Chapter 520 - 356: Bone-deep Hatred, the Meatgrinder’s Entrance (Part 2)

Chapter 520: Chapter 356: Bone-deep Hatred, the Meatgrinder’s Entrance (Part 2)

His face was still paper-white and his lips were chapped, but his breathing was noticeably stronger. The healing agent Alina had injected while treating his wounds and the medicine Wu Liangchen later administered had clearly taken effect, at least pulling him back from the brink of death.

Hearing footsteps approach, Jian Yi tilted his head slightly. Though he couldn’t see, he could clearly ’perceive’ who it was.

"Brother Wu... Thank you." His voice was weak, but it carried sincere gratitude.

If Wu Liangchen hadn’t arrived in time, he would have likely already become a corpse in that deep, dark passageway.

"Rest and recover." Wu Liangchen sat down by his bed, his voice steady. "Your enemies... are they from Apex Corporation?"

At the mention of "Apex Corporation," Jian Yi’s body, which had relaxed slightly, instantly tensed up again.

"Yes." Jian Yi’s voice was low and hoarse, but one could hear the bone-deep hatred contained within.

"I didn’t come to the Alliance alone. I had a junior martial brother, who was... like a true brother to me. We left our home together and crossed the ocean, hoping to find a new path for our martial arts in this land."

His voice faltered as he seemed to be calming his roiling emotions. "But not long after we arrived in Zhongjing, we were careless for a moment and fell into a trap. I managed to escape by a stroke of luck, but he was captured by Apex Corporation."

"I searched for him for a long time, using every method I could think of. Finally... finally, I found him in an abandoned laboratory."

Jian Yi’s voice began to tremble, not from weakness, but from extreme anguish and rage.

"He had been turned into a specimen."

As he said this, Jian Yi suddenly began to cough violently, agitating the wound on his chest. His face grew even paler.

Alina turned her head away, unable to bear watching.

Wu Liangchen reached out and gently pressed down on Jian Yi’s shoulder. A gentle yet undeniable strength transferred to him, gradually calming him down.

"Human experimentation..." Wu Liangchen repeated softly, his brow furrowing slightly.

The familiar term made him instantly think of the Sun family, which had recently been annihilated in Qing Province.

That family had also been conducting inhumane human modification and genetic experiments.

’Could there be some connection between Apex Corporation and the Sun family? Or... are these dehumanizing experiments not isolated incidents within the Alliance, but part of something with a deeper, broader background?’

After a moment of thought, he noticed Jian Yi’s aura growing weaker, realizing that speaking for so long had placed a great strain on him. So, he stood up and said,

"Get some rest. Revenge... the time for it will come."

With that, he turned and left the room.

Master Jie Nian was right outside. When he saw Wu Liangchen, a gentle smile appeared on his face.

"Benefactor Wu, the man is out of danger. Now, he just needs to rest and recuperate for a while."

"Then I’ll have to trouble you, Master!"

"There’s no need for thanks. This temple was built through the alms of the people, so it’s only right that its resources are used to help them."

Wu Liangchen nodded. He then bid farewell to Master Jie Nian, left the temple, and headed for the Black Tile Inn.

He hadn’t gone far when Wu Liangchen sensed that something was wrong with the atmosphere.

The air was thick with a grim, tense feeling. The passageways, which were normally chaotic but still had their own ’rules,’ now felt unusually oppressive.

From time to time, he saw squads of well-equipped and vigilant Night Patrol security officers hurrying past, searching every suspicious corner and pedestrian. Even the gang members, who were usually arrogant and domineering, were now mostly keeping their heads down, not daring to show their faces.

The entire underworld of the West Ninth District seemed to be shrouded by an invisible net, leaving everyone on edge and jumping at shadows.

Wu Liangchen did his best to avoid the patrols. Relying on his familiarity with the terrain and his superhuman perception, he soon made it back to the Black Tile Inn.

The moment he pushed the door open, the portly figure in the custom-made reclining chair behind the bar shot upright. It was the innkeeper, Liangzi.

When he saw it was Wu Liangchen, he clearly let out a huge sigh of relief. He quickly waved him over, then lowered his voice and spoke at a volume only the two of them could hear:

"My good man, you’re finally back! In the short time you were out, those lackeys from the Night Patrol have already been here to check three times! If Brother Fatty here didn’t have some pull and cover for you, you’d have been caught outside by now!"

Liangzi’s tone held a trace of relief, and fine beads of sweat had even broken out on his forehead. Evidently, dealing with those security officers had taken a lot out of him.

"Thanks." Wu Liangchen nodded, understanding. It seemed Liangzi wasn’t just well-informed; he truly had considerable influence, both above ground and in the underworld of the West Ninth District.

"Thanks, my ass!" Liangzi chuckled, the fat on his face bunching up. A glint of shrewdness—and... satisfaction?—that didn’t match his large frame flashed in his small eyes.

He leaned in closer, his voice even lower. "Nice work! Brother Fatty here has had it with those pretentious pricks from Apex Corporation for a long time. Damn it, a bunch of beasts in human skin!"

With that said, without waiting for Wu Liangchen’s response, he waved his hand dismissively, resuming his lazy demeanor. He leaned back in his chair again and picked up a brass hand-piece to polish. "Alright, hurry back to your room and get some rest. Stop wandering around outside. Things are really tense these couple of days."

Wu Liangchen said no more. He turned and walked toward his room.

Pushing open the door, a faint, pleasant fragrance greeted him. Song Ling’Er was sitting at the table, needle and thread in hand, seemingly mending something.

Seeing Wu Liangchen return, her visibly tense shoulders relaxed. A flicker of relief passed through her eyes, but she didn’t ask a single question about where he had been or what he had done.

She simply stood up, walked silently to the corner of the room, and began to adjust the water heater. "The water is almost ready. You... should take a wash."

Wu Liangchen watched her gentle silhouette, a warmth spreading in his heart. In this cold, cruel world, to have someone who quietly cared for him was a rare comfort.

He took off his jacket, which was stained with the stench of blood and gunpowder, and stepped into the simple but clean bathroom.

Meanwhile, as Wu Liangchen enjoyed a moment of peace, by the underground passage near the abandoned smelter...

WHIRRR—A dull engine roar grew closer, and a sleek, subtly luxurious black helicopter slowly landed in a hastily cleared open space. The downdraft from its rotors sent surrounding trash and dust flying in all directions.

The cabin door opened, and a man stepped out calmly.

He was in his thirties, dressed in a well-tailored, high-quality dark gray suit with a meticulously knotted tie. Gold-rimmed glasses rested on the bridge of his nose. His fingers were long and fair, and he wore a priceless vintage mechanical watch on his wrist.

His entire person exuded an air of elegance, refinement, and even a touch of artistic temperament.

However, when the Apex Corporation security personnel standing guard nearby saw him, they all held their breath subconsciously, their eyes revealing undisguised awe and fear.

Because this seemingly gentle and refined man was a figure within Apex Corporation whose very name struck terror into people’s hearts.

Schiller, nicknamed "The Meat Grinder," one of the top executives at Apex Corporation.

His elegance was merely a facade. His methods were brutal, his mind meticulous, and his ruthless cruelty toward his enemies had long since left a bloody mark on the corporation.

Schiller paid no mind to the people around him, walking straight into the underground passageway.

The passage was incredibly filthy. The walls were covered in slime and moss, and the ground was stained with blood, littered with spent casings and the scorch marks from energy weapons.

But Schiller was completely unconcerned. His expensive leather shoes stepped on the filth-covered ground, making soft, rhythmic sounds.

Finally, he arrived at the stone platform where the final battle had taken place.

Looking at the lingering traces of battle on the ground, the ashes left behind by the Ghost Fire Insects, and the remains of several Apex soldiers, Schiller’s eyebrow raised slightly, then he squatted down to investigate closely.

He examined everything meticulously, unconcerned even when his expensive suit was stained with filthy blood.

Finally, he stood up and wiped his hands with a pristine white silk handkerchief.

"Interesting. So there was a third person here."