Industrial Cthulhu doesn't believe in the end times.

Chapter 120 But I'm also prepared.
In the early morning, at Haizhou Shelter No. 12, information about the Zombie King and self-inspection requirements had been issued to this location.

"How is that possible?"

Ji Cheng shook his head. He was bulging all over, and his loose training uniform was a little tight. He was carrying a portable communication device as he walked into the shelter command center. The July weather was really unbearable, and even in the early morning he was sweating profusely.

That machine isn't actually small. Despite its solid construction, it's quite heavy. Calling it portable only applies in comparison to large, fixed equipment; it's usually moved around on a flatbed cart.

However, since he is a first-tier superhuman, this weight is still acceptable.

Right now, all the high-ranking officials of the shelter have gathered here, preparing to undergo a unified test.

After the command center completes its testing, testing of the residents in the shelters will gradually begin. According to the notice issued by the higher authorities, there will be another public broadcast after dawn. If they fail to conduct large-scale testing as planned, the residents who learn about the situation from the broadcast will know that there is a problem with the command center.

Therefore, testing was necessary, but Ji Cheng didn't take it seriously.

"I suspect there might be a problem with the intelligence from our superiors. Aren't we doing just fine?"

The people in the command center had different expressions, but all their eyes were focused on the machine in Ji Cheng's arms.

"Don't question the orders from your superiors. Just do what they ask you to do as usual."

No one knows who said that, but Ji Cheng immediately replied, "Yes, yes, how can we disobey orders? That would be wrong. If the higher-ups come to arrest us, we'll inevitably run into trouble."

Ji Cheng kept muttering to himself, but his hands moved quickly. He took an electric screwdriver and skillfully removed the back cover of the machine, revealing a complex structure inside, as dense as knitted fabric.

"Ugh, I don't know who designed this structure, it's making me dizzy just looking at it."

Ji Cheng put down the screwdriver and habitually dusted off his hands: "This seems to be a very old technology, right? Is this the legendary room-temperature superconductor? To be honest, this is the first time I've seen it. Staff Officer Sun, you seem to be quite familiar with these things before? Tell me more about it."

Staff Officer Sun didn't speak, but just stared blankly at his movements.

The platoon leader of the guard platoon standing nearby asked with some doubt, "What were you saying to Staff Officer Sun? Isn't Staff Officer Sun hard of hearing?"

"Oh right... he can't hear me... how could I forget that?"

Ji Cheng paused for a moment, but immediately resumed his movements.

Ji Cheng, who was usually very talkative, became quiet, and the atmosphere in the command post became somber and strange, but this atmosphere only lasted for a short while.

"Okay! It's not that difficult!"

Ji Cheng straightened up. He was a little tired from bending over to adjust the machine, so he stretched a bit and turned to ask, "Dr. Liu? Did you bring those crystals I asked you to bring?"

The young doctor surnamed Liu blankly handed over a box, which was still sealed and seemed to have never been opened.

Ji Cheng placed it on the table, tore off the seal, and opened it. Inside, three translucent crystals of the same size were neatly arranged.

"Tsk, it's fortunate that Haiqu and his people brought a lot of these things over, otherwise we really wouldn't be able to find them here. But I heard that these are supposed to be sent to Jinling, right? Is it really okay for them to stay here with us?"

Upon hearing this, the somewhat dazed Dr. Liu suddenly spoke in a hoarse voice, "Jinling? Why should we send him to Jinling? No, we can't send him, we can't send him..."

As for why it's not possible, Dr. Liu didn't seem to be able to give a reason, and just kept repeating the same sentence.

"Why think so much? The higher-ups have already given the order..."

Suddenly, Staff Officer Sun, who was standing to the side, opened his mouth to speak, but his voice was terribly hoarse.

"Oh yes……"

Ji Cheng shook his head, looking at the crystals in front of him, and suddenly felt a strong sense of disgust and nausea, which was driving him away from these things.

"This... seems like it shouldn't be touched, right?"

"This is an order, and we must carry it out."

The platoon leader of the guards spoke up.

Yes, that's an order... an order from a superior must be executed normally.

But it seems there are orders that we can't touch these things... What's there to not touch? We soldiers aren't even afraid of death, so what if we touch them?
No... the order is not to touch, which means you are not allowed to touch it.

But if it's something they're not supposed to touch, why did it end up in their hands?
Ah, actually it's not a problem. It seems there's an order to distribute these things to all the shelters...

Wait... wait... something seems off...

Conflicting thoughts kept surfacing in Ji Cheng's mind, making his head feel slightly throbbing. At this moment, he seemed to feel his left and right hemispheres battling each other.

No, that's not right... Staff Officer Sun can't hear, so why is he talking again?

Ah, there's nothing wrong with that. I can't hear, but I can still speak...

No, that's still not right. Staff Officer Sun is a communications staff officer. How could a communications staff officer not hear the sound?

In a moment of dizziness, Ji Cheng's eyes widened, and he suddenly reached out and grabbed a crystal. Instantly, a strange spiritual power burst forth from it. As Ji Cheng subconsciously activated his supernatural ability and it entered his body, an even stronger feeling of dizziness washed over him.

"Clap!"

He threw the crystal back into the box, and Ji Cheng gasped for breath. His eyes, which were gradually clearing, looked around at his 'comrades-in-arms', and a bitter smile appeared on his face.

“I knew it all along… I knew something was wrong all along, but I just couldn’t figure out that you guys had a problem.”

"Looking at it this way, it turns out that I myself am not right either."

The people around him... perhaps more than just people, these figures with empty eyes and blank faces looked at Ji Cheng as if watching a farce.

Turning my head, I saw a crowd gathered at the entrance of the command post, their eyes equally vacant and their faces equally blank.

No, there were actually some more vivid examples. The platoon leader of the guards beside him tilted his head, looking somewhat puzzled: "What are you talking about? We're fine, aren't we? And you don't seem to be acting strangely either?"

Seeing this, Ji Cheng grinned: "No, it's nothing, platoon leader, it's nothing."

"But now it seems that this zombie king... is nothing special after all."

"Ah……"

"hey-hey……"

Ji Cheng suddenly laughed strangely.

He glanced down, closed the box containing the crystals again, and tossed it out the door.

"Although I didn't realize you had a problem, actually..."

"bass!"

He reached into his clothes and found a pull ring; a wisp of smoke rose from under his clothes.

"But actually, I was prepared for problems to arise..."

His voice was choked with emotion. Looking at the motionless figures around him, Ji Cheng closed his eyes, unable to tell whether he felt relieved or in pain.

"Dad, Mom, your son has come to see you..."

"And, and..."

There are also many people whose faces have become blurred, whose names we can no longer recall, who suddenly reappear from the depths of our memories at this moment.

How are you? If you're still alive, then please live well...

Time seemed to slow down, and scenes from the past surfaced at this moment.

But time passed quickly, and in the end, he still couldn't recall those long-blurred faces.

With a deafening roar, bright flames erupted from his body.

(End of this chapter)