Moonlight, cold as water, washed over the imposing walls of Hope Base. At the edge of the inner zone, in the shadow of a building near the quarantine wall, Gu Xun stood silently.
He had just "eased" the lingering pain of an old injury for a night-shift guard squad leader. Grateful for the relief, the guard turned a blind eye to his "stroll" in the vicinity.
He raised his hand, a faint, almost imperceptible white light flickering from his fingertips. A surveillance camera in the corner of the wall flashed a red light for an extremely brief moment before returning to normal. It was only a minor interference, causing less than a second of static on the monitor feed—insignificant in the long nightly recordings—but sufficient to provide a plausible "technical glitch" excuse for what was about to happen.
The time had come.
Almost the instant Gu Xun made his move, a strange, violent whirlwind erupted without warning in the dust zone along the eastern perimeter of the base! The wind didn't spread out; it precisely enveloped the garbage dump and several dilapidated shacks, whipping up clouds of dust, scraps of cloth, and debris that instantly obscured the vision of nearby watchtowers and patrol teams.
"What the hell?" "Damn it, where'd that freak wind come from?" "Can't see a thing!"
Amid the chaos, a figure moved like a ghost blending into the wind. Using the dust as cover, he swiftly and silently approached the designated spot along the inner perimeter wall, exploiting patrol blind spots he had already mapped out. It was Lu Zhao. He pushed his wind-manipulating ability to its limits—not just for speed, but for precise control over air currents, creating confusion and concealing his presence.
Beneath the inner wall, Gu Xun timed his move. As the outer zone's commotion and whispers faintly reached him, he struck again. This time, the light flared brighter—like a miniature flashbang exploding in his palm. The intense glare made nearby sentries at fixed posts instinctively shut their eyes or turn away!
That was the brief moment of visual blackout! A figure, propelled by the wind, nimbly scaled the relatively low inner perimeter wall (its defenses weaker than the outer ramparts) and landed beside Gu Xun. It was Lu Zhao.
Without a moment's pause, without even exchanging glances—as if rehearsed countless times—they moved in formation, one ahead, one behind. Following the route Gu Xun had meticulously mapped out, utilizing building shadows and green belts for cover, they raced toward the base's outermost perimeter, the relatively vulnerable logistics supply entrance.
They had to move fast! Extremely fast! The surveillance jamming and visual distractions could only buy them a fleeting window. The commotion in the outer zone would soon subside. Once the base detected the anomaly and sealed the exits, they would be trapped like fish in a barrel.
Their heartbeats pounded like drums, deafeningly loud in the silent night. Every step felt like walking on a razor's edge. They dodged the beams of searchlights, skirted fixed patrol points, and sensed every faint, unusual energy fluctuation in the air.
Finally, the side door used for transporting trash and scrap materials—usually guarded by only two sentries—came into view. Just as they were about to approach, the light in the guardhouse flickered on! A yawning sentry stepped out, seemingly preparing for his routine patrol.
Lu Zhao's pupils contracted sharply. Just as he prepared to force his way through, Gu Xun grabbed his arm. Gu Xun took a deep breath, focusing his mind not on attack, but on projecting an aura imbued with extreme "tranquility" and "sleepiness." Like ripples spreading outward, it enveloped the guard.
The guard's footsteps halted mid-stride. His yawn froze halfway, his eyes clouding over with drowsiness. He shook his head, visibly exhausted, muttered something indistinctly, and turned back toward the gatehouse. The light flickered and went out.
Mental suggestion! Gu Xun's face paled further. This drained him even more than the interference device. "Go!"
Without hesitation, they moved like two wisps of smoke. Lu Zhao used wind pressure to muffle any potential creak from the door hinges, gently pushing open the iron gate that wasn't fully locked. He sidestepped out, followed closely by Gu Xun.
The cold, liberating air washed over them! They were out! They had escaped that prison called "Hope"!
But the danger was far from over! The very next second after their figures vanished into the darkness beyond the wall, a shrill alarm pierced the night sky from within the base! Sharp and urgent, it signaled the highest-level manhunt for fugitives!
"They've spotted us," Lu Zhao whispered.
"No stopping! Follow the planned route into the mountains!" Gu Xun's voice was urgent.
Their figures sprinted across the wasteland, leaving the brightly lit base—now stirring like a colossal beast—far behind. Yet they could sense more than one malevolent presence surging from the base gates, pursuing them like hounds.
Farther away, on a patch of scorched earth, a figure that had been pacing suddenly snapped its head up. Crimson eyes fixed on the direction of the base's alarm and the two fugitives' escape route, a twisted, excited grin spreading across its face. Licking his parched lips, sparks crackling around him like a hyena spotting prey, he silently closed the distance.
A three-way chase officially commenced across the moonlit wasteland.