Chapter 374: Chapter 374: "Harmonious" Cohabitation Life 3

The previously relaxed atmosphere at the dining table vanished in an instant, replaced by a suffocating sense of oppression.

Yun Sheng’s heart sank. She immediately set down her cutlery and tapped her personal terminal to log onto the Star Network. The homepage was already flooded with trending topics about the incident. Many civilians and garrison personnel had uploaded photos and videos from the scene. In the footage, thick smoke billowed and flames raged at the suburban outpost. The buildings were severely damaged, and debris was scattered everywhere. The tragic devastation of the scene was plain to see.

The more she read, the deeper she frowned. With a heavy heart, she looked up at Bai Ye and asked in a low voice, "Did they catch the attackers?"

Bai Ye’s jaw tightened, his features sharp and cold. His voice dropped even lower, carrying a trace of ill-concealed gloom. "They caught them, but without exception, they all took poison and died on the spot. Not a single one was left alive."

It was happening again. A wave of helpless anger instantly surged in Yun Sheng’s chest. The Dark Nest had always operated with ruthless cruelty. They never left any clues behind, preferring to sacrifice all their subordinates rather than leave the slightest opening for an investigation. It made tracking them impossible.

Beside them, Si Jin’s expression completely darkened, his brows knitted in grim thought. "Could they be trying to divert our attention by staging such a large-scale riot so suddenly? Based on the Dark Nest’s past behavior, they wouldn’t rashly launch an attack of this magnitude without warning. Furthermore, sacrificing so many people at once is a massive loss for them. It completely contradicts their risk-averse logic."

"You’re right," Bai Ye agreed in a heavy tone. His face was extremely solemn as he locked eyes with Yun Sheng, his voice carrying an undeniable gravity. "That’s also why I rushed back. The Tower has just issued an emergency field mission. The entire Ninth Squad is about to deploy to the various incident sites in the suburbs to support rescue operations, eliminate hidden dangers, and handle the aftermath. Yun Sheng, you are on the squad’s roster. You’ll receive the mission notification very soon."

As soon as he finished speaking, Xing Che’s expression drastically changed. The ease vanished from his eyes, replaced by complete disapproval.

"Shengsheng is going out on a mission now? Bai Ye, are you out of your mind?" Xing Che said, absolutely unable to accept this arrangement. His brows furrowed tightly as he spoke in a rapid, anxious rush. "The Dark Nest has been scheming to capture her for a long time. Even staying in the heavily guarded Tower isn’t perfectly safe, let alone going to a chaotic, unpredictable incident site in the suburbs!

"What if this massive surprise attack is just a smokescreen? What if it’s been bait for Shengsheng from the very beginning, designed specifically to lure her out? What will you do then?"

Bai Ye’s back was ramrod straight. The pressure radiating from him grew heavier, and his eyes were filled with concern, but he had no intention of forcing Yun Sheng.

"I understand your worries," he said, turning to look at Yun Sheng. His tone softened significantly, leaving the choice entirely in her hands. "I rushed back just to ask for your opinion first, Yun Sheng. If you don’t want to go, I will immediately go to the Tower and coordinate for another guide to take your place on the Ninth Squad’s deployment. But if you want to go, I will arrange everything in advance and do my absolute best to keep you safe."

Yun Sheng pressed her lips together. Before she could speak, Xing Che hastily cut in, his tone full of disbelief.

"Bai Ye, are you seriously considering letting Shengsheng take this risk?" Panicked and anxious, he whipped his head around to glare at Si Jin, who had been silent the entire time. "Are you thinking the same thing? Are you going to just watch Shengsheng wade into these muddy waters and take such a huge risk?"

Si Jin’s expression was just as dark, the worry and anxiety in his eyes impossible to hide. He knew the Dark Nest’s ruthless methods and feared for Yun Sheng’s safety more than anyone. However, he didn’t impulsively block her path like Xing Che. He simply looked quietly at Yun Sheng, deliberating for a few seconds before speaking slowly.

"I won’t make decisions for her. I will support her choice. If she ultimately decides to go on the field mission, I will accompany her the entire way and secretly protect her."

"But that’s completely useless!" Xing Che was so frantic that his voice pitched up. No one understood the Dark Nest’s modus operandi better than he did. They were paranoid and insane, willing to use any means necessary to achieve their goals. Once they locked onto a target, they would never easily let go.

Even with two High-level Sentinels like Bai Ye and Si Jin personally protecting her, no one could guarantee her absolute safety. The moment Yun Sheng stepped into the chaotic suburban incident site, she would be completely exposed to the Dark Nest’s line of sight, surrounded by unknown traps and lethal dangers.

The atmosphere in the room instantly deadlocked. Everyone’s gaze landed squarely on Yun Sheng.

She sat in her seat in silence, her mind racing. She knew Xing Che’s worries were not unfounded. This sudden, large-scale attack was indeed bizarre in every aspect. In all likelihood, it was a trap set by the Dark Nest specifically to lure her out. But she also knew that she couldn’t hide behind everyone’s protection forever.

As the dedicated guide of the Ninth Squad, she was an indispensable member of the team. While everyone else was rushing to the front lines and risking their lives to handle the aftermath, she had no reason to cower in the safe zone and avoid the fight. Running away wouldn’t solve anything. Rather than remaining passively on guard, it was better to face the crisis head-on.

After a brief silence, Yun Sheng slowly lifted her head. The hesitation in her eyes had completely faded, leaving only clear resolve. She looked at Bai Ye. "I’ll go," she said, her voice calm but exceptionally firm.

With those simple words, the dining room fell completely silent.

Xing Che’s pupils shrank, his eyes filled with urgent dismay. "Shengsheng, have you thought this through? This is very likely a trap!"

"I know." Yun Sheng turned to him, her gaze crystal clear and completely unwavering.

"It’s precisely because it’s most likely a trap that I have to go. The Dark Nest went to such great lengths to create this chaos, sacrificing so many of their subordinates just to draw me out. If I keep hiding indoors, they will only escalate their troublemaking and implicate more innocent people.

"I am their target. Instead of letting the fires of war spread and endanger the frontline garrison members and ordinary citizens, it’s better for me to step out proactively and put a decisive end to this undercurrent."

Her thoughts were lucid and courageous. She wasn’t trying to act tough; she simply didn’t want anyone else to be dragged into danger because of her.

Seeing the determination in her eyes, all the words of protest on the tip of Xing Che’s tongue instantly caught in his throat. He couldn’t utter a single syllable. He was terrified that something might happen to her, but he also knew that once Yun Sheng made up her mind, she would never easily change it. She was gentle but not cowardly; she harbored a bravery and sense of responsibility in her bones that others could not match.

Just then, the terminal on Yun Sheng’s wrist suddenly chimed with an incoming call. Zhou Yi’s name popped up on the screen, and Yun Sheng immediately answered.

"Understood. I’ll head out right now and return to the Tower to assemble."

With that, she decisively hung up the call and stood up, ready to depart.

At almost the exact same time, Si Jin and Xing Che both stood up beside her. The two men exchanged a glance, no longer secretly competing with each other, and said in unison, "We’ll go with you!"

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.