Since The Red Moon Appeared

Chapter 24: A Botanical Marvel – The Humanoid Fruit Tree

A mere thousand meters away, an array of watchful eyes remained riveted on the extraordinary spectacle unfurling within the heart of the desolate lakebed. With an astonishing display, three heavily armed warriors took to the air, their bodies contorted by an intangible compulsion that propelled them through the atmosphere with eerie deliberation. Raised in a sinister ballet, their firearms released volleys of ammunition in a concentrated fusillade, stitching the encompassing terrain with lethal precision.

Yet, amidst this tumultuous scene, Lu Xin defied the confines of reason, his advance impervious to the tempest of projectiles. His sprint transformed into a bizarre, serpentine dance, whipping up plumes of mud in a frenzied minuet. Against the relentless onslaught, he executed a graceful ballet amid the bullets, gradually narrowing the distance to a mere three meters before vaulting heavenward.

Beneath the scrutiny of the crimson moon, he launched himself into the sky, a fleeting streak against the obsidian backdrop, springing aloft. His parabolic path intersected with that of an investigation team member. Ascending four or five meters, a jump unattainable for ordinary mortals, Lu Xin’s precisely timed propulsion converged with the trajectory of a bullet, guiding him inexorably toward his intended quarry.

An audible inhalation echoed as the visage of the investigation team member underwent a disconcerting transformation, its countenance twisted by unknown forces into an unsettling distortion. The entity twisted its head in Lu Xin’s direction, its jaws unnaturally elongated—a spectacle that sent shivers cascading down observers’ spines.

With fluid, seamless motion, Lu Xin’s hand swept forth, rending away a portion of the creature’s distorted façade before ensnaring its form with a decisive grip. The creature’s startled outcry intertwined with the distorted hiss of its utterance.

The investigation team member, bracing for impending demise, experienced truncated terror as the binding force abruptly relinquished its grip. A sensation of weightlessness engulfed the figure, propelling it toward Lu Xin with bared fangs and unsheathed claws.

With deft precision, Lu Xin liberated the captive from its confinement, utilizing the recoil’s momentum to propel himself toward another suspended comrade. His movements orchestrated a perilous ballet, with each captive serving as a conduit for his next audacious leap, emancipating them from their spectral restraints as he transitioned seamlessly from one to the next.

Meanwhile, ensconced within a distant safe house at Qinggang’s core, Chen Jing and Han Bing, a member of the Information Analysis Team, bore witness to the real-time transmission from Satellite City No. 2. The scene, bathed in the eerie, sanguine glow of the moon, unveiled Lu Xin’s ethereal pas de deux of motion and daring exploits.

His movements, reminiscent of a specter’s waltz, emanated an aura of capriciousness and lunacy.

Han Bing’s hushed whisper couldn’t contain the undercurrent of foreboding, a result of her intricate understanding of the domain of psionics. This specialized knowledge granted her the astuteness to provide counsel amid such distinctive challenges.

With her perceptive gaze, every move by Lu Xin exuded a tangible aura of danger.

Currently, the mystery surrounding the genesis of corruption source 41 in Satellite City No. 2 endures, evading solution. Nonetheless, initial analysis divulged that a mere psionic ripple had triggered the disappearance of ambient light, propelling three armed operatives and Lu Xin airborne. This incident showcased a remarkable display of potent psionic abilities—an aptitude to elevate individuals skyward—an entity endowed with formidable corruption attributes, leading to instant depravity.

In response to such an ominous adversary, a immediate strategic retreat coupled with artillery suppression emerged as the optimal recourse. Traditionally, the three beleaguered members of the investigative unit would have been considered KIA (killed in action), resigning them to death.

Undeterred by the deadly hail of bullets, Lu Xin surged forward with unwavering determination, an aura that appeared to render him impervious to the imminent shadow of death. His steadfast resolve overshadowed the looming specter of his own mortality.

Drawing upon a wealth of empirical data derived from prior experiments, which substantiated the agile prowess of individuals endowed with spider-like abilities in adroitly sidestepping oncoming projectiles, the investigative team comprehended the potential for evading bullets. Yet, this elusive nimbleness was coupled with the somber reality of a potentially fatal outcome should the bullets find their mark.

As the audacious scene unfolded, it swiftly became evident that Lu Xin’s decisive leap into action had spared the three members of the investigation team from their inexplicable frenzy. Their wayward aggression towards their own comrades had been effectively quashed. The intricate mechanics behind his intervention remained enshrouded in mystery, and the aftermath was equally perplexing: the previously frenzied team members swiftly regained their composure upon making contact with the ground, executing a harmonious retreat that bore witness to their uninfected state.

The seamless synchronicity of their withdrawal stood as a testament to their disciplined organization, underscoring their unblemished condition. Han Bing, momentarily bereft of speech, betrayed her astonishment through her gaping visage. Equally taken aback, Chen Jing, poised to issue crucial directives through her communication device, hesitated as she bore witness to the unfolding events on the obscured screen.

Infused with surprise, she uttered in a tone tinged with disbelief, “It’s your turn…”

Amidst this unfolding panorama, Lu Xin, having safeguarded the trio from the investigation team, forsook the notion of retreat. Instead, he pressed forward with a resolute purpose. His destination: the very core of the puddle nestled at the heart of the lake.

An epiphany pierced his consciousness as he observed the trio propelled skyward by an unseen force — a peculiarity that eluded neither his discerning gaze nor his analytical faculties. While others perceived the trio as marionettes stripped of autonomy, Lu Xin glimpsed a more intricate truth. His keen eyes discerned the subtle contours of the forces suspending the trio mid-air, triggering their involuntary gunfire. This spectral grip constrained their movements, compelling them to discharge their weapons. Hence, when their captain issued a frantic directive to evade, it became unequivocally clear that their volition was controlled, their bodies uninfected.

This revelation further fortified Lu Xin’s determination. With his sister’s collaboration, they adroitly sidestepped the fusillade of bullets, executing a synchronized ballet to sever the peculiar bonds that fettered the trio. The mystery unraveled with unforeseen ease, their elusive captor gone.

However, triumph did not abate his resolve. Retreat was not the trajectory he chose. His determination remained steadfast as his sister’s unwavering fixation on the puddle. Her unwavering determination radiated like a guiding star, propelling her forward without hesitation.

The landscape blurred as Lu Xin propelled himself with astonishing rapidity, covering several meters in the blink of an eye. Yet, his trajectory was abruptly arrested by a tumultuous upheaval, as the earthen mire erupted, giving birth to a formidable obsidian beast. This entity burgeoned with astonishing speed, its appendages coiling and undulating with an eerie intensity, reminiscent of serpentine tendrils engaged in a frenzied dance.

Confronted by this otherworldly manifestation, Lu Xin’s pupils constricted, his gaze ensnared by the unfolding phenomenon. The spectacle now dominating his field of vision unveiled itself as none other than a tree — adorned with a profusion of serpentine vines pulsating with malevolent energy. Adorning these vines were grotesque “fruit”: human forms.

These humanoid apparitions descended in a grotesque macabre ballet, arms outstretched as though poised to enfold Lu Xin in their embrace.