Chapter 14: Humanoid Disaster |
Cell 019.
Wu Zhong and Infinite Summer were in the same room, though of course, there was a partition between them.
But that wasn't important. The moment Wu Zhong heard Infinite Summer speak so confidently about leaving whenever he wanted, he made up his mind.
He decided to gamble, which was why he dared to lock himself inside.
His ability, welding the door shut, meant Zhang Qinglang outside had no hope of opening it.
As for blasting through the steel wall to get in, that was possible, but it definitely couldn't be done quickly.
"Brother Infinite Summer, I know you must have a way to escape, or perhaps companions who will rescue you."
"I only beg that when you leave, you take me with you."
Wu Zhong stood before the glass wall, speaking rapidly.
"You were originally innocent, but if you leave with me, you will definitely be wanted."
"Unit 985 is a massive organization! Among containment units across various nations, their overall capabilities rank number one!"
Sweat soaked Wu Zhong's back, but his gaze remained firm: "Consider it a moment of impulse. But since I've already done it, there's no turning back."
"They already suspected we were connected; they practically said it outright earlier. I can't guarantee they'll continue to treat me so politely in the future... but I truly don't know you!"
"Anyway, now I've locked myself in here to have a secret talk with you. It's even more impossible to explain clearly."
"If you don't take me away, they will definitely infect me with Ever-Thirst and interrogate me for the reason. I'd rather die."
Infinite Summer was taken aback, let out a soft laugh, and shook his head slightly.
"Oh, so you mean your retreat is cut off, and if I don't take you, you're definitely dead... What does that have to do with me? Aren't you afraid I won't accept you?"
Wu Zhong noticed his words showed no concern about 'being unable to take him'.
His heart settled significantly.
He said steadily, "I am afraid. After all, I don't know you at all. Entrusting my life and future to you directly is downright absurd."
"But, I simply have no other options."
"The ghosts and gods of Mount Lu absolutely want me dead. This is a genuinely life-threatening matter! I've already experienced it several times."
"They say I'm the best sacrifice, that killing me brings them great benefits."
"I thought Unit 985 would protect me, but they suggested making a deal with the ghosts and gods. Even if it was just a ploy... I'm a cowardly person, and I just can't trust it."
"Whereas you, Brother Xia, once saved my life. This life of mine is practically yours. If you end up being the one to kill me, I'll accept it."
Wu Zhong's tone was firm; his words claimed cowardice, but his actions were audaciously bold.
Infinite Summer raised an eyebrow: "If it were anyone else, I wouldn't even bother with them."
"But you... I am indeed interested. Tell me... why does Ji Meng want you dead?"
Wu Zhong gritted his teeth: "I really don't know! Who the hell did I piss off?"
"If not for this matter, I'd be staying put here obediently. Why would I risk my life begging you to take me away?"
Infinite Summer pondered.
Just then, the cell door suddenly slammed with a loud bang, suffering a powerful impact.
Cracks appeared on the door, along with twisting and denting.
Clearly, someone outside was violently battering the door.
Infinite Summer stared at the door with a mix of surprise and suspicion, seeming to discern something: "Hmm?"
Suddenly, his iron ball restraints twisted as if cut by invisible claws, and were finally torn apart.
He relaxed his hands and snapped his fingers: "Multivariate Moment!"
His body immediately shimmered with a purple, slurry-like flow. A relatively viscous purple energy streamed over his body's surface.
In an instant, he was fully clad in rugged purple battle armor, covered in streamlined muscle patterns.
He resembled a sci-fi future soldier with nano-implants.
"Boom!"
He directly broke free from his shackles and with one punch shattered the glass wall, striding to the door.
The large hole left by the shattered glass wall behind him had irregular, explosive edges eroded by purple slurry, seeming highly corrosive.
Wu Zhong breathed rapidly. Although it was just breaking glass, it was clearly ultra-thick bulletproof glass, yet he smashed it with one punch.
These figures from the disaster world all possessed formidable strength.
"Woo woo woo!"
Simultaneously, alarm sounds rang outside, faintly audible through the cracks in the door.
"Kid, you really do have a problem."
"This door, you locked it shut? You have a disaster anomaly!"
Infinite Summer had already noticed something wrong with this door. The edges were twisted and cracked, the locking bolts were broken, yet the door still stood there.
No matter how Zhang Qinglang battered it from outside, it simply wouldn't open.
Wu Zhong asked blankly, "Disaster anomaly?"
Infinite Summer pressed: "What did you use to lock this door?"
Wu Zhong answered honestly, "With my hands."
"..." Infinite Summer was momentarily speechless.
"I'm asking you, what peculiar thing do you have on you that grants you this trait?"
Wu Zhong blinked: "Thing? You mean, there's an anomalous item on me that enables me to weld doors shut? That nobody can open?"
"So that's what my ability is?"
As he spoke, Wu Zhong patted himself down, checking the small objects on his person.
Infinite Summer frowned: "That 'thing' could also be you yourself... You just said... you can absolutely close doors, and nobody can open them?"
Wu Zhong nodded: "Yes."
"I've welded this cell door shut, including the outer B12 gate. I closed it too. Other than me, probably nobody can open it."
"In your terms, it should be called an 'absolute trait', right?"
Hearing this, Infinite Summer's eyes widened, staring fixedly at him.
"So that's it... So that's it!"
"No wonder Ji Meng wants you dead! What nonsense about being a sacrifice... it's all complete rubbish."
"Those ghosts and gods are actually afraid that you might seal the Mount Lu Celestial Gate in the future, and they could never open it again."
"So you must die!"
Wu Zhong also jolted: "Mount Lu Celestial Gate? A gate? Where is there a gate?"
Infinite Summer said, "You went to see it too, didn't you? Wasn't there a glowing cyclone?"
Wu Zhong nodded.
Infinite Summer continued: "Within that cyclone is a space-time gate!"
"The environment on the other side of the gate is nearly a vacuum, so once this gate opens, it devours heaven and earth."
"And Ji Meng and the other ghosts and gods all came from the other side of that gate, crossing through space and time."
Wu Zhong exclaimed in surprise: "A space-time gate?"
He truly hadn't considered there being a gate there, as it wasn't visible on the surface. All one could see was the high-pressure cyclone.
The cyclone had high pressure and speed, and it glowed, resembling a ball of light that concealed the area.
Even the people from Unit 985 didn't know about this, consistently calling it a 'cyclone' and never mentioning a gate.
"Brother Xia, how do you know this?"
Something that Unit 985, the first department on the scene, didn't know, yet Infinite Summer knew?
Infinite Summer didn't explain, merely saying: "Ji Meng insists on your life, and says anyone can kill you, meaning your absolute trait isn't dependent on an external object."
"Either you were infected, or you were born with it..."
"Kid, when did your ability appear?"
Wu Zhong said: "Yesterday morning. I inexplicably got it; I never had it before."
Infinite Summer's eyes lit up, shining with unusual interest: "So that's it, appearing out of nowhere, origins unknown..."
"You didn't pick up a disaster anomaly to gain a trait; rather... you are a new humanoid disaster anomaly!"
Wu Zhong's eyes widened: "Humanoid disaster anomaly? Me?"
Infinite Summer said gravely: "Your existence itself is a disaster anomaly... Such people are as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns. The most exceptional among them are even called conceptual gods."
Wu Zhong's heart grew excited. Conceptual god?
Sounded incredibly awesome... Was he one? Probably not. He knew his own ability; it felt extremely niche.
It was somewhat useful, but not greatly so. Compared to Captain Lu and the others he'd seen, he felt far inferior.
He figured within the disaster anomaly circle, he was probably at the bottom.
However, in specific areas, it could be very useful.
For example, sealing that Mount Lu Celestial Gate... His ability appeared on the same day as the Mount Lu incident. Could it be that they were naturally paired, mutually restraining disaster anomalies?
"I'm curious, how did those ghosts and gods know about my ability?"
Infinite Summer stroked his chin thoughtfully: "The ghosts and gods are still weak; for now, only the Day and Night Wandering Deities can travel far from the Celestial Gate to patrol the surroundings."
"Probably, when you used your ability yesterday, a Day Wandering Deity discovered you. Subsequently, the ghosts and gods researched and decided they must eliminate you to prevent future trouble."
Wu Zhong understood: So that was it.
When he tested his ability yesterday, he might have fooled others, but thinking he could fool the ghosts and gods was nonsense.
The Day Wandering Deity must have observed him secretly, and he was completely unaware.
"They discovered my ability, worried I might close that Celestial Gate in the future. That gate is key for them to enter this world and restore their power, so I absolutely have to die..."
Wu Zhong finally understood why he was being inexplicably hunted.
Simultaneously, he felt a twinge of regret, because he realized that if he had confessed honestly, then Captain Lu and the others would likely have teamed up with him to find a way to close the Celestial Gate, and wouldn't possibly negotiate with the ghosts and gods.
If successful, wouldn't he be a hero then?
His mind was in turmoil for a moment. Was it too late to turn back now?
Ah! If he hadn't committed the crime, maybe everything would be different. He might have confessed honestly from the start. But he didn't regret it. If he hadn't committed the crime back then, he would have had absolutely no way to pay for the surgery.
"Brother Xia, if I leave, Mount Lu will be destroyed in a month, and Xunyang City will become an uninhabited zone, right?" Wu Zhong scratched his head and muttered, actually observing the other with his peripheral vision.
Infinite Summer was very calm: "The Mount Lu Celestial Gate incident won't threaten humanity for three years. Moreover, Unit 985 will soon seal the area with Bastet Metal."
"Bastet Metal?" Wu Zhong was astonished.
Infinite Summer said lightly: "A type of metal that is absolutely indestructible and can only be controlled by psychic power."
"To put it this way: even if the universe were destroyed, Bastet Metal would still exist, not losing a single atom... It isn't even composed of atoms. No matter how much you magnify it, it's just pitch black; you can't see its components."
Wu Zhong's eyes shone with wonder. The disaster world – an extraordinary circle hidden within ordinary society.
Mysterious and profound things were countless. Although he might be able to seal that Celestial Gate, things capable of sealing the gate couldn't possibly be limited to just him.
He shouldn't overestimate himself or consider himself a savior.
For a moment, he actually felt relieved. He didn't want to bear such a heavy responsibility.
Wu Zhong steadied his mind: "Brother Xia, since I've chosen to go with you, I won't look back."
"You saved my life; consider this life sold to you."
Infinite Summer chuckled lightly: "No need to talk about selling, little brother. I'm bringing you into the circle."
"Rest assured, although your ability might seem a bit niche, any talent with a unique absolute trait is very precious in the disaster world."
"You are valuable alive. I need you."
This was exactly the statement Wu Zhong wanted. If the other had agreed to the 'selling his life' notion, he would have confessed to Zhang Qinglang immediately upon getting out.
Fortunately, the other was relatively courteous, just a mercenary, with at most a few mercenary accomplices. Though their influence might be small, the advantage was a simple foundation without many major rules.
His niche ability would have greater value in a small team like this.
As for Unit 985, to put it bluntly, he was somewhat taking advantage of their principles. He believed that even if he ran away, these people would still take good care of his grandfather.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
The violent pounding continued, but it was no longer at the door.
Both looked and saw the wall had cracked, with flames seeping in.
Wu Zhong said urgently: "I can weld doors shut so people can't break them open, but I can't control the walls."
Infinite Summer said calmly: "This Taoist is no match for me."
"Boom!" The wall exploded.
Zhang Qinglang had blasted open the thick steel wall in just two strikes!
He radiated waves of energy, his Taoist robe fluttering. A solidified, high-pressure fireball orbited around him, the air buzzing and vibrating.
"What's going on with that door! What have you two been talking about?"
Infinite Summer's expression turned cold: "Enough nonsense!"
"Experience the cold of touching the void!"
He took a step forward, purple light shimmering slightly, seemingly chilling the entire surroundings.
Wu Zhong felt nothing, but Zhang Qinglang's face turned deathly pale.
A sudden, bone-piercing cold, utterly without warning, descended upon Zhang Qinglang's senses, as if he had been instantly thrown into a frozen hell.
Sharp, stinging pain on his skin felt like countless icy needles simultaneously piercing every pore.
The pain was sharp and distinct, then turned numb, as if his skin no longer belonged to him.