Chapter 53: Her Back Is Supported by Countless Players!
“Director, the western flank has been breached, but Xu Hong and his team charged into the camp without considering the bigger picture. I’m worried something might happen to them.”
Li Cheng found Lu Yuelin and reported the current situation.
Upon receiving Lu Yuelin’s approval, he immediately led a four-man squad toward the west to provide support.
Li Cheng was excited. He had waited for this moment for a long time.
After two failed attempts to assassinate Bai Fu, he had been under immense pressure. If he failed again this time, even if the President didn’t punish him, his standing in the Truth Society would undoubtedly plummet.
He had joined the Truth Society to accomplish great things—how could he tolerate becoming a marginal figure?
To eliminate the nuisance that was Bai Fu, Li Cheng had made three preparations this time.
First, a sneak attack. If that failed, he would lure Bai Fu to an ambush site. If even that didn’t work, he would take a risk and have those sent by the Truth Society to assist him launch a direct assault on Division Four, and then personally find a chance to send Bai Fu on her way.
There was no way he would let Bai Fu be transported to Haidu.
After charging into the Wanderer camp, Li Cheng found Bai Fu and the others hiding behind cover and exchanging fire with the Wanderers.
He stormed over in anger and lashed out at Xu Hong: “Idiot, do you even know what you’re doing? Rushing in recklessly—what if it was an ambush? Could you afford the consequences?”
Xu Hong opened his mouth but couldn’t find a rebuttal. What happened today, he really couldn’t argue.
After scolding Xu Hong, Li Cheng looked around.
The battle was intense. Over a dozen Wanderers had been turned into sieves, but the lunatics Bai Fu brought weren’t in much better shape. Of the 12, 6 were already dead, and 2 were so seriously injured they could only lie on the ground.
Just as expected!
Bai Fu was a Psionic Prayer-user, typically a support role. Now that the damage-dealing main force was down, even the best-equipped support couldn’t turn the tide alone!
“Look at what these people you recommended have done. If you were from Division Four, I’d fire you on the spot!”
Li Cheng mocked with a sneer.
Bai Fu appeared indifferent, but the players squeezed into Excavation‑Princess’s livestream to watch the battle were not having it.
【WTF, if not for Excavation‑Princess and Fu‑baby, you’d still be outside freezing your ass off】
【Old Deng, you’ve found your own path to death!】
After scolding everyone around him and perfectly playing out his role, Li Cheng pulled out his gun and opened fire toward the opposite side.
One shot for freedom, one shot for death—instantly blowing the head off a Wanderer who had poked out to survey the battlefield.
“What are you staring at? Keep fighting.”
Damn it, if you knew we should keep fighting, what the hell was all that yelling for just now?
Xu Hong’s squad, grumbling, jumped back into the fight. For a moment, gunfire roared once again.
Li Cheng didn’t move again after those two shots.
He was waiting.
In fact, those two shots were signals.
At that moment, inside the camp, an assassin who had infiltrated yesterday raised his gun.
Deep breath, aim, fire!
Bang bang!
“Get down!”
A Special Agent standing beside Xia Shi reacted just in time, shoving her aside. The bullet grazed Xia Shi’s left arm, but the agent who pushed her wasn’t so lucky—blood bloomed like a rose from his chest, splattering Xia Shi’s cheek.
“Enemy attack!”
Xu Hong’s eyes widened as he shouted at the top of his lungs.
Everyone present was a veteran Special Agent. As soon as they sensed danger, some dove to the ground, others dodged. But even their speed couldn’t match that of the assassin lurking in the shadows.
Witness the hand speed of a man single for 30 years!
At the moment Bai Fu shielded Xia Shi, two more bullets flew out like shrieking blades—one struck Xu Hong’s Scrapped Power Armor on the left arm, the other pierced the left leg of the Special Agent who had previously been groped by Black Tiger Afu.
Fast as they were, Xu Hong’s team had been on alert, so the damage from these shots was less severe.
“Bastard!”
Xu Hong lifted his machine gun and unleashed a wild barrage.
Bullets rained down, turning the wooden signboard where the assassin had hidden into shredded splinters. The assassin had no chance to fire again and fled in a panic.
“Don’t let him get away!”
Li Cheng roared as he chased after him.
Bai Fu glanced at the bullet in her palm. In fact, that assassin had fired two shots during the first attack. One of them had hit her, but she was completely unscathed. However, due to the chaos at the time, it seemed no one had noticed.
She used Psionic Vision on the fleeing assassin, and the feedback template showed “Mutant Creature.” It was hard not to associate him with Number 7 and Number 9 who had previously appeared at the Abandoned Cooling Plant.
So this was the new round of assassination Li Cheng had arranged for her?
Weak like someone who hadn’t eaten—truly disappointing.
Fine, since you’ve made your move, it’s my turn now!
After all, Li Cheng was still publicly affiliated with the Intelligence Bureau. Bai Fu couldn’t just shoot him in front of everyone, so she had been waiting—for a moment when Li Cheng was alone.
And very soon, her opportunity arrived.
While she was examining Xia Shi’s injuries, the assassin jumped into a pre-prepared vehicle and began to escape. After several ineffective shots at the tires, Li Cheng quickly turned back.
“Anyone with energy left, drive with me to pursue. The rest stay here and tend to the wounded.”
His gaze swept over Xia Shi and Bai Fu’s faces.
Now let’s see if Bai Fu follows. With Xia Shi’s personality, seeing someone get seriously injured trying to save her, she would definitely give chase.
As for Bai Fu, Li Cheng wasn’t sure. But even if she didn’t go now, once she heard of Xia Shi’s death, she probably would. She was, after all, the idiot who had sacrificed herself for a group of ignorant civilians at the Abandoned Cooling Plant.
As expected, Xia Shi immediately stepped forward: “I’ll go!”
She couldn’t forget the spray of blood she saw. If she hadn’t been pushed away in time, she might have been the one shot just now.
She dashed out of the camp, heading straight for the car they had come in.
Bai Fu quickly chased after her. Just as Xia Shi was about to sit in the driver’s seat, she grabbed her.
“You stay here. I’ll go.”
“No, your driving skills aren’t as good as mine. What if we lose them?”
Seeing Xia Shi’s insistence, Bai Fu didn’t want to waste time arguing and simply got in the car first.
When Li Cheng, already in the car, saw Bai Fu and Xia Shi coming along, he grinned from ear to ear.
Haha, Bai Fu was alone—his chance had come!
When Bai Fu saw that only Li Cheng was in the car, she too grinned.
Haha, Li Cheng was alone—her chance had come!
Actually, they weren’t the only ones chasing the assassin. There were other vehicles too, but they started much later and had fallen behind. They could only determine the lead vehicle’s position via walkie-talkie and dust clouds.
“This chase won’t work. Xia Shi, you guys go around from the left path. I’ll drive the assassin toward your direction.”
Li Cheng shouted loudly over the walkie-talkie.
Bai Fu curled her lips.
Not a chance!
She wasn’t sure whether Li Cheng had arranged for another assassin to ambush them on that left path. Whether or not he had, she wasn’t going to follow his suggestion.
If I do whatever you say, then I’d look like I had no spine.
Control had to remain in her hands.
Bai Fu patted Xia Shi on the shoulder: “We’ll take the right path.”
“Huh?” Xia Shi tilted her head.
“Didn’t you want to avenge your comrade? Then do as I say!” Bai Fu’s voice brooked no argument.
Xia Shi didn’t waver: “If you can’t give me a convincing reason, I won’t do it, even if you point a gun at me.”
Bai Fu thought about it and gave up the idea of playing bondage games with Xia Shi in the car.
“Then I’ll be blunt. Li Cheng is a spy planted in the Intelligence Bureau.”
“What?”
Xia Shi’s face changed drastically upon hearing that.
She wondered for a moment if she had misheard.
Li Cheng’s father was the Deputy Director of the Intelligence Bureau, with a bright future. Li Cheng had almost never suffered any losses within Division Four. Although the operations team leader always seemed to dislike him and frequently opposed him, it had been Li Cheng who instigated those conflicts. No matter how petty he was, he wouldn’t give up his great prospects with the Gene Primordials to join the Truth Society just because of such trivial matters, right?
“To verify the truth is simple. Just follow my lead. No matter which direction we drive, he and that assassin will follow.”
Bai Fu remained composed.
She wasn’t randomly choosing the right path. The road from the Abandoned Cooling Plant to Lynn lay to the right. Based on the information she had gathered in the Community, the second batch of players from the Abandoned Cooling Plant was about to arrive in Lynn, and she planned to go greet them.
Xia Shi stared at Bai Fu for a long time, but eventually followed her lead.
Li Cheng, leading at the front, quickly noticed something was off and shouted anxiously: “Why did you go right? Can’t you tell left from right?”
Bai Fu replied calmly: “The left path collapsed—it’s impassable. We’re going around from the right.”
Then she ended the call.
Damn it.
Li Cheng slammed the dashboard hard.
Left or right—it didn’t matter. Today, he absolutely wasn’t going to let Bai Fu go.
“Change of plans. Head right. And inform those lying in ambush to relocate.”
Li Cheng immediately issued new instructions.
After driving for a while, he suddenly realized this might not be a bad thing. According to the original plan, he would definitely become a prime suspect. Even though he had a way to clear himself, it still carried some risk.
Now it was different. Bai Fu had ignored his orders and gone right on her own. If she died, how could he be blamed? She brought it upon herself.
And so, under Bai Fu’s guidance, Xia Shi led Li Cheng and others in circles through the wilderness.
Each time Li Cheng questioned their sudden change of direction, Bai Fu always came up with an excuse—either the road was blocked, or they encountered a Type II Amoeba.
Half an hour later, on the main road to Lynn.
Players sitting in their vehicle, bored, were scrolling through the Community. Just then, a modified truck suddenly appeared from the rear side.
They had been on the road for nearly a day, and this was the first other vehicle they’d encountered. Some curious players poked their heads out.
One glance—and their eyes were drawn to the face revealed through the half-lowered window.
White hair cascading like a waterfall, a frosty face, and as she swept her fingers through the hair by her ear with her index and middle finger, a charm stirred amidst her youth that rippled through one’s heart.
Who else could it be but Bai Fu?
【Damn, am I hallucinating?】
【I think I'm hallucinating too】
【Hallucinate your ass, that’s Bai Fu, damn damn, to run into Bai Fu on the road—what kind of fate is this!】
【Is it possible it's just someone who looks like her?】
【Absolutely impossible. That driver beside her—I recognize her. She's appeared multiple times in Excavation‑Princess’s livestream room, it's Xia Shi】
With that, all the players in the vehicle got excited. They urged the driver to chase after Bai Fu, who had just overtaken them.
“Is this really okay?”
One radical player pressed a gun to the driver's head: “You tell me if it’s okay or not.”
“Okay okay, very okay!”
The five player-packed vehicles had no choice but to turn around.
In the truck, Xia Shi looked at Bai Fu in confusion: “What are you doing?”
“Preparing a surprise for Li Cheng.”
After another ten minutes of circling, the truck stopped in a stretch of wilderness. Not far away, two other cars had also come to a halt.
One belonged to Li Cheng, the other to the assassin.
Li Cheng was the first to jump out of his vehicle, yelling as he walked: “What’s going on with you two? If I hadn’t chased hard enough, that assassin might’ve escaped!”
Bai Fu was the second to jump down, while Xia Shi stayed in the truck.
“What’s the rush? The guy didn’t get away, did he? You know how bad the road is.”
Li Cheng took a deep breath: “You… forget it, I’m done playing along. If it weren’t for you and Xia Shi, I wouldn’t have been able to shake off the people Lu Yuelin sent.”
As he spoke, he suddenly pulled out a gun and pointed it at Bai Fu.
“Bai Fu, today is your doomsday. Surprise! I’m the spy planted in the Intelligence Bureau. Shocking, isn’t it?”
He burst into wild laughter, watching Bai Fu’s reaction as he did.
He was hoping to see a panicked expression on her face—but after watching his grand performance, all Bai Fu did was twitch her eyelid.
She ignored the act she was supposed to respond to.
Veins bulged on Li Cheng’s forehead.
Feigning composure?
Let’s see how long you can keep it up!
Li Cheng clapped his hands: “Come out and give our guest a warm welcome.”
At his call, a group of men suddenly burst out from the assassin’s car. Each one was burly, eyes sharp like lightning—clearly trained professionals.
Bai Fu quickly scanned them.
There were six in total—not many, but none of them were ordinary. Using Psionic Vision, she saw that even the weakest among them had unlocked Advanced Class.
The strongest was on par with Li Cheng, only falling slightly behind in stats and HP.
“I originally prepared over twenty people for you. But since you were running around everywhere, I had to summon just six last minute. Still, they’re more than enough. Without that pack of lunatics, what can a mere Psionic Prayer-user like you do?”
Li Cheng laughed loudly.
Sitting in the truck, Xia Shi’s eyes were almost spitting flames after hearing Li Cheng’s confession.
“Why?” she roared. “Why become a dog of the Truth Society?”
“Why? You ignorant fool. Joining the Truth Society at least lets me see the truth of this world. And you? You don’t even know whose dog you’re being. No—You don’t even know who you are!”
Li Cheng sneered, glancing at Xia Shi.
“Bai Fu, you have nowhere left to run. If you willingly confess your true identity, I can make sure you suffer less before being delivered to the Chairman. If you refuse to cooperate, the only thing awaiting you is death!”
Trying to beat me with numbers?
Bai Fu shook her head: “Next, I’ll show you a magic trick. It’s called the Great Vanishing Act.”
Li Cheng couldn’t help but laugh: “You don’t seriously think you have a way to escape, do you? These men behind me are professionally trained Mutant Creatures. Unlike those common assassins afraid of death, they were born for completing missions.”
His voice was loud, and his smile bright. But seeing Bai Fu’s unmoved expression still made unease rise in his chest.
Just as he was hesitating whether to open fire, the roar of engines suddenly echoed across the plain.
Huh?
Li Cheng whipped his head around.
From the direction of the sunset, beneath the red sun, five vehicles drove in side by side.
The five vehicles pulled up one after another. Doors opened, and one, two, three... countless players jumped out.
They walked noisily, showing no signs of formal training, but as they spread out around the area, even the earthworms passing by curled up into dead poses.
Li Cheng stood dumbfounded, as if plunged into an icy abyss.
One van full of Breadmen was terrifying enough—this was five vans full of fearless Breadmen!