Opening for Business

Strange thumping sounds came from the center of the hall, while fine ash drifted everywhere through the air.

Fortunately, this was Zhang Heng's second time here, so there was no surprise on his face at the sight.

The two security guards beside him were equally expressionless. After opening the door, they did not stop walking. They took up positions on either side of him and entered with him, seemingly intending to complete the replication ritual alongside him.

The three stopped only when they reached the attack range of those ugly vines. Zhang Heng then watched his two companions flatten themselves against the floor, foreheads pressed to the ground and legs spread apart in a posture resembling frogs, their bodies beginning to tremble rhythmically.

The frequency of their trembling happened to match the thumping sounds. Zhang Heng did not know whether this was how they communicated with the strange banyan-like plant in the center of the hall.

But whether or not that banyan-like thing remembered what had happened last night and was tattling on him, Zhang Heng did not intend to wait any longer. This was about as far as he could go. Once he took out that bottle of blue-green algae, he could hardly expect the two guys beside him to go blind.

So while the two guards were still carrying out their bizarre ritual, Zhang Heng silently unzipped his bag.

The other side had apparently noticed something was wrong as well. One of them raised his head, only to be met by a small wrench. Zhang Heng's blow smashed his forehead flat, leaving him sprawled on the floor without moving.

When these things disguised themselves as humans, they hid in the Fourth Ventricle, which was relatively safe. But the bodies they controlled were almost identical to human bodies in