Chapter Forty-Four: The Laboratory

Inside the laboratory of the research institute, the scene was utterly unlike the mysterious image most people might conjure. Instead, it resembled a living hell—terrifying and grotesquely contradictory. On one hand, advanced technology abounded; on the other, human beings lay on machines, undergoing vivisections while still alive. The most horrifying aspect was that these people had not yet died—they watched, powerless, as their organs were sliced apart.

A group of people in white lab coats were conducting experiments amidst the stench of blood that permeated the entire laboratory.

At this moment, a cluster of researchers surrounded a man restrained within a transparent apparatus, recording data. Had Gu Sha been present, he would have recognized the man writhing in agony—it was one of the extraordinary individuals dispatched by the Bastion to rescue these scientists, a third-tier extraordinary, one of the top ten in Bastion C City, who had been declared missing seven days prior during this very rescue mission.

Now, the man was bound to a chair, howling hysterically. Veins bulged in his arms, blood frothed from his mouth as he struggled desperately. The researchers watched with numb indifference.

Soon, his skin became withered and taut, and within seconds, only skin and bones remained. Then, his body swelled rapidly, ballooning grotesquely until, with a bang, he exploded, blood and flesh splattering against the transparent device, staining it crimson.

“Failure,” one researcher shook his head, “This method doesn’t work.”

“But there are no more extraordinary subjects for the next trial. What do we do?” another asked.

“We’ll use those ordinary people we’ve been holding—the ones captured a few days ago. They may not be extraordinary, but they’re special forces, physically robust. They may suffice as substitutes.”

“Use them, then.”

At that moment, a door to a small room opened, and a young man emerged. The researchers, upon seeing him, were visibly fearful. They instinctively shrank back, lowering their heads to avoid his gaze.

The young man glanced at the pile of flesh inside the apparatus, his expression grim. “Why can’t you succeed? Useless, all of you. That’s the eighth extraordinary already!”

The researchers kept their heads bowed, silent.

He inhaled deeply and asked, “What was the problem this time?”

One researcher replied, “The values were off. The compatibility with the human body is insufficient, and we can’t lower the numbers any further. The only avenue left is to increase the subject’s tolerance, but… we failed.”

“Worthless!” the young man snarled, eyes menacing as he scanned the room. “Where’s that old man?”

A researcher stammered, “Academician Wang… he… he said this experiment is doomed to fail. Without understanding the essence of source energy, finding a substitute is impossible. He refuses to participate.”

“How sanctimonious,” the young man spat, “Wasn’t he quite pleased dissecting hearts and lungs just days ago? I’ll give you one last chance. For the next experiment, that old man must do it himself. If he refuses, you’ll all be fed to the zombies!”

Faces turned ashen throughout the group.

The young man turned to a female researcher. “Tang Shanshan, come with me to monitor the surveillance feeds. There’s another reckless extraordinary outside. You know what to do—lure him in, as usual.”

The young woman, delicate-featured and youthful, nodded hastily.

Without another word, the young man led Tang Shanshan into the adjoining room.

Once he’d left, the researchers all exhaled in relief, sharing desperate glances. None of them could have imagined that a former colleague would become such a monster after the apocalypse.

That young man’s name was Liu Ping, formerly an intern in the lab who hadn’t even graduated from university. When disaster struck, they had initially banded together to face the crisis. But as the death toll rose and hope faded, despair took hold.

Just when all seemed lost, Liu Ping suddenly awakened an ability to control zombies. Hope flickered anew. But Liu Ping changed overnight—he began forcing them to conduct human experiments, demanding they develop a method to unlock genetic locks artificially. When they refused, he unleashed his controlled zombies in a massacre, later luring survivors from the nearby town under false pretenses.

When official rescue teams arrived, hope resurfaced, but Liu Ping controlled a giant python and swarms of zombie bees, thwarting every rescue attempt and capturing many extraordinaries for experimentation. After the second Scarlet Descent, he used the zombies and beasts to collect source pearls, leaving the researchers with no chance of resistance.

Not long after, Tang Shanshan emerged from the surveillance room, her gaze hollow. She walked straight out of the laboratory.

Meanwhile, Liu Ping sat before the monitors, observing Gu Sha and Tang Shanshan.

——

Within the institute, Gu Sha searched every corner. He sensed the number of zombies and zombie beasts increasing—and they seemed to target him specifically, no matter how he tried to evade them.

As he rounded a corner, extracting a corpse core from the shattered skull of a first-tier zombie, a gentle voice sounded behind him: “Are you here to save us?”

He glanced over. A woman in a white lab coat, in her twenties, with delicate features, stood there.

Gu Sha turned to her, “Who are you?”

She brightened instantly, “My name is Tang Shanshan, I work here. Are you with the authorities?”

Gu Sha nodded. “I’m looking for Academician Wang.”

“That’s wonderful, you’re finally here!” Tang Shanshan said excitedly, quickly opening a door and whispering, “Come in quickly—there are so many zombies outside, and a huge python!”

Gu Sha approached her. “Do you know where Academician Wang is?”

“Yes,” she replied, “He’s in the laboratory. Not just him—all the surviving researchers are there. Our food supplies are almost gone. If you hadn’t come, we wouldn’t have known what to do… Are you here alone? Where are the others?”

Gu Sha shook his head. “The others are outside covering me. Don’t worry about that. Take me to Academician Wang first.”

“Alright, follow me.” Tang Shanshan closed the door behind them, bolting several locks. “Our institute used to have a much larger safe zone, but the earthquake a few days ago caused so much damage that zombies got in. Now we can only hide in the lab.”

She led the way down a narrow, steel-lined corridor. Gu Sha followed.

As they walked, Gu Sha felt something was off. The further they went, the colder it became. More troubling still, a pungent, bloody stench grew stronger with each step.

“Wait. Are you sure you’re taking the right path?” Gu Sha asked.

But Tang Shanshan didn’t answer. She only walked faster, her steps quickening.

Gu Sha’s instincts screamed danger. He darted forward, seizing her shoulder with one hand while his other hand drew his blade in a flash.