The Underground City Base, the core area.

“Thank you for your assistance.” The officer in white took off his cap. “We thought the Northern Base wouldn’t come.”

The most chaotic moment was over. The sound of gunfire and explosions ceased, only echoing in the distance. The ground was full of broken glass and instruments. An officer was speaking very quickly. “The condition for no-contact infection is to be close to the monster. Clean up the corpses first!”

Then there was a gunshot as the officer fell down, shooting at another officer of the Dungeon Base.

“This is our judge.” The officer in white spoke from next to Lu Feng. “After the fall of the Virginia Base, we set up a Trial Court like you. It has been the patron saint of our base for years.”

A team of engineers, under the protection of the soldiers, walked through the half-collapsed steel arch and entered the artificial magnetic pole device for repairs.

Looking at it, Lu Feng asked, “How were you invaded this time?”

“A strong strike. They came from the giant rainforest 300 kilometers away with only one purpose—to obtain human genes and to occupy the underground base. as you know, the underground city is warm and safe. It is the most suitable place for living creatures.”

“What was their purpose for destroying the magnetic pole?”

“Human genes. Our thinking skills and knowledge are constantly leaking out. We can only guess that they know a bit and know that destroying the magnetic pole will cause humans to fall into chaos. This is conducive to their offensive.”

“There were too many of their and our armaments were inadequate. Our research and development capabilities are declining and we couldn’t suppress them. We had no choice but to ask for your help.” The officer rubbed the butt of his gun. “Why are there still such ample reserves of ammunition and thermonuclear weapons at the Northern Base? Did you have a technological breakthrough?”

“Not for the time being.” Lu Feng took off his blood-stained gloves while answering the officer’s question. “There are enough troops at the Northern Base and we can use the numerical advantage to reduce the weapons consumption when fighting on the front lines.”

“The opposite is true. The reason for the large armament consumption at our base is the shortage of troops.” The officer frowned.

“I see…it is due to the much-maligned rose incident.” The officer didn’t wait for Lu Feng to answer as his eyes became complicated. “The Northern Base always seems to make these choices.”

“I really admire your arbitrariness,” he finally said.

Lu Feng suddenly looked up in one direction. It was the buffer zone and it was empty, with no buildings worth mentioning. The officer realized that it was the direction of the Northern Base.

“What is it?”

Lu Feng couldn’t describe the feeling. It was as if in that place, something was happening. “I might have to go back.”

***

The Northern Base.

An Zhe was escorted from the 22nd floor. An hour ago, this place was filled with soothing music and a soft atmosphere but no it was a mess. No one was walking in it and in a corner, a tea table had collapsed. There were fallen glasses and milk spilled on the ground, soaking a white dress. There were some honey-coloured things on the white dress, like fur from a bee.

“How many people have been infected?” The head of the emergency response department shouted into his communicator.

“The 21st, 22nd and 23rd floors!” There was a shrill voice from the communicator. “All the women in the Garden of Eden who met the Rose Declaration’s standards, all the staff and even the embryos in the culture equipment on the 20th floor. There were also some people from other floors!”

The officer’s fingers tightened and he almost crushed the communicator.

His deputy asked, “What now?”

“Clean up the scene. Are you stupid?” The furious officer turned sharply but it was to An Zhe, not the deputy.

Under the grim white light, his face was as cold as stone.

“What happened on the 22nd floor?” The harsh voice entered An Zhe’s ears like thunder, hurting his head. The officer guarding him pressed him forward and he felt the bones of his shoulder almost being crushed.

The pain made him tremble slightly and An Zhe’s eyelashes lowered. He said, “Madam Lu has mutated.”

“Where were you at the time?”

“…In front of her.”

“Why did she mutate?” he yelled. “The Garden of Eden doesn’t even have any water dripping above the 20th floor. How can the women there mutate?

“Many years ago… she was bitten by a bee.” An Zhe replied truthfully. The officer in front of him looked so violent that An Zhe subconsciously stepped back but the soldier pressed him forward.

“If she was bitten many years ago then she would’ve mutated already!” The officer yanked at An Zhe’s wrist.

“Senior colonel, calm down. The situation now—” The deputy trembled.

The cold muzzle of a gun was placed against An Zhe’s temple.

“Do you want to speak for him?” The senior colonel exploded. “I saw this man when he was transferred. He is from the Lighthouse, not the 22nd floor. Wasn’t there a bee sample in the Lighthouse? I said for a long time that the scientists are lunatics for raising heterogeneous species in the Twin Towers. Sooner or later, something will happen. They want to kill the base, just like the former fusion faction.”

The deputy asked, “Do you want to contact the Trial Court?”

“No need for the Trial Court.” The major held the trigger, his voice cold. “He can’t be separated from the infection.”