CHAPTER 284: CHAPTER284: APOCALYPSE SYSTEM

"I’ll be on my way now. And before I go, I have been in this shithole for a long while now, I don’t even exist in society anymore, even if I survive this, I have no place in society. That’s the price I have to pay, I’ll leave the file here..."

Kennel disappeared into the portal and Meng Mian sighed "This shit is so messed up. Who’s the villain here now?.."

He stared at the file and then tore it, accepting their proposal would mean betraying Qingran.

And because they follow orders from that apocalypse system, he’d have to do some really bad shit.

As he left the room, he saw Qingran leaning against the wall. He sighed, he guessed she just couldn’t trust him.

"How much did you here?"

Qingran gave Meng Nian a tight smile "Everything, he’s not wrong...that my virus was what they combined with something else to create these zombies. I was this apocalypse catalyst..."

Meng Nian blinked. "What... what did you just say?"

Qingran looked at him, her expression unreadable for a long moment, then finally spoke, her voice low.

"I was young, I just finish medical school and wanted a name for myself. The government has hosted this contest, to create a virus...as a pharmaceutical scientist and virologist, this was my chance. I won the contest but I didn’t know this was their plan, I only found out recently.."

Meng Nian sighed, he guessed that was why so many people were after her. She’s an anomaly, she’d always attract trouble.

"I didn’t know...." she whispered. "I didn’t know what they were planning to use it for. They modified it. Militarized it. My harmless prototype became the foundation for a weaponized pathogen. It was never about vaccines. That whole competition, it was just a front to crowdsource the best base material. And I was too naive to notice it"

"It’s not your fault. You don’t have to blame yourself for it.." Meng Nian said hoarsely.

She nodded. "If I can find the third material, I can create a antidote..."

A long pause. Then Qingran gave a bitter laugh, short and hollow. "Funny, isn’t it? I thought I’d made something that could save people. Instead, it was the blueprint for the virus that ended the world."

Meng Nian sighed, none of that mattered this was bigger than Qingran alone.

"It doesn’t matter. We just have to make it out alive right?"

Qingran clenched her fists "Yeah.."

Somewhere in the east.

"Moli...clean this damn mess up. "

Moli stared at Boran, giving him a odd glance before walking away.

"Bitch.." he muttered before sitting down. A team of elite members, if he joined he could get some perks and maybe just maybe be strong enough to take down Qingran.

A portal opened in front of him and rugged looking man stepped out.

"You Yan Boran??"

Niu Tangchen glanced down, with his hands crossed.

"Yeah... who’s asking? I’m guessing you’re one of those that sent the message?"

Niu Tangchen nodded and brought out a file.

"Your background checked out. You’ve got decent field experience, no morality dragging you down, and most importantly, you’re not loyal to anyone."

Boran flipped the file open, brow arching. "A team, huh? You want me to join this?"

"It’s not an offer. It’s an invitation," Niu Tangchen said coldly. "You’ve been flagged as viable. You either come with me and live long enough to matter in what’s coming, or you stay here and rot with the rest of the wastes."

Boran snorted. "And why the hell would I care about your cause?"

Tangchen didn’t answer. Instead, he pulled out a sleek tablet from his jacket and tapped the screen. A hologram projected upward, a map with several red zones, some already marked with quarantine symbols, others blinking with countdowns.

"This is the real situation. Cities are going dark. Resources are drying up. And those who think they’re safe? They won’t be for long. You want power? You want relevance? Get on board or die with the others.."

Boran stared at the blinking zones. "...You think you can take her down, huh? Gu Qingran, I’m sure you must know about her.."

"We don’t have to take her down. " Tangchen replied, his voice low. "We just need to control the narrative. The system favors GunQingran now, sure. But power shifts especially when the system begins to question its own asset."

At that, Boran’s interest perked. He leaned forward. "The system? You’re saying it’s turning against her?"

"The apocalypse is for all and it’s for itself. It will do what benefits it. So no matter how powerful you are, if the system finds you and anomaly then you’re not safe.."

Boran smiled, he seemed to be well versed about the apocalypse.

"Tell me something I don’t know, because you seem to know alot. Are you part of the reason why we’re in this shit hole?"

Niu Tangchen didn’t say anything, it was tiring to have this type of conversation with newbies.

"Haha...amazing. Thanks to you I get to kill people without qualms."

-_-

Niu Tangchen’s jaw flexed, but he didn’t rise to the bait. He’d heard that kind of sarcasm before cocky, brash, masking the quiet dread of someone who’d already seen too much blood.

But he could be wrong, he could just be sick in the head.

"You’ll do what the system tells you to do..." he said flatly. "Or you’ll end up like the rest. You think you’ve been killing people without qualms? That was child’s play. You’re about to enter the real war. You’ll be just another piece on the board now."

Boran leaned back, stretching his arms lazily. "Then you better hope I’m a useful piece."

Tangchen ignored the comment and tapped a command on his wrist device. The portal behind him pulsed brighter, its glow humming ominously.

"We’ll leave now. Debriefing will happen at Outpost D-4. Once you go through, there’s no turning back.."

Boran shook his head, if he followed them he wouldn’t be able to commit his crimes in peace.

"Yeah I’m more of an outdoors man. So I’ll stay here, what ever mission you have. You send it to me and I’ll get it done.."

-_-

Niu Tangchen narrowed his eyes. "That’s not how this works."

Boran gave him a lopsided smirk, lighting a cigarette with one hand. "Then maybe it’s time you updated your system. I take orders but I deliver results my way.."

Tangchen studied him for a moment, then turned off the portal with a flick of his wrist. The glow faded instantly, leaving behind a cold silence.

"You think you’re smarter than everyone else.." Tangchen said, voice calm, almost bored. "But that ego? It’s gonna get you killed."

Boran exhaled smoke, lazy. "That ego’s kept me alive this long, hasn’t it?"

Tangchen stepped forward slightly,his eyes sharp now. "You want freedom? Fine. But don’t expect protection. Once you’re on the field, you’re expendable. You screw up, there’s no second chance."

"I wouldn’t have it any other way."

Tangchen handed over a black wristband, it looked plain but unmistakably high tech.

"Tracker, comms, mission relays. You’re off the grid, but you’re still being watched. Don’t try anything stupid."

Boran snatched it, already rolling up his sleeve. "If I do anything stupid, it won’t be something you can catch on time."

With that, he turned and activated a secondary portal. The same one he used to get there. He stepped into the light, but before he disappeared, he left one final warning:

"Don’t get clever, Boran. The system tolerates chaos, but it doesn’t reward it. If you try to go against it..."

As soon as he vanished, Boran muttered under his breath, "That’s where you’re wrong... chaos is the only thing it ever rewards. So I’ll outsmart it.." he muttered the last part as Tangchen disappeared.

It was past 4 in the morning when Qingran got up due to a nightmare. With so many things on her mind, she couldn’t catch a decent sleep.

"Lingquan you still don’t want to talk to me? I need your help okay? I need some advice.."

[-_-]

-_-

[Very well. I know you have alot of things to say. So spill it..]

Qingran smiled as she left the room, a little walk and small talk will clear her head.

"Can you tell me more about this apocalypse system? You’re all systems so what’s it’s deal?"