Chapter 2: The Crisis in the Secret Laboratory
Yang Hao, Li Qiang, and Lin Xiao stood in the shelter, looking at each other with complex emotions swirling in their hearts. They never imagined that the government had secretly implemented the "Ark Project" and abandoned the vast majority of humanity at the last minute. Anger, resentment, and despair intertwined within them, but at this moment, they had no time to dwell on these emotions. The legendary alien relic might be their last hope.
Based on the files cracked by Lin Xiao, the secret laboratory was located in an underground military base in downtown Los Angeles. The three of them quickly packed their equipment, grabbed the only weapons and supplies they had, and set off towards their destination.
Along the way, the desolate state of the city became increasingly shocking. Streets that had once been bustling were now piled high with rubble and debris. Abandoned vehicles were parked haphazardly on the roadsides, their bodies riddled with bullet holes and scratches. The air was thick with a nauseating mix of decay and gunpowder. Occasionally, they could hear gunshots and explosions in the distance, as desperate survivors fought each other over the last remaining resources.
"How did the world turn into this ghastly state..." Li Qiang muttered as he walked, his face filled with anger and helplessness.
Yang Hao patted him on the shoulder. "Don't think too much. Our primary task now is to find that alien relic."
When they finally reached the entrance to the secret laboratory, they discovered that it had already been occupied by a group of armed men. These men were dressed in tattered military uniforms, armed with various weapons, and their eyes revealed a look of madness and greed.
"It seems someone got the news before us," Lin Xiao frowned and said.
Yang Hao observed the situation around him and noticed that there were quite a few enemies, making a direct confrontation clearly unwise. After some contemplation, he lowered his voice and said, "Let's enter through the side ventilation duct. The defense there is relatively weak."
The three of them carefully made their way to the side of the laboratory and found the entrance to the ventilation duct. The duct was narrow and dark, filled with a pungent smell of rust. They struggled to crawl through it, occasionally having to stop to avoid patrolling enemies.
Just as they were about to reach the interior of the laboratory, they suddenly heard a barrage of gunfire and explosions. Yang Hao's heart skipped a beat, and he quickened his crawling speed. When they emerged from the ventilation duct exit, the scene before them left them stunned.
The interior of the laboratory was in shambles, with various instruments and equipment smashed to pieces. Several bodies lay on the ground, their blood staining the floor red. The group of armed men was frantically looting the supplies inside the laboratory, led by a tall man with a long scar on his face, who looked extremely fierce.
"No good, they're looking for that alien relic!" Lin Xiao exclaimed.
Without hesitation, Yang Hao rushed out and shouted, "Stop! Put that down!"
The armed men were startled by the sudden shout and turned around, aiming their weapons at Yang Hao and the others.
The scar-faced man sneered. "Just the three of you? Think you can compete with me for this?"
Li Qiang fearlessly stepped forward, waving the iron rod in his hand. "If you know what's good for you, get out of here now, or we won't be so merciful!"
Both sides were at a stalemate, and the tension in the air was palpable. Suddenly, the laboratory's alarm blared, and a cold electronic voice echoed, "Warning, abnormal energy fluctuations detected in the laboratory. An explosion is imminent. Please evacuate all personnel immediately...
The shrill and piercing alarm echoed through the laboratory, urging everyone to flee quickly. But the scar-faced man, with eyes bloodshot, roared, "None of you are getting away! This alien relic belongs to me!" He ignored the threat of an explosion and, along with his henchmen, frantically rummaged around, as if possessed by greed.
Yang Hao was in a state of extreme anxiety, his mind racing. He knew well that this alien relic was humanity's last hope and must not fall into the hands of these crazy individuals. Li Qiang, on the other hand, paced back and forth in a state of agitation, occasionally waving his iron rod, ready to fight to the death with the enemies. Lin Xiao's face was pale as she stared intently at the laboratory instruments, trying to find a way to shut off the alarm or delay the explosion.
Just then, Yang Hao suddenly noticed a hidden door in the corner. A thought flashed through his mind, and he shouted to Li Qiang and Lin Xiao, "Quick, there's a door over there. Maybe we can find the alien relic and escape the explosion!" Upon hearing this, Li Qiang immediately rushed towards the door and smashed the lock with his iron rod. With a "clang," the door was forced open, and the three of them quickly dashed inside.
Behind the hidden door was a long corridor with eerie blue lights flickering on the walls. They ran along the corridor at full speed, with the deafening sound of explosions pushing them forward with a powerful blast wave. After finally regaining their balance, they continued running forward, only to find that the end of the corridor led to a huge circular room. In the center of the room, a sphere emitting a mysterious glow was suspended in mid-air—it was the alien relic they had been desperately searching for.
But before they could get close, the scar-faced man and his henchmen caught up. "Leave the thing behind!" the scar-faced man said menacingly, holding a gun. Yang Hao stood in front, shielding Lin Xiao and Li Qiang behind him, and responded fearlessly, "Forget it. You selfish bastards. This is humanity's hope, not a trophy for you to plunder!"
Tensions ran high as both sides were on the brink of confrontation. Suddenly, the lights in the room started flickering, and the glow of the sphere became unstable. Lin Xiao screamed in horror, "No! The aftershock of the explosion is affecting this place. This room is going to collapse soon!" Everyone was taken aback by this sudden turn of events, and even the scar-faced man showed a trace of panic.
At this critical moment, Yang Hao suddenly rushed towards the sphere, trying to grab it. Seeing this, the scar-faced man immediately fired his gun. Li Qiang, with quick reflexes, threw himself at Yang Hao, and the bullet whizzed past their bodies. "Are you crazy, Hao Zi!" Li Qiang shouted. Yang Hao gritted his teeth and said, "There's no time. If we don't get it, humanity is truly doomed!"
Lin Xiao also ran over and, looking at the sphere, analyzed, "This thing seems to have some connection with the laboratory's system. Maybe we can use it to shut down the explosion program!" As she spoke, she quickly took out a small device from her pocket, connected it to the sphere, and started hacking into the program. The scar-faced man and his men also realized their intentions and rushed forward again.
Li Qiang stood up, wielding his iron rod, and engaged in close combat with the enemies. Yang Hao assisted Li Qiang from the side while keeping an eye on Lin Xiao's situation. The room was in chaos, with shouts and fighting sounds intertwined.
Finally, Lin Xiao shouted, "Success!" As her voice faded, the sphere glowed brightly, and a wave of energy spread out, not only neutralizing the threat of the explosion but also disabling all the weapons of the scar-faced man and his men. Seeing that the situation was unfavorable, the scar-faced man fled with his henchmen.
Yang Hao, Li Qiang, and Lin Xiao collapsed to the ground, looking at the alien relic in front of them, their hearts filled with mixed emotions. They knew that this was just the first step on their long journey of escape, and there were countless hardships and obstacles waiting for them in the future. But at this moment, they held onto humanity's hope for survival.