Chapter 405: Chapter 21: Laboratory 3
A dozen soldiers in blue military uniforms stood in front of a brightly lit building, which was the Third Research Institute.
The Third Research Institute had two functions: one was the research of synthetic beasts, such as the synthetic beast created under Greed’s command, which was made here.
The second function was to synthesize Philosopher’s Stones, using materials from death row inmates and prisoners of war.
Observing around the Third Research Institute for a while, Su Xiao did not choose to infiltrate directly; he was waiting for an opportunity.
Half an hour later, a middle-aged researcher walked out of the Third Research Institute and headed towards a car parked in the courtyard.
Su Xiao’s target appeared; he quickly followed.
At the moment the middle-aged researcher opened the car door, Su Xiao slipped into the back seat unnoticed.
The middle-aged researcher got into the driver’s seat, and Su Xiao grabbed his head.
Crack, the middle-aged researcher’s neck was broken, and his body slumped to the side.
Su Xiao looked around; no one noticed this scene. He dragged the middle-aged man’s body to the back seat.
Five minutes later, the ’middle-aged researcher’ got out of the car. It was not the middle-aged researcher, but Su Xiao.
He lightly pressed the high-tech mask on his face; the effect was excellent. Except for the different texture, the appearance was no different.
This was a consumable mask that Su Xiao purchased for 300 Paradise coins, allowing him to disguise as someone else. However, it required scanning the person’s facial features and could only be used once. It could disguise both appearance and voice.
Su Xiao wore a gray suit and black trousers, the attire of the middle-aged researcher.
He walked openly towards the Third Research Institute. As he reached the entrance, a soldier blocked him.
"Dr. Oliver, why have you returned again?"
The soldier was cautious and set a trap with this question.
"What? I’m not Oliver; I’m Kevin. I come here every day, and you still can’t remember my name?"
Su Xiao feigned dissatisfaction; the name on his work ID was not Oliver but Kevin.
"My apologies, Dr. Kevin, please show your ID."
Su Xiao took out his ID.
"I just came back to pick up something. It’s really troublesome."
Even so, Su Xiao provided his work ID.
"Everything’s fine, Dr. Kevin, please go in."
Su Xiao entered the Third Research Institute. Upon entering, he saw a changing room a short distance away, and he walked toward it.
From Kevin, Su Xiao found two things: a work ID and a set of keys.
Taking out the set of keys, Su Xiao discreetly checked them and quickly spotted a key labeled with the number 17.
Approaching locker number 17, Su Xiao naturally used the key to open it. Inside was a white lab coat and a change of clothes.
He took off his jacket and put on the lab coat, making him look more like a researcher.
Based on the information on the work ID, Su Xiao learned that Kevin was a scholar researching synthetic beasts, whose research area was on the upper levels of the Third Research Institute.
The research of Philosopher’s Stones was on the lower levels, and the two weren’t part of the same department. Fortunately, he had already infiltrated the Third Research Institute, making subsequent tasks easier.
Though tightly secured on the outside, the interior of the Third Research Institute was more relaxed. As it belonged to the military district, civilians rarely ventured close, making the experiments become more blatant.
Su Xiao boarded an old elevator and pressed the button for the -1 floor.
When the elevator reached the -1 floor, the surrounding creaked ominously, as if no one had taken the elevator to -1 floor in a long time.
As the elevator doors opened, a dilapidated scene unfolded. The previous Experimental Institution was brightly lit and spotless, but upon arrival at -1 floor, the scene changed drastically. The corridor was cluttered with debris, and the incandescent lights flickered.
This was an environment fit for a horror movie, and any ordinary person walking here would likely be scared to death.
Clang!
A dull sound came from afar. Su Xiao turned his head to see a full-body armor walking slowly.
The armor was rusty with red light shining from the eye holes. It was a presence similar to Alphonse, with a soul bound to the armor.
This was the guard of -1 floor, resembling a flickering candle in the wind, ready to fall at any moment.
"Intruder... die."
Clang, the armor fell to the ground, starting to wriggle as if trying to stand up.
Su Xiao stepped forward and removed the helmet from the armor; inside was a blood-stained formation diagram, partially shattered. Conservatively, the armor had existed for decades.
After wiping away the blood seal inside the armor, it fell silent.
Su Xiao began searching -1 floor for an entrance leading downwards. After a long search, he still could not find the entrance.
This -1 floor was indeed eerie, a perfect setting for shooting a horror film without any extra set decoration.
Su Xiao was certainly not afraid of ghosts. If ghosts truly existed, they should be afraid of him, not the other way around.
Closing his eyes, Su Xiao sensed below and indeed felt a structure and human activity beneath.
Finding an unoccupied spot below, Dragon Slash appeared in his hand, and Su Xiao cut open a section of the floor.
The concrete slab was easily cut, and Su Xiao lifted a half-meter diameter section of concrete, placing it gently aside.
Peering down, directly below was a warehouse storing discarded experimental equipment.
Jumping into the warehouse, Su Xiao stood at its entrance, patted off the dust on his body, and calmly walked out.
Just entering the corridor, an experimental personnel approached.
Su Xiao walked straight ahead. The experimental personnel glanced at Su Xiao, furrowing his brow, seemingly sensing something amiss. After hesitating for a few seconds, he asked, "Who are you."
Researchers of Philosopher’s Stones were few, and Su Xiao’s unfamiliar face immediately aroused suspicion.
"I’m Kevin from the Biotics Division, temporarily assigned here."
"Biotics Division? What’s the purpose?"
Though the experimental personnel’s tone was firm, Su Xiao sensed some unease in him.
"Orders from above, the idea is that synthetic beasts and the Philosopher’s St..."
Su Xiao paused halfway through his sentence, scrutinizing the experimental personnel.
"Who are you then? My research is classified, show your ID."
The experimental personnel tensed up, forcing a smile.
"I just asked a random question seeing an unfamiliar face."
"Oh? Is that so? Where is the D3 Laboratory?"
"On the lowest floor."
"Thank you."
Su Xiao turned to leave, squinting his eyes.
There was no D3 Laboratory; he had made it up on the spot. The person was suspicious, definitely not a researcher of the laboratory.
If it weren’t inconvenient to act now, Su Xiao would have eliminated him; the man’s true identity was almost exposed.
"Have others targeted this place too? It seems there’s no time to lose."
Su Xiao quickened his pace, heading straight for the third underground level, where the Philosopher’s Stone was stored.
Following the location provided by Enwei, Su Xiao reached the third underground level half an hour later, encountering two interrogations along the way: one was evaded, the other failed, and the guard had become a corpse.
Walking on the third underground level, there were few researchers, but the number of guards was notably increased.
Turning a corner, Su Xiao came to the far-left side of a laboratory door where the Philosopher’s Stone was stored. He had inquired from Enwei about the number of Philosopher’s Stones here, estimating between eight to ten stones. If the inventory exceeded this number, the Philosopher’s Stones would be sent to the Presidential Palace.
Just after turning the corner, Su Xiao saw several corpses lying outside the laboratory door, twisted as if crushed by a giant hand.
Someone had already been here. Su Xiao quickly rushed towards the laboratory as two people came charging towards him, colliding head-on with Su Xiao.
They were inside the laboratory, while Su Xiao was at the laboratory door.