Embers Ad Infinitum

Although Long Yuehong knew that Shang Jianyao would most likely say something terrifying since he was already used to it, he never expected it to sound so terrifying.

Shang Jianyao’s previous ‘anticipation’ of the guard robot was still within reasonable limits, one within the confines of a sci-fi film in Old World terms—something that might become a reality. However, the scene he had just imagined was an out-and-out horror film.

As everyone knew, Long Yuehong hated horror films the most among the Old Task Force members.

“Don’t jinx it!” Jiang Baimian found a reason to stop Shang Jianyao from speaking. At the same time, she took in the room’s situation.

The human bodies sealed in cylindrical glass containers were completely naked. Although they hadn’t completely decayed due to the preservatives they were soaked in, there were many spots on them that would leave the average person nauseous. It wasn’t a pleasant sight.

There were no obvious abnormalities on their bodies, and they didn’t look like they had been infected. To Jiang Baimian, they might be closer to the cadavers used by Pangu Biology for doctor training.

“This secret laboratory does research on the human body?” Jiang Baimian deliberated and commented.

Shang Jianyao laughed. “I wonder what this laboratory has to do with the company’s former self before the Old World’s destruction…”

Regarding Pangu Biology’s status and which organization it belonged to before the Old World’s destruction, even Jiang Baimian—who was a child of management—didn’t know, much less ordinary employees. The corresponding confidentiality clearance was above the board of directors.

Back then, only a portion of the people who entered the underground building were Pangu Biology’s former employees. The rest were ordinary humans in the surrounding area. They entered in order to avoid the radiation pollution after the Old World’s destruction, the dramatically changed weather, the spread of the Heartless disease, and total societal breakdown.

The portion of former Pangu Biology employees had already been warned in the Chaotic Era, so nobody leaked the corresponding information.

“All of them studied genetics?” Jiang Baimian muttered to herself as she answered Shang Jianyao’s question. “The Holm Fertility Center is a subsidiary. Is that why it is involved in areas like genetic enhancement and congenital disease prevention while treating infertility?”

The Holm Fertility Center was in the same city as this secret laboratory, so Jiang Baimian had to make such a connection.

D-don’t discuss this problem. I don’t want to worry about not being able to return to the company and see my relatives. I might be exiled to the surface, only to be smote by the Kalendaria one day… Long Yuehong felt his liver and guts tremble when he heard his team leader and Shang Jianyao’s discussion.

Bai Chen seemed to share similar feelings. She stood in the corridor and looked around. “Now isn’t the time to discuss these questions. Spending time here might result in unforeseen events.”

Clap! Clap! Clap!

Shang Jianyao applauded by patting the Berserker assault rifle.

Jiang Baimian nodded. “Then, let’s continue forward and search for Old Ge. When we encounter such a scene in the future, we just have to make some observations and confirm that there’s no danger. On the return trip, we can gather further information if the situation permits.”

With that said, she planned on setting an example and leading the team forward.

“Are we returning now?” the honest Shang Jianyao asked curiously.

Jiang Baimian glared at him and said in a desperate tone, “What are you waiting for? Lead the way!”

“Yes, Team Leader!” Shang Jianyao immediately became serious. He left the room and jogged forward.

“Slow down, slow down. Be careful not to encounter any accidents,” Jiang Baimian reminded helplessly.

The Old Task Force quickly controlled their advancement speed.

On the way, Shang Jianyao and Long Yuehong didn’t forget to open the doors to the rooms on both sides to check for any danger lurking inside.

After passing by a few places that had human corpses soaking in preservatives, the situation in the rooms on both sides suddenly changed.

They became like wards; there was a number on each door, and a single bed was placed in the middle. There was a cabinet by the bed and equipment to monitor heart rate, pulse, blood pressure, and oxygen saturation. There was also a respirator and various resuscitation devices.

Shang Jianyao and the others found a white skeleton in tattered clothes on a single bed in each of the rooms they could see.

These corpses lay quietly in almost identical positions as if they had died of old age. They didn’t cause a single stir.

“Patients?” Long Yuehong guessed.

Patients that were also experimental subjects?

Jiang Baimian observed for about ten seconds before thoughtfully asking, “Don’t you find that these people have died too ‘peacefully?’ It’s like they were moved onto the bed after death and kept in that posture…”

“Yes. If they had died from an attack, their bodies definitely would’ve curled up or shifted to a certain extent.” Bai Chen had often seen such situations.

Long Yuehong echoed, “These people look like they were seriously ill to the point of being immobile. It took them a while before they took their last breaths.”

Shang Jianyao glanced at the corpses and suddenly said in a very serious tone, “Vegetables?”

Many thoughts immediately flashed through Jiang Baimian’s mind like struck matches that blazed. She looked at Shang Jianyao and said, “Just like Fan Wensi and Li Jinlong’s son, as well as Jiang Xiaoyue—vegetables who underwent experimental treatment as volunteers? The only difference is that the first two were sent to a place in the north, suspected to be the Northern Company… As these are all vegetables, nobody took care of them after the Old World was destroyed. Nobody replaced the nutrient solution in the intravenous bag, so they slowly and quietly died?”

This matched the various details presented by the current environment.

“The Northern Company isn’t the only one doing the corresponding research?” Bai Chen felt that although this guess was relatively broad, it was really acceptable.

“Maybe.” Jiang Baimian nodded slightly and suddenly thought of something. If the Holm Fertility Center was somehow related to this secret laboratory, would anyone from this secret laboratory attend the genetic lecture jointly held by the Northern Company or even give a lecture?

Jiang Baimian’s body stiffened when she quickly recalled the speakers’ jobs and research direction.

She recalled a special name. It was a person who was a special guest but only had a translated Ashlandic name and no other information: Du Heng!

Jiang Baimian retracted her gaze and ordered again, “Continue forward!”

The current environment was not suitable for discussion.

As they walked, the Old Task Force members passed by suspected wards. In those rooms, corpses were placed on individual beds, and some were empty.

Upon seeing that there were no more rooms on both sides and that a semi-circular hall had appeared not far away, Jiang Baimian looked around and said, “40 wards—26 have corpses, and 14 are empty.”

She didn’t forget to record this basic information and inform her teammates. These were words that didn’t need a response.

Shang Jianyao and Long Yuehong entered the hall first.

There were large pieces of equipment here. Some had metal walls as partitions with white curtains drawn, and some didn’t. They were open.

Jiang Baimian looked over and suddenly found a few of the instruments familiar.

Some of them looked like space capsules, and some had glass covers that looked like overturned coffins. Under them was a bed covered in sensors. On the bed lay a white skeleton in tattered clothes…

Long Yuehong also found it familiar and blurted out, “Could this laboratory be used for human Awakening experiments?”

He had seen a portion of the equipment in Project C-14!

“Maybe.” Shang Jianyao smiled.

“Don’t waste any more time. Find Old Ge.” Jiang Baimian swept her gaze across the hall. She then realized that there was a metal door diagonally opposite her.

The metal door was already open.

Long Yuehong and Bai Chen seriously checked the various equipment and their surroundings because several guard robots were standing there motionless.

They didn’t wake up.

As he checked, Long Yuehong carefully counted the white corpses lying in some of the equipment.

“11, 12, 13, 14… There are 14 empty wards. The numbers match.” Long Yuehong heaved a sigh of relief and retracted his gaze from an instrument that was attached to three metal beds.

Three skeletal corpses lay side by side.

Jiang Baimian turned her head and asked, “Is there anything abnormal on your side?”

Long Yuehong was just about to respond when he suddenly saw a scene from the corner of his eye. In the instrument with three metal beds, only two corpses lay side by side.

Two!

“Th-there’s a corpse missing!” Long Yuehong’s pupils dilated as he raised his finger.

Bai Chen, Shang Jianyao, and Jiang Baimian instantly raised their weapons and looked over.

Nothing strange happened.

Jiang Baimian pondered for a moment and replied, “Could they only have two corpses to begin with? The 40 wards don’t need to be filled.”

“I’m sure there’s three.” Long Yuehong first gave an affirmative answer before hesitating. “But we can’t rule out the possibility that I was affected by an illusion.”

Jiang Baimian nodded and summoned Shang Jianyao to approach the instrument.

This was something that might contain danger. They couldn’t ignore it and continue forward.