Apocalypse: The Primordial Pearl Recognizes Its Master, Starting with Infinite Space

Military base in the south of the city, underground shelter.

This is a large nuclear bunker built during peacetime, buried deep beneath the mountain and concrete. It is spacious, structurally sound, and well-equipped.

At this moment, the interior is brightly lit and filled with people.

Nearly 50,000 researchers, technical experts, engineers, and some of their families who were urgently transferred from various parts of Guangzhou by the military are being settled here in an orderly manner.

The crowd consisted mainly of energetic young and middle-aged people, with a few respected and indispensable elders as well.

Inside the massive storage area, supplies from the strategic reserve warehouses are piled up like mountains, ranging from food and medicine to precision instruments and scientific research materials. The variety and quantity are staggering, enough to support these 50,000 people to live and work in a completely enclosed environment for decades or even centuries.

The final relocation work is still underway. In another hour, the massive gate, several meters thick and capable of isolating all external dangers, will be completely closed, separating this place from the already collapsed world.

Inside a makeshift workroom in the shelter, the atmosphere was completely at odds with the orderly busyness outside.

Professor Tang and his only daughter, Tang Xiaoran, had an unprecedentedly fierce argument.

"Dad, the so-called 'Spark Project' is nothing but escapism, cowardly conservatism! I will never participate!" Tang Xiaoran's voice trembled with excitement, but her eyes were unusually bright and stubborn.

"Look at the world outside! Humanity is already evolving! Lin Chen from that mountain garden, his power has completely surpassed the norm of biology! This shows that the path to adapting to and overcoming this disaster is to make individuals stronger, to become 'new humans,' not to hide away and become some kind of 'spark'!"

Professor Tang looked at his daughter's face, flushed from the argument, and wearily rubbed his temples. "Xiao Ran," he said, "the 'Spark Project' was formulated based on our understanding of disasters at the time. It may not be perfect, but its core is to preserve the most essential parts of human civilization—knowledge, technology, and the ability to think rationally!"

"Have you considered that the zombies outside are also evolving, the animals are mutating, and 90% of human civilization has already collapsed! How can we possibly fight against those hundreds of millions, even billions, of monsters that are constantly getting stronger?"

"Developing serum and vaccines takes time—a lot of undisturbed, safe time! Staying here, pooling our best minds, is the only way we can possibly find the real cure! That's what it means to be responsible for the future of humanity!"

"Being responsible? Locking yourself in a box is what being responsible is?" Tang Xiaoran continued to retort. "That's working in isolation, cutting yourself off from the times!"

"Look, even many soldiers choose to stay outside to fight and evolve! Why? Because they've seen another possibility! I think our research direction is wrong! We should focus all our efforts on unlocking the secrets of superpower awakening, so that more people, even ordinary people without 'talent,' can gain power! This is the path that can bring hope to humanity in the short term!"

"Awakening of superpowers?" Professor Tang's voice suddenly rose, filled with suppressed heartache and anxiety. "You're researching this because you yourself haven't been able to awaken your powers? Xiao Ran, Dad knows you ate the crystal core but didn't awaken, and I know you're feeling bad."

"But that's no reason for you to take such a risk! What kind of world is out there? It's a jungle where the strong prey on the weak! Without power, what can you do out there? Rely on your passion alone? You're my only daughter, and I can't watch you go to your death!"

These words struck a nerve with Tang Xiaoran, touching her deepest sore spot.

Her mother died early, and she and her father depended on each other for survival. From a young age, she was seen as a genius and never experienced any setbacks.

The fact that she couldn't awaken her superpowers was like a thorn stuck in her proud heart.

She longs to prove that even without "talent," she can find a path to empower ordinary people through wisdom and science.

"I'm not going there to die! I'm going to conduct research, to find answers!" Her voice was tinged with grievance and stubbornness. "Here, we can't access the latest mutation samples, and we can't observe evolutionary cases in real-world environments!"

"Dad, science needs firsthand data and it needs to confront the problems head-on! You can't lock me up in this turtle shell just because you're worried about me!"

The father and daughter were so excited that their voices echoed in the small room that they didn't even notice when someone came to the door.

"Professor Tang." Staff Officer Chen called out in a raised voice from outside the half-open door.

The argument in the room came to an abrupt halt.

Professor Tang and Tang Xiaoran turned their heads at the same time and saw Commander Peng, who had a calm expression, and Staff Officer Chen, who looked a little embarrassed, standing outside the door.

"Commander Peng, Staff Officer Chen." Professor Tang quickly composed himself, but the signs of fatigue and excitement on his face were still evident.

"Professor Tang," Commander Peng nodded, his gaze calmly sweeping over Tang Xiaoran, whose eyes were slightly red. Without asking any further questions, he directly stated his purpose, "All supplies, including the main equipment of your laboratory, have been transferred and placed in the designated area."

"Thank you very much, Commander Peng, for your trouble." Professor Tang expressed his heartfelt gratitude.

"In about an hour, the shelter gates will be permanently closed. They will never be able to be opened from the outside again, and when they will be opened from the inside is up to Professor Tang and your team."

Staff Officer Chen interjected, "Commander Peng would like to invite you to conduct one last inspection of the core area together to see if there are any oversights, so that we can make final adjustments."

"That's only right." Professor Tang nodded, glanced at his daughter who was still sulking with her face turned away, and sighed helplessly. In the end, he couldn't bear to leave her alone. "Xiao Ran, you come too."

Tang Xiaoran wanted to refuse, but seeing her father's stern yet pleading eyes, and glancing at the commander and staff officer outside the door, she bit her lip and silently followed.

The group traveled through the underground city, which was already taking shape.

The warehouse area is neatly stacked with supplies, the living area has beds arranged in an orderly manner, and various instruments are in place in the work area. There is even a simple ecological cycle system being tested and operated.

Fifty thousand people began a different kind of "life" here, quiet and orderly, yet carrying a heavy sense of isolation from the world.

Time passed by, second by second.

Finally, everyone returned to the giant alloy gate.

Inside the gate were the military officials in uniform, with solemn expressions, and some senior research representatives who remained on duty.

Outside the door were Commander Peng, Staff Officer Chen, and a small number of guards, who were about to return to the ground base to continue their dangerous mission.

Professor Tang stood inside the door, bidding a final farewell to Commander Peng.

"Take care, Professor Tang. Thank you." Commander Peng gave a solemn military salute.

"I will certainly live up to your expectations," Professor Tang replied firmly.

The heavy mechanical hum of starting up filled the air, and the massive gate began to slowly close inward, the metallic friction producing a low rumble, as if drawing a line between two worlds.

Just as the two doors were slowly closing, Tang Xiaoran took advantage of the fact that no one was paying attention and rushed out, rushing towards the door.

As if she had used up all her strength and courage, she lunged forward in the astonished gaze of everyone, nimbly rolled to the side, and narrowly escaped through the gap that was about to disappear, falling onto the metal floor outside the door!

"Dad! I'm sorry! I love you! Take care of yourself!"

A desperate cry, tinged with tears, rang out!

"Xiao Ran!!!" Professor Tang's eyes were bloodshot, and he instinctively rushed over, but was held back by the person in charge of the garrison who had reacted.

"Professor Tang! The door is closing! It's too late!" The person in charge's voice was anxious and stern.

"boom--"

With a final, muffled thud, the gate closed perfectly.

Finally, what came into Professor Tang's view was his daughter lying on the ground outside the door, looking up at him with tears streaming down her face, and Commander Peng turning around suddenly, looking at Tang Xiaoran with shock.

Inside the door, there was a deathly silence.

Professor Tang seemed to have all his strength drained away in an instant, and he collapsed, only to be supported by those around him, tears streaming down his face.

Outside the door, Commander Peng looked at Tang Xiaoran, who was kneeling on the ground, her shoulders shaking and crying, and let out a long, heavy sigh.

He stepped forward, without reprimanding him, but simply waved to Staff Officer Chen.

"Take her back to base and settle her in first."

"Yes, Commander."

Tang Xiaoran was helped up. She took one last look at the cold, heavy door that separated her from her father, wiped away her tears, and her eyes gradually became firm.