From the Abyss of Stars

111. Biting the Second Hand

 

The shocking physique of Biohazard King-Kong made Lu Run and the others truly feel the powerful expressiveness of the game "Abyss" for the first time. The detailed depiction and atmosphere instantly activated the human fear of natural enemies.

 

Compared to ordinary people like Lu Run, Luo Le and Xue Nian, who had served in the military, accepted it much more easily and quickly calmed down.

 

Psychological fear can be alleviated through desensitization therapy, but the negative effects of contact with Biohazard King-Kong, especially the series of statuses on the panel like 【Gene Pollution】, 【Virus Invasion】, and 【Decreased Disease Resistance】, were currently insurmountable.

 

With limited drugs, they didn't have time to stay here for long and had to quickly start searching for relevant information.

 

The three unfortunates brought a diesel generator, connected the power, and luckily, although Biohazard King-Kong was huge, the information on those computer devices was stored in the cloud. After Luo Le hacked the devices and gained access, he immediately downloaded the stored data and images.

 

"Viruses, archaea, fungal radiation synthesis—does the professor want to be a creator?"

 

Luo Le glanced at the data directory and immediately made a sarcastic remark.

 

"I don't know if she wants to be a creator, but taking these things out would definitely cause war—look at this, it's a record of Abyss Humanitarian experimenting with the Calamity test drug on people from the Outlands. They used cloning technology, trying to replicate someone's Omega Energy, but failed."

 

Xue Nian, seeing these firsthand experimental records from the professor, shuddered at the horrifying text:

 

"And this—this girl had a slight ability to discharge electricity, so they repeatedly extracted and implanted different people's organs into her, performing thousands of surgeries. Abyss Humanitarian hoped to combine multiple people's genes to merge their Omega Energy."

 

Lu Run swallowed and asked, "What was the result?"

 

Xue Nian, expressionless, said:

 

"Of course, it couldn't merge. The rejection reactions caused massive bleeding, and she died—Li Aozi mentioned that Omega Energy is not just a genetic expression, but the professor insisted on the Calamity virus theory, conducting experiments unscrupulously to prove her delusions."

 

"Is there a specific number of sacrifices..."

 

"Incalculable. The earliest data in the professor's computer is from 60 years ago, which was her doctoral thesis when she founded the predecessor of Abyss Humanitarian, the 'Ancient Virus Research Society'—meaning, the professor is at least eighty or ninety years old. Think about it, in these 60 years, how many people have she and her subordinates slaughtered?"

 

Luo Le opened the most recent folder, raising his eyebrows:

 

"It seems the professor's computer security level isn't great. I've found the latest video footage, shared it to the group files. This place isn't suitable for a long stay, let's withdraw first."

 

The two had no objections. The oppressive atmosphere of the second basement was too unbearable, and the lingering fear of Biohazard King-Kong made them constantly worry that a heavy step would awaken and revive it.

 

They hooked onto the elevator cable and fled back to the transport vehicle. Luo Le activated the vehicle's system, and it started, continuing towards the location provided by GTB where Li Aozi was.

 

"This place is too gloomy. We stayed next to Biohazard King-Kong for less than ten minutes, and the negative effects on us will take three days to dissipate."

 

Luo Le muttered.

 

"But, it was worth it."

 

Xue Nian downloaded the footage from the professor's computer, transferred it to the onboard screen, and started playing it.

 

"There are still two hours to our destination, let's see what Li Aozi has been up to!"

 

The screen flickered with static, then the sound of machinery operating was heard.

 

The camera constantly switched, monitoring the second-floor facilities from multiple hidden angles.

 

From the precise automated assembly line, to the biochemical tanks soaking the bodies of teenagers, to the numb and indifferent Abyss employees constantly adjusting various instruments and drug ratios, finally—the image froze at the central elevator.

 

Beep beep

 

Ding dong～

 

The clear and pleasant elevator arrival sound rang out. A cleaning worker who was cleaning subconsciously looked up, her purple prosthetic eye pupil quickly focusing.

 

The vacuum cleaner in her hand fell to the ground, and she raised her left hand, with a gun barrel popping out of her palm.

 

Bang!

 

Just as she was about to load through the arm's magazine, the elevator door was violently blown off, savagely slamming her against the wall, crushing her into a tomato sauce-like state.

 

Plop... plop...

 

Boots stepped on the freshly cleaned floor, making an unnatural screeching sound. Two men calmly stepped into the second floor, the surveillance camera clearly recording their conversation:

 

"This is just an ordinary cleaner."

 

"You've never been on a battlefield, Du-mei—Du Zexin. Not to mention cleaners, any old, weak, sick, or disabled person could be an attacker."

 

"I just don't want to kill innocents, Li Aozi."

 

"What a coincidence, neither do I—they all deserve to die."

 

Li Aozi retracted the gravity and walked side by side with Du Zexin down the second-floor corridor.

 

They encountered many Abyss Humanitarian doctors and nurses transporting items hurriedly. Before Du Zexin could speak, Li Aozi would break their necks with a wave of his hand using gravity or smash them against the ceiling with dozens of times the gravity, instantly crushing them into pieces.

 

With his Charisma approaching Gamma (γ, the third Greek letter) rank, his Omega Energy recovery speed was terrifyingly fast. He casually chewed on some food while slaughtering these ordinary doctors with ease, not needing Du Zexin to act at all.

 

Du Zexin frowned. Even though he understood Abyss Humanitarian's deeds, his problem-solver background made him uncomfortable with such cruel killing.

 

Especially after just experiencing the feeling of being crushed by gravity himself, seeing those unarmed employees unable to resist and being crushed with broken spines, kneeling with their heads barely attached by a layer of skin, he couldn't help but empathize and feel phantom pain.

 

However, as a 【Craft】-type 【Mechanic】, Du Zexin's mind was sharp. He clearly recognized Li Aozi's strength, considering it fortunate that the David Lin faction had such a young talent.

 

As for the cruel methods...

 

He subtly hinted a few times, hoping Li Aozi would be mindful of his image.

 

Many people have a "respect for the dead" mindset, which might be based on humanitarianism and civilized reason, or because they fear being made a joke in hell after their own death.

 

In any case, even facing the death of scum criminals, they would strongly advise others not to be too harsh on the dead.

 

However, Li Aozi had a different opinion—he didn't care to talk about humanitarianism with a bunch of anti-human beasts. If he showed any mercy to Abyss, it would be a disservice to the experimental subjects' suffering and bloodshed.

 

Du Zexin never fired a shot, and Li Aozi told him:

 

"You'll get used to it."

 

Hearing this, Du Zexin said no more and instead focused on scanning and examining the bodies of the Abyss employees.

 

"Why don't these people resist much?"

 

The 【Craft】-type problem-solver's mind was quick and responsive, immediately noticing something strange.

 

No matter how cruelly Li Aozi killed their colleagues, these Abyss Humanitarian employees hardly resisted. Occasionally, a few would show obvious signs of drawing a gun, but their attitudes were very passive.

 

Most people were indifferent, and one person even lowered their head, holding a document, expressionlessly rushing towards them. Li Aozi's gravity deflection instantly slammed him to the ground, his face covered in blood, limbs flailing, yet he still picked up the document and tried to crawl forward.

 

"Don't kill him yet!"

 

Du Zexin stopped Li Aozi from delivering the final blow. Li Aozi lowered his hand, and the gravity returned to normal, causing the Abyss employee to fall to the ground.

 

Du Zexin stepped forward, lifted the person's mask, revealing a blank, constantly moving mouth.

 

He grabbed the person's neck, a scanning device popped out from the back of his hand, scanning the person's eyes, and then he turned to Li Aozi:

 

"This is an idiot. Her prefrontal white matter is parasitized by some biological entity, her actions controlled by the parasite in her brain. No wonder they have no aggression..."

 

Crack!

 

Hearing this, Li Aozi unhesitatingly smashed the person's skull with the knife handle.

 

"Looks like the professor is also ruthless to her own people. She can kill herself, and she's not lenient with her subordinates."

 

Li Aozi said indifferently.

 

"How are you sure the professor isn't dead yet? Even uploading consciousness to a chip takes a long time to prepare?"

 

"The professor, a 【Biochemist】, developed psychic communication and mastered brain-controlling parasites. I think achieving remote consciousness transfer isn't difficult for her."

 

As he spoke, Li Aozi checked the task progress for Condition A of "Remember": 97/109.

 

"Not many left, the remaining ones should be the professor's elites."

 

Li Aozi braced himself, making preparations in advance by placing adrenaline injections, cardiac stimulants, high-potassium protein injections, and drugs to enhance resistance to neurotoxins and viruses within easy reach.

 

He was about to face a Beta-rank 【Biochemist】 or higher and had to be fully prepared.

 

As for Du Zexin, he had no worries. He was wearing full-coverage exoskeleton armor, equipped with an air filtration system and oxygen tanks.

 

Besides, 【Mechanics】 had a slight advantage over 【Biochemists】, so he wasn't too concerned.

 

In his spare time, Li Aozi glanced at Du Zexin's panel. Despite being unlucky, strangely, Du Zexin had no specialties, talents, or skills related to luck, leaving the origin of his unlucky constitution a mystery.

 

Du Zexin was a decent hacker. In no time, he acquired the map of the second basement of the shelter. They studied it for a while, initially deciding to find a weak point for a surprise attack. Du Zexin brought some tear gas grenades, planning to throw them into the central air conditioning to disrupt the opponents and then completely eliminate the professor's group.

 

The mysterious disappearance of Nordli and Anna's bodies made Li Aozi and Du Zexin uneasy. Though neither mentioned it, they both sensed that there was more to this matter.

 

But upon realizing their location, Li Aozi and Du Zexin had to abandon the idea of a surprise attack.

 

Three-quarters of the second basement area consisted of assembly lines and biochemical factory facilities, where there were no people. Moreover, through the cameras, Du Zexin noticed many biochemical soldiers clad in exoskeleton armor.

 

Their target was the hidden professor—according to the map, the professor's "special laboratory" was located in the deepest part of the base.

 

To reach the laboratory, they had no choice but to pass through the central hall, break through the biochemical factory, and face the biochemical soldiers' defenses head-on, then go through the Calamity-infected's "treatment room," and finally confront an 80mm thick hydraulic door.

 

After completing all these, they would face the final enemy—the Abyss professor.

 

"Do you have any good plans?"

 

Li Aozi asked.

 

"There can't be any other solution. This shelter is a permanent structure—surrounded by permafrost layers, with extremely reinforced concrete. Even a nuclear bomb underground might not collapse it."

 

"In that case, follow my plan."

 

Li Aozi said, kicking open the door to the biochemical factory.

 

Bang!

 

Countless biochemical soldiers were already stationed there, fully prepared, with cold muzzles aimed at them.

 

Their brains, immersed in tanks, received electrical signals, gave the order, and pulled the trigger.

 

Li Aozi unsheathed his long knife, driven by gravity, his eyes glowing with golden rings.

 

Du Zexin lowered his faceplate, and all the indicator lights on his body lit up one by one, flashing dangerous red lights.

 

"The real battle is just beginning!"