Dr. Tanaka, puzzled, asked Sima,"They say you're an escaped experiment from here. Why would you come back?"
Sima sighed,"I came back to destroy this lab!"
"Just you?"
"Guess?"
Before the words had even finished, the two mercenaries approaching to capture them were suddenly held at gunpoint by their own comrades, and Dr. Tanaka found himself similarly restrained.
"Wait a minute." Mo Wen took a deep breath, breaking the stalemate,"If your—oh, your goal is to destroy this lab, then can someone tell me... what is the true origin of the black spores?"
Sima's smile faded instantly, his eyes serious,"Do you really want to know?"
Mo Wen nodded firmly.
Sima spoke in a low voice,"It's not from Earth."
Mo Wen's pupils contracted sharply.
Dr. Tanaka's eyes held a meaningful glint,"So, you even know that..."
"Then can someone tell me, why was I captured?"
Sima slowly pulled a yellowed photograph from his pocket and handed it to Mo Wen. It showed Mo Wen's father and a young officer in this very lab, and that officer was Gin, looking quite youthful.
The photo stirred a storm within Mo Wen's heart.
In an instant, Mo Wen's mind seemed to explode, fragments of memories flashing like lightning, piecing together previously overlooked details like gears fitting into place.
The bookshelf at home was indeed filled with ancient books and research materials, but the themes of those books went far beyond what a "regular scholar" would study.
Was his father's interest truly just literature? He recalled his father's conversations, those seemingly casual questions, those perplexing remarks, now bearing a profound significance.
And those "guests"—he once thought they were his father's colleagues. But thinking back, they were nothing like ordinary scholars. Some were burly with piercing eyes, others spoke with strange and mystical insights, some even came with entourages, conversing quietly with his father in the living room, occasionally erupting into inexplicable arguments. Who were they?
What bothered him more was his father's frequent "business trips." Did researching literature really require so much travel? He had asked his father why he traveled so often, and his father would always brush it off with a simple,"Some things can't be found in books." He had never questioned it then, but now it held a deeper meaning.
As Mo Wen stood dazed, Tanaka and the two mercenaries were tied to the workbench, while Sima and his men began the countdown for demolition.
Everyone retreated to an exit of the vast underground complex. Sima turned and pressed the communicator,"Are the bombs ready?"
A low voice responded,"Three minutes to detonation."
Red warning lights flashed, and a massive tremor rocked the area as a large section of the underground lab began to collapse into a fiery inferno.
One section after another of the lab fell into chaos and explosions.
Everything seemed to be proceeding according to their plan.
They only needed to breach the final defense, destroy the control center of the base, and bury all its secrets forever.
Until—
Beep—beep—beep—
The sudden blare of electronic locks echoed through the corridor, followed by mechanical clanking as all metal gates sealed shut.
Red warning lights flickered, and heavy footsteps echoed from the corridor's end, like a hunter's announcement.
A tall figure emerged from the darkness.
His tactical armor glinted coldly under the red light, the mercenary badge on his chest reflecting faintly. His steps were steady and precise, as if he had no concern for the enemies ahead.
Behind him, a squad of heavily armed mercenaries followed, their weapons equipped with special black spore suppressant bullets—designed specifically to hunt down "hosts" like Sima.
Sima's face paled, his pupils constricting, his throat felt like it was being squeezed,"...Gin."
Gin stopped, coldly scanning the room, his gaze finally resting on Mo Wen. His eyes held an undeniable scrutiny, as if assessing an important specimen awaiting retrieval.
"If it weren't for this guy pointing it out, I wouldn't have known you're his son!" Gin didn't even glance at Sima, treating him as if he were already dead.
Mo Wen cautiously watched this dangerous man. Gin smiled slightly, took off his gloves, and opened his arms.
"I'm your father's friend. Come to me, and you'll be safe!"
Mo Wen didn't move.
Sima sneered,"The lab is in a deadlock, and you're thinking about the scientist you framed? You even want to get his son involved now!"
Gin looked at Sima with disdain,"You think your father was just a simple scientist? He was one of the initiators of this experiment."
Mo Wen's fingertips trembled slightly."No... that can't be..."
Gin's face showed a look of reminiscence and longing,"Your father was a great scientist, and his dream was to save people infected by the black spores..."
Mo Wen's pupils contracted sharply.
"But these despicable people, after being given a second chance at life by your father, came here to destroy his hard work!"
Gin raised his hand slowly and snapped his fingers. The soldiers behind him quickly spread out, pointing their guns at Sima and the rebels.
"Mo Wen, come to your uncle's side. Let's see who dares to harm you!" The authoritative tone made Mo Wen's heart race, and he took an unconscious step forward.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Gunshots exploded in the corridor, blood splattered. Sima grabbed Mo Wen and dragged him into an undamaged experiment area.
The rebel squad was no match for Gin. Their weapons were suitable for guerrilla warfare, but against mercenaries, they couldn't last more than ten minutes.
"Run!!!" Uncle Sima desperately tried to hold them off, but the enemy's precise firepower took them down one by one. Bullets whistled through the metal corridor, the gunfire illuminating twisted faces. Blood sprayed, and the rebel fighters fell one after another, their bodies hitting the ground heavily.
"Run!!!" Uncle Sima roared, pulling the trigger with force, blowing off the head of a mercenary charging at the front. A bullet grazed his shoulder, leaving a bloody mark. He staggered back, pushing Mo Wen aside to avoid an armor-piercing round. But for many, there was no time to dodge.
Gin's mercenaries were killing machines. Their aim was steady, their movements calm, and they advanced like a well-trained wolf pack. The battlefield quickly turned into a one-sided slaughter.
"Hold them off!" Uncle Sima retreated while throwing a flashbang. The white light exploded, temporarily blinding the mercenaries. But they were well-trained and regained their vision in just two seconds, resuming their precise shooting.
Sima kicked open the lab door and rolled into cover. His fingers swiftly ran over the magazine—only five bullets left. They wouldn't last long.
At first, Mo Wen was still bewildered. Bullets whistled past his ears, and his body instinctively sought cover. Cold sweat dripped from his forehead, and his hands trembled slightly. But in the face of life and death, he had no choice but to move.
He began to overturn tables and chairs, open water pipes, and short-circuit wires, trying to create chaos for the pursuers. His movements were clumsy but filled with a desperate determination.
The mercenaries' footsteps drew closer—
"Bang!"
A mercenary accidentally stepped on an electronic switch, and in an instant—sparks flew, and the lab caught fire.
"Ah—!" The soldier's scream echoed through the lab as cold liquid nitrogen particles splashed into his eyes, causing intense pain. The next moment, bullets sprayed wildly from his gun, creating sparks and screams everywhere.
Seeing the trap work, Mo Wen's hesitation gradually disappeared, replaced by calmness and decisiveness.
He quickly grabbed a can of lubricant from the lab bench and poured it on the metal floor. Several mercenaries rushed in, trying to encircle him, but one slipped and fell, sliding towards the lab capsule.
A sharp glint appeared in Mo Wen's eyes. He kicked the control panel—
"Zzz—"
A giant experiment capsule broke open, and a twisted mutant creature sprang out!
"Ah—!" A mercenary screamed as the monster tore him apart, blood splattering on the walls.
The mutant creature's gaze locked onto the others and charged at the nearest mercenary.
Mo Wen took a deep breath, feeling his heartbeat gradually steady. The fear was still there, but he had learned to turn it into strength.
"Damn it!" Gin frowned, drew his pistol, and fired several shots. The bullets hit the monster's body, forcing it to retreat step by step, but the creature seemed unfazed by the injuries.
A capsule filled with failed experiments exploded, and four or five mutant creatures crawled out of the shattered chamber. Their eyes were red, and corrosive liquid dripped from their mouths as they began to kill indiscriminately.
"Concentrate your fire on those creatures first!" Gin ordered coldly. The mercenaries began to adjust their formation.
Amid the chaos, Mo Wen finally found his footing. His eyes were determined, his movements swift. It was no longer just about survival but about taking the offensive.
Gin slowly raised his gun, squinting as he aimed at Mo Wen's position.
"Enough, kid. I need you, not the trouble you bring!"