Beast of Misfortune

Tianjing Base City.

Pinghai District.

Slender fingers held a thin ladies' cigarette, her nails painted red. She lightly flicked away the ash before bringing it back to her vivid red lips.

The woman had distinct mixed-race features: fair skin, a high nose bridge, and silver hair that gleamed with luster. Beautiful and seductive, she exhaled a cloud of smoke and said blandly, "Is everything ready?"

"Just as we anticipated, Wen Xiuyong was assigned to assist the Northern Military Region. We took the opportunity to locate that item, but the Alloy Coded Box containing it can only be opened with Wen Xiuyong's own Iris Verification."

The woman frowned. "What do you mean? We still need to capture him?"

"Yes. However, his protection in the North District will be much weaker. We can look for an opportunity."

"Look for an opportunity?" The silver-haired woman sneered. "A bunch of useless trash. You can't even handle something this simple."

"You don't even have as much brains as a beast!"

Her subordinate trembled beneath her rebuke, his face pale as he dared not utter a word in argument.

Clearly, her authority still weighed heavily on him.

"Make the arrangements. I want all our personnel in Tianjing to report to me before tonight. This mission is extremely important. There must not be any mistakes."

"As long as we successfully obtain that item, it won't be long before this world is ours."

Her smile was cold and sharp, her eyes utterly devoid of warmth, like a lone wolf stalking its prey.

Hearing her words, her subordinates thought of the purpose of their mission, and their expressions turned fervent.

"I'll go do it immediately, esteemed Miss Fanny."

"For the Truth Society, for the creation of our world!"

"Do you know where Professor Wen went?"

Professor Wu asked Lin Yan and Wen Zhi'an.

Lin Yan thought for a moment. "We're not really sure either. Professor Wu, do you need Professor Wen for something urgent? We can contact him."

"No need. We'll talk when he gets back."

"Carry on with your work."

Lin Yan nodded. "All right."

Watching Professor Wu turn and leave, Lin Yan began writing a paper based on the experiment he had just improved.

Wen Zhi'an smiled. "When my dad finds out you optimized the Coenzyme R3V experimental plan to this extent in just a few days, he'll probably want to tie you up and haul you off to the military district."

"Being tied up and taken away won't do. Unless he trades Xi'er for me." Lin Yan smiled.

"Pah, you're so improper." Wen Zhi'an turned her head aside and said, "I'm not talking to you anymore."

Girls could be intelligent and poised in everyday life, but when it came to something like love, there was never much logic to it. It made them both seem childish.

When they met someone lovable, they let down their guard and foolishly offered up their whole hearts, feeling as though even the evening breeze and sunlight carried a sweet flavor.

Lin Yan narrowed his eyes and smiled.

The entire paper came together smoothly under the flow of his thoughts. He did not fuss over it too much; this was for Wen Xiuyong to read, not for publication.

As long as the content was complete and the writing flowed well, that was enough.

"It's so quiet in the laboratory today."

Wen Zhi'an remarked casually, looking around. "Where did everyone go?"

The speaker had no intent, but the listener took it to heart.

Lin Yan swept his gaze around. The laboratory was empty. There were only the two of them; all the other researchers were gone.

Yet he had not noticed at all.

He was suddenly startled, sensing that he had overlooked something. Frowning, he thought back over everything that had happened today.

In the end, his thoughts settled on one figure.

An elderly man in a lab coat, with a kindly smile.

Something was wrong!

Lin Yan's pupils contracted as the image of today's Professor Wu overlapped with the one from before in his mind.

They appeared completely identical.

Yet there were still subtle discrepancies.

He sharply noticed a slight difference in their standing posture. Whenever Professor Wu stood before, he habitually bent his left knee slightly. The movement was so small that no one would notice it without paying close attention.

But today, "he" had not!

He knew it could not be a coincidence.

Cold sweat broke out on Lin Yan's forehead. Something had gone wrong. That beast had already begun moving, and it had entered the laboratory without anyone noticing.

"Ring—ring—"

A ringing sound echoed through the laboratory, and Lin Yan turned toward its source.

It was the telephone.

Wen Zhi'an picked it up. "Who is this?"

"Oh, Professor Wu. What is it?"

"Yesterday's experimental records? All right, I'll bring them to you now."

Wen Zhi'an stood and was about to retrieve yesterday's experimental records and take them to the office.

Lin Yan grabbed her hand. Wen Zhi'an had initially felt a little shy, but when she lowered her head, she saw that something was terribly wrong with Lin Yan's expression. "What is it?"

"Something's not right."

Lin Yan calmed himself and said in a low voice, "Listen to me. Don't panic."

"I suspect there's something wrong with Professor Wu today. He may very well have already been killed. The situation of the other researchers is unknown for now."

"We have to leave immediately!"

If Professor Wu really was that beast in disguise, then this place was extremely dangerous. They had to get out as soon as possible and send word to the outside.

They definitely could not use the main entrance, but Lin Yan had previously studied the institute's blueprints. Beside the warehouse was an emergency passageway that led out of the institute.

Wen Zhi'an's eyes widened. She trusted Lin Yan and believed he would not make baseless claims, but the information in his words was difficult for her to accept.

Professor Wu was a very kind man who had always taken good care of her. After a year together, she was familiar with all the other researchers as well. Why had something like this suddenly happened?

After all, she was only an eighteen-year-old girl. From school to the laboratory, she had always lived in a stable and peaceful environment.

She found it hard to accept something like this all at once.

Lin Yan did not know what to do. The situation was urgent, and he did not even have time to comfort her.

He could only tighten his grip on her hand.

Wen Zhi'an's eyes reddened. "I'm fine. I'll listen to you."

Lin Yan gritted his teeth and swiftly led Wen Zhi'an toward the warehouse, intending to use the emergency passageway to escape.

Along the way, he tried to contact Liu Mingxuan. The call connected, but an unexpected voice came from the other end. "Have you brought the experimental records I asked for?"

It was Professor Wu's voice, still as kind as ever.

But in the next instant, the voice on the other end suddenly became hoarse and unfamiliar. "Hehe... where do you two little bugs think you're running to?"

Lin Yan hung up.

A powerful sense of danger rose within him. Why had the person who answered Liu Mingxuan's phone been the beast currently disguised as Professor Wu?

Had Liu Mingxuan and the others been controlled as well?

His mind was in chaos. They had underestimated this beast after all. The institute had not only those security checkpoints, but also personnel assigned to monitor the surveillance footage. Aside from Star Team, there were several other Special Operations Squads of martial artists who had to patrol and stand guard on schedule.

There should also have been a War God stationed here.

Yet without a sound, this beast had taken control of the entire laboratory.

Damn it!

He had to get Wen Zhi'an out of here as quickly as possible. But they had already been discovered. Could they still get out through the emergency passageway?

Side Mission Triggered:

The Beast of Misfortune has taken control of the North District Laboratory. Your situation is extremely dangerous. Please escape as soon as possible or eliminate the beast.

Mission Reward: Unknown

A new mission appeared on the system panel, which had remained silent for so long, but this was thoroughly bad news.

It also dispelled the last trace of hope in his heart.

He could already see the door beside the warehouse leading to the emergency passageway, yet he felt no joy at all.

From the shadows beside the warehouse came the crisp chime of a bell. The sound drew closer and closer, as though something was about to squeeze out from the darkness.

He stopped.

Wen Zhi'an's hand was a little cold.

Then, in the darkness, they suddenly saw a pair of golden-yellow, gemlike pupils.

This chapter took a long time to write, so it came out a little late.