Chapter 32: Weird Specimen Room 1
“Lin Che, can you solve these?” Su Wanqing asked.
Lin Che nodded, stretched out his hand, and activated his water ability again. This time he seemed to be more skilled and did not completely switch to the Aze personality.
Blue light flowed through his fingertips, and water droplets reflected the words on the scanned document, gradually reconstructing clear content on the screen.
"These are Lu Zhao's personal notes," Su Wanqing said, browsing the decrypted contents.
One of the pages reads: "Day 278. Zhang Ming told me a terrible fact today: the virus was not originally designed for testing element holders. It was originally a byproduct of the Source Zero project, a sample brought back from the other end of the channel.
We study and transform it with the goal of improving human adaptability to different-dimensional environments.
But someone tampered with the research direction and weaponized it. Zhang Ming suspected that someone wanted to use viruses and elemental energy to open a larger channel. We must find evidence. "
Another page reads:
"Day 302. Zhang Ming found the supervisor's secret files.
The virus release was not an accident. It was a carefully planned 'screening' to identify all potential element holders and contain them.
When ordinary people are infected and mutated, the element holders either die or their abilities awaken. This is crazy. We must stop the Director's plan."
The last page reads:
"Day 324. Zhang Ming is missing. I can't find him. All his research materials have been destroyed. I'm starting to get scared. But I have to continue his work. I copied all the materials I could find, including that lab record sheet. If anyone finds these notes, remember: the virus is just the beginning.
The channel is the end. No matter what, the channel cannot be completely opened."
"Laboratory record sheet?" Su Wanqing asked, "Which sheet is he talking about?"
Lin Che continued to decrypt the file, but suddenly stopped. "There is a page here that is encrypted separately, using a different algorithm."
He tried several times, and sweat began to form on his forehead. "I need more water."
Su Wanqing handed him a bottle of water. Lin Che poured the water on his hand, forming a complex water ball, and then broke it into countless water droplets, which floated in front of the screen.
The water droplets reflect different light, forming a strange decoding matrix.
A few minutes later, a scanned experimental record sheet appeared on the screen.
This is a handwritten form that records the process and results of an experiment.
Written at the top of the form: "Source Zero Final Test Record".
Listed below are the test dates, locations, participants, and equipment used.
The middle part is a description of the test process: "The energy conversion device is activated. The seven elemental energies are injected in order: water, fire, wind, earth, metal, wood, and light.
Channel begins to form. Initial stabilization. Energy input increases to 50%.
Channel expands. Energy input increases to 75%. Channel destabilizes.
Fluctuations occur. Energy input increases to 90%. Abnormal energy reaction occurs in the channel.
Emergency: Objects moving in the passage! Emergency shutdown! Power cut.
The passage is closed. But it's too late - something has crossed the passage. It needs to be isolated and inspected immediately! "
There is an urgent note at the bottom of the form: "Sample number S-0 is sealed in a special storage room on the third floor underground of the nuclear power plant.
Classification: Top Secret. Any personnel gaining unauthorized access to the sample will be terminated immediately."
Xiao Ran looked at the records. "What does this mean? Was the virus brought from the other end of the tunnel?"
Lin Che nodded. "It seems so. They opened a small passage and something came through. It was this thing that carried the original virus."
"Then why do we need to open the passage again?" Su Wanqing asked, "They have already seen the danger."
Lin Che pondered for a while. "Maybe they think they can control the situation. Maybe they saw something on the other side of the tunnel, something worth taking the risk."
Xiao Ran had been looking through other files when he suddenly stopped. "Found it! The last record of my sister's whereabouts."
He pointed to a transfer record on the screen. "A month ago, she was transferred from the Southwest Experimental Base to the underground laboratory of the North Suburb Nuclear Power Plant.
Records indicate she will be involved in 'final launch preparations.'"
Su Wanqing walked over and took a look. "The record also mentioned five other element holders, who were also transferred there."
Xiao Ran's expression became firm. "We must go to the nuclear power plant to save her."
Su Wanqing nodded. "Not only to save her, but also to stop them from opening the passage. According to Lu Zhao, the ceremony will be held on the night of the full moon in three days."
Lin Che looked at his hands. "If I am also part of the key, then we can use this to our advantage."
"How to use it?" Xiao Ran asked.
“I can pretend to be captured, sneak in,” Lin Che said, “and then disrupt the ceremony at the critical moment.”
Su Wanqing shook her head. "It's too dangerous. We need a more thorough plan."
She exited the file and continued browsing the contents of the flash drive. "Here is also the security system information and shift schedule for the nuclear power plant. We can find the best time to invade."
Just as they were discussing the plan, Su Wanqing's jade bracelet suddenly vibrated.
"Something's going on," she said alertly, "There's someone outside."
Xiao Ran immediately pulled out his pistol, and a blue light flashed on Lin Che's hand. Su Wanqing pulled out the flash drive and quickly put it away.
"Prepare to fight," she whispered, "or flee."
Su Wanqing looked towards the door vigilantly, and the vibration of the jade bracelet became more and more intense.
"Someone is approaching." Xiao Ran said softly, with the gun in his hand loaded.
Lu Zhao suddenly stepped out from the shadows. "It's me."
Xiao Ran didn't lower his gun. "How did you get in?"
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"I have my own method." Lu Zhao glanced at the computer screen they were viewing, "It seems that you have found some information."
Su Wanqing looked at Lu Zhao, the youngest physics professor at Tsinghua University, who looked more tired than before.
"You said you would give us three days, why did you show up early?"
Lu Zhao sighed. "Things have changed. They've moved up their plans."
"What do you mean?" Xiao Ran asked.
"The full moon ceremony," Lu Zhao said, "was originally scheduled for three days later, but now it's changed to tomorrow night. We have to act now."
Su Wanqing looked at Lin Che, who nodded, indicating that Lu Zhao was not lying.
"What suggestions do you have?" Su Wanqing asked Lu Zhao.
Lu Zhao approached them. "I know a secret passage inside the nuclear power plant that leads directly to the underground laboratory."
"Why do you want to help us?" Xiao Ran remained alert.
Lu Zhao glanced at him. "I have my own reasons."
Su Wanqing nodded to Xiao Ran, and the latter put down the gun.
"We need to go to a place first," Lu Zhao said, "there are some things you need to know there."
"Where?" Su Wanqing asked.
"The specimen room under the ruins of the nuclear power plant," Lu Zhao's voice became low, "that's where everything started."
Half an hour later, they drove to the vicinity of the North Suburbs Nuclear Power Plant.
The once operational nuclear power plant is now in ruins, with a cordon around it.
"Are there any guards there?" Xiao Ran asked in a low voice, observing the surrounding environment.
Lu Zhao shook his head. "It's abandoned on the surface, but the underground facilities are still in operation. We entered from the east side, where there is a maintenance passage."
They followed the route indicated by Lu Zhao, avoided several surveillance cameras, and finally came to a hidden small door.
Lu Zhao took out a magnetic card from his pocket and swiped it to unlock the door.
"Is this card still usable?" Su Wanqing was a little surprised.
"The emergency access permissions are rarely updated," Lu Zhao explained, "Besides, I did something."
Behind the door was a narrow passage. They turned on their flashlights and followed Lu Zhao forward.
At the end of the passage is an old elevator.
"This leads to the third underground floor," Lu Zhao said, "The specimen room is right there."
The elevator slowly descended, and the sound of metal friction echoed in the small space.
Xiao Ran remained alert and looked around all the time.
"It feels wrong," Xiao Ran whispered, "It's too quiet."
Lin Che also nodded. "There is a strange smell."
(End of this chapter)
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