Chapter 22

Chapter 22

An Zhe was dragged out of the room by Lu Fen, who had kicked open the door and wrapped An Zhe's head in his uniform jacket.

Of course, the poet and Boss Xiao also left - they had covered their own heads.

At the entrance of the building, Lu Fen had arranged for a small ultrasonic jammer, temporarily clearing a ten-meter radius. An Zhe was safely tucked into the car, followed by the poet and Boss Xiao, who squeezed into the back seat together.

Returning to the driver's seat, Lu Fen said, "We're overloaded."

An Zhe inexplicably felt that the Judicator was targeting him again.

Boss Xiao offered proactively, "Reporting to Colonel, I'm not human, so we're not overloaded."

"Oh," replied Lu Fen.

He dialed a communication channel. "The ultrasonic jammer rescue plan is feasible. Suggest organizing a large-scale evacuation of residents."

Howard's voice came from the other end of the communicator, "Evacuation to an underground shelter?"

"Let me head to the Shelter in Sector 8 first to ensure its safety," Lu Fen said.

"No trouble at all."

With that, Lu Fen started the engine, and they turned a corner, heading straight for Sector 8.

Throughout the journey, his communicator beeped relentlessly. The City Affairs Office had just sent out an urgent plea for assistance, with Sector 5 requesting reinforcements. Just as Sector 5 received backup, the Court of Judgment called to report that they were already understaffed.

By the end, Lu Fen's responses had become monotonously mechanical.

"Please transfer to the City Defense Office."

"Please transfer to the City Defense Office."

"Please transfer to the City Defense Office."

"Apologies for the inconvenience, please transfer to the City Defense Office."

"Lu Fen, you bloody—"

— This time, it was Howard on the other end.

Lu Fen immediately hung up the call.

Afterward, he frowned slightly and asked the researcher beside him, "Did I receive any communication from Sector 6?"

Researcher: "I don't think so."

Lu Fen dialed the number. "Sector 6?"

"Hello, this is the City Affairs Department of Sector 6. How may I assist you...?"

The operator's tone was unexpectedly calm, which even surprised An Zhe.

Lu Fen knitted his brows even more tightly. "This is the Court of Judgment, Lu Fen. What's the situation in Sector 6?"

There was a brief pause on the other end. "Everything in Sector 6 is normal. How can I help you with—"

Lu Fen interrupted once again. "Everything is normal?"

"Yes."

Lu Fen hung up the call decisively and turned to the researcher.

The researcher was initially taken aback but then spoke with evident excitement, "There's only one explanation: The emergency protocol for the ultrasonic dispersal device in Sector 6 has been successfully activated."

Poet exclaimed, "Wow."

Lu Fen continued to make calls, "Judiciary, this is Lu Fen. Please confirm once more that everything is normal in Sector 6 and that the dispersal device is functioning as intended."

"The situation is confirmed to be normal," the operator replied, a hint of confusion in their voice. "Colonel, has something happened?"

"Yes," Lu Fen answered tersely. "Raise the isolation barrier immediately, verify supply provisions, and prepare for emergency containment."

"Acknowledged!"

"Howard, the situation has changed. The entire city must seek refuge in Sector 6."

"Understood," came the response from the other end. "The city defense team will handle the rescue and evacuation."

"Received," Lu Fen replied. "The Judgement Court will handle the personnel screening."

"No problem."

After the call ended, Lu Fen dialed another number. An Zhe noticed that this sequence of numbers was unusually short.

"Main City, Unification Center. Colonel Lu, how can I assist you?"

"Judgement Court, Lu Fen here. Requesting city-wide judgement authority."

"What is the estimated mortality rate and duration of execution?"

There was a three-second pause before Lu Fen answered, "Sixty percent, within five days."

"Please hold."

"Full-scale judgement..." An Zhe heard the poet muttering beside him, "Isn't this just..."

Boss Xiao stared straight ahead and said, "Judgement Day."

Five minutes later, a voice sounded through the communicator.

"Authorization granted."

"Yes," Lu Fen acknowledged.

The vehicle pivoted, heading toward Sector 6.

Throughout the journey, An Zhe sensed an unusual quietness in Lu Fen.

As they entered Zone 5, they came across a massive armored vehicle from the City Defense Bureau parked ahead—its roof temporarily mounted with an ungainly ultrasonic device, rescuing residents trapped within the structures. Lu Fen pulled up beneath the armored car and stepped out, opening its door.

"I'll attend the meeting, preparing for Judgment Day," he said. "You stay with the city defenses."

Trapped, An Zhe could only obey the arbiter's command blindly. It wasn't until he was stuffed into an armored vehicle by the city defense troops that he abruptly remembered he had forgotten to return Lu Fen's clothes, and surprisingly, Lu Fen hadn't asked for them either.

There was no time to venture out again in search of Lu Fen. A muffled thud echoed as the armored vehicle's cargo hold sealed shut, extinguishing the light and set off towards District 6. Amidst the dimness, human limbs were strewn about, and the poet clung tightly to his hand while his other grasped the sleeve of Boss Xiao. The cabin swayed gently, and within the stuffy, humid air, sobs reverberated from an indiscernible source.

"Did you hear that?" the poet whispered. "The projected mortality rate for this Judgement Day is sixty percent."

An Zhe replied, "Mm."

"I'm a bit scared," the Poet said. "But we'll make it through."

An Zhe didn't know that he was indeed a bit nervous, but not because of Doomsday; it was due to the insect's bite.

The Poet seemed to sense his stiffness and patted his back gently. "Don't be afraid. Just sleep for now."

An Zhe softly acknowledged with a "mm" and closed his eyes. The gentle rocking of the carriage easily lured him into a dream state.

The world grew darker and heavier, and suddenly, an image appeared before him.

The earth, the wind, a hazy yet vast expanse—strange undulations that were invisible to the human eye.

He was flying, surrounded by the wind, with his body feeling weightless.

Where was he flying towards?

He caught sight of a vague gray city, from which warmth seemed to emanate.

With a jolt, An Zhe abruptly woke up.

He stared blankly into the darkness before him. The previous scene was too vague, and he didn't understand its meaning. But he had encountered a similar scenario before, in the depths of the abyss, when his mycelium absorbed An Ze's blood and rooted itself in An Ze's organs and bones—human knowledge had then appeared before his eyes.

An Zhe breathed softly.

*

The disaster struck unexpectedly, just like this sudden judgment.

It was late at night, and the entrance to District 6 was dimly lit. A long line of people, shrouded in black, snaked along the quarantine wall, stretching beyond the limits of sight. The fluttering of insect wings echoed from all directions, as if they were watching the city with keen interest, like a greenhouse for reproduction. At the same time, the rumbling of wheels and tracks, accompanied by the vibrations of heavy armor crushing the ground, could be heard. The military was rescuing residents from various living areas nonstop, and the railway trains also took on the responsibility of transporting them. Sometimes, insects would sneak into the trains, but there was no time to deal with that now. Upon reaching the outskirts of District 6, these residents were placed at the back of the line, awaiting judgment.

The queue was a dark river, filled with countless people. They moved forward slowly. After passing the judgment, they could enter the safe haven of District 6.

The mechanical broadcast continually emphasized the need to "abide by the queuing rules" and "be patient." Occasionally, screams would pierce the air as someone in the line mutated before everyone's eyes. The soldiers patrolling around would immediately shoot them down. After a few gunshots, the initial commotion among the crowd turned into eerie silence. They moved at a glacial pace, yet no one dared to step forward, while the soldiers constantly urged them on.

However, the main source of gunfire wasn't in the middle of the line, but rather at the city gate of the quarantine wall.

"A hundred years," an old man said, "and Judgment Day has come again."

The nine-year-old boy, whose hand the old man held, looked up at his elder in fear, but found no comfort in the senior's gaze. The old man's eyes were hollow, and he only gripped the boy's hand tighter.

Outside, it was the insects that took lives; they were rescued from the insect swarm, only to encounter death in Sector 6 at the hands of fellow humans.

Even God, when judging the world, has the basis of good and evil.

As night deepened, a distant howl of wind echoed, akin to a remote ocean tide. Sector 6 was the lone island amidst an endless sea.

A gunshot rang out, and a person fell before An Zhe. Two soldiers dragged the corpse away. Each residential area had a massive incinerator for waste, which now served as a crematorium for the deceased.

Another shot sounded, and another person tumbled to the ground.

The line continued to shorten, with more killed than those who passed the judgment to enter the city.

As the line progressed, An Zhe observed the structure of the trial.

First came a buffer zone, guarded tightly by soldiers. If any visible mutations could be discerned on a person, the soldier would shoot them on sight. After passing this first checkpoint, there were four judges positioned on either side of the isolation gate, each with the power of veto. They could pull the trigger at any moment if they deemed the person non-human—regardless of their colleagues' opinions.

Approximately one-fourth of the fatalities were caused by these judges. Unlike being parasitized or bitten, the transformation process was slow, and many infected didn't exhibit obvious traits. More often than not, they exchanged glances and allowed the person to proceed.

At this point, the individual would walk into the most blood-soaked area, facing the final test.

Lu Fen.

—Not in the posture of formal solemnity or respectful stillness, he leaned nonchalantly against the doorframe, seemingly idly toying with the gun in his hand – a weapon that wielded the ultimate power of judgment.

Another gunshot rang out; he had executed a twelve-year-old child. The boy fell, his eyes still fixed intently on him even in death.

A judge's face paled, his throat convulsing as he bowed forward, struggling to suppress his nausea.

Lu Fen's gaze casually swept over, "Replace him."

The judge was escorted away by soldiers. During the brief interval, no one was put on trial. A city official in a white shirt approached, offering each judge a bottle of iced water, infused with green mint leaves. But Lu Fen declined.

Within less than a minute, a new judge took his place, and the trial resumed.

Shopkeeper Xiao and the poet tussled, neither wanting to step forward first. Eventually, An Zhe was pushed to the front of the line.

The soldier gave him a cursory glance and signaled for him to proceed. An Zhe continued walking, and the four judges exchanged a brief look before also allowing him to pass.

An Zhe stood before Lu Fen. The judge's green eyes gazed at him, slightly shadowed in the light, devoid of any emotion, just as they were on the day they first met.

An Zhe lowered his gaze slightly.

It was rather ironic; he had only been at the human base for a month but was already facing his fourth trial from the Judges.

That morning, he had been bitten by an insect on his hand. Yet, aside from a fleeting display of peculiar images in his mind, nothing else occurred.

If even Lu Fen couldn't detect anything wrong—

While he was lost in thought, Lu Fen lifted his left hand and slightly gestured downwards—a signal to proceed.

Relieved, An Zhe stepped forward—Lu Fen's clothes and work manual were still with him, but it wouldn't be appropriate to return them to Lu Fen under these circumstances.

He paused at the entrance of the tunnel.

In front of him were military trucks parked closely together, maximizing space, each capable of accommodating fifty or sixty people. Those passing through the gate could choose to board the trucks, and once full, the military would transport them to the reception centers—vacant residential buildings. If even those were occupied, they would be assigned to regular buildings, sharing rooms with the native residents. Either way, there was always a place to go.

If the newcomers were residents of Sector 6 or had close relatives or friends there, they were free to move about independently.

Within less than a minute, Boss Xiao and the poet also entered.

"Phew," said Boss Xiao. "I'm still alive."

"The Judges rescued us from the city defenses, and we were uninfected then. We stayed in the car all the way here," the Poet said with a grin. "It's only natural that we passed."

Boss Xiao shot him a sidelong glance. "Then who was too scared to be examined first just now?"

The Poet replied, "I forgot."

Boss Xiao patted An Zhe on the shoulder. "Where's your place? I need to find somewhere to sleep. I haven't slept in two days."

An Zhe said, "I'm not going home."

Boss Xiao frowned. "Then what are you doing?"

An Zhe pointed at his clothes. "I'll return these when he has time."

Boss Xiao smacked his forehead. "I forgot. I can't go to your place."

"Never mind," he said. "I'll go find my... my partner."

An Zhe watched his master's figure disappear, momentarily unable to grasp the significance of the word "too" in his statement.

The poet then said, "Mr. Xiao has been running his business on the third subterranean level for years. At least ninety percent of the pornographic books and films in the base come from his shop. They say he had countless lovers back when he was young."

An Zhe realized that his master seemed quite renowned. He asked, "You all know him?"

"The base isn't that big," the poet chuckled. "Who doesn't know what Mr. Xiao does?"

"However, he's not as promiscuous now that he's old," the poet continued. "Speaking of the third level reminds me of Du Sai. You've met her, right? She's the most beautiful woman in the outer city."

An Zhe nodded.

The poet sighed. "I wonder where she is now. It would be such a pity if she's no longer alive."

An Zhe remained silent.

The poet was locked up in prison, so naturally, he wouldn't know that the proprietress of the third-level black market had already perished during the prelude to the breeding season.

Suddenly, An Zhe grasped something.

The sorrow one feels over another's passing is an emotion unique to humans; perhaps it's one reason they fear death more than other creatures.

"The look is back on your face," the poet said.

An Zhe whispered, "What look?"

"None of this has anything to do with you, yet you just watch as if from afar." The poet rested his elbow on An Zhe's shoulder, teasing him lightly. "It's as if you're observing us, or pitying us. Just now, for a moment, I sensed a divine quality about you."

An Zhe blinked, not quite comprehending.

Perhaps he truly was inhuman; after all, he was an alien creature.

"Now it's gone," the poet breathed into his ear. "Now you just seem like a little fool."

An Zhe: "..."

The poet patted his shoulder. "I'm leaving too."

An Zhe: "Where are you going?"

"Whatever," the poet said. "The City Defense doesn't have time to bother with me. I'm escaping."

He smiled at An Zhe. "Goodbye."

An Zhe watched as the poet's figure vanished into the vast darkness.

The poet was a prisoner held by the City Defense, without a communicator or an ID card. An Zhe had no idea where he could go.

Perhaps he would look for his boyfriend, An Zhe mused.

Or maybe he would tell others about the establishment of the base, and within three days, the City Defense would capture him again.

After the poet left, An Zhe was left standing alone by the wall. It was an empty space, and he wasn't the only one lingering there; others wandered nearby, chatting and speculating. In the distance, a crowd had gathered, their purpose unknown.

The makeshift barrier wall wasn't tall, and it was semi-transparent. Through it, An Zhe could see Lu Fen's back.

The aurora danced and transformed in the sky, and each night, the colors were different from the previous one. Corpses were continually dragged out through the city gates, while few entered. Gunshots and death seemed to be the only constants. The night breeze swept in, carrying the scent of blood. An Zhe couldn't see Lu Fen's expression, but he found the profile beautiful, very... solitary.

Footsteps sounded behind him.

"How did you end up here?" A familiar voice echoed.

An Zhe turned around to see the young judge who often accompanied Lu Fen. He was holding a bottle of mint water, his expression weary but his demeanor still gentle. "Not going back?"

An Zhe nodded.

"I want to return this to Colonel," he said, taking off his coat. "Could you pass it on for me?"

The judge smiled slightly. "You're not waiting for him?"

An Zhe thought that although he had only worn the colonel's coat once, everyone seemed to assume they had some sort of connection.

"Colonel and I..." he chose his words carefully. "We're not very well acquainted."

"I'm aware," the judge replied, surprising An Zhe. "I've just never seen the colonel with anyone else."

He held out his hand. "Give it to me."

After confirming that the work manual and ballpoint pen were still in the pockets, An Zhe folded the coat neatly and passed it over. The judge received it with both hands.

In the sky, the aurora abruptly shifted, resembling a bolt of lightning illuminating both the heavens and the earth with its sudden brightness.

An Zhe's heart thumped forcefully. An overwhelming intuition swept over him, compelling him to look towards the city gates. There, amidst the night, stood Lu Fen's tall and solitary figure.

He suddenly realized that if he left now, he would never have any connection with this person for the rest of his life.

Once again, he grasped the coat.

The judge looked at him.

"I…" An Zhe said, "I'll wait for him."

The judge smiled gently, unfolding the coat and draping it back over An Zhe's shoulders. "Thank you."

An Zhe's gaze returned to Lu Fen's figure. While they spoke, Lu Fen had slain two more individuals.

He inquired, "When will he take a break?"

"I'm not sure," the judge replied. "Colonel has been working continuously for a long time. Perhaps in another two or three hours."

An Zhe: "Thank you."

The judge inquired, "How did you get to know the colonel?"

An Zhe recalled.

"At the city gate," he omitted the part about the spores, "He suspected I wasn't human, so he took me for a genetic test, which I passed."

The judge raised an eyebrow.

An Zhe continued, "Later on, he arrested me."

The judge's eyes crinkled into a smile, "I know, you two are quite daring."

An Zhe: "..."

"After that, it was at the city defense station. I was a bit afraid of the cold, so he lent me his room for a night." An Zhe counted on his fingers, "Then my friend and I were trapped in a room and didn't know what to do, so we called him, and that's how we ended up here."

Upon finishing, he asked, "Does the colonel usually help others like this?"

"If that's the case, then Lu Fen truly is a good person," An Zhe said.

The judge replied, "I don't know. There's no one else around him."

After a moment, he added, "Sometimes I wish to protect someone too, but nobody ever turns to the Court for help."

An Zhe pressed his lips together before saying, "You're a good person."

Then, he appended, "You're not like a judge."

This judge was exceptionally gentle, even among all the people An Zhe had met.

The judge smiled. "Many people say so. Perhaps only someone like Colonel is qualified."

An Zhe nodded. "Seems like it."

He thought that perhaps Lu Fen's aloof nature allowed him to make the most accurate judgments.

"The colonel has been working for the Court for seven years now," the judge said. "Judges can be told if their judgments are correct by the arbiters, but for the arbiters themselves, there's no one left to tell them whether they're right or wrong. They have to fight unimaginable behemoths, lurking xenocreatures, the doubts of others... and themselves."

"So I believe that there was more than just detachment keeping Colonel Lu going through those seven years in the tribunal," the judge said. "I hope you can understand him."

This judge always steered the conversation back to Lu Feng, and An Zhe had seen through his intentions.

But now, the judge slightly furrowed his brow and looked toward the other side of the partition wall.

Many people had gathered there, even more than before. An Zhe had initially assumed they were local residents coming for a spectacle, but their expressions were grave, as if they were attending a significant gathering.

They spoke softly, and An Zhe caught a few scattered words.

"Ratio...horrible..."

"Four thousand."

"...beginning."

He noticed the judge beside him frown and gesture to the guards in the distance.

A squad of guards approached, and at that moment, the crowd assembled below the wall dispersed. There were hundreds of them, and their dispersal only highlighted their immense size. Furthermore, more people kept emerging from the city to join them.

In the crowd, someone waved, and An Zhe confirmed it was directed at him. He looked over and recognized a familiar young face — the person who had led him to Building 117 on his first day in the human base.

Back then, they had been marching.

— Suddenly, An Zhe understood why these people had gathered. He stared at them with wide eyes.

The leader pulled a folded white paper from their clothing and unfolded it.

On the paper, seven bold red characters read "Oppose the Tyranny of the Judges."

Then, the others around that person revealed their own papers, each displaying slogans like:

"Reveal the Criteria for Judgment Immediately."

"No More Repeat of Judgment Day."

"Accountability for the Departed."

"We Refuse Unjustified Killing."

"Refusal to uphold base security through indiscriminate killing."

"Request for regular assessment of the Judge's mental state."

"To the Court: Please account for the base's population decline."

"The current Judge's kill rate far exceeds predecessors. An explanation is owed to the base."

Under the aurora, these white papers unfurled like blossoms, converging into a silent, flowing sea. The paleness formed the ocean's floor, while the crimson ink stains were the waves it stirred.

The people outside the wall stirred, craning their necks to peer through the semi-transparent barrier at the scene unfolding. The deathly stillness was disrupted by this unexpected commotion, and they whispered to one another in hushed tones.

An Zhe, however, gazed towards the city gate.

At the gate, a faint movement caught Lu Fen's figure as he turned to look inward.

It was an unremarkable glance; he seemed to see nothing, turning back, loading his weapon, and pulling the trigger. Another person fell, a short-haired girl, drenched in blood.

If An Zhe recalled correctly, this marked the eleventh consecutive victim that Lu Fen had just taken down.

It was the twelfth person's turn, a man with bronzed skin. His terrified gaze flickered between Lu Fen, the judge, and the dark pool of blood on the ground, hesitant to step forward.

The armed soldier approached to urge him on. The man's facial muscles twitched as he stared obstinately at the silent crowd in protest. Finally, clenching his back teeth, he shut his eyes and sat down, "I won't go!"

This action greatly energized the protesters within the wall. They raised their signs even higher.

Outside the wall, the second person sat down.

Then the third.

The fourth.

It was like a flood had swept in. Within just five minutes, they all sat down one after another like falling dominoes, without a word spoken, and none daring to enter the judgment zone. The aurora danced wildly in the sky as they silently watched Lu Fen in the center, expressing their defiance through their refusal to cooperate.

Yet, Lu Fen's expression remained unchanged. He lowered his eyelashes slightly and replaced the magazine in his gun. This man's slightly tilted eyebrows and slender, elongated eyes naturally formed an upward curve, which was usually sharp and imposing. But when he lowered his eyes, that curve seemed to embody indifferent disdain and mockery.

With a soft click, the magazine was changed.

He said, "Bring them up."

The city defense soldiers hesitated for a moment. After a tense silence of ten seconds, two of them stepped forward and roughly lifted the first man who had sat down.

Lu Fen raised his gun slowly.

All eyes were on them. A woman's sob echoed through the crowd, and soon, the sobs spread like a virus. It seemed that what they were about to face was not a trial but an execution.

Perhaps a trial was indeed a massacre - a century ago, and a century later.

Just then, the sound of the armored vehicle broke the tense atmosphere. Howard, accompanied by a squad of guards, stepped out of the car and asked Lu Fen, "What's going on?"

Lu Fen's tone remained calm. "The residents are refusing to cooperate."

Howard surveyed the surroundings, frowning. "Lu Fen, have you gone too far with the killings?"

The inflection in Lu Fen's voice didn't change, but it was slightly hoarse. "No."

"It's an emergency today," said Howard's aide as he handed him a megaphone. Addressing the residents, Howard continued, "This concerns the safety of the base. A widespread infection could occur at any moment. Please cooperate with the Court and the City Defense Force."

Nobody moved. Perhaps the unknown threat of an impending infection was even more terrifying than the guns of the judges before them.

Howard clearly noticed the silence as well. After glancing over the protest signs, he pondered for a moment and said, "Let's both make a compromise. The Court will disclose its trial procedures, and the residents can re-enter the process."

"Howard." Lu Fen's voice rang out calmly.

The crowd suddenly erupted in gasps!

—Because Lu Fen's gun was slowly turning towards Howard.

Howard was taken aback, then he frowned and asked, "Colonel Lu, what are you doing?"

Howard's guards stepped forward in unison, loading their guns and aiming them at Lu Fen!

A tense standoff ensued.

Howard sneered, "Colonel Lu, I haven't come into contact with any bugs today."

Lu Fen replied, "You're already infected."

"I understand the Court's desire to take over the city's defenses," Howard said in a low voice. "But this is a matter of the base's survival, Colonel Lu. There should be limits to your abuse of power."

Upon these words, the crowd erupted into commotion.

Lu Fen's finger rested on the trigger. Without saying a word, his action spoke volumes about his intentions.

The same went for the City Guard. Their movements were more pronounced, clearly indicating that if Lu Fen fired at their Commander Howard, they would not hesitate to shower him with bullets.

An eerie silence, as cold as ice, spread and solidified.

In the midst of this suffocating quiet, a voice rose from within the wall.

"Oppose the tyranny of the Judges!"

His cry was echoed by scores of others – those inside the wall, outside, the original inhabitants, and the newcomers – all united in their chant.

"Oppose the tyranny of the Judges!"

"Oppose the tyranny of the Judges!"

"Oppose the tyranny of the Judges!"

The clamor grew louder and louder, but Lu Fen in the center remained still.

An Zhe gazed at Lu Fen's back, almost forgetting to breathe.

Though he didn't know Lu Fen well, from his shallow understanding, An Zhe knew that Lu Fen would indeed pull the trigger.

Someone was going to die.

The young judge beside him also whispered, "No..."

—Just then.

A flash of white light appeared on the distant road, flickering incessantly. Accompanied by piercing sirens, people scattered as a white mechanical vehicle adorned with a red triangle sped toward them. As it drew near, its doors opened, and a young man in a white lab coat jumped out. An Zhe recognized him; this was the young doctor who had conducted his genetic test at the city gate a month ago.

"I'm in charge of Lighthouse's inspection department," he announced into a megaphone, catching his breath between words. "The first generation of gene coupler was successfully formulated an hour ago. It can rapidly visualize the target, only requiring... "

Struggling for air, he paused before continuing, "... Only five minutes."

With that, he twisted open a disposable syringe and stepped forward. "Director Howard, if you're willing to cooperate."

Howard unbuttoned the sleeve of his full-body protective military uniform and submitted to the blood draw, then turned to look at Lu Fen.

Everyone else also watched Lu Fen. An Zhe knew they were waiting for a result – a normal genetic test result for Howard that would prove the Judges' unjust killings.

Someone from the protesting crowd behind him said, "We're changing history."

He saw Lu Fen lower his gun, leaning against the wall expressionlessly as he wiped it down, seemingly indifferent to everything.

What was he thinking? An Zhe wondered.

Three minutes later, Lu Fen finished cleaning his weapon. He clipped it back onto his waist and casually glanced over the surrounding crowd.

An Zhe stared at him. Perhaps for a fleeting moment, their eyes met for a split second.

An Zhe promptly moved closer to the Judge, indicating his alignment.

Lu Fen seemed to curve his lips in a smile, but An Zhe couldn't be sure since the man turned away the next instant.

There was one minute left.

The protesters grew even more restless, engaging in animated discussions.

Thirty seconds.

Ten seconds.

They began counting down.

"Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one—"

The inspection vehicle's rooftop light blazed with a crimson glow.

An ominous alarm pierced the air, abruptly sounding: "Doo—"

The crowd fell into an eerie silence.

A gunshot echoed.

Before Lu Fen could intervene, the gate guard had already fired.

Silence spread like aFuneral shroud, and no one dared to speak. Eventually, the Doctor broke the quiet: "Colonel—"

Lu Fen didn't utter a word. He turned and walked towards the city, bypassing everyone, including An Zhe.

The silent crowd, like frozen puppets, only reacted when he drew near, parting slowly to make way for him.

In An Zhe's eyes, Lu Fen's figure overlapped with the back view of that day when he left through the base's gate. An Zhe had only seen him turn away, never toward someone else.

Suddenly, the Judge nudged An Zhe with his elbow.

An Zhe immediately understood. Clutching Lu Fen's work manual, he hurried after Lu Fen—the Judge was tall with long legs, and An Zhe had to jog to keep up.

"Colonel."

No response.

"Colonel, please wait."

Still no answer from Lu Fen.

"Colonel…" An Zhe gasped for breath. He wasn't physically strong to begin with, and the exertion of running made his voice even softer. With furrowed brows, he said, "Please slow down, I can't keep up with you…"

The colonel halted and turned to look at him.

Still catching his breath, An Zhe lifted his head. "Colonel…"

"Speak properly," Lu Fen glanced at him indifferently, his tone cold. "Don't act coquettish."

An Zhe: "…"