Chapter 355: Secretly Protecting Her, Watching Her Grow Up
Chapter 355: Chapter 355: Secretly Protecting Her, Watching Her Grow Up
Lu Chen shouted in a deep voice and charged forward. In an instant, he arrived behind the injured Zhou Yi, absorbing the brunt of the incoming attack for him. His spiritual power erupted at full force. His fierce combat prowess immediately suppressed the battlefield, forcibly stabilizing the situation that had been on the verge of collapse.
At the same time, Yun Sheng raised her hand and cast a thick, broad Spirit Barrier, enveloping all the members of the Ninth Squad within it.
The transparent spiritual power barrier materialized over the ground, instantly blocking out the smell of the induction agent permeating the area. The corrosive suppression aimed at the Sentinels’ spiritual power vanished without a trace in a split second.
Several Sentinels, who had previously been suppressed to the point of dizziness and mental chaos, suddenly felt their heads clear. Their agitated, disordered spiritual power slowly settled down, and the heavy sense of suppression on their bodies completely faded. Their nerves, stretched to the absolute limit, were finally able to relax, and their pale complexions regained some color.
Before everyone could fully recover, Yun Sheng twitched her fingertips. Countless fine, sharp spiritual needles suddenly burst forth, piercing toward the temples, spiritual landscapes, and other vital spots of the Dark Nest remnants besieging them. Her strikes were fast and accurate, disrupting the enemies’ rhythm every time and silently sharing much of the pressure bearing down on Lu Chen and Zhou Yi.
"All members, counterattack!" Zhou Yi shouted deeply, seizing this perfect opportunity to turn the tables.
Breaking free from the mental suppression, the squad members instantly regrouped. Working in perfect coordination with Lu Chen’s frontal assault, they launched a swift and fierce counter-offensive against the Dark Nest remnants. The tide of battle turned, completely lopsided, with victory well within reach.
But just as everyone focused on clearing out the enemies before them and the battle was about to conclude, a cold gaze locked onto Yun Sheng from the darkest corner deep within the factory building!
The attacker had hidden extremely well, staying entirely out of the frontal melee. This was clearly an ambush lying in wait, aiming only to severely injure or even kidnap her in a single strike, as she was the squad’s only guide. An inexplicable sense of danger exploded instantly, rushing straight to her mind!
In the past, Yun Sheng might have panicked, but after undergoing several practical combat trials, her danger perception and adaptability had long since drastically improved. Almost the instant the sense of crisis arose, her body instinctively dodged to the side. At the same time, she erected another spiritual power barrier in front of her, blocking the sneak-attacking blade of spiritual power.
In the shadows not far away, Si Jin, who had been silently guarding her, had originally tensed his body and concealed his aura, preparing to step in and protect Yun Sheng. However, when he clearly saw how accurately Yun Sheng detected the danger, calmly dodged and defended, and steadily withstood the sneak attack, his tense shoulders slowly relaxed, and a faint smile flashed through his eyes. Seeing her growth with his own eyes brought him great comfort. The spiritual power he had gathered instantly receded as he continued to hide in the dark, constantly watching over Yun Sheng.
Without the restraint of the hidden sneak attack, the remaining Dark Nest remnants completely collapsed. The squad members cooperated seamlessly, quickly surrounding and suppressing them. In just a brief moment, they subdued everyone, pinning them firmly to the ground.
Just then, a ruthless determination flashed in the eyes of several pinned Dark Nest remnants, and they quickly clamped their jaws shut.
By the time the squad members reacted, it was already too late. All of them had poison hidden in their mouths. They immediately convulsed and died within seconds, completely cutting off any possibility of interrogation or tracking down clues.
The scene instantly fell silent, leaving only the slightly hurried breathing of the group.
Clutching his wounded shoulder, Zhou Yi calmed his ragged breathing slightly and turned to look at Yun Sheng, who stood calmly beside him. His eyes were filled with genuine relief and gratitude. "We really owe it all to you today, Yun Sheng. If you hadn’t arrived in time to break the mental suppression, our entire Ninth Squad most likely would have perished here today."
The other squad members also looked at her, their eyes full of acknowledgment and gratitude, completely devoid of the previous contempt they had for the newcomer.
Hearing this, Yun Sheng gently shook her head. She took out the remaining Mental Soothing Agent from her backpack and handed it out one by one to the unstable squad members. A shallow smile curved her lips, her tone frank and low-key. "You don’t need to say that. I’m also a member of the Ninth Squad. Protecting my teammates and fighting side by side with you is exactly what I should do."
Lu Chen stood to the side, watching all of this in silence, his mood growing increasingly complicated. He took a step forward. His expression lost its usual coldness and aloofness, replaced by a rare solemnity and sincerity as he spoke to Yun Sheng. "Previously, I had too deep a prejudice and misjudged you. Questioning and reprimanding you in public was my fault. Thank you for saving me and the whole squad today."
This public apology was exceptionally earnest, leaving all the squad members present stunned. Everyone knew that Lu Chen was stubborn and never willing to bow his head. For him to admit his mistake on his own initiative proved just how stellar Yun Sheng’s performance was today.
Yun Sheng shook her head slightly, smiling gently. "You don’t need to take it to heart, Captain Lu. We’re all teammates; covering for each other is what we ought to do."
With that simple sentence—neither haughty nor humble, neither arrogant nor impetuous—Lu Chen felt even more relieved and completely let go of all his reservations.
Afterward, the group began to systematically clean up the scene. They turned off the signal jamming equipment, verified the personnel on site, and took the captured Dark Nest members into custody, maintaining clear divisions of labor and swift actions throughout the process.
After confirming that the entire factory area had been thoroughly inspected and no hidden dangers remained, everyone packed up their gear, evacuated the abandoned factory, and boarded the standby field hovercar. On the return journey, the atmosphere in the vehicle completely relaxed, sweeping away the tense and oppressive feeling from when they first set out.
Unable to suppress their curiosity, two young Sentinels in the squad crowded around Yun Sheng, chattering away and making the carriage exceptionally lively.
"You’re too amazing, Yun Sheng! Today with that Spirit Barrier, all of us were almost unable to hold on, and the moment you arrived, you completely turned the tables!"
"It completely overturned my expectations! Who says rookie guides are weak? Your strength is better than many veteran guides!"
"That sneak attack from the shadows just now was too close! None of us noticed it, but you actually dodged it in an instant. Your reflexes are way too good!"
They chimed in one after another, all offering genuine admiration without the slightest hint of their previous unfamiliarity or alienation. Surrounded and bantered with, Yun Sheng felt a little embarrassed. Her eyes curved as she smiled faintly, patiently replying to them. Her attitude remained modest and low-key, without a shred of arrogance.
Lu Chen sat on the side, quietly watching this lively scene. His expression was calm, but he no longer harbored his previous prejudices, and a bit more approval and tolerance filled his eyes.
After this battle, Yun Sheng had completely established her footing in the Ninth Squad and was genuinely accepted by everyone.
Just as everyone was chatting and laughing in great spirits, Yun Sheng’s terminal suddenly rang. The caller ID showed Su Yuanzhou. She casually answered the call.
Over the phone came Su Yuanzhou’s slightly helpless and hurried voice, set against a rather noisy background. "Yun Sheng, I’m sorry to bother you. Are you free right now? Can you take some time to go to the hospital?"
Hearing this, Yun Sheng paused slightly and asked softly, "What’s wrong? What happened?"
"The hospital just called me," Su Yuanzhou said quickly, sounding somewhat exasperated. "Lin Jian Country suddenly ran to the ward to see your mother. The two of them are arguing fiercely, and the nurses can’t stop them at all. I have an important meeting here and really can’t get away."