Blessings never come in pairs, and misfortunes never come alone.
Damn, that saying never changed.
How much bad news had he already heard of today?
Ye Lanzhou swore internally. Irritation wormed its way into his heart, and he grimaced, the stress of the past few days weighing on him.
There had been a minor issue with the laboratory research, causing a temporary halt in the reconstruction of the protective shield. He had no choice but to let the remaining team members retire for the time being. Until Professor Huang found a solution, they couldn’t resume work.
Fortunately, reports from the reconnaissance team estimated the main force of the mutant tide to be fifty kilometres away. With their speed, it would take them at least three days to come close to the base.
The best-case scenario? They would change course, missing the base entirely.
He received the second piece of bad news before he could recover from the first.
Huang Shuyin had gone missing.
The reconnaissance team was sent out two days ago, only returning today. But they had lost contact on the way back.
The base was left without any means of contact without the reconnaissance team, the unfortunate laboratory explosion worsening the situation. The base urgently needed information about the mutant wave. In the middle of the night, Ye Lanzhou called for Huang Shuyin. She was to lead a team to search for reinforcements.
The loss of contact with the recon team was initially thought to have been caused by the explosion. Then, to his horror, Ye Lanzhou received reports that they had lost contact with Huang Shuyin’s team.
To make matters worse, it was reported in front of Professor Huang. When he heard the news, he nearly dropped that night’s research findings. Fortunately, his assistant was able to temporarily take over his work.
Although father and daughter had experienced several years apart, they had fallen back into their respective roles easily. Their relationship wasn’t a typical one— it lacked the intimacy of one— but it was impossible to miss the bond between them.
Huang Shuyin was the only relative Professor Huang had left.
Ye Lanzhou, left with no choice, had to recruit a few more people from several reconnaissance teams, instructing them to search for the whereabouts of Huang Shuyin’s team.
To avoid more losses, he repeatedly reminded them not to go too far. If the communication device malfunctioned, they were to turn back immediately. The last part was said to the team leader in a whisper after leaving the laboratory.
Nonetheless, Professor Huang wasn’t stupid. Even without knowledge, he could still guess at what was said.
Rationally, he knew that waiting patiently for news was the best option. At the very least, he should wait till dawn before taking action.
But it was hard. Anyone faced with the possibility of losing family members would be in agony. How could he remain calm? At least Ye Lanzhou was understanding about it. Helpless, Professor Huang couldn’t protest.
After a brief rest, Professor Huang drank some water, ate a little, suppressed his anxiety, and threw himself into trying to fix the shield, unintentionally accelerating the progress.
Seeing this, Ye Lanzhou relaxed a fraction. Exhausted, he plopped down on a stool in the corner of the laboratory and dozed off against the wall.
He hadn’t had proper sleep in a very long time.
In tense situations, staying up all night for several days was a common occurrence for him.
In the past, it was usually Ah Li who protected him. However, Ye Lanzhou’s will to survive, coupled with his self esteem led to him growing in strength and ability to share the pressure. He overcame many challenges and grew. But they were mostly a duo, and there was no need to worry about the safety of other people.
Later, after Ah Li’s accident, he awakened his abilities. Shortly afterward, many people sought refuge with him, some of them awakened.
At that time, everyone was merely worried about their own survival. Those who couldn’t contribute refused to become a burden.
Except for the unconscious Chu Chenli, everyone in the team was a capable individual.
Especially Xiang Renxi.
His physicality made him average in combat, but only in comparison with his elite teammates. He was by no means a hindrance. Coupled with his talent for handling trivial matters and his innate gift for trapping mutants, he stood out and quickly became Ye Lanzhou’s most reliable assistant.
Back then, deaths among teammates were commonplace. In the most tragic incident he had witnessed, a team of thirteen people had been reduced to merely half of their former members.
Through it all, Xiang Renxi had accompanied Ye Lanzhou— a constant companion.
Both knew all too well that the future held nothing for them but their inevitable deaths— so instead of running towards their end, they stopped and grieved their fallen in silence.
These pieces of survival advice, Ye Lanzhou had picked up from Xiang Renxi.
Guilt had plagued him at first, but over the years, Xiang Renxi’s unshakable rationality had been proven right again and again. Eventually, he acknowledged this truth—
Recklessly rushing to save a teammate would end in his swift death, and his success might not even be guaranteed. But by staying alive, he could save thousands more in the future. He claimed no responsibility for the life and death of others.
Now, scenes of loved ones turning against each other and mothers abandoning their children to the mutants in their struggle for survival were common.
Being willing to help others within the scope of one’s ability was already rare. He saved numerous lives, and he never maliciously used innocents as bait or a shield. Instead, when capable, he provided protection to weaker individuals.
With his abilities, he did as much as he could.
It just so happened that Ye Lanzhou was considered one of the strongest among the awakened.
Therefore, he was also a globally renowned philanthropist and saint.
More and more capable individuals gathered around him, inadvertently shouldering much of this pressure. If things were calm, he had strength left to cope. But in situations like this, when multiple problems kept coming…
He felt a headache coming on.
What happened to Huang Shuyin? If she really disappeared, would Professor Huang leave? If awakened mutants attacked the base, could the protective shield withstand them? If the base were invaded, what could the medical department do? What about the people in the safe zone…
The entire base had more than a million people, including the population in the safe zone, but less than one percent of them had the capabilities to help in the front line.
The stronger Ye Lanzhou became, the more vulnerable others seemed to get.
Former comrades who once fought side by side sometimes turned out to be mere burdens.
Still, there were many elderly, weak, sick, and disabled individuals who, attracted by Ye Lanzhou’s reputation as a “saint,” continuously sought refuge with him.
Ye Lanzhou couldn’t turn people away, and so had to reluctantly make arrangements for them. Over time, weariness began to catch up to him. This was one of the reasons he gradually started to consider merging with the central base.
But then there was Ah Li…
This lone fact stopped him in his tracks, indecision gripping him.
Logic told him that Ah Li wouldn’t meet any harm in the central base, since the liaison officer mentioned the possibility of negotiation.
If Ah Li was simply to be an experimental subject, there wouldn’t be a need for negotiation; they could simply sedate him and take him away.
However, ever since the apocalypse descended upon them, horrifying and bloody stories had become commonplace. Deep down, Ye Lanzhou still harboured some concerns.
Was there any way to negotiate a compromise with the central base?
Half awake, Ye Lanzhou pondered over this matter. People in the laboratory came and went, stepping carefully around him, showing empathy for his recent hardships and reluctance to disturb him.
Unfortunately, the misfortunes that kept appearing weren’t as considerate.
A guard ran into the laboratory, shouting, “Commander Ye, Commander Ye, are you here?”
The researcher at the door made a “shh” sound, but it couldn’t muffle the guard’s voice.
The guard saw Ye Lanzhou sitting in the corner and hurriedly yelled, “Commander Ye! Something happened in the medical department!”
Another piece of bad news tonight. Hopefully, it would be the last one. Suppressing his rising impatience, Ye Lanzhou opened his eyes, already wearing his usual reliable and steady demeanour.
“What happened?” Ye Lanzhou stood up and walked briskly towards the guard.
“Seems like there’s something inside the building…” The guard hesitated, watching Ye Lanzhou overtake him in quick strides. After a moment, he followed suit.
The first to hear him speak were the wounded sitting on the outer edge, their arms wrapped in bandages.
They turned their heads upon seeing Ye Lanzhou and loudly exclaimed, “Commander Ye!”
Others followed suit, sighing with relief and shouting, “Commander Ye!”
The remainder of Xiao Bai’s words got drowned in these joyful cheers.
His presence seemed to be the catalyst for people to suddenly grow a backbone. The gloomy atmosphere that hung over them like mist dispersed instantly.
Someone raised their hand to actively report the situation. “This mutant is definitely an awakened species! As of right now, it is almost certainly fully combined with the medical building. It’s likely to possess abilities like spatial enchantment or assimilation. However, it seems to still be in its developmental phase and hasn’t displayed aggressive behaviour yet.”
The wounded and medical staff present had escaped before Xiao Bai and Dr Du. They were the first to see a swarm of small spiders the size of fingernails running into the room at the entrance of the medical building, followed by a strange black mist quickly filling the entire room.
It was a veteran with experience who raised the alarm. After waking up, he knocked on the doors of other wards, asking nurses and caregivers to help evacuate the people in the building.
By the time they all evacuated, the entire building was already shrouded in this eerie black shadow.
The black mist never displayed any particularly aggressive behaviour until Dr Du and Xiao Bai ran out.
It was most likely a newly awakened mutant with a special ability.
Mutants in this period were the easiest to deal with, as a period of debuff naturally came after awakening, and their abilities were relatively weak. Both their aggression and maniacal tendencies were reduced by more than half.
It was the best time to kill them— while they still rocked in the cradle of awakening.
Once their abilities grew and stabilised, it would only become more difficult to kill them, and lead to more flesh and blood stuffed into their stomachs.
Someone turned to look at the evacuated crowd and then at the silent building, suggesting, “Why not just blow up the entire building?”
Specialised ammunition can kill mutants. With an increased dosage, blowing up an entire building was not a difficult task.
“Hey, that’s a good idea. If it really is an attachment ability, it could easily return if the building it’s attached to isn’t destroyed!”
“We need to rebuild the laboratory anyway! An extra medical building shouldn’t be a problem.”
“Yes, and the building behind is under construction; we can move in there.”
“Even if we somehow manage to save this building, I wouldn’t dare to enter it. What if there are more mutants hiding inside?”
–
The people erupted in discussion, each offering their opinions.
Xiao Bai’s face turned red, mostly out of anger. These people knew there were still living people inside.
“There are still people inside!” Xiao Bai couldn’t help but yell. “If you blow up the building, what would happen to them?!”
Many were startled by his sudden outburst.
A timid person like Xiao Bai snapping and shouting at them? He usually never dared to raise his voice around awakened…and all for the three people still alive inside?
Some felt guilty and dared not argue further, scratching their noses and lowering their heads to examine their bandaged wounds, no longer participating in the discussion. However, a few seemed unaffected, remaining rational and cold.
“Hey, we’re talking about lives hanging in the balance here. Are the lives of those three people more important than the lives of thousands? Of millions?” A man with bandages wrapped around his head retorted.
“Leaving this awakened mutant alive in the base? Who knows when it will suddenly mature, and how powerful it will be? If we follow your suggestion and sit on our asses, everyone would have died along with these three people!”
“And at most, Nurse Peng might still be useful. Jiang Liao was almost dead anyway. If it weren’t for this attack, we would be preparing for his funeral tomorrow. As for the last one…”
The man spoke with disdain, implication heavy in his words. Xiao Bai flushed but couldn’t say a word. He couldn’t bear the weight of the lives of everyone in the base.
“Rescuing people isn’t your responsibility. It’s easy for you to shoot your mouth off here, but in the end, you’re not among the people risking their lives. What if the mutant suddenly awakens completely? You’d just be sending people to their deaths. Then you’ll curry favour with that pretty boy, right? I think you two are a perfect match!” Someone in the crowd joined in the relentless mocking.
The person next to him slapped him hard, signalling him to shut up quickly. That was out of line.
“This matter still requires Commander Ye’s decision.” A mediator looked at Ye Lanzhou, who had been frowning and standing in place. “Commander Ye, what do you think?”
After all, his ‘boyfriend’ was included in the three people inside! Though most people in the base hated to bestow the title upon Chu Chenli, some understood the implications of it intimately.
They teased and gossiped, but most people knew that Commander Ye was not such a heartless person.
Xiao Bai also stared at Ye Lanzhou with red eyes.
Ye Lanzhou could hardly suppress his irritation. Perhaps because of his strong powers, he was more sensitive to black mist.
It was thick, gloomy, and viscous— a mere glance at it was enough to stir up the negative emotions he thought he’d long suppressed.
That place gave him a very bad feeling. Instinct told him not to go, but reason said the opposite. Even if it wasn’t Chu Chenli inside, he couldn’t simply stand by and watch them die, not when he had the ability to save them— a few risks taken would not be fatal.
The discussion didn’t last too long. When the gazes of everyone present turned to Ye Lanzhou, he made his decision.
“Xiao He, tell logistics to prepare explosives. Xiao Zheng, find people from the protection team to isolate this building, and inform the lab to activate the defence system— Never mind, Xiao He, go directly to find Renxi, tell him to handle these matters.”
Xiao Bai’s face turned even paler.
Undeterred, Ye Lanzhou continued speaking. “I will go inside to rescue the trapped people. Once we step out of the building, detonate the explosives. This building must not be left standing!”
–
Medical building, pharmacy.
Nurse Peng clutched her head with both hands, trembling under a cabinet.
It can’t see me, it can’t see me, it can’t see me…
She was muttering in vain.
Cautiously, she peeked out of an eyelid— and almost vomited at the sight. Black vines covered everything, slithering across the floor, rapidly spreading onto the walls and ceiling, enshrining the room in a swathe of black. The vines swayed and pulsed, as if they were breathing.
At the tips of black thorns, small flower buds gradually emerged, expanding slowly, and then—
Boom.
The jet-black buds exploded open. What they exposed wasn’t a sunflower, but a large, black mouth with monstrously sharp, serrated teeth. Its tongue was red like blood, with a split end like a snake.
The newly grown flower mouth extended downwards, past the writhing vines. The black monster surveyed the empty pharmacy like it had eyes.
Nurse Peng tightly covered her mouth, afraid to make any noise.
Her greatest regret was that when she first discovered this monster, she had screamed in fright, attracting its attention. Fleeing in a panicked haze, she had unwittingly run into a dead end.
Silent tears blurred her face, but she didn’t dare to wipe them away, fearing any movement might attract the creature’s attention.
But death was imminent. Despair overwhelmed her as she closed her eyes.
Would anyone notice her disappearance?
Were the others still alive?
Commander Ye…Would he come to rescue her?
Drip. Drip…
Piercing through the echoes of dripping saliva, she could hear a hissing sound, reminiscent of a cold-blooded snake.
The sound got closer and closer…
So close that it seemed to be directly above her head…!
Seized by terror, Nurse Peng cracked open her eyes.
The foul-smelling, viscous liquid almost touched her nose, and suddenly—
Sizzle—
A small puff of dark smoke rose from the ground.
As the smoke twisted and distorted, a long, red tongue suddenly pierced through the other end of the smoke, heading straight for her eyes.
“Ahhhhhh—!”
Unable to control herself any longer, Nurse Peng screamed, her arms flailing desperately to avoid the tongue. In her panic, her forearm inadvertently brushed against it. An intense, burning pain immediately erupted at the point of contact, leaving a black, circular wound, as if corroded.
With her adrenaline, she couldn’t care less about the pain. She bit her lip, her face deathly pale, crawling backwards on her hands and knees. Her leg brushed the back of the cabinet. There was nowhere left to run.
Summoning all her strength, she burst through the doors.
Bang!
She crawled out of the scattered wood chips, stumbled and ran towards the only exit.
However, the path ahead was already filled with vines.
At the moment she made a sound, the newly formed flower mouths stopped like bugged-out game characters for a while.
But in less than two seconds, all the flower mouths pointed directly at Nurse Peng.
Without hesitation, they pounced.
With a target and direction, the flower mouths shot towards her, like sharp arrows, whistling through the air.
The sharp sound brought only despair to Nurse Peng.
The long, red tongue entered her vision. She instinctively waved her arms, staggered, and screamed as she tried to dodge.
Was she going to die here?
The thought flashed through her mind.
However, just as she was about to fall onto the vines, a gentle hand extended from somewhere, grabbed her wrist, and pulled forcefully.
Nurse Peng hadn’t even had time to fully experience the feeling of despair when she felt her body lifted into the air.
The flower mouths opened wide, and the sharp teeth were about to sink into her neck…
Abruptly, the mouths snapped shut, catching nothing but wisps of hair.
Nurse Peng felt a sharp pain on her scalp, and then there was a muffled thud as she fell heavily against the wall.
No, not against the wall— there was a warm body behind her.
The person who had been hit made a muffled groan.
It was a human sound, not a ghost’s.
Nor a monster’s.
Someone had saved her.
Nurse Peng, felt her heart pounding. There was a ringing in her ears, making it impossible for her to hear anything else.
But when it came to someone risking their life to save her, a mere commoner, she couldn’t think of anyone else other than Commander Ye.
She turned her head and excitedly called, “Commander Ye-“
Her smile froze on her face.
There was no sign of Commander Ye.
The person who saved her from behind was Chu Chenli.
The one others privately called a waste, mocking and scorning him from start to finish.
But what truly terrified her was not this unexpected turn of events—
The vines that filled the room and the flower mouths were not willing to give up their prey that easily. They rushed out of the room, the vines silently spreading along the walls on both sides of the door.
A flower mouth, even larger than a moment ago, rushed towards the two again.
Before Nurse Peng could react, she saw Chu Chenli raise his hand. Like inserting a fork into a small cake, he effortlessly pierced the monster’s big mouth with the long stick in his hand.
Swift. Precise. Deadly.
It happened so fast that the monster itself seemed unable to react, freezing in place like a bugged-out character, not advancing any further.
“…”
Nurse Peng’s jaw dropped a little more.
Waste.
Nurse Peng recalled all the ridicule and rumours about him.
Reeling in shock, a sense of betrayal shocked her to her core.
This was someone people called a waste of space? The same person she just saw pierce an awakened mutant at such close range?!
Damn, if these abilities were considered useless…
She wanted them too…!
