“Yes, I understand.” Shen Yue’an’s fingers left the communicator pressed to her ear. “There’s abnormal creature activity at three o’clock. Let’s move.”
Team member Gao Shu had been using instruments combined with psychic detection to monitor nearby abnormal creature movements. After advancing for over ten minutes, she grabbed Shen Yue’an. “Captain, within three hundred meters ahead, approximately seventeen abnormal creatures. No special psychic fluctuations detected.”
“Split into three groups and flank them. Old Yuan and Old Li are responsible for interference.” Her expression serious, she gave the order, and all team members immediately sprang into action.
They coordinated seamlessly, striking decisively, swiftly shattering the psychic cores of the abnormal creatures. With two guides assisting from the rear to disrupt them, they quickly eliminated over a dozen creatures.
Just as their weapons were aimed at the final two abnormal creatures, a sudden change occurred.
The ground beneath their feet began to tremble, splitting open with massive fissures from which dozens of writhing giant worms emerged.
The watchtower observation station suddenly detected a surge of abnormal indicators. If displayed as a point distribution map, a massive cluster of red dots appeared at the location of the previous group of abnormal creatures, with even more red dots continuously emerging nearby. Dense and numerous, they connected to form a shape resembling an ominous giant eye, maliciously staring down at the tiny humans.
Simultaneously, the communicator crackled to life. Shen Yue’an’s voice was rapid, almost a shout, with a background filled with chaotic, eerie screams. “Large numbers of mutated abnormal creatures detected! At least a hundred!”
“Activate the Great Wall barrier attack system immediately. Teams one through ten, proceed to the coordinates for support.” Commander Liang Ran’s heart sank, but his tone remained calm, his eyes fixed on the large screen displaying the data. “Initiate the abnormal surge emergency protocol. Synchronize our data with all watchtowers.”
Watching the pollution index near the surge point on the map spike to a deep, ink-like crimson, he took a deep breath. “Notify the government to prepare for entering a state of national emergency.”
“‘The tsunami’ has arrived.”
Alarm sirens suddenly blared throughout Boria Tower.
The moment the ground split open, all team members immediately retreated. Shen Yue’an shouted “Evacuate!” but they hadn’t run far before encountering more abnormal creatures blocking their path.
Yuan Qing’an immediately deployed a protective shield, scanning their surroundings and keenly observing the psychic fluctuations from the creatures when attacked. “It’s a trap. They used psychic shielding to hide the mutated creatures’ traces.”
Shen Yue’an’s attacks didn’t cease. Seizing a moment during the fight, she activated her communicator to relay the message to the watchtower. After shouting the warning, she turned off the communicator and yelled, “Old Li! Find a breakthrough point!”
“Seven o’clock direction!”
At that moment, a wave of simulated psychic energy swept across the battlefield like a gale. Screams erupted from the horde of abnormal creatures surrounding them. The weaker creatures died instantly, while the psychic shields on some mutated creatures were stripped away by a layer. Seizing the opportunity, they attempted to break through the encirclement.
The Great Wall’s attacks consumed enormous energy. Recharging and psychic simulation required time. They had to seize this precious chance.
However, several already severely wounded mutated creatures, disregarding the guides’ potent psychic attacks, charged into the protective shield. Screaming, they self-destructed their psychic cores.
They couldn’t withdraw in time, nor could they kill them fast enough.
In the final moment, Yuan Qing’an lunged toward Shen Yue’an.
His last surge of spiritual energy stretched out in four directions in that final second, piercing into the spiritual cores of Shen Yue’an and the three nearby teammates, attempting to serve as one last layer of protection at least to keep their spiritual cores from shattering too completely.
Then, a blinding light swallowed all perception.
After the alien creature self-destructed, reinforcements finally arrived, but it was too late.
“Report Squad Eleven has been completely wiped out. Awaiting further instructions.”
“…”
“Assist the Great Wall System in clearing out the alien creatures, then retrieve their bodies.”
At Wenzhou Spiritual Energy Specialized Hospital, Shen Huaiyun, who had just stepped out of the consultation room, suddenly felt a sharp pang in his chest. Shen Tangmo held him steady, asking with concern, “What’s wrong? Another headache?”
The young man rubbed his chest, taking a moment to catch his breath, then shook his head. “No, just a sudden wave of discomfort.”
A sense of unease washed over him, and he suddenly asked, “Will Mom and Dad be back for their monthly leave tomorrow?”
Shen Tangmo paused for a moment. “The liaison officer said they were scheduled for normal leave.”
“Missing them? Good timing we need to tell them about your condition too.”
The doctor’s diagnosis was a mild recurrence, suspected to be triggered by his differentiation period. They were advised to monitor him closely, as Shen Huaiyun’s long-delayed differentiation period was likely to erupt very soon. Once it began, he needed to be sent to the hospital immediately for observation.
The doctor explained that because Shen Huaiyun’s differentiation period had been delayed for so long, the physical growing pains would likely be more intense than during normal secondary development. Moreover, his spiritual landscape was different from ordinary people’s, and his estimated level was relatively high. The surge in spiritual energy during differentiation could very likely trigger a secondary shattering of his spiritual landscape, so close monitoring and guidance were essential.
“Mhm.” Shen Huaiyun nodded obediently.
As the young man led him away, he thought to himself that he would have to tell Shen Yue’an and Yuan Qing’an about this kid’s habit of not taking his own health seriously and ask if they had any ideas on how to handle it.
For some reason, the liaison officer’s message was much slower than usual. Normally, by this time, he would have already informed them when their parents were expected to return home.
He frowned slightly, hoping it was just because the liaison officer was too busy and had simply forgotten to notify them.
Thinking of the injuries their parents had returned with on previous visits, they went to the market early Saturday morning to buy fresh ingredients and fruit, planning to cook a full table of dishes both as a reward and to let them rest properly.
There was braised pork and pan-fried dumplings, which their mother loved, sour and spicy snails and scrambled eggs with tomatoes, which their father enjoyed, and a large bowl of radish and pork rib soup.
But as the dishes grew cold, there was still no sound of the door opening, no familiar figures, no cheerful call of “We’re back!”
The liaison officer also remained silent. Shen Tangmo wanted to send several more messages asking if their parents had set off yet, even considered calling to check. But he was afraid of disturbing the officer if he was too busy.
They reheated the dishes and ate, but the food tasted bland.
Dinner was the same.
While browsing videos, Shen Huaiyun came across a news report and pulled Shen Tangmo over to watch. The report stated that a large number of mutated alien creatures had been acting abnormally near the Boreas Tower, and the aliens had even begun organized, large-scale movements.
“As of the time of reporting, the pollution index near the Boreas Tower vent has exceeded the highest recorded levels in previous years. The Boreas Tower has activated its emergency response plan. The commander warned that a ‘tsunami’ is imminent, and all watchtowers and citizens nationwide must be prepared.”
“Is it because of the emergency state that their monthly leave was canceled, and everyone is busy, so the liaison officer didn’t have time to send us a message?” Shen Huaiyun guessed.
The unease in his heart had reached its peak; he would rather believe his parents were simply busy than entertain the worst possible scenario.
Shen Tangmo watched the news footage with a furrowed brow but tried to reassure him, “It must be that. Let’s rest for now. Perhaps the liaison officer will have time to update us tomorrow.”
Shen Huaiyun spent the night plagued by chaotic dreams disjointed scenes pieced together, culminating in the funeral of his aunt in the dream, as if foreshadowing something.
Still, no message came from the liaison officer. But around eleven o’clock, someone knocked on their door.