Chapter 25
At the bottom of the cold, abandoned shaft, Chen Mengzhou slowly stood up. The shattered data board shattered into dust, slipping through his fingers like a burial of a past self. In his mind, the cold message and shattered images from the "Kronos Watcher" still resonated, bringing waves of stabbing pain, but also forging an unprecedented cold core.
Mission, mistake, anchor, liquidation... these heavy words are no longer abstract concepts, but have become iron rules flowing in her blood.
She lowered her head, looking at her hands. These hands, once used for typing, cooking, and drawing blueprints, were now stained with the black ash and blood of the apocalypse, and carried a heavy mission that spanned time and space.
There was no time to dwell. The security forces' net was tightening, and every second of delay increased the risk of exposure.
She needed to move, she needed weapons, she needed information, and most importantly, a base where she could take a breather, digest what she had learned, and plan her next move. Area A was completely empty, and the middle and lower levels would inevitably be under martial law.
Her gaze turned to the abandoned exit far above her head, where a faint light shone through. It was the path leading to the ground, and also to the more dangerous but also more vast apocalyptic ruins outside the fortress.
Perhaps... temporarily leaving this "cage" would be a better option? Gather strength in a place the enemy least expects, then strike back?
But how do you get out? How do you ensure you can survive in the outside world?
She thought of the wooden amulet, reduced to ash. Chen Bo had been desperate to escape from this place until his death. Did he leave behind any other clues? About the outside world, about the loopholes in the fortress?
She carefully recalled the last incomplete information on the data board and the broken images that flashed when the information flow hit.
[“…Those who come after you…If you can also see this…Remember…The ‘lighthouse’ is not about destruction…It is about guidance…”]
Guidance?
There was also a vague memory in the information stream about the fortress's energy system—it seemed that there was a geothermal ventilation shaft that provided energy for early construction, but was later abandoned due to inefficiency. Its huge pipe system ran through multiple levels of the fortress, ultimately leading to a hidden exit on the ground. Because it had long been abandoned, and the entrance was hidden in the energy department's redundant backup area, it was almost forgotten.
Geothermal ventilation shaft! A forgotten passage!
The energy sector... the redundant backup area... She recalled the location on her mental map. It seemed to be on the edge of Area B, near the outer defense structure of the fortress. The security there was relatively weak, and because of the old equipment, there might be blind spots in the surveillance.
Just go there!
With her goal clear, Chen Mengzhou no longer hesitated. She once again entered the maze-like abandoned maintenance tunnel, relying on her enhanced spatial orientation and memory of the map, and moved with difficulty towards the presumed redundant backup area.
Along the way, she could clearly hear the sound of hurried footsteps coming from the main corridor, the reverberation of sirens, and the noise of security force communications. The focus of the search seemed to be on Area A and the middle area.
After a long and almost desperate crawl and several dead-end turns, she finally found the main pipeline of the geothermal well that had been out of service for a long time and whose walls were covered with thick mineral scale based on the slight differences in the pipeline model and energy flow.
The entrance is a huge, rusty valve wheel, deeply embedded in the rock wall, as if it has long been rusted into the rock.
Chen Mengzhou placed his hand on the cold, rusted valve. His spatial perception penetrated deep inside, exploring its structure.
It is completely rusted and cannot be opened by human power.
But she could "see" several key pressure points inside the valve and the connections where the corrosion was most severe.
She needed a method that was both extremely delicate and violent.
He concentrated his mind, compressing and re-compressing the little spatial energy that had recovered in his body, condensing it into several spatial blades that were thinner than a hair but extremely tough.
Then, these energy blades were carefully sent into the interior through the tiny gaps in the valve, precisely hitting those key points.
"Buzz..."
The energy blade emitted an almost inaudible high-frequency vibration.
Crack... Crunch...
From within came the teeth-grinding sound of metal fatigue cracking! The rusted parts were precisely destroyed from the inside!
Chen Mengzhou held the huge roulette wheel with both hands and used all his strength to pull it hard!
"Crack—boom!"
The roulette wheel actually began to spin slowly! The heavy valve groaned loudly, opening a gap just wide enough for one person to pass sideways!
A hot wind with the smell of sulfur and dust blew in from deep inside the pipe!
This is it!
Chen Mengzhou squeezed in sideways without hesitation, then turned the wheel again from the inside with his backhand, and struggled to close the valve again and lock it.
Before him lay a massive, downward-sloping pipe, over three meters in diameter. Its walls were rough, covered in condensed minerals and traces of dried moss. Deep within the pipe lay pitch black, emitting the stifling heat and dead silence of the depths of the earth.
It's safe here for now.
She slid down the inclined pipe for a long distance, stopping only to catch her breath when she was completely away from the entrance.
In the darkness, she leaned against the hot pipe wall and finally had the opportunity to carefully sort out the explosive information in her mind.
"Kronos"... an ancient organization that has long existed and may even have caused the "Great Cataclysm"... "Ark" Project... "Lighthouse" System... "Anchor Point"...
Is she herself the "anchor" sent back from the future by this organization (or its remaining forces) in order to correct the errors in the "Ark" plan and restart the "Lighthouse"?
And the higher-ups in Fortress A are most likely part of the "error," contaminating the core of the "Ark" in an attempt to prevent the "Anchor" from returning?
So, Dr. Adrian... how much does he know? Is he the executor of the "error," or just another deceived pawn?
And Niuniu... what role does the strange and vast spiritual energy within her play in this plan that transcends time and space? Chen Bo's data tablet mentions that the "Ark" sample is "evolving"... is this related to Niuniu?
Countless questions swirled around her, but the core was clear - she and this fortress, and the controller of Area A, were in a life-and-death confrontation.
She needed strength, more powerful abilities, weapons, and allies.
Improving superpowers requires energy and opportunity, and can't be rushed. Weapons... perhaps they can be found in the ruins outside. And allies...
She thought of the numb and desperate survivors at the bottom, and the researchers or technicians in the middle who might be dissatisfied with the status quo...even those forces active in the outside world that were hostile to the fortress, such as the "Hounds"?
No, the Hound was too dangerous and uncontrollable. She needed to choose more carefully.
The most urgent thing is to leave here, survive and become stronger.
She rested for a moment, regaining some of her physical and mental strength, and then continued down the geothermal pipe. According to her memory, this pipe should eventually lead to an abandoned exit near the fortress foundation.
There weren't many forks in the tunnel, but the slope was steep, requiring climbing in some places. The temperature kept rising, and the air became thinner and more polluted.
After an unknown amount of time, a different light finally appeared in front of me, and there was a faint sound of... wind?
Is there also a subtle noise like metal friction?
Chen Mengzhou immediately slowed down his pace, restrained all his breath, and moved forward silently like a ghost.
The light came from a massive rupture in the side of the pipe, as if torn from the outside by some immense force. Beyond the rupture, there was no longer underground rock formations, but... a dark sky and a scene of ruins!
Reached the exit?! No, based on the distance, this place should still be inside the mountain, right?
Cautiously, she approached the rupture and looked out.
Before him lay a vast, cemetery-like underground cavity. Above the cavity lay collapsed rock, revealing the blood-red sky that marked the end of the world. Light filtered through, illuminating the devastating scene at the bottom of the cavity—the ruins of a massive, abandoned underground military base!
The rusty wreckage of tanks and armored vehicles, collapsed hangars, broken runways, and skeletons everywhere, dressed in long-rotted military uniforms from an old era... Obviously, this place experienced a brutal battle in the early days of the apocalypse, and was eventually abandoned and buried, until geological changes or energy shocks caused the roof to collapse, and it saw the light of day again.
And the geothermal pipeline just broke out from the side wall of this sinkhole.
Chen Mengzhou's eyes quickly swept across the entire tiankeng, and his pupils suddenly contracted!
She saw the activity!
It's not a corpse! It's a person!
About a dozen people, wearing a patchwork of leather armor and metal protective gear, carrying various modified weapons, were rummaging through the abandoned military facilities at the bottom of the tiankeng. Their movements were skillful, and they communicated with each other using gestures, appearing to be very organized.
On the relatively flat ground in the center of the tiankeng, parked were three heavily modified off-road vehicles, complete with steel plates and spikes. They looked incredibly ferocious! Painted on their bodies was a distinctive symbol: an open, blood-dripping metal claw!
It was the Hounds! They had actually found this place! And they had transformed this easily defendable, yet difficult-to-attack tiankeng ruin into a temporary stronghold!
Chen Mengzhou's heart sank instantly. Just out of the tiger's lair, into the wolf's den!
She immediately retracted behind the rupture, held her breath, and calculated rapidly in her brain.
Breaking in by force was impossible. There were more than a dozen well-armed and experienced thugs down there.
Back off? The other end of the geothermal pipe is a dead end.
I can only hide temporarily and wait for the opportunity.
She carefully observed the hounds' activity patterns and sentry positions, looking for possible loopholes.
Time passed slowly. The hounds seemed to have completed their round of raids and gathered near the vehicles to rest and distribute supplies. The sound of noise and rough laughter could be heard faintly.
At this moment, at the top of the tiankeng, against the backdrop of the blood-red sky, a strange and familiar buzzing sound suddenly came!
Buzz——Woo——
The sound came from far away, with a distorted feeling as if the space was torn apart!
"Damn it! It's that damn thing again!" The hounds below suddenly became agitated. They all grabbed their weapons and looked up at the sky as if facing a great enemy.
Chen Mengzhou also looked up and saw that in the sky above the tiankeng, the air was rolling like boiling water, and a long, distorted and flickering space-time crack was slowly forming!
It's space-time turbulence! And it's forming right above the tiankeng!
This was obviously not the first time the hounds had encountered such a situation. They cursed and began to pack up their things quickly, as if preparing to drive away.
Chance!
Chaos is the best cover!
Chen Mengzhou's eyes flashed, and without any hesitation, he saw the moment when the hounds' attention was attracted by the strange phenomenon in the sky and their formation was slightly disordered, and then he slid out of the crack silently, like a fallen leaf, and landed silently behind a pile of scrapped armored vehicle wreckage at the bottom of the tiankeng!
Her movements were extremely light and made no sound.
Using the shadows of the wreckage, she quickly moved towards the edge of the crater, where a collapsed command post lay. The terrain there was complex, making it easy to hide and away from the Hound's vehicle.
The crack in the sky grew larger and larger, and the escaping energy storm began to blow up a violent whirlwind, blowing up dust all over the sky! Purple-black electric snakes slithered around the crack, emitting a heart-pounding crackling sound!
"Hurry! Get in the car! Get away from this damn place!" the hound leader shouted loudly.
The engine roared.
Just as Shen Mengzhou was about to sneak into the shadow of the ruins of the command post——
"roar!!!"
A roar that was completely inhuman, full of brutality and pain, suddenly exploded from the wreckage of a tank half-buried in the mud nearby!
Then, the tank's turret hatch was violently knocked open from the inside! A tall, twisted figure, covered in black and red keratin, with arms transformed into giant bone blades, roared out!
Its eyes were filled with cloudy madness as it pounced directly at the hound member closest to it!
A mutant?! And it crawled out of the wreckage of an old tank?! How many years had it been dormant there?! Was it activated by the energy of the turbulent space-time flow?!
"Fuck! It's a mutant! Open fire!" The hound leader was shocked and angry, and gave the order immediately!
Bang bang bang! Da da da!
Gunshots rang out instantly! Bullets rained down on the suddenly appearing mutant!
The mutant was incredibly fast, swinging its bone blade, deflecting most of the bullets. It roared and charged into the hounds, instantly severing a member who couldn't dodge in time! Blood and internal organs splattered all over the ground!
Chaos! Absolute chaos!
The sky is threatening to rip open space, and violent mutants are attacking from the ground! The hounds are in disarray!
Chen Mengzhou's pupils shrank slightly, but without the slightest hesitation, he accelerated and rushed towards the ruins of the command post! This was a godsend opportunity!
However, just as she was about to rush into the ruins——
call out!
A sharp sound of breaking through the air came from the side! It wasn't a bullet, but a crossbow arrow flashing with dark blue energy! The speed was astonishing!
It was the hound leader! In the chaos, he'd noticed this strange figure trying to slip away! He attacked without hesitation!
Sensing a fatal threat, Chen Mengzhou twisted his body forcefully! Spatial energy instinctively gathered in front of him!
puff!
The crossbow arrow hit the invisible space barrier, and its kinetic energy was greatly weakened, but the dark blue energy at the tip of the arrow suddenly burst out, forming a sticky electric net with strong corrosiveness and energy interference, which instantly enveloped her!
Sizzle!
Chen Mengzhou groaned, and the energy field around him fluctuated violently, shattering in an instant! A strong sense of paralysis and energy backlash swept through his body! His body movements suddenly froze!
"Catch her!" the hound leader shouted, already holding a machete in his hand, and pounced on her with a sly grin! The other hounds also reacted, dodging the mutant's attacks while flanking her!
There are powerful enemies in front, mutants behind, and an ever-expanding space-time rift in the sky!
In desperate situation!
A fierce look flashed in Chen Mengzhou's eyes! She bit her tongue fiercely, and under the intense pain, she forcibly squeezed out the last of her spatial energy, not for defense, but to inject it all into her feet!
"Bang!"
A small crater suddenly appeared in the ground beneath her feet! Using the recoil of the explosion, her body was flung backward like a cannonball, narrowly avoiding the hound leader's machete. Instead, it was heading towards... the mutant that was on a killing spree!
She was betting! Between the hound and the mutant, the latter hated the hound even more for disturbing its slumber! Betting on that moment of chaos!
Her body almost brushed past the mutant's wielding bone blade as she flew backwards, the fierce wind pressure causing her cheek to hurt!
Sure enough, the mutant's attention was completely attracted by the hound attacking it head-on, and it just casually swung its claws at the little bug that passed by!
Chen Mengzhou twisted his body forcefully in the air, and the spatial energy once again condensed weakly in his arms to block!
Snap!
The bone blade collided with the spatial energy! Shen Mengzhou felt a sharp pain in his arm, as if his bones were about to break! He was slammed back into a pile of discarded sandbags by the immense force. His throat felt sweet, and he spat out a mouthful of blood!
Seriously injured!
But she also successfully used the force to escape from the hounds' direct encirclement!
"Damn it! Don't let that woman run away!" The hound leader roared and wanted to chase her.
But the mutant had gone completely crazy and was holding on to them tightly!
The space-time rift in the sky has now expanded to its limit!
Buzz——!!!
With a deafening roar, a thick, twisted purple-black energy beam, like a sword of divine punishment, suddenly slashed through the cracks and slammed into the center of the tiankeng!
Boom!!!
The earth shook! A terrifying shock wave mixed with an energy storm swept across the entire tiankeng!
The Hound's vehicle was flipped over like a toy! The screams were drowned out by the huge roar!
The hound leader only had time to let out a desperate roar before he was hit by the edge of the energy beam and instantly vaporized and disappeared!
Chen Mengzhou hid behind the sandbags, holding his head tightly, feeling the violent tremors of the earth and the rush of destructive energy! It was as if the end of the world had come again!
It was unknown how long it took before the vibrations slowly subsided.
The energy beam gradually dissipated, and the cracks in the sky began to slowly heal.
Chen Mengzhou struggled to raise his head, and saw a true doomsday scene before his eyes.
A massive scorched crater was blasted out in the center of the tiankeng. The Hound's vehicles and most of their crew vanished without a trace, leaving only scattered burning debris and bloody fragments of flesh. The mutant also collapsed at the edge of the scorched crater, half its body carbonized, barely alive.
The only ones still alive were a few members of the Hounds who were far away and had managed to escape. They were all injured and looked at the tragic scene in horror.
Chen Mengzhou's condition was also very bad. His internal organs were shaken, his arms were in severe pain, and his energy was almost exhausted.
But she is still alive.
And, the opportunity has come.
The hounds suffered heavy losses, and the few survivors were still in shock.
She endured the severe pain and stood up from behind the sandbag. She swept a cold gaze over the remaining hounds, and then looked at the modified off-road vehicle in the scorch pit. Although it was overturned, its main structure seemed to be intact.
Then, her eyes fell on the dying mutant at the edge of the scorch pit.
And, further away, deep in the ruins of the command post, there was a reinforced door of a military-grade weapons storage depot, half-buried underground with a faint flashing emergency light!
Chen Bo’s information flow seemed to have mentioned this long-forgotten storage point located deep in the early military base!
In desperate situations and crises, the greatest opportunities often lie!
Chen Mengzhou wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and a cold yet fierce flame burned in his eyes.
The roles of hunter and hunted are reversed again.
Now, it's her turn.
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