Chapter 48

Chapter 48

The stairwell was nearly deserted, or perhaps just frequented by a few hurried individuals—less than usual. Ascending and descending stairs was a physically demanding task; An Zhe took a deep breath and still found it somewhat strenuous. When solar winds struck Earth directly, the atmosphere was dispersed at an alarming rate, dissipated into the vastness of space. Even though only a few days had passed, the air supplied through the ventilation system already contained noticeably reduced levels of oxygen. Military broadcasts reminded citizens daily to minimize outings and avoid unnecessary physical exertion.

Arriving on the first floor corridor, the atmosphere was even more somber, devoid of any figures. Recalling the patrolling judge's words, "get back early," An Zhe hastened his pace and returned to the jurisdiction of the Court of Judgment. The Doctor was tapping away at his computer in the atrium. Upon seeing him, he said, "You're finally back. Where were you?"

An Zhe: "Let's take a walk outside."

He took a seat beside Dr. Ji, a gentle soul with whom he had developed a warm rapport over the past few days.

"Stay close," the Doctor said. "At least for today."

An Zhe: "What happened?"

The doctoral candidate lifted his gaze from the computer screen to regard him. There was a hint of weariness etched on his face, his lips pale. His deep blue eyes held an indiscernible intensity of emotions, emotions that were not particularly positive. He slid a bottle of water toward An Zhe. "Are you thirsty?"

An Zhe shakes his head. He's alright—although mushrooms are organisms that require ample water, with the spores having returned to his body today, he feels a sense of stability, and his need for water doesn't seem as pressing.

Supplies are dwindling on all fronts – not just food and water, but even oxygen is running low." The doctor spoke softly, "The military will initiate personnel relocation latest by today. If you return too late, you'll miss the transfer and have to stay here."

An Zhe was slightly puzzled.

"Where are we relocating to?" he asked. He had thought that the lighthouse was their last sanctuary.

The doctor gazed steadily at the blank wall before him and said, "Eden."

"That's where the crop cultivation center is located. There's a steady supply of food and ample reserves of pure water. All the base's resources are there," the doctor explained.

After saying this, he smiled. "Eden was well-named. It has truly become the last Eden."

"When Eden was first constructed, there were objections. Crop breeding, cultivation, water supply, nurturing the children... Concentrating so many essential resources for human survival in one place would be advantageous for Eden, but wouldn't it also pose greater risks?" The doctor's voice lowered. "But reality always proves that the base's capabilities are limited. When faced with great disasters, all of humanity's resources can only be concentrated on supporting Eden alone. We're willing to sacrifice everything to protect it. If Eden didn't exist, then humanity would cease to exist as well."

An Zhe understood what the doctor meant. Eden was where his mother and the children were.

Looking at the doctor, he asked, "Is everyone going?"

The doctor glanced at him. An Zhe found it hard to describe the meaning behind that gaze; it was like that of a life-skills teacher in Eden looking at a wayward and immature student, but there was also a faint sense of wistfulness and sorrow.

Thus, An Zhe knew the answer without needing to ask. He remained silent.

The morning passed in silence. Selan returned once, but he was in a hurry, his work evidently demanding.

"I'll be here until evening," he told An Zhe. "The Emergency Response Department doesn't know you. You should stick with me."

The doctor said, "Leave it to me. I won't abandon him."

Selan pondered for a moment before responding, "Alright."

Outside, the howling wind never ceased, this cosmic force beyond human resistance shaking the entire city. The solar storm's hurricane on Earth surpassed any recorded disaster in history. Pressing his finger against the wall, An Zhe could sense its slight tremor, like the last gasp of a dying creature. In truth, An Zhe already considered it miraculous that human constructs could withstand such a massive storm for so long.

At one in the afternoon, someone knocked on the door – a squad of fully armed officers, led by three civilian officials with badges representing the "Emergency Response Department" on their chests. Upon seeing Doctor Ji, the officer at the front nodded slightly. "Doctor, please come with us."

The doctor asked, "Has the evacuation begun?"

"It has. We're estimating five hundred people," the officer replied. "The military will do its utmost to ensure your safety. We've arranged accommodations for you in Eden."

"Thank you," the doctor said.

But then, he turned to An Zhe. "He'll be with me."

"According to the relocation plan, you're allowed to bring one assistant," the officer told An Zhe. "Please show your ID card for identity verification."

"My assistant is no longer with me," the doctor said, resting his arm on An Zhe's shoulder with a smile. He turned to An Zhe and added, "It seems you don't have your ID card on you."

An Zhe replied, "I only have Colonel Lu Fen's."

The doctor said, "Give it to them."

An Zhe obediently handed over Lu Fen's ID card. The officer took it and scanned it on a portable device—then he clearly froze.

"The colonel went to the underground city for the base, and there hasn't been any news of him yet," the doctor raised an eyebrow and spoke slowly. "If his child still can't get sanctuary rights... I think that wouldn't be appropriate."

The officer frowned, stepped aside to make a call, then returned and said, "He can be transferred as an exception, recognized as your assistant."

The doctor thanked him, "Thank you."

"While we're walking down the corridor," the doctor continued to An Zhe, "if you were to run around carelessly in the morning and come back late—"

An Zhe pressed his lips together, having seen the situation in the hall.

A dozen researchers in lab coats stood in a simple line, guarded by military personnel. A woman exclaimed, "My assistant must come with me; I won't accept this transfer plan."

The officer replied, "Your transfer plan doesn't include an assistant, Dr. Chen."

"My research can't proceed without my assistant. I can't complete the work alone, and his expertise is no less than mine; he can even independently lead major projects." The woman referred to as "Dr. Chen" spoke up assertively. "Please, I request that you consult your superiors."

"If you insist that you can't continue your research without your assistant," the officer's voice was cold and detached, "you might have to stay here."

After a brief moment of stunned silence, she fell quiet.

An Zhe followed Dr. Ji in another direction. An argument seemed to be taking place upstairs, and he heard the sound of something heavy falling.

An exit had been opened on the first floor of the Unification Building. An Zhe boarded a military armored vehicle there. As he got on, he caught a fleeting glimpse of the outside world: the sun was so blinding it almost burned his retinas, the dry, scorching air roared through his lungs, and sand settled all over him—deep grooves scarred the once-flat ground as if they'd been clawed by a monstrous beast.

Amidst the sounds of people breathing, the vehicle carried thirty people away. From the conversation nearby, An Zhe learned that the Lighthouse had only allocated 500 spots for the evacuation, less than one-tenth of its total staff.

Someone else asked, "What about our equipment and materials?"

"After we leave, the Lighthouse will lose power entirely. Labs will be graded according to their importance, and important samples will be transferred to the Garden of Eden for continued preservation," someone answered.

With a thud, the armored vehicle's door slammed shut, and the vehicle roared to life. The interior was shrouded in darkness and silence. The Doctor grasped An Zhe's hand.

An Zhe suddenly felt an eerie sense of déjà vu. A month ago, amidst the overwhelming insect swarm, he had climbed onto a military truck, heading for District Six to face Doomsday's judgment. Back then, it was the Poet who held his hand in the dark cabin; now, it was the Doctor. Back then, the criterion for entering District Six was being uninfected, but this time, it was based on one's past, present, and future contributions to the base.

Trials were taking place at every moment, both in the Outer City and the Main City.

The journey was brief, and coincidentally, An Zhe and the Doctor were assigned to a room at the end of the sixth floor, where he used to teach the children poetry. In Eden, he enjoyed his first proper lunch in days – a bowl of potato soup. Though not as delicious as his own cooking, after days of eating nothing but compressed biscuits and nutritional supplements, it was a rare treat.

The Doctor seemed preoccupied, so An Zhe offered to fetch water for him in the evening.

The tea room was occupied. The lady who had clashed with the officer earlier was weeping against the wall, while another researcher stood by her side, patting her shoulder. "Perhaps the Lighthouse can pull through."

"It's too late," she croaked. "The Earth's oxygen levels have already dropped to less than half of what they used to be. Once the air filtration system is activated, fresh oxygen will be prioritized for Eden. Residential areas, military bases, even the Twin Towers – all of them will be second priority. They won't make it."

She lifted her head and saw An Zhe. Softly, she asked, "Who's this? One of us?"

The researcher beside her replied, "I heard he's Dr. Ji's assistant from the Testing Center."

"Dr. Ji is allowed to bring in an assistant…" she murmured, "because his accomplishments surpass ours."

"That's the truth of it," the researcher said. "Don't grieve for him. If we survive this calamity, we can train a new assistant."

Her nose was red, and her eyes brimmed with tears. Upon hearing this, she laughed bitterly, then covered her face with her hand, her whole body trembling.

"Do you think...," she said, "that I'm only... grieving because of my assistant?"

"The residents of the main city rejoiced when the outer city was destroyed, believing they weren't the ones left behind," her voice wavering. "But they were still abandoned. Our standing here today is at the cost of the sacrifices of everyone else in the Lighthouse... Yet perhaps tomorrow, we'll lose our right to be here. As an island sinks beneath the sea, what remains above water will shrink. The time has almost come. What... What are we holding onto? For the greater good of humanity?"

"For the greater good of humanity."

She bent over, gasping for breath. "This era is killing people, but humanity itself is also committing murder."

"Yet you must accept it, Doctor Chen Qing," the researcher said softly. "As beneficiaries, we have no right to mourn for them."

"I know... I just... as fellow humans, it's hard for me to accept it emotionally." She wiped away her tears and managed a weak smile. "Or do you mean that we don't even have the right to feel emotions?"

"...I don't know."

They fell silent. An Zhe had finished filling his cup, so he carried it out of the break room. Looking up, he saw Selan's figure flash by in the corridor as he entered the doctor's room. An Zhe quickened his pace, wanting to greet Selan.

The door was ajar, allowing a thin beam of light to seep through. An Zhe placed his right hand on the doorknob, ready to push it open when he heard Selan's voice from within, "Where's An Zhe?"

"The Professor and I have moved together," the Doctor replied. "Are you looking for him?"

"Has he been with you all along?" Selan asked. "I just received a call from the Emergency Response Department. The crucial sample from D1344 Lab, which was supposed to be relocated, has vanished."

"Vanished?" the Doctor said. "The one related to Lu Fen? That's quite an odd specimen. I wouldn't be surprised if it evaporated into thin air after death."

An Zhe's heartbeat raced. His fingers trembled as he swiftly turned around and moved to the other side of the corridor.

"No," Selan responded. "The department contacted me because there were operation records on the equipment from 6 a.m., performed by the Colonel. Where is An Zhe? I need to find him."

"He went to get some water," the Doctor said.

"Thanks." A door creaked, and Selan left.

An Zhe stood hidden behind the corner's wall, gripping the water cup tightly in his hand.

He knew that the day would come when he'd be discovered, but he hadn't expected it to arrive so soon.

The two researchers in the tea room had seen him; soon, Selan would come looking – he couldn't be found.

With this clear realization, An Zhe looked around the corridor, searching for an air vent he could use. But then he realized that once he transformed into mycelium, his clothes and ID card would be left behind as undeniable evidence.

He took a few deep breaths and made a decision within a second. He turned and ran down the service corridor towards the storage room at the end. There was a half-open door leading to an emergency stairwell, a place where he wouldn't be discovered quickly. The stairs had another exit on the 22nd floor – he and Lily had passed through it before. As long as they found the original terrace, they could escape the building – or, or find a hidden spot to conceal themselves. But they had to leave the 6th floor, the farther away, the better.

An Zhe successfully found the small door, entered, and made his way into the dimly lit stairwell, beginning his ascent. It seemed close to the outer wall of the building, as the wind howled loudly, echoing endlessly. The air was hot – a stifling humidity that could overwhelm humans.

In the darkness, aside from the wind, he collided with something small.

An Zhe's first instinct was that some inhuman monster was lurking there. But in the next moment, his fingers brushed against smooth human hair, and he heard the terrified gasps of a child.

He hesitated for a moment. "Lily?"

"Lian Zhe?" Lily called out.

"It's me," An Zhe replied.

"You're here!" Lily exclaimed. "I... I heard that the Twin Towers were starting to evacuate. I was just about to look for you. Where's Si Nan? Has Si Nan evacuated?"

"I'm not sure," An Zhe replied. "They mentioned that important samples would be transferred as well."

In the next moment, he suddenly remembered that with the current situation of contactless infection by the Others and monsters, the Lighthouse might not allow Si Nan into Eden.

But Lily seemed relieved. "Si Nan must be really important."

Still recovering from her fright, she leaned against the staircase for a while before asking, "Did you come looking for me?"

"No," An Zhe pondered his words. "I came here to hide for a bit."

"Are they after you?" Lily asked. She added, "It's safe here."

An Zhe knew that Lily was different from other humans.

"I'll stay here for a few days," he said, patting her hair. "Can you not tell anyone else?"

The stairwell was suddenly illuminated as bright as daylight, the blinding white light shining upon him and Lily. She instinctively screamed and leaned into him. He reached out to protect the young girl, then lifted his head.

Standing under the glaring lights was Madam Lu in a flowing white dress. They had met once before at the Lighthouse.

Beside Mrs. Lu were two Eden's Garden staff members with powerful flashlights in hand.

"Lily," Mrs. Lu's gentle voice held a hint of reprimand. Although she addressed Lily, her gaze was fixed on An Zhe as she softly said, "Why are you running around at a time like this?"