57: Traces left on the broken box lead to its origin, revealing a secret that has far-reaching implications.

Chapter Fifty-Nine: Tracing the Origins of the Residual Box, Secrets Begin to Surface Affecting the Whole Situation

The Scientific Research Zone of Dawn City was brightly lit. Lin Zhou stood before the experimental table, his fingertips pinching the residual black powder within the sealed box. His expression was so solemn it was nearly frozen.

The Researchers had been working for twelve consecutive hours. Line after line of text on the test report made one's heart heavy. Mutated Zombie virus strain, artificially cultivated markers, perfectly matching the genetic sequence of the Scale-Winged Commander, and containing Targeted Evolution Induction Factors—this line of text struck Lin Zhou's heart like a heavy hammer.

“Commander, this isn't a naturally mutated virus.” The Research Team Leader pushed up his glasses, his voice carrying an ill-concealed shock. “This induction factor can precisely accelerate the evolution speed of zombies and even allow for the manual setting of the evolutionary direction. That Scale-Winged Commander in Qingyang County was essentially 'raised' by someone!”

Lin Zhou nodded in silence. He finally understood why a third-level Mutant, which should have been entrenched in the provincial capital, appeared in the remote Qingyang County—this was no coincidence at all, but a premeditated experiment.

“What on earth does the power behind those Men in Black want?” Wang Hu slammed a fist onto the nearby table, making the test tubes clatter. “Using living people as bait and raising Mutants as weapons—this bunch of lunatics!”

Chen Hao stood to the side, his brow furrowed. “Commander, two more things are off. First, their aircraft and combat suits have a technical level far exceeding our current equipment, even more advanced than some basic technologies unlocked by the red alert system. Second, they clearly had the strength to attack head-on, yet they only snatched the crystal core and left, as if... they intentionally left survivors.”

“Intentionally left survivors?” Lin Zhou's heart stirred. “You mean they are testing us?”

“It's more than just a test.” Chen Hao walked to the map and pointed at the locations of Qingyang County and Dawn City. “Qingyang County is to the northwest of Dawn City, right in the path of our necessary expansion. Their placing a test subject here and snatching the crystal core is more like sending a signal—they know we exist and have even been watching us.”

These words caused the atmosphere in the room to instantly freeze.

From the arrival of the red alert system to the establishment of Dawn City, and then to the clearing of zombies and rescue of survivors, Lin Zhou had always thought they were pioneers searching for light in the darkness. But now it seemed that every step they took might have been under someone else's gaze.

“And that little girl.” Lin Zhou suddenly remembered something. “She could recognize the Men in Black, which means those people haven't appeared in Beishan for the first time. Three months ago, they released a juvenile Scale-Winged Commander, which means their experiment has lasted for at least three months.”

“Then what do we do now?” Wang Hu asked in a deep voice. “We can't just sit here and wait for death, can we?”

Lin Zhou didn't answer. Instead, he picked up the test report and turned to the last page. Attached was a mass spectrum of the black powder, and on the chart was an inconspicuous mark—a silver bone-holding emblem. The pattern was a giant serpent coiled around skeletal remains, identical to the one on the aircraft.

“This badge... I feel like I've seen it somewhere.” Lin Zhou stared at the badge, his brow furrowing deeper and deeper.

He suddenly remembered that in the early days of the apocalypse, he had seen a scorched document in an abandoned military base. On that document, this bone-holding emblem was printed, and next to it was a blurry line of English letters—'Skeleton Serpent' Biological Weapon Research Institute.

“Skeleton Serpent...” Lin Zhou whispered the name, a trace of coldness flashing in his eyes. “That was a secret research institute notorious even before the apocalypse. They specialized in gene editing and virus modification, focusing on 'mass-producing biological weapons.' Later, because their experiments were inhumane, they were wanted and shut down by a coalition of multiple countries. I didn't expect them to be revived during the apocalypse and even treat the entire world as an experimental field.”

“Skeleton Serpent?” The Research Team Leader's face changed, his voice trembling slightly. “I saw this name in banned literature when I was in school! Their experiments were extremely insane. To obtain data, they could treat the people of an entire town as feed for Mutants!”

“It seems we've found our true opponent.” Lin Zhou clenched his fist, his gaze becoming sharp. “They released the test subject in Qingyang County, firstly to collect evolutionary data from the third-level crystal core, and secondly to test our strength. Now that the crystal core has been stolen, their objective has been achieved, and they likely won't strike again in the short term.”

“So we just watch them continue their experiments?” Wang Hu said unwillingly.

“Of course not.” Lin Zhou walked to the tactical sand table and pointed at Qingyang County. “Their base must be in the mountains near Qingyang County. Our current strength isn't enough to confront them head-on, but we can first find out more about them.”

He turned to look at everyone and gave orders in a deep voice:

“First, strictly blockade all information. News regarding the Men in Black, the Skeleton Serpent Research Institute, and the stolen crystal core must not be leaked to avoid causing panic among the survivors;”}, {

Second, the Scientific Research Zone must immediately start tracing research on the bone-holding emblem and the Mutant strain to find clues about their base;”}, {

Third, expand the reconnaissance squad. Chen Hao will lead the team to infiltrate the mountains northwest of Qingyang County for covert reconnaissance. Remember, you must not expose your tracks;”}, {

Fourth, accelerate troop training and equipment research and development, especially the Sonic Resonance Weapon and the Scale Armor Defense Shield. They must be mass-produced as soon as possible!”

“Yes!” Everyone accepted the orders in unison.

After arranging everything, Lin Zhou walked alone to the roof of the command center. Night shrouded Dawn City. The streetlights emitted a faint glow, and from the houses of the survivors, dots of warm lamplight peeked through.

He remembered the little girl in the Beishan karst cave crying, “Mom was taken by monsters”; he remembered the survivors' eyes filled with a longing for life in front of the granary; he remembered the figures of the soldiers in Bone Armor Power Armor charging into battle.

“Skeleton Serpent...” Lin Zhou murmured softly, a flash of determination in his eyes. “If you want to turn the apocalypse into a slaughterhouse and human lives into experimental subjects, you'll have to get past me first!”

The night wind brushed past, fluttering the corners of his clothes. In the distant horizon, a sliver of white appeared.

Meanwhile, in the deep mountains northwest of Qingyang County, within the underground experimental base of the Skeleton Serpent Research Institute, that purple third-level crystal core was being placed into a massive cultivation tank. The tank was filled with dark green liquid, and countless tubes were connected to the crystal core as data streams on the screen jumped frantically.

A Researcher in a white lab coat looked at the evolution curve on the screen, a cruel smile curling at the corners of his mouth. “The crystal core energy of Test Subject No. 3 is 30% higher than expected. It seems those little fellows in Dawn City are indeed good 'nutrients'.”

Behind him stood the man in black who had led the snatching of the crystal core. The man in black looked at the crystal core in the cultivation tank and said coldly, “Where is the next experimental site?”

The Researcher turned around, pushed up his glasses, and his gaze fell on a map. On the map, besides Qingyang County, there were several other red markers—one of which was exactly Dawn City.

“No rush.” The Researcher smiled, his lenses reflecting a cold light. “Let them grow for a bit longer. After all, the stronger the prey, the more perfect the biological weapon forged from it.”

The crystal core in the cultivation tank suddenly flashed with a purple light, as if responding to the Researcher's words.

From deep within the base came a low roar. Those were more imprisoned juvenile Mutants, squirming in their cultivation chambers, waiting for the command to be released.

A storm that would sweep across the entire region was quietly brewing. And Lin Zhou and his Dawn City were standing at the center of the storm, welcoming the upcoming, even more cruel ordeal.