Guo Yun: Plays Ye Shunguang, teammate Ye Shiyuan

Ye Shunguang watched as Zhe fixed his gaze on Fairy's holographic projection again, watching his fingertips slide rapidly across the screen, repeatedly comparing the faint signal waveform.

The lines were stretched and compressed on the virtual screen, broken down into fragmented frequency bands. The green peaks jumped up and down on the baseline, like dying fireflies, yet Zhe regarded them as treasures.

She watched as the deathly pallor faded from his tightly pursed lips, replaced by a touch of the stubbornness of a living person. That stubbornness was like a new sprout emerging from parched earth, fragile yet possessing a tenacity that should not be underestimated.

She did not speak again.

Sometimes, silence is more important than a thousand words. At this moment, Zhe was immersed in his own world, in that fleeting signal, and any superfluous words would be a disturbance to this hard-won hope.

Ye Shunguang quietly stood up, the sound of the folding chair legs scraping against the ground completely masked by the buzzing of the terminal, and didn't even disturb Zhe, who was completely focused.

She tiptoed around the wires tangled on the floor—like hibernating snakes, coiled in the cracks of the floorboards, creaking and scraping at the slightest carelessness. She carefully avoided the boxes of components stacked along the edge of the workbench, filled with chips, resistors, and solder wire, which rattled and clattered at the slightest touch, enough to shatter any focused thought in the quiet room.

As Ye Shunguang reached the door, he turned back for one last look.

The dim yellow light shone down from the ceiling bulbs, carrying a worn warmth, but it couldn't dispel the chill in the room. Zhe's figure was as thin as a sheet of paper. He stood in front of the Fairy mainframe, his back slightly hunched, his gray hair hanging down, obscuring most of his face.

His fingertips were still swiping across the screen, moving so fast they almost left afterimages, as if he were racing against time or fighting against some invisible force.

Inside the room, the hum of the terminal, the whooshing of the cooling fan, and the occasional electronic notification from Fairy created a cacophony of background noise.

Ye Shunguang felt as if something was blocking her heart. Guilt and helplessness intertwined, heavy and suffocating her.

She knew she had told a lie, a white lie, but she didn't know where this lie would lead Zhe.

Ye Shunguang gently turned the doorknob; the hinges had been lubricated beforehand, so there was no sound. She stepped out of the room, closing the door behind her, leaving only a narrow crack for a sliver of light to shine through.

That glimmer of light in the pitch-black corridor was like a lamp that refused to go out, stubbornly shining.

The night outside was so dark it was almost imperceptible.

The night in Wildfire Town was quieter than I had imagined, eerily quiet.

There were no chirping insects, no barking dogs, only the wind howling through the cracks in the dilapidated houses, like someone weeping softly. The wind wandered along the street, sneaking into people's collars and bringing a biting chill.

It's normal that there are no streetlights on the streets.

After all, no one knows whether those lurking in the darkness, unlike the Ether Aliens, and seemingly unique to this world, are phototropic.

In the distance, a few houses emitted a dim, yellow candlelight, appearing as tiny as a few sparks that might be extinguished at any moment against the inky sky, completely inconspicuous.

The daytime heat had long since subsided, and the evening breeze carried a hint of coolness, making one shiver involuntarily as it brushed against the skin.

Ye Shunguang adjusted his clothes and scanned the houses on both sides of the street with a wary look.

Ye Shunguang had just stood still when she heard a very light footstep behind her. The footstep was so light that she would not have been able to detect it if her senses had not been far superior to those of ordinary people.

She turned her head sharply, her tail instinctively tightening, the hair at the tip standing on end slightly. Her muscles tensed instantly, and every nerve in her body was on edge.

In this perilous world, any unusual movement could mean deadly danger.

In the darkness, a tall, slender figure emerged from the shadows of the street corner. The person's movements were light and steady, without the slightest hesitation.

It was dawn.

"You're out," Zhou Liming's voice rang out.

Ye Shunguang breathed a sigh of relief, his tense muscles slowly relaxed, and his tail slowly drooped down, the fur at the tip of his tail gradually smoothing out.

She almost drew her sword just now, but now that she thinks about it, she was just being paranoid.

"I'd say there's been... some progress." Ye Shunguang carefully chose his words, speaking very softly, afraid of being overheard by someone he shouldn't be.

She paused, then added, "...It's stable for now; he should be able to help us get in and out of the void."

This sentence was short, yet it contained enough information. Zhou Liming nodded, without asking for further details.

He knew that if Ye Shunguang wanted to tell him, he would naturally do so. If he didn't want to, pressing him for an answer would be pointless.

"I just walked around this house three times, maintaining a distance of fifty meters each time, and I didn't find any listening devices or surveillance equipment. Neither wired nor wireless, I found anything."

"There were no suspicious signal sources within a 500-meter radius. There were no high-frequency communication signals, no infrared heat sources, and not even any abnormal etheric fluctuations. Caesar and Lucy's people didn't follow us."

His tone was very certain, with the rigor characteristic of a scientific researcher.

This instrument is a specially made counter-reconnaissance device for the national transportation system. It is extremely sensitive and can detect even the weakest electronic signals.

"Thank you for your hard work," Ye Shunguang said. She knew that patrolling alone in an unfamiliar town on such a night required not only courage, but also a great deal of patience and meticulousness.

"Of course." Zhou Liming put away the equipment and tucked it into his pocket, moving very gently, as if afraid of disturbing something. "Team Leader Ye and Team Leader Chen are already waiting in the house we rented. The location is very remote, surrounded by abandoned warehouses, and there are people stationed nearby, so it's very safe."

Zhou Liming paused for a moment, then added, "Those people stationed there were arranged by Caesar, but I've observed them. They're just ordinary residents, probably only responsible for keeping watch and not eavesdropping on our conversation."

"Hmm... let's go," Ye Shunguang said. "Let's meet up there."

……

After walking for about ten minutes, they turned into a narrower alley.

The alley was lined with abandoned warehouses, the walls of which were covered with dark green vines that looked like green snakes, coiling around the walls and some even crawling through the windows, swaying in the darkness.

At the end of the alley stood a solitary two-story building. It looked much like the surrounding warehouses, with mottled walls and a sloping roof, as if it might collapse at any moment. Only a dim, yellow lantern hanging at the entrance indicated that someone lived there. The lantern's light was weak, illuminating only a small area near the entrance, while most of the area remained shrouded in darkness.

This is the house that Ye Jianguo and Chen Jianjun rented.

The location is remote and well-hidden. Although Caesar and his men arranged for people to handle the situation for safety, it seems to be the most suitable place for secret meetings at present.

After all, the people of this world don't know how strong the Void Hunters' perception and combat power are. Arranging manpower is only to avoid unnecessary disturbances to them, such as curious residents, stray dogs, or discovering monster tracks in advance...

Zhou Liming stepped forward and knocked on the door with a rhythm of three long knocks followed by two short knocks. This was their agreed-upon code, known only to their own people.

The door was opened quickly. It was Chen Jianjun who opened it. His movements were swift and decisive, without the slightest hesitation. Upon seeing Ye Shunguang and Zhou Liming, the corners of his tightly clenched lips relaxed slightly—a very subtle change in expression, almost imperceptible unless one looked closely.

"You're here? Come in quickly." Chen Jianjun stepped aside to let them in, his voice very low.

Ye Shunguang and Zhou Liming entered the house, closed the door behind them, and bolted it. The bolt was old-fashioned, making a soft "click" sound when it was inserted, which was particularly clear in the quiet room.

The house wasn't large. The ground floor had a simple living room with a few worn-out sofas and a wooden table. There were many cracks in the walls, some of which still had cobwebs. There was even a leak in the roof, which was temporarily covered with a plastic sheet, the edges of which drooped down and swayed slightly in the wind.

But its advantage was its cleanliness; it had clearly been specially cleaned. There was no dust on the floor, the cushions on the sofa had been arranged, and there was even a military-style water bottle on the table.

Ye Jianguo was sitting on the sofa, holding a pair of binoculars, observing the outside world through a crack in the window. Hearing footsteps, he put down the binoculars, turned around, and his gaze fell on Ye Shunguang.

"How is it?" Ye Jianguo's voice was steady and strong, carrying a reassuring power.

Ye Shunguang walked to the sofa and sat down, rubbing his slightly sore shoulders.

Just now in Zhe's room, she had been on edge the whole time, every word and every action carefully considered. Now that she had relaxed, she felt a wave of exhaustion wash over her, like a tide engulfing her entire body.

"We've found a breakthrough with Zhe," Ye Shunguang said, her voice tinged with weariness but clear.

She briefly recounted what had just happened. From her fabricated "witness" lie, to Zhe's intense reaction, the emotional outburst from despair to ecstasy, to the faint signal Fairy found, like a ray of light in the darkness, and finally to Zhe's request to join the team, with a do-or-die determination.

She didn't hide the fact that she had lied, nor did she evade her guilt. In front of Ye Jianguo and Chen Jianjun, she didn't need to pretend; after all, she had no reason to lie to public servants.

The living room was quiet, with only Ye Shunguang's voice echoing. His words about lies, hope, and despair were like pebbles thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples.

Chen Jianjun leaned against the door frame, arms crossed, his face expressionless, but a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.

He clearly hadn't expected things to develop so smoothly, yet so trickily.

Fortunately, Zhe agreed to join them, solving the problem of getting in and out of the void; the tricky part was that the cooperation was based on a seemingly false statement.

Zhou Liming sat on the chair next to him, his fingers lightly tapping his knee, his brows slightly furrowed, as if he were thinking about something.

After listening, Ye Jianguo remained silent for a moment.

He picked up the military water bottle on the table, unscrewed the cap, and took a sip. The sound of the water flowing over his throat was exceptionally clear in the quiet room. He put down the bottle before slowly speaking, "What you did... wasn't wrong."

Ye Shunguang raised her head and looked at Ye Jianguo. Her eyes held a hint of confusion and bewilderment. She didn't know whether what she had done was right or wrong.

"In this world, despair can kill." Ye Jianguo's gaze was profound, as if he had witnessed too many such scenes. His voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable power. "You gave that person hope, even if that hope was initially false, but now, the signal detected by the artificial intelligence has made that hope possible. That's enough."

"But..." Ye Shunguang bit her lip, feeling as if two voices were fighting inside her.

A voice told her she was right; for the survival of the team, for the country, this was a necessary sacrifice.

Another voice condemned her, saying that she had taken advantage of Zhe's weakness, deceived a desperate person, and deceived someone she had known for a long time and who understood her exceptionally well.

"What if that signal was just a coincidence? What if it turns out that it was all just wishful thinking? Would Zhe... completely break down?" Ye Shunguang still asked.

"That's beyond our control." Ye Jianguo put down the kettle, his tone calm to the point of being cold. "What we can do is seize this opportunity and get him to join us. His skills are exactly what we need right now. Without the support of a rope maker, we won't even be able to find the exit from the cave, let alone survive inside."

Chen Jianjun nodded in agreement and said in a deep voice, "Team Leader Ye is right. Now is not the time to be soft-hearted. Our long-term goal is to survive and achieve a good ranking in this global survival game."

Zhe's skills are crucial to us. As for his sister... if we can actually find her, that would be the best outcome. If not...”

Chen Jianjun didn't say anything more, but his meaning was already very clear.

In this cruel apocalypse, sympathy and guilt won't put food on the table. Survival is the priority.

Ye Shunguang felt as if something had stabbed him in the heart, causing a dense, persistent pain.

She knew they were right, and she understood their reasoning. But whenever she closed her eyes, she would think of Zhe's hopeful eyes, the light in those eyes that she had ignited with lies.

If one day this light goes out, she doesn't know how she will face it.

"No matter what," Ye Jianguo interrupted her thoughts, his tone resolute and unwavering. "Zhe must join us. Go see him again tomorrow morning to finalize the details of the cooperation. We need him to provide void navigation, ether concentration monitoring, and emergency rescue support. In exchange, we'll help him find the bell."

Ye Jianguo's gaze fell on Ye Shunguang, sharp as a knife. "Remember, we have a cooperative relationship, not a charity. We help him find his sister so that he can provide us with technical support, making it possible to enter and exit the void. It's a transaction, a fair transaction."

"Understood..." everyone said.

Ye Shunguang spoke the slowest, her voice trembling slightly.

She understands all of this, but whenever this happens, she still hesitates amidst the conflict between reason and emotion.

"And also," Ye Jianguo added, turning his gaze to Zhou Liming, his tone softening slightly. "Zhou Liming, tomorrow you'll be with Zhe to learn the basic techniques of rope making. You have a strong learning ability and a high sensitivity to electronic devices and data, so you should be able to pick it up quickly. The more people who master this skill, the more secure we'll be."

Zhou Liming paused for a moment, then his eyes lit up. As a researcher, he possessed a natural curiosity and thirst for knowledge about such cutting-edge technology. Rope crafting was one of the most advanced technologies in this world, involving the connection of voids, the monitoring of ether, and the establishment of remote support systems. This was a rare learning opportunity for him. "Yes! Mission accomplished!"

His voice carried a hint of excitement and a touch of determination. He knew this was not just a learning opportunity, but also a chance to contribute to the team, a great opportunity to serve the country and its people!

Chen Jianjun looked at Zhou Liming's excited expression and a faint smile appeared on his lips.

The smile was faint, yet genuine. This student-like young man, though lacking practical experience and sometimes even appearing somewhat naive, was undeniably a rare talent in terms of technical skill. With him on the team, many of their technical weaknesses could be addressed.

"Alright, now let's talk about Caesar's situation." Ye Jianguo turned to Chen Jianjun, his tone becoming serious again. He knew that Zhe's matter was just the first step; the real test would come next—cooperation with Caesar. "How did your talks with Caesar go?"

Mentioning this, Chen Jianjun's face darkened. He walked to the table, picked up a crumpled map, and spread it out on the table. The map was hand-drawn, with several circles marked in red pen and some dense writing on it, some of which was already blurred and illegible, clearly indicating that it had been repeatedly reviewed and revised.

"Caesar said the situation in Wildfire Town is worse than we imagined." Chen Jianjun pointed to a large red circle on the map, covering almost half of Wildfire Town. "This is the main route of the Fire Hell Riders. In the past month, the frequency and intensity of attacks by the Skeletons have increased significantly."

According to their classification, the remains ranged from antimony to manganese, and even included cadmium-level remains. Although we don't know the exchange rate between their classifications and the classifications used in our national fortune system…

According to them, many agent squads were wiped out, some completely destroyed, with their bodies never recovered.

He paused, his finger moving across the map to point to another, smaller red circle. "In addition, an organization called the Praise Society also appeared and was active near Wildfire Town a month ago."

Their movements are elusive; they never make direct contact with their agents. But according to Caesar, they are conducting some kind of experiment in the hollows surrounding Wildfire.

They seemed to be searching for something, and their methods were cruel. Caesar and Lucy suspected that the Praise Society was related to the enhancement of the skeletons.

"The Praise Society..." Ye Shunguang frowned. This organization was one of the biggest villains in the game.

But what is this organization doing in Wildfire Town? It's just a remote outer town with neither abundant ether resources nor advanced technology.

A thought arose in Ye Shunguang's mind: ...to cut off the city's escape route?

If the Praise Society does indeed conduct experiments in Wildfire Town to enhance the power of the skeleton, then Wildfire Town will become a huge trap.

This will not only trap the residents and agents here, but also sever the connection between the outer ring and New Elidu.

At that time, the municipal authorities will lose the support from the outer ring road and the retreat route, leaving them isolated and helpless.

This conjecture sent a chill down Ye Shunguang's spine.

"Caesar said she's willing to cooperate with us." Chen Jianjun's voice pulled Ye Shunguang back to reality. "She can provide Wildfire Town with supplies and intelligence, and can even help us enter some dangerous hollow areas."

But she has one condition—help her solve the problem of the skeletons during the Fire Hell Ride and complete one ignition stone drop into the Burning Crystal Lake. Also, help her find the Praise Society's stronghold near Wildfire Town, and if possible, ask us to help her take it down.

Chen Jianjun's words made the atmosphere in the living room heavy.

Cooperation means sharing resources and intelligence with Caesar.

But Caesar is the acting ruler of Wildfire Town, and her stance may not align with theirs.

Her purpose may simply be to use them to solve her own problems.

Furthermore, the strength of the praise association is currently unclear.

Currently, only Ye Shunguang knows that they are a bunch of lunatics in the game. The core members are not afraid of death at all and may even summon the Originator.

Making enemies with them is very risky.

Ye Jianguo's fingers tapped lightly on the table. His gaze was fixed on the map, his eyes sharp, as if he were analyzing something.

In the living room, only the sound of his fingers tapping on the table remained, one tap after another, striking everyone's heart.

After a long while, Ye Jianguo finally raised his head and said in a calm tone, "We can cooperate."

Upon hearing this, everyone breathed a sigh of relief, but years of experience made them all wait for the word "but".

"But we must remain vigilant," Ye Jianguo added, changing the subject.

"At first glance, I felt that although Caesar's power seemed to be usurped by Lucy and her people, her own methods seemed to be quite sophisticated."

Her ability to maintain her position as the de facto ruler in a place like Wildfire Town is definitely not due to luck. In my view, our cooperation with her is merely a matter of mutual exploitation. Don't expect her to genuinely help us.

He looked at Chen Jianjun, his gaze sharp, his tone serious: "You talk to Caesar again tomorrow. As for supplies, we need enough ammunition, medicine, and food. Try not to use the supplies we have earned through points. Our points are very valuable; we need to save them for more dangerous situations."

Regarding intelligence, we need information on the distribution of the Skeletons along the Hellfire Riding route, down to the level and number of Skeletons in each area, as well as clues about the activities of the Praise Society, including their whereabouts, numbers, and equipment.

Ye Jianguo paused, then added, "In exchange, we can help her clear out some low-level skeletons' nests. But if we encounter high-level skeletons, or the main force of the Praise Society, we have the right to retreat. Our primary goal is to survive, not to serve Caesar."

"Understood." Chen Jianjun nodded, a hint of admiration in his eyes. Ye Jianguo's considerations were thorough and meticulous; he seized the opportunity for cooperation while upholding his bottom line.

"Also," Ye Jianguo added, turning his gaze to Ye Shunguang, his tone softening slightly, "have Caesar provide some information about the northern hollow of New Elidu."

This includes the location of the cavity, changes in ether concentration, the distribution of the remains, and whether anyone has recently seen the girl with short blue hair there.

Even if Rin is already dead, we still need to make an appearance. We'll have to go sooner or later. It's better to know beforehand than to be unprepared.

……

Upon hearing this, Ye Shunguang suddenly felt dizzy. A strong sense of fatigue washed over her like a tide, making her vision blur.

Her eyes glazed over for a moment, and she blinked before managing to steady her gaze. Ye Jianguo happened to see this.

Ye Jianguo frowned, his tone tinged with concern: "Are you too tired?"

Ye Shunguang shook his head, wanting to say that he was fine, but found that he didn't even have the strength to speak.

"Alright, that's all for today." Ye Jianguo stood up, stretched, and his movements betrayed a hint of fatigue. "Everyone's tired, get some rest. We have a lot to do tomorrow."

Chen Jianjun and Zhou Liming nodded and each found a place to rest.

There were two sofas in the living room, enough for them to make do for the night. Chen Jianjun walked to one of the sofas, lay down, and soon his even breathing could be heard.

He was clearly exhausted.

Zhou Liming sat at the table and took out his osmanthus cake box, laptop, brick, and a bunch of other odds and ends from his backpack.

He opened his laptop, unpacked the food box, took out a few pieces and handed them to the still-awake people, then continued typing, seemingly studying the intensity of those level classifications.

For him, studying technology is also a form of rest.

Ye Shunguang was not sleepy. After eating the osmanthus cake that hadn't expired yet, she walked to the window, lifted a corner of the curtain, and looked out at the night.

The inky sky remained heavy and oppressive. The candlelight in the distance had gone out. Wildfire Town was shrouded in deathly silence. The wind continued to blow, its howling sound seeming to tell a story.

Ye Shunguang's heart was filled with confusion.

What on earth has happened to this world? Why has it become like this? Why is the threat of the Void so severe? Why has the Corpse been strengthened? Why is Praise here?

Countless questions swirled in her mind, but none of them had an answer.

She thought of the world in the game, a world that, though dangerous, had a clear main storyline and was protected by the protagonist's halo.

In this world, there are no protagonists, no halos, only endless despair and struggle.

Ye Shunguang's gaze fell into the darkness in the distance. That was the direction of New Elito. It was also the place where Zhe's sister, Ling, had disappeared.

Perhaps, this lie could actually become reality?

Perhaps, Rin really is still alive?

This idea, like a seed, took root and sprouted in her heart.

But she knew that this was just wishful thinking.

In this cruel apocalypse, hope is often the most luxurious thing.