Gu Zhi tightened her grip on the metal pipe, matching Cheng Ye's determined stride. The ruins around them seemed alive, each creak of twisted metal and distant growl setting her nerves on edge.
"Where exactly are we going?" she asked, breaking the tense silence.
Cheng Ye didn't glance back. "A safer location. I have a temporary base nearby."
"Safe? In this deathtrap of a world?" Gu Zhi muttered. "Forgive me if I don't trust your definition of 'safe.'"
"Trust is irrelevant," Cheng Ye replied curtly. "Survival is all that matters."
As they approached what appeared to be an abandoned industrial facility, the drones circled ahead, scanning the perimeter. The building loomed ominously, its steel walls covered in rust and scorch marks. Cheng Ye motioned for Gu Zhi to stay back as he approached a concealed panel.
With a quick sequence of inputs, the door slid open, revealing a dimly lit interior. The hum of machinery filled the air, and the faint glow of monitors illuminated rows of salvaged equipment.
"Cozy," Gu Zhi said dryly, stepping inside. "Let me guess—this is where you plot world domination?"
"Efficiency," Cheng Ye corrected, ignoring her jab. He strode toward a central console, his fingers flying across the keyboard. "This base was repurposed to monitor mutant activity and test countermeasures. Stay out of the way."
"Wow, you really know how to make someone feel welcome," she quipped, leaning against a nearby table. "So, what's the plan, genius?"
Cheng Ye didn't respond immediately, his focus on the data scrolling across the screens. After a moment, he spoke. "The mutants are evolving. Their cybernetic enhancements are becoming more integrated, less crude. Something—or someone—is accelerating their development."
Gu Zhi frowned. "You're saying there's a mastermind behind all this?"
"It's a hypothesis," he said, his tone clipped. "One I intend to prove."
Before she could press further, the console emitted a sharp beep. Cheng Ye's expression darkened. "They're coming. A large group—less than two kilometers away."
"Fantastic," Gu Zhi said, rolling her eyes. "Any brilliant countermeasures, or are we just running again?"
Cheng Ye turned to face her, his gaze piercing. "If we stay, we fight. If we run, they'll track us to the next location. Your choice."
"Gee, thanks for the optimism," she muttered, tightening her grip on the pipe. "Fine. What's the plan?"
He gestured toward a rack of modified weapons. "Take what you can handle. Follow my lead, and don't get killed."
Gu Zhi approached the rack, her eyes scanning the unfamiliar equipment. Most of the weapons looked like cobbled-together prototypes—laser-edged blades, plasma rifles, and other devices she couldn't even name.
She picked up a compact energy blaster, testing its weight. "Not bad. How does this thing work?"
"Point, shoot, don't miss," Cheng Ye said, already arming himself with a sleek, high-powered rifle. His drones began forming defensive positions around the room, their movements precise and deliberate.
The ground trembled slightly, the distant growls growing louder. Gu Zhi swallowed hard, forcing herself to focus. "You know, I didn't exactly sign up for a mutant massacre."
Cheng Ye smirked faintly. "Then try not to die. You're more useful alive."
The first mutant burst through the door, a hulking mass of flesh and metal. Its glowing eyes zeroed in on them as it let out an ear-piercing screech.
Gu Zhi raised her blaster, her heart pounding. "Here we go again."