At midnight, the team was fully geared and ready to depart. Yi Ting led the youngsters into the vehicle and took the front passenger seat.
Crossing her legs, she gave a casual command: "Fu Shu, drive."
Fu Shu, who had been abruptly notified in the middle of the night that he was the designated driver, shot her a glance before silently turning back to start the engine.
*Fine, you’re high-ranking, you’re the boss.*
As a valuable researcher for Headquarters, Yi Ting had long been authorized to use vehicles. For this pickup, her superiors had provided a seven-seater modified SUV. Xin Ye and Leng Xianye took the two middle seats, while the three in the back had plenty of room, with Tang Qiuqiu curled into a cat on Lian Muyun’s shoulder to catch some sleep.
The fruity scent of the car’s aromatherapy helped soothe everyone’s nerves. No one spoke much, choosing instead to rest and focus their minds.
However, this comfort was fleeting; once work hours began, the "laborers" were promptly thrown into the fray.
About an hour into the journey, Yi Ting sent the mission briefing to their multi-functional watches.
Since their luggage was being sent to Headquarters by specialized logistics personnel, Xin Ye only had his tablet with him. He imported the data through the internal software and zoomed in to review it.
S-Class Mission: "The Shelter." Specifically, the "Stray Animal Shelter." This wasn't actually the first high-level mission to bear this name. The defining characteristic of an S-class mission was that it no longer targeted a specific mutant, but required the clearing of an entire map.
Places like animal shelters, which housed large numbers of animals before the apocalypse, had mostly evolved into missions that needed resolving.
According to preliminary external scans from satellites and specialized scouting teams, the mutants born within this new S-class site were mostly evolved from the stray cats and dogs originally housed there. Their activity followed a periodic cycle, but their behavior didn't match typical animal instincts—they were mostly nocturnal, sleeping during the day and emerging at night.
The current situation was that an employee from the Eighth Branch had gone missing in the area while passing through to conduct tests at night. As for why the mutants had adopted this schedule or the specific conditions inside the shelter, the briefing said absolutely nothing.
In short: *We know nothing. Good luck.*
Xin Ye recalled his experience going to Headquarters after winning the preliminaries in his previous life. Back then, they had encountered a minor mission midway, but it wasn't anywhere near S-class. The process had been quite harmonious—Leng Xianye had carried the team with a solo performance while Xin Ye handled minor injuries in the back, and they had coasted their way to HQ.
It seemed he needed to have another chat with a certain someone.
Xun Yin, surprisingly considerate, spoke up on its own: 【Are you still mad? I’m not talking to you if you’re still mad.】
"I wouldn't call it 'mad' anymore. I'll be more careful next time and not give you the chance to use Mirror Image as a target," Xin Ye replied, maintaining a professional, no-nonsense tone as he steered the conversation back to the mission. "Tell me about the shelter. Give me the info that isn't in the briefing."
【I knew you’d ask. I’ve already prepared it for you. Let me give you a soulful reading,】 Xun Yin said, opening a document and selecting some background music from a music app. 【The Stray Animal Shelter. An S-class mission in this novel, a 4A-rated 'scenic spot.' It’s located on the edge of the Seventh Branch’s jurisdiction. Before the apocalypse, it was involved in secret dealings with an illegal website, selling stray animals to restaurants across the country to be used as meat. But beyond that, there seems to have been another trade involved? This editor doesn't know either; dear viewers, please explore for yourselves.】
Xin Ye couldn't immediately connect the dots, so he simply jotted down a few notes on his tablet.
He wasn't particularly sleepy, so instead of resting, he kept his head down, researching data related to the mission and occasionally browsing mission reports uploaded by other teams.
After a while, just as his focus began to drift, a soft, warm bundle squeezed through the gap in the seats and settled against his neck. Xin Ye took the opportunity to turn off his tablet and relax, reaching up to scratch the cat’s chin. "Awake?"
Tang Qiuqiu nestled onto Xin Ye’s shoulder and rubbed against him. "I'm awake, but my heart is racing. I have a bad feeling..."
"It’ll be fine. I’m here." Xin Ye stroked his back, trying to get him to relax.
Only then did Tang Qiuqiu seem slightly reassured.
Looking at the squinting cat, Xin Ye suddenly had a realization: "Does this shelter have something to do with Tang Qiuqiu?"
Xin Ye remembered that Qiuqiu came from an ordinary family, and there hadn't been any issues when they filled out the information yesterday morning. He didn't want to be overly suspicious, but someone truly provided a "surprise" every single day; he couldn't afford not to be on guard.
Xun Yin: 【Well... adding some details in the side stories that weren't in the main text isn't a bad thing, right?】
***
When Xin Ye stepped out of the car, he saw a very crude perimeter fence.
Following the environmental directives of the higher-ups, the suburbs had originally been surrounded by lush greenery, but these fragile man-made plants hadn't even survived long enough to mutate after the climate shifted. They had all withered into dead wood.
Standing out starkly amidst the dead trees were simple stakes made of black metal, placed every ten meters or so. These stakes were connected by metal wires to form a massive circle. Looking toward the center, one could see the sizable shelter not far away.
He rubbed his chin, puzzled, and asked Leng Xianye beside him, "Is this a Headquarters installation?"
Leng Xianye hadn't noticed it at first. Hearing Xin Ye’s question, he stepped forward to inspect it. After confirming the material, he replied, "It’s Headquarters’ handiwork."
After he spoke, both of them fell silent.
It was impossible to tell what purpose it served.
Lian Muyun, carrying his rifle, strode right over the pathetic little fence while chewing bubble gum. "Let’s go. Let’s get this done so we can clock out early." From his tone, one would think he could finish this mission without taking a scratch.
Xin Ye tried to be cautious. "It’s only 3:30 AM. According to the data, this is when the mutants are active. Shouldn't we scout the perimeter first?"
Xun Yin: 【Your salary starts counting from this mission.】
Xin Ye ran up and asked Lian Muyun for a gun. "Wait for me. Let's make this quick."
In the car, Xin Ye had imagined the start of this mission: a pack of grotesque-looking cats and dogs surrounding the shelter, which they would quickly clear before entering the building. However, reality differed greatly from his imagination. On the path to the main entrance, there was nothing but the occasional passing mutant ant.
Lian Muyun checked the surroundings through his scope and asked, "Continue toward the target building?"
Qiuqiu was still perched on Xin Ye’s shoulder, body tense and on high alert, but since nothing had been discovered for so long, Xin Ye gave a hand signal.
"Move in."
The facilities of this shelter were above average compared to most. Aside from the areas fenced off with chain-link on both sides, the majority of the space was occupied by a two-story building in the center.
The situation in the chain-link areas was visible at a glance, so the main exploration would be in the two-story building. Xin Ye wanted to find a floor plan outside before entering, but after looking around, he found nothing on the walls except yellowing paper and small advertisements for dentists. He had to give up.
【Just going in like that?】 Xun Yin asked.
Xin Ye’s hand was already on the door, checking the lock. "I know the situation is strange, but neither Qiuqiu nor Mirror Image has given any indication of mutants nearby. What, are you going to act as my alarm?"
Xun Yin shook its head: 【I’m lazy. You should just go for the hardcore playthrough.】
The door originally had only a broken electronic lock, but for some reason, a thick iron chain had been looped through it. Xin Ye couldn't force it, so he beckoned Xing Yue over. Her Ever-strands twisted together and slid into the keyhole; a moment later, the lock clicked open.
The door was pushed open slowly, letting out a creak from years of neglect. Xin Ye pulled a flashlight from his lens case and cautiously shone it through the crack. After confirming with Tang Qiuqiu once more that there were no mutants lying in wait, he slipped inside.
In a place they couldn't see, pair after pair of eerie green beast-eyes lit up in the dark night. The long-dormant mutants stepped into the area enclosed by the fence, tightening the circle around the shelter.
***
Once inside, Lian Muyun took the flashlight Xin Ye handed him and began wandering around. The beam revealed a floor covered in animal claw marks. Even someone as lacking in danger-sense as him finally realized something was off. He lowered his voice and grabbed Leng Xianye, leaning in close. "Where are the mutants? There were none outside, and it’s empty here too. I didn't come here to kill thin air."
Leng Xianye pushed him away with a look of disgust. "Stand properly and do your own searching."
Xin Ye walked behind the reception desk and pressed the power buttons for the computer tower and monitor. The screen remained dark and unresponsive. He searched the drawers and found a paper visitor log. Out of a habit of "photograph first, read later," he took a picture of the list before flipping through it.
【Tang Qiuqiu’s father has been here.】
As Xin Ye scanned the list, Xun Yin chimed in.
"Which name?"
【He used an alias. Page eight, sixteenth entry... yes, that one. Wang Dongming.】
Xin Ye found the name according to Xun Yin’s directions. Qiuqiu, still on his shoulder, had been following the list as well. Upon noticing the name Xin Ye was staring at, the cat’s body gave a slight shiver.
Xin Ye noticed his reaction but kept his expression neutral. "What is it, Qiuqiu?"
Tang Qiuqiu’s answer had nothing to do with the name he had seen. "Mutants are coming up from below. Get ready for combat, meow."
Xin Ye didn't think Tang Qiuqiu would use such a statement as a smokescreen to deceive him, so he put down the logbook. "Leng Xianye, Xing Yue, Lian Muyun—Qiuqiu says something is coming up. Get ready to welcome the guests."
Xun Yin: 【Oh? You’re using the term 'welcome the guests' too?】
Xin Ye lowered his eyes and drew a gun from his waist. "I’ve been corrupted by you. Deal with it."
Xing Yue’s Ever-strands extended from her fingertips, reaching toward the staircases on both sides. She received feedback from the threads. "There are vibrations. Something is definitely coming up, and from both sides."
"We need to split up, or they’ll pin us in the lobby from both ends," Xin Ye decided quickly, drawing on his experience. "Defeat them separately and meet on the second floor."
"This time... Qiuqiu and I will be one group, the other three will be the other. You take the left, we take the right. Move out."
His teammates gave a few scattered acknowledgments. They sounded a bit sluggish; anyone listening would think they hadn't rested well on the car ride.
The next second, both groups snapped into state, sprinting toward their respective sides at top speed.
Rapid but orderly footsteps echoed in the corridor. Dust-covered photos of animals on the doors and walls blurred past. At the end of the hallway, Xin Ye saw a mutant dog leap out from the downward staircase. Without slowing down, he fired the first shot of the mission.
***
