Chapter 190 Escape from The Nineteenth Institute
Before leaving the lab, Yu Miaomiao used He Liang's shadow to store all the instrument samples into her spatial storage.
In the dimly lit corner of the laboratory, He Liangcarefully used her shadow, which blended almost seamlessly into the night, to silently store each precious instrument and sample into her special space.
They also had to be constantly vigilant to see if Lin Xiaoyue and the others would discover them.
After seeing that all the equipment in the original laboratory had been shut down, Ye Jianfelt relieved and told Yu Miaomiao to quickly put it into her space, as they would still need it in the future.
After confirming that all the equipment had been properly handled, He Liang nodded slightly and quickened her pace. After all, time was of the essence, and every moment in the Post-Apocalyptic World was filled with unknowns and dangers.
This place is now more than a decade after the Post-Apocalyptic World, and basic supplies are extremely scarce. The group searched through various rooms and found only a dozen or so cans of food.
There are still hundreds of survivors here, and their future survival is uncertain...
They might have been exchanging children to eat, or they might have been hunting those strange beasts.
In this world devastated by disaster, the scarcity of food and resources will be their greatest enemy.
In the future, they may have to face even crueler choices—to kill each other, to fight together against those mutated beasts, or to find a new way to survive.
In short, survival will become increasingly difficult over time.
Food shortages, rampant diseases, and tests of humanity all make the post-apocalyptic world even more difficult.
After doing all this, the group wandered aimlessly down the corridor, as if they had suddenly lost their way.
If they were in different times and spaces, they might never find Chu Bai and the others, and they would have to return empty-handed.
No, it's possible they have nowhere to go, and they can't leave this space-time; they can only stay here forever.
Just when the group was at their wits' end, a foot stepped on He Liang's shadow.
"Could it be that they've been discovered? Those people are not only crazy, but they're also quite capable."
Yu Miaomiao looked around, but instead of Lin Xiaoyue and the others, she saw the eccentric Security Director Liu.
In the hazy moonlight of the night, his figure appeared particularly terrifying.
He lowered his head, his eyes blazing, staring intently at the ground beneath his feet, a patch of earth shrouded in night and shadow.
There, on the shadowy ground, a lone cigarette butt lay silently, as if waiting for something.
He slowly lifted his foot and pressed it down hard. The cigarette butt made a faint "crack" sound under his foot, as if protesting but powerless to resist.
His movements were firm and powerful, every detail revealing an unquestionable determination.
At the same time, a confident voice came from his mouth: "Come with me."
These three words, concise yet powerful, are like a heavy hammer striking the silent night, echoing in the empty air.
His voice was full of determination, as if it had a magical power that made people involuntarily follow in his footsteps.
He then took a step forward without hesitation.
Behind him, a dark figure silently followed his footsteps. Yu Miaomiao didn't know why he would trust someone who had once been ready to tear him apart.
We simply have no other choice now.
"We need to reunite with those people outside. Do you have a way to do that?"
Lu An was a little anxious. He had been here for a long time but had not seen Chu Bai and the others. It would be a lie to say he wasn't worried.
"Ah..." Director Liu didn't speak, but after a moment of contemplation, he changed direction and continued walking. The others didn't know why, so they could only follow him step by step.
"Where did they go? Damn it, they disappeared in the blink of an eye!" Lin Xiaoyue's voice echoed down the corridor, and one could imagine her helpless rant.
"I can sense it, it seems to be in that direction. Quick, chase after it." This was Teacher Wang's voice, which likely means she has some kind of tracking ability.
"Let's all be careful. If anything seems amiss, make sure to protect your companions." Yu Miaomiao didn't dare to relax for a moment; the strangeness and eeriness of the place made her dare not let her guard down in the slightest.
The sound of hurried footsteps echoed down the corridor, growing ever closer.
"They're here." Dumpling in Yu Miaomiao's arms struggled fiercely, as if it were preparing to go forward and fight again.
" Dumpling, calm down. Let's see how things go first. We don't need you to take action yet."
Gently tap the kitten's nose, Dumplingwhimpered twice, then calmed down.
" Little Girl, it seems you're awake."
Hearing Sesame Paste's inner voice again, Yu Miaomiao felt much relieved. With Xu Nanweiawake, they could finally have one less thing to worry about.
When the news was shared with everyone, a long-lost joy appeared on everyone's faces.
"Let's prepare to fight back with all our might now."
They could already clearly see Lin Xiaoyueflapping her wings and flying towards their direction.
But as Lin Xiaoyue got closer, she suddenly slowed down.
"Damn it. What's he doing here?" Lin Xiaoyuecursed under her breath. Could "he" be referring to Old Liu?
Lin Xiaoyue seemed to be very afraid of Lao Liu, which relieved them. Not having to confront him directly was naturally beneficial to them.
After passing through a pitch-black corridor, the passage ahead was filled with mist and nothingness, making it impossible to see where it led. Yet Director Liu pointed his arm straight at the mist.
"past."
The two words sounded very heavy...
"Let's go back and take another route; this won't work."
"If you want to leave, look down at the road." After saying these words to the empty corridor,Director Liu hunched over and turned to leave in another direction.
"If you want to leave, look down at the road?" Yu Miaomiao understood the first sentence, but she didn't quite understand the meaning of the second sentence, but she still kept it in mind.
They all fell silent. The path to righteousness and survival is always so difficult, and there are always too many mistakes and regrets.
"Let's go." Ye Jian patted He Liang on the shoulder. "I'm sure we won't repeat the same mistakes."
The mist-shrouded passage felt like traveling through a time tunnel; no one knew how long they had walked, but there seemed to be no end in sight.
Until we emerged from the fog and returned to the dilapidated Nineteenth Institute, a desolate place just as lifeless as when we first entered.
This time, however, there were many more footsteps.
The sound of orderly footsteps.
They were all very uneasy. The footsteps were imposing and powerful. If they were enemies, then it was dangerous.
" Chu Bai!" Lu An's eyes instantly welled up with tears when he saw the figure in military uniform.
This girl usually seems cold and unapproachable, but only Yu Miaomiao knows that she is actually very sentimental. She can easily empathize with the characters in TV dramas and movies and is very easily moved to tears.
Several people emerged from He Liang's shadow, disregarding their own safety; at this moment, all they wanted was to quickly welcome their reunion.
Chu Bai and Chen Haohua also saw them and quickly came over to greet them.
Lu An's tears were tears of joy, and also tears of release.
She knew that Chu Bai's every mission was fraught with danger, and his safety was the greatest comfort to her.
Chu Bai's words were filled with guilt and a deep longing for his family.
In this apocalyptic world, family and friendship have become the most precious treasures and the strength that keeps them going.
The soldiers looked exhausted and were much thinner than when they set out. They had been trapped here for a long time, and this kind of tormenting, inescapable torture was hard to keep from driving them crazy.
" Anan …" Chu Bai was also pleasantly surprised to meet Lu An this time. He had actually prepared himself for never to see his father and sister again when he set off.
But she still complained, "Didn't I tell you not to come?"
"If you don't come, what will you do? Are you planning to die here? Don't you value your own life?"
Chu Bai awkwardly scratched his head, "That's not what I meant, brother. I just care about you. You're more important to me. Dad hasn't met you yet..."
Thinking of her father, Chu Bai felt a pang of reluctance. Her father had dedicated his life to his work, and now that he had finally found his sister, he couldn't bring her to live with him. Not only could her father not see his sister, but she herself couldn't accompany and take care of him.Chu Bai felt very unfilial.
"I won't pass your letter on for you; you'll have to give it to him yourself." Lu An wiped away the tears on her face. "We'll definitely get out of here."
Since we've already returned to the same time and space, there must be a way to leave this place.
"If you want to leave, look down at the road."
Yu Miaomiao repeated Lao Liu's words, lost in thought. The sentence seemed simple, yet it contained a profound meaning.
These words echoed in Yu Miaomiao's mind, and she began to observe the ground beneath her feet, trying to find clues.
Meanwhile, the others were also pondering how to translate this statement into concrete action.
They began to carefully examine their surroundings, looking for any possible clues.
After much effort, they finally discovered that the cracks in the ground were not formed naturally, but were arranged in a regular pattern.
These cracks seem to be guiding a certain path, and only by looking down can one discover their secrets.
They moved slowly along the faintly visible route, each step filled with caution and vigilance. The route resembled a secret passage on an ancient map, hidden beneath the seemingly chaotic surface.
The cracks on the ground, which originally seemed to be scattered randomly, now form a complex maze pattern in their eyes.
K: Beep—Scanning complete, all maps are clear. Do you need to plan a route?
K, combining the cracks in the ground with his scene scanning system within his capabilities, has essentially completed the basic constructionof the entire terrain within The Nineteenth Institute.
What appears to be just a factory and research institute is actually a complex architectural structure between the surface and the ground.
It's so complex that it can trap you in an endless loop, like being trapped in a "ghost wall".
Moreover, Lin Xiaoyue's " gatekeeper " system is causing trouble here.
Therefore, they must find a way to break the "gatekeeper " system in order to truly escape this hellish place.
Yu Miaomiao, Lu An, Chu Bai, and their companions gathered together and engaged in an in-depth discussion about the topographic map provided by K.
This diagram acts like a key, unlocking their understanding of the complex structure of The Nineteenth Institute.
They discovered that the cracks on the ground were not randomly distributed, but followed certain patterns, which were hidden in the labyrinthine design and formed a vast network.
"We must find the weaknesses in the 'gatekeeper ' system."
Chu Bai said in a deep voice, having finally figured out the situation of The Nineteenth Institute from Yu Miaomiao and the others' experiences.
They had been here for a long time but had never made any contact. If they had made contact earlier, their comrades might not have been killed.
As a soldier, he knew that when faced with difficulties, the only way to find a solution was to confront them head-on.
"K, can you locate the core of ' gatekeeper '?" Yu Miaomiao asked.
Her voice was filled with anticipation.
She felt that the last time He Liang and his group visited The Nineteenth Institute, Chu Baiwas able to contact them afterward, so it must be because He Liang and his group accidentally opened or destroyed the " gatekeeper " system.
In her view, K's scanning ability might be the key to solving this mystery.
"Analyzing..." K's voice was slightly mechanical, but he was one of the most reliable partners in the team.
He quickly processed the data, comparing the topographic map with the signal sources of the "gatekeeper " system, trying to find a connection between the two.
"I've got it!" K's voice suddenly became excited.
"I discovered the main nodes of the ' gatekeeper' system, which are located in several key positions. If these nodes can be destroyed simultaneously, the system will be paralyzed."
"Then what are we waiting for?" Lu An said eagerly, "Let's take action now!"
But they all knew that the operation was not so simple.
Every inch of this land is riddled with traps, and the " gatekeeper " system is equipped with multiple layers of protection.
They need a meticulous plan to ensure everything goes smoothly.
Yu Miaomiao suggested, "We can divide into several groups, each responsible for destroying a node. This way, even if one group fails, the other groups can still continue their mission."
Once the plan was finalized, they immediately got to work.
The Nineteenth Institute was eerily quiet, but beneath that silence, a meticulously planned operation was quietly unfolding.
Yu Miaomiao, Lu An, and Chu Bai each led their respective groups, quietly approaching the target according to the predetermined route.
They carefully avoided the cracks in the ground, which, though seemingly ordinary, concealed deadly traps.
Under K's guidance, they successfully bypassed multiple traps and gradually approached the nodes of the " gatekeeper " system.
Finally, in a tense atmosphere, all the teams reached their designated positions. They executed the plan swiftly and accurately, and one node after another was destroyed through their efforts.
As the final node collapsed, the lights inside The Nineteenth Institute flickered suddenly before plunging into complete darkness.
The " gatekeeper " system has crashed!
In the darkness, they heard K's voice: "The system has been completely shut down. Now is the best time to escape."
Yu Miaomiao, Lu An, Chu Bai, and the soldiers quickly assembled and began their escape journey along the route planned by K.
This time, they encountered no further obstacles because the " gatekeeper " had been severed.
They were already standing outside the doors of The Nineteenth Institute.
Looking back, the building that once imprisoned them is now just a pile of cold steel and concrete, no longer able to bind their freedom.