Chapter 225

Chapter 225

The guard noticed Xiao Hua and the others, grinning as he asked, "Sir, do you need me to take them to register?"

Xiao Hua's gaze slowly fell on Zhang Ren, her lips curling into an ambiguous smile. The sound of her laughter sent chills down Zhang Ren's spine.

He subtly clenched his fists, forcing a chuckle, "We're only staying for a day, no need to bother."

The guard was momentarily confused. Even a day was still time, and wasn't it the captain's usual practice to have everyone registered?

He took the opportunity to sneak another glance at Xiao Hua, then quickly shifted his gaze to Luo Ning, blinking curiously.

Which troublemaker had broken the captain's rules?

If Zhang Ren could hear the guard's inner thoughts, he would probably be livid.

Fortunately, the guard stayed composed despite his thoughts. After a brief moment of hesitation upon hearing the captain's instructions, he quickly reacted and let Xiao Hua and her group pass without further ado.

The seven of them passed through the base's gate and entered an alley. With a flick of her finger, Xiao Hua suddenly pulled Zhang Ren in front of her, pressing an ice blade against his neck.

Seeing that no one was around, she applied a bit more pressure and demanded, "Where's the laboratory?"

Zhang Ren's upper body stiffened, but he tried to maintain his composure, "You just entered the base, don't you need to get settled first?"

Xiao Hua let out a cold, derisive laugh, pushing the blade forward slightly, her eyes filled with disdain, "What, are you trying to buy time for Dr. Cao to escape, or are you planning to tip him off?"

"...No," Zhang Ren felt the pain in his neck, suppressing the urge to swallow, and didn't dare to say anything more. He quickly moved forward to lead the way.

He realized these people were here with the sole purpose of killing Dr. Cao, and there was no room for negotiation. The only thing he could do now was to protect himself and abandon Dr. Cao.

Still, Zhang Ren couldn't help feeling a twinge of regret. After all, the reagents Dr. Cao had provided were incredibly effective, and many in the base had gained promotions over the past few months.

If this continued, it would only be a matter of time before the base rose from a low-level to a mid-level one.

Zhang Ren's eyes darkened. What if he helped Dr. Cao...

No, he suddenly snapped out of it, realizing these people were from the elite squad, and they were not to be messed with. He couldn't afford to get involved in this.

But if he really did help Dr. Cao, the benefits would be immense, and the entire base would benefit.

As they followed Zhang Ren, Xiao Hua occasionally glanced around, carefully noting the route they were taking, while Bai Mu kept a close eye on Zhang Ren's movements, judging whether he might betray them at any moment.

The base didn't seem large, but the paths inside were intricate, with various alleys and lanes crisscrossing, making it hard to tell which way was which.

"Stop!" Xiao Hua suddenly snapped, immediately freezing Zhang Ren in place. She looked up at the person in front of her, unfazed.

She didn't trust this stranger to truly assist them.

In Xiao Hua's mind, the benefits Dr. Cao had offered Zhang Ren were too tempting, and they couldn't provide a strong enough incentive in such a short time. In terms of gaining allies, they were at a clear disadvantage.

The current situation proved that her assumptions were correct.

Xiao Hua slowly stepped forward, scrutinizing Zhang Ren from head to toe, a mocking smile curling her lips, "This alley, we've already passed it three times now."

Zhang Ren's expression remained unchanged, "The ancient buildings here all look similar; it's easy to confuse them."

Xiao Hua raised her eyelids, her gaze half-amused, speaking slowly, "But I left a mark, an ice crystal on the shelf."

Zhang Ren's hands clenched for a moment, then slowly relaxed, his facial muscles unmoving, "There are other ice powers users in the alley; they might have left it there."