197: Chapter 196 The Perilous Situation of the Profound Core! Awakening in Anger to Break Through the Darkness and Alleviate the National Crisis, Wielding the Blade to Protect the Light and Stabilize the Tide (2)

"Su Qing? Why are you here?" A flash of surprise crossed Lin Wei's eyes, quickly replaced by deep confusion. She remembered that Su Qing had long been sent to the Southwest Deep Mountains to carry out the mission to rescue Mu Li. Why would she suddenly appear here and ruin her plans? "Shouldn't you be in the Southwest Deep Mountains rescuing Mu Li? How did you make it back early?"

Su Qing looked at her coldly, her eyes devoid of warmth, filled only with icy disgust and determination. Her voice was steady and powerful: "I received an emergency notification from the system that the Core Laboratory was being invaded and that you intended to destroy the xuanguang core. I immediately brought the medical team back. Lin Wei, your conspiracy ends here. You will never harm anyone again, and you will never destroy the xuanguang core." She paused, then shouted to the security personnel in the Command Center: "Captain Zhao, move! Take down these Shadow Soldiers and stop Lin Wei from escaping!"

Zhao Gang reacted instantly, a sharp light flashing in his eyes as he shouted, "Brothers, move out! Protect the core control console, take down the Shadow Soldiers, and capture Lin Wei alive!" The security team opened fire, and beams of golden Xuanguang Energy rained down on the Shadow Soldiers like a storm. The beams sliced through the air with a sharp "shoo-shoo" sound, carrying a fierce edge. The Shadow Soldiers were not to be outdone and counterattacked immediately. Dark purple energy beams collided and intertwined with the golden Xuanguang Energy beams inside the Command Center, producing ear-piercing explosions and scattering sparks. The entire Command Center instantly turned into a battlefield.

A fierce battle erupted in an instant. Tables and chairs in the Command Center were hit by energy beams and pulverized into dust, sending wood chips and stone fragments flying. The screens on the control console were blown apart, sparks flew, and the smell of burning grew stronger. The floor was soon covered in craters and bloodstains, with the black corpses of Shadow Soldiers and the silver-white corpses of security personnel lying intermingled on the ground—a shocking sight. Although the security team was outnumbered, they relied on their familiarity with the Command Center's terrain, their loyalty to the Xuanguang base, and their suicidal determination to engage in a life-and-death struggle with the Shadow Soldiers. Every shot and every charge was made with their full strength.

Su Qing locked her target firmly on Lin Wei, her xuanguang energy rifle firing at her continuously. Her shots were precise and rapid, giving Lin Wei no room to breathe. Although Lin Wei's combat suit could defend against some energy attacks, it was soon covered in cracks under Su Qing's accurate fire. The light of her defensive shield grew weaker, and she was grazed by beams in several places, leaking bright red blood. Lin Wei knew she couldn't stay and fight; staying would only lead to her capture. She had to escape as soon as possible, find the High Priest, and find another way to complete the mission. She feinted a shot, firing a beam of Dark Energy toward Su Qing to force her back, then turned and ran nimbly toward the Command Center's emergency escape passage, her footsteps hurried and without pause.

"Trying to run? It won't be that easy!" Su Qing immediately gave chase, a look of determination flashing in her eyes. She knew that Lin Wei was the heart of the entire conspiracy and the culprit behind the attempt to destroy the xuanguang core. She absolutely could not let her escape, or the consequences would be endless. She fired continuously at Lin Wei's back as she chased, trying to stop her flight.

Meanwhile, in the jungles of the Southwest Deep Mountains, the night was still heavy. A damp night wind howled through the trees with a bone-chilling cold, and the leaves rustled as if recounting the tragedy that had occurred there. A rescue team composed of ten elites from the Xuanguang Assault Team was carefully carrying a stretcher, moving with difficulty along the rugged mountain path. Their steps were light and cautious, for fear of making a sound that would alert the nearby Shadow Soldiers. Lying on the stretcher was the unconscious Mu Li. His face was still as pale as paper, without a hint of color, and dried blood remained at the corners of his mouth. His combat suit was covered in dust and torn, and the wound on his left shoulder continued to seep blood, staining the medical gauze on the stretcher a shocking red.

"Captain, Engineer Mu's vital signs are still very unstable!" a rescue team member whispered, his voice thick with anxiety. He gripped the medical monitor tightly, the vital sign curves on the screen weak and erratic. "The medical equipment shows severe energy turbulence in his chest. With his old injuries flaring up, excessive blood loss, and residual Dark Energy, the situation is critical. He could be in life-threatening danger at any moment!"

The rescue team captain, Li Rui, frowned, his brow furrowed in a knot of gravity and anxiety. He said in a deep voice, "Pick up the pace! We'll reach the temporary rescue point in five minutes. Dr. Su has already sent a medical helicopter. We'll be able to give Engineer Mu professional treatment then, inject him with Xuanguang Energy, and clear the residual Dark Energy from his body! No matter the cost, we must protect Engineer Mu. We absolutely cannot let anything happen to him!"

Li Rui was a team member personally trained by Mu Li. He was fiercely loyal to Mu Li, seeing him as a role model and considering the protection of Mu Li and the Xuanguang base as his lifelong mission. After receiving the emergency rescue order from the system, he had immediately led his team through numerous obstacles, evading Shadow Soldier patrols, and found the unconscious Mu Li among the ruins near the Shadow Tribe camp. At that time, Mu Li was lying in a pile of rubble, covered in wounds and breathing weakly. If not for the system's precise positioning, they wouldn't have found him at all, and Mu Li likely would have stopped breathing long ago.

"Captain, look ahead!" a team member suddenly whispered, a hint of panic in his voice. He pointed toward the jungle ahead. Li Rui looked in the direction the member was pointing and saw a group of Shadow Soldiers heading their way. There were about twenty of them, moving nimbly and swiftly, their dark energy weapons flickering with a cold light. Clearly, these Shadow Soldiers had heard the commotion of the signal transmitter exploding and had come to investigate, stumbling upon them.

"Not good! It's the Shadow Soldiers!" Li Rui's face changed instantly, his heart sinking. "Brothers, prepare for battle! Form a defensive perimeter around the stretcher immediately. We must protect Engineer Mu. Even if it costs us our lives, we must hold out until the medical helicopter arrives!"

The rescue team members immediately set down the stretcher and raised their xuanguang energy rifles, quickly forming a defensive formation in front of the stretcher. Their eyes were firm, and their rifles were aimed steadily forward, ready for combat. The Shadow Soldiers soon spotted them and let out an ear-piercing roar, launching a fierce attack. Beams of dark purple energy shot toward the rescue team, hitting the surrounding trees. The trees were instantly snapped in half, wood chips flew, and deep craters were left in the ground.

"Fire!" Li Rui shouted, his voice low and powerful, carrying a sense of resolve. The rescue team members counterattacked immediately, firing golden Xuanguang Energy beams at the Shadow Soldiers. Several Shadow Soldiers couldn't dodge in time and were hit, their bodies turning into wisps of black smoke and dissipating in the air. However, the Shadow Soldiers were too numerous and were all elites. The rescue team soon fell into a disadvantage, and casualties began to mount. One member's arm was hit by a Dark Energy beam; his combat suit's shield shattered instantly, and a charred wound appeared on his arm. Blood flowed, and cold sweat broke out on his forehead from the pain, yet he did not lower his rifle and continued to fight.

"Captain, we can't hold on much longer!" the wounded member shouted, a hint of despair in his voice. "There are too many Shadow Soldiers and too few of us. If this continues, we'll all be sacrificed, and Engineer Mu will be in danger too!"

Li Rui gritted his teeth, his heart filled with extreme anxiety and his forehead covered in cold sweat. He knew they had to hold on; they had to wait for the medical helicopter. It was their only hope, and Mu Li's only hope. Just then, he suddenly heard a slight movement behind him, like the sound of fingers twitching. He instinctively looked back and saw Mu Li's fingers on the stretcher move slightly, and his eyelids began to tremble. His long eyelashes flickered, a sign that he was about to wake up.

"Engineer Mu! Engineer Mu is waking up!" Li Rui cried out in joy and excitement, his voice slightly choked. This shout brought a glimmer of hope to the despairing rescue team members, and their morale instantly surged.

Meanwhile, Mu Li's consciousness was struggling in a state of chaos. He felt as if he had fallen into a bottomless abyss, surrounded by darkness and bone-chilling cold. Various noisy sounds echoed in his ears—Lin Wei's hypocritical instructions, her gentle tone hiding a deadly chill; his team members' shouts, filled with anxiety and worry; the enemies' sneers, arrogant and cruel; and the system's alarm, sharp and piercing, constantly echoing in his mind.

"Lin Wei... betrayal..."

"xuanguang core... danger..."

"The team... needs me..."

Various thoughts intertwined and collided in his mind like a tangled mess, causing a severe headache as if his head were about to explode. He wanted to open his eyes, to see the scene before him, to see if his team members were safe, but he found his eyelids as heavy as a thousand pounds. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't open them. He wanted to stand up, to join the fight, to stop Lin Wei's conspiracy, but his body felt as if it were filled with lead—heavy beyond measure, unable to move at all, lacking even the strength to lift a hand.

[System Prompt: Detecting host consciousness awakening, vital signs gradually recovering... Injecting Xuanguang Energy, repairing damaged organs, clearing residual Dark Energy from the body...]

A surge of warm Xuanguang Energy suddenly emerged from within his body, flowing through his blood vessels like a warm current, slowly repairing his damaged tissues and dispelling the residual Dark Energy. The tearing pain in his chest gradually eased, his previously blurred consciousness became clearer, and the heaviness of his body lightened significantly.

"I can't... fall..." Mu Li murmured in his heart, his tone firm and filled with an unyielding stubbornness. Using all his strength, he finally opened his eyes. Piercing sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, making him squint. After a moment of adjustment, he could finally see the scene before him—the rescue team was in a fierce battle with the Shadow Soldiers. Some members were already wounded, blood staining their combat suits, while others were fighting with all their might to hold back the Shadow Soldiers, their eyes resolute without a hint of retreat.

"Brothers..." Mu Li's voice was hoarse and weak, almost inaudible. His lips were dry and cracked, and speaking pulled at the wounds on the corners of his mouth, causing a sharp pain.

Hearing Mu Li's voice, Li Rui was overjoyed. He immediately turned back, walked quickly to the stretcher, and knelt down, his voice thick with concern and excitement: "Engineer Mu, you're awake! That's great! You're finally awake! How do you feel? Is anything uncomfortable?"

Mu Li struggled to sit up from the stretcher. At the slightest movement, a sharp pain shot through his chest, making him frown as a trace of blood seeped from his mouth. Li Rui immediately held him down, his voice urgent: "Engineer Mu, your body is still very weak, don't move! We will protect you. Don't worry, the medical helicopter will be here soon!"

"No..." Mu Li shook his head, a flash of determination in his eyes. There was no weakness in his gaze, only an unyielding fighting spirit. "I can't let my brothers sacrifice themselves for me... I am their leader. I should be protecting them, not letting them risk their lives for me..." As he spoke, he tried once more to mobilize the Xuanguang Energy in his body. Although his old injuries hadn't fully recovered and his body was still in excruciating pain, and although the Xuanguang Energy within him was still very weak, he knew now was not the time for weakness. His team needed him, the xuanguang core needed him. He had to stand up; he had to join the fight.

[System Prompt: Host's body has not fully recovered, and residual Dark Energy has not been completely cleared. Forcibly mobilizing Xuanguang Energy may cause permanent damage, worsen old injuries, and threaten your life! Please stop mobilizing energy immediately and continue resting!]

"I don't care!" Mu Li growled in his heart, his tone resolute. Ignoring the system's warning, he forcibly mobilized the remaining Xuanguang Energy in his body, gathering it into his limbs and bones. The golden light on his combat suit lit up again. Though not as dazzling as before, it still carried a powerful aura, dispelling the surrounding cold air and bringing endless strength to the rescue team.

Gritting his teeth, he used all his strength to climb off the stretcher. His body staggered, nearly falling, and Li Rui quickly reached out to support him. Mu Li waved him off, indicating he was fine. He staggered behind the rescue team members, a Xuanguang Cutting Blade condensing in his hand. The golden blade flickered with a sharp light. Though the blade's glow was somewhat weak due to his physical frailty, it still possessed a deadly edge. "Brothers, I'm here to help you!"

Seeing Mu Li wake up and take the initiative to join the fight, the rescue team's morale soared. Their exhausted bodies were instantly filled with strength, and the despair on their faces was replaced by determination. Li Rui shouted, "Brothers, Engineer Mu is awake! Engineer Mu is fighting alongside us! Let's give it our all, protect Engineer Mu, and repel the Shadow Soldiers!"

Mu Li's figure darted into the group of Shadow Soldiers like a ghost. Although his body was still very weak and his movements were somewhat sluggish, the Shadow Soldiers were no match for him, thanks to his rich combat experience and precise control of Xuanguang Energy. A Shadow Soldier was about to fire at him, but Mu Li dodged to the side. The Xuanguang Cutting Blade swept out quickly, severing the opponent's arm in one stroke. Black blood spurted out, and the Shadow Soldier let out a shrill scream. Mu Li did not hesitate, delivering another strike to end the opponent's life.