Embers Ad Infinitum

Translator: CKtalon 

"The self-destruct sequence has begun. This building will be completely sealed in ten minutes. All units, please evacuate in an orderly manner."

Long Yuehong and the others had just come out of the elevator when they heard the halted broadcast make this announcement.

The few Supplies Allocation Market employees—who had originally been skeptical of Shang Jianyao's words and had only chosen to follow the crowd—were completely flustered, shocked, and terrified.

"There's still time," Long Yuehong said simply and ran toward the emergency access to the 650th floor.

According to his estimates, if everything went smoothly, they could reach the surface in five minutes via the emergency access. When the time came, the underground area wouldn't affect them no matter how sealed or self-destructive it was.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Long Yuehong led the way with Gu Hong and Long Dayong behind him. Bai Chen was two steps behind and was in charge of dealing with other accidents.

The employees of the Supplies Allocation Market seemed to have found someone to count on. They were no longer as terrified and began running.

There was more than one emergency access in the underground building; at least half of the elevator lobbies corresponded to one. Long Yuehong and the others only ran a few steps before entering the stairwell and heading up.

The various barricades here had been destroyed. They easily and smoothly arrived at the 650th floor.

If not for the self-destruct countdown echoing in their ears, everyone present would've heaved a sigh of relief.

The emergency access on the 650th floor was concentrated on the other side. It wasn't connected to the ones below, so they had to pass through a long aisle peppered by many metal doors to reach it. Fortunately, the escape of the Security Department employees allowed these metal doors to open by themselves without needing any force.

Long Yuehong led his parents, wife, and the employees from the Supplies Allocation Market as they ran without stopping.

"Countdown: Nine minutes…"

"Countdown: Eight minutes…"

The countdown sounded again and again, making Long Dayong and Gu Hong—who usually didn't exercise much—fill themselves with adrenaline as they ran steadily. They didn't dare slow down as they panted heavily.

It was only because they weren't considered old and had undergone immature genetic enhancement that they managed to last this long after such an intense dash.

"Countdown: Seven minutes…"

"Countdown: Six minutes…"

Long Yuehong found it odder as he ran.

Logically speaking, with their speed, they should've long arrived on the other side of the 650th floor and begun searching for an emergency access that had its barricades destroyed or hadn't been permanently sealed.

Furthermore, it was such a straight path. They weren't Jiang Baimian, so how could they get lost?

Long Yuehong's heart palpitated as he stopped. He raised his right hand and signaled for his parents and the others to rest. At the same time, he shouted, "The underground building is about to be sealed. Do you want to die here?"

He suspected that they had encountered an unaffected Awakened in the Shattered Mirror domain who remained loyal to the company.

However, nobody answered him.

At this moment, Bai Chen reminded him, "Write on the wall!"

That's right! Long Yuehong came to a realization.

The only reason the Awakened wasn't affected by Shang Jianyao and wasn't shocked by the self-destruct countdown was that he had stuffed his ears in advance.

As for the worst-case scenario of encountering a Superior Heartless, Long Yuehong was temporarily unwilling to think about it.

With a snap, he flicked out a knife from his mechanical arm and swiped it across the wall. "The building is about to be sealed. Just listen to your surroundings!"

After about 20 seconds, an invisible layer of glass seemed to shatter in front of Long Yuehong and the others. They then saw the other side of the 650th floor.

They saw many figures running in their spots, and they saw a person running deep into the area.

Phew… Long Yuehong heaved a sigh of relief and called out to his parents and wife. "Continue!"

There were only a little more than four minutes left!

The group ran again, heading straight for the nearest emergency access. However, this place was permanently sealed.

They could only change to another one.

After three attempts, Long Yuehong finally saw a destroyed roadblock. The fact that the roadblock was destroyed meant that this path was likely clear!

"Countdown: Three minutes…" As Long Yuehong was delighted, the cold electronic voice sounded again.

He quickly cheered his parents on. "The surface is just upstairs!"

Hope rose in everyone's hearts as they crazily headed up the stairs.

This emergency access was rather long, about three stories tall.

Footsteps sounded incessantly.

Long Yuehong finally saw a platform. At the end of the platform was a silver-black metal door.

"Phew." He panted and said to the people following behind, "We'll be safe once we're outside!"

This gave strength to many people whose legs had gone limp.

Long Yuehong protected his parents and ran to the open door with Bai Chen. Outside was the parking lot.

"Countdown: Two minutes…"

At this moment, Long Yuehong suddenly became weak-minded and was filled with doubts about whether he could escape. Does the underground building's lockdown really only refer to the underground area and not the surface? If it's the latter, it will take at least five minutes to enter the Ashlands from here. There's not enough time…

Even if we can break into the cars, we don't have the keys…

Little White knows how to hotwire cars, but I wonder if it's too late…

Even if Big Boss and the New World powerhouses are indeed held back, will the numerous Mind Corridor-level Awakened in the company really allow us to do as we wish? Besides, the company has been operating in the building for decades. It's unknown how many more setups there are!

These questions were like bullets shooting at Long Yuehong's heart, pushing him toward a mental breakdown. He no longer had the will to advance.

It wasn't only him; Bai Chen, Long Dayong, and Gu Hong also had similar reactions. They stopped with collapsed expressions and panted heavily.

The Supplies Allocation Market employees and some of the people who had been affected by the illusion were the same.

Only one-third of the people were unaffected. They ran out the metal door not far in front of Long Yuehong and entered the parking lot.

Weak Heart—an Awakened ability in the Master Zhuang domain!

Long Yuehong turned around and saw two figures walking over from the other side of the platform.

One had his ears stuffed, and his eyes were turbid. He wore neat black clothes, and his body was slightly hunched. He was in his fifties.

The other figure was wrapped in a Chameleon-type bionic artificial intelligence armor.

Superior Heartless… Long Yuehong's heart sank as he felt greater despair.

There wasn't much time left to begin with, and now they had even encountered the interception of Superior Heartless. The road ahead was bleak.

No, there was no hope at all!

The weak-minded Long Yuehong couldn't help but cry, and his vision turned blurry. He seemed to hear the footsteps of death.

Gu Hong broke down. Long Dayong squatted down and covered his face.

Even Bai Chen—who had always been determined—had moist eyes at this moment, and her face revealed two emotions: depression and pain.

The Superior Heartless wearing the bionic artificial intelligence armor walked over. He grabbed an employee from the Supplies Allocation Market and suddenly bit his neck.

Blood splattered.

Long Yuehong stared blankly at this scene as if he could see his outcome.

"Countdown: 59 seconds…"

"58…"

"57…"

Another group of people ran up this emergency access. Behind them was a large number of ferocious Heartless.

It's over, it's over… Long Yuehong's willpower shattered like porcelain that had been smashed by a hammer. He seemed to be able to see the deaths of himself, Bai Chen, and his parents.

Either their necks were snapped, their hearts were dug out and ripped to shreds, or they were sealed in the underground building and died from the subsequent explosions, toxic gasses, flooding, suffocation, or mental breakdowns.

These scenes appeared in Long Yuehong's imagination one after another. This was accompanied by the Pangu Biology employees' screams brought about by the Heartless's hunt. It made the weak-minded him want to end his life to prevent him from witnessing his parents and Bai Chen's tragic fate.

"30…"

"29…"

A large group of escapees was hunted by the Heartless in various ways. Some people were lucky enough to bypass Long Yuehong and the others and rush into the parking lot.

This almost snapped the nerves in Long Yuehong's mind.

The fear of death and the tragic state of his family constantly struck his heart, gradually producing echoes in his heart. No, I don't want to see such a thing…

I don't want to see Daddy, Mommy, and Bai Chen die like this…

I'm afraid of death, but I'm more afraid of seeing the people I love die tragically!

"12…"

"11…"

"10…"

The moment the number '10' jumped into Long Yuehong's mind, he had an illusion that his nerves had snapped. He completely broke down.

Some people completely gave up after a complete breakdown, while others would take extreme actions that they usually wouldn't do. This was affected by one's personality and the growth brought about by their experiences in life. The latter exacted a greater influence.

"9…"

Long Yuehong suddenly moved as if Weak Heart no longer affected him. With bloodshot eyes, he ran to the side, grabbed his parents' clothes with both hands, and lifted them up.

"8…"

"7…"

Long Yuehong first exerted strength with his mechanical arm and threw Gu Hong out the door and into the parking lot. He then twisted his waist and exerted strength with his entire body, throwing Long Dayong in the same direction.

"6…"

Long Yuehong ran back to Bai Chen's side.

"5…"

He lifted Bai Chen by the waist with his mechanical arm and suddenly threw her out the door.

"Run!" Long Yuehong shouted.

"4…"

Bai Chen flew in the air, filled with grief and surprise.

At the same time, Long Yuehong turned around and faced the Superior Heartless—who was carrying out a massacre.

"3…"

Long Yuehong ran over and raised his arm. He wanted to quickly finish off the Heartless who was still affecting his parents and Bai Chen.

At this moment, he was no longer weak-minded, hesitant, or afraid. His heart was extremely calm, and there was only the enemy in his eyes.

My name is Long Yuehong. I'm only 1.75 meters tall after genetic enhancement. My looks are average, and my grades are average…