A Journey of American Comics Starting from the Zombie Universe

Chapter 685 Temporary Research Room

Bai Ye stood in front of the huge crystal, surrounded by an indescribable majesty and coldness. This crystal, crystal clear, seemed to contain the oldest secrets in the universe, and it was like a sleeping star, lying quietly in the dim basement, emitting a faint blue light, dyeing everything around it with a layer of mystery.

"Soldiers, you've worked hard." Bai Ye's voice was deep and powerful, penetrating the silence in the room. Every soldier subconsciously straightened his back, his eyes flashing with absolute obedience to the order. "Today's exploration has been long and challenging enough. Now, I order you to go to the small meeting room over there to take a break, drink a pot of hot tea, and relax your tense nerves for a moment."

The soldiers moved quickly and orderly, without much talk, only the slight sound of shoes rubbing against the ground and the occasional subtle sound of metal equipment colliding. They filed out one after another, leaving behind an empty and quiet space, with only the blue light of the crystal and the figure of Bai Ye shining against each other.

Bai Ye turned around and looked deeply at Commissioner Smith who was sitting not far away. The latter was obviously a little surprised by this sudden "tea break", but soon returned to his professional smile. "General Bai Ye, this arrangement is beyond my expectation, but for the tired soldiers, this is undoubtedly a wise decision."

"Commissioner Smith, what we pursue is not only speed, but also quality." Bai Ye walked slowly towards Smith, and the distance between them was shortened unknowingly. "The appearance of this crystal means that we may have touched upon an unprecedented field of knowledge. Before that, we need to ensure that our team, including every scientist, is in the best condition."

Smith nodded, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes. "Well, next..."

"Next," Bai Ye interrupted Smith, his tone full of unquestionable determination, "I need you to help me gather some top scientists. They must be people who are curious about the unknown and have deep research skills. We need to build a temporary but efficient research base around this crystal and unlock its secrets at all costs."

Upon hearing this, Commissioner Smith immediately took out a list and communication equipment from his briefcase and took action quickly. "I have been prepared. The scientists on this list are all leaders in their respective fields. I believe their participation will greatly accelerate our research progress."

Following Commissioner Smith's call, several neatly dressed and solemn scientists entered the basement one after another. Some of them wore thick glasses, their eyes flickering with a desire to explore the unknown; others held notebooks and recorded their initial observations as they walked. The air was filled with a tense and exciting atmosphere.

"Everyone, welcome to this unknown feast." Bai Ye's voice echoed in the empty room. He stood in front of the crystal, like a guide who was about to lead everyone into a new world. "What you see is not just an ordinary crystal. It may be a bridge connecting the past and the future, and the key to open the door to a new world."

The scientists looked at each other in bewilderment, and then gathered around, some crouching down to carefully observe the texture of the crystal, or using the instruments they carried with them to conduct preliminary tests. For a moment, various data, hypotheses, and discussions came one after another, and the entire basement was filled with unprecedented vitality.

"General Bai Ye, according to preliminary analysis, the molecular structure of this crystal is extremely stable and contains elements we have never seen before." An elderly scientist with silver hair and wisdom in his eyes said as he handed a report to Bai Ye.

Bai Ye took the report, quickly read it through, and a meaningful smile appeared on the corner of his mouth. "Very good, this is exactly what we need. I ask you to dig out all the secrets behind this crystal at all costs. Funding, equipment, resources, I will fully support you as long as you can make some discoveries."

After saying that, Bai Ye turned around and gave an order to Commissioner Smith: "Immediately allocate a large amount of funds to ensure that the construction of the research base and the research of scientists are not troubled by any funding shortages. At the same time, strengthen the security measures of the base. I don't want any external factors to interfere with our research."

Commissioner Smith responded quickly and began to arrange relevant matters. Bai Ye stood aside, quietly observing the busy figures of the scientists, with both expectation and anxiety in his heart. He knew that this road of exploration was destined to be full of unknowns and dangers, but it was this unknown that made him feel unprecedented excitement and satisfaction.

As time went by, the research base gradually took shape. Scientists worked day and night, their faces full of fatigue, but their eyes flashed with an undying light. Bai Ye would occasionally inspect the base in person and communicate with scientists about the research progress. Every suggestion he made seemed to point the way forward for the research team.

However, as the research deepened, some disturbing discoveries gradually surfaced. The energy contained in the crystal was far more complex and dangerous than they had initially imagined. Once out of control, the consequences would be disastrous. But even so, Bai Ye and the scientists did not back down at all. They knew that this was not just a study, but an adventure that concerned the future of mankind.

During this long and difficult exploration, Bai Ye and the scientists established a deep friendship and trust. They faced challenges together, searched for answers together, and looked forward to the moment that could change the world. And the mysterious crystal, like a silent beacon, led them step by step into the unknown abyss, and also step by step closer to the truth that may never be touched...

Bai Ye stood in the core area of ​​the research base, staring at the crystal that still emitted a faint blue light, with complex emotions surging in his heart. The energy crisis in the city was becoming increasingly serious. If energy could be extracted from this mysterious crystal, it would undoubtedly be a huge breakthrough in human technology and a salvation for the city in trouble.

"We must build a machine that can safely collect crystal energy." Bai Ye's voice echoed in the empty base, his eyes firm and resolute, "No matter what the cost, we must try."

Upon hearing this, Commissioner Smith frowned, knowing full well the difficulty and danger of this mission. "General Bai Ye, this... this is probably more difficult than any challenge we have faced before. The energy of the crystal is unknown and unstable. If it is not handled properly, the consequences will be disastrous."

"I understand," Bai Ye turned around and glanced at every scientist present, "but precisely because it is dangerous, we must do it. The future of the city and the fate of mankind may be in our hands."

The scientists looked at each other in bewilderment, but eventually, driven by their desire to explore the unknown and their sense of responsibility for the future of mankind, they all nodded in agreement. They began to design, calculate, and experiment day and night, trying to build a machine that could capture and stabilize crystal energy.

However, as time went by, failures followed one after another. Each attempt was like throwing a stone into an unknown abyss, and the ripples it caused were fleeting, leaving only more confusion and frustration. The energy of the crystal seemed to have its own will, refusing to be bound by any external force. Whenever scientists tried to approach it, they would encounter a strong backlash.

"We can't go on like this." After several days of failure, a young scientist finally couldn't help but burst out, "This is not just a technical problem, but also a threat to life. We have lost too many colleagues, and we can't let more people sacrifice for this." Bai Ye remained silent. He knew that the young scientist's words made sense. But giving up was never an option for him. He walked to the broken machine, his eyes flashing with determination and madness. "We won't give up until the last moment."

With his persistence, the research team continued their efforts, trying more advanced materials, more complex algorithms, and even sacrificing their own health and safety, just for that glimmer of hope.

Finally, on a stormy night, they started the machine again. This time, the crystal seemed to sense something, and its light suddenly became extremely bright, illuminating the entire base. The scientists held their breath, expecting a miracle to happen.

However, the miracle did not happen. Instead, with a deafening explosion, the entire base was instantly engulfed in flames and thick smoke. Machine fragments flew everywhere, and the crystal disappeared in the explosion, leaving only a mess and endless despair.

Bai Ye stood in the ruins after the explosion, letting the rain wash over his face, his heart filled with unprecedented frustration and self-blame. He realized that he might have made an irreversible wrong decision, which not only failed to solve the city's energy crisis, but also caused more people to lose their lives.

"We... failed." Bai Ye's voice was hoarse and low. He slowly turned around and faced the scientists who were also covered in scars. "But please remember, failure is not the end, but the only way to success. As long as we don't give up, one day, we will find the real answer."

Just when everyone was immersed in the bitterness and despair of failure, a strange light suddenly emerged from the depths of the ruins, penetrating the thick smoke and illuminating everything around.

Bai Ye raised his head suddenly, with a gleam of disbelief in his eyes. He quickly ordered the soldiers to remain alert, and led a group of scientists to carefully approach the source of the light. As they approached, the light became more and more dazzling, until they stood completely under the light, and found that the light actually came from an intact crystal, the one that disappeared without a trace in the previous explosion.

"This... how is it possible?" a scientist muttered to himself. He reached out to touch the crystal, but was afraid of causing another disaster, so he finally withdrew his hand trembling.

Bai Ye said nothing, but stared at the crystal, with an indescribable feeling in his heart. He seemed to be able to feel the power surging inside the crystal, an energy that was both familiar and unfamiliar, more violent and more elusive than before.

"Continue to study," Bai Ye suddenly said, his voice low and firm, "No matter what it becomes, we must uncover its secrets."

The scientists were uneasy when they heard this, but they quickly started their new research. They set up various instruments around the crystal, trying to capture and analyze the energy fluctuations it released. However, while they were busy, the crystal suddenly changed.

The originally calm surface of the crystal began to wriggle, as if it had life. Then, a sharp friction sound was heard, and the crystal began to deform, gradually stretching and twisting, and finally turned into a huge crystal snake.

This sudden change caught everyone off guard. The crystal snake's body was crystal clear and glittering with dazzling light, but its eyes, which were formed by the light, revealed coldness and cruelty. It opened its bloody mouth, let out a deafening roar, and then launched a fierce attack on everyone.

The soldiers reacted quickly, raising their weapons and trying to stop the crystal snake's attack. However, their attacks seemed to have no effect on the crystal snake, and the bullets hit the crystal snake's body, leaving only shallow marks, and were then bounced off by its powerful energy field.

The scientists fled in all directions, looking for a place to hide. However, where could they escape to in such a small space? The crystal snake's body was flexible and swift. It easily shuttled through the crowd, and every attack was accompanied by screams and splashes of blood.

Bai Ye stood there, neither escaping nor resisting. He stared at the crystal snake, his eyes flashing with complex light. He seemed to be communicating with the crystal snake in some kind of silent way, trying to understand why it became like this and why it attacked them.

However, the crystal snake did not give him any response, it just continued its cruel and crazy attack. Bai Ye finally realized that he could not be passive like this any longer. He had to take action, otherwise everyone would die here.

He suddenly drew out the sword from his waist. It was his companion in many battles, sharp and tough. He took a deep breath and rushed towards the crystal snake. His movements were swift and accurate, and he slashed the crystal snake's vital point with one sword.

However, the crystal snake's body seemed to have no substance, and Bai Ye's sword only penetrated its body without causing any substantial damage. Instead, the crystal snake took the opportunity to entangle his body and bind him tightly.

"General Bai Ye!" The soldiers cried out in surprise. They wanted to rush over to rescue him, but were knocked to the ground by the crystal snake's tail. They could only watch as Bai Ye was swallowed up bit by bit by the crystal snake's crystal clear body.

At this moment, a strong energy wave burst out from the crystal snake's body. It twisted its body in pain, as if it was enduring some unbearable pain. Finally, with a deafening explosion, the crystal snake's body shattered into countless pieces and scattered all over the ground.

The white night also disappeared with the shattering of the crystal snake. Only the debris on the ground and the smell of blood and despair in the air were left. The scientists and soldiers looked at each other, their hearts filled with fear and anxiety. They knew that this disaster was not over, but just the beginning...

(End of this chapter)