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1. Dark place

The light of the flashlight swayed in the workshop, scanning the centrifuges, pipes, and accumulated water.

​​Two people, both men.The short and fat man walking in front held an old-fashioned flashlight in one hand and a machete in the other.The tall and thin man in the back was holding a gun, with the muzzle pointing diagonally at the ground.

"What's there to search in this wretched place? It smells like rust." The short and fat man complained, his voice echoing in the empty workshop.

"Stop talking nonsense. Read every corner of the boss's orders. If you find something, you will be rewarded. If you can't find it, you will be whipped." The tall and thin tone was cold, not like talking to a companion, but more like training a dog.

Chunky snorted, and the light of the flashlight swept across the centrifuge and paused for a second.Lin Shuang buried her face in her arms to block the reflection.The light moved away.

"There's nothing. Let's go." Chubby turned around and walked back.

He was tall and thin but did not move.He stood there and glanced around the workshop, then slowly walked to the centrifuge and tapped the machine casing with the barrel of his gun.

"Bang——bang——"

The sound of metal tapping echoed in the workshop.Lin Shuang pressed against the base of the centrifuge, with her belly on the ground, breathing slowly and shallowly, using her belly to drive.Hold the stone ax in your right hand, support the ground with your left hand, and bend your knees slightly.If the light was even an inch closer, she would pop out and chop at the ankle.

The tall and thin man squatted down and shined the flashlight at the base of the machine.

Lin Shuang clenched her right hand tighter.

The flashlight’s light paused at the edge of the gap—and then moved away.

The tall and thin man stood up and patted the dust on his pants.

"Let's go."

The two people walked towards the stairs, the footsteps getting farther and farther.

Lin Shuang stayed under the centrifuge for another thirty seconds to confirm that they had not turned back before climbing out of the gap.My back was covered in cold sweat, not from physical exertion but from adrenaline.This breathing control was practiced in the ruins.The ruins of Syria, the old lady taught her.

"The system scans the surrounding heat source distribution."

"Scanning in progress. Pipe entrance direction: 3 heat source signals, 15 meters away, in a surrounding situation. Deep in the pipe: 2 heat source signals, moving upward. It is recommended that the host evacuate deep into the pipe immediately to avoid direct conflict. "

Lin Shuang took out the bag of raw material medicine - about two kilograms of gentamicin crystals - from his sweater, wrapped it three times in a plastic bag, and wrapped it with a layer of plastic film from the workshop.She tied the bag of raw materials to her chest with a rope, leaving her hands free for easy climbing.

Then she walked along the base of the wall in the dark toward the entrance of the drainage pipe.

The iron fence is still on the ground, and the pipe mouth is dark, exuding a putrid smell.Lin Shuang put her feet in first, then her body, holding the inner wall of the pipe with both hands, and slid down bit by bit.

The pipe was still wet, but her shoes were dry when she came in, and now they were muddy and slippery.She almost slipped down, but fortunately she caught a bolt hole on the edge of the pipe mouth with her right hand to stabilize herself.

She readjusted her position, facing up and back down, pushing her heels on the inner wall of the pipe, and slowly slid down.Although this is slow, it can control the speed and not make too much noise.

The water in the pipe became deeper and deeper, covering her waist.

After walking for about three minutes, she heard a sound.

It’s not the sound of running water or the resonance of pipes.

It’s the sound of steel pipes knocking.

Coming from the direction of the pipe entrance.

There was a short sound, and then it stopped.Another sound.Su Lin was sending signals, but the rhythm was wrong—not the agreed "three short and one long", but only two sounds, which seemed to be interrupted.

Then there was a muffled sound, like someone falling.Then there was gunfire, three bursts.

Automatic rifle, three-round burst fire.The Reaper is on top.

Lin Shuang's heart sank.

She was in the pipe, at least five minutes away from the exit.There was no way for her to speed up - the pipe was too narrow, and bending down was the maximum speed, and she would slip if she went any faster.

She could only keep walking.

The gunfire rang out again.This time it was denser, like someone was shooting.

Lin Shuang accelerated his descent, no longer worrying about the sound.The heel pushed hard against the inner wall of the pipe, water splashed everywhere, and the sound of metal friction buzzed in the pipe.

It took her three minutes for the five-minute journey.

【Su Lin’s perspective added】

Su Lin stood in the depression outside the entrance of the pipeline, counting the time.

It’s been twenty-five minutes.Lin Shuang hasn't come out yet.

She gripped the machete tightly and stared in the direction of the pharmaceutical factory.The Reaper's SUV was still parked at the front door, and people from the Hammer Gang were coming in and out of the factory.Nothing unusual.

Thirty minutes are up.

She remembered the agreement - "In thirty minutes, whether I come out or not, you will go back to the basement" - but her legs felt like they were nailed to the ground.She can't leave.

She dragged her left leg, leaning on the steel pipe, and took a few steps closer to the entrance of the pipe, wanting to hear what was going on inside.Just these few steps revealed her position.

Two reapers came out from the back door of the pharmaceutical factory to patrol, and the flashlight shined on her face.

"There's someone!"

Su Lin drew her sword and struck, hitting the first man on the shoulder.But the second person rushed up from behind and pressed his knee against the cracked bone in her left leg. The severe pain made her eyes black.A third man came and hit her on the back of the head with the butt of his gun.

Before she passed out, she heard someone shouting: "Keep yourself alive and ask if you have any accomplices."

2. Rush out

The light at the pipe exit is getting brighter and brighter.

It’s not sunlight—the sunlight in the wasteland is not that bright.It’s the light of flashlights and car lights.

Lin Shuang climbed to the edge of the exit. Instead of going out immediately, he stuck out half of his head to observe.

There is a car parked in the depression behind the sewage station.

It’s not a modified car from the Predator, it’s not a pickup truck from the Hammers.It is a military green armored off-road vehicle with a red skull logo painted on the body - the Reaper's vehicle.There were three people standing next to the car, two more were sitting in the cab, and another was smoking in front of the car. There were six reapers at the entrance of the pharmaceutical factory, five of them were near the owner of the car, and the remaining one was guarding the other car.

There is a person lying on the ground.

Su Lin.

Her hands were tied behind her back, her mouth was strangled with a piece of cloth, the fixed layer on her left leg was torn off, and she was forced to kneel on the ground.His head was lowered, and he couldn't tell whether he was dead or alive.

Lin Shuang stared at Su Lin's lowered head and counted her heartbeats for three seconds.

Su Lin is still alive.She had to get her out. Page (1/3)