Little Mushroom

"What are you thinking?" Dr Ji walked behind Lu Feng and asked. Lu Feng was standing in front of the laboratory window with the brightly lit Garden of Eden and Twin Towers in front of him.

As he approached, he realized the colonel wasn't in an aimless daze. The man was playing with the communicator and the bright screen remained on the contact interface. The doctor glanced at the familiar name.

"Hubbard—who is this?" Dr Ji stood beside him and raised an eyebrow. "Do you still have friends I don't know about?"

Lu Feng didn't answer and Dr Ji didn't follow up. In the presence of the colonel, it was normal for questions to not be answered.

As he spoke, the white spore drilled out of Lu Feng's collar. It seemed to look carefully at the doctor before quickly going back into hiding.

"It's so small." Dr Ji chuckled.

Lu Feng scooped it out and placed it on his palm. It was originally the size of a large palm but now it was only the size of a jujube pit. It desperately hid itself on Lu Feng's hand like it was afraid of Dr Ji.

"I won't cut you today," Dr Ji told you. "You have become too small. Be good and eat more nutrient solutions. Grow up and I will cut you."

Lu Feng sent Dr Ji a cold look.

Dr Ji folded his arms. "I'm not cutting you. Why look so fierce?"

These days, the base had realized that the existing technology was unable to completely analyze why this spore was inert and they retreated. They could only break the jar and concentrate all researchers in another direction. Today, they finally developed a method for making mycelium extract. The extraction solution was diluted and the base intended to pour it on the surface of important equipment. They used this simple method on the premise that the inert spore would produce an inert extract. The inert extract would form a protective layer or simply pass the inertia to the device, making the device no longer afraid of infection. In this way, the extract could also infect other substances.

They immediately flew 20 litres of the solution to the Underground City Base by plane.

In response, the Lighthouse's senior officials laughed at themselves, stating that science had failed and they could only use unknown witchcraft. Still, this was all they could do since all science seemed to have failed. No one knew what to hope for.

Dr Ji reached out. "Give it to me to play."

Of course, he didn't receive anything. Lu Feng didn't even look at him. Nevertheless, Dr Ji was still staring at the mycelium exposed by the spore. "Tomorrow, another litre of extract can be produced. It is quite a lot. The base requires us to first ensure that the key device of the artificial magnetic pole is protected."

Lu Feng closed his fingers and not even a single strand of the mycelium could be seen.

"Don't do this," Dr Ji told him. "You might have a good relationship but don't treat it like a son. Colonel Lu, have you noticed that since you came back from the wilderness, you haven't been so emotionally lacking."

Lu Feng still didn't speak and only Dr Ji was chatting in the room. He always talked a lot when he was nervous. In the past month, the number of words had skyrocketed.

It wasn't until three minutes later that Lu Feng asked, "When will you start using the extract?"

"The Lighthouse is still discussing it because we can't rule out the possibility that after the distortion begins, all substances will start to fuse without discrimination. At that time, the most likely result is that it has no effect. The best result is that the inertia is passed onto us. The worst case scenario is that all our devices lose their function and become mushrooms."

Lu Feng's cold voice was finally heard and it seemed to be covered with an extra layer of frost. "Why use it if this is possible?"

"Your Trial Court likes to kill all the bad possibilities but the situation is different now. You know that no matter what we do, the situation can't be any worse. There will be another meeting and the Lighthouse will determine if it can be used or not."

"What is inertia?"

"No infection."

The spore came out of Lu Feng's hand and crawled along the uniform's cloth to the epaulettes on Lu Feng's side away from the doctor. Lu Feng leaned slightly to the side and this movement revealed a trace of something on the windowsill. It was a small liquid bottle with a label on it, 'Mix-III' written on it. Next to the bottle was a blank syringe.

Dr Ji's eyes narrowed. "That is the extract of a mixed-type heterogeneous. What are you doing with it? You shouldn't disturb the laboratory things. It is very dangerous."

Lu Feng glanced at him and spoke words that weren't related to the current topic. "At the Underground City Base, there was no magnetic field and the contactless infections and distortions were happening."

The doctor couldn't understand this person's thoughts and just nodded.

Lu Feng stated, "Many of the soldiers I entered the underground city with were infected but I wasn't."

The doctor seemed to understand what he was trying to say and fell silent, just watching Lu Feng quietly. Lu Feng continued. "If the spore is inert then An Zhe is also inert."

Dr. Ji nodded.

Lu Feng spoke lightly, "However, he can change between mushroom and human form. In his human form, there are absolutely no abnormalities in the genetic test. So if I have been infected by him and became inert, you won't be able to tell."

"Yes, I admit that I've had that thought. Still, what is the point? It is precisely because we can't detect this infection at all that the decision to spray the extract on a large scale was taken. We won't know until the day when the comprehensive distortion comes if this extract can protect humans."

"There is also the risk of all of us becoming fungi."

"So what?" The doctor watched this person as if he had some type of vague hunch and his tone became aggressive.

Lu Feng suggested, "Infect me with a monster extract. If I am still human after the 30 minutes buffer period then it proves An Zhe has given me an inert infection and there are no adverse reactions. The extract can be applied."

The doctor stared at him with no trace of surprise, as if he had long guessed this man would say such a thing. He watched Lu Feng and his eyes gradually became colder and heavier. Then he shook his head. "Why is it you?"

"I've been with him for a long time. I also stayed with him during the distortion time after the Underground City Base incident." Lu Feng spoke lightly. "If he can infect others then I'm the one most likely to be infected."

"It is me." Dr Ji sneered and approached Lu Feng while raising his voice, "Before the dungeon incident, you only stayed with him for a while before leaving. It was me who was with him the whole time. We slept in the same room. He was like a kitten and I was inseparable from him. I had a lot of close contact with him that you don't want to know about. If you can be infected by him, why can't I?"

Lu Feng wasn't provoked by his words and was still emotionless. "You still have many tasks to do. You can't take any risks."

"Then you know it is a risk?" The doctor was furious as he took a few breaths before shouting, "I can't take risks but you can task risks? What is so memorable for you to sacrifice yourself for?"

Lu Feng didn't say anything and Dr Ji grabbed the liquid bottle from the windowsill. The bottle was already opened. He inserted the needle tip with a fierce action, raised the injection handle and quickly filled the syringe.

"If the experiment has to be done, it can only be me." He held the needle, his blue eyes filled with ice as he spoke very quickly. "You have done too much. You have to fucking live for me."

Lu Feng didn't stop his actions. He just quietly watched with those cold green eyes as still as a lake. He reached out and pulled up his sleeve. On the vein of the wrist, a blood spot represented what had been injected. "If I'm okay in half an hour then you can use the extract."

The doctor stood in place, his chest heaving as he stared at Lu Feng.

"You… you…" His eyes turned red with anger and his voice was hoarse, as sharp as glass rubbing together. "You hopeless… self-harming patient."

"The base will be okay losing a scientist. What about losing a judge? Did you even think about it?"

Lu Feng was still silent.

Just then, the shrill ringing of the communicator was heard. Dr Qi picked up while gasping and just three seconds after answering, his face changed.

"I'll go there straight away," he told the person on the other end.

His face was solemn after hanging up. "A slight distortion was observed again and the intensity of the magnetic field was increased to the strongest level. The time for the collapse of the magnetic field is about to come. I am going to an emergency meeting and it will take around half an hour. You stay here and don't go anywhere unless everyone starts evacuating."

Then he hurried to the door.

"Wait." Lu Feng stopped him and Dr Ji paused. He was still angry so he didn't turn his head.

Behind him, Lu Feng asked, "An Zhe isn't affected by the distortion like the spore?"

"Even if humans die, he will live."

"Thank you."

The doctor slammed the door and went out.

Lu Feng still stood there before turning around and looking out the window. Under the aurora-filled sky, the grey-black city was a sprawling jungle. The aurora changed, casting a strange grey-green shadow on the buildings.

Just then, a sharp hissing was heard in the city. The direction was the interior of the city, the military base. The hissing that cut through the sky was just the beginning. A moment later, more beasts roared from there.

The emergency lights at the military base suddenly turned on but soon went out. At the same time, there were sharp sirens and explosions, followed by the high frequency evacuation alert that covered the entire base.

However, Lu Feng's eyes only stayed on that place for a short time. Then he glanced out at the boundless wilderness beyond the base. There was a flutter as a huge bat-shaped winged monster flew from the distant mountains into the air. Then thousands of similar black shadows rose from there.

The communicator turned on. Lu Feng typed a few words on the call interface, which had the label of this laboratory. Seconds later, a message from Hubbard popped up.

"Received. I will arrive in half an hour."

The total collapse of the magnetic field would take place within this half an hour.

Outside the base, monsters suddenly appeared from the sky and land. They seemed to have been dormant for a long time and the moment they had been waiting for finally came. They poured toward the base like a tide.

The emergency lights in the hallway flashed frantically. The doctor came out of the meeting room and hurried to the laboratory. He was followed by two soldiers.

"Doctor, please evacuate with us as soon as possible."

"The military can't protect the entire base. The drones have seen the tide of monsters advancing here and we can only take the artificial magnetic pole as the defense position."

"I have to bring something," Dr Ji quickly said. "Give me five minutes. Colonel Lu is also at the laboratory."

"Please evacuate with us immediately." The soldier with the United Front logo on his chest added, "The special instructions are for evacuated personnel to concentrate on the magnetic pole centre. Colonel Lu's presence will further increase the confusion of the crowd, leading to unnecessary disputes. Therefore, he—"

"Shut up!"

The emergency alarms rang at higher frequencies and the harsh buzzing sounds were linked to the highest level wartime alert, reminding people to evacuate immediately in a safe direction. The corridor was in a state of chaos while the howling of monsters in the distant wilderness was clear and audible. The soldiers and scientists in white coats were in a mess.

The laboratory door neared. A look of disbelief suddenly appeared in Dr Ji's eyes. The door of the laboratory was wide open. He had rushed away when he left and forgot to lock the door. He strode inside and saw a soldier with a black cloth around his right arm holding a sniper rifle and aiming at the figure standing in front of the windowsill. His pupils shrank. The black cloth around this man's right arm was the sign of the Anti-Judges Movement.

The communicator was on but he couldn't care as he shouted, "Lu Feng!"

A gunshot rang out along with this call. The person by the window shook and fell to the ground with a dull noise.

Dr Ji's eyes opened wide with disbelief and his lips trembled. "No…"

"Don't move!" The gunman was quickly controlled by the two soldiers who followed the doctor. Dr Ji strode in and couldn't care about anything. On the way, he knocked down the equipment and test tubes shattered, the debris splashing to the ground. He walked around a cabinet and half knelt in front of Lu Feng's fallen body. "Lu Feng? Lu Feng?"

The body hadn't closed his eyes. His limbs were motionless and the doctor reached out to touch the scorched muzzle of the gun. His communicator flashed again. The doctor was still trembling when he read the message but this time, his eyes were cold.

A soldier handcuffed the shooter and raised his foot to head to this side.

"Don't come." Dr Ji's cold voice came from the laboratory. "Colonel Lu's death is confirmed."

The military boots paused.

"We're sorry."

The pale Dr Ji smiled wryly. "I'm not surprised in regards to the Judge's death."

***

The cabin of the PL1109.

Hubbard leaned against the cabin wall. He and Lu Feng weren't good friends but it also seemed to be a life-threatening friendship. "It took a lot of effort to get that thing out of the house next door but you actually still have this type of thing."

Lu Feng told him. "Well done. According to Scott Shaw's testimony, you were the one who provided the specific information."

Hubbard smiled and didn't continue this topic. He asked, "What was it like to be under house arrest?"

"Okay."

As he spoke, he glanced at the others in the cabin.

An officer next to him said, "We all came back from the Underground City Base together, Colonel Lu. We promise not to inform the military."

"Don't thank them." Hubbard wiped the gun in his hand while telling Lu Feng "It is a monster siege and we are going to fight again. It was obvious in the underground city that you are experienced. Everyone can see it. I don't mind working with you again. It is very cost-effective for both of us."

The officer stated, "This is on the premise that the colonel is still willing to serve the base."

Lu Feng slightly smiled.

"Start checking the equipment."

To one side, Hubbard was cleaning his gun. It was a silver, semi-automatic gun. His fingers were resting on the butt of the gun. There were scratches there that vaguely spelt out 'Tang.' His eyes were fixed on the string of letters.

The officer asked, "Who is this?"

Hubbard replied, "A friend. We've known each other for 33 years."

"Really long."

Hubbard stared at the words and after a long time, he smiled. "It is a pity."

"What is?"

"We were born together but finally couldn't die together."

"How can there be such a good thing?"

"Yes."

Lu Feng watched their conversation with folded eyes. His eyes were half-covered and no emotions could be seen. The other people naturally didn't expect the Judge to empathize with their emotions. At least, until Hubbard discovered something. "Where is your gun?"

Lu Feng answered, "I gave it to someone."

Hubbard smiled and seemed to understand everything. Compared to the military's standard supplies, the leader of the mercenary group was obviously rich. He took out a black gun and handed it to Lu Feng. The moment it was taken, Hubbard whispered, "He will live."

"Thank you."