she would be interrogated as well.
These were all news from several months ago, and now the A-level Warrior was certain that both of them are still alive.
He even revealed the location where they were detained, "Right next to the Cultivation Method Research Institute in the Gorge, it’s a bit inconvenient in the base."
After he finished speaking, Qu Jianlei and the other two didn’t say anything.
After a long while, Xiao Moshan spoke up. He was someone who considered defeat before planning victory, "It might be a trap, we must be cautious."
"It can’t be a trap!" The A-level Warrior answered decisively, "I have friends there, that’s how I luckily found out..."
He probably thought this reason was not easily credible, so he further explained.
"I’m also interested in the improved cultivation techniques, which is why I pay attention... Right now I’m still in your hands, aren’t I?"
Qu Jianlei pondered for a moment before speaking, "You two keep an eye on him, I’ll go to the Gorge."
Having advanced to Supreme, he was now quite clear about sensing various emotions.
Although the other party was A-level, during his statement, whether or not he felt nervous or malicious intent, he was still rather clear about it.
Xiao Moshan was stunned upon hearing this, "Now?"
"If we delay, there might be changes," Qu Jianlei replied solemnly, "Having just eliminated those people in Taikoo, we must act swiftly and decisively."
Xiao Moshan waved his hand, "I didn’t mean it like that... Are you sure what he said is accurate?"
Qu Jianlei nodded, "Old Xiao, you have to trust the intuition of a Supreme... Once you become Supreme, you’ll understand."
"Supreme..." Xiao Moshan whispered to himself, then smiled self-deprecatingly, "You have too high an opinion of me."
Flower Scorpion expressed, "I’ll go with you, at least to keep watch... Old Xiao can handle him alone."
As for how to deal with the other three, she didn’t say, but was there a need to mention it?
"If someone’s going, it should be me," Xiao Moshan said straightforwardly, "I’m more familiar with the Gorge!"
Qu Jianlei considered for a moment before speaking, "Old Xiao, you stay. Your ability to handle situations on the fly is stronger than hers."
Once he spoke, the two no longer argued, and Flower Scorpion jumped up, "I’ll go pack things."
The next moment, the two flashed away, traversing five or six kilometers, arriving at the concealed location of the attack ship.
After the two boarded the warship, the attack ship silently took off, using low-noise mode.
Flower Scorpion was boarding this warship for the second time today, and couldn’t help but express her excitement.
"Boss, after rescuing them, can we really leave here?"
"Of course," Qu Jianlei replied calmly, "But the price is that you all have to follow me on adventures around the world."
Since these are battle companions with life-and-death ties, he wants to make it clear upfront—boarding is easy, disembarking is hard.
He also wants to find a picturesque place for these companions to live a normal life, but is that realistic?
Now that his attributeless nature is exposed, it’s not too problematic, but if Little Lake is exposed, that definitely wouldn’t be a small matter.
The key issue is his constitution... Okay, what he’s primarily worried about is arranging the companions properly and then having to go back to rescue them.
Now it’s the second time rescuing, if he rescues the third time... even in game scenarios, it wouldn’t be done like this.
Before he worried that companions following him would be dangerous, but now it seems that without his companionship, it would be even more dangerous.
However, Flower Scorpion is quite open-minded, "Adventure is fine, but staying here isn’t safe either, right?"
"The A-level’s right, it’s one life anyway... why not experience more excitement?"
Qu Jianlei didn’t say anything more; in fact, he returned to rescue people because he believes the companions would support him.
Most people from the Wasteland, especially those from the lower-level Gathering Areas, are already used to drifting everywhere, and have become indifferent to life and death.
The attack ship flies silently in the pitch-black night sky.
Before descending onto the Garbage Star, Little Lake had thoroughly scanned it and had already marked the location of the gorge.
In fact, it was easy to find, a small area with very little smog.
From Central City to the gorge, one has to go through a teleportation tunnel, but in reality, it’s just a blinding technique.
On the same planet, a flying device couldn’t possibly not make it through.
This is why the Supreme of the Divine Text Association dared to say they could reach Taikoo from the base in half an hour; a warship indeed has such speed.
But Qu Jianlei’s attack ship couldn’t fly that fast, as it needed to operate silently while activating invisibility mode.
During the flight, Little Lake dodged various probes multiple times, unbeknownst to Flower Scorpion.
In about an hour and a half, they reached the gorge and chose a deserted area to land.
The place was over a hundred kilometers away from where Bentley was held, and it was around two in the morning.
Qu Jianlei’s supreme perception ability had already detected the surrounding situation.
He spoke in a low voice, "There are a lot of inspections on the way, can’t use vehicles, running one hundred and ten kilometers, okay?"
"No problem," Flower Scorpion answered without hesitation, "If we try to conceal ourselves, three quarters of an hour."
This means running about two and a half kilometers a minute, and also emphasized concealment.
For some reason, Qu Jianlei suddenly thought of Yuanyuan; although she was an A-level, she probably couldn’t achieve what Flower Scorpion could, right?
It’s said that true warriors are all raised in harsh environments.
The two of them moved, disappearing into the pitch-black night.
Qu Jianlei’s body technique was light, and his speed was fast; Flower Scorpion, in terms of both body technique and speed, was a notch lower than him.
Moreover, during the progress, she had to zigzag and dodge, making the distance for her far more than one hundred and ten kilometers.
Yet even so, in the forty-first minute, they arrived at a thicket three kilometers away from the destination.
Flower Scorpion tried to control her breathing, but she was panting; such sustained high-speed movement had drained a lot of her energy.
Qu Jianlei casually tossed her a B-level crystal and spoke blandly, "You have five minutes to rest."
There was no such thing as tenderness towards women; this was a battlefield, and quickly absorbing crystals is harmful to the body, but that’s a post-battle matter.
Flower Scorpion had no complaints; over the years, even when she teamed up with others, it was the same.
Five minutes later, Qu Jianlei’s figure flickered and disappeared into the dappled light and shadow of the street.
"This guy, indeed has improved a lot..." Flower Scorpion mumbled softly, took a deep breath, and her body gradually dispersed.
Within these five minutes, Qu Jianlei had already sensed the surroundings.
He could confirm that Bentley was indeed in the basement of that building.
The building had only two floors, very ordinary and gray; if he remembered correctly, it should be the dormitory of the water supply company.
The gorge was large enough, and the water supply company had its own residential area; this was just an inconspicuous single dormitory building.
Qu Jianlei hadn’t expected such an inconspicuous place to have a basement!
It was late; soldiers were inspecting on the highway, and occasionally vehicles passed by; everything seemed calm.
The small building was even quieter, with no lights on, located in a shadow of the street lamp, plain to the extreme.
But Qu Jianlei had already sensed at least forty people hiding inside, half of whom were awake.
Two A-levels, three B-levels, six C-levels, the others were modified warriors... No, there were also about ten ordinary people.
Among these ordinary people, there were men, women, and even elderly people, possibly actual staff of the water supply company.
However, Qu Jianlei hadn’t considered this factor; choosing this place as a battlefield was not his idea.
He was more concerned about whether there were Supreme ambushes nearby.
After meticulously sensing for ten minutes, he found nothing unusual, and after re-checking the people inside the building, still nothing.
This was odd; with the situation over at Taikoo, how could the Divine Text Association not have enhanced the guard?
It wasn’t that he was addicted to suffering; it was just... it didn’t make sense.
He intensified his probe again, even if alerting a lurking Supreme, he was ready for it.
After rescuing the person, he would leave; encountering a Spiritual Attribute Supreme occasionally wasn’t a big issue, right?
Unfortunately, nothing was gained at all.
"Whatever!" Qu Jianlei gritted his teeth and released a strong spiritual attack on the two A-levels.
In life, one must brave through when necessary.
The two A-levels let out a light groan and immediately lost consciousness, followed by the three B-levels...
Qu Jianlei dealt with each room, even ordinary people weren’t spared.
Halfway through the clearing, he whispered towards Flower Scorpion’s concealed location, "Destroy the surveillance!"
There was a lot of surveillance here, even hidden at the far street corners, monitoring this place; he believed his comrade could detect them.
Without Flower Scorpion’s cooperation, he could also do it himself, but... it would delay the time.
Flower Scorpion nodded and vanished into the interweaving lights and shadows.
