No sooner had the words left his lips than the trunk sprang open with a remote click.
Given that Yun Ning, who rarely indulged in casual banter, had declared there was no time, it truly meant time was of the essence.
Huang Xiu swiftly placed her luggage into the trunk, then turned to pull open the car door, settling into the passenger seat.
The moment the car door clicked shut, Yun Ning stomped on the accelerator with decisive force.
The engine’s roar and powerful vibrations instantly surged through the vehicle’s frame, directly reaching Huang Xiu.
An inexplicable surge of exhilaration coursed through her.
In that moment, she suddenly grasped why so many young men harbored such an intense fervor for automobiles.
Amidst the relentless vibrations, the sleek, pure black SUV roared to life, hurtling down the road.
The campus, where she had spent a week, was instantly left far behind.
Once the vehicle settled into a steady rhythm, Huang Xiu quickly inquired, “What’s happened? Why are we leaving so much earlier?”
Their agreed-upon departure time was supposed to be in the evening.
Yun Ning’s hands rested on the steering wheel.
“An hour ago, the AI system pinpointed Lin Wude’s location, locking onto his approximate whereabouts. Opportunities like this are fleeting; we cannot afford to miss it.”
So that was it.
Huang Xiu nodded in understanding, then stretched her legs, which had grown somewhat stiff from holding the horse stance for too long.
“It’s a good thing I don’t need to engage in close combat, otherwise my fighting strength would be reduced by at least ten percent.”
After expressing her relief, she recalled their travel itinerary.
Since it was just the two of them traveling to Ying City, they couldn’t apply for the school’s specialized transport plane.
Therefore, they first had to take a special Awakened individual flight from Tiandu International Airport to Yanghai, and then transfer to a car for the final leg to Ying City.
This round trip was estimated to take six to seven hours.
This meant they would likely arrive in Ying City around eight or nine in the evening.
The thought sent a shiver down Huang Xiu’s spine.
“Oh, by the way, Senior Student Yun, I have a question. Why didn’t the Ying City Jurisdiction Bureau apprehend Lin Wude themselves? Instead, they posted the mission online for us to take on?” Huang Xiu asked, puzzled.
Even a branch of the Jurisdiction Bureau in a small county shouldn’t find it difficult to capture a wild Awakened individual, should they?
“You’re aware of the large-scale Void Realm anomaly in Ying City, aren’t you?”
Seeing Huang Xiu nod, Yun Ning continued, “Dealing with that major Void Realm is the top priority right now. Everything else takes a backseat to it.”
“Besides, who said the Jurisdiction Bureau didn’t try? They attempted to capture him immediately but failed. That’s why they posted the mission on the Void Web.”
“Failed…” Huang Xiu’s brows furrowed.
It seemed this Lin Wude was more formidable than she had imagined.
However, since her senior student dared to accept the mission, it implied he was absolutely confident in its completion.
“Actually, tasks outsourced by agencies aren’t necessarily beyond their capabilities. It simply depends on whether they’re willing to invest more effort.”
The asphalt road leading out of Tiandu University was smooth and sparsely trafficked, leaving Yun Ning feeling a bit bored.
He seized the opportunity to educate Huang Xiu on various aspects of the Void Web’s mission board.
“Moreover, sometimes, outsourcing certain missions to independent Awakened individuals can yield better results.”
Every agency even has quotas for outsourced missions.
This is because, as you know, the Great Xia Nation is vast.
It’s no exaggeration to say that the number of independent Awakened individuals even surpasses the population of some smaller nations.
Thus, the Void Web’s mission board was initially established precisely for them.”
“Is that how it is?”
Huang Xiu generally understood Yun Ning’s explanation.
“By outsourcing the missions they usually take, domestic independent Awakened individuals can mobilize their collective strength.”
Furthermore, by offering generous mission rewards, their stability can be maintained.
Considering these factors, this mission mechanism came into being.
“However, the mission board has become incredibly sophisticated over time. Besides independent Awakened individuals, senior students from Tiandu University and the Awakened Higher Vocational College also accept missions on it to earn extra income.”
Yun Ning added with a smile, “You see how the senior students all have cars? They actually bought them by earning money through these missions.”
“Then, Senior Student Yun, what about your car?” Huang Xiu asked curiously.
“I haven’t decided which model to buy yet.”
“Is that so?” Huang Xiu turned to gaze out the window.
For a moment, she fell silent, dedicating her attention to the scenery unfolding along the route.
This was her third time traveling this road by car.
It was also the first time she had the presence of mind to observe and commit to memory this asphalt road connecting to the school.
During the first ten minutes of the journey away from the campus, Huang Xiu saw no signs of human habitation.
The dense vegetation lining both sides of the road undulated with the terrain.
Huang Xiu recalled Yun Ning mentioning that powerful Awakened individual shielding devices were installed near the school.
So, she wasn’t surprised by the lack of people.
After about ten minutes, the car left the asphalt road, turning left onto a concrete path.
The population density immediately increased.
Two-story self-built farmhouses could be seen by the roadside, and pedestrians strolled along the path.
Yun Ning also slowed down the vehicle appropriately.
Compared to the senior female student who had picked up new students that day, his driving was remarkably steady.
After driving for well over an hour, they finally arrived at Tiandu International Airport just before two in the afternoon.
Yun Ning was clearly no stranger to taking special Awakened individual flights.
He smoothly guided Huang Xiu through the procedures.
They used a dedicated channel, took an airport shuttle, and quickly boarded a passenger plane not listed on the regular flight schedule.
Because it was a special Awakened individual flight, security didn’t mind Huang Xiaoxian’s presence.
It was even allowed to board the cabin with Huang Xiu.
However, it had to remain in the luggage, unable to venture out.
Still, this was better than her initial plan of checking it in as cargo.
Before entering the cabin, Huang Xiu tapped her suitcase, specifically reminding it:
“When we’re on the plane, don’t make any noise. Also, when we take off, remember to activate flight mode to avoid any issues because of you, Huang Xiaoxian.”
“Okay!”
“Actually, Junior Female Student, you could apply for a special partner status for your…” Yun Ning recalled the cactus’s name, “Huang Xiaoxian, that’s what it’s called, right?”
“This way, it could gain partial Great Xia Nation citizen status, and wouldn’t need to stay in the luggage when taking a special flight.”
“Oh, I only just learned that!”
Huang Xiu had never heard of this ‘special partner’ status before.
Keeping Huang Xiaoxian in the suitcase was certainly not a long-term solution.
She silently made a mental note, planning to research the relevant procedures for this status upon her return.
Pulling her suitcase, she walked to her seat, preparing to bend down and place it in the overhead compartment.
“Junior Female Student, you don’t seem well. Let me do it.”
Yun Ning was very observant; he had already noticed Huang Xiu’s somewhat awkward walking posture on the way.
“Thank you,” Huang Xiu said instinctively.
Yun Ning had chosen connecting seats on the special flight.
Huang Xiu took the window seat inside, while Yun Ning sat to her right, closer to the aisle.
“Junior Female Student, did you not stretch after your combat class?” Yun Ning suddenly asked.
“I did stretch, but I was too hungry. I was in a hurry to eat, so I only did a quick stretch…”
Huang Xiu twirled a strand of hair around her pinky finger. “Why do you ask?”
“You’ll know tomorrow.”
Yun Ning smiled meaningfully, leaving Huang Xiu utterly bewildered.
She detested it when people spoke in riddles, leaving her hanging.
However, Huang Xiu didn’t dwell on it for long, quickly dismissing the minor incident from her mind.
If she would know tomorrow, then she would simply wait until tomorrow.
They didn’t wait long; the plane quickly took off.
Even though this wasn’t Huang Xiu’s first time flying, she still felt a sense of novelty.
She kept looking around and touching things.
Her last flight had been on a transport plane, which hadn’t been a pleasant experience, and she hadn’t gotten to try the legendary airplane meal.
This time, it wasn’t mealtime either, so she probably wouldn’t get to experience it.
Huang Xiu sighed with a touch of regret.
She then retracted her gaze, subtly observing the other passengers.
This special Awakened individual flight was only open to Awakened individuals, and she had initially expected there wouldn’t be many passengers.
However, to her surprise, the flight was quite full.
Most passengers looked no different from ordinary people, but a few were quite ‘distinctive’.
One thin man, in particular, was covered in dense, intricate tattoos of patterns and characters.
There were dragons, tigers, roosters, and even some Taoist incantations.
Awakened individuals were exceptionally sharp-sighted.
Even attempting to observe covertly with her peripheral vision, Huang Xiu dared not stare, fearing she might provoke dissatisfaction.
She was always meticulously careful about maintaining proper boundaries.
Yun Ning pulled a U-shaped pillow from his backpack and waved it at Huang Xiu.
“Junior Female Student, do you want to sleep for a bit? We still have three hours to go.”
“You use it.”
Huang Xiu shook her head; she wasn’t tired yet.
After the initial excitement faded, boredom set in, and she took out her phone to play games.
After playing for over an hour, her neck began to stiffen again.
Huang Xiu looked up and stretched.
Most passengers in the plane were now resting with their eyes closed, and the flight attendants moved quietly, keeping their voices low.
The entire cabin was almost silent, save for the faint rumbling of high-altitude airflow against the plane’s metallic skin.
Glancing to her right, Yun Ning had his eyes closed, his breathing steady.
Huang Xiu smiled silently, her gaze sweeping forward, quickly drawn back to the tattooed man.
She wondered if he was airsick or feeling unwell.
With his hands covering his face, his body trembled slightly with minimal movements, and he mumbled incessantly.
‘Something seems wrong. Is he having an episode?’
Huang Xiu pondered for a moment, then decided to wake Yun Ning.
They were on a plane, after all. If something truly went wrong, they would be utterly helpless.
‘I can’t be that unlucky!’ Huang Xiu thought, on the verge of tears.
Encountering abnormal situations on a plane was supposed to be exclusive to protagonists, wasn’t it?
Huang Xiu leaned in, speaking softly enough for only the two of them to hear, “Senior Student, look at that man. I think something is wrong with him.”
Yun Ning’s eyes snapped open. After adjusting to the light, he followed Huang Xiu’s gaze.
The tattooed man’s trembling had intensified.
Yun Ning covered his mouth with his hand, whispering, “There is indeed something wrong with this person. Keep a close eye on him!”
No sooner had he spoken than the tattooed man suddenly unbuckled his seatbelt and stood up.
With his hands still covering his face, he tilted his head back, his entire body convulsing as if struck by electricity.
This sudden, abnormal movement instantly drew everyone’s attention.
All eyes immediately turned to the tattooed man.
“I said it.”
The tattooed man slowly lowered his hands, revealing bloodshot, crimson eyes.
“Enough!”
*Click.*
Yun Yu unbuckled his seatbelt.
His body slightly hunched, he concealed himself behind the seat, ready to spring forward at any moment.
A tug on his clothes.
He turned to see Huang Xiu’s beautiful, concerned eyes.
“Be careful.” She did not hinder Yun Yu’s actions.
The others also refrained from acting rashly, opting to observe.
Firstly, they weren’t sure what was happening, and secondly, they were weighing whether to be the first to act.
Information was crucial.
“Why resist? Why exert futile effort?” The tattoos on the man’s body suddenly began to writhe.
He was actually using his ability on the plane!
The implications were self-evident!
Immediately, some people could no longer hold back and chose to act.
Especially those closest to him, who, to protect themselves, decided to strike first.
Several abilities converged on the tattooed man at once.
However, considering the plane’s structural integrity, the more destructive abilities were reined in, their power slightly reduced.
By the time Yun Yu burst from his seat and lunged forward,
The tattooed man had already been forcibly pinned to the ground by an unusually burly man.
His hands and feet were stuck together by some unknown substance.
Even so, everyone remained vigilant, as the tattoos on his body had become increasingly solid.
“Stop your ability, or don’t blame me for being ruthless!”
A fierce glint flashed in the burly man’s eyes.
If it weren’t absolutely necessary, he wouldn’t want to kill someone in broad daylight.
Such an act would lead to significant trouble later.
He casually tore off the tattooed man’s clothes, exposing his chest, which was covered in dark blue-black tattoos.
The majority of these tattoos depicted dragons and tigers.
“I’ll hypnotize him.”
A female passenger quickly approached, preparing to place her hand on the tattooed man’s body.
At that moment, the eyes of the ink-black dragon on the man’s chest suddenly moved, staring intently at the female passenger.
A black dragon claw extended from the man’s chest, sweeping forward with a violent motion.
“How audacious!” The burly man’s eyes widened in fury.
His left hand controlled the tattooed man, while his right hand moved with surprising speed, seizing the black dragon claw.
But immediately, another dragon claw extended, viciously clawing towards the burly man’s chest.
This strike, for him, was truly unavoidable.
Yet, the burly man’s face showed no trace of fear.
He knew that the other passengers would never stand by idly.
These people, who had heard tales of zombie outbreaks, surely understood the gravity of the situation.
Indeed, seeing the situation escalate, the passengers who had previously held back no longer hesitated.
Yun Yu, being close, grasped and controlled the dragon claw with both hands, saving the burly man from being disemboweled.
Huang Xiu, meanwhile, stepped onto her seat, opened the overhead compartment, and prepared to release Huang Xiaoxian.
Suddenly, a metal chopstick flew from a distance, its sender unknown.
With a sickening *thump*, it pierced through the tattooed man’s head.
Red blood mixed with yellowish-white brain matter immediately gushed onto the floor.
A faint scent of blood permeated the air.