Eric recounted his experiences in his hoarse voice after being destroyed:

"We have been living in the shelter since then, relying on the nutrients delivered every day, but soon, nothing was delivered, and even the power system was kept to the minimum energy consumption, just enough to maintain the temperature module and ventilation system."

"Everyone is infected, so it's much easier to move around. Everyone tried to go outside to search for supplies and explore the situation, but they encountered fierce attacks from monsters, and many people were killed."

"Fortunately, not long after, we found the system key of this shelter, unlocked other areas, and took out a lot of supplies that had been placed there beforehand. Life is finally back on track."

"We cultivated some plants and animals for food, used robots to explore and collect, and finally established contact with other refuges."

"All the shelters in this facility are in a similar situation to ours. Some of them are completely silent. I guess everyone inside is dead. We work together to survive as much as possible."

Eric pulled the corners of his mouth, and his atrophied gums revealed a pervasive bitter smile: "It's really amazing that after becoming like this, you still want to live."

"For more than a decade, the only thing we have been thinking about is how to survive better. We have used robots to explore all accessible areas and have also established contact with shelters in other facilities. It is said that there are survivors in the east who are in better condition than us."

Chen Ci lowered his eyes and fell into deep thought.

Chen Wei went to Moonlight to rescue shortly after the collapse, and eventually brought him and Chen Nian back to Cinnabar, which means that their cultivation time must have been long before the collapse.

Moonlight had known about the existence of Ashes and had even anticipated its destructiveness, which was why he and Chen Nian were born and used their blood as a vaccine.

But why didn't it reveal any information in advance? If it had been warned earlier, wouldn't it have caused so many casualties and made the situation less severe?

And what role does Heibo play in the whole process?

In the overlapping space, Hei Bo tried to lead them to the shelter. Was he trying to tell them something?

Chen Ci: "Would it be convenient for us to take a look at the situation inside the shelter?"

"Okay." Eric stood up.

As soon as he opened the door, he saw countless figures fleeing in the corridor. The children were pushing and shoving each other with laughter, and no one wanted to fall behind and risk being caught.

"Hey!" Abby yelled, "Have you finished your homework? What's the point of running around all day?"

As outsiders who arrived suddenly, it was normal for them to be treated as objects of observation.

It was this relaxed atmosphere that helped dispel much of the gloom in Fu Tianhe's heart. No matter what the situation of these children was, they were always loved.

As for the future...it will be fine.

Eric led them to the production area. Since all areas were unlocked and robots could be used to collect supplies from the outside world, the shelter's energy supply had been guaranteed and it could become self-sufficient.

Lush green vegetables grow in grow trays, filling the space row by row. Even the green plants in the corridors and rooms are edible vegetables.

Chickens and ducks live in cramped cages and only take a little over a month to grow up and be slaughtered.

There are also boxes for hatching insects, which are an important source of protein.

With these things, they survived for a full nineteen years.

And if nothing unexpected happens, you can live forever.

Fu Tianhe suddenly thought of another important thing:

"We got separated from another team a few hours ago. Have you found any trace of them? There were twelve of them in total. We were following the robot's trail in the west corridor, and suddenly we lost contact."

Abby: "That corridor is another place where the shelter is often active. You can go to the east and have a look. The situation there is much better. Maybe they know a lot of other information."

"Okay." Chen Ci agreed. They still had to go outside to meet up with the main force: "Then we'll leave first. After we complete all the tasks, we'll find a way to get you out."

Eric shook his head. He did not explicitly refuse, but just said, "We'll talk about it when the time comes."

When Chen Ci and Fu Tianhe were leaving, the child who had run over to ask them if there was sunshine and ocean outside was lying in the corner, peeking his head out and secretly looking at the two of them.

Fu Tianhe stopped walking, and the moment their eyes met, the boy quickly turned his head back and disappeared.

Accompanied by Eric and Abby, the two returned to the entrance.

"There is a very hidden passage under the jellyfish's body. You can reach it by going through it and going straight forward. If you need to contact us, use this channel."

Fu Tianhe nodded, and he gently put his arm around Chen Ci's shoulder: "Let's go."

"Do you want to go with us?" Chen Ci suddenly asked.

Fu Tianhe: “Hmm?”

"Of course!" The boy who had been seen turning the corner earlier poked his head out from the corner again. He seemed very surprised that Chen Ci had discovered him. "How did you see me?"

Chen Ci: "Spiritual power."

"Oh! You actually have psychic powers! That's amazing! It's said that some of the adults who lived here once had psychic powers, but unfortunately they are all gone now."

Fu Tianhe was stunned, all kinds of memories came to his mind. As a child born from the union of AO, he would definitely wake up if both parents had psychic powers. However, he was motionless during the test.

Ashes not only devoured the flesh and blood, but also the mental power of those who had successfully awakened.

A moment of relief suddenly emerged in his heart. He was grateful for the efforts his mother had made to implant golden eyes in his eye sockets, and he was grateful that he had met September by chance half a year ago and had the courage to approach her and strike up a conversation with her.

Fu Tianhe knew that this was not a good idea. The sense of superiority based on the suffering of others was the most despicable, but it could be called human instinct.

Everyone has a dark side in their heart. Its existence is not terrible. What is terrible is that the person who is parasitized cannot control it accurately.

It is enough to know that there is evil in you and to try to fight it.

The boy said excitedly: "You two are so powerful, you can definitely beat those monsters outside! Can you take me out with you?"

Abby: "No, it's too dangerous."

"I'm not afraid of infection, and they have weapons, right? They can definitely protect me!"

"No, we don't have the confidence to protect you. Besides, we have very important things to do and can't waste any more time."

Chen Ci said directly. He squatted down and looked directly into the boy's lost eyes: "Go back first. If nothing goes wrong, I will come to see you tomorrow. Then I can take you out to see the sun and the sea."

"Really?" the boy asked doubtfully.

"Um."

"Then I'll trust you for now." The boy sighed and said seriously, "I've memorized both of your faces. If you don't come back, I'll remember them for the rest of my life!"

Fu Tianhe laughed: "Unfortunately, I won't let you have this opportunity."

Chen Ci nodded to Eric and left with Fu Tianhe the same way.

The two put on their masks again, passed through a series of gates, and finally returned to the outside after ten minutes.

Seeing them coming out, the team members who were resting on the spot stood up one after another. Everyone had heard Eric's relevant speech through the communication channel and discussed a lot outside.

Although I had expected this, I still felt heavy-hearted when I heard the survivors tell their stories in person.

Especially after listening to Chen Ci and Fu Tianhe’s description...the survivors’ current inhuman appearance.

I can probably understand now. Chen Ci sat next to Chen Nian and sorted out his speculations:

"Ashes appeared earlier than any of us thought, but Moonlight failed to detect it at the beginning. By the time he realized there was a virus, Ashes had already spread throughout Moonlight, and it was too late to raise an early warning."

"It can only explore solutions as much as possible before everyone gets sick. The reason why the news was not announced is probably to avoid unrest."

"At the same time, we are secretly conducting research. The many culture dishes we saw in the overlapping space before, as well as the soldiers who evolved in them, should be the products of this period."

"The spatial overlap we are trying to achieve is likely to be linear, which means that the severe infection of Black Wave and the research on Sea King Midgard are also happening at the same time."

Chen Nian nodded: "The reason why the news was blocked so strictly must be due to Hei Bo. It seems that he should be one of the first people to be infected. As for the source of the infection, we still don't know."

Chen Ci: "They must have discovered something, so they decided to use protozoa as experimental materials. It may be related to the fact that Ashes cannot grow around large protozoa."

"Moonlight has done its best to conduct research and has made many plans to deal with different situations. If a vaccine or antidote can be developed before a large-scale outbreak, the crisis will be resolved."

"But the situation has taken a turn for the worst. The antidote has not been developed in time. There may even be some problems inside it. In the end, we can only choose to take the method that causes the least harm to the world. Actively collapse before the collective outbreak, seal Ashes inside itself, and protect other beacons."

"The survivors entered the shelter it had created in advance. Moonlight probably wanted to continue saving the people inside, but it soon realized that it had no other options. Infections broke out in the shelter and the Ashes broke out."

"Then there are experiments using infected people as samples.

"Moonlight has been constantly screening people who are less reactive to Ashes or more resistant, hoping to use this method to find those who are immune. I don't know if it has been successful, but the appearance of me and Chen Nian can be considered an answer."

"From the start of its screening experiment to the arrival of Marshal Chen Weiyuan in Moonlight, there was only a little over a month. Normal biological evolution is simply impossible to occur in such a short period of time, so Moonlight also conducted other experiments, such as integrating genes from other organisms into the human body."

"This is unethical," someone murmured, but everyone knew that ethics was a joke in such a situation.

"The survivors turned into monsters, and even the children they gave birth to were not spared. I don't know if this experiment has achieved the effect that Moonlight wanted. Maybe we have to wait until we continue exploring."

Shafley was silent for a moment, then suddenly said, "Perhaps the selection for resistance had already begun when Moonlight became aware of the existence of Ashes. The many survivors after the collapse may have simply increased the sample capacity."

“Maybe.”

Once upon a time, humans used similar methods to screen cats and dogs, selecting the traits they liked.

And now, when I become the target of screening, why is it so hard to accept?

Chen Nian: "Ah, any clues about Hei Bo?"

"No, their situation was very chaotic at the time. Moreover, as a failed product, they probably had no chance of seeing the black wave."

But everyone knows that Heibo is definitely an indispensable part of the truth. It is more accurate to say that it was a decision they made together rather than Moonlight's decision.

The beacon uses its extremely high computing power to calculate the possible outcomes, and the elect makes the choice.

In the room where hundreds of blue aliens were being cultivated, Heibo tried to lead them to the area where the shelter was located. However, when the next time and space overlap occurred, he could no longer be found.

Maybe I have temporarily crossed that node in the past, and I don’t know if there will be a chance to meet again in the future.

"It's really a headache. Let's go to the east as soon as possible." Chen Nian sighed. He looked at Chen Ci and Fu Tianhe: "Brother, do you want to take a break?"

Chen Ci: "It's okay with me."

Fu Tianhe: "I'm fine too."

"In that case, let's go and make a quick decision."

Chen Ci nodded, put on his equipment again, and walked side by side with Fu Tianhe.

Suddenly, Chen Ci turned around abruptly.

The long-lost feeling of being spied on reappeared.

Chen Ci had been very wary of this feeling since he first discovered it in the abandoned suburbs, until he later caught the camera monitoring him and confirmed that it was the beacon that did it.

Inside the Moonlight, it is very far away from other beacons, so there should be no similar eyeliner.

He pursed his lips and thought of what the beacons had said: "Be careful with your eyes."

Chen Ci raised his head and accurately locked onto the camera fifteen meters above.

These external cameras are used to detect the shelter. Once alien creatures enter, the shelter will be strictly closed to protect the survivors.

Chen Ci's right hand brushed past the waist, and before anyone could react, he raised the gun and pulled the trigger.

Bang!

The bullet shattered the camera at a speed of 1,500 meters per second.

Broken parts fell to the ground.

Chen Nian: “Eh???”

"Let's go." Chen Ci put away the gun, turned around expressionlessly, pulled the dazed Fu Tianhe, and started walking.

Not only Fu Tianhe, but everyone else was also shocked.

Surprised eyes fell on Chen Ci, but the young man seemed unaware. His eyes and brows were cold. For a moment, Fu Tianhe even thought that Chen Ci had returned to the state he was in when they first met.

Cold and indifferent, cautious and distant in guarding against everything.

"September." Fu Tianhe called in a low voice.

Chen Ci looked sideways, his nervousness reflected in his amber eyes.

"I'm fine."

What the boy said was not "What's wrong?" but "I'm fine."

Fu Tianhe heaved a sigh of relief.

There seems to be only a slight difference between the two, but for Fu Tianhe, it is a completely different situation.

"Yeah." Fu Tianhe held Chen Ci's hand tightly and walked forward with him.

In the shelter, Chen Ci also asked Eric some questions about things other than Ashes.

For example, the area where they live will not overlap in time and space, and the communication between the shelters is cut off, which is also intentional by the beacon, probably because they don't want the survivors to share their experiences.

The drawings that Chen Nian found under the table in the Veterans Academy's former residence were indeed a laboratory.

Laboratory 41 for screening traits.

Perhaps his and Chen Nian's life experiences were closely related to it, just like those children born in the shelter, they were infected, and apart from their abnormal appearance, they had no connection with Ashes at all.

Chen Ci didn't know whether their blood could also suppress Ashes, but it wasn't something he needed to know right now.

Find the rest of the team and get the possible antidote.

Following the clues provided by Eric, they came to the bottom of the missing jellyfish. There were countless tentacles hidden under the layers of soft umbrellas. The robots, as bodies of steel, could pass through them easily without worrying about the stingers, but they were all real humans.

Although the protective suit is strong, the thorns of the giant primitive creature are very terrifying. Moreover, the one next to them may have reached the level of Poseidon.

"So many eggs are really scary." Chen Nian touched them lightly with her toes. They seemed to be dormant. Once they entered the sea water, they would probably hatch immediately.

Just thinking about that picture gives me chills.

The team members cleared a passage that was large enough for two people to pass through. Everyone lowered their heads and moved forward carefully. Sure enough, they found a secret passage hidden under the umbrella cover.

Passing through it, we reached the other side of the facility, which was quite close to another large shelter.

On the way they encountered the blue ovary they had seen earlier, hanging between the walls of the corridor, and as usual they destroyed it with a few incendiary bombs.

The loach-like creatures still gestating in the follicles twisted their bodies, trying to escape the deadly high temperature, but in the end they could only be burned to ashes, dripping with sticky blue juice.

Chen Ci was originally walking at a normal pace, but was suddenly dragged to the end of the team by Fu Tianhe.

Fu Tianhe lifted his mask and whispered, "September."

"Um?"

"Give me a kiss."

Chen Ci's breathing stagnated, and his voice was tense: "Are you feeling unwell again?"

"No, it's not."

Fu Tianhe didn't say the second half of his sentence, but Chen Ci already understood what he meant.

It was just Alpha's usual request for a kiss.

Chen Ci said no more, took off his mask, hugged Fu Tianhe's neck, raised his head and kissed him.

Lips and teeth entangled, the scent of tuberose and amber blended together, the interlaced breathing was quietly becoming rapid, and there were continuous explosions in the ears, drowning out the possible slight sounds of water and the soft hums from the nose.

Ever since they regained their relationship, Chen Ci always had some small reactions that surprised Fu Tianhe. Although he knew that the current situation was inappropriate, the urge to have deeper intimacy surged up.

Half a minute later, Fu Tianhe took the initiative to step back and saw Chen Ci's eyelashes raised, and his amber eyes were dyed with a different color.

Fu Tianhe smiled, silently hugged Chen Ci in his arms, and rubbed his hair.

I don't just want to ask September for a kiss.

My pheromones can also soothe the boy, and I hope they can play some ideal role.

The screams and struggles gradually became weaker, and the protein and fat in the nest were burned out, leaving only the corpse turned to ashes.

Chen Nian lowered his head carefully and stepped over them.

He couldn't explain why, but he felt inexplicably irritated and wanted to completely take off his protective suit and run away freely.

But where to go?

It's obvious that he won't be infected, so he should be the most comfortable person here.

——Damn it! It’s so annoying!

Chen Nian immediately raised his hand and hit his head hard, grimacing in pain, but fortunately he successfully drove away all those strange and annoying thoughts.

"Nian Nian." Shafley stopped walking worriedly, "If you feel uncomfortable, please tell me."

"It's okay, actually." Chen Nian paused. He really wanted to complain to Shafulai, but he felt that this was not the right occasion. After all, everyone was here, and he didn't want to affect the mood of the other team members because of himself.

But he had other ways to appeal.

The mental power condensed into a thread, quietly entwining the Alpha beside him, gently hooking his fingers, as if teasing him.

Chen Nian only felt Shafulai's body tremble, and the next moment, the mental power belonging to Alpha entangled with him, dense and soft.

What is spiritual power? There have been studies on it for a long time, but no unified statement has been reached. The most mainstream view is that it is a kind of soul power.

What is the soul? Where does it reside? In the brain or in the heart? Can an organization composed of cells really give birth to such a mysterious existence?

Chen Nian thought about it briefly, but when he realized that he would never be able to figure it out no matter what, he gave up.

Anyway, there are still many things in this world that humans cannot understand, so there is no need to take them so seriously.

Shafulai's mental power was just like him, gentle and tolerant. The anxiety and uneasiness in his heart miraculously dissipated under his integration.

Chen Nian didn't know whether Shafla absorbed those negative emotions or whether they were actively resolved.

Although I couldn't smell anything through the protective suit mask, I could almost feel the blend of tuberose and sherry. We were connected in thoughts and empathy, as if our souls had become one at this moment.

Come to think of it, Shaflay was his spiritual enlightenment teacher.

A few months ago, he lay on Alpha's bed and had spiritual connection with him countless times. Shaflay must have secretly liked him at that time. How did he feel at that time?

Compared to their former youthful and restrained state, the two are now more compatible and they already understand each other more deeply.

From body to soul.