Falling into the Abyss

Chapter 33: Atonement: Neptune (VI)

Ethans mind was empty as he shivered, listening to the sound of iron and steel collapsing that sounded like mountains falling apart and thunder rolling. He faced the despair of his incoming death, but the sharp pain of being crushed and swallowed by the twisted space he had expected did not arrive. Instead, a strong sense of vertigo accompanied the intense drumming in his ears and passed through his body like an electric shock. After that, the originally deafening noise rapidly quieted, leaving only a soft, lingering sound of harsh friction. The air temperature seemed to have changed subtly, and the sour smell that was diffused in the air disappeared and was replaced by a familiar light warmth.

Ethan opened his eyes. The sinister red color still surrounded him, and the upper right corner of the room was twisted. The walls were made of the most advanced carbon fiber material and were even harder than steel, but they had been crumpled like thin sheets of paper. The material had blackened and was covered with holes of different shapes and sizes, as though it had been eroded by acid. The entire room had morphed to stretch towards the upper right corner. However, Ethan stood in the opposite corner, so the ground under his feet was only slightly deformed, which seemed to have little effect on him.

After a long time, he finally determined that the spatial twisting that brought about the corrosion did not continue to expand. It was then that he realized his chest was aching, and he finally exhaled after holding his breath for who knew how long. He realized that he had forgotten to breathe.

He turned around and saw that the computer screen behind him was black. At a loss, he looked around before tentatively walking out of the room.

The space stations corridors before him were beyond recognition. Many objects and materials had been bent and melted before being crushed together. Ethan saw that a huge, indomitable, and uneven wall had been erected in the hallway. Even the previously not infected corridor was also transformed, as though it had been stretched, and in some places, there were bumps all over. The walls had broken down and had jagged edges, and huge cracks wound around on the ground. Ethan didnt know how the station hadnt depressurized and sucked them all into the universe.

He slowly looked down at his body. Since the surrounding material has deformed due to the radiation, then what about people?

He hurriedly unbuttoned his coat and examined his body carefully. He did not see anything unusual, so he slightly sighed a breath of relief. However, he did not know why but the back of his neck kept itching. He reached back and found a patch of hard, dry skin near his hairline.

Suddenly, he heard a faint cry come from somewhere distant behind him. Ethans mind was still numb as he turned to walk in the direction of the voice. He had only one thought at the moment, to leave this place and go to where there were people. He sped up and eventually began to run.

The mechanical door that cut him off from the rest of the world was still closed. Ethan rushed to the door and banged his fists on it, opening his mouth to shout. By the time he arrived, he could no longer hear any sounds, causing him to panic. He quickly found a chair lying on the ground nearby and lifted it to smash it at the door.

Suddenly, he heard the sound of a series of mechanisms activating come from the door. Ethan paused with the chair still in midair as he could not react in time and watched the door slowly rising, inch by inch.

The blond man standing behind the door was donned in white, and his gray eyes were burning.

Ethan released his grip, and the chair fell to the ground with a clang, reverberating in the wide, deformed corridor. With his eyes wide open, he suddenly moved his feet and rushed forward in two or three steps, embracing Tanisiel.

At this moment, he had finally confirmed that he was saved.

They pulled the space station back at the last moment.

It was Tanisiel who had saved him, once again.

The priest was stunned for a moment, and his gray eyes drooped slightly. The man in his arms was taller than most human beings, and in front of the Eve Alpha, he could only reach up to his cheek. Ethan had buried his forehead on the priests shoulder, with his hands around his waist. He clung to the back of his clothes as though Ethan was afraid he would run away.

I want to get out of here Ethan whispered hurriedly.

Tanisiel took the initiative to take off his outermost layer, a long white coat and draped it over Ethans shoulder with a whoosh. When the warmth came, Ethan realized how cold he had been previously. However, he had ignored Neptunes piercing cold in the face of death and despair. Tanisiel stretched his long arms around his body to keep him warm and whispered, Ill take you out.

Ethan occasionally stumbled along the way as his adrenaline faded, all sorts of feelings that he had previously suppressed rushed in. His ribs and stomach were in pain, so those parts of his body may have been injured. Even moving his faces muscles caused him to distort his expression in pain. The only thing that was dispelled was the chill, given the temperature of Tanisiels body. Even when they were at the edge of the solar system, his body was like a stove, causing Ethan to sigh comfortably.

After arriving at the docking bay behind the space station, Ethan saw some soldiers carrying guns. The remaining 18 nonhumans were lining up to board a military spaceship. Ethan thought that he should be in that line too. After just experiencing a life or death situation, seeing those people again caused a cold hatred to well up in the depths of his heart. However, he was still one of them in the end and should take the initiative to head over. Moreover, he didnt want Tanisiel to escort him over.

But when he was about to move, he found that the strength of Tanisiels arm around his shoulder did not lessen.

Come with me, Tanisiel said curtly.

The soldiers did not stop them, and even Gray Fur just glanced at them from a distance. Even though he was far away, the look in his eyes pierced Ethans back.

Tanisiel took him to another small spaceship, during which the two men did not say anything. After the ship left the station, Ethan turned his head to look at the scene beyond their spaceship.

The space station that was originally shaped like a spinning-wheel had been kneaded into another shape, and no one would be able to tell what it initially looked like. The west wing had utterly collapsed and became a pothole of an indescribable color, while more than half of the east wing had been destroyed. The huge and strong space station now had a strange and twisted shape, like a large piece of melted plastic. It was only in its remaining section that one could vaguely make out an originally cylindrical-shaped corridor.

Neptune reappeared in the universe, as well as the giant Tenth Space Station and the numerous spaceships streaking across the night sky like meteors. The blue light soothed his nerves, which had previously too taut, almost to the point of snapping. Ethan quickly fell asleep.

After turning on autopilot, Tanisiel turned his head and frowned at Beta, who was sleeping soundly in the copilot seat. The third eye on his forehead was half-open as he scanned Ethan.

It didnt seem that there were any significant abnormalities, but it was still necessary to run some tests on him when they got back.

Tanisiel had no idea that Ethan would be sent to carry out such a mission. He had already negotiated with the Earth Union that if they had wanted to restart Project Zero, they must keep Ethan in reserve. Although the humans Court of Ethics refused to remove Ethans nonhuman status, at least he was allowed to request Ethan whenever he needed help.

On the Red Earth, Ethan had been infected by the radiation of the God of Orders eggs and subsequently came into contact with the God of Disorder, both of which were very dangerous. Fortunately, the radiation had not irreversibly infected him. However, this time he was sent into a universe dominated by the powers of God of Disorder. Tanisiel didnt know how much influence the laws in the universe would have on him.

Tanisiels third eye closed after he didnt sense anything worth noticing. Ethans body structure didnt seem to be altered, but his sixth sense felt as though his heart was still hanging in the air, reminding him of something he had to pay attention to.

But what did he need to pay attention to?

Ethans body jerked up violently when he woke up.

He had a nightmare that he had returned home, only to find that his house, like the space station, had been twisted into a mass of melted plastic. In the middle of the twisted plastic, his mother was playing the cello while his father was standing in the ruins, looking down on him like a God of Death. Then, his body quickly bent and stretched as he howled in pain.

His eyes were wide open, and he saw the scene of the aurora borealis slowly turning on the ceiling of his sleep chamber.

The mattress under his body was soft, and the bedding was clean. It smelled of light and warm sandalwood. He remembered that this was Tanisiels scent, undetectable if not for him having the nose of a Heavenbounder. He liked the smell because it was warm, clean, and assuring.

As he lifted his head slightly, he saw that his pair of glasses, which had been pronounced dead and repaired twice in a row, were placed on the beds headrest.

He put on his glasses and scratched his itchy neck before lifting the quilt and getting up. Obviously, this room had been temporarily converted to a bedroom and had the standard space station hotel layouta sleep chamber, a sofa, a translucent and slightly angled electronic table, a smart wardrobe inlaid in the wall, anda bathroom with the doors tightly shut.

The tumultuous sound of water came from the bathroom.

Ethan swallowed some saliva.

Who was in the bathroom? Tanisiel?

Why did Tanisiel bring him here? Wasnt Tanisiel required to make Ethan do a detailed physical examination of his body, write a report, interview him, and send him back to the Forbidden City?

He was still uncertain when the sound of water stopped. Ethans heart felt as if it was hanging in midair.

When Tanisiel emerged from the bathroom, there was only a towel around his narrow and tight waist, outlining his abdominal muscles and hard and taut hips. Water droplets fell from the curly ends of his blond hair onto his pale and strong chest muscles, sliding down his body until they reached his attractive forbidden fruit.

Ethan felt his cheeks heat up and his throat dry, and he quickly turned away and cleared his throat. Is this your room?

Tanisiel replied as he rubbed another towel against his crumpled blond hair, Thats right.

Why? What about the rest?

Youre welcome.

Ah?

Tanisiel stopped wiping his hair and raised a corner of his mouth, saying with a laugh, Dont you have to thank me for saving you first?

Ethan rubbed his nose.

Suddenly, Tanisiel did something shocking. First, he threw the towel in his hands into a corner, and afterward, he casually pulled off the towel on his waist, revealing his straight and slender legs andthe organ that had conquered Ethans entire body.

Ethans eyes and mouth widened. After three seconds, Ethan quickly turned around and studied the starry scene projected on the wall with great interest. He deliberately raised his head slightly, afraid that he would humiliate himself by accidentally having a nosebleed.

You are probably just too nervous. You havent eaten or drank anything for nearly two days, and when you fell asleep on the way here, you wouldnt wake up. I personally gave you a general examination, and the results showed that you have no signs of being infected by the radiation. There are no significant changes in your body, and except for a few bruises on your face and body, there are no severe injuries. Tanisiel seemed to turn a blind eye to Ethans embarrassment or deliberately pretended not to see it. As he spoke, he put on a dark red, silk nightgown. The soft silky material outlined the curves of his body. Ethan couldnt help thinking about what he had experienced that night on the Mothership.

On the one hand, he was intoxicated, but on the other hand, he was slapping himself in the face. Couldnt he clear his mind? there were now more important things to ask, so he couldnt just drool while watching a beauty

Youwhat do you want from me? Ethan clenched his fist and opened his mouth, making up his mind.

Tanisiel did not seem to think that Ethan would ask him this and raised his eyebrows slightly in surprise.

Ethan licked his dry lips and pushed his glasses nervously. On the ship to Red Earth, it was obvious that you were more interested in Samuel. Why did you suddenly become interested in me after talking on Red Earth? I know we had a one night stand, but Im sure that it was just a matter of you fulfilling your needs. I cant think of any reason for you to rush to the Tenth Space Station to save me.

The author has something to say:

Ive been sleepy when I wrote the last half of this chapterIll revise it again when I get sober up

T/N: Thank you Alya and Ko-fi Supporter for your kofis ! A new chapter will be up tomorrow.