The Holy City was destroyed, fifteen days later.
In the communication filled with clutter and interference, a distant voice sounded.
"This is B1, applying for exit observation."
"The agency agrees to leave the warehouse. Pay attention to the pollution index and be careful of external erosion - it is observed that the tidal movement slows down. There will be a calm period after about three minutes. You have thirty minutes to conduct physical observations. B2 is in the cabin and is ready to provide assistance. Rescue.”
"B1 received."
"B2 received."
In the narrow cabin of the iron shell, musician Adams, numbered B2, raised his hand and pulled the trigger of the outer pressure chamber. He turned around, got up from the chair, and helped his colleagues behind him put on heavy protective clothing.
First, the inner armor was made of lapis lazuli, then covered with a thick layer of etheric fluid, and then the outer iron shell was stuck into the slot. Finally, a helmet that looked like a goldfish eyeball was put on Edwin's head. superior.
It looked like a few three onions piled into a ball, with arms and legs growing out. It was bloated and funny.
Completely enclosed, isolated from the inside and outside, heavy equipment that can withstand the high temperatures of hell and hundreds of degrees below zero, and even enough to survive in the vacuum of the universe, now covers the body of the Silent Musician.
"How about getting active?"
"I can barely move, but if I want to escape, I won't be able to move my legs, so I'll have to roll." Edwin sighed: "Also, is it true that you can't smoke here? Can't the gentlemen above be merciful?"
"This outfit shouldn't mind you secretly eating meat, but where are you going to throw the ashes and cigarette butts?"
"You asked a good question."
Edwin shrugged, finally buckled his belt, turned around hard in the narrow cabin, and climbed into the pressure balance cabin. It was like an onion monster crawling into the coffin. There was silence and no one spoke.
This is the closest place to the outside.
What has the world outside become like now
Is it the flowing fire that destroys the world, or is it the poisonous mist that covers death
In the absolute dark zone, no matter what happens, it is not surprising. In the absolute hatred, no matter what is brewed, it is not surprising.
Now, as a musician who has signed a contract of betrayal with the Silent Organization, he can only jump into the kingdom of death and live through fire and water when given an order.
For humanity...probably.
Amidst the crisp sound of the second hand ticking, Edwin closed his eyes and took a deep breath until the countdown came to an abrupt end.
"B1, Edwin Buzz Aldrin, ready to leave the warehouse, please authorize the command tower."
"Authorized to exit the warehouse."
The inspired musician on the other end of the communication intoned a brief verse, "Have a safe journey, my friend."
"Come on, if you really love me, let me have one more cigarette before I die."
Edwin shook his head, wearing his huge helmet and struggling to turn the wheel-shaped handle at his feet. Amidst the harsh sound of metal friction, the final hub that sealed off the outside world and the cabin quietly opened.
He took two deep breaths, but did not dare to push the door open.
"Adam, say something, give me some courage."
Adam rolled his eyes: "Fuck you, can you get out quickly? I'm a little scared too."
"haha ok."
Edwin chuckled, closed his eyes, gritted his teeth, pushed open the door, and rolled out of the tilted air pressure chamber.
It fell to the ground with a thud.
Through the thick isolation protective clothing, a dull sound can be heard. Dust rises from the ground and falls on the mask. It seems that there are metal debris hidden inside, and it looks like little stars when it takes off.
"B1 is completed."
Edwin got up from the ground, mustered up the courage to look up, and fell into a long silence.
"B1, are you still there? Answer, repeat, answer."
It wasn't until Adams urged him again and again that Edwin took a deep breath, shook his head vigorously, and shook off the confusion in his mind: "What time is it now? Late at night?"
"No, it's noon." Adams heard his reply and breathed a sigh of relief: "How is the situation outside? My ether sphere here is full of messy light spots, and I can't see anything clearly."
"I... don't know what I saw. This is... not right... you know what? It's not right..."
Edwin stammered in reply: "Where on earth are we? What the hell place did the silent mechanism send us to? Damn it! What on earth is this... what on earth is it!!!"
"Calm down! B1, calm down!"
After a long period of confusion, Edwin fell into silence and just slumped down on the ground. "Where did you hide the cigarettes? Seriously, I want to smoke a cigarette..."
"Don't take off your hood! It's completely above the black zone outside. Even if you just breathe, the ether will blow out your lungs!" Adams raised his voice: "What the hell did you see?"
"I don't know, my friend, I don't know."
Edwin raised his head and tapped his hood hard, as if he was repairing an old machine and reawakening his stalled brain.
For a long time, Adams heard his sad voice.
"This... is no longer a human world."
…
In what seemed like an eternity of silence, Edwin raised his head and stared at the dark sky.
The eternal blue sky was torn apart, like tearing off a piece of waste paper, revealing the infinite original darkness of the universe.
There was no blue sky, no white clouds, just darkness.
Countless stars shine indifferently on the sky, and right in the center, the distant and huge scorching sun spits out fierce light, but it does not bring any warmth, and it is unable to dispel even a drop of darkness.
After losing its atmosphere, the entire world has become an uninhabitable magical realm.
In the desolate world, there was only gray-white dust, mixed with dead leaves of grass and trees, which shattered with just a handful, and then set off a chain reaction, the collapse continued in all directions, and no breath of living things could be seen anymore.
There is only the cold earth and the dark sky.
And... the flow of light that runs between the sky and the earth.
Like the pillars that lay the foundation for a new world.
The light that penetrates the sky and the earth rises from the distance, extends to the sky, and sheds the radiance of grace.
After the barrier between the material world and the etheric world was completely destroyed, the torrent leaked from the etheric sea has completely submerged this world, occupying all the air, and bringing about unpredictable changes.
There is no sound here, because the moment any sound is emitted, it has been swallowed up by the ether that is so thick and sticky that it occupies the entire world.
Only light.
The light is like a pillar, standing on the earth.
In all directions, countless thorn-like light ribbons extend from the dry earth, crawling on the earth, wrapping the earth, and squirming like living creatures.
In the end, they entangled with each other and converged into dozens of thick beams, entangled in the light pillar in the center.
It was as if he was trying to hold up the throne of God.
Spend all the value in the world, hold high the light of the gods, and create this cold and cruel heaven.
It is so majestic that even absolute darkness cannot hide its traces.
Under the observation of the outside world, every tens of minutes, a tide of destruction and purification would set off, splashing a sea of blazing light in all directions.
Like the beating of a heart.
With every beat, the realm of death spreads a little. In just half a month, it has expanded dozens of times, and it is getting faster and faster... I am afraid that it won't be long before the entire world will be covered by it.
"Control tower, this is B1."
Edwin reported in a trembling voice: "I have entered the Caucasus and arrived at the outskirts of 'Eden'. This place is... completely hopeless."
"Calm down, B1. According to the mission process, collect data on the periphery of Eden. Remember, don't make any provocative moves towards 'Eden', and don't get close. You just need to observe from the periphery."
"I know even if you don't tell me."
Edwin shook his head numbly, crawled on the edge of the cliff, and looked down at the land in the distance. There was a thick thorn of light not far away from him, it could even be said to be close at hand.
He and the huge house-like landing cabin behind him were as insignificant as the dust falling next to the thorns.
He didn't dare to approach.
With such a thing around, it's almost obvious where all the living people in the Caucasus have gone.
However, when he raised his head and looked into the distance again, for a moment... he was in a daze.
In the still world, something moved in the distance.
Just when he thought it was an illusion, the tiny dust seemed to move forward a little bit...
"Wait! There's something there!"
Edwin stared intently at the barren plain in the distance, watching the shadow moving slowly on the earth.
In this world where the ether is out of control, the observation movement has been scrapped, leaving only mechanical engineering that seems to have not had time to betray humanity.
But when the telescope inside magnified the shadow, Edwin couldn't help but scream: "There are still living people! My God, there are still people alive! Control tower, we found survivors!"
Ignoring the waiting orders from the command tower, Edwin violated the rules, jumped off the cliff, and ran towards the plains, rolling, climbing, and stumbling.
It wasn't until a long, long time later that the long distance was finally spanned, and he saw the withered old man.
It's like losing your soul.
He was crawling on the ground sluggishly, his hands and feet were worn out by sharp edges, his hair was mottled, and he looked so skinny that he looked like he was about to die. But he is still alive, and his body is so healthy, as if he has been given eternal life.
Taken away from death.
"Wrong, wrong... wrong... totally wrong... what exactly is wrong? Tell me, what is wrong... what exactly is wrong..."
He muttered something in confusion, as if he was witnessing a nightmare appearing in reality, talking to himself crazily. If there was no one else around, he couldn't see Edwin who was so close.
"B1, this is B2, don't get close to that thing, don't get close...Things that can survive in such a ghost place are no longer human!" Adams's voice sounded in the communication, noisy and harsh: "Get away quickly! leave him!"
"This... this is..."
Edwin stared blankly at the mad man in front of him, scrutinizing his face, looking for traces in the record. For a long time, he could no longer hold back the fear that surged in his heart.
"Control tower, this is B1. I have confirmed the identity of the survivor."
"He is... Gaius..."