EDEH Chapter 108

“Beep—”

 

“Please verify identity, authorized person.”

 

Sang Jue tilted his head slightly, already knowing that “authorized person” referred to humans selected after observation. That authority slot with only a number was reserved by the doctor over a hundred years ago.

 

A total of sixteen people could be loaded.

 

The doctor didn’t like the past Supreme Council’s monopolistic model. Under normal circumstances, 007 would select one or two people from various factions to achieve balance.

 

But now, humanity’s high-level talent was scarce. Most high-ranking deviants had already ‘evolved’ for over ten years. From a human lifespan perspective they were still young, but for deviants with at most thirty years of prime life, they could be said to be near death.

 

For example, Lin Shuyi, Ling Gen… they had at most two or three years left, reaching old age at barely fifty.

 

Besides Huo Yanji, 007 couldn’t find suitable people for the moment.

 

If not for this urgent situation, it might have observed for a while longer.

 

Huo Yanji’s information had already been recorded, including not just fingerprints but also “iris” information that many people had never even heard of.

 

He removed his gloves and pressed on the blue fingerprint screen. Only after verification passed could he verify his iris.

 

After a while, a cold mechanical voice announced: “Iris recognition passed, verification successful.”

 

The solemn soldiers behind didn’t understand how Huo Yanji had underground city authority, but all kept their eyes forward, expressionless, showing no trace of confusion, like emotionless weapons.

 

“First team up, follow Major General Wei Lan’s commands.” Huo Yanji checked the time: “Must gain control of the eastern district in the shortest time possible!”

 

“Yes!”

 

The safe zone above the underground city was in chaos. The rhetoric about “underground city self-sealing and abandoning survivors” seriously affected military morale. Some uninformed soldiers fell into a crisis of faith, unable to display their original strength against the large groups of chaotic, agitated monsters outside the city. This led to the eastern city nearly falling.

 

Controlling rebels and dealing with Bernie were secondary—they had to defend this city first.

 

Once the surface fell, they’d need to spend much more military force and cost to clean up before rescuing underground city residents. Underground city residents weren’t like those on the surface—there were millions of them, almost all women, impossible to abandon.

 

Huo Yanji turned around: “Eleventh team guards the passage. No one may approach, especially council-related personnel.”

 

“Yes!”

 

Guarding here was to prevent the small number of people with ulterior motives from discovering they could now leave the underground city. According to the council’s usual methods, they might even cause an uproar, manipulate public opinion, and paint Huo Yanji as a villain wanting to control everything and harm the masses.

 

Surface.

 

A young major gritted his teeth: “Don’t give up! Behind us are millions of residents!! Once our defense line collapses, they’ll all die!!”

 

This safe zone, being too close to the Thousand Wolf Mountains, was accustomed to monster attacks. But usually, only wolf packs from the mountains would mount concentrated assaults.

 

And the weapons level here was far higher than other safe zones, so they weren’t too wary of monsters. Unlike the main city, they wouldn’t sound alarms or take corresponding protective measures at the first sign of disaster.

 

Overconfidence would destroy everything.

 

The monsters driven out by this mountain fire were diverse in type with different characteristics and weaknesses, making them hard to resist.

 

Plus recent rumors had shaken military morale, causing soldiers to feel lost, unsure what meaning all these years of struggle had.

 

Blood splattered in waves, comrades fell beside them one by one…

 

The soldier looked at wolves eyeing them twenty meters away, fear rising in his heart—retreat.

 

As long as they turned and left now, there was still a way to live.

 

They were supposed to protect residents, but who would protect them? Even the underground city had abandoned them.

 

We’re all pawns, insignificant existences. Even if we die on the battlefield, get infected by monsters, no one will give us relief.

 

So why not become deserters?

 

“Bang!!”

 

Suddenly, a bullet traveled at a speed barely visible to the naked eye, grazing past the soldier’s ear and colliding with an attacking wolf’s head. Bright red blood drew a parabolic arc in the air. The soldier instinctively turned back to see a large wave of reinforcements arriving through blood and fire!

 

‘Evolution’ had given him excellent senses. The soldier immediately spotted snipers systematically occupying high positions on buildings behind them—they had all once been supervisors. And that bullet just now came from the former Supreme Executive, Huo Yanji.

 

“It’s General Huo from the main city!!!”

 

“Didn’t they say the general was trapped in the underground city!?”

 

Through the broadcast came Huo Yanji’s familiar cold tone: “The underground city has abandoned no one and will never abandon anyone. Please summon your full spirit and give your all to defeat the enemies before us!”

 

“Yes!!!” Ten thousand voices in unison, military morale soaring.

 

For soldiers, they only needed one shot of confidence to sacrifice everything like moths to flame.

 

…

 

This expulsion battle had continued for two full days without ending, but Huo Yanji had no time to linger. He had to reach District Seven during the golden period of quelling rebellion.

 

District Seven had previously suffered heavy losses from flying contamination waves and was simply unable to deal with large numbers of rebels. The aircraft absolutely could not fall into rebel hands.

 

And the main city had already sent support to District Five and was stretched thin itself.

 

Huo Yanji held a brief meeting in the underground city safe zone, concisely explaining the upcoming plan.

 

First, he would quietly leave the city tonight, while everyone needed to create the illusion that he was still here helping resist contaminants, because they needed to deliver a fatal blow when rebels were unprepared.

 

But on the other hand, this place had to be defended—the millions of underground city residents absolutely could not be trapped below.

 

Wei Lan said: “Rest assured, we will do our utmost.”

 

Huo Yanji looked at her and suddenly asked: “With Bernie’s rebellion, this safe zone has no one stationed. What are your thoughts?”

 

Having worked together for so many years, Wei Lan naturally understood Huo Yanji’s implication.

 

She didn’t hesitate, saying directly: “If you think I’m the most suitable person, then I will go through fire and water without hesitation.”

 

The former commander here was a general who lost control and died three years ago. With no one available, Bernie became commander. Now that Bernie was confirmed as a rebel, there was even less choice.

 

Wei Lan was a ready candidate—young, excellent, calm and steady, with the competence, recently promoted, meeting transfer standards.

 

Everything was so perfectly timed—setting aside personal matters.

 

This wasn’t the era of convenient transportation from hundreds of years ago. Currently, if you couldn’t live in the same district, it largely meant you’d never see each other again in this lifetime.

 

If they met again, it would likely be during war or disaster.

 

But Wei Lan didn’t evade, directly addressed the topic, and calmly accepted the arrangement without hesitation.

 

When the meeting ended, Huo Yanji indicated for Wei Lan to slow down. They walked behind the others as Huo Yanji said: “You two discuss privately. I can transfer Colin over, but he’ll have difficulty advancing further.”

 

This safe zone was small to begin with, dependent on the underground city. Even if underground city residents later migrated out leaving some behind and the surface safe zone expanded, it couldn’t expand much—after all, the surrounding area was the Thousand Wolf Mountains with too many factors to consider.

 

One general stationed there was enough; they didn’t need so many troops.

 

Wei Lan was quite calm: “You don’t need to feel guilty. In this world, separation is normal. Being able to contribute all value in limited time makes me happy.”

 

Huo Yanji said: “Mm. After this battle settles, you should work on expansion planning for later, based on current population plus about 300,000.”

 

“Yes.” Wei Lan pondered briefly and asked: “With residents moved out, the underground city becomes an empty city. How do you plan to handle it? You can’t just abandon it.”

 

Huo Yanji had long-term ideas: “Underground city radiation won’t affect adults short-term—it’s safe and clean. Elderly soldiers can’t contribute much militarily, and after retirement they have difficulty integrating with residents and might face discrimination. Better to make the underground city a retirement place for soldiers.”

 

Wei Lan was somewhat surprised: “Welfare benefits for soldiers have indeed been too little all these years.”

 

But this was still just a concept with many subsequent issues.

 

First, few soldiers lived to retirement age. Second, what about deviants? As unstable elements who could lose control anytime, they sacrificed more than ordinary soldiers but received worse treatment—this could later cause dissatisfaction and unrest.

 

Wei Lan asked directly.

 

“It’s still just an idea. The proposal needs agreement from most regions.” Huo Yanji said: “To improve humanity’s situation, deviant combat power is essential short-term, but we won’t encourage and induce like before. We’ll clarify pros and cons—voluntary applications, increased benefits, higher subsidies for deviants, compensation for low-level and failed deviants, and just fifteen years of service before retiring to the underground city to enjoy peaceful times.”

 

Also their final times.

 

Those choosing ‘evolution’ were gambling—betting they wouldn’t lose control within fifteen years.

 

The corridor’s floor-to-ceiling windows were tinted yellow by dusk. Outside the city walls, smoke and artillery fire raged. Further away, mountain fires connected with sunset clouds—momentarily indistinguishable which was more striking.

 

Pattering ash had spread into the city like the last gray snow before apocalypse.

 

Huo Yanji stopped and looked into the distance: “Deviants willing to come to the underground city must undergo monthly inspections like before to ensure underground city security.”

 

Wei Lan asking these questions clearly meant she’d decided to station here, so underground city placement was closely related to her.

 

She paused, didn’t ask about the mysterious female voice that had contacted her through the communicator, but chose a more tactful question: “The underground city can no longer provide a breeding environment… do you have a solution for the population problem?”

 

Simple logic: solve the newborn problem and humanity had hope. With hope, they’d have time to discuss things like elderly care in this resource-scarce state.

 

No matter how idealistic Huo Yanji was, he wouldn’t be “universally loving” on such practical issues.

 

Huo Yanji said calmly: “Not exactly a solution, but there’s hope now.”

 

It truly wasn’t a solution. Even with large quantities of high-quality sperm and eggs and artificial womb technology, they couldn’t nurture a new generation in the underground city. Surface conditions were harsh and radiation levels weren’t ideal.

 

Underground city radiation had been causing newborn deaths for five or six years, meaning they had to create a new space for nurturing life on the surface in a very short time, or population would soon drop off a cliff.

 

Like the Garden of Eden.

 

Pure, clean, unpolluted, radiation-free.

 

Wei Lan didn’t press further, just turned her head and said calmly: “Just wondering how many people will support your approach this time.”

 

Considering elderly care for residents during the apocalypse was undoubtedly fantastical. Setting aside the main city, other safe zones would probably curse Huo Yanji as a fool.

 

But Huo Yanji had his considerations. Currently humanity was in complete chaos. After a series of upheavals, the seemingly cohesive popular sentiment couldn’t withstand any more setbacks—any incident could trigger chain reactions of disorder.

 

But humans were complex yet simple.

 

Give them just a little hope, and they’d rush toward it with everything they had.

 

Huo Yanji didn’t want to talk to survivors about unrealistic ideals or great acts of creating dawn—

 

All sacrifices were for better survival, for close relatives, friends, even strangers passing by.

 

Without sacrifice and dedication, they couldn’t even protect the present, let alone discuss the future.

 

“Click—”

 

At the end of the corridor, a figure approached. Originally somewhat hurried footsteps clearly slowed upon seeing others present, completely different from the impulsive willfulness of directly pouncing before.

 

Wei Lan said: “General, I’ll go first.”

 

Huo Yanji nodded, turned and walked toward Sang Jue. Smelling blood, he casually asked: “How was today’s battle record?”

 

Sang Jue said: “37, two more monsters than yesterday.”

 

“Impressive.”

 

Huo Yanji didn’t place excessive restrictions on Sang Jue. Though Sang Jue seemed fragile, he wasn’t truly fragile. Since he’d become ‘human,’ more external experience would benefit growth and mental training.

 

Whether it was an illusion or not, after learning the truth about the doctor’s death, though Sang Jue didn’t cry, he no longer wanted to talk to others, even Wei Lan.

 

Clearly in the past he could chat with any stranger he didn’t dislike, his little mouth chattering nonstop.

 

“Hold hands.”

 

Sang Jue glanced at Huo Yanji, raised his hand, concise and clear.

 

Huo Yanji removed his gloves and took that cold hand: “Not disgusted by blood on your hands, was just thinking about things.”

 

Very dragon-understanding, instantly knowing the dragon’s little thoughts.

 

After holding hands, the little evil dragon’s mood clearly improved, his tone softening: “What were you thinking?”

 

“Thinking about how we leave at dawn, at least three or four days on the road, and lots to do in District Seven. Can we insert the tail once more tonight?” Huo Yanji casually fabricated: “You said in front of 007 last time that this was something you liked.”

 

Instantly, light red tinged Sang Jue’s ears. Unconsciously looking ahead, his tone serious: “You said before not to say such things in public places.”

 

Huo Yanji raised an eyebrow: “What kind of things?”

 

Sang Jue: “…This kind.”

 

Huo Yanji asked: “So will you let me?”

 

“Just a little bit.” Sang Jue added: “Because you’re not a dolphin. We leave at dawn, and not sleeping by nine will cause sudden death.”

 

“…” Huo Yanji directly scooped him up horizontally, striding toward the temporary room. He stripped him clean, rinsed him under the shower, then tossed him on the bed.

 

Sang Jue closed his eyes and waited for ages. Seeing no movement, he secretly opened one eye and asked puzzledly: “You should hurry up. It’s seven o’clock. When it reaches nine, even if you’re not finished, I’ll pull you out.”

 

“…” Huo Yanji raised his hand, restrainedly caressing the corner of Sang Jue’s lips: “Just teasing you. No time tonight—still have lots to handle. I’ll deal with it after you sleep.”

 

**

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