Chapter 97: The Peculiar Energy-Absorbing Vehicle

Time seemed to stretch endlessly. Du Yun only realized her legs had grown stiff from standing when she noticed the surrounding silence. The monitor revealed the thick cloak of night. The countless vehicles that had swarmed like fish earlier were now gone, leaving only the massive body of the starship resting quietly in the center of the spaceport.

"Douzhi, are there any vehicles left nearby?" Du Yun suddenly had an unsettling feeling; it seemed that, thanks to the powerful reconnaissance of those vehicles, everyone outside this underground bunker—be they human or zombie—had vanished.

"No, they left an hour ago," Douzhi replied gloomily.

Douzhi felt that his core intelligence was almost useless. During his time in the apocalypse, he’d learned so little that he hadn’t even known of the existence of the Blue-Light Starship and those strange vehicles.

"Is this the moment when the Blue-Light Starship’s defenses are at their weakest?" Du Yun’s mind raced, weighing her thoughts for a long time before she spoke to the leader.

“You mean—?” The leader understood her instantly, his eyes lighting up.

If they wanted to survive, if they wanted to escape this zombie-infested world, they needed a starship of their own. The defense systems of a starship were formidable, and seizing one was nearly impossible, especially since each was guarded by thousands of odd vehicles.

The combat power of the vehicles, as seen on the monitors, was astonishing; a single unit could match two ordinary team members. By that reckoning, even if the whole group banded together, they wouldn’t get within a hundred meters of a starship before being overwhelmed. But now, an opportunity had presented itself.

“If those vehicles don’t return for at least an hour, we’ll have a chance to approach the starship and break through its defenses to seize control,” Lia continued the leader’s train of thought, casting a deep, admiring look at Du Yun. Clearly, she was surprised by Du Yun’s shrewdness and boldness.

“Yes, this is a rare chance,” Du Yun affirmed, her gaze burning as she awaited the leader’s decision.

In this world ruled by zombies, death lurked everywhere. Hiding away might prolong their lives, but only briefly. True escape meant leaving this place, and for that, they needed to pull off something big—securing a starship was essential.

"All units, prepare for battle. We depart in fifteen minutes," the leader ordered, crisp and decisive. He agreed with Du Yun; such a chance could not be missed. Who knew when they would next encounter a starship unguarded by those vehicles?

"Yes!" The reply rang out, strong and disciplined, the team members standing tall.

"Move out!" The leader issued the command, and the group sprang into action: checking supplies and equipment, donning matching combat uniforms, moving with swift precision—like a finely tuned machine.

Du Yun watched as Da Zhuang and Skinny Monkey seamlessly joined the busy preparations. She felt a sense of helplessness, as though she were an outsider, and sighed, turning back to her room to ready herself. She missed the triumphant look Lia gave her, a silent acknowledgment of her victory.

“Master, are you unhappy?” Douzhi sensed Du Yun’s mood, hesitating for a moment before asking timidly.

“Why would you think that?” Du Yun was caught off-guard by the question, realizing she truly felt a bit down.

“Your breathing rate, heartbeat, and blood pressure all match the signs of unhappiness,” Douzhi confessed honestly. Understanding a woman’s emotions was hard for any man, let alone an AI.

“I suppose I’m just a little low. It’s nothing.” Du Yun smiled. She was, after all, a stranger among the leader’s team; it would take time to integrate. Besides, she only wanted to pursue the leader romantically, not join his squad—so why fret over these things?

Once she understood her own feelings, her mood improved. She pulled out the most advanced weapons from her storage compartment, fitted the energy cells, and placed them within easy reach. She held two energy guns—light but powerful, an excellent choice.

As Du Yun arranged her gear, a sudden, violent tremor shook the ceiling above her, as if something was pounding it with a heavy hammer. Everyone was alarmed.

“What’s happening?” Du Yun rushed out, finding the others gathered in the hall, anxious and unsettled. The shaking overhead continued.

“There’s a strange vehicle outside attacking the bunker,” Qingguo, who had been stationed at the monitor, said with a trembling voice. His legs shook, but he forced himself upright, displaying a stubborn, youthful courage.

"Prepare for battle." Though it hadn’t yet been fifteen minutes, there was no time to waste. At the leader’s order, everyone drew their weapons and watched as the thick stone slab—over ten centimeters—at the entrance was smashed by the vehicle’s tentacle.

After shattering the stone, the tentacle seemed to sense their presence, stretching out its odd mechanical tip toward them like a predator excited by the scent of prey.

"Ah!" Those less brave screamed, clutching their weapons but fleeing deeper inside.

The leader’s team, however, formed a line, firing their weapons at the tentacle. The tentacle recoiled sharply, as if in pain—an almost animal-like response—offering a glimmer of hope.

"We are human! Stop attacking!" the leader shouted toward the tentacle, hoping that if the vehicle were human-controlled, it would respond.

Instead, a violent crash erupted from the tentacle’s entry point, dust billowing out. Through the swirling dust, four or five mechanical tentacles shot out, aiming directly at the leader.

"This thing has escalated!" Du Yun’s eyes widened. She fired at the tentacles without hesitation. If you want to attack my man, you’ll have to get through me first.