66: Hope is found in the embers of war, and a new chapter lies in the shadows.

Chapter Sixty-Eight: Gathering Hope from Post-War Embers, A New Chapter Buried in Hidden Undercurrents

Dawn pierced the curtain of night, spilling over the devastated hills and plains.

The smoke of artillery fire gradually dispersed, leaving behind only the wreckage of Mutants and damaged weaponry. The soldiers of Dawn City, carrying exhaustion and scars, began to clear the battlefield. They dug out the crystal cores of the Mutants one by one, recycled usable armor fragments, and carefully lifted the bodies of fallen comrades onto stretchers, their faces filled with solemnity and grief.

Lin Zhou stood at the breach in the city wall, watching the busy figures below, his fingertips lightly stroking that shattered Level 4 crystal core. Though the core was broken, the residual energy remained warm; it felt as if his palm could still sense the searing heat and tremors of last night's bloody battle.

Wang Hu walked over wrapped in bandages. The wound on his shoulder still throbbed with pain, yet he kept his back straight: "Commander, the battlefield cleanup is almost finished. In this battle, we lost seventeen soldiers, thirty-six were seriously injured, and over a hundred sustained minor injuries. However, the Serpent Skeleton Research Institute's ground forces were wiped out, the mature-stage Mutants were nearly all destroyed, and we captured that doctor alive. It's a major victory."

Lin Zhou nodded, his voice carrying a hint of raspiness: "Posthumously award medals to the fallen soldiers. Their families are to be included in Dawn City's preferential treatment list—food, clothing, housing, and transportation are all covered. Send the seriously injured to the Scientific Research Zone for full treatment; use the best medicine. Also, send out a notice that a memorial ceremony will be held at the Dawn City Plaza this afternoon to console the heroic spirits."

"Yes." Wang Hu responded in a deep voice and turned to arrange the matters.

Chen Hao walked over carrying his sniper rifle, his face worn with the fatigue of travel, yet his eyes held an excitement he couldn't hide: "Commander, news came from Jincheng and Yucheng. Our Reconnaissance Squad, coordinating with local survivors, successfully intercepted the Skeleton Serpent's aircraft. The deployment of Mutants was nipped in the bud. The survivors of both cities are thanking us for the support."

"As expected." Lin Zhou's lips curled slightly. "With the main force of the Skeleton Serpent pinned down here, their operations elsewhere were bound to fail. However, we cannot let our guard down. Have the Reconnaissance Squad remain on standby to watch for any counterattacks from remnant forces."

As they were speaking, Chen Yang walked over holding the little girl rescued from Beishan. The little girl held a small yellow wildflower; she shyly walked up to Lin Zhou and handed the flower to him: "Uncle, thank you for protecting us."

Lin Zhou crouched down, took the wildflower, and gently touched the top of the girl's head, his voice softening: "No need for thanks. We are soldiers; protecting you is our duty."

The little girl looked at him, her eyes shining with bright light: "When I grow up, I want to be like you, Uncle, and protect everyone."

Lin Zhou's heart felt as if it had been gently nudged by something, and a warm current slowly spread through him. Looking into the girl's clear eyes, he nodded solemnly: "Alright, Uncle will be waiting for that day."

Chen Yang watched from the side, a gratified smile on his face: "This child's name is Yaya. The survivors from the Beishan Caves said her mother was taken by Mutants. Now, she's a child of our Dawn City."

Lin Zhou stood up and looked toward the distant horizon. The morning sun was slowly rising, its golden light spilling into every corner of Dawn City, casting a warm halo over this city that had endured the fires of war.

"Let's go to the Scientific Research Zone."

In the laboratory of the Scientific Research Zone, researchers were busy surrounding the captured doctor. The doctor was tied to an experimental chair, his face pale, yet his eyes were still full of malice. Seeing Lin Zhou enter, he snorted coldly: "Don't waste your breath; you won't get anything out of me. The power of the Serpent Skeleton Research Institute is far beyond your imagination."

Lin Zhou ignored his blustering and walked to the lab bench, looking at the research data regarding the Mutants. The documents detailed the methods the Serpent Skeleton Research Institute used to cultivate Mutants, as well as the improvement plans for the Energy Suppressor.

The Research Team Leader said excitedly: "Commander, we cracked part of the data from the doctor's personal computer! It contains an upgraded formula for the Energy Suppressor. As long as we find enough crystal core energy, we can produce a long-acting suppressor! Additionally, we discovered that the Serpent Skeleton Research Institute has bases all over the country—at least twenty of them!"

Lin Zhou's expression darkened. Twenty bases meant that the threat of the Skeleton Serpent was far from eliminated.

"Continue cracking the data," Lin Zhou said deeply. "Make sure to find the locations of all the bases. Also, keep that doctor under strict supervision; he knows far more than we imagine."

"Understood!"

When leaving the Scientific Research Zone, Lin Zhou made a special trip to the energy storage room. The shattered crystal core that had dropped from the Scaled Wing Overlord was carefully placed in a specialized container, alongside the 0.3% residual energy brought back from Beishan.

The Research Team Leader said that this energy was enough to support them in developing the first generation of long-acting Energy Suppressors.

In the Dawn City Plaza, the memorial ceremony was held as scheduled.

The surviving soldiers and residents, holding white paper flowers, stood before the spirit tablets of the martyrs in silent tribute. The wind blew gently, making the paper flowers rustle like a silent response from the heroic spirits.

Lin Zhou stood at the very front, looking at the familiar names on the tablets, a flicker of tears in his eyes. He raised his right hand and gave a standard military salute.

"Rest in peace, brothers."

"Your sacrifice will not be in vain."

"Dawn City will only get better."

A sound of suppressed sobbing echoed across the plaza.

After the ceremony ended, Lin Zhou walked alone to the highest point of the city wall. He looked down at the vibrant Dawn City—the machines in the factories were roaring again, green sprouts were growing in the fields, children were chasing each other in the streets, and long-absent smiles reappeared on the faces of the survivors.

All of this had been exchanged for with blood and lives.

His hand clenched tightly into a fist.

The threat of the Serpent Skeleton Research Institute remained, the evolution of Mutants had never stopped, and the darkness of the apocalypse still shrouded the land.

But he was not afraid.

Because behind him were thousands upon thousands of survivors, comrades who shared life and death, and this Dawn City full of hope.

The setting sun stretched Lin Zhou's shadow very, very long.

Meanwhile, on the far side of the ocean, in a secret base hidden beneath the sea.

A man in a black suit looked at the report in his hand, his lips curling into a meaningful smile. On the report, Lin Zhou's photo was prominently printed, along with detailed information on Dawn City and the red alert system.

He spoke into the phone in a cold voice: "Dawn City, red alert system... interesting. Send word to have the Seventh Base in Europe prepare to initiate the 'Harvest Plan'."

A respectful voice came from the other end of the line: "Yes, my lord."

The man hung up the phone and walked to the massive floor-to-ceiling window, looking out at the deep seabed.

Deep within the underwater base, rows of incubation tanks were neatly arranged. Soaking inside were Mutants even more terrifying than the Scaled Wing Overlord. Their eyes shimmered with a crimson light in the darkness, waiting for the day of their awakening.