Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
Xiao Qiang straightened his spine and said with a calm yet firm tone, "I understand. Please proceed with the punishment." As he spoke, he glanced at the seemingly tranquil lake and added, "Eye Patch Man..."
Lin Yu seemed to anticipate his words. She looked up and shot him a cold glance at her watch; the hour hand was nearing eight o'clock. In a detached tone, she remarked, "He might have drowned in the lake. We need to hurry. Once we reach the base, we should inform them of everything that has happened. Perhaps they will have a way to deal with the Living Dead."
If Eye Patch Man truly had met his end at the bottom of the lake, it wouldn't be much of a concern. The real issue was whether he would become a host for the Living Dead's upgraded genes. That was what worried Xiao Qiang.
His mind functioned like an unlimited storage facility, filled with vast amounts of hidden information. Whenever he focused on something, his brain would immediately retrieve the necessary details.
The Living Dead, in simple terms, were humans who had not yet died—those who remained barely alive, lacking any resistance and most susceptible to viral bacteria invasion. This led to a catastrophic paralysis of their bodily functions. Just before they succumbed entirely to bacterial domination over their cellular structure and functions, they retained eight minutes of memory in their minds. Eight minutes was enough time for the viral bacteria to familiarize themselves with every aspect of their new host. After the host's brain cells completely died, they would forget who they were, ceasing to eat or drink, and could continue existing for up to half a month before truly dying.
Don't think that the Living Dead pose no danger after natural death. There is a severe drawback: whenever a Living Dead entity invades another human body, it upgrades itself. Its lifespan can extend to a month or even a year.
With this information in mind, Xiao Qiang felt even more anxious.
Wen Kai appeared somewhat afraid of Xiao Qiang. As Wu Yi and Li Hang supported him past Xiao Qiang, his facial muscles twitched with tension; he didn't dare look at him even once. This was the first time the usually proud Wen Kai had been struck down; he hung his head low like a defeated rooster, overwhelmed by frustration and despair. His loyal friends dragged him away from the spot as they followed Lin Yu in search of the base.
Is this really an isolated island? Xiao Qiang remained vigilant as he walked, scanning his surroundings... His brain quickly conjured up a topographical map of the island; it felt strange to have such a three-dimensional perception. It was as if his brain wasn't just a brain but rather like viewing various data displayed on an LCD screen. As he trudged along at the back, he absorbed the emerging information about the island's general layout and precise location until his brain's intelligence confirmed: this was undoubtedly an isolated island.
The island lacked the diverse plant life one might expect; it was eerily quiet. There was hardly any bird droppings in sight, let alone trees. After walking for some time, Lin Yu checked her watch's built-in compass multiple times before finally deciding to stop. She suspected they had taken a wrong turn; the compass had suddenly malfunctioned, leaving her unable to determine their direction. Moreover, she thought that an experimental base shouldn't be so barren. Looking around, all she saw was desolation—aside from some jagged rocks, there was no greenery... A world devoid of color became increasingly uncomfortable to behold.
Lin Yu halted her steps, prompting Wen Kai to stop as well.
Wu Yi and Li Hang supported the tall Wen Kai, already grumbling internally as they sweated profusely; they couldn't understand why their leader had suddenly come to a halt.
"My Group Leader Lady, what's there to see here? Let's hurry up and go!" Wu Yi wiped the beads of sweat from his forehead and looked up at the horizon. The gray sky was devoid of sunlight, yet it felt stiflingly hot. He hated this kind of weather; it greatly affected his mood, leaving him with an inexplicable sense of irritation.
Li Hang glanced around, eager to lean against a large rock not far away where Wen Kai was resting. However, he hesitated, fearing that Wen Kai might explode in anger.
Lin Yu was clearly waiting for Xiao Qiang. She thought that among the five of them, he had a reserved personality, but at critical moments, his insights could be invaluable. She wanted him to decide whether this place was safe and if they had truly come to the right location.
Xiao Qiang sensed someone was watching him. He feigned indifference, gesturing toward the stones on the island. Then, under the disdainful gazes of Wen Kai and the others, he remained composed and asserted, "The geomagnetism on this island is quite abnormal; it has a strong magnetic field. Birds rely on geomagnetism and light for navigation. If there's a geomagnetic anomaly, birds can get lost or even die. Without birds to spread seeds, plants struggle to reproduce, which explains why this island lacks vegetation..."
His words not only impressed Lin Yu but also stunned Wen Kai and the others. Li Hang, feeling somewhat defeated, moved his lips and scoffed, "So can you tell us why the compass on our watches is malfunctioning?"
Wu Yi chimed in, "Yeah, don't try to fool us into thinking it’s because we fell into the lake earlier. The compass on our watches wouldn’t just get wet like that; besides, the hour hand is still moving, right?"
Xiao Qiang smiled calmly and replied, "Geomagnetic anomalies can also cause compass malfunctions. The hour hand on the watch hasn’t stopped moving; the compass failure is simply a result of magnetic effects."
Lin Yu agreed with his analysis. She ignored Wen Kai and his friends who were mumbling provocatively nearby and smiled at him, saying, "Sorry about that; let’s go."
Why did she feel the need to apologize to Xiao Qiang? She remembered that when she first saw him, she had no good feelings toward him at all. He looked disheveled and defeated as if he had given up on himself.
In Stratum's residential area, there were many similar cases. The artificial sunlight failed to provide essential nutrients for their bodies; those with weaker constitutions suffered from severe calcium and iron deficiencies along with a lack of various essential elements. They became self-conscious and withdrawn, often isolating themselves in undeveloped areas of the crust with thoughts of suicide.
To Wen Kai and other classmates, the new student Xiao Qiang seemed to be slowly committing suicide. Among those living in Stratum, nothing was more despised than a person who took their own life. Regardless of the reasons behind suicidal thoughts, they were seen as weak. Choosing to end one’s life was viewed as an admission of failure in survival—a fate deemed unworthy.
Xiao Qiang became a laughingstock in class and throughout the entire academy. His classmates mocked him; Wen Kai bullied him without restraint; Lin Yu looked down on him...
"Hey, look!" Xiao Qiang shouted, interrupting Lin Yu's thoughts. Suddenly looking up, he saw a white house appearing behind a large cluster of rocks.
"Oh my God!" Lin Yu exclaimed excitedly, darting a few steps past Xiao Qiang. His chest heaved as he reached the door first, under the watchful eyes of his companions.
"Wait a minute," Xiao Qiang said.
Wen Kai, Wu Yi, and Li Hang paused slightly, unsure of what new trick the oddball had in store.
Xiao Qiang stared at the closed door, walking cautiously while scanning the surroundings. In a lowered voice, he said, "Don't you think this place is strange? Why hasn't anyone come to greet us? And isn't it too quiet here?"
His words startled Lin Yu, making him nervously step back, his gaze still fixed on the door.
Comment 0 Comment Count