Armor-Piercing Munition: Face Me, Carbon-Based Monster!-Chapter 572 - 292: Sanctuary

And now, from Xie Cheng’s mouth, we can confirm, that was no accident.

It was a long-planned conspiracy.

"This is your point of contention, right?"

Chen Jian asked.

Xie Cheng nodded across from him.

"Actually, it’s not just this point of contention—for example, the Time Crystal Generator, we have always believed that this is a viable route, but some people, including Lingxi, believe this route is a dead end."

"Of course, we are actually willing to put aside our differences, at least temporarily."

"It’s just that human beings have never been able to coexist in controversy..."

As the words fell, Chen Jian stood up thoughtfully.

"Your understanding of knowledge and history... is very complete."

"You’ve even formed your own evaluation system."

"I’m really starting to doubt, are you really the sixth generation?"

"I’m the fifth generation."

Xie Cheng corrected with a serious expression:

"Those children are the sixth generation."

"...Indeed."

Chen Jian shook his head with a laugh.

"Let’s go."

"We’ve made ourselves clear."

"I think we can cooperate."

"Take us to your... refuge."

"We need to bring others to Mountain City."

"Don’t worry, it’s entirely for your safety."

"No problem."

Xie Cheng got up without hesitation, with a hint of determination in his eyes.

He actually still couldn’t judge the true ’good or evil’ of the people in front of him.

But he had a feeling.

These people, perhaps, are like him.....kindred?

...

An hour later, Chen Jian led a Volunteer Company squad, along with Ji Xing and Li Shi, guided by Xie Cheng and another named Shumu, towards the location they called a refuge.

Xie Cheng was particularly curious about the equipment controlled by the Huaxia Army. He seemed to have learned about these weapons and equipment from his knowledge, but it was his first time seeing them.

"...So your refuge doesn’t have any of this military equipment?"

"Honestly, no."

Xie Cheng shook his head.

"Not only do we lack this equipment, our refuge doesn’t even have a single weapon."

"No, that’s an exaggeration."

"I should say, the weapons in the refuge are only enough to deal with the most basic conflicts."

"They are all non-lethal weapons because the lethal ones were long taken away by Mountain City."

"You saw it, the rifles we use are single-shot rifles used by the wasteland dwellers."

"Even those, we bartered with stored supplies—with a passing caravan."

"You’re quite impressive then."

Chen Jian said with a hint of teasing:

"Without professional weapon training, yet you hit our armored vehicle with a single shot."

"If it weren’t for the bulletproof glass, I’d be injured now."

After these words, Xie Cheng awkwardly explained: 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

"That was really an accident... Even a fool wouldn’t be foolish enough to provoke a group of enemies I obviously can’t contend with, right?"

"To be honest, our meeting could have been smoother."

"That beating I took was in vain—we’re even now, right?"

"Indeed."

Chen Jian shook his head with a smile, but when he turned to look at Ji Xing who was driving, he found her expression somewhat... tense?

"What’s wrong?"

Chen Jian asked:

"Is there anything unusual up ahead?"

"Nothing unusual."

Ji Xing exhaled lightly.

"It’s just that... I’ve been here before."

"Been here??"

Chen Jian was taken aback.

"When placing the nuclear bomb?"

"Of course not."

Ji Xing paused and replied:

"It was the first time I came to Mountain City with those Holy Bloods."

"I’m thinking, their refuge, could it be under that so-called vault I entered?"

Under the vault?

Chen Jian instantly sat up straight.

It’s really possible!

He immediately pulled up the map, magnified the marked location, and carefully examined it. What he found was that the marked position was not far from where the level-one monster originally lay dormant...

Indeed, not far at all.

At this point, the vehicle had reached the vicinity of the refuge.

Ji Xing impatiently pushed the door open and got out of the car, and when she saw Xie Cheng pointing to the location of the refuge entrance, she exhaled a long breath.

"This is it."

"I survived here."

"So..."

"Mountain City ultimately spared me because they mistook me for... a resident of the refuge?"

"Impossible."

Xie Cheng shook his head and said:

"Lingxi doesn’t have such compassion."

"Maybe it wanted you to enter the refuge and then kill us all..."

"But in the end, you didn’t go further in, right?"

"Indeed."

Ji Xing nodded slowly.

"I was scared out of my wits then..."

While answering, she followed Xie Cheng’s lead and headed first towards the entrance of the refuge, with the others following closely behind.

The passage descended all the way down, and Ji Xing suddenly spoke:

"This is it... this relatively spacious... square?"

"This is a living area floor."

Xie Cheng replied:

"When we decided to live on, we gave up the living area."

"Because the facilities in the living area are too complex and too difficult to maintain, we cannot possibly maintain them for over a hundred years."

"It would even be a burden to us."

"So, we sealed off the elevator entrance and redefined the real... living area."

"It’s over here."

As he spoke, Xie Cheng led the way forward.

After passing through a winding passage that was obviously originally a staircase, they finally reached the real isolation door of this underground refuge.

The lights flickered, the circuitry was already damaged.

The isolation door was open and could no longer close.

Through the isolation door, Chen Jian saw faint internal lighting and... flickering silhouettes.

The air carried the unique dampness and staleness of the underground, mixed with the smell of machine oil and paper.

Emergency lights on the walls lit up every few meters, with the light flickering on and off, barely illuminating this seemingly long-forgotten underground corner.

In the central open space, a dozen metal tables and chairs were neatly arranged, with yellowed books and handwritten notebooks spread out on the tables.

A few children of varying ages sat around the table, an older woman among them.

At this moment, all eyes were focused on these outsiders.

They tensed up cautiously until they saw Xie Cheng’s face, then slightly relaxed.

"Don’t worry, they’re... good people."

Xie Cheng said:

"They are the Huaxia Army."

"They have taken back Mountain City—Lingxi’s plan is already bankrupt, and the Nuwa Plan... has also failed."

As these words fell, a look of relief appeared in the eyes of the people inside the refuge.

But at the same time, there was also regret.

Perhaps for them, witnessing the success of the Nuwa Plan, even though it was contrary to the direction they chose, would be some kind of solace?

Chen Jian stepped into the refuge, the heavy sound of his footsteps causing those inside to stand up instinctively.

He raised his hand gently, removed his helmet, and said:

"Don’t be afraid."

"This is just an exoskeleton."

"NEST-2040, Nezha Exoskeleton."

A voice came from the corner.

Chen Jian turned to look, and a slightly frail, yet clean-faced and body child was curiously watching him.

"That’s correct."

Chen Jian nodded.

"This is NEST-2040."

At this moment, he confirmed that Xie Cheng’s words were not exaggerated.

These people had indeed inherited a lot of knowledge, and in an extreme way, completed their reproduction and education.

They perhaps endured a lot of... suffering.

Their suffering may not yet be over.

But at least now...

They have something to do.

Chen Jian took a deep breath and straightforwardly said:

"Come with us."

"To Mountain City."

"You no longer need to burrow here; the ground is safe now."

"Moreover, I just happen to have something that suits you perfectly to do."

"Trust me, this task is just right for you...."