Beginning with the Ubume Bird-Chapter 335 - 61 Interlude Ambitions Begin
Chapter 335: Chapter 61 Interlude: Ambitions Begin
Chapter 335: Chapter 61 Interlude: Ambitions Begin
“Time’s almost up.”
“Let’s move out.”
Ramu Jue pushed down the joystick, and the squadron of to-be-decommissioned Four Heavenly Kings’ fighter jets surged down the runway, steering towards the sky.
…
“I often hear people say that the three major powers are unshakable even in the harshest winter. But the quality of your supplies isn’t all that great.”
On the wind-bitten wasteland, Li Yan, wearing only a thin black fleece vest, rested his right elbow on the table, casually tossing aside an empty beer can as he spoke.
The man sitting opposite him was bulky, wearing a sergeant’s cap.
Their wrists locked together, both their feet dug into the hard frozen ground as they tensed their bodies with all their might. They were surrounded by a group of Black Star soldiers, whispering to each other with wide, round eyes.
After about two or three breaths, Li Yan’s hand, with veins sharply outlined, suddenly clenched into a fist, his forearm muscles bulging as he slammed the sergeant-capped man’s hand onto the table with a thud, followed by a chorus of sighs around them.
“Lost again.”
“Do you have any more?”
“I’m cleaned out. Won’t get resupplied until next month. You expect me to pick up cigarette butts for the next ten days?”
Li Yan stood up, gathered the two bottles of beer by the defeated man and seven or eight cartons of cigarettes to his side, along with the previous winnings of items like cigarettes, candies, beers, and lighters, creating a small pile.
This was Li Yan’s fifth day back in Sector B from Yunhai Pharmaceuticals. The meeting at Shuishu Park was just around the corner, and Qiao Xing had finally asked him to head over to the Danzuo Automobile’s original site, which was also the venue for the upcoming meeting at Shuishu Park.
On one hand, they needed Li Yan’s help with repairing machinery. On the other hand, it was to fulfill a promise to Li Yan, to introduce him to the veterans of the Big Ben laboratory once the research activity was over.
Leaving at two in the afternoon today…
Having nothing else to do for the past few days, Li Yan had gotten along pretty well with the troops of the Sixth Army, even betting on arm wrestling with some veterans. They kept the stakes low, mostly snack items like jerky, chocolate, beer, and cigarettes, all for a bit of fun.
“Any more games?”
Li Yan peeled off the wrapper from a piece of milk candy and put it into his mouth, looking around.
“No more, no more, you win.”
The sweaty man with the sergeant’s cap clenched his reddened wrist, sounding a bit disheartened.
“I mean, Li Dai, you’re not so hot at this either. I was counting on you to help me break even.”
Read latest chapters at freёweɓnovel.com Only.
The speaker was none other than the Black Star quartermaster who had once deducted 5% from Li Yan’s sale price. He scratched his neck as he spoke, not caring about the rest, but he was upset about gambling away an old-fashioned wristwatch that had sentimental value to him.
“What do you say we try a different game?”
Someone else suggested unwillingly.
Li Yan spat out the milk candy with a smile and waved his hand dismissively, “I’ve got to head to the operations department this afternoon, around this time. Let’s call it a day.”
He picked up his freshly cleaned overcoat from the chair back, tucked it under his arm, and chose a can of beer with lettering from the pile of loot, saying, “The rest is my treat for you all, no need to be shy.”
The man in the sergeant’s cap looked frustrated.
Li Yan stepped back and pulled the tab of the beer can, producing a crisp sound. Suddenly, a loud explosion shook the frozen ground beneath their feet. On the other side of the field, a golden flame more than five meters high erupted into the sky, with sharp whistles piercing the air. Following that, a pale yellow mist seeped from a building that had been blown apart.
Li Yan looked at the beer can in his hand, somewhat bewildered, while the Black Star soldiers were the first to react.
“Someone attacked the experimental building!”
They cursed as they put on their sealed protective suits and grabbed the powerful automatic rifles of the new era, rushing towards the site of the explosion.
Since Black Star took over Sector B, such incidents had been all too common, especially after word of Ramu Jue’s death spread. Infuriated zealots occasionally stormed the town. At its worst, there were three similar violent incidents in one day.
With a piercing siren, the water truck passed over the asphalt. In a matter of minutes, a broadcast blared through the streets, announcing that a rogue attacker had launched a petrol bomb assault, resulting in a leak of some gas which induces genetic mutations from the experimental building. Anyone who had stayed in the contaminated area must immediately undergo a check-up at the biological research division to avoid acute illnesses.
The voice in the broadcast was Afafu’s.
The fire was quickly extinguished, but the attackers were nowhere to be found, and with Black Star’s temporary facilities, evidence was hard to come by.
Before long, Afafu arrived with a group of researchers, demanding all soldiers who were present at the gas leak to undergo examination.
“You.”
Afafu pointed at Li Yan.
“Go through the check with them.”
Li Yan, with a calm face, sipped his beer, “It’s two twenty now. In another ten minutes, I have to head out to the headquarters of Danzuo Automobile.”
“Life is more important, take it slow. We should proceed only if there’s no issue with the check.”
Li Yan crushed the beer can and threw it into the trash bin, “All right.”
Afafu nodded coldly, turned around with her high heels, and her graceful figure gradually faded away.
Li Yan and a group of soldiers entered the laboratory building. Afafu led him to a small room of about thirty square meters, filled with various precise instruments and lenses. Without paying much attention, she yanked down her mask and stuttered, “Listen to me, Li Yan, something’s not quite right.”
Li Yan sat with his fingers interlaced, smiling and nodding, “You speak, I’m listening.”
“Someone from the upper echelons of the Black Star combat vehicles… may be out to harm you. Or rather, you might have been dragged into some formidable tactical operation.”
“These last few days your people have been quite friendly to me, I haven’t noticed any hostility.”
Li Yan spoke in a flat tone.
“Actually, I’m not entirely certain, just speculating. I’m pressed for time. Don’t rush to question me. Listen, I don’t know who you are or what you’ve hidden from me. These, I can let go unasked. I consider you a friend, I just… I just hope my friend won’t get hurt.”
Li Yan said nothing, only watched Afafu.
“Listen to me, I’ve forged a document stating you’ve been infected by a leaked gas. Pretend a little when the time comes. If you don’t make it to the headquarters of Danzuo Automobile today, there might still be a chance for things to turn around.”
Afafu pulled out a report from the drawer, “It has clinical symptoms written up. Take a close look.”
She handed the report to Li Yan, then lowered her head to rummage through the drawer for something else. When she looked up again, she saw a faint glow of fire. Li Yan had actually lit the report with a lighter he won from the soldiers.
“What are you doing?”
Afafu tried to snatch the report from Li Yan’s hands, but Li Yan lifted his arm, letting the flames reduce the report to fragile ashes that fluttered to the ground.
Li Yan shook his hand, speaking leisurely, “If your hunch is true, these little tricks won’t work.”
He extended a finger, “The B area now belongs to the Black Star combat vehicles. Since I’ve returned, I have prepared for the worst. To be honest, I’d prefer not to oppose the Black Star combat vehicles. On one hand, I don’t have absolute certainty, and on the other, I have no necessary conflict of interest with them. But for now, I indeed need to go to Shuishu Park.”
He paused, his tone growing heavier, “If things really do reach the worst case scenario, it’s not within your power to stop it.”
Li Yan stood up, patted Afafu on the shoulder, “Don’t do anything unnecessary.”
Having said that, Li Yan stood up, just as Qiao Xing pushed open the door and walked in, their eyes locking.
“…How did the check go?”
Li Yan approached Qiao Xing, smiling, “Smooth sailing, what about you, are you ready?”
Qiao Xing blinked, “The car is outside. If there’s nothing else, we can leave now.”
“Of course.”
The two walked out of the room, with the corridor filled with fully-armed Black Star warriors. A dozen fierce armored vehicles lined up in two rows. Li Yan sat in the back seat, with Qiao Xing in military uniform beside him. Suddenly someone outside the window called out to him.
“Hey~”
Wei Dan, holding a huge sniper rifle, stood on the seat of a jeep combat vehicle, looking over. Next to her sat Zhuoma, in a beige trench coat and stern features. They appeared to have just returned from a war commission.
Li Yan flashed a smile, and as the convoy’s engines started, the smile in Wei Dan’s eyes gradually receded into the distance.
A shrill roar of air currents came, prompting Wei Dan to look up.
In the sky, a series of black dots streaked by, like an invincible military saber slashing through the deep red radiating clouds.
Within the thick radiation clouds, the glow and mist scattered, as the majestic military music showered down from the heavens.
Let noble anger
Like waves, surge forth
To annihilate the wicked hordes!
The Sacred War!
