The post-apocalyptic world has a space full of supplies.

Chapter 135 Unexpected Event (4)

The research base in South China, while large, was tiny compared to the B City research institute where Team Leader Liu worked before the outbreak—smaller than even a small warehouse. And yet, it still had four floors above ground and three basement levels.

The communications soldier's fingers were practically sparking from poking at the quantum computer, but he still couldn't find any trace of the zombies.

“It’s very fast.” Nie Jiyang, who had been watching for a while, suddenly said, “I’ve seen it a few times, but it always just flashed by.”

"How many times have I seen it? Why haven't I seen it?" The communications soldier looked at Nie Jiyang incredulously. He and Nie Jiyang were quite familiar with each other. Although the other was a squad leader, they usually talked and chatted quite casually. "Am I seeing things, or are you seeing things?"

"It's because I have good eyesight." Nie Jiyang could clearly feel the changes in his body. More than ten minutes had passed, and he did not have a noticeable tearing sensation. Instead, he felt that his sense of touch had increased a lot. He turned to look at Team Leader Liu and said, "Team Leader Liu, I think I have successfully absorbed the crystal."

"What?" Team Leader Liu was already frightened by Xiao Ruan's words. He took several steps back when he heard Nie Jiyang's words. Even Pei Simin, who was standing next to him, did the same. He immediately told everyone to keep their distance from Nie Jiyang.

Seeing that the other side was still confused and another person here claimed to have absorbed the crystal, Commander Zhang immediately became nervous and ordered another team of shield soldiers to surround Nie Jiyang. "I told you I didn't support you doing experiments at a time like this. We're doing just fine without superhumans, aren't we?"

"How can you say that?" Team Leader Liu exclaimed, displeased. "Our research is all for the strength of our country! Look at Xiao Ji, and look at Xiao Nie!"

"Commander, let me in. Either I mutate too, and we wait for Ji Lang to come back and kill me, or I have a chance to kill it." Before Team Leader Liu could launch into a long explanation, Nie Jiyang offered his idea. Seeing everyone's serious expressions, he continued:

“After all, you wouldn’t feel at ease leaving me outside, would you?” Nie Jiyang’s words struck a chord with everyone present. There was an example right before their eyes of someone who had absorbed the crystal and mutated. Although Nie Jiyang wasn’t showing any strange behavior at the moment, everyone still consciously kept their distance from him.

"This..." Team Leader Liu looked at the computer interface that was still constantly switching cameras. The communications soldier still hadn't found Xiao Ruan's location, and he was still a little conflicted. Now, Nie Jiyang was clearly not showing any rejection reaction, which meant that one of them was already beyond saving. He was still a little reluctant to part with the one in front of him.

"Team Leader Liu, I know the research institute has left an escape route. Does this researcher know the location of the escape route?" Just when everyone was wondering what to do next, the commander-in-chief's old but powerful voice suddenly rang out from the crowd.

“Well, everyone in the research institute has an escape manual…” At this point, Team Leader Liu suddenly remembered that Xiao Ruan’s ability to find and absorb the Level 1 crystal in the laboratory meant that its intelligence after mutation was definitely not low, so it was very likely that it would go to the escape hatch.

"Quick, check camera position 15!" Team Leader Liu immediately rushed to the communications soldier operating the quantum computer and quickly directed him to switch the video feed.

Sure enough, in camera number 15 monitoring the escape route, the zombie named Xiao Ruan was staring blankly at the camera, making eye contact with Team Leader Liu outside the lens.

"Where is the emergency exit? I'll go there now." Pei Simin was about to ask the commander-in-chief to let him lead the team there when Nie Jiyang stepped forward first.

“Xiao Nie, it’s not that the organization doesn’t trust you.” The commander-in-chief walked past the shield-bearers and stood in front of Nie Jiyang. “On the contrary, the organization trusts you a lot. You are the only one in the base who has the ability to deal with it right now. We need you.”

The old man's words struck Nie Jiyang's heart like a hammer blow. Pei Simin and Commander Zhang, who were standing nearby, were also filled with excitement. If they had their own superpowers, they would have rushed in together.

Nie Jiyang nodded to indicate that he understood. He put on the video glasses given to him by the communications soldier and took off his cumbersome jacket. He was already in good physical condition and had a great physique. His muscular body was always the envy of his teammates. Now, after unexpectedly absorbing the crystal, he felt that his physique had become even better, and even his muscles were fuller.

"Captain, keep it up!" A cheer erupted from behind the shield bearers. It was the special operations team led by Nie Jiyang, who were all there on standby. Seeing their captain about to embark on such a dangerous mission alone, everyone couldn't help but cheer him on.

"Don't underestimate me, buddy. If Ji Lang can do it, why can't I?" Nie Jiyang said, and then walked towards the safety exit that Team Leader Liu had indicated.

Nie Jiyang walked to a vent designed as an exhaust vent, opened the vent and went down into the escape passage. At the very back was an escape door, of the same quality as the outer protective door. It required a password to open from the inside, but could be opened physically from the outside by turning the handle.

The camera footage shows that although the zombie Xiao Ruan inside possesses some intelligence, it has been unable to unlock the combination lock. This may be due to its zombification, causing it to forget the escape door code, or it may be for some other reason. It simply walks around in front of the camera.

After testing the communication and video transmission functions of the vision glasses at the air vent and finding no problems, Nie Jiyang opened the air vent and jumped down, quickly reaching the safety door. One side of the vision glasses had a miniature camera that could transmit the images Nie Jiyang saw back to the ground in real time, while the other side had a special screen on which the communications soldier could project the image from camera number 15, allowing Nie Jiyang to know the situation behind the door at any time.

Nie Jiyang gripped the doorknob. Saying that turning it would open the emergency exit was a huge joke. Even for researchers like Team Leader Liu, who were weak and powerless, four or five of them might not be able to turn it. Nie Jiyang smiled and began to seriously observe the situation behind the door through the viewing glasses.

Xiao Ruan's previous movements were very standardized, always going back and forth between the escape door and the camera. This path had never changed, but Nie Jiyang could no longer find it in the footage.

"Captain Nie, please wait a moment." The frame of the vision glasses had an earpiece, and the communications soldier's voice came through it, "The zombies disappeared suddenly, we didn't see a trace of them. Now I'll show you the footage from two minutes ago."

“Okay…” Before Nie Jiyang could finish speaking, he felt the safety door in front of him click. Immediately realizing something was wrong, Nie Jiyang shouted, “Block the air vents and be on guard.”

Immediately afterwards, a huge tongue of fire shot out from the crack in the door, completely filling the short escape route, and even the special protective shields temporarily used to block the air vents on the ground were scorching hot...