Chapter Eighty-Four: Finally Arrived

Chapter Eighty-Four

By midday, the group finally climbed to the summit and at last caught sight of the laboratory’s silver metal doors. With their destination just before them, spirits soared, and a quiet excitement rippled through the crowd. Upon reaching the laboratory, they would at last be able to rest!

Driven by such thoughts, many quickened their pace, preparing to descend the mountain.

A series of anguished cries abruptly halted their advance. The fastest runners now lay sprawled on the ground, writhing in pain. Their faces were pierced by several sharp green spikes.

Where had these spikes come from? Raising their eyes, the group saw, twenty meters ahead, several green pines clustered together. The needles on these trees stood out, sharp and rigid, identical to those embedded in the faces of their fallen companions.

Carefully, the group dragged the injured back to safety and examined them. Though their bodies were also peppered with pine needles, the multiple layers of clothing prevented any deep penetration. Their faces, however, had suffered much worse; one particularly unlucky soul had been struck in the eye. Even after his wound was healed by Xiao Keran’s restorative powers, that eye remained blind.

Though the sight of those pine needles was terrifying, passing through was not impossible. After some experimentation, they discovered that channeling their abilities to form a defensive membrane over their bodies could easily withstand the needles’ assault and allow safe passage.

The ability users among them began weaving protective shields for themselves and their companions—for not everyone in the team possessed such powers, and even among those who did, some were unable to form a protective layer. Thus, mutual assistance was required to ensure safe passage.

A kaleidoscope of powers flickered among the crowd, each person encased in a sheath of color. Mei, still deep in slumber, was carried by Ye Jingxuan, who wrapped her from head to toe in his metallic abilities; in critical moments, he could shield her from harm with his own body.

As soon as someone approached within five meters of the pines, the needles rained down like a storm, targeting anyone nearby. Thanks to their abilities, however, everyone emerged unscathed and descended the mountain to the laboratory entrance.

At last, they had arrived. Gazing at the silver metal doors, many were moved to tears. The journey had been anything but easy; nearly half their number had been lost just getting here.

Though the apocalypse was ruthless, many had awakened their abilities early on and had not suffered much, so they lacked a true understanding of the dangers lurking in this new world. Especially those from prominent families—their abilities had been valued from the start, and their clans provided every resource, sending them out with ample protection to avoid mishap.

Never having faced real danger, they had harbored the notion that the apocalypse was not so terrible. When Ling Feng first summoned so many for this mission, some scoffed, believing themselves capable of handling any threat.

None held such illusions now. Their only thought was to retrieve those they had come to rescue and leave this cursed place as quickly as possible.

Yet trouble found them once more.

The metal doors were locked tight, impossible to breach without the password. The soldiers skilled in electronic technology whom Ling Feng had brought were all killed by the giant lizard, their equipment lost along the way, and no one remained with such expertise.

“Let the metal ability users try—see if they can damage the door,” Ling Feng said, adjusting his glasses thoughtfully.

There were three metal ability users in the group, including Ye Jingxuan, whose powers were the strongest. The other two were third-level users. After both failed to make progress, Ye Jingxuan carefully handed Mei to Mo Chen, then stepped to the door and pressed his hands against it.

As his powers surged forth, the crowd watched the metal door begin to twist. Just as hope flickered, an electronic synthesized voice rang out.

“Warning! Intruders, cease your actions immediately!”
“Warning! Intruders, cease your actions immediately!”
“Warning! Intruders, cease your actions immediately!”

After the third warning, several square openings appeared in the surrounding rock walls. Machine guns, laser rifles, mortars—over twenty weapons emerged, all trained on the group at the entrance.

Ye Jingxuan instantly withdrew and retreated to Mei’s side, shielding her behind him.

“It seems the laboratory’s automated defense system has been activated. Unless we crack the password, there’s no other way in,” Ling Feng observed, noting that the weapons were only issuing warnings, not attacking.

“These weapons are controlled by electricity, right? I could try to sabotage their control centers,” Mo Chen offered, speaking up for once.

But his suggestion was rejected. Ling Feng shook his head. “This laboratory has a self-destruct protocol. If the control center is damaged, the self-destruct will activate immediately to prevent any research data from leaking. Let Miss Mei try—she’s an expert with computers and should be able to crack the password.”

Ling Feng’s gaze settled on Mei, still sleeping in Mo Chen’s arms. Their hopes now rested with her.

The others glanced at Mei, surprised. She had slept since the latter half of last night, and no one had expected such skill from the young woman. No wonder Ling Feng insisted she join the mission—not solely for her powers, but to handle situations like this.

Mo Chen, seeing Ling Feng’s insistence, had no choice but to wake Mei. After all, they had signed a contract; if the mission failed, Mei would suffer the penalty for breach.

“Little Mei, wake up,” Mo Chen gently tapped her cheek.

Mei furrowed her brow in sleep, nestling deeper into his embrace, yet refused to awaken.

“You call her,” Mo Chen said to An Ziyou, unwilling to use force.

Mei was most sensitive to An Ziyou’s voice; only he could rouse her quickly.

An Ziyou approached, knelt beside her, and called softly, “Mei, Mei, wake up.”

Sure enough, upon hearing him, Mei lifted her head from Mo Chen’s arms, still groggy, and turned to An Ziyou, asking, “Xiao You, is it time to eat?”

The question elicited laughter from the crowd—some good-natured, some malicious.

Yet these unfamiliar voices quickly jolted Mei awake.

She rubbed her eyes, then glanced around, fixing her gaze on the metal doors and the weapons surrounding them.

“So this is the laboratory?”

“Yes, but we’re blocked,” An Ziyou repeated Ling Feng’s explanation. “The lab’s defenses are active. If the doors are forcibly breached, these weapons will attack.”

“So you want me to crack the password and let us in?” Fully awake now, Mei understood why everyone was looking at her.

“Yes. The tech soldiers I brought were killed, so it’s up to you now,” Ling Feng said.

“I understand.” Mei stood, took several deep breaths to clear her mind, and approached the door.

“Ah Chen, dismantle this panel for me. And get my bag,” she instructed, pointing at the password entry panel.

Mo Chen handed her backpack from his spatial pocket, then retrieved his tools and began dismantling the panel.

Once the metal layer was removed, exposing the circuitry, Mei plugged her data cable into the board’s slot and connected the other end to her laptop, fingers flying across the keys.

She had mastered computing skills completely. Within ten minutes, she had cracked the password.

Rising, she entered the fifteen-digit code. The electronic voice sounded again.

“Password correct. Alarm deactivated.”

With a beep, all weapons retracted into the rock face, and the metal doors slowly rose.

“That’s it? Amazing!” someone exclaimed in a low voice, astonished at Mei’s quick work.

Others nodded in agreement, while some looked at Mei’s back with envy.

Was it real? Or just luck?

Only Mo Chen knew that Mei had deliberately slowed her efforts; when they escaped before, she cracked a fifty-digit password in nine and a half minutes. For her, fifteen digits was a trivial matter.

The passage leading into the laboratory was dimly lit. The group walked down the long corridor, and time weighed heavily, making them feel oppressed.

According to Ling Feng’s blueprints, entry required passing through three security doors, each with its own password and formidable defense systems. With Mei among them, these obstacles posed no issue.

After the final security door, they took the elevator to the first basement level.

Records indicated that the laboratory spanned three underground floors: the first for storing supplies and backup equipment, the second for the control room and researcher quarters, and the third for experiments.

Uncertain which floor their target was on, they would have to search each in turn. They also planned to gather whatever supplies remained; with Mo Chen’s spatial abilities, they could take all the laboratory equipment, rare and irreplaceable now, for future use.