Hurry! Get There Before It's Too Late!

"What?!"

Mike froze for a moment as the news came through. He could hardly believe what he was hearing. The New Chang expedition team had suffered casualties, which was not uncommon. But to hear that the bodies had been killed by survivors? That was a shock.

The area outside the city was thick with ghost mist—who would be bold enough to wander in it, let alone have the ability to kill within it?

"Is the message accurate?"

Mike quickly regained his composure, pressing the staff at Command for more details. A stern voice crackled through the communicator.

"Sir, the information is almost confirmed. Seven professionals from New Chang have inspected the bodies, and the reports are consistent across the board."

"Two minutes ago, the Eastern Command issued orders for a specialized team to head to New Chang immediately, and the city has been placed under Level 2 Combat Alert."

"So, it's survivors from outside the cities causing the problem?"

Mike frowned. The response was hesitant.

"At this point, we cannot rule that out. Eastern Command suspects the killer could be either from inside or outside the city."

"Either it's a special ability user from within the city who's taken the chance to kill, or a non-local survivor from outside has committed the murders."

"I understand. Follow Eastern Command's orders."

Mike nodded as he ended the communication, his mind racing.

It seemed like a minor casualty for one team, but the implications were far more serious. If the killer was someone from inside the cities, it could be seen as an internal security issue—not too dire. But if the killer was from outside the cities, that would be something entirely different.

The regions outside the two cities were vast, with ghost mist blanketing the land. The nearest town was several dozen kilometers away—who could traverse that treacherous distance and survive the mist to commit such a murder?

Mike's mind raced.

"Was it just an accidental encounter? Or was it planned?"

He furrowed his brow, contemplating the possibility of an outsider being the killer. His thoughts immediately turned to a specific city.

"Could it have been someone from Guangling?"

Mike glanced at the detailed map of the country on the wall. New Chang was surrounded by many small towns, with Jinling being the largest nearby city. Guangling, however, was far off, geographically distant from both cities.

"If the killer came from Guangling, the distance to New Chang is 123 kilometers. From Guangling to Jinling, it's 100 kilometers—clearly, Jinling is closer."

"But if Guangling had intentions of expanding, why would they go so far out of their way to target New Chang and Jinling? There are other cities closer by."

Mike pondered the idea further.

"Perhaps it wasn't Guangling after all... maybe I was just thinking of it because it's been on my mind."

"Even if Guangling had unified its forces and was capable of expanding, could they really afford to send a team that far? The risks involved are too great, and the reward doesn't justify it."

"If it's not Guangling, then who? Could it be from a nearby town or village?"

Mike pressed his lips together. "Is the killer working alone? Or are they part of a group? And why target New Chang specifically? Is there a deeper grudge?"

"Of course, it could also be a spur-of-the-moment act of violence, a conflict that happened by chance."

"But the key detail is that the bodies were found just outside the city. If the killer hasn't left, they might have infiltrated the city by now!"

Suddenly, Mike snapped to attention. He grabbed his communicator and urgently contacted the New Chang Command.

"Hello, this is New Chang Command Center."

The voice on the other end was Chen Xun. Mike spoke quickly. "Put Chen Dafu on."

There was a pause, and then Chen Xun responded, surprised. "Sir! I'll notify him right away!"

A moment later, Chen Dafu's voice came through.

"Sir, what can I do for you?"

Chen's tone was calm but polite, far from his usual carefree self. Mike could almost hear the tension in his posture as he held the device carefully.

"I suspect the killer has entered the city."

"Entered the city?"

Chen Dafu was caught off guard, but quickly came to his senses. "Sir, have you identified their location? I'll go after them immediately!"

"I don't know yet," Mike replied, his voice steady. "But I remember in the survivor ability report from last month, there was a survivor with a unique talent—someone who can see the memories of others within the last 24 hours. Am I right?"

Chen Dafu hesitated. "I think... there was such a person?"

"Her name is Xu Li. She's a 24-year-old woman, currently stationed at the Special Abilities Department, handling logistics. About an hour ago, Liu Wenbo temporarily reassigned her to the special team responsible for examining the bodies."

"You're quick to react," Mike commented with a hint of approval. Then he issued a sharp order. "Chen Dafu, go protect Xu Li immediately. Ensure the safety of the special team until they've identified the killer."

"Understood."

"Chen Xun," Mike continued, "inform the New Chang Command to alert the higher-ups about the potential killer entering the city. But don't spread this to the public—don't cause unnecessary panic."

"Distribute the defenders across the city. Make sure they're in position to respond to any emergencies."

Chen Xun nodded. "Understood, sir."

Mike ended the communication, lost in thought. His mind returned to the bigger picture. If the killer was from outside the city, the situation was dire. Survivors capable of navigating the ghost mist were no small threat—they could destabilize an entire city if they chose to.

Several hours passed, and then new intel arrived from New Chang.

Chen Xun requested to speak privately with Mike, delivering the latest updates.

"Sir, the special team has completed their preliminary examination of the bodies. Based on the analysis, we've confirmed that the killer is from outside the cities, not from New Chang or Jinling. And the killer isn't acting alone—there are likely many more involved."

"How many?" Mike asked, his voice tense.

"We estimate at least 200 individuals," Chen Xun said, his voice grave. "Based on the injuries and the survivors' recollections, the attackers used a device capable of breaking through the mist—likely some sort of hidden weapon or special ability. The killing blow was quick and lethal, and the marks left on the bodies seem intentional, meant to confuse our analysis."

Mike processed the information quickly.

"The killer's target is clearly New Chang, or they may be trying to divert attention from Jinling," Chen Xun concluded. "They're preparing for their next move."

Mike felt the pressure rising. "They've made their move."

Chen Xun's voice sharpened. "We haven't found them yet, but based on current intel, we believe they'll act again soon. When they do, we'll have a chance to catch them."

Mike's tone cut through the static. "No, they've already struck again! Get to New Chang's north street—now! They're there! Chen Dafu is already in contact with them!"

"What?!" Chen Xun was startled.

"Don't waste time! Get there fast! If you don't, Chen Dafu will be dead!" Mike's voice was urgent. "Focus on getting survivors—keep them alive!"

"Understood!" Chen Xun responded quickly.

But Mike wasn't done. "Wait! Don't just rescue Chen Dafu! Your priority is to keep him alive, but also gather information. We need to know who's behind this and what their goal is."

"Understood, sir. We'll handle it."

As the communication ended, Mike sank into the thought that the killer's goal was more than just murder—it was part of a bigger, more dangerous plan.