Seeing them come up, Xiao Guo removed the grille from the ventilation duct and crawled inside himself.

Not long after, the others followed into the pipe.

The iron lid was half-open, allowing a faint ray of light to shine through.

The inside of the pipe was narrow and winding, and the air was filled with the stuffy smell of years of dust, mixed with an indescribable stench, like the silent protest of long-uncleaned rotten matter.

Everyone crawled in one by one, but Liu Chong seemed to have the most difficulty.

He was a large, imposing man, and it must have been incredibly uncomfortable for him to crawl through the narrow pipe.

"Phew~ What a terrible... method!" Liu Chong breathed heavily, muttering to himself.

Sweat streamed down his face, mingling with the dust inside the pipes to form muddy trails. Each step forward was accompanied by the faint sound of his bones rubbing against the pipe walls, and his heavy breathing.

Liu Chong tried his best to adjust his body. In order not to affect the team's overall speed, he could only grit his teeth and crawl at the back.

While feeling miserable, Liu Chong's thoughts raced through his mind.

Damn it, if something goes wrong and we try to run away, I'll be right in front of you when we turn around, and then I'll block you all!

Liu Chong gave a wicked grin.

The higher they climbed, the faster their hearts beat, and they took each step with utmost care.

The research institute maintains a constant power supply year-round, unaffected by external wind and rain, and possesses a self-sufficient independent power supply system.

Even when the outside world loses power, the lights here remain on.

The light pierced through every gap in the railing, revealing the figure hidden inside the ventilation duct.

Inside the pipe, the air seemed to freeze. Lu Jiawei pressed himself against the cold metal pipe wall, peering through the narrow gap. The scene below terrified him.

The research institute's lobby was brightly lit, and the thousands of staff members had completely lost their humanity, becoming walking corpses.

Some of the zombies were missing arms or legs, yet they still staggered forward, their movements clumsy as they swayed and wandered around.

Occasionally, when a zombie bumps into something on the ground and makes a 'bang' sound, the other zombies will also turn their attention to that spot.

Upon seeing this scene, Lu Jiawei's legs involuntarily went weak. An unprecedented fear spread from the soles of his feet to his entire body like ice, making it almost impossible for him to support his arms.

The other superhumans around him weren't in much better shape.

Although they tried their best to remain calm, the fine beads of sweat on their foreheads and their unconsciously rapid breathing betrayed their inner panic.

Please don't get caught!

If this gets discovered, they'll really be rushing to deliver takeout.

Lu Jiawei was already starting to regret it.

Isn't he just an ignorant pretty boy? Why would he risk his life to come out like that?

The old man is the same; he doesn't even try to persuade me, even though I'm not his son anymore.

Lu Shibin: So? Don't you want to look at what you're saying?! I've practically bled myself dry...

—————

Inside the dark, narrow, and weathered metal pipe, the group moved forward silently.

Ahead of Xiao Jin was Wan Sha's slightly thin back, while behind Xiao Jin, Cen Nian followed closely.

For some reason, Xiao Jin's inexplicable premonition grew stronger.

From the moment I stepped into this research institute, an unusual atmosphere followed me like a shadow; in short, there must be something dangerous inside.

These aren't the ordinary zombies below; they're definitely huge.

Xiao Jin unconsciously gripped the 'Shadow Thorn' at her waist. The space inside the pipe was limited, so she had to be on her guard.

Immediately afterwards, Xiao Jin turned back and exchanged glances with Cen Nian, who nodded slightly, indicating that she was ready at any time.

At the very front, Xiao Guo was intently trying to decipher the intricate network of pipe branches. His face was covered in fine beads of sweat, which glistened in the dim light of his flashlight.

Behind him, Pan Lizhi clung tightly to the pipe wall, protecting Xiao Guo while climbing carefully with every step.

Lu Jiawei naturally ended up between Pan Lizhi and An Xiang.

Just then, Pan Lizhi was surprised to find that Xiao Guo in front of him had suddenly stopped for some reason.

His heart skipped a beat, and he hurriedly asked, "What happened?"

The sudden anomaly caused a brief commotion among the people behind.

Xiao Guo's brows furrowed into a deep frown, and his voice carried an undisguised panic and confusion: "Ahead... there's a bunch of... strange things!"

These words were like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, instantly creating ripples throughout the group.

Upon hearing this, the people behind were first stunned, and then an uneasy feeling began to quietly spread among the crowd.

Pan Lizhi couldn't help but frown at this moment.

What's that strange thing? It's not a zombie.

To be on the safe side, he almost instinctively darted forward and pulled Xiao Guo back, his movements swift and decisive.

Xiao Guo slumped down behind him, and Pan Lizhi slowly raised his head, looking ahead with piercing eyes.

The once spacious pipe ahead was now completely blocked by dense plant vines, which had an eerie blackish-purple color, like venomous snakes in the dark.

They intertwined, forming an impenetrable wall that completely sealed off the pipe opening.

Its dark purple surface faintly shimmered with an ominous luster, exuding a chilling aura that sent shivers down one's spine.

Compared to the other superhumans who were on high alert, Xiao Jin discovered that the unusual aura he sensed did not originate from these vines.

However, Xiao Jin was not sure if there was absolutely no connection between them.

However, this gave her a hunch that the hidden threat might be some kind of advanced mutated plant.

Seeing the situation ahead, Pan Lizhi frowned even more deeply.

He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down, and then looked in the direction the vines were growing, attempting to find their source.

After careful observation, he finally discovered that the vines were emerging from a room beneath the pipe.

As if they were alive, they stubbornly climbed upwards along the gaps in the pipe until they completely occupied the entire exit.

The passage on the other side, however, remained exactly as it was, without a trace of vines.

This contrast intensified Pan Lizhi's unease; there must be something strange about the room below.

After thinking for a moment, Pan Lizhi moved forward a few steps, but was pulled backward by the force behind him.

He turned his head and saw An Xiang gripping his arm tightly with a tense expression, his eyes filled with worry.

"Hey, be careful!" An Xiang's voice trembled slightly, clearly realizing the seriousness of the situation.