The red light in the corridor splattered onto Ye Mo's face like blood, stinging his eyes. The oppressive silence that had been in the control room was instantly shattered, replaced by a piercing alarm that could rupture eardrums. The sound didn't seem like an alarm, but rather like the dying roar of some large Beast, assaulting his nerves again and again.
"Damn it," Ye Mo cursed, his voice hoarse from being frozen stiff. He instinctively clutched his chest, where the data chip, still warm to the touch, was tucked inside. The chip was burning hot, not just because of the temperature, but also because of its weight. If this thing was lost, or if Hydra took it back, all three of them would be dead.
T'Challa had already charged to the front. His muscles beneath the Black Panther Suit were taut like iron, Vibranium claws flashed with a chilling glint in the dim red light. He didn't turn back to shout, but simply charged forward with an almost instinctive rhythm. Each step he took on the ground made a dull thud, as he tested the ground's stability with his body.
"A trap on the left!" Emma Frost's voice came from behind, weak but extremely clear. Her face was ashen, her lips almost bloodless; clearly, her mental strength was exhausted to the limit. But she still forced her eyes open, her gaze fixed on the front. "There's a vibration feedback three meters below the ground. It's not normal structural stress; it's an explosive fuse."
Ye Mo's heart tightened. That old fox Klaue, was indeed up to no good. The intrusion not only triggered the data backup countermeasures but also directly initiated a physical self-destruct program. This was no simple matter of blocking an escape route; it was about blowing everyone in the know, along with the evidence, to Ashes.
" T'Challa, stop!" Ye Mo shouted, trying to keep up with the other's pace, but his stiff legs made him stumble. He gritted his teeth and forcibly mobilized the energy fragments in the Gene Spiral Tower. This was not a battle, this was an escape. Every second of hesitation could mean death.
T'Challa abruptly stopped, the metal floor beneath his feet screeching. In that instant, the corridor floor ahead collapsed with a deafening roar, a massive blast of air carrying debris and intense heat erupting forth. The once smooth passageway instantly transformed into an abyss, several thick load-bearing pillars twisting and deforming in the explosion, sparks flying everywhere.
"That was close." Ye Mo gasped for breath, his back soaked in cold sweat. If that foot had landed on him, he'd probably be a charred corpse by now.
"Don't stand still, take the backup passage on the right!" T'Challa quickly adjusted his direction, and the nano-coating on his Vibranium Suit automatically unfolded, forming a thin protective shield to block the flying Mars.
The three moved quickly in a triangular formation. Ye Mo walked in the middle, his left hand tightly gripping the chip in his pocket, his right hand gripping the wall for balance. His joints were still aching terribly, and every breath felt like shards of glass churning in his lungs. But he dared not stop, nor dared he slow down. He could feel the air behind him constantly heating up, the heat wave pushing against their backs as if a giant, invisible hand was desperately trying to drive them away from this collapsing hell.
Emma Frost followed at the back, her steps unsteady, relying solely on willpower to keep from collapsing. Occasionally, she would reach out, her fingertips tracing a barely perceptible ripple in the air—an attempt to disrupt the surrounding defense systems that were activating. The laser emitters hidden in the walls began to flicker, green beams sweeping across the corridor, cutting through the dust in the air.
"They're locking onto us," Emma Frost said through gritted teeth, beads of sweat forming on her forehead. "My mental strength isn't enough; I can't hold them off for much longer."
"I don't need you to block me." T'Challa sneered, suddenly turning around, his Vibranium claws flashing in an Arclight. Several laser beams aimed at Emma Frost were deflected, striking the metal pipes beside her and sending up a string of dazzling sparks. "Stay close to me, don't fall behind."
Ye Mo glanced at the timer on his wrist. There were less than two minutes left before the self-destruct program would finally detonate. For an escape that spanned half the globe, those two minutes were despairingly short.
" T'Challa, the planned exit is blocked." Ye Mo quickly analyzed the surrounding environment, his mind racing. "The explosion just now damaged the structure of the main passage. If we continue east, we might get trapped in the collapsed area. We need to find the nearest vertical exit."
T'Challa, his sharp gaze sweeping across the surroundings. "I know a maintenance elevator shaft about 300 meters away. But there might be patrols there."
"There are no patrols anymore." Ye Mo pointed overhead. "Look at those smoke detectors, they're all activated. That means that apart from the self-destruct program, all the other security systems have been cut off or disabled. To save his own life, Klaue deployed all available resources to block the door; what's left is just an empty shell."
These words reassured the three of them. At least, they wouldn't encounter any additional enemies on the way.
The three quickened their pace. The corridor narrowed and twisted, and the paint on the walls began to bubble and peel under the high temperature, revealing the cold alloy frame beneath. A strong smell of burning and ozone filled the air, making them cough.
As Ye Mo ran, he mentally planned his next move. Obtaining the data was only the first step; the key was how to make it public or how to use it as leverage. But thinking about that now was too early; getting out of there alive was the only priority.
Suddenly, a huge airtight door appeared in front of them. A red warning light was flashing on the door, indicating that it was in an "emergency closure" state.
"The door is closed." T'Challa stopped and raised his claws, ready to strike.
"Don't rush." Ye Mo stopped him and took out the signal jammer, a modified miniature listening device, from his pocket. He had taken it from the control room earlier, but it had come in very handy. He attached the jammer to the door lock's control panel and pressed the button.
After a slight hissing sound, the red light on the door lock turned green. The airtight door slowly slid open to both sides, revealing a stairwell leading upstairs.
"Well done." T'Challa nodded approvingly and rushed in first.
Thick smoke filled the stairwell, making visibility extremely poor. Ye Mo squinted, barely managing to make out the path ahead using his Spatial Perception. There were no windows; the only exit led to the ground.
"Climb up!" Ye Mo shouted.
The three began to climb. The steps in the stairwell were loose due to the previous explosion, and each step had to be taken with extreme caution. Ye Mo's physical condition was deteriorating, and his legs felt as heavy as lead, but he dared not relax for a moment. He knew that if he stopped, he would be swallowed up by the heat wave that was chasing after him.
Halfway up the mountain, a loud bang came from behind them. The entire base shook violently, and dust fell, blinding the three of them.
"Faster! Faster!" Emma Frost's voice trembled with a sob; she was clearly terrified.
T'Challa grabbed Emma Frost's arm and pulled her up a higher step. Ye Mo followed closely behind, his hands gripping the railing tightly, his knuckles turning white from the force.
Finally, they saw the exit at the top. It was a round manhole cover covered with a thick layer of mud and weeds.
"Push it away!" T'Challa roared.
The three of them worked together, using their last bit of strength to lift the manhole cover. Fresh air rushed in, and the cool night breeze sent a shiver down their spines. Outside lay a wide, open hillside, the moonlight casting a serene glow on the grass. It was a stark contrast to the burning inferno behind them.
T'Challa was the first to jump, rolling as he landed to absorb the impact. Emma Frost followed, almost collapsing to the ground, gasping for breath.
Ye Mo was the last to roll out. He lay on the grass, gazing up at the starry sky, his chest heaving violently. His black hooded sweatshirt was soaked with sweat and dust, and his silver half-rimmed glasses were askew.
"We... got out?" Emma Frost looked at the sky, her eyes still somewhat dazed.
"It's not over yet." Ye Mo sat up and brushed the dirt off his clothes. He looked at the base behind him that was burning fiercely, the flames illuminating half the sky. The massive shockwave hadn't arrived yet, but the change in air pressure was already making his ears ring.
"Prepare for the impact." Ye Mo stood up and walked to the two of them. He turned around, his back to the source of the explosion, facing the dark night sky ahead. His hands were crossed in front of his chest, tightly protecting the chip.
T'Challa and Emma Frost exchanged a glance and immediately understood his meaning. They also straightened up and assumed a defensive stance.
The earth began to tremble, and the distant mountains shook with the tremors. In the sky, a fireball soared into the air, trailing a long tail of flame, hurtling towards their location.
Ye Mo took a deep breath, his muscles tensed, and his eyes blazed.
Time seemed to stand still before the devastating light descended.