Chapter180

The person turned and declared confidently, "I'm conducting bacterial experiments. I've found that bacterial growth rates align with the current rapid evolution. Not only do they grow faster, but their mutation paths are also diverse. If humans can grasp the direction of bacterial evolution, we can better utilize them."

Zhou You felt there was truth in what was said, yet he was perplexed. "Isn't this project considered standard? Can't mainstream labs handle it? Why come here?"

The man laughed maniacally, "Those cowards out there always say, 'this can't be used, that can't be done.' There are too many restrictions. Bacterial experiments are meant for humans, how can I succeed without a human subject? Had you not interfered, I would have succeeded in just three more days!"

Zhou You could empathize with those who felt restrained by regulations, but without rules, civilization would descend into chaos.

"It's not up to you to decide what can and can't be done!"

A minute was almost up. The lab technician mumbled impatiently, "Hurry up, hurry up," keeping Zhou You in his peripheral vision. Seizing an opportunity when Zhou You turned, he lunged, gripping Zhou You's neck and aiming a syringe at his throat.

"Nobody move! If anyone does, I'll stab him. The syringe contains a super-bacteria. If he gets infected, not only will he die, but everyone who's been in contact with him will perish as well."

Shao Qi glanced up briefly and went back to reviewing the lab records. From the start till now, twelve lifeforms had been brought to this lab, starting with wild animals, then mutated ones, and the last two being humans.

Li Hang ran his fingers through his hair, feeling helpless as Zhou You was taken hostage, and thus, he shrugged and continued to stand guard by the door.

The technician, seeing that neither of Zhou You's teammates planned to help, was dumbfounded. "You don't care if he lives or dies? What kind of flimsy team spirit is this?"

Zhou You sighed, pinched the syringe effortlessly, and freed himself from the grip. With his other hand, he twisted the man's arm and pinned him to the desk.

Examining the contents of the syringe, he asked, "Does this truly contain a super-bacteria? The kind that could annihilate mankind?"

"You..."

"Enough of that. We dared to come here; did you really think a mere scholar like you could hold us back?"

"I'm a junior warrior too!"

"Well, that's a pity. Clearly, you don't know who I am. If you had heard my lectures, maybe you'd be shining in another dimension."

Zhou You coaxed, "You're so young and already a junior warrior. And with all these experiments, you probably didn't have time for martial arts. This suggests you're truly talented. Why not ditch the lab coat and train with me? Given time, you could become a national hero. Isn't that better than hiding here running tests?"

The technician retorted with a cold sneer, "Anyone can practice martial arts and become a national hero, but if this experiment succeeds, my contribution will be unparalleled. Remaining anonymous now means nothing when history will remember me."

Shao Qi ignored his delusional rant and said to Zhou You, "We need to speed things up. We don't know how many more labs there are. This is too slow. I suggest we prioritize capturing the culprits."

Zhou You lifted the technician from the desk, pressed on his acupoint, and said amid the man's shock, "We take him. His ID badge reads 'Senior Researcher'. He might know a lot." As for the other female researcher, Zhou You simply handcuffed her to a fixture nearby.

Shao Qi took charge of the man, glancing at his badge, "Lin Shuqing... Let's move. Your survival depends on your ability to atone."

The man responded defiantly, "I won't betray the organization. Are you from the Jiangnan Military District?"

"No, this laboratory was established with Ren Zhiyuan's support. How could the Jiangnan Military District possibly touch you?"

"Then you're from the Central Military District." Lin Shuqing bit his lip and asked accusingly, "Was it Geng Qinglu who tipped you off? I knew he wasn't one to keep promises."

Shao Qi halted, frowning, "Does Geng Qinglu know about this lab? Or has he been providing you resources unofficially?" Seeing Lin Shuqing's silence, he mused, "Makes sense. Some of the materials and chemicals you need for your experiments probably come from the Central Research Institute. Geng Qinglu's the go-between, isn't he? I'll have to have a word with him once we return."

"He didn't really leak the information?" Lin Shuqing regretted speaking too quickly, but thinking, if he was going down, he might as well drag someone with him.

"I'm not sure, perhaps he did. We received an anonymous tip. Without it, we would've never found this hidden place. Even if a few of you escaped, our main goal is to destroy the lab."

Rebuilding a lab of this scale wouldn't be easy. It requires vast resources and connections. The nation currently forbids dark labs from conducting human experiments, but some compliant experiments are allowed to continue. The punishment for researchers is also lenient since talents are scarce in this post-apocalyptic age. Many people commit crimes but receive light sentences. Despite public criticism, talent is always valued. The world is inherently unfair.

Rounding a corner, a door stood before them. Roars of beasts echoed behind it, and a warning sign read: Unauthorized Personnel Keep Out!

"It seems we've reached the core area," Zhou You remarked cheerfully.

Li Hang prepared to unlock the door. Shao Qi glanced at Lin Shuqing, pushing him forward. A beep sounded, indicating, "Access granted to Dr. Lin Shuqing."

As the door opened slowly, Li Hang happily packed away his computer. He'd just connected when he realized the system behind the door was different. Without the "key," who knows how long it would've taken?