Chapter 8: Zero Observer and Primordial Blood

Zero Observer……

A cold electronic sound echoed in the vast underground hall, the heavy alloy door slid open slowly, revealing an even deeper space beyond. Those five words struck like an invisible hammer, hitting hard on everyone's hearts, especially Su Yu.

Her face turned deathly pale, she instinctively stepped back half a step, staring in disbelief at the slowly ejecting slot and the plain water-drop pendant in her hand. This item was a relic left by her mother; she never imagined it would be linked to such a strange and terrifying place.

"I... I don't know..." Su Yu's voice trembled, her gaze toward Chen Mo filled with confusion and helplessness, like a lost child.

Chen Mo gave her a deep look, his eyes complex, but now was not the time for questioning. The dense energy fluctuations and the low, heartbeat-like hum coming from behind the door indicated that the interior was far from simple.

"Go in." Chen Mo's voice was firm and unquestionable. He stepped forward first, crossing the alloy door.

Beyond the door was a short corridor, its walls smooth silver-white metal, the ceiling emitting a soft cold light, forming a stark contrast with the decayed passage outside. At the end of the corridor lay a more expansive space—a circular central control room.

The control room was filled with darkened screens and precision instruments, much of the equipment damaged, electric sparks crackling. Scattered across the floor were more documents and shattered vessels; several researcher corpses lay slumped over the console or slumped in the corners, their deaths similar to those in the outside passage—instantly killed by some sharp object.

And at the very center of the control room stood a cylindrical area encased in high-strength glass, housing a device resembling a life-support chamber. The chamber's hatch was open, empty inside, yet the thick energy conduits connected to it still flickered with unstable purplish light; the low, heartbeat-like hum emanated from these conduits and an unseen energy source below.

"What... what is this place?" Han Qing looked around, stunned by the scene beyond comprehension.

"An underground research facility that existed before the apocalypse." Chen Mo walked to a relatively intact console, tried pressing a few buttons, but the screen only flickered with error codes before dying out completely. "They were studying the 'Primordial Blood' and the so-called 'Purple Corrosion' phenomenon."

His gaze swept over the scattered documents, quickly gathering information. Fragmented keywords surfaced in his mind: 'Gene Lock,' 'Energy Adaptation,' 'Observer Project,' 'Gate Key'……

All of this seemed to point to a shocking fact: the descent of the apocalypse game 'Genesis' was not entirely coincidental! At least some humans had known in advance, even conducting related research!

And Su Yu, the girl marked by the system as a special individual, was actually the 'Zero Observer' of this secret research facility?

Chen Mo approached Su Yu, looking at her still-pale face, and asked in a low voice: "Regarding this pendant, regarding the 'Zero Observer,' do you really have no memory at all?"

Su Yu shook her head firmly, tears even welling in her eyes: "No! My mother only said it was an important talisman, to keep wearing it…… I never imagined it would…… turn out like this……"

Seeing her genuine panic, Chen Mo temporarily suppressed his doubts. Perhaps Su Yu herself was also an unaware 'carrier.'

"Search! Find every log, report, and data storage device you can!" Chen Mo ordered. This information might concern the truth of this apocalypse, even their future survival.

Everyone immediately scattered, carefully searching the control room.

Li Siwen found a heavy military tablet in a locked drawer, fortunately it still had residual power. Wang Hu and Zhao Lei, beside a corpse wearing a senior researcher's white coat, discovered an encrypted metal USB drive. Zhang Yang, in a corner's pile of shredded paper, found several pages hastily torn but with relatively coherent handwritten experimental notes.

Chen Mo gathered these materials, combining them with the partially decipherable logs on the tablet, and a hidden truth gradually surfaced:

【…… 'Primordial Blood' is not an earthly substance; its energy closely matches several historical unexplained energy burst events, suggesting it is a product of extraterrestrial civilization or residual high-dimensional interference……】

【…… The 'Purple Corrosion' phenomenon is the assimilation and overwriting of reality's rules after the activation of Primordial Blood's energy, manifesting as global datafication and monster generation…… The 'Genesis' system is likely an automated management protocol based on the 'Purple Corrosion' phenomenon……】

【…… The 'Observer Project' aims to screen individuals with high compatibility to Primordial Blood, to serve as observation points or even intervene in the Purple Corrosion process as 'anchors'…… 'Zero' is the initial and most perfect match, but its existence state is unstable……】

【…… The 'Key Project' is a backup plan, intending to use Zero's gene sequence resonating with Primordial Blood to forcibly open and control partial system permissions before Purple Corrosion fully descends, giving humanity a sliver of hope…… Experiment…… failed…… Zero's risk of losing control surged…… Suggestion…… seal……】

The information broke off here; the final pages were filled with hurried, terrified handwriting.

Chen Mo set down the papers, his heart churning with tumultuous waves.

Is Primordial Blood extraterrestrial? Is Purple Corrosion reality being assimilated? Is the Genesis system a management protocol? And Su Yu, could she actually be the crucial 'anchor' and 'key' of this apocalyptic disaster?!

He looked at Su Yu, his eyes immensely complex. This girl had never been an ordinary survivor from start to finish; she carried secrets capable of shaping the entire apocalypse landscape, and also harbored immeasurable danger.

That '???' marking now seemed to have a vague answer—she might be the hope to resolve the apocalypse, or a bomb that could detonate at any moment, causing even greater disaster!

"So... is this disaster destined to happen? Are we... we just lab rats?" Zhang Yang's voice was dry, hard to digest this information.

"Probably." Han Qing's face grim, "Moreover, the destruction of this facility likely wasn't due to outside monsters……" He pointed to the strange wounds on the researchers' bodies.

Just then, Liu Qian suddenly let out a short gasp. She had found something in an inconspicuous emergency supply cabinet.

It was neither weapon nor food, but several vials of reagent sealed in special alloy tubes! The liquid inside flowed crimson with specks of golden light, emitting an energy wave that shared the same source as the central life-support chamber's conduits, yet purer and gentler.

The tube walls bore a label: '【Primordial Blood (Diluted Stabilizer) - Observer Exclusive】'.

Beside the vials lay a thin notebook with no text on its cover.

Chen Mo picked up a vial; he could feel every cell in his body emitting a hungry hiss. This substance held a deadly allure for him! Even the 【Death Echo】 talent trembled slightly.

He forcibly suppressed the urge to use it immediately and opened the notebook.

The notebook's handwriting was elegant and clear, completely different from those experimental records, like a woman's diary:

【…… They called me 'Zero,' but I remember my own name better…… I am merely a mother longing for an ordinary life.】

【…… 'Primordial Blood' chose me, or rather, my bloodline chose it…… This is not a blessing, but a curse. I can hear it whispering, I can see fragmented glimpses of a shattered future…… Disaster is inevitable.】

【…… For my daughter, Xiao Yu…… I must leave hope. They synchronized her gene sequence with 'Primordial Blood,' designating her as the 'Key'…… No, I cannot let them turn my daughter into a monster! I swapped the samples, severed the link…… I sealed the true 'Resonance Mark' inside her pendant—that is the only protection I can give her, and also…… the only clue.】

【…… They are coming, the Cleaners…… I must leave. Xiao Yu, my child, if you ever see this diary, trust no one but yourself…… Seek the truth, or…… flee forever. Mom loves you……】

The diary ends here.

Chen Mo slowly closed the notebook, exhaling a long breath of foul air.

All the clues finally connected. Su Yu's mother was the true 'Zero Observer.' She had foreseen the apocalypse; to protect her daughter, she covertly tampered with things, making Su Yu merely a 'marker' rather than a fully activated 'Key,' and hid the crucial 'Resonance Mark' inside the pendant.

The destruction of this facility was likely the work of the 'Cleaners' she mentioned, aimed at erasing all who knew and any experimental traces.

And Su Yu, from beginning to end, was kept in the dark—just a pawn protected by her mother's life, with no say in her fate.

Chen Mo handed the diary to Su Yu.

Su Yu took it with trembling hands; when she saw the familiar handwriting and read those words filled with despair and maternal love, tears finally burst forth, sliding down silently. She clutched the thin diary tightly, as if grasping the last warmth of her mother.

The truth is often crueler than imagination.

Chen Mo looked at the several vials of 【Primordial Blood】 diluent, then at the anguished Su Yu, and made his decision.

He carefully stored the reagents, then told everyone: "We can't linger here. What we've obtained is of great importance. Now, find another way out."

He believed such an important facility would not have only the entrance they came through.

Just as they prepared to seek other passages, the energy conduits connected to the life-support chamber at the control room's center suddenly blazed, the purplish energy surging violently like boiling!

That low, heartbeat-like hum suddenly became rapid and loud!

"Thud! Thud! Thud!"

It seemed as if something was about to be awakened!