Then came the sound of the stainless steel door slamming shut, the lock clicking into place. It was as if all of Dr. Chan's hopes were locked away.
Dr. Chan lay on the liquid nitrogen tank, not daring to move. He couldn't see where Mo Wen was but could vaguely make out the burly figure entering.
"Alright, game over."
Gin stood nonchalantly at the door, casually surveying the environment.
Mist swirled as two dark figures silently melted into the fog. Gin even left one of his men to protect himself.
"Such a cautious guy!" Mr. Chan felt a pang of regret.
His impulsive decision to rescue his old friend's son amidst the chaos had seemed well-planned—destroying the surveillance, attacking the guards, and escaping in the confusion. According to the original plan, he should have taken Mo Wen out through the freight elevator, slipped out the side door, and continued his work undisturbed.
But things had spiraled out of control. The mercenary leader's strength was terrifying, quickly quelling the internal strife and even defeating the infected mutants with ease. The situation rapidly deteriorated, making it difficult for him to hide.
He recalled Mo Wen's busy figure, feeling a twinge of regret."Against such a powerful opponent, what use are these makeshift weapons?" His thoughts churned, and his movements slowed, his once firm resolve wavering.
Dr. Chan suddenly heard a low curse from the white mist below,"Damn it!"
A mercenary nearly slipped; the floor was wet, turning into an ice rink under the liquid nitrogen's low temperature.
Gin took a step back, his gaze falling on the mist-covered floor, a faint smile playing on his lips.
He squinted, scanning the room, which seemed frozen in cold silence. He chuckled, his tone playful,"Let me experience the art of extreme cold."
With that, he casually pulled over a nearby office chair, sitting at the door with one leg crossed, exuding an inexplicable arrogance. He was like an audience member, eagerly anticipating the"performance" about to unfold—cold-blooded slaughter.
"You've caused me quite a bit of trouble, but—"
"I've decided to forgive you."
His voice echoed in the empty room,"If you come out willingly, I'll pretend nothing happened, alright?" But Dr. Chan could tell from his sneering smile that he was lying.
"We can solve this peacefully or violently. I think you're just a courier, right? And we are professional soldiers. Don't take movie heroes seriously!"
Dr. Chan lay on the liquid nitrogen tank, his fingers numb, sweat sliding down his back. He couldn't see Mo Wen but heard Gin chuckle as he shifted his position.
Suddenly—"Bang!"
A sharp sound rang out, and Gin's body stiffened, his smile freezing like steel.
Dr. Chan gasped. What was that?
He squinted through the white mist, seeing a thumb-thick steel pipe sticking out of Gin's butt! Blood slowly seeped through his camouflage pants.
Dr. Chan's mouth twitched. When did Mo Wen rig that chair?
He almost laughed but found his mouth frozen. He couldn't help but admire the kid's thinking. In unclear visibility, the old man wouldn't risk himself, but his arrogance made him want to show off, making the chair the perfect ambush tool.
Gin's legs were also pierced with various screws, blood flowing down his camouflage pants.
Dr. Chan thought,"So this guy is made of flesh too! But that kid is ruthless!"
Unexpectedly, the tough guy didn't seem embarrassed but kept smiling.
"You surprised me!"
Gin casually pulled out the steel pipe, tossing it aside, the wound still bleeding, but he acted as if nothing had happened.
"Pull!" Mo Wen shouted from the mist, and Dr. Chan instinctively yanked the rope in his hand.
Several sealed plastic boxes flew out, crashing down on two mercenaries. However, the trained soldiers reacted quickly, dodging the attack almost instinctively.
"Boom!"
The heavy plastic boxes collided mid-air, exploding like bombs! The boxes shattered into flying plastic shards, but the real danger was the metal screws inside. The explosion turned the screws into dense projectiles, shooting in all directions.
Mo Wen had filled the boxes with liquid nitrogen and sealed them tightly. Liquid nitrogen's boiling point is extremely low, at -196°C, and it rapidly vaporizes when exposed to room temperature or violent shaking, creating a significant pressure difference. When the boxes exploded, the liquid nitrogen expanded rapidly, increasing its volume by about 700 times in a short time. This intense expansion pushed the metal screws out, creating a deadly barrage.
It was like a makeshift but extremely fierce"liquid nitrogen shotgun"!
One mercenary fell silently, unable to even cry out. Another, his face covered in blood, staggered back.
Then, a flicker of firelight appeared in the white mist.
Mo Wen held a makeshift blowtorch, flames bursting forth. The intense heat created a dramatic temperature difference in the liquid nitrogen-cooled environment. Under the flames, the metal, cooled to its limit, began to expand and contract rapidly, cracking with a"crack" sound. Meanwhile, the liquid nitrogen vaporized violently when heated, causing the pressure in the sealed pipes to spike.
"Boom!"
Another explosion sent a wave of dense screw projectiles flying out again.
However, Gin reacted even faster. His movements were limited, unable to roll or dodge, but he didn't hesitate to pull a nearby subordinate in front of him.
The barrage poured down instantly, and the unfortunate mercenary became a human shield. Sharp screws and nails flew wildly within a three-meter radius, leaving a mess of blood and flesh in their wake.
Dr. Chan almost couldn't help but cheer out loud; the strike was truly satisfying!
But before he could speak, Gin moved.
This seasoned warrior had been conserving his strength. To save energy, he had restrained himself since the battle began, now finally seizing the perfect moment to counterattack.
The air seemed to freeze at that moment, the breath of death quietly approaching...
"Got you!"
Gin finally seized the opportunity. He suddenly shoved the limp subordinate forward, simultaneously stepping on the man's back, using the force to lunge forward swiftly and fiercely, like a poised leopard, instantly closing in on Mo Wen.
"Bang!"
Mo Wen's body was hit like a truck, sent flying and crashing into a metal cabinet. With a loud"boom," the cabinet was dented deeply.
Dr. Chan gasped,"The old leopard's gone wild... it's over!"
---
Mo Wen's consciousness blanked out briefly.
He seemed to be standing under the moonlight, the field's breeze brushing his sweat and blood-stained face. He looked up at the night sky, his heartbeat never calming. His father's image repeatedly surfaced in his mind—the gentle yet rigorous scholar, always wearing a faded shirt, sitting in the study, frowning as he read ancient and obscure manuscripts.
But these memories suddenly felt unfamiliar, even carrying a hint of deception.
"Your father wasn't just a scholar... he was a seeker of truth." Gin's words echoed in his ears, like a sharp knife stabbing his heart repeatedly.
He remembered how his father would tell him those complex stories after dinner—about ancient civilizations, lost scripts, buried secrets. His father's eyes would shine with fervor under the candlelight, as if chasing something unattainable. And now he understood how many unknown truths were hidden in that fervor.
"Why?" Mo Wen murmured, his voice scattered by the wind. His fists clenched tightly, nails almost digging into his palms."Why didn't you tell me anything? Why did you isolate me from your world? Were you trying to protect me?"
His memories began to blur, reality and childhood intertwining. His father's gentle smile, his tireless figure in the study, the mysterious letters from around the world... everything became an unsolved mystery.
He longed to ask his father once more,"Who are you really? What are you seeking?" But now, blood gushed from his mouth, his body growing colder. He tried to bury all his questions and longing deep within his heart.