MASG chapter 48

The office was in chaos.

Yanxia held an electronic eyepiece in her hand and clattered across the floor in her high boots. “What exactly happened? Why were we attacked?”

She heard a reply from the other end, but her brows never relaxed. No one around her relaxed their brows either. Mi Dou’s eyes followed Yanxia’s movements, from left to right and back again, awaiting the outcome.

Xi Ban pressed hard on Mo An’s shoulder. “Calm down. We need to figure out what’s going on.”

Mo An ran straight from the bedroom, barefoot, and stood in the middle of the office. He only knew that his stomach had suddenly begun to ache terribly—so much so that he couldn’t bend over—and then the pain had subsided just as quickly. The pain became pressure stuck in his stomach, pushing up his esophagus and making his chest feel blocked. It continued upward, choking his throat. Nothing felt comfortable.

“Everything will be all right. Don’t worry. Xia Yu has always…” Xi Ban trailed off, unable to finish his sentence because he realized that Mo An couldn’t hear him. No amount of words could reassure him; he was unresponsive.

Not only was Mo An worried, but Xi Ban and Mi Dou were equally anxious. Everyone in the office was racking their brains, awaiting Yan Xia’s final orders.

“Too slow.” Mo An suddenly shuddered and spoke abruptly.

“What?” Xi Ban asked.

“Too slow! Why is it so slow? If you can’t contact the team, find another way! Why are we waiting here?” Mo An turned to leave. He still couldn’t reach the xla team. Why was he wasting his time standing there?

If they couldn’t contact them, he should try. If they couldn’t find them, he should go find them. Mo An’s hearing finally broke through the invisible barrier, but he couldn’t bear the chaotic footsteps around him. What were these adults doing? Why didn’t they just set off? Why wait for a phone call? By the time they figured out how to solve the problem, precious time would have been wasted.

“Mo An! Don’t wander off.” Xi Ban grabbed him again.

“I’m not wandering off. I’m going to find him.” Mo An shook off his hand forcefully. “How are you going to find him?” Xi Ban stepped forward again. “Even if you want to, you have to obey Yan Xia’s arrangements. How can you find him on your own?”

“I have plenty of ways to find him. I don’t want to wait any longer.” Mo An waved his hand again. He wouldn’t wait for anyone’s orders—time wouldn’t allow it. No one knew what the situation was like on Xia Yu’s side. Had all the drones been scrapped? Why weren’t any images being transmitted back?

The farther he walked, the more confused he became. He was anxious—desperately anxious—so anxious that he wanted to bang his head against the wall and stomp his feet. He felt the deepest despair he had experienced since breaking free of his shell. He didn’t know what he was waiting for or what answer he would receive. Like a storm, he had grown and matured, and experienced the belated torment.

Since waking up in the institute, Xia Yu’s voice had been his anchor. Life in the egg was duller than calm seawater, and the sound of singing was the only light that came in. He had grown so accustomed to Xia Yu’s companionship that he never imagined losing it.

The thought of loss was terrifying.

Just then, Yan Xia ended the call: “Let’s go!”

“Where to? I’m going too!” Mi Dou finally received her order.

“To the scene! Silver Fang has already brought people there. The terrain is very complex. The aircraft is in place. Go change your clothes; let’s go!” Yan Xia grabbed her coat from the table. Her efficient profile was deeply imprinted in Mo An’s eyes. He didn’t know how he got back to his room to change. He only felt time pause for a moment.

When time resumed its flow, he was already seated in Yan Xia’s aircraft.

Outside the window, aircraft lined both sides of the runway, accompanied by dozens of drones taking off and creating a massive spectacle. Anyone could tell at a glance that this was an emergency operation. Although the weather system had predicted a sunny day, Qingyao City is by the sea, where rain can fall even on sunny days.

Transparent raindrops hit the glass and streamed down, sounding like someone was crying.

“How’s the situation?” Xi Ban asked Yan Xia softly after hesitating to ask. If there hadn’t been limited seats on the aircraft, he would have loved to find an opportunity to speak with her alone.

Yan Xia turned on the projector inside the aircraft, revealing a half-collapsed building in front of them. Xi Ban gasped almost imperceptibly. Had the building collapsed? The rescue operation would be far more difficult.

“Last night, a controlled genetic contamination occurred in this building. It was supposed to be a simple evacuation mission. Xia Yu’s team was to take the civilians inside,” said Yan Xia, who paused. “But, during the final stages of the evacuation, the building’s load-bearing structure fractured. The initial assessment is that it exploded.”

Hearing the word “explosion,” Mi Dou felt like he was sitting on pins and needles.

The screen showed footage of the rescue operation. The area had been cordoned off, and numerous aircraft were filming the buildings from different angles. Mechanical rescue personnel had already been deployed. Silver Fang, wearing a steel exoskeleton, piloted a machine into the precariously damaged main entrance of the building. Steel bars and concrete chunks continued to fall from the rooftop, crushing aircraft and rendering them inoperable.

As they fell burning, they drifted down slowly like falling stars.

“Four team members have been rescued. One is seriously injured, three are slightly injured, and fifteen others remain trapped inside. Life detectors have found thirteen survivors, two of whom are already…” Yan Xia gritted her teeth and picked up the monitor again. “Silver Fang, report.”

The image changed from an exceptionally clear view from the aircraft to a shaky, blurry first-person view. Mo An, silent, leaped from the back row to the projector, his eyes glued to it.

“The signal is weak. There’s a lot of dust inside the building, but it’s not at an explosive concentration yet. Everyone, put on your oxygen masks.” This was clearly Silver Fang’s first-person perspective.

“Silver Fang?” Yan Xia repeated.

“I heard you,” Silver Fang replied. “When are you getting there? We need backup. This building could collapse at any moment. We need more support robots.”

The scene was hazy and gray. When the searchlights illuminated the road, dust particles swirled and danced within the beams of light like claws.

“They had an accident during the evacuation. There’s still a small group of residents trapped inside. Xia Yu was escorting the final group, and they are definitely trapped inside.” Silver Fang used his exoskeleton arm to move a hundred-pound steel bar, which felt like plastic in his metal claws.

Yan Xia felt a chill. “How many residents are still trapped?”

“Preliminary count…about forty. Some people ran away in fear. We’re searching with all our might,” said Silver Fang.

Mo An took a few steps back and sat down in his chair. Forty-odd people plus fifteen staff members, and the detectors have only found thirteen alive. A number appeared before his eyes: Xia Yu’s chances of survival. Now, those odds had plummeted to rock bottom.

“Search with all your might and rescue the thirteen survivors.” Yan Xia’s eyes stung. Despite having her tear ducts cut, her eyes were sore. She picked up the walkie-talkie again. “Lao Gui, how’s it going on your end?”

The screen showed Silver Fang’s first-person perspective. They had found a victim’s body. The body showed no visible injuries but was covered in what looked like volcanic ash. As Silver Fang moved the body aside, Xi Ban covered Mo An’s eyes.

“Don’t look, don’t think.” He closed his eyes as well.

Mi Dou didn’t dare look, squeezing his eyes shut and muttering, “It’s not Xia Yu, it’s not Xia Yu, it’s not Xia Yu…”

Silver Fang’s voice came through the walkie-talkie: “Why haven’t you arrived yet? I need backup!”

“Every link is calling for backup. I’ve already sent extra manpower. Hold on for another fifteen minutes, and a large reinforcement will arrive.” Yan Xia’s laptop displayed the mobilization routes of various units. Qingyao City hadn’t experienced a terrorist attack in 50 years, but this one shattered the city’s peace.

“Nuwa, I need access to all the city’s surveillance cameras, especially those in the area where the incident occurred. I also need the most detailed information on the contamination time and treatment process for the entire building.” When Yan Xia said this, Lao Gui frowned deeply.

To activate Nuwa’s power, Yan Xia escalated the matter to the highest level.

Nuwa: [Retrieving for you. Countdown: 3, 2, 1. Retrieval complete.]

Nuwa: [Filtering begins. Countdown: 3, 2, 1. Filtering complete.]

Nuwa: [43 valid clips selected, total duration 13 minutes and 22 seconds. All have been downloaded to the nearest computer; no password is required. The contamination information indicates spore-spreading contamination, which was controlled before the explosion.]

Nuwa was incredibly fast. Xi Ban had never worked with this terrifying AI before. Its voice sounded like a mature, composed woman, but it was difficult to reconcile that with the betrayal.

“Controlled before the explosion—is it out of control now?” Yanxia tapped her finger in midair, and a video clip on her computer began playing.

Nuwa: [I need sufficient data analysis to determine if it’s out of control. All data from before the explosion has been overturned. But don’t worry. I gave all the rescue personnel detailed information before they entered the building. Each of them is equipped with the latest air filtration system to ensure spore isolation.] The entire building is currently like a mushroom about to erupt and is expected to reach its peak in four hours. We hope you can end the rescue operation before then.

“What if we don’t make it in time?” Yan Xia asked.

Nuwa: [I will clean the site to prevent the spores from spreading.]

Nuwa’s methods are always the same: once the designated time is reached, the area will be violently cleansed. Yan Xia understood this, and Lao Gui understood it even better. After listening to the conversation on the radio, he quickened his pace. “Yan Xia, be careful over there. I’ll send some men in to check for explosives. These people dared to make a move in the city center. They’re insane. If they leave even the slightest trace of explosives, I’ll track them down to the ends of the earth.”

“All units, pay attention to safety, stay vigilant, and end the battle as quickly as possible within four hours.” Yan Xia activated her bracelet, starting the countdown.

The countdown wasn’t just on them; it was on everyone present. Nuwa always gave the most important orders in the simplest terms, and humans could only carry them out. This made many people, especially those who had previously come into contact with Nuwa, such as Lao Gui, feel extremely uncomfortable.

But nothing was more important than the task at hand. Donning his explosives suit and under the protection of the security team, Lao Gui began heading towards the basement. This was the easiest place to set up “traps.” Silver Fang was responsible for finding survivors while Lao Gui was tasked with eliminating potential threats to the building.

A terrorist attack always starts with the goal of causing maximum destruction and killing as many people as possible. Therefore, it’s highly likely that residual bombs will remain. Once the building’s foundation collapses, the entire area will be infected by spores.

The mechanical bomb disposal dogs had already run out beside him.

When Yan Xia’s aircraft arrived at the scene, Mo An was the first to jump. He ran toward the main camp as soon as he landed, dashing past police lines and white tents. Xi Ban and Mi Dou chased after him, their hearts racing faster than their feet could carry them.

The stench of blood grew stronger, and there were clearly wounded people ahead.

“Don’t get hurt. Please, don’t get hurt.” Mo An kept repeating this to himself as he ran. He believed that Xia Yu would be all right, but he hoped that his injuries weren’t too severe. However, when he reached the emergency operating room and saw two robotic medics amputating a survivor’s limb, his clenched fists suddenly went limp.

Just being alive is enough. He came back alive! As long as he was alive, even the worst injuries could be healed. Mo An immediately changed his mind; his only wish was that Xia Yu would be carried out.

“How’s the situation?” Yan Xia followed closely behind, her emotions fluctuating wildly upon seeing the survivors’ injuries.

Silver Fang was still inside the building. One of his teammates had manipulated his exoskeleton into a jack that was single-handedly supporting the load-bearing wall of the floor. “We just smuggled out two survivors and found five victims. Most of the victims…”

The signal was weak, and his words were fragmented.

Mo An was so anxious that he wished he could reconnect the signal himself.

“Most of the victims are residents of this building. We haven’t found any bodies in work clothes yet. The uphill passage is blocked, and we’re clearing it… around… around… Wait, what’s that noise?”

The scene with Silver Fang abruptly cuts off here, and nothing can be seen again. Mo An dashed out; he couldn’t wait any longer. Xla was somewhere in the building waiting for him.

“Come back!” Xi Ban caught up with him. This was no joke.

“I’m going to find him! I have to find him!” Mo An was lifted into Xi Ban’s arms and then jumped out again. It was all his fault for being so stubborn. He had clearly heard the noise but hadn’t opened the door and gone with Xia Yu. Now it’s too late to say anything. Such a huge accident—people are dying one after another. Mo An is consumed by regret. What if something really happens to Xia Yu?

There’s nothing he can do! If something really happens… Their last conversation was an argument, the last words so heartless. He clearly heard his footsteps; he was awake. Yet, he let him leave alone.

He struggled more and more fiercely, and Xi Ban quickly couldn’t hold him down. Despite his young age, he was surprisingly strong, and the struggle left him drenched in sweat. Yan Xia quickly came over and pressed him down. “Mo An! It’s too chaotic now. Don’t cause trouble for Silver Fang’s rescue!”

“Let me join the rescue! I want to help! I want to help!” Mo An looked toward the building’s entrance as if gauging Xia Yu’s chances of survival. Suddenly, the door began to distort before his eyes. The particles in the air grew larger, exposing themselves to him.

A gigantic, umbrella-shaped mushroom burst through a person’s abdominal cavity, exploding with billions of spores. Crimson mycelium filled the capillaries and skin, binding the body to the wall. The enormous mushroom rose from the ground and gradually transformed into the shape of a person.

“Mo An? Mo An, what’s wrong? Mo An!” Xi Ban shook his shoulders, but Mo An suddenly stopped moving and his right eye turned scarlet. Could it be…?

At the same moment, Xia Yu slowly opened his eyes. His first feeling was an intense urge to vomit.

His head hurt terribly. He must have been hit hard with a stick. After a while, Xia Yu was able to move. First, he heard the sound of water.

Where was he? Why was he here? He forced himself to stand up, but he couldn’t stand completely upright. He felt like he was trapped in a cage that was too short.

What happened? Xia Yu desperately tried to remember. Wasn’t he evacuating residents from the building? Why was he here now?

“Hehe, you’re awake? I didn’t expect you, looking so frail, to wake up so quickly.”

“Who?” Xia Yu looked into the darkness.

“Don’t worry about who we are. If you don’t want to suffer, just obey us,” said the person in the darkness.

“Where is this? Who are you?” Xia Yu didn’t recognize the voices, and he was certain that he was no longer in that building. “Don’t do anything rash. You’d better let me go back. I have many friends, and if they find out I’m missing, they’ll come looking for me. Then you’re all finished.”

“Don’t worry. No matter how many friends you have, they won’t find this place. They’re probably still searching that building, thinking you’re trapped under the rubble. Once we reach the Black Sea, no one will be able to find you. You’ll be alive, but no one will be able to prove it. You’ll become anonymous.”

What? Going to the Black Sea? Isn’t that where Talos often goes out to sea? What kind of place is that? Xia Yu grabbed the cage bars and immediately realized that he might have been kidnapped. Would Mo An and the others still think he was in that building? Of course, they wouldn’t know that he had been smuggled out to sea.

What could he do now? How could he contact them? What were the chances of escaping?

The next second, his metal bracelet flashed quickly and then dimmed. Xia Yu turned his back and secretly looked at the unlit screen, where he saw several small, inconspicuous characters.

Jingwei: [Don’t be afraid, I’m here.]

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