Under the threat of mysterious energy fluctuations, Yang Hao, Li Qiang, and Lin Xiao quickened their pace, making a full sprint towards the backup base. Along the way, the ruins of the city retreated behind them, and the dead-silent streets were filled only with their heavy footsteps and rapid breaths. As they drew closer to the backup base, an uneasy feeling spread through the three of them.
When they finally reached the entrance of the backup base, the scene before them left them greatly astonished. The base's gate was half-open, and a pungent smell of burnt odor lingered around. Yang Hao cautiously approached the gate and peered inside through the crack. Inside the base, everything was in disarray, with various equipment toppled over. There were also a few bodies on the ground, their blood already dried, leaving dark red traces on the floor.
"Be careful. It seems there's been a fierce battle here," Yang Hao whispered to Li Qiang and Lin Xiao behind him.
The three of them slowly entered the base, vigilantly observing their surroundings. Suddenly, a faint sound came from a corner. Li Qiang immediately raised his iron rod and shouted, "Who's there? Come out!"
A thin figure emerged slowly from the darkness—a young man in tattered clothes, his face filled with terror and exhaustion. "Don't kill me, please. I'm not a bad person!" the young man trembled.
Yang Hao lowered his weapon and walked forward. "Don't be afraid. We won't hurt you. What happened here?"
The young man gasped for breath and spoke in broken sentences. It turned out that before they arrived, a group of mysterious people had broken into the backup base. They seemed to be searching for something important, and anyone who stood in their way was mercilessly killed. The young man was a technician in the base, and he had managed to hide and escape by luck.
"Are they still in the base?" Yang Hao asked anxiously.
The young man nodded. "I think so. They haven't found what they're looking for yet, so they've been searching everywhere."
Lin Xiao's face turned pale. "If they're also after the alien relic crystal, we must find it before they do. Otherwise, humanity is truly doomed!"
Just then, a sound of footsteps suddenly echoed through the base, as if a group of people were approaching their direction. Yang Hao immediately pulled the young man to the side and motioned for Li Qiang and Lin Xiao to stay silent. The footsteps grew louder, and through the gaps in their hiding place, they saw a group of people in black uniforms, each holding advanced weapons, with cold expressions in their eyes.
"Who are these people? They don't look like ordinary bandits," Li Qiang whispered.
Yang Hao furrowed his brow. "No matter who they are, we can't let them get the crystal. Let's wait for them to pass, and then we'll act."
After the group of mysterious people had moved on, the three of them quickly headed towards the core area of the base. According to the information provided by the young man, the crystal was likely stored in a top-secret safe in the core area. Along the way, they carefully avoided enemy patrols and finally reached the core area.
However, when they opened the safe, they found it empty—the crystal was gone! "How can this be? Did they take the crystal?" Li Qiang angrily punched the safe.
Yang Hao thought calmly. "Not necessarily. Maybe they haven't found it yet. Let's search again. There must be some clue we've overlooked." Just then, Lin Xiao suddenly noticed a hidden button at the bottom of the safe. She hesitated for a moment and pressed it. Instantly, the safe slowly rose, revealing a hidden passage.
The three of them looked at each other and毫不犹豫地 (unhesitatingly, but since this is a Chinese phrase, I'll use the more natural English "without hesitation") walked into the passage. The passage was filled with a musty smell, and faint lights flickered on the walls. They followed the passage forward, their hearts filled with anticipation and tension, wondering what awaited them at the end of the passage.