With Ling Qianhe confirmed to be present, Lin Muxi felt a sudden sense of ease.
She looked at him, her eyes darting around. The main issue was that she had been dragged here to complete the final mission without even having a chance to read the script!
She stared intently at Ling Qianhe and then asked him.
"Where are we now?"
"You know, don't you?"
"And you've read the script, haven't you?"
She was afraid Ling Qianhe would shake his head, but fortunately, he didn't. He looked at the flustered Lin Muxi, nodded, and reached out, slowly patting her head. Then Lin Muxi heard Ling Qianhe say.
"I have."
"We are in Laboratory No. 8."
Lin Muxi let out a surprised sound. She just felt… what a coincidence. It was the Eighth Prison before, and now Laboratory No. 8. Was she somehow obsessed with the number eight?
But then she thought again, eight was eight, and eight sounds like "fa" (fortune) in Chinese, which was a good omen.
"This is one of the three hundred underground laboratories built by humans, the deepest one, located near the Tibetan region. It's also the most well-equipped. You could stay here for a hundred years without needing to go out."
"However—"
Ling Qianhe paused and said.
"We have to leave here within three days."
"Then we need to find the commanding officer of the human base outside and get a very important password book that records crucial parameters from him."
"That password book can save Blue Star."
Lin Muxi looked at Ling Qianhe with confusion. Her eyes held a deep bewilderment.
"Save Blue Star?"
"Am I not the savior?"
"If I can't save Blue Star, why do I need a password book to save Blue Star?"
She was very confused. Facing her bewilderment, Ling Qianhe reached out and wrote a few lines of code on the wall. He spoke.
"Humanity's technological tree has been sealed, preventing any breakthroughs to galactic-level technology and integration into the cosmic human civilization."
"Humanity needs a genius. A genius who can help humanity break through the current technological limitations."
Lin Muxi chuckled. Although she was the chosen one, truthfully, apart from the lines of code that suddenly appeared in her mind, she felt no different from before.
In fact, she felt that Ling Qianhe was more like the chosen one than she was.
"It's already the Great Cataclysm era outside—when the calamity descended, no one paid attention. Little did they know it would spread to such an uncontrollable extent. Humanity is now at the brink of extinction…"
As Ling Qianhe introduced the background story, Lin Muxi walked half a step behind him. Seeing him in a white lab coat, wearing gold-rimmed glasses that looked like a yandere's accessory, and walking with leather shoes, she couldn't help but exclaim.
"So… so handsome."
Ling Qianhe stopped and looked back at her.
He was originally leading her out, so his posture was naturally that of a guide. Now, Ling Qianhe raised an eyebrow slightly, a smile as rippling and bright as water spreading across his eyes.
"Hmm?"
"What did you say?"
Lin Muxi touched her nose, showing no sign of embarrassment.
"I said you look very handsome like this."
Ling Qianhe extended his hands, which were fair and slender. Then, he slowly adjusted his collar. He leaned closer to Lin Muxi and pressed her against the wall.
"Although doing important business is more important…"
But as he slowly lowered himself and his warm lips touched hers, Lin Muxi heard his whisper.
This man's voice was like a poisonous charm, leaving no cure, only indulgence.
"But who says kissing your wife now isn't important business?"
"Even if the sky falls, this is the most important thing."
…
Lin Muxi followed him out of the laboratory and only then realized how terrible the outside world was. Everything was desolate – collapsing skyscrapers, abandoned cities, a scene like the end of the world, but more real and immersive than any movie.
She took a deep breath and said softly.
"Haven't we encountered this kind of doomsday dungeon before?"
The man beside her hummed and said.
"It's quite a good movie concept. It's a shame the viewers in parallel universes can't see this scene. This is far more real than any special effects shot."
She clutched Ling Qianhe's hand, a sense of pressure growing in her heart. Her intuition told her that there was great danger here, but for the moment, she couldn't understand one thing: where the danger came from.
Strange whistling sounds came from all directions – she turned her head and saw the man beside her raise his head. A bullet pierced a grotesque, monstrous creature from afar, and the creature roared and fell, sending a tremor through her heart.
Lin Muxi gasped.
"Didn't they say the Zerg didn't invade Blue Star?"
"Wasn't Blue Star isolated from the human federation, and the Zerg invasion didn't affect Blue Star…"
"Why are there such… such terrifying insect beasts here?"
Ling Qianhe shook his head. He said softly.
"These are not Zerg. They are insects originally from Earth that mutated due to some radiation. It's not just insects; some animals, marine creatures, and even plants have mutated and evolved. Humans, on the other hand, are at the bottom of the food chain."
"You probably can't imagine it."
Lin Muxi shook her head.
The doomsday she had originally envisioned was merely that the Earth's environment would become unsuitable for human survival, thus requiring a new hope for human survival.
But Lin Muxi never expected that—
Even plants and animals would mutate!
If this were a game dungeon, with such an unfavorable start, wouldn't humanity be doomed?
"Besides the officially established research institutes and shelters, there are also some bases gathered by civilians."
"It is now the era of the Great Cataclysm, and everything is in short supply. Although the official power is immense, in times of disaster, all moral standards are thrown into disarray, making this an exceptionally chaotic world."
"We need to traverse several extremely dangerous areas to reach our destination and obtain the password book."
Lin Muxi responded with an "oh." She asked Ling Qianhe.
"Do you know the way?"
Ling Qianhe hummed.
"I do."
"However—the more pressing matter is to find a mode of transportation. But this shouldn't be too difficult, someone should be bringing one soon. The mutated plants and animals near all research institutes are relatively docile, as they have been thoroughly cleared by the government."
"Therefore, this place is a prime hunting ground for 'Wild Rovers'."
"They have vehicles. We can just rob them."
Ling Qianhe raised an eyebrow and added another important piece of information.
"Oh, right, among humans, there are also evolved individuals."
"You and I are both. You are an intelligence-specialized evolver—your combat power is zero, weak like a female beast, and without the ability to protect yourself. Since there are no mechs on Blue Star, you must rely on others for protection."
"As for me—"
"You will soon witness my abilities."