Chapter 55

Chapter 55

"A1 module functioning normally."

"D3 module operating as expected."

"Engines..."

The entire aircraft jolted violently.

"Unknown engine malfunction!"

"Initiate emergency landing procedure!"

"Captain, the emergency protocol failed to engage!"

"Switch to manual control!"

The plane shook wildly, its engines roaring in fits and starts.

Hubbard clutched the armrests tightly, ensuring his seatbelt was securely fastened.

"Malfunction?" Lu Feng asked. "Didn't we conduct an inspection before takeoff?"

Beside him, Hubbard furrowed his brow. "Did we encounter a Skyborne creature during flight?"

Another officer responded, "No, the flight was entirely safe."

Hubbard narrowed his eyes. "Speaking of which, one of our wing aircraft crashed about three hours ago."

The cabin continued to rattle violently as the plane ascended and descended erratically before finally stabilizing for landing.

The cockpit door opened, revealing the pale-faced co-pilot and navigator. The navigator knelt down, retching into a nearby trash bin.

"My God..." the co-pilot exclaimed. "We almost didn't make it. There's definitely something wrong with the engine. I've never seen such an issue before. This aircraft is not fit to fly; it needs a thorough inspection."

Despite the close call, they had still managed to land safely.

As Lu Feng stepped out of the plane, he looked up at the city bathed in dawn light. In the outskirts, a swarm of bees took flight, disappearing into the horizon.

"Bees?" Hubbard ventured.

But they didn't have time to dwell on the matter.

A row of officers from the Unification Center stood at attention below the landing ramp.

"Welcome back," the leader saluted them, his expression grave as he said, "I represent the base in congratulating you."

Hubbard, without military rank, was unconcerned with military formalities. He cut straight to the chase. "What's happened to the base?"

The officer's lips thinned. "An indescribable disaster."

Then he turned to Lu Feng. "Colonel Lu, please come with us."

Lu Feng scanned their surroundings but said nothing, following them into the vehicle.

As they watched the car depart, Hubbard's gaze darkened. Beside him stood a high-ranking officer from the Staff Department, who now spoke. "The Unification Center and Colonel Lu don't exactly see eye to eye."

"I've heard that on the very first day he officially became an Inquisitor, he killed a Unification Center Major General," Hubbard said, folding his arms.

The officer remained silent, his silence in such a situation tantamount to an admission of guilt.

At the Unification Center.

"The situation is more or less as follows," the general at the end of the long table said.

The military hierarchy within the base was strict, but the Court of Judgment was an exception. Initially, it was a joint institution between the Lighthouse and the military, mainly consisting of researchers without excessively high ranks assigned. Later on, the Court of Judgment spent almost the entire year stationed in the Outer City, where the ranks were even more restricted. The City Defense Office and City Affairs Office were both commanded by colonels, hence no one had ever suggested promoting the Judges to a higher rank over the years.

However, everyone knew that the Judges held the power to override all ranks for trials, mobilizations, and issuing orders. Their actual authority far exceeded that of a mere colonel. Because of this, the existence of the position seemed even more ominous and feared, yet the base couldn't do without it.

Lu Fen's voice was soft, devoid of any emotional fluctuations. "How many people are left in the base?"

"Initial estimates put the survivors at eight thousand seven hundred."

"At present, the Unification Center has dispatched a flight team to track the swarm's trajectory," the general said. "Colonel Lu, I must clarify that the two direct suspects in this disaster are both connected to you."

"I'm sorry," Lu Fen replied. "But my loyalty to the base is absolute."

"The base trusts you," the general said. "You know what needs to be done."

"Yes." Lu Fen's voice was calm. "The PL1109 fleet is experiencing unknown malfunctions, unable to complete its flight mission. Requesting a change."

"Permission granted."

*

Night fell. An Zhe had no idea where his Black Bee was headed, but he was nearly dried out by the wind. So, during the brief respite when the Black Bee landed, he transformed into mycelium once more, covering its entire head.

Unsurprisingly, the Black Bee slumbered deeply.

The area was very arid, a flat desert unsuitable for mushrooms. An Zhe pulled on human clothing from his backpack, ate some compressed biscuits, and drank water. Shielding himself from the wind with the Black Bee's body, he planned to rest for the night.

The roar of an aircraft echoed in the sky. An Zhe looked up, watching it fly southward. Throughout the day, there had been more than ten planes heading south. As An Zhe pondered atop the Black Bee, he eventually formed a conjecture.

The Black Bee was also flying south. The swarm of bees must have a destination, a place suitable for their survival. And those human planes— they were likely chasing after the bee swarm, aiming to exterminate them. These bees possessed human genes, and as weak creatures in the wild, if not eradicated, their genes could spread throughout the wilderness via the food chain. If those monsters ever banded together to attack the base, it would be perilous.

As for how humans managed to track the bees, An Zhe wasn't sure. For now, it seemed that his Black Bee wasn't within their pursuit range.

Staring at the aircraft, it was small, seemingly a type of fighter jet. Its flight was unstable, trembling erratically. An Zhe furrowed his brow, watching silently as a violent shake caused the plane to explode into a ball of flames in the distant sky before plummeting swiftly downward.

He had witnessed this scene twice during the day as well. Human planes were experiencing accidents frequently, though the reason was unclear.

An Zhe wrapped himself tightly in his clothes, closed his eyes, and tried to sleep. Above him, thunder rumbled incessantly, but he was hidden beneath the Black Bee, and it was nighttime, so he assumed humans wouldn't be able to spot him.

Just as he was on the verge of dozing off, a deafening explosion jolted him awake, forcing his eyes open.

The wind howled, and the roar was so intense that it was surreal. Straining his eyes, An Zhe looked towards the source of the noise. A hundred meters away, a small human fighter jet was swaying mid-air, its nose tilting downward. Then, with a loud crash, it slammed into the ground, one wing broken, causing the aircraft to topple over.

The earth trembled, and thick smoke rose from the wreckage.

An Zhe's brow furrowed even tighter. He got up and started walking towards it. At times, he found it hard to explain the motives behind his actions, just like when he had dragged the severely injured and near-death An Ze back to his cave.

The cabin door had been deformed, twisted and cracked. With all his might, An Zhe pushed the damaged door aside. A body tumbled out, clad in the dark blue uniform of a military pilot, covered in blood, and with closed eyes. An Zhe bent down cautiously to check for a breath.

—Dead.

He crawled into the cockpit, where another person was also lifeless in the adjacent seat. An Zhe entered, knowing that the rear section housed the passenger compartment and weapons bay. He thought to himself, the two people up front were beyond saving, but perhaps he could find some supplies here.

Thus, he ventured into the rear compartment.

In the next instant, he was utterly stunned.

Right in front of him, there was someone – motionless, their head leaning against the seat ahead.

An Zhe's breath caught in his throat. He hurried to the person's side and lifted their upper body, revealing their face.

It was Lu Fen.

Lu Fen was also dead.

An Zhe was utterly incapable of describing his emotions at that moment. Lu Fen... was dead?

He had no time to ponder why Lu Fen would be here; instead, he tremblingly checked for any signs of breath.

His heart leapt with relief the next instant – there was still a breath. The cabin seemed intact, the seat belt securely fastened. Lu Fen hadn't been hit by anything. It must have been the impact of the crash that had knocked him unconscious.

The confined space reeked of burnt scents, and a wisp of smoke drifted from the cockpit.

He knew he couldn't linger here.

Lu Fen's gun was holstered at his waist, which An Zhe retrieved. Then, he pulled Lu Fen up and, using his shoulder to support the crook of his arm, attempted to carry him out of the wreckage.

It was too difficult; he couldn't pull it. The space between the seat and the front wall was too cramped. The pungent smell of burning grew heavier, and static crackled through the communicator, intertwined with the operator's voice: "United Front Control Center calling Colonel Lu Fen, acknowledge if received."

"United Front Control Center calling fighter jet PJ103, acknowledge if received."

The thick smoke intensified, and the engine roared. An Zhe gritted his teeth and pulled with all his might—

He saw Lu Fen's eyes shoot open.

In the next moment, the world spun. Lu Fen grabbed him, kicked open the emergency exit in a flash, and they tumbled out together as the metal fragments, shrouded in smoke, fell away. Lu Fen then pulled An Zhe forcefully against himself, and they rolled down the ground. But he didn't stop there. With one hand gripping An Zhe's wrist, the other clasped around his shoulder, he pushed them both into a slightly recessed area nearby.

It hurt a little, so An Zhe instinctively hugged Lu Fen tighter. The next second, an earth-shattering explosion thundered in his ears!

The ground in the shallow pit trembled, and pebbles rolled down. An Zhe lifted his head to see a brilliant, intense firework bloom in the night sky. Flames engulfed the fighter jet abruptly, and waves of heat washed over them. The flames resembled eternal golden lightning, as the wreckage scattered like meteors in every direction. A severed hand was tossed high into the air alongside the fireworks, pausing momentarily at its apex before plummeting downward. The wrist landed outside, while the palm fell not far from them, stirring up a cloud of dust.

The plane had self-destructed, just like the two accidents An Zhe had witnessed earlier.

Three seconds later, the explosion ceased, and silence settled upon the surroundings. Only the sound of the wind and the roaring of the flames being fanned by the gusts remained, as black smoke billowed upwards.

They were so close.

If he hadn't entered the aircraft, perhaps Lu Fen's life would've ended in that explosion, and he would never have known who perished in the accident.

Alternatively, even if he had gone inside, but Lu Fen hadn't awakened in time, they both could've died.

Having cheated death, his heart felt heavy, blood rushed to his head, and his ears rang, leaving only their breathing audible to him.

After a long while, he heard Lu Fen murmur, "…Thank you."

An Zhe panted rapidly, his entire body aching. The pain from his fall was insignificant compared to the aftereffects of the electrocution and the soldiers' brutal treatment.

An Zhe lifted his head.

And there they were, staring into each other's eyes.

In those few seconds of eye contact, the electric shocks that once seared through An Zhe's limbs resurfaced from the depths of his consciousness. It was as if he was back in that narrow, cold interrogation room, except this time, the interrogator was Lu Fen.

Lu Fen was more menacing and frightening than anyone else.

Staring at him intently, An Zhe couldn't decipher the expression on Lu Fen's face.

Only to hear Lu Fen's voice, low and measured: "An Zhe?"

An Zhe remained silent.

His ID card read An Ze, but he called himself An Zhe. Though it was common in the Outskirts for people to change their assigned names out of dissatisfaction, this still exposed a flaw in his disguise.

Those eyes – piercing through everything as they had been on the day they first met. On the day he entered the city gates, he had been prepared to die at the hands of the Judicator, yet Lu Fen had spared him then.

But now, he could not escape. This judgment was merely delayed by two months.

He heard Lu Fen's cold inquiry: "Where is the sample?"

An Zhe couldn't answer that question, but the tone and authority of the Judicator were more terrifying to him than electrocution. He bit his lip hard, finally saying, "I... consumed it... It's gone."

Lu Fen's fingers pressed down on his abdomen, applying gentle pressure. Through the thin layer of fabric, the touch was ominously distinct. An Zhe trembled with fear, acutely aware that if Lu Fen discovered the spores could still be retrieved, he would without hesitation slice open his body, just as he had severed his mycelium with a military knife half a year ago.

His mind was blank, unable to think. All he could do was stare at Lu Fen, who stood expressionless under the moonlight and flames. The colonel's thin, cold eyebrows and long, dark-green eyes held no warmth, revealing no emotion. He was perpetually flawless and coldly indifferent.

An Zhe panted softly, having initially hidden Lu Fen's gun behind him. Now, he continued to push it further back, trying to conceal it even more.

In any case, without the gun, Lu Fen couldn't… do anything to him.

But this action inadvertently revealed the presence of the firearm. A sharp glint appeared in Lu Fen's eyes as he moved with astonishing speed and strength, pinning An Zhe firmly against his chest. With his other hand, he swiftly seized control of An Zhe's fingers and disarmed him.

An Zhe gasped for air, struggling desperately to resist.

"Bang!"

A gunshot echoed.

For a brief moment, An Zhe's mind went blank. But then he realized he was still alive. He heard the thud of something heavy hitting the ground from a distance, followed by a monster's roar. He turned his head and saw a lizard-like monster struck down by Lu Fen's precise shot, writhing as it fell.

An Zhe's body grew cold. He knew that in this world, he and that monster were of the same kind, while Lu Fen and they were eternal adversaries, with no chance of reconciliation.

Just then, through the screeching static of the communication device, a distorted voice came through intermittently: "Sup… Central calling… Fighter 03, come in if you… can hear."

Lu Fen's cold and solemn voice answered the call, "PJ103 received. The fighter has crashed. The pilot is confirmed deceased."

"Please… report mission progress, send… coordinates."

The voice grew increasingly distorted and intermittent. If it wasn't a problem with the communication device, then it could only mean that the communication network covering the base had collapsed again. During his month in the outer city, An Zhe had learned from the mercenaries that the signal in the wilderness was never stable.

Lu Fen's voice remained calm as he said, "Target is under control."

"…Order confirmed… Mutant type identified… Acquire lost… clues… Eliminate. Please—"

"Hear me?" Lu Fen's voice was raspy, his tone trembling slightly at the end, but mostly laced with stern detachment. "Reply."

The cold barrel of the gun pressed against An Zhe's temple. For the first time in his life, he realized how close he was to death, and fear gripped him tightly. He shivered and said, "N-No… not giving in."

"PJ103, please immediately—"

The broadcast from the communicator pushed all emotions to their peak.

And then, in the next moment, it abruptly ceased.

"Buzz—"

The static grew louder, starting with a rustling noise before turning into a prolonged buzz. After a sudden rise in pitch, it vanished abruptly.

Instead, a soothing feminine voice spoke gently, "Apologies, due to the influence of solar winds or the ionosphere, the base's signal has been interrupted. This is a normal occurrence, please remain calm and carry on with your activities as usual. The communication signal will be restored at irregular intervals, during which a public broadcast will be sent. Please stay tuned."

"Apologies, due to the influence of solar winds or the ionosphere..."

Still held captive, An Zhe was dangerously close to Lu Fen, who could end his life at any moment. He could sense Lu Fen's heartbeat and breath – despite the calm expression, his heartbeat was anything but steady.

Lu Fen's fingers, gripping An Zhe's shoulder, tightened, accidentally pressing against his wound. An Zhe shuddered, tears fogging his vision, and his body trembled as he whimpered.

The cold gun barrel remained pressed against his temple, untouched by his warmth, and the terror of death persisted. An Zhe opened his mouth, almost unable to speak in that moment. He knew he had broken down – if a mushroom could break down.

His entire life flashed before his eyes, but he could grasp nothing, gain nothing. Just the night before, he had been contemplating how to lie to protect that colonel.

"I... won't give it to you." He reached to shield his abdomen, his voice trembling uncontrollably, his words fragmented and laced with sobs, "I... hate you."

Suddenly, the gun barrel quivered.

"Please stay tuned."

The final words of the broadcast faded away.

Silence reigned supreme.

The remnants of flames were extinguished, and the transmission ceased, severing all connections.

Here, there was no trace of human existence. The vast wilderness stretched endlessly into the desolate desert, merging seamlessly with the starry night sky.

It was as if humanity had never existed. No humans, no human civilization, no human outposts. All struggles and entanglements vanished abruptly with the disappearance of the signal.

Upon this timeless wasteland, only the two of them remained.

A dull thud echoed as the entire gun hit the ground.

Lu Fen closed his eyes, holding An Zhe tightly in his embrace.

"The Apocalypse"