“What are you looking at?” Dr. Ji approached Lu Feng from behind. Lu Feng was standing at the lab window, facing the brightly lit Eden and the Twin Towers. As he got closer, he realized the colonel wasn’t spacing out—he was toying with a communicator. The still-lit screen displayed the contact list, paused on an…

“No,” Polly said. “We can’t make such an unreasonable request.” “The base has a functioning emergency system. As long as they’re prepared, they can survive for a short time,” Tang Lan said. “But what if the equipment gets damaged due to distortion during the short artificial magnetic field shutdown? In the winter, losing magnetic protection…

The aurora flashed sharply. Crash. The shattering of glass tore through the silent night. An Zhe turned toward the lab. Polly also looked toward the window. “Rum?” Mist clung to the glass, making the view inside blurry. Only vague silhouettes were visible. “Doctor!” Rum’s voice was rarely this agitated. One hand slapped against the window—bang…

“I am willing to take up arms for the safety of humanity.”“I will judge every compatriot with justice.”“Though it may be wrong, it is still right.” Polly slowly recited these words.“The Oath of the Tribunal,” he said. An Zhe was stunned. He had heard the last line of this oath before.After coughing up those two…

The warning from the Northern Base was concise. Polly said, “They’ve noticed it too.” An Zhe looked outside. The Highlands Institute was situated on the highest peak. From there, the Abyss was fully visible below. The massive fault line looked like a gruesome wound on the pale skin of the earth, layered forests and swamps…

An Zhe awoke from a peaceful dream. In the dream, he had no eyes, no ears, none of the sensory organs humans used. It was as if he had returned to a time long, long ago, buried deep in soft, damp soil. But it wasn’t soil—he seemed to be near Lu Feng, so close to…

The Inquisitor was under soft confinement in the Lighthouse, but the surging riot had not ended in any mutual compromise. On the contrary, it escalated further. People stopped working to protest the base, with mass demonstrations centered at the gates of the artificial magnetic pole installation. According to questionable rumors, the base’s decision-makers were furious.…

“A dignified Inquisitor Colonel, now under soft house arrest in my lab,” Dr. Ji remarked mockingly as he set a stack of documents on the desk. “Need me to bring you meals?” Sitting in the plush chair that originally belonged to Dr. Ji was not the doctor himself, but the Inquisitor in black uniform. His…

—Then came the sound of glass shattering. Tang Lan furrowed his brows and strode out. The shrieking continued, followed by sounds of a fight. The boy flinched suddenly, grabbing An Zhe’s arm as if seeking protection, though he said, “Don’t be scared. Someone turned into a monster. Brother Tang can handle it.” They peered out…

“You can call me Polly, or Jones—whichever you like,” said Polly Jones. His words were polite and his tone gentle. His gray-blue eyes were like a calm sea, the ideal elder found in stories about humanity. An Zhe gave his name. “You’re very young. From the Northern Base?” Polly Jones asked. An Zhe nodded. “How…