Chapter 150: Chapter 138: So Many People Standing Guard
"You’ve given me a good idea."
Kuinan looked at the "female" in the video with a look of interest. "I can make it film some more interesting videos. I’ve never seen a Mimic Mixed Species imitate a female so well."
Barto’s mind was buzzing. He had been mesmerized by the female in the video, who looked so similar to Gu Ning, but Kuinan’s words snapped him back to his senses.
"I’ll give you one chance." Kuinan’s gaze fell on Barto. He stopped the video, freezing it on the frame where the little female turned her head. "Bring it, and that dog, to me. Do that, and I’ll spare your pathetic little life."
In a matter of seconds, the look in Barto’s eyes shifted from shock to anger, then to composure, before finally settling on a fawning expression full of fear and submission.
"Fine. Give me one day." Barto stared at the face in the video. He had almost no doubt that it was Gu Ning. He averted his gaze and said to Kuinan, "I’ll bring them to you within a day."
The moment he finished speaking, Kuinan grabbed his head and slammed it viciously into the ground. A sharp blade from Kuinan’s wrist guard pierced through Barto’s ear, pinning it to the floor. "Don’t even think about pulling any tricks on me. And don’t think I don’t know it was you who exposed my location last time and got me thrown in jail."
Barto grimaced in pain but didn’t struggle much. "It wasn’t me! I was just trying to give you the thing. I didn’t know the police were onto me, and I had no idea you were so badly injured you couldn’t even run."
"Taking me for a fool?" Kuinan said. "If it was really like you say, how could you still be living so freely out here? You used me to get a lighter sentence, didn’t you?"
After speaking, Kuinan grabbed Barto’s head, lifted him, and turned him towards the Beast Fighting Cage, forcing him to look at the dead Mutant Species inside. Kuinan’s single, yellowish-brown eye glinted with indifference and madness. "If it weren’t for the fact that you’re still a little useful, this piece of trash would be your fate."
Barto said, "I’m telling the truth! I’ve always just done the job for the money!"
"Listen up, fox," Kuinan said. "I know where those two are, and I know you’re on good terms with that dog. I’ll give you half a day. If I don’t see them before dawn tomorrow, I’ll gouge your eyes out, toss you in the cage with the Mutant Species, and watch you slowly mutate. That is, assuming you don’t die before the mutation even starts."
Kuinan threw him to the ground. "Don’t even think about pulling the same stunt as last time. This time, forget those idiot cops. Not even the military can save you."
Barto was utterly terrified. He didn’t have time to ponder the deeper meaning of Kuinan’s words. He scrambled up from the floor, turned, and bolted out of the Underground Arena.
...
"He’s out."
Leighton saw the red figure run out of the building and pulled Mingxi and the others, who were leaning halfway out, back in one by one. Then he adjusted the tracking device and followed.
A spherical device that changed color to match its surroundings flew out from behind Barto, hugging the wall before disappearing into the snow.
Belial said, "Why are we following this fox? Aren’t we supposed to be killing that one-eyed guy?"
"In a hurry to get yourself killed?" Leighton said. "They have a lot of people. We’re just here for reconnaissance today. We need to prepare more equipment to deal with them. Let’s go. We’ll follow the little fox for now and see what they’re up to."
Leighton led Mingxi and the others, following Barto’s snowmobile all the way to the vicinity of the defensive wall’s construction site.
Along with the Beastman driving for him, two Bird Clan Orcs followed Barto from the air.
"It’s Feng Xiao and Wind Blade," Little Black said, watching the two figures descend from the sky.
The area ahead was patrolled with unusual density by Military Department personnel. Fearing discovery, they didn’t dare to advance any further.
Seeing Barto lead them here, Leighton had a bad feeling.
"Boss," Little Black said, turning to him. "Isn’t this where that little Wolf Mixed Breed and the little dog Mixed Breed live? Should we call for..."
"Not yet." Leighton sat up straight, his expression turning serious as he stared at the fox getting out of the snowmobile. "Let’s wait and see."
Barto leaped from the vehicle, and his body instantly vanished into the snow.
He took a few steps forward, then paused. He glanced back at the snowmobile and a certain spot behind him, then dropped to all fours and sprinted through the snow, streaking past the edge of the street like a bolt of red lightning.
"What was that that just flew by? A Mutant Species?"
A patrolling Beastman soldier stopped and said.
His companion glanced down at the motionless detector. "What Mutant Species? You must be seeing things."
The Beastman soldier stretched his back. "True. This area is a high-priority zone for the higher-ups. They’ve sent so many people to guard it, you couldn’t plow a field this thoroughly. No Mutant Species is getting within a kilometer of this place."
"..."
Barto burst into the building. The two Wolf Clan Beastmen standing guard at the entrance straightened up, looking at each other in confusion.
’Why is this fox in such a hurry?’
Barto sprinted all the way upstairs. When he saw Seth and Jite guarding the hallway, he leaped up and kicked Seth.
Seth, who had been dozing with his eyes closed, was kicked awake. "Barto?"
Seth said, "You’re ba—"
"Where’s Alex?! Where is he?!" Barto yelled, grabbing Seth by the collar.
Barto’s pull forced Seth to bend over. "The boss is at the West Wall, directing the battle."
Jite came over, grabbed Barto by the back of his collar, and pulled him away. "What’s going on?"
Barto struggled free from his grasp. "How many people do you have?!"
Jite and Seth exchanged a look. "How many people for what? You mean our boss’s men?"
Barto: "Here! Protecting Gu Ning... your little boss! How many people?"
Jite: "Six."
"Not enough..." Barto muttered, then ran towards the apartment and pounded anxiously on the door.
Inside, Gu Ning heard the frantic knocking. Seeing Cook’s reaction, she knew Barto was back, so she dropped her book and went to open the door.
The moment the door opened, Barto rushed in.
"WOOF..." Cook had started to approach happily, but upon catching Barto’s scent, his fur suddenly stood on end.
He growled at Barto and blocked Gu Ning, his entire body on high alert.
Gu Ning watched the tense fox and dog, completely bewildered. Suddenly, she noticed Barto’s ear seemed to be injured and immediately went to check on it.
Barto grabbed her wrist and looked up, staring intently at her masked face. "You, what exactly are..."
Gu Ning: "?"
Barto took a deep breath and let her go, forcing himself to calm down. ’Seth and the others are here, and military patrols are in the area. It’s safe. As long as we wait for Alex to get back, nothing will...’
Just as he was thinking this, he glanced out the window and caught sight of two or three figures hovering in mid-air. They were wearing military combat uniforms and looked like patrolling Bird Clan Orc soldiers, but Barto could tell at a glance that they weren’t with the military.
Kuinan’s words from before he left the Underground Arena involuntarily surfaced in his mind, and his heart sank.
’Gang members have infiltrated the military.’
Every year, the military drafts a batch of prisoners from jail to fill its ranks, so it wasn’t surprising for there to be gang members.
But right now, these military soldiers colluding with the gangs were targeting Gu Ning.
Barto hesitated no longer. He grabbed Gu Ning’s outdoor clothes and shoved them into her hands. "Put these on!"
