Chapter 78

Chapter 78

"No," Boli said. "We can't make such an unreasonable demand."

"The base has a well-established emergency system. Given enough preparation, they should be able to survive for a short period of time," Tang Lan explained.

"What if the device is damaged by distortion during the brief shutdown of the artificial magnetic poles? Once the magnetic field protection is lost during the frigid period, the environment becomes even more hostile than in summer," Boli remarked. "I can employ an independent magnetic pole to simulate a counterforce field that would neutralize the artificial magnetic field within the confines of a Simpson cage, thereby creating a magnetically neutral space."

"I don't grasp the intricacies of your expertise," Tang Lan admitted. "But artificial magnetic fields are inherently complex frequencies. It must be incredibly challenging."

"It might be much simpler than your previous tasks," Tang Lan said.

"You can't do that," Boli interjected.

"I…" Tang Lan looked at Boli. "I know your research is right. You've been investigating this catastrophe for decades. As long as you can observe the fluctuations, you'll surely find a solution. You're always too merciful."

"Moreover, we're just making a request; they might not even agree. The Northern Base prioritizes human interests, and we are xenobiological beings. Every year, they attempt to eradicate us with their military forces." With his hand on the keyboard, he whispered, "This is my personal initiative; all… all consequences will have nothing to do with you, sir."

Boli simply stared at him, as if looking at a wayward child.

His slightly pale fingertips hovered above the keyboard.

One second, two seconds.

The hovering fingers remained motionless in mid-air.

Three seconds, four seconds.

Suddenly, he let out a quivering exhale.

"I'm sorry." His trembling fingers fell limply, leaving behind a string of indecipherable characters in the input field. He retreated two steps, his eyes reddening slightly, "I can't do it."

As if anticipating this outcome, Boli gently shook his head and said, "Naive child."

A tinge of red tinged Tang Lan's eyes.

An Zhe leaned against the fireplace, watching it all unfold. The choices humans faced were often difficult, and the pain within their hearts could surpass physical pain. Boli had been right; mercy was humanity's most apparent weakness. Under the harsh weight of the world, Tang Lan would suffer, while Boli would suffer a hundredfold. Thus, he gazed at Boli for a long while, waiting for him to make a choice amidst his inner torment. Fate was so unpredictable, forcing such a dilemma upon Boli even a hundred years after he had relinquished his role as a judge.

Amidst the silent standoff, the aurora outside flickered again.

Rum reflexively glanced at the large screen, and An Zhe followed his gaze. The ghostly image reappeared on the screen, lasting much longer this time – a full three seconds before vanishing, leaving an eerie pattern imprinted on An Zhe's retinas.

Simultaneously, Tang Lan reached up to press against his temple.

"I can hear it again," he said.

What did that imply?

Even An Zhe was aware that it signified an unexpected surge in the unknown cosmic vibrations. Contrary to human predictions, it wasn't a gradual increase – it could skyrocket abruptly.

Five seconds of silence passed before the aurora flashed fiercely, like the heart of a colossal creature contracting suddenly, plunging the entire world into utter darkness.

On the laboratory screen, the dense cluster of dots swirled chaotically.

"It's coming," Tang Lan closed his eyes, raised his hand to cover his face, his voice hoarse. "I can hear it. Very soon, it will surpass the magnetic field strength. Sir, there's no need for hesitation. The distortion is here, unstoppable."

"We... we...," he lowered his head. "Why... why are we doing this?"

His voice faded into a low, bitter laugh, one that was so – so despairing. An Zhe imagined there was probably blood caught in his throat.

Just moments ago, they were grappling with the moral dilemma of whether to request the base to shut down its magnetic pole, hating this cruel world and their ruthless fate. They were immersed in their inner torment, believing they still had a choice. But in the next instant, they realized how laughable their struggles and hatred had been. It was all futile resistance – of course, the very meaning of humanity itself was meaningless.

The world didn't care about anything. It wasn't cruel or harsh; it simply didn't matter. It didn't care about their happiness, nor their pain.

It seemed to be undergoing an inevitable shift, moving steadily forward. It had no intention of revealing the true reason to humans – there was no need. Only humanity was obstinately obsessed with seeking answers.

Humanity would perish, life would vanish, and Earth would collapse.

But it was indifferent.

An Zhe gazed blankly at the sky outside.

After intermittent flickers, the aurora began to quiver wildly across the vast expanse. Green light scattered at an alarming speed, turning into dazzling meteors that burned and vanished, leaving trails of afterglow streaking across the entire dark night sky.

"Beep—" In the laboratory, machines wailed persistently. An Zhe abruptly lifted his head, seeing a flurry of snowflakes on the large screen.

Boli's right hand gripped the armrest of the chair tightly. His hoarse voice revealed his age as he croaked, "Activate independent magnetic poles—"

His voice was accompanied by a chilling chorus of howls, each one defying description in any human language, their combined echoes piercing the eardrums. It originated from beyond the window, down the mountain, in the abyss - where monsters unleashed uncanny cries.

"Flap-flap-flap!"

A massive rustling of wings resonated from the dense forest, as if thousands upon thousands of birds were taking to the sky simultaneously.

They had lain in wait in the depths for ages, probing and testing each other, locked in a stalemate.

Yet, at the precipice of the magnetic field's collapse, these terrifying creatures abruptly stirred into action.

- Why is that?

I couldn't tell you.

The first shadow swept across the highlands above the research facility.

Boli approached the control console of Simpson's cage.

"Sir," Tang Lan whispered, "Is it still possible?"

Boli replied, "It's too late now."

"Should we proceed then?"

A moment of silence ensued.

He suddenly mused, "Human aspirations are like the moon reflected in water. It appears within grasp, but shatters the moment it touches the surface."

"When we believe that even a broken moon has significance and try to salvage it, we find ourselves holding only a handful of water. The irony is, within mere half a minute, even that water slips through our fingers."

Gazing at the myriad of shimmering dots, he seemed to be looking into a distant dream. "But if I were given a second chance, and found myself still by the waterside, would I still reach out to grasp them?"

Boli Joan's eyes turned red, her gaze trembled, her voice choked, and finally, she closed her eyes, whispering, "I am willing."

Tang Lan retrieved a black walkie-talkie from his pocket.

Gazing at the emptiness before him, he lowered his dimming eyes and said calmly, "Prepare for defense."