Chapter 192: 192, Give you a way to save face

The news of Barrier 109 being destroyed and occupied by the test subjects had already spread rapidly across the Alliance of Barriers when the incident occurred.

If the destruction of Barriers 113 and 112 was due to natural disasters and humanity had no choice, then the fall of Barrier 109 meant their survival was once again challenged by non-human species.

Because Barrier 109 was not destroyed by natural disasters—this threat came from a new group, and their aggression was fierce.

The Barriers had stood in this world for over a century, while some of humanity’s powerful dynasties had lasted only two hundred years at most. Humans had grown accustomed to the safe life within the Barriers.

Yet now, the emergence of the test subjects told humanity they must re-examine this world.

The road from Barrier 109 to Qing’s Barrier 111 was smooth, but the armored convoy had vanished, leaving only two off-road vehicles racing across the wilderness, kicking up massive dust clouds that loomed imposingly in the distance.

Qing Zhen sat in the back of the vehicle with his eyes closed, as if pondering something. Luo Lan beside him kept eating, occasionally speaking to Qing Zhen.

"Are we really going back to Barrier 111 to surrender?" Luo Lan said indignantly: "The Presidium is discarding us after using us! We’ve done so much for the Qing family, and now they just say we’re under house arrest?"

Qing Zhen opened his eyes and looked at Luo Lan calmly: "You can call yourself a donkey if you want, but don’t drag me into it…"

"Aw, wrong word," Luo Lan corrected: "But you get what I mean."

"Barrier 111 is our home. Where else would we go?" Qing Zhen said lazily: "Come back with me this time. You’ll be safer by my side. If I left you in someone else’s Barrier, who knows what trouble you’d cause."

"I’ve caused trouble and gotten results," Luo Lan protested: "Didn’t I successfully steal Li’s research? It’s just that you sent it away. Speaking of which, why did you give the hard drive to that girl from the Yang family? Even if our nanobot tech hasn’t made breakthroughs, what if it does in the future? Think about it—we’re ordinary people. These nanobots could make us like the supernatural beings!"

Qing Zhen waved it off: "I don’t like fighting."

"But you’ve been doing it all along," Luo Lan said: "Everyone says you’re the best at it, right?"

"I’m best at gardening," Qing Zhen explained seriously: "I’m warning you—don’t touch my flowers when we get back."

"Fine," Luo Lan scoffed: "Why would I touch your flowers? I’d rather touch women. Anyway, I still think giving the hard drive to the Yang family was a waste."

Qing Zhen laughed: "It’s not a waste. Li’s Barrier was destroyed, and their research was stolen. To resolve internal conflicts, they’ll redirect their anger outward. When the Yang family becomes their target, our two neighbors will fight, and we’ll sleep soundly."

"That’s not easy," Luo Lan said: "It’s been ages since we’ve had a real war."

Qing Zhen gazed out the window: "That’s the problem. Has the human world forgotten how to wage war?"

"You’re the one who’s ugly," Luo Lan said: "I hate fighting—it’s all due to circumstances. Though the thugs have found your secret base. We need to strengthen defenses."

Qing Zhen remained calm: "They haven’t found it. It’s just speculation."

"How do you know?" Luo Lan paused.

"Given their nature," Qing Zhen smiled: "If they’d found our nuclear test site, they’d have blown it up by now."

Suddenly, Luo Lan shouted: "Hey, look ahead."

A convoy of fully armed vehicles blocked their path to Barrier 111, their sides marked with ginkgo leaf emblems. Luo Lan grinned: "The Presidium really takes you seriously."

After their vehicle stopped, a suited man with sunglasses approached: "Qing Zhen, do you know you’re under house arrest?"

Qing Zhen explained earnestly: "Secretary Zhou, you wanted to bring Luo Lan back for house arrest, didn’t you? I’m here to help you catch him!"

Luo Lan chimed in: "Right, he caught me! It took great effort—I resisted fiercely."

Zhou Secretary froze. He’d expected a clash and brought troops, but Qing Zhen’s excuse left him flustered.

Zhou Secretary said coldly: "Don’t think I don’t know what you did at Barrier 109. Where’s your army? You’re a consortium member yet you’ve kept a secret force!"

Qing Zhen’s voice turned heavy: "They all died in the process of capturing Luo Lan!"

Luo Lan yelled: "Right, I’m not easy to catch!"

Zhou Secretary was exasperated: "What kind of comedy are you two putting on?"

But Qing Zhen’s expression gradually calmed: "I’ll give you a way out. Just take it."

Suddenly, Zhou Secretary felt the hairs on his neck stand up. Before him stood not a man but a tiger, its stillness as fearsome as a ravenous beast.

Qing Zhen stepped forward, removed Zhou’s sunglasses, and put them on: "The sun’s harsh. I needed a pair. Secretary Zhou, if you want answers about the army, you’ll have to ask the Presidium yourself. You’re not qualified."

Zhou Secretary turned and boarded his vehicle: "Wait till we return to the Barrier—see if you still have this audacity!"

As the convoy drove off toward Barrier 111, Zhou Secretary sat in his car, his hands trembling slightly.

…

At this moment, Ren Xiao Su and Yang Xiao Jin’s injuries were no longer severe. They continued north, though their pace was slow.

Yang Xiao Jin glanced at the scorching sun overhead: "We didn’t take a wrong turn, did we? We still haven’t seen the Six Yuan group."

"No," Ren Xiao Su said: "Navigating direction is basic in the wilderness. Whether the Six Yuan group took a wrong turn, I don’t know…"

"They wouldn’t," Yang Xiao Jin said: "We saw a pile of campfires yesterday. It seems many escaped Barrier 109 in the end. They should be with the refugee army."