Little Pink Starfish

Underground City Base, Core Zone.

“Thank you for your assistance.” The white officer took off his military cap. “We thought the Northern Base had already fallen.”

The moment of chaos had ended.
The sound of gunfire and explosions gradually subsided, echoing only in the distance. The ground was covered with shattered glass and equipment.

One officer was speaking rapidly: “The condition for non-contact infection is spatial proximity to the monsters! First clear the corpses!”
Then a gunshot rang out, and that officer fell—shot by another officer from the Underground Base.

“This is our adjudicator,” said the white officer beside Lu Feng. “After the Virginia Base fell, we followed your example and established an Adjudication Court. Over the years, the Court has been like the base’s guardian.”

A group of engineers, under soldier protection, passed through a half-collapsed steel arch and entered the magnetic pole facility for urgent repairs.

Staring at that area, Lu Feng asked, “How did they invade this time?”

“A direct assault. They came from a giant rainforest 300 kilometers away. Their sole objective was to obtain human genes and occupy the Underground Base—you know, the underground city is warm and safe, an ideal environment for organisms to survive.”

“What’s the point of destroying the magnetic pole?”

“Human genes, cognitive ability, and knowledge are constantly leaking. We can only speculate that they’ve learned something: destroying the magnetic pole throws humanity into chaos, making it easier for them to attack.”

“Their numbers have increased, their strength too. Our military equipment is insufficient, and our R\&D capability is declining. We can’t establish firepower dominance. With no other choice, we had to ask you for help.” The officer rubbed the butt of his rifle. “Why does the Northern Base still have such abundant ammunition and thermonuclear weapon stockpiles? Have you made technological breakthroughs?”

“Not yet,” Lu Feng took off his bloodstained gloves and answered calmly. “The Northern Base has sufficient manpower. In frontline combat, we can reduce weapon usage through sheer numbers.”

“In contrast, our heavy arms consumption is precisely because we lack manpower.” The white officer frowned in deep thought.

“I understand now… because of that much-criticized Rose Declaration.” Without waiting for Lu Feng to respond, the officer suddenly realized something. His eyes were complex. “The Northern Base always seems to make such decisions.”

“I really admire your decisiveness.” He finally said.

Lu Feng suddenly looked up in a certain direction. That place was a buffer zone—empty, with no notable structures in the distance. The white officer realized it pointed toward the Northern Base.

“What’s wrong?”

Lu Feng couldn’t explain the feeling in that instant. It was as if something had just happened in that place.

“I might need to go back,” he said.

—

Northern Base.

When An Zhe was escorted out of the 22nd floor, he passed through the lobby. Just an hour ago, it had been a place filled with soft music and a gentle atmosphere. Now it was a mess—no one in sight. In a corner, a tea table had collapsed, a glass cup knocked over, milk spilled all over the floor, soaking a white dress that lay flat. On the dress were shimmering honey-colored particles—like the fine hair on a bee’s limbs.

“How many are infected?” The Emergency Response commander shouted into his communicator.

“22nd, 21st, 20th floors!” A harsh voice came through. “All females in Eden who meet Rose Declaration standards, all staff, and most of the embryos in the 20th floor incubators. There are some on other floors too—being purged!”

The commander’s fingers clenched, almost crushing the communicator.

The deputy asked, “What do we do now?”

“Clean the site—are you stupid?” The furious commander suddenly turned, but not toward the deputy—it was An Zhe.

Under the pale lights, his face was like a cold statue.

“What happened on the 22nd floor?” The voice slammed into An Zhe’s ears like thunder, making his head ache. The soldiers pushed him forward—his shoulders felt like they were about to be crushed.

The pain made him tremble slightly. An Zhe lowered his eyelashes.

“Madam Lu mutated,” he said.

“Where were you then?”

“…In front of her.”

“Why did she mutate?” he roared. “Above the 20th floor, not a drop of water leaks—how could a woman mutate in Eden?”

“Many years ago… she was bitten by a bee.” An Zhe answered truthfully. The commander before him had become terrifyingly violent. He instinctively stepped back, only to be shoved forward even harder.

“If she could mutate, it would’ve happened long ago!” The commander suddenly drew the pistol from his waist.

“Colonel, calm down. The current situation—” the deputy said with a trembling voice.

The icy muzzle pressed against An Zhe’s temple.

“You’re speaking for him?” the colonel’s neck veins bulged. “I saw this guy during the evacuation—he’s from the Lighthouse, not Eden’s 22nd-floor personnel. Didn’t the Lighthouse have a bee specimen before? I’ve always said those lunatic scientists in the Twin Towers are breeding alien species. Sooner or later, there would be trouble. They’re just like those Integrationists who wanted the base destroyed.”

The deputy stayed silent.

“No need for the Adjudication Court,” the colonel said coldly, finger tightening on the trigger. “He’s no longer unrelated to the infection.”