38: Chapter 38 Ordered to Undergo Trials!! Hunting Under the Neon Lights

Night had fallen, and the command center of North Star Military Academy was brightly lit.

Instructor Zhou Cheng stood before a massive holographic combat map, his finger tracing over the city layout dotted with flashing red points, his brow furrowed. On the map, a red marker representing an escaped Zerg Swarm member flickered uncertainly in a certain area of the capital's urban district.

"According to the Academy's latest model Zerg bio-detector, the target is currently lurking in the capital's urban district," his voice echoed in the silent command center. "Considering the target's special nature and danger level, we need to locate and track it as soon as possible. Handheld detection devices have limited range. Each squad will operate separately. Upon discovering the target, notify the command center. The command center will coordinate personnel for containment."

Detailed information and assigned operational areas for each squad immediately appeared on the holographic projection. Instructor Zhou Cheng began briefing each squad on their mission plans.

When the projection scrolled to the squad consisting of Elia, Chen Jingyi, Li Yuan, and Laya...

"Your four-person team has a slightly different mission," Instructor Zhou Cheng said, his gaze sweeping over the four standing before him, finally settling on the detector in Chen Jingyi's hand. "Chen Jingyi's talent allows for the rapid, mass production of detectors and drones. Your primary task is to expand the detection coverage area as quickly as possible, locate the target swiftly, notify the command center, and await reinforcements."

"Elia, Li Yuan, Laya, you three are responsible for providing full-time protection for Chen Jingyi," Instructor Zhou Cheng emphasized again. "You are all new recruits with excellent potential. The target's current rank is unknown. Remember, do not engage recklessly. Protecting yourselves is the top priority."

Chen Jingyi nodded expressionlessly, the portable detector she was fine-tuning emitting a faint hum. Parts were flying around her as several engineering robots assembled.

"The effective range of this detector is only five kilometers," Chen Jingyi explained calmly, her fingers swiping rapidly across the control panel. "We must initiate tracking immediately after the target becomes active, otherwise we risk losing the signal."

Elia clenched her fist excitedly, a fighting spirit flickering in her ice-blue eyes. "Don't worry, Instructor, we'll definitely find that Zerg! We absolutely won't let it continue to endanger citizens!"

"The target's last known position was in the eastern commercial district," Instructor Zhou Cheng said, pointing to a flashing point on the map. "Considering the habits of a Queen-class Zerg, she is likely to choose densely populated areas to hide. Pay special attention to entertainment venues, hotels, and residential areas."

...

The Academy's armored vehicle slipped silently out of the school gates under the cover of night. It was a specially modified vehicle, its shell covered with energy-absorbing materials, its windows made of specially treated bulletproof glass, and equipped with basic medical facilities and a communication system inside.

Inside the vehicle, the atmosphere was relatively relaxed. Laya curiously leaned closer to Chen Jingyi, watching the constantly flashing detector in her hands.

"Jingyi, how does this detector work? It looks so advanced. How do you know how to build such complex equipment? Did you learn it from books, or is it just something your talent naturally lets you do?" Laya widened her eyes, carefully observing the data flowing across the device's surface.

Chen Jingyi didn't look up, her fingers operating swiftly on the control panel. "It detects the unique bio-energy fluctuations of the Zerg through quantum resonance principles. This is a replica based on the prototype issued by the school. In my family, we start learning to build engineering robots as soon as we can read. The engineering robots can disassemble, record, analyze the structure and functional principles of machines, and synchronize that knowledge with me."

"So doesn't that mean you can learn to make all kinds of equipment just by learning about one engineering robot?" Elia joined the conversation, asking with obvious interest and a hint of envy.

"It's still better to know how to build more types of devices," Chen Jingyi replied succinctly, continuing to adjust the equipment. "There isn't always time to wait for an engineering robot to disassemble something."

"The Queen must have anticipated that the Academy would send people to track her," Li Yuan said suddenly, observing the street scenes flashing by outside the window. "If the Queen is truly as intelligent as the courses say, she will definitely choose a densely populated area to hide."

"Why do you say that?" Laya asked, tilting her head, her golden hair shimmering softly under the vehicle's interior lights.

"In a crowd, her energy signature would be masked by a multitude of biological signals, increasing the difficulty of our tracking," Li Yuan analyzed. "Moreover, busy areas have dense surveillance, which paradoxically can create blind spots. She can readily obtain... sustenance. More importantly, we still aren't certain whether the Queen's target is North Star or our Yanlong First Academy! Instructor Zhou said ordinary humans aren't worth the Zerg Swarm deploying a Queen for."

The last sentence brought a brief silence inside the vehicle. Chen Jingyi, uncharacteristically, looked up at Li Yuan and gave a slight nod. "That makes sense. According to AI analysis, there's an 80% probability the Queen's target is North Star Military Academy! Is she trying to lure us in to pick us off one by one?"

The armored vehicle entered the city proper. The scene on the streets quieted everyone down. The streets, which should have been bustling and lively, appeared unusually deserted. Most shops had closed early, with only sporadic security personnel patrolling. Neon lights still flickered, but they illuminated empty streets, creating an eerie atmosphere.

"It seems the authorities have taken necessary precautions," Li Yuan observed, looking outside. "But this level of alert is far from sufficient."

Chen Jingyi activated the portable detector. The screen lit up immediately, displaying a detailed 3D map of the city. A faint red dot pulsed on the map like a beating heart.

"Detecting energy fluctuations, 3.2 kilometers from our position," she adjusted the detector's sensitivity. "The fluctuations are very weak, possibly just residual signals. The target likely stayed at this location but has since left."

Elia immediately grew excited. "Which direction? Let's pursue directly!"

"Southeast direction, near a convenience store," Chen Jingyi replied without looking up. "Recommend maintaining distance for tracking to avoid alerting the target."

Following the detector's guidance, the armored vehicle soon arrived at a secluded street. A convenience store with a 'Closed' sign appeared before them, the surrounding shops also shuttered.

"Stay alert," Li Yuan said in a low voice, signaling Laya to stay close. He had already covertly summoned his Light Guardian.

Elia took the lead, faint moonlight already gathering in her hand. She cautiously pushed open the convenience store door, her ice-blue eyes quickly scanning the interior.

"No one," she said, disappointed, but maintained her combat stance.

The convenience store was a mess. Shelves were toppled, goods scattered everywhere. The air held a faint, cloyingly sweet yet fishy scent, reminiscent of decaying flowers.

Chen Jingyi's detector emitted a weak beep. "Detecting high concentrations of residual Zerg energy. The target likely stayed here for a significant period but has departed."

Li Yuan crouched down, carefully examining the floor. On the dusty floor were several blurred footprints, resembling those of women's high heels. Near the cash register, he also found a few strands of silver hair.

"She was here," Li Yuan analyzed. "Seems she took some clothing. An intelligent creature's instinct, perhaps?"

...

While the squad was investigating the convenience store, a completely different scene was unfolding elsewhere in the city.

Raindrops fell silently, refracting the neon lights into a hazy glow. Beside a bus stop on a bustling street, a young girl stood alone in the rain, her figure appearing particularly frail under the lights.

She looked to be only seventeen or eighteen, wearing a pure white dress, its hem already soaked and clinging to her slender calves. Her long black hair was wet and plastered to her cheeks, droplets falling from the ends. Her large eyes held a touch of panic and helplessness, like a frightened fawn.

"Little girl, waiting for the bus all alone?"

Three young men in flashy clothes staggered closer, reeking of alcohol. The leader, a guy with dyed yellow hair, eyed the girl with ill intent, his gaze lingering on her rain-soaked dress, especially on her slightly developed chest and slender waist.

"I... I'm waiting for a friend," the girl whispered timidly, taking a step back, her voice as soft as a feather in the night wind. Her fingers nervously twisted the fabric of her skirt, making her appear even more pitiful.

"It's so late, your friend isn't coming," another thug with an earring grinned, revealing yellowed teeth. "Look, you're soaked. Why not come have a drink with us to warm up?"

The third, stockier thug couldn't wait and reached out to touch the girl's cheek. "Yeah, come have some fun with us. Guaranteed better than standing here in the rain alone."

The girl shook her head in panic, trying to leave, but the three surrounded her. The yellow-haired guy tried to grab her wrist, but she nimbly dodged. This evasive action only piqued their interest further; they exchanged knowing looks.

"Don't be scared, we're just taking you to have some fun," the yellow-haired guy signaled with his eyes. The other two immediately stepped forward, grabbing the girl from left and right.

"Let me go! Please..." the girl pretended to struggle, a sob in her voice, which only fueled the thugs' interest further. Her soft body squirmed in their grasp, making their breathing grow heavier.

They forcibly dragged the girl into a dark alley next to the street. The alley was piled with dumpsters. Dim light filtered through the rain, stretching their shadows long and thin.

However, just as they thought their prey was secured, the girl suddenly stopped struggling. She looked up. A strange red light flashed in her eyes, which had been so pitiful moments before, and the corners of her mouth lifted into a mysterious smile.

"How... foolish," her voice remained soft, but carried a bone-chilling coldness.

Before the three thugs could react, they felt an intense dizziness. The girl gently pushed away the hand covering her mouth and elegantly straightened her collar, which had been pulled askew. Her eyes shimmered with a sinister glow. The three thugs froze in place as if under a spell, their eyes gradually growing vacant.

"Human males... are always so easy to bait," she murmured to herself, slowly walking toward the nearest yellow-haired guy.

She extended a slender finger, gently stroking his cheek. A flicker of struggle appeared in his eyes but was soon replaced by blankness. The girl's red lips parted slightly. An invisible stream of energy slowly flowed from the yellow-haired guy's nose and mouth, drawn into her body.

The yellow-haired guy's body visibly withered before collapsing softly to the ground, becoming an empty husk.

The other two met the same fate. The girl seemed to be enjoying a feast, elegant and unhurried. When she finished, the three thugs had become three lifeless shells, their internal organs and brains dissolved and absorbed during the process.

The girl gently wiped the corner of her mouth as if having just finished a fine meal. Her white dress remained spotless, her face even bore a satisfied flush, as if everything that had just happened had nothing to do with her.

"Next... time to find a new location," she whispered, her figure vanishing into the rain curtain.

...

"The detector has captured a strong energy fluctuation!"

Inside the armored vehicle, Chen Jingyi suddenly raised her voice. On the detector screen, a prominent red dot was moving rapidly, the signal strength noticeably increased.

"Location?" Li Yuan asked immediately, signaling the driver to be ready.

"Outskirts, near a residential area," Chen Jingyi operated the device rapidly.

The armored vehicle immediately changed direction, speeding toward the signal source. Soon, they arrived at a dark alley—the very place the girl had vanished from earlier.

Three bodies lay haphazardly in the alley, their deaths eerily strange—they appeared intact, but their skin had an unnatural ashen pallor, their eyes wide open, pupils fully dilated.

"This..." Laya covered her mouth in horror, her face pale. "They look like their life was drained..."

Elia crouched to examine the bodies. "Just like the courses described. The brains and internal organs were dissolved and absorbed. It's the typical feeding pattern of a Queen-class Zerg."

Li Yuan carefully observed the surroundings, finding a trail of shallow footprints at the alley's entrance. The prints were light, like those from women's high heels, but at one spot they suddenly became deeper, as if a fierce struggle had occurred there—or perhaps, a meticulously staged performance.

"She completed her feeding here," Li Yuan said gravely. "And she likely lured these people here on purpose."

Just then, Instructor Zhou Cheng's communication came through. His stern face appeared on the holographic projection. "Another patrol team reports a homicide at the Blue Tune Hotel, characteristics matching a Zerg attack. Proceed there immediately for investigation."

The squad quickly arrived at the incident hotel. It was a four-star business hotel located on the edge of the bustling commercial district. In a room on the third floor, they found another male victim.

The deceased wore an expensive tailored suit and a luxury watch on his wrist, appearing to be a successful businessman. His condition was identical to the three in the alley—externally intact, but his life essence completely extracted.

Chen Jingyi's detector emitted a rapid beep. "The energy signal is strong. It seems she might still be in this hotel."

She operated the device quickly. The red dot on the screen overlapped perfectly with their current location.

"It seems she's waiting for us!" Li Yuan walked to the window, gazing out at the countless neon lights weaving a dazzling web. "And we have no idea who she is!"

"It seems the hunt tonight has only just begun," he said softly.

In a suite somewhere within this very hotel, an alluring woman was touching up her makeup in front of a mirror. She wore a red, backless evening gown that accentuated her alluring curves, her silver hair elegantly styled into a bun. The mirror reflected a flawless face.

She gently stroked a string of pearl necklaces around her neck—a gift from the recent "gentleman." Recalling the man's terrified expression in his final moments, the corners of her mouth couldn't help but lift slightly.

"Next... time to find some more interesting prey," she gave the mirror a charming smile and turned to walk toward the door.