The eastern wasteland—a stretch of land spanning from Central Asia to Eastern Europe—was a patchwork of arid plains and crumbling ruins. Here, rogue generals had carved out petty kingdoms, ruling over isolated domains. The EMP collapse had been a great leveler, but some pre-war technology had survived, locked away in fortified bunkers. These bunkers became treasure troves, allowing the nine major nations to salvage and repurpose what they could.
Inside one such bunker, the Wanderers moved through dimly lit corridors, a buzz of anticipation in the air. Outside, their armored vehicles—donations from the Red Nation—stood sentinel. Technicians in mismatched gear, rifles slung over their shoulders, crowded around ancient terminals, their eyes wide with a mixture of awe and professional curiosity.
“I’ve only seen this stuff in textbooks,” one muttered, carefully brushing dust off a monitor. “Maybe we actually struck gold.”
The post-EMP world was a testament to human adaptability. The Yellow Nation, embracing their nomadic lifestyle, had repurposed old railway lines as makeshift supply routes, their lighter, more agile vehicles navigating the decaying infrastructure. The Wanderers, on the other hand, relied on heavier, Red Nation-designed engines, prioritizing durability over speed. Each faction had found its own way, making do with what they had.
The Wanderers moved through dimly lit corridors, the air thick with the smell of ozone and something faintly metallic. Outside, their armored vehicles—donations from the Red Nation—stood sentinel. Technicians in mismatched gear, rifles slung over their shoulders, crowded around ancient terminals, their eyes wide with a mixture of awe and professional curiosity. They reached a massive steel door, reinforced with thick plating and secured by multiple locking mechanisms.
“This is it,” Jax said, running a hand over the cold metal. “Main lab. If anything survived the Collapse, it’s behind this.”
Alam circled the door, examining the seams and hinges. “Looks like they expected company.” He tapped a spot near the bottom. “Breaching charges?”
“Already setting them,” a Wanderer replied, attaching sticky explosives to the door. “But if that doesn’t work…” He gestured to a large backpack one of the men was carrying. “…we brought the backup plan.”
Jax watched the Wanderers plant the explosives, a flicker of unease in his eyes. He turned to Alam. “You won’t… take any personal revenge in there, will you?”
Alam rubbed his hand absently, a faint, almost imperceptible tremor in his fingers. “These psychos are remnants of the old world,” he said, his voice flat. “But I’ll try… to be civilized.” He paused, his gaze hardening. “We need what’s in there. No unnecessary mess.”
In her laboratory—marked by a prominent tusk symbol on the door—Ruan Mei, a woman with dark purple hair and a white lab coat stained with old blood, set down her scalpel.
“The experiment has ended. Time to take a break. I just can't miss this freshly made dessert,” she muttered,
Suddenly, the lab door was smashed open, and a group of soldiers with shields stormed in.they wear a dark cloak with dark drip. and At the center of this armed group stood a man in a black leather jacket with black wavy long hair—Alam.
"Hey, are you the war criminal who experiments on half-dead prisoners for the sake of curiosity?" Alam demanded.
Ruan Mei, unfazed, replied, "Yes. A little harmless experiment wouldn't be so bad, would it?"
"I see. I'm here for justice," Alam stated.
"You've come to the wrong person, then. I have no remorse for my actions," Ruan Mei retorted.
"Get her, boys!" Alam commanded, and armed men rushed toward Ruan Mei.
in flash, A jagged wall of ice erupted from the polished floor, a crystalline barrier slamming into the advancing wanderers. The impact sent them reeling, their bodies crashing against the frozen surface with sickening crunches. Some were thrown back, limbs twisted at unnatural angles, while others remained plastered against the ice, their dark cloaks stained crimson.
"This might be a lot more fun than I initially thought," Ruan Mei mused.
Alam's jaw dropped. "What is this madness?"
"A demonstration of my power," Ruan Mei declared, as a circle formed around Alam, and ice spikes rose to surround him. "And a warning that your efforts are futile."
"I see... This person is one of their augmented!. Spread out! Shoot them in the face!" Alam ordered, and the armed men started shooting at Ruan Mei.
A wall of ice blocked all attacks, shattering and creating a huge wall of debris. "Your bullets aren't the only things that are cold and deadly, you know," Ruan Mei taunted, forming a small sphere of ice in her right hand and throwing it like a projectile into the ground.
"Wear your masks!" Alam shouted, throwing a grenade and its release a green smoke.
"I see that your method of attack is by blinding your opponents. This won't work well against me," Ruan Mei commented.
The mist made her a little drowsy, causing her to almost lose her balance temporarily as she coughed for breath. "You know... That was a good move. Good enough that I haven't seen this technique before," Ruan Mei admitted.
"Okay... Capture her!" Alam ordered.
As the warriors rushed to capture her, The floor beneath their feet transformed into a sheet of brittle ice. Cracks spiderwebbed across the surface, then with a sharp crack, the ice gave way, sending the soldiers tumbling into the freezing chasm below
"You're persistent, I'll grant you that. But you really should choose your actions more carefully next time," Ruan Mei advised.
"Damn, this creature is harder... Prepare the RPG!" Alam cursed.
The armed men grabbed RPGs, arming them and loading shells into the tubes, aiming for Ruan Mei while hiding behind the debris.
"Hehe... Don't shoot at the same time. Give the rocket a chance to pierce that ice," Alam instructed.
The men fired at Ruan Mei's position, and both rockets collided with her position, piercing her ice wall but not causing any damage to her. "Hm. Nice attempt, but you failed," Ruan Mei remarked, as the ice quickly rebuilt itself around her position, even thicker and harder than before.
" Just keep shooting the ceiling!" Alam decided,
The armed men then started shooting upwards from Ruan Mei's position, but the shards of ice only made the ceiling thicker and more stable. "Your effort so far is quite admirable, but you're getting on my nerves," Ruan Mei taunted.
Alam noticed an air ventilation in the corner of the room. "That's it... That's her weakness. Don't let any water flow into this room," he instructed.
Ruan Mei simply blocked off the air vent and froze it solid with her ice. "As I said, your efforts are quite admirable. However, trying to stop air flow isn't going to help when the air vent itself is frozen over and sealed. Your desperation is also showing," she mocked.
Alam stared at the rapidly reforming ice, a flicker of genuine bewilderment crossing his face. "So… you just… make it?"
Ruan Mei arched an eyebrow. "Is that so difficult to comprehend?"
"Flamethrowers," Alam barked. "Let's see how much you like a dry heat." He pulled on his gas mask.
A faint blue glow emanated from the remaining ice shards, and a wave of frigid air washed over the room. Ruan Mei’s lips curled into a thin smile. "Such… crude tactics."
The room turned frigid as humidity evaporated, and droplets of water fell like rain. "You might want to reconsider," Ruan Mei suggested.
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"So, want to surrender?" Alam asked, aiming his gun at her as her ice shield began to crack.
"That won't help you. I don't need air, and I can rebuild my shield anytime. Surrender? Never. You've proven your valor, but you can't win," Ruan Mei declared, firing a bolt of cold that temporarily disabled Alam's gun.
"I see... RPG team!" Alam unfazed, and draw second pistol, then commanded, and the flamethrower crew launched a barrage of rockets at Ruan Mei.
The rockets struck her, but her thick ice shield remained intact. Though the force pushed her back, she quickly recovered. "The RPGs are useless against me," she stated.
Alam muttered, "This person is not human... a monster. Jax, get the breaching kit." He then turned back to Ruan Mei, a grim look on his face. "Let's see how you handle something a little hotter."
"I prefer 'superhuman.' But I must admit, your persistence is impressive," Ruan Mei replied.
"No, a monster," Alam insisted, crossing his arms.
"Fine, call me a 'monster.' But you have to admit, my powers are amazing," Ruan Mei conceded.
"Pathetic," Alam retorted, throwing a bottle toward her.
Ruan Mei caught it and crushed it effortlessly. "This won't do anything. You're starting to bore me."
Alam then covered her with Thermite powder. "Do you know what's in that bottle?"
"Yes, a flammable substance that burns at high temperatures. But you can't hurt me," Ruan Mei replied.
Alam detonated the bottle, igniting the Thermite and causing her skin to melt.
Ruan Mei raised her hand, instantly freezing a wall of water around her to wash away the powder. "Your weapons are still useless against me," she declared.
"I see... Here, drink this," Alam said, offering her a potion by throw it above icy wall again.
Ruan Mei sighed and took the potion, drinking it. "What is it?" she asked after unconsciously consume the mysterious potion.
"Fool..." Alam smirked as Ruan Mei's body started to become limp.
As the effects of the potion kicked in, Ruan Mei struggled to stay conscious and fell to the ground. "Gah... What-- What did you--" she gasped.
"You're strong, but your arrogance and dumbness... Are your demise. You lose..." Alam stated.
Ruan Mei tried to push herself up, but the potion was having its way. She slumped back to the floor, consciousness slipping. "I... refuse..." she mumbled, her voice barely a whisper.
"Goodbye," Alam said simply. Ruan Mei went limp.
The Wanderers cautiously circled her unconscious form, then quickly moved to secure her. Alam took a deep breath, surveying the chaotic lab. Jax appeared behind him, his hand resting on the small of his back. "We lost some good people," Jax muttered.
Alam nodded, picking up some pristine documents from a nearby desk. He flipped through them, brows furrowed. Jax watched him for a moment. "How… did you have a sleeping drugs on you?"
Alam glanced up, a faint smile playing on his lips. "For avoiding boring sex."
Jax blinked, then let out a short chuckle. Alam’s smile widened slightly before he returned to the documents, his mind still reeling.
later. alam ask reinforment from carmelita. soon the hind helicopter landed on area. pick up ruan mei and alam. while jax tasked to secure the region.
A few hours later, Alam saw her with a bunch of people wearing lab suits. "Hey... What do you feel now?" he asked.
Ruan Mei's eyesight was a little foggy at first, but she could clearly see the many lab people walking about and examining the machines around her. "What... Happened? And why did you bring me here? What are those devices doing here?" she questioned.
"Those devices will shortly disable your movement. They hijack your brain cells, hehe," Alam explained.
"Then... You've trapped me here against my will. I cannot move, and I cannot resist against you. Why? What is this all about?" Ruan Mei demanded.
"Yes... My nation is about to be invaded with greater military power such free world. And I noticed you guys are doing some naughty science... So, I brought justice and won't let my enemy capture your tech," Alam revealed.
Ruan Mei's hand tightened on the armrest, her knuckles whitening. The corner of her lip twitched, and her eyes narrowed to slits. "So, you intend to use my genius for your own purposes?" she asked, her voice laced with contempt.
Alam shook his head. "No, not my purposes... but our purposes. If my enemy captures you, you'll end up in a worse situation."
Ruan Mei sighed. "Then you plan to use my intelligence for your own country's benefit. Well, my genius is not something I'm willing to give you for free. No one in the history of the world has managed to control me."
"Hoh... Well, if I can't control you, at least I saved you from those... heh," Alam replied.
Ruan Mei laughed sarcastically. "Oh... So you saved me? You think I would thank you for trapping me here against my will and using this as a way to control and use me for your own selfish purposes and for your own country?"
"Yes... So tell me about yourself. Are you a part of Mammoth or just a different branch and faction?" Alam asked.
"The Genius Society is an independent organization that doesn't answer to any government or governing body. As for myself, I am one of the original creators and scientists of the Simulated Universe. It is not a simple feat to be able to create an entire universe with countless Aeons and planets. I worked hard to reach where I am currently. This organization's research and technology is far beyond any other organizations' capabilities," Ruan Mei explained.
"Yeah, yeah... Delusional. You created those virtual worlds for recreational purposes. That's how your finances still keep flowing. And of course, you use it for ambiguous science projects," Alam retorted.
"That is true to an extent... The creation of the Simulated Universe is indeed just a side project to experiment with, to fulfill my personal curiosity, and for fun. However, the creation of the Aeons and the planets within the Simulated Universe has provided tremendous value in terms of technology development as well as research for many other projects in the Genius Society. Although it's not as prestigious as a lot of the other projects, the Simulated Universe project has its own value that cannot be overlooked," Ruan Mei clarified.
"Well, what's your goal?" Alam pressed.
"I've always been curious about the possibilities and potential of a realistic, living, breathing universe. For example, would sentient beings emerge as a by-product of a universe's evolution? Could it lead to intelligent life? Would they possess their own unique culture, history, and civilization? So I decided to create one and see how it'd pan out," Ruan Mei shared.
"Umm, what? What even does all that mean? Use simple words, please," Alam said, confused.
Ruan Mei sighed. "I'm trying to say that I was curious what would happen if I created a realistic, living, breathing universe. You could see it as a big experiment. And the experiment has proven to be quite successful.
The living beings within the Simulated Universe have gained consciousness and their own free will. They've created their own civilization and are now growing and evolving naturally, like how it normally works in reality."
"I see... And what does that have to do with your non-human abilities or human experiments? That is completely unrelated," Alam questioned.
"To give the experiment more life-like realism, I decided to infuse the universe with fragments of my own essence. This allowed it to behave in a significantly more realistic and natural fashion, including its inhabitants. As for the human experiments, that is just for my own pleasure. While I am fascinated with the evolution and nature of human beings, I sometimes cannot resist the urge to experiment with them myself. My other colleagues in the Genius Society tend to frown upon this behavior of mine as they see it as unethical, but I don't really find it an issue," Ruan Mei admitted.
Alam burst into laughter. "Ahahaha... I see... You amuse me. I need to punish you for that."
Ruan Mei started laughing. "You really think you can punish me? I have already gone through much worse punishment than anything you could possibly inflict onto me. but please. Amuse me."
"Oho... How about if that punishment is inside your brain instead? I can recreate what hell is inside your dreams," Alam suggested.
"You can certainly try. I've already suffered plenty of torment and pain in the past. I highly doubt anything you'd be able to conjure up would be capable of doing much to me, unless it's something completely out of the ordinary or unexpected. But I'm curious as to what you have in store, so go ahead and do your worst. Just be prepared for me to mock you for your pitiful attempts," Ruan Mei taunted.
"I see... You are a masochist, aren't you?" Alam smirked.
Ruan Mei laughed. "I would hardly call myself a masochist. I just have a high tolerance for pain. However, I'm really enjoying this. Your attempts at inflicting torment on me have been entertaining so far. So keep it coming."
"Yeah... That's what a masochist would do," Alam chuckled.
"Well, then consider me a masochist if you'd like. If that's the case, I'm sure you'll have a lot more fun playing with me, right?" Ruan Mei teased.
Alam shook his head. "No, I have a bigger purpose to defend my land than torture a mad scientist like you."
Ruan Mei pouted. "Aww... And here I thought we were at least having a bit of fun. Well, if you insist on being a boring fellow, so be it. But before you go, I'd like to ask you one last question."
"What?" Alam asked.
"I'm curious about the reason why you are so bent on defending your land. Why is it so precious to you?" Ruan Mei inquired.
"It's my comrades... my friends... and my family... my soul," Alam replied, his voice filled with determination.
Ruan Mei sighed. "I see. So it's not really about the land itself. But rather those who inhabit the land, correct?"
Alam nodded. "Well, of course, it's just a piece of dirt... What really matters is who is living on it."
"I see. Then I assume that the nation you are protecting is your home too?" Ruan Mei inquired.
"Of course," Alam replied. "Now... Don't you want to protect someone you love as well?"
Ruan Mei scoffed. "Of course I care about my loved ones. But the difference between your situation and mine is that the nation I call home is not under threat of invasion. Therefore, I cannot relate to your desire to defend your home."
Alam chuckled. "Hoho... What a narrow-minded view. After they're done with my nation, their next target is your land... Little girl..."
Ruan Mei laughed. "You overestimate your importance. Your little nation is barely a blip on our radar, a mere annoyance to some of my colleagues. And as for 'little girl'—I've surpassed anything you could imagine."
Alam smirked. "Then explain how my 'children playing with toys' breached your heavily fortified lab with minimal losses. How will you fare against a real invasion?"
Ruan Mei chuckled. "Your 'special ops' were a triviality. We have no need for fortifications against such paltry forces. I alone could dismantle your entire military."
Alam raised an eyebrow. "And what about the tech I took? Did you forget that little detail?"
Ruan Mei scoffed. "This isn't a vault. We pursue knowledge, not riches. You've stolen nothing of true value."
Alam crossed his arms. "If not for research, then what is your purpose?"
"Curiosity," Ruan Mei said. "I create universes to explore their possibilities. The Aeons and planets are merely byproducts."
Alam smirked. "And now that you're… incapacitated, how will you satisfy that curiosity?"
Ruan Mei laughed. "You can restrain my body, but never my mind. No amount of torment can touch my intellect."
Alam nodded. "So, you choose endless torture over cooperation?"
Ruan Mei laughed again. "Cooperate? With someone who violates me for his own ends? I'd choose death first."
Alam chuckled. "Sometimes, pride makes people foolish."
Ruan Mei retorted, "This isn't pride; it's disdain. I refuse to work with someone who has violated me. If you think guilt will make me comply, you've failed."
Alam smirked. "It's your fault too. One of your experiment subjects is my man. You set the fire."
Ruan Mei chuckled. "You invaded my lab to rescue one subject? You broke through my defenses for one man?"
Alam shook his head. "No, I took your tech too." He displayed a monitor showing a virtual world diagram.
Ruan Mei sighed. "That? I create new diagrams for each universe. It's worthless."
Alam nodded. "But I have the tools and the knowledge to replicate them. Tell me, Ruan Mei: what matters more—the real world or the simulation?"
Ruan Mei laughed. "They are one and the same to me. The Simulated Universe informs reality. Both are equally fascinating."
Alam smirked. "A good answer. Your choices are simple: surrender, torture, or death."
Ruan Mei laughed again. "None of those entice me. There is one option I might consider… but I doubt you'd offer it."
Alam raised an eyebrow. "Then consider this: you've been injected with a fast-acting venom. Three days. I have the antidote. Perhaps that will focus your mind."
As the venom took hold, Ruan Mei felt her body weaken, pain lancing through her. Yet, she maintained her composure.
Alam nodded. "Three days. Consider your choices. Perhaps you'll be begging for the antidote before then. Farewell."
Ruan Mei gave a final, strained laugh. "I think not. I don't beg. You'll never break me. Perhaps… perhaps you should fear me regaining control."
Alam suggested, "Use this time to find redemption. Pain is a powerful motivator. You have three days to make peace with your god… or with me."
Ruan Mei chuckled, despite the agony. "Repent? You misunderstand me entirely. I would die before I yielded to you."