Chapter 183.1 – Key (26)

◎ You are free (End of Key Arc) ◎

Half an hour ago.

Fenak Border.

Duanmu Qi held Xu Xing, and Xiao Chen and Fang Zhixu closely followed. The four moved constantly in the wilderness.

After the “Blood-Red Building Blocks” disappeared, they were no longer trapped in one place, but due to the randomness of teleportation, they had to reconfirm their direction each time they landed.

“No, it’s reversed.” Xiao Chen lowered his head to check the navigation and quickly reminded them.

They had just crossed the border, and unexpectedly, they were teleported back. Duanmu Qi’s fingers moved mechanically, faintly beginning to cramp, but he dared not stop, urgently activating the camping lamp second by second.

Swish!

Random teleportation took effect.

In the frozen moment of the scene, Duanmu Qi’s heart stopped suddenly. This time, the teleportation had brought them right in front of the enemy!

Blood Bat and Wolf Spider looked unexpectedly at them, less than ten meters away. They didn’t expect the prey to deliver itself automatically. For a moment, they were caught off guard.

Duanmu Qi’s breathing became rapid. He quickly reached for another crystal, but Gusta’s reaction was faster. His S-level ability “Biological Electric Current” was activated, and Duanmu Qi trembled all over as the bag filled with crystals suddenly slipped from his hand!

A silver arc of light cut through, an invisible kite string severed the woven rope, and the bright red crystals scattered on the ground.

No!! Duanmu Qi’s scream stuck in his throat. Thick thorns burst from the ground, futilely trying to retrieve the scattered crystals.

Xu Xing’s pupils contracted, the surrounding temperature dropped suddenly, and ice needles shot out towards the opposite side. Blood Bat hastily evaded.

Meanwhile, Fang Zhixu, relying on his proficient technique of picking up crystals for a long time, quickly grabbed one. Just as he was about to put it into the camping lamp, a group of corrosive spiders appeared out of thin air. They were about to bite his wrist.

The kite string of impending death cut through the throat, and Duanmu Qi closed his eyes in despair. In the end… was there no way to escape?

“Aaahhh!!”

A piercing scream tore through the air, but it did not come from their side. Duanmu Qi suddenly opened his eyes and saw a piece of flesh and blood flying off the back of the Wolf Spider, and blood splattered out.

Around them, countless Fallen of Huangyuan, their long and ghostly figures bathed in blood-red, emerged all over the mountains and plains. Duanmu Qi, in disbelief, widened his eyes. No, they were not zombies! In the distance, on a tall tower, a figure stood, letting out a distant and prolonged howl.

Blood Bat and Wolf Spider were already heavily injured by Song Ke, their strength dropping to almost A-level. These blood zombies, like locusts, incessantly emerged, attacking them. Even with their abilities, they couldn’t kill them all. Limbs and heads were bitten off alive, and the gruesome scene of blood and flesh was horrifying to the point of nausea.

Not long after, the pursuers turned into blood mud on the ground.

Xu Xing’s eyes were swollen like peaches, crying so hard that she couldn’t catch her breath. “A—Ada…”

Ada didn’t approach. Across the distant space, she growled a few times. The remaining blood corpses retreated like a tide, disappearing from view.

Duanmu Qi was filled with tears, choked with grief. This A-level mission had completely changed his fate. He successfully obtained qualifications for District B but lost two close friends. He could never have imagined that one day he would be saved by zombies.

With the crisis averted, the four were exhausted, dragging their heavy bodies to pick up crystals scattered on the ground.

The whistling of engines came from above, and a familiar voice sounded, “Descend in altitude, survivors found ahead!”

Ye Zimei squinted to identify and then exclaimed, “…Xu Xing? Dr. Fang? It’s V587! Come quickly to save them!”

Ada’s blurred features glanced at them deeply. Against the sunlight, she turned and disappeared on the horizon.

*

The silver-white starship countered Utopia’s black fleet.

In District A2, Emira, the military center of the New Asia Alliance, was of importance second only to the Central Court, yet it was not directly under its jurisdiction. Emira had its independent garrison. Once a war broke out or an emergency occurred, it could mobilize the armed forces of the entire Alliance.

After Utopia ascended, following a power struggle, the original president was forced to step down. The new ruler rotated among the magistrates in District B, with Xie Lan assuming the first rotating presidency.

Xie Lan brought not only the Azure Phoenix Army but also top-level awakeners from places like Kongsang (District B7), Askar (District B9), Northern Base (District B10), and Minlin (District B16).

If Gu Hongyi had mobilized half of Utopia’s S-class, then Xie Lan led the assembly of the strongest ground armed forces, causing the awakened energy concentration in the entire Loak region to reach a frightening threshold. The tense atmosphere was on the verge of eruption.

Xie Lan’s orders were concise and to the point, and her tone could even be considered calm. However, under the powerful force of intimidation, no one dared to act rashly.

Ye Zheng used gravity to make the tide recede, and the battered trio of Song Ke stumbled to stand firm.

Countless familiar awakeners jumped down from the silver-white starship: Ling siblings, Bai Qi, Zhao Yuqing, Yin Xiao and members of the Tustan team…

Held by Fang Zhixu, Xu Xing was anxious. Finally reaching Song Ke, he saw her broken leg, and tears streamed down uncontrollably. He cried loudly, as if he had grown up overnight, feeling his own powerlessness.

But Song Ke had no time to comfort him. Anxiously, she shouted to everyone, “Go find Youyou! And Su Cha!”

Lin Youyou’s singing triggered a tsunami, but she couldn’t swim at all, and the two never surfaced after falling into the sea.

Jennifer’s eyes were red, “I’m going right away!”

Zhao Yuqing stood up, “I’ll go with you.” She was a water-type awakener, making it easier to find people in the sea.

Yin Xiao’s face had no previous carefree expression. His lips were tightly pursed, and he looked unusually serious, “Your injuries cannot be delayed.”

The three were lifted onto stretchers and connected to medical pods for treatment.

Fang Zhixu, with depleted awakener abilities, helped them bandage their wounds.

Zhuang Qingyan quietly raised his eyes, looking towards a high place.

After many years, he and Xie Lan, his mother, met again. Xie Lan looked at his unfamiliar yet familiar face, her gaze complicated.

Zhuang Qingyan didn’t know what expression to make. He stared at the other person for a moment, smiled slowly, and lowered his gaze.

A tall young man in Azure Phoenix uniform crossed the battlefield and crouched down in front of Song Ke.

Sensing someone approaching, Song Ke instinctively looked up, then exclaimed in surprise, “…An Qiwen?”

An Qiwen’s eyebrows and eyes relaxed as he nodded calmly, “Long time no see, Song Ke.”

His face showed the joy of meeting an old friend, but also… an enduring sorrow.

“Take good care of your injuries, leave the rest to us.”

An Qiwen patted her shoulder and then looked towards the sky where Simon was, a dark fire burning in his eyes. According to intelligence, this was the owner of the Bloody Hunter, the man behind sending Punk to Ferrara: “Team Eleven, all members, follow my orders.”

Perhaps due to excessive blood loss, Song Ke’s thoughts were a bit hazy. Through An Qiwen’s back, she vaguely saw another person.

In the tense atmosphere, the two confronting sides entered a stalemate.

With tubes all over her body, Song Ke leaned closer to Zhuang Qingyan’s ear and whispered, “Is that your mom?”

She had seen images of Xie Zhuo when he was a teenager, although it was a fleeting glimpse, the memory was deep. They looked too similar, same black hair and dark eyes, distinctive facial features, unforgettable at a glance, even the teardrop mole at the corner of their eyes was identical.

Zhuang Qingyan nodded silently, “Yes.”

“Your mom is really beautiful,” Song Ke sincerely praised.

“…” Zhuang Qingyan sighed silently. The little girl seemed to have learned the habit of admiring beauty from someone, it was deeply ingrained.

In the center of the battlefield, a sudden change occurred. Several resentful Utopia awakeners, taking advantage of the opponents’ distraction, launched a sudden attack.

“I said, violators will be exterminated.” Xie Lan’s eyes and brows chilled. With the prohibition of Azure Phoenix’s command, those offenders were instantly blasted into debris by awakener abilities.

Song Ke shrank her head, feeling a chill on her neck, “Um… she’s a bit fierce.”

The scene froze again, a deathly silence.

At that moment, the authoritative voice of Gu Hongyi echoed through the speakers, “The two generals arrived very quickly.”

His words had an underlying meaning. The signal block in Loak had just been lifted, and they arrived on the scene. Surely, they didn’t just receive the message; it was highly likely that they had been hovering nearby for a while, hindered only by the “Blood-Red Building Blocks” from entering.

Xie Lan’s gaze swept over the disheveled and breathless Xie Ping in the corner, her eyes filled with coldness.

Gu Hongyi noticed her glance and spoke slowly, “General Xie, no need to be angry. This person underneath also comes from your Xie family. His name is Xie Zhuo, the key to the Eternal Life Plan. Carefully speaking, you should be the person most aware of his identity.”

“Xie Zhuo is a first-level wanted criminal in the Alliance, and I have the right to arrest him.”

Xie Lan’s expression turned icy, “May I ask, ‘former’ leader, what crime has he committed?”

Gu Hongyi needled subtly, “Anti-human crimes.”

“You cannot arrest him.” An elderly voice spoke up, and Ye Zheng casually dropped a bombshell, “He is the next magistrate of the Northern Base. The charges you mentioned do not hold.”

Gu Hongyi was momentarily stunned, never expecting that Ye Zheng would use this method to protect Xie Zhuo. He felt absurd, shook his head, and smiled bitterly, “Ye Zheng, the Northern Base is said to be humanity’s last hope, but the person you chose would rather witness humanity’s demise with open eyes.”

Ye Zheng, accustomed to verbal sparring, was unfazed by his mockery, “A few days ago, Xie Zhuo voluntarily approached me and submitted Dr. Zhuang Qingyan’s research results before his death, including parts related to the Eternal Life Plan. Under the guidance of Dr. Ning Rong, the Northern Base, in collaboration with 12 other District Bs, is conducting in-depth research on organ regeneration.”

“So, Xie Zhuo is innocent.”

As soon as these words fell, the listeners erupted in uproar.

Utopia’s command channel was in chaos, “What! Ye Zheng already has the data?!”

“What right does their District B have to conduct independent research beyond Utopia?!”

“No, this can’t be private. Make them hand it over!”

Ye Zheng’s words brought back reason that had been swallowed by desire. The awakeners on the scene collectively stopped their actions, their expressions hesitant and uncertain.

Gu Hongyi was too taken aback. He looked at Zhuang Qingyan in silence for a long time. He never expected that he would be one step ahead and hand the materials to Ye Zheng.

“Is this your way out?” Lu Xiaoyu, leaning wearily against the medical pod, tugged at the corner of his mouth.

“Kind of.” After careful consideration, Zhuang Qingyan decided to let some of the information see the light of day. He organized the content on the way here, had the Ling siblings deliver it to Dr. Ning Rong, and confessed to Ye Zheng that the journey was fraught with danger. If he lost contact for more than a day, something had happened.

While speaking, Song Ke tugged at Fang Zhixu’s sleeve, with a shy face extending her hand, “Old Fang, get me another sealing agent.”

Fang Zhixu shook his head solemnly, “Stop injecting, it’s useless.”

Fang Zhixu had given two sealing agents to each person of V587, not because he was stingy, but because the third dose was ineffective. This type of potion relied on short-term stimulation, not to mention the severe side effects. If injected frequently, it would develop resistance, rendering subsequent doses nearly ineffective.

Song Ke pursed her lips, showing disappointment.

Her awakened energy was in turmoil, unable to find an outlet. She couldn’t use her awakened abilities, and her fingers were difficult to control, sometimes twitching involuntarily.

The confrontation continued; Utopia demanded data sharing, but Ye Zheng only said, “Relevant research will be conducted on the ground.”

The other side immediately erupted in anger, “Ye Zheng, what do you mean by this?”

Ye Zheng remained calm, and the S-level pressure filled the entire room, “Utopia does not represent the Alliance, nor does it represent District B.”

Before Gu Hongyi could respond, the more impulsive Minlin magistrate already cursed loudly, “So, the meaning is, I’ve had enough! Go to hell, Central Court! From now on, the sky belongs to you, the ground belongs to us, and no one should interfere with each other!”

The vulgar declaration plunged the scene into silence. However, the other District B magistrates remained calm, apparently having reached a consensus.

“Is this your determination?” Gu Hongyi surveyed the surroundings, asking in a deep voice.

“Mr. Gu, something bad… bad happened. District B… has declared independence,” a high-ranking official muttered.

A few hours ago, an explosive news appeared on the star network. Thirteen District Bs, including Beijun and Kongsang, issued a joint statement declaring their separation from the former Central Court, now under the jurisdiction of Utopia. They declared autonomy as an independent coalition.

Whispers came to a sudden halt, and the air fell into an eerie silence.

After a while, Gu Hongyi seemed to smile faintly.

A holographic projection descended, revealing the appearance of this former figure of the Alliance.

He was well-dressed, spirited, and he gazed at the battlefield full of devastation. He looked at more than ten magistrates on the opposite side, and finally, his scrutinizing gaze landed on Zhuang Qingyan.

After a moment of silence, he spoke, “Thirteen years ago, in the laboratory of the Fire Seed Project on this land beneath my feet, a perfect living being was born—LAK0017. It possessed eternal life, powerful awakened abilities, clear consciousness. It was the best gift that technology bestowed upon humanity and a major reason for Vincent to restart the Eternal Life Plan.”

Gu Hongyi was an outstanding orator, capturing the attention of all listeners with just a few words, causing them to change expression one after another.

Xie Lan’s eyes flickered, suddenly looking up at Zhuang Qingyan, only to find him also gazing back, his expression surprisingly calm.

“As long as we fully analyze the genetic map of LAK0017, replicate the DNA sequence one-to-one, humanity can achieve true immortality. No longer plagued by aging, diseases, and death, we can enter the next era of great development. As you can see, what I want to achieve is the goal of benefiting all humanity.”

“We, this generation, could have had eternal life.”

“Are these key data in the information given to you?”

Of course not.

Zhuang Qingyan’s face remained calm, and a stormy gloom filled his pupils.

Those who played with power had a black heart. Gu Hongyi chose this moment to publicly reveal the existence of LAK0017, and his despicable intentions were evident.

He used the most cunning provocation, causing even the magistrates of District B to discuss it incessantly, questioning Ye Zheng if what Gu Hongyi said was true.

And inside the venue, Zhuang Qingyan undoubtedly became the target of criticism.