Chapter 102: Welcome to the Blackstar Restricted Zone

[Welcome to the Blackstar Restricted Zone.]

As Summer prepared to get off the helicopter, Balian reached out his hand to help her down.

She accepted his hand and jumped to the ground, then looked around at the headquarters standing before her.

Unlike the headquarters in other zones, which looked more like military bases, the Blackstar Headquarters resembled a massive hospital.

Several large buildings stood side by side, connected by wide roads and open walkways.

The main building was the tallest of them all, with rows of windows covering its pale walls and a large entrance that looked more like the entrance to a modern hospital than a military facility.

"Are you planning to make this the biggest hospital in the world?" Summer asked as she looked at the construction workers still working on several buildings connected to the main one.

"If I can, why not?" Balian replied with a smile.

He gestured for Summer to enter the main building first, then followed her inside. "So, what do you think, Miss Summer? Do you like it?"

Summer wrinkled her nose as the sharp smell of antiseptic hit her. She glanced around and noticed several staff members in white uniforms walking past them.

Some of them were helping injured soldiers, which made Summer guess that the hospital was currently being used to treat the soldiers working in this zone.

"My opinion doesn’t matter," she replied shortly. "Besides, it’s a hospital. It’s not like there’s any reason for me to hate it."

She paused for a moment, then turned to Balian with a question that had just crossed her mind. "Getting treated here must cost a lot of bucks. Are you sure ordinary people can afford it once you open this place to the public?"

"Money isn’t the issue here," Balian answered with an easy smile. "The hospital only charges the Elites for their treatment. The more money you have in your bank account, the more you’re expected to pay. But if you have less than ten million, all your treatments are free."

"But for you, Miss Summer..." Balian turned to look directly into her purple eyes. "You’ll always be our top priority, and you won’t have to pay a single dime."

Oh, well. That sounds tempting.

Summer raised an eyebrow and narrowed her eyes at him. "What’s the catch?"

"Nothing."

Balian’s simple answer made Summer frown. She stared at him in confusion, wondering if she had heard him wrong. "What do you mean, nothing? Is this also part of the payment for guiding you today?"

A few days ago, Balian had sent her several NDA documents. They covered not only her safety while staying in the Blackstar Zone but also the payment she would receive for her work.

All the streaming fees would go straight to her account, and Balian would pay her another two million per day. Honestly, Summer thought that was more than enough, especially since Balian had assured her that guiding him would be a piece of cake.

She had already agreed to the terms, but nowhere in the contract did it mention that she would also receive the privilege of being a top-priority patient.

"Oh, no. This is just a gift from me," Balian said casually.

He smiled, and for some reason, Summer couldn’t help thinking that he looked even more handsome when he spoke in that gentle tone.

"Just take it, Miss Summer. You might need it someday," he said.

Free healthcare was never a small thing. It was a privilege that could save her a fortune, especially if she ever got seriously injured, so of course, Summer wasn’t about to turn down such a good deal.

"Okay," she finally said. "I’ll take it."

"Good." Balian patted her shoulder a few times, looking pleased. "I’m glad to hear that."

Afterward, Balian asked a doctor to give Summer a full checkup to make sure she was healthy enough to handle the dangerous zone they were about to enter.

"Everything looks good, Miss Beaumont," the doctor said with a smile. "You’re ready to go."

With the checkup done, Summer and Balian finally set off for the southwestern region. Since Balian would be the only Sentinel entering the area, he took the wheel of the armored SUV himself.

"There’s a new rifle for you in the back, Miss Summer," Balian said as he drove. "Take a look. If you don’t like it, I brought a few other weapons you can choose from."

Summer didn’t say anything as she reached for the black box on the back seat. The moment she opened it, a small gasp escaped her lips.

The white rifle inside looked sleeker and lighter than her old one, which she had given to Julie. It also came with a recoil compensator. If Summer remembered correctly, she had seen this model at a weapons market before, and its performance was far better than that of her previous rifle.

The price alone was close to two hundred thousand dollars.

"Are you giving this to me, or am I just borrowing it?" she asked, wanting to make sure.

Balian chuckled. "Of course, it’s yours, Miss Summer. I wouldn’t give you something only to ask for it back later."

"Well..." Summer lifted the rifle from the box and checked it from every angle. "Thank you."

"Anytime, Miss Summer." Balian glanced at her before adding, "And just so you know, I’ll protect you once we enter the dangerous zone. But I also want you to have something to defend yourself with in case anything goes wrong."

"Like you losing control of yourself?" Summer guessed.

"I haven’t lost control of myself in years, Miss Summer." Balian smiled calmly. "But if it ever happens, you can shoot me with the serum. The gun should be in that box, too."

Summer lowered her gaze and spotted a small white gun tucked deep inside the box.

She picked it up hesitantly before looking at him. "Will this leave you disabled?"

"Fortunately, no. Unlike the ones made by the government, this serum was designed specifically for me, so I’ll be fine." Balian finally turned to look at her, his smile never fading. "Don’t be afraid to shoot me anytime."

The corner of Summer’s eye twitched because the way he said it made him sound as though he wouldn’t mind getting shot at all. If anything, he seemed perfectly happy to let her pull the trigger.

For a brief moment, Summer was tempted to test that claim right then and there.

"I won’t hesitate, then," she replied and Balian simply burst out laughing.

About twenty minutes later, they finally reached the southwestern part of the Blackstar Zone.

The area overrun by polluted creatures was surrounded by tall iron walls, with protective barriers covering the gaps. The barriers appeared to have been created by Sentinels with barrier abilities, though Summer couldn’t tell how long they would last.

"Good evening, Mr. Devereaux." One of the guards stationed at the entrance greeted Balian as he brought the SUV to a stop.

"What’s the situation?" Balian asked, getting straight to the point.

"We’ve fired at some of the polluted creatures from above, but it hasn’t been enough," the soldier reported. "The Sentinels maintaining the barriers have been doing their best to keep them up. Unfortunately, the barriers have already been hit too many times. At this rate, I’m afraid it’s only a matter of time before the polluted creatures break through the iron walls."

That wasn’t surprising, considering the walls had been built in a hurry. Their quality was questionable from the beginning, and they probably wouldn’t hold up against a large attack.

The Sentinels responsible for the barriers didn’t seem to be S-Rank, either. Their abilities had limits, and no matter how hard they tried, they simply weren’t strong enough to hold back so many polluted creatures.

Balian nodded as he listened to the soldier’s report. "You’ve all done well. Get some rest and let your men take a break whenever possible. Thank you for your service. I’ll take it from here."

The soldier looked at him with a mixture of relief and concern. "Understood, Mr. Devereaux. Please be careful inside. The number of polluted creatures has been increasing, and we don’t know how many are still hiding in the area."

"I’ll keep that in mind."

Balian gave the soldier a final nod before turning the wheels of the SUV again.

The barrier Sentinel standing guard noticed their approach and immediately began opening a narrow gap in the protective barrier.

The faint shimmer in the air slowly parted, revealing an opening just wide enough for the armored SUV to pass through. Balian didn’t hesitate as he drove forward, taking them straight into the dangerous zone.

As soon as they crossed the iron walls, the barrier Sentinel closed the gap behind them, cutting off their view of the guards outside.

Meanwhile, Summer tapped on her terminal and searched for the livestream icon.

[Start Livestream?]

Without a second thought, she tapped Yes.

[Personal Livestream Activated.]

A few seconds later, the first comment began to appear.

[Am I dreaming???!! IS THAT REALLY BALIAN?!]