Chapter 163 - 160: The Lab Rat in the Research Institute

Chapter 163: Chapter 160: The Lab Rat in the Research Institute

"Who wants to blow up Hualai City? The Lu Family?" Chen Xing didn’t have a good feeling about the Lu Family.

That was simply because the Research Institute belonged to them.

’It looks like the Lu Family owns more than just this one Research Institute,’ she thought.

’Otherwise, they wouldn’t have been so quick to destroy it!’

"Yes!" Mentioning it now, Song Yiguo still felt incredibly lucky.

He had dispatched quite a few people to infiltrate various places.

As it happened, the agent sent to the Lu Family overheard the plan to destroy Hualai City—a plan Lu Bingtian had agreed to—which prompted Song Yiguo to call her.

And that was how Chen Xing had managed to escape with her life.

"But Lu Bingtian was just following a suggestion; he wasn’t the one who actually made the decision!" As for who was pulling the strings, Song Yiguo had no idea either.

Chen Xing felt the same way.

’Only someone inside the Research Institute would know I broke in.’

’Was it that person with the terrifying mask-like face?’

’Although the masked man was mysterious and frightening... he felt like, at most, a manager of the Research Institute.’

’As for what secret the Research Institute held that was worth the price of destroying an entire city, she had no way of knowing.’

’The Lu Family’s methods were utterly inhumane.’

’Hualai City was overrun with zombies, but there were still people living there.’

’The Lu Family clearly didn’t give a damn about the innocent people who would die.’

’But... there was one thing I’m sure of: they weren’t trying to kill me.’

’Otherwise, that small hidden passage wouldn’t have appeared right next to the self-destruct system exactly when it did.’

"Help me find out who’s behind Lu Bingtian." Chen Xing had met Lu Bingtian before. ’He probably only knows I exist,’ she thought. ’It’s unlikely he even knows I’m Subject 00007 from the Research Institute.’ She continued, "In three days, send your people to Deke City to pick up the poultry and livestock!"

’He saved my life. I know how to repay the favor.’

Song Yiguo loved dealing with people like Chen Xing.

Debts were always settled clearly, with no need for unnecessary words.

After hanging up, Chen Xing headed to the area around the Research Institute.

Xiao Nan trailed after her like a shadow, but Chen Xing treated him as if he were invisible.

Amidst the ruins, the spot where the Research Institute had been was a conspicuously deep crater.

A large pit had already been formed when Subject 00002 was dug out.

Now, the pit seemed much larger.

Chen Xing fell silent.

’Could it be that someone other than Subject 00002 survived?’

’And judging by the size of this pit, it wasn’t just one or two survivors.’

’If there were only one or two, they wouldn’t have needed to dig a hole this big.’

Xiao Nan, who was following Chen Xing at a slight distance, saw where she had stopped and guessed it was the Research Institute.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, walking over and peering into the crater.

’Doesn’t seem to be anything strange here, right?’

’To him, it was just a crater.’

’Maybe the explosion created it?’

Chen Xing felt the urge to go down and take a look, but she absolutely did not trust Xiao Nan.

Just as Xiao Nan peered into the crater, the ground around it began to shake again.

Startled, he quickly backed away from the crater.

The area around the crater shook for a while longer, then suddenly, chunks of scorched concrete were flung aside.

Immediately after, one zombie dog after another leaped out.

They were all wounded, some with so much flesh torn away that bone was exposed. They looked even more grotesque than when they had been completely covered in black skin.

Seeing Chen Xing standing nearby, they parted their massive jaws and lunged at her.

Chen Xing had always been quick on the draw. With each slash of her blade, one fell.

Xiao Nan wanted to help, but the sight of the zombie dogs was so horrific that he just stood there, hesitating with his weapon in hand.

There weren’t many zombie dogs, only about ten or so. Chen Xing dispatched them quickly.

Chen Xing had to admire the resilience of these zombie dogs.

’They survived that explosion and fire?’

"Looks like the bomb wasn’t very effective against these zombie dogs!" Xiao Nan said, a little unsettled and just trying to fill the silence.

His unease didn’t stem from the zombie dogs or from Chen Xing, but from whatever lay beneath them.

For some reason, his heart was pounding with dread.

He watched Chen Xing from behind.

’He was on a mission to get close to Chen Xing.’

’His contact was mysterious, only promising him supplies and a return to his old, decadent lifestyle if he could stay by her side.’

’Beautiful women, luxury cars, gourmet food—he could have it all again. There was no reason to refuse.’

’Of course... he never imagined he’d nearly die at the Research Institute right after accepting the mission.’

’They had all survived thanks to Chen Xing’s decisiveness, so naturally, they saw her in a new light.’

’But that was as far as it went.’

’She was beautiful, alluring even, and he’d be willing to chase her.’

’But he didn’t like her enough to die for her.’

’Standing here now, he was overcome with anxiety.’

’Was it some kind of aftereffect from the explosion?’

’Ever since he’d gotten close to the Research Institute, it felt like he was receiving some kind of signal. It wasn’t strong, but it gave him the sensation of being controlled.’

’But there was another reason for his unease: like the two people who had melted into puddles of blood, his memory was incomplete.’

’He didn’t even know where the gaps began. He just knew that before the apocalypse, his parents were alive and had given him an incredibly luxurious life, so he’d never had a reason to question it.’

’But standing here now, he suddenly had his doubts.’

’How did his mysterious benefactor find him?’

’His parents had died just a few days into the apocalypse. Fortunately, their home was well-stocked with supplies.’

’A few of his best friends, having lost their own families, had come to stay with him.’

’He called them "best friends," but they’d only known each other for a few months. They bonded over their shared love for that extravagant lifestyle.’

’After they—along with their girlfriends—had exhausted all the food at his house, they drove off in search of a decent safe zone.’

’But just two days after they’d set out, he got a call. The person on the other end said that if he met up with a woman named Hao Wenli and then got close to Chen Xing, all his future supplies would be taken care of.’

’A chance to get close to a beautiful woman, plus an endless supply of food? He couldn’t have been happier.’

’The contact didn’t specify what he was supposed to do after getting close, only that they would be in touch by phone with further instructions.’

’Ever since meeting up with Hao Wenli, he had just been following her lead.’

’Just last night, while chatting with Yu Heng, he’d learned that Yu Heng also had significant memory gaps.’

’At the time, he hadn’t thought much of it, just chalking it up to coincidence.’

’But now, the more he thought about it, the more terrified he became.’

’What if they were also from the Research Institute buried down there?’

Goosebumps erupted all over his skin.

’He’d always thought he just naturally had a superpower, which was why killing zombies came so easily to him.’

’But what if he, too, had some mysterious power inside his body?’

Another wave of goosebumps washed over him.

Chen Xing had already noticed that something was off with Xiao Nan.

His eyes were helpless and dazed, just like Subject 00002’s had been.

’Damn!’

’Don’t tell me Xiao Nan is also one of the Research Institute’s lab rats?’

’Does that mean that, in addition to the ones buried down there, some of the lab rats had already left the Research Institute and are living out in the world in various capacities?’

’Or... approaching me through various means?’