Thrive in Catastrophe by 焦糖冬瓜

Chapter 98 Part 1 Fire

Xiao Yan kept moving forward. Casey's form gradually grew smaller until they passed the next channel and he disappeared from his sight entirely.

Xiao knew they would never see each other again.

The team made it to the next level, They were getting closer and closer to the main control room.

Heine stopped abruptly, Xiao heard a sound coming from the distance, it was rapidly closing in.

"Do I hear water?" Winn looked over at Heine.

Suddenly Heine scooped up Xiao Yan and turned back, Winn quickly responded and slammed against Liv and Mark.

The roaring sound continued to get closer and a huge wave rushed through the passage, instantly engulfing them.

Xiao's ears fill with water and he cannot open his eyes against the moving water. Heine's hands clamp around him and the channel is filled completely, sweeping them up in the current. The lights extinguished and darkness swept through the passage.

Amid the dark, Xiao faintly saw something approaching them, it was not Mark or Liv.

Heine's grip tightened around him and he released an illuminator. As the light pierced the pitch, Xiao realized that they were surrounded by Surge assassins.

Mark Liv and Winn were overwhelmed and dragged deeper in the channel.

The killers swarmed them and although Heine promptly cut them down, more continued to advance.

Although the x-2 allows them to conserve oxygen longer than most people, if they don't get air in the next few hours,they will die.

Soon the killers are able to separate Heine and Xiao. Xiao watched as Heine is surrounded by killers. He struggles to move toward him, he takes no notice of the blade piercing his flesh to dig deep in to his ribs. All he can focus on is getting back to Heine.

He is continually blocked by the group of killers, Xiao could no longer see Heine clearly. He only knew that the distance between them was widening. Xiao grew frenzied and grabbed the blade embedded in him. He pulled it out and plunged it into the killer's neck, cutting off his head. He was in great pain and his lungs were punctured, still when the killers attempt to cut his throat, he blocked the blade with his hand...but he couldn't stop the other's from attacking his back.

It didn't seem that these killers wanted his life. Although he was stabbed repeatedly, and his ability to move was compromised, no killer attempted a fatal attack. Eventually his body grew heavy and numb and the pain of the attacks began to dissipate as he felt removed from his body.

Heine...Heine...

He vaguely saw that Heine had broken through the killers surrounding him, they continued to swarm him as he approached Xiao, his fingers brushing against his. Xiao saw that a blade was embedded in Heine's side and his eyes scanned the wound.


He wants to move, but he can't move.

Heine... You can't die... leave here, leave here...

Xiao Yan finally closed his eyes.

The killer's blade was removed from Xiao and his blood bloomed through the water. His body sank and was engulfed in the darkness.
_______________________

When Xiao awoke he was violently shaking and his mind was caught in the image of Heine struggling with the killers.

There was a light in front of him and he gradually gained consciousness. He found himself soaked in a liquid with a mask covering his face, delivering oxygen to him.

He was in a culture capsule!

Through the glass he can see numerous holographic screens scrolling immense amounts of data in front of him. He is in Valentin's main control room.

Xiao roughly kicked at the containment capsule but he couldn't break it apart. It doesn't move or crack. His fists slammed against it until his bones broke but the vessel was not compromised at all. He did everything in his power but to no avail.

Xiao Yan slumped back and breathed hard into his oxygen mask. He wandered if he was still in Valentin's mind.

Suddenly all the displays powered down and a figure approached the capsule. The man pressed his hands against the front of the containment vessel, his expression was soft and it seemed as though his palms could reach through the glass and touch Xiao's face.

"So many times I have hesitated to kill you. Your existence is a double edged sword. If you mind were to serve me I could accomplish anything, but when you wish to pursue your own freedom you become my greatest obstacle."

Xiao raised his eyes and his pupils dilated as they took in the man's form.