Chapter 177: Escaping the Research Institute 22

Chapter 177: Escaping the Research Institute 22

The torrential rain blotted out the sky.

The gray, oppressive sky hung heavily overhead, dark clouds threatening to crash down to the ground at any moment, while puddles of water flowed like rivers everywhere.

The air was filled with a complex and peculiar smell.

The sour stench of rotting garbage, the salty dampness of seawater, the metallic tang of blood, and... an overwhelming sense of despair that seemed almost tangible.

A small team of four people trudged through the accumulated water.

From a group of fifty, their numbers had rapidly dwindled to just four in only three days.

Xiao Xiao pulled his leg out of the water expressionlessly and took another step forward.

"The Research Institute is up ahead," said Zhu Yan, the leader, wiping the rain from his eyes. He still held the map they had exchanged with the NPCs three days ago.

NPCs were scarce in this instance. Since leaving the human settlement and heading further into the outskirts of the city, the players hadn't encountered a single NPC for three whole days.

"Hold on, we're almost there," Zhu Yan said, as if encouraging the other players behind him or perhaps speaking to himself.

On the first day, Xiao Xiao could still draw some strength from such words of encouragement, but now he felt nothing.

The short distance of dozens of kilometers on the map seemed endless when traversed on foot. Even if they did reach the marked point and find the Research Institute, what then?

To this day, the players still didn't know the specific requirements of the instance.

Apart from "escape the Research Institute," they received no further instructions from the system.

On the first day, near its end, the players' attribute panels introduced the concept of "radiation levels." The system warned them that if radiation levels rose above 80, it would lead to terrifying consequences.

Simultaneously, a rule was introduced:

Killing monsters in the instance would earn kill points, which could be used to exchange for radiation cleansers in the attribute panel.

Although the radiation level feature was only activated in the evening, the accumulation of radiation and kill points started from the beginning of the instance. Players who found repair points had to rush out into the rain at night to hunt monsters.

As a result, their progress slowed, and more players died.

Xiao Xiao moved like a robot, stepping through the rain, one foot deep, one shallow, closely following Zhu Yan. His mind mechanically replayed the scenes of the past three days.

Scenes of traveling, killing monsters, and watching fellow players die...

In three days, the number of online players dropped from 200 to 100, then to 80, 60, but throughout, Xiao Xiao never encountered any other players.

"Team Leader Zhu..."

Behind Xiao Xiao, a trembling voice sounded.

The two people in front stopped and turned around.

The heavy rain drenched the two players, making them look miserable. One supported the other, whose face was unusually pale, exuding an indescribable strangeness.

His lips were devoid of color; his originally black eyes had turned grayish-white. His skin was pale and faintly gray, as if a shadow covered him, isolating him from the world.

Zhu Yan's expression turned grave. "He Liang, what's your radiation level now?"

He Liang's response was slow. After nearly half a minute, he trembled and spoke, "…83."

The arm supporting him stiffened.

A faint, bleak smile appeared on He Liang's face.

The closer they got to the Research Institute, the fewer monsters they encountered in the water. Even the abandoned houses along the road no longer harbored any monsters.

Throughout the day, they faced only two monster attacks in the morning; after noon, they saw none.

Radiation levels only increased, and while other players had leftover kill points to use, He Liang did not.

He Liang wasn't particularly skilled, even terrible, in fact.

His talent skill was rare in other instances and often earned him protection from fellow players, but here, it was almost useless.

Fifteen minutes ago, He Liang realized his radiation level had surpassed 80.

There was no way out; fate seemed to have decreed his demise in this showcase.

The player supporting He Liang's eyes filled with despair, but he didn't let go of He Liang's hand.

When only a few players remained in the instance and the end was still far away, each surviving player became crucial to the others.

It wasn't about their usefulness in the upcoming live broadcast but represented a glimmer of hope. Every additional survivor brought a bit more security to the others.

"You... you need to hold on a little longer. Team Leader Zhu said we're almost there. Maybe once we get there, we'll find a solution," the player stuttered, trying to comfort him.

No, there won't be a solution.

He Liang closed his eyes tightly.

The shadow covering him was deepening. Over the past three days, He Liang had seen players consumed by radiation multiple times.

He knew his condition well and understood he had reached a dead end.

Since it had come to this, it might as well end quickly and cleanly.

At least, he wouldn't burden the others.

With great effort, He Liang broke free from the player beside him.

Palming the knife, a silver blade appeared in his hand.

...

Meanwhile, in another live stream room.

"Mr. Rodney! Mr. Rodney!!"

The sound of footsteps and shouts grew closer, and a figure rushed up to Qin Fei.

The NPC who ran over reported breathlessly, "Monsters have broken into the power distribution room. The Guard has already gone there, but I'm worried there aren't enough people."

Rodney and Xuanhui exchanged a glance, both looking grim.

In this world where it rained heavily for most of the year, the power system had long been a persistent problem.

With insufficient manpower and resources, rebuilding the power station was nothing but a pipe dream. The wanderers could only focus on developing small generators for use when necessary.

The distribution room was where these generators were stored.

Within the wanderers' settlement, the distribution room was even more important than the granary.

"Sorry, we'll be back soon."

Leaving these words behind, the two NPCs led Qin Fei and Mi Yang to a room on the same floor, locked the door from the outside, and hurried downstairs with the one who brought the news.

Xuanhui did not expect the situation to become so urgent.

As he and Rodney walked through the waterlogged corridors toward the basement where the generators were stored, he heard fighting sounds coming from afar.

"Help—ah!!!"

Someone's cry turned into a scream.

Then came a long silence.

Xuanhui took a deep breath, a terrible suspicion rising in his heart.

Why is it so quiet? Could it be...

"A team of ten from the Guard went in," the leading NPC said nervously. "The second team went out on patrol and hasn't returned yet."

This was precisely why he was in such a hurry to find Rodney. Since losing fifty people recently, the military strength within the corps had been severely depleted, making it difficult to handle such sudden attacks.

Rodney became a secondary leader because he was very capable in combat.

Although he didn't know what kind of terrifying monster had entered the distribution room and wiped out an entire team, Rodney couldn't ignore it.

"Let's go in quickly. The sooner we get in, the more people we might save!" the NPC in front urged repeatedly.

Rodney rolled up his sleeves, ready to rush into the distribution room, but someone grabbed his shoulder from behind.

"Wait." Xuanhui stopped him.

He stared intently at the young man in front of him.

Xuanhui wasn't entirely unfamiliar with this face, but it wasn't completely familiar either. The young man was indeed someone from the corps. Xuanhui half-squinted his eyes, sketching the contours of his face in his mind.

This kid... seems to be a member of the Guard.

And specifically, from the first team.

If everyone else went in, why is he still outside?

Moreover.

Xuanhui's gaze fell on the wall beside him.

This corridor leading to the distribution room, like the rest of the building, had no electricity. The only light source was the flashlight in the hands of the person in front.

The light from the flashlight projected onto the door of the distribution room at the end of the corridor, reflecting off the walls and casting clear shadows of Xuanhui and Rodney on the wall.

But the shadow of the young man holding the flashlight was noticeably lighter than those of Xuanhui and Rodney.

Xuanhui and Rodney's shadows were dark, while the young man's shadow was gray and gradually becoming more transparent.

In just a short moment, the shadow had almost disappeared.

—To say it disappeared might not be accurate; it seemed to climb onto his face, making him appear as if he would blend into the darkness at any moment.

Rodney understood everything from Xuanhui's cold gaze. He spat out coldly, "You've been radiated."

Shadows were the most obvious characteristic of humans exposed to radiation.

Living on this planet, one could not escape the erosion of radiation no matter where they were.

But when the radiation level reached a certain point, a person ceased to be human and would be transformed into another species.

They were nearly human-monster hybrids, possessing the core of monsters but wearing human skin. These radiated humans had one significant feature: they had no shadows.

The young man slowly turned his head.

Through the gap around his eyes in the protective suit, one could see his complexion.

Earlier upstairs, that patch of skin looked normal, but now it was ashen and lifeless like a corpse.

"Ah, you found me out after all."

The young man's voice changed, sounding like a snake filled with thick venom, hissing from the depths of his throat.

He tore off the protective suit's hood, his mouth splitting into a grin that revealed sharp teeth like iron nails.

Rodney's face changed dramatically.

He was unprepared for his companion, who was extremely close to the shadow creature. The monster's gaping maw was just inches away. Rodney reacted quickly, tilting his head to dodge an attack, but he froze when his peripheral vision caught Xuanhui behind him.

Escaping wouldn't be difficult, but doing so would expose Xuanhui to the monster's jaws.

Rodney's jaw muscles tightened as he stared at the shadow creature.

Rodney was no stranger to these heavily irradiated monsters; he knew how difficult it was to fight them bare-handed.

If speed wasn't an option, then...

"Run!" Rodney shoved Xuanhui hard, positioning himself between Xuanhui and the monster!

Sharp teeth attacked again, and Rodney kicked out, but the creature dodged.

The shadow creature had been a dedicated guard before the radiation, and its combat strength was high, making it even more formidable after turning into a monster.

Human fingers transformed into claws, slicing through the air towards Rodney, forcing him to raise his hands to block, willing to sacrifice one arm to protect the artery in his neck.

Xuanhui's face turned ashen behind him.

At the critical moment, a long whip, like a black lightning bolt, flew along the corridor walls at incredible speed, wrapping around their waists and pulling them back forcefully!

"Aaaaahhhh!!!"

The live-stream hall erupted in screams, nearly lifting the roof off!

Everything the two NPCs had experienced since then had been broadcast in Qin Fei and Mi Yang's live stream.

Two players had secretly followed the NPCs after they left and decided to intervene upon witnessing everything.

Having finally found NPCs who seemed to know some secrets, how could Qin Fei let them die now?

The black whip Xuanhui saw earlier was actually the rose vine from B-6312.

In the Dead Sea, Qin Fei had already tried using the vine to influence others, successfully swapping positions with Researcher Edward and infiltrating the Wanderers' Legion.

As time passed, approaching the "24-hour" limit set by the pollution source, the presence of the rose vine grew stronger.

Now, if Qin Fei wanted, everyone could see the vine.

The vine that had been following Qin Fei since the start of the scenario finally appeared in the live stream, stunning the audience.

For the viewers—and Mi Yang beside Qin Fei—the vine's appearance was unexpected, almost dropping their jaws.

Qin Fei stood calmly at the end of the corridor, his hands naturally hanging by his sides.

Thorny rose vines suddenly burst from the corridor floor, wrapping around the two NPCs and pulling them up to stand behind Qin Fei.

The shadow creature paused briefly, enraged. Its legs visibly elongated, muscles bulging, charging forward at a speed several times faster than normal, reaching the four of them in an instant.

Another patch of thorny vines broke through the ground!

Tightly woven vines formed a massive net, effectively blocking the shadow creature behind them.

"Holy shit, holy shit!!"

"How strong is this? How did it suddenly become so powerful???"

"Where did these vines come from? Have we seen them before? Are they a new item?"

"Do you think it might be related to the experimental subjects in the Research Institute?"

The chat panel was abuzz with speculation.

Within moments, the vine net in the corridor had completely enveloped the shadow creature.

The vines tightened swiftly, leaving no gaps.

With a "pop," something exploded at the center, like a juicy grape being crushed in a hand.

In the live-stream hall, fans standing before the light screen began pinching themselves.

...It was too surreal, almost like a dream.

Throughout many live streams, Qin Fei had always impressed with his calm demeanor during scenarios, as if returning home, and his endless tricks.

As for combat skills, Qin Fei was only average.

He could fight ordinary monsters but had to run when facing stronger ones.

Based on his past performances, encountering a shadow creature, known for its explosive power and close combat, would typically result in a chase.

How did he suddenly unleash such overwhelming power this time???

Rodney watched in astonishment, still in shock. Qin Fei decided to help them thoroughly.

After killing the shadow creature, the vines continued forward, pushing open the door to the electrical room. Through the vines, Qin Fei saw a scene of blood and shattered bones.

The other members of Guard Team One indeed died horrifically. There were three octopus-like tentacle creatures, common in the Research Institute, inside the electrical room. Their polluted aura was faint, almost non-existent. The sound of the door hinge alerted them, and they charged towards the corridor, but Qin Fei disposed of them before they reached halfway.

Silence returned to the corridor, the smell of blood and monster fluids lingering in the air. The two NPCs stood silently in place.

A moment later, Rodney led the way into the electrical room, with Xuanhui following closely behind.

Xin Fei and Mi Yang did not follow them in.

After a long while.

The two finally emerged from the electrical room, dragging out nine mangled corpses.

"…The electrical room didn't suffer much damage. Two generators were destroyed, but their parts can still be reused."

Rodney stood before Xuanhui, looking exhausted.

Xuanhui stared at the nine corpses for a long time before turning to Xin Fei.

He fixed his gaze on Xin Fei's eyes, his own eyes filled with turbulent emotions.

"You are a researcher from the Underground Research Institute." Xuanhui looked at Xin Fei with a complex expression, his tone firm. "You are also a monster."

Xin Fei remained calm.

The rose vines retreated after completing their task, leaving only a few dried petals on the ground as evidence of their presence.

The young man blinked and corrected himself: "I am just an ordinary person who gained some special abilities due to experiments at the Research Institute."

Overall, he was still human.

Xuanhui remained silent.

If he had been moved by Xin Fei's words not long ago, now his heart had completely shifted back to its original position.

This researcher they brought back from the Earth Sea had saved him, and he was certainly grateful.

However, the belief that those different from us must have ulterior motives had been deeply ingrained in every wanderer's heart over the past fifty years.

There might be good people in the Underground Research Institute, those who, despite being in the mire, still yearn for the light of the past.

But.

Those who have undergone experimental fusion.

Could they still be considered human?

Could a monster truly empathize with humans?

Did they genuinely experience human emotions, or like Researcher Edward, merely wear a human facade while doing everything for the benefit of monsters?

"…You said you would tell me about the weakness of the Underground Research Institute," Xuanhui said. "What is that weakness?"

—What is it?

Xin Fei did not know either.

He was still waiting; there were only a few minutes left of the 24 hours, and then a turning point would appear.

Xin Fei had an almost blind trust in the source of contamination. It was an entity transcending the framework of individual scenarios, and its words carried weight equal to the rules of the scenario.

Therefore, all Xin Fei needed to do was delay as much as possible.

Not for too long, just half an hour would be enough.

Xin Fei smiled, his gaze serene. "You promised to take me to the old site of the Research Institute first. Once we get there, I will tell you everything."

Although the thorny vines had receded, the small segment wrapped around Xin Fei's wrist remained, emitting a faint warmth whenever he thought about or mentioned these words.

That place was where the B-6312 experimental subject once resided. The B-6312 experimental subject was guiding Xin Fei there, and it must have a purpose.

The old site of the Research Institute.

Xuanhui did not understand why the young man was so insistent on going there, but he knew that there was nothing there.

"Follow me."

It could be considered taking a risk.

From Xin Fei's demonstrated combat power, Xuanhui already knew that if they were to become enemies, they would stand no chance.

The old site of the Research Institute was not a top-secret location; any wanderer could provide information about it.

"Oh oh oh oh oh!! Finally!!"

The chat panel flashed with screams.

Since this part involved the plot, Xin Fei could not see a single word, but the enthusiasm of the audience did not diminish in the slightest.

"Xiao Qin is heading to the Research Institute, and Xiao Xiao from Team Four is also rushing there. Are they about to meet?"

"Probably. They've walked out! This street looks quite similar to the one they passed through earlier... hmm, but something seems different."

The colors of the buildings, the withered plants climbing the walls, and many details along the road seemed off.

But the memory was hazy.

"Duh, the perspective is different, so of course it looks different. The gaps in the broken sections are the same; they're in the same place."

"But when Team Four passed this building, there was clearly no one on top?"

"Now, when you look up at that building, it seems empty too, right? Both sides are deliberately hiding their movements; it's normal to miss each other."

"By the way, what is the role of Team Four in this scenario?"

“It’s been quite a few days, and you haven’t gotten any leads over there, right? You’ve just been fighting monsters and traveling, fighting monsters and traveling.”

“I don’t get it.”

“Me neither +1.”

...