After Raising Monsters, I Was Loved by Everyone in the Wasteland – CH98

Chapter 98

Skeletal remains?

The words struck Wen Xin, and without hesitation, he raced toward the site of the black fissures at full speed.

Others, realizing what was happening, followed suit.

Seeing Wen Xin sprinting ahead like the wind, some couldn’t help but shout, “Holy crap, that guy’s fast!”

In mere moments, he disappeared from sight, leaving the others marveling at his speed. “What’s the rush? Those fissures can swallow people. Rushing in is like begging to die.”

When they finally arrived, the scene before them left everyone stunned.

Involuntarily, people tilted their heads back to look. It wasn’t that the fissures had risen into the sky; it was the only way to take in their vast, seemingly endless expanse.

The fissures no longer looked like cracks. They resembled two massive black serpents coiled over the desolate land. Every structure atop them had vanished, replaced by tendrils of thick, dark mist seeping from their surface.

Beyond this, there was only silence.

No human screams. No bird calls or beastly roars. Just an oppressive, eerie quiet.

The silence unsettled everyone. They stood a hundred meters away, wary and frozen in place, unwilling to step closer.

Wen Xin used the nearby trees as cover to approach stealthily. His movements were careful, and with the overcast sky shrouding the area, no one noticed him at first.

Eventually, however, someone caught sight of him. Recognizing him as the same young man who had outrun everyone earlier, they couldn’t help but mutter, “He really is rushing to meet his death.”

The leader of Base One’s team for this mission was Liu Hongchang, a director from the Biochemical Resources Department. He was in his fifties, with gray hair and glasses.

Liu was a cautious man—it was his idea to establish the camp in the outskirts, and he had set up observation towers to report any anomalies to the monitoring station.

From prior analyses of the fissures’ expansion patterns and frequencies, the towers had been deemed safe.

No one expected the fissures to suddenly erupt, swallowing most of the city.

Magnetic disturbances had severed communications, cutting off contact with those stationed in the towers.

Liu Hongchang’s face darkened. He raised his gaze above the murmuring crowd and spotted Wen Xin.

The head of the security team noticed him too and was about to shout a warning, but Liu raised a hand to stop him.

Liu studied Wen Xin like a test subject, watching as he edged closer to the fissures. “Let him go first. If he’s fine, then we’ll follow.”

Many others shared the same thought. All eyes followed Wen Xin’s figure as he moved toward the edge of the fissures, holding their breath.

It seemed… nothing was happening.

Perhaps it was safe for now?

Wen Xin wasn’t acting impulsively. Ah Lü and Ah Zi had assured him it was fine, and after observing carefully and ensuring no one approached to block his path, he moved in.

Looking down from above, the fissures seemed shrouded in a thick mist. Their depth was indiscernible, and nothing inside was visible—just an impenetrable darkness.

Wen Xin scanned the fissures, searching for the skeletal remains mentioned earlier.

Suddenly, the bundles in his backpack warned in unison:

“Something’s wrong, Wen Xin, get back!”
“Something’s waking up!”

Before the words fully registered, Wen Xin’s heartbeat skipped a beat.

An icy dread coursed through everyone present, like a whip cracking across their nerves, leaving cold sweat on their backs.

The ground began to quake violently. Compared to the earlier tremor, this one was magnitudes more intense.

Buildings and people alike swayed like leaves in a storm, unable to stand steadily as their vision blurred with the relentless shaking.

Screams, cries for help, and panicked shouts erupted in a cacophony.

The changes unfolded so quickly that Wen Xin had no time to retreat. Instinctively, he grabbed onto the fissure’s rocky edge.

He could feel himself at the epicenter of the tremor, yet strangely, there was no crushing pressure.

The two fissures began to shift again.

This time, instead of expanding outward, they moved toward each other.

Moments earlier, Wen Xin had been searching for skeletal remains. Now, within a few breaths, the rocky layers cracked and crumbled like walls struck by a massive hammer. Huge chunks of stone fell away, revealing what was unmistakably the contours of bones.

A mountainous spine came into view, followed by rows of ribs, distinct and towering. The empty, cavernous chest cavity yawned open for all to see.

The shaking subsided, but fragments of stone continued to fall from the skeletal remains, making their outline clearer and more defined. It was as if this powerful, majestic form was awakening from slumber.

The crowd, having barely regained their footing, froze in stunned silence. Their faces went blank as they stared at the awe-inspiring sight.

“What in heaven’s name… is that?”

The massive tail stretched into the horizon, too long for the human eye to measure.

The enormous, ferocious skull loomed high above. Its eye sockets were empty, yet they seemed to glare down with a commanding, chilling presence, as if gazing into their very souls.

Some among the crowd recognized it immediately. Whether through museum exhibits or childhood picture books, they had seen this form before.

It was a dinosaur—the apex predator of the Tyrannosauridae family, a Tyrannosaurus rex.

Though its appearance had changed—its forelimbs were longer and could touch the ground, and wing-like protrusions rose from its back—most people instantly identified its true nature.

How could there be such a massive Tyrannosaurus rex in the world? This wasn’t even a pure T. rex—it was a mutated monstrosity!

As everyone remained frozen in shock, even the two mutants in Wen Xin’s bag fell silent.

Wen Xin’s chest tightened with unease. Almost instinctively, he crouched low to the ground and locked eyes with the skeletal remains.

Within those dark, hollow sockets, a faint golden flame flickered to life.

For a moment, it seemed as if an enormous black soul emerged from the skeleton, its form vast and imposing, drawing closer to him.

The entity approached in the blink of an eye—too fast to evade. Its majestic presence was even more terrifying up close.

Wen Xin instinctively closed his eyes, bracing for impact. But instead of pain, he felt a gentle, fleeting sensation against his forehead—warm, soft, and damp.

It was as if something had licked him.

Startled, Wen Xin snapped his eyes open.

The colossal soul stared at him with glowing golden eyes, its gaze steady, restrained, and full of warmth.

“Xiao… Hei…?”

Wen Xin’s heart raced. He stood up, reaching out to touch the entity, but his hand grasped only cold air.

Behind him, chaos erupted. Instruments brought by Base One’s team began malfunctioning, their readings skyrocketing. Alarms blared, red warning lights flashing incessantly, while the researchers working on them were driven to the brink of madness.

“Why is there a sudden energy fusion reaction? The values are spiking, exceeding the maximum threshold!”

“The magnetic field is disrupted—our instruments are malfunctioning, and we can’t shut them down!”

“Check if it’s caused by that skeleton!”

No one seemed to notice the floating soul. It appeared to be visible only to Wen Xin.

Liu Hongchang, observing Wen Xin’s apparent safety, signaled the researchers to approach the fissures for closer investigation.

But this action seemed to trigger something. The air above the two black fissures began to ripple strangely.

The ripples converged into tangible vortices.

The sudden change left everyone pale-faced.

“Fall back!” someone shouted in panic.

But the vortex didn’t behave as expected. Instead of swallowing people, it spat something out.

With a heavy thud, a bloodied humanoid figure crashed to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.

Tension rippled through the crowd as everyone went on high alert.

A sudden cry broke the silence.

A woman rushed out from the crowd, screaming a name as she ran toward the bloodied figure.

The person on the ground stirred slightly at the sound, struggling to move. When they raised their head, their dazed eyes suddenly constricted into pinpoints.

“Stay back! Get away!”

The bloodied figure sprang to their feet, and as they moved, a small flame appeared in their hand. In a panicked gesture, they hurled it at the approaching woman.

The flame wasn’t large, nor was it fast, allowing the woman to dodge awkwardly. Others nearby widened their eyes, staring at the fire in disbelief.

The small flame in the figure’s palm grew into two larger fireballs, the orange-red light reflecting in Liu Hongchang’s now-riveted gaze.

No flamethrower. No visible device.

The fire had materialized out of thin air.

Liu Hongchang’s face twitched with excitement, and he immediately barked an order. “Prepare the tranquilizers. Capture him immediately!”

But the bloodied figure’s arrival was only the beginning.

The vortex spun again, spitting out another person—this one in an even more wretched state.

Unkempt facial hair and disheveled hair nearly obscured their face, and their tattered clothing made them look like a refugee fleeing disaster.

Yet no one dared underestimate them.

The air around this “refugee” crackled with purple and white lightning, shocking the crowd into silence.

Someone exclaimed, “Wait, I know him! That’s Zhang Dabing! He was swallowed by the fissure three months ago! He’s alive—and he has powers?!”

Powers. Of course.

The crowd finally grasped the situation. Controlling fire and lightning—what else could it be but abilities?

The vortex didn’t stop spinning. One by one, people who had disappeared during the fissure’s expansion were expelled back into the world.

They stumbled out in a daze, scanning their surroundings with expressions of disbelief, as if they had returned from another world.

Bang! Bang!

Base One’s armed forces opened fire.

Several newly emerged individuals, caught off guard, fell immediately. Others tried to flee but were ensnared by an electrified net, their bodies convulsing before they collapsed unconscious.

The crowd stared at Liu Hongchang in shock and confusion, unable to comprehend why he had ordered an attack.

Liu, however, preempted any objections, speaking firmly. “Don’t you understand? These people disappeared into the fissures and now have superhuman powers. They’re no longer normal humans—perhaps not even human at all! We must act first to ensure everyone’s safety.”

Before anyone could respond, a sharp protest rang out.

“I’m still human!”

Everyone turned toward the voice. A man who had just been spat out of the vortex shouted in desperation.

“Wang Da, it’s me, Chen San! We fought zombies together, remember? We swore to be brothers for life! Don’t you recognize me? We all awakened abilities after entering the fissures…”

Bang.

Another gunshot rang out.

This time, it wasn’t a tranquilizer.

Blood bloomed from Chen San’s abdomen. His eyes widened in disbelief as he looked at Liu Hongchang, whose expression was grim.

Chen San didn’t understand. Why was he killed, even after revealing the truth?

His lifeless body slumped to the ground.

The man he had called Wang Da stepped forward, his face twisted with rage. “Director Liu, what the hell are you doing?!”

Besides the mercenaries and explorers summoned by Base One, and a handful of opportunists looking to profit, there was another group present at the scene.

Their loved ones had been swallowed by the black fissures, yet they refused to believe they were dead. Clinging to that last fragile hope, they lingered around the edges, desperate for a resolution—alive or dead.

Now, those who had miraculously survived the fissures were being killed by Base One.

Wang Da couldn’t comprehend it, let alone accept it. Enraged, he tried to rush forward but was restrained by his companions, one of whom quickly turned to Liu Hongchang with a placating smile.

“Director Liu, you’re right to act decisively. That person didn’t seem normal, and it’s only appropriate he was dealt with. We all understand, so please—”

The words died in his throat. Liu Hongchang’s cold, bone-chilling glare silenced him.

For all its advancements, Base One had yet to solve the problem of genetic instability. And now, out of nowhere, these individuals appeared, gifted with extraordinary powers.

“Kill them all,” Liu Hongchang ordered. “We can’t let this information leak.”

A mercenary, quick to realize what was happening, fired at Liu Hongchang.

But the explosion-proof shields were already up. Bullets ricocheted off, sparking against the shields.

No one had expected Base One, once hailed as a bastion of humanity, to suddenly reveal its sinister intentions, turning its weapons on others.

On one side were soldiers with top-tier equipment and firepower; on the other, ragtag survivors armed with nothing more than rusty guns. The disparity was stark, and the slaughter was one-sided.

Amidst the chaos, a voice shouted, “That person mentioned awakening powers in the fissure. Does that mean the fissures grant abilities?”

The revelation snapped many out of their daze.

Liu Hongchang, representing Base One, sought to monopolize humanity’s path to acquiring powers. That was why the survivors were silenced.

But some were quick to piece it all together.

“Run toward the fissures! If even one of us makes it, we’ll come back and kill these bastards after gaining powers!”

“Charge!”

The surviving crowd surged toward the fissures. Yet, as they neared the dark, bottomless chasms, many hesitated.

The black fissures resembled malevolent abysses, their depths unfathomable. Above them loomed the enormous skeletal remains, their silent presence radiating an oppressive aura. Terror gripped the hearts of the onlookers, compelling them to flee.

Then someone stepped forward.

It was a young man.

The crowd recognized him.

When word spread about the skeletal remains in the fissure, he had been the first to race ahead. While others froze in awe and fear, he quietly approached the fissures’ edge.

Now, with no hesitation, he stepped into the fissure.

Like a beacon in a storm, his action galvanized the crowd.

“Follow him!” someone shouted.

“Stop them!” Liu Hongchang bellowed.

Gunfire and explosions erupted. Bodies fell in droves, but in the chaos, a few managed to slip past and follow Wen Xin’s trail.

The black fissures accepted all without discrimination, silently consuming every living thing that approached.

As the entrants vanished into the fissure, their figures dissolved as though stepping into another dimension.

The ground surrounding the fissure’s edge was soon stained with blood and littered with corpses under Base One’s relentless assault.

While Liu Hongchang successfully suppressed the immediate threat, his face remained grim.

The indiscriminate gunfire had claimed many lives, including potential subjects for experimentation. Worse yet, several survivors had escaped into the fissures, vowing to return stronger.

“How many got through?” Liu Hongchang demanded.

“Seven… maybe eight…”

“Idiots! Worthless fools!” Liu roared, slamming his fist against a battered console. “Assemble a team immediately. We’re going in after them!”

No one noticed the reconnaissance drone perched on a distant building, its lens glinting faintly.

On the receiving end of the footage, a subordinate glanced at the man beside him, who clutched his chest with a grimace. “Commander?”

Wen Jinfeng stood, rubbing his temple as if to shake off a foreboding thought.

Despite maintaining a stoic expression as he observed Base One’s betrayal, the sight of a familiar figure stepping into the fissure made his right eye twitch incessantly.

Replaying the moment in his mind, Wen Jinfeng murmured as if to reassure himself, “It shouldn’t be him. He said he’d stay in the Southern Region for a few more months.”

His subordinate looked puzzled. “Sir?”

“It’s nothing.” Wen Jinfeng’s demeanor instantly returned to its usual severity. He narrowed his eyes and muttered, “Humanity’s moment of evolution is here. The answer lies in City G’s black fissures. Spread the word immediately.”

The subordinate’s eyes widened in shock. “Commander, how do you know…?”

The drone only transmitted video; it couldn’t relay sound. There was no way for Wen Jinfeng to have overheard anything.

“Just do it,” Wen Jinfeng ordered, his tone firm. “Ensure every survivor base gets the message as quickly as possible.”

Though still shaken, the subordinate nodded and carried out the order.

Wen Jinfeng turned back to the screen, his gaze dark and unreadable.

“Base One… this gift will surely surprise you.”

Wen Xin found himself in a peculiar state as he stepped into the fissure.

A black soul shielded him, protecting him from the chaos outside. Yet this barrier also muffled the external sounds, leaving him enveloped in fragmented whispers and fleeting visions flashing before his eyes.

When Wen Xin regained his senses, the remaining survivors, under the oppressive fire of Base One, had surged past him, some making it to the fissure. He caught a glimpse of their hesitant expressions and immediately understood their indecision.

Glancing back toward Base One, Wen Xin saw the growing pile of corpses—a mountain of the fallen. The battle was clearly lost.

Closing his eyes, Wen Xin steeled himself. He knew, with unwavering certainty, that Xiao Hei was within the fissure.

Without hesitation, he adjusted the straps on the backpack holding Lan Tuan and Ah Lü and strode forward with resolve.

The scene before him shifted rapidly.

After a dizzying sensation of spinning, Wen Xin opened his eyes.

He had mentally prepared for various possibilities, so the unfamiliar environment before him didn’t shake his composure.

Bright, glaring fluorescent lights. Walls of gleaming silver alloy. The room was filled with strange electronic instruments, humming faintly.

Then Wen Xin noticed something unsettling: the familiar weight on his shoulder was gone. The backpack holding the two bundles had disappeared!

Alarmed, he glanced around and realized he was wearing a white lab coat.

And just ahead of him were ten or so incubation chambers lined up neatly.

But these weren’t for infants. Each chamber cradled eggs of various sizes and colors.