113 Chapter 112

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Barren lands.

On the wilderness road.

Two brand-new vehicles, one following the other, raced down the road.

The vehicle in the back, a spacious van, was driving steadily. Being a multi-purpose sports model, it wasn't bumpy even on gravel roads.

Inside the van.

Rebecca was feeling quite bored. She lowered the back of her seat, rested her hands behind her head, and chewed bubble gum.

Pop!

Another big bubble burst.

"Beard man, when will we get there? This barren land is too desolate, not a soul in sight."

Rebecca straightened her legs, shifted her position, and crossed them again, her hot shorts tightened even more.

Falco, in a good mood, replied, "I don't know, the sun hasn't set yet. If you're bored, I don't mind humming a tune or two."

Rebecca replied irritably, "Who wants to listen to a bearded man sing? Better to keep quiet."

Kiwi, clutching her laptop, was busily typing away and joined the conversation, "We're almost there, but this mission is a bit tricky."

Rebecca perked up and quickly asked, "What's the job that requires us to travel this far?"

Kiwi, staring at her screen, replied, "To the nomad tribes of the barren lands, investigating the cause of an infection."

Rebecca's newfound curiosity faded again.

"Boring."

Kiwi continued, "The tribe has had continuous deaths from the infection, followed by mysteriously disappearing corpses and the mysterious deaths of the guards watching over them. It's not as boring as you think."

Rebecca regained her interest, quickly turning to Kiwi and asking, "That sounds somewhat interesting, it's the first time we're taking on such a job. It seems brain-intensive, I'm good with guns, but not so much with brains."

Kiwi analyzed seriously, "Maine has mentioned that this matter might be linked to a corporation, so we should be ready for battle."

Rebecca, eager to engage in a fire-fight, agreed, "You're right, in the end, it always comes down to guns."

After speaking, she sat up, took out her newly modified submachine gun, and began to check and fiddle with it.

Falco continued driving until the sunset and night fell upon the desolate lands.

Falco turned to the two in the back and said, "Maine has sent a message; we're approaching our destination."

Rebecca quickly leaned towards the window, looking forward, and indeed saw signs of tribal activity in the distance.

By the pond, various simple tents were set up, surrounded by a makeshift defense line, looking like a camp that was recently constructed.

As the two vehicles neared the tribe, they were stopped by tribal guards, who asked them to park aside.

Maine and Dorio, after taking precautions, got out of the car first and went forward to communicate with the guards. Once their identities were confirmed, they were allowed in.

Dorio signaled to Rebecca and Kiwi in the vehicle behind that they could get out.

Falco, the team's designated driver responsible only for the vehicle, remained seated inside.

The team—Maine, Dorio, Rebecca, and hacker Kiwi—comprised of these four for the mission.

Soon.

A tribal elder in a cowboy hat came out to welcome Maine and the others, apologizing, "Sorry for the trouble. Until we identify the cause of the infection, please ensure your own safety."

Maine nodded; Gloria had informed them earlier that the most likely source was contaminated food, but they couldn't rule out other transmission paths. While taking precautions, they were to avoid contact, especially refraining from eating in the tribe.

Following the elder, Maine began to observe the layout and environment of the surroundings.

He could tell that each tribal member was worried, a heavy atmosphere enveloping the tribe.

The continuous deaths from the infection must be causing immense mental stress to the members.

The elder led Maine and the others to a fenced-off camp, explaining, "The tribe's dead from the infection have been carried away to a distant location. Currently, those infected are gathered here for treatment."

Maine and the others entered the infirmary camp with solemn expressions. The sight inside was horrifying.

Dozens of people lay on straw mats, constantly moaning in pain. Their bodies were covered in dense wounds, oozing sticky pus, emitting a foul smell.

Yet, they continued to scratch their sores, reopening the freshly formed scabs, enduring an unending cycle of itch and pain.

Their faces, arms, and legs, nearly every inch of skin was in a dreadful state.

Dorio, with a frown, asked, "When did their symptoms begin?"

The elder, sorrowfully, replied, "The past week for some, almost a month for others. Those who couldn't endure have already been sent away."

Maine, also puzzled by the disease, further inquired, "Have you sent anyone to Night City for medical examination?"

The elder nodded, "We've sent people, but no doctor knew what it is. And those large public medical institutions refuse to treat those without identity."

"The street vendors told us about a new antibiotic that could cure this disease. We bought some, but they didn't seem to work."

He pulled out a bottle of antibiotics from his torn pocket and handed it to Maine.

Maine took the bottle, which only had the production date and stated that the antibiotic was aimed at treating multi-drug resistant bacteria.

Besides, there was no other information.

He passed the bottle to Dorio and Kiwi for examination.

Kiwi began searching quickly and failed to find accurate records about the antibiotic, only some related contents.

That the antibiotic claimed to target "super bacteria"?

Multi-drug resistant bacteria, also known as "super bacteria," have always been a human dilemma; infection usually means death.

This type of biochemical offensive weapon is more common on battlefields, a side effect of technological advancement.

The evolution of bacterial resistance and lethality is beyond imagination.

Maine asked Dorio to keep the bottle and then recorded the distressing scenes with his cybernetic eye, continuing his inquiry, "Have there been new cases since you moved here?"

The elder led them out of the camp before replying, "No new cases these past few days. To avoid further infections, we haven't gone out scavenging or trading for food, relying solely on our stored supplies from before the outbreak."

Maine nodded thoughtfully; the tribe seemed aware of the infection risk, either from water or food sources.

To truly understand, they needed to know what the infected had consumed, ideally obtaining stomach samples from the patients.

Then, they inspected the belongings of the deceased; most had been burned by the tribe, maintaining only various samples.

They found worn clothes, consumed canned goods, and assorted daily necessities, but nothing indicative of the cause.

Dorio took out a sample box and collected different food and drink samples.

Maine suggested inspecting the deceased's bodies and possibly taking some samples.

However, the elder informed them that the bodies had recently vanished; only those still living with the infection remained.

The elder had tribe members collect tissue and pathological samples from the infected sores, sealing them before handing them to Dorio.

After getting a basic understanding, Maine found a spot to communicate the on-site situation with Gloria.

They had the basic samples and could bring them back for analysis.

To continue the investigation, they needed to determine how the bodies disappeared; if it was intentional, they could track those responsible.

Gloria informed them that identifying the pathogen wasn't enough; discovering the truth behind the missing bodies would unveil who was directing from behind.

Maine understood that without tracing the original perpetrators, the tribe's catastrophe wouldn't subside.

After concluding their conversation, Maine gathered Dorio and the others to strategize.

The elder led the four to an empty bonfire, suggesting they warm themselves. The wilderness was colder at night during autumn.

Sitting around the fire, Maine, Dorio, and Kiwi discussed their plan; Rebecca, always the more direct, sat apart, hugging her legs.

The firelight flickered across Rebecca's face as she stretched her hand towards the flames, watching sparks fly towards her and vanish.

She wasn't much for plan-making, leaving it to Maine and the others to come up with a solution, ready to follow their lead. 

Her straightforward personality made her an essential team player, taking on any task without complaint, hoping for tasks that involved shooting and action.

Noticing the fire dwindling, she threw a couple of well-split logs into the flames.

Suddenly.

The elder hurried over, bringing heavy news to Maine and the others; two more had just died in the tribe.

Kiwi then had an idea, suggesting, "Maine, perhaps we could 'fish' for them."

Realizing its potential, Maine and Dorio instantly grasped the idea. After collecting the pathogen samples, they could leave the bodies in the old spot to see how they disappear. If it's human intervention, they could then track them down.The plan was decided.

Maine instantly shared the plan with Gloria, preparing to initiate the fishing action tonight. It was crucial to determine whether they were dealing with friend or foe.

At that moment,

Tang Yu was driving towards the destination, casually chatting with the others in the car.

After Gloria hung up the phone, she immediately briefed Tang Yu.

"Maine sent a message. They're planning to take action tonight to uncover the true reason behind the disappearance of the bodies," Gloria reported.

Tang Yu agreed with the plan, reasoning that simply gathering samples for testing wouldn't reveal much after traveling such a distance.

"What's their plan?" he inquired.

Gloria continued, "There are two infected bodies in the tribe. They plan to have Rebecca pretend to be a corpse and place her at the usual disposal site, with the rest of us hiding nearby, waiting for someone to take the bait."

Rebecca as a corpse?

This sort of prank seemed right up her alley. The chubby "little witch" was about to become a zombie "little witch."

Tang Yu responded promptly, "Let's give it a try. Have Maine send over the location, and we'll go take a look. Whether it's a human or a ghost, we should find out."

As night fell,

A funeral procession set out from the tribe, with the shaman leading the front and the mourners carrying three stretchers, their mourning and wailing echoing across the wastelands, a somber and sad atmosphere all around.

Rebecca lay on the stretcher, staring at the dark sky with wide eyes. It was her first time playing a corpse, and she found it amusing.

Kiwi had done her makeup to make her look like a decaying corpse, with pus-filled sores covering her chubby thighs.

She thought about taking a thorough bath after completing the task to wash off the pus-like substance from her face and thighs, as it felt sticky and uncomfortable.

The funeral procession made its intentions known loudly, signifying a death in the tribe to lure in their target.

Maine and the others drove ahead to the destination beforehand, choosing a suitable ambush location and observing the situation.

After nearly two hours of walking, the procession arrived at the previously used disposal site.

The area was surrounded by hills and slopes, with makeshift huts and fences scattered throughout the temporary camp.

Rebecca and the other two bodies were carried into the camp and laid down. After the shaman prayed for the three 'corpses' and blessed them, they were enveloped in body bags before everyone gradually exited the camp, leaving four tribe members behind to guard.

To make the act more convincing, they even deliberately left a few tribe members to keep watch.

Maine, hidden behind a nearby hill, contacted Rebecca via radio to check on the situation.

"Rebecca, how does it feel?" asked Maine.

Unzipping the body bag slightly, Rebecca bluntly responded, "Don't talk to me. I'm supposed to be a corpse right now!"

Maine chuckled helplessly and then reached out to Dorio, who was hiding behind a container near the camp, ready to intervene in case of emergency.

Dorio, holding an assault rifle, replied cheerfully, "All good here!"

Maine checked in with the team's hacker, Kiwi, who was sitting in the Falco car, monitoring the surroundings and providing technical support. "Kiwi, how are you doing?"

Kiwi calmly reported, "All nearby surveillance cameras have been successfully hacked, and the detection radar is activated. No abnormalities found."

Maine then contacted Gloria to inquire about her situation. Learning she had arrived and was ready, they exchanged location information.

Nearby, with its engine off, the powerful car was parked beside a hill covered in bushes.

Tang Yu sat inside, all four passengers eyeing the decrepit camp, waiting for their target to appear.

The atmosphere in the car was tense.

Tang Yu felt that this moment, amidst the quiet wilderness, was an interesting experience.

Unfortunately, the diverse identities of the four occupants somewhat limited his actions.

He decided to break the silence by asking Panam, "How's business lately?"

Panam replied tersely, "As usual. I don't take just any crappy job. Doing all those jobs isn't as profitable as hitting a corporate convoy once. That would settle everything."

Tang Yu prodded further, "What's the issue? The family doesn't agree with your ideas, or is it that the firepower of the car isn't enough? Why not install a turret in the back seat, connect it to a neural interface, and go on a rampage?"

Panam snapped back, "None of your business. Why are you asking so many questions? I could never get along with him. Saul insists on partnering with those corporations, willing to be completely devoured until nothing is left!"

However, Panam's tone changed as she continued, "But installing a turret isn't a bad idea. I've thought about it for a while, but I didn't expect you'd notice. Not bad, have you dabbled in modifications too?"

Tang Yu replied modestly, "A bit."

Panam's fierce personality made it surprising to see her softer, more feminine side. Like a wild horse that only a hero could tame, ready to accompany you to the ends of the earth, perhaps this was the charm of a wild girl.

While they were conversing, sudden disturbances emerged from the darkness.

Lights flickered like will-o'-the-wisps, gradually approaching the camp.

Tang Yu and the others quickly silenced themselves, focusing intently towards the distance.

The flickering lights revealed a group of riders on colorful motorcycles and off-road vehicles with neon lights, heading straight for the abandoned camp with a clear purpose.

Tang Yu immediately recognized the group.

Night Phantom, a notorious band of wanderers on the wastelands.

Members of Night Phantom were known for their extreme brutality and lawlessness, reveling in looting and murdering under the cover of darkness, often just for the thrill of it.

Their leader had a peculiar hobby of skinning his victims and turning their hides into various furnishings.

Whenever Tang Yu encountered them in the wastelands, it always resulted in conflict, but it seemed as though as soon as one group was taken down, another would soon take its place.

Panam, recognizing the group, exclaimed, "Night Phantom? So, it's those bastards causing trouble!"

Gloria remained silent, having never seen Night Phantom in action, but she suspected from Panam's tone that they were the culprits behind the recent events.

Sasha immediately started gathering information on Night Phantom to assess their strength.

Meanwhile,

Kiwi detected Night Phantom's presence on the radar and promptly alerted the rest of the team to prepare.

Maine became vigilant, instructing Rebecca and Dorio to be careful.

Rebecca quickly zipped up the body bag, pretending to be dead, perfectly embodying a zombie "little witch."

As the vehicle carrying the Night Phantom approached, their raucous laughter and howls filled the air, imitating various wild beasts.

"Tonight, we feast on dog stew! Let's see how it tastes, hahaha!"

"The last one tasted like rust, absolutely foul! This time, I'm going to slice the meat off and fry it!"

"Their flesh was dry and sour, utterly disgusting. Just thinking about it makes me want to vomit my dinner."

Faced with the eerie laughter and howls, the four guards at the campsite panicked and fled in all directions.

One of the Night Phantom shouted, "Don't let those dogs escape! Tonight, we're having dog stew!"

However, their leader immediately halted them, coldly stating, "First, collect the bodies. Those corporate dogs are waiting for our delivery."

Hearing the command, the vehicles headed straight for the abandoned camp. Several Night Phantom members armed with submachine guns charged into the camp, discovering the three body bags.

Without hesitation, they unzipped the bags for a quick inspection.

Inside one bag, Rebecca lay motionless, maintaining a dead expression.

Disgusted by the sight and the familiar foul odor from the bodies, the Night Phantom members hastily zipped up the bags and dragged them to their vehicles.

"The big boss will be pleased, three bodies should fetch a good price!"

Unsatisfied with only three bodies, the Night Phantom leader grumbled about the meager bounty compared to previous hauls of over a dozen bodies.

"Damn it, only this many? Didn't you continue deploying the toxin? Those corporate losers can just add it to their water supply if they want more samples."

Feeling herself being hoisted onto a vehicle, Rebecca braced for the bumpy ride back, listening to the engines roar to life.

Panam urged urgently, "Quick, let me drive! We can't turn on the lights or they'll notice. I'm better at driving in the dark than you. We have to catch up with those bastards before they get away!"

Without waiting for a response, Panam exited the vehicle. Tang Yu swiftly moved to the passenger seat, allowing Panam to take the driver's seat.

After starting the engine, Panam declared confidently, "Now you'll see what I'm truly capable of. Watch closely!"