How Humanity Constructed its Strongest Line of Defense

The data​​​⁠‍​⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌‌⁠‌​⁠‌⁠⁠​⁠‌ screen displayed the time this memory occurred:

2130, when Qin Zhilu was 8 years old.

In the laboratory, the collapsing breathing gradually weakened as medical personnel stabilized his physiological vital signs.

A researcher clicked on the information database for subject #0930 on the computer. It was a top-secret Black Tower file. Records rushed across the screen, and An Yu looked down at the stiff, cold words.

[February 2122: General Qin Zheng’s wife, Tang Ru, one month pregnant was exposed in the Yuge Snowfield. Fetal examination showed no abnormalities. Normal delivery permitted.]

…

[September 2122: Fetus born, codenamed #0930, listed in the first batch of genetic entropy test subjects. Clinical report: 0930 genetic entropy exceeds instrument measurement limit (>1 million). No aberrant features. Recommend laboratory containment for long-term isolation and observation.]

…

[September 2126: #0930 showed no aberrant characteristics during three-year observation period. Latest mental power assessment rated as “Excellent.” As approved by General Qin Zheng, genetic injection induction were permitted for #0930. Note: Experiment intends to use trace genetic injection from samples collected during aberrant clearings. Subject may become an aberrant due to induction.]

Gene injection was the precursor to induction testing. At that time, technology was not yet perfect. The experiment did not simulate the process of abnormality through frequency but brutally injected amounts of aberrant genes, extracted from around the world, one by one into the human body.

That year, Qin Zhilu had just turned 4 years old, and it was when he first began to have a vague cognition.

It was also the peak period for human discovery of various aberrants. The screen scrolled wildly with test records. During the most intensive period, data from a single day would scroll for dozens of pages. An Yu quietly watched from above for a while, then turned to look at Qin Zhilu on the test bench.

Qin Zhilu lay with numerous tubes inserted into him and struggled to turn his head to look at the physiological indicators on the screen.

Although there were only a few numbers, he stared for a long time, until medical personnel softly stopped him and helped him turn his head back.

In those dark eyes was an emptiness An Yu had never seen before.

An Yu’s consciousness descended from high above, uselessly embraced his young Commander, then once again entered those dark eyes, slowly browsing through those sections of memory where his defenses had been unexpectedly lowered.

For the entire four years from 2126 to 2130, Qin Zhilu lived almost exclusively between the Brain and the Black Tower.

The young Qin Zhilu had no concept of being a person. He only knew his codename was 0930, and his sole mission was to cooperate with tests and learn to endure pain.

In his perception, every test carried the risk of leaving this world forever, but if it ended successfully, everyone would be subservient to him until the next test. He had his own smart terminal, and the adults never restricted him from seeing the wonderful world outside. His researchers would go out and queue to buy popular milk tea for him, watch TV shows with him, help him acquire various out-of-print records, and even gave him a wooden guitar for recreation.

He freely ran around the Brain and the Black Tower from a young age, making friends with people called Protectors.

Five adults called “First Generation” always liked to tease him, and there was a bird-like guy named Billy who would come to listen to him play the guitar when he had nothing else to do, and even helped him treat minor skin injuries left over from tests.

In those four years, Qin Zhilu’s perception of the world was fragmented. He felt that everything around him was benevolent, yet at the same time, it was hard to force himself to forget the pain of the tests.

The researchers were very honest with him, informing him of every clinical accident. In four years, there were a total of 185 dangerous incidents, including 4 critical clinical conditions. Although he had no residual disabilities, it left him with permanent neurofunctional syndromes: insomnia, headaches, and palpitations.

When he was in pain, the First Generation Protectors and Billy would come and stay with him. Billy even secretly told him that once he completed all the tests, he would get his human name and fully join the outside world.

In September 2130, on his 8th birthday, Qin Zhilu received a full Aberrant Gene Sequence Test Report.

The report showed that no aberrant gene could successfully mutate him. Although he had an off-the-charts genetic entropy, he was deemed a safe and stable human.

That day, he heard the name his father had prepared for him long ago—Qin Zhilu.

On the way back to the Qin residence in the military car, he pressed his face against the glass and looked at the outside world—

Though it was no different from what he saw on his terminal, it was still the most exciting day of his life.

That year, he officially met his father and mother. His father, General Qin Zheng, was stern and taciturn, but he would recommend books worth reading, patiently annotate Qin Zhilu’s reading notes, and teach him how to dismantle and assemble guns.

His mother, Tang Ru, was a gentle and kind writer who spent over half a month figuring out his tastes, then personally cooked for him every day while pregnant.

When he was young, Qin Zhilu loved french fries the most because they were an ingredient never seen in Brain’s nutrient-balanced meals.

That same year, Qin Zhilu had a younger sister. His father entrusted him with the task of naming her. At that time, he was reading a collection of poems written by his mother in her youth, so he named his sister Qin Zhishi.

He enjoyed an intense elite education and quickly surpassed his peers in academics. Influenced by his mother, he also loved literature and music. Qin Zheng let him live in the largest bedroom in the Qin mansion, which had an entire wall of floor-to-ceiling windows and a wooden bookshelf. He liked to sit on the bookshelf ladder, basking in the sun, lost in thought, reading, playing the guitar, until he fell asleep.

“All the socialization training arranged for you has been canceled. We never expected you to integrate into the family so quickly, and all of it happened so naturally,” the psychologist praised him happily and she had gentle eyes. “Zhilu, not everyone is born with such a powerful heart. Your emotions are far more stable than most people in the world, and you possess an almost terrifying rationality and tolerance. Although your gene entropy is hard to explain, you also have the most perfect personality I’ve ever seen. Child, I wish you a happy and joyful life ahead.”

Qin Zhilu smiled from the consultation chair. “Thank you. I can indeed fully understand those gene injection tests. They are what human decision-makers should do, and it’s my responsibility as a member of humanity.”

He turned his head to look at the sunlight outside the window, and softly said, “I truly love Mom and Zhishi… especially Zhishi, she’s too adorable.”

The psychologist looked at him, seemingly lost in thought for a while.

After a long moment, she softly said, “But they said you still often suffer from insomnia and heart palpitations.”

“Yes,” Qin Zhilu nodded. “I’m also exploring ways to overcome these problems and have gained some experience. Especially the heart palpitations; I can basically calm them by controlling my breathing.”

The doctor’s smile was kind and sympathetic. “That’s good. But if possible, try your best to forget those four years. Memories between the ages of 4 and 8 are relatively easy to forget. You should completely step into your real life.”

Qin Zhilu smiled. “I will try my best, Doctor.”

As he left the psychology consultation room, the sun shone brightly. On a screen at the street corner, news was still playing. The female anchor genuinely smiled at the camera.

“Today marks 9 years since the Great Disaster. Humanity spent 8 years clearing all aberrants, and for 1 consecutive year, no new aberrant genes have been discovered. With this, Brain researchers have determined that the great blizzard of 2122 was a low-probability, random, super disaster. It was extremely tragic, but it has now completely ended.”

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Very occasionally, he would still dream of those four years of gene injection tests. But he wasn’t sure if that should be defined as a nightmare, because he never dreamed of the suffering he endured on the test table.

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In countless dreams, Qin Zhilu wished that after the experiment, someone would be waiting outside that door.

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From age eight to sixteen, human society rapidly recovered, and Qin Zhilu’s life became increasingly bright and unrestrained. Due to his unique genetic entropy, he was permitted free access to the Black Tower and the Brain. He hung out with the First Generation Aberrants, laughing at how ugly they were becoming, and mocking Billy as the most useless of the first batch of Protectors.

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A large number of new types of aberrants appeared, along with Super-aberrants capable of disrupting time-space order.

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Qin Zhilu was recalled by Brain to undergo induced tests for the newly discovered aberrant genes. This batch of genes was extremely stimulating. In just a week of testing, he was clinically critical 3 times, and his neurofunctional disorder was so severe that he hadn’t slept for two consecutive weeks.

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Soon, another batch of new aberrant genes was discovered, and he was recalled for testing again.

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It wasn’t until the end of the year that the abnormalities temporarily subsided for a few days. He was finally released home by Brain. But on that very night, he abruptly used his father’s gun to personally kill his father.

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No one knew how Qin Zhilu had detected it.

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He calmly killed three of his closest family members within a week, yet showed no signs of irritation or sadness.

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Qin Zhilu remained silent for several hours.

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In that year, Qin Zhilu’s memory became a dim, narrow corridor, and his memory fragments were stored behind various doors.

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An Yu stared blankly at the scenes within the doors.

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But he couldn’t step inside.

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Behind that door was a rare quietness and An Yu seemed to hear Qin Zhilu talking to another voice from behind the door, but couldn’t make out what they were saying.

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An Yu paused in front of the door for a while, then turned and walked towards the last door.

In the last door, Qin Zhilu suddenly became very gentle, returning to his pre-incident self without warning.

He apologized to the researchers, candidly described his grief over personally killing his family, and expressed willingness to accept the human gene classification that the Black Tower was then struggling to implement.

“I’ll go help persuade the First Generation team, but they are very resolute people. No one can stop them if they insist on breaking ties with the Black Tower,” he said softly. “I heard that the Protectors are preparing to launch a large-scale clearing operation. My father is already dead. Can I join the fight? Although I am human, at least I can shoot, and I won’t get infected.”

In that large-scale clearing operation, Qin Zhilu did more than just shoot.

On the battlefield, he suddenly awakened an ability for gene expression—the more he was damaged by aberrants, the more his genetic entropy grew unchecked, and after several practical explorations, he completely learned how to copy the opponent’s abilities.

During the six-month clearing operation, Qin Zhilu personally eliminated tens of thousands of aberrants and rectified 30 time-space disordered zones.

After being recalled for induced testing again, the Brain officially confirmed that this ability, named “gene acquired expression,” was completely controllable by Qin Zhilu’s autonomous will.

Although his mental power would also fluctuate, it was far more stable than other Protectors. Furthermore, his highly chaotic genes still could not infect anyone. He was absolutely safe, and his determined abnormal final form was: human.

He was a scientific paradox, but also humanity’s glimmer of hope against disasters.

On September 30th, 2140, Qin Zhilu’s 18th birthday, he officially became the second Commander of the Spire, stepping onto the top floor with numerous military merits.

On that day, humanity’s strongest line of defense was constructed.

It was just that at that time, his former psychologist had already died due to abnormality.

No one else paid extra attention to the fact that he consistently wore those pitch-black leather gloves, refusing to take them off.

Qin Zhilu stood before his father’s sculpture, and like all Protectors, he recited the Protector’s Oath in a deep voice.

He stood for a long time, then added, “I will abide by humanity’s rules for dealing with disasters, but I will also constantly scrutinize them.”

“I will dedicate everything to the return of order.”

An Yu watched the Spire’s glass elevator rise up. Behind the transparent cabin door, that figure was resolute and solemn.

Just as he was now.

His consciousness suddenly rose, then fell.

An Yu opened his eyes and was back in the real world.

The mirror core was shattered on the ground.

Everything was silent, pitch black.

In front of him was still the Commander, holding a white candle and looking at him.

Qin Zhilu seemed to have recovered somewhat. The flame of the white candle burned much more intensely than before.

Wax dripped, and tears of wax solidified on his glove, reflecting those deeply dark eyes.

“Commander,” An Yu heard himself whispering, “Can I…”

Qin Zhilu looked at him. After a long pause, he slowly began, “Can you what…”

Before he finished speaking, An Yu had already spread his arms, gently embracing that tall, cold body.

He silently held his Commander, through the howling snowstorm and the scorching candlelight.

No one had taught him what to say at this moment. He simply felt this was what the Commander needed.

Even though Qin Zhilu had never asked anyone for anything.

Author’s Note: