MCL CH131

Chapter 131: Our futures, different paths to the same destination…
 

In just a few short days, the emergency in the contamination zone had spread across the globe through international news.

All countries fully activated their pre-prepared shelter areas and arranged for residents to move in.

This was undoubtedly an unprecedented global migration in human history.

Scenes of the migration from various places appeared on large and small LCD screens. The originally peaceful and stable life of humanity was, from this point on, completely shattered.

However, the number of shelters built according to the “Ark 2 Project” was still not enough. How to determine the eligibility of humans for entry instantly became the center of controversy.

Gu Beiqiu stood at the edge of the corridor, his gaze on the empty road in the distance, his feelings unclear.

Beside him was the anxious and restless voice of Shen Nanyang’s assistant. This was already the umpteenth time he had asked, “Executor Gu, it’s been days already. If this continues, something will really happen to the Professor!”

“We can only continue.”

Gu Beiqiu’s peripheral vision swept over the closed door behind him. Separated by a wall, he could still feel the faint surge of supernatural ability fluctuations enclosed within.

Three days.

It had been a full three days since Shen Nanyang was locked in the room.

Although he didn’t know what kind of agreement the two had reached, Gu Beiqiu knew very well that no one could interfere now.

What was happening here could, at any moment, decide the future of humanity.

“Clang—!”

The sound of something falling to the ground came from inside the room. Before Gu Beiqiu could react, Shen Nanyang’s assistant had already rushed forward, urgently knocking on the door. “Professor? What happened? Are you alright? Professor?”

Gu Beiqiu frowned, pulled the assistant aside with one hand, opened the door, and walked in.

One look inside, and the overly magnificent and beautiful scene still left him deeply shocked.

Shen Nanyang, exhausted, had collapsed to the ground. Countless ethereal timelines seemed to have been given form, tangled around him like the blooming tentacles of a deep-sea jellyfish, as if constantly feeding on a shattered life.

The enclosed room was already covered in dense and chaotic supernatural ability fluctuations. The assistant behind, who had wanted to rush in, stepped back with a pale face the moment he entered.

This was also the first time Gu Beiqiu had seen Shen Nanyang’s state after using his ability. He glanced at the bizarre scenery around him and reminded, “Professor Shen, are you alright? It looks like your ability is showing some signs of losing control…”

“I’m… fine.” Shen Nanyang panted lowly. Dense sweat had already covered his cheeks, slowly trickling down his collarbone, making him look as if he had just been fished out of water, an unprecedentedly wretched state.

This condition was clearly caused by the overuse of his ability day and night. His face was currently as pale as a corpse. The countless timelines blooming around him began to retract bit by bit under his forced composure.

Shen Nanyang’s fingers, resting on the chair’s surface, tightened slightly. His fingertips dug into the wooden surface. Finally, he managed to slightly calm the heaving of his chest and said four words: “I have found it.”

Gu Beiqiu was momentarily stunned. “Found what?”

In the silent room, only Shen Nanyang’s extremely weak voice remained. “Take me… to see him. That zero point one per mil future, I… have found it.”

Gu Beiqiu finally realized. His body trembled slightly, and he immediately went over to help Shen Nanyang up, striding quickly towards the door.

The people in the independent isolation zone had basically been dismissed, so they didn’t encounter anyone else along the way. It wasn’t until they reached Yan Xingzhou’s isolation room and pushed the door open that the first thing that came into view was the two figures by the bed.

“Ah—! Mmph.” Lin Xi was just opening his mouth to drink the sweet soup from Yan Xingzhou’s spoon. Hearing the door open, he looked back. His gaze fell on the two figures, and he raised an eyebrow unhurriedly. “Yo, Professor Shen, long time no see. But looking at your current state, having too much contact with me doesn’t seem to be a good thing.”

The last four words were undoubtedly full of irony in the current environment. Spoken so lightly by Lin Xi, it was as if he wasn’t the one who had locked the person up.

“Thanks for the concern.” Shen Nanyang sat down on the nearby sofa with Gu Beiqiu’s help. He tiredly took off the glasses on his nose and hung them on his chest pocket. “But for now, let’s talk about more important things first.”

Lin Xi chuckled lightly. “That zero point one per mil?”

He had been sitting on the edge of the bed. Now, he adjusted his position slightly and, quite naturally, used Yan Xingzhou as a pillow, leaning into his embrace.

[Damn, he’s really going for it! He even found the zero point one per mil?!]

Listening to the teasing in his mind, Lin Xi’s gaze swept over Shen Nanyang. “Professor Shen’s efficiency, as expected, never disappoints.”

Three days was not a long time, but it wasn’t short either. It was obvious that Shen Nanyang had been continuously using “Pre-simulation” day and night until now. This could be felt from the extremely chaotic supernatural ability fluctuations on his body.

Such high-intensity use of his ability was almost like playing with his life. And at this moment, even in this state where he could lose control at any time, he still chose to come to this room full of contamination radiation to find him. It couldn’t help but make Lin Xi suspect—under this person’s seemingly calm exterior, he was already prepared to face death at any time.

No, to be more precise, for someone like Shen Nanyang who had seen through countless futures and knew too much that was not meant for a human’s fate, anyone else would probably have gone completely insane long ago.

What had supported him all this time was perhaps the final belief in seeing humanity’s future.

For this person, life and death had long been irrelevant.

Yan Xingzhou had not said a word since the two entered. At this moment, he also spoke. “The conclusion. Let’s hear it.”

Under the gaze of the two, a rare smile appeared on Shen Nanyang’s pale lips. “The conclusion is, I’m glad—our futures, different paths to the same destination.”

[No, are you sure you’re just going to let him say it like that? Hey hey hey, don’t! I don’t really want to hear it!]

Lin Xi found it amusing. Ignoring the voice in his head, he asked with great interest instead, “How so, the same destination?”

Shen Nanyang’s voice was completely hoarse, but every word was clear in the isolation room. “You both already know about the things I’ve been planning for years. ‘Ark 2’ was just one direction pushed forward according to my research. And the premise for all humanity to enter the shelters together to resist the contaminant invasion is—to achieve controllable awakening of supernatural abilities in ordinary people by extracting special energy substances from Calamity’s crystal core. Just like those test subjects you saw in the Central Research Institute that day, they are the man-made ability users I created.”

Gu Beiqiu poured a glass of water. Shen Nanyang took it. “Thank you.”

He brought the glass to his lips and took a sip, his throat finally getting some moisture. “I don’t mind being nailed to the pillar of shame in history for human experimentation. Just as I also don’t mind announcing the truth of the incident three years ago and accepting global judgment later. As long as Ark 2 can ultimately be smoothly advanced, I am willing to bear the consequences for everything I have done. But the experiment ultimately stagnated at the most critical point. I found that with only the remaining crystal core fragments in hand, I could only provide for a portion of ordinary humans to complete their awakening.”

As Shen Nanyang’s words fell, the entire room fell into a deathly silence.

From what was seen in the Central Research Institute, Shen Nanyang had almost mastered the technology to awaken supernatural abilities in ordinary humans. Then the rest could be solved simply by obtaining enough of Calamity’s crystal core.

As for where Calamity’s crystal core could be obtained…

Lin Xi could feel everyone’s gaze fall upon him, the one from behind him even more fervent.

At the same time, his mind was filled with an incomparably terrified voice: [Is it my understanding that’s the problem, is it my understanding?! He’s crazy, does he mean he wants to do you in again? Or do me in again? My crystal core is completely fused with you now, how does he plan to take it?!]

Lin Xi did not answer this noisy contaminant. He only heard Yan Xingzhou’s emotionless voice sound out, “Professor Shen, we refuse to cooperate.”

Lin Xi turned his head slightly and, not surprisingly, caught the deep darkness in Yan Xingzhou’s eyes.

However, he just let out a light laugh. “Professor Shen, why don’t you first explain your ‘different paths to the same destination’.”

As his voice fell, he felt his hand being suddenly gripped tightly by Yan Xingzhou.

Yan Xingzhou: “I believe there is no need to listen.”

“Just listen, it’s fine.” Lin Xi said slowly, and gently squeezed Yan Xingzhou’s fingertips with his backhand.

He naturally knew what Yan Xingzhou was worried about.

But similarly, his future also needed this man’s existence.

Shen Nanyang did not seem surprised by Lin Xi’s response and gave a similarly straightforward answer. “I saw in those long timelines that after this technology succeeds, it will rebuild the relationship between humans and contaminants. This also includes the control of the crisis of ability users losing control of their energy.”

He met Yan Xingzhou’s low gaze head-on, without any avoidance. “At that time, the contamination radiation in the air will no longer cause mutations in ordinary people. At the same time, the problem of ability users losing control of their abilities will also be completely resolved.”

“That really is different paths to the same destination.”

“I still refuse to cooperate.”

The two voices sounded almost at the same time.

Lin Xi looked back and met Yan Xingzhou’s eyes, deep, as if trying hard to suppress some intense emotion.

In the silence, he could clearly feel the supernatural ability fluctuations in the air faintly stirring.

Lin Xi did not turn back. He spoke with a smile, his words directed at the other two in the room. “Could I trouble you two to step out for a moment? Our family here might need to have a little discussion.”

He curved his lips faintly. “It will only take a moment. Thank you.”

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