Chapter 7: Trap

Chapter 7: The Trap

Half an hour later, the squad of four plus the five refugees had completed their preparations.

Chen Jian noticed that the refugees had done an excellent job with their infrared camouflage.

They not only wrapped themselves completely in aluminum foil, but also wore a waterproof cloak over it, and then draped an additional layer of damp cloth over the cloak.

In this early winter, with temperatures already below ten degrees Celsius, even if the thermal‑fusion night vision were set to maximum sensitivity, barely any infrared signature could be detected.

Their level was already on par with the squad’s four members wearing full anti‑infrared combat gear.

These people possessed a wealth of survival experience.

So in this world, did they survive solely thanks to that experience?

Perhaps there was more to it than that.

Chen Jian put his tactical goggles back on, calibrated the anti‑sniper radar’s sensitivity, then followed Du Hu as the squad led the way down the stairs and out of the building.

Only then did he truly see the dead city’s real appearance.

Most of the skyscrapers were tilted or collapsed; cars parked at the roadside were buried under dust, revealing rust‑streaked skeletons.

Judging by the metal corrosion, those vehicles had been stationary here for at least several decades, if not over a century.

Yet eerily, the city contained no green vegetation at all; only in the cracks of the ground could one occasionally spot stubborn moss struggling to grow.

This was highly contrary to reason.

Know that less than a kilometer away, in the suburban outskirts, countless giant trees still thrived.

Our own squad of four had endured a grueling trek, finally emerging from the jungle to reach this place.

The two areas were like two different worlds.

Why was that?

Could this difference be caused by the so‑called “matrix”?

Chen Jian wanted to ask, but obviously this was not a good moment.

So he suppressed his doubts, intending to seek clarification once they returned to the shelter.

Meanwhile, Du Hu had already led the whole squad on foot through two alleys onto a broader street.

Next, Du Hu headed toward a collapsed opening in the ground.

Chen Jian’s eyes flickered, and he asked:

“Does it look familiar?”

“Couldn’t be more familiar. It’s a subway station.”

Shen Yue gave a slight nod, then leaned closer to Chen Jian and asked:

“Are we going to the subway station to gather food? Surely we’re not going to catch rats, are we?”

“I don’t know.”

Chen Jian disengaged the safety on his 191, switched directly to English, and lowered his voice:

“But I feel something’s off.”

“The street is so quiet, and they move so quickly, as if they have no vigilance at all.”

“Moreover, given the creatures’ physiological traits—infrared vision and the like—it’s clear they probably operate mainly at night or in darkness.”

“If that’s the case, why risk going underground?”

“Could it be that there’s truly no food to be found on the surface?”

“Regardless, prepare for combat; once underground, immediately begin drafting a withdrawal route map and update it in real time on the PDA.”

“I’m not saying they’re trying to trap us, but the chance of an accident is very high.”

“Understood.”

“Received.”

The other team members responded one by one; goggles and PDAs powered up, and the squad re‑entered combat readiness.

Following the subway station entrance downward, the tunnel air grew progressively damp and the light ever dimmer.

Leading the way, Du Hu lit a tiny torch for illumination, occasionally gesturing with his hand to indicate the direction forward.

As the exploration deepened, the terrain grew more complex.

The subway station, ravaged by years, bore no resemblance to the modern stations Chen Jian remembered; without any signage, even a well‑trained person could easily become utterly lost in the chaotic passages.

They walked for a full half hour, and Du Hu’s steps had not yet ceased.

Chen Jian’s inner unease intensified, and he realized this operation was far from simple.

This sense of danger, honed by long training and numerous real‑world engagements, had never failed him.

Consequently, he decisively gave a hand signal, and the squad’s formation shifted silently.

The two‑by‑two double column changed to a single file of four; Chen Jian remained behind Du Hu, while the others fell to the rear, completely separating the five‑refugee group.

This was meant to be a routine precautionary reshuffle, but as soon as the squad’s four members changed position, Chen Jian clearly felt the whole group’s pace slow.

His vigilance peaked at that moment, and he instinctively wanted to halt, observe, and wait.

But in that instant, Du Hu ahead suddenly stopped.

Then he turned around, pulling something from his pocket.

The next second.

“Boom!”

A tremendous blast exploded in the tunnel, followed immediately by his hoarse shout.

“Run!”

Chen Jian felt as if he had been struck squarely by a flashbang; intense vertigo surged instantly, and then the night‑vision view turned a stark white.

He instantly realized that Du Hu’s “Run!” was certainly not meant for those four strangers.

They had long planned to kill him right here!

“Fire!”

Chen Jian gave the order without hesitation; almost simultaneously, the thermal‑fusion night vision automatically switched from low‑light mode to white‑light fusion mode.

The view ahead cleared instantly; Chen Jian saw Du Hu’s silhouette flash by and immediately squeezed the trigger of his 191.

“Bang bang bang!”

Gunfire echoed through the tunnel, and the three behind him fired at the same moment.

In the flickering firelight, Du Hu collapsed face‑first; shortly after, the four who tried to flee toward a side alcove were precisely taken down by Lei Jie with his highly maneuverable QCQ171.

“Finish them! Cease fire!”

The battle flared up in an instant and ended just as quickly.

“He Shuo, launch the drone, map the area, seek a favorable position!”

“Lei Jie, lay mines front and rear, block the enemy’s advance.”

“Shen Yue, ready your gun, prepare to meet them!”

“Understood!”

The three sprang into action while Chen Jian gripped his 191, eyes locked on the tunnel ahead, assuming a standard combat stance.

He knew the only thing that could truly threaten his squad was not these five vagrants.

They had gone to great lengths to lure him in; surely they had a trick up their sleeve.

As they detonated the “shock grenade,” they were already planning to flee.

So, what were they trying to escape from??

Chen Jian’s heart hammered, yet the tunnel fell into a suffocating silence.

Only the groans of the not-yet-dead Du Hu echoed within.

“You… you… how can you see?”

“Impossible… impossible.”

“Tell me what’s coming, and you may live!”

Chen Jian spoke calmly; Du Hu coughed twice, struggling to answer:

“.Too late… too late”

“We… we can’t get away.”

His words had barely left his lips when a violent scraping sound erupted from deep within the passage.

Chen Jian didn’t stand there foolishly waiting; he instantly ordered a retreat in the opposite direction.

The four bolted, guided by the map on their goggles, moving at astonishing speed.

The scraping grew louder; Chen Jian heard Du Hu’s scream behind him.

He turned—and a horrifying sight met his eyes.

The “mother” he had seen yesterday was now jammed grotesquely in the subway tunnel, its whole body squeezed and distorted, as if an octopus had been forced into a glass jar.

And clutched in that octopus’s maw was the remaining half of Du Hu’s body.

(End of chapter)