After hearing the name "Li Wei," Wells fell into silence.
Two days ago, when the mechanical creatures revolted, he was still in the hospital. In fact, his physical injuries had largely healed, but the psychic wound was not so easy to treat.
Cui He's death dealt him a huge blow.
Cui He was his childhood playmate and brother, but died because of his own reckless, impulsive and foolish decision.
He knew that if he strictly followed the guild rules, he would be severely punished. If it were not for the influential grandfather who stood for him, all the punishments would come down on him without exception.
Although he could avoid the punishment from the guild, he could not escape the self-punishment from his own heart. He always remembered Cui He's pale face when the doctor declared him dead, and he also remembered the hateful gaze of his other friend, Ah Lu, when he looked at himself.
For the first time, he began to reflect on himself and felt that he was truly wrong.
His spirit began to sink, and the inner pain kept tormenting him.
If it hadn't been for the rebellion of the cyborgs affecting the regional hospital and forcing him into battle, he didn't know how long he would have continued to sink.
The day before yesterday, after a tough battle at the district hospital and persistently waiting for the guild's support to repel the siege by the half-mechanical monsters, he did not form a team with anyone else. Armed with his fists alone, he embarked on a solo hunting mission. All his dispirited will and painful torment were transformed into a burning rage, which he vented on those monsters.
Last night, he happened to be near the Minghao residential area when he encountered Zheng Zaishun's group from the Iron Cross Avenue, escorting a group of civilians to the refugee camp.
If he had come across anyone from his own guild, he would have definitely turned around to leave - he felt too ashamed to face his fellow guild members.
However, since these were people from other guilds that he did not recognize, and they were tasked with escorting a large number of civilians and were indeed short of manpower, he decided to stay.
As a result, before the refugee team could even set off, a small but formidable group of enemies, including a half-mechanical flesh and blood giant, arrived at the entrance of the residential area and trapped them inside.
Among the refugees were armed men, Zheng Zaishun's hunter team, he himself, and a few individuals who claimed to be traveling but possessed considerable strength. Together, they established a defensive line at the entrance of the community and repelled several attacks by the semi-mechanical creatures, barely preserving their lives.
However, the situation did not improve. In Zheng Zaishun's team of four hunters, only he himself was a master who had unlocked his genetic potential, while the other three were at the pinnacle of mankind's capability. Among the five travelers, there was only one individual who excelled in the power chain.
With their combined strength, they might not even be able to handle the flesh giant, not to mention such a highly successful semi-mechanical creature.
Thus, they could only rely on the terrain, organize a defense line, and persistently defend against the onslaught.
Last night, the defense line was almost breached. With Zheng Zaishun and the strongest of those travelers, a guy named Wang Erdie, they joined forces to wound the flesh giant, barely stabilizing the community's defenses.
However, both Zheng Zaishun's hunter squad and the traveler squad suffered great losses in that battle.
Two travelers at the extreme level were hit by hundreds of bullets from a Gatling gun and a K5 semi-automatic rifle, even the strongest body could not withstand it, suffering heavy injuries on the spot. They later died from lack of medical treatment. Another extreme hunter was hit on the chest by a flesh giant's heavy hammer, with the entire chest turning into a pile of mud, and died instantly.
Simultaneously, the self-defense militia, which originally had more than seventy people, also died down to just over fifty people.
One third of the combat strength was gone just like that.
Of course, there were some successes. Originally, the giant made of flesh and blood led two platoons of infantry and a considerable number of bionically-enhanced hounds, and only half of them were left after the battle.
However, despite this, the situation is still very bad. In fact, if it weren't for the support team from the guild arriving, they were already preparing to break through the encirclement - break through alone, abandoning the refugees.
There's no other choice, hunters are not soldiers, and Zheng Zaishun's team has already lost one person. He and the other two do not want to throw away their lives for those refugees here.
After all, for hunters, this is just a commission.
It's the opposite for those travelers, their attitude is much firmer than the hunters, they seem prepared to fight side by side with the refugees here.
Wells doesn't intend to leave either, if this is a punishment given by God, he's willing to accept it with an open heart.
He decided to fight to the end.
However, all situations brightened up again after the arrival of the support team from the Four-Leaf Clover branch.
Zheng Zaishun's serious face all day long finally showed a smile, and the traveler named Wilde did the same.
Hope was reignited, but Wells was not happy.
His mood was quite complicated. To be honest, he didn't want to see Levi.
Wells didn't know how to face Levi, let alone how to face the nightmare he had buried with his own hands just a few days ago.
As he was lost in thought, his shoulder was patted.
Turning his head, he saw Zheng Zaishun's square face.
"What are you thinking about?"
"Nothing," Wells waved his hand.
Zheng Zaishun didn't mind. In the joint combat over the past day, he greatly appreciated Wells' strength. His pair of iron fists was very formidable.
The Hunter's Guild on Iron Cross Avenue is also very famous. However, among the younger generation of this era, there are not many outstanding ones like Wells. The one who can truly defeat Wells might only be the number one among the young generation of Iron Cross, the direct disciple of the Cherry Blossom Sword God, Su Zixia.
Su Zixia is a genius who broke through the genetic lock at the age of eighteen.
Zheng Zaishun thinks that Wells is not only a leader but also a core figure among the younger generation of Clover. Such a person must have future achievements, and it's beneficial to make friends in time.
He said, "By the way, Wells, are you familiar with the person Li Wei?"
Mentioning Li Wei, Wells fell silent for a moment and said, "I somewhat know him, but I'm not familiar."
Zheng Zaishun was unaware of Wells' emotions. In his impression, this robust young man had always been wearing such a gloomy expression. He continued to ask, "The clover support team seems to be led by Li Wei. Is he an impressive person?"
Recalling something, he said, "Very impressive."
"Oh? That's great! It seems that our side has gained another expert who has activated the genetic lock." Zheng Zaishun naturally believed so.
"No, he hasn't even completed the ultimate tempering."
"Huh?"