150: crisis

When Xie Ning followed the envelope's instructions to the laboratory's location, he couldn't help but be stunned.

The location of this laboratory was precisely the bandits' cave they had destroyed earlier.

"It seems the so-called bandits were just a cover. No wonder the kidnapped people couldn't be found... So, is the use of the heavenly jade marrow related to the experiments?" Xie Ning muttered with a frown.

After waiting for a moment, Little Mantis returned.

"There's no one inside."

Xie Ning nodded. Leading Little Mantis and White Fang to the depths of the cave, where the machine for extracting heavenly jade marrow had previously stood, he stomped his foot roughly. He shattered a ten-centimeter-thick layer of stone, revealing a keyhole and a square palm-print scanner.

"No wonder I didn't find it last time; it really was hidden right under my nose," Xie Ning remarked with a sigh. He inserted the key into the hole and turned it, causing a glowing passage to appear on the wall.

Next was the palm print.

Xie Ning took out Yang Kai's Fierce Demon's palm and placed it on the scanner exposed on the ground.

This was the most critical step. If someone stole the key but lacked the palm print and rashly entered the cave, they would immediately be riddled with holes by the lasers inside. Anyone below the Gold Rank would be killed instantly. Only those who passed the palm print scan could enter safely.

With a 'beep', the palm print was verified. The bright light in the passage vanished, replaced by rows of small lamps lighting up.

"Let's go."

After saying that, Xie Ning walked into the passage. Little Mantis remained hidden in the void while White Fang followed by his side, eyes full of vigilance.

After walking through the long passage, they reached an iron door at the end. Above it was a row of laser muzzles that were still warm but gradually dimming.

The iron door slowly opened, revealing a straight hallway. On both sides, rooms that appeared to be laboratories were arranged in a neat row.

A patrolling Bronze Grade Demon was in the corridor. Hearing the noise, he turned his head.

"You!"

He only managed to utter the first word before a silver claw emerged from the air, crushed his throat, and dragged him into the passage.

Xie Ning gave Little Mantis a thumbs-up and then changed into the man's clothes.

"Beep! Subject No. 187, Yang Kai, please proceed to Laboratory No. 15 to collect your medication."

The sudden voice startled Xie Ning. He was about to grip his sword, but relaxed after hearing the announcement.

It seemed Yang Kai's fingerprints had provided cover.

Combined with the disguise of the Fallen Demon Tamer's uniform, he could deceive the surveillance and the laboratory's System.

Xie Ning walked forward along the brightly lit corridor.

"Hey, which group are you from? Why haven't I seen you before?" Two Bronze Rank Fallen Demon Tamers suddenly approached, looking at Xie Ning with suspicion.

Xie Ning grinned. "Me? I'm from the Revenge Squad."

Then, two blade flashes swept across. With a touch of his hand, Xie Ning stored the two corpses in his storage stone. He continued walking, observing the laboratories. Any Fallen Demon Tamers he encountered along the way were instantly killed and stored away, his speed so great that the surveillance had no time to react.

As he moved along, he had unknowingly killed seven Bronze Ranks and about twenty Black Iron Ranks. But even after killing so many Fallen Demon Tamers, Xie Ning's mood did not improve at all; instead, it grew increasingly grim.

The laboratories he passed all had numbered signs on their doors. Peering through the glass on the doors, he could see various experiments being conducted inside.

In almost every room, half-human, half-demon creatures were tied up. These people included men, women, the elderly, and children. Some looked exhausted, while others were hideous and savage. Some seemed to be roaring, yet no sound could escape.

Their eyes were bloodshot, and they were in immense pain. Most had fallen into a state of madness, devoid of any reason.

In Laboratory No. 7, a beautiful woman with a human body and a fox tail suddenly broke free from her restraints. She lunged at a researcher, kissing him frantically. The next second, her body exploded, blowing both her and the researcher to pieces. A chunk of internal organs hit the glass with a wet 'splat,' dripping with black blood.

In Laboratory No. 11, an old man who appeared to have undergone Body Integration with a rare Scarlet Jade Poison Mosquito was covered in dense, wind-rash-like bumps. Locked in an experimental chamber, he scratched his own flesh until it tore, dying from the unbearable itching within the tank.

In Laboratory No. 13, a young girl who had undergone Fusion with a Giant Strength Baboon accidentally broke her sternum while beating her chest, piercing her heart and dying.

Laboratory No. 14... Room after room, tragedy after tragedy. The sights filled Xie Ning with fury. His fists were clenched tight, and he longed to rush in and hack those researchers into a thousand pieces, but he held himself back.

Charging in now would definitely trigger the alarm System. While he could avenge these people, it would also alert the Advanced guards, and all his efforts would be for naught.

He calmed his emotions and stopped outside one of the laboratories.

Laboratory No. 15.

He pressed the Fierce Demon's palm against the door, and it opened with a 'click.'

This laboratory was divided in two by reinforced glass. On one side, medications were displayed; the other side was where Xie Ning stood.

There was only a bowl-sized opening in the glass for passing medication through. This was to prevent subjects coming for medicine from suddenly going berserk and destroying all the drugs.

At that moment, a researcher with his back to Xie Ning stood before a medicine cabinet and said, "Take your medicine and get lost. We're busy here."

Having finished speaking and receiving no response, he turned his head curiously, only to see a tongue of fire rushing into his throat.

"Mmph—"

The researcher clutched his throat in agony, struggled violently for a couple of seconds, and then stopped twitching, deader than dead.

Xie Ning used Fire Shadow to reach the other side of the glass. He pressed the researcher's palm print onto the machine and checked the box for "Subject No. 187 Medication Collection."

He did this so that Subject No. 187's identity could disappear safely; otherwise, the failure to collect medication would be noticed before long.

After dealing with the researcher, Xie Ning left again. Following the map's guidance, he turned left and right for about ten minutes. The Fallen Demon Tamers he killed nearly filled his storage stone.

As he was walking, Xie Ning's pupils suddenly constricted. He instantly ducked into a corner outside a laboratory door, his heart pounding wildly as his hand instinctively gripped the changhong sword.

Just twenty meters ahead at a crossroad intersection, a Gold Level 2 Bone Nether Deer appeared, with a Black-Robed Person standing beside it.

To think there was a Gold Rank Fallen Demon Tamer guarding the place.

Xie Ning held his breath, listening intently to the voices coming from the intersection.

"Hello, Captain!"

"Greetings, Guard Captain!"

These were likely guards from other passages greeting the Black-Robed Person.

"Mm. Any problems?"

"Please rest assured, no problems at all!"

"That's right, don't worry. This place is underground. Yesterday, some people suspected to be from the City Defense Bureau came to the cave. Although they took our machine, they didn't discover the secret underneath. No one else could possibly get in."

"Exactly. With us on guard, we guarantee no issues. Not even a mouse can dream of getting in."

The other guards answered one after another with absolute certainty.

"Very good. Keep a close watch and don't make any mistakes," the Guard Captain said.

The other guards seemed eager to show off, each vying to speak:

"We can handle the guarding. Why don't you go back and rest? Or should we fetch some women for you? Though this isn't the city, the village women have a different flavor."

"Exactly, how could we trouble you with guard duty? We'll definitely keep this door well-guarded!"

"Yes, yes, just give the word if there's anything you need done."

The Guard Captain laughed a few times and then said, "You guys know how to behave. I want the women on the younger side, got it? But I'm not here to steal your job."

"Then you are...?"

"Subject No. 187 has come to collect his medicine. Calculating the time, the superiors will be coming to take him away in a few days. I'm going over to check on him. If his condition is stable, I'll take him along as well."

Upon hearing this, Xie Ning's expression changed abruptly.

This is bad!