Chapter 14: Crimson Meteor, the Omen of Apocalypse

"25 years old: The Disaster Purge Plan is proceeding in an orderly manner; disasters no longer pose a threat to humanity; no one would have thought that the disasters that have fought humanity for countless ages could actually be ended in this era."

"But after all, this isn't completely over yet; the number of disasters worldwide isn't something a single Western Continent can match; this campaign still needs a long time to be fully concluded."

"You began staying in the rear; for you, researching genes isn't work but a hobby."

"One day, while you continued researching genes, your subordinate sent you a video."

"In the video, countless disasters in the Blood Nest were kneeling on the ground, continuously bowing toward a direction; the direction they bowed to was not the sun, nor the moon, but the starry sky."

"This was utterly bizarre; only see the person filming the video boldly walking into the Blood Nest, while disasters that usually riot at the slightest sign of human entry ignored him."

"Finally, he even ventured deep into the Blood Nest, filming the Blood Disaster Mother at close range unharmed; even as he killed the Mother before countless disasters, it remained the same."

"These disasters died along with the Mother after her death, yet even after death their bodies continued to devoutly bow toward the starry sky."

"This video drew your utmost attention; you immediately set out to the site for inspection, but found nothing."

"The disasters' behavior was so abnormal that you felt uneasy; you faintly sensed something might come from beyond the heavens; you ordered all expeditionary forces to return to Yongguo, and commanded the Research Department to develop star‑related technology."

"Lin Ran also sensed something wrong; she told you she constantly felt anxious, this feeling came out of nowhere, as if something were about to happen, leaving her unable to rest."

"After you told Lin Ran your worries, instead she comforted you, saying you needn't worry; she will break through the ninth‑level gene lock, and once she does, with her present everything will be readily resolved."

"She seemed to say it lightly, but afterward you could clearly see Lin Ran growing ever more diligent; this girl always does that—perhaps she just wants to help you share the burden."

"You and several core members opened a meeting, devising two final plans to cope with disaster: one is the Local Fire Seed Plan to preserve humanity's fire and knowledge; the other is to develop star‑navigation technology, the Ark Plan to bring the fire off the planet."

"You are responsible for the Ark Plan; you cannot help but factor in biological machinery, for Yongguo's materials science and energy science fall far short of interstellar travel standards, so you can only pin your hopes on biological machinery, which holds infinite possibilities."

"You often sent reconnaissance teams to observe disaster behavior, only to find that everywhere disasters act the same, devoutly bowing to the starry sky; your uneasy foreboding grew stronger."

"26 years old: Disaster hasn't arrived yet, but you remain vigilant; Lin Ran, through day‑and‑night effort, successfully broke through the seventh‑level gene lock, and now she is truly Yongguo's strongest combatant, bar none."

"With the aid of the Gene Equation, Lin Ran's strength now can even rival that of a normal eighth‑level gene warrior."

"A seventh‑level gene warrior's body already possesses extremely strong survivability; various gene weapons are basically ineffective against them, their flesh's strength and toughness are perfect, a single punch can split mountains and rivers."

"Whereas an eighth‑level gene warrior can already survive in a vacuum and can convert the heat stored within their body into Gene Source Energy as a means of attack."

"For humanity's future, you had to start from scratch learning biological machinery technology; this technology actually originates from the disasters' assimilative ability, and biological weapons are the same."

"You recalled Disaster Breath; it continues to devour disaster blood and nourish you, believing that before long you too will be able to break through to fifth‑level gene warrior."

"You have mastered the professional knowledge of biological machinery!"

"The Ark was under intense development, and what you feared most finally came to pass."

"That night, a crimson meteor streaked across the night sky; some excitedly made wishes, others marveled at the wondrous sight—no one could imagine that this meteor was actually an omen of the apocalypse."

"The next day, people woke as usual, but noticed the sun hanging overhead was odd; amidst its golden light there seemed a faint reddish tinge?"

"The third day, people rose as usual, yet found the temperature had dropped twenty‑odd degrees; they paid it no mind and went on living as before."

"On the seventh day, people rose as usual, and looking up saw the crimson sun hanging high in the sky; the sun seemed wrapped in a strange blood‑like membrane, no longer burning, no longer radiating heat, summer turned into a cold snap, the sun's crimson glow gave off no warmth, plants could not photosynthesize, the earth lay blood‑red..."

"\"When you sensed something amiss, that crimson blazing sun was already hanging overhead; gazing at this blood sun, you finally belatedly recalled the saying: disasters even possess the ability to erode stars. \""

"\"You finally had to believe that saying. \""

"\"The core temperature of the blazing sun reaches 16 million degrees Celsius—what could possibly withstand its scorching and erode it? \""

"\"After the sun turned into a blood sun, disasters worldwide finally ceased their two‑year‑long worship and began attacking Yongguo in an extremely frenzied manner. \""

"\"Under the blood‑light, disaster power erupted rapidly in an unimaginable way; you also realized where the sun's original heat went—it was transformed into a red radiance usable only by disasters, making them overwhelmingly strong. \""

"\"The disaster front suffered an unprecedented impact; soldiers fought to the death, finally reinforcements arrived, but casualties were heavy. \""

"\"Yongguo domestic fell into extreme panic; no one could accept that yesterday's hope had vanished in an instant, facing a future without hope. \""

"\"You had some preparation for this; massive relief supplies were distributed, you again gave a speech to soothe hearts, but no matter how eloquent this time, it was destined not to console everyone. \""

"\"Some companies took the opportunity to cause trouble, you cleared them with thunderous means; in the direst moment you displayed absolute leadership resolve, pressing all internal worries back into the bud. \""

"\"After everyone recovered, you finally saw what that night's red meteor was: it is a gigantic blood‑colored flesh seed, it silently merged into the sun, and in just seven days returned all despair in full. \""

"\"Misfortunes never come singly; via satellite imagery you discovered that the planet's land had given birth to a layer of red flesh membrane, which, like a growing moss, continually spreads across the globe. \""

"\"Reconnaissance teams risked their lives to retrieve samples; after study you found it possesses an extremely strong assimilative ability, stronger than any disaster you've seen, and any gene warrior who touches it becomes infected, turning into a blood disaster. \""

"\"In other words, once this spreads throughout Yongguo, that day will be humanity's extinction. \""

"\"You named it: Blood Tide. \""