87: Life and Hope

Life and Hope

All the three python eggs were eaten by the Garuda, it really was unfortunate. The eggs of high second stage beasts are very precious, especially at this early stage of doomsday. It is one of the best ways to increase an earth realm fighter. The higher the realm, the harder it is to improve. Alex was planning to keep it until the pillars came and breakthrough the Mortal Realm. Didn't realize it became a disaster to the base instead...0

Python eggs apparently have a very special scent that attracts all the other beasts, if Alex had known he would not have brought them to the base. Currently, the eggs already are gone, but just like he thought, the mutated beasts somehow were still attracted to the remaining scent. Although most of the beast hordes already have been routed, a small number still gathered outside the base. The dead beast remains made them hesitate and soon after left the place.

The only threat left remaining are the undead, these abominations just came because of all the noises. There were a few thousands of the normal zombies and few dozens of the red mutated one. It's now already the third week after doomsday. The number of mutated zombies gradually increased. In the future, there will be more red zombies than normal zombies. Therefore it's imperative that humanity will also grow stronger, faster.

When the morning comes, all the threats have been completely neutralized. The fighters and the workers quickly gathered all the beast corpses and giving it to the supply department. The medical center has been busy helping all the injured. Luckily the mutations also made the bodies of higher stage fighters heal faster. Unless it's a critical wound, most fighters would fully be healed in a day or two.

Alex was nervously waiting for the casualty result from Dr. Rachel...

"Just tell me straight doctor.."

"452 died in battle, 43 died in the medical center. 221 are heavily injured, but they would most probably survive. All mostly fighters and guards."

Almost 500 men died in one night... the news really disturbed him.

Theo was next to him when the news arrived since reaching the peak stage of the Mortal Realm, his mind reading power has improved, he instantly understood how Alex felt about the news.

"Do you want to talk about it?", Theo asked

Alex closed his eyes a little bit, seemed to be in a lot more thought than he said.

"Help me prepare a funeral service for them."

"Of course."

All the bodies were quickly cleaned up, instead of a pit, this time Alex had the resources to create a better funeral service. A large wooden podium was quickly created. All the bodies were put on top and covered with thin white sheets.

Some of these victims still had family or friends... They were spending the last moments with the bodies before they were being placed on top of the podium... Alex slowly walked around the podium and watched some of the victims' faces, he then stopped in front of one of the bodies...

"Such a young boy.", he thought.

A girl was kneeling next to this body.

Alex seemed to have seen this boy before, he tried to remember... yes, this was one of the boys he saved from the Denpasar city.

"What's his name?"

"Barry.", the girl replied.

The death of this boy seemed to put another extra weight on his shoulders... He blamed himself for foolishly bringing the eggs to the base, he blamed himself for his inability to save more people...

This boy, wearing a red armband that made him a fighter, such a young boy probably not even 17. Was it a mistake to make such a young boy into a fighter? Yet another thing he blamed himself of.

Theo still standing next to him suddenly said.

"It's not your fault... you already did your best."

Alex while still starring at Barry's body shook his head and said:

"Not good enough it seems."

Alex saw tears drop in the girl's cheek, she wiped the tear off with her hand, and slowly moved closer to the body and kissed the boy... gently she whispers...

"I love you, Barry."

The girl suddenly looked very solemn, she took the boy's red armband and wore it on her arm, she gave the boy one last look and stood up full determination before leaving...

Alex was startled.. just like lighting that suddenly shook his mind... he finally understood... This was not his own fight, this was everyone's fight. It's everyone's responsibility, not just his... He cannot decide everyone's fate. If they choose to follow him, then they would also need to accept the risks...

He tried to think objectively, is taking the egg worth it?... Yes, the eggs would have been useful, a stronger fighter meant a safer base... Now that he didn't get the eggs was it still worth it?... Yes, the battle last night was an important battle to give all his 25.000 newbie fighters battle experience. Soon, they will go on their campaigns. From this one battle, they will become much better fighters, can survive better and hopefully be able to help more people. Yes, 500 men died last night, but it also became a graduation ceremony for all the other 24.500 men.

The funeral was started before noon, 495 victims' bodies from last night, plus the 8 special forces that died in the monkey forest, all 503 victims. Tens of thousands of people gathered to give their respect to the victims.

The services started with Theo giving some preaches about life after death, how everyone eventually will meet again together in the afterlife. It was a very comforting message.

Afterward, a beautiful girl walked up to the podium, it was Raissa, the famous singer and spirit enhancer. She said her condolences and sang a song called 'Life and Hope'.

When water is rarer than tears.

When you have to buy air.

When the flowers stay a story.

Will we finally realize?

When a smile is rarer than anger.

When life is almost worthless.

When the world groans painfully.

Will we finally realize?

Hope prayer can rotate time.

Believe there is still time left.

Believe that only we can give hope for everything.

Will we finally realize?

It was a beautiful song. The last two weeks, these people just kept running, fighting and surviving, they lost all hope. The song reminded them of hope, giving them the courage to continue living, to fight. Ten thousand people cried and their spirit lifted up.

Raisa, as a spirit enhancers, was one of the people who got special treatment and received spirit stones. She's currently also a peak stage spirit enhancer, her singing was able to slightly move the audience's heart and mind.

Alex walked up to the podium and said:

"Before us lie the bodies of our family, friends, and comrades. These people gave their lives protecting this base, protecting us, and protecting humanity's future... Things are different now, billions of people died all around the world, we are the ones left behind. We are being entrusted with the survival of humanity, the path in front of us is difficult, but I believe together we can prevail, we owe it to the people who died before us."

Alex lit up the podium, fire and smoke filled up the air.

Ten thousand people were seeing the scene with hands clenched and eyes full determination.

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