Chapter 298 Please help me.

After what felt like forever, and after taking enough time to rest from all the exhausting work at the base, Ivy finally rose to her feet and made her way out of her office.

This wasn’t the time to slack off, anyway. There was still plenty of work waiting for her, and she could only afford a brief moment of rest before getting back to business.

Ivy headed toward the field, where the elite soldiers were already waiting for her. There was a mission to accomplish that day, and she had no intention of keeping them waiting any longer.

"Welcome back, Captain Ivy. We’ve been waiting for you."

Anya, who had been addressing the soldiers until that moment, immediately spoke up when her gaze fell on Ivy.

"Thank you for your hard work, Anya," Ivy replied with a small smile before turning her attention toward the soldiers.

She swept her gaze over them, making sure everyone was present and ready.

"Alright, everyone. Thank you for your hard work. Are you all ready for this mission?"

"Yes, Captain!"

The soldiers responded loudly and confidently, their voices echoing across the field.

"Let’s go, then," Ivy said, determination evident in her expression.

She turned around and began walking toward the waiting vehicles with Anya beside her while the soldiers followed closely behind.

Darren, Elliot, and the others were supposed to join them later if they managed to free themselves from their own duties. For now, Ivy couldn’t afford to wait. They had a mission to accomplish, and every minute counted.

Ivy and Anya climbed into one of the trucks, while the other soldiers got into the remaining available vehicles. Soon, the engines roared to life, and the convoy began moving toward the designated area.

Throughout the journey, Ivy and the soldiers didn’t encounter a single monster.

That wasn’t surprising.

Most of the monsters along the route had already been eliminated during their previous operations. The only monsters that might remain were those hiding around their exact destination, and even that wasn’t certain.

The western ancient town had been quiet for quite some time, but Ivy knew better than to assume that silence meant safety.

Eventually, the trucks came to a stop.

"Alright, we’re here, everyone."

Anya’s voice immediately caught the soldiers’ attention as she stepped out of the truck. Ivy followed shortly after, scanning their surroundings carefully.

"You all know why we’re here. Our main objective is to scout the western ancient town and determine whether there are any monsters still lurking around this area," Anya explained.

The soldiers nodded seriously.

Ivy looked around before speaking.

"You all should spread out and begin scouting. Anya and I will check the nearby buildings and make sure we don’t miss anything."

"Yes, Captain!"

The soldiers chorused in unison as they quickly divided themselves into four groups before moving in different directions, carefully searching the surrounding area.

Soon, only Ivy and Anya remained near the trucks.

"Let’s head into that building," Ivy suggested, pointing toward an old structure nearby. "Some of the soldiers are already scouting the surrounding area, so there’s nothing wrong with us checking the building ourselves. We need to make sure we don’t leave anything unexplored."

Anya nodded.

"You’re right."

Together, they cautiously made their way toward the building.

The moment they stepped inside, a thick cloud of dust rose into the air.

Anya immediately coughed and covered her mouth with one hand.

"Do you think any monsters dwell here?" she asked between coughs.

She glanced around the dark, abandoned interior.

"It’s so quiet. I don’t think monsters live here."

"You never can tell," Ivy replied cautiously.

She coughed slightly as well before waving one hand in front of her face to clear away some of the dust.

"Those monsters are smarter than people give them credit for. They’re capable of learning, adapting, and using all kinds of skills. We can’t afford to lower our guard just because this place looks abandoned."

Ivy drew her sword and used the tip to push away the thick cobwebs blocking their path.

Anya nodded and followed closely behind.

They had barely taken a few more steps when....

"Please help me."

A pleading feminine voice suddenly echoed through the building.

Ivy’s entire body tensed.

In an instant, she drew her gun and pointed it toward the direction from which the voice had come.

"Please help me and my child."

The woman stepped into view.

Ivy’s eyes narrowed immediately.

The woman was pregnant.

One hand was placed protectively over her protruding belly, while her face was hidden beneath a black veil. She was dressed entirely in black, making her appearance even more suspicious in the dim, dusty building.

"It’s a pregnant woman."

Anya’s expression immediately softened, pity flashing across her face.

"How could a pregnant woman possibly be living here?"

She instinctively took a step toward the woman but before she could get any closer, Ivy extended her sword and blocked her path.

"Captain?"

Anya looked at Ivy in confusion.

"What’s going on? We should help her."

Ivy didn’t take her eyes off the pregnant woman.

"Being foolish and careless while trying to help people is one of the fastest ways to die in the apocalypse," Ivy said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Her words weren’t harsh, but there was a warning hidden within them and Anya immediately understood.