Chapter 169: Mission
These words made Su Tao’s heart tighten. Suppressing the overwhelming doubts and unease rising within her, she stepped forward and stood in front of him.
Just as she was about to reach out, Shi Zijin beat her to it, pulling her tightly into his embrace, resting his chin on her soft hair.
Su Tao could clearly feel his exhaustion and the faint sigh that escaped him.
The two of them stood there silently, wrapped in each other’s arms, bathed in the hazy moonlight.
In the shadows, Jiang Yu sensibly withdrew, disappearing into the darkness.
It was unclear how much time had passed before Shi Zijin finally spoke, his voice low and steady:
“I’ve chosen someone for you. Their abilities are no weaker than Guan Zining’s. Once I leave, she will protect you around the clock. For the next two months, remember—stay in Taoyang if possible. If you can, I strongly advise reinforcing Taoyang again, especially… keep an eye on the skies.”
Su Tao shuddered violently. In that instant, like a flash of lightning, a terrifying thought struck her. Her face turned pale as she asked, almost in disbelief:
“Don’t tell me… Bone Wing has escaped?”
What else could make Shi Zijin sound such a dire warning? What else could fly?
Other than that monstrous creature, Bonewing—what else could it be?!
Shi Zijin didn’t respond with words. He simply nodded while holding her tightly.
That was all the confirmation she needed.
“How is that possible?! Didn’t you send it to Changjing successfully? Even Changjing couldn’t contain it?”
She struggled to break free from his embrace, but he held her too tightly.
“The research on it in Changjing failed. Not only did they make no progress, but they also overdosed it with growth stimulants, causing it to mature at an accelerated rate. In the end, it became uncontrollable… it slaughtered everyone in the research facility—then escaped.”
Su Tao felt her very bones trembling.
Accelerated growth.
Uncontrollable…
Even before being sent to Changjing, Bone Wing’s power had already been terrifying beyond imagination. And now…
The fear that flooded her veins quickly turned into seething rage.
“All that effort—the blood, sweat, and sacrifices of the Pioneering Army—to get Bone Wing to Changjing, and for what?! Those lunatics… those criminals! Whoever let it escape should be the one to hunt it down!”
Shi Zijin said, “They’ve already launched a mission to recapture it. But for some reason, the tracker implanted in Bone Wing shows that it’s flying straight south. That puts both Dongyang and Taoyang at serious risk.”
Something flickered in Su Tao’s mind—a blurred, fleeting vision. It was too fast, too vague, like a dream slipping away upon waking.
But she could just barely make out an image—above the Third Gate of Dongyang’s city walls, massive blood-red wings loomed, blotting out the sky.
A vision of pure hell.
Her legs went weak, and she lost strength in her feet, collapsing to the ground. Shi Zijin caught her just in time.
“Taotao?”
Su Tao’s heart was pounding as if it was about to leap out of her throat.
What had she just seen?
Were those wings… Bone Wing’s?
How had they grown so massive, as if they could blanket the entire city of Dongyang? The sheer oppressive force of them felt like a dark cloud ready to crush the city beneath.
Shi Zijin saw how pale she was and called her name again. When she still didn’t respond, he prepared to carry her to find Jian Kaiyu.
Su Tao grabbed onto his collar. “I’m fine, I just suddenly felt dizzy. Maybe I’ve been too busy lately and got so exhausted that I started hallucinating. Put me down.”
Shi Zijin frowned.
Su Tao pushed herself out of his arms. “I want to go back and rest first. Let’s talk about everything tomorrow.”
Shi Zijin was silent for a moment before suddenly saying, “I’m leaving tomorrow.”
Su Tao shivered and instinctively asked, “Where are you going?”
Shi Zijin’s expression was filled with unwavering determination.
“We don’t know exactly which base Bone Wing is heading toward, but we need to prepare in advance. The Pioneering Army is not only the heart of Dongyang but also its outermost armor. If that day truly comes, we will do everything we can to hold Bonewing back—to buy time for everyone to evacuate.”
“You’re going to defend at the outermost perimeter?”
“Yes. That is our mission.”
“…”
Both of them fell into silence.
So many words could have been said, but in the end, she only managed one:
“Alright. Stay safe.”
She couldn’t stop him.
Even if hell itself lay ahead, he would still leap into it without hesitation.
He couldn’t abandon the fifty thousand lives in Dongyang. He couldn’t abandon the land the old commander had protected for twenty years.
He was destined to fight his way through blood and corpses, never stopping.
“I’m sorry.”
Su Tao shook her head. “You don’t have to apologize to me. No matter what choice you make, I’ll support it. I just hope… that while being a hero, you think about your own safety—even if it’s just for Ziyue. You’re her only brother.”
“I will.”
“Oh, and you don’t need to assign anyone to me. I’ve already made my choice.”
With that, Su Tao called out into the darkness, “Jiang Yu.”
Jiang Yu stepped out from the shadows, his figure becoming clear.
Of course, Jiang Yu recognized Shi Zijin. He immediately saluted him.
Shi Zijin was momentarily taken aback but quickly remembered—Jiang Yu was an orphan he had rescued years ago. Strong, reliable, and with a solid character.
He patted Jiang Yu’s shoulder in approval.
Before heading upstairs, Su Tao turned back to Shi Zijin and asked one last question:
“How many of you are going?”
“At least a hundred. We may need to recruit more.”
Su Tao let out a long sigh. “That’s a lot… I’ve always trusted my instincts, and I feel like Bone Wing is heading straight for Dongyang. Maybe even for Taoyang. If that’s the case, it will definitely pass through your defensive line.”
“I don’t need to say it—you all will be the first to face it. It’s going to be incredibly dangerous…”
