RotA – Chapter 13

The tempered glass doors of the train station entrance were shut tight.

The crowd outside the station had already been evacuated. People in security uniforms stood guard inside the main doors, carefully verifying the identity of every mercenary who arrived to provide support before cracking the door open just enough to let them in.

Fewer than forty security officers had arranged all the passengers from the three trains that had been stopped after passing through the Fifth District, having them wait for transfer in a waiting hall far from the main entrance.

In truth, they were not merely waiting for a safe transfer.

When Chai Yuening arrived at the station again, the body of a partially mutated individual, just shot and killed, was being carried past her.

Soon, she learned a truth from Cheng Shan, the Chief Security Officer of the Sixth District, that could not be broadcast publicly.

The Base broadcast had said that the Fifth District fell because of an accident at the Mutation Control Center—a mutated being of an unknown level, suspected of possessing human intelligence, had attacked the city’s defense systems, allowing hordes of beasts from the surface to breach the defenses and pour into the district.

While that statement was not false, the reality was far more than that.

Quite a few mercenaries had come to offer support, but Cheng Shan immediately pulled Chai Yuening aside into a deserted corner.

His expression was grave, his tone solemn. “Captain Chai, thank you for coming. The military has always trusted you, so there are some things Major General Xue has instructed me to tell you frankly, without hiding a single detail.”

Chai Yuening: “What is it?”

“The information the military received is that there was an injured person in the Fifth District’s Mutation Control Center who showed signs of infection. During the isolation and observation period, they briefly exhibited an asymptomatic mutation.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means they mutated, but before the mutation was complete, their appearance was no different from a normal person’s. They even retained some human cognition, but not human conscience. This mutated person, in human form, mimicking human behavior, and using human language, silently infected the medical staff responsible for their care before fully transforming. And through that medical worker, they infected the other isolated individuals, as well as everyone on duty at the Mutation Control Center that night.”

“…”

“That’s not the most terrifying part. The most terrifying part is… this mutated person’s infectivity and mutation rate are stronger than any mutated beast or person the military has ever seen. Infecting someone can take as little as a tiny scratch, and the speed of mutation is astonishingly fast. From infection to mutation, it can take as little as half an hour.”

At this point, Cheng Shan took two forceful, deep breaths, trying to calm himself.

He closed his eyes and sighed heavily before continuing, “In the surveillance footage the military received before the Fifth District’s communication hub was compromised, there was nothing abnormal in the first half of the night. The Mutation Control Center, in a state of calm no different from any other day, suddenly erupted into a riot… Based on analysis of the surveillance footage, the mutated person who instigated this riot still possessed human intelligence after transforming. They even had a clear plan to attack the Fifth District. They found and destroyed the district’s defense systems…”

“So, the Fifth District wasn’t just facing hordes of beasts from the surface, but also countless, highly infectious mutated people,” Chai Yuening said in a low voice, her brow furrowed as she voiced the suspicion in her heart.

“Yes.” The Chief Security Officer forced a helpless, bitter smile. “The military believes that if the Fifth District’s initial response had been a bit more decisive, perhaps…”

Cheng Shan paused for a few seconds.

Finally, he shook his head and said wearily, “Based on its appearance, the mutated beast we found on the stopped trains was infected by that mutated person from the Fifth District. It has an infectivity no less potent than the original’s. Every single passenger on those trains could be infected. Even the people sitting in the uninjured section right now might have tiny, hard-to-spot scratches on them. It’s just that, typically, the smaller the wound, the slower the signs of infection appear. The Base cannot take that risk.”

He took a deep breath. “However, under normal circumstances, if someone is infected, signs will definitely manifest within six hours of being injured. So the Mutation Control Center is now testing the people in the uninjured section once every hour. After six clear tests, they can be released.”

Chai Yuening subconsciously looked toward the detained passengers.

Under the security officers’ direction, they were seated in three areas based on the severity of their injuries: heavily injured, lightly injured, and uninjured. Each area was cordoned off by three rows of iron chains. Only medical personnel in protective suits remained inside, tending to the wounded.

Whether injured or not, every face was etched with deep sorrow or anxiety. Apart from family and friends, they all kept a certain distance from everyone else.

Cheng Shan continued, “The blood samples from all the injured show signs of infection, to varying degrees. Two in the heavily injured section have already mutated. Both were killed before the transformation was complete, so there were no secondary casualties, but all the passengers are emotionally unstable. Everyone knows this year isn’t normal. The area above the Base has become a Fog Zone, the signal towers can’t be recovered, and more and more unknown classes of mutated beasts are appearing… No one knows what tomorrow will bring. The Base has actually been preparing for the worst for a long time.”

A large testing machine, one that would take three or four people to lift, stood coldly outside the three chain-cordoned areas like a god judging the world.

It was a recent research achievement of the Base, with an infection detection accuracy of up to 91%, thirteen percentage points higher than the previous model.

But the mutation rate varied depending on the source of infection. Signs of infection did not guarantee mutation, as the human body had a high probability of fighting off the infectious bacteria.

Many people who returned from the surface were infected. Most were quarantined for a month, and if the signs of infection disappeared and no mutation occurred, they would be released. The Mutation Control Center could never strip a person of their right to live based solely on the results of an infection test.

According to regulations, these people with signs of infection should be sent to the Sixth District’s Mutation Control Center.

But the situation was special now. If an infected person were to mutate during transfer and couldn’t be controlled, they could break into the city proper. The consequences would be unimaginable.

Chai Yuening: “So what are we waiting for now?”

Cheng Shan: “The military command in the main city is currently deliberating on how to handle these passengers.”

Chai Yuening: “Will they send reinforcements?”

Cheng Shan looked down at the communicator clutched in his hand and fell into a brief silence.

After the silence, he avoided Chai Yuening’s question and said with utmost gravity, “If this abnormal situation is handled incorrectly, the Sixth District could fall as well. We’re too short-staffed. Forget about infected people mutating—even if the uninfected passengers lose control of their emotions, we might not be able to control the scene immediately. So I hope you can keep what I’ve just told you confidential, Captain Chai. If something uncontrollable happens in a little while, please, you must trust us and cooperate with us.”

Chai Yuening nodded. “I will.”

Cheng Shan said no more, merely glancing at the digital clock on the wall, his face anxious, as if waiting for something.

Chu Ci stood near the testing machine, quietly observing the passengers cordoned off by the chains.

Chai Yuening walked to her side and gestured for her to sit down nearby. Like the other mercenaries who had come and all the security officers present, she began to wait for the outcome Cheng Shan had spoken of, for reasons unknown.

Suddenly, Chu Ci asked softly, “Has something like this ever happened here before?”

Chai Yuening was silent for a moment before replying quietly, “Yes. Back when there were no infection test kits or machines, mutated people would occasionally attack ordinary citizens inside the Base. But that was all before I was born.”

“So the controls have been good since then?”

“Yes, but there have been accidents.” As she spoke, Chai Yuening’s gaze dropped, a bitter smile on her face. Her fingers unconsciously intertwined and squeezed. “When I was thirteen, there was an uncle in my father’s squad who was very kind to me. After showing signs of infection, he was quarantined by the Base. When the half-month observation period ended, he was released, but on the thirteenth day of his newfound freedom, he mutated. That was the first time I ever saw a mutated beast. The night before, he was still a human being; he even came to my house to help fix a water pipe. The next day, he killed my parents, right in front of my eyes…”

Chu Ci’s mouth opened, but no words came out.

Chai Yuening shook her head, putting on a nonchalant expression. “After that, the Base changed the quarantine period for infected individuals from half a month to a full month.”

She spoke so casually, as if it had nothing to do with her.

Chu Ci was silent for a long time. Then, without a change in expression, she reached out and gently took hold of Chai Yuening’s left pinky finger.

Chai Yuening was taken aback.

She looked up at Chu Ci, but Chu Ci wasn’t looking at her, gazing elsewhere as if nothing had happened.

A faint blush seemed to grace her milky-white face, yet it was veiled by the strands of hair scattered by her earlobes.

In that silent companionship, a place deep in her heart was gently touched.

Chai Yuening let out a heavy breath, feeling as if some of the weight that had accumulated in her heart had dissipated in that instant.

She wanted to grasp that slightly cool hand in return, but for some reason, a trace of hesitation and nervousness surfaced in her heart.

The square digital clock hanging high on the wall ticked to 18:26.

The woman, hesitating to speak, caught sight of the Chief Security Officer walking toward them out of the corner of her eye.

Cheng Shan lowered his head and gave some instructions to his adjutant. The adjutant nodded, raised his communicator, and seemed to issue some kind of order.

In that moment, Chai Yuening felt countless strange gazes, coming from every security officer who had received the order.

Chai Yuening subconsciously stood up, wanting to go and ask about the situation.

But before she could take a step, she was frozen in place by the sound of a gunshot.

The shot tore through the air, felling a heavily injured patient whose wounds had just been treated a few minutes ago.

As countless screams erupted, gunshots followed one after another, splattering the floor with blood.

The security officers were killing people.

One after another, the infected fell to the ground.

One second they were praying they could survive the coming infection period; the next, they were lying in pools of their own blood, without even a chance to react or fight for their lives.

The passengers in the uninjured section screamed uncontrollably.

In that moment, some among them lost family or close friends.

“Infection… doesn’t equal mutation… They have no right to kill people! They’re murderers! They kill without reason! We could all die!”

Someone, it was unclear who, shrieked these words at the top of their lungs.

Several people who had lost control of their emotions vaulted over the chain barricade under the muzzles of dozens of guns. They shouted curses as they grappled with the security officers, who dared not fire again.

In an instant, those who were scared witless either sat frozen in place or screamed and scattered in every direction.

And those ignited by fury also took advantage of the chaos, climbing over the chains to try and snatch guns from the officers to protect themselves.

Chai Yuening looked at Cheng Shan, as if seeking a “reason,” but saw only helplessness and exhaustion in his eyes.

—The military believes that if the Fifth District’s initial response had been a bit more decisive, perhaps…

—No one knows what tomorrow will bring. The Base has actually been preparing for the worst for a long time.

—If something uncontrollable happens in a little while, please, you must trust us and cooperate with us.

To prevent any accidents and minimize the spread of infection to the greatest extent possible.

Killing all the infected was the final decision the military had reached.

For some to be saved, others had to be abandoned.

In truth, the Chief Security Officer had anticipated this outcome all along.

The reason they had called so many mercenaries for support was not because they feared they couldn’t handle the mutated, but because they feared they couldn’t hold back an enraged crowd.

…

A young security officer, pinned to the ground, had his gun snatched away.

The muzzle was pressed against his forehead.

The passenger, who had lost his family, stared with bloodshot eyes, his hand on the gun trembling violently.

Chai Yuening raised her own gun, aiming for the man’s armed limb, but before she could pull the trigger, she heard a gunshot flash past her side.

The assailant’s gun fell from his grasp, and blood dripped from his wrist onto the young security officer.

The chaotic waiting hall fell instantly silent.

…

Chai Yuening turned to look at where the shot had come from.

Behind her, the silver-haired girl holding the gun had a calmness and resolve in her eyes that Chai Yuening had never seen before.

It even surpassed that of the Chief Security Officer who had given the order.

---

Author’s Notes:

The world-building might be a little heavy (⊙o⊙)…