Chapter 287: The Blood Crescent (Finale)
The journey of Wan Yue and her companions was thrilling and tense, with encounters of perilous battles occurring amidst the thrilling moments. They even came across a group of North American soldiers besieged by tentacles. From a distance, the fragmented North American soldiers formed a defensive formation, futilely unleashing their firepower. Each time they destroyed a tentacle, new ones took its place, as if bloody tendrils were plucking away prey from the North American soldiers’ defenses at every moment. In the end, only one soldier remained, and amid desperate shouts, he detonated a grenade attached to his chest, ending everything in the sea of encroaching tentacles…
After an unknown amount of time, Wan Yue and her companions reached the sixth level, with only one more layer to go to their final destination. Lao Jin felt fortunate—he not only found a route with fewer dangers, but they also hadn’t encountered any tentacle or artificial blood beast attacks since. In the sunlight, many tentacles were charred and broken, or they hung limply in the blood water, as if hibernating.
The ensuing night and the scene of glowing bioluminescence left Lao Jin stunned. “So beautiful…” At that moment, whether it was Wan Yue, Jiang Yao, or Meng Huai, who was supporting Han Jie Li, all displayed expressions of amazement. This underground world, filled with bloodshed, had unexpectedly transformed into something so romantic and beautiful that it evoked endless thoughts.
“It should be the effect of the ancestral potion; we’re close to the fire escape. Let’s hurry.” Wan Yue wiped the cold sweat from her forehead and flashed an encouraging smile at the others. In reality, after the last blood explosion, Wan Yue’s full blood control had collapsed, and she had fallen into a severe post-expenditure syndrome from blood energy protein.
“Here, Xiao Yue, eat one more!” The chaotic aura of the woman beside him was no longer as refined and profound as before, and she seemed somewhat disheveled. Lao Jin frantically took out a small golden pill. “It’s meaningless; suppressing the ascension for too long has caused a heavy reaction from the full blood expenditure… give it to Jiang Yao,” Wan Yue waved her hand, wrapping her arms around Lao Jin’s, her body nearly leaning against him, her tone growing increasingly weak.
Soon, they passed through the bioluminescent fire escape and arrived at the seventh level. “Zhong Jing!” Under the vast silver glow, Jiang Yao cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted into the surroundings. Meng Huai quietly stood beside her, carrying the already delirious Han Jie Li on his back. At this point, Han Jie Li’s wounds could no longer be concealed; blood was continuously spilling from the gash on his left side, leaving him in a state of collapse.
“Zhong Jing!” Up ahead, as if she had noticed something different, a cluster of moon-shaped bioluminescence hung in midair, and the air was filled with a few strange auras that instantly attracted Jiang Yao’s attention. She began to run, her light golden hair flying behind her. In the thick stench of blood, the faintly sweet scent was so uncomfortable and even somewhat nauseating. However, Jiang Yao didn’t care much and quickened her pace.
Behind her, Lao Jin was supporting Wan Yue, and Meng Huai, carrying Han Jie Li, also started to speed up. Suddenly, the vast silver glow made a subtle change; one by one, they slowly transformed into blood red. “Be careful, it has come back to life… come to me quickly!” In the dark and empty central observation area, Zhong Jing’s weak cry echoed.
In just a few seconds, countless tentacles, glowing red, awakened like soldiers called to arms and resumed their slaughter. “Run!” Meng Huai tightened his grip around Han Jie Li’s legs, his eyes reddening again as he squeezed the last of his internal blood energy protein, launching towards Zhong Jing. Lao Jin pulled at Wan Yue’s hand and followed closely behind.
Tentacles reached for Jiang Yao from all directions, howling toward her. As silvery light swept through, portions of the tentacles fell to the ground. Jiang Yao’s face became increasingly contorted and distorted, and in the depths of her eyes, the familiar figure of a youth began to appear. A streak of blood swept across the ground, and Meng Huai felt a chill in his legs, losing sensation below his knees. His body, propelled by inertia, collapsed to the ground, and Han Jie Li also rolled away.
Meng Huai’s legs, below the white knee, were severed by a serrated tentacle. Immediately afterward, dozens of tentacles rushed in, wrapping around Meng Huai and Han Jie Li, pulling them in another direction. “Jin Ye, catch this, crush it!” A shotgun shell flew through the air, reflecting bright red bioluminescence in Lao Jin’s eyes.
A sweet fragrance instantly spread out, and the surrounding tentacles retreated as if they had seen a ghost. Even Meng Huai and Han Jie Li were abandoned by the tentacles. “Haha, just in time! Xiao Yue, we…” Lao Jin excitedly whistled, then gripped Wan Yue’s hand tightly. However, after several tugs, Wan Yue, who was following behind, did not move.
Xiao Yue… Lao Jin turned back to steady the wobbling Wan Yue, a low sob escaping his throat. “We found Zhong Jing… now, now it’s time to fight…” Wan Yue spat out a mouthful of blood and fell into Lao Jin’s arms. On her chest, a vague blood hole appeared, and her beautiful face bore a hint of regret.
“Hold on, we’ll go up soon, soon!” Lao Jin’s tears streamed down, as he dropped everything on his person and hoisted Wan Yue onto his back. “Get to the front, bandage it up; I can still hold on…” Wan Yue pointed toward Zhong Jing, burying her head into Lao Jin’s back.
Not far away, the limbless Meng Huai gritted his teeth tightly, dragging a nuclear backpack with his left hand while pulling Han Jie Li with his right, crawling through the blood water. “Zhong Jing, Zhong Jing!” Another anguished cry overwhelmed Lao Jin’s sobbing.
Zhong Jing’s breath stopped, the gun’s muzzle shattered the darkness, but it was useless. A tentacle flew from the ancestral direction, wrapping around Jiang Yao’s waist and pulling her back rapidly.
Barely clinging to life, Zhong Jing, along with Lao Jin carrying Wan Yue, could only watch helplessly as Jiang Yao’s body was lifted into the air, swallowed by that round moon.
“Xiao Yao…” Zhong Jing coughed up blood, laying on the ground, reaching out toward Jiang Yao. “Zhong Jing! Sister!” Jiang Yao desperately twisted her body, but no matter how she struggled, more and more white, thread-like substances entangled her.
A series of bullets shot from afar, landing on the figure prone in the blood water with wide-open eyes, exhausting all the bullets in his rifle, but alas, it was futile. Suddenly, Jiang Yao seemed to have heard something, stopped struggling, and slowly lowered her eyes, looking towards the monstrous ancestral brain beneath her, its grotesque folds of red and white suddenly seeming much more acceptable.
A series of deep, soul-piercing calls wrapped around Jiang Yao’s mind, stirring up waves of emotions—some gentle, some frustrating, and some comforting. Time seemed to freeze, with scenes from long ago appearing in Jiang Yao’s mind.
Countless sad memories, buried in time, surged into Jiang Yao’s consciousness like a tide, reflecting the ancestral’s suppressed unwillingness and resolution deep within the soul. “You’re tired; will you really entrust everything to me… Hehe, you didn’t even ask if I’m willing…”
The young girl stared blankly at her feet, tears streaming down her face, crying and smiling at the same time. Her body was enveloped in snow-white filaments, gradually merging into the organization of the giant brain; this was a scene Jiang Yao had dreamed of before.
“Zhong Jing, will you marry me?!” Suddenly, Jiang Yao raised her head, tears glistening at the corners of her eyes, and revealed a sweet smile toward Zhong Jing.
The only mobile hand lifted vigorously, a small box traced a beautiful arc in the resplendent red glow, landing in front of Zhong Jing.
Seconds later, Jiang Yao’s body completely vanished; the red glow in the black world faded again, turning back to silver, and all the previous commotion returned to silence.
“Xiao Yao,” Zhong Jing’s dry and cracked lips trembled slightly as he grasped the familiar small box, which was the diamond ring he had given Jiang Yao.
“Jin Ye, take the master back with this…” Zhong Jing’s eyes were hollow as he slowly held out the last type A ancestral potion before Lao Jin.
Lao Jin, still cradling Wan Yue, froze for a moment, his throat moving several times: “What about you…” Zhong Jing, enduring the excruciating pain in his body, sat upright against the wall, waving his hand with a smile: “Hehe, I want to stay with Xiao Yao… besides, you’re the only one who can move; can you carry everything alone?”
“I… I can take two!” Lao Jin wiped the blood off his face, readjusted Wan Yue on his back, and freed one hand to glance around.
“Let’s go, Jin Ye. I need to wait for Jiang Yan,” Meng Huai arrived, straining to drag Han Jie Li to the wall for support, then turned back and shook his head, smiling warmly.
Moments later, Lao Jin nodded, carrying Wan Yue as he walked into the distance.
Tentacles that blocked the way all withdrew, and Lao Jin moved through the path as if carrying some protective treasure, going through unimpeded.
“Hehe, the queen was consumed; the Wang family’s Trojan horse also failed… Meng Ge… let’s get started!”
Han Jie Li had awoken, witnessing the entire process of Jiang Yao being consumed while also seeing the injuries on Meng Huai’s face, which now bore a ghostly pallor.
After speaking, Han Jie Li struggled to pull over a nearby backpack, opened the top seal, revealing a cold metal shell, then under Meng Huai’s watch, opened a small lid and gently pressed it, submitting an encrypted request.
It was now ten in the morning; about a hundred members of the North American special forces, covered in blood and smoke, emerged from the main passage of the Eden base.
The severed arm of a North American brigadier general slowly approached Han Guowei, an expression of immense fear on his face.
“I need to contact the President…”
“No need. My subordinate has already delivered the nuclear explosives to the ancestral location. There’s only thirty minutes to detonation; you should evacuate!” Han Guowei glanced at the general’s injuries and shook his head gently.
With Han Ye’s translation, the North American brigadier general, bearing a fearful expression, slowly walked closer to Han Guowei.
“Jin Ye!”
Suddenly, Zhao Peng and the others ran over, crossing Han Guowei and rushing into the underground passage, shortly emerging with Lao Jin, who was drenched in blood.
“Quick, bring the medical kit, quickly!” Lao Jin shouted as he set Wan Yue down.
Wan Yue’s injured chest was already wrapped with a tourniquet by Lao Jin, lying on the ground as if asleep.
“Jin Ye… Sister Wan has already gone…” Zhao Peng knelt beside Wan Yue, his trembling hand moving away from her neck artery, looking up at Lao Jin in agony.
At that moment, Xiao Ai, Xiao Dong, and the others covered their faces, tears streaming down like rain.
“It’s impossible; she was just telling me stories! She is the genius half-viscount; how can it be!”
Lao Jin went mad, cradling Wan Yue’s cold body in his arms, his voice hoarse and desperate.
“Get ready… prepare the heart defibrillator, prepare the operating room, prepare the blood plasma; I will save her!”
With that, Lao Jin set Wan Yue down and dashed towards the rapidly dismantling medical station.
“Jin Ye!”
Zhao Peng tightly embraced Lao Jin’s body, stopping his frenzy.
“Wuwuwu…”
Retrieving Wan Yue again, Lao Jin knelt on the ground, crying out to the sky in hysteria.
With thirty minutes until the nuclear explosion countdown, helicopters soared into the sky towards the southern waters above the Su country.
Power was cut off; Jiang Yan could only climb up through the elevator shaft. When tired, she rested her body against the climbing ladder.
Within the narrow elevator shaft, a thick tentacle blocked her way, making her use significant time to clear the obstacle.
These blood and flesh entities, glowing with silver bioluminescence, remained indifferent to any of Jiang Yan’s rough cuts.
Every time she touched the tentacles, Jiang Yan felt a sense of peace and affection conveyed to her heart.
It was an incredibly familiar feeling, reminiscent of childhood mischief, playing close behind and also like a nervous sleep with someone sticking tightly to her clothing.
For some reason, Jiang Yan couldn’t stop the tears flowing from her eyes.
What should have been a 200-meter elevator shaft took Jiang Yan over two hours to reach the exit.
Once again drained, her already weakened body struggled with walking; Jiang Yan could only find a stainless-steel pipe to use as a cane, slowly entering the central observation area of the seventh level.
The black underground world resembled a closed educational space, sparkling with countless silver stars, so beautiful and tranquil.
Up ahead, the soft glow of a round moon lit the way like a beacon against the night, guiding Jiang Yan forward.
” Meng Huai… Zhong Jing…”
In a corner, she found a few silhouettes, some sitting, some lying down. Meng Huai turned his head, smiling slightly, as if awaiting a long-anticipated meeting.
Under the soft glow of the round moon, Han Xuan Li leaned against a wall, devoid of vitality. Zhong Jing clutched a bouquet of diamond rings, whispering to himself, while Meng Huai stood guard over a backpack, motionless.
” Meng Huai, your leg…” Jiang Yan dropped the steel pipe and rushed forward, trembling hands hesitant to touch the already blood-caked break in his calf.
“Where’s Xiao Yao…?” Jiang Yan suddenly thought of something and began to look around.
She could sense Jiang Yao nearby, but no matter how she searched, she couldn’t find that familiar figure.
“She’s over there…” Zhong Jing opened his eyes weakly and pointed in the direction of the round moon glow.
Jiang Yan’s body shuddered as she slowly stood up, step by step, heading toward the girl’s sleeping body.
Standing by the giant inner mountain base, Jiang Yan reached out, looking up quietly at the round moon glow imprinted on the giant brain.
The familiar dark scent crept out from the flesh mountain’s surface; it grew stronger and clearer, dispersing the surrounding stench of blood. This was Jiang Yao’s body fragrance, long-lasting and radiant.
At that moment, the silver glow all over the ancestral flesh mountain changed color; the original silver-white now appeared with hints of gold.
Eventually, the entirety of the silver shine, including the round moon glow, transformed into a more brilliant gold.
Golden light particles broke away from the ancestral body and the tentacles, rising, swirling, and moving, like evaporating golden waves that formed soft golden ribbons that danced gracefully.
That was Jiang Yao’s beautiful golden hair as well as the brilliant shooting stars in the Golden River Club’s hall, like a grand wedding’s opening fireworks show.
In this world filled with golden light mist, a snowy-white figure quietly rose from the round moon glow.
A mass of flesh that grew from the giant brain took the shape of a girl’s upper body, who slowly began to take on intricate details as if an invisible hand was carving an uncolored golden statue.
It was such a perfect feeling, so fervent, so pure.
“Xiao Yao! Xiao Yao!” Jiang Yan’s tears flowed freely again as she embraced the flesh mountain, calling out the girl’s name amidst her constant sobs.
A long golden tentacle stretched out from the half-shaped girl toward Zhong Jing, about the thickness of a finger, its tip twitching slightly, so cute and anxious, like a shy sprite, stopping in front of Zhong Jing.
Zhong Jing smiled and raised the diamond ring in his hand, “Xiao Yao, will you marry me?”
The small tentacle retracted slightly, stunned for a few seconds before slowly moving forward, coiling around Zhong Jing.
The ring slipped onto the tip of the tentacle seamlessly, surrounded by the golden soul, shimmering like the most touching moment of the wedding vows.
“Ren Ge, I’m marrying Xiao Yao, but I can’t hang on any longer…” Zhong Jing embraced the golden tentacle surrounding him like a blissful groom; this was his last joy before death, smiling broadly, blood re-emerging from his mouth.
Moments later, Zhong Jing lifted a gun to his temple, pulling the trigger.
The crisp gunshot startled the golden sprites in the sky, but soon they landed back upon Zhong Jing.
“Yeah, I am the best man, Jiang Yan is the maid of honor!” Meng Huai wiped the corners of his eyes, nodding vigorously. His cold yet handsome face was already wet.
More coarse tentacles slowly reached out, like a large sedan chair, lifting Zhong Jing’s body as they moved toward the distant golden half-girl.
The sacred wedding reached its climax, with more golden light spinning and snow-white velvet wrapping around the newlyweds, as they slowly sank into the giant brain accompanied by the golden glow.
The golden light of the underground world gradually dimmed, and the ascending golden sprites burned out all their life energy, extinguishing one by one, like guests leaving after the wedding.
Jiang Yan stared up, smiling and crying.
Suddenly, the flesh mass in front of Jiang Yan began to stir, splitting open a bloodmouth from which a clear liquid overflowed.
Then, a blood-wrapped female infant squeezed through the blood mouth, still attached to a segment of the umbilical cord.
Jiang Yan froze, quickly pulled out a dagger, carefully handled the umbilical cord, and then cradled the infant in her arms, holding her head down gently.
Seconds later, the baby’s wail echoed in the vast underground world.
With the baby’s birth, a spot of black quietly appeared on the flesh base, then rapidly spread. Tentacles ceased to move, visibly beginning to carbonize, breaking apart into dust.
The ancestral body and the entire web-like life structure of the underground world devolved into carbon at an incredible speed, concluding the grand life’s curtain call.
Meng Huai sighed with relief, pressing a button on the nuclear backpack, stopping the countdown at the final two minutes.
Meng Jie Sheng leaned against the wall, a slight smile on his face, resembling a drunken guest at a wedding.
Meng Huai, do you think the child looks like someone? I think she resembles Zhong Yao; look at her nose.
Let me see… no, she looks like Xiao Yao; her fine hair is golden.
In the dark corner, Jiang Yan sat in Meng Huai’s embrace, gently soothing the infant while opening a glow stick for light, evaluating the baby’s appearance with him.
The two resembled a couple on a date, hidden in a corner away from disturbance, sharing intimate conversations.
As the topic of the child resembling someone concluded, Jiang Yan nudged the man behind her: Meng Huai, let’s name the baby?
Meng Huai stroked his chin, considering. He pinched one of Jiang Yan’s palms and began tracing shapes with his fingers: Zhong Yao, how about that? It symbolizes their love and the merging of their lives.
Jiang Yan nodded, bringing the sleeping infant closer to her cheek, gently rubbing against it. A few seconds later, she turned back: Meng Huai, do we have love between us?
Meng Huai paused, lost in thought.
Jiang Yan smiled and shook her head gently: Stop pondering; I don’t think so. Our bond feels more like family, built on mutual trust, reliance, and teasing.
However, I believe that all love will ultimately transform into familial bond; thus, we’ve advanced ahead of others.
Meng Huai, marry me!
Meng Huai didn’t speak; he simply leaned down and softly kissed Jiang Yan on the forehead.
…
…
Perhaps there has never been a day as stirring as July 7, 2000, in this world.
Night fell, and the round moon reflected on the calm waters of Aden Bay, while the Qiong Hai amphibious assault ship’s original silver-white hull now shimmered with a layer of dazzling phosphorescence.
On the deck, Meng Huai sat in a wheelchair, one hand cradling An Bi while the other held a milk bottle, making strange yet childish clicking sounds.
A black coffin was pushed by Zhao Peng into the helicopter, and minutes later, the helicopter ascended from the deck, heading towards the Lu Dong aircraft carrier.
Jiang Yan and Lao Jin stood at the forefront among the Hyacinth crowd, looking up at the departing helicopter, unmoving. On the other side, Han Guowei and Han Xiao also supported a black coffin into another helicopter.
The roar of engines barely affected the infant’s feeding plans in Meng Huai’s arms. After a small burp, baby Zhong Yao clenched her fists and fell into a deep slumber again.
Meng Huai pushed the wheelchair up behind Jiang Yan.
Meng Huai, return to the Blood Dragon squad; they truly need you.
Jiang Yan stood in front of the wheelchair, not even glancing at him, simply leaning down to play with the infant’s small face, her beautiful eyes smiling.
Okay.
Meng Huai nodded directly, succinctly.
But…
Jiang Yan glanced back at the Hyacinth group about ten meters away, bent down, and whispered in his ear: Remember, you must return to me every month on the night of the full moon to deliver the tribute…
After speaking, Jiang Yan blushed and laughed.
Meng Huai froze, his mouth slowly opening wide.
…
…
Before the helicopter, the Hyacinth team in new black combat uniforms awaited boarding.
The cyclone tousled Jiang Yan’s black hair, her slender and graceful figure standing gracefully under the moonlight with a blossoming smile.
The black-haired girl turned to look at her Hyacinth companions, her smile mysterious and gentle.
Now, I’ve changed my name; I am Wan Yue… the softly undulating Wan, the moon’s Yue… Zhao Peng, let’s start boarding; we’re going home.
Yes, Sister Wan!
Zhao Peng took the lead, and everyone bowed deeply.
(The end. This article is dedicated to those who bear the weight and strive for our peaceful times.)
