Captain 06

On a hillside, there was originally a graveyard. But ever since the anomalies began wreaking havoc, no one had visited this place for a long time. Right now, a large, blood-red coffin lay quietly in the very center of the graveyard, its crimson hue looking entirely out of place amidst the surrounding desolation and ruin.

"What kind of anomaly is this..." Lin Wanxing felt an inexplicable chill run down her spine. She looked up at the gloomy sky, feeling a lingering sense of danger.

Hearing that a high-level anomaly had appeared today, Gu Heng realized this was a great opportunity to earn merits. Successfully dealing with a high-level anomaly meant a chance to be transferred back to headquarters, freeing him from this place where even their meals depended on headquarters' allocations.

Gu Heng cautiously stepped forward and circled the red coffin. It was massive, easily large enough to fit two people. Based on past experience, no ordinary family would paint a coffin this color... unless...

He suddenly reached out, swiped a finger across the coffin, and brought it to his nose to sniff.

A heavy stench of blood.

Suddenly, the sound of a woman weeping echoed out, instantly pulling everyone's nerves taut.

The sound was clearly coming from the blood coffin before them.

"Save me... is anyone there? Please help me..."

Lin Wanxing hesitated, but hearing the girl's cries, she lost her composure. "Hurry up and save her, Gu Heng!"

Gu Heng shook his head repeatedly. "Don't fall for it! It's definitely an anomaly inside!"

"What if it's a real person? I mean, what if the anomaly caught a girl and locked her in there?" Hearing the girl's pleas for help, Lin Wanxing loudly questioned Gu Heng.

Gu Heng glanced at her and bit his lip.

"There are so many of us here, fully armed, are we really afraid of one anomaly?" Lin Wanxing had been listening to everyone's praises lately, practically immersing herself in that state at all times. "Don't be so cold-blooded, okay?"

Gu Heng abruptly gave the order: "Open it! Everyone else, prepare for battle!"

Four men hesitated for a moment, looked at Lin Wanxing's pleading face, and then stepped forward. Each grabbed a side of the coffin lid. After counting to three, they exerted their strength simultaneously. The veins on their arms bulged, yet the coffin lid didn't budge an inch.

"I can't open it... Ah!" Someone realized in horror that his hands were firmly stuck to the coffin.

Gu Heng's eyes widened. "Attack! Save them!"

The group swarmed forward.

The weeping female voice inside the coffin turned into a soft chuckle, and then began to sing a nursery rhyme.

"The bright moon shines~ rowing the oars~"

"So... you suffered heavy casualties?" Fang Zhiyi looked at the defeated team members returning, many of whom were injured.

Li Fei danced with mocking glee. "Hahahaha, typical idiots! A high-level anomaly that none of us would dare touch, and they went for it. They must be crazy for a promotion!"

And when their lives were threatened, the team members who had previously flattered Lin Wanxing were now full of complaints against her.

Even Gu Heng had a dark expression; he hadn't expected several people to die before they even saw the anomaly's face.

"If you want to be a good person, do it yourself! Making our brothers go up! Are you happy now!"

"Where's the medicine! The medicine! My hand!"

Lin Wanxing's face looked awful. "It's not my fault! How was I supposed to know if it was a person or an anomaly inside! What if there really was a person, would you just not save them? You are Guardians. Didn't you know there would be risks the day you became Guardians? Headquarters spends money to keep you, how can you be so cold-blooded!"

After yelling, she turned and ran away. The team members looked at each other in dismay. This woman...

Hiding in her room and crying, Lin Wanxing was full of indignation. How was she supposed to know so many people would die? Was this really her fault?

When there was a knock on her door, Lin Wanxing still threw a tantrum: "Go away! You didn't even speak up for me just now!" She thought it was Gu Heng, but Fang Zhiyi's voice came from outside.

"Miss Lin, many residents heard you've returned and want to come pay their respects."

Hearing it was Fang Zhiyi, Lin Wanxing opened the door. Looking at Fang Zhiyi standing there, she felt incredibly wronged.

As she rambled on about how she was only doing it for the good of others and how they didn't understand her, Fang Zhiyi wore a look of complete understanding.

"Yes, you did the right thing. As a Guardian, you need to have exactly this kind of spirit."

Lin Wanxing looked up at Fang Zhiyi, feeling even more aggrieved. "But, but they..."

Fang Zhiyi smiled. "Don't cry. Many residents heard you came back today and specifically came to visit you."

Lin Wanxing was momentarily stunned. "Visit me?"

"Of course, you've done so many good deeds," Fang Zhiyi smiled. Lin Wanxing's mind instantly buzzed with excitement, much like someone who had quit smoking for a long time suddenly taking a drag of a cigarette. All the previous unpleasantness was tossed aside. People were coming to visit her because of her kindness!

Although she was mentally prepared, the scene before her still gave her a shock when she walked outside the stronghold.

Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of people were gathered there. Seeing her come out, they all surged forward, their eyes fixed on this legendary great philanthropist.

"Miss Lin, please help me. I have an eighty-year-old mother above me and a three-year-old son below me."

"Miss Lin, please give us some food!"

"Living Bodhisattva, my old man and I don't have much left to eat, please have mercy!"

Under ulterior motives and deliberate propaganda, more and more people heard that she granted "every request" and gathered at the gates of the stronghold, demanding she distribute more supplies. Some even brought their families and children, blocking the door and refusing to leave, claiming they would die right there if they weren't given supplies.

In this kind of world, no one would ever complain about having too much food and water.

Lin Wanxing thoroughly enjoyed the feeling of being surrounded and adored, but faced with so many requests, she was put in a difficult position. She wanted to say there weren't that many supplies, but immediately someone in the crowd called her a hypocrite, and others accused her of unfair treatment.

"Why do they get to take so much? We only got that little bit from the very beginning?"

"Miss Lin, please give us a little more grain. My family is running out of food."

"Living Bodhisattva, my son is sick and needs nutrition. Please be kind and give us some more meat."

"Why did they get so much last time, but we only get a little? Are you playing favorites?"

No matter how self-absorbed Lin Wanxing was, she couldn't withstand the chaotic accusations of so many people at this moment. She looked to Fang Zhiyi for help, but Fang Zhiyi had long since slipped away. Gu Heng, who hurried over upon hearing the news, didn't have time to care about anything else upon seeing the scene; he just shielded her behind him.

Lin Wanxing looked at Gu Heng in front of her, and the grievances from earlier surged into her heart. With the accusations and pleas echoing in her ears, her brain lost a bit of control.

"Stop arguing! There is enough for everyone!" Lin Wanxing shouted. The scene fell silent for a moment, followed by an eruption of cheers.