Inside the laboratory, Ding Junyi was fully focused, swiftly enlarging the floor plan of Level 52 on her screen. Using auxiliary lines, she carefully explained the route for Lin Xian and his team.
Beside her, Zhao Yan and Xu Wen wore anxious expressions. Their lives were at stake, and the tension in the room was palpable.
Meanwhile, inside the elevator, the large screen displayed Ding Junyi's detailed briefing on their path forward.
KIKI and Lin Xian watched closely, quickly memorizing the key directions.
"This underground city really is one giant factory. Just moving across a single floor from the freight elevator to another research sector takes two kilometers." Lin Xian took a deep breath.
KIKI muttered under her breath, "This place was built for hundreds of thousands of people. Just one floor has to accommodate thousands, plus commercial and work zones. There are even roads and high-speed transport systems down here—whatever you had on the surface, this place had too.”
Lin Xian nodded, then turned toward the elevator doors.
“When we move out, speed is our priority. Avoid unnecessary fights. I’ll take the lead, Daluo, you cover the rear. KIKI, you stay in the middle.”
“Understood, Lin-ge.”
Their goal was to reach the research sector where Ding Junyi and the others were located. That area had defenses and was temporarily safe. Lin Xian needed to assess their situation before deciding the next steps with KIKI. If things looked viable, they’d bring the scientists back to Infinite Train, then reorganize for supply transport.
His plan was to leave the underground city before nightfall tomorrow, then follow the southern route back to Jiangyu Line before making their way into Yubei City.
Suddenly, the elevator screen played old underground city advertisements, creating a stark contrast against the deathly silence of the facility.
"Jieya Dental—protecting your oral health! This month, First-Class Citizens can enjoy a 5% discount on memberships. Visit us on Level 31..."
"Do you struggle with mobility? Are you disabled? The Longteng Prosthetic Modification Center offers cutting-edge artificial limbs—run freely, embrace fully! The latest ARX-2 industrial prosthetics have a battery life of 168 hours, allowing a full week of non-stop work! The ultimate tool for boosting income!"
"Kangde Gourmet Protein Blocks! Selected from premium New World breeds, made with authentic ingredients using traditional craftsmanship—each bite is packed with rich, original flavor!"
The lively advertisements, promising a prosperous and efficient underground life, clashed violently with the horrifying reality of the now lifeless, abandoned city.
“Ugh, gross. What part of that sounds ‘gourmet’?” KIKI shuddered at the ad.
Lin Xian’s voice was serious. “Don’t be so quick to judge. With the global food shortage, when we run out of supplies, you might just learn to love it.”
“Pfft, no way! I’m not eating cockroaches…”
Daluo gave the advertisement a strange look but stayed silent, clearly not thrilled at the thought of insect-based food either.
[Elevator Arrived – Level 52: New Dumera Research Sector. Access: First-Class Citizens & Special Personnel. Clearance: F3.]
Lin Xian tensed as the doors slid open.
Beyond the elevator, the K2 Sector was in total darkness.
The three of them stood still, weapons raised, carefully scanning their surroundings. Aside from the elevator’s screen, which continued to play recorded ads, the silence was absolute.
Lin Xian gave the order, and they rushed forward.
Their footsteps echoed eerily in the hollow corridors as they moved swiftly through the cargo unloading zones.
Soon, they exited the main passage, and the layout shifted—this floor consisted entirely of research laboratories and offices, with no residential or commercial areas.
The architectural quality was high, with sealed, dust-free lab spaces and wide hallways.
Everything looked exactly the same.
Without clear signage, it was easy to get lost in this maze-like research complex. If not for Ding Junyi’s route plan, they would’ve wasted a ton of time just navigating.
As they approached F1 Sector, the corridors suddenly lit up.
Their footsteps echoed through the halls as they ran. Through the lab windows, they saw blood-soaked interiors—evidence of violent deaths.
Then, zombie howls began to rise.
More and more voices joined in, creating a chain reaction throughout the sector.
“Just keep running! Don’t look back!”
Lin Xian raised his Wind Cannon, blasting away a zombie at the next corner.
He deliberately avoided using gunfire, trying to minimize noise and avoid attracting more undead.
But just as they rounded a bend—
The corridor was packed with countless mutated zombies, each wearing white lab coats.
As they turned to face the sound, their facial tendrils began to writhe, their toothy maws opening wide.
“Damn it, it’s more of them!”
Lin Xian gritted his teeth.
He had wanted to avoid unnecessary gunfire, but seeing these things, there was no other choice.
The hallway flashed with firelight as bullets tore through the monstrous horde.
These zombies lunged forward, their grotesque maws wide open—one bite could easily rip off a person’s head.
Having learned from their earlier encounter, the team didn’t hesitate, aiming straight for their heads.
The ground quickly became littered with twitching, mutilated corpses.
More zombies poured in from behind, forcing Daluo to provide cover fire, while Lin Xian unsheathed his blade, decapitating any still-writhing creatures to ensure they were truly dead.
A glass door shattered as another wave of zombies burst through.
Lin Xian turned instinctively, blasting them apart with his Wind Cannon.
They charged ahead, only to find themselves in a circular elevator hall—
Countless black insect-like creatures, mutant spiders, and more zombie abominations had gathered, sealing off their only escape route.
KIKI’s eyes glowed faintly.
With a sharp motion, she raised her hand—
A powerful shockwave blasted outward, sending the creatures flying.
Without hesitation, they rushed forward, cutting through the horde as quickly as possible.
Meanwhile, in the laboratory…
Zhao Yan, Xu Wen, and Han Qiming stared at the monitor screens, their faces pale with anxiety.
The sheer number of creatures swarming around Lin Xian’s team was overwhelming.
If even these powerful ability users, armed with advanced weaponry, couldn’t make it—then as helpless scientists, their chances of survival were zero.
But compared to them, Ding Junyi remained eerily calm.
She wasn’t even watching the monitors.
Instead, she was focused on her computer, rapidly executing a series of commands.
"Ding-director, what are you doing?"
Zhao Yan frowned. "Shouldn’t we be giving them instructions?"
"I’ve already told them everything they need to know."
Ding Junyi didn’t even glance up.
"The best thing we can do is be ready to open the doors the moment they arrive.
"What do we even need to prepare?"
Ding Junyi finally looked up.
Abilities, blood flora, underground city logs… We might need all of it.
Oh, and Zhao-laoshi, prepare Specimen No. 1’s containment tank.
If we can’t take it—we activate the destruction protocol.”