Chapter 530: The Monster Beneath the Base

The roar from beneath Qinghe Base grew louder as the ground around the command centre continued sinking.

Cracks spread through the nearby streets and climbed the walls of several buildings. Windows shattered, utility poles tilted, and frightened survivors pushed against one another as they tried to escape the collapsing area.

A five-story residential building leaned dangerously to one side.

"Everyone, move away from the buildings!" Commander Han shouted through his radio. He turned to the soldiers near him and ordered, "Stop sending people underground. Redirect the evacuation toward the eastern training grounds."

One of the officers looked at him in alarm. "Commander, the training grounds are exposed. If the zombie army breaks through the walls..."

"Whatever is beneath us could enter the shelters first," Commander Han interrupted him. "Get the people above ground and spread them out. We cannot allow thousands of survivors to become trapped in one place."

The officer immediately left to relay the order.

Another section of the road collapsed, revealing a dark tunnel beneath the base.

The tunnel was too wide to have been created by ordinary construction equipment. Its walls had been compressed until the soil resembled polished stone, and an unpleasant gray liquid covered the floor.

Leng Pan studied the opening before turning toward the alien prisoner. "Is that liquid poisonous?"

The prisoner stepped back when the smell reached him. "It is digestive fluid."

Lu Tao stared at the tunnel. "Did you say digestive fluid?"

"The burrowing unit does not dig with tools," the prisoner explained reluctantly. "It consumes the soil and stone in front of it, then releases the waste behind."

Lu Tao’s face twisted with disgust. "You could have stopped after telling us it was dangerous."

"You asked what it was."

"I did not ask how the tunnel was made."

A second roar came from beneath them, followed by the sound of something enormous scraping against the tunnel walls.

Captain Wei, who was still suspended within Leng Pan’s water restraint, began struggling again. The black veins beneath his skin had faded after Little Vine destroyed the amplifiers, but they had not disappeared completely.

"The controller is still using him," Leng Pan said as she strengthened the water around his arms. "The signal has become weaker, but it is trying to make him reach the command centre."

Captain Wei clenched his teeth as his body fought against the restraint. "Do not...let me go."

Commander Han walked closer to him. "You should save your strength. We will remove that device."

Captain Wei shook his head with difficulty. "It is connected...to my ability core. If you pull it out, I might die."

"We will not pull it out carelessly," Leng Pan assured him before looking at Lu Zhen. "He cannot remain here, but we also cannot leave him with ordinary soldiers."

Lu Zhen glanced at Lu Hao. "Take Captain Wei to the eastern training grounds. If the controller tries to use his ability again, disable him."

Lu Hao nodded as he took control of the water sphere surrounding Captain Wei.

Commander Han wanted to object, but Captain Wei looked at him and managed a weak smile. "Do not worry, Commander. I would rather be knocked unconscious than open another gate for those things."

Lu Hao carried him away while Shade followed close behind.

The ground near the command centre suddenly rose.

At first, it appeared as if another earth ability user were moving the soil. However, the rising section continued growing until it formed an enormous mound beneath the building.

The lower walls cracked.

Soldiers ran from the entrance seconds before the entire command centre split apart.

A black creature burst through the floor.

Its long body was covered in overlapping plates that scraped against one another whenever it moved. It had no visible eyes, but a circular mouth filled with several rows of teeth opened at the front of its head.

The creature tore through the remains of the command centre and lifted half of the roof into the air.

Lu Tao stared at it before quietly asking, "Is that the burrowing unit?"

The alien prisoner nodded. "Yes."

"You could have mentioned that it was the size of a building."

"You did not ask."

Lu Tao turned toward him. "Why would I need to ask whether the thing digging beneath us was the size of a building?"

The creature released another deafening roar before throwing the broken roof aside.

Several soldiers standing near the street failed to move in time.

Leng Pan sent a stream of water toward them. It wrapped around their bodies and pulled them out of the way as the concrete roof crashed down where they had been standing.

Dust covered the area.

Before anyone could see clearly again, the creature lowered its head and bit into the ground. Soil, broken concrete, and metal disappeared into its mouth as easily as soft food.

It was heading directly toward the beacon beneath the command centre.

The alien prisoner’s expression changed. "You must stop it before it reaches the beacon."

Ouyang Jin glanced at him. "Why? Is it trying to destroy the device?"

"No. The beacon contains the coordinates needed by the gate anchor. The burrowing unit will swallow it and carry it to the surface."

Leng Pan understood immediately. "The transport vessel would not need to enter the base. That creature would bring the signal to it."

The prisoner nodded. "Once the beacon is connected to the gate anchor, the temporary Passage could open anywhere."

Lu Zhen looked at Commander Han. "How deep is the lowest level of the command centre?"

"Four floors beneath the ground," Commander Han replied. "The emergency power station and communication equipment are on the lowest level."

"Were people working down there?"

Commander Han’s face changed.

He grabbed his radio and called the command centre, but only static answered him.

"There were at least thirty people inside," he said.

Leng Pan spread her senses through the moisture beneath the ground. The creature’s digestive fluid interfered with her ability, but she could still detect several weak movements under the broken building.

"Some of them are alive," she said. "They are trapped beneath the eastern section."

Commander Han immediately called his soldiers forward, but Lu Zhen stopped them. "Ordinary people should not enter while that creature is still moving. The building could collapse completely."

"They are my people," Commander Han replied firmly. "I cannot leave them down there."

"We are not leaving them," Lu Zhen assured him. He turned toward Blaze, Silk, and Vanish before continuing, "Help the soldiers clear the eastern section. Ouyang Jin, keep the affected survivors away from this area. Little Vine will come with us."

Leng Pan looked at her husband. "You want to enter the tunnel?"

"The creature’s armor is protecting it from above. We should attack the softer sections beneath its body."

The alien prisoner immediately shook his head. "The lower plates are thinner, but the digestive fluid inside the tunnel could dissolve protective clothing and ordinary ability barriers."

Lu Zhen looked at Leng Pan. "Could your water keep it away from us?"

"I should be able to create a moving barrier, but I would need to maintain it while we fight."

"Then you will maintain the barrier. Little Vine and I will deal with the creature."

Lu Tao stepped forward. "I am coming with you."