134. All Night Revelry
Clang—
The ejected shell casing hit the ground. Disguised as Qiu Ran, it reached into its waist pocket but couldn't find a new bullet.
"Olosp Loz's innl, oaz vnl iop. (Looks like you picked the wrong target, Rozhi • Stealth Inquisitor.)"
It turned its head, its peripheral vision scanning the seats around it. Survivors of the Abyss crawled out slowly from the overturned seats, their faces no longer showing signs of argument or noise, each wearing a friendly smile.
One of the disguised outside girls giggled, mocking in a language only they understood:
"The chairman misjudged and woke you up, and you can't even capture an ordinary carbon-based creature?"
Disguised as Qiu Ran, Rozhi • Stealth shouldered the rifle and faced the girl disguised as Gina, with the flames still raging behind it.
"Use the native language."
'Qiu Ran' smiled sweetly:
"Zola • Deception, don't forget that you are here because of me."
Rozhi laughed in Qiu Ran's voice and said:
"I will naturally eliminate the 'target'. You just stay here and keep your positions. Tarka • Forged Legislator replaced a target at Abyss Humanitarian, and next, it will control the train. Once we reach the gathering point, we will spread out."
"Our manpower is still not enough for each Stealth Ghost to have a Supervisor."
Another impostor smiled and reminded:
"Hope you remember the chairman's advice, Rozhi • Stealth, don't let your target escape. According to the social rules, we won't help you."
Rozhi • Stealth squinted, smiling as it turned its head and prepared to cross the firewall. Suddenly, a burning fireball was thrown at it.
Bang!
It tilted its head slightly, immediately parried the attack with the gunstock, and looked up across the firewall.
"Ha... ha..."
Qiu Ran was trembling all over, with a broken arm hanging down. She grabbed a pillow from a hard seat with her left hand, activating the [Spontaneous Combustion] ability, instantly setting it on fire, and threw it over.
Pop!
The ignited pillow turned into a dark red flame as soon as it left her hand. The impostors dodged, not daring to touch it directly.
"No wonder you chose her."
Zola • Deception raised an eyebrow, smiling in Gina's appearance:
"This ability is quite a threat to us in this civilization."
"Eeyah!"
Qiu Ran, with reddened eyes, kept throwing more bedding, wood, and plastic bottles, setting them on fire and turning them into fireballs. She threw everything at hand in a fit of rage and despair until the gunshot wound in her abdomen tore open again. She then held her belly in pain and kneeled on the ground.
"Ugh... ugh ah ah ah ah..."
It hurt!
This gunshot wasn't as lucky; the bullet pierced through her intestines, causing severe tearing, grazing her lung, and exiting between her ribs, ripping off a large piece of flesh.
Qiu Ran tilted her head back, involuntarily spitting out blood. Her body convulsed violently. Massive blood loss and using her ability made her dizzy and palpitated, but her thoughts became unusually clear.
Through the smoke and flames, Qiu Ran barely saw the impostors standing between the seat gaps, smiling while saying cold, cruel words.
Disguised as someone else and trying to kill others—
She remembered.
"Abyss Humanitarian... there were such things in the third underground level's biocapsule!"
Yes, that's why Li Aozi suddenly suspected her, always watching her. It was because of these monsters disguised as humans.
But didn't Li Aozi already kill one?
After that, didn't he always keep an eye on her and Jane? How did they infiltrate?
Kept an eye on her and Jane.
Herself... and Jane • Nelia.
—Wait.
Could it be?
Qiu Ran's frantic breathing paused.
She remembered.
"When Mr. Duzexin attacked with the Law III agents, Jane was out of Li Aozi's sight for a while."
She had thought Jane was slacking off then, but now it seemed not just that.
————————————
"Comrades of the Subway Brotherhood, would you be willing to take on a commission later? I don't need the materials; consider them as the reward."
.......
Liar.
.......
"The Rose Army has stationed troops at Argletrat and Xiwang Fortress Station, the nearest—about 600 kilometers away."
.......
Lies.
.......
"I hope you can go there. The Rose Army is willing to take in these liberated experimental subjects. Their abilities and hatred for the Abyss need to be released."
.......
Trap.
Jane was dead, killed and replaced by an impostor during those few minutes out of Li Aozi's sight.
Moreover, it used Jane's skin and identity to bring more impostors in, intending to spread these creatures capable of changing identities through the Subway Brotherhood and Rose Army.
First, the Outside resistance organization, then each settlement, then the entire Outside, finally the four nations, and the whole Azure Blue Planet.
Everything was calculated by the impostors.
The real Rose Army soldier, Jane • Nelia, was dead, just like Nomi, killed by an unknown enemy and replaced—until now, Qiu Ran finally understood why Jane • Nelia had no affection for them.
Having your identity taken, your life stolen, watching things not aligned with your expectations happen.
Never judge others without experiencing their suffering. For the naturally soft-hearted Qiu Ran, hating someone was difficult. Resolving misunderstandings could truly relieve her.
"Sorry, Jane... we didn't understand your pain and shouldn't have expected so much from you."
Qiu Ran lay on the ground, apologizing:
"Nomi is our friend. I hope you two get along better... hmm, seems like I'll soon have the chance to apologize in person."
Sizzle—
The impostor disguised as her suddenly lifted a CO2 extinguisher, and the icy spray quickly doused the fire. Staring at a face identical to hers but smiling, Qiu Ran suddenly realized something.
Fire.
"They seem to fear fire."
She had instinctively thought fire could still deter them, but now it was clear the impostors didn't dare to step through the fire to kill her.
Impostors fear fire!
"So it was so intent on killing me to take my body."
For her ability.
Qiu Ran raised her left hand, looking at the burn scar on her palm.
It turned out this ability was so valuable.
"If I had this earlier, my family would have had a good life long ago."
Qiu Ran couldn't help but cry, covering her face.
She never imagined that the most needed moment in her life would be in the eyes of a killing monster.
If these monsters got her ability, what would happen?
Would they overcome their fear of fire, or would it help them invade humanity?
Nomi was dead, and Jane was dead, having their bodies and identities taken was torturous. For those they loved, it was agonizing to see their beloved family members replaced by impostors, only to be killed—
If this pain spread throughout the Frost-Plated Republic, the Outside, and the entire Azure Blue Planet?
"Enough, that's enough."
Qiu Ran laughed while crying, looking at the diminishing flames, her body feeling lighter.
Even if she were foolish, she knew that when the flames were completely out, her life would end.
Bang!
Suddenly, a loud crash came from behind.
"Qiu Ran!"
A deep male voice mixed with heavy breathing shouted while banging on the door:
"Are you in there? Qiu Ran—damn it, this damn door, I can't open it, fuck, double-locked!"
—Li Aozi?
"Is that you... Aozi!"
Qiu Ran leaned against the door, overjoyed, then anxiously said to the door:
"Go back! Li Aozi, your body can't handle a fight!"
Behind the door, Li Aozi was almost kneeling, his face pale.
Just as Qiu Ran said, sensing the threat, he was forcibly awakened from his dormant state, and his condition was far from ideal.
The[Gene Overload]status hadn't fully recovered, only restoring mobility and panel attributes.
But these were useless for a [Mutant].
[Charisma] was unlike other attributes; without abilities, it was like a cannon without shells, a mere decoration.
And the only ability he had now was the evolved [Blood of Immortality], none others.
One more ability would do, just one more, and he could unleash Beta-tier power.
"Qiu Ran! Burn the door! Quickly burn it, melt it, and you'll get out!"
Li Aozi shouted anxiously. He didn't know the situation on the other side, only that if Qiu Ran didn't come out soon, they would all die once the impostor who replaced Jane freed itself.
"The only thing we can do now is return to the first-class seats, relying on the fortifications there to defend until we can detach the rear cars—"
"Aozi."
Qiu Ran softly said:
"There are more than a dozen monsters here."
Li Aozi was stunned.
"How can there be so many..."
"Yeah, if it were just one or two, it wouldn't matter, right."
Qiu Ran said, slowly standing up.
"Qiu Ran, don't die! You still have family waiting for you!"
She looked ahead, seeing the oil drum that had just fallen at her feet.
The flames were dying down.
Qiu Ran whispered:
"I'm so cold, Aozi."
"Qiu Ran, hold on!"
Li Aozi drew a long knife, hacking at the door continuously.
Bang! Bang!
Without the [Soul Sword Saint], his strength couldn't cut through the plastic-steel door. The plain long knife left only shallow marks on the door.
Seeing slashing was futile, Li Aozi glanced around and spotted a piece of mechanical exoskeleton armor. It was an arm removed from Duzexin's armor.
"Mr. Li Aozi."
Qiu Ran suddenly said:
"Actually, I lied about something."
"Wait for me! I'm almost there, wait."
Li Aozi quickly calmed down. According to the [Perpetual • Decisive] effect, if judged by [Charisma], he could wear it.
"Qiu Ran, hold on a bit longer, I'll save you soon!"
"Before, when you were sleeping, I told you I called my family, and you slept soundly."
"Don't say things like that now! Damn it, this thing is so hard to wear!"
"But actually."
Qiu Ran smiled:
"I forgot, we can't afford a phone."
"I took Ms. Celia's phone, opened the screen, and realized this. But it was too embarrassing, so I pretended to talk to my family."
"I said: Xiaoyun, do you know what everyone's names mean? Qiu Yu, Qiu Ping—they mean rain and floating duckweed, at the free park, rain on duckweed makes a bubbling sound, so pleasant. Yun's name means vanilla because you're beautiful."
Qiu Ran dropped her hand, no longer covering the wound, speaking calmly:
"I said Xiaoyun, do you know what my name means? Ran means... the rising sun."
"Ms. Celia even praised me for having a lovely family—but I was just talking to myself in front of her."
"Hahaha—so ridiculous, right? Just escaped the demon's lair, and this happens."
She laughed exaggeratedly, then suddenly grew lonely, speaking calmly:
"...Even if I go back, I can't find them."
Li Aozi was stunned, but he kept working.
"Almost there, hold on, I'll save you!"
"Li Aozi, I think it's better if I don't come out."
Qiu Ran picked up the oil drum, unscrewed the lid, and the pungent smell filled the air.
"Cough cough—so choking! Li Aozi, I think I found a way to not be cold."
"What nonsense are you saying!"
Li Aozi struggled to open the mechanical exoskeleton, putting it on his left hand.
"Wait a bit more! Your family is waiting for you to come back!"
"I said—you don't have to wait for me."
Qiu Ran looked up, calmly pouring the oil over her head.
Bang!
Li Aozi punched the door hard, deforming it instantly.
Drip, drip...
The oil dripped from Qiu Ran's chin, splashing on the ground.
"Don't go, Qiu Ran!"
Li Aozi gritted his teeth, pulling the door with all his might, stretching his right hand towards Qiu Ran:
"Don't go, Qiu Ran, come back..."
"In the Outside, the rule is to pay a price for what you want—right?"
Qiu Ran turned, her light-colored eyes shining with fiery emotion.
"Li Aozi, if you have the chance, go to college."
She said.
The next moment, flames ignited.
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