Shelter 13

"We've arrived." Somewhere in the Great Desert, the elevator leading to Shelter 13 finally came to a steady halt. Based on the descent time and speed, Zhuang Lan silently calculated that the ground beneath her feet was at least a kilometer below the surface, perhaps even deeper. Stepping up to the bulkhead ahead, the exoskeleton-clad soldier pressed his arm against the wall console to complete identity verification. "Hum..." Accompanied by a ground-shaking tremor, a seam split open on the wall before them, slowly widening as the wall sections moved apart, ultimately revealing a passage more than ten meters wide. Incredible. That solid alloy wall was actually a seamlessly fitted door! It seemed that during her time away, a great deal had indeed occurred within the Enlightenment Society... Surprised by the changes in her former employer over the past two years, Zhuang Lan grew inwardly vigilant, though she let none of her astonishment show on her face. After all, her current identity was Lieutenant "Malik," commander of the Desert Scorpion special forces unit. And prior to this, "he" had been here before. Apparently taking that for granted, the soldier had no intention of showing off. Having completed identity verification, he turned to face "Malik," stood at attention, and spoke: "Internal Affairs just sent word. They've accepted the materials you submitted. However, regarding what you encountered during your escape and the combat strength of the Alliance regular army, there are still some details they'd like to clarify. They will likely contact you to convene an inquiry." "When?" "In three days." Malik looked at him blankly and spread his hands. "Why not now? I've got nothing else to do anyway." "We need to interrogate that fellow you brought back from the Alliance first and see what we can pry out of his mouth." Pausing, the soldier continued in a relaxed tone, "Besides, you're a distinguished hero. We have to get you settled in first. We can't treat you like a prisoner." It seemed "Malik" had regained the Enlightenment Society's trust. Zhuang Lan breathed a quiet sigh of relief, though her expression remained completely unchanged as she stayed strictly in character. "Hardly. Intelligence shoulders half the blame, but it's a fact that I botched things... Many people paid for it with their lives." Seeing Malik look slightly downcast, the soldier at the doorway offered comforting words. "Don't blame yourself. We don't judge heroes merely by success or failure. To manage to take a prisoner after being ambushed by the Alliance—you did remarkably well... Of course, I'm sorry about what happened to your brothers." He too was the leader of a squad of young men. For that very reason, he understood how Malik felt right now. While the two were talking, a tall, slender man emerged from behind the open alloy portal. He wore a silver-gray formal suit, its crisp fabric smooth as silk, without a single speck of dust. Not just his clothes, but his skin as well—smooth and delicate as the adjacent alloy wall, an elegant and flawless complexion. His handsome features were probably his least noteworthy quality. The propriety and elegance of his every gesture mirrored that of a butler in a classical aristocratic manor, as if even the most trivial affairs would be arranged impeccably in his hands. Although the man looked no different from an ordinary human, Zhuang Lan could tell at a single glance that he was not human at all. He was an android. Naturally formed things always possessed flaws; only an artificial creation could be so pure and devoid of imperfection. As Zhuang Lan observed him, the man standing at the doorway gave a slight nod and spoke in a gentle tone: "Greetings, Mr. Malik. I am your guide and personal assistant during your stay in the Pure Land. You may address me as 'Butler.' "Although you have visited before, our Pure Land was not yet complete at that time, and many things have changed since. "To help you adapt to life here as quickly as possible, I will reintroduce you to our homeland." Zhuang Lan nodded, bid farewell to the soldier who had brought her here, and followed behind the android who called himself Butler. On the way to the shelter, the android introduced the conditions of the Pure Land throughout the walk, especially the developments over the past year. According to intelligence gathered by the Watchers, Malik's last visit to the Pure Land had been exactly one year ago, when he stayed for ten days. To avoid giving herself away, Zhuang Lan refrained from superfluous chatter, only chiming in with an occasional question about unclear details. After traversing a long corridor, the two entered a spacious subterranean chamber, where a massive gear-shaped bulkhead came into view. This bulkhead resembled the entrances of many shelters. The only difference was that instead of being mounted into a wall, it lay flat on the floor, like the platform of a freight elevator. Realizing this, Zhuang Lan felt a surge of surprise. It was hard to imagine how much energy opening and closing this colossal door just once would consume. The Enlightenment Society's energy reserves might well exceed the Watchers' estimates. If only she could figure out their power source. Even as Zhuang Lan was calculating silently, the giant gear beneath their feet began to descend slowly. Soon after the platform lowered, an archway resembling a tunnel entrance emerged along the adjoining concrete wall. That was the final door leading to Shelter 13. Suppressing her inner excitement, Zhuang Lan followed steadily behind Butler, stepping into the deepest recesses of the Enlightenment Society's core secrets— This was the "Handle" of the Torch! And the very core of Project Torch! Dazzling light poured across the end of the alloy corridor. And when Zhuang Lan finally emerged through the final tunnel, what met her eyes did not disappoint—in fact, she was so stunned that she froze where she stood. The vista opened up dramatically! The space expanded geometrically, to the point that one couldn't help suspecting they had crossed into another world or returned aboveground. Towering structures stood like sheer chasms flanking the vast expanse. Looking up, there was a cerulean sky; looking down, a bottomless abyss. Yet even residents dwelling on the lowest tier had nothing to fear. Luminous strips embedded in the exterior facades channeled warm radiance all the way to the very bottom of this "shelter," sharing boundless prosperity equally with every resident living within. Translucent conduits and bridges interlaced between the high-rises, connecting crystalline "orbs" strung along their lengths. Like soap bubbles floating among the buildings, they preserved natural landscapes that had practically vanished from the planet, available for sightseeing and recreation. Sleek, elongated transit vehicles shuttled back and forth inside the thick tubes, ferrying passengers and cargo into the floating crystal spheres or whisking them from one end of the shelter to the other. It was like a city built inside a volcanic caldera. Of course, this was no real crater—at the very least, the sky overhead was fake. Zhuang Lan knew well how long the elevator had descended; the actual depth here would only be more astonishing than her conservative estimate. Beyond doubt, the sun radiating dazzling light was artificial. So was the azure sky so clear one couldn't tear their eyes away, and the clouds as white as cotton... Such vistas were exceedingly rare on the wasteland. Without exaggeration, this subterranean world truly deserved the title of "Pure Land." Any wastelander standing here would unhesitatingly call it paradise! Watching Mr. Malik halt in his tracks, Butler said in a gentle voice, "We crafted this underground world according to the standards of Dream City. Hailing from that era, you surely understand what Dream City represents." Zhuang Lan nodded gently. She knew what it was. Legend had it that in the distant Era of Prosperity, people feared the prosperity accumulated over generations might collapse overnight, so they established a second home in the eternal cosmos. That was Dream City. It was a space habitat with perpetual spring, artificial day-night cycles, and simulated gravity—a utopia that would not wither even if the prosperous world on the planetary surface fell into utter ruin. If Ideal City was a nostalgic homage by survivors a century and a half ago to the good old days, then Dream City encapsulated all the hopes and visions that people of the Era of Prosperity held for future life. Gazing out at the nearest "soap bubble" before the floor-to-ceiling glass, Zhuang Lan sighed after a long moment. "My brothers and I were eating sand out in the Great Desert, never imagining you were already living in luxury." This was not just Malik's lament; it was her own as well. Butler smiled. "Because the turning point has arrived." "The turning point?" "The turning point to enter a new era." Butler tapped an index finger against the transparent glass. Concentric ripples spread outward from his fingertip, and the entire glass wall functioned like a magnifying lens, pulling the distant scenery directly before the two standing at the shelter entrance. As the distant vista magnified, Zhuang Lan not only made out the people in the park, but even distinctly saw the smiles gracing their faces. "...Thanks to the helping hand extended by the Celestials, the situation is more favorable to us than ever before. Leadership has adjusted its strategy toward the wasteland. From now on, we need do nothing at all except wait patiently." Zhuang Lan frowned slightly. She had found something odd earlier—from beginning to end, no one had mentioned reconstituting the Desert Scorpion unit. "Waiting for what?" "Heavenly Punishment." "...Heavenly Punishment?" Zhuang Lan paused, startled. "Indeed." Meeting Lieutenant Malik's inquiring gaze, Butler gave a slight nod, then cast his eyes toward the Pure Land not far away, uttering chilling words in that gentle voice: "The flames of retribution will burn away everything of the old world, and in the new world, we shall be granted a sanctuary to rest and thrive... as our reward for assisting the Celestials in fulfilling their mission." At this point, Butler turned to Malik beside him and continued with a smile, "By the way, I forgot to mention earlier—your mission is over." Zhuang Lan asked, "Over? What do you mean?" Butler replied gently, "This comes from leadership. As for which department specifically, you will have to consult those in the know. In any case, they wished me to convey that we have no plans to reconstitute Desert Scorpion for the time being. "While many soldiers are still carrying out field assignments at this moment, there will be no new missions beyond those already underway. Those who complete their assignments will gradually return to this shelter... Naturally, we will calculate your merits based on your contributions and arrange for you to enjoy a better life in the new era." Zhuang Lan stared at him in astonishment, only nodding slowly after a long pause. "Sounds quite nice... though it's somewhat regrettable." Butler looked at him in confusion. "Regrettable? I do not understand what you mean." Zhuang Lan was silent for a moment, then looked back at the corridor leading to the outside world. "My brothers... I promised them I would avenge them." Butler's expression softened with understanding, followed by a faint smile as he spoke in a mild tone, "Such matters no longer signify. Your enemies will be reduced to ash and smoke in the final Heavenly Punishment, drifting away as insignificant radioactive fallout... Let past grudges remain in the past. It will help us travel much farther." Zhuang Lan nodded and turned her gaze toward the distant dome. Gardening robots were trimming the lawns with neat precision. People in blue coats were strolling along park paths, and some were walking their dogs. Vending machines dispensed unlimited ice cream to children, while attractive androids handed out what appeared to be free balloons. A family sitting on a bench chatted and laughed... perhaps discussing the coming new era. It was manifestly as idyllic as a sweet dream, yet for some reason, an unreal sensation lingered in Zhuang Lan's heart. Not that those scenes were fake or holographic simulations. Experienced in intelligence work, she could tell without a doubt that those people were genuine flesh and blood... at least far more real than the android beside her. At that moment, she recalled her first impression of Butler. Naturally formed things always possessed flaws; only an artificial creation could be so pure and devoid of imperfection. That massive dome was just such a creation. Or rather—the entire Pure Land was. The people here were not truly living here; it was more like they were being kept in captivity by some entity high above, on display inside transparent crystal bubbles. A chill crept up Zhuang Lan's spine, but meeting those smiling eyes, she still nodded. "Very nice." ... Meanwhile, in a small room on the surface above Shelter 13, Medical Miracle lay on an operating table with a memory extractor clamped forcefully onto him, enduring a thorough round of "electrotherapy." The Enlightenment Society apparently had no intention of tempting him with a honey trap, jumping straight into severe torture, which left Medical Miracle—who had looked forward to this for quite some time—somewhat disappointed. At least give him a chance to defect to the dark side! His disappointment didn't last long, however; soon his vision went black and he disconnected. In the special interrogation room, a doctor in a white coat stood beside the operating table. Looking at the error messages on the control panel, he was utterly baffled, scratching his head and muttering, "Strange." Seeing a development, the officer standing nearby quickly pressed, "What's strange?" The doctor fiddled with the controls for quite a while, then withdrew his finger from the touchscreen. Puzzled, he looked at the officer and said, "The memory extraction apparatus definitely engaged, but the subject shows zero response to the external stimuli fed in by the equipment... whether visual or auditory signals. It feels as if..." He weighed his words for a good while before saying in an uncertain tone, "As if this guy's brain is empty." "Empty?!" The officer froze. How could anyone's brain be empty? He had never encountered such a bizarre situation! Usually, whenever they captured survivors from outside—be they shelter administrators or renowned wasteland powerhouses—they could extract every drop of memory in minutes. They had never encountered an inability to read memories before. Looking at the bewildered doctor, the officer couldn't help asking, "Try again?" The doctor shook his head. "Let's wait a couple of days. His brain took heavy trauma, and I doubt he'll wake up anytime soon. Continuing the experiment risks turning him into a lunatic. You might not care, but for us, the loss would outweigh the gain." Frankly, he was baffled too. By all logic, even if they strapped a dog to the table, they wouldn't draw a complete blank—at most, the extracted data would be rather abstract. As a specialist in neuroscience, he suddenly found himself intrigued by this tough nut. Could the Alliance have developed a countermeasure against memory extractors? This might make for an interesting test subject. The officer hesitated for a moment, then reluctantly nodded in agreement. "Fine..." Even if he didn't like it, he couldn't think of a better idea. Little did the two know that the fellow lying on the operating table beside them had actually already awakened—he just hadn't opened his eyes. When the memory extractor was first fitted onto him, Medical Miracle had been hoping to see some fun cutscene or imagery, only for his vision to go black as he disconnected. Seeing that he was about to miss major plot developments after finally worming his way into the main storyline, Medical Miracle naturally couldn't stand for it and scrambled in a rush to put his helmet back on and reconnect. Hard work pays off. After nearly half an hour of relentless attempts, a faint glimmer of light finally slipped through his eyelids, registering on his game character's retinas. Immediately after, he heard the quack doctor saying he had gone mad and needed further observation. Medical Miracle sneered inwardly. He wasn't mad; he was perfectly fine. Realizing this might be his ticket to infiltrating the Enlightenment Society, he resisted the urge to pop his eyes open and scare the daylights out of the two, quietly disconnecting and logging off again. Instinct told him that his chance to become the next Pangolin was right before him! Before long, an outrageous thread popped up on the official forum: "Brothers, how do I act crazy? (sweat)" "Waiting online, pretty urgent."