IRCDM Chapter 13

Chapter 13: Misunderstanding – This Thing Can Fly

There were four people in the car, making it seem a bit chaotic.

A little girl in a colorful tutu, with long pigtails dyed in vibrant colors, and a sweet, smiling face under her neat bangs, her eyes lit up when she saw Liang Huan, “Hello, we met at the Black Market before, my name is Jiang Chuxia!”

The other two were also familiar faces. A tall man wearing a camouflage bandana and a denim jacket, with mechanical hands resting on his knees, glanced at him indifferently, it was Pei Zhong. Beside him was a plump, short woman in her thirties, wearing a beige cardigan sweater. She had a shallow dimple when she smiled, and said cheerfully, “Hello, Ai Li.”

On the other side was a middle-aged man in his forties or fifties, with some gray hair, and a resolute, weathered face. He looked surprised to see him, “Little Liang?”

Li Yao raised an eyebrow, “You know him?”

“No, I just happened to see him once before.” Liang Huan looked at Mao Ming without changing his expression, “Hello.”

“Alright, let me formally introduce you, this is my husband Liang Huan. He’s joining us on this mission, but he’ll be with me the whole time, you don’t need to worry about him, just do your jobs.” Li Yao put his arm around Liang Huan’s shoulders and affectionately stroked his neck, making it clear to everyone that they were a couple.

Mao Ming looked at Liang Huan with a complex expression, then at Li Yao, sighing with a mixture of confusion and regret.

What a waste.

“Boss, are you really married?” A head suddenly popped out from the passenger seat. He had a bowl cut and wore thick black-rimmed glasses, his eyes behind his bangs staring straight at Liang Huan.

“Of course, move to the back, my husband sits in the passenger seat.” Li Yao violently knocked on the car door.

The bowl cut looked hurt and reluctant, “Boss, I could have married you too, why didn’t you choose me?”

“Get lost.” Li Yao kicked the car door, “Don’t make me hit you.”

Zhou Suiyu silently got out of the car, stared at Liang Huan for a few more seconds, and said unkindly, “So what if you’re married, you can still get divorced, it’s just because you have a pretty face, tsk.”

Liang Huan smiled gently, “Hello, Zhou Suiyu.”

Zhou Suiyu was stunned for a moment, and took a half step back warily, stuttering, “Y-you smile at me, but I will never forgive you!”

Liang Huan’s smile deepened, “You’re so cute.”

Zhou Suiyu’s face turned red, and he clumsily climbed back into the car with his computer in his hands.

Li Yao pinched Liang Huan’s cheek grumpily, “Stop flirting with my team members.”

Liang Huan looked at him innocently.

Mao Ming frowned, “Captain Li, we should get going.”

Only then did Li Yao release Liang Huan, and patted his butt, “Get in the car.”

Liang Huan: “…”

Sooner or later, he’d chop off those paws of his.

“First group, would you like to take a group photo?” A panda robot approached the car, carrying a basket of simulated bamboo leaves on its back and holding a camera in its hand, “It only costs one thousand Condensed Coins, so I can buy my next meal of electronic bamboo leaves, please.”

“No.” Li Yao ignored it and tried to get in the car.

“Really not taking one? I can give you a 10% discount.” The fluffy paws clasped together, and the panda robot looked at Liang Huan expectantly, “Sir, taking a photo comes with one minute of free panda petting.”

Before Li Yao could stop him, Liang Huan had already smiled and touched the panda’s round ears. The panda also very cooperatively bent down to let him touch its round head.

“Me too, me too!” Jiang Chuxia jumped out of the car, hugged the panda from behind, and exclaimed, “Brother Li never lets me touch it, it’s so cute!”

Pei Zhong walked out of the car with a blank expression, then threw himself into the panda’s arms with a blank expression, and took a deep breath.

Zhou Suiyu said sarcastically, “What’s so good about touching it, it’s just an electronic panda, only idiots would touch it.”

Mao Ming and Ai Li sat in the car, watching them and laughing.

Li Yao pulled them away with a dark face, “If you touch it again, you’ll go bankrupt before the mission! Get up! Liang Huan! Jiang Chuxia! Pei Zhong, why are you joining in the fun again!”

He scolded them, and the panda said good-naturedly, “Next, let’s start taking pictures.”

Since they already touched it, they had to pay even if they didn’t take the picture. Li Yao really didn’t understand how anyone could fall for such an obvious money-grabbing scheme, until he saw several teams in the distance surrounding the panda taking pictures, he deflated, “I knew it, staying in the base for too long rots people’s brains.”

Liang Huan turned to ask him, “Can we buy it?”

“You might as well sell me.” Li Yao looked at him with a sinister gaze.

Liang Huan said regretfully, “How much are you worth?”

Li Yao gritted his teeth and looked into the car, “Everyone get out and take a picture!”

Taking a photo before the team set off was a traditional project of East 2 Gate. The panda photo robot was also an important revenue-generating project of the East District External Area Entry and Exit Management Center. After all, the external area was dangerous and unpredictable, and no one could guarantee that they would come back alive. This might be their last photo.

Liang Huan looked at the holographic group photo in his hand. Li Yao was frowning and hugging him, looking obnoxious. Next to them, Jiang Chuxia was happily making a heart shape at the camera. Pei Zhong stood expressionlessly at the back of the car. Ai Li and Mao Ming stood stiffly in the middle. Zhou Suiyu, who refused to take the photo, peeked his head out from the car window.

Liang Huan’s gaze shifted from the photo to outside the car window. In the distance, the blue protective shield of the East District Base was like a giant translucent bowl, confining the towering buildings and humans within it. In the center of the narrow transition plaza was the building of the External Area Entry and Exit Management Center. The military’s dedicated passage was erected high in the air, leading to East 1 Gate. Huge mechs moved slowly on it, followed by countless military vehicles. Many strangely shaped aircraft hovered in the sky, further highlighting the shabby equipment of the mercenaries in the East 2 Gate plaza below.

The modified heavy-duty off-road vehicle sped along, passed through the bustling East 2 Gate plaza, and headed straight for the East 2 Gate, which was built from electromagnetic fields and special steel, standing in the distance. After a series of complex certifications and inspections in the tunnel, the car finally completely left the range of the protective shield’s aftereffects.

The car window was raised, and Liang Huan looked ahead, squinting uncomfortably at the bright sunlight. Then, he felt the gentle warmth of the sun. On both sides of the wide, straight road were protective electric fences over ten meters high. On both sides were barren Gobi deserts. The zombies gathered nearby came at the sound, densely packed, and quickly climbed onto the protective fence, only to be burned by the high-intensity voltage and fall like beans onto the yellow-brown earth.

Zhou Suiyu sat cross-legged in the trunk, adjusting the equipment, and said, “Boss, we’re going to pass through the large mine cave numbered 111 ahead, the site of a Grade-A Heteromorph explosion one day ago. The radiation value is seriously above the standard. It is recommended that everyone equip protective belts and stay in touch at all times.”

Li Yao drove with one hand, put the micro headset in his ear, and handed one to Liang Huan, “Put it on. The protective belt is above your head, do you know how to buckle it?”

“Yes.” Liang Huan took the headset, put it on like he did, and pulled the belt down and buckled it on, still with that layer of light blue protective shield.

“Everyone buckle up, after this pit we’ll directly enter the KUGT2378A highway, and pass directly by the East Sea.” Li Yao stepped on the accelerator, and pulled on the belt around Liang Huan’s waist, laughing, “Hubby will take you to see the sea.”

Liang Huan looked at him, “Aren’t you using a belt?”

“The boss doesn’t need it.” Zhou Suiyu snorted in the trunk, “This bit of radiation is nothing to him.”

“Zhou Suiyu, I’ll throw you into the cave later and let you have a loving date with the Heteromorph.” Li Yao glanced at the rearview mirror.

Zhou Suiyu immediately shut up and didn’t dare to speak.

Liang Huan didn’t care at all. He looked at Li Yao, “Aren’t these mercenary teams? Are the team members all mercenaries?”

“Of course not.” Before Li Yao could speak, Jiang Chuxia leaned out and answered, “The few of us all have regular jobs. Ai-jie, Pei Zhong, and I all work in the Black Market. I’m a nurse, Ai-jie is a gun store owner, Pei Zhong is a mech mechanic, Uncle Mao works at Small Panda Takeout, you know? The one with the cute, big, fluffy tail.”

“Mm.” Liang Huan nodded.

“What about me!” Zhou Suiyu shouted.

“Oh, Zhou Suiyu is a good-for-nothing high school student who can’t get into college and works part-time everywhere, shamelessly clinging to our Brother Li.” Jiang Chuxia laughed, “Ordinary people can also apply to come to the external area to collect resources, but the review is stricter, but teaming up is free. We were all recruited by Brother Li and have done several missions, with super cooperation.”

Liang Huan looked at Li Yao.

Li Yao said, “They’re cheap, mercenaries are crazy expensive.”

“Brother Li, that’s too hurtful.” Jiang Chuxia covered her heart, “We’re also very capable.”

“People from the Black Market can come out?” Liang Huan asked.

“Hehe, of course, we have to use some special methods.” Jiang Chuxia said mysteriously, “Mr. Yu is omnipotent.”

“Stay in the back, don’t disturb our alone time.” Li Yao raised his hand and pressed her head, pushing her back.

Jiang Chuxia stuck out her tongue and secretly handed Liang Huan a piece of candy, “Here’s some candy for you.”

The candy wrapper was made of retro kraft paper. Liang Huan slowly unwrapped it. Just as he was about to put it in his mouth, Li Yao suddenly leaned over and bit the candy out of his hand, crunching loudly.

A faint, moist feeling lingered on his fingertips. Liang Huan looked down at the empty candy wrapper, then at Li Yao.

“Eat less candy, it’s easy to feel dizzy in the radiation zone.” Li Yao said plausibly.

Liang Huan reluctantly accepted this explanation and pulled out a tissue to wipe his fingers.

Li Yao chuckled.

Bad habit.

Perhaps because the protective shield was working, or perhaps because his attention was focused on his fingertips, Liang Huan didn’t feel uncomfortable when passing through the radiation zone, and even had time to admire the sea view outside the car window.

There were no iron nets blocking the view here, and you could see the end of the sky at a glance. Liang Huan frowned, “Why is the seawater blackish-purple?”

“Ever since I can remember, the sea has been purple, it wasn’t this black before.” Li Yao said, “You didn’t think it was blue, did you?”

Liang Huan nodded.

“More than a hundred years ago, before the zombie outbreak, you might have been able to see it, but it’s said that the pollution was already very serious at that time.” Li Yao laughed.

Mao Ming said, “The many water purification plants in the base work hard for a year, and the filtered water is only enough to drink for a month. This sea color looks a little different from before.”

Pei Zhong frowned, and Jiang Chuxia leaned on the window to look outside, “Huh, when did a small island appear there?”

Li Yao’s pupils shrank, and he slammed on the accelerator. The people in the back almost rushed to the front. Pei Zhong grabbed the window with one hand, and spread the other mechanical hand to grab Jiang Chuxia and the other three. Zhou Suiyu in the trunk shouted loudly, “Damn, the detector shows that there’s a Grade-A marine Heteromorph nearby, its speed is three times ours – Brother Li! Step on the gas and run!”

“Wait until you’re dead before you say that!” Li Yao pressed the protection button for the entire car. The few cars that had been following behind them were confused, but they also began to accelerate.

In just a few seconds, black shadows enveloped the entire road. Looking through the front windshield, Liang Huan only saw a purplish-red tentacle, like an octopus tentacle magnified a thousand times. However, the suckers were all sharp, dense teeth. The tentacles were covered with dark purple, hard scales, entwined with black flocculent matter. Just as Liang Huan was about to see it clearly, a huge eyeball suddenly stuck to the windshield, its black pupil constricting and dilating, staring straight at the people in the car, emitting high-frequency shockwaves.

“Damn!” Li Yao cursed, and decisively reversed. The inside of the car turned pitch black. Then, he suddenly turned the steering wheel, the car tail swung out, and the front of the car was illuminated again. He stepped on the accelerator without hesitation, the roar of the engine was deafening. The off-road vehicle rushed out of the tangled tentacles in a strange posture.

Unfortunately, the cars behind them were not so lucky. The cars were torn apart by the hard tentacles. The octopus-like Heteromorph opened its mouth, rolled up the screaming people, bit off their heads, and licked the brains on the tentacles with its slender tongue, making excited hissing sounds.

The vehicles behind urgently turned around. The octopus Heteromorph looked at those vehicles, then at the car where Liang Huan and Li Yao were, and decisively chased after them.

Smells delicious.

Wants to eat.

“This thing can fly–” Mao Ming shouted sharply, “Captain Li, hurry!”

“Damn it!” Li Yao drifted sharply, dodging the tentacles falling from the sky, and opened the sunroof.

Mao Ming carried a laser cannon and aimed at the Heteromorph’s eyeball, firing decisively. The Heteromorph floating in mid-air shrieked and suddenly accelerated.

“Damn it, it’s a mutation type.” Mao Ming’s face changed.

“I’ll do it!” Ai Li picked up her light sniper rifle and aimed at the Heteromorph’s head. A dazzling laser flashed past. The Heteromorph dodged nimbly, but still lost a tentacle. It was furious and the entire monster pounced towards them.

“Pei Zhong, you control the car!”

Pei Zhong’s mechanical arm extended, firmly fixing the steering wheel. Li Yao stuffed a gun to Liang Huan, grabbed the low-core heavy cannon on the roof of the car, and fired at the octopus Heteromorph pouncing on them. Half of the Heteromorph’s head exploded in mid-air. The terrifying recoil made the entire car slide forward a great distance. Pei Zhong grabbed the steering wheel tightly, barely stopping the car on the edge of the road. Zhou Suiyu looked down at the back box and his face turned pale. Under the cliff were densely packed sea zombies, desperately climbing upwards after smelling the blood.

“Brother Pei, go! Go! There are sea lice everywhere down there!” He shouted hoarsely.

Pei Zhong gritted his teeth and turned the steering wheel. Li Yao was pressing against the windshield. Liang Huan grabbed his belt and pulled him down. Li Yao was in so much pain that he couldn’t speak. He frowned and placed the heavy cannon on top of his head, turned around and sat back in the driver’s seat: “Come.”

Pei Zhong released the steering wheel, and countless metal supports extended from the mechanical arm, nailing the closed sunroof and surrounding windows tightly.

The Heteromorph’s brain matter splattered on the car body. Li Yao turned on the special wipers to scrape the blood off the glass, stepped on the accelerator, and the car sped off on the bloody road.

“Is it dead?” Liang Huan looked at the Heteromorph through the rearview mirror. The terrifying tentacles were still writhing ferociously.

“Not dead, only half of its head was blown off. This thing is high-level, it can live even if only a fingernail of its brain core remains, but it can temporarily limit its movements, it can’t catch up.” Li Yao coughed, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, “I swear…”

Liang Huan handed him a healing device.

“A minor injury, no need.” Li Yao pushed it away and slapped his thigh, leaving a bloody handprint on his snow-white pants, arrogantly saying, “Who told you to come out wearing something so clean?”

Liang Huan looked at his pants silently, then looked regretfully at the struggling Heteromorph in the rearview mirror: “Li Yao, can you kill a Grade-A Heteromorph?”

Li Yao turned to look at him incredulously, “Do I look like a Grade-A Heteromorph?”