Doomsday Pillars

Not more than 24 hours had passed since Colonel Chan left Hong Kong Island. Unrest and chaos had already begun amongst the 100,000 Hongkong survivors while the combined police and army number no more than 5,000 people. 

News about how the colonel had run away with the richest man in Hong Kong including their elite troops stealing the only functional ship made the residents panicked and angry. Thousands of people were walking down the streets and venting their anger by burning buildings and rioting. Dozens of people had already died and few of the supply warehouses were looted.

Christina had tried to mobilize the Firebirds and the army troops that came with her from Singapore but there wasn't much they could do since there were only a few of them. She had tried to ask for the Triad members to help, but when the riot first happened, they holed up in their headquarters at the Causeway Bay. Due to this, many people had been suspecting Nam and his Triad members were responsible for the incident. They might even be the first to loot the warehouses.

Inside the command room, Christina was discussing what they could do together with one of the army officers who had been left behind.

PAAKKk!

Maxine slammed the wooden table, cracking it, and said, "You're police and soldiers! Why aren't you helping us defuse the people's anger immediately!"

The soldier stuttered as he tried to explain their side. "We-we were ordered to wait, Ma'am. I-I-I'm sure Colonel Chan will return s-s-soon. We're ordered not to leave the c-c-command center und-d-defended."

"Stupid! You're sworn to protect the citizens! Not this damned building!"

The captain kept silent as he wiped out his dripping sweat while shivering.

Cristina, who was silent, finally spoke. "Captain, is there any news from the elite troops who entered the alien structure?

"N-N-No... nothing. Five days have already p-passed but n-n-none have returned yet. I-If only Inspector Tang didn't go there and was still here, he would know how to handle our current situation—"

"Excuses!" Maxine kicked and broke a chair.

"Maxine, calm down!" said Corrie as she grabbed Maxine by the shoulder.

Christina sighed and asked another question, "How many days worth of food do we have left?"

The captain explained. "T-T-The looters have stolen a l-lot. We've estimated there's only t-two weeks left."

"You—"

Before Maxine was able to say something to the scared captain, Christina got up and walked toward the door before saying, "Captain, I need you to do everything that you can to calm the residents."

"W-W-What about you Miss Christina? What are your plans?"

"I'll enter the alien structure to investigate and search for Inspector Tang and his men."

Christina was hoping if they did find the police inspector alive, then maybe the situation of the mass riots would be eased. But deep down in her guts, she also had a feeling that this strange building could provide a solution to their other problem.

Aside from the rioting of the Hong Kong residents, the sinkhole where dozens of guards had disappeared began exhibiting a strange behavior. Hot steam rose from the pit and its surrounding trees and plant was slowly dying. The continued riots, threat of famine, and uncertain situation at the sinkhole made Christina feel the urge to immediately explore this extraterrestrial structure that descended from the sky.

The next morning, Christina, 30 of her Firebird members and 50 elite troops from Singapore, arrived in front of the pillar that stretched to the sky. Inspecting their weapons one last time, they were ready to enter when cars and rovers approached them.

Almost a hundred people came out in an orderly fashion, waiting for their leader to take the lead. They were the Triad members.

Nam got out of the car, followed by Chicken and their brothers before approaching the Firebirds members.

"Don't tell me you're gonna go in and not invite us to the party, right?" Chicken waved.

Maxine said, "Why are you here!"

Chicken didn't mind her but simply smiled at Maxine and said, "Wow! You look prettier when you're angry!"

"You piece of s!@#" Maxine was about to pounce on him when another voice called out.

"Chicken!"

One call from Nam made Chicken stop his provocative actions.

Chicken clicked his tongue before whispering to himself, "As always, you're no fun..."

Nam greeted Christina and said, "We're in the same boat. Let us help."

Christina thought for a moment since she wasn't sure whether this Triad leader would truly help or had an ulterior motive, but in the end, she needed all the help she could get. Not to mention, Christina had no reason nor authority to reject Nam and his fighters.

Two hundred Peak-Stage Mortal Realm people gathered in front of the humongous pillar's entrance wielding various weapons and firearms. 

"Let's go!" Christina said.

Together, Christina and Nam's group approached what seemed like the pillar's entrance which had a symbol carved on top of a full arch, looking like a gate. This was the area where Chief Inspector Tang and his troops were last seen five days ago.

Christina stared at the giant gate for a moment, before hesitantly touching the black wall under the arch, which had a smaller engraving. The solid wall transformed into like a white-translucent wall, and Christina's hand was able to pass through and out.

Christina steeled herself and stepped forward, soon her whole body was engulfed by the white light and disappeared. Maxine, Corrie, and Jennie, Christina's most trusted sisters, immediately followed her. Not long after, Nam and the rest of the fighters entered one by one.

Christina re-appeared on what seemed to be a long hallway. The insides of the pillar was also riddled with black walls and lines of light running through everywhere inside the wall, just like how it looked like outside. She searched her surroundings but her friends were nowhere to be found. In the distance, Christina could vaguely hear dripping water. What a unique sensation, it was like being inside a cave.

As Christina followed the hallway, she soon entered what seemed to be a large hall. The hall was also made with black walls full of carvings with running lights. There, she found the rest of her people, it looked like all had successfully entered the strange building. Although there were two hundred people inside the hall, only one-tenth of the room was filled.

Christina had hoped to find the chief inspector in this room but no trace was seen at all. This was just a mere empty room.

Inside such an unexplainable wonder, the two hundred men were both excited and worried.

In the middle of the large hall, there was a large cube sitting atop a vertical rock.

Zzzzzingggg...

A zooming sound echoed in the room, and the cube began to glow even stronger as well as the engravings inside the hall, startling everyone as they readied their weapons.

Beams of light struck the air above the cube and formed shapes that seemed to look like words. 

"What does this mean?" Asked Chicken.

Everyone had the same thought, but a moment later, a voice rang out in their minds.

The voice said, "Are you worthy?"

"Worthy? What's this thing talking about?" Chicken asked his brother next to him.

The voice replied with a series of other small words in a consistent interval. Its sounds were unique, not any of the languages they had heard before, but somehow they could understand it.

"Seven, six, five..."

It was a countdown. Christina looked at her Firebirds member, hoping her choice to bring them here wasn't a mistake.

"One."

As soon as the 'one' was spoken, the running lights inside the black hall shone so bright that no one could see the person next to them.

A few seconds later, the light faded and they were all able to open their eyes. But they were no longer in the same room.

"What's happening! Where are we!" Chicken said.

When their visions had finally returned, what they first saw was the vast, unending, snow-filled mountains and dense forest as far as the eye could see. The walls and ceilings were no longer there and were replaced with white and blue sky. All the fighters were in awe. 

As all the two hundred men were still confused, Christina's gaze was fixed on a shining object buried in snow. She made her way over and tried to pick up the object. And as soon as she lifted it, the object revealed itself. It's a 9mm handgun, but surprisingly, it felt heavier than usual. 

"Ahhh!" shouted one of the Firebirds members, who was standing not far from Christina,

The handgun that was pulled from the snowy ground had a severed hand still holding it.

"!!!"

What kind of hellhole she has gotten them into?