Fission

Weiguang District, Center City. Central Coordination Center, the Defense Department's independent operational command hall. A voice echoed through the hall: "The Fumu has entered the final preparation stage for fission." "First fission estimated to commence at 00:00 on the 22nd. Countdown: twelve hours and thirty-two minutes." "All departments and emergency forces have entered full alert." Commissioner Liang stood on the hall's second floor, gazing down at the display projection of all Center City on the light screen. Below him, the command floor bustled with communications liaisons, resonance technicians, and various military commanders coming and going. Once the fission officially began, they would immediately transmit, aggregate, and analyze data from the Government Hall, the Disposal Bureau, the City Patrol, and local units and emergency response teams across Center City before directing operations and issuing orders. Commissioner Liang wore a grave expression. He knew that while the major corporations of Center City did not know the exact timing of the Fumu's fission and reproduction, they could deduce a rough window from the symptoms it exhibited. It went without saying that those corporations were likewise making preparations at this very moment, waiting for the right opportunity to mobilize. Yet the authorities had to guard against them at all costs. As the first split offspring of the prime progenitor, not a single one could be allowed to fall into outside hands! And yet... His eyes darkened. Their opponents were not merely those corporations; there was a far greater, far more perilous enemy lurking. He could only hope their previous arrangements would prove effective. *** Chen Chuan had already left the Xuangong Building and was driving the Jiade car toward the mansion. Looking out the window, he saw that the flickering high in the sky persisted, growing denser and more frequent. In truth, after brewing for so long, the disturbance had become distinct enough for even ordinary people to see clearly. Yet because of the neon light curtain already blanketing the sky, it did not stand out as starkly, and the populace had little mood to care about such things anyway. The multiplying insects formed a veritable downpour in the streets, almost obscuring vision. Even spraying chemicals could not stem the tide. A thick carpet of dead bugs covered the pavement. Sanitation crews along the roads were shoveling them scoop by scoop into large dustpans and dumping them into haulers. Every pedestrian hurrying along the streets was bundled in thick clothing covering them from head to toe. The public screens repeatedly urged citizens to stay indoors, warning that an even larger biological surge was approaching, potentially accompanied by a magnetic storm rarely seen in decades. The Center City Government Hall announced that armed forces would soon be deployed to eliminate the creatures that had ravaged the city over past days, directing citizens to remain in secure locations or evacuate into underground shelters alongside patrol convoys. Center City's shopping malls and public venues were already locking down and shuttering, while patrol vehicles cruised the streets in succession. Ten minutes later, he arrived outside the estate. The perimeter defenses were fully established, with an electrified mesh overhead and razor-wire roadblocks guarding the entrance. As the automated gate slid open, the car rolled slowly inside. After parking in the garage, he entered the living room. His three fully armed squad members were waiting. Seeing him enter, they saluted in unison. "Captain!" Chen Chuan nodded and returned the salute. "Is everything ready?" Qin Qingque answered, "All set, Captain. The defenses inside and outside the mansion are firmly in place. The three of us can deploy at any moment." Chen Chuan gave an affirmative hum. Just then, an alert sounded on his boundary credential. Seeing it was a voice message from Counselor Pei, he tapped to play it. Counselor Pei's voice came through immediately: "The event is likely to take place between tonight and tomorrow morning. "Captain Chen, should communications cut out, you can use the contact schematic I gave you to establish a link with the nearest field organism. The Defense Department may dispatch assignments to you when the time comes. "If you cannot receive messages, try to contact the nearest response team. "I am also sending you the positions of the response forces within Wuding District. Be sure to confirm receipt." Chen Chuan glanced at the coordinates Counselor Pei sent over. One of the response units happened to be just two kilometers away. At that distance, their leased field organism could establish direct contact. After forwarding the location to the three team members, he said, "The fission window is estimated around today or tomorrow. Get some rest so you're ready for whatever comes next." "Yes, Captain!" Having given his instructions, Chen Chuan left the hall and returned to his fourth-floor bedroom. After washing up, he sat down to compose himself. He laid the Xuejun Saber before him, then drew out all his melee and ranged weapons, wiping each down one final time. Once the Fumu began reproducing and the heavenly gate opened, civilian fighters, influential factions, and scheming corporations alike would surely enter the fray. The adversaries he faced this time might be stronger than any he had met before—yet that was precisely what he needed and hoped for. Time ticked away, and nine in the evening soon arrived. Only three hours remained until the Fumu's fission phase. Inside the command hall, an announcement rang out: "Field signal beginning to decay. Preparing to enter signal disengagement. Three-minute countdown starts now..." The personnel across the first-floor hall halted what they were doing. The three minutes passed quickly. The ambient field luminescence dimmed at first, but after a few breaths, it returned to normal. Then, a steady, solemn voice spoke: "Watchtower at your service. During the Fumu's fission, I shall assume full control of field communications connecting all parties." This was the Defense Department's active conscious entity, 'Watchtower,' tasked with taking over internal and external field communications during the Fumu's fission period. Simultaneously, dispersed field organisms across various districts relayed feeds back via the airship signal stations stationed above, restoring connectivity to its previous standard within a mere five minutes. Commissioner Liang said in a heavy voice, "Watchtower, cross-check all deployments immediately and verify personnel status at every critical post." "Watchtower acknowledges. Conducting check..." *** Chen Chuan set down the last weapon in his hand and checked the time on his boundary credential: 22:10. Yet drawn by some unseen pull, his spirit was growing increasingly vibrant. In all likelihood, as the Fumu steadily entered its reproductive phase, its field power was contracting, causing the barrier or protection separating them from that other world to grow progressively thin. If things continued along this trajectory, it aligned with the timeline Counselor Pei had provided. He stowed his weapons away, produced several medicinal remedies, and swallowed them. After entering the third limit, he rarely used medicine. Beyond diminished efficacy, his growing strength simply rendered it unnecessary. Yet with no way of knowing how many opponents he would encounter or how formidable they might be, it was only prudent to make thorough preparations. After ingesting the medicine, he dispensed with any further tasks, regulating his breathing and waiting quietly. An hour later, static suddenly crackled in his boundary credential by his ear, as if field data had turned wildly unstable. After persisting for about a dozen seconds, the credential went completely silent. He lifted his wrist to check his watch: 23:55. He tapped his boundary credential again, logging into the internal frequency of the mansion's field organism to reconnect with the three squad members downstairs. Yuan Qiuyuan's voice came through: "Captain, has it started? Why does it feel like nothing's happening?" Chen Chuan rose and walked to the window. Outside, the neon light curtain hung as usual, as though nothing were amiss. But he could sense with absolute clarity that a vast, omnipresent psychic force was surging. He said, "No. It's already begun." The instant the words left his mouth, most of the lights across the city dimmed abruptly. The vibrant world overlaid beyond the boundary credential practically vanished, followed closely by a chilling sensation that seeped directly into the psyche. Bright light suddenly flared outside the window. He looked up. Though it was still night, the sky had turned glaringly luminous, yet tinged with a desolate gloom. It felt just like facing the sky of the Confluence—as if at this moment, the Confluence had extended its reach here. Moments later, a wisp of blood-red radiance showed on the distant horizon, looking as though a tear had been ripped through the firmament, thick crimson blood leaking through. He stared fixedly toward that rift. He could sense that while the invisible barrier hanging above had been breached, it still strained to hold, blocking incursions from beyond. Even so, that heavenly gate had already been pushed open a crack. *** Inside the Defense Department's operational command hall, Watchtower spoke: "Time: 00:03. The Fumu's first wave of fission has commenced. There are seven split offspring in total... Reporting locations of split offspring..." On the regional projection of Center City before them, luminous markers lit up across the map. The split offspring were located in Fengde District, Shenwei District, Yinglu District, Jiyang District, and other sectors, with three concentrated in Jiyang District alone. "The Government Hall has shared intelligence. Regional response units and emergency teams have deployed... Estimated disposal time: forty-five minutes. Second wave of fission estimated in one hour and thirty-five minutes. Countdown begins..." Routes were mapped across the projected display alongside corresponding times and distances, the distance markers steadily shrinking as teams converged. "Warning: high-volume resonance field surveillance and intrusion detected." A brief moment later, dense clusters of red dots erupted across the previously tranquil display, spreading across nearly the entirety of Center City in a matter of seconds. Commissioner Liang's expression grew grim. This clearly meant a vast number of resonators were using private field organisms, as well as active and non-active conscious entities, in an attempt to spy on government deployments. A good number of highly skilled resonators were even trying to hijack the shared field signals aboard the airships. He knew full well this was the handiwork of the major corporations—done to pinpoint the distribution of the response units, analyze the combat capabilities of the emergency teams, and prepare for their upcoming moves. Yet the authorities had long since prepared targeted counter-measures for this very scenario.