Chapter 429: The First Night
Chapter 429: The First Night
Tian Yu replied, "It's not just the brain; the brain is just the most likely part. Any organ or limb that can grow metamorphosis tissue is a potential risk."
She continued, "Have you three Executors checked your activation indices?"
Yuan Qiuyuan glanced at the number above and suddenly felt a bit annoyed. "Why the hell is mine a '2'? And when was I infected? Is this some kind of joke?"
He turned to Qin Qingque, "Executor Qin, what's your index?"
Qin Qingque replied honestly, "Mine is a 5."
Tian Yu explained, "A normal activation index should fluctuate between 1 and 10. As long as it doesn't exceed 30, there's no problem."
"An index below 10 is very normal. Sometimes it might be high, and sometimes it might dip low, generally forming a wave-like curve. This is inevitable after entering the fusion zone, so don't worry too much."
"If a fighter has a stable mind and strong self-control, they can maintain a very low index."
At this moment, Chen Chuan tapped on his boundary vessel and said, "Let's share our indices with each other so we can keep an eye on our progress."
The three of them added each other's contact information and created a communication platform, allowing them to view each other's indices anytime, anywhere.
Yuan Qiuyuan was eager to see Chen Chuan's index and was surprised to see a clear '0'. "Is it this low...?"
He understood the implications of Tian Yu's words—a stable mind and strong self-control meant a robust and abundant supply of essence blood and divine mind, the hard power of a Third Limit fighter.
He muttered to himself, "This captain has something special."
Qin Qingque also saw the indices of the two men, and a sense of urgency rose within her. In her opinion, it was no surprise that Chen Chuan, as the captain, possessed such strength.
However, seeing that Yuan Qiuyuan, who seemed so carefree, had an index much lower than hers, indicating that his strength was significantly greater, she felt motivated to work harder.
Tian Yu checked the time on her watch, "It's getting late. You've just arrived at the outpost, and there are still some procedures to go through. I won't keep you any longer; we can continue tomorrow at your convenience, either in the morning or during this time."
Chen Chuan asked, "Teacher Tian Yu, regarding the breathing method you mentioned earlier to suppress activation, when will that be taught to us?"
Tian Yu replied, "Captain Chen, once you return, just apply for it as a squad, and the instructor will arrange a time with you."
"Thank you," Chen Chuan said, standing up and looking at his two teammates. "Have you two eaten yet? If not, let's go for a quick meal together."
Qin Qingque reported, "Captain, we haven't eaten yet."
Yuan Qiuyuan said, "You're the captain; your word is final."
Chen Chuan nodded, "Then let's go together." After a quick farewell to Tian Yu, they left the screening room.
When Yuan Qiuyuan had entered the outpost, he logged into the outpost's platform, but due to resource limitations, it didn't have as many functions as the one outside, only allowing for the retrieval of simple information and texts.
As the captain, he had access to the profiles of his teammates.
Yuan Qiuyuan was a local talent, hailing from a fighting clan.
Unlike Wu Yi, he didn't attend the local Wu Yi Academy but grew up in his family's martial arts gym. He had even declined the local Wu Yi's enrollment recommendation, relying on his own abilities and family support to become a Third Limit expert.
After achieving the Third Limit, he was transferred to the central city and granted citizen status. Considering the power of the family that could produce a Third Limit expert in the local area, it was no wonder they had such influence.
His other teammate, Qin Qingque, had a military background. She was a combat personnel trained at the military academy. Discovered at a young age for her extraordinary talents, she underwent rigorous military training, learning to use various cold and hot weapons and operate different military vehicles. It was likely that her parents also held positions in the military.
Whether by design or coincidence, Yuan Qiuyuan noticed that both his teammates were transferred from outside the central city, seemingly unconnected to the various powers within.
Recalling how Specialist Liang had emphasized his clean background when assigning him his task, it seemed that his subordinates were similarly uninvolved.
The three arrived at the restaurant, past the usual mealtime. However, there was an internal restaurant specifically for personnel on external missions like them, offering both buffet and set meals with a rich variety and ample portions.
Yuan Qiuyuan picked up a plate of braised pork knuckles and took a bite, commenting, "Not bad, just like the food back in the central city."
Qin Qingque waited for Chen Chuan to choose first before selecting her own meal. She explained, "The food here is grown in the mobile garage, and some are transported from the rear."
"I've heard that," Yuan Qiuyuan said, "that the land here can grow crops, but there's some issue, so all ingredients are shipped from the rear."
Chen Chuan knew that these privileges were only for officers and high-ranking officials at the outpost. Regular soldiers could only eat nutrient paste unless they were on leave.
But Chen Chuan didn't mind; as a fighter, he could consume the nutrient paste just as well.
After sitting down at the dining table, Chen Chuan poured three cups of drinks and raised his cup, "From now on, we're a team. I hope you two can cooperate and support each other. After all, we'll be sharing the same fate, and we're teammates who have each other's backs."
The other two also stood up.
Yuan Qiuyuan raised his cup and said, "Since you're the captain, we'll follow your lead. But Chen Captain, I'm a straightforward person, and I speak my mind. I might not always sound pleasant, so I hope you don't mind."
Qin Qingque spoke seriously, "Captain, I'll follow orders and do my best as a team member." Only then did she pick up her cup with both hands.
The three clinked their cups together, took a sip, and then sat down to eat.
After the meal, Chen Chuan took the two of them for a walk, officially inducting them into his team and providing them with brand-new uniforms and weapons.
As a First-Level Executor, Chen Chuan also received a matching sword, not just for show but also a finely crafted weapon.
With each promotion, executors receive different ceremonial swords, and their quality naturally improves with each rank. The current one, however, was the lowest in both quality and grade, so it could only be considered a memento. He planned to find a box to store it when he returned.
The outpost assigned living quarters for them. As Third-Limit Fighters, each had their own single-person dormitory with 24-hour electricity and hot water.
As the captain, Chen Chuan was also equipped with a phone and a radio, even though his rank didn't quite qualify. Still, he was assigned an attendant responsible for standing guard.
He took a quick shower, then organized his belongings and reviewed some outpost information. He then took out a tube of special medicine.
Looking at it, the liquid inside seemed brighter, as if filled with vibrant life force.
He took a few glances, then uncapped the tube and drank its contents.
After a while, he heard a strange noise in his ear, but unlike before, it felt clearer, as if something was approaching from a perceivable direction.
Even within the fortress, he saw large shadows moving across the walls and ceiling, the floor beneath him seemed to undulate, and rustling sounds came from behind, as if something was right behind him, gradually getting closer.
At the same time, he checked the activation index on the boundary vessel, which was rapidly jumping above ten.
He calmly observed this, then shifted his focus to his second self, and as he did so, the strange noises and movements quickly disappeared, and everything returned to normal. The activation index on the boundary vessel also dropped back to "zero."
After that, he entered a state of tranquil meditation.
In the public phone booth at the fortress, Yuan Qiuyuan was communicating with someone on the open ground, illuminated by searchlights on the snowfield. He glanced at the patrolling team in the distance and said into the phone, "Impression? It's not bad."
By the way, I have a question. What's the background of our captain?
Arranged by the higher-ups? You don't know either?
I understand. I won't ask further.
Okay, I get it. We can't take special medicine here. Who would take it here anyway?
I'll just stay put, alright?
That's enough, don't talk so much. You guys say resources are tight, and long-distance communication consumes so many resources. Don't you feel guilty?
Hey, I'm not complaining... Alright, I got it. I know, that's it...
After ending the call, he hung up the receiver and stepped out. He thought to himself, "When did my sister start nagging like my mother?"
Despite the late hour, the open ground was brightly lit, and the snowflakes in the sky didn't make him feel sleepy at all. After all, he had just arrived at a new place, and he was excited.
He pondered for a moment, then returned to his dormitory, grabbed a custom extendable baton, and headed to the training room to release his energy.
In another dormitory, Qin Qingque changed into her training attire and sat cross-legged in mid-air. She supported her body weight with one finger on the ground and held her other hand in the air.
Although she appeared still, her metamorphosis organization was in motion with each breath. Soon, sweat began to drip from her forehead, but it didn't reach the ground.
As she controlled her energy, the activation index on the boundary vessel slowly decreased and stabilized at "one."
Amidst their individual training and cultivation, the first night after arriving at the convergence zone passed.
...
(End of Chapter)
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