Chapter 52

Chapter 52

The Dungeon Base, the core area.

"Thank you for your assistance," the white officer removed his cap. "We didn't expect help from the Northern Base."

The most chaotic moment had passed.

Gunshots and explosions gradually died down, echoing only in the distance. The ground was littered with shattered glass and debris.

An officer spoke hastily, "Non-contact infection occurs when there's spatial proximity to the monsters! Clear the bodies first!"

Then, a gunshot rang out, and the officer fell, shot by an officer from the Dungeon Base.

"This is our Judge," the white officer beside Lu Fen said. "After the fall of the Virginia Base, we emulated you and established our own Court of Judgment. For all these years, the Court has been like a guardian deity for our base."

Under the protection of soldiers, a team of engineers rushed through the half-collapsed steel arch and into the heart of the magnetic pole for emergency repairs.

Looking at that scene, Lu Fen asked, "How did they infiltrate this time?"

"Assault. They've come from the vast rainforest three hundred kilometers away with one objective: to acquire human genes and seize the underground base – you know, the city below is warm and secure, the ideal habitat for life."

"What's their motive behind disrupting the magnetic poles?"

"It's a speculation based on the continuous leakage of human genes, thoughts, and knowledge. It seems they're aware that chaos among humans would result from the pole disruption, which would aid their invasion."

"Their numbers are overwhelming, and their strength is immense. Our military arsenal is insufficient, and our research capabilities are declining. We can't establish fire superiority. Helpless, we had no choice but to seek your assistance." The officer rubbed his gunstock. "Why does the Northern Base still have such abundant ammunition and thermal nuclear weapons reserves? Have you made any technological breakthroughs?"

"There hasn't been any for now," Lu Fen removed his bloodstained gloves, his voice calm as he answered the officer's question. "The Northern Base has sufficient manpower. In frontline combat, their numerical advantage can offset weapon consumption."

"The situation is quite the opposite for us. The massive consumption of our military resources is due precisely to the shortage of troops," the white officer frowned in deep thought.

"I see… It's because of that much-criticized Rose Incident," the officer interjected before Lu Fen could respond, his expression a mix of understanding and complexity. "The Northern Base often seems to make such choices."

"I truly admire your decisiveness," he concluded.

Suddenly, Lu Fen lifted his head, looking in a certain direction. It was a buffer zone, barren and devoid of any noteworthy structures in the distance. The white officer then realized that it was in the direction of the Northern Base.

"What's the matter?"

Lu Fen found it hard to articulate the sensation he experienced in that moment, as if something significant had transpired in that very spot.

"I might have to return," he said.

*

At the Northern Base.

As An Zhe was escorted out of the 22nd floor, they passed through the atrium. An hour ago, this had been a serene space with soft music playing and a soothing atmosphere. Now, it was a mess, devoid of people. In a corner, a tea table lay toppled, with glasses knocked over and milk spilled across the floor, soaking a white dress spread out on the ground. Glittering on the dress were honey-colored substances, resembling the fuzzy legs of bees.

"How many have been infected?" the head of the Emergency Response Department barked into his communicator.

"22nd, 21st, 20th floors!" came the shrill voice from the device. "All women who meet the criteria of the Rose Declaration within Eden, all personnel, and most of the embryos in the incubators on the 20th floor. There are also some on other levels, we're currently eliminating them!"

The officer's fingers clenched, nearly crushing the communicator.

His subordinate asked, "What should we do now?"

"Clean up the scene, are you stupid?" The enraged officer spun around abruptly, causing his subordinate to shudder. But he wasn't addressing the subordinate; his gaze was fixed on An Zhe.

Under the stark white light, his face was as cold and stony as a statue.

"What happened on the 22nd floor?" The voice boomed in An Zhe's ears, causing a piercing pain in his head. The soldier escorting him pushed him forward, and he felt as if his shoulder bones were about to shatter.

The pain made him tremble slightly. An Zhe lowered his eyelashes.

"Madam Lu underwent mutation," he said.

"Where were you then?"

"I was... in front of her."

"Why did she mutate?" he bellowed. "Eden's floors above the 20th are airtight. How could a woman here possibly mutate?"

"Many years ago... she was stung by a bee," An Zhe answered truthfully. The officer before him had become terrifyingly aggressive. Unconsciously, An Zhe took a step back, only to be pushed even closer by the escorting soldier.

"If she could mutate, she would have done it long ago!" The officer suddenly drew his pistol from his waist.

"Colonel, please calm down. The situation right now—" the adjutant stammered.

The cold barrel of the gun was suddenly pressed against An Zhe's temple.

"Are you defending him?" The major general's neck veins bulged. "I saw him during the transfer. He's from the Lighthouse, not a member of Level 22. Didn't the Lighthouse have that bee sample before? I warned everyone that those mad scientists were breeding anomalies in the Twin Towers. It was only a matter of time before something went wrong. They're no different from those fusion zealots who wanted the base to perish."

The adjutant asked, "Should we contact the Judicature?"

"There's no need for the Judicature," the major general said, his voice icy as he held down the trigger. "He's connected to the infection, there's no denying it."