Chapter 228 - 134: Report

Chapter 228: Chapter 134: Report

"Understood," the two replied concisely.

The guards didn’t say another word. They jumped onto the truck, which started up again and drove toward the Inner City, soon disappearing around a street corner.

Xu Mo watched the vehicle recede, his gaze fixed on the far end of the dusty road. The monster’s bizarre smile was still etched in his mind. ’That was definitely not the expression of a mere beast.’ And Wang Jing’s wounds, though gruesome, truly showed no obvious signs of zombie virus infection.

"Let’s go." Zhang Yun patted his shoulder. "We need to report this first."

The two of them walked through the crowd toward a large, dark green tent on the edge of the square. A sign hanging at the entrance read, "Area G Patrol Mission Debriefing." A few other teams that had just completed their missions were lined up outside. The line wasn’t long, and it was soon their turn.

Inside the tent were two folding tables, with two officers sitting behind them. Both were dressed in field camouflage, their epaulets indicating one was a captain and the other a lieutenant. On the tables were tablet computers, paper report forms, and walkie-talkies. A detailed map of the sector was hanging on a rack nearby.

"ID numbers, mission area, any anomalies?" the captain asked without looking up, his fingers poised over the tablet, ready to type.

"Area G-2. ID 802561, Xu Mo. ID 610235, Zhang Yun," Zhang Yun reported. "We found an anomaly. A heavily wounded survivor was evacuated by a medical team, per emergency procedures."

The captain’s tapping fingers paused. He looked up, his sharp gaze sweeping over the two of them. "Explain. In detail."

Zhang Yun gave a concise summary of the situation: their patrol route, the discovery of the injured survivor Wang Jing, Wang Jing’s own account, the monster’s appearance and observational behavior, and the evacuation process after the medical team arrived. Her report was clear and well-organized, highlighting the key points. It was obvious she’d had professional training.

Xu Mo chimed in with a few details, especially the monster’s intelligent-looking, vertical red pupils, and its chilling final "smile."

"Are you sure it was ’observing’ you, not preparing to attack?" the lieutenant asked with a frown, his tone skeptical. "Many mutated creatures exhibit similar behavior before they strike."

"Positive," Xu Mo said, his tone calm but firm. "It had at least three opportunities to attack us. The first was outside the small building, the second was when the medical team first reached the mouth of the alley, and the third was before we all got in the truck and it started moving. But it didn’t. It was more like it was gathering information. Besides, Wang Jing said it might have followed him all the way from Xia Mountain Town."

The captain and the lieutenant exchanged a look, their expressions turning grave.

"Xia Mountain Town..." the captain repeated under his breath, quickly pulling something up on his tablet. "That’s one hundred twenty kilometers away. We’ve had a few sporadic reports from there before, but no assessment of a large-scale threat. If it was really wiped out by a single monster..."

He didn’t finish the thought, but the meaning was clear: this was beyond anything they had encountered before.

"What’s the survivor’s condition?" the lieutenant asked.

"The wounds are lacerations, already severely infected and purulent, but there are no signs of zombie virus infection," Zhang Yun replied. "We performed basic hemostasis and cleaning, but he needs professional medical care."

"No signs of infection?" The lieutenant’s brow furrowed even deeper. "Wounded by a mutated creature, but not infected with the virus?"

This was a crucial discrepancy. Transmission of the zombie virus through bodily fluids was nearly impossible to counter. Unless the victim had special antibodies or underwent immediate amputation, being scratched or bitten by an infected being meant turning was just a matter of time. If Wang Jing showed no signs of turning three to four days after the monster’s attack, then there were only two possibilities: either the monster didn’t carry the zombie virus, or this creature was something completely unrelated to the zombie virus.

"The medical center will run a full check," the captain said in a low voice, typing rapidly on the tablet. "The intel you’ve provided is extremely important. Given the special circumstances, you’ll need to wait here. A higher-ranking officer may need to hear your report directly."

Xu Mo and Zhang Yun nodded in understanding. They were directed to a pair of folding chairs in the corner of the tent to wait. The clamor outside continued, but the atmosphere inside the tent had grown somewhat oppressive.

The wait wasn’t long. About twenty minutes later, the tent flap was pushed aside and an officer wearing the insignia of a major walked in. He looked to be in his early forties, with a ramrod-straight posture and an immaculate uniform. His face was stern, his eyes sharp as a hawk’s, and his stride was steady and powerful. He carried the distinct aura of someone long accustomed to a position of critical importance.

"Major Li!" The captain and lieutenant behind the desks immediately stood and saluted.

Major Li returned the salute with a nod and walked straight to the debriefing station. He spoke briefly with the two officers in a low voice and quickly scanned the report on the tablet. His brow furrowed slightly as he read. Then he turned, his gaze landing precisely on Xu Mo and Zhang Yun.

He walked over and stood before them. His eyes first swept over Zhang Yun, lingering for a moment on the Type 56 semi-automatic rifle slung over her back and her professional attire. Then his gaze shifted to Xu Mo, appraising the AWM sniper rifle on his back and his high-quality gear for a split second before returning to their faces.

"Xu Mo. Zhang Yun," Major Li began. His voice wasn’t loud, but every word was clear, carrying an undeniable air of authority. "I am Major Li of the Special Division. I will be conducting a further inquiry into your encounter with the unidentified creature and the discovery of the survivor, Wang Jing, in Area G-2. Now, I need you to describe the entire incident again, in as much detail as possible. Focus on all of the unidentified creature’s characteristics and behavioral details."

There was no small talk, no unnecessary chatter. He cut straight to the point.

"Yes, Major Li," Xu Mo and Zhang Yun replied, rising to their feet.

"Sit down and talk," Major Li said, pulling over a folding chair for himself. He opened a thick, classified notebook, took out a pen, and gestured for them to begin.

Xu Mo and Zhang Yun repeated their earlier report, this time more systematically and in greater detail.

Major Li took notes at an extremely high speed, the tip of his pen scratching across the paper. He would occasionally interrupt them to press for more information on a specific point.

The questions came one after another, professional and incisive, as if he wanted to dissect every molecule of the monster. When Xu Mo again mentioned that the creature seemed more focused on them because they were armed, Major Li looked up, gave Xu Mo a deep look, but made no comment. He simply made a special note of this point in his notebook.

Regarding Wang Jing and Xia Mountain Town, Major Li’s questions became even more in-depth. "Did Wang Jing mention how the dogs, cats, or other animals in town reacted when the monster attacked? Did they flee, attack, or not react at all? As for the victims’ bodies, aside from the lacerations, were there any other abnormalities? For example, any changes in color, unusual stiffness or softness, or unnatural atrophy?"

Zhang Yun thought back carefully but could only shake her head again. Wang Jing had been on the verge of unconsciousness at the time, so the information he could provide was extremely limited.

The questioning lasted for nearly half an hour. Finally, Major Li closed his notebook and stood up, his expression even graver than when he had arrived.

"I have logged the situation. The information you’ve provided is highly valuable, especially the description of this creature’s behavioral patterns." His gaze swept over them once more. "Xu Mo, your observational skills are very sharp. Zhang Yun, your tactical knowledge and reporting abilities are solid. Thank you for your cooperation."

His wording was still official and restrained, but for words like "valuable" and "sharp" to come from a major who was clearly in a high-ranking position was already high praise.

"Additionally," Major Li paused briefly. His tone didn’t change, but the content of his words took on a subtle new meaning. "Given the unique nature of this incident, and your performance in handling it, we may require your further assistance or consultation during the follow-up investigation. Also, you are required to maintain confidentiality regarding this matter."

"Understood, Major Li," they both replied.

Major Li said no more. He nodded, turned, and strode quickly out of the tent, clearly off to handle this urgent intelligence immediately.

Xu Mo and Zhang Yun stepped out of the tent. The afternoon sun was still scorching.

"That Major Li... he’s no simple man," Zhang Yun said slowly, lighting a cigarette. "Some of those questions he asked went beyond the scope of a simple eyewitness report."

"It’s like he was gathering preliminary intel to create some kind of classification or countermeasure," Xu Mo added, his gaze drifting into the distance. "And those last few words he said..."

"Looks like we’ve stumbled onto something big and new," Zhang Yun said, blowing a smoke ring. Her tone was casual, but her eyes were complicated. "Don’t know if it’s a blessing or a curse."

"Let’s just worry about what’s in front of us," Xu Mo said, pulling his gaze back. "We still have patrol tomorrow."

The two chatted for a moment more before heading their separate ways home.