Falling into the Abyss

Chapter 11: Atonement: Red Earth (IX)

Ethan stared at the documents on the transparent desk, his brows knit tightly. Before disappearing, the people of Base No.18 received a message from the nearest Base No.19, saying that they had noticed that the local animal samples seemed abnormal and that several researchers had been infected. The situation there was not optimistic, so they reminded the people at Base No.18 to be careful. However, the specific infection and symptoms were not mentioned.

He thought of the bug and the image of the monsters mucus being sucked into Jeffs body.

A hand was suddenly placed on his shoulder while he was contemplating, and he was so tense that he almost jumped up. When he turned around, he saw that Samuel had managed to approach him from behind him without him noticing.

The skys getting bright. Arent you going to sleep? Samuel asked. He was naked, revealing strong, wheat-colored muscles as he ran a hand through his tangled hair, half squinting at him, grogginess still evident in his eyes.

Ethan sighed and responded, I did not dare to sleepand I also cant fall asleep.

Samuel plopped onto the sofa he was sitting on, and he was pushed into a corner by the bigger Omega. Samuel leaned back comfortably, one of his arms slung across the back of the sofa while his other placed a cigarette in his mouth, lighting it with a very primitive lighter. He said, If you cant sleep, then Ill just discuss something with you.

Ethan coughed and tilted his head back to avoid the smoke swirling into his mouth and nose, asking, Whats up?

Since youve taken up such a status for me, I know youve probably had a hard time. Its not too late to take it back if you regret it.

Ethan rolled his eyes speechlessly and said, Is that all? You still have the heart to worry about this now?

When we get back to the Forbidden City, itll be too late for you even if you regret it.

First, I have to get back alive. Besides, its no big deal for me to be thought of as an Omega since its not like Im a tough guy anyway. As long as you cover for me, there wont be a problem.

In that case, Samuel suddenly plucked the cigarette out of his mouth and turned to look at him with a deep gaze before continuing, I have to mark you.

Ethan did not immediately respond to what the other party said and looked baffled as he said, Ah?

Everybody knows that youre my man, yet you dont have a mark on your neck. What do you think theyre going to think? Either that I dont take you seriously, or that I have some issues. Either situation is not ideal for us. Now that we are in danger, we cant afford to create more problems.

Its simple, As Samuel spoke, he extinguished the butt of his cigarette using the glass table and suddenly leaned his entire body in Ethans direction, enveloping the bewildered Beta in his shadow. Ethan had a foreboding premonition when he saw that the other party had a gleaming look in his eyes and shrunk his shoulders back slightly.

As long as I bite your neck every day, itll be fine. If worse comes to the worst, Ill just bite you harder and spray some camouflaging inhibitor hormones on it.

Currently, Samuels body exuded the strong Alpha scent of the camouflaging inhibitor, and dark undercurrents lingered in his eyes. He placed his hands on the sofas back and armrest, caging Ethan in so he could not escape. His head slowly and irresistibly pressed against Ethans neck, causing Ethan to swallow his saliva. Even though the other party posed a logically sound reason to mark him, he felt strange. Why was it that he felt that he was always being taken advantage of by the other party?

In a fluster, he reached his hands out to press against Samuels chest, saying urgently, Thisshall we talk about it later? YouLet me think about it

However, Samuel appeared to have no intention of moving his body. The heat from his skin was transmitted to Ethan from his palm, causing him to be flustered and bewildered as though he was being seduced. Due to the lack of an Omega gland, the act of marking a Beta could not bring any sexual or psychological pleasure, only pain. But for some reason, when Samuel looked at Ethan in this way, his entire body exuding the scent of an Alpha, Ethan had an unbearable impulse to offer his neck so the other could sink his teeth into his flesh.

He began to wonderwas Samuel not only pretending to be an Alpha, but was actually an Alpha on the inside, and simply had been born the wrong gender?

As for himselfEthan has always known that he had certain M tendencies. Although he appeared formal and well-dressed on the surface, he often fantasized about being controlled, brutally treated, or even half-forced to do some indescribable things, which was why he had preferred Alphas to Omegas. But now, the masochism that had been hidden for a long time was being stirred up by an Omega. Ethan swallowed some saliva and pondered whether he should just let the other do it. At any rate, it was just a bite.

However, Samuel suddenly raised his head warily and frowned, like a keen cheetah becoming aware of an abnormal airflow. Ethan asked him, Whats the matter?

Didnt you hear that?

What do you hear?

A scream, Samuel pointed his finger towards the corridor leading to the rest and sleeping areas, continuing, It seemed to come from over there.

Ethan didnt hear anything. After all, the sleeping capsules were soundproof. Even if one killed a pig inside, the people outside wouldnt be able to hear.

As soon as the two of them stood up, they saw a door in the corridor open, and Tanisiel, whose perceptual ability was far superior to that of the Earthlings, emerged in a hurry. He had left before he even had time to fasten the buttons on his clothing, revealing a strong, smooth chest, abdominal muscles, and a V-line disappearing under the waist of his trousers. It did not look like the figure a priest would have. He glanced at Samuel and Ethan, and without saying anything, extended his hand to knock on the door of one of the resting lounges.

There was no response, and no one opened the door.

Tanisiel activated his ten thousand functions sphere, and a beam of light projected a map with the coordinates of all the nonhumans. It displayed that there was a man in the room behind the door at this very moment.

Jeff.

Sure enough, something had happened.

Ethan broke out into a cold sweat and immediately woke up Gina, the main AI, urging, Open the door! Theres an emergency!

Samuel did not know the whole story, so he stared as Ethan ordered the AI with a horrified expression. Since Base No.18 had not updated its data, Ethans former job title as a secretary had the highest authority, and Gina obediently unlocked the door to the lounge. The moment that the gate slid to the right, a thick and pungent stench surged out and choked their noses. It would not have been strange if it had instead appeared as a gurgling black gas. In response, the trio could not help but take a step backwards. Ethan covered his mouth and nose with his sleeve and saw thehuman(?) lying beside the door.

It was really a human figure, but there were countless bumps on his bare arms and the skin on his neck and spreading all the way under his clothes. At first glance, Ethan thought they were goosebumps that had been magnified, but when he looked carefully, he found that those bumps were actually moving. He could vaguely see that the small bumps were dotted with a round, black mark, appearing much like a frogs egg!

The urge to retch surged up from his stomach, and even Samuels hair stood erect and his body stiffened. He did not have the courage to move forward. At this time, the human figure suddenly raised his head. His face, originally appearing like Jeff, was already so swollen that it was beyond recognition. His facial features had been distorted because one of the bumps had squeezed them together, the bump still twitching under his skin.

Looking at his face, Ethan somehow thought of the bugs strange face.

Help me his voice no longer sounded the same. It was as though something was stuck in his throat, and his breath had become sticky and thick.

Samuel seemed to want to approach after seeing his miserable appearance, but Ethan stretched out his hand and held him back and warned, It may be contagious.

The priest raised his head and looked at Ethan with a cold expression. This Beta obviously knew something, or otherwise he would not have been so nervous when he heard that it was Jeff behind the door.

Ethan was not comfortable under such scrutiny, and he felt increasingly guilty. If he had told them what he had seen, maybe Jeff could have been saved?

The strange bug mucus that could penetrate through the human body, the call for help sent by Base No.19 before they disappeared, and a bloodborne infectionthese issues all seemed to be connected.

Could it beit had already started?

With this in mind, Ethan stuck against the wall in a panic, and he asked in a slightly trembling voice, What now?

Before anyone else wakes up, he must be isolated and observed immediately. Samuel, get two spacesuits right now. Ethan, make preparations in the medical lounge, Tanisiel desively commanded, his tone leaving no room for disagreement. On the ground, Jeff appeared to have a trace of consciousness remaining. Hearing the priests words, deep fear appeared in his eyes, which were his only feature remaining recognizable. He pleaded, NoHelp meI feel awful! I feel awful!

His voice sounded horrifying, as though it had been torn up and stitched back together. Tanisiel looked at him with some sort of pity in his eyes, watching as Jeff stretched out an arm covered with the disgustingly squirming, bump-like things, but showed no sign of changing his mind. Jeff was not Samuels man, so Samuel could only be a bit sympathetic to him, turning around and rushing to the hall where they had placed their belongings.

Ethan called on Gina to direct him to the medical bay. It was absolutely sealed, with isolated treatment capsules inside like rows of translucent coffins in the long, dimly lit space. He felt very alien here, unsure of what to do. He had to ask Gina to call a service robot in order to help him open the cover of a treatment capsule, and input a series of parameters on the monitor at the head of the bed. He did not know what to put for the name of the infectious disease, so he just input UNKNOWN. He did not expect that, after inputting it, the isolation level was automatically adjusted to the highest level. Obviously, the capsules designer had considered the possibility of them facing an unknown disease in space.

Before long, Samuel and Tanisiel brought Jeff in, both in their spacesuits. The man lay limply, as though he had completely lost the support of his bones, but he still seemed to feel pain, as he appeared to be suffering from an extraordinary pain. His clothes were soaked in the sticky liquid, and many of the bumps on his bare skin had broken, the liquid from inside dripping on the ground. Ethan quickly ordered the service robot to clean up and disinfect the area thrice.

After being placed into the isolated treatment bed, Jeff suddenly began to struggle violently. Samuel could hardly grab onto him in time, and one of his feet slipped from the grasp of his hand. At that moment, Ethan saw something black stretching out from Jeffs pants, before immediately retracting.

Theres something under my skin!! Ah!!! Jeff suddenly let out a shrill scream, and all the bumps on his face suddenly burst at the same time!

Noit would not be appropriate to describe it as burstingbut rather, the bumps were pulled apart. His skin had been red and swollen due to the pustules that had rapidly grown on his body. From it emerged countless black creatures, all similar to the previous bug but much thinner and smaller. The bottom halves of their bodies were still stuck under Jeffs skin, while their top halves swayed and curled in the air, stretching out like earthworms. It appeared as though the surface of his face had grown greyish-black flagellum.

The disgusting sight made even a man as strong as Samuel step back in horror, and he crashed into an isolation bed behind him with a loud bang.

Tanisiel, although much calmer than the two of them, turned pale and quickly let go of his hand. It seemed Jeff had suddenly lost consciousness. Half his body was lying on the isolation bed, while his feet still hung over the edge. They did not know whether the things wriggling were bugs or hair. They filled the entirety of his face, dancing wildly in the air. It was difficult to tell whether he was alive or dead. His body still twitched from time to time, and some pustules on his hands began to burst. Because his skin had cracked, a yellow and black sticky substance oozed out, and more black creatures could be seen underneath.

Tanisiel was the first to react, quickly stuffing Jeffs body into the capsule before pressing the red button next to the hatch, causing three layers of hatch covers to slide down rapidly. Through the three layers of nano glass, one could still see the growing thin black lines, reminiscent of jellyfish dancing along with the tide in the deep sea. The bugs knocked on the sealed covers as if politely asking: Let me out.

After they had finished, the three men could only look at each other speechlessly. They would probably never forget what had happened in the past half an hour.

They prayed that Jeff was dead because compared to what they had just seen, death was much more merciful.