127: Rescue compatriots

Shen Xiaochuan stood in the middle of the hall, supporting a middle-aged man with a full beard.

The man kept crying, his mouth trembling incessantly, unable to speak.

On the beds behind him, some people slowly opened their eyes, some sat up, and some just turned their heads to look at the young man in work clothes at the doorway.

"Are we... from Huaxia?" someone asked in a whisper, their voice very soft.

"Yes," Shen Xiaochuan nodded. "I am Shen Xiaochuan, and Dragon City is under my control now. You are safe."

As soon as he finished speaking, a muffled sound came from overhead, like thunder underground.

The light in the corner flickered twice and almost went out.

The generator creaked, barely still working.

"This place is going to collapse," Shen Xiaochuan frowned, turning to look at the doorway. "Ling Feng! Bring the men in, save the people first!"

Footsteps and the sound of metal clashing soon came from outside.

Ling Feng led the heavy armored soldiers sliding down the ropes, holding lights and stretchers.

Seeing the scene inside the cell, several of them were stunned.

"Are there really people alive?"

"Don't just stand there!" Ling Feng shouted. "Team One, carry the people; Team Two, clear the path; Team Three, follow me to search the rooms in the back! Hurry! The ground above is sinking; I don't know how much longer it can hold!"

The soldiers immediately went into action.

Some knelt to check for breathing, while others gently picked up the wounded.

Shen Xiaochuan walked to the generator in the corner and reached out to touch the casing; the iron was ice-cold and covered in rust.

He opened the Faith Mall, his fingers sliding quickly as he typed "life support" into the search bar.

[Portable Life Support Device - Basic Model]

Price: 500 faith points/unit

Functions: Oxygen supply, heartbeat monitoring, nutrient solution supply

He bought ten units directly.

With a flash of light, ten small silver-white boxes appeared on the ground.

When opened, they were foldable devices that could be used once connected to power.

"Set these up!" he shouted to the soldiers. "Prioritize those with weak breathing!"

Ling Feng ran over, holding a black metal box with scorch marks on its surface.

He looked serious: "Boss, found in Area B, it looks like a recording pod."

Shen Xiaochuan took the box and pried open the lock with his halberd.

Inside was an old data pad with a cracked screen, but it could still light up.

He pressed the start button, and a line of text popped up on the screen: [Experiment Log: No. 709 - Modification Effectiveness Assessment]

Subject: Li Weiguo (22 years old), Divine Power Rank F, consciousness clarity 43%

Method: Neural connection to Yamata no Orochi soul fragments, continuous pressure for seventy-two hours

Result: Mental breakdown, refusal to eat, attempted self-harm on the third day

Scrolling down, there were many more records, all with similar content.

The last page read: [Conclusion: Huaxia Deities have strong wills; conventional brainwashing is ineffective. Recommend adopting group fear suppression, combined with long-term starvation and isolation, to gradually disintegrate their will to resist.]

Shen Xiaochuan stared at the screen, his eyes growing colder.

Five seconds passed, and he suddenly punched the wall with a "bang," causing brick dust to fall.

His voice was low: "Destroy it. Don't let anyone else see it."

Ling Feng said nothing, took the data pad, and took out a lighter to set it on fire.

The firelight flickered on his face.

At this moment, a weak voice came from behind: "They... didn't just lock us up."

Shen Xiaochuan turned around.

It was the middle-aged man, who had already been helped to sit on a chair.

He was panting, but his eyes were bright.

"Three years ago... they didn't just capture us. Other Kings Domains also have dungeons specifically for locking up Huaxia people. I heard the guards say... Misty Island, Flame Valley, Yingjing... they all have them."

Shen Xiaochuan's expression changed.

He immediately opened the global communication channel, his voice cold: "All Huaxia Deities, pay attention. Immediately investigate your jurisdictions for any secret detention facilities. Report them if found; those who don't will be considered accomplices! I repeat, this is not a drill; this is a top-priority order!"

Responses quickly came through the channel: "Received!" "Scanning underground now!" "Abnormal heat source detected on the northern line, suspected building!"

Shen Xiaochuan turned off the communication, took a deep breath, his eyes filled with both determination and worry.

He knew this was just the beginning.

When the first batch of wounded was carried out of the underground cavern, it was already dawn.

Sunlight shone on their faces; some instinctively closed their eyes, as if unaccustomed to the light.

Helicopters hovered in the air, preparing to transport people to the field Hospital.

Shen Xiaochuan personally carried the middle-aged man onto the plane on his back.

The man was very light, his bones pressing against his arms.

"What is your name?" he asked.

"Wang Jianjun... former captain of the Third Detachment of the Dragon City garrison." The man closed his eyes, his voice weak. "Thank you... for coming to save us."

"I'm the one who should say sorry," Shen Xiaochuan said in a low voice. "I came too late."

After the plane took off, he stood in the open space, watching the distant ground sinking.

Three Abyss Anchor Pins had been activated, and the Waguo Divine Domain was collapsing.

But he felt no joy in his heart.

He opened the Faith chat group.

[Shen Xiaochuan]: Everyone, pay attention. Medical supplies are the highest priority. All medicine, energy crystal cores, and recovery scrolls, send them all to the Hospital where Anna is. Start sending them now.

The group exploded instantly.

[Member]: Understood! Fifty boxes of first-aid kits packed!

[Another person]: Just snatched a batch of rare healing pills, sending them all over!

[Third person]: My place has thirty sets of Advanced oxygen equipment, sending them immediately!

One notification after another about successful transfers popped up.

He knew these supplies would appear directly in the Hospital warehouse.

Two hours later, Shen Xiaochuan arrived at the Hospital.

The corridor was crowded with people.

The wounded lay on temporary beds, and medical staff ran back and forth.

The air smelled of medicine, blood, and sweat.

Anna stood outside the Intensive Care Unit, holding a clipboard, her eye sockets dark and her lips chapped.

"How is the situation?" Shen Xiaochuan walked over and asked.

He gently took Anna's hand, saw the veins on the back of her hand, and his heart ached.

He said softly: "Anna, go to the break room and sleep for a while; you're too tired."

Anna shook her head, her voice hoarse: "No, two critically ill patients just arrived; they must be treated immediately."

Shen Xiaochuan frowned: "You haven't rested for over thirty hours; your body can't take it."

Anna looked up at him, her eyes tired but firm: "I know, but the patients can't wait. If I do a little more, I can save one more person."

Shen Xiaochuan didn't speak again.

He took the pen from her hand and placed it on the table.

"Go rest; the shift system starts now. Leave the rest to us."

Anna opened her mouth to say something, but her body went limp, and she fell forward.

Shen Xiaochuan caught her.

Her forehead was very hot, her body temperature very high.

He carried her directly into the break room, placed her on the bed, and covered her with a blanket.

Looking down, he saw her fingernails were cracked, and her palms were full of calluses from writing.

He walked out of the break room and stood by the window.

The courtyard downstairs was also filled with beds.

The wounded lay there, some receiving IV drips, others wearing ventilators.

Medical staff moved constantly, as if fighting a battle with no end in sight.

He looked down at his own hands.

faith points were still rising, +1 per second.

He could buy equipment, buy weapons, buy technology, and summon heroic spirits.

But he couldn't buy time.

He couldn't buy the life Anna had overdrawn.

He couldn't buy back the days lost by those trapped for three years.

He leaned against the wall and closed his eyes for a moment.

Then he took out his communicator and called Ling Feng.

"Are the wounded all settled?"

"The last plane just landed," Ling Feng said. "The spoils of war are also being counted; the warehouse is piled full, with Advanced Divine equipment, Ore, rune weapons... do you want to come and see?"

"In a while," he said. "First, classify and pack the combat equipment and scientific Materials, and put the civilian supplies separately. Don't let it get messy."

"Understood."

Hanging up the phone, he took one last look at the courtyard full of wounded below.

The wind blew in, a bit chilly.

He knew the current methods wouldn't hold out for much longer.