Somewhere in the desert, the elevator leading to Vault 13 finally stopped.
Based on the time and speed of the elevator's descent, Zhuang Lan silently calculated that the area beneath her feet was at least one kilometer or even deeper than the surface.
Walking to the gate in front, the soldier wearing an exoskeleton put his arm on the console beside the wall and completed the verification of his identity information.
"Buzz."
Accompanied by a shaking tremor, a gap opened from the wall in front of the two people, and slowly expanded as the wall moved, finally giving way to a road more than ten meters wide.
Unbelievable.
That alloy wall is actually a door that fits perfectly!
It seems that a lot of things did happen at the Enlightenment Meeting during his absence...
Stunned by the changes in her old club in the past two years, Zhuang Lan was secretly alert, but she did not write the unexpected expression on her face.
After all, her identity at this moment is Lieutenant "Malik", the captain of the Desert Scorpion Special Forces. And before this, "he" had been here.
Apparently he acquiesced to this, and the soldier had no intention of showing off. After completing the verification of his identity information, he turned around and faced "Malik", stood still and said.
"The Ministry of Internal Affairs just sent a message that they have approved the information you submitted. However, they still have some details they want to know about your experiences during your escape and the combat effectiveness of the alliance's regular army. They will probably contact you to hold an inquiry meeting."
"When?" "In three days."
Malik looked at him expressionlessly and spread his hands. "Why not now? I am idle anyway."
"We have to interrogate the guy you brought back from the alliance first to see what we can get out of his mouth." After a pause, the soldier continued in a relaxed tone, "And you are the hero, we have to first
Once you are settled, you cannot be treated the same as a prisoner."
It seems that "Malik" has regained the trust of the Enlightenment Society.
Zhuang Lan breathed a sigh of relief, but the expression on his face did not change at all. Instead, he spoke solemnly and faithfully to his character.
"I dare not take it seriously. Although the intelligence system bears half of the blame, it is true that I messed up the matter...many people paid the price with their lives."
Seeing Malik who was slightly depressed, the soldier standing at the door comforted him.
"Don't blame yourself. We don't judge heroes by success or failure. You have done a great job by being able to capture one of them despite being ambushed by the Alliance... Of course, I am sorry for what happened to your brothers."
He is also the leader of a group of boys.
It is precisely because of this that he understands Malik's feelings at the moment.
Just as the two were talking, a tall and thin man walked out from behind the open giant alloy door. He was wearing a silver-gray dress, and the straight fabric was as smooth as silk.
Not a speck of dust could be seen. Not only his clothes, but also his skin, which was as smooth and delicate as the alloy wall next to it, with an elegant and flawless complexion.
Appearance is probably his least worth mentioning advantage.
The propriety and elegance in his movements were like that of a butler in a noble manor in the classical period, as if no matter how trivial things were in his hands, they could be arranged in an orderly manner.
Although this person's appearance was no different from that of a real person, Zhuang Lan could still tell with just one glance that he was not a real human being.
But bionic people.
Things that are completely natural will definitely have flaws, and only man-made products can be as pure as this without a trace of impurities.
While Zhuang Lan was observing him, the man standing at the door nodded slightly and spoke in a gentle tone.
"Hello Mr. Malik, I am your guide and life assistant during your stay in the 'Promised Land'. You can call me 'Butler.'"
"Although you have been here before, our paradise was not completed then, and many things have changed since then."
"In order to help you adapt to life here as soon as possible, I will take you to get to know our home again."
Zhuang Lan nodded, then said goodbye to the soldier who brought her here, and then followed the android who called himself "Butler".
On the way to the shelter, the android kept introducing him to the situation in the "Promised Land", especially the changes in the past year.
According to the intelligence collected by the Watcher organization, Malik last went to the Paradise exactly one year ago and stayed in the Paradise for ten days.
In order to avoid exposing any flaws, Zhuang Lan did not say any more words, but occasionally inserted a few sentences to ask about unclear details. After passing through a long corridor, the two came to a spacious underground space, with a giant gear-shaped gate reflecting the caught her eye.
This gate is the same as the entrance to many shelters.
The only difference is that it is not embedded in the wall, but lies flat on the ground like the lifting platform of a freight elevator.
When she discovered this, Zhuang Lan was slightly surprised.
It's hard to imagine how much energy is consumed by opening and closing this giant door at one time.
The Enlightenment's energy reserves may exceed the Watcher organization's expectations. It would be great if their energy source could be figured out.
While Zhuang Lan was silently calculating in her mind, the giant gear under the two of them began to slowly sink, and an arch shaped like a tunnel entrance also appeared from the concrete wall on the side shortly after the platform descended.
That is the last door leading to Vault 13.
Holding back the excitement in her heart, Zhuang Lan followed the "butler" steadily, following it into the deepest part of the core secret of the Enlightenment Society——
This is the "handle" of the torch!
It is also the core of the Torch Plan!
Dazzling light shines at the end of the long corridor made of alloy.
And when Zhuang Lan finally passed through the final tunnel, what she saw did not disappoint her. She was even shocked and stunned on the spot.
The scenery suddenly opens up!
The space is enlarged geometrically, so much so that one can't help but suspect that he has traveled to another world or the earth. The majestic buildings stand like a chasm on both sides of the vast space. Looking up, you can see the blue sky, and looking down, you can see the deep sky.
A bottomless abyss.
But even residents living on the lowest floor don't have to worry. The luminous strips embedded in the outer walls of the building will transmit the warm light to the bottom of this "refuge", bringing unlimited prosperity and life to this refuge.
Every resident in the house shares equally.
Translucent pipes and bridges intersect between the buildings, with crystal clear "crystal balls" connected in between.
They float between buildings like soap bubbles, housing the almost extinct natural scenery on this planet for people to watch and relax.
Long vehicles shuttle back and forth through thick tubes, either transporting passengers and cargo into the crystal balls embedded in the sky, or transporting them from one end of the shelter to the other.
It's like a city built in the crater of a volcano.
Of course, this is not a real crater, at least the sky above is fake.
Zhuang Lan knew very well how long she had been in the elevator when she came down. The actual depth here would only be more exaggerated than her conservative estimate.
There is no doubt that the sun with its dazzling light is artificial.
Including the blue that is so clear that people can't take their eyes away, including the white cotton-like clouds... these scenery are extremely rare in the wasteland.
It is no exaggeration to say that this world buried deep underground is indeed worthy of the title of "Promised Land". Any wastelander standing here will call this place paradise without hesitation!
Looking at Mr. "Malik" who paused, the butler said in a gentle voice.
"We built this underground world according to the standards of the Dream City. You who came from that era must know what the Dream City I am talking about."
Zhuang Lan nodded gently. She knew what it was.
Legend has it that in the distant era of prosperity, people were worried that the prosperity they had accumulated over the years would collapse overnight, so they established a second home in the eternal universe.
That is the City of Dreams.
It was a space residence that felt like spring all year round, with artificial day and night and gravity. It was a utopia that would not wither even if the prosperous world on the surface completely declined.
If the ideal city is the memory of the survivors of the good old days a century and a half ago, then the dream city embodies all the longings and imaginations of people in the prosperous era for their future life.
Looking at the nearest "soap bubble", Zhuang Lan, who stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, let out a sigh for a long time. "My brothers and I were eating sand in the desert, but I didn't expect you to enjoy it."
This is not only Malik's emotion, but also her own emotion. The housekeeper said with a smile.
"Because the opportunity has arrived." "Opportunity?"
"An opportunity to enter a new era."
The butler stretched out his index finger and pointed it on the transparent glass. Circles of transparent ripples spread outward from his fingertips. The entire glass wall seemed to have turned into a magnifying glass, directly "drag" the scenery in the distance.
We arrived in front of the two people standing at the entrance of the shelter.
As the scenery in the distance was magnified, Zhuang Lan not only saw the people in the park clearly, but also clearly saw the smiles on their faces... Thanks to the helping hand extended by heavenly beings to us, the situation is unprecedented
It’s beneficial to us. The top management has adjusted the strategy for the wasteland. From now on, we don’t need to do anything, we just need to wait patiently.”
Zhuang Lan frowned slightly.
She felt a little strange from just now. No one mentioned to her about rebuilding the "Desert Scorpion" organization. "What are you waiting for?"
"Curse."
"...God's punishment?" Zhuang Lan was stunned for a moment. "That's right."
Facing Lieutenant "Malik"'s questioning gaze, the butler nodded slightly, then cast his gaze to the paradise land not far away, and said chilling words in a gentle tone.
"The flames of punishment will burn everything in the old world, and we will get a paradise to rest and recuperate in the new world...as a reward for helping the heavenly beings complete their mission."
When he said this, the butler looked at "Malik" standing beside him and continued with a smile. "By the way, I forgot to tell you just now that your mission is over."
Zhuang Lan asked.
"What do you mean it's over?" the butler said in a gentle tone.
"This is what the top management means. You have to ask the insiders about which department it is. In short, they want me to convey to you that we have no plans to rebuild the Desert Scorpion for the time being."
"Although there are still many soldiers performing field missions at this moment, apart from the missions they are currently performing, there will be no more new missions in the future. They will also return to this shelter one after another after completing their missions...
…Of course, we will calculate your merits based on your merits and then arrange for you to live a better life in the new era.”
Zhuang Lan looked at it in astonishment, and after a long time she nodded slowly. "It sounds pretty good...although it's a bit regretful."
The butler looked at him confused.
"Regret? I don't understand what you mean."
Zhuang Lan was silent for a while, then looked back at the corridor leading to the outside world behind him. "My brothers... I promised them that I would avenge them."
A look of surprise appeared on the butler's face, then he smiled softly and said in a gentle tone.
"That kind of thing is no longer important. Your enemies will be wiped out in the final punishment and become insignificant radioactive dust drifting away... Let the hatred of the past stay in the past. This will help us go further.
"
Zhuang Lan nodded and turned his gaze to the dome in the distance.
Gardening robots are mowing the lawn neatly. People in blue coats are walking along the paths in the park, and some are walking their dogs.
Vending machines offer unlimited ice cream to children, and good-looking androids hand out presumably free balloons.
The family sitting on the bench were chatting and laughing... Maybe they were talking about the new era. It was obviously as beautiful as a dream, but for some reason Zhuang Lan always had an unreal feeling in her heart.
It’s not that those images are fake or simulations of holographic images.
Being engaged in intelligence work, she could tell that those people were undoubtedly real people...at least they were much more real than the android standing next to him.
At this time, she suddenly remembered her first impression when she first met this "butler". Things that are completely natural must have flaws, and only man-made products can be so pure without a trace of impurities.
That dome is a similar existence. Or rather——
The whole paradise is like this.
The people here do not live here, but more like they are being held captive by something high above them, and they are lined up in a transparent crystal bubble.
A shuddering feeling crept into Zhuang Lan's heart, but when she saw those smiling eyes, she still nodded.
"fine."
On the other side, in a small room on the surface above Vault 13, the medical miracle lying on the operating table was forcibly connected to a memory extractor and underwent a round of "electrotherapy."
It seemed that the Enlightenment Society had no intention of using a honey trap to bribe him. It arranged a severe punishment from the very beginning, which also made the medical miracle that had been anticipated for a long time somewhat disappointing.
At least give him a chance to "correct his evil ways"!
However, his disappointment did not last long, and he soon disconnected with his eyes darkened.
In the special interrogation room, a doctor in a white coat stood next to the operating table. He looked at the error message on the control panel and was puzzled. He scratched his head and underestimated it.
"Weird."
The officer standing aside saw the result and hurriedly asked, "What's wrong?"
The doctor operated on the control interface for a long time, then withdrew his index finger from the touch screen, looked at the officer standing next to him with a puzzled expression and said.
"The memory retrieval device is indeed activated, but the experimental target has no response to the external stimulation input by the experimental equipment...whether it is a visual signal or an auditory signal. This feeling is like..."
He considered his words for a while, and then said in an uncertain tone after a long time. "It's as if this guy's mind is empty."
"empty?!"
The officer standing next to the operating table was stunned. How could someone's mind be empty? He had never seen such a strange situation!
Usually, the survivors they capture from the outside, no matter which shelter manager or the most powerful wastelander in the area, can squeeze out the brains in minutes, and they have never encountered anyone who cannot read it.
memory situation.
Looking at the doctor who was puzzled, the officer couldn't help but said, "Would you like to try again?"
The doctor shook his head.
"Let's wait two days and try again. This guy's brain was severely damaged and he probably won't wake up for a while. If we continue the experiment, I'm worried that he will become a lunatic. Although you may not care, it will not be worth the loss for us."
Already."
To be honest, he's weird too.
Logically speaking, even if the tethered dog is on the operating table, nothing can be read out. At most, the things read out are more abstract. As an expert in the field of neuroscience, he suddenly expressed his disapproval of this tough-talking guy.
I'm a little interested. Could it be that the Alliance has a way to defeat the memory retrieval device?
This might become a good experimental material.
The officer standing aside hesitated for a moment, and finally reluctantly nodded and accepted the proposal. "Okay..."
Even if it didn't work, he couldn't think of a better way.
At this moment, the two of them didn't know that the guy lying on the operating table next to them was actually awake, but he just didn't open his eyes.
When he put on the memory retrieval device before, Medical Miracle was expecting to see some interesting pictures, but his eyes went dark and he lost consciousness.
Seeing that he was about to miss an important plot point, the medical miracle that had finally managed to sneak into the main plot couldn't bear it anymore, so he immediately put on his headband and reconnected in a hurry.
Hard work pays off.
After he tried persistently for almost half an hour, a faint light finally penetrated into the slit of his eyes and imprinted on the retina of his game character.
Then he heard the quack doctor saying that he was crazy and needed further observation. The medical miracle sneered in his heart.
He is not crazy, he is a good person.
However, thinking that this might be an opportunity to break into the Enlightenment Society, he finally resisted the urge to open his eyes and scare the two of them, and silently disconnected and returned offline.
His intuition told him that the opportunity to become the next pangolin was right in front of him! Not long after, an outrageous post appeared on the official website forum - "Brothers, how can you pretend to be crazy? (Embarrassing)"
"Waiting online, it's quite urgent." -
(I’m sorry, I haven’t finished writing the plot in space, so I’ll post it tomorrow.)