Chapter 34: Ghosts from Before the Cataclysm

Chapter34: Ghosts Before the Cataclysm

Most of the time, a decision that is fundamentally correct will be swiftly passed unanimously the moment it is proposed; only those decisions that are not necessarily correct require repeated discussion.

And obviously, the decision 'if you can't buy it, just take it' is absolutely correct, time‑tested, and meets the basic requirements of dialectical methodology.

Thus it was adopted without controversy, and once passed, the four members of the squad immediately began discussing the concrete operation.

Their final discussion summed up into four steps.

Information gathering, field reconnaissance, combat search, orderly withdrawal.

It looks simple, but in the vast majority of cases this set of procedures is quite effective.

Thus, after obtaining sufficient peripheral information about the blood‑skulls from Xu Lie and grasping the rough location of the stronghold, the squad four immediately tidied their equipment and, on this fine afternoon, prepared to set out across the Yangtze River toward the western bank where the terrors mainly operate.

Xu Lie found their rapid pace unbelievable; he could not imagine what these people could possibly accomplish there without adequate preparation.

But Chen Jian gave him a simple answer:

"We are only here to scout; we are merely making preparations in advance."

"If a suitable opportunity arises, we might as well just get the job done, right?"

The flawless logic left Xu Lie speechless; after confirming he could not stop Chen Jian, he finally spoke:

"Those terrors may not be strong in combat, but that only holds when they are on the offensive."

"If they hole up in the jungle, hole up in their own stronghold, breaking in is not that easy."

"Now that you intend to go, let's go together."

"We have been to the west bank before; we know the terrain there far better than you."

"If we gain anything, we’ll stick to the usual two‑eight split, how about that?"

"Agreed."

Chen Jian would certainly not refuse usable support; although he kept a wary eye on these holy‑blooded ones in his heart, he also knew that at this point they could not possibly defect.

Thus, a party of eight, after simple preparations, left Han Shui City, detouring northward, planning to cross the Yangtze via the still‑intact Jun Shan Bridge and advance toward the blood‑skull stronghold on the western bank.

The leg from Han Shui City to the bridge proceeded smoothly.

Covering roughly six kilometers, the squad completed the distance in just one hour.

But upon reaching Jun Shan Bridge, the atmosphere shifted abruptly; Chen Jian felt as if he had stepped into another world.

The bridge deck was littered with shattered human bones and dried bloodstains; occasionally crows pecked at rotting flesh, though it was impossible to tell whether the meat came from humans or from the terrors themselves.

The smell was pungent; he even felt the urge to activate his self‑contained breathing apparatus.

As he continued forward, he asked aloud:

"If Han Shui City has no need to expand westward, why don’t the followers of the Machine God simply blow this bridge up?"

"Destroying the bridge would greatly increase the difficulty for the terrors to cross the river, easing the pressure on the city’s defenses, wouldn’t it?"

"It’s not that simple."

Xu Lie shook his head and replied:

"Han Shui City is bordered by water on three sides, with only one side cut off by several large lakes, making it almost a city with no retreat."

"Such a position has already greatly reduced Han Shui’s defensive pressure, but it is not completely solved."

"No one can guarantee that someday a high‑level monster won’t overcome the terrain’s obstruction and enter Han Shui City; if that happens and there is no withdrawal route, it will be a catastrophe for the city."

"Therefore, the several large bridges on the river must never be blown up; even knowing that the opposite bank holds blood‑skulls, it is far better than having nowhere to flee when monsters someday besiege the city."

"We could build boats."

Chen Jian proposed a new idea; Xu Lie shook his head again:

"No one wants to waste resources on an uncertain future."

"You really are short‑sighted."

"Indeed, the vast majority of people merely survive." Chen Jian fell silent; at that moment the squad had already crossed Jun Shan Bridge and reached the western bank of the Yangtze.

As Xu Lie had said, the terrain here is indeed far more complex than that of Han Shui City.

Near the riverbank there once lay a town, but now it is completely overgrown with vegetation; the tallest trees have even reached heights of dozens of meters.

The low‑rise structures built by humans are not merely concealed; they are buried.

Buried under the humus accumulated in the forest over hundreds of years.

"Watch your step, keep an eye on the puddles on the ground; if you sink in, you may not be able to climb out."

"Just stick to the road; there won’t be that many traps along the way."

Chen Jian gave a brief reply and turned slightly to the left.

Xu Lie stared, bewildered; watching Chen Jian’s movement, he suddenly realized that although this was the other’s first visit here, he seemed even more familiar with the place than Xu Lie himself.

The other's gaze seemed able to pierce the dense foliage and see the road hidden beneath.

What ability is this?

Or perhaps, what technology is this??

He caught up and asked the question; Chen Jian simply answered with four characters.

"Inertial navigation."

Xu Lie had no idea what those four characters meant, and Chen Jian saw no need to explain.

He merely instructed He Shuo to continually update the squad’s position on the local map, using it to correct the drift error of the INS system.

After undergoing countless uninterrupted calibrations, the deep‑learning module in the PDA smoothly joined the calibration effort, and their movement trajectory was finally displayed once more on the map inside the smart goggles.

This time it was no longer just a rough position shown by triangulation.

"Turn left ahead, pass the front of the rural golf club, then continue south."

"Travel southwest along the road for four kilometers to reach the first reconnaissance point, and set up an observation post at the Phoenix Hotel."

"Be aware, we have now entered the enemy’s active zone; stay vigilant."

"Understood."

The squad members answered at once; Xu Lie’s holy‑blooded team exchanged puzzled glances, not understanding.

When the squad advanced to the left‑turn spot, Xu Lie’s expression changed.

Because he saw the landmark Chen Jian had mentioned.

On a boulder half‑covered by vines, the characters “XXX Golf Club” were faintly carved.

Undoubtedly, this is a relic from before the Cataclysm.

Yet those few chosen ones had taken it as a waypoint for their march.

They were not unfamiliar with the terrain; they were simply unfamiliar with the post‑Cataclysm landscape.

Xu Lie drew a deep breath and said to Chen Jian, who was walking ahead:

"So you really are ghosts from before the Cataclysm."

ChenJian turned to look at him, shaking his head as he replied:

“Actually, that’s not the case.”

“We merely happen to know what’s here.”

“Never mind that; we’re about to enter a dangerous zone.”

“It’s your turn to lead the way.”

(End of chapter)