By this time the water was calf deep, he went to the edge of the cage searching around in the water.
"Xiao, what are you looking for." Maya walked up and asked curiously.
"My gun." Xiao continues searching without lifting his head.
"Xiao the gun isn't powerful enough to shoot a hole in the wall." Maya yanked Xiao out of the water, trying to stop his futilely frantic search.
"I'm not planning to shoot a hole. I need the power source, with that I might be able to open the door."
At this point Xiao had submerged himself entirely in water, repeatedly kneeling and diving under the deepening muddied water. Each time coming up empty handed.
He senses someone searching at his side, but Xiao is so preoccupied he only sees their faint outline from his periphery.
A hand grasps his waist, the grip infused with an incredible strength and power. Xiao Yan's whole body is lifted from the water.
"Haa..." Xiao takes a breath and wipes the dirty water from his face; he sees that the figure in front of him is Heine.
Heine hands him his gun, muddy water dripping down his golden hair, despite his aversion to such grime he had unexpectedly dove in to help Xiao find his gun.
Xiao is overjoyed.
"Ah. Great. It's here."
""What are you going to do?"
There is not a hint of hesitation in Heine's eyes, as if he is certain whatever Xiao does will succeed.
Xiao narrows his eyes as he stares at the red light atop the door. "I need to get up there."
Hein nod his head. "Mark"
"Yes. Colonel."
Mark lifts Xiao Yan atop his shoulders, with this height Xiao Yan can easily reach the top of the door.
He dismantles the gun and pulls out the power supply, connecting it to the circuit that controls the door's locking mechanism.
That water depth is now over Marks waistline.
Xiao clenches his jaw and pulls the trigger.
A 'bang' sounded, but the door did not open.
"Damn it. Didn't work?"
Mark cursed, Xiao looked at the red light over the door, frowning. It was no longer blinking red.
"The door is no longer locked, but the pressure of the water is preventing it from opening."
It would be impossible for an ordinary person to open the door, with that amount of water pressure pressing against it, however the people trapped with Xiao are not ordinary people.
"What does that mean?"
Mark didn't understand what Xiao Yan had said, but Hein had already drawn his sword.
"Everybody help."
Heine attempted to lever the door open with his blade. "Mark, we need you."
Mark set Xiao down in the water. "Don't drown rookie."
After that, he also sank into the water.
It was rumored, on the base, that Mark could lift an aircraft. Formally Xiao thought it was just gossip, now he firmly believes it.
After muted grinding sounds they were able to pry open a gap in the door. Mark's face is beet red from the effort.
As the gap widens, the water rapidly flows through the opening. Heine gave a signal and Liv dragged Xiao out through the gap, he rushed along the current of water sweeping through the door. The water depositing him quite a distance away.
The water continued to gush out from the door as several soldiers wedged the door open with their bodies. In no time the water is lowered to knee level and they are able to jerk the doors wide open.
Heine picked up Xiao and the team ran up the stairs.
Once they reached the top of the building, Liv signaled the aircraft. Soaking wet they all climbed into the cabin. Xioa sat down on the seat coughing and cold. Heine quickly fastened his safety harness yelling, " turn up the cabin temperature!"
Finally Xiao stopped shivering, the warmth beginning the wrap around him.
"Boss...um...was this mission a failure?" Mark rubbed his nose.
"He needs an aircraft to leave here." Heine voice was clipped and determined.
Xiao sat, coughing up the water trapped in his sinuses, as the craft sped up in pursuit.
Heine entered the cab and they went after Manson.
Manson launched a tracking missile and Xiao swallowed nervously, the last experience still playing out vividly in his mind.
Heine also launched a tracking missile, the target locked onto Manson's missile. The missiles collided in the air and exploded. Heine immediately launched another targeting Manson's left engine, and his craft begins to fall from the sky.
A safety pod ejected and fell into a building. Mark whistled, "whoo, how do you think our esteemed General Manson is going to fare?"
The aircraft lowered, they watched as the safety hatch of the pod open and Manson was immediately swarmed by zombies. Panicking he ran from the top of the warehouse building, only to fall. While desperately struggling, he fought off one zombie only for another to land a solid bite on his shoulder.
The astounding healing powers of the x virus has now become his tormentor.
Soon he is swarmed by zombies, all gnawing and tearing at him. "Even if he injected himself with the x-virus, he can't beat the whole world." Liv sneered maliciously.
" He is probably praying that a zombie bites off his neck and ends everything right now." Mark responded, surveying the scene with a cold unfeeling gaze.
A zombie that is easily 50cm taller than the others, easily snaps off Manson's head. Blood splatters everywhere as the feast begins.
This was a Level 1 Zombie.
According to studies, juvenile infected with the comet virus show increased development due to high levels of growth hormone. These high levels accelerate the rate of mutation, resulting in an increased height of more than 2 m. Although their speed is comparable to other zombies, their strength is increased by more than 1.5 times that of a regular class zombie. Even the special Task Force is doesn't like to tangle with these zombies.
Xiao didn't know what to think of the day's events. He had taken many classes offered by Professor Manson. Out of all of his virology courses, only Manson made use of creative examples and metaphors that stimulated Xiao to read the material repeatedly. "Go. We need to retrieve his brain."
Two commandos grabbed a container and went flying down, their blades quickly clearing a path. Within 10s they returned to the cabin.
"Hey isn't this guy your professor? Any last words or goodbyes?" Mark patted the container as he presented it to Xiao Yan.
"No, I said my goodbye in that basement."
Xiao looked out the window of the cabin.
He suddenly didn't understand the professor. Manson had once said that scholars are always seeking answers so they must devote their lives to pursuing those answers.
What answer was Professor Manson pursuing that led him to join up with the Surge organization?
"Xiao Yan, whatever questions you are pondering will be answered when we send Manson's brain to the torture specialists.
In his brain...there must be a lot of secrets...
As he was thinking the aircraft sped up abruptly and traveled a very complex trajectory.
"My God!"
The spiral maneuvers were making Xiao dizzy and he raised his hands and grabbed onto the roof of the craft to steady himself.
Three aircraft were chasing after them.
Countless laser missiles and shuttle bombs collided in the sky. Heine and Maya were piloting the aircraft with breathtaking maneuvers as they attempted evade the enemy.
The three aircraft were prepared, their weapons firing relentlessly. From their flight path, he could feel that Heine and Maya remained calm even under such a siege. The craft planes continued to force them off route, but Xiao knew that they were less than 5 minutes from the nearest platform. As they exited the city suddenly a barren wasteland lay beneath them.
"This is a fucking ambush!" Mark cursed in an angry hushed tone.
The three craft were from the Surge. The sigil on their hatches clearly visible. Roughly resembling a church cross, they were unexpectedly full of artistic beauty.
Xiao wasn't really in the mood to appreciate it, he closed his eyes as his heart jumped to his throat.
Miraculously ridding themselves of the tracking missile last time was only possible because they only had to deal with one craft. Now they had to contend with three!
Could they escape?
Laser fire seem to come from all directions. They narrowly missed being hit, but Xiao didn't know for how long they could keep it up. The situation was bound to worsen.
One more tracing missile and they were done.
At this point Liv and Mark receive an order through their com.
"Xiao! Do not open the safety latch on the pod until you know it is us."
Liv roared the command at him, not waiting for Xiao to even soak in the meaning of what was about to happen. Suddenly his chair fell out from under him and he found himself inside a small confined space. His ears rang with a loud "bang", then a grinding sound followed by a sense of weightlessness.
He finally understood... he had been ejected from the aircraft!
What happened?
Was the aircraft hit? He felt a shock run through his body as the pod hit the ground.
His organs seemed to float for a moment before settling back into his body. He opened his eyes, still dazed at Liv's last command.
What was the situation now?
Xiao took a deep breath, attempting to get his thoughts in order. He ran over the events in his head.
They had just retrieved Manson's brain and were flying back to base.
They were attacked on the way by three Surge crafts...laser missiles...tracking missiles...
Then his seat had sank into a tight compartment. He felt as though he were falling as he was ejected from the craft.
God, this had all happened so fast, Xiao's life had never had so much packed into one day.
So currently....
He was locked in a small narrow ejection pod. He wasn't dead and he wasn't in pain. Therefore, he had landed safely?
Feeling claustrophobic, Xiao's breathing hastened and wild fears tore at him. The small space he was in seemed to close in tighter.
The safety pod was supplied with no more than 3 hours of oxygen.
So what happens if he doesn't receive instructions by then?
What if he was the only one who had survived?
What if they cannot find him?
Damn it!!
His first time venturing out of the shire was just one disaster after another. He had been a breath away from death several times, and if he could make it out of this jam, he swore he would never step foot out of the Shire again.
He would become a lazy researcher, staying in his warm and safe lab. Do boring pointless research every day, maybe enjoying a cup of coffee in his spare time.
He thought of the scent of roasted coffee, the slow permeating flavor as spreads along his veins warming him to the tips of his fingers...
Ah God! He just wanted to die right now!
He knew he had to calm down, if didn't he would consume the oxygen in the pod more rapidly, all he could do was think of things to distract him.
Daydreaming is Xiao's specialty, for example, right now in Xiao's mind he sees the beautiful Lily. The delicate lines of her figure, her graceful movements and walk. He imagines raising her skirt up and wrapping his arms around her hips lifting her up and kissing passionately as they fall down onto a large beckoning bed.
Lily looks at him smiling shyly as she opens her skirt seductively...
"Open the latch."
The cold commanding voice speared through those delicious dreams, the frostiness of it lowering the temperature of his small space by several degrees.