It was called a secret chamber, but in reality, it was a small door along the southern corridor of the garage. Upon entering through the small door and walking down a narrow passage, they found themselves in a spacious area.
The space was quite large, filled with beds and various everyday items. According to the map, this place used to be an underground warehouse in a shopping mall, abandoned and repurposed by mutants as their living space.
In one corner of the warehouse, a young boy sat huddled on the floor.
"It's a child!" Wen Rou exclaimed.
Shen Yi finally understood why the soldier had called him over to take a look.
The young boy appeared to be around ten years old, with eyes that had two distinct colors, both gold and black. His brown hair had a slight curl to it, and his two-colored pupils stared at them, his body trembling slightly.
"Hey!" Wen Rou waved her hand at the young boy and approached him.
Standing in front of the young boy, Wen Rou gently tried to touch his face and said, "Don't be afraid, we..."
Unexpectedly, the young boy suddenly let out a loud scream and bit Wen Rou's hand fiercely.
"Ah!" Wen Rou quickly withdrew her hand, not because it hurt, but because it startled her.
The young boy dashed out like a rabbit, heading straight for the boxes where weapons were stored.
Hong Lang immediately raised his gun to shoot, but Shen Yi held him back. "Don't shoot! He's just a child!"
"But..." Hong Lang was about to argue, but he saw the young boy already hiding behind the weapon crates.
He didn't want to take weapons to harm others; he just wanted a place to hide.
Wen Rou shook her head in resignation. "He's terrified; he must have witnessed what happened earlier."
"This is ridiculous. We came here to kill mutants, not to play saints," Hong Lang shouted, "You guys aren't thinking of letting this kid go, are you?"
Jin Gang sighed. "No matter what, he's still a child."
"But he's just an NPC in this world," Hong Lang argued.
"That doesn't change the fact that he's a child," Shen Yi interrupted firmly. "Don't harm the child."
Shen Yi's tone was resolute and unquestionable.
"Alright, alright, three to one, you win," Hong Lang shrugged in resignation.
Shen Yi glanced around and said, "If there's nothing else to find, let's leave. We're running out of time."
Just then, a soldier who was part of the search called out, "Captain, take a look at this."
The soldier handed a document to Shen Yi.
Shen Yi took a look and immediately broke into a smile.
"What is it?" Hong Lang asked.
Shen Yi handed the document to Hong Lang. "It's information on other mutants. This base is a subsidiary of Magneto's mutant organization. It contains their contact methods and the locations of several secret gathering points."
"This is a game-changer," Hong Lang exclaimed with joy.
With no further discoveries to be made, Shen Yi gave the order to prepare for withdrawal. Some of the 2nd Airborne Division soldiers also started moving the weapons that the mutants had stored here. These weapons were much more advanced than the old firearms from World War II, and both regular soldiers and elites could use them. The only limitation was that they couldn't be taken out of this world.
As they were almost done moving the weapons, the young boy suddenly darted out, passing by Hong Lang at lightning speed.
Hong Lang felt a blur in front of him, and suddenly, his hands were empty.
The documents he had been holding were snatched away by the young boy.
The agile young boy rushed out of the door.
"That kid took the documents!" Hong Lang shouted, raising his gun again.
Shen Yi grabbed the gun barrel and fired a burst of bullets into the ceiling.
"Shen Yi!" Hong Lang was getting anxious.
"Don't worry, the kid can't outrun us. Let's go get the documents back," Shen Yi said coldly. "But don't harm the child. The 2nd Airborne Division will follow the evacuation plan as scheduled. You don't need to worry about us." He spoke into his communicator.
After leaving the warehouse, they returned to the underground garage, which was filled with the smoke from the recent battle. Abandoned cars lay scattered across the road, obstructing their view.
"Wen Rou," Shen Yi spoke in a low voice.
Wen Rou closed her eyes and activated her auditory perception, listening carefully.
After a moment, she pointed in a certain direction. "Over there, behind that white Toyota."
Hong Lang rushed towards the white Toyota, leaped onto its rear, but then hesitated for a moment, looking back at Wen Rou.
"He's not here."
"How is that possible?" Wen Rou was puzzled. "I couldn't have heard wrong. I can still hear his breathing; he's right beside you."
Hong Lang suddenly realized and chuckled, "I see, the little guy is hiding inside the car."
The tinted windows blocked their view, preventing them from seeing inside the car. Nevertheless, Hong Lang grinned smugly at the vehicle.
Just then, the white Toyota suddenly started its engine and accelerated towards Hong Lang, ramming into him head-on and sending him flying. The roar of the engine was deafening, prompting Wen Rou to quickly deactivate her auditory perception. The Toyota sped out of the garage.
The sudden change happened too fast for anyone to react. Only Shen Yi managed to fire a shot, shattering the car's rear window. However, when he aimed the second shot at the young boy, he hesitated for a moment and did not pull the trigger, watching helplessly as the Toyota sped away.
Hong Lang tumbled through the air, landing heavily on the ground with a thud. He quickly got up, wiping a trace of blood from the corner of his mouth, and shouted, "How is this possible? I personally wrecked that car!"
Jin Gang exclaimed, "It's probably the kid's ability."
"That's quite a useful ability!" Shen Yi's eyes showed a hint of astonishment.
He hadn't used mental probing on the child earlier because it would consume psychic energy. He hadn't expected the young boy to have such a practical ability.
Nevertheless, Shen Yi never liked pointless regret. He accepted the lesson immediately and resolved never to underestimate anyone again.
In retrospect, four adventurers had managed to wipe out dozens of mutants in an underground garage, but in the end, they were outsmarted by a child. It just goes to show that the strength of their opponents often depended on the circumstances.
"We must catch that kid!" Shen Yi said, rushing out of the garage.
Fatty was still outside, and surprisingly, he was currently engaged in a battle against the American forces. Although he was still hesitant and cautious, it was a significant improvement compared to his previous behavior.
Jin Gang quickly rushed over, jumped into the Humvee, and shouted at Fatty, "Get in, Fatty!"
"What's going on?" Fatty asked in bewilderment.
"Less talk!" Hong Lang grabbed Fatty, threw him into the vehicle, and shut the door.
Shen Yi and Wen Rou arrived shortly after, and Shen Yi jumped into the driver's seat, starting the Humvee as they sped off in the direction the young boy had fled.
"Are you saying that you guys were played by a child? He managed to escape right under your noses and even took the documents with information on other mutants?" Fatty couldn't believe his ears. "And you're letting him go?"
"Shut up, damn Fatty! Do you think there were too many mutants left for us to handle?" Hong Lang scolded him angrily.
Fatty shivered, and Jin Gang cleared his throat, saying, "Hitting people is fine, but revealing their weaknesses isn't. You're a talkative Fatty."
Shen Yi and Wen Rou both chuckled, and Shen Yi said, "Alright, stop scaring him. I just helped him gain some courage to face life. Being outsmarted by a child isn't something to be ashamed of. This incident teaches us never to underestimate our opponents. By the way, Wen Rou, check the current rankings."
Wen Rou checked the rankings and happily said, "Congratulations, Student E5371, you're now ranked first on the leaderboard with a total kill count of 30 points. Jin Gang, Hong Lang, and the other two adventurers are tied for seventh place with 17 kills. Hong Lang has 16 kills, and he's tied for eleventh with three other adventurers."
"What's second place?"
"Second place is N4233 with 20 kills, and third place is N4236, who used to be first, with 19 kills. Three of them are tied for fourth place with 18 kills, and they're all closely competing. By the way, the leaderboard shows that five adventurers have died, and there are currently 95 names on the list."
"Who died, and from which district?"
"They were all from the West District, and what's surprising is that they all died within about ten minutes, one after the other."
"The West District is in trouble. By the way, who else is in the top ten?"
"Other than the original four adventurers from the North District who are still in the top ten, there are two adventurers from the South District. Poor West District, not a single one in the top ten, and they've already lost five."
Hong Lang laughed, "The once wealthiest and most developed region on Earth, Europe and America, has become the weakest district here."
Shen Yi's interest was piqued, and he said, "Perhaps this is the main reason why the North District is so strong, and the West District is in such a sorry state."
Jin Gang added, "Shen Yi is right. I've heard some things about the strength of the four districts. Would you like to hear more?"
Shen Yi quickly nodded, "Alright, let's hear it. I'll see if it matches my guess."
It turns out that the Northern District has always been a breeding ground for the strong. This area is dominated by people from Africa and South America, arguably the most chaotic regions in the world. Countries like Congo, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe in Africa, and Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru in South America are notorious for their disorder.
Riddled with warlords and incessant civil wars, people growing up in these regions mostly experience the agony of conflict from a young age. In contrast, most people in Europe and America are like children raised in sweet waters, where the development of their countries becomes irrelevant in the bloody city.
In Africa, more than half of the countries are plagued by poverty, chaos, and war. Tribal warfare is a daily occurrence, making it the most war-torn region on Earth. The indigenous people are brutal and merciless, fearless in the face of death, born warriors.
Those brought to the bloody city from these regions undoubtedly maximize their innate combat talents. They might not be as strategic as Shen Yi, some may not even be literate or know basic counting, but does it matter? In the bloody city, combat ability is paramount. Illiteracy or lack of knowledge can be overcome with blood points after passing the novice tasks. However, cultivating a fearless mindset in the face of death is not easy.
The tough-bodied and fierce natives of Africa would kill for a bottle of water or fight tribal wars over a water source. Similarly, the people from the war-torn areas of South America are equally brave and ferocious. To them, killing is as simple as eating, and sometimes the cost of life is just a piece of bread.
In the bloody city, however, the same risk brings unimaginable rewards. The bloody city might not be hell for them but a paradise, where their efforts are far more rewarded than on Earth.
Attitude is the foundation of achievement — you can never expect someone who doesn't love or even hates their job to excel in it.
Those from impoverished areas love this place, thus they bravely face dangers and even enjoy it. The harder their life, the better they adapt here. People from developed countries focus on creativity, while those from poorer nations focus on adaptability. Those lacking adaptability have long perished in hunger or conflict.
Hence, the Northern District has always been the birthplace of the strong. Adventurers from this region are often fierce, cruel, and bloodthirsty.
Aside from the Northern District, the Southern District also has its share of strong individuals. In Asia, apart from China and Japan, many countries like Vietnam, Laos, and particularly the Central Asian regions like Israel, Palestine, Afghanistan, Iraq, are constantly in turmoil. However, due to a smaller population base in these areas in the Southern District, the proportion of people selected by the bloody city is not high. But those who survive the initial hardships are exceptional fighters.
"So, in the bloody city, are the Northern and Southern Districts the strongest?" Wen Rou asked.
"No," Jin Gang shook his head. "The weakest is undoubtedly the Western District, but the title of the strongest is always debated, not between the North and South, but between the North and East."
"You mean our Eastern District is the strongest? But China hasn't been at war for many years. The city doesn't select from soldiers but civilians, how can we be the strongest?" Wen Rou asked curiously.
"I think it's because the East District mainly consists of one country. Aside from China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, it also includes Mongolia, Singapore, and a few other regions. However, these areas have smaller populations, and most adventurers from the East are Chinese, making it easier to unite and collaborate. In contrast, the South District, dominated by Indians, lacks leadership qualities, and their dispersed and lazy national characteristics make it hard to produce leaders. Also, there are many internal conflicts, like Arabs against Israelis, Pakistanis against Indians. Compared to the North, where many conflicts are over survival resources, the South's historical grievances are deeper... Culture and history often burden one heavily," Shen Yi explained with a smile.
Everyone understood immediately, and Jin Gang laughed heartily, "That's right. If I had to work with a Japanese, I'd rather kill them first."
Hong Lang chuckled, "Strength in numbers, I start to miss our great ancestor."
Shen Yi added, "But I think there are two more reasons why China is strong. One is historical. We have over two thousand years of struggle history, our blood is rich with combat wisdom and knowledge. The greatest military strategists have always been Chinese. We have the most extensive experience in historical struggles. The second reason is cultural. Chinese view strategic and combative methods as wisdom, while Westerners see invention and creativity as intelligence. In China, the smartest people are always figures like Zhuge Liang or the Great Ancestor, whereas in Europe, it's Einstein. Unfortunately, the bloody city doesn't need inventors. Western cultural ideals make them rigid and inflexible, suitable for production but not for battle... combat requires adaptability, situational judgment, and enemy analysis capabilities, where they fall short."
Everyone agreed with nods and voiced their approval.
"However, most of our missions are in the Western District. Westerners have geographical and cultural advantages, so we can't underestimate them," Wen Rou suddenly said.
"That's true, but let's focus on the present. We need to catch that kid first," Shen Yi smiled.
Fatty interjected, "Be careful on the road, I sense danger ahead."
Hong Lang dismissively said to Fatty, "A little boy, what danger could he bring? You're just nervous."
Shen Yi laughed, "Since Luo Hao said so, let's all be careful. Don't take any chances."
As they joked and laughed in the car, they didn't take Fatty's warning too seriously. After all, for adventurers, danger is not a reason to retreat but to advance.
The Humvee sped along the road, soon spotting the black Mercedes in the distance.
Wen Rou, looking through binoculars, chuckled, "He's standing while driving... he's too short."
Everyone laughed.
"Little guy sure knows how to trouble us." Since they had caught up, everyone relaxed, and Hong Lang's tone softened.
The Humvee roared forward, aligning with the white Toyota.
Wen Rou waved at the boy in the other car, "Hey, kiddo, didn't your parents tell you it's illegal to drive without a license?"
"FUCK YOU!" the boy yelled.
Suddenly, he grabbed the documents on the driver's seat, shouting, "Back off, or I'll tear these up!"
"Quick response, kiddo," Shen Yi chuckled. He suddenly swerved the car, slamming into the Toyota's side.
The massive jolt made the boy's grip loosen, and the documents flew out the window. Jin Gang reached out, and the papers floated towards them. Hong Lang leaped, grabbed the documents, and jumped back into the car, laughing triumphantly at the boy.
The boy's face changed drastically.
He didn't notice that Shen Yi's hit had altered the Toyota's course, veering off the original lane.
A large tanker was approaching from the opposite direction.
"Quick, Wen Rou, save him!" Shen Yi shouted.
Wen Rou's whip lashed out, looping around the boy's waist. She yanked him out of the car in one swift motion.
The uncontrollable Toyota, like a drunken man, swerved forward and collided with the moving tanker, exploding into flames. The tanker driver miraculously jumped out and scrambled away.
The spectacular explosion hardly affected Shen Yi and his team. Shen Yi steered the damaged Humvee to the side.
The boy, entangled in Wen Rou's whip, struggled on her lap, shouting, "Let me go!"
Wen Rou gave him a few sharp smacks on the buttocks, "Behave, kiddo! Or I'll throw you out of the car."
Just then, Fatty screamed from behind, "Danger! Extreme danger!"
Shen Yi swiftly turned the car, and at the same time, a rocket whistled from the horizon, screeching towards the Humvee.
Boom!
The rocket hit the Humvee's rear, sending the vehicle soaring into the air.
Regarding the strength and weakness of the four districts, many may have disputes.
I am an attitude determinist.
I believe that a person's achievements in their endeavors primarily depend on their attitude, and their achievements in life depend on their character.
Considering the uniqueness of the bloody city, the more chaotic a place, the more likely it is to embrace the bloody city, thus fostering a positive attitude.
Of course, this is just my personal opinion. Those who believe in intelligence or bloodline determinism, or other views, need not worry, as the strengths and weaknesses here are relative, not absolute. Each district has its strong, and when it's time to be strong, no one is weak.