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墨書 Inktalez
Shui Su originally intended to capture the little rat that had infiltrated their ranks, but Song Bunan disagreed with his approach. Dealing with this person now would be akin to startling a snake in the grass; if the other party were to close off the exits they could potentially find, their efforts would be in vain.
“If we act according to their plan, gathering together is clearly the most dangerous option,” Shui Su conceded.
They were standing next to a corpse, and the darkness that enveloped them after shutting off the lights enhanced their visibility. A familiar figure appeared in the corner, and as soon as Song Bunan spotted it, an idea sparked in his mind. He pointed in that direction and called out to Shui Su, who looked over and clearly connected with his thoughts.
It was the faceless female ghost.
She stood quietly in the shadows, and upon being discovered, she slowly approached them, gesturing in the air. She indicated that this was a trap designed to lure their entire group into a designated passage where they would be caught all at once. If they were truly captured, they would be sent to a real laboratory.
What lay here now was merely an abandoned shell.
“Your appearance confirms that there are no other Ghost Messengers or Underworld Messengers left behind. Those below must all be brainwashed henchmen,” Song Bunan mused, stroking his chin as a glimmer of light shone in his eyes.
The woman nodded, informing them that only henchmen and a few subordinates ready to flee and report remained below; the higher-ups had long since vanished.
Shui Su chuckled at this revelation. “It seems we need to prepare for a trip to a real laboratory.”
At the end of the passage was a cramped compartment about a meter wide. The two of them landed one after the other, standing almost body-to-body, making it difficult even to turn around. Song Bunan's face was pressed against Xin Yi's broad back; he smiled brightly from an angle where Xin Yi couldn't see him, quietly listening to the strong rhythm of his heartbeat.
“Let’s find an exit.” Light was useless here; the white beam from the flashlight was absorbed by the special coating on the walls, and even with purple light, there were no signs of any openings. Worried about being ambushed, Xin Yi hastily reached out to explore the wall. The rough surface provided no feedback regarding any doors or exits, so he had to remind Song Bunan, who remained glued to him, to search as well.
Unfortunately, the person behind him seemed lost in thought and wrapped around him like an octopus, turning their already cramped position into an even more crowded affair.
"What are you doing?" Xin Yi, not quite understanding but willing to go along, reached out to grab Song Bunan's leg to prevent him from falling. He looked up slightly and saw Song Bunan's smiling face; the man's eyes reflected the light from the flashlight, sparkling and drawing his attention. In such a situation, the one who smiled even more mischievously bared his teeth and made a funny face, indicating that he was just looking for a way out.
"We jumped down from above; if we go back up, won't that just be retracing our steps?" Xin Yi steadied himself as he watched Song Bunan raise both hands and fumble around at the top, causing dust to fall all over his face.
"The hole we came down from is in that corner, and I'm checking the other corners. There are no doors on those two walls over there, so I guess the door must be on the roof, just like the structure in the Mighty Falcon Building," Song Bunan's voice came down with a logical tone that made Xin Yi believe him.
He stopped urging him and quietly acted as a ladder, allowing Song Bunan to fumble above. The paint used here was the same as in the dark room of the Mighty Falcon Building—a misty black that swallowed all light, leaving only an indistinguishable darkness where one could easily bump into walls if not careful.
When Song Bunan was focused on his task, he didn't talk much. However, it was clear that the ceiling structure of this compartment was beyond their understanding; all they could hear were thuds from above and occasional sharp intakes of breath indicating pain.
"Damn." Finally, after a sound that made one’s head ache just by hearing it, a clearly articulated curse came from above. Xin Yi looked up to see the beam of Song Bunan's headlamp shining down. Thanks to his good night vision, he saw the man clutching his head, grimacing in pain.
"What did you hit?" he asked with concern.
"This ceiling is incredibly strange; there are pipes everywhere. I just touched something like a button and turned around only to bump into something," Song Bunan replied, his tone indicating he was in a very bad mood. Xin Yi chuckled helplessly and suggested he come down first to take a break before continuing.
Song Bunan rejected this proposal, insisting he wasn't that delicate. He continued to feel around for a while until a crisp click echoed through the space, followed by a whirring sound as mechanisms began to move. Looking around, he noticed that the absorbing walls had vanished, revealing a large area of architecture.
Outside was a corridor illuminated by harsh white lights that hurt his eyes. The first person to leap down from the shoulder landed on the corridor floor; Xin Yi could clearly see that the man's forehead had been bruised red with signs of turning into a darker bruise.
Song Bunan turned back mysteriously and waved at him. Leaning in to listen, Xin Yi heard him whispering, "Leave the communicator in this room; we need to stay separated for now."
Xin Yi said nothing and obediently dropped the communicator while using his eyes to ask what else he needed to do next. The man smiled cheerfully as they moved forward, his steps light as if they were strolling through a market, happily asking why Xin Yi wasn't asking any questions at all.
"I trust you and Shui Su." His affirmation was well-received by Song Bunan.
"From the internal information we've gathered, the situation down here is much better than up there. We've decided to split into two groups. We'll investigate the situation below, and according to the original plan, we need to meet up with the reinforcements outside before dawn to report back and formulate our next steps. As for them, they'll adapt to the situation; the best-case scenario is that they get taken away." Song Bunan spoke casually, but his words made Xin Yi frown.
"Taken away?" Xin Yi seized on that point.
Song Bunan nodded, confirming it was indeed true. As Xin Yi stared at him, waiting for further explanation, he suddenly noticed the man's gaze sharpen. In an instant, Song Bunan drew his weapon from his waist and fired at something behind Xin Yi.
The sound of gunfire caused a brief ringing in his ears. Years of training allowed him to react instantly; he turned to face the threat. He saw a figure stagger back two steps before barely regaining balance, blood oozing from a bullet hole in its chest. Strangely, the person continued to advance toward them as if unaffected.
It was a Cyborg.
Xin Yi moved swiftly, reaching the figure first. He dodged an attack and dislocated its joint, causing the weakened body to finally collapse to the ground, motionless. Its vacant eyes stared blankly at him, sending chills down his spine. Checking the figure's clothing revealed that the wound was indeed fatal, yet for some reason, this person was still alive.
"The pain receptors have been severed, and their bodies are forced into a state of heightened adrenaline. Unless they receive a fatal blow, they won't lose their combat effectiveness for a while," Song Bunan said smoothly as he crouched beside the fallen Cyborg. Xin Yi glanced at those who had already entered a state of readiness, indicating that they needed to remain vigilant from this point onward.
Song Bunan smirked slightly, pushing his sliding glasses back up onto his nose with a cold snort. "The lab is truly ruthless. This level of modification shows they don't regard these beings as human at all. When we encounter them again, don’t hesitate—killing them outright might be the best choice for their sake."
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