The closer they got to the abandoned meat-processing plant, the stronger the stench of rotting organic matter and chemical reagents became. It almost seemed solid, clinging thickly to their mouths and noses. The scattered raindrops that had begun to fall did nothing to wash it away. Instead, they flushed it out of every corner, gathering it into an even more nauseating tide.
"Fuck..."
Wilson swore under his breath and unconsciously tightened his grip on his Glock 17 pistol. He covered his nose through his mask with his other hand. "This guy has to have sinus problems. How else could he stand this?"
Li Jie said nothing. He merely gestured for silence and scanned their surroundings warily. Beneath the overcast sky, the processing plant loomed huge and sinister. Most of its windows had been boarded shut, and the few surviving panes were filthy. The metal roofing had rusted and collapsed in several places, while a huge sheet-metal chimney tilted toward the sky like a despairing exclamation mark.
They chose a small side door as their entrance. Its original lock had long since been broken, and only a rusty iron bar held it loosely shut. The hinges probably had not been oiled in years; they let out a string of piercing groans as the door opened. An even richer, more complicated stench struck them in the face like a solid fist, nearly making Wilson retch aloud.
"FUCK, I swear I'm going to personally feed him shit once we catch him."
Li Jie walked ahead without a word, merely shaking his head helplessly.
Fucking idiot!
Beyond the door lay a narrow passage, its concrete floor caked in thick grime. The only emergency light flickered with a dim yellow glow from a faulty connection, casting their long, ghostly shadows across the filthy walls.
"Clear!"