Chapter 18 – Burial Ground (1)

Unknowingly, the entire convoy had already been on the move for quite some time.

In the video data left behind by the ill-fated defense team, the so-called landmarks might have appeared as nothing more than a series of simple numbers. However, only upon truly embarking on this journey did one come to realize how long and arduous the path truly was.

Humanity still knew far too little about this subterranean world.

The vast and endless dimness seemed to be the only prevailing tone here. No one knew what might lie hidden in the deepest recesses of this place.

At times, the unknown itself was the greatest source of fear.

According to estimates, the journey would take at least three days and three nights.

There were only two people inside the vehicle.

Ying Xize had remained silent ever since boarding. This was clearly his usual demeanor. Even so, he still found it difficult to endure the passionate enthusiasm displayed by the logistics member in the driver’s seat, who also served as a part-time sniper.

Zhuo Yu, this young man, had a personality as radiant as his healthy, malt-colored skin. Once he began talking, he was unstoppable. “Researcher Ying, don’t be fooled by how fierce and menacing our boss usually looks. In truth, when he’s not having one of his episodes, he treats us really well!”

“Two years ago, during a mission, I nearly crashed. If the boss hadn’t braved all obstacles to come back and save me, I would’ve lost my life right there! From that day on, I was certain—this life of mine belongs to the boss!”

“Right now, there are only a few brothers left in the Seventh Squad. All our bonds were forged by risking our lives, fighting on the edge of a blade. If you have some free time in the next couple of days, you might as well interact more with the other members. You’ll find that everyone is quite warm-hearted.”

A faint smile appeared at the corner of Ying Xize’s lips. “As enthusiastic as you?”

“Ah, I guess I’m too noisy?” Zhuo Yu seemed to have picked up on the subtle undertone in his words, and his face flushed slightly. “But if we’re talking about who’s more talkative, I’ve always felt that Brother Shen is even more so than I am.”

Ying Xize paused in thought, recalling from the depths of his memory a figure who often lingered around Su Fengzhou. “Shen Wenyan, right? Seems like quite a chatterbox.”

Zhuo Yu, having found an ally, was delighted. “Isn’t it? So you know Brother Shen, too! I told you, when it comes to being talkative, I can’t even hold a candle to him. Last time he even insisted on calling himself a quiet and handsome man, wasn’t that just infuriating?”

With a hint of a smile, Ying Xize replied, “Mhm, it is annoying.”

In his life, it was rare for him to encounter those who were like Zhuo Yu or that follower of Su Fengzhou, Shen Wenyan—people with such openly expressive personalities.

Looking back on the memories of recent years, Ying Xize felt as if his life had been filled with perfectly ordered routines. Everything from the people around him, the tasks to be done, and even those goals temporarily defined as his own aspirations.

Whether it was his colleagues at the Research Department or his assistant, Xiang Jiayan, for those immersed long-term in academic circles, it was all too easy to draw strict boundaries around themselves and proceed with tasks strictly within those confines. And these matters often demanded absolute calmness and composure.

Zhuo Yu caught the hint of amusement in Ying Xize’s tone and brightened up as well.

Taking advantage of the boredom during the drive, their casual chatter continued sporadically.

Ying Xize slowly turned his gaze toward the window, occasionally responding with a few words when he remembered to.

As they ventured deeper, the entire convoy gradually fell into a rhythm of intermittent halts during the journey.

One after another, they began to encounter various troublesome incidents, both major and minor.

Naturally, the primary source of these troubles was the underground creatures.

The environment within the Chen Mountain Cave was dim and damp, granting the surrounding vegetation a unique and almost subtle ecosystem in which to survive.

During the journey, the heavy wind occasionally slammed against the windows of the vehicle.

From time to time, strange-looking flies would pass by, their four phosphorescent wings fluttering, teetering in the wind.

The three mandibles atop their heads grotesquely stretched open as they clustered together in scattered groups, eventually disappearing into the exhaust fumes trailing behind the convoy.

Wriggling vines often crawled out from the surroundings, cautiously attempting to approach, only to be ruthlessly crushed beneath the speeding tires.

Through several years of exploration within the Chen Mountain Cave, people had already discovered that some vegetation in this unfamiliar world had undergone noticeable mutations. This heightened ecological activity, at least from a human perspective, was obviously not a good sign.

Ying Xize did not open the window.

Yet even through the glass, he could still sense the heavy stench of decay that permeated the outside world.

This scent became increasingly pronounced as they ventured deeper into the Chen Mountain Cave.

Based on current knowledge, the inherently brutal aliens possessed only a predatory nature. Within their underground world, they also seemed to relish scenes of mutual slaughter.

Along the way, it was not uncommon to spot a skeleton or two by the roadside, still stained with remnants of flesh and blood.

No one knew how long they had been discarded there, but the corpses were surrounded by swarms of flying insects that fed on carrion, thoroughly enjoying their free meal.

The convoy gradually came to a halt, following the lead command vehicle at the front.

This was already the fifth stop along the journey, and everyone had begun to adapt to this rhythm.

The vehicle where Ying Xize was seated was not far from the front. From this angle, he could faintly see several figures disembarking from the lead vehicles.

Among them, Su Fengzhou’s figure stood out particularly in the moving crowd. Shortly after, he swiftly regrouped the squad and quickly dashed in a specific direction.

“Hostile alien swarm encountered ahead. Please provide immediate support… Attention… hostile alien swarm encountered ahead… please provide immediate support… non-combat personnel, please remain in place… Repeat, non-combat personnel… please remain in place…”

The communication vehicle continuously adjusted its signal range within the convoy, and the communication devices inside each vehicle began intermittently transmitting the voice of the commander.

The combat personnel from other special task squads in the vehicles at the rear also began disembarking one after another upon receiving the orders.

The group circled the stationary space vehicle, heading together to support the on-site combat unit ahead.

The surrounding atmosphere, accompanied by the occasional piercing static from the communication channel, carried a subtle sense of tension.

This was not the first alien swarm they had encountered after entering the Chen Mountain Cave, but up until now, all of them had been cleared directly by the three elite combat squads stationed at the front.

Therefore, strictly speaking, this was the first time the advance unit had issued a support request.

Without a doubt, the scale of this alien swarm was significantly larger than the previous ones.

Probably noticing through the rearview mirror that Ying Xize was looking out the window, Zhuo Yu smiled and reassured him, “Researcher Ying, don’t worry. Our boss can take care of a small scene like this without any problem.”

Ying Xize had initially wanted to say he wasn’t worried, but the words paused on his lips as something suddenly came to mind. With mild interest, he subtly lifted his tone. “You trust your Captain Su that much?”

Zhuo Yu, a young fellow, immediately displayed the highest level of blind admiration on the spot. “Of course! Even if the entire Ninth Squad gets wiped out, our boss can still tear apart aliens with his bare hands!”

After saying that, he didn’t forget to add, out of a clear sense of self-preservation, “I didn’t mean to curse anyone else.”

Noisy as they might be in daily life, when it came to matters of human survival, these frontline combatants remained remarkably principled.

Ying Xize smiled, but a sudden burst of gunfire cut off the rest of his words.

Looking toward the direction of the sound, he saw the towering light columns erected by the Guides shooting straight into the sky.

They pierced through the dim sky in sweeping formation, transforming into a wide, unfolding spiritual barrier.

Since it was inconvenient to use communication devices within the Chen Mountain Cave, during combat operations, the spiritual pillars erected by the Guides often served as the most convenient signal source.

Ying Xize briefly observed the coverage range of the light columns and made a simple deduction. He could preliminarily confirm that the alien swarm they had encountered this time had already reached a C-level.

Under normal circumstances, dealing with this would require at least one fully equipped, independent Defense Force.

From the moment the first shot was fired, the surrounding silence had already been thoroughly broken.

Even the distant, dim sky was gradually dyed with the intense glow of firelight.

Such high-brightness illumination was far too abrupt for the underground creatures of the cave.

Outside the window, countless flying insects moved in formation, heading in the exact opposite direction.

These small, hurried escape groups formed as if to confirm that it was the humans who had trespassed uninvited, the true intruders.

Half of Ying Xize’s face flickered in and out of view under the glow of the firelight. He slowly extended a fingertip and gently rubbed the surface of the car window.

Through the glass, a faint smear could be seen—subtle traces of blood plasma left behind by a panicked insect that had crashed against it without aim.

This was the scene that met Zhuo Yu’s eyes when he turned around.

Although the surroundings were dim and oppressive, it still made his breath falter. After a long pause, he finally couldn’t help but ask, “Researcher Ying, this should be your first time in the Chen Mountain Cave, right?”

Ying Xize lifted his gaze. “Yes. Why?”

“Then you’ve got guts. You don’t seem the least bit afraid!” Zhuo Yu scratched his head, his tone carrying a hint of admiration. “I still remember the first time I went on a mission with the boss. It was just on the outskirts of the city, and even then, I nearly lost it staying in the car alone. If I had even half your mental strength, I wouldn’t still be stuck in this logistics role. At this rate, I’ll have to wait at least another year before I can be reassigned!”

Ying Xize gave a faint smile, his expression light and distant.

Only after hearing those words did he realize that the word ‘fear’ hadn’t appeared in his world for quite some time.

If he were to trace it back, it probably began on the day his life’s trajectory had been completely altered.

One thing he had to acknowledge was that he had long since embarked on a path completely different from that of many others.

And this path, in all likelihood, was destined to be one he would walk alone, in silence.

A deep, thunderous roar echoed from afar, then all around them fell into complete quietness.

Within Ying Xize’s pupils, there seemed to linger a faint trace of extinguished firelight. Quiet and subdued, his gaze turned toward the direction where the beams of light were gradually fading.

“It’s over,” he said.

Zhuo Yu was momentarily stunned before realizing what Ying Xize meant.

Yet the silence barely lasted more than a moment before sporadic gunfire rang out once more.

Only this time, for many, the meaning felt far more profound. Compared to the earlier turmoil, it struck straight at the heart.

Even Zhuo Yu, who had always worn a cheerful smile, showed a rare shadow across his face.

Everyone knew clearly—if before they had been eliminating aliens, then now, they were cleansing ‘deviants.’

In the words familiar to every researcher at the Central Research Department: “Once subjected to mutation, it is no longer a human.”

Unknown alien species had only one fate—to be eradicated.

Once the second wave of gunfire had entirely ceased, the combat personnel at the front began returning one after another.

The convoy did not move on.

Following a brief command meeting, the communications vehicle began busily issuing the first camp setup order. The signal remained weak, and the broadcast was harsh and filled with static. “Logistics personnel, please proceed to clean up the site… logistics personnel… proceed to clean up the site… all others, disembark. Today’s journey ends here… we will be spending the night at this location… repeating, logistics personnel…”

Ying Xize pushed open the door and stepped out. Around him, logistics personnel who had received the command rushed by in a hurry.

Zhuo Yu, the logistics member assigned exclusively to the Seventh Squad, was not required to participate in such basic tasks. As though he hadn’t heard the broadcast at all, he sat cross-legged in the driver’s seat, quietly cleaning his sniper rifle.

His movements were slow and gentle. The earlier smile had vanished from his face, as though he could use this act to forget the discomfort brought by the gunfire just now.

Ying Xize had to admit that Su Fengzhou’s arrangement was a wise one. Someone as soft-hearted as Zhuo Yu truly was not suited for the life of the Seventh Squad, where one lived by licking blood off the blade’s edge. Remaining in logistics, away from the frontlines, was already the best possible role for him.

Ying Xize stood at the wind’s edge for a long time.

Though the combat zone was far away, the faint scent of blood carried by the wind still caused him to frown unconsciously.

The exact number of casualties was still being tallied. It would not be long before the sacrifices made in the battle against this wave of aliens were fully accounted for.

He lightly adjusted his collar and felt no desire to linger any longer in such an open and desolate area.

Just as he was about to head elsewhere, he looked up by chance and happened to catch sight of a figure not far away.

Whether it was intentional or not, Su Fengzhou had clearly distanced himself from the others. He sat alone, squatting atop an enormous boulder in the middle of the empty field.

After the fierce battle earlier, his body was still soaked in thick, dark green blood that had yet to dry.

His protective gloves had been removed and casually tossed at his feet. A mint cigarette rested between his fingers, and the curling smoke blurred his figure slightly, as if it could disperse the lingering scent of blood clinging to his body.

No one knew how many of the earlier gunshots had come from his own hands. His sidearm was carelessly tucked at his waist, made all the more grim by the presence of the metal-sheathed blade beside it.

Ying Xize found himself momentarily distracted—something rare for him. But Su Fengzhou, with the keen sensitivity of a Sentinel, quickly sensed the subtle gaze. He looked up, and before Ying Xize could withdraw his eyes, their gazes met.

Even in the dim light, Ying Xize noticed that the man’s eyes seemed tinged with an even deeper crimson than before entering the Chen Mountain Cave.

He was like the black wolf beside him, exuding a dark and dangerous aura from head to toe.

It reminded Ying Xize of the first time they met at the scene of an ‘incident.’

He began to walk forward.

He made his way through the bustling crowd, heading toward Su Fengzhou.

For a brief moment, Ying Xize seemed to notice the fingers holding the cigarette pause ever so slightly.

Su Fengzhou watched as Ying Xize walked straight up to him.

“I am…”

Before the word ‘fine’ could be spoken, Ying Xize had already lowered his gaze to the spiritual form beside him. “Nice dog.”

The corner of Su Fengzhou’s mouth twitched. “…It’s not a dog. It’s a black wolf.”

Ying Xize neither confirmed nor denied. “Pure red eyes. Quite a distinctive look.”

The black wolf instinctively began to wag its tail, but was immediately stilled by a glance from Su Fengzhou.

He then touched the corner of his eye in thought, and a faint, subtle arc lifted on his face. “What, do you like it?”

Ying Xize finally turned his eyes to Su Fengzhou, giving him a slow once-over. “As far as I know, persistent redness in human eyes is considered a medical condition. If Captain Su needs it, I can contact a friend who studied medicine once we’re out. He could prescribe you something for daily use.”

“Oh?” Su Fengzhou smiled instead of showing anger. “I thought someone like Teacher Ying, a research expert, would be proficient in everything.”

Ying Xize caught the teasing in his tone and responded with a smile of his own. “Among all medical tools, the one I’m most familiar with is probably the scalpel used for dissecting tissue. Captain Su, care to give it a try?”

Su Fengzhou gave a half-smile and leaned in slightly. “Where would you like to start?”

Ying Xize gave no reply. He faintly turned to the side, unhurriedly walked past Su Fengzhou, and then crouched down in front of the black wolf nearby.

The spiritual form still carried traces of the blood scent from the earlier battle. However, when it saw Ying Xize approaching, it stuck out its tongue in a friendly gesture. For a short moment, it forgot Su Fengzhou’s earlier warning glance and instinctively began wagging its tail.

As the wagging grew faster, it gradually began to resemble the spinning of a propeller.

“……” Su Fengzhou held back and, in the end, chose not to scold the black wolf who was acting a bit too friendly toward outsiders.

It wasn’t until Ying Xize extended his slender fingers and gently rubbed the fur atop the wolf’s head that Su Fengzhou instinctively raised a broad hand to press against his forehead. With a light sensation triggered through the link to his spiritual form, his gaze slowly lowered.

At that moment, at the edge of his vision, a small silver-white snake emerged from behind Ying Xize’s neck. It flicked its tongue slightly toward the black wolf, its behavior both curious and wary.

Su Fengzhou: “.”