Structure

Chapter 22: Structural Diagram

The terms of Hong Mo's cooperation with the research institute were very simple.

As long as he wasn't subjected to any harm that would be difficult to recover from, Hong Mo had to assist the institute with any research involving him. In return, he would be allowed to learn the results of the research. He could also use the institute's facilities to gain a better grasp of the power within him.

Naturally, neither party's agreement was legally binding. It was merely a verbal understanding. When it came to putting it into practice, the details would certainly be adjusted to suit the circumstances, but that was something to worry about later.

For now, Hong Mo and Luo Meiyue—or, rather, the Northern Institute Research Center—were on friendly terms.

"Then I'll have someone bring you a set of clothes. We can discuss the detailed arrangements once you've had time to rest." The deal was done. Though Luo Meiyue's eyes were shining, she didn't let it show on her face.

After ending the call, Hong Mo sat quietly in his chair, weighing the pros and cons of it all.

Cooperating might not be a bad idea. Otherwise, whether he could get out was another question. Hong Mo wasn't so naive as to think those few superpowered individuals were the institute's entire defense force. Perhaps they'd been caught off guard because he had suddenly awakened inside the research center, leaving them short on time to mobilize their forces.

"Dad, I'll take him a set of clothes. You arrange somewhere for him to stay." Luo Meiyue turned and flashed her father a V sign.

"You're trusting him just like that? Aren't you worried he's only pretending to agree, then looking for a chance to leave the research center?" Luo Bingyi stared at his daughter in puzzlement.

"If he's smart enough, he absolutely won't do that. Individual heroism doesn't work in this day and age, unless his power is truly enough to turn society upside down. But do you think that's likely?"

"I'm just afraid he'll do something stupid and prove he isn't smart enough." Luo Bingyi muttered vaguely. He didn't argue with his daughter, instead heading out to make the arrangements. It was a little depressing, really. He was the director of the research center, yet ever since his daughter had revealed her talent, she was always the one making the decisions on major matters.

She was his daughter, after all. The more outstanding she was, the prouder he felt. But what was this faint sense of disappointment deep down?

At first, Hong Mo really had planned to use the opportunity to cooperate as a way to get out. But after thinking it over, he abandoned the idea. The terms were very lenient, so there would be plenty of chances to leave once the cooperation began. There was no need to break his promise. Besides, staying and trying out genuine cooperation might be worthwhile. It might actually help him.

Ten minutes later, Luo Meiyue entered the Special Research Department with a set of clothes.

Only when they were face-to-face did Hong Mo notice the woman's crisp, capable air.

"I'm going to change. Aren't you going to turn around?" Hong Mo said after taking the clothes.

"What's the big deal? I've already seen you naked." Luo Meiyue gazed at Hong Mo with shining eyes, utterly unbothered.

Tch. Since she didn't care, even though she was a woman, Hong Mo couldn't be bothered to say anything more. He simply pulled open his white lab coat. He hadn't even realized that, since becoming a superpowered individual, he had become far less bound by propriety and far more inclined to do as he pleased.

"You're hurt?" Luo Meiyue stared at the dozen or so wounds of various sizes on Hong Mo in astonishment. After all this time, they had stopped bleeding, leaving behind frightening, dark-red scars.

"Weren't they sent by you? You didn't know?" Hong Mo furrowed his brow. Only after realizing Luo Meiyue truly wasn't pretending did he ask.

"They—oh, you mean the Special Security Squad? It's like this: the director is only authorized to mobilize them when the research center itself is under threat. For anything else, they aren't obligated to report to us. When they came up earlier, they looked furious. How could they possibly have explained why to me?" Luo Meiyue looked at him as if he didn't understand.

"Hmph. Of course they were. I killed one of their teammates." As he spoke, Hong Mo watched Luo Meiyue's eyes closely. He wanted to know what she thought of that fact.

"I'm only in charge of research. I couldn't care less about anything else, and I have no interest in getting involved. Do you understand?" Luo Meiyue explained simply.

Hong Mo nodded.

"I think you should skip the clothes and come straight with me to the sixth basement level. There's Repair Fluid down there. It can speed up your body's recovery." Luo Meiyue looked at him as if to say he should stop making things difficult.

Hong Mo didn't budge. He silently put on the clothes.

"Lead the way." Hong Mo wanted to experience the effects of the Repair Fluid Luo Meiyue had mentioned.

"Repair Fluid is a culture medium commonly used these days to speed up physical recovery. It's a product developed jointly by several major research institutes in the Celestial Empire. In the fluid, the body recovers ten to twenty times faster than normal. The exact effect varies depending on the individual's constitution. Of course, many other countries have developed their own products, and their effects are about the same." As they walked, Luo Meiyue explained it to Hong Mo.

"What was that woman in white capable of?" Hong Mo suddenly asked.

"The woman in white? Who do you mean?" Luo Meiyue asked in confusion.

"The woman in white from that Special Security Squad I fought earlier." Hong Mo hadn't forgotten how the muscle-bound man's wounds had healed incredibly quickly beneath the woman's milky-white glow. It was practically a healing ability straight out of a game.

"You mean her? Fei Yan, twenty-four years old, a healing-type superpowered individual, currently at LV3."

"A healing-type superpowered individual, LV3?" The more she explained, the more questions Hong Mo had.

"Mm. Those are the classifications for superpowers and their levels. If you hadn't clashed with them, having her treat you would have been a great idea. Your injuries would heal in no time, but..."

Hong Mo knew what she was going to say. After killing one of their teammates, expecting them to come and treat his wounds would be the height of stupidity.

You don't have to tell me that. Hong Mo grumbled inwardly. What he wanted to know was the detailed classification system for superpowers. But Luo Meiyue clearly wasn't in the mood to explain it now. He followed her into an elevator.

"These are all basic facts. I have no interest in explaining them to you in detail. When you have time, look up the information yourself," Luo Meiyue said in the elevator.

Hong Mo nodded. "Didn't you say we were going to the sixth basement level? Why are we going up?" he asked, feeling the elevator's upward pull.

"The Northern Institute Research Center is built underground. At the very top are levels one through seven, which are above ground. Then there's a vertical shaft a thousand meters deep, connecting to the Special Research Department. The Special Research Department is connected in eight directions to eight Sub-nests. The place where you put the cultivation tank earlier was one of them." Luo Meiyue tapped the elevator panel, and a display appeared showing the layout of the research center.

So advanced? Hong Mo stared at the diagram in surprise. A small white dot was moving rapidly upward. It must be the elevator he and Luo Meiyue were in.

"Don't worry about it. It's nothing special, not as advanced as you imagine. It's just a simple application." Luo Meiyue seemed to know what Hong Mo was thinking and explained.

Is that so?

Suddenly, the two fell silent.

Neither of them knew that, not long after Luo Meiyue had left the upper levels, a group of special forces had stormed into the research center from outside. In a very short time, they had taken control of the entire facility.