Ch 206: Is There Really Such a Good Thing? [QT]

When Shen Yunxuan’s convoy reached the designated crossroads, the special forces soldiers waiting there were busy clearing the road of zombies. With nothing else to do, they figured they might as well kill more zombies and collect additional crystal cores. However, the moment Shen Yunxuan returned, they immediately stopped, sprinting to line up in front of her, standing at attention and awaiting orders.

The newly rescued survivors were stunned by this display. The professor murmured, “Is this the military? The national army? Are they government forces?”

Though he spoke quietly, the long-haired man overheard him and replied, “I don’t know if they’re with the government, but their organization is called ‘Skywalkers’!”

For the rescued survivors, this was the first time they had heard the name. It sounded like a group of righteous warriors, and given that they had just taken down Blazing Flame Base and rescued them without asking for anything in return, their gratitude only deepened.

The sky had already darkened. Under normal circumstances, it wasn’t ideal to travel at night. However, after the chaos Shen Yunxuan had caused at Blazing Flame Base, she knew that if the base leader returned with his forces, they would undoubtedly come after her. She immediately ordered the group to set off.

“We can move slowly, but stay alert. Safety first.”

“Yes, ma’am!”

The team swiftly boarded the trucks and set out. The vehicles were all specially modified, equipped with powerful searchlights that illuminated the road ahead, making travel in the dark much safer.

Given that two major bases already existed in this region, it was unlikely that any powerful rogue ability users would be lurking around. The primary concern was avoiding ambushes from high-level ability users.

The ability users in the lead continued clearing the road, while those in the rear moved debris back into place, covering their tracks to make it harder for any pursuers to determine their route. Meanwhile, they saw no distress fireworks from Blazing Flame Base, leading Shen Yunxuan to conclude that the ability users she had freed had likely gained the upper hand. The deputy leader must not have had a chance to send a signal for help.

It seemed Blazing Flame Base was doomed.

The journey to Thunder Base would take three hours. Shen Yunxuan instructed those who didn’t need to stay on high alert to use the time to cultivate and recover their energy. They had no idea what situation awaited them upon arrival. Everything she knew about Thunder Base was secondhand information, and even that had come from people who hadn’t been there in years. There was no way to be certain if the base was still the same.

Caution was key—at the very least, they needed to be in peak fighting condition.

The professor and researchers had been observing the group closely ever since they boarded the trucks. From their discipline and organization, it was clear that these people were soldiers. Their well-maintained equipment and combat readiness suggested they belonged to a structured organization or base. Most importantly, they upheld integrity and valued human life—something nearly unheard of after so many years in the apocalypse.

The longer the professor observed them, the more shocked he became.

These people… are all ability users?

The long-haired man noticed his astonishment and, feeling a sense of pride, leaned in to explain. He deeply respected Professor Lin—before the apocalypse, the man had been a nationally renowned scientist, only to fall from grace and become a captive of Blazing Flame Base.

Now that they were free, the long-haired man eagerly shared what he had learned.

“Captain Shen and her people didn’t even know at first whether the fever would turn them into zombies or ability users. They had no idea how to control their powers either. It was just yesterday that they all awakened as ability users. Before that, they were already incredibly strong soldiers.”

He also recounted how Shen Yunxuan had single-handedly cleared an entire shopping mall of zombies, then led them to wipe out the undead at both the city rail station and the train station. It was only at the train station that Blazing Flame Base’s ability users ambushed them, leading to the all-out conflict that resulted in the base’s downfall.

Only now did Professor Lin and the others fully understand the sequence of events. Yet, the more they heard, the more it felt like a dream—utterly unbelievable.

Just yesterday, all of them suddenly became ability users? Every single one, whether they had experienced the fever or not?

Was there some kind of powerful artifact hidden in that shopping mall? Some kind of radiation exposure that triggered abilities?

That seemed impossible. But if not, then how had they all awakened their abilities?

As a researcher specializing in anti-virus serums and ability-enhancing drugs, Professor Lin’s thoughts immediately turned to the possibility of a stimulant or serum. Given that these people seemed to be government-affiliated, it stood to reason that they had access to cutting-edge research facilities and top scientists. Perhaps the government had already developed a working formula.

Unable to contain his excitement, he pushed forward and lowered his voice, asking Shen Yunxuan, “Captain Shen! Has the government successfully developed an ability-awakening serum?”

Shen Yunxuan turned to look at him, only to be met with an intense, almost blinding gaze—his eyes burned with curiosity, brighter than the searchlights on the trucks.

In that instant, several nearby special forces soldiers who had overheard the question immediately snapped their heads toward Professor Lin, gripping their weapons.

The ability serum Shen Yunxuan had used came from her system and cost a staggering 10,000 dimensional credits per dose—it was unimaginably valuable. The mere mention of an ability-enhancing serum naturally put them on high alert.

Seeing their reactions, Professor Lin grew even more excited. “So the government is keeping it classified? That makes sense. If something like this fell into the wrong hands, the consequences would be disastrous. It has to be strictly controlled.”

He paused, then suddenly reconsidered. “But wait—you’re clearly with the government, yet you only used the serum after developing fevers? Could it be that the serum isn’t fully perfected yet? That there are side effects, so you only use it as a last resort?”

There was no denying that Professor Lin had a remarkable ability to make logical assumptions—even if they were entirely off the mark.

Shen Yunxuan had no interest in spinning unnecessary lies, but she also had no intention of revealing the truth. She simply replied, “We’re not with the government. We are our own organization. Our purpose in visiting Thunder Base is to conduct a trade.”

The base was only a few hours away, so there was no point in hiding it.

Professor Lin was stunned. “You’re willing to trade something this valuable?” He was so shocked that he no longer cared whether Shen Yunxuan was with the government. Anxiously, he added, “I’ve never been to Thunder Base myself—I only know what others have told me. What if they’re just like Blazing Flame Base? Captain Shen, you can’t just trade something like this! What do you need? What do you want? Why must you trade with them?”

“I need a large number of high-level crystal cores,” Shen Yunxuan said, nodding toward her soldiers. “You’ve seen it yourself—so many of my people need to advance. I need high-level crystal cores in bulk. Hunting them down ourselves is too slow, so it’s more efficient to make deals with established bases.”

She sighed. “Too bad there aren’t more bases nearby—I’d prefer to trade with several instead of just one.”

Professor Lin opened his mouth but was too shocked to speak. Something this precious—something the entire world would go mad over—was something Shen Yunxuan was willing to casually trade away? She was even considering trading with every base, just to get more crystal cores to upgrade her soldiers?

He glanced at the special forces soldiers. While he had always been a good man at heart, he had seen too much filth in the apocalypse. The more power someone held, the less they tended to value their subordinates. But Shen Yunxuan was willing to exchange something this rare just to strengthen her people?

Suddenly, he understood why the long-haired man had developed such deep admiration for Shen Yunxuan after knowing her for only a day. She truly was different from the other leaders in the apocalypse.

With newfound resolve, Professor Lin spoke sincerely. “Captain Shen, where is your base? I would like to bring my researchers and join you. I don’t know what Thunder Base is like, but I greatly admire your leadership and want to follow you.”

Several nearby special forces soldiers turned to look at him. This time, they weren’t wary of him—just a little amused.

Even Shen Yunxuan was taken aback. This was the first time, in all the worlds she had traveled to, that someone had so earnestly asked to follow her. However, she truly couldn’t take them with her. Regretfully, she shook her head. “Our base isn’t in this region. It wouldn’t be convenient.”

Professor Lin interpreted this as meaning their base was very far away. If they attempted long-distance travel with ordinary people like him and his researchers, they would slow the group down and increase the risk of casualties. He assumed that was why Shen Yunxuan refused to take them along.

Though deeply disappointed, he nodded and said, “You saved us. That’s an immense kindness we can never repay. The only thing we have of value is our research data and our expertise.”

He took a breath before continuing, “Since you plan to trade with Thunder Base, why not include us in the deal? Exchange us for more crystal cores.”

Shen Yunxuan turned to look at him. Professor Lin’s gaze was sincere, but there was also a hint of resignation. If she wouldn’t take them with her, then they had nowhere else to go. Returning to Blazing Flame Base was out of the question. Their only option was to seek refuge in Thunder Base. Whether it turned out to be a decent place or another nightmare, they had no choice but to try.

Since they had to go there anyway, they might as well offer themselves up as something valuable. At least this way, they could repay Shen Yunxuan in some small way.

Shen Yunxuan studied him for a moment, then nodded. “Thank you. When we reach the base, I’ll assess the situation first. If it turns out to be another hellhole, I won’t hand you over—don’t worry.”

Professor Lin nodded as well. He wasn’t very optimistic, but he still took his seat. The other researchers, realizing they couldn’t follow Shen Yunxuan, were visibly disappointed. They stared at the road ahead, where the truck’s powerful searchlights illuminated the darkness—like a beacon of hope in an otherwise bleak world. Still, they remained unsure of what awaited them.

Meanwhile, the leader of Blazing Flame Base was on the verge of losing his mind.

He and his forces rushed to the train station, only to find no trace of their people or their vehicles. His expression darkened. “Where are they? Did they escape?”

“Something’s off,” one of his men murmured. “Why is it so quiet? Where are the people? Where are the zombies?”

“Could there be zombies lying in ambush?” another suggested hesitantly.

“That would only be possible if there was a psychic-type zombie controlling them,” a third person countered. “There was only one psychic zombie in this entire region, and it was locked up in the city center mall. There shouldn’t be one here.”

The leader scowled. “Search the train station.”

His subordinates were reluctant but dared not defy him—he was a level-five ability user, after all. They had no choice but to move in cautiously.

Inside the train station, they were met with nothing but the sight of countless zombie corpses, all of which had already been stripped of their crystal cores.

“Looks like they killed a lot of zombies,” someone muttered. “Seems like the mission was going smoothly… so why did they call for help?”

“Maybe the outer areas were easy, but they ran into high-level zombies further inside?”

As they pressed forward, the signs of battle became increasingly intense. Scattered bullet casings, grenade blast marks… evidence of a fierce fight.

“There were level-four zombies,” one of them noted grimly. “They managed to take out several of them.”

At that moment, the leader’s gaze locked onto something ahead—amid the destruction, there was a severed head. Only half of it remained.

His face darkened as he approached. “This is a level-five zombie’s head.”

The others exchanged uneasy glances. “If they killed a level-five zombie and still called for help, does that mean there was a level-six zombie?”

“Then where are they? Did a level-six zombie wipe them out? Did it run away?”

The battle traces stopped at this point. There were no further signs of a struggle. The leader deduced that their forces must have withdrawn from here. He led his team out of the station, scanning the surroundings.

“Search carefully. Be on high alert for a level-six zombie.”

Several ability users spread out, searching in different directions. Suddenly, a startled cry rang out. The leader and the others rushed over, only to find that all their missing comrades were dead!

Not a single survivor among them—more than a dozen ability users, all wiped out.

And it wasn’t zombies that had done it. Their bodies were severely injured by explosions, burned by various abilities, riddled with bullet wounds, and in the end, their crystal cores had been extracted.

“This wasn’t done by zombies… it was people!”

The realization sent a jolt of alarm through them. Their senses went on high alert, but the surroundings remained eerily silent. Then, the leader’s eyes landed on the ground—tire tracks pressed into a pool of dried blood. They weren’t from their base’s vehicles. The tracks belonged to a large truck.

Glancing at the stripped bodies, he saw that not only had their cores been taken, but even their supplies and their transport were gone.

His expression changed drastically.

“This is bad! It was a diversion! They’re attacking the base! Get back—NOW!”

They hurriedly turned back toward the base, but the distance was considerable. No matter how fast they moved, by the time they arrived, the sky had already turned dark.

The base was silent.

Too silent.

There were no lights. No sounds.

The main gate stood wide open. The sentries on the walls were gone—completely vanished.

They got out of their vehicles, their faces darkening. The leader was the first to step through the gate, switching on his flashlight. He immediately spotted fresh tire tracks on the ground—the same kind they had seen in the bloodstained road earlier.

It was a diversion.

Ignoring everything else, the leader rushed toward his quarters. The moment he stepped inside, his heart sank.

His safe was gone.

Everything of value he had collected—gone!

“ARGHHHHH!” His enraged roar echoed through the base.

Just then, an ability user ran toward him, panting heavily. “Sir! Come quick! The research facility… Something happened! The deputy leader is dead!”

The leader’s fury reached its peak. That useless fool! A level-five ability user, dead? How stupid could he be?

The strength of their base had always depended on having two level-five ability users. With one of them gone, their power had been cut nearly in half!

He clenched his fists. The thought of those dozen elite ability users who had died at the train station came rushing back. That group had been among the strongest in Blazing Flame Base—and now they were gone.

“Who the hell did this?!”

Raging, he stormed into the research facility—only to be met with an utterly gruesome sight.

The deputy leader lay dead in the most horrifying state, clearly tortured to his last breath. Surrounding him were the corpses of every single level-one ability user he had left behind to guard the base.

Further inside, the lab was in ruins.

Computers, shattered. Research equipment, destroyed.

Everything they had invested in—their entire research project—was gone. And worse, out of all the researchers in the facility, half of them were missing.

Which meant…

Whoever had attacked Blazing Flame Base didn’t just take his fortune. They had stolen his research and his scientists.

Another ability user rushed up with more bad news. “Sir! The warehouse… It’s been raided! All of our military supplies—gone! Not a single weapon left! And a third of our food stock is missing!”

The reports just kept piling on.

“Also… The experimental subjects from the lab… Some of them were released. Around a dozen. The mutated ability users.”

The leader’s pupils contracted.

The mutated ability users—his secret project, his dream of creating the strongest warriors in the apocalypse—had been set free?!

The experiments weren’t complete yet! Did those fools not understand the risk?

His heart pounded as he stormed toward the rooms where the experimental subjects had been held. But the moment he and his remaining men entered the area—

A shadow lunged out of the darkness.

Several mutated ability users sprang from their hiding spots, faces filled with seething hatred, launching a full-force assault on them.

The leader and his group were forced to retreat in panic—only to realize that more mutated ability users had blocked the exit.

They were surrounded.

These weren’t just captives anymore. They were super soldiers.

The leader knew he couldn’t afford to hold back. He went all out from the start. But as soon as he was about to be struck, he grabbed a level-two ability user and used him as a human shield.

The poor man screamed as he was torn apart.

Seeing this, the other level-two ability users who had been fighting alongside him felt a chill run down their spines.

They had just witnessed how disposable they were.

Instead of staying to fight, many of them chose to run. Anywhere but here. Anywhere but Blazing Flame Base.

With his human shields gone, the leader was left to fend for himself. He was strong—level five—but that didn’t matter when he was facing multiple level-four ability users at once.

Even worse, these weren’t normal ability users.

They were mutated.

With no chance to grab his stolen valuables, no choice but to escape, the leader fought his way out. He took heavy damage, lost an arm, and finally managed to flee into the night—like a stray dog, humiliated and defeated.

The few remaining ability users saw this and panicked. Terrified, they scattered—some escaped with injuries, while others were caught and slaughtered.

The battle raged for over an hour before the base finally fell into a true, haunting silence.

The mutated ability users, now in control, took a brief rest. Then, they gathered all of Blazing Flame Base’s remaining vehicles, loaded them with supplies, and set off for Thunder Base.

Why?

Because they had overheard Shen Yunxuan’s conversation with Professor Lin.

They knew she was heading to Thunder Base.

And they wanted to find her.

She had saved them.

They had nothing to repay her with.

But they had heard that she had already taken a massive amount of supplies from the base—so they figured they’d take the rest and bring it to her.

Once they left, Blazing Flame Base was completely deserted.

The only things left behind were the few mindless, failed test subjects still locked inside the ruined research facility.

---

Meanwhile, Shen Yunxuan’s group encountered an unexpected obstacle.

A bridge had collapsed, blocking their path across the river.

With no way forward, they had to take a detour. The delay forced them to travel all night, and they only reached the outskirts of Thunder Base at dawn.

Shen Yunxuan ordered food to be distributed, allowing everyone to get off the trucks for a break. More importantly, she wanted the special forces soldiers to adjust their state and ensure they were at peak condition.

The real challenge was still ahead.

She hurriedly gathered the special forces for a quick meeting, assigning half of them to remain outside on standby while the other half accompanied her inside for negotiations. If all went well, she would bring the rest in afterward. If danger arose, they would set off fireworks as a signal for an immediate retreat to the broken bridge.

Just then, two vehicles arrived at the base’s entrance, and the people inside lined up to enter. Seeing this, Shen Yunxuan led her team to join the queue, planning to observe the base’s situation before making a move.

However, just as they took their places in line, a commotion broke out at the gate. A middle-aged woman rushed out, her eyes locking onto Shen Yunxuan as she shouted, “It’s you! It’s really you!”

Shen Yunxuan’s eyes widened in shock. “Sister Hong?”

It was someone she had met in a previous apocalypse world! How could she be here? Could this be the same world? But last time, it had been a low-level world without crystal cores or abilities—her system had explicitly stated that.

The sentries on the walls immediately raised their guns, and a dozen ability users rushed out to stand behind Sister Hong, all of them staring at Shen Yunxuan with hostility.

Sister Hong eyed Shen Yunxuan warily, her shock evident as she looked past her at the soldiers. “These people… are your companions? Who exactly are you? Why are you here? And what happened to you back then—why did you suddenly disappear?”

Shen Yunxuan instantly caught onto the phrase “back then.” To her, only two or three months had passed since her last visit to that world, but Sister Hong was talking as if it had been years. What was going on?

She studied Sister Hong carefully but chose not to explain. Instead, she said, “I’m here to make a trade with your base. Can you help arrange a meeting with your leader?”

Sister Hong was still processing her shock. “A trade? What kind of trade?”

“Research facility data, researchers, and an anti-virus serum.”

“Anti-virus serum?!” Sister Hong was stunned again, scrutinizing Shen Yunxuan as if trying to determine whether she was bluffing. But Shen Yunxuan’s serious expression made it impossible to tell.

Years ago, they had all been deceived by Shen Yunxuan. And back then, she had been the one who interacted with her the most. It had been a massive humiliation. Now, even though Shen Yunxuan seemed sincere, she couldn’t bring herself to trust her.

Sister Hong laid down a condition. “Come alone to meet our leader. Your people stay here.”

Shen Yunxuan refused outright. “Not happening. Your leader can come out with his people. We’ll talk in the open space over there. I don’t want anything except high-level crystal cores.”

The Thunder Base ability users exchanged looks. She was the one seeking a trade, yet she was making demands? Her confidence was striking.

Just then, several more vehicles approached. Sister Hong and her people immediately went on high alert. The trucks stopped nearby, and over a dozen ability users stepped out—each one visibly different from normal people.

Some had red hair and glowing red eyes. Others had plant-like patterns growing across their skin. Some had slit-pupil eyes and deathly pale faces. None of them looked entirely human.

They walked straight toward Shen Yunxuan.

Gao Lang and the special forces instantly moved to form a protective circle around her, raising their guns. In response, the Thunder Base ability users also lifted their weapons, and in an instant, the air grew unbearably tense.

But the red-haired, red-eyed ability user ignored the hostility. Instead, he looked at Shen Yunxuan with sincerity and said, “Captain Shen! My name is Qi Zhan. Thank you for saving us. We have wiped out Blazing Flame Base. Here—these are their crystal cores. They’re a gift to you.”

Qi Zhan handed her a bag filled with crystal cores. Most were level two, but there were also level three, level four, and even a level five water-element core—the deputy leader’s, without a doubt.

Shen Yunxuan was surprised but accepted the bag. Then Qi Zhan turned and pointed at the trucks. “We also brought all of Blazing Flame Base’s supplies. They’re yours as well—a token of our gratitude.”

Seeing her astonishment, he added, “Not only did you save us, but you also gave us the chance to take our revenge. We have no regrets now, even if we die. To be honest… we don’t know what will happen to us in the future. We don’t know if we’ll mutate further or if we’ll lose our sanity. But if you don’t mind… can we follow you? We will dedicate our lives to protecting you!”

The other ability users immediately echoed his words in unison. “We will protect you with our lives!”

A powerful surge of pure, unwavering faith flooded into Shen Yunxuan—so strong it stunned her.

Looking into their eyes, she understood.

These people had been treated as experiments, subjected to endless suffering. To them, she was salvation.

Their faith in her was purer than anything she had ever encountered. They were, in every sense, deadly loyal.

For the first time, Shen Yunxuan faced them properly, taking in their appearances.

A complex mix of emotions welled up inside her.

If it weren’t for the apocalypse… If it weren’t for the experiments…

They could have lived normal lives.

Now, their bodies might continue to mutate. They might not live long. They might even lose their minds one day. But for now, they clung to her like a drowning man clings to a piece of driftwood.

She was the only hope they had left.

Yet she couldn’t take them with her.

Shen Yunxuan asked inwardly, Is there really no way to bring people along?

【No living being can be taken,】 the system responded coldly.

She hesitated for only a moment before turning to Qi Zhan and the others. “Alright. Stay by my side.”

🌸˚˖𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒✧🩷˚⋆