For so long, there had been a sense of security when her son was the one personally protecting her. But that red figure would never come back now.
The bishop had said that they, the modified humans, were just short-lived demons. No one lived past 25. Even if they didn't die in battle, they would die from their own power. There was a reason for all of this.
Years ago, among the relics left by the Martian civilization, humanity found and discovered the formula for synthesizing a pure energy core. This energy core was the source of power for the Martian warriors in their war against the dooms.
The synthesis process was very successful, but the scientists found that this thing could not be used to create weapons. The energy core was not like a battery; it couldn't be attached or used in a conventional way.
After studying the documents, they learned the truth. It turned out that the Martians' biological structure was different from humans. They were born with an energy core and could create one within their bodies, but humans could not.
After many experiments, the most feasible method was to synthesize an energy core and then implant it into a human body. Then, pure energy would be poured into the person's body through the energy core.
This was not easy at all. Implanting the energy core was easy, but the energy infusion was a hurdle that eliminated 95% of the participants.
Infusing energy was not like pouring water into a body. Imagine it as storing high-voltage electricity in a storage battery and then plugging it into a person, with the energy core acting as the socket. That high-voltage electricity would then begin to enter the body through the energy core.
It was a feeling no one would want to experience a second time, not even the most resolute and courageous soldier.
The energy infusion was just the first step. Afterward, the test subject had to endure extreme pain as the pure energy began to strengthen their entire body. At the same time, the energy core would reveal its full function: regulating, expanding, and storing. Once the body was fully strengthened, the energy formed a closed loop with the energy core at its center.
During this strengthening process, if the modified human's will couldn't hold up, causing the energy regulation to become chaotic, the result would be a brain explosion and death in a mild case, and being torn apart by the energy flow in a severe case.
The first successful modified human made everyone excited. The first superhuman was born, and scientists could imagine how this would help humanity. But after a short time, they discovered that this thing was not as good as they had thought.
Let's take a normal, healthy person who could live to be 100 years old. But if that person successfully became a modified human at age 18, their life expectancy of 100 years would decrease to 97 years.
In the next month, that person's life expectancy would drop to 95 years, and in the next year, it would be down to 90 years.
By the time this person was 20, their life expectancy had dropped to 80 years.
The life expectancy was consumed at an increasingly terrifying rate, and it was an exponential consumption. Losing 10 years of life expectancy at age 90 was much more serious than losing 10 years of life expectancy at age 30, due to the difference in the vitality needed to sustain life at those two ages.
And so, by the time the modified human was 25, their life expectancy was only 25 years left. They would eventually die.
Of course, there would be some variation, but among all the modified humans, no one had ever lived past 26.
The reason for such a high consumption of life expectancy was that during each cycle of the energy core and the energy flow, it would assimilate the body a little, starting with the blood, then the organs, and then the muscles and nervous system.
And to maintain the energy, the body had to use more vitality. The more energy the body assimilated, the more vitality was needed to sustain it.
But that was not entirely a bad thing, nor was it a good one; it was a double-edged sword.
The higher the body's energy assimilation rate, the stronger it would be, because a modified human's main power came from the energy in their body. For that reason, the older a modified human got, the stronger they became. And the moment their power reached its peak was when their carbon body was completely converted into an energy body, which was the moment before their consciousness disintegrated.
The shimmering golden light flowing along the lines of the Red Guardian's armored suit was actually energy being drawn directly from the wearer. It also activated the final function of the first-generation armored suit.
A modified human using the armored suit would transform into an energy form and merge with the armored suit. Their combat power would reach its peak, and their consciousness would also be maintained to fight.
Sadly, after the battle was over, there would be no one left inside the armored suit because the wearer's body would have been transformed into energy and vanished along with their consciousness.
After some searching, the modified humans found a way to immediately convert their bodies into energy, thereby instantly reaching their strongest state.
The Red Guardian was doing just that, which was why he told Noid that he was beyond saving. This process could not be reversed. That was why the council member was in so much pain, because her son was destined to vanish. The only thing left would be memories.
She thought she was safe, but she noticed a few black dots in front of her. With such a clear view, the black dots she saw were a dozen kilometers away.
She could make out the blurry shapes of a few helicopters. But she immediately realized that something was wrong. It had been less than three minutes since the ambush. Unless the helicopters were already waiting, a helicopter couldn't get here that quickly.
These helicopters were definitely not allies!
"Carpet! Turn back! Turn back!"
She didn't know if this thing could hear her, but if she didn't try, she would surely die.
Fortunately, the mat seemed to have a consciousness of its own and turned back to flee. The helicopters were getting closer and closer. There weren't three, but seven of them! Furthermore, they were all hostile, with weapons in their hands. They definitely didn't look like a rescue team at all.
"Carpet!! Carpet!! Maximum speed!!"
The flying carpet sped up, soaring through the air. The followers controlling the helicopters had also spotted it. Although they didn't understand why a council member was riding a mat that could fly, they put those things out of their minds. All they wanted was her life; that was the mission the bishop had given them.
The mat was fast, but the helicopters' speed was still a bit faster. Catching up was only a matter of time.
The council member knew this, so she didn't intend to just keep running. She headed back toward Noid.
On the battlefield, Noid almost collapsed, having to use his sword to support himself. On the ground were the five dead modified fanatics. With the help of the soldiers and by using up a bunch of items, he had successfully killed all the fanatics.
"I wonder how things are over there..."
Noid held his heart, wanting to sit down and rest for a moment, when he saw the familiar mat flying toward him. He was surprised.
"Wait, weren't you going back to the city? Why are you coming back?!"
He was a bit anxious. He didn't know how long the red-armored warrior could hold out. If that bishop came here, everyone would surely be killed.
"There are helicopters chasing us! They're from the Doom Cult!"
With his vision enhanced by the madness drug, Noid saw that there were indeed many helicopters in the distance, heading straight for her and the flying carpet.
"Damn it!"
To avoid implicating the people below, he also got on the flying carpet. He controlled the mat to flee at maximum speed.
The helicopters were now within attack range, and a thick rain of bullets began to pour out from them. The mat weaved to dodge, but it couldn't dodge for long. When they got closer, the flying carpet would not be able to dodge at all.
Although this thing was enchanted by a sorcerer, it could only fly and carry weight. If it was attacked, this mat was only a little more durable than a normal mat. He might not die, but the council member would definitely be riddled with bullets.
"Infinity, open the item store!"
A sniper rifle nearly 2 meters long appeared in Noid's hand, along with the council member's astonished voice.
"How did you..."
He didn't have time to answer her. Standing and shooting a sniper rifle without a rest or support was foolish, but he had to do it.