He took two steps and found that the bottom of the cave, which was full of various creatures, seemed to be empty now.
How is this going
Is everything you've experienced before an illusion, or is it real
Zhou Yu's feet stepped on those branches and leaves, they were very soft, leaving footprints with every step.
Exhale, this Elpis seems to be really dead
So all the creatures that depended on it left
Or maybe they were originally controlled by Elpis, and now they are finally free
Zhou Yu looked up and felt his breathing and heartbeat.
He is still alive. It's incredible, but he's still alive.
He has to go back to the base... I wonder if Wu Yun left safely! And Zhou Qing, if he didn't go back, he would definitely be very worried.
Zhou Yu searched for a long time, and finally found the rope that fell when Wu Yun left.
With this, Zhou Yu can at least go back along the same path he came in.
When he finally walked out of the stone path, he saw that all the ancient trees protecting Elpis were also dead.
The world is eerily quiet.
Zhou Yu walked for a long time before he came out of here.
He was hungry and tired, as if all that had happened after falling into Elpis had drained his strength.
Suddenly, he remembered that there were still two fruits that Mo Ye stepped on for him in his pocket. Although he didn't know if he could still eat them, Zhou Yu felt that he would fall to the ground immediately if he didn't have any nutritional intake.
He took out one and found that it was still intact after so much experience, and there was not even a single sign of dehydration and wrinkles.
Regardless of whether it was harmful after being soaked in Elpis' golden liquid, Zhou Yu threw it directly into his mouth.
Still as sweet.
The body seemed to be injected with some kind of power, and Zhou Yu felt that he was not so tired anymore.
Yes, just thinking about Zhou Qing and Wu Yun, I don't know what happened to Mo Ye.
Will it slam into the glass wall again stupidly!
Are you waiting to bite his fingers
I hope it sees Zhou Qing, can be a little more obedient, and don't do stupid things.
I miss the soft fluff on its back, its drooping ears, and its little flapping wings.
Zhou Yu smiled bitterly.
When he went back, he didn't know how Song Zhi would look at him.
The helicopter carrying the Alpha Squad also came to the huge hole.
When they looked down from a height, they were shocked by the scene in front of them.
It was like a huge failed flower, spread out at the bottom of the hole.
Under the setting sun, the moonlight flows into it, like a huge skirt, as if it flows with the moonlight, and like the annual rings of life, which are still turning endlessly.
Members of Team Alpha descended the ropes of the helicopter to the bottom of the cave and released flares.
Everything is like daytime.
They checked carefully, inch by inch, and found Zhao Xiaoping who was unconscious in a corner.
They sent Zhao Xiaoping to the helicopter, but did not find Zhou Yu.
One of the team members saw the clear water puddle in the middle of the cave. He took some of the water with a sampler and left.
The Nibelungs are dangerous at night, and some nocturnal creatures may attack them, and they must get back as soon as possible.
As they flew over the forest and saw the withered down guardians of Elpis, they were amazed at what had happened.
And one of the team members suddenly pointed to the woods and shouted, "That... is there someone walking around?"
The pilot turned on the strong searchlight and shot it into the woods.
Zhou Yu, who was walking, was illuminated by strong light and raised his hand to cover his eyes.
"Is it Zhou Yu?"
"It seems so! Let's go down! We must bring him back to the base!"
The helicopter circled over Zhou Yu, and the members of the Alpha team fell down the rope with guns.
They didn't know what happened to Zhou Yu in that cave, or whether he was still in a normal state, so the guns were loaded, and the muzzle was aimed at Zhou Yu.
"Are you Zhou Yu?"
"I am." Zhou Yu didn't expect that the base would send someone to find him. In their hearts, Zhou Yu should be dead.
"We were sent by Mr. Song to find you, please come with us."
So Zhou Yu was escorted into the helicopter.
The two team members who were sitting opposite him along the way kept vigilance and pointed guns at him. For the first time, Zhou Yu felt as if he had become some kind of dangerous creature.
After they arrived at the base, everything was the same as last time. Zhou Yu officially entered the base after a series of examinations such as body scans and blood tests.
Song Zhi personally supervised his inspection process.
"Blood is normal, no bacterial or viral infection, no parasites, but..."
"But what?" Song Zhi motioned for the other party to continue.
The institute's finger pointed to Zhou Yu's brain on the monitor: "The scan shows that his brain activity is much higher than before."
"This way..." Song Zhi narrowed his eyes and thought.
When Zhou Yu walked out of the quarantine area, the first thing he saw was Wu Yun and Zhou Qing.
Wu Yun's eyes were red, and seeing Zhou Yu again was completely beyond his expectations. Zhou Qing's expression was much calmer than Zhou Yu imagined, as if his safe return was within his expectations.
"How many times will you come back to life as a kid?" Wu Yun's voice was trembling, "Do you know how many times I wanted to kill myself since I left that cave until now?"
Zhou Yu smiled lightly, and tacitly bumped into Wu Yun: "Fortunately, you didn't really do that."
Wu Yun shook his head helplessly, then hugged Zhou Yu tightly: "You have to tell me how you survived."
"Of course." Zhou Yu also patted Wu Yun, his eyes fell on Zhou Qing's face.
"Brother... You'll be fine. Don't make such dangerous decisions in the future."
"I will be cautious." Zhou Yu nodded.
"Go and see Mo Ye. If it doesn't see you after it wakes up, it won't be good."
Zhou Yu's heartstrings were viciously plucked: "Not good? Does it want to break through the glass wall again?"
That little fool!
"No. It's huddled there, and even if I go in and stay with it, it doesn't seem to be responding. Bioscans show that its body temperature is dropping, its heart rate is slow, and it hasn't eaten anything."
"Did Carlos feed it anything?"
"The specially formulated nutrient solution looks like human blood. I don't know if Mo Ye recognized that it wasn't blood or if Mo Ye just wanted to see you. Once Mo Ye refused in his heart, his body would reject it. The injection went in and he wouldn't eat anything."
"I'm going to see it!"
Looking at Zhou Yu's back, Zhou Qing slowly clenched his fists, holding the fruit of Elpis that the S-class creature once gave him.
Zhou Yu strode towards the area where Mo Ye was, and the first thing he saw was Mo Ye curled up in the corner.
So small and so lonely.
Zhou Yu felt inexplicably distressed.
Carlos, who was in charge of taking care of Mo Ye, came to Zhou Yu and said with a headache: "This little guy has been like this since you left. He didn't respond to anything. But I'm so anxious! I heard that something happened to you before. , I'm still thinking if you can't come back, will it starve itself to death!"
"It shouldn't starve to death if it doesn't eat for a few days." Zhou Yu tapped the glass with his fingers, "Mo Ye."
Mo Ye didn't respond, not even raising his drooping ears.
"Look..." Carlos looked worried.
"I'll go in and accompany it."
Carlos opened two doors for Zhou Yu, Zhou Yu walked to Mo Ye's side and sat down.
He put his hand on its back, his fingers gently embedded in the soft fur on Mo Ye's back, Mo Ye's body temperature was really low.
He didn't speak, he picked it up, imitated its coquettish look before, and rubbed its face.
But Mo Ye still closed his eyes and moved his head slightly, without even looking at Zhou Yu.
Zhou Yu laughed in his heart, this little thing was obviously throwing a tantrum.
"Mo Ye, I went on a very dangerous mission, so I didn't stay by your side for the time being. But Zhou Qing said he was here to accompany you, but you ignored him. You are really bad. Zhou Qing is Don't you know my most important person?" Zhou Yu's voice was soft.
Except for Zhou Qing being bullied by his classmates at school when he was a child, Zhou Yu has not coaxed anyone like this for a long time.
"Well..." At this time, Mo Ye raised his left ear slightly and pressed it against Zhou Yu's chest, as if listening to his heartbeat.
"I almost died. Do you know what it means to die? You will never see me again, I will disappear forever." Zhou Yu rubbed his chin on Mo Ye's head.
"Huh?" Mo Ye suddenly opened his eyes and looked up at Zhou Yu with his small head raised. He seemed very nervous, and even the little wings on his back were raised.
"The creatures of the Nibelung... no... the length of my life is not worth mentioning, even compared to yours."
Eidolon will live forever if he is not mortally wounded.
"Well—" Mo Ye's voice stretched, then shook his head, stretched out its front paws, pressed it on Zhou Yu's forehead, and then shrank back.
At that moment, Zhou Yu seemed to understand what it was saying: I am with you. If you don't exist, I won't exist either.
"Fool." Zhou Yu hugged it tightly.
Carlos, who was monitoring them, exhaled.
It was the first time he had seen any human beings in such close contact with Nibelungen creatures. He didn't know what Zhou Yu had gone through, but he was glad that Zhou Yu came back alive.
Zhou Yu tapped his finger on its nose: "Are you hungry?"
Mo Ye's big amber eyes narrowed, looking very happy, he stretched out the tip of his tongue and licked Zhou Yu's fingertips.
Zhou Yu thought it would bite him immediately, but unexpectedly it stretched out its claws and protected Zhou Yu's fingers.
As if to say: I will protect you.
Don't give me more warmth.
I'm afraid that one day, when I can leave here, I won't be able to let you go.
Mo Ye released his claws, carefully held Zhou Yu's fingers, and bit down gently, as if he was afraid that Zhou Yu would be in pain.
Such a subtle feeling poured into his blood again, like countless slender and warm streams, seeping into the gaps in every cell of Zhou Yu, filling him up and staying with him.
Mo Ye closed his eyes and made a grunting sound.
It's really hungry.
Zhou Yu could feel Mo Ye's body temperature rising.
I don't know if it was because it was sucking its own blood, Zhou Yu had the illusion that Mo Ye's heartbeat was in sync with his own.
After he was full, Mo Ye still didn't let go of Zhou Yu's fingers.
It turned over slightly, exposing its belly.
Zhou Yu put his other hand on it funny and rubbed it.
Mo Ye immediately let out a soft moan.
Zhou Yu turned his fingers to the left, and Mo Ye's head also turned to the left. Zhou Yu wrapped his fingers to the right, and Mo Ye's head also went to the right.
Seemingly knowing that Zhou Yu was teasing him, Mo Ye bit Zhou Yu in dissatisfaction, but he didn't feel any pain.
He held Mo Ye and sat for more than an hour, Mo Ye snored softly, as if he fell asleep again.
Probably because Zhou Yu was back, Mo Ye could finally feel at ease.
As soon as Zhou Yu looked up, he saw the opposite side of the glass wall, Song Zhi looked at them thoughtfully.
Song Zhi made a "come out" gesture to Zhou Yu, and Zhou Yu knew that everything he had experienced in the cave of Elpis had to be told to Song Zhi.
"Carlos, if Mo Ye wakes up and loses his temper, you can tell him that I will be with him in a while."
"Does it understand?" Carlos asked blankly.
"What do you think?"
Zhou Yu left with a smile, followed behind Song Zhi, and came to Song Zhi's office.
"The Alpha team got some liquid samples from Elpi's cave." Song Zhi always cut to the chase.
Human time is short for the Nibelungs, so they want to do as much research as possible in their limited time and not waste their time on nonsense.
"Are there research results so soon?" Zhou Yu asked.
Song Zhi shook his head: "It's just water. But... it's pure water without any microorganisms and impurities."
"Oh… "
"It's as if Elpis used up all his nutrients overnight." Song Zhi looked into Zhou Yu's eyes, "Wu Yun reported to me when he came back that Elpis came to the rescue through their thinking. control life."
"Yes. It controlled researcher Zhao Xiaoping."
"Zhao Xiaoping is back. But he hasn't woken up yet. His brain activity is almost non-existent. Dr. Daniel suspects that if he continues, he will die of brain death. This may be the sequelae after being controlled by Elpis."
Zhou Yu did not agree with this view. So many creatures in the cave were controlled by Elpis. After Elpis was exhausted, those creatures all left.
"We brought all the remains of Elpis in the cave back to the base."
Zhou Yu was surprised: "The wreckage is huge..."
"Yes. The scientific team is dissecting it. Although it is in the form of a plant, the complexity of the neural structure of Elpis far exceeds that of humans. You are sacrificing yourself to save Wu Yun," said Elpis Its target is you. If it's for nourishment, what's the reason you're coming back alive now?"
"The reason is very simple... Elpis didn't take me as food or nutrition, but..." Zhou Yu was thinking about what description would be more in line with his relationship with Elpis.
"But what?"
"It's the carrier of its memory, the inheritance of its thinking. Elpis will pass on from generation to generation what they see. But this Elpis has lost its fruit, so it needs another creature. to receive its memory."
Song Zhi's eyes lit up, and he grabbed Zhou Yu's wrist: "Elpis is a very old creature in Nibelungen. If it gave you its memory, then there are many creatures here... They Habits and their characteristics, do you know them all?"
Although Song Zhi's strength was great, Zhou Yu broke free easily.
"Mr. Song, do you actually believe it?"
This is nonsense to anyone. Memories inherited from other plants
Even more fantastic than a fantasy movie.
"In Elpis' memory, is there an S-class creature whose original form is a creature with translucent silver scales..."
"Is it the S-class creature that took your wife?" Zhou Yu interrupted Song Zhi.
"Yes. Did you get the relevant information from Elpis? Where am I going to find it? Is there any way to kill it?" Song Zhi's eyes fell into a state of madness, looking very scary.
"Mr. Song... You have to know that S-class creatures don't actually have their fixed form, because they can change their appearance, they can be any shape. They can even become human and mingle with us."
Song Zhi showed a shocked expression and fell back on the back of the chair.
"The kind of creature you are talking about, I don't know why it was named by the scientific research team here. But if you describe the translucent silver scales, slender body, and arrogant and cold personality, it should be Nibelungen from ancient times. Eidolon is a servant of the creatures that have survived in the era. Just like the sword-bone disc and the blue-light firefly are to Elpis. No... not the same, the Eidolon is absolutely loyal to it."
Song Zhi's breathing gradually calmed down, he pressed his face and said, "Do you know how many types of S-class creatures there are in Nibelungen?"
"I know. Three categories. Water, land, and air."
"Yes, we call these three types of S-class creatures the Nibelungen Kings. And that silver-scale creature is called the King of Kings."
"There are legends that you hurt it."
"Yes, the neurotoxin you use to make bullets now comes from its spinal cord. It lost a lot of its spinal cord, but it escaped my control, and I don't know where it is sleeping now. Once it recovers Come here, we will all die." Song Zhi suddenly thought of something, "You said just now that Eidolon is its servant? Don't you have an Eidolon? Can't you find it through that little thing?"
"Mo Ye? It's still so small! It has never grown up in its own clan! It has never even seen an S-class creature!"
"But... something's in its genes. This creature must be in touch with its owner in some way!"
"I think you're crazy, Mr. Song. Nibelungen is so big, Mo Ye is like a baby, if it really has the ability to find its owner, if it really has any connection with that S-class creature, It will not be so obsessive about entering this base to find me, but to find its owner, who is where it belongs."
"… Indeed… it is a direct copy of the genes we extracted from Ye Ling's unhatched but dead eggs… Maybe it does not have the nature of Nibelungen creatures. But one day it will… For that day coming, for it to be on our side..."
Song Zhi seems to have a very important decision to make.
"Mr. Song?"
His paranoid expression made Zhou Yu inexplicably worried.
"I decided to let it live with you and leave the breeding area of the A-class creatures. I want to let it go free, let it restore the nature of Eidolon, and at the same time, it will not do anything to harm us, as long as you are there. I want You train it, teach it, assimilate it!"
Zhou Yu opened his mouth, and the development of things completely exceeded his expectations.
But letting Mo Ye leave there was indeed what Zhou Yu wanted, but Zhou Yu never wanted Mo Ye to become a human tool or pet.
Song Zhi directly contacted Carlos and asked him to hand over Mo Ye to Zhou Yu.
When Zhou Yu left Song Zhi's office, Song Zhi suddenly stopped him: "You haven't told me, how can I kill it?"
"As you know, it's so powerful. How did you hurt it, Mr. Song? That might be how you killed it."
After speaking, Zhou Yu left.
Song Zhi sat alone in the empty but narrow office, with a sad expression in his eyes.
"Kill it again? That can't be...because it won't trust me anymore."
Zhou Yu came to Carlos, and Carlos asked worriedly: "Is Mr. Song really okay? Although I don't want the little guy to be locked in here forever, he will suffer from depression if he is locked up again! But if you let him out like this , will it run away and disappear?"
Zhou Yu patted Carlos on the shoulder: "I will bring it regularly to let you check your heartbeat and body temperature. With me... It will come back even if it runs away."