Yue Shi singled out the ordinary middle-aged man with the 【Let's Hurt Each Other】 ability for interrogation.
This man appeared to be the most normal and seemed the most likely to engage in effective communication among the group.
Yue Shi released the man from the extra-dimensional space cage and dropped him onto the cold ground.
The man looked somewhat dazed but wasn't overly panicked. He simply rubbed his dizzy head and looked at Yue Shi with a confused expression.
As Yue Shi had expected, the middle-aged man was indeed capable of communication.
He was quite talkative, appearing as if he hadn't spoken to a normal person in a long time. Once he started, it was like opening a floodgate.
He said he used to be an ordinary office worker, struggling at the bottom of society.
Although he was at the bottom, he had it a bit easier than his colleagues because he was single, unmarried, and had no children.
Since he was young, he knew that this world was overrun by the supernatural. One never knew what tomorrow would bring, so it was no place to start a family or have children, as it would only be a burden to others.
He had often been a burden to his own parents, so he decided early on that he would never have children of his own.
Bringing a child into such a terrible world would be too cruel.
Strangely enough, when he was in his twenties, something went wrong. It was as if he had been possessed; he suddenly developed an uncontrollable, frantic desire to get married and have kids.
Fortunately, he was naturally stubborn and had strong willpower. He managed to resist that inexplicable urge and didn't jump into that pit of fire.
He didn't even know when his supernatural power had awakened.
Passive abilities like his were truly difficult to detect.
He only discovered it later during a financial dispute when his boss beat him up.
After becoming a transcendent, he didn't enjoy many good days. He somehow became a criminal, was thrown into prison, and eventually transferred to the laboratory.
The only thing he felt fortunate about was that since his awakening, he hadn't suffered much physical pain. Even when he was framed and sent to prison, no one could force a confession out of him through torture.
The middle-aged man was very proactive. He explained his supernatural power, pointed Yue Shi in the general direction of the laboratory, and briefly described the terrain.
After giving the directions, he didn't forget to complain a bit to vent his pent-up frustration. "Those researchers in white lab coats usually look like lunatics, always talking about science and evolution as if they aren't afraid of death. In reality, every single one of them treasures their life dearly. They aren't nearly as crazy or paranoid as they act; they're just putting on a persona for the higher-ups and trying to scare each other."
He paused and added pointedly, "After I got to that place, I only suffered for the first few days. After that, no one dared to perform experiments on me recklessly. After all, no one wants to accidentally kill or cripple themselves, right?"
Though he spoke casually, he was subtly reminding Yue Shi that his ability was troublesome—extremely troublesome. Even the lab researchers were wary of him. He would cooperate honestly, so Yue Shi shouldn't hurt him.
How could Yue Shi not see through the man's little scheme? But he didn't care at all.
He was more interested in specific intelligence: the laboratory's internal structure, defensive forces, and the distribution of researchers.
However, when these topics were mentioned, the middle-aged man spread his hands with a helpless expression.
"I really don't know about that. I'm just an experimental subject. I'm usually locked in a specific area, and my range of movement is limited."
"Even though I acted cooperatively and obediently, they never gave me any clearance. When they took me out for fresh air or testing, I was either blindfolded or taken through specialized tunnels. I couldn't see the full picture at all."
"I don't know what the inside looks like or how many people are there. Being able to figure out the general direction of the lab was the result of my careful observation. I've always hoped someone would attack the lab so I could be a collaborator, but unfortunately, I don't know much."
Yue Shi nodded. It was indeed difficult for an experimental subject with strictly limited movement to grasp the overall layout of the laboratory.
Since he couldn't get any more useful information, Yue Shi didn't bother wasting more words. Spatial ripples flared, and before the middle-aged man could react, he was sealed back into the extra-dimensional space.
As for the location of the laboratory entrance?
That was no longer a problem for Yue Shi.
Originally, due to changes in the environment and the laboratory's deliberate concealment, it would have been difficult for Yue Shi to locate the entrance using only old memories and rough intelligence.
But the appearance of these two waves of attackers was like lighting a torch in the dark, providing him with a clear guide.
The 【Trace Seeking】 ability gave him a powerful tracking instinct. As long as he caught a sliver of a clue, he could follow the trail to the source.
These two waves of attackers had come from the laboratory, leaving behind far too many "traces"—scents, residues, and even faint fluctuations from spatial movement.
Even if the other party had cleaned up afterward, the traces remained clearly discernible under the perception of 【Trace Seeking】.
Yue Shi and Ghost set off immediately. Guided by the traces, they turned onto a rugged and difficult mountain path.
The road was bumpy, and the vehicle could no longer travel. Yue Shi simply stored the car back into his space.
At this moment, Ghost, drifting to the side, said firmly, "I don't want to just watch you take revenge alone. I want to participate too. After all, they are my enemies as well. I must act personally."
This was the first time since they had teamed up that Ghost had made a clear request to Yue Shi, and it was perfectly reasonable.
"Of course you can," Yue Shi didn't refuse.
He took a plush teddy bear out of his space and stuffed several lethal supernatural objects into the pocket on the bear's chest.
"A doll isn't a great vessel and won't let you show much of your strength. You're better suited for possessing mechanical creations, like custom robots. I'll get a set for you when there's an opportunity," Yue Shi said.
Ghost, controlling the plush teddy bear, nodded. "We'll talk about that when the time comes."
He checked the equipment in his pocket and then looked at the rugged mountain path ahead, which was covered in snow and overgrown with bushes.
The laboratory was hidden deep underground, with its entrances and exits located ten or even dozens of kilometers away, connected by complex underground tunnels.
This snowy mountain terrain was clearly not something a plush teddy bear could navigate smoothly.
However, Yue Shi obviously didn't plan on trekking on foot.
He reached out and grabbed the plush teddy bear. Black wings unfurled from his back with a sharp sound, and with a gentle flap, he took off into the air, carrying the bear with him.
"So you really can fly," Ghost said, staring at the massive wings on Yue Shi's back.
He had long suspected that Yue Shi possessed the ability to fly, but Yue Shi had always been in a hidden state whenever he flew before. This was the first time Ghost had seen it with his own eyes.
Yue Shi's method of flight was very traditional, relying on his wings to flap the air to gain lift and thrust, rather than riding the clouds or wind like an immortal.
"Is your transcendent form a bird? It shouldn't be an ordinary bird, right?" Ghost asked conversationally.
To be able to display such powerful and diverse supernatural powers, the original form definitely wasn't ordinary; it had to be some kind of Mythical Species.
"Yeah," Yue Shi responded casually without giving a detailed explanation.
Immediately after, he entered a hidden state. Both he and the plush teddy bear he was holding quickly became blurred and transparent, eventually vanishing into the air.
This time, Ghost wasn't surprised; he took it as a matter of course.
Concealment abilities would be essentially useless if they couldn't be applied to carried items.
It would be too impractical if one had to strip naked every time they used it.
Yue Shi flew at extreme speeds, the wind howling in his ears.
When they were about twenty kilometers away from the target location, a dull, thunderous boom suddenly echoed from the distance.
Yue Shi slowed his flight slightly and frowned. He summoned a raven and sent it flying toward the source of the sound.
The raven flew through the mountain forest and soon arrived at the source.
It was a large clearing. In the center, a shocking, massive crater had been blasted into the ground. Smoke and dust filled the air, and shattered rocks were scattered around the edges.
Around the crater were some oddly dressed people performing inexplicable actions.
The raven circled in the sky for a moment before Yue Shi commanded it to leave.
For now, the matter of Lab 0 was more important. Yue Shi had no interest in dealing with this group of unknown individuals for the time being.
He accelerated again, following the increasingly clear "traces" toward the laboratory's location.
Soon, Yue Shi and Ghost appeared in a seemingly unremarkable mountain hollow.
Strange rocks were piled up, and withered trees lay scattered about, looking no different from the surrounding environment.
But Yue Shi could clearly perceive that all the traces left by the previous two waves of attackers converged here and then abruptly vanished.
Yue Shi landed on a rock and stared at the solid earth, his gaze cold.
The laboratory was deep beneath this ground.
The entrance to the laboratory was hidden exceptionally well, almost perfectly integrated with the surroundings.
Moreover, Lab 0 was well aware of Ghost's pervasive abilities and had set up heavy defenses here. They were guarding against him in every possible way, making it impossible for Ghost to invade directly.
But Yue Shi had no intention of playing hide-and-seek with them.
Standing in the freezing air, he decided to take the most direct and violent approach: an indiscriminate bombardment of this entire area!
He had practically emptied the armory of the Chijing City Investigation Bureau. The explosives stored in his space were enough to plow through and level this entire region.
But just as he was about to act...
"BOOM!!!"
A deafening explosion echoed from deep underground.
Immediately after, the entire ground trembled slightly, followed by continuous, violent shaking.
Trees within a hundred-meter radius shook violently, and the snow on the branches cascaded down like a fresh snowfall.
The tremors lasted for a full ten seconds before slowly subsiding.
Yue Shi frowned and steadied himself.
What was going on?
The power of the explosion was significant, and the source was clearly deep underground.
Had a piece of equipment in Lab 0 malfunctioned and exploded?
Or was another faction also attacking Lab 0?
Or perhaps another riot had occurred inside the lab, and an uncontrollable experimental subject was escaping?
Soon, a patch of seemingly normal, flat ground not far ahead suddenly emitted the sound of mechanical operation.
Then, that entire section of ground sank down like an elevator platform. The descent was steady, revealing a tunnel entrance where artificial light could be seen inside.
Without needing to exchange a word, Yue Shi and Ghost immediately lunged forward, reaching the edge of the entrance.
Just as they steadied themselves, clear mechanical sounds came from the tunnel below.
A few seconds later, a metal platform of the same specifications as the one that had just descended began to rise slowly.
About a dozen people stood neatly on the platform.
They were all wearing the standard white uniforms of Lab 0, moving swiftly and in an orderly formation.
Yue Shi didn't know what they were planning to do, and he didn't care; he only wanted to send them to their deaths.
【Labyrinth】 activated!
The surrounding space began to undergo a distortion and folding nearly imperceptible to the naked eye. The sense of distance became absurd, and the sense of direction was completely shattered.
On the metal platform, the white-clad personnel who had just reached the surface stepped into an infinite loop, walking in circles. The wilderness and sky that were clearly within reach turned into unattainable illusions, leaving them to wander aimlessly within the trap.
The entrance to the laboratory was sealed by the labyrinth.
The hunt had begun.
No one was escaping today.
Yue Shi and Ghost stepped into the laboratory entrance and jumped directly off the elevator platform.
A massive tunnel sloping downward appeared before them.
The tunnel was wide enough for several trucks to drive side-by-side. The walls glinted with a cold light, forged from a special alloy capable of withstanding extreme pressure.
Long strips of lighting were embedded in the ceiling and both walls, emitting a uniform glow that illuminated the tunnel.
Various detection instruments were spread throughout the tunnel; Yue Shi wasn't sure what they were all for.
Two parallel rails stretched down the tunnel, with a railcar sitting quietly on the tracks.
Yue Shi didn't even look at the railcar and simply started walking forward.
He didn't need a vehicle. He was the calamity itself, and everywhere he passed, space was twisted into a mess.
The labyrinth invaded. The armed security personnel in the tunnel didn't even have time to raise their weapons before falling into a desperate situation.
The familiar tunnel structure turned into a twisted corridor, where every step led to an unknown destination.
Yue Shi and Ghost advanced along the tracks, easily passing through the area. Along the way, the various scanning instruments were violently dismantled by ravens.
Yue Shi glanced at the sides of the tunnel. Every hundred meters or so, demolition charges were visible on the walls. The amount of explosives was staggering, enough to collapse the entire tunnel.
"Part of the self-destruct program," Ghost said. "Once they can't stop an invasion, they bury everything, including the evidence and the invaders."
"Cautious enough, but useless," Yue Shi said indifferently.
In the face of absolute spatial authority, whether the power of an explosion could even reach the intended location was an unknown.
The two continued deeper. The slope gradually leveled out until they reached the end of the tunnel.
Ahead was a giant blast door of the rising type.
The door was massive, fitting seamlessly with the surrounding walls.
There were three such blast doors in total.
Even just an entrance was so heavily guarded and fortified. One could only imagine how solid the defenses at the core of the laboratory would be.
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