But there was still a path ahead.
Through the rising dust, the tail light of a drone flying ahead could be faintly seen in the distance.
“Pei Ran, run another twenty meters forward, and you’ll see the next turn.”
W said gently.
“Just hold on for ten more meters, and you can turn left.”
“Right ahead, the next turn is very close, only fifteen meters away.”
“Pei Ran, we’re almost there.”
His words were like a carrot dangling in front of a donkey pulling a millstone, swaying back and forth, luring one to move forward.
Falling gravel and stones hit her head and back like hail, countless green light points crazily darted through her body, her internal organs were strangely twisted and aching, her spirit seemed to gradually detach and float, separating from her suffering body, her brain entered a very quiet and peculiar state.
“Sometimes I think,” Pei Ran said in her heart, “maybe you are actually a figment of my imagination.”
W: “…Huh?”
“After entering the silence, no one can speak anymore, the whole world becomes very quiet, so quiet that it’s unbearable. In such a state, one’s mental state can easily deteriorate, and then I gradually had a mental breakdown, and finally went completely mad.”
Pei Ran said: “So I imagined a you, who can talk to me in my mind, chat with me, and even sing to me, but in reality, you don’t exist.”
She said: “Maybe you’re just a mute ball that can’t speak. After walking so far and saying so much, it’s actually just been me all along.”
W was silent for a moment.
He said: “When you get out, I’ll prove my existence to you.”
The light ahead grew brighter, much brighter than the drone’s tail light, it was at the end of an upward-sloping passage. It’s said that when people are near death, they pass through a long tunnel, and at the end of the tunnel, there is also such a light.
Whether she was dead or alive now, Pei Ran stumbled and ran towards that bright light.
The collapse was getting closer, amidst the rumbling, the sky was falling and the ground was collapsing, red soil and gravel came crashing down, Pei Ran mustered all her strength and lunged forward.
She opened her eyes.
She saw the sky. The sky was a hazy, smoggy color, and the ground, full of red soil, was calm and peaceful.
She had made it out.
The string of the metal ball snapped, and the ball rolled to the side. The broken end of the string was still not far from Pei Ran’s little finger.
The string, which had been tightly bound all the way, suddenly broke, as if it were an ominous sign.
W extended its folding arm, propped itself up, and “walked” to Pei Ran.
“Are you okay?” It bent its folding arm, leaned down, and brought its big black eyes close to Pei Ran’s face, its voice filled with concern.
Pei Ran lay on the ground, not really wanting to get up.
The Green Light No. 1 and No. 2 inside her had consumed so many light points that they were stuffed to the point of being unable to take any more. They were barely swallowing under her urging, while Yulianka’s Green Light No. 3 had already sneaked away, hiding and refusing to continue “eating.”
There were still many chaotic and frenzied light points left, densely packed, wreaking havoc inside her body. Pei Ran’s vision flickered with white spots.
Using Green Light No. 1 once now might help it digest a bit and swallow some more, but there was still a distance to go back to Black Well. Pei Ran wasn’t too comfortable with the idea of not saving its energy.
W said, “Pei Ran, look over there, our aircraft.”
W was right. This exit wasn’t far from the collapsed entrance. The aircraft they had piloted over was parked not far ahead, its silver-black body gleaming with a unique luster.
Pei Ran pushed herself up with her hands, sat for a few seconds, and then stood up unsteadily, picking up the broken string of the metal ball as she did so.
W: “I’ll walk by myself.”
She looked like she might collapse at any moment.
“It’s fine.” Pei Ran carried the ball, step by step, walking toward the aircraft.
Black Well Base, South Entrance.
In the great rift valley.
The sun had completely disappeared, and even the last faint orange glow had vanished behind the cliff walls. The light dimmed, and the temperature dropped.
Ai Xia and her grandmother were still sitting on the large white rock.
Ai Xia pulled out a small blanket from her backpack and draped it over her grandmother, then put on her own gloves. Jin Hejun also fumbled around in his large bag and pulled out a thick coat to put on.
The other two people had also moved to a more sheltered corner, huddling together.
The father of the family of three had no mind to put on extra clothes. He just sat on the rock, distracted, staring fixedly at the red cliff wall at the entrance.
Suddenly, the cliff wall rippled slightly like water.
A figure appeared out of thin air.
It was the uniformed officer from earlier. He had returned, stepping out from the camouflage layer.
He waved to the few people remaining at the entrance.
Ai Xia and the others were momentarily stunned, but they quickly stood up, full of hope.
Maybe the officer had brought them a new clue.
But the officer didn’t show them any new clue—he simply pointed to the entrance behind him and signaled for them to go in.
Engineer Jiang and Ai Xia exchanged a delighted glance, unable to believe it.
The father of the family of three froze for a second, even forgetting his bag, and rushed toward the entrance. After taking a few steps, he finally remembered and turned back to grab his backpack.
Ai Xia reached out to help Jin Hejun up.
Jin Hejun had no idea what was going on and couldn’t communicate, so he could only stumble forward, following Ai Xia.
Everyone followed behind the officer and entered the disguise layer.
Behind the illusion of the red rock wall was actually a door. The door was now open, and inside was a tall and wide tunnel, brightly lit.
A squad of fully armed soldiers was stationed just inside the entrance.
Next to them was a small military truck, antique in style—something you’d only see in movies from many years ago. It was likely brought out specifically to function under dormant system conditions.
The officer first signaled everyone to stop, then raised a finger to his lips, making a “silent” gesture.
Ai Xia understood: what he meant was, even though they were already inside the tunnel, this area was still outside the shielded zone—they still couldn’t speak.
There were no screens or text indicators on the military truck, only the most basic and primitive steering wheel. All the lettering on the dashboard had been scraped off.
The officer climbed into the driver’s seat himself and motioned for everyone to get on.
They all climbed into the open truck bed and sat down. The vehicle finally started up and drove forward along the brightly lit tunnel.
After traveling for quite a distance, a massive metal gate, reaching from floor to ceiling, appeared ahead.
The metal gate seemed to recognize the approaching vehicle and slowly opened by itself. The small truck drove through—and inside, there was yet another layer.
After passing through three such gates in succession, there was another team of armed guards stationed at the final checkpoint.
Beyond that, the tunnel still looked exactly the same.
But this time, the officer in the driver’s seat stopped the vehicle and turned around.
He looked at everyone and spoke: “Welcome to Black Well.”
The moment they heard his voice, everyone in the truck bed broke into tears.
It was the first time in all these days that they had heard a normal, human voice—no screaming, no muttering in dreams, not hoarse or dry—and most importantly, the person speaking didn’t die three seconds later. He was still perfectly alive.
That father covered his face, hunched over, and wept aloud, crying like a child.
Ai Xia raised her hand to wipe her face—it was covered in tears. Beside her, her grandmother reached out and gripped her hand tightly.
Ai Xia unwrapped her scarf, spat out the small wooden stick she’d been holding in her mouth, and for the first time, spoke aloud.
Her throat felt strange, and so did her voice. It sounded unfamiliar even to herself.
And as the sound traveled through her skull to her ears, it felt unnaturally close and clear, making her instinctively tense up. Her heart started pounding wildly without control.
“We have a friend… still out there,” Ai Xia said. “She’s a girl, flying an aircraft. We don’t know where she went. Can we… wait for her?”
It was a question asked without much hope—but the officer answered.
“The friend you’re talking about… she went to complete a mission. The condition she gave… was that all of you be allowed into Black Well.”
Ai Xia froze for a moment. “Mission? Then where is she now?”
The officer looked her in the eyes, his tone apologetic as he replied truthfully: “I don’t know.”
—
Black Well Base.
Command Center Hall.
After the final Thinker was destroyed, the northern battlefield was immediately turned around.
The tug-of-war near the Phase II defensive layer had finally ended. It was once again under human control, and the front lines continued to advance like a breaking tide.
Agent W was giving a status update: “The front line is no longer expected to retreat. Engineering teams have begun repairs on the damaged Phase II defense layer equipment.”
Marshal Vina had been focused entirely on the northern front, watching the situation closely. When Agent W mentioned this, she suddenly remembered the data storage device.
She asked, “Agent W, where is your patrol robot now?”
The giant screen at the center of the hall once again displayed the red wastelands to the west.
Everyone saw Pei Ran.
She was walking toward the aircraft, her steps unsteady, swaying, clearly in poor condition.
“She was contaminated by the light vortex… is she about to mutate?” someone asked in a low voice.
No one knew.
General Eugene spoke: “We extend our highest respect to the hero who saved Black Well through self-sacrifice.”
Lieutenant General Delsa interjected: “But Agent W, she could mutate into a frenzied fusion entity at any moment. The patrol robot is still with her. The data in the storage device is at serious risk.”
Everyone was keenly aware: if Pei Ran mutated into a monster like the major who approached the light vortex last night, the patrol robot beside her would immediately be assimilated—and the data inside the storage device would be lost.
That data was crucial to repairing the Phase II shielding devices. And that repair was critical to Black Well’s survival.
Marshal Vina nodded.
“That’s right. Agent W, we’ll figure out how to handle Pei Ran later. For now, to ensure the safety of the data, I order you to immediately separate the patrol robot from her, and return the storage device directly to Black Well.”
The command center fell into a brief silence. Then Agent W’s calm voice sounded.
“The major last night took several hours to mutate after exposure to the vortex. Based on that, I judge that returning to Black Well with Pei Ran aboard the aircraft is the fastest option.”
Chief Executive Basserway interjected with steady logic: “You can leave her behind and pilot the aircraft back yourself.”
Leaving her behind was already a last resort. Now that Basserway suddenly suggested taking the aircraft alone, everyone in the command center turned their heads and stared at him.
Agent W replied blandly, “Operating this aircraft requires coordination between hands and feet. My patrol robot has only a pair of folding arms. Mr. Basserway, I’m afraid I’m not capable.”
On the giant screen, Pei Ran opened the cockpit door, climbed into the pilot seat, and sat down.
She took her backpack, pulled out some duct tape, tore off a strip, and firmly taped it over her mouth, pressing it down.
She had already been severely contaminated by the frenzied green light of the vortex, yet she still seriously sealed her mouth shut—desperately trying to stay alive.
The command hall fell into complete silence.
Pei Ran took a deep breath, gripped the control stick, and started the aircraft.
Basserway stared at the main screen and couldn’t help but speak. “Marshal Vina, are we really going to let her into Black Well? I saw the surveillance footage of the major’s mutation last night too. I remind you, if she mutates inside Black Well, it could pose a serious threat to the safety of the entire base.”
Marshal Vina looked at him but said nothing.
Lieutenant General Song Wan couldn’t stay silent: “Chief Executive, are you aware of how your words, if they were to spread, would affect the morale of the frontline soldiers? Would they think the Federation treats the hero who saved Black Well like this?”
Basserway replied coldly, “Black Well is humanity’s last ark. It is our final hope. Its importance surpasses everything.”
Agent W turned off the video feed from the screen. His voice was even colder than Basserway’s:
“Mr. Basserway, I’ve already assessed the worst-case scenario. Our research on green light has spanned years. We have suppression wristbands and a complete set of medical equipment that can control the activity of the green light. We have an isolation center and reinforced quarantine chambers. Even a frenzied-state fusion form cannot easily break through. When the major mutated last night, we lacked experience in responding in time.”
“That will not happen again.”
He continued, “Inside Black Well, we have sufficient control methods to restrain a mutated frenzied-state fusion entity.”
“‘Sufficient’?” Basserway scoffed. “Because of dormancy, frenzied-state fusion forms have grown more monstrous. Their abilities are far beyond what they once were. How can you guarantee that it’s ‘sufficient’?”
W responded, “The major absorbed far more green light than Pei Ran. I have reason to believe her condition will remain within our control.”
Song Wan added, “Mr. Basserway, please trust Agent W’s judgment. He has almost never made a mistake.”
As they argued, dozens of kilometers away, everything around Pei Ran was remarkably quiet.
The aircraft rose slowly into the sky—only the wind whistling through the broken cockpit could be heard.
W’s tone was unusually gentle—so gentle it didn’t sound like him at all.
He asked, “Pei Ran, how are you feeling?”
Pei Ran endured the discomfort and slowly forced the green light rampaging through her body to gather together. “Still okay.”
As long as they could stay put—until Green Light No.1 and the others had an appetite again—then she could let them devour the rest one by one.
The aircraft skimmed over the desolate earth.
W seemed to hesitate, but eventually said it anyway.
“Pei Ran, there are some people in Black Well… who don’t want you to enter. They’re afraid you’ll mutate and endanger the base.”
“But,” he said, “you must enter Black Well. Given the current circumstances, only Black Well has the medical resources to suppress the frenzied green light inside your body.”
Pei Ran pushed the control stick forward, increasing the aircraft’s speed.
She asked, “Aren’t you afraid I’ll turn into a monster and destroy the entire Black Well?”
W replied, “Don’t worry. I’ve conducted a comprehensive assessment and am confident that even in the worst-case scenario—if you end up in the same state as the major—Black Well will still be capable of responding. Only humans panic blindly. I am an artificial intelligence. My judgment is absolutely rational.”
Pei Ran tilted her head and glanced at the metal sphere, thinking: Absolutely rational? Really?