Week 3: Desert Test Center (Part 3)
In the boundless desert, the wind blew fine sand and whispered beside them. The hot air distorted the distant scenery. Two tiny figures walked slowly forward in the endless yellow sand. Their steps were heavy, and every step sank deeply into the scorching sand.
Suddenly, another figure appeared on the distant horizon.
Chen Wen narrowed his dry eyes and first spotted the familiar golden color. It was Li Dong. Her golden hair shone brightly in the sunlight, dazzling even in this desolate desert. Her mouth was open, her tongue lolling out, sweat dripping down the tip.
Chen Wen's cracked lips trembled slightly. He tried to shout, but only the faintest syllables came out, as if the desert had swallowed up all sound. Even with the smallest sound, he still called out the name: "...Li Dong."
Lin Bai heard it, and she slowly looked up, gazing at the figure in the distance. The glare of the sun blurred her vision, but the brilliant golden light remained crystal clear. She wanted to shout, but her throat was dry, and all that remained was the strong smell of rust.
Fortunately, Li Dong also saw them.
She raised her arms and waved at them, her golden hair fluttering slightly in the wind, making her particularly eye-catching in the desert.
Lin Bai and Chen Wen looked at each other, and with almost all their remaining strength, they slowly raised their hands and waved them slightly.
Li Dong ran towards them quickly, her golden hair flying in the wind, and there was a hint of imperceptible uneasiness in her anxious eyes.
However, just as she was about to approach, something strange happened—
"etc!"
Lin Bai's pupils suddenly contracted, and he uttered a hoarse sound. In his peripheral vision, the calm sandy land silently collapsed.
quicksand.
It had been lurking in their shadows, quietly, like a hidden beast, waiting for its prey to let down its guard. Now, it finally bared its fangs.
The gravel suddenly spun as if being sucked into a bottomless abyss. The surrounding yellow sand collapsed rapidly, swallowing everything underfoot. It was getting closer and closer to where Lin Bai and Chen Wen were standing.
Hiss——
It wasn't the sound of the wind. It was the friction of shifting sand, like the chewing of an evil spirit, sending chills down one's spine. The sand beneath their feet grew slippery and formless, and their bodies were sinking at a visible speed, as if being dragged into hell by invisible hands.
——This desert is alive.
"Lin Bai, don't move!" Chen Wen growled fiercely, digging his claws deep into the sand, trying to use the force to jump out, but the sand was like an airtight mouth, biting his ankles tightly, causing him to go deeper.
It's not just them.
Far away, on the other side of the dunes, the same horror unfolded. One by one, the candidates struggling to move forward in the desert vanished in the quicksand. Some didn't even have time to scream before they were devoured entirely, leaving only twisted arms and the last fingertips trembling in the sand before being completely erased, as if they had never existed.
——
Inside the monitoring room, the air was so heavy that it seemed frozen. The images on the screen kept flickering, showing the horrific scene inside the desert.
“…alive.”
Chen Chen murmured to himself, his fingertips tightening unconsciously, his nails digging into the edge of the table, making a slight "crunching" sound.
No, not suddenly alive.
It is always alive.
His breathing quickened for a moment, and his eyes were fixed on the quicksand that was madly devouring the candidates.
This is not an ordinary desert, but an extremely huge unknown dark beast.
Ten years ago, this place was a lush forest, but in just ten years, it has turned into an endless land of death. All life has been devoured, leaving only this desert.
No one knew what was happening, they just thought it was an ecological change. But now, they finally got a glimpse of the truth.
This is not an environmental change at all, but some kind of terrifying dark beast.
Chen Chen slammed his hand on the table, a sound that shook everyone in the room. He looked up suddenly, his voice low and decisive.
"Terminate the exam immediately!"
"Save as many of the remaining candidates as you can, quickly!"
His order was instantly relayed, and the staff quickly tapped the control console, ending this hunt in the name of assessment. At the same time, he quickly reported the matter to his superiors.
This dark beast must be dealt with, or the area must be completely sealed off.
——
In the desert.
Just as Lin Bai shouted "Don't come near" in a hoarse voice, the scene in front of him suddenly changed.
Li Dong's footsteps suddenly stopped when he heard those words, his heart contracted violently, and the sand under his feet began to wriggle, like a sleeping skin being awakened, and a huge bloody mouth made of sand slowly opened.
However, in the next second, the world seemed to be suddenly paused by an invisible hand.
The violently swirling sand came to an abrupt halt, and the hideous sand mouth under my feet stopped abruptly before closing, as if everything was deprived of life.
Then, the world started spinning.
The hot air disappeared.
The scorching yellow sand faded away, replaced by cool air and firm ground.
They are back.
In the waiting hall, after a brief silence, cries of wailing and gasps could be heard one after another.
The surviving candidates looked around, searching for familiar figures. Some stared with eyes wide open, still conscious from the sheer terror. Some trembled, as if they had just escaped death. Still others trembled as they ran towards their fellow survivors, hugging them tightly, tears streaming silently.
Some people burst into tears, while others hugged each other and cried.
"Chen Wen...Lin Bai..." Li Dong's voice was filled with relief at surviving the disaster, and his heart was beating wildly.
Lin Bai slowly turned his head and saw that Li Dong was still standing beside him intact, while Chen Wen was panting, his claws still maintaining a defensive posture.
They survived.
——
At the same time, Gu Ping, who received the emergency report, frowned deeply and tapped the table unconsciously with his fingers.
"...Unknown giant dark beast?"
There was a hint of disbelief in her voice.
How is that possible?
She clearly remembered personally visiting that examination hall. Aside from the yellow sand and scorching heat, there were no unusual fluctuations. It was the perfect place for a survival test.
But now, in just a few hours, hundreds of people witnessed the entire desert come alive.
"Its size exceeds the largest known Dark Beast..." she repeated in a low voice, her eyes darkening slightly.
If the information is correct, it means that the existence of this dark beast has completely exceeded the limits of known ecology.
What's more, it has been hiding on the planet for at least a decade.
Had the influence of the Dark World reached this point as early as ten years ago?
Gu Ping took a deep breath and made a decisive decision.
She told her researchers: "Immediately report this to the highest level and get the military directly involved."
——
[Star News Headlines]
A giant, unknown dark beast has appeared! A planet once a desert exam site is now classified as the most dangerous!
During the weekly exam held at the First Federal College, a sudden change occurred in the desert, revealing the presence of a massive, unknown dark beast. This creature, likely blending in with the desert, possessed highly camouflaged and predatory abilities, and devoured several candidates.
This incident has attracted the attention of the upper echelons. The military has issued an emergency evacuation order, all surviving candidates have been safely evacuated, all residents have moved out, and the planet has been designated a restricted area.
At present, relevant departments are discussing the final disposal of the planet.
The threat from the Dark World has once again become the focus of this crisis. Ten years ago, this planet was a thriving forest planet, but now the reason why half of it grew into a desert overnight is clear.
In response to this, lead designer Gu Ping said: "If this dark beast really is an entire desert, then its size far exceeds our current understanding of dark beast species...but we cannot rule out the possibility that it may be a colonial creature like coral polyps."
At the same time, the military has dispatched the "Morning Star" fleet to the outskirts of the planet to stand by, and will strictly follow the instructions once they receive them.
——
【StarNet】
I've never eaten since I was a kid: "Oh my god, a dark beast this big has been hiding in the desert?! For ten years?! I was thinking of going on a trip."
[Worker: "I just moved out and haven't even packed everything yet. This is terrible! I'm going to work in the capital from now on."]
Dark World Blackie: "Hurry up and blast it, it'll save you trouble."
——
Military press conference
"Dear reporters, dear citizens."
The commander in military uniform stood in the center of the press conference with a serious expression and sharp eyes.
"'Exam Planet A-178' has been designated a high-level danger zone. All civilians have been evacuated. Aside from a few examinees in the exam room, there are currently no casualties. Regarding the dark beasts on that planet, we will use dark matter weapons to directly destroy the planet to prevent any further harm."
There was an uproar in the press gallery.
Completely destroy a planet?
The commander raised his hand, suppressing the chatter, and looked at everyone calmly, "We will not allow the threat from the Dark World to spread further."
——
Inside the training room, the air was filled with a faint scent of sweat, and the sounds of breathing and heartbeats were clearly audible in the silent space.
Lin Bai's fists slammed into the sandbag again and again, sweat slid down his cheeks, fell to the ground, and splashed barely noticeable water.
She thought her strength was strong enough, but in that desert, she was still powerless.
She was unable to stop the quicksand from swallowing her, and she even almost fell into the irresistible abyss.
Too weak.
Lin Bai clenched his teeth, his eyes slightly red.
She didn't want it to happen again. This feeling of powerlessness was too painful.
She took a deep breath, adjusted her stance, and raised her leg to deliver a crisp, side kick. The sandbag shook violently, as if the air itself had been shaken apart by the blow.
She didn't want to be so weak anymore.
——
In the abandoned desolate planet area, a figure was looking through the star network and sneering from time to time.
"You only discovered it after so long? What a bunch of losers, haha..."
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