Night fell like a giant black curtain, silently enveloping the earth.
Lu Zhaoming led Liu Yan, one in front and one behind, into a secret room deep inside the stronghold.
The room had cold metal walls on all four sides, and the air was filled with a faint smell of disinfectant, making it feel oppressive.
If it weren't for the dim light bulb in the corner, it would probably be pitch black.
"Brother Zhaoming, what is this..." Liu Yan looked around, his tone tinged with doubt.
Lu Zhaoming didn't speak, but walked to the center of the room and took out a strangely shaped device from the system space.
This thing looks like an enlarged version of a hair dryer, with a faint blue light shimmering at the top, giving it a very futuristic feel.
"Don't be nervous, let me give you a full body check-up." Lu Zhaoming grinned, revealing a set of white teeth, "to see if there are any 'little surprises' left in your mind."
Liu Yan then realized what was happening and obediently stood still, letting Lu Zhaoming do as he pleased.
A blue light swept across his body, and the system's notification sounded in Lu Zhaoming's mind: "Scan complete. The influence of the psychological control device in the target's body has been cleared, but the mental state is unstable. Psychological counseling is recommended."
Lu Zhaoming turned off the equipment, walked up to Liu Yan, and asked in a gentler tone, "How are you feeling?"
Liu Yan rubbed his temples, looking at Lu Zhaoming with a complex mix of emotions: guilt, gratitude, and confusion.
"Brother Zhaoming, I'm sorry, I..."
"Alright, stop being so wishy-washy." Lu Zhaoming waved his hand, interrupting him. "I know you didn't mean it. There's no point in saying this now. Think about how to make amends."
Upon hearing this, Liu Yan suddenly raised his head, a glimmer of hope igniting in his eyes.
"What...what can I do?"
Lu Zhaoming remained silent for a moment, then drew the sharp dagger from his waist and handed it to Liu Yan.
"Take it."
The dagger gleamed with a cold, icy light in the dim light.
Liu Yan was stunned, not understanding Lu Zhaoming's intention.
“If I were the enemy, you would already be dead.” Lu Zhaoming’s voice was as cold as ice.
"I saved you, not so you could continue to be a useless person."
Liu Yan's body trembled slightly as he slowly reached out and gripped the dagger.
The sharp blade pressed against his palm, causing a stinging pain that also brought him to a more alert state.
"I understand." Liu Yan took a deep breath, raised his head, and looked determined.
"I will prove myself."
Lu Zhaoming nodded in satisfaction, a barely perceptible smile playing on his lips.
“Very good. Next, I will arrange a ‘little quiz’ to see if you are qualified to continue following me.”
The next day, Lu Zhaoming gathered Liu Yan, Su Li, and Xiao Die together.
"The mission is simple: infiltrate a nearby abandoned laboratory and retrieve a piece of encrypted data." Lu Zhaoming pointed to a red marker on the map, his tone calm. "Liu Yan will be infiltrating, while Su Li and Xiao Die will provide support. Remember, the purpose of this operation is testing; safety is the top priority."
Su Li curled her lip, a hint of disdain on her alluring face.
"Tell me, do you really trust him? What if he betrays us again?"
Lu Zhaoming glanced at her and smiled faintly. "Don't worry, he has no chance."
Xiaodie stood timidly to the side, clutching the hem of her clothes tightly, not daring to speak.
She didn't have a good impression of Liu Yan; she always felt that he had a dangerous aura about him.
"Let's go." Lu Zhaoming waved his hand, signaling them to begin their operation.
The abandoned laboratory is located in a desolate ruin, surrounded by broken walls and rusty mechanical parts.
This place was once the site of secret experiments conducted by the White Robe Organization. It has long been abandoned, but it still retains a nauseating stench.
Liu Yan walked at the front, carefully observing the surrounding environment.
He moved very cautiously, carefully considering each step, for fear of triggering some trap or mechanism.
Lu Zhaoming had already scanned the area with the system and knew that the laboratory had many defensive measures in place.
These traps may be fatal to ordinary people, but they can be avoided by professionally trained soldiers if they are careful enough.
In fact, this was exactly what Lu Zhaoming wanted to test Liu Yan for.
He wanted to see if Liu Yan still remembered those combat skills after this betrayal, and whether he still possessed enough vigilance and judgment.
Liu Yan's performance did not disappoint Lu Zhaoming.
With his keen observation skills and rich experience, he avoided hidden laser beams, sensor mines, and trigger traps along the way.
Although somewhat disheveled, they eventually managed to enter the laboratory.
"Tsk tsk, not bad." Su Li stood at a distance, observing Liu Yan's actions through binoculars, and couldn't help but exclaim, "Looks like this guy isn't completely useless yet."
Xiaodie stared nervously at the screen, fearing that Liu Yan might encounter some danger.
Although she was afraid of him, she still hoped that he could complete his mission successfully.
After entering the laboratory, Liu Yan faced even greater challenges.
The place is littered with scattered documents, experimental equipment, and abandoned experimental subjects.
The test subjects were long dead, but their grotesque appearance and rotting smell still sent chills down one's spine.
Despite his discomfort, Liu Yan carefully searched each room.
He knew that the encrypted data must be hidden somewhere.
After searching for a while, he finally found a metal box in a hidden corner.
The box is equipped with a combination lock; you need to enter the correct combination to open it.
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