CHAPTER 472: CHAPTER 233: FACING DEATH AS LIFE (PART 2)

"We’re here."

The scout patted him on the shoulder.

Lin Yu nodded slightly and jumped lightly off the track.

At this moment, they had successfully reached the second building. After entering the building, the scout quietly moved to the bedside, deeply inhaling the air drifting in from the window.

"The scent of blood is still to the south, probably heading downward."

"But it’s strange... I always feel there’s a very special smell in the air."

"A very special smell?"

Lin Yu furrowed his brow.

"What kind of smell? Like engine oil or something?"

"Of course not."

The scout shook his head and said:

"I can’t even describe what kind of smell it is... I’ve never smelled something like it in my life."

"Forget it, let’s not worry about that now."

"Continuing downward?"

"Continuing downward."

Lin Yu nodded decisively.

"Take the stairs, down from this building."

"Got it."

The two hesitated no longer, continuing down the stairs without pause.

But just as they entered the next level, Lin Yu suddenly felt something was amiss.

The surrounding environment began to change.

No longer the emptiness of the buildings they’d seen before.

The space below began to hold things familiar to them.

"Living area."

Lin Yu’s mind raced.

"This must be the real living area!"

He raised his hand to signal the scout to follow, and immediately descended the stairs, looking around as he entered the corridor.

"Balcony, stairs, rooms..."

"This is very similar to the ruins we’ve explored before."

"It’s still very new here; perhaps someone lived here not too long ago..."

"Impossible."

The scout reached out to push open a half-closed door, leaned in to sniff, then spoke:

"There’s absolutely no scent of human life here."

"Like those previous buildings, the things here are... fake."

"Rather than someone living here, it’s more like this city preserved the illusion of someone living here."

"Come in and take a look."

"Everything’s here except the human smell!"

With those words, Lin Yu also ducked into the room.

Presenting before him was a standard pre-cataclysm dwelling.

Living room, bedroom, all sorts of facilities are complete.

He stepped into the room as slowly as possible, as if the owner of the place was still here and he might be discovered at any moment.

But obviously, his worry was superfluous.

The room was utterly silent.

"No water, no food..."

"No."

The scout’s words were abruptly interrupted by Lin Yu.

"There really is no food."

"But water..."

He walked into the room that was evidently a "bathroom" and turned a valve.

The next second, water began to flow freely.

The scout was taken aback.

"Tap water."

Lin Yu said quietly:

"Almost all the ruins have this design, but most are dysfunctional."

"But here, the water..."

"Smell it, is it drinkable?"

The scout immediately bent down, and after a moment, he replied:

"It’s drinkable!"

"This is very clean purified water!"

"Drink the water!"

Lin Yu didn’t hesitate, cupping the water and bringing it to his mouth, the scout following suit.

Their parched bodies absorbed the moisture, restoring some of their nearly depleted strength.

When their stomachs were finally filled with water, Lin Yu leaned against the wall.

"It’s getting stranger and stranger..."

"I think you’re quite right."

"This place might really be a human cemetery."

"I’ve heard a term before, ’as dead as alive’."

"These facilities are plainly unused, yet they’re arranged as if they are."

"Isn’t this a cemetery?"

"...Even if it’s a cemetery, we can’t do anything about it; we’ve already barged in."

The scout sighed.

"Let’s continue down."

"I smell the blood getting stronger... The body seems to have stopped."

"Stopped?"

Lin Yu’s expression changed.

So we’ve arrived so quickly?

But judging from his previous observations from a high place, here is still far from the core zone where the lights have been lit.

Maybe there’s a quick path to enter the core zone nearby?

Like those... aerial tracks?

Or perhaps something like the "subway" he had seen in other ruins?

"Move!"

Lin Xu decisively ordered:

"Catch up!"

"Understood."

Both got up at the same time.

After replenishing their fluids, their movements became much more agile.

Downstairs along a narrow staircase, their footsteps were so light they were almost imperceptible.

"It’s very close."

The scout in front raised a hand.

"Slow down!"

"I smell something different!"

"Someone’s here!"

At this moment, the scout’s "scent detection" ability proved invaluable.

Without the risk of exposing themselves to explore, they could still get a rough sense of the surroundings.

Lin Yu halted immediately, advancing slowly behind the scout.

"It’s ahead."

"Within 200 meters."

At this point, the smell of blood in the air was so strong that even without a "professional sniffer" like the scout, one could smell it.

Lin Yu breathed slowly, afraid that the sound of his breathing might alert possible enemies.

The scout gestured for them to split up.

Lin Yu also gestured back in response and then moved to the left, creating a gap of nearly 50 meters between himself and the scout.

"Take a look."

The scout pointed to his research, and Lin Yu nodded slowly.

He then leaned out, sticking half his head through the window.

The scent of blood was carried by the wind between the buildings, and Lin Yu looked into the distance.

And there, a solitary light was already lit.

Someone’s there!

Judging by the shape of the target, that is definitely a person!

There were two people, and beside them, there was a device of considerable size.

What are they doing?

Rescue?

Lin Xu looked questioningly at the two engaged in their tasks in the distance and signaled to the scout for his opinion.

"Should we ambush?"

In fact, such "action command" decisions should have been his to make.

But now, he only had one member left by his side, and the so-called command authority became meaningless.

They had to agree on what to do.

"Let’s wait and see."

The scout gestured back.

He wasn’t being timid.

He just thought that blindly attacking might be far less meaningful than staying put, observing quietly, and gathering more information.

"Understood."

Lin Yu returned his gaze to the distance, and at this time, under the light, the two had already set up the equipment they brought.

Lin Yu couldn’t recognize what that was, nor could he infer its purpose.

But in the next second.

The "Mountain City Person" standing next to the corpse bent down.

Then, he held the head of the already dead body.

An unknown tool appeared in his hand, and he brought it close to the corpse’s head.

Flesh splattered!

This time, Lin Yu understood.

That was a circular saw.

He was sawing open the corpse’s skull!

What are they trying to do??

Lin Yu’s pupils dilated sharply.

He watched as the person split open the hard skull after sawing it, pulling the skull apart.

He then carefully dismantled the broken skull, carefully cradling the grayish-white brain.

Are they trying to retrieve the brain??

No.

What they wanted was something hidden within the brain.

The person peeled the brain apart and extracted a small object from inside.

The other waiting Mountain City person poured clean water from a canteen over the object taken from the brain, washed it thoroughly, and then wiped it dry with a gauze cloth.

He then took that object and placed it into the equipment with an open hatch.

The two stood up, checked it, and after confirming everything, closed the equipment’s hatch. One person carried the equipment on their back, while the other put the shattered corpse into a bag and left where they performed the "operation."

The bloody scent still lingered in the air.

And Lin Yu was already stunned in place by the immense shock.

"What are they... doing?"

The scout shook his head.

"I don’t know..."

"But if we can find a communicator..."

"We must inform the Huaxia Army about this as soon as possible!"