Chapter 102 - 101: Movement in the Abandoned Shelter

Chapter 102: Chapter 101: Movement in the Abandoned Shelter

Ye Yun speculated that each shelter’s coordinates were only assigned to the manager of one other shelter.

As for the sub-base shelter, it had originally belonged to Inoshita Yoshihiko.

This meant that after Ye Yun occupied it, the sub-base’s coordinates were temporarily hidden.

Even if others could guess the sub-base’s general location, it would be very difficult to find without any clear clues.

Furthermore, Ye Yun had already sent No. 5 to clean up the area outside the sub-base, making sure not too many tracks were left near the spray-painted spot.

After all, he hadn’t forgotten that the reason they’d found Inoshita Yoshihiko’s shelter so quickly was because No. 2 had discovered a fresh shell casing on the ground.

He had no desire to repeat someone else’s mistake. That would be far too foolish.

Of course, Ye Yun would also conduct a daily risk assessment of the base.

If a high-risk situation arose there, he could immediately send Bena and his team to provide support.

Ye Yun didn’t have high expectations for the sub-base.

For now, the sub-base’s role was equivalent to a gold mine or factory in a video game.

As long as the sub-base could protect itself while completing its internal upgrades, it could simply continue production and sales afterward.

Exploration and offensive operations, for the time being, were still entrusted to Bena and his exploration team.

Ye Yun checked the shelter’s risk level one more time. Seeing no significant change, he immediately dispatched the four-person team.

······

With the modified motorcycles, the exploration team was much faster than before.

After evading a few mutated creatures that tried to attack them, Bena quickly arrived at the target location.

The five of them split up to search. Soon, a destroyed shelter came into Bena’s view.

Despite his experience from their last exploration, Bena didn’t let his guard down.

He immediately pressed a button on his briefcase and donned the Sentinel Exoskeleton.

Bena was about to assign tasks when a rustling sound echoed from within the shattered Shelter Entrance.

Bena’s expression changed, and he immediately raised a hand, signaling for everyone to halt.

Signaling for the others to hold their position, he cautiously approached the shelter’s entrance, attempting to peer inside.

No. 2 had already activated his perception enhancement. With a perception stat as high as eight, he immediately detected something in the darkness.

"Captain Bena, it’s a mutated black bear. It’s about three meters tall and has minor injuries."

Hearing it was just a three-meter bear, the tension on Bena’s face eased considerably.

Previously, if he’d heard there was a mutated black bear nearby, he would have definitely turned and run.

However, after his experience tanking the mutated hyenas yesterday, he now faced this large mutated creature without a shred of fear.

Bena turned his head and gave his orders.

"No. 2, get to a nearby vantage point and keep watch on the surroundings. Report immediately if any other people or creatures appear. I don’t want to get caught in a pincer attack."

"We need to draw that thing as far away from the Shelter Entrance as possible. If it escapes inside, the tight quarters will put us at a huge disadvantage."

"I’ll be the main attacker for this fight. Zhou Mei, No. 3, No. 4—you’ll take positions at my twelve, three, and nine o’clock and provide covering fire."

"I’ll do my best to hold the mutated black bear’s aggro. If it attacks any of you, retreat immediately."

The four of them replied in unison:

"Understood!"

"Understood!"

·····

The black bear inside the shelter had clearly heard the commotion outside.

It slowly rose from the darkness, its pair of red pupils particularly striking in the dim light.

The black bear opened its massive jaws and let out a low roar, as if warning the intruders not to approach its territory.

Seeing the four humans slowly backing away, a look of contempt flashed in the black bear’s eyes.

Some species of bears are highly intelligent. Even before the Cataclysm, there were many such stories.

Some zoo bears would even hide in blind spots, tricking their keepers into thinking they had escaped their enclosures and causing them to enter unprotected.

This bear was clearly quite intelligent as well.

Although it had sustained minor injuries while destroying this shelter a day ago...

’But since these four bipedal creatures are scared of me, it means they’re no match for me.’

This shelter was very secluded. The mutated black bear had already decided to make it its future den, and it certainly didn’t want to be disturbed.

An even louder roar erupted from the mutated black bear’s mouth.

It ambled out of the shelter’s shadows, closing in on the four humans step by step.

Seeing that the black bear was now far enough from the Shelter Entrance, Bena took a deep breath and adjusted his exoskeleton.

Before the bear could make a move, Bena attacked first.

He activated his exoskeleton’s thrusters. Power surged through his legs as he charged toward the mutated black bear.

His speed was incredible; he was in front of the black bear in an instant.

Astonishment flashed in the mutated black bear’s eyes. It hadn’t expected this weak-looking human to actually dare to attack it first.

As the mutated black bear stood there in shock, a cold glint of light sliced through the air.

The mutated black bear’s reflexes were quick, however. It raised a paw to block Bena’s attack.

However, Bena’s strike was just a feint.

The moment the mutated black bear lifted its paw, he instantly changed his angle of attack, redirecting his spear toward the bear’s abdomen.

The mutated black bear let out a pained howl. Bena’s spear had carved a deep gash in its abdomen.

But this didn’t make the mutated black bear back down.

It launched a furious counterattack against Bena.

Its massive claws tore through the air, moving so fast they created a WHOOSHING sound.

Even though the exoskeleton had increased his Defense Power and strength, Bena wasn’t foolish enough to take a full-powered blow from a bear head-on.

Even if the exoskeleton could block it, the sheer impact would likely fracture his arm.

Bena immediately leaped back, narrowly dodging the creature’s attack.

Seeing Bena put some distance between himself and the mutated bear, the other three immediately opened fire.

Feeling the searing pain, the mutated black bear roared again. Its attention immediately shifted to Zhou Mei, who was the closest.

However, before the mutated black bear could make a move, the sound of something slicing through the air whistled past its ear. The familiar sound instantly reminded it of the searing pain from when its belly was gashed open.

It was about to raise its paw to block again, but its brief moment of distraction had made it half a beat too slow.

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