```


    After several fires were extinguished, wreckage still emitted ck smoke, and the scent of gunpowder hung everywhere in the shattered barracks.


    Injured soldiersy in rows on white cloths on the ground, apanied by wails as they awaited basic medical treatment.


    The chain ofmand had been abruptly decapitated, the barracks attacked and thrown into chaos,pounded by the escape of thest detained experimental subjects, and the constant pressure from monsters outside.


    This had caused immense damage to the base.


    With a broken arm simply splinted with a nk, Park Ji-hyun''s face also bore traces of soot from the gunpowder.


    Your next journey awaits at mvl


    Yet these injuries and marks, as she stood there, gave her a heroic bearing, adding an air of authority which made it easier to resonate with the soldiers.


    Compared to the previous high-and-mightymanders who were never seen, the likewise injured Park Ji-hyun had temporarily gained recognition.


    "Captain Park, the base''smunication systems have been destroyed; we can''t contact the outside world."


    "The situation in theb is also unclear, but for now, no more experimental subjects areing out."


    "The perimeter defense has been reinforced, and we''ve temporarily regained control of the situation."


    "There are many casualties, and we''re running short on medical supplies."


    "..."


    Diverse voices followed one after the other, but Park Ji-hyun remained steadfast under the pressure, organizing the situation with methodicalposure.


    It was then that the doors of the research facility opened, and Dr. Ren, escorted by a soldier, walked out with several researchers.


    Seeing Dr. Ren, an irate soldier immediately charged forward and bellowed,


    "What the hell is going on, why have all the experimental subjects escaped? Look at the mess you''ve caused!"


    However, it wasn''t long before he noticed Dr. Ren''s severed arm and the fresh blood on his body.


    Dr. Ren was showing signs of mutation, but his arm was not regenerating that quickly.


    When he heard the soldier''s usation, he could only twitch the corner of his mouth and say,


    "There was an ident in theb; we almost perished in there too. It''s truly regrettable."


    Fear still lingered in the eyes of the other researchers, who nodded continuously in agreement.


    Tao Yu, the only soldier protecting them, also exchanged a subtle nod with Park Ji-hyun from a distance, their acknowledgment passing unnoticed.


    Since the team defending the research facility operated independently,


    being the only one left, it naturally fell to Tao Yu to represent them in negotiations, undeservedly famed for "Willpower Trantion," assuming a false persona unawares.


    After a staged conversation between Tao Yu and Park Ji-hyun, she swiftly made some decisions regarding the reorganization and arrangements for the barracks.


    For instance, going to the hospital to collect supplies, and because the research facilities werepromised, she personally led three elite "Crow Squads" along with the researchers to the previously abandoned research facility.


    The remains of experimental materials and Nam Sang-won''s body were also carried along.


    In fact, Park Ji-hyun''s decisions were somewhat irrational; the top priority should have been re-establishing contact with superiors.


    But after suffering so many blows, with most of the decision-makers killed, the soldiers who survived this baptism of blood had noplex thoughts left.


    Just follow the orders...


    ...


    Three armored personnel carriers were transporting Dr. Ren and the researchers on the road.


    And the distance to the previous research facility was actually very close to Green''s home.


    "The Crow Squadprises elites; I still have considerablemand authority when they''re deployed on field operations," Park Ji-hyun whispered to Tao Yu, who was driving.


    Their vehicle, chiefly carrying Dr. Ren and the researchers, was positioned in the middle.


    Twenty-four members of the Crow Squad were spread across the armored vehicles in the front and rear, each highly trained inbat.


    Overall, they were on par with ordinary Pioneers from the Outer City; if everyone at the base had their level ofbat proficiency, Tao Yu would have found it troublesome.


    Their tactical coordination and willingness to follow orders were far easier to manage than the Pioneers from the Outer City.


    "Staying in the barracks could have led to orders from other directions; the current situation is actually just right."


    Tao Yu was quite satisfied with the current gains; not only had he acquired research data and essed the vine, but he had also diverted some elite forces his way.


    After all, Park Ji-hyun was only a captain; she could temporarily hold the scene but wouldn''t have the clout to maintain it for long once orders from elsewhere starteding in.


    She didn''t have the authority for suchmands.


    So right from the start, there was no greed to take over the entire base.


    Tao Yu nced back at Park Ji-hyun. Though her face was bandaged and smudged with soot, and her hand now in a cast, she still was quite attractive—a standard South Korean celebrity face.


    When Park Ji-hyun, sitting in the passenger seat, caught the look in Tao Yu''s eyes, her cheeks reddened, and her gaze wandered as if her thoughts had drifted elsewhere.


    "It''d be good to have her as a mount; ''mind-link'' would makemunication so much easier," Tao Yu thought, scratching his head, pondering how to make her a mount. Hair pulling?


    ...


    "Commander, this doesn''t seem proper. The researchers are of immense value; we shouldn''t take risks."


    A Crow Squad team leader spoke up hesitantly.


    Without disembarking, Tao Yu, posing in Dr. Ren''s name, had announced that they had re-established contact with the ''outside world'' and were now preparing to meet up.


    This abrupt change of mission naturally aroused suspicion among the Crow Squad members.


    ```


    "Sergeant Zhuo, Doctor Ren has a high level of autonomy, and it is precisely because of their value that we need to protect them. Just follow orders, I am the captain."


    Park Ji-hyun calmly suppressed Sergeant Zhuo''s questions with his tone.


    With rankes authority, and as the current highestmander, Park Ji-hyun directly took over the management of the twenty-four soldiers using Doctor Ren as an excuse.


    This caused Doctor Ren''s mouth to twitch involuntarily at the side.


    Autonomy my ass!


    But he was a smart man; just a couple dozen soldiers could never protect his safety, so now he just needed to cooperate.


    After Tao Yu proactively revealed some information about the origin of the Abyss, piquing his curiosity, Doctor Ren didn''t really have much aversion to the destination they were preparing to head toward.


    He belonged to the rather paranoid type among research members, so where to research and who to serve didn''t really make a difference to him!


    It would be difficult for Park Ji-hyun to take over the control of the entire base, but managing the current group of people was well within his capabilities.


    Subsequently, the armored vehicle smoothly arrived at the Green Home, ready to pick up newly discovered ''experimental subjects''...


    ...


    "The military, it''s the military''s armored vehicle."


    The twenty or so survivors on the first floor of Green Home were invigorated upon seeing three armored vehicles appear in front of the building.


    Xu Yijing had a fleeting look of worry and silence in her eyes, but still stood out, holding the remaining assault rifle aside.


    The other one holding a weapon was the pilot, An Zhijie.


    "What are you doing? This is the military, the military! They must be here to rescue us, put it down quickly."


    A curly-haired individual was decidedly unsatisfied when he saw Xu Yijing and An Zhijie on guard.


    Looking at the peopleing down from the vehicle, their eyes were full of excitement.


    But the curly-haired man couldn''t help but feel surprised when he saw a few researchers in whiteb coats getting off the vehicle as well.


    Why are there researchers?


    Soon he came to a realization and cast a subtle nce at the still clueless Xiao Xian, the grocery store owners who were already showing symptoms, and the aunty who had saved two children earlier.


    The researchers must be here for them, he thought. If he acted quickly and reported them first, he would surely merit recognition!


    Green Home''s survivors were barely able to stick together under external pressure and the threat of monsters.


    But with the emergence of a new power, particrly one that might offer protection from the military, many more than just the curly-haired man harbored their own little schemes.


    Tao Yu, dressed in a base uniform and wearing a helmet, matched the attire of Crow Squad and went unrecognized at first nce.


    Only Xu Yijing, upon seeing the team leader Park Ji-hyun with his arm in a cast, raised an eyebrow and took the initiative to open the lift gate.


    The moment the lift gate began to open, the curly-haired man crawled out from under it, then quickly ran toward the convoy, all the while shouting


    "I want to report, I want to report, we have people infected here..."


    Doctor Ren, seeing the curly-haired man running towards them, also wore a look of embarrassment.


    If it had been yesterday, he could have been excited about this news, but now he was about to be an experimental subject...


    Kid, you''re on your own...


    "Are you talking about special infected?"


    Tao Yu asked in a hushed tone, his head lowered as he approached.


    "Yes, yes, special infected, he can still control himself, but his injuries recover very quickly, and there''s another one who''s even more powerful, who killed all the monsters in the building..."


    Because Tao Yu kept his head down, the curly-haired man didn''t recognize him right away and happily approached him.


    It wasn''t until he got close that Tao Yu slowly looked up, revealing a face that made the curly-haired man freeze in shock.


    Ah, this...


    He looks so familiar!


    "Why are you trying to take my gun?"


    "Hm?"


    The curly-haired man blinked in confusion, only to see that his hand was now, somehow, being held by the other man on the handle of his gun holstered at his waist.


    He knew that it was the other man''s doing, but to others, it looked as if he was about to draw his gun but was restrained!


    "Wait, this is..."


    Bang~


    Park Ji-hyun didn''t hesitate and shot the curly-haired man squarely between the eyes, then coldly reholstered his gun and said to Tao Yu


    "Soldier, be more vignt next time."


    "Yes, sir."


    Tao Yu watched the impressive figure of Park Ji-hyun, saluting her casually in response.


    Turning back to look at the people of Green Home, they were all now trembling with fear.


    The curly-haired man sacrificed himself, and it sessfully spared them a lot of talking, making the journey that followed much smoother.


    Thanks to the repair capabilities of Limpy Uncle, the underground parking lot had suitable business vehicles, and during Tao Yu''s time outside, two business vehicles had already been temporarily fortified.


    With the addition of three armored cars and the vehicle-mounted machine guns on the armored vehicles, the journey to Rainforest was fairly smooth.


    And Da Hei and Little ck on the rooftop were instructed by Tao Yu to follow at a distance for now, waiting to drop the act once they entered the Rainforest...