Ther were virtually no people on the stairs, or perhaps there were only a handful of people rushing about—fewer than usual. Traversing the stairs was something that took up energy. An Zhe took a deep breath, still straining a bit. When solar winds directly struck the earth, the atmosphere would be blown away at a frightening rate and disperse in the cosmos. Although it had only been a few days, the oxygen levels in the air provided by the vents were clearly not enough. The military announcements also reminded people every day to cut down on going outside along with unnecessary physical exertion.
At the first-floor corridor, the atmosphere was even more solemn, with not a person in sight. An Zhe recalled the words "go back soon" the patrolling Judge said to him, so he increased his pace and returned to the Trial Court's territory. The doctor was typing away at a computer in the main hall. Upon seeing An Zhe, he said, "You've finally returned. Where did you go?"
"Out for a walk," An Zhe said.
He sat down next to the doctor. Dr. Ji was a very warm person; over the past few days their relationship had become quite good.
"Don't run around," the doctor said. "At least not today."
"Did something happen?" An Zhe asked.
The doctor's gaze moved away from the computerscreen to look at him, his complexion containing a hint of fatigue and his lips pale. In his azure eyes was a fathomless and deep emotion that was by no means positive. He pushed a bottle of water toward An Zhe. "Are you thirsty?"
An Zhe shook his head, for he was fine—although mushrooms were organisms that needed water very much,today his spore returned to his body, so he felt very secure; his need for water did not seem so pressing.
"All supplies are in critical states. Never mind food and water, there's not even enough oxygen," the doctor murmured. "Today at the very latest, the military will have to transfer personnel. If you returned late and missed the transfer, you'd only be able to remain here."
An Zhe was slightly confused.
"Transfer to where?" he said. He thought the Lighthouse was the final refuge.
The doctor's gaze was fixed on the blank white wall in front as he said, "The Garden of Eden."
"That place is the crop breeding center, with a stable food supply and vast reserves of clean water. The base's
resources are all there," the doctor said.
After saying that, he smiled. "The Garden of Eden's name was chosen well. Now it truly has become the final Garden of Eden."
"When the Garden of Eden was initially built, there werevoices of opposition. The breeding and cultivation of crops, drinking water supply, the raising of children… With the cores of so many resources essential to the existence of humankind concentrated in one place, even if it is extremely beneficial to the Garden of Eden, would it bring greater risks?" The doctor lowered his voice. "But the facts invariably proved that the base's capabilities had limits. When facing great catastrophes, all of humankind's resources could only be supplied to the Garden of Eden alone. We must keep it even if we sacrifice everything. If the Garden of Eden does not exist, then humankind will likewise be lost."
An Zhe understood what the doctor meant. The Garden of Eden was where the mothers and children were.
As he looked at the doctor, he asked, "Will everyone go?"
The doctor glanced at An Zhe, who found it very difficult to describe the meaning of that gaze. It was like that of a Garden of Eden dormitory teacher looking at a wayward and naive student, but in addition, there were also hints of mournfulness and sorrow.
So An Zhe knew the answer, and he said nothing.
The morning thus went by in silence. Seraing returned once, but he was in a rush, for his work was very busy.
"I have to stay here until evening." He looked at An Zhe. "The Emergency Response Department doesn't recognize you. Follow me."
The doctor said, "You can just leave it to me, I won't leave him behind."
Seraing thought for a moment, then said, "Okay."
Outside, the gusting winds did not cease for even a moment. This inexorable force from the cosmos rocked the entire human city, and the cyclones whipped up on the earth by the solar winds surpassed all disasters in recorded history. When An Zhe put his fingers to the wall, he could feel its slight tremors that were akin to a dying animal's final struggling breaths. In fact, for human creations to be able to endure for so long in such a tremendous windstorm, An Zhe felt that it was a miracle.
At one o'clock in the afternoon, someone knocked on the large door. It was a group of heavily armed officers led by three civil service officers with Emergency Response Department badges pinned to their chests. Upon seeing Dr. Ji, the officer standing at the very front gave a slight nod. "Doctor, please come with us."
The doctor asked, "Have the transfers begun?"
"Yes. It's estimated that five hundred people will be transferred," the officer said. "The military will do all in its power to ensure your safety. We've already made arrangements for your accommodations in the Garden of Eden."
"Thank you," the doctor said.
But a moment later, he looked at An Zhe. "But he has to come with me."
"According to the transfer plan, you may bring one assistant." The officer then said to An Zhe, "Please produce your ID card so that we can verify your identity."
"My assistant is no longer with us." The doctor draped an arm over An Zhe's shoulder and smiled as he said to An Zhe, "It seems that your ID card is not on you."
An Zhe said, "I only have the Colonel's."
The doctor said, "Give it to them."
An Zhe obediently took out Lu Feng's ID card. The officer took it and swiped it on the portable machine—then he clearly was stunned.
"For the base, Lu Feng went to the Underground City, and there is still no news even now." The doctor raised his eyebrows and said in a leisurely manner, "If his kid can't receive the right to asylum… I believe that isn't very appropriate."
The officer frowned. Only after walking to one side and dialing a number did he return and say, "An exception can be made for his transfer. His status will be your assistant."
The doctor said, "Thank you."
"See?" the doctor said to An Zhe as they walked through the corridor. "If you ran around in the morning and came back late—"
An Zhe pursed his lips, catching sight of the state of affairs in the main hall.
Tens of researchers in white coats formed simple lines,with military soldiers nearby guarding them. A woman was saying very agitatedly, "My assistant must come with me. Irefuse to accept such a transfer plan."
The officer said, "In the transfer plan, you do not have an allowance for an assistant, Dr. Chen."
"My research can't do without my assistant, for those tasks cannot be completed alone. Moreover, his achievements are by no means inferior to mine. He can independently manage large-scale projects as well." The woman referred to as "Dr. Chen" said loudly, "Please request instructions from the higher-ups."
"If you believe there is no way to continue your research after losing your assistant," the officer said, his voice ice cold and merciless, "you may have to remain here."
After a brief stupor, she fell silent.
An Zhe followed Dr. Ji in another direction. Thereseemed to be disputes upstairs as well, for he heard the sounds of heavy objects falling to the ground.
An exit had been opened up on the first floor of the United Front building. There, An Zhe got into the military's heavy armored vehicle. When he got on, he caught a brief glimpse of the scenery outside. The sunlight was so glaring it could almost burn his retinas, the parched and scorching air rampaged through his lungs, and grit got all over him. The formerly smooth ground was covered with deep ravines, as if it had been torn up in a frenzy by the claws of huge monsters.
All around were the sounds of people breathing. This vehicle left with thirty people on board. According to the people nearby, for this transfer, the Lighthouse had a quota of only five hundred people in total, which was less than one-tenth of all the staff members.
Someone asked, "What about our equipment and materials?"
"After we leave, power will be cut off to the entirety of the Lighthouse, the laboratories will be rated based on importance, and the important samples will be transferred to the Garden of Eden for continued preservation," someone replied.
With a "bang," the vehicle doors dropped, and the armored vehicle started up. The interior of the vehicle was dark and silent, and the doctor held his hand.
An Zhe suddenly felt that this scene was incomparably familiar. One month ago, within the overwhelming insect swarm, he had also boarded the military's truck in this manner, arrived at District Six, and accepted the Judgment Day trial. It was just that in the dark vehicle back then, the one who held his hand was Poet. Now it was the doctor. And back then, the standard for whether or not people could enter District Six was if they had not been infected. This time, the standard for whether or not people could enter the Garden of Eden was if their past, current, and future contributions to the base were sufficient.
Regardless of whether it was the Outer City or the Main City, trials were constantly taking place.
The distance traveled was very short. Coincidentally, he and the doctor were placed at the end of the sixth floor, where he had once taught children to recite poems. At the Garden of Eden, he had his first proper lunch in recent days, a bowl of potato soup. Although it was not as delicious as his own cooking, after eating hardtack and nutrition tablets for several days, it was practically a rare delicacy.
The doctor seemed careworn. In the evening, An Zhe went out to get water for him.
There were people in the break room. The woman who had clashed with the officer from earlier in the day was sobbing while facing the wall, and next to her was another researcher who patted her on the shoulder. "Perhaps the Lighthouse can endure."
"It's impossible." Her voice was raspy. "The oxygen content of the earth's air is less than half of what it originally was. After the air filtration system is started up, fresh oxygen will be preferentially delivered to the Garden of Eden only. The residential areas, military bases, and even the Twin Towers all come second in terms of oxygen supply. They won't be able to endure."
Then she lifted her head and spotted An Zhe. She asked softly, "Who are you? Are you also one of our people?"
The researcher next to her said, "It's said that he's the assistant of the testing center's Dr. Ji."
"Dr. Ji could bring an assistant…" she murmured. "It's because his achievements are superior to ours."
"Those are just the facts," the researcher said. "Don't be sad over him. If we can survive this calamity, we can train new assistants."
The tip of her nose was red, and her eyes were watery with tears. Upon hearing those words, she let out a "hah," then covered her entire face and trembled all over.
"You think…" she said, "that I'm merely… merely sad because of just my assistant?"
"The Main City's residents were thankful that they were not part of those who were abandoned when the Outer City was bombed," she said brokenly. "But they were still abandoned. We're able to stand here today in exchange for the sacrifices of everyone else in the Lighthouse… Butperhaps we'll lose our qualification tomorrow. When the sea floods an island, the exposed portion will only decrease more and more. Time's almost up. What… What exactly are we holding on for? For the interests of all humankind?"
"For the interests of all humankind."
She bent double, violently panting as she said, "This age is killing people, but humankind itself has also been killing people."
"But you must accept it, Dr. Chen Qing," the researcher said. "As the ones benefiting, we don't have the right to mourn for them."
"I know… It's just that, as humans just like them, it's emotionally difficult to accept." She made one last swipe at her tears and forced a smile. "Or are you going to say that we also don't have the right to have feelings?"
"… I don't know."
They spoke no more. An Zhe had finished getting the water, so he walked out of the break room with cup in hand. Upon lifting his head, he saw Seraing's figure flick past at one side of the corridor, opening the door to the room he and the doctor shared and entering—so he picked up his pace, wishing to greet Seraing.
The door hadn't been closed; a thread of light shone from within. An Zhe put his right hand on the door handle and was just about to push it open when he heard Seraing say, "Where's An Zhe?"
"He transferred together with me," the doctor said. "Are you looking for him?"
"Was he with you the entire time?" Seraing asked. "I just received a call from the Emergency Response Department. The important sample from Laboratory D1344 that was to be transferred has disappeared."
"Disappeared?" the doctor said. "That sample with a connection to Lu Feng? It was a very strange thing. If it died and then evaporated into the air, I would not be surprised."
An Zhe's heart rate skyrocketed. With fingers trembling, he swiftly turned and walked to the other side of the corridor.
"Not necessarily," Seraing said. "The reason why the Emergency Response Department looked for me was because the instrument recorded some operations at 6 a.m., and the operator was the Colonel. Where is An Zhe? I must find him."
"He went to get water," the doctor said.
"Thank you." There was a sound from the door, and Seraing walked out.
Standing behind the wall around the corner, An Zhe tightened his grip on the water cup.
He knew he would be discovered someday, but he didn't know that the day would arrive so quickly.
The two researchers in the break room had seen him, and very soon, Seraing would come this way. He could not let himself be found.
After becoming acutely aware of this, An Zhe looked all around the corridor, searching for a vent he could use. But then he realized that once he turned into hyphae, his clothes and ID card could only be left here to serve as damning proof.
With his chest heaving, An Zhe made the split-second decision to turn and run to the utility room at the end of this auxiliary corridor. There was a half-open small door there that led to an emergency exit corridor. There, he wouldn't be so quickly found, for up the stairs was another exit on the twenty-second floor that he and Lily had traversed once. So long as he found the same balcony as before, he'd be able to leave this building—or, find a hidden place to conceal himself. But he had to leave the sixth floor, and the further away he got, the better.
An Zhe found the small door without any difficulty. He went in, arriving at that dark staircase, and began to climb. This place seemed to be very close to the building's exterior. The wind was loud, generating drawn-out and ceaseless echoes, and the air was hot—the kind of damp heat that would suffocate humans.
In the dark, he could hear nothing save for the wind when he ran into something small.
An Zhe's initial reaction was to assume there were some inhuman monsters lurking here, but then his fingers touched smooth human hair, and he heard a child's violent gasp of fear.
He hesitated a moment. "Lily?"
"An Zhe?" Lily called out as well.
"It's me." An Zhe said.
"You've come!" Lily said. "I… I heard that the Twin Towers began the transfers, and I was just thinking of going to find you. Where's Si Nan? Was Si Nan transferred?"
"I don't know," An Zhe said. "They said that important samples would also be transferred here."
In the following second after these words were spoken, he suddenly recalled that xenogenics and monsters could now infect without making contact, so the Lighthouse might not let Si Nan enter the Garden of Eden.
But Lily seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. "Si Nan is definitely very important."
Barely recovered from her shock, she leaned against the stairs for a good while before saying, "Did you come to find me too?"
"No." An Zhe mulled over his words. "I came here to hide."
"Is someone trying to catch you?" Lily asked. Then she said, "It's very safe here."
An Zhe knew that Lily was a child who was different from other humans.
"I'm going to stay here for a few days." He stroked Lily's hair. "Can you not tell anyone else?"
The very next moment, the stairs were lit up bright as day, and glaring white light landed on Lily and him. Lily unconsciously screamed and pressed herself against him.He reached out a hand to protect this little girl, then raised his head.
In the bright white light stood Madam Lu, who was clad in a long white dress. They had previously met once before at the Lighthouse.
At Madam Lu's side were two Garden of Eden staff members with powerful flashlights.
"Lily." Madam Lu's gentle voice carried a hint of reproach. Although she was clearly speaking to Lily, her gaze was directed at An Zhe as she said softly, "Why are you still running around now?"