Chapter 213 - 210: Playing Dead

Chapter 213: Chapter 210: Playing Dead

Lazov nodded to the soldiers.

To the officer’s call of "At ease~," he led Tao Xingzhi and the others to the one-way mirror.

However, he found Hama Pi’s appearance somewhat strange.

He questioned a research staff member beside him.

"What’s wrong with it? Why isn’t it moving?"

The researcher looked just as puzzled. They had been discussing this very issue earlier.

"General, we’re not sure about the situation either. It suddenly stopped eating and has been standing there rigidly ever since."

Lazov’s brow furrowed.

"Could it be food poisoning? Are there any significant changes in its vital signs?"

"There’s nothing wrong from its outward appearance. This started just a few minutes before you arrived. But its breathing is a bit rapid and stiff. It’s possible it really is food poisoning."

Lazov’s words made the researcher realize the potential problem as well.

After all, the being was likely not from Earth. It might not be able to adapt to Earth’s food, or it could be a germ-related issue. Although no foreign germs were found on it, that didn’t mean Earth’s germs couldn’t affect it.

However, after the researcher voiced these thoughts, Lazov, contrary to expectation, dismissed the food poisoning theory.

He turned to look at Tao Xingzhi and the members of the Special Security Team behind him.

"Leader Tao, if you just did something, you’d better tell me right now!"

Lazov’s words were filled with a threatening undertone.

The Hua Country team’s interpreter made sure to convey the gravity, but Tao Xingzhi and the others had already picked up on the tone.

Though Tao Xingzhi’s face remained impassive, he was inwardly puzzled and suspicious. He first looked at Huang Jiutian, who gave a slight shake of his head.

Seeing this gesture, Tao Xingzhi understood. If it wasn’t a problem with the mutated creature itself, then it was almost certainly caused by the Dawn Members.

He shot them a questioning glance. Although Lazov would easily notice the action, he didn’t want to cause a diplomatic incident right now, so it was best to confirm first.

He trusted that the people from Dawn didn’t intend to stay invisible from start to finish, nor would they put him in a difficult position.

As expected, Tao Xingzhi’s glance was immediately noticed by Lazov, Ivan, and the other Russian soldiers.

They looked in the direction of his gaze but saw nothing besides their own soldiers on guard, researchers, and a few other insignificant people.

A soft, yet clear, laugh suddenly came from beside the Special Security Team.

"Hehehe... The Akenis inside isn’t suffering from food poisoning. It’s just burying its head in the sand like an ostrich."

The voice carried a Magic Resonance, allowing everyone present to understand it, including, naturally, the Russians.

"Who is it? Who’s speaking?"

As Lazov and the Russian soldiers went on high alert, three mysterious figures in black cloaks, who had been standing beside the Special Security Team, gradually sharpened from blurry afterimages into clear view, appearing before the Russians’ eyes.

The sudden appearance of the mysterious figures made the soldiers nervous, and they each placed a hand on their gun. Lazov, however, raised a hand, signaling for everyone to remain calm.

"Leader Tao, are they part of your Special Security Team?"

"General Rozov, we don’t have the means to recruit them into the Special Security Team."

Tao Xingzhi said with a faint smile.

"I imagine your country’s intelligence personnel have sent back some special intelligence, haven’t they?"

Other countries might not have been aware, but Tao Xingzhi was confident that Russia would be closely monitoring the five nations of the Siberian Alliance from the time they explored the Ice and Snow Desolation, and must have gotten some intelligence.

"I don’t know what special intelligence you’re referring to. Perhaps you should give me a hint."

Tao Xingzhi stopped speaking in riddles and walked over to the three mysterious figures himself.

"General, I believe your intelligence department may have received reports that we, along with France and the United States, spent some time on French soil?"

Lazov nodded in acknowledgment. However, they didn’t know the main purpose of the three nations’ presence there. The special departments of these countries operated with a high level of secrecy; it was already difficult enough just to track the movements of their top brass.

Likewise, it was impossible to question Hua Country directly just because they had this piece of information. Monitoring allies and their private activities was an open secret that everyone knew but no one would ever point out.

Therefore, Russia was still unaware that the three nations had discovered the Dawn ruins, let alone the term "Dawn."

Seeing that Lazov didn’t have the reaction he expected, Tao Xingzhi understood that the Russians were still in the dark.

"General Rozov, do you remember at the conference in our country’s Kyoto, we mentioned the possible existence of a special, mysterious, supernatural force?"

Lazov had actually been suspecting this a moment ago. Although the Huaguo People could be surprisingly unconventional at times, they wouldn’t go so far as to dress like this just to scare them.

Their brief exchange had only taken a minute or so. Now was not the time for detailed explanations, so Tao Xingzhi made a long story short.

"General Rozov, today is a lucky day for your Guardian unit, or to put it bluntly, for all of Russia."

On the plane, the Special Security Team and the people from Dawn had already had the necessary discussions. It was more appropriate for the Special Security Team to handle the introductions.

"Let me introduce you. These three are members of the ’Dawn Association.’ They are also experts who began researching and responding to mutation events far earlier than any of us."

"The situation this time is special. Otherwise, your country might have remained unaware of these matters for quite some time. We will exchange some relevant information later. Time is precious now, so we hope our Russian friends can cooperate as they see fit."

Everyone’s gaze was fixed on the three mysterious figures.

They seemed to be in clear view, yet it was impossible to make out their faces.

The calm, clear voice from earlier spoke again, coming from the person in the middle.

"Your Excellency, the General, forgive our unannounced visit. However, with your current knowledge, I’m afraid you are temporarily unable to achieve safe and effective communication with the Akenis, or, the Ear-Piercing Monster."

"Please allow us to take the necessary measures with it."

After saying this, the gaze from under Qin Xiaoxia’s hood rested calmly on Lazov.

...

Hama Pi kept comforting itself internally.

’Just passing by, they must be just passing by. I haven’t provoked anyone in this world...’

CLICK.

Hama Pi’s heart trembled.

For the first time since it was brought in, the cell door was opened.

Its own Magic Power fluctuations were like a small boat in a storm, battered about with no power to resist.

Dense, gray, dew-like liquid oozed from Hama Pi’s face and hands. The terrifying source of Magic Power was right behind it, but it didn’t even have the courage to turn around.

For an ordinary person, it would be like being trapped in a cage with your back to a hungry wild tiger just inches away.

For the people in the control room or those watching the mobile surveillance screens outside, the sight was much more interesting.

Close-ups from two of the camera probes clearly captured the "dewdrops" forming on Hama Pi’s skin. These strange beads of sweat didn’t fall off.

Instead, after about ten seconds, they solidified into solid spheres and fell to the ground with a CLINK-CLINK-CLANK sound. Then, due to its fear and nervousness, new ones began to form on its skin.

Not even bothering to use Magic Language, Qin Xiaoxia, Mo Shaoge, and Doudou stood in the cell. After a moment of silence, Qin Xiaoxia spoke.

"Akenis..."

Before he could even finish the single word...

The Hama Pi in front of them fell over, stiff as a board. Its complexion instantly turned ashen, and it lost all observable vital signs. Even its body temperature, as seen on infrared, began to drop.

This scared the daylights out of everyone watching the monitors. Just as Lazov was about to order his men to rush into the cell to perform first aid...

The three mysterious figures finally revealed their formidable side.

This time, Qin Xiaoxia didn’t use Magic Language at all. He gathered immense Magic Power in his throat for a moment before unleashing a tone that was both calm and furious.

"Ear-Piercing Monster! Get. Up. NOW!!!"

The voice grew louder and louder, until the last word erupted in an abnormally terrifying boom.

BOOM—

The reinforced safety glass bulged outward under the direct impact of the magic-infused sound wave. The entire surface of the one-way mirror was covered in a dense web of cracks. Even the coating in the center had turned white as if hit by an air cannon. The only thing keeping the entire pane from shattering instantly was the super-strong laminated material in the middle.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

At the same time, the lenses of all 16 cameras in the cell, both hidden and visible, exploded. Even the light bulb overhead shattered.

The light from the hallway spilled in, maintaining a dim visibility within the cell.

This was far more extreme than the previous Concussion Bomb. Hama Pi felt a sharp, stabbing pain as more than half of its Magic Power was instantly consumed in a spontaneous defense.

It suffered a violent, damaging impact that struck it from its physical body down to its very soul.

Even though it felt like it was about to vomit its own organs, Hama Pi still staggered back to its feet. It didn’t dare try any more tricks.

Outside the cell, Lazov and Tao Xingzhi’s eyes narrowed, and they exchanged a look.

"It was playing dead!"

Huang Jiutian spoke with a grim expression.

"Even I couldn’t tell if it was really in trouble just now. The deception was too good."

He turned to face Lazov.

"General, if the thing inside had pulled a stunt like this before we arrived..."

Jiutian glanced over at the researchers and medical team who were on standby.

"Would you have opened the door and rushed in?"

When the interpreter relayed his words, a chill ran down the spines of all the Russians present, including Lazov.

PS: Chapter one for Tuesday.