In Dragon Ball: A brutal beating of Frieza at the start

Page 274

The previously writhing, aggressive walls of flesh and blood were now completely withered, dull in color, and shriveled as if drained of all moisture. Most of the follicles embedded in the walls had ruptured, releasing murky, foul-smelling liquid; the unformed, deformed creatures inside had long since turned to skeletal remains. The pungent, sweet-smelling, putrid odor in the air had faded considerably, replaced by the pure stench of something utterly rotten.

The passageway remained a mess, littered with signs of battle and fragments of aberrations, but not a single moving enemy was visible. Only faint rustling sounds occasionally came from the depths of the shadows, like small, surviving individuals instinctively crawling about, completely unresponsive to Lin Ye and Li Sha as they passed by.

"The effect was immediate once the node was closed." Li Sha leaned against the wall, carefully stepping over a pool of sticky filth, looking around at the apocalyptic ruins with lingering fear.

“The energy source is cut off, and the will of ‘Echo’ has been extinguished. These aberrations that rely on the energy of whispers to exist naturally can’t sustain themselves.” Lin Ye walked ahead, the energy indicator on his rifle nearing the red zone. He still vigilantly scanned every corner. “But the speed of this decay… is a bit too fast.”

The sentinel's synthesized voice came through the terminal at the right time: "Environmental scan confirmed: Bioactivity index decreased by 87%. Environmental toxin concentration dropped below the safety threshold. Residual mental pollution intensity decreased by 95%. The data is consistent with the expected model after 'node core destruction'. However, the decay rate exceeded the standard prediction by 30%. It is speculated to be related to the special nature of the 'Echo' consciousness and its deep binding with this area."

“In other words, this place is 'completely dead',” Lin Ye concluded, his feelings somewhat complicated. Destroying the node was the goal, but witnessing an area (even such a distorted place) lose all life so quickly still gave one a heavy sense of oppression.

They retraced their steps, passing through the main corridor that had been so heavily clogged with flesh and blood. Now, most of the accumulated flesh and blood had turned into dried silt, soft and yielding with a slight "plop" sound underfoot. The veins on the walls, which had once pulsated like blood vessels, had completely lost their luster, turning ashen like withered tree roots.

Soon, they arrived at the airtight door that had initially led them into the control tower area. Traces of Lisa's psionic energy cutting the vines remained on the door frame.

"There were quite a few of those things blocking the door before, be careful." Lin Ye lowered his voice, signaling Li Sha to stop for a moment, while he himself leaned close to the crack in the door and cautiously observed outside.

The scene outside the door has changed drastically.

The once surging, red-eyed horde of mutants now lay mostly paralyzed on the ground, lifeless. Their bodies were melting and decomposing at a visible rate, turning into pools of viscous, dark red liquid that seeped into the cracks of the metal floor or accumulated in corners, emitting a nauseating stench. Only a few exceptionally large or structurally unusual individuals were still twitching slightly, but they were clearly not far from complete extinction.

“It’s safe outside now.” Lin Ye breathed a sigh of relief, but his brows did not relax; instead, they furrowed even more. “Something’s not right. The decay area is too large. It doesn’t seem to be affecting only the area directly powered by the node.”

He forcefully pushed open the heavy, airtight door, and an even stronger, more pungent stench rushed in, causing both of them to involuntarily take a half-step back and tightly cover their mouths and noses.

"Ugh..." Li Sha's face turned even paler, and she couldn't help but gag a few times, her body swaying slightly.

"Hold on, we have to get out of here as soon as possible." Lin Ye grabbed her slightly weak arm and half-supported her as they stepped into the area outside the door, which resembled a painting of hell. Unsettling "splat" sounds came from underfoot from time to time, the sound of stepping on the melting remains of the mutants.

Following the optimal route planned by the sentinels, they moved swiftly back the way they came. All they saw was decay. The once rampaging, mutated plant vines had withered and broken; most of the culture tanks were cracked, their nutrient solutions mixed with the remains of the mutants into an indescribable filth. The light in the entire space grew increasingly dim, with only a few emergency lights still providing meager illumination.

“Ahead… we’re almost at the entrance to the passage to the upper deck.” Li Sha pointed to the faint outline ahead, her voice weary but also tinged with anticipation. “Finally, we can leave this hellhole.”

However, just as they were about ten meters away from the entrance of the passage...

"Buzz...!"

That deep hum, originating from deep within the spaceship and previously felt in the control tower, returned without warning! This time, it was not only clearer but also continuous! Accompanying the hum, the deck beneath our feet vibrated noticeably and continuously, and dust and fine metal fragments even fell from above.

"Here we go again!" Li Sha exclaimed, instinctively grabbing Lin Ye's arm tightly for support.

Lin Ye immediately stopped, lowering his center of gravity to steady himself, his expression grave as he sensed the unusual vibrations. "This is definitely not the kind of noise a normal voyage should produce..." he murmured, his sharp eyes scanning the trembling environment around him, "It's more like... some massive system is operating beyond its capacity, or the structure itself is under immense pressure?"

"Sentinel, analyze the vibration source and energy readings immediately!" he quickly ordered into the terminal.

"Analysis in progress... Multiple high-energy seismic sources have been detected, located in: the front of the spacecraft, presumably the bridge and core control area; the middle of the spacecraft, near the main power module; and the rear of the spacecraft, in the thruster array area. Energy readings are extremely chaotic, exhibiting high-frequency disordered fluctuations. Data traffic on the spacecraft's internal network has surged by 400%, and a large number of unidentified anomalous commands are being generated and attempting to be transmitted. Critical warning: The overall structural integrity parameters of the spacecraft are declining, and it is under stress from an unknown source."

“It’s the ‘Mastermind’!” Lin Ye concluded instantly, his tone grave. “Our action of shutting down the nodes has likely severely provoked it, or triggered one of its extreme emergency protocols! It may not be trying to stabilize the situation now, but rather making a final struggle on the verge of spiraling out of control!”

He had barely finished speaking...

"Waaaaah...waaaah...!"

A piercing alarm, instantly echoing throughout every corner of the spaceship, suddenly blared!

This was not the urgent alarm that had sounded during the previous enemy attack, but a longer, heavier tone, as if carrying a sense of despair and lamentation! At the same time, all the lighting systems that were still working, including the already dim emergency lights, began to flash blinding red lights at a fixed frequency!

In an instant, the entire spaceship was enveloped in a chilling crimson light and the incessant wail of alarms, and the terrifying and oppressive atmosphere suddenly rose to its peak!

"What...what is this?" Li Sha was so frightened by the sudden change that her face turned pale, and her voice trembled slightly. "This alarm...it feels different!"

Lin Ye didn't answer immediately. He quickly closed his eyes, frantically searching his mind for fragments of memories inherited from the "Radiance of Annihilation." A few seconds later, he suddenly opened his eyes, his pupils contracting slightly. A corresponding piece of information surfaced in his mind, making his heart feel as if it were being clenched by an icy hand.

“This is… ‘Highest level emergency: System crash critical’ alarm.” His voice was a little hoarse from tension. “It means that the spaceship’s core control system has determined after self-diagnosis that it, or the entire spaceship, is about to face… an irreversible and complete collapse.”

"Complete collapse?!" Li Sha could hardly believe her ears, staring at Lin Ye in astonishment. "Just because we shut down a node? This reaction is too exaggerated!"

“I’m afraid the problem isn’t that simple.” Lin Ye shook his head, his gaze sweeping over the flashing red light and the constantly vibrating environment around him. His speech quickened. “'Echo' is at most a malignant 'tumor' parasitizing the spaceship system. The real root of the problem lies in the already out-of-control 'mainframe' and the 'anchor protocol' that is still running and whose purpose is unclear. Our act of removing the 'tumor' may have accelerated the eventual deterioration of the disease, and may even… have alerted something hidden deeper within the system, something that even the 'mainframe' may not be able to fully control.”

He unconsciously tightened his grip on the isolation box in his hand; the black chip from the control tower seemed to be faintly heating up inside.

They got the key, but their previously ample time was being drastically reduced.

Before this "Radiance of Annihilation" completely disintegrates or is dragged into an abyss of no return by the out-of-control "Mastermind," we must find the core control area and end the root of all this!

"There's no time to waste!" Lin Ye made a decisive move, pulling Li Sha forcefully. "Let's leave the training area first and return to the relatively safe area on the upper level before formulating the next plan!"

Without another word, the two ignored the deafening alarm and the unsettling flashes of blood and light, and sprinted toward the nearby passageway.

The cultivation area behind them was rapidly decaying and collapsing amidst the continuous tremors, while the road ahead, shrouded in sirens, appeared increasingly perilous and unpredictable. Their escape route seemed to lead to a future even more turbulent and dangerous than the deathly landscape behind them.

Just as their figures were about to disappear into the shadows at the entrance of the passage, the terminal on Lin Ye's arm flashed again, and the sentry's notification tone was still clearly audible even amidst the alarm:

"Warning: An abnormally high-energy response has been detected from the direction of the core control area. The energy signature does not match that of the 'Mainframe' or any known aberration. A new threat... is awakening."

Chapter 569 Running Wild and Strange Sounds

The piercing collapse alarm drilled into their brains like a drill, and the flashing red light stained the entire tunnel crimson. Lin Ye and Li Sha ran forward for their lives, completely ignoring the cultivation area behind them that was rapidly decaying and disintegrating into ruins. The metal walls twisted and deformed like melted wax, and the pipes that were originally embedded in the walls were exposed, crackling with sparks and occasionally bursting into small, dangerous flames.

The ground was sticky and gooey; the melting, mutated remains were like sludge, each step producing a nauseating "plop" sound. It felt like stepping into a swamp full of rotting entrails, the thick liquid trying to cling to their boots and drag them into this pool of deadly filth. The stench in the air was so thick it was almost unbearable; inhaling it felt like swallowing rotting organs, carrying a nauseatingly sweet and fishy smell.

"Hurry! The exit is just ahead!" Lin Ye shouted hoarsely, one hand tightly gripping the rifle whose energy indicator was already red and whose barrel was frighteningly hot, while the other hand was supporting Li Sha, whose face was pale and who was struggling to breathe. She had exhausted too much spiritual energy and her body was already weak. Now, as she was running at full speed, her legs were trembling, and her entire weight was almost entirely on Lin Ye.

"I...can manage!" Li Sha squeezed out the words through gritted teeth, sweat blurring her vision, but she didn't bother wiping it away, and desperately strode forward to keep up. Her chest burned with pain, and every breath felt like a bellows being pulled.

The passageway leading to the upper level, a symbol of survival, was just a few steps away; a relatively stable white emergency light shone from behind the half-open airtight door...

"Boom!!!"

A deafening crash followed, and the ground lurched violently, as if the entire ship had been swung around and smashed by a giant! Then came the ear-piercing screams of metal being forcibly twisted and torn apart, as if countless steel behemoths were tearing at the ship's interior! Above, large chunks of metal plates and pipes of varying thickness rained down, carrying dust and debris like a torrential downpour of metal!

"Watch out!" Lin Ye shouted, forcefully pulling Li Sha into his arms. At the same time, he slammed his shoulder through a thick heat shield that was falling towards their heads. The sharp edge of the shield grazed his arm, leaving a white mark on his protective suit.

"Bang!" The heat insulation board slammed to the ground, making my feet go numb. It splashed up a blackish-red, foul-smelling sludge, with a few drops landing on Lin Ye's mask.

The violent shaking lasted for five or six seconds before gradually subsiding, but the passageway had been completely transformed. The once relatively clear entrance was now completely blocked by several twisted, thick pipes and structural steel beams, resembling a tangled mess of barbed wire, leaving only a narrow gap that required bending over to squeeze through. Behind the gap, a staircase leading upwards could be seen, but it was also cluttered with fallen debris, and broken cables dangled like dying snakes, occasionally emitting a spark or two.

"Damn it!" Lin Ye couldn't help but curse, releasing Li Sha and rushing forward to check. He pushed hard at a steel beam, thicker than his thigh, that was stuck in the middle of the passage, but it didn't budge. Instead, his movement caused more debris to fall from above. "The road is blocked!"

Li Sha leaned against the cold, slightly vibrating wall, panting heavily. Her chest heaved violently as she stared at the narrow crack, her face deathly pale. "Can... can we get through?" Her voice was filled with barely concealed weakness and panic. The light filtering through the crack flickered, illuminating her bloodless face.

"We have no choice but to force our way through." Lin Ye turned around, his eyes grave, and quickly scanned Li Sha's condition. "I'll go check the situation first, and you can follow me when it's safe. Be very careful of what's above you; something might still fall." He paused, then added, "Stay close, don't hesitate."

Without further hesitation, he slung the rifle over his back, fastened the sling, turned sideways, and carefully squeezed into the gap. The metal edge scraped against his protective suit, making a chilling "crunch, crunch" sound, as if it might tear through the protective gear at any moment. The gap was narrow and dark, filled with the noise of metal rubbing and structural groans, with only the flickering red light from outside providing a meager illumination, stretching his shadow into a distorted shape.

The sentinel's voice rang out in the terminal, intermittent and accompanied by static from electrical interference: "Structural scan complete. The integrity of the supporting structure at this location is less than 30%. Stability: Dangerous. Recommendation: Proceed quickly; prolonged stay carries an extremely high risk."

"Understood." Lin Ye replied briefly, focusing all his attention on what was ahead. He could feel the ground trembling slightly beneath his feet, and he could hear creaking sounds and the tired groans of metal overhead, which made his heart pound. A cold wind blew in from the other end of the gap, carrying the distinctive smell of the upper deck, a mixture of engine oil and dust, which slightly diluted the stench behind him.

After finally squeezing through the narrowest section, the space ahead opened up a bit more, leading to the stairwell to the upper deck. It was just as messy here, with collapsed lockers, scattered tools, and broken cables piled up everywhere, but at least it wasn't completely blocked off. Although the staircase leading up was covered in dust, its structure still looked relatively intact.

"It's safe this way! Come here quickly, Li Sha!" He turned his head and shouted towards the gap, while raising his arm and waving the terminal light on his wrist in that direction to show her.

Li Sha took a deep breath, her voice trembling. Following Lin Ye's example, she squeezed sideways into the gap. She was small, which should have made it easier for her, but she was too exhausted; her movements were slow and stiff, each step seeming like she had drained all her strength.

Just as she was about to pass through the narrowest part, only two or three meters away from Lin Ye—

"Thump...click!"

Above her head, a metal decorative panel with sharp edges that had been loosened earlier finally detached from its anchor point under the continuous hum of the alarm and the stress of the structure. Trailing sparks and acrid black smoke, it crashed straight down towards Li Sha's head! A shadow instantly enveloped her!

"Li Sha! Get down!" Lin Ye's pupils contracted sharply, and he shouted sharply. He instinctively wanted to turn around and rush back, but the narrow gap was too big to turn around! He could only watch helplessly as the heavy metal plate fell.

Upon hearing the warning, Li Sha's survival instinct kicked in almost instantly. She abandoned her balance and lunged forward! The movement was clumsy but effective.

"Crash—bang!"

The heavy metal plate grazed her back and the back of her head as it slammed into the ground. The sparks that flew up even singed a few strands of her loose hair, giving off a burnt, protein-smelling odor. Still shaken, she lay on the ground, her cheek pressed against the cold, rough metal floor. Her heart pounded wildly, feeling like it was about to leap out of her mouth, and all she could hear was her own heavy breathing and the rush of blood to her head.

"How are you? Are you hurt?" Lin Ye's anxious voice came from ahead. He had already half-crouched down, his hand on the gun handle, seemingly ready to rush back at any moment.

"...No...it's alright!" Li Sha's voice trembled, filled with the sobs of someone who had just escaped death. She scrambled to her feet, ignoring the burning pain in her back and the dust covering her body. She staggered a few steps to Lin Ye's side, grabbing his arm to steady herself. Her fingers were icy cold and still trembling slightly uncontrollably.

The two leaned against the relatively sturdy wall of the stairwell, panting heavily, both able to see the lingering fear in each other's eyes. That last scare had been incredibly dangerous.

"This godforsaken place... is it really going to leave us here?" Li Sha glanced at the completely blocked way back with lingering fear. The metal plate sealed the gap tightly. If she had been half a second slower, she probably would have been smashed into mincemeat.

“It’s not that they want us to stay,” Lin Ye said, adjusting his breathing as he warily scanned the stairs leading upstairs, his ears catching any unusual sounds. “It’s a chain reaction caused by the ‘mainframe’ going out of control. The entire structure of this ship is becoming unstable.” He raised his arm and wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve, only to find it covered in a streak of black ash.

He raised his wrist and looked at the terminal screen: "Sentinel, record the vibration data from just now, analyze the source and subsequent impact. Scan the structural stability of our current location again, and plan the route to the nearest safe point, such as the spare compartment we stayed in before."

"Data recorded." The sentry's cold voice rang out, and the data stream on the screen scrolled rapidly. "The vibration source energy reading is highly consistent with the core control area and main power compartment, which is in line with the characteristics of a 'critical system collapse' state. Current stairwell structural stability assessment: Dangerous. Recommendation: Immediately move to the upper B-7 area corridor, where the structural damage is relatively minor. Route planned, navigation markers sent to terminal display screens."

A clear arrow indicator lit up on the terminal screen, pointing above the stairs leading to area B-7.

“Let’s go, we can’t stay here.” Lin Ye pulled Li Sha’s arm, feeling her still trembling slightly, but he knew this wasn’t the time to rest. He took the lead and began climbing the dusty, debris-strewn, and unidentified oil-stained stairs. The handrail was twisted and deformed, and the steps felt noticeably loose.

The emergency lights in the stairwell were flashing wildly, stretching, shortening, and twisting their shadows into strange shapes, projecting them onto the scratched and stained walls. The alarms sounded even louder here, mixed with the distant, unidentified impact sounds, making one's ears ring and one's heartstrings taut.

The moment I stepped onto the metal floor of the B-7 area corridor, before I could even get a good look at my surroundings, the sentry's warning came again. The tone was still calm, but the content sent a chill down my spine:

"Warning: An anomalous life signal has been detected 50 meters ahead, inside the third hatch on the right side of the corridor. Signal strength: weak. Energy signature: does not match the recorded aberration data. Recommendation: Approach with caution, or detour."

Lin Ye immediately stopped, spreading his arm to shield the still somewhat unsteady Li Sha behind him. At the same time, he swiftly raised the rifle in his hand, its energy depleted but still formidable, pointing it in the direction the sentry had indicated. His gaze was sharp as a knife, quickly sweeping across the corridor—it was somewhat cleaner than below, but still a mess. Overturned transport carts, leaking coolant pipes, and scattered tool parts were everywhere. There were several obvious impact dents and charred marks left by energy weapons on the walls.

“Not those mutants?” Li Sha tensed up, instinctively clenching her fists and asking in a low voice, her breathing still not fully calm. “Could it be… there are other living people?” This thought brought a glimmer of hope to her eyes, but it was quickly overshadowed by a greater unease. On this out-of-control, death ship, the unknown often meant danger.

“Uncertain.” Lin Ye’s eyes were sharp as he stared intently at the tightly closed hatch marked “Equipment Storage Room-047.” “With the ‘Mainframe’ insane and ‘Echo’ finished, anything ‘abnormal’ could be trouble.” He gently moved the muzzle of his gun, examining the area around the hatch. No light shone through the cracks, and the access control panel was dim and lifeless, as if the power had been cut off.

He crouched low, carefully moving forward, trying to make as little noise as possible, his gun always pointed in that direction. Li Sha followed closely behind him, her back to him, vigilantly watching for any movement behind and above her. The corridor was eerily quiet, save for their soft footsteps and the faint groans of the structure in the distance, which only added to the oppressive atmosphere.

They slowly approached, but the door remained tightly shut, and there was not a sound from inside—a silence that sent chills down their spines.

Just as Lin Ye was pondering whether to try prying open the door to take a look, or to follow the sentry's advice and simply take a detour to find another path to the spare compartment...

"Click."

A soft, discreet sound, like the click of an old-fashioned mechanical lock, came clearly from inside the door. In the deathly silence, the sound seemed particularly jarring.

Immediately afterward, amidst the incessant, irritating hum of the alarm, a new, faint but unmistakable sound, mixed with the sticky slurring of something wet dragging across the metal floor, seeped in faintly from behind the door crack…

The sound was intermittent, like something moving with difficulty, or perhaps... whispering?

Lin Ye's muscles tensed instantly, and his index finger lightly rested on the trigger guard of the rifle. He glanced at Li Sha, signaling her with his eyes to remain absolutely silent, and slowly, silently, took a step back, increasing the distance between himself and the door.

What's behind the door?

Chapter 570 Survivors?

The intermittent, wet dragging sound, like a hook, scratched at one's nerves, sounding particularly clear and eerie against the backdrop of the monotonous and piercing alarm.

Lin Ye and Li Sha instantly held their breath, their bodies tensing instinctively, like predators spotting their prey. Lin Ye quickly gave a "back off" signal, then immediately lowered his center of gravity, his rifle, its energy indicator already glowing red and emitting a slight "buzzing" protest, locked firmly against the hatch emitting the strange noise. Each unstable pulse from the energy core was a reminder that their resources were dwindling.

"Sentinel, can you scan the area behind the door?" Lin Ye asked the terminal on his wrist in an extremely low voice, almost in a whisper. His eyes never left the door for a moment.