Chapter 55

Dawn arrived silently in the Gobi Desert, only the paleness of the skyline gradually dispelling the darkness of the night. Inside the shelter, Chen Mengzhou and Chu Li opened their eyes almost simultaneously. The brief rest couldn't dispel the deep fatigue that had crept into their bones, but it at least gave their taut nerves a moment's respite.

After sharing the last of their food in silence, the two checked their equipment and injuries. Chen Mengzhou carefully wrapped his father's research notes, data storage device, and star map in waterproof cloth and kept them close to his body. He also hung the silent "Key of Time" compass back around his neck.

"Let's go." Chen Mengzhou said concisely and took the lead to step out of the shelter.

A cold wind blew dust and sand into my face. According to the star map and terrain, the "Forgotten Plateau" where the "Ark" was located was located northwest, requiring us to cross the even more desolate Gobi desert known as the "Corridor of Bones."

Along the way, both men maintained extreme vigilance. Chen Mengzhou's spatial perception was like the most sophisticated radar, constantly scanning the surroundings. Although Chu Li was in poor condition, he also tried hard to mobilize his dangerous and uncontrollable perception, alert to possible threats from "echoes" or the outside world.

Fortunately, perhaps because the environment in this area was too harsh, they did not encounter large-scale erosion or other groups of survivors except for a few mutant scorpions hiding in the cracks of the rocks and emitting weak radiation.

But this dead silence itself also reveals an unsettling oppression.

At noon, they took a short break under the shade of a huge, mushroom-shaped rock. Chen Mengzhou took out the water bottle, which only had a shallow layer of water left.

"There's not much water left." She stated the fact calmly.

Chu Li licked his cracked lips, said nothing, but silently took the kettle and symbolically moistened his throat.

Just then—

At the edge of Chen Mengzhou's spatial perception, he suddenly caught an extremely weak energy pulse with a certain pattern!

It's not a natural phenomenon, more like... a beacon from some kind of device?!

She tensed up instantly and made a gesture to Chu Li to keep quiet, indicating that she should hide deep in the rocks. She then quietly climbed to the top of the mushroom rock, lowered her body, and cast a sharp gaze in the direction where the pulse came from.

About a kilometer away, on a relatively flat stretch of Gobi Desert, three jet-black, heavily modified off-road vehicles were parked! There were no markings on the vehicles, but the cold, hard lines and the faint energy barrier fluctuations instantly confirmed that they were "Scavengers"!

How did they get here?! Are they following the same trail as before? Or... do they have another mission?

Several scavenger soldiers were busy beside the vehicles, seemingly setting up some kind of communication or detection equipment. The door of one of the vehicles opened, and a figure wearing something more like combat uniform than a research uniform jumped out.

When he saw the man's profile clearly, Chen Mengzhou's pupils suddenly shrank!

It's Dr. Adrian!

He looked more haggard than when he was at the Dream Weaver base, with sunken eye sockets and untidy beard, but his eyes were no longer filled with that kind of crazy despair. Instead, they were filled with a deep fatigue, as if he was carrying a heavy burden, and... a hint of barely perceptible anxiety.

How did he end up with the scavenger team? Was he being escorted? Or...

Chen Mengzhou held his breath and restrained his own aura to the extreme. His spatial perception was like the finest thread, and he carefully reached in that direction, trying to capture their conversation.

Intermittent sounds drifted in the wind, mixed with the noise of electrical current.

"...the signal...last disappeared...right in this area..." A scavenger soldier reported to Adrian.

"...Are you sure it's... the vibration of the 'key'?" Adrian's voice was hoarse and rapid.

"...87% match...but very faint...unable to pinpoint the exact location..."

"...Find her! We must find her! Before the Overseer's direct troops arrive!" Adrian's tone was filled with an almost paranoid urgency.

"The Overseer's direct troops"? They're coming? Adrian wants to find me before then?

What did he want to do? Capture? Or... something else?

Chen Mengzhou's thoughts raced. Adrian's behavior seemed to align with the image revealed in the data storage device: "forced to compromise, attempting to preserve his own life." But his current actions were still fraught with uncertainty.

At this moment, another soldier seemed to have received new information. His expression changed, and he quickly walked over to Adrian and whispered, "Doctor... 'Eagle's Nest' message... The 'Patroller' vanguard has entered the critical zone... It is expected to arrive at the 'End Wall' coordinates within 72 hours..."

Adrian's body shook visibly, and his face turned pale as paper in an instant.

"So soon..." He muttered to himself, his voice filled with despair, "It's too late... It's too late..."

He suddenly raised his head and looked at the vast Gobi Desert. There was struggle and pain in his eyes, which finally turned into a determination to fight to the death.

"...activate the 'backup plan'..." He ordered the soldier, his voice low but trembling, "...release the 'induction beacon'...muddy the water...buy us...time..."

"But Doctor... that would attract..."

"Follow orders!" Adrian growled, interrupting his subordinate. "...This is...the only chance..."

The soldier hesitated for a moment, then finally stood at attention and saluted: "Yes!"

He quickly ran back to the car and started operating it.

A moment later, a strong energy wave with obvious characteristics of the "Dream Weaver" project suddenly burst out from one of the vehicles, spreading in all directions like a beacon in the darkness!

Chen Mengzhou was shocked!

A beacon! Adrian was actively sending out signals to attract attention! What was he trying to attract? The Erosion? Other forces? Or... something from "the other side"?

What was that "backup plan" he was talking about? Buying us some time... Did that "we" refer to him and his team, or... also to me, who might be hiding nearby?

The risk is huge! But this chaos may also be their opportunity!

Chen Mengzhou no longer hesitated, quickly slid down the rock, and pulled up the still dazed Chu Li.

"Hurry up! Something's happening!"

She no longer tried to hide her tracks, but increased her speed to the extreme, running towards the northwest, opposite to the scavenger team!

Almost at the same time they left their original place——

Woohoo——!!!

From the distant horizon, a heart-pounding, inhuman roar echoed! The ground began to tremble slightly! Apparently, Adrian's "induction beacon" had immediately taken effect, attracting a terrifying monster!

And from the direction of the scavenger team, fierce gunfire and explosions were heard!

Chaos, as expected!

Without even turning back, Chen Mengzhou dragged Chu Li along as they raced through the ravines. She could sense powerful energy fluctuations and the sounds of fighting coming from more than one direction! The beacon released by Adrian was like dropping cold water into boiling oil, instantly detonating the entire "Corridor of Bones"!

We must take this opportunity to stay away from this dangerous place as much as possible!

Both of them were rapidly losing strength, their lungs aching. Chu Li was even more unsteady, practically being half-dragged, half-pulled forward by Chen Mengzhou.

Just as they were about to break through a gravel slope——

boom!

The sand not far ahead suddenly exploded! A massive, radiation-induced mutant, resembling a giant centipede, burst out of the ground. Its head, covered in pustules and bone spurs, locked onto them. It opened its massive, mucus-filled, fang-covered maw and let out a piercing hiss!

There is a blockade ahead!

Chen Mengzhou's eyes became fierce, and he was about to push Chu Li away to fight alone -

Chu Li beside him suddenly raised his head!

The dangerous blue light flashed in her eyes again, but this time, it seemed to be mixed with a trace of...silver data stream?!

As if stimulated by something, the "echo" in her body produced a strange resonance with the "induction beacon" released by Adrian!

She did not attack the mutant centipede, but instead pressed her hands, which were shining with blue and silver light, on her temples!

“Ugh—!”

She let out a suppressed roar of pain and her body trembled violently!

The next second, a mental storm that was far larger and more chaotic than before, mixed with countless broken images and sharp noises, suddenly erupted in all directions with her as the center!

This storm is not aimed at the physical level, but a pure spiritual shock!

The radioactive centipede that pounced into the air suddenly froze, its compound eyes instantly filled with extreme confusion and fear, as if it had seen some incomprehensible horror. It let out a shrill howl, and its huge body twisted and twitched in the air, then fell heavily to the ground, rolling madly and hurting itself!

It wasn't just him! With Chu Li as the center, all creatures within a hundred meters, including several mutant lizards hiding in the dark and even some strange radiation-resistant plants, showed signs of madness to varying degrees!

Even Chen Mengzhou felt a strong sense of nausea and dizziness, and had to use all his strength to activate his spatial ability to protect his mind!

The power Chu Li unleashed... was imbued with the chaotic qualities of the "other shore," yet it also seemed... to have triggered a certain frequency within Adrian's beacon?! It became even more uncontrollable, even more dangerous!

"Chu Li!" Chen Mengzhou suppressed his discomfort and hugged Chu Li, who was almost collapsing.

The blue-silver light in Chu Li's eyes quickly faded, replaced by an extreme weakness and confusion. She looked at the centipede that was madly mutilating itself and the chaotic scene around her, her lips trembling: "...I...I..."

"Don't talk! Let's go!" Chen Mengzhou interrupted her, stopped looking at the weird scene, carried the weak Chu Li on his back, bypassed the mentally polluted area, and continued to run forward.

She was filled with worry. Chu Li's condition was becoming increasingly unstable. The power of "Echo" seemed to be growing, resonating with external stimuli, but the direction of this growth was terrifying.

We must rush to the Ark! There may be a way to control or even purify the Echo!

The sounds of chaos and explosions behind them continued, as if playing a crazy background music for their escape.

Chen Mengzhou carried Chu Li on his back, clenched his teeth, and poured all his strength and will into his legs.

Fleeing for his life towards the northwest, towards the "Forgotten Plateau", towards the last place of hope.