Chapter 18: Underground Disconnection

The underground research facility had an extremely complex structure. Without any maps, they could only rely on guidance from the overseers through their earpieces.

"First, retrieve research materials from the B7 experimental zone."

"The elevators aren't safe. Take the emergency stairwell."

Following the Captain's instructions, Lin Ye and the other two spent considerable time bypassing multiple security checkpoints before finally opening the emergency exit door.

'Does this kind of emergency passage really serve any purpose?'

Lin Ye wasn't familiar with research facilities, so he couldn't tell if other institutes designed their emergency routes this way.

Entering the stairwell, the trio descended rapidly and soon reached the B7 entrance.

After passing several security doors into B7, they found corridors branching like tree limbs, lined with laboratories on both sides. Through the glass windows, Lin Ye could see the labs in complete disarray - as if ravaged by a storm.

Strangely, the security systems remained functional. It was unclear how the place had ended up in this state.

The lab was relatively small, containing no research equipment except for several laptops and a refrigerated specimen storage unit.

Most surprisingly, there was a female researcher inside.

She was the first living person they'd encountered here - though "living" remained debatable.

Lin Ye didn't enter rashly, awaiting the Captain's instructions since he'd presumably know her identity.

"Huh? Dr. Caroline is actually alive? Number One, give your helmet to Dr. Caroline."

Hans hurriedly removed his helmet and knocked on the lab's glass door, shouting:

"Dr. Caroline! The Captain says to give you this helmet!"

Caroline observed them cautiously like a frightened squirrel.

"Shh! Quiet! It might hear."

Dr. Caroline whispered nervously before hesitantly opening the glass door.

After taking the helmet, she quickly retreated behind a desk.

"Are we really taking her with us? What a hassle."

Perhaps because he'd removed his helmet, Hans spoke freely, apparently forgetting Lin Ye and Neil still wore theirs.

After some time, Dr. Caroline began operating a computer, eventually removing a USB-like device before retrieving specimens from the refrigeration unit into her backpack.

"Bring...doctor...to..."

The Captain's new orders came through fragmented before cutting out completely.

They'd lost contact with the surface from hundreds of meters underground.

Bang!

The lights went out, plunging the entire facility into darkness until emergency power kicked in moments later.

A distant tremor reverberated through the corridors - like hundreds running simultaneously.

"What's happening? Why'd the lights go out? What's that noise? What does the Captain say?"

Hans likely guessed the situation but refused to acknowledge it.

Lin Ye threw his helmet to the ground and burst into the lab, pulling the trembling Dr. Caroline from under the desk.

"Doctor, hordes of Mutation Creatures are approaching. Without facility maps, we need you to guide us out. We'll protect you - or you can crawl back under that desk... Actually, to spare you suffering, I could end things now."

He pressed his pistol against her forehead, letting her choose:

A painful existence or quick release.

Trembling, Dr. Caroline grabbed Lin Ye's wrist. Terrified but unwilling to die - she was only in her twenties with so much research left undone.

Lin Ye lifted her by the collar, locking eyes:

"Made your choice?"

The approaching footsteps grew louder - the nearest creatures just corridors away.

"Follow me! We'll escape through the ventilation system!"

Realizing action beat waiting for death, Dr. Caroline took charge.

Under her direction, Lin Ye quickly accessed the lab's ventilation shaft.

They entered single-file: Lin Ye first, Dr. Caroline second, Hans third, Neil last.

As Neil climbed in, waves of Mutation Creatures nearly breached the lab.

The blackout seemed to disable facility security - the glass doors couldn't withstand the creatures' frenzied strength.

"The ventilation system has segmented zones. We can't exit directly, but we can reach other labs," Dr. Caroline explained while guiding Lin Ye through the ducts.

"Hurry! Movement behind us! They're climbing up!" Neil urgently warned.

Lin Ye moved swiftly, following Dr. Caroline's directions through turns until reaching another lab.

As Neil dropped from the vent, a blood-corpse tumbled after him.

Lin Ye stabbed through its mutation organ, but more blood-corpses poured out like dumplings from the vent.

"Go! Lead the way - I'll handle the rear!"

Sheathing his blade, Lin Ye drew twin pistols, retreating while firing precise shots into mutation organs.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

True to its reputation, the K1 Pistol proved an excellent firearm - powerful enough to kill a blood-corpse with one well-placed shot, manageable recoil, and easy reloading.

If not for their limited thirty magazines, Lin Ye felt he could exterminate the facility's entire blood-corpse population.

Eliminating the vent pursuers, Lin Ye barely relaxed when gunfire erupted ahead - his three companions retreating backward.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

"Damn it! Too many! They're everywhere - no way through!" Hans shouted between shots.

"Then we don't push forward. Find a spot to eliminate them all. I'll kill - you reload."

Lin Ye forced Hans' trigger finger down - the idiot was wasting ammunition missing vital spots.

"I know a good location!"

Dr. Caroline led them to a lab containing prison cells. They barricaded inside and began systematically eliminating pursuing creatures.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Lin Ye dropped blood-corpses with nearly every shot. Strangely, these specimens seemed weaker - almost pre-screened.