Chapter 19
The rancid odor of the mud seemed to solidify in her nostrils. Chen Mengzhou mechanically wielded her tools, her mind racing. Area A, relics, energy contamination, the Thunderbolt symbol… these fragments collided and combined in her mind, pointing to a vast secret hidden at the heart of the fortress.
The energy contamination on that researcher's body was the same source as the turbulent energy she had absorbed, yet even more violent. This was no accident. Fortress Area A was conducting dangerous energy research, and they seemed to possess some kind of technology, perhaps even... a way to stabilize or utilize this energy?
This may explain why in future dreams, the "Seventh Safe Zone" can build an energy barrier and even synthesize "energy blocks" and "gene drugs."
Her metal box and potion were most likely from Area A, or products of the same related technological system. The defective products sold by the collection were probably just poor imitations.
You have to go in and take a look.
However, the entrance to the middle level was guarded day and night by armed guards, and it was impossible to pass through without permission. Forcing it through was a last resort, with a near-zero success rate and the risk of immediately exposing oneself.
A reasonable reason that would not arouse suspicion is needed to enter the middle level or even Area A.
Her gaze fell again on the ground floor medical clinic.
Niu Niu...and the energy pollution accident that just happened.
The outline of a plan gradually became clear in my mind. It was risky, but worth a try.
She maintained a numb expression until the end of her shift, then followed the crowd to the ration point, collected today's bland, mushy rations, and went straight to the clinic.
Old Zhou was still busy as always, and he just nodded when he saw her. Niuniu was still the same, unconscious, but her vital signs were stable, and the liquid in the bottle dripped into her veins bit by bit.
Chen Mengzhou sat on a low stool beside the bed, silently eating his tasteless rations, his eyes seemingly casually scanning everything in the clinic—the medicine cabinet, the instrument table, Lao Zhou's habitual movements, the conditions of the other patients...
It was late at night and the only sounds in the clinic were the groans of a few seriously injured people and the occasional footsteps of Lao Zhou walking back and forth.
Chen Mengzhou leaned against the wall, closed his eyes and dozed off, breathing evenly, as if he was sleeping soundly.
When Lao Zhou finished his last round of medical treatment and returned to the inner room separated by a curtain to rest, Chen Mengzhou's eyes suddenly opened in the darkness.
The time has come.
She rose silently like a ghost and first walked quietly to the door of the clinic to make sure that the corridor outside was empty. Then she walked to the medicine cabinet.
The lock was old-fashioned, and for her it was useless. With a tiny amount of imperceptible spatial energy, her fingertips penetrated and easily opened the lock.
The cabinet door slid open silently. There weren't many medicines inside, but they were neatly arranged. She quickly and precisely removed a few items: a small bottle of sedatives, a cardiac stimulant, and a small packet of a strong disinfectant powder used to treat injuries.
Putting the things in her arms, she locked the cabinet door again and erased all traces.
Then she walked to Niu Niu's bed.
The little girl slept soundly in the dim light. Chen Mengzhou stretched out his finger and gently placed it on Niuniu's forehead.
This time, she did not suppress it, but carefully and extremely slowly guided out a trace of the dormant and huge spiritual energy in Niu Niu's body.
This energy was gentle and pure, completely different from the violent and polluted energy of the researcher during the day, but in essence, both were "abnormal" beyond the ordinary.
She guided this bit of energy and stimulated Niu Niu's brain nerves very gently.
Niu Niu's brows furrowed unconsciously, her breathing became slightly rapid, and her long eyelashes trembled. She seemed to be about to wake up, but was pulled back by deep sleepiness.
Now is the time!
Chen Mengzhou quickly brought the small packet of irritating disinfectant powder close to Niu Niu's mouth and nose, and gently blew in a little bit with his breath!
"A-choo!"
Niuniu suddenly sneezed slightly, her body twitched, her eyes blearily opened a crack, and she whimpered like a kitten: "...Mom...?"
Although the sound was small, it was clearly audible in the quiet clinic!
Almost at the same time, Chen Mengzhou suddenly used his own spatial ability to simulate the violent characteristics of the polluted energy he had sensed before. Although it was extremely weak, that unique, heart-pounding fluctuation instantly spread out with Niuniu as the center!
After doing all this, Chen Mengzhou immediately gathered all his energy, his body slumped back, and he "woke up" at the perfect moment. His face was instantly filled with panic and helplessness. He threw himself to the bedside, his voice tearing (but keeping it low enough not to wake up Old Zhou in the other room): "Niuniu? Niuniu, what's wrong with you? Don't scare your mother!"
Her "performance" perfectly covered up the brief energy fluctuation just now.
Niuniu, after sneezing and inhaling a small amount of the irritating powder, began coughing violently again. Her face flushed crimson, and her eyes, which had just opened slightly, closed again feebly, as if her awakening had been fleeting. Instead, her situation seemed even worse. The trace of spiritual energy that had been stirred within her lost its guidance and slowly subsided, but the remaining faint fluctuations intertwined with the traces of contaminated energy deliberately simulated by Shen Mengzhou, forming an extremely strange and indistinguishable energy field!
The curtain was suddenly pulled open!
Old Zhou rushed out with his coat on, his eyes half-closed but alert: "What's going on?! What's the noise..."
He got stuck mid-sentence.
Because he clearly felt that, centered around the little girl's bed, there was a faint, yet familiar, wave of energy that made his scalp tingle—similar to the energy contamination from the researcher in Area A during the day! Although the intensity was vastly different, the unpleasant, chaotic nature was exactly the same!
Old Zhou's expression changed instantly! Energy contamination in the lower-level clinic? If this spreads...
He rushed forward, roughly pushed away the "panicked" Chen Mengzhou, took out a simple instrument that looked like a modified Geiger counter, and approached Niuniu tremblingly.
The indicator light on the instrument immediately flashed a dangerous yellow light and made a slight beeping sound!
"Damn it!" Old Zhou cursed, cold sweat instantly breaking out on his forehead. "It really is energy pollution! How could... she's been here the whole time..."
He turned his head abruptly, staring at Chen Mengzhou with sharp eyes: "What exactly did you come into contact with before?! Tell the truth!"
The color drained from Chen Mengzhou's face, as if he was frightened and stammered, "No...no...it's just...when they were crossing the canyon...she fell and got some glowing black mud on her...I didn't pay much attention to it at the time...Doctor, what happened to my daughter? Will she..."
Her words were incoherent, full of the fear and confusion of a helpless mother, but she cleverly pointed the "source of pollution" to the external environment - the Weeping Canyon was a weird place, and anything could happen.
Old Zhou's face was shrouded in uncertainty. He looked at the flashing yellow light on the instrument (it hadn't reached the highest danger level, red), then at the little girl in bed, breathing rapidly and with an unusually flushed face (actually a cough and a mild allergy), and then at the terrified mother before him.
Energy contamination on the ground floor is a major incident and must be reported. But these mother and daughter don't seem to be the source...
"You stay here! Don't go anywhere! Watch her! Don't touch her!" Lao Zhou ordered sternly, then hurried to the door and blew a sharp whistle in the direction of the guard at the end of the corridor!
Soon, footsteps were heard, and the scarred guard from the daytime came over with two people.
"What's going on, Lao Zhou?"
"Energy contamination! That child!" Old Zhou pointed at Niuniu and spoke rapidly, "The reading isn't high, but it's confirmed to be contamination! The source is unknown, perhaps it was picked up outside!"
The scarred man's expression instantly became serious. He glanced at the instrument, then at the trembling Chen Mengzhou and the unconscious child, and cursed.
"Report to the control room immediately! Request technical support from Area A! Seal off this area!" He gave the order decisively.
As the news was reported up the chain of command, the cold machine of the fortress was briefly stirred by this sudden "pollution incident."
Chen Mengzhou lowered her head and huddled in the corner, playing the role of a frightened and desperate mother, but she observed everything keenly out of the corner of her eyes.
About half an hour later, heavy footsteps were heard from the entrance of the passage.
A well-equipped team, wearing full-body protective suits and sealed helmets, appeared. Their suits were clearly emblazoned with the Thunderbolt logo! The leader carried a silver-white sealed box that looked remarkably high-tech.
People from Area A are here!
Chen Mengzhou's heart tightened slightly.
The leading technician, speaking in a muffled voice through his mask, inquired about the situation. Old Zhou and the scarred man quickly reported.
The technician walked over to Niuniu's bedside and took out a more sophisticated instrument to perform a scan. The data on the instrument screen kept jumping.
Chen Mengzhou held her breath. She was betting that the special, gentle spiritual energy within Niuniu, when mixed with the violent, polluted energy, would produce an abnormal reading that would be difficult for instruments to accurately distinguish. She was betting that the people in Area A would be interested in this "unknown sample."
The technician scanned silently for a long time, occasionally stopping to whisper a few words to his colleagues.
Finally, he straightened up and said to the scarred man, "The contamination level is very low, the radiation is weak, and there is no sign of spread. But the energy signature is very... strange. We need to take the sample back to Area A for in-depth analysis and isolated observation."
Sample? They're going to take Niuniu away?
Shen Mengzhou's heart sank! This was beyond her plan!
The scarred man seemed a little surprised: "You want to take the child away? Then she..." He pointed at Chen Mengzhou.
"Isolate together for observation." The technician said calmly, "She was a direct contact and may be potentially contaminated or carrying an unknown pathogen. This is standard procedure."
Standard procedure? Chen Mengzhou wasn't sure if this was true or not, but the other party clearly wouldn't give her a chance to choose.
Two people in protective suits came forward, carefully lifted Niu Niu on a special stretcher, and placed her in a transparent isolation bag.
Another person walked towards Chen Mengzhou and took out a bracelet: "Put it on. This is a monitoring ring and also a temporary pass. You must be under our monitoring the entire time until the quarantine is lifted."
Chen Mengzhou looked at the cold bracelet, then at Niuniu who was put into the isolation bag.
The plan was successful and she gained a reason to enter the middle level.
But the price they paid was that they fell completely into the control of Area A.
Is the road ahead an unknown research institute or an autopsy table?
She put on the bracelet obediently without any resistance. The moment the bracelet locked, a faint blue light lit up.
"Come with us," the technician said emotionlessly.
Chen Mengzhou lowered his head and followed the stretcher carrying Niuniu. Under the "escort" of a team of armed men, he crossed the boundary of the passage leading to the middle level for the first time.
The lower level area behind him gradually receded into the distance.
Ahead is the middle level of the fortress, which is relatively brightly lit, has more complete facilities, but is also colder and more ruthless.
And the deeper passage leading to the mysterious Area A.
Her adventure has just begun.
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