Chapter 67 The Most Familiar Enemy, The Cruelest Choice!
The red emergency lights cast eerie shadows in the enclosed storage room.
As the light and shadow flickered, the massive silhouette emerging from the darkness was outlined into a distorted human figure.
It is over three meters tall.
It is called human only because it still retains the structure of limbs.
Its body has been completely transformed; its skin is charred black, covered with dark red patterns resembling cracks in the earth, and with each breath, the patterns become increasingly bright and dark.
His right arm was unusually thick, and at the end was not a hand, but a giant bone blade savagely fused from bone and flesh, the blade reflecting the cold light of metal.
His left arm was shrunken and short, like a lifeless withered branch hanging from his torso.
Its head has no eyes, ears, mouth, or nose.
Instead, there was a huge mouth that split vertically from top to bottom, filled with layers upon layers of tiny, sharp teeth that sent chills down your spine.
This is the "gatekeeper" the scorpion spoke of.
A purely killing machine modified from humans.
"roar--!"
The gatekeeper let out a muffled roar like thunder, spewing out a scorching stream of air mixed with the smell of blood from its split mouth.
Its massive body suddenly charged forward at a speed that completely defied the laws of physics.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Its every step slammed heavily onto the alloy floor, causing the entire storage room to tremble violently.
"spread!"
Lu Zhanting roared and shoved Su Wanqing to the side.
Instead of retreating, he advanced, charging straight towards the monster.
He knew very well that in such a confined space, facing such an overwhelming enemy, turning around and running away would mean exposing his back to death.
The only chance of survival is to interrupt its killing spree before it gains full momentum!
Lu Zhanting kept his body extremely low. Just as the huge bone blade, accompanied by a piercing shriek that tore through the air, came crashing down on him, he suddenly performed an extreme low roll, narrowly passing between the gatekeeper's massive crotch.
The bone blade missed its target and struck the spot where he had just been standing.
when!
Amidst a deafening roar, sparks flew as a terrifying, bottomless slash cleaved through the thick alloy floor.
Lu Zhanting had already circled around behind the goalkeeper!
Without the slightest hesitation, he plunged the military knife in his hand, coated with "inactivation pill" powder, into the guard's thick Achilles tendon!
puff!
The military knife pierced flesh.
The sensation was like piercing a tough, oil-soaked cowhide; it only penetrated half an inch before being firmly blocked by the powerful muscle tissue, making it difficult to go any further.
The gatekeeper roared in pain, his massive body suddenly spinning around, and the bone blade swept across the ground at an angle completely contrary to human ergonomics!
Lu Zhanting's eye muscles twitched violently, and he immediately drew his sword and retreated rapidly.
We were still a step too late.
The sharp edge of the bone blade grazed his chest, tearing his special operations uniform open with a snap, revealing a gruesome wound that stretched from his left shoulder to his right ribs, deep enough to expose the bone.
Fresh blood gushed out.
"Hmm!"
Lu Zhanting let out a muffled groan, using the force to roll backward and create a fatal distance.
He knelt on the ground, a tearing pain shooting through his chest. Every breath aggravated the wound, causing his vision to blur.
"Zhan Ting!"
Su Wanqing's voice trembled slightly.
"I'm fine!" Lu Zhan-Ting roared, glancing at his deep, bone-revealing wound, his eyes freezing cold. "Its skin defense is too strong! Conventional attacks are ineffective!"
The goalkeeper gave him no chance to catch his breath and charged forward again with heavy strides.
"here!"
Su Wanqing suddenly shouted.
She threw a makeshift flashbang to the left of the goalkeeper.
A sudden burst of intense light.
Although the gatekeeper has no visual organs, the intense flash of light clearly interfered with some of its perception, causing its movements to freeze for a moment.
Now!
Despite the excruciating pain, Lu Zhanting suddenly lashed out again.
This time, his target was no longer its incredibly well-defended body, but its withered, defenseless left arm!
A flash of light.
That withered, branch-like arm was severed at the shoulder.
Black, foul-smelling blood gushed out, and the gatekeeper roared more furiously than ever before.
It was utterly enraged.
Ignoring Su Wanqing's harassment, the enormous bone blade transformed into a death storm, relentlessly slashing at Lu Zhanting. In an instant, the flashing blades completely enveloped Lu Zhanting's figure.
Lu Zhanting could only rely on his superhuman reflexes and fighting instincts to dodge through the gaps in the blades, each time feeling like dancing on the tip of a knife, his situation extremely precarious.
Su Wanqing's heart was gripped tightly by an invisible hand.
Her brain was working at an unprecedented speed.
No, if this continues, Zhan Ting will be worn down to death.
Its weaknesses! It must have weaknesses!
Her gaze was fixed on the crazed monster, scrutinizing every detail of it.
She noticed it.
Every time the gatekeeper swung its bone blade, the dark red cracks in the center of its chest would suddenly light up, like a heart pumping energy into its terrifying right arm.
That's its core!
However, that spot was protected by a thick, armor-like layer of keratin, which the saber could not penetrate at all.
what to do?
Su Wanqing's gaze swept quickly across the entire storage room, finally settling on the deep cryogenic chambers used to preserve geological samples.
A crazy and audacious plan instantly took shape in her mind.
"Zhan Ting! Lure it to the front of the A-07 freezer! I have a way!" Su Wanqing's voice was calm but urgent.
Without the slightest hesitation, Lu Zhanting immediately adjusted his movements and began a tactical retreat in the direction designated by Su Wanqing.
His dodging movements became more exaggerated, and he even deliberately created openings several times, leading the monster, which only knew how to kill, step by step to the predetermined location.
The gatekeeper was completely unaware; its "intelligence" was limited to its killing instinct.
It roared, and the enormous bone blade was raised high once more, gathering immense power, and slashed down at Lu Zhanting.
At the same time, Su Wanqing had quietly circled around to the side of the A-07 freezer compartment.
She crushed all the "Deactivation Pills" on her body, mixed them with several extremely yang and potent medicinal powders she had taken from her spatial storage, and swiftly stuffed them into the emergency exhaust valve of the freezer compartment.
"Now!"
Just as Lu Zhanting dodged the fatal blow with an extremely awkward roll, Su Wanqing suddenly pulled down the exhaust valve switch!
laugh--!
A stream of extremely cold liquid nitrogen, carrying "deactivation pill" powder at its peak concentration, transformed into a white death ray and sprayed with perfect precision onto the gatekeeper's chest core, which was now completely lit up due to the all-out attack!
Extreme heat and extreme cold.
Extreme Yin and Extreme Yang.
Two diametrically opposed forces collided most violently at the heart of the gatekeeper!
"Roar...uh..."
The gatekeeper's furious roar instantly turned into a agonizing scream.
At the core of its chest, the hard keratin layer emitted a dense cracking sound under extreme alternation of hot and cold.
Cracks spread rapidly like a spider web.
Through the crack, a core of flesh and blood, pulsating like magma, can be clearly seen inside.
Chance!
A terrifying light flashed in Lu Zhanting's eyes. He endured the excruciating pain in his chest that felt like it was tearing him apart, and gathered all his remaining strength into his right arm.
His entire being transformed into a crimson arrow released from a bow.
The military knife in his hand was the last ray of light piercing through the darkness.
Pfft!
The saber, imbued with his boundless rage and indomitable will, plunged precisely, deeply, and completely into the pulsating core through the crack!
The gatekeeper's massive body stiffened abruptly.
The light on its chest flickered violently a few times, then quickly dimmed.
It slowly lowered its head, looking at the military knife embedded in its chest, and from its split mouth came a series of unintelligible "hoho" sounds.
It was impossible to tell whether the voice was filled with confusion or relief.
Finally, its massive body crashed backward, slamming heavily to the ground, and it lost all life.
The battle is over.
A suffocating silence returned to the storage room, with only the heavy breathing of the two people remaining.
Lu Zhanting drew his military knife, his body swayed violently, and he could no longer support himself, falling to his knees on one knee.
The wound on his chest was shocking, and the blood almost stained his entire upper body.
"Zhan Ting!"
Su Wanqing immediately rushed forward, supporting his swaying body, and the tears she had been holding back finally slid down her cheeks silently.
Her hands were trembling, but she quickly took out the best medicine and spiritual spring water from her space to treat his wounds.
"Don't cry." Lu Zhanting raised his hand, wanting to wipe away her tears, but his arm was too weak to lift. "I... I won't die yet."
With tears in her eyes, Su Wanqing nodded vigorously and quickly bandaged his wound.
The two leaned against each other, seizing every second to recover their strength.
The huge hole that the gatekeeper had smashed open was now their only way out.
That's where the scorpion said it was the "end point".
After a short rest, Lu Zhanting stood up again with Su Wanqing's help.
“Let’s go.” He looked at the bottomless cave entrance, his eyes cold and resolute. “Let’s go meet him.”
The two supported each other as they walked into the deep darkness.
Beyond the entrance is an ancient man-made tunnel extending downwards.
The air was filled with the scent of damp earth, and a peculiar, "active" aroma that blended minerals and plants.
The stone walls on both sides of the tunnel are covered with bizarre and wonderful murals.
The mural depicts an ancient tribe that worships a being known as "God." Under the God's radiance, they gained immense power and long lifespans, but their bodies underwent a terrible transformation, eventually turning into mindless monsters driven only by the instinct to kill.
The content on the murals, Professor Chen's diary, and everything seen in the base all perfectly corroborate each other.
After passing through the long tunnel, the view suddenly opened up.
They arrived at an unimaginably huge underground cavern.
Countless enormous stalactites hang from the cave's dome, and various strange plants emitting a faint blue light grow on the ground, making the entire space resemble a mythical fairyland.
In the very center of the cave is a huge altar naturally formed from some kind of black mineral.
A silent underground river flows around the altar.
Above the altar floated a huge, heart-shaped, blood-red crystal.
The crystal was as tall as a person, and its surface was covered with vein-like patterns that were rhythmically contracting and expanding.
Each pulse emanates a heart-pounding energy wave, causing the surrounding blue plants to shimmer and flicker.
"An immortal heart..." Su Wanqing murmured to herself.
It was much larger and more terrifying than described in the log.
Beneath that enormous "heart," atop the altar, stood a figure in black combat gear, his back to them, standing silently.
He seemed to have sensed their arrival beforehand, but did not turn around.
"You're a bit slower than I expected." The hoarse voice rang out, carrying a hint of condescending amusement. "It seems my 'gatekeeper' has caused you a little trouble."
Lu Zhanting shook off Su Wanqing's support, took a step forward, and said in a voice devoid of warmth: "Scorpion."
"I haven't used this code name in a long time."
The figure slowly turned around.
When he saw that face clearly, even Lu Zhanting, who had already prepared for the worst, couldn't help but freeze.
Su Wanqing's eyes widened in disbelief.
They knew that face all too well.
He has a sharply defined profile, piercing eyes, and a faint, unruly smile that always lingers at the corners of his mouth.
He was one of the members of the elite squad sent by the military in this operation.
The man codenamed "Lynx".
The man who had accepted Su Wanqing's pills and nodded to her before setting off.
He is Scorpion.
"Surprised, aren't you?"
The lynx, or rather the scorpion, smiled as it admired the shock on their faces, a smile full of mockery and malice.
"A comrade-in-arms who should be fighting alongside you is actually an enemy who came from the very beginning to take your life."
"Why?" Lu Zhanting's voice was squeezed out from between his teeth, containing a suppressed volcanic rage about to erupt.
This is not only a betrayal, but also a trampling of all his beliefs.
"Why?" Scorpion asked as if he'd heard the funniest joke. "Lu Zhanting, you really are as naive as the files say. Do you think we wear these uniforms just to protect our country? For some vague and unattainable honor?"
He opened his arms wide, embracing the entire cave with fervor.
"What we pursue is something higher! It is evolution! It is immortality! It is to shed this fragile, aging, sick, and dying flesh and blood body and become a higher-dimensional life form!"
"And the 'Immortal Heart' is the ladder that God has given us! That fool Chen Huanzhi only saw the destruction it brought, but he couldn't see the infinite possibilities it represented!"
His eyes were fervent and obsessive.
"For decades, we, the 'Ouroboros,' have paid countless prices for this day. And you, Lu Zhanting, are the most important, and also the last... piece of the puzzle in our plan."
“Your blood,” he said, sticking out his tongue and greedily licking his lips, “your bloodline, the most masculine and powerful military bloodline, is the only ‘key’ that can neutralize the raging energy of the ‘Heart of Immortality’ and allow a mortal body to perfectly integrate with it.”
"As long as I complete the final baptism with your blood, I will become the first new god in this world!"
“Madman.” Su Wanqing coldly uttered two words.
"A madman?" Scorpion scoffed. "Hundreds of years ago, anyone who said the earth was spherical was also called a madman. Su Wanqing, your medical skills are remarkable, even exceeding my expectations. But your vision is still too narrow."
He took two steps forward, his gaze returning to Lu Zhanting.
"Come on, Lu Zhanting, stop your futile resistance. Look at yourself now, you can barely stand. Fulfill your destiny as the 'key,' step onto the altar, and become part of the incarnation of the new god. It is your honor."
"My pleasure?"
Lu Zhanting smiled. Although the excruciating pain in his chest made every breath feel like a knife cutting into him, his back remained straight as a spear.
"Even if I die, I will not let scum like you get away with it."
"Yeah?"
The scorpion's smile suddenly turned incredibly eerie.
He snapped his fingers.
In the shadows behind the altar, several holographic screens suddenly lit up.
The image that appeared on the screen was that of Team Leader Feng Yi, guide Batu, Monkey, and several other team members who stayed behind.
They were tied up in a cave, their expressions filled with despair.
All around them were countless walking corpses, stretching as far as the eye could see.
“Your team members, your comrades-in-arms, are all under my control now.” Scorpion’s voice, like the forked tongue of a viper, coldly brushed against their skin. “With one command from me, they will be torn to shreds by those hungry ‘children’.”
He watched with great interest as Lu Zhanting's face turned ashen, enjoying the absolute thrill of manipulating a powerful figure.
"Now, I'm giving you one more chance to choose."
"It is to allow you, alone, to walk onto the altar with dignity."
"Or... send all your brothers to hell with you in the most miserable way?"
"Come, tell me your answer, our great hero, Battalion Commander Lu Zhanting."
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