Chapter 52: Rescue in a Dire Situation
Since its founding, Chu Sheng City had stood for just sixteen years, a relatively young city base. Yet, when facing external threats from monsters, its response was far from immature—rather, it was seasoned and adept.
These were lessons forged in brutal wars, paid for with sacrifice. The brief sixteen years were not peaceful for Chu Sheng City. Large-scale monster sieges were frequent, and the city had been pushed to the brink of destruction multiple times.
Due to its remote location, few forces would expend vast resources to aid this land. Thus, Chu Sheng City nearly always faced crises alone. In this era, the only thing to rely on was oneself.
Under such external pressure, Chu Sheng City spared no expense, investing heavily each year to maintain an elite standing army and relaxing weapon control policies for civilians, establishing a system to manage and support private militias. This gave rise to Chu Sheng City’s mercenaries.
This strong sense of vigilance and robust military power led Chu Sheng City to pay extra attention to JD Ruined City, thirty kilometers away.
When Han Nianling sent evidence of the Witch and numerous high-tier monsters gathering in the JD Ruined City Nuclear Wasteland Area, Chu Sheng City immediately prepared militarily.
They ordered observation posts in the Nuclear Wasteland Area and all available forces nearby to enter the ruined city, establish outposts, and search for Senior Researcher Han Nianling.
Thanks to the swift response of Chu Sheng City’s military and the fact that most high-tier monsters were concentrated in the city’s central zone, the forces faced little resistance en route.
This allowed Luo Shi to be spotted and aided by a reconnaissance team from the Ninth Security Team, tasked with search operations, during a critical moment.
Rescued, Luo Shi immediately led the reconnaissance team back to the crevice where Han Nianling and I had fallen, to mount a rescue.
Fortunately, neither the horde nor monsters were converging on the crater zone. Low-tier monsters and stray walkers posed no threat to this capable team, and they soon reached the crevice.
The crevice showed no signs of collapse, and the surrounding ground bore no traces of monster activity. My vivid memory of this crevice eased Luo Shi’s tension slightly, as the lack of anomalies was reassuring.
“B4, come with me. The rest, stay on the surface and keep watch. Notify us immediately if anything happens.”
As the highest-ranking officer present, Luo Shi naturally assumed temporary command of this impromptu rescue. Even the Ninth Security Team’s reconnaissance squad, not part of the Tenth Security Team, had to obey his orders absent explicit instructions from their captain.
Searching for Researcher Han was, after all, their mission.
Securing the ropes, Luo Shi and B4 descended swiftly into the crevice. The rapid shift from light to dark momentarily blinded them, but their eyes soon adjusted to the dimness, and their vision cleared.
Yet, as they descended, their searching gazes found no sign of Han Nianling or me on the ground below—just scattered debris.
The underground space was relatively flat with little variation. Even if we’d rolled, we shouldn’t be far… Had we woken and, with the rear path blocked, ventured deeper into the tunnel to find a way out? Or had some monster swallowed us whole, leaving no trace? Or were we buried under the collapsed ruins?
“This… a safety harness?”
During the descent, a black fiber fabric caught on a twisted rebar drew Luo Shi’s attention. The familiar object was unmistakably the high-tensile gear used exclusively by the Security Team.
The harness’s tear was caused by a sharp object—likely a dagger or knife—suggesting that during their absence, at least one of us, either Researcher Han or the mercenary girl codenamed Stone, had woken.
We were likely caught on this rebar during the fall, making burial under ruins less plausible. But even ruling out one grim possibility, Luo Shi’s nerves remained taut. The situation was still dire.
He hated such escapist self-reassurance without clear evidence of our whereabouts.
As their boots touched the ground, the gravel beneath crunched. Luo Shi and B4 quickly untied their ropes and spread out to search, their flashlights sweeping the area, clinging to hope.
B4, searching along the walls, soon spotted drag marks. His gaze followed them to a partially concealed recess. The clear human-made traces ignited his heart. When he aimed his flashlight inside, the figure under the beam made his voice tremble uncontrollably.
“Here! Over here! Captain, I’ve found Researcher Han!”
“!”
B4’s report spurred Luo Shi to rush over, heedless of everything. It wasn’t that he doubted B4, but he needed to see it himself, even stumbling over stones in his haste, unmindful of his disheveled state.
When Han Nianling’s figure came into view, indescribable relief flooded him—not just for avoiding the severe consequences of mission failure but also from genuine admiration forged through long collaboration. He rejoiced that such a talent hadn’t been claimed by the Nuclear Wasteland’s cruelty.
She was a Senior Researcher, one of Chu Sheng City’s most precious assets. As long as she lived, she held immense significance for the entire wasteland world.
“Mmm… ugh…”
The flashlight’s glare through her mask seemed to stir Han Nianling, eliciting faint, meaningless murmurs from her throat, hinting at awakening.
“Researcher Han? Researcher Han!”
They urgently called her name, their voices hastening her recovery. Her breathing steadied, but her eyes remained closed despite clear signs of waking. Could a fall from such a height have caused some unknown injury? Their anxiety surged again.
“Hey…”
Finally, Han Nianling forced out a long-brewing sentence from her parched throat: “Move the light off my face…”
“Oh? Oh! Oh… right.”
Only then did they realize their flashlights were on high-powered mode, not just for illumination but also as a tactical tool to disorient enemies with blinding light. No wonder Han Nianling couldn’t open her eyes.
This blunder highlighted their nervous state. Both responded with slight embarrassment, quickly redirecting the beams.
“Help me up…”
With their assistance, Han Nianling sat up, leaning against the wall. She took a deep breath, removed her gas mask, swiftly gulped two sips from her canteen, then replaced the mask to resume breathing. After this, she seemed to regain some strength and energy.
“Researcher Han… are you okay?” Seeing her condition improve, Luo Shi asked cautiously.
“Nothing serious, just a mild concussion,” she replied. Her gaze swept over them, then past to the space behind, but she didn’t find the familiar presence. “Where’s Stone?”
“She…” Neither Luo Shi nor B4 were surprised by her question, but they hadn’t prepared a suitable response.
Luo Shi considered saying, ‘Stone has been successfully rescued,’ but Han Nianling’s sharp, newly awakened gaze seemed to pierce his heart. His empty lie faltered before it could form.
He could only answer truthfully: “We haven’t found her. You were hidden here, likely her doing, to keep you safe. I suspect she went deeper into the tunnel to find an exit…”
Luo Shi worried Han Nianling might insist on waiting, which, though callous, he couldn’t allow—he was responsible for her life, even if it meant earning her resentment or guilt.
Steeling himself, he handed her what he’d found: “This is a damaged gas mask we found nearby, undoubtedly hers. Losing a gas mask in a place like this is as good as death, so…”
“No, this number… it’s mine.”
Han Nianling’s gaze lingered on the mask for a moment, a flicker of something unusual in her eyes. Her casual tone stunned Luo Shi and B4.
“You mean… she and you…”
B4’s halting words trailed off—he knew there was no need to continue. Han Nianling would never lie about such a thing.
That girl went to such lengths? A young mercenary?
If he’d harbored suspicions about her currying favor with a Senior Researcher to climb the social ladder, those doubts now turned to guilt and respect. Such rare qualities in this new era were precious, and he regretted not having the chance to know her better…
“Alright, let’s go.”
Having mostly recovered, Han Nianling stood, hanging the broken gas mask on her belt. Her calm words surprised them again—they hadn’t expected her to agree to leave so readily.
“Since you’re here, that means Chu Sheng City’s main forces have advanced nearby. I need to reach the command post quickly to provide the information I’ve gathered.”
Was that really it?
Watching Han Nianling head toward the ropes, Luo Shi noticed her hand tightly gripping the broken gas mask.