The words uttered by Su Wenhao left the other fighters bewildered, rendering even the two young fighters who had accompanied Su Chen to bring him here utterly astounded.
They had spent their days in seclusion alongside Su Wenhao, observing the battlefield from afar. On their way back, Su Wenhao briefly recounted the tale of this person who had slain numerous elongated ghosts and saved countless lives. The tale had filled them with admiration.
However, the contrast between the figure standing before them and the expert hailed by the deputy battalion commander was jarringly different. What with the tattered clothes and a countenance that lacked the usual composure of a skilled individual, there seemed to be no trace of a master or a formidable warrior.
Nevertheless, observing the elation and excitement radiating from the deputy battalion commander, the two fighters were compelled to believe. As they shifted their gaze to Su Chen, a realization began to dawn upon them—he truly seemed to be the powerful talent who had encountered them once on the battlefield, turning the tide of their defeat.
At this realization, a surge of warmth flushed their cheeks, their earlier doubts now a source of embarrassment. The flame-wielding figure had decimated the elongated ghosts and saved numerous lives, and here they were, suspecting him of being a mere imposter. That jet-black long knife in his hand must be the very blade that epitomized his prowess—a lethal weapon against the elongated ghosts. They had even had the audacity to dismiss it as a "useless" and "outdated" weapon when they had initially advised him to discard it.
"The Flamesworn?" Su Chen's face displayed a peculiar expression, particularly as he observed the other party's excitement. It gave him a sense of being treated as a spectacle. Curiosity piqued, he inquired, "What is the matter?"
Su Wenhao, consumed by exhilaration, was determined to win Su Chen over. However, what Su Chen remained oblivious to was that an assembly of survivors had congregated here. They had sought refuge, fleeing relentlessly from the pursuing monsters. As time passed, their numbers had grown, largely comprising ordinary survivors and combat-ready soldiers. The truly formidable individuals were few and far between.
Although Su Wenhao had yet to vocalize his concerns, he keenly sensed the pervasive danger lurking in the air. He surmised that the monsters likely harbored a deeper motive, deliberately herding the ordinary survivors together. He sought to rally all the available forces around him.
Just as he was about to address his comrades, a commotion erupted among the survivors and soldiers, abruptly interrupting him. The Wuyangyang survivors who had encircled the supermarket recoiled in terror, pointing frantically in its direction, their horrified voices piercing the air.
"Monster!"
"There are monsters inside!"
Su Wenhao's countenance turned grim as he swiftly followed the direction of the commotion.
There, amidst another darkened section of the supermarket, two soldiers clutched their rifles, their bodies tense as they cautiously retreated from the shadows cast by the collapsed shelves. Their faces bore expressions of vigilance as they barked commands into the darkness, "Don't move!" "Raise your hands!" "Keep your hands visible!" "Step forward slowly!" They reported to their battalion commander, "We have a situation!"
Their weapons were trained on a menacing figure that gradually emerged from the depths of the supermarket's darkness, stepping forward with an eerie determination.
That figure was none other than Lin Mo, who had concealed himself within the supermarket. The soldiers searching the premises had seemingly discovered his presence, triggering his immediate vigilance.
As soon as he stepped into the light, terror gripped the hearts of the courageous survivors who had previously confronted the monsters. Not a single soul dared to venture inside the supermarket any longer.
It was Xia Chuwei who seized this opportunity, surging forward and pushing through the crowd. She rushed over, her voice laden with urgency as she pleaded, "He is not a monster! He is human, just like us! He is also one of the talented individuals you mentioned!"
At that moment, Su Chen interjected, "I can vouch for him. He is not a monster; he is a fellow talented person!"
As Su Chen approached, he recognized the officer standing before him, who regarded him with a mix of surprise and recognition. It was the same officer who had berated him during their previous encounter, and now it seemed that the officer, like many others, had come to regard him as a heroic figure. Despite the somewhat embarrassing moniker of "Flamesworn" that had been bestowed upon him, Su Chen decided to embrace it for the time being.
Su Wenhao, observing Xia Chuwei as an ordinary survivor with no authority to speak, recognized Su Chen and believed in his bravery and selflessness. He was already inclined to trust him, though he remained cautious as he turned his attention to Lin Mo. "Are you also a gifted individual?" Su Wenhao inquired, his wariness evident.
Lin Mo, eager to avoid any conflicts, raised his hands in a cooperative gesture. He didn't want to escalate tensions further, especially after the recent altercation with the monsters. Grateful for the assistance he had received from Su Chen and Xia Chuwei, he decided to fully cooperate. "I am a human. My name is Lin Mo, and my federal personal identification is in my left trouser pocket. You can verify it," he replied.
At that moment, a commotion erupted near the entrance to the lower floor, where several escalators were located. More survivors rushed down from above, and the sound of gunshots grew increasingly chaotic.
Su Wenhao glanced worriedly in that direction but refocused his attention on the immediate situation. He signaled to a soldier, who stepped forward to check Lin Mo's identification. Observing that Lin Mo showed no signs of aggression, Su Wenhao relaxed completely. He ordered a few soldiers to lower their guard and offered an apology, "Apologies, but we must remain vigilant in these extraordinary times."
Lin Mo nodded understandingly.
Su Wenhao then turned his attention to calming the other survivors. While they were still willing to trust the military's judgment, Lin Mo's appearance had made them hesitant to approach. However, their lack of aggression towards the supermarket actually worked in Su Wenhao's favor.
Su Chen revealed his connection with Xia Chuwei and left her in the supermarket. The bald bosses, unaware of their conversation, were convinced by the soldiers that they were aligned with Su Chen. They were allowed to join, which demonstrated the military's shortage of manpower.
Approaching Su Chen, one of the bald bosses spoke earnestly, "Big brother, I know you're powerful, but can you keep us around as messengers?"
Su Chen glanced at him, moved by his words, but chose not to respond. He neither expelled nor agreed to their request. The bald boss was overjoyed and stood behind Su Chen with his two younger brothers.
The bald boss understood one thing—if he had no abilities, he wouldn't be of much use. What truly mattered was that he recognized the need to follow a capable individual. However, he worried that they wouldn't be able to assist Su Chen effectively, rendering their flattery meaningless. In this era, only useful people could gain the attention of powerful individuals.
While Su Chen didn't reject them at the moment, the bald boss felt relieved. At least, this powerful talent deemed them useful. That was enough.
What the bald boss didn't know was that Su Wenhao, being from the military, showed respect to Su Chen not only due to his own strength but also because the military desperately needed capable assistance.
After confirming that Lin Mo was also a talented individual, Su Wenhao called him over. It was apparent that he wanted to recruit both of them into the army.
At this moment, the ID card played a crucial role. Lin Mo's face remained relatively unchanged, allowing it to be compared with his ID card.
Su Chen wanted to inquire about the sudden influx of survivors, but there was no time for conversation. A disturbance arose among the crowd of survivors outside. Several soldiers led a group of scientific researchers, separating the survivors gathered in Wuyangyang and directing them towards the supermarket. They hadn't reached them yet, but among the researchers, an elderly professor waved a tablet in his hand, his voice filled with excitement and anxiety.
"We have analyzed the situation," the professor's voice quivered, his eyes darting between the tablet and the group before him. "It appears that their intentions go far beyond mere survival. They plan to orchestrate a sacrificial ceremony right here."
He went silent for a minute, then said, "And we are the sacrifices!"