The Interstellar Queen of Scavengers

Chapter 974: Chapter 974: Execution

Ji You and Chu Jiaojiao were wearing protective clothing, helmets, and goggles, almost no skin exposed. Fortunately, all the protective equipment was soft, form-fitting, and lightweight, not affecting their agility at all. Once fully equipped, the two slowly descended from the edge of the collapse into the underground. Inside, it was pitch black, without a hint of light.

Worried about alerting the Black Gold Rats, they dared not turn on their flashlights, relying instead on detection equipment and the guidance of Shen Changqing and Sheng Qingyan from the command center to move cautiously forward.

The entire underworld seemed like a maze formed by countless tunnels, innumerable and invisible. The deeper they went, the more lost they felt, but Ji You and the others recorded their progress every 10 meters, further aided by Dock’s monitoring equipment, ensuring they didn’t worry about getting lost.

After recording, Ji You and Chu Jiaojiao stopped. Chu Jiaojiao tilted her ear, carefully monitoring the surroundings. Ji You spoke into the communicator to Shen Changqing, ”Are you sure it’s 11.5 meters away from us?”

Shen Changqing responded quietly, ”Be careful; it seems slightly aware.”

Ji You and Chu Jiaojiao immediately composed themselves, halting all movement, minimizing their presence as much as possible, while the Light Computer connection remained steady. Shen Changqing’s clear voice came through:

”According to thermal detection results, this is a level 3 Black Gold Rat and is very dangerous. Be careful.”

Ji You: ”Got it.”

After giving the instructions, Shen Changqing temporarily paused communications with Ji You and Chu Jiaojiao, turning to contact Yue Qiyuan and Yue Qiguang instead.

Shen Changqing and Sheng Qingyan were busy in the monitoring room, while Ji You, Chu Jiaojiao, Yue Qiguang, and Yue Qiyuan were also under pressure deep underground. Shen Changqing and Sheng Qingyan needed to ensure accurate information transmission to provide maximum logistical support for their teammates. Ji You and the others faced direct danger, at any moment a battle could erupt, so they were under immense pressure...

No one complained, and no one retreated; all focused on the tasks at hand...

In the corner, Liu Fufeng paused from sketching circles, watching Shen Changqing and Sheng Qingyan, who were fully trusted by Ji You, Chu Jiaojiao, Yue Qiguang, and Yue Qiyuan...

For a moment, Liu Fufeng’s beautiful eyes widened.

He too...

wanted a group of such friends.

Liu Fufeng lowered his eyes and continued folding the small paper piece in his hand.

Yeah.

As long as his hands kept moving, troubles disappeared.

...

On their way through, Ji You and Chu Jiaojiao cleverly buried Black Gold Ore in the earth along the path, just covering it slightly with a thin layer of soil, allowing its scent to attract nearby Black Gold Rats.

With 10 meters left to the level 3 Black Gold Rat, Ji You and Chu Jiaojiao exchanged glances, communicating silently in the pitch-black tunnel with a brief 1-second eye contact,

Chu Jiaojiao: ”I’ll go.”

Ji You shook her head: ”I’ll go.”

Chu Jiaojiao: ”I’m stronger than you.”

Ji You: ”You’re a big brute, I’m more meticulous than you.”

Chu Jiaojiao: ”...But you’re short, skinny, and small...” saying this, her eyes even darted past Ji You’s chest...

Even in the darkness, being so close, their breaths could reach each other’s face. While trying to minimize their presence, Chu Jiaojiao’s presence was still strong... Unavoidable, Ji You rolled her eyes, ”Why must women make things difficult for each other... just because you lack a bust doesn’t mean you should look down on those who have one.”

Chu Jiaojiao was shocked: ”You have?”

Ji You: ”...”

Ji You gritted her teeth: ”I’ll go, just hold back a bit.”

Chu Jiaojiao shrank her neck but still gripped the Charging Particle Gun tightly, ready to support at any moment.

Ji You threw the words aside and slowly crawled towards the destination. The passage they used was a pipeline built by Dock. During Dock’s construction, many such pipes were laid underground, but they were very narrow, allowing only one person at a time. Ji You inched forward slowly, halting occasionally, finally reaching the location of the level 3 Black Gold Rat.

meter.

With just 1 meter of separation, even a slight increase in Ji You’s presence would immediately alert the Black Gold Rat. She held her breath, not daring to make a move...

”Squeak squeak squeak...”

”Squeak squeak squeak...”

”Squeak squeak squeak...”

Ji You could clearly hear the Black Gold Rat’s calls and the rustling it made while shifting its body.

second.

seconds.

seconds.

...

After a long pause, Ji You seized the opportunity, placing a prepared 10-gram piece of Black Gold Ore at a turn in the Black Gold Rat’s burrow.

Only 10 grams. With the appetite of a Black Gold Rat, this is far from enough. So when it finds it appealing, it will continue searching, and find the second piece of Black Gold Ore, which weighs even less, just 5 grams, or 6 grams...

The Black Gold Rat, unsatisfied, will keep looking.

...

In this cycle, it will be gradually lured into the checkpoint tower.

All this must be done silently. As the Black Gold Ore was just buried, the level 3 Black Gold Rat suddenly raised its head, stopping its squeaking...

Separated only by a layer of pipeline wall, and a layer of earth, the formidable aura of the level 3 Black Gold Rat was palpable. Sweat instantly appeared on Ji You’s forehead.

Thankfully, the Black Gold Rat sensed it slightly, indistinctly, without anything particularly obvious. It lay back down in the burrow.

Ji You paused for a few seconds before crawling back slowly.

Chu Jiaojiao waited at the turn, only breathing a sigh of relief after reuniting with Ji You. Without a sound, they crawled towards another direction.

Once away from the level 3 Black Gold Rat, they both exhaled slowly, Ji You said, ”Next target.”

Chu Jiaojiao said, ”I’ll do it.”

Ji You wanted to speak, but Chu Jiaojiao clutched her chest, saying, ”I can’t bear for Ji You to take risks while I just stand there like a fool.”

Ji You: ”...”

The sudden sentimentality gave a sense of trickery.

Chu Jiaojiao said, ”I really thought that Black Gold Rat was going to scratch Ji You’s face, goodness, it scared me to death.”

Ji You: ”...”

Chu Jiaojiao said, ”I’ve said it before, Ji You’s face is mine to protect.”

Ji You rolled her eyes, ”My face is mine to protect. Besides—”

Ji You declared emphatically, ”I have no face.”

”...” Chu Jiaojiao choked, shook her head, and said, ”No—you do.”

Ji You said, ”I don’t, I have no face.”

Chu Jiaojiao: ”No—you do.”

In the communicator, Sheng Qingyan’s lazy, obviously disdainful voice sounded: ”Are you two done yet? Your faces? Do you even have such things? Why aren’t you quickly continuing with your task...”

”Hurry and finish, some of us want to sleep!”