Apocalypse Survival Guide for a Beta [GB] - Chapter 64

While Lou Tiannan and the others were trapped in the lab, on the other side, Clair had also received news of their entry into the institute.

Clair wore a white robe, his golden hair falling smoothly over his shoulders. His naturally compassionate gaze was slightly lowered, making it impossible to tell what he was thinking.

Beside him, a priest was carefully reporting, “Lou Tiannan entered the 621 Biopharmaceutical Research Institute under a Federation mission. The exact purpose is still unknown but we’ve heard that Qiu Tu has also gone in. The Federation has leaked that they dispatched a rescue team eighteen hours ago.”

“Eighteen hours ago? Where is the rescue team now?”

“We just received word that they were ambushed by a zombie horde midway. A distress signal was sent to us.”

At the latter half of the report, Clair’s eyes lifted, his expression turning serious. “When did we receive the distress signal?”

“Three minutes ago.”

A flash of urgency crossed Clair’s face. “Quick, send people to assist the Federation’s troops. Take Caesar with you.”

The priest, affected by Clair’s urgency, immediately responded, “I’ll arrange it now!”

“Make sure to do everything possible to protect the rescue team,” Clair commanded with utmost seriousness.

The priest, sensing the gravity of his order, shouted, “Understood!”

A few minutes later, the praying worshippers inside the church watched as the missionaries, led by Coomber, assembled in two teams, fully equipped and ready to depart.

Seeing them, some of the congregation grew uneasy, whispering among themselves, and soon the news spread that they were going to rescue the Federation troops trapped in the zombie horde.

Tears welled up in many people’s eyes as they made gestures of prayer.

“Thank goodness, the Lord of Aurora has not abandoned humanity!”

“Yes! The Lord of Aurora will bless us all!”

“The Lord of Aurora bless us!”

Among those praying were the families of Federation soldiers.

To them, the arrival of the apocalypse had felt like being plunged into endless darkness. Aurora had become a sanctuary of light, a sliver of hope in a world that had nearly lost all of it.

As they watched the missionaries disappear into the distance, someone murmured, “When will Enigma finally descend…?”

Everyone remained silent. No one knew why so few children had been born since the apocalypse. Teenagers undergoing differentiation had all been placed in safe zones by the Federation, yet there had never been any reports of someone showing signs of differentiating into an Enigma.

Would Enigma really descend?

They had wavered more than once but every time they saw Clair’s handsome and divine face, they couldn’t help but believe that Enigma would come.

A servant of God would not deceive the world.

News of Aurora’s priests going to rescue the trapped Federation team quickly spread through the believers who had gone to pray at the church. Soon, the image of Aurora as the savior of humanity became even more concrete in the minds of the survivors in Eastern District Five Safe Zone.

***

“Are they planning to settle here?” Bai Chuan frowned so deeply that he could crush a fly between his brows as he stared at the mutated zombies outside the window. “It’s been hours and they’re still lingering around.”

As the sky outside darkened, they realized they had been inside the research institute for seven hours already, nearly five of which were spent in the laboratory. The mutated zombies showed no signs of leaving.

“The lingering scent in the office will keep them here,” Lou Tiannan said calmly.

An hour ago, they had all put on oxygen masks.

“Elena, how’s your progress with the map manual?” Tang Mary turned to look at Elena who was poring over documents.

They had found a map manual of the research institute in the lab but it was far too complicated for anyone unfamiliar with the facility. Since Elena had been there before, she was the best choice to study it and find an escape route.

“There are ventilation shafts on the 15th and 20th floors. Maybe we can exit through there.”

Someone nearby spoke with a cold tone, “You won’t be able to get out.”

The four of them turned to Lin Bai, with Tang Mary looking particularly puzzled. “Why not? Buildings like this always have ventilation ducts. My Guangming Tower has them too.”

“The research institute’s ventilation ducts are equipped with pulverization and recycling system,” Lin Bai said matter-of-factly.

“What’s pulverization and recycling system?”

Everyone’s eyes were filled with confusion at the term.

Lin Bai casually drew a diagram on the electronic board in the lab. “Like this. Gas that enters is filtered and cycled multiple times before being released. Any solid object that enters is automatically detected and shredded into fine particles, which are then decomposed in multiple ways. The sediment is sent to the waste disposal room on the third floor, while the air continues its filtration cycle. Any solid attempting to bypass the main entrance will meet this fate.”

“…”

Bai Chuan and Tang Mary, hearing about such a system for the first time, were utterly shocked. “Why go to such lengths?”

“To protect classified information.”

Even though they had suspected this was the reason, hearing it confirmed out loud still felt absurd. “Aren’t they afraid that those shredded particles will enter the air purification system?”

Elena answered Bai Chuan’s question, “To prevent malicious gas leaks, the research institute’s air purification system operates independently.”

“…”

“An independent air circulation system is not cheap! Is the research institute really that rich?” Tang Mary had considered installing such a system when building the Guangming Tower but the cost had discouraged her. Even as the wealthiest jeweler in the Federation, she had been forced to give up on it. Did the research institute really have that much funding?

“This air circulation system was developed by my mentor and is exclusively supplied to the research institute,” Elena’s voice carried undeniable pride as she spoke.

“…Impressive.” Tang Mary was convinced. Her mind jumped to another thought immediately. “Then why isn’t your mentor at the research institute? Wasn’t it said that when the apocalypse began, Dean Xiao Hehua insisted on staying at the institute to develop a vaccine? Where is she? Don’t tell me she failed to develop the vaccine and ended up among those zombies…”

Hearing Tang Mary’s question, Lou Tiannan and Elena finally realized what they had overlooked. Dean Xiao Hehua was not at the research institute.

Lou Tiannan thought about the box containing the Primal Blood Vaccine that he had obtained. The vaccine had been developed but what about Dean Xiao Hehua?

Elena glanced at the people around her and then took out an envelope she had found on Xiao Hehua’s desk. It was addressed to her. Without hesitation, she opened it.

Inside the envelope was a chip card bearing a hollowed-out, multi-pointed leaf emblem, embodying the black leaf. Black leaf was the scent of Elena’s pheromones.

The moment Elena touched the chip card, a gentle and kind voice echoed in the air, [Elena.]

“Mentor,” Elena instinctively responded.

But there was no reply. It was a memory chip, one of the Federation’s high-tech voice recording chips, capable of preserving a person’s voice and image permanently and completely. For some reason, only the audio was playing.

Lin Bai’s eyes flickered slightly, emotions surging beyond her control.

[If you are hearing this memory chip, then I have probably already left this world.]

[I am very sorry for asking you to come here in such dangerous times. But I have no one else I can trust. I must ask you to fulfill two tasks for me, perhaps they could bring an early end to the apocalypse.]

Everyone exchanged looks, shock evident in their eyes. End the apocalypse early?!

Xiao Hehua’s voice continued, [First, I have developed the Primal Blood Vaccine and have already sent a message to the Federation in the safe zone. I do not know when they will send a team but if no one comes, you must take the vaccine back to the Federation.]

[Second, please help me deliver my memories to her.]

[Thank you for coming, Elena. You are the only one I trust.]

The message was brief but the weight of its contents left everyone stunned.

Dean Xiao Hehua had passed away? The Primal Blood Vaccine? Who was ‘her’?

Bai Chuan and Tang Mary exchanged glances and then looked at the silent Lou Tiannan and Elena. No one knew what to ask or say at that moment.

Elena, however, frowned and played the memory chip again. She had keenly sensed that something was off about her mentor’s tone when she left this message.

“Did something happen?” Lou Tiannan asked.

Elena didn’t respond immediately. It wasn’t until she had listened to the message for the third time that she finally said, “There’s something wrong with this memory playback.”

Bai Chuan wasn’t particularly interested in analyzing more of the Federation’s secrets. He just wanted to find his boss and had no desire to get entangled in any classified matters. Knowing too much might not be in his best interest.

With that thought, he turned to look at Lin Bai, intending to tell her to stay out of it as well. But when he saw Lin Bai, he noticed something was off about her. While the others were focused on Xiao Hehua’s message, he was about to quietly approach Lin Bai.

He had only taken one step when he saw a hand rest on Lin Bai’s shoulder.

“What’s wrong?”

‘That annoying Lou Tiannan,’ Bai Chuan cursed inwardly.

“It’s nothing, just low blood sugar,” Lin Bai replied drowsily.

Elena turned to look at Lin Bai, just as Lou Tiannan pulled a piece of candy from his pocket and popped it into Lin Bai’s mouth.

Seeing food, the group belatedly realized they needed to replenish their energy.

The five of them found a corner to sit in and began eating.

Elena, however, kept listening to the memory chip her mentor had left her.

Tang Mary didn’t overthink it. After swallowing her compressed food ration, she asked directly, “Who did your mentor want you to bring the memory to? Weren’t you the only person she trusted? Who else was she thinking about?”

But Elena, deep in thought, didn’t respond. Her hand unconsciously traced her mentor’s words on the ground.

‘Please help me deliver my memories to her.’

The moment Elena heard that phrase, a name flashed through her mind; Mi Xing.

When she had first suspected a connection between Mi Xing and her mentor, she had chosen to stay silent. She neither asked nor spoke about it.

But she hadn’t expected her mentor to see through it.

With that realization, she stole a glance at Lin Bai but the latter had her head down, leaning against Lou Tiannan’s shoulder, lost in thought.

At first, Elena didn’t understand what her mentor meant by ‘memory.’ Did it refer to the memory chip? But that seemed too simple. Then, as her gaze landed on the burned display case outside the office, she suddenly recalled the amber bead bracelet she had retrieved for Lin Bai.

‘Elena, don’t underestimate amber. These are beautiful gems that seal ancient memories!’

Sealed memories.

Amber.

There was something inside the amber!

Elena looked at Lin Bai again, her mind racing. Why had her mentor chosen to pass her a message in such a cryptic way?

‘I have no one else I can trust.’

‘You are the only one I trust.’

“Someone betrayed my mentor!” Elena suddenly blurted out.