"I still feel like something is wrong."
The moment An Qin and Lin Feng left, Vivian immediately lowered her voice and leaned toward Cheng Kong, Liu Ma, and Isabel, her tone heavy with gravity.
"I've never been able to truly trust An Qin, and the two people she brought with her don't look like they're here for a collaborative exploration at all."
"Especially when An Qin introduced them; it felt like she was deliberately hiding something. It felt very off to me."
"Furthermore, the way Lin Feng was following behind An Qin just now... that wasn't the posture of an ordinary teammate. It was more like... a supervisor."
"A supervisor?"
Cheng Kong frowned. "Are you saying An Qin was forced by them to form this team?"
"I don't know."
Vivian shook her head, a trace of helplessness flashing in her eyes. "I don't have any evidence; these are all just my guesses. A Machinist Envoy's judgment should be based on data and evidence, but this time... my intuition has been screaming at me."
Seeing Vivian's persistent concern, Cheng Kong gently tapped the strap of his tactical backpack. His gaze swept across the metal walls of the rest cabin as Tendo's words echoed in his mind.
'Just prepare for the worst in everything. Sometimes, intuition is more persuasive than any evidence.'
A moment later, Cheng Kong looked at Vivian and said in a steady voice, "Vivian, Zhao Yu's explanation was actually fine. Temporary team formation is allowed in Fallen Zone explorations, and their willingness to offer a third of the points as compensation isn't unreasonable. It's just..."
"Intuition isn't necessarily wrong. We don't need to rush to find the answer; we just need to stay vigilant."
"When An Qin returns, I'll find a way to ask her about her relationship with Lin and Zhao to see if I can find any clues."
He knew Vivian's caution wasn't redundant. Tendo's warning combined with Vivian's intuition forced him to keep a closer eye on this mission.
Beside them, Liu Ma looked at the two serious faces and subconsciously scratched his head, his expression honest and puzzled.
"Cheng Kong, Vivian, I honestly still don't understand why you have such a big prejudice against An Qin. I feel like she's alright?"
"Besides, two more people means more strength. That Lin Feng looks like he can really fight. With him tanking in the front, we'll be safer in the back."
After Liu Ma finished, he jerked his chin toward the door, completely oblivious to the tension in the atmosphere.
Isabel had no interest in participating in their conversation. She leaned in the corner of the cabin and pulled up the map of the "Withered Bone Desert" on her data terminal.
"Actually, rather than those ambiguous guesses you're discussing, I feel we should focus our main energy on the Fallen Zone. After all, that is the danger right in front of us."
"The energy ruins An Qin mentioned are at the edge of the desert. While they are close to the safe zone, the terrain in this unexplored area is very complex. It's surrounded by building debris where Star Beasts might be lurking. We need to plan our scouting route in advance."
Hearing Isabel's words, Cheng Kong and the others quickly ended their previous topic and began formulating various contingency plans based on the data of the Withered Bone Desert.
Meanwhile, in the corridor outside the starship's cockpit.
An Qin's face was as cold as ice as she faced Lin Feng. She stared at him coldly, making no attempt to hide her hostility.
"Lin Feng, what do you mean by that?"
Facing this teammate in name only, dark purple Star Energy surfaced on An Qin's right hand. The energy transformed into a dagger that gleamed with a cold light, leaving no doubt about its lethality.
An Qin pointed the weapon at Lin Feng and said coldly, "I don't need you to tell me how to do things. The reason I insisted on letting Cheng Kong and the others go is because their identities are too sensitive—they are very close to that monster, Tendo Simei."
"If something happens to them, there's no guarantee that monster won't notice something is wrong and track us down."
An Qin's reasoning wasn't without merit. However, Lin Feng was quite certain that her starting point wasn't this, but rather her own personal feelings.
He ignored An Qin's warning and leaned lazily against the metal wall of the corridor with his arms crossed. The scar on his face looked particularly gruesome under the pale green lighting.
Looking at the frost-faced An Qin, Lin Feng let out a cold laugh and sneered, "An Qin, don't forget who you are."
"The only reason you're still alive is because of the organization's help. In other words... your life doesn't belong to you."
"You must do whatever the organization tells you to do. You have no right to refuse."
With that, Lin Feng took a step forward. Strengthening-type Star Energy surged within him, creating a heavy sense of pressure.
"The organization chose Cheng Kong and the others for a reason. It is not for you to question."
"..."
Hearing Lin Feng's words, An Qin's body trembled slightly. In a daze, she remembered the Explorer Certificate examination, where Cheng Kong had unhesitatingly chosen to help her younger self in the memory projection. Although that memory was fake, the impact it had on her was real.
Thinking of this, she didn't back down. Instead, she countered, "I still stand by my thoughts. I don't want to be targeted by a monster like Tendo because of this."
"That is not something you should be considering right now."
With that, Lin Feng pulled a black micro-device from his pocket, its surface carved with eerie patterns.
"When the starship reaches the midpoint of the journey, this 'Star Energy Jammer' will automatically activate. It can covertly weaken their Star Energy, making them feel tired and slow their reflexes."
"Once we reach the ruins, Zhao Yu and I will work with you to lead them into the conversion zone. As long as Cheng Kong touches the core device, your mission is complete."
While speaking, Lin Feng tossed the device to An Qin.
"Take this. The activation code is the organization's core identifier. Don't mess it up."
An Qin caught the device. Its cold touch made her whole body shudder. She looked at the patterns on the device, and Cheng Kong's gentle eyes flashed through her mind. A strong sense of resistance welled up in her heart. She suddenly clenched the device in her palm, her voice raspy. "What if I don't do it?"
Lin Feng's gaze instantly turned fierce. The pressure from his Strengthening-type Star Energy intensified abruptly, nearly freezing the air in the corridor. He approached An Qin and whispered with a threatening, mocking smile, "Don't do it? Then you can join them and become a failed waste-body."
"Also, why do you think the organization had me follow you? It was precisely to prevent you from acting on your emotions."
"An Qin, face reality. You can never truly become 'human.' You can only be a pawn of the organization."
An Qin's body froze in place. Lin Feng's words were like a sharp blade piercing through her last bit of hope. She knew he was telling the truth. The organization's modifications had left indelible marks in her body. If the organization wished, they could make her suffer or even take her life at any moment.
Her hand holding the micro-device trembled slightly, her eyes filled with struggle and despair. Ultimately, she could only lower her head weakly and whisper, "I understand..."
Seeing this, Lin Feng nodded with satisfaction and withdrew his Star Energy.
"Fine. Don't waste any more time. Go back so they don't get suspicious."
"Remember, your task is only to lead them into the conversion zone. Leave the rest to me and Zhao Yu."
After saying that, he turned and walked toward the cockpit, leaving An Qin standing alone in the corridor.
An Qin stood there in silence for a long time. She slowly raised her hand and looked at the micro-device in her palm. The struggle in her eyes was gradually replaced by a sliver of resolve. She hid the device in a secret pocket inside her uniform, took a deep breath to steady her expression, and turned back toward the rest cabin.
She didn't know what she could do, but she didn't want to watch Cheng Kong and the others walk into a trap. Even if there was only a sliver of a chance, she had to try to stop it.
The door to the rest cabin opened, and An Qin walked in with a gentle smile, as if the conflict in the corridor had never happened. She held several virtual exploration route maps and distributed them to the group. "The flight route has been confirmed. We will arrive at the Withered Bone Desert in three hours."
"These are the detailed scouting routes. We'll split into two groups. Lin Feng, Zhao Yu, and I will be one group, responsible for the frontal scouting of the energy ruins' core area."
"Cheng Kong, you, Vivian, Liu Ma, and Isabel will be the other group, responsible for checking the surrounding abandoned buildings and watching for Star Beasts."
Cheng Kong took the route map and quickly scanned the markings. He found that although the two groups' routes were separate, they were very close, allowing for mutual support at any time. He looked up at An Qin and noticed a flicker of exhaustion deep in her eyes. He asked tentatively, "An Qin, how long have you known Lin and Zhao? You seem to coordinate very well together."
An Qin's body stiffened slightly before she said with a smile, "We only met recently. We ran into each other when handing over documents at the Field Department. Their strength is quite good, so they should be helpful."
She deliberately avoided Cheng Kong's gaze, her tone carrying a trace of imperceptible flusteredness for fear of showing a flaw.
Vivian stared intently at An Qin's expression and caught that momentary panic, deepening the suspicion in her heart. However, when she released her observation ability again, there were no anomalies. Vivian shifted her gaze subtly, suppressed the urge to interrogate further, and turned to the route map.
"Your grouping is fine in general, but we need to maintain real-time communication. If any abnormality is found, notify the other group immediately."
"Additionally, Zhao Yu excels at rapid close combat. My Machinist abilities are perfect for helping him lock onto targets. Why don't I join your group instead?"
To this, Zhao Yu surprisingly offered no objection. A fitting smile appeared on his face as he nodded.
"No problem. Student Vivian's auxiliary scouting is very impressive. With your help, I'll definitely be able to perform better."
His smile looked incredibly sincere, yet a hidden coldness lurked deep within his gaze. It was obvious that Vivian wanted to observe them up close. But it didn't matter, because from the moment they stepped onto this starship, the ending of everything had already been decided.
Regarding Vivian's suggestion, An Qin thought for a moment before nodding. "Then we'll adjust the groups as you said. Cheng Kong, Liu Ma, and Isabel will be one group, responsible for the left-side area."
"Lin Feng, Zhao Yu, Vivian, and I will be the other group, responsible for the right-side area."
"Once we arrive at the ruins, we'll first gather at the safe zone to confirm there are no Star Beasts before beginning the scouting."
Her gaze swept over everyone, finally landing on Cheng Kong with a complex look. "Remember, safety first. If you encounter an Star Beast you can't handle, don't force it. Retreat to the safe zone immediately."
Although Cheng Kong noticed something strange in An Qin's eyes, he didn't think too much of it, assuming she was just reminding her teammates. "Don't worry, we'll be careful."
Over the next few hours, a brief silence fell over the rest cabin. Liu Ma leaned back in his chair to rest, humming an out-of-tune tune. Vivian was calibrating the sand-proofing system for her mechanical arm, her fingers dancing quickly across the control panel. Isabel continued to hone her Star Source, Absolute Zero, to maintain her peak state. Cheng Kong repeatedly simulated the tactical coordination for the new groups, refining plans for various emergencies.
After an unknown amount of time, the starship's broadcast suddenly chimed, its sweet electronic voice breaking the silence.
"Attention all members: the starship is about to enter the alert zone above the Withered Bone Desert. Landing is expected in thirty minutes. Please organize your gear and prepare for deployment."
Hearing the broadcast, An Qin stood up, took a deep breath, and addressed the group. "Get ready, everyone. We're almost there."
"Remember the groups and routes we just discussed. Keep the communication lines open during the scouting and report any situation immediately."
After speaking, An Qin turned and walked toward the door. Lin Feng and Zhao Yu immediately followed. As she passed Cheng Kong, An Qin's footsteps faltered slightly. She gave him a complex look before quickly walking out of the rest cabin.
Watching An Qin's departing figure, Cheng Kong still felt something was off. He turned to look at Vivian and found her also staring at the doorway with a frown. The two exchanged a look, seeing the same doubt in each other's eyes, yet neither could pinpoint exactly what was wrong.
"Let's go. It's time for us to head out too."
Cheng Kong withdrew his gaze and picked up his tactical backpack, his voice steady. "Regardless of the problem, we'll find out once we reach the ruins."
"Remember, stay alert and prepare for the worst."
The four organized their gear and quickly walked out of the cabin toward the deployment hatch.
Outside the starship, the silhouette of the Withered Bone Desert was already clearly visible. The yellow dunes glinted under the harsh sun, and a dry, hot wind blew through the starship's ventilation system, carrying a desolate and dangerous aura.
An seemingly ordinary Fallen Zone exploration was now enveloped in layers of undercurrents. And Cheng Kong's team was stepping bit by bit into a carefully planned trap.
Meanwhile, on another Star Energy ship heading toward the Withered Bone Desert.
"Tendo, why did you suddenly target this Fallen Zone? I feel like this place is pretty average."
Jing Liuli looked at the information regarding the Withered Bone Desert on her data terminal, a hint of confusion on her face.
To this, Tendo, who was resting on a massage chair, said meaningfully, "Because... I think things here are about to get very interesting."
"Very interesting?"
Jing Liuli gave Tendo a strange look. Ultimately, she said nothing more and went to find Caroline nearby.