The sound of the roaring engine reverberated across the empty, barren land. It's rough, and large wheels were grinding against the red plain as it drove at an unnatural speed, leaving crimson dust behind.
Inside the swaying cabin, the atmosphere was heavy with stifling silence. Peter, gripping the steering wheel, kept stomping the gas pedal to the floor. Abel, who sat in the seat next to him, peeked through the mirror hanging on the upper dashboard.
He saw Louise biting her lip. The girl's expression twisted, her green eyes glimmering with tears. She occasionally looked towards the back cargo, a slightly spacious area where Cain lay on Rika's lap, who had taken off her armor suit despite knowing the risks involved.
They knew the car was airtight, but there was always a slight chance the cosmic virus would enter and infect her. Yet she refused to heed the warning, no, the girl refused life itself.
Abel took a deep breath because he knew how stubborn the girl named Rika was once she had decided on something; no one in this world could stop her.
His fingers clenched tightly; the thing he worried about was not the virus contamination, but Rika's mental condition, which was clearly devastated, seeing Cain collapse in front of her earlier.
He wrinkled his eyebrows as he saw Rika sitting slumped, her face constantly staring downwards. Her red eyes, which always radiated a blazing life, dimmed, as if the world had ended.
That was the first time for the blonde boy to witness the girl he considered family experiencing a mental breakdown. It didn't even happen when Rika found out her parents had died, but maybe at that time, Rika herself was still small and didn't really understand her surroundings.
No matter what, those who were still conscious had the obligation to save the two who had fallen.
"We will arrive at Babylon soon."
Peter's voice echoed in the narrow room. Abel nodded and heard Louise's voice from behind.
"R-Rika, you hear that, we will arrive soon. S-So, hang in there, y-you too, leader."
"..."
Rika was silent; she didn't even nod, just stared at Cain's pale face adorned with small crimson lines resting on her lap.
"N-No, I don't want this anymore, Rika, leader. Please, hiks!"
Abel widened his eyes, hearing the soft sobs from the brown-haired girl. He turned to the side and locked eyes with Peter, who was wrinkling his forehead, looking annoyed because he couldn't do anything else but drive all of them home.
He felt the same, even though he had gained some strength. A power called Attribute, a raw energy from the elemental that once filled the planet's atmosphere, but now, it has become something rare, even non-existent, because of the cosmic virus's ferocity that swallowed everything.
The blonde boy could only sit and look at the endless red scenery that caused his heart to go numb.
Half an hour later, the view behind the glass changed. A towering mountain covered by natural rocks stood tall even in the dying world. The pointed mound stretched on each side, resembling a natural defense formation that could only be crafted by the hand of God itself.
But for people who knew its origin, all of it was merely the result of human sweat and blood that took decades to build. It was built to act as a cover to the city of 'Babylon', one of the human civilizations that survived the apocalypse.
"Peter."
"Ah, I know."
No need to talk much as the two men sitting in front immediately acted. Peter stomped on the pedal hard, while Abel immediately turned on the monitor on the dashboard.
As the car approached, the dashboard screen showed a call icon, and Abel swiped it to answer.
(This is from the western sector defense headquarters. Please state your status and...)
Before the person behind the screen finished speaking, Peter interrupted.
"We are from the group assigned by General Dosh and chose to return because of an accident during the exploration."
(Understood, number of injured?)
"One and fatal."
Abel peeked back, letting Peter handle the rest because he was afraid that if he answered, he would crush the monitor and slash the gate blocking them with his raw strength.
(Are there any symptoms of contracting the cosmic virus?)
Peter hesitated slightly, and Abel nodded to let him know that everything would be okay.
(Hello? Is anyone infected?)
"Only the injured, and it is showing initial symptoms."
(...)
Silence fell over the space, heightening the tension with an intense pressure that wrapped around the necks of those who were conscious.
A few seconds passed in silence. Abel, who was clenching his fist, gnashed his teeth and nearly opened his mouth to yell at the guards' slow response, but stopped when the answer came.
(...Understood, we have contacted General Dosh and Albert to handle the person infected with the cosmic virus. They are heading here. The gate will be opened.)
Abel exhaled a short sigh, and Peter nodded. His fingers coiled around the steering wheel as he licked his dry lips.
"Thank you."
The iron gate in front of them hissed, exhaling the clean air trapped inside. The vibrating car engine let out a rumble that took them through the first gate and into a long, dim tunnel the moment the door behind them closed.
The car automatically turned on its headlights to illuminate the road. After traversing a quarter of the way, the long corridor conjured white light from the neon hanging above. It cast soft shadows from the Humvee racing against time.
Not long after, Abel saw the second gate open. His eyes wrinkled as he saw an orange glow, tinged with a slight crimson hue, welcome him and the group.
His squinted eyes slowly blinked to get a clear view of the surroundings. A vast field stretched out without a single building. From a distance, an identical Humvee approached quickly.
Peter and Abel exchanged glances and slowly stepped on the brakes, which made the tires screech, bringing them to a stop near the other vehicle. The other car opened its door to reveal General Dosh, his assistant, and Professor Albert, who came to meet them.
Abel opened his door and faced the general.
"General, Cain is in the back with Rika."
Dosh nodded; his stern facial expression looked stiffer than usual, giving a terrifying impression.
"You heard him, Albert."
"Alright."
A 'thud' sound as the other door opened caught Abel's attention. The female assistant was helping Louise down while wrapping her arm around the girl's shoulder, who was trembling from crying.
The general who was about to open his mouth had to hold it back when Albert arrived, his gloomy aura disappearing. His creepy black eyes radiated a sharp intensity, like a veteran in battle.
"Hey, blondy, help me bring the stretcher to carry Cain, quick!"
"Y-Yes, I apologize, general, if you want full details, please ask Peter. I'll be going now. He has a better head than I."
Abel jumped out to follow Albert's footsteps, who returned to his car's rear cargo and took a simple stretcher before going to retrieve the injured. General Dosh swallowed, his hands clenched so hard they almost tore the skin on his palms.
A moment later, the man's calm expression broke. His brown pupil shrank as he witnessed Albert and Abel carrying Cain's body, who was sleeping weakly. On his eyebags, there was a crimson line, a sign of a body contaminated by the cosmic virus.
The man gnashed his teeth. He couldn't believe that the expedition mission he gave to his student instead brought disaster upon them.
"C-Ca, ...in. W-Where are you taking him?"
A weak voice like a whisper made him turn to the side and witness his assistant and Louise carrying the cadet named Rika, who was having a mental crash, visible from her vacant gaze.
Dosh averted his gaze while biting his lips. He raised his face, staring at Peter, who was sitting in the driver's seat, waiting.
"What happened?"
Peter turned his neck towards the general. The boy watched his other comrades leave before answering.
"A horde of virus beasts attacked us."
His voice was deep and carried an ominous regret. It shook Dosh's soul and brought a deafening silence to the two. Blue veins appeared on General Dosh's fists as he cursed to the heavens.
'Damn it!'