True Apocalypse Game

Unlike Kong Yan’s bewilderment, Jiang Bing and Ivan began carrying out the Commander’s orders immediately and without hesitation.

Both were seasoned veterans who had seen it all, battled through countless trials, and held high positions, yet now their hands trembled faintly with excitement.

They had never heard of anyone receiving the Commander’s directives in the real world before—not counting, of course, the directives from within the "True Apocalypse Game" during the plague outbreak.

In any case, receiving direct orders and encouragement from the Commander now held a significance that was in a league of its own. It was far more exhilarating to them than any Nobel Prize!

"Da Bingzi, Old Ivan, what the hell is going on? If we attack that eye now, won’t we anger it!? Who does that voice belong to? Is this Hypnosis? Is this some kind of Hypnosis?"

Kong Yan asked from the Submersible’s pilot seat, his face a mask of bewilderment and his eyes filled with anxiety. A thousand possibilities flashed through his mind, but he couldn’t figure out which one was right.

Jiang Bing offered a small smile as she adjusted the equipment.

"Old Kong, do you think I’m the kind of person who can be hypnotized? You can think of this voice as an order from the highest authority. We’re ex-military. I promise you, everything we’re doing is to defend the interests of the people and the interests of humanity."

Her expression was grave, and her tone was solemn. She looked at Kong Yan with a stern gaze.

Kong Yan, influenced by Jiang Bing’s tone, glanced at Ivan and the bound Joe, then nodded.

"If this is some top-secret mission that’s above my clearance level, I get it. After all, your willpower is tougher than any man’s. I’m certain no one could use Hypnosis on you..."

With that, Kong Yan uncrossed his hands from the control stick, returning to the normal piloting mode.

Jiang Bing gently patted his shoulder, grateful for his understanding.

As a long-time teammate and colleague, Jiang Bing knew that the way Kong Yan had been holding the controls could have instantly wrecked the Submersible’s power system, dooming them all to die trapped here together.

He wasn’t afraid to die.

He might seem carefree and a bit reckless, but he never failed to deliver when it counted. Otherwise, he never would have been made vice-captain.

The Submersible started up again, slowly drifting toward the Wormhole ahead as it prepared to adjust into an attack position.

Just then, Joe, who was tied up securely, sneered from the side.

"Fools. Ignorant fools. Everything you’re doing is futile. The Sea Beast has manifested. When Cthulhu brings the Sea Beast into the Abyss, all in this world shall be purified! In the new world, every Purifier will have their rightful place, but foolish, lowly mortals like you are not included..."

Hearing this, Kong Yan now fully understood that something was definitely wrong with Joe.

From the looks of it, he had either lost his mind or joined some evil cult and been brainwashed!

His trust in Jiang Bing and Ivan immediately deepened, and he piloted the Submersible steadily toward the designated attack position.

A look of grief crossed Ivan’s face as he heard Joe’s words.

"Joe, when did that damn Whisperer get to you!? We were drinking together just two months ago! Why? Why would you betray your own race, your own civilization, to believe in some fantasy of eternal life? Do you really think your Cthulhu cares whether you live or die? And that skulking monster, the Whisperer, couldn’t care less about ordinary humans like you! Are you behind all this? Is this your doing? What’s the plot!? Tell me!"

As he spoke, he grabbed Joe by the collar with both hands, hauled him to his feet, and shook him violently while shouting.

Jiang Bing patted Ivan’s shoulder.

"Ivan, calm down... If I’m right, the Joe we trusted was never our friend. He’s been a spy for the Purification Society from the very beginning... Those underwater statue ruins we found might have been connected to the Purification Society too... Calm down. The Commander is still watching us..."

Ivan, towering like a polar bear, had been glaring, looking ready to eat Joe alive. But at Jiang Bing’s last words, he immediately dropped Joe back on the chair. He glanced at the surrounding cameras and stammered like a child.

"Oh, uh, Commander, my apologies for letting you witness that... I lost my composure..."

Joe had been slammed back into the chair, but he showed no sign of pain or fear. Instead, he burst out laughing.

"That’s right. I joined the joint scientific expedition with a mission from Cthulhu... Regrettably, the underwater stone ruins from last time had nothing to do with our Purification Society... But thankfully, that regret can now be rectified... The Sea Beast is about to awaken! The Sea Beast is about to plunge into the Abyss! And as for you, my friends, I’ll erect beautiful tombstones for you in the new world. Or, you could choose to become a Purifier and join the Purification Society..."

Seeing his arrogant display, Ivan’s teeth itched with rage, but he hesitated to get physical, conscious that the Commander might be watching.

Just then, the Commander’s voice came again, low and imbued with a reassuring power:

"Slap him."

Ivan froze for a second, then, hardly believing his ears, broke into a gleeful grin. He seized Joe by the collar and began slapping him relentlessly, back and forth. He beat Joe senseless until the man let out a wretched cry and passed out.

Jiang Bing, standing nearby, was also surprised, but then a faint smile touched her lips.

This order from the Commander revealed him to be a man of passion. It diminished some of his mystique and god-like aura, but added a touch of humanity and warmth.

It was even more reassuring.

"Positioning is complete. Should we attack?" Kong Yan asked, wincing slightly as he looked at Joe’s swollen-up face.

Jiang Bing nodded, and she and Ivan pressed their control buttons simultaneously.

The next instant, the entire Submersible shuddered as a capture net made of a special material shot out toward the Wormhole.

Simultaneously, four high-pressure water cannons fired directly at the target.

The pressure on the seabed was already immense, making the destructive force of these water cannons even more staggering.

But what shocked the three of them was that the moment the high-pressure water jets hit the Wormhole, they passed straight through to the other side.

It was as if the Wormhole was merely a shadow, not a physical object.

But the heat it radiated was undeniably real!

Just then, the capture net jerked to a halt in the water, as if it had snagged on something in the center of the Wormhole.

They all looked over and saw that the center of the net seemed to be covering a glowing aperture, about the size of a bowl.

That was the core of the Wormhole!

Clearly, of this entire Space Wormhole which appeared to be several meters in diameter, only that small, central piece was solid.

The rest of the Space Wormhole was more akin to some kind of interdimensional projection.

The owner of the eyes within the Space Wormhole seemed to be enraged by the Submersible’s actions. Its yellow eyes instantly turned crimson.

The light radiating from the Wormhole changed along with them!

Instantly, the deep seawater for several kilometers around turned blood-red. Their surroundings had become a crimson hell deep beneath the sea!

But that was the extent of it.

The terrifying scene that Jiang Bing, Kong Yan, and the others had feared never came to pass.

Apparently, the owner of the eyes was unable to attack across dimensions.

However, the crimson light and the glare of the eyes made the three of them anxious and agitated. Fear and bloodlust churned within them, sparking an impulse to turn on each other.

"Deep breaths. Lower your heads and don’t look at the projection. Very good. You can return now." The Commander’s voice sounded again through the comms. He seemed to have anticipated this, and his calm, measured tone, which carried an indescribable gentleness, immediately soothed their agitation.

A moment later, the Submersible, which had lost most of its power, shuddered. The internal systems came back online, seemingly cleared by a powerful energy surge that overrode the surrounding electromagnetic interference.

A fuzzy transmission came through from headquarters, with whom they had lost contact:

"...den... KSSHH... Hidden Dragon... KSSHH... what is Dragon Nest’s status... KSSHH... we lost..."

Jiang Bing understood. The Commander must have helped them restore the Submersible’s control and communications. She quickly replied:

"...Dragon Nest is stable. Hidden Dragon requests permission to return. Hidden Dragon requests permission to return."

An urgent voice immediately came back through the communicator:

"Permission... KSSHH... granted. Hidden Dragon, return immediately... KSSHH... Hidden Dragon, return immediately... KSSHH..."

The ascent path above was cleared. Kong Yan immediately began piloting the Submersible upward along its tether.

Watching the deep-sea Space Wormhole and the region of crimson-lit water recede into the distance, Jiang Bing and the other two exchanged a look and breathed a long sigh of relief.

For now, at least, they were safe. With the Commander’s help, they had escaped that Hell-like stretch of ocean and the terrifying, Devil-like creature.

’Just what on earth was that thing?’

’And how did the Wormhole appear?’

’All of this would have to be investigated by their comrades in the Salvation Army and the world’s governments.’

Jiang Bing felt her back and realized her clothes were soaked through with sweat.

She exchanged a look with Ivan. The thought that the Commander himself had given them direct orders filled them both with a sense of honor, and their expressions grew more determined.

"I probably don’t have the clearance to know what’s going on, but what do we do about Joe? He’s a member of the Eagle Country expedition, a huge celebrity. Do we hand him over to Eagle Country or just detain him ourselves? Lock him up at HQ? My God, can someone please tell me what’s happening? I knew I shouldn’t have tempted fate so much..."

Kong Yan mumbled to himself as he piloted the Submersible.

Nearby, Jiang Bing and Ivan exchanged a look. Ivan’s expression was questioning.

’What should we do with this character?’

The existence of the Salvation Army had been exposed right before his eyes. And the people from the Purification Society probably wouldn’t let Kong Yan off the hook easily, either.

Jiang Bing smiled faintly, nodded, and said in a low voice:

"I still have one invitation slot... my only one..."

Her last words were tinged with reluctance.

Ivan shrugged and said reassuringly:

"He talks a bit much, but he’s a very experienced researcher. And I can guarantee he’s a good man. I’m sure the Commander would agree."

Jiang Bing nodded helplessly. ’What else can I do?’ she thought. ’It’s not like we can just kill him to shut him up, can we?’

She then clapped Kong Yan firmly on the shoulder.

"Old Kong, have you ever heard of the ’True Apocalypse Game’?"