Since The Red Moon Appeared

Chapter 22: Beneath The Crimson Moon

The revelation was an eye-opening encounter for Lu Xin, leaving an indelible mark on his senses.

In less than thirty minutes, a convoy of formidable trucks surged into the abandoned industrial area, their powerful engines resonating in the quiet air. Swiftly emerging from these colossal machines, teams of men dressed in robust protective attire acted with precision, creating a synchronized display of purpose. Some of them promptly set up makeshift lighting devices, while others skillfully constructed a complex web of pumps, their long rubber hoses extending toward the adjacent lake.

Concurrently, more than half a dozen teams initiated a rapid assault with shovels in hand, carving into the earth to form waterways along the periphery.

It was clear that their calculations had meticulously pinpointed the optimal course of action: rerouting the aqueous expanse of the lake towards a neighboring lowland region.

Yet, this tableau of concerted industry was far from its climax. A distance away, a convoy of resolute military trucks stormed onto the scene, executing deft skids that brought them to a halt, effectively encircling the lake with their imposing presence. Bedecked in full military regalia, soldiers promptly cordoned off the area, utilizing the very trucks as an organic bulwark. The abandoned industrial area swiftly transformed into a crucible of fevered activity.

As the colossal water pumps erupted in a chorus of mechanized vitality, the water’s once-undulating plane plummeted in rapid cadence.

The spectacle was such that both Lu Xin and Qin Ran found their faculties suspended in sheer disbelief. Their expressions betrayed their awe, and their voices were but whispers as they reverently declared, “Amazing!”

Chen Jing’s voice, cool and measured, punctuated the radio’s static: “Engaging with the scourge of psionic corruption is a job fraught with danger. Failure to navigate its depths with precision not only endangers one’s life but unfurls the potential for calamity of an inscrutable magnitude. In the crucible of war, two truths demand unerring respect.”

Instructively, Chen Jing elucidated over the airwaves, “Firstly, marshal your material resources to their utmost capacity.

“Secondly, should conventional methodologies falter, unleash our formidable ordnance.”

Lu Xin’s silence echoed through the channel, a testimony to his astonishment.

…

“Prepare for action. The Extraction Unit readied for departure, while the Reconnaissance Unit took the lead,” Chen Jing’s decisive command echoed as the receding water unveiled a diminished landscape.

Briskly, the entirety of the Extraction Unit commenced a synchronized retrograde, with some among them leaving their implements and vehicles behind in their haste.

With the passing seconds, the surroundings reverted to emptiness, now inhabited by Lu Xin, Qin Ran, the three members of the Tactical Data Reconnaissance Unit, and Lu Xin’s sibling.

However, a notable change hung in the atmosphere. On the distant horizon, an amalgamation of disciplined military forces assembled, their expressions a blend of curiosity and alertness.

“After the lake’s desiccation, the mantle of leadership shall pass unto you,” Chen Jing’s voice echoed in the earpiece, conveying, “Even at this moment, the true nature of the intense negativity from this corrupt source remains beyond our complete comprehension.”

“While it seems the contagion isn’t an immediate concern based on data, unexpected events can occur. We need to remain watchful. If the contagion can spread again, the people here might unintentionally become carriers, resulting in a serious problem.”

Lu Xin swiftly understood the soldiers’ wariness, realizing it pointed to a concealed danger lurking within the underwater depths.

A pervasive thread of caution wove its tendrils not only around Lu Xin but also enshrouded every member of the Investigation Team. An undercurrent of unease saturated their interactions. Vigilant and resolute soldiers stood as sentinels, poised to exact ruthless retribution at the merest hint of contamination.

“Now the rationale behind the generous compensation for this task becomes apparent,” Lu Xin murmured.

Chen Jing’s laughter resonated through the air, a harmonious counterpoint to the palpable tension. “Your perspective is both admirable and astute. Given your unwavering commitment, I shall undoubtedly advocate for additional rewards.”

The assurance of further recognition breathed a nearly tangible sigh of relief into Lu Xin’s very being.

…

As time flowed on, the lake relinquished its aqueous dominion, unveiling a landscape tinged with desolation. Pallid light painted the sprawling tableau of the once-submerged lakebed, now marred by scattered puddles and viscous mud. Gasping fish and beleaguered shrimp clung tenaciously to the surface, their struggle for survival etched in their frenzied movements.

“The moment draws near,” Chen Jing declared.

One by one, the members of the Investigation Team donned their helmets, their collective gaze resting on Lu Xin, who stood apart, unadorned by such protection. Amidst them, he exuded an air of mystery.

“I believe the helmet is unnecessary,” Lu Xin waved off the proffered headgear.

Guided by Chen Jing’s counsel, Lu Xin, a psionic mutant, bore heightened immunity to the influence of corruption. His unique ability to unveil the true essence of an entity served as a corroborative affirmation of his choice. The helmet, it seemed, held the potential to obscure his vision and response, hindering his ability to clearly discern the creatures or adeptly evade their assaults.

Lu Xin’s decision, meticulously calculated, only succeeded in deepening the aura of enigma surrounding him in the eyes of his comrades.

Were these the vaunted “mutants”? Unspoken queries reverberated within their collective thoughts.

Though the members of the investigation team were acquainted with a select cadre of extraordinary individuals in Qinggang, those endowed with exceptional abilities, the prospect of partnering with such an individual remained uncharted territory.

Long before the seamless integration of psionic mutants into their ranks, the battle against corruption exacted a toll on the lives of common folk…

…

Equipped with detectors and lethal armaments, Lu Xin and his fellow investigators ventured onto the quagmire of the lakebed. A reassuring emerald glow danced across the argent screen of his detector.

Step by methodical step, they ventured further. Within Lu Xin’s gaze, his sister’s spectral form pirouetted through the muck, a phantasmal entity aglow beneath the moon’s gentle caress. The argent lumination painted her movements in fleeting strokes, casting an otherworldly, elusive silhouette in her wake. Yet, despite the tender embrace of the mire, she left no impression, no footprints behind.

As if caught in the midst of suspended animation, guided by an unseen hand, she came to an abrupt halt. Her outstretched arm trembled with urgency, akin to a compass needle pointing unwaveringly to the very heart of the lake.

Lu Xin, a master of silence, orchestrated his team’s movements, feigning an oblivious demeanor.

The collective gaze converged upon a sparkling puddle nestled at the core of the lake; perhaps the nucleus of the enigma.

At a distance of approximately eight meters from the water’s edge, his sister stood in silence, her finger directing his gaze to the stagnant pool at the center.

With measured steps, Lu Xin and his comrades advanced.

The serene luminescence emitted by the detector relinquished its dominion to an unsettling crimson hue, akin to a foreboding etched in light.

In that suspended juncture, a gentle voice seemed to emanate from the surroundings, “Qin Ran, you stole my life…”

“Who… No, what are you?” Lu Xin’s query escaped his lips, arresting both his companions and himself. A tremor traced a delicate path down their spines, a tremble that challenged the placidity of the night air.

Once more, the faint voice reverberated, “Qin Ran, you stole my life. I shall exact retribution from yours…”

A hush settled over the scene, the rhythm of their breaths and heartbeats serving as the sole cadence to accompany their mounting disquiet. Then, as if heralding an impending malevolence, the voice resurfaced, its syllables laden with the chilling promise of reprisal, “Qin Ran, you stole my life…”

A tremor cascaded through their collective beings. Then, as if impelled by an invisible hand, their focus converged on a fading goldfish, its pallor a jarring contrast against the murky substrate. Engulfed in a desperate quest for life-sustaining air, it bore the same mournful voice within.

“Qin Ran, you took my life…”

The spotlight of their united attention converged upon this sight, the fish’s obsidian eyes locked onto the shore, directed in the direction of Qin Ran. The otherworldly words, permeated by agony and accusation, continued to pour forth from its gaping maw.

Was this an illusion? The scarlet moon overhead appeared to throb with an intensity previously unseen, casting an eerie luminescence over the scene.

Within this surreal amalgamation of events, a fresh voice emerged from the silence, its lament resonating like the call of a battle horn, “Qin Ran, you deprived me of my life. I shall lay claim to yours…”

Lu Xin and his companions shifted their gaze, drawn toward the source of this new dirge. Another fish, its life force ebbing amidst the mire, became the vessel for the same mournful terror.

“Qin Ran, you took my life…”

“I held no grudges against you, so why did you take my life…”

“Qin Ran, you will suffer…”

Voices intertwined, a tapestry woven with pain and indignation. One by one, fish emerged from the depths of the lakebed’s obscurity, each carrying the burden of its own tormented spirit. Their voices harmonized, blending into a chorus that transcended the boundaries of the living world.

Lu Xin and his companions remained statuesque, spectators to this eerie and unsettling spectacle. Against the backdrop of the crimson moon, the fish’s collective elegy crescendoed into a sinister symphony, their voices serving as a sonic blade that cleaved through the air, leaving behind a lingering resonance that scraped against their very senses.

“Qin Ran, you took our lives…”

“Qin Ran, we shall take yours…”

“Qin Ran, we are here for vengeance…”