Ravine and Roan finally crossed the threshold into the Ostankino factory. The interior was a tomb of unfinished ambitions—incomplete android frames stood in silent rows, their skeletal forms casting twisted shadows in the darkness. Water dripped steadily from the damaged ceiling, each drop echoing through the cavernous space like a metronome counting the moments since humanity's end.

  As they moved deeper into the facility, their eyes adjusted to reveal a horrific scene. Human bodies lay scattered across the factory floor—about ten in total, blackened by decomposition and time.

  Ravine knelt beside one of the corpses, her voice dropping to a whisper. "It's hard to tell with their missing facial features, but even so, I can tell their death was atrocious." She examined the corpse's skin with clinical detachment. "It's full of lesions and peeling off like paper. Whatever did this wasn't human, nor was it an android attack."

  Roan rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he surveyed the scene. "If you look at most of them, it seems they were all clutching at their throats—like something cut off their air supply."

  Ravine scoffed. "Well, it wouldn't be the first time, would it? Using bio-weapons to do the job." She narrowed her eyes, scanning once more with her enhanced sensors. "But even in this case, I don't think that's what happened. This is unlike anything they've used according to our database. And somehow, this thing that killed them... it seemed to know exactly how to terminate human life."

  She stood, her analysis coldly precise. "Starting from the nervous system to make them immobile, then attacking their lungs, and finally infecting the brain. Killing them not quickly enough that they wouldn't know what was happening, but not slowly enough that it would extend their pain aimlessly."

  Roan exhaled heavily. "That's sophisticated. Humans were definitely cruel, but this... this is another level entirely."

  They ventured deeper into the factory, their footsteps muffled by the oppressive silence. Suddenly, the drone spun around quickly, its flashlight sweeping the darkness before returning to its forward position.

  "Something wrong, Zhon?" Ravine asked.

  Zhon's voice crackled through the drone's speakers. "I thought I heard something, but it seems I was mistaken."

  As they continued through the facility, they passed rows of first-generation androids waiting eternally for assembly that would never come.

  "So these are part of the first models of our species?" Roan observed. "They look so different... so simple."

  Ravine kept walking, her voice taking on a lecturing tone. "At the time, their sole purpose was to fight humanity's wars so they could stop wasting the lives of their own people and deploy obedient soldiers who were more efficient, more precise, and of course, without a will of their own. These models were designed for the Fourth World War, where the Russians allied with the Africans and Asians against the Europeans and Americans."

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  "What was it about?" Zhon asked through the drone.

  She paused. "The same thing it's always about—resources. Clean water was becoming scarce, people were suffering, and as always, they resorted to violence to settle things."

  "Do you think Mother Phoenix was ever part of those squadrons?" Roan asked.

  Ravine shook her head. "No. Mother Phoenix was actually created to stop these wars and prevent androids from committing further violence on behalf of humans." She paused, her voice carrying a note of reverence. "In fact, she single-handedly ended the war and created a new Age of Peace—hence her name, Mother Phoenix."

  "Then how did it get to this?" Zhon asked through the drone.

  A sudden, powerful whoosh cut through the air, followed by a gust of wind that made them both stumble. Ravine spun around to find empty space where Roan had been standing.

  "Roan! Roan, where are you?"

  Zhon immediately activated full-light mode, the drone's illumination flooding the entire space with brilliant white light. The beam revealed a terrifying sight above them—a massive bat-like creature with infected, rotting flesh. The light made it screech in agony, revealing Roan struggling in its talons.

  Ravine pressed her communication device. "Irene, I think we might have found the source of the rising radiation levels, and it's not pretty..."

  Irene's voice crackled back with dark humor. "Well, I guess you two aren't the only unlucky ones." There was a pause. "It seems your little friends from the bridge somehow found their way back to us. Wish me luck." The transmission cut out.

  "Well, Zhon, looks like we're on our own. But first things first—we need to get Roan back."

  "I think I might have an idea," Zhon said through the drone. "Bats react through sound, right? How about you use that upgrade you got and move faster than it can track, then use your Piercing Slash skill to cut its feet?"

  "I can try that."

  Ravine accelerated, leaving a trail of dust as she circled the creature at superhuman speed. She leaped up to slash at the bat, but it heard her approach and screeched, dodging with surprising agility. The creature dove toward her in a counterattack, but she managed to dodge mid-air, run across its back, and slash at its left wing.

  The beast shrieked in pain and slammed into a wall before regaining its aerial stability.

  "Damn it, that didn't work!" Ravine called out. "Zhon, what would happen if I went into override mode using your drone's support?"

  "I like the way you think. Let's try that... just try not to miss. I can't guarantee you'll be able to do this again anytime soon."

  The drone instantly linked with Ravine, boosting her speed and reflexes as she activated override mode. She became a blur of motion, dashing at the bat, feinting, then striking again. Her blade found its mark repeatedly—slashing across its back, then its torso.

  "It's working! Keep going, Rav!" Zhon encouraged.

  She severed its left talon, then dodged and cut the right one, catching Roan mid-air and depositing him safely next to the drone.

  "Stay there," she commanded. "I'm almost done."

  The bat attempted a silent dive attack, but Roan pulled out his sniper rifle and fired point-blank into the creature's neck. The shot sent it crashing into a fuel tank, and smoke began to pour out.

  "We have to go—it's going to blow up!" Ravine shouted.

  "But the creature—" Roan started.

  "No," Ravine cut him off. "We go now." She helped him to his feet and supported his weight against her shoulder. "Come on, let's go."

  The bat continued screeching as the factory began to rumble, making them stumble with each tremor.

  "Oh, screw this," Ravine muttered, lifting Roan onto her back and sprinting toward the exit as fast as her enhanced speed would allow. "This boost better save us."

  As they burst through the factory doors, they could see the building beginning to collapse in slow motion. Then came the massive explosion—a fireball that lit up the Moscow skyline and sent a shockwave rippling across the desolate city.

  They collapsed to the ground, breathing hard. Roan looked back at the burning ruins and laughed.

  "Who said museums were boring?"