Chapter 639 - 19: Deep Pit
"Ivan, your time is running out."
...
Ever since the signs of aging began to appear on Ivan, his hearing had become increasingly uncontrollable, not just due to the noisy sounds of the real world, but sometimes he would even hear strange whispers from unknown sources.
Ivan began to grow accustomed to being alone, frequently traveling to the Vatican, to the Tibetan Region, to monasteries, attempting to soothe his chaotic mind with the chants of monks.
But ultimately, this was merely addressing the symptoms, not the root of the problem.
The longer it went on, the more Ivan yearned for his once-healthy self, the self that seemed omnipotent after undergoing the transformation plan, the self that could freely eavesdrop on others’ privacy.
The past and the present formed a stark contrast.
Pain was difficult enough to endure, but the torment of aging was even more unbearable; he couldn’t accept himself becoming like this.
In secret, Ivan made many attempts, allying with US wealthy individuals to conduct horrific human experiments on a private island in the Pacific Ocean, even trying to regain a new life through blood or organ transplants.
However, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t compare to the research capabilities of the Soviet Union at its peak, let alone the fact that many researchers and secrets couldn’t be bought with money.
A pressing sense was deeply ingrained in Ivan’s mind—
"Your time is running out."
...
Obsessing too deeply can teach one to let go, but can also drive one insane, and Ivan was clearly the latter.
Desperate, he began seeking various ways to save himself, eventually obtaining photos of the transformation base from Chen Zhou by chance.
Ivan was glad that he had never exposed his true identity, cleverly hiding his bloodied hands under white gloves.
If not for this, he would never have obtained those crucial photos and traced them to the lost relics of the Former Soviet Union—
That was the true path to salvation.
However, the secrets within the transformation base were far more complicated than Ivan had imagined.
Whether it was the "Confession Room No. 13" on level -1 or the "Silence Plan," he paid a heavy price for them.
In fact, during the deep exploration of the transformation base, Ivan lost nearly 200 loyal soldiers, used enough ammunition to support a small-scale war, and even exacerbated psychological issues due to the influence of the confession room.
Ivan never mentioned any of this to Chen Zhou.
He used a trap-like narrative with nine truths and one lie, throwing out tempting chips, simply because he suspected Chen Zhou was a special human linked to the "Rust."
And prolonging life, gaining a longer lifespan, a healthy body, and endless wealth all hinged on the secrets stored deep within the base—
The secret of traveling to another world.
...
Ivan wished he could have found this path ten years earlier.
He genuinely didn’t have much time left, and his consciousness began to blur intermittently.
Sometimes, after his consciousness was disturbed, Ivan couldn’t even recall what he had just done.
He vaguely felt as if "another self" had appeared in his body, and he couldn’t tell if the current "self" was sane or mad.
But he couldn’t worry about that any longer; he just wanted to achieve his purpose by any means necessary.
Now, only one last step remained to succeed, and he couldn’t afford to fail; he could only move forward, relentlessly.
As long as he could bring the remnants of the "Rusted Holy Body" from the lead coffin into the level -4, placing it in the energy supply device, there was hope to reignite the forgotten past...
...
Ivan mentally rehearsed the steps he needed to complete next, scratching the back of his head in irritation, constantly feeling as if he had overlooked too many details.
But at this moment, he was no longer guided by reason.
Madmen never consider themselves insane, and Ivan was no exception.
He forgot the meticulous plans made in the past, forgot what mercenaries were needed for, forgot to look for the crucial figure Chen Zhou.
Only the murmur in his ears grew clearer, the chanting waves surged and raged in his mind, destroying the few strands of sanity he had left.
...
The sounds of gunfire outside the confession room ceased.
Vladimirovich had dealt with the troublesome Alexander Legion soldiers, and he was leading his men towards the base entrance at full speed.
All the signs since the operation began indicated that the employer had concealed many details from him, and this was clearly not a deal worth continuing. Anyway, the 10 million USD advance had already been transferred to his account, so he could leave decisively while there were no major casualties.
As for that crazy Slavic employer.
Who cares about him?
Keeping one’s life is prerequisite to enjoyment; if you continue deeper, still abiding by the so-called "spirit of contract," nothing may be left.
"Quick, quick, quick!"
Vladimirovich’s voice echoed repeatedly in the communication channel, and all the soldiers who sensed something amiss picked up their pace, running in their heavy protective suits illuminated by headlamps.
But before they had gone far, they heard a loud bang from the direction of the entrance, followed by a slight tremor on the ground and countless dust particles falling from above.
"Damn it!"
Vladimirovich cursed angrily.
At this point, even the dullest person should have realized that he had fallen into the trap of that old snake, trapped underground.
When the convoy reached the factory ruins, five men were left at the surface to maintain the vehicles and set up camp, ensuring they wouldn’t encounter danger after the operation.
Now it seemed those five must have used explosives to collapse the entrance.
Vladimirovich ordered his men to stop retreating and then counted the explosives they carried, hoping they could blast open the passage entrance and return to the surface.