Chapter 37 The Remains of the Laboratory
After the car drove into the safe area, the four people's tense nerves relaxed a little.
"We need a plan." Su Wanqing said as she watched the scenery passing by outside the window.
Lu Zhao held the data device tightly in his hand: "Let's go back to the safe house first and analyze the data before deciding on the next step."
"I agree." Xiao Ran said as he drove, "Those men in black will not let us go easily. We must find more information as soon as possible."
Lin Che leaned back in his chair, his face pale: “We should go back to the lab again.”
The other three turned to look at him at the same time.
"Why?" Su Wanqing asked.
Lin Che slowly sat up straight: "We fled in a hurry just now, and there are still many places we haven't explored yet. There may be more important clues hidden there."
Lu Zhao thought for a moment: "Lin Che's words make sense. The data we obtained is just the tip of the iceberg. There must be more secrets deep in the laboratory."
Xiao Ran frowned: "The risk is too great. Those men in black are probably still patrolling nearby."
"But time waits for no one." Su Wanqing said, "If tomorrow night is really a full moon ceremony, we must get more information as soon as possible."
After discussion, the four decided to return to the safe house to rest for a few hours, and then return to the underground laboratory of the nuclear power plant in the early morning.
At three o'clock in the morning, the moonlight sprinkled on the abandoned nuclear power plant like water.
The four approached the laboratory entrance cautiously.
"I'll go investigate first." Xiao Ran said in a low voice and quickly disappeared into the darkness.
A few minutes later, he returned: "There are no enemies around, but we have to hurry, the situation may change at any time."
Lu Zhao took the lead in pushing open the iron door of the hidden entrance, which made a harsh squeak.
He switched on his flashlight, illuminating the long, dusty passage.
"This road leads to the main experimental area. We didn't have time to go there before." Lu Zhao said, leading everyone forward.
At the end of the passage was a heavy blast-proof door that had been torn apart by some powerful force.
The door frame was warped and the metal edges had unnatural bends.
"What did this?" Su Wanqing asked in surprise.
Lin Che touched the deformed metal and said, “It looks like something was forced out from the inside.”
After passing through the explosion-proof door, the four were shocked by the scene in front of them. The spacious laboratory was in a mess, the equipment was destroyed, the glass container fragments were scattered all over the floor, and the documents were scattered everywhere.
Most disturbing of all, the walls were covered in dark brown bloodstains and horrific scratches.
Xiao Ran immediately became alert, gripped his weapon tightly, and scanned every corner with vigilance: "There was a fierce battle here."
"Or rather, massacre." Lu Zhao added in a low voice.
Su Wanqing walked towards the blood-stained wall and reached out to touch the dried marks: "These scratches don't look like they were left by humans."
Lin Che moved closer, a drop of blue liquid seeped out from his fingertips and gently dripped onto the bloodstain.
When the blue liquid comes into contact with blood, it emits a weak fluorescence.
“This is not ordinary blood.” Lin Che frowned, “It contains abnormal gene fragments, which are similar to some of the components in my body.”
"You mean, these bloodstains come from experimental subjects like you?" Su Wanqing asked.
Lin Che shook her head: "Not exactly. These gene fragments are more primitive and unstable, like the product of early experiments."
Xiao Ran remained alert and checked every corner of the laboratory: "This place makes me feel very uncomfortable, as if something is watching us in secret."
“I feel the same way.” Lin Che whispered, “This feeling is very familiar, just like when I was in the research institute.”
Lu Zhao did not respond. He was concentrating on examining the remaining research materials on the wall.
Most of the paper was burnt black and only a few words could be made out.
"Spark Plan", "Gene Recombination", "Element Activation". "Lu Zhao read out the remaining text, "These materials were deliberately destroyed."
Su Wanqing walked towards the operating table in the center of the laboratory: "This should be the main control area." She pushed aside the scattered debris, trying to find useful information.
"Be careful with the glass," Lin Che warned, "it may contain dangerous substances."
Xiao Ran suddenly stopped and asked: "Did you hear the sound?"
Everyone fell silent immediately, listening to the noises around them. From deep inside the laboratory came the faint sound of metal colliding.
"It might be a mouse." Lu Zhao said.
Xiao Ran shook his head: "It's too loud. It doesn't sound like a sound that a small animal can make."
"Let's search separately, but don't go too far." Su Wanqing suggested, "Call for help immediately if there is any situation."
The four of them spread out and searched various areas of the laboratory. Su Wanqing checked around the operating table, Lin Che was in charge of the experimental area, Xiao Ran was on guard at the door, and Lu Zhao went deep into the inner room.
Su Wanqing found a notebook covered in blood under the operating table. She opened it carefully, but the inner pages had been corroded by moisture and were difficult to recognize.
Lin Che found several broken petri dishes in the experimental area, with blue liquid remaining inside, which was very similar to the blue blood in his body.
Lu Zhao's voice suddenly came from the inner room: "Come and take a look at this!"
The three of them quickly gathered around Lu Zhao. He stood in front of a seemingly ordinary wall and pointed at a tiny dent in the wall.
"What is this?" Xiao Ran asked.
Lu Zhao did not answer, but pressed the dent. With the sound of mechanical operation, the wall slowly opened, revealing a hidden small safe.
"How do you know there is a safe here?" Su Wanqing asked in surprise.
Lu Zhao's expression was a little complicated: "Because this is a standard laboratory design, all important information will be stored in this hidden safe."
"Can you open it?" Lin Che asked.
Lu Zhao nodded and began to enter a complex numeric password. After several attempts, the safe made a slight click and the door slowly opened.
There was only a thick folder inside with the cover labeled "Biological Reset Plan - Final Phase".
Lu Zhao carefully took out the folder and opened the first page. The other three gathered around and read the contents of the file together.
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At the beginning of the document is the signature of the project leader, which clearly reads: "Elizabeth Lu".
Lu Zhao's hands trembled noticeably, but he said nothing and continued turning the pages.
The second page is an overview of the program: “The Biological Reset Program seeks to create humans with special elemental affinities through genetic engineering in order to open interdimensional passages.
The energy of the seven element holders of water, fire, earth, wind, metal, wood, and thunder can be combined to form a complete key. Currently, four element holders have been obtained. "
Lu Zhao continued to turn the pages, and the content below shocked everyone.
The document details the selection criteria for the element holders, the capture methods, and the energy extraction procedures.
It includes a lot of uncomfortable details about the experiments and how failures were handled.
"This is horrible." Su Wanqing looked at those grim records, her voice trembling slightly.
Lu Zhao's face became paler and paler, and cold sweat oozed from his forehead: "I don't know. I really don't know."
Lin Che used his water ability to carefully process the erased parts and restored some key information: "It says here that they have developed a special serum that can change the human genetic structure and enhance elemental affinity."
Xiao Ran pointed to another page: "Look here, the failed cases are called 'mutants', which are the predecessors of the monsters outside."
Su Wanqing turned to the last page, which read: "The holder of the seventh element is to be confirmed.
The full moon ceremony is ready, and after the channel is opened, the plan will enter the final stage - a two-way biological reset. "
"What does two-way biological reset mean?" Lin Che asked.
Lu Zhao shook his head: "I don't know, but it doesn't sound like a good thing."
Su Wanqing noticed Lu Zhao's unusual expression: "Are you okay?"
Lu Zhao took a deep breath: "I thought I was doing research for the future of mankind, but now it seems that I may have accidentally participated in a horrific conspiracy."
"We must stop this plan." Xiao Ran said firmly, "No matter what the cost."
Lin Che suddenly raised her head alertly: "Someone is coming."
Everyone immediately became alert. Xiao Ran quickly turned off the flashlight, and the laboratory fell into darkness.
There were footsteps in the distance, more than one person.
"Take the information and prepare to retreat." Su Wanqing said in a low voice.
Lu Zhao quickly stuffed the documents into his backpack: "Follow me, there is an emergency exit here."
The four of them walked silently through the dark laboratory and followed Lu Zhao to a hidden small door.
Outside the door is a narrow ventilation duct.
"This leads to the ground, but the space is very narrow." Lu Zhao said.
Xiao Ran shook his head: "It doesn't matter, it's better than being caught."
The four of them climbed into the ventilation duct one by one and moved slowly forward in the darkness.
The footsteps were getting closer and closer, and it was obvious that someone had entered the laboratory.
"Hurry up." Su Wanqing urged in a low voice.
When they finally climbed out of the pipe and returned to the surface, the sky was beginning to lighten.
The four of them didn't stop and immediately ran towards the parking spot.
After getting in the car, Xiao Ran immediately started the engine and the car sped away, leaving the abandoned nuclear power plant looking even more eerie in the morning light.
(End of this chapter)
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