From beginning to end, Sui Yang had been too lazy to concern himself with what would happen after Accra was briefly thrust into the spotlight.
Those unscrupulous media outlets and organizations would have different professionals to "handle" them depending on the circumstances. Without fuel, the hype would naturally be unable to keep burning.
So Sui Yang had never worried about it. At this moment, his focus was on the progress of the "sample experiments."
He moved his bird's-eye view away from Accra, a city about to enter true modernization, and gradually shifted northward.
Leaving the beaches and coastline behind, he arrived at an industrial district filled with factories and workshops.
The largest, most expansive, and most heavily guarded site was Atlas Park.
As the sun completely disappeared below the horizon, streetlights lit up one after another, and tens of thousands of workers reached the end of their shifts.
At this hour, some workers returned directly to their dormitories, planning to relax with games or movies. Others took the company-provided public transit out of the park and headed downtown, preparing to drink and chat with their coworkers. Everyone had their own plans for the night.
However, the three-story Bioengineering Department Building located in the heart of the park, along with the people working busily inside it, seemed to have no concept of getting off work.
The building's main and side entrances were guarded by ARS personnel armed with live ammunition, while sniper posts were hidden in the shadows.
The moment ordinary workers began working at the park, their direct superiors would solemnly warn them to strictly follow all rules and regulations. They were never to set foot anywhere they should not be, or getting shot would be the least severe outcome.
After all, the core area of the park contained many of Atlas's secrets.
And inside a laboratory on the third underground level of the Bioengineering Department Building—
"No! Please, don't... don't! I'm innocent! I'm really not a murderer... I really am not..."
Pleading wails echoed through the cramped, sealed space.
The source was a thin adult man wearing an orange prison uniform. He lay on a multifunctional operating table, his neck, limbs, and waist all secured by metal chains.
His struggles and cries were futile.
This was an isolation chamber equipped with multipurpose mechanical arms, meaning researchers did not need to operate personally. It prevented them from getting too close to the test subject and greatly reduced the risk of accidental infection.
Each of the four corners contained a surveillance device glowing steadily red, indicating that monitoring was underway. There was also a one-way window on the left, allowing direct observation of what was happening within the chamber.
As for the man in the prison uniform, he should have been called Disposable Human Experimental Materials.
However, such people were usually referred to internally as "D-Class Materials," and the more hot-tempered ARS soldiers called them "D-Class trash."
"Designation D-00267." At that moment, a nasal, emotionally flat broadcast echoed through the isolation chamber.
"According to records provided by Ephrata Prison, between 1986 and June 1, 1990, you murdered three victims, including a sixteen-year-old girl. Your methods were exceptionally cruel. You were therefore sentenced to life imprisonment without parole."
"No! It wasn't me! I'm innocent!"
Upon hearing that, the D-Class Material immediately denied his crimes at the top of his lungs.
But the broadcast ignored him entirely.
At the same time, several holographic screens appeared above the D-Class Material's line of sight, playing extensive surveillance footage and videos with irrefutable evidence, along with witnesses whose faces had been mosaicked and voices altered as they recounted key testimony.
"D-00267, you may question the police, prosecutors, and jury of Washington State, but please do not question the professionalism of the Atlas Investigation Department. That would damage their reputation and affect the department's year-end evaluation.
Lastly, Atlas sincerely thanks you for your unconditional cooperation in assisting us with this experiment."
"..."
After seeing the evidence and hearing the broadcast, D-00267 immediately dropped his innocent, pitiful act, and a vicious glint flashed through his eyes.
But before he could continue begging for mercy, a mechanical arm fitted with a needle moved to his neck, pierced his skin, and swiftly injected every drop of red liquid from its transparent cylinder into his body.
?!
The sudden injection, combined with his fear of the unknown experiment, sent D-00267 into panic once again.
"Spare... urgh... urgh... puaaah!!!"
In less than a few seconds, veins bulged across D-00267's body. He vomited blood and convulsed uncontrollably.
Finally...
With a crisp bang!, D-00267's head exploded from the inside out.
"Hiss!!"
Accompanied by a beast-like howl, a fleshy tumor resembling an ant's head and countless vine-like tentacles completely took control of D-00267's body.
Restrained by the metal chains, the mutant struggled violently. However, its wrists and ankles were twisting at bizarre angles.
It seemed intent on violently tearing apart its own body and sacrificing its limbs to survive.
But before that could happen, numerous mechanical arms moved forward at once, gathering around the operating table and quickly extracting samples of blood, tissue, and more.
Then...
Boom!!!
Flames swept through everything in an instant and continued burning for dozens of seconds.
When the isolation chamber returned to silence, all the heat-resistant equipment and walls had merely been blackened by smoke. As for the mutant, which had not even had time to scream, it had turned to ash.
Whoosh!
Immediately afterward, the isolation chamber was filled with a pale, dense disinfectant mist.
--
Meanwhile.
On the third-floor corridor of the Bioengineering Department Building—
"You did well this time. Vought is already getting anxious. Tell me, what do you want?" Sui Yang praised Arthur and the others walking beside him.
"Boss..." Arthur chuckled, looking as though he had been plotting this for a long time. "I heard from Supervisor Wang that the R&D Department has recently been researching Optical Camouflage. So, I was wondering..."
"When they produce individual camouflage gear, your Hunters will be the first to receive it."
"Hahaha! That couldn't be better!"
Arthur's hearty laughter rang through the entire floor, and the Hunters beside him looked equally eager, their eyes shining with anticipation for the new equipment.
"All right." Sui Yang could not help shaking his head before reminding him, "The day after tomorrow, I'll reopen the Space Gate. Before then, you and your Hunters must make every preparation. Coordinate with the elite of Third Company and provide the Investigator with fire support. Understood?"
"Yes!"
"Mm."
As he spoke, Sui Yang used his highest-level authorization to unlock the sensor door and enter an office, while Arthur and the others stood guard outside.
Inside the office—
"Just as I thought... just as I thought... Ants make this virus easier to shape, but how can we avoid causing extensive mutations to human genes? Hmm... difficult, but I like it."
Alexia, seated behind the computer, was so engrossed in her research that she failed to notice Sui Yang had already arrived at her desk.
(End of Chapter)
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