Apocalypse: I Build A Doomsday Train Chapter 1232 - 475: Defection
Previously on Apocalypse: I Build A Doomsday Train...
The world turned a hellish crimson, like a nightmare drenched in blood. Lin Xian stood rooted, his eyes fixed on the apocalyptic scene unfolding before him. An overwhelming wave of terror and sorrow crashed through his heart, leaving him speechless.
He felt powerless, as if incapable of mustering even a sliver of strength to fight back against the horror. A chilling numbness spread through his spine, and his mind replayed agonizing visions: himself torn to shreds, his comrades screaming in despair as they met their own violent ends...
"Don’t look!"
A voice, deep and resonant like a struck gong, pierced Lin Xian’s rapidly dissolving reason. He felt a cold arm forcefully pull him away from the infernal scarlet panorama, nearly causing him to suffocate.
Hiss!
Finally able to draw a breath, Lin Xian gasped deeply, his face ashen as he stared in stunned disbelief at Chu Yan. "Is this a dark invasion?!"
"It’s worse than that," Chu Yan replied, turning towards the window. She raised her hand, utilizing nano-spray particles to seal every crevice of the frame. Instantly, the biting chill in the room diminished considerably.
"Following the commencement of the Star Abyss Movement, the Dark Tide began to surge alongside the scarlet phenomenon. This accelerated the descent into the Extreme Night Zone for affected regions. In essence, the Star Abyss’s spread has become far more efficient," Chu Yan explained to Lin Xian.
"Furthermore, this scarlet phenomenon transforms any area it engulfs into an absolute death zone. Bizarre entities materialize completely undetected, belonging to neither the S-Class nor the Uncanny Human category. Anyone exposed to this environment will experience a drastic drop in their SAN value, coupled with a rapid cancerous mutation of their flesh. Within a mere twenty minutes, your immune system will be utterly annihilated. Not even a Dark Energy Synchronization Device can offer protection against it."
Lin Xian’s brow furrowed upon hearing this. "When did this scarlet first manifest?"
"Three days ago—the very night you lost contact with us. The Star Abyss initiated a large-scale disturbance, and the scarlet descended. Currently, the evacuation forces from the Heavenly Calming Ship and the Dawn Center are trapped in the Qionggu Strait, which is Alaska Bay. There have been immense casualties. The Commander has issued the order: Dawn City will evacuate, and post-dawn, the Dawn Center will mobilize at maximum speed. Our North American Front, alongside the interstellar army and the Nightwalker units, has initiated a radiation search-and-rescue operation, moving swiftly to assist local rescue teams in completing their rendezvous."
Chu Yan met Lin Xian’s gaze, her expression grave. "The deterrence balance has collapsed. All of humanity is retreating towards the Polar regions to establish defenses!"
Lin Xian fell silent, his eyes darting back and forth. He couldn't comprehend it. The Dark Civilization had retreated from the Star Abyss, assassinated the Sword Holder, and made contact with Hua Xiaoling—all these events had led them to believe that deterrence was in place, or at least existed to some degree. Yet, the Star Abyss was suddenly accelerating its encroachment. What could possibly have transpired in the interim?
"So, how much time do we have left?" Lin Xian inquired in a hushed tone.
"We’re uncertain. The frequency of the scarlet's spread aligns with the Dark Tide, but its expansion area and recurrence rate differ. If we base our estimate on the speed at which the Extreme Night range is expanding, we still have over a year. However, the Dark Tide engulfs every region outside the Polar daylight zone daily. Therefore, theoretically…"
"Just one night?"
"Precisely."
Lin Xian’s eyes narrowed slightly, and he looked towards the window. "Will you be in danger?"
Chu Yan also turned to face the window. "The peculiar thing is that structures provide a physical barrier against this scarlet phenomenon. So, if you remain inside buildings or vehicles, the impact is less than five percent of what it is outdoors. This is considered good news—on the condition that you aren't targeted by the Monsters lurking within the scarlet. Those entities do not appear to be affected by the Dark Mark."
Hearing this, Lin Xian frowned instantly. "But if this area is Devoured by the scarlet, our only option will be to flee as quickly as possible. This essentially means humanity’s operational range will be completely eliminated, correct?"
"That’s accurate."
"That’s lethal," Lin Xian cursed under his breath. "This is like a nuclear winter with radioactive fallout."
"Essentially. Our research teams are considering similar parallels."
"When can you return to the Phoenix Society?" Lin Xian then asked Chu Yan. "I need to speak with Professor Ye."
Chu Yan looked at Lin Xian, her gaze fluctuating, before responding, "The soonest would be in about two days—assuming I survive tonight."
"What about your team members?"
Two blocks away. Communication is lost. We don't know if they're alive or dead. Signal jamming? Nothing at all. We must wait until nightfall passes, then rendezvous at the agreed-upon location to depart this area. With both darkness and the scarlet threat present, any chance of survival is nonexistent right now. Chu Yan stated, And what about you? What precisely occurred on your end? Lin Xian inhaled sharply, and illuminated by the faint, cold light, he recounted every event that transpired on Sea Rock Island and throughout Hawaii Island. He included his conversations with Hua Xiaoling and the hypotheses put forth by Ding Junyi. Perhaps Chu Yan's Spirit was being influenced by the scarlet zone, as an oppressive chill permeated the air, felt even by Lin Xian. Upon concluding his account, he noted Chu Yan's lack of surprise regarding Ding Junyi's enemy-self same-origin hypothesis. Lin Xian instantly grasped that Ye Lan and the others within the Phoenix Society had likely already delved into this very concept. After all, the Phoenix Society's investigations into the Crystal Grid were already quite advanced. Coupled with the data acquired from the old Angel Plan, it was entirely plausible their researchers would achieve even more significant breakthroughs. However, when Lin Xian mentioned Hua Xiaoling, Chu Yan abruptly inquired, Did she extend an invitation for you to join the Foundation? No. Why do you ask? Lin Xian responded.