"Commander Jiang." He finally managed to utter a complete sentence, reaching out to grasp Jiang Cheng's hand, only to find himself completely immobilized. He turned his head to look at the tightly bound restraints, initially bewildered, seemingly unable to understand why he was being treated like a test subject. After a brief moment of confusion, something occurred to him, and his expression suddenly turned forlorn.
Ochi stopped trying to move his hands.
Perhaps sensing his thoughts, Jiang Cheng's gaze fell on his scaly claws.
Jiang Cheng moved his hand, seemingly wanting to hold it and offer him some warmth, but a sudden cough came from behind, so jarring in the quiet room that many people turned to look in the direction of the sound.
It was Gu Qingwan's voice.
Jiang Cheng paused, as if he understood something.
Many people in this observation room are the same.
From a compassionate standpoint, Jiang Cheng's actions were entirely justified. However, touching this "mutated species," which had already clearly demarcated itself from humanity, would be unimaginably dangerous. In fact, even with such tight bindings, the staff had still asked Jiang Cheng and Ou Qi to maintain a safe distance.
"It's good that you're awake..." Jiang Cheng paused for a moment, unsure of what to say to comfort the other person. It seemed like nothing he said would make a difference. He lowered his face, hiding the sorrow in the shadows, and added in a low voice, "Thank you for your hard work."
"I'm so scared, it's too unbearable, Commander Jiang... Please, let my consciousness rest forever, it's too unbearable, really." Oqi said these words decisively without any complicated consideration, he even made a somewhat urgent request.
The room was so quiet you could only hear breathing, but the lights were on.
It hit their pale faces.
Those are the faces of federal researchers.
The suffering spread to everyone.
"Don't rush," Jiang Cheng pursed his lips, speaking first to reassure him, "Tell us everything that happened, how you all became like this at the Arctic station, and what happened during these past few days. I know it's hard to recall, but you can understand, right..."
I'm going to die.
These two words controlled Oqi like a demon. His behavior was exactly what the countless mutants who were still asleep behind him were thinking, except that they could not stay awake.
If they were to wake up, the first thing they would say would be, "Give me a quick death, please."
Afterwards, with countless federal high-ranking officials and researchers listening, Och slowly recounted everything he had experienced.
"When I first entered the Death Dimension, I didn't sense anything strange. I only felt a tremor in my heart and a natural fear of facing a powerful creature. I was terrified, the kind of fear that made me want to escape the dimension at all costs and never return. But a belief sustained me; I deeply understood the responsibility I bore. As the first person to enter the Surface Dimension, I bravely overcame my inner fear. Amidst the swirling gray matter, I crouched down, pressed myself against the glacier, and through that thin layer, I saw the ever-growing ancient spirit. It truly gave me a sense of royalty, as if it were born nobler than ants in the universe. That feeling was as if I were a wandering soul controlled by the rules of fate, rules created for creatures like it. At that time, I glimpsed its armor and scales, its chaotic and dark pupils, its axe, its claws... After observing the data, I left, completely unaware that the gray matter had entered my blood and lungs through my breath." In the middle, it circulated through my bloodstream. At the Arctic station, I often felt unwell, with sudden, itchy spots. I scratched them but didn't pay much attention. It was during the year when the Arctic Ocean's cold currents raged, sweeping into every corner, bringing heavy snowfall, and instinctively causing various discomforts. I felt drowsy, yawning while working, the itching in my back intensifying at night, making even smoking tasteless, and my vision constantly blurring, frequently drifting off. Each day afterward, I felt increasingly sleepy, able to fall asleep standing up. I began to hate interacting with my colleagues, even finding them repulsive. The only thing that excited me was their warmth—where did that warmth come from? I kept pondering, kept pondering… I finally understood: it was the fragrance overflowing from flowing blood. I longed for that fragrance to burst forth, staining the walls, soaking every corner. I wanted to kill them.”
"And so, my consciousness grew increasingly hazy, a kind of madness gradually taking over my mind. I could no longer think like a human; my thoughts became sluggish and numb. I gradually longed to reach the dimension of death, where everything around me turned gray. Only in a truly gray dimension could I see color. Kneeling on the glacier, I felt free. Only by worshipping the King... by bowing down to it, could I feel alive. It was as if I was born for it, as if I were an appendage, as if I were a dispensable leaf, as if I were a diligent worker insect beside the Queen. I lived so that it could live better. This was me; these consciousnesses made me who I was. I became a moth destined to fly into the flame."
"Commander Jiang, I clearly feel that I am dying. It's a feeling like aging, watching life slip away from my body. The moisture that nourishes me evaporates, leaving me a shriveled corpse, my cells dying and being replaced. Death is just a matter of time for me. Please, give me a quick death. Prolonging my broken life is cruel to me. Do you know what it feels like to drown? My senses are blurring, my consciousness is being torn apart, my body is becoming weak, and struggling is a luxury. A demon whispers in my ear, tempting me to give up resistance, telling me that all the pain will vanish. If only that were true. But my body is beginning to act instinctively, my brain is frantically crying for help, a hysterical wail, forcing me to stretch out my limbs, making me struggle even as I convulse. I am being torn in two, my nerves are breaking and rebuilding, the choice between life and death is inescapable. Believe me, the ultimate pain is not being chopped into pieces, but... being chopped into pieces while fully conscious."
"Please save me, Commander Jiang."
"Don't make me live like this. I don't want to go through any more pain. Don't let my family know how miserable I am. Let me be a hero in their eyes."
"I want to fall asleep, I'm so tired."
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