Months of bloody purging returned the planet's hue from scarlet back to its original color.
But the remaining stains were still stubborn.
Inside the Sky Base's Main Control Room.
On the holographic projection, dense data streams refreshed like a waterfall.
The purge operation had entered its final stages, with the vast majority of ordinary infected eradicated.
Survivors around the world, under the protection of Huaxia forces, cautiously stepped out of the ruins and began attempting to rebuild their homes.
A new dilemma lay before everyone.
In the center of the projection were rows of independent energy cages.
Imprisoned inside were the highly intelligent, special infected captured alive during the purge.
They stared outside their cages, either calmly or with venomous resentment, like a pack of beasts stripped of their fangs and claws.
"How should we dispose of them?"
The radical faction believed these high-threat targets should be completely destroyed to permanently eliminate future troubles. They were carriers of the virus, walking threats; keeping them alive would only invite future disaster.
The other faction argued that these intelligent infected were unique living specimens for studying the evolutionary direction of the Crossed virus.
The debate raged on, and no one could make a final decision.
"I have a proposal," Evil God's voice rang out in the supreme conference room, cold and resolute.
He pulled up a detailed proposal.
"Establish a 'Crossed Ecological Zone'."
"Corral these intelligent infected like 'protected animals'. Provide them with a living environment, but subject them to the strictest surveillance and absolute suppression of power."
"This serves as both house arrest for them and a long-term, controllable observation platform for our research."
"We must thoroughly understand this virus from its roots to secure true safety for humanity's future."
This proposal plunged the entire conference room into dead silence.
Dancing with the devil—what audacity, yet what a risk.
But ultimately, the plan was approved.
...
Deep in the desolate mountains of the North American continent.
An old-world underground military fortress had been transformed into a new nest.
The final and most stubborn nail of the purge operation was right here.
An elite squad composed of Magnetic Field Martial Artists suffered a devastating blow the moment they stepped into this area.
The earth shattered, and rocks tumbled.
A burly figure shot up into the sky from deep underground.
He was shirtless, the star emblem on his chest eroded by the Crossed patterns, looking eerie and hideous.
Soldier Boy.
He was like an ancient, ferocious beast completely unleashed, his power even more berserk and pure than it had been at the Siberian base.
He needed no technique; he merely threw punches and unleashed devastating energy blasts from his chest.
Pure power was enough to crush everything.
The Fifty Thousand Horsepower strength of the Magnetic Field Martial Artists was still not enough before him.
Soldier Boy let out a heaven-shaking, maniacal laugh, reveling in the thrill of this overwhelming domination.
The Matriarch stood at the fortress entrance, watching this one-sided slaughter with keen interest, as if enjoying a pleasing theatrical play.
Behind her stood a group of ancient infected, their auras equally ancient and powerful.
They were Soldier Boy's most loyal core team and the foundation of his rule over this underground kingdom.
This purge squad retreated in defeat step by step.
Right at that moment, the sky darkened without warning.
The entire world seemed to have been put on pause.
The wind stilled, the maniacal laugh on Soldier Boy's face froze, and even the blood droplets splattering in the air hung suspended.
The only things that could move were everyone's eyeballs.
They looked up at the sky in terror.
A figure slowly materialized in the very center of the battlefield.
He wore an ordinary trench coat, his hands clasped behind his back, his eyes calm.
The newcomer was none other than Ian.
He merely glanced at Soldier Boy.
Soldier Boy instantly felt an indescribable, incomprehensible, and irresistible force completely suppress him from the inside out.
The violent power within him, capable of destroying heaven and earth, instantly became as docile as a kitten.
His proud, formidable body groaned under the overwhelming burden, his bones cracking inch by inch.
Uncontrollably, his knees gave out, and he crashed to the ground.
He smashed two deep craters into the hard rocky ground.
Fear.
An absolute fear, stemming from his biological instincts and the depths of his soul, engulfed him.
'Was this person before him... a god?'
Ian ignored his fear and didn't even look at the ancient infected who were already scared silly.
His gaze fell upon Soldier Boy.
"You like being a king, don't you?" Ian's voice was light, yet it transmitted clearly into Soldier Boy's mind.
Soldier Boy struggled to raise his head, a hoarse rattling coming from his throat, but he couldn't utter a single word.
"I will give you a much larger kingdom." The corners of Ian's mouth curled into an amused smirk.
"We are about to build an isolated 'ecological zone' constructed from the sturdiest materials in the world."
"Inside, it will be filled with 'rare breeds' just like you."
"And you," Ian pointed at him, "will become its administrator."
Soldier Boy froze.
For the first time, a look of confusion appeared on that rugged face that only knew how to think with violence.
'What does that mean?'
'Locked up? A king?'
"Your task is to manage them. Use your fists to make every single one of them docile."
"You will be their king, and also their... jailer."
Ian's voice was like the whisper of a devil, brimming with temptation.
"You can bring your tribe to move in together."
"And I will be your... boss."
After his brain short-circuited for a full half-minute, Soldier Boy finally understood Ian's meaning.
An unbelievable ecstasy instantly washed away all his fear.
He saw this as a form of recognition!
The highest form of recognition from a god!
Managing all his powerful kin? Becoming their king?
Wasn't this... wasn't this exactly what he had always dreamed of?!
Compared to hiding in this sunless underground fortress as a petty warlord, that was simply paradise!
"I... I accept!" Soldier Boy uttered these words tremblingly.
He even felt that this was the wisest decision he had ever made in his life.
Soldier Boy looked at Ian, his eyes devoid of any trace of arrogance, leaving only fanatical worship and awe.
He knew he had just secured the most powerful backer in the entire world.
"Very well." Ian turned around, his figure beginning to turn ethereal.
"From today onward, you are the warden of Sector A in the Crossed Ecological Zone."
"Do not disappoint me."
As his words fell, his figure vanished completely.
The sky returned to its clear state.
Soldier Boy climbed up from the ground, looked at his equally shell-shocked subordinates, and let out a deafening, maniacal laugh.
He had gotten his wish.
He, Soldier Boy, had finally found a perfect, legitimate position that would allow him to do whatever he wanted.
He absolutely loved this job.