Chapter 356: The Rising Nightmare
by xennovel“Commander, we should immediately report the escalating threat and request authorization for weapons of mass destruction…”
Thirty miles outside Water Buffalo City, at the Emergency Outpost for Forbidden Experiments which had just retreated twenty miles.
All remaining personnel and information analysts stared towards Water Buffalo City with undisguised terror. From their position, they could clearly see a massive dark red shadow slowly rising above the abandoned city beneath the Red Moon.
Through the thin night mist they couldn’t make out its exact form.
But everyone could feel the formless terror and oppressive pressure radiating from that dark red shadow.
Even from this distance looking at the shadow sent a disorienting force through their minds.
A subconscious fear gripped their hearts warning them not to pry.
Around the outpost large radar-like detection devices were aimed at Water Buffalo City.
Now they displayed numbers that made every staff member’s heart pound.
3000!
…
“The data we’re detecting now is only from the outskirts of Water Buffalo City, at the edge of the mental radiation field.”
“That monster… it has a physical form. It exhibits characteristics of a living organism.”
“Based on analysis of previous data from the mental entity codenamed ‘Life’ we know this type of experimental subject tends to internalize its mental power. This means the mental radiation we’re detecting is only a small fraction it’s unconsciously emitting.”
“Extrapolating from this its true psychic power is already…”
A staff member nearby reported rapidly, but his voice still faltered, “One hundred thousand!”
All the personnel, even the heavily armed soldiers standing guard nearby, couldn’t help but tremble.
“Most critically…”
Another staff member approached with a file to report, “Its mental power is still continuously rising. Based on the characteristics of ‘Life’ it can increase its own psychic power by devouring and polluting other life forces.”
“If we let it continue to grow, by the time it devours the hundred thousand residents of Water Buffalo City, its psychic power…”
He seemed afraid to utter such a terrifying number, simply stating another classification:
“City-destroying level!”
“A true city-destroying level threat!”
“According to current Alliance records, besides the initial Red Moon incident the S-level Ability User attack by the Sea Country on Qinggang ranks third among the most severe pollution attacks suffered by high-wall cities within the Alliance.”
“But detailed intelligence indicates the Sea Country didn’t intend to truly destroy Qinggang then, only cripple them…”
“But what we’re facing now is a genuine city-destroying event!”
“If this monster pollutes those hundred thousand residents and then spreads to other cities then we…”
At this point the researcher practically roared:
“Our Central City, and all surrounding satellite cities and settlements, will face another Red Moon incident!”
…
A nearby staff member calmly interjected, “No, it’s not facing another Red Moon incident.”
“After the Red Moon incident thirty percent of the world’s population remained conscious and survived.”
“But within the contamination zone this time… there will be no survivors…”
…
After the tense reports an oppressive silence fell.
All eyes turned to the grey-haired Commander-in-Chief.
Despite the palpable anxiety and panic around him the battle-hardened veteran remained calm. Only when the surroundings quieted and all eyes were on him did he calmly ask, “What’s the panic?”
Everyone froze finding the question absurd.
The old man’s stern eyes swept over them his authority palpable. “What do you intend to do?”
“Report directly to the higher-ups? Have them drop a missile? Or deploy S-series weapons?”
“Don’t forget there are a hundred thousand drifters in there! They are people too!”
His voice rose becoming a direct reprimand, “If you really do that how many of them do you think will survive?”
“But…”
The old man’s righteous words stunned everyone into silence.
“But if we don’t act now, Central City and its surroundings… might have no survivors either…”
A staff member still dared to voice this concern.
Hearing this a mocking smile touched the old man’s lips.
“Just because you’re scared you’d disregard the lives of a hundred thousand drifters?”
“Not to mention right now Water Buffalo City doesn’t just hold those hundred thousand drifters. We also have six ability user teams and a kidnapped Doctor inside. Are you suggesting we launch a missile and eliminate them all at once?”
All the staff members were speechless.
They felt an unusual sense of dilemma.
Everything the old man said was right, perfectly reasonable… yet something felt off.
“Don’t panic just yet!”
The old man chuckled checked his watch and said, “It hasn’t even been ten hours yet has it?”
Then he calmly returned to his canvas chair and picked up his coffee.
“Until the ten hours are up or we receive a clear signal from the Action Team and the Undercover Units…”
He spoke slowly a strange smile spreading across his face, “There’s no need for us to rush!”
…
“It’s over… Is… is this thing a god?”
Inside Water Buffalo City as the monster’s flesh extended pollution filaments made of blood vessels and nerve pathways an exceptionally oppressive feeling descended upon the joint team of Central City and Qinggang Ability Users. Someone whimpered in a low voice.
That someone was Gecko.
These pollution filaments composed of blood vessels and nerve pathways couldn’t affect them too much yet.
But when the flesh monster grew out from the city center its height surpassing the city itself its thick horrifying tentacles reaching out tearing down countless buildings like pulling weeds a sense of despair bloomed in their hearts.
Pollution itself was terrifying. But this tangible colossal monster whose physical form alone dwarfed the city dredged up a primal hopeless fear of immense beings hidden deep within everyone’s soul.
Faced with such an overwhelming disparity it was hard to muster the will to resist.
“All communication devices are already affected.”
The petite Xia Chong looked up at the monster then ordered, “Use the flare gun to notify the outside.”
Her voice hitched slightly but she continued, “They can… use weapons of mass destruction now.”
The faces of the other Central City ability users flickered.
They naturally understood what requesting WMDs at this moment meant.
But glancing back at the monster out of the corner of their eyes they understood Xia Chong’s reasoning.
“Heheh…”
Amidst the others’ silence the Doctor chuckled twice. “I’ve always wanted to see big fireworks up close…”
As he spoke he pulled a flare gun and a red signal flare from his bag.
Gecko’s face instantly turned pale. He looked pleadingly towards Chen Jing.
Chen Jing took a deep breath suddenly pressed down on the Doctor’s hand as he prepared to load the flare then looked at Xia Chong.
“It’s useless.”
…
Xia Chong looked up sharply meeting her gaze.
Chen Jing’s face was pale but extremely calm. “Do you think the forward outpost can’t observe the changes here?”
“If they wanted to deploy weapons of mass destruction they would have done so when the flesh monster awakened across the city.”
“Perhaps they are prepared to sacrifice us but before that they would surely send some kind of signal to warn us, indicating that we and the drifters gathered in the outer city should evacuate as much as possible. But have you seen any signal?”
…
Xia Chong’s face turned slightly paler. She looked blankly at Chen Jing. “What… are you trying to say?”
“I’m saying things you’ve known all along.”
Chen Jing stated coolly, “Have you really never suspected?”
“Why could the Black Table establish several hidden labs like this around Central City?”
“Without sufficient resources and incentives how did Water Buffalo City attract a hundred thousand drifters from the wasteland?”
“Why haven’t the Undercover Units sent relevant reports?”
“It looks like Central City sent you out to resolve this matter…”
“But is this truly Central City’s strongest force?”
…
After a rapid series of questions she paused slightly looking into Xia Chong’s eyes:
“From the beginning I said you Central City people are too numerous.”
…
A look of frustration seemed to appear on Xia Chong’s usually expressionless face.
The other ability users showed similar expressions mixed with confusion.
“Whew…”
The first to react was the impeccably dressed man.
Despite running with the group for so long not a speck of dust seemed to cling to him.
Covering his mouth and nose with a handkerchief he chuckled muffledly. “So according to you Qinggang folks what should we do now?”
Chen Jing remained silent for a moment then looked towards the city center. “We still have one team member there.”
“He…”
Xia Chong began speaking trying her best to keep her voice steady. “He’s currently facing a monster nearing the city-destroying level. He’s already buried under several collapsed buildings. And you… still think he can handle it?”
“Yes!”
Chen Jing nodded and said softly, “I must admit he’s no ordinary Spider-type Ability User…”
“Yeah…”
Facing the puzzled looks from the Central City ability users Gecko spoke tremulously:
“His family… is really formidable…”