A New Species

The journey went fairly smoothly. The worst had not happened.

He Zheng was not sure whether his guess was right. Honestly, if Ye Lin really intended to do that, he would be on his guard too.

He might seem indifferent to whether the others lived or died, but however ruthless he was, he would only go as far as refusing to save them.

"There are still lights on here? There must be something good inside!"

Pushing aside his stray thoughts, He Zheng looked at the white light nearby and felt a great weight lift from his chest.

It was the first time he had seen lights this bright. Delighted, He Zheng rushed to the entrance in a few quick strides and shoved the half-open door aside.

Excitement filled his eyes as he looked at the storeroom, which covered several thousand square meters.

He could not have asked for better news.

Light meant electricity. This biological weapons section was still operating normally.

He might not have much education, but even he knew that things like anesthetics needed refrigeration.

Yet while he was excited, Ye Lin frowned.

"Having power isn't a good thing."

"Huh?"

He Zheng raised an eyebrow, puzzled. Before he could ask why, Ye Lin sighed and pointed ahead.

"See those refrigerated containers?"

"Can you bypass the fingerprint locks, or do you have the passwords?"

Turning around, Ye Lin quickly gave Zhang Tie and the others their instructions.

"This place is huge. We have to split up and search. Bring out anything you can take, no matter what it is. I'll identify it afterward."

"Stay safe. If you notice anything unusual, call out immediately."

Without wasting another word, Ye Lin strode toward the back of the storeroom.

The entire biological weapons storage facility resembled a server farm, with thousands of refrigeration units arranged in tiers. At a glance, he saw that most of the front section held biological agents, while the left side contained unidentified body parts.

Although this place was called a biological weapons storage facility, the items at the front were clearly intended for research.

He Zheng had the same idea and promptly made his own arrangements after listening.

"I'll take the right. Zhang Tie, you and Hu Jia go to the back left. As for you..."

Looking at Lin Ya, who did not dare speak and was clearly afraid to be alone, He Zheng frowned in irritation.

"What are you looking at? Don't expect to tag along with me. Just search wherever. If you're too scared, keep watch at the entrance."

"No... that's not what I meant. I... I can help search too."

"It's just... it's just..."

Knowing she was a burden, Lin Ya hurriedly waved her hands. After struggling with herself, she could not help asking the question that had been on her mind.

"What about An Ke?"

An Ke was a girl too, and although she was no older than Lin Ya, she had been looking after her the whole way. Lin Ya had come to rely on An Ke for almost her entire sense of safety.

"An Ke?"

"Heh, don't worry. She's a lot safer than you are."

He Zheng was somewhat surprised, but he could not be bothered with Lin Ya, who still failed to grasp their situation at a time like this.

He glanced at his watch, confirmed there was no death notification, then turned and left.

An Ke should be fine. Their original plan had been to lure the Species over to her, but it had turned back to attack them halfway there.

Compared to them, An Ke could hardly have been safer.

Yet before he had passed more than a few refrigerated cabinets, a series of piercing metallic screeches raced toward them from the distance.

Startled, He Zheng instinctively looked toward the sound.

Damn it! The sound was coming from the way they had entered.

"Ye Lin!"

"A monster's coming in!"

Shocked and furious, He Zheng shouted a warning to Ye Lin, who was still searching.

Five minutes...

No, two minutes!

The weapons section was quite far from the laboratory entrance, but judging by the monster's speed, it would reach them within two minutes at most.

And anything that could break through that door definitely was not one of those Species!

He could not even imagine how that thing had broken through!

As if things were not bad enough, a shriek suddenly rang out from the rear of the storeroom like a summons from death itself.

Along with several heavy crashes, Hu Jia's cries for help rang out.

"Help me! He Zheng, save me!!"

"A monster! There's a monster hiding here!!"

Bang! Bang! Bang!

"Get away! Get the hell away from me!!"

Among the rows of refrigerated cabinets, Zhang Tie frantically shoved over the surrounding units, trying to block the charging Species.

Everything had happened too suddenly.

If this monster had not been trapped here for so long that its body had shrunk considerably, he had no doubt he would have died just now.

He was covered in blood. One swipe had nearly gutted him.

He trembled with pain!

There was no room to wield his long staff, and Hu Jia, who had been with him, had fled in terror the moment the Species appeared.

"Hiss!!"

The Species shrieked, stretching its split maw as wide as it could.

It bounded swiftly past the toppled cabinets, then lunged straight at him, jaws snapping toward his head.

Staring at the bloody maw that threatened to swallow him whole, Zhang Tie went deathly pale, his heart pounding wildly.

He had killed a Species before, but that had been with others helping!

With his strength, he could not possibly defeat this monster. He could not even escape.

What do I do!? What do I do!?

The storeroom was enormous, covering several thousand square meters. It would take the others at least ten seconds to reach him!

Caught between life and death, his blood seemed to turn into boiling magma, pumping madly into his limbs.

One second, perhaps two.

As he watched the jagged maw loom larger and descend on him, an overwhelming will to survive erupted from deep within.

He did not want to die. He absolutely did not want to die here!

He had no idea how to survive, but some primal instinct seemed to tell him that as long as his head was not bitten off, he could live a few seconds longer!

His eyes bloodshot and his adrenaline surging to its limit, Zhang Tie suddenly roared. Like a madman, he heaved up the metal cabinet beside him and rammed it desperately into the lunging Species!

With every last ounce of strength unleashed, the impact actually knocked the Species off course.

Boom!!

It was like two trucks colliding. Under the tremendous recoil, Zhang Tie tasted blood in his throat as the metal cabinet crushed his chest.

Lying on his back, he clutched his chest in agony. His broken ribs stabbed into it like steel needles.

Although ducking his head had saved him from the Species' bite, its sharp claws had grazed his shoulder, spraying blood.

With no time to catch his breath, he looked at the thoroughly enraged Species and forced himself up again. Grabbing the steel staff from the floor, he swung it desperately.

His struggle was meaningless. However hard he fought, he could not possibly injure this monster.

Even if Ye Lin were still there, he could not save him without bullets.

But he refused to accept it. He refused to be swallowed whole without putting up the slightest fight!

The Species hissed. Watching the struggling bug before it, it felt an instinctive surge of irritation.

Having gone too long without food, its strength was nearly exhausted. Two failed attacks in a row had completely drained what little patience it had.

When it lunged again, the Species abandoned its attempt to eat him headfirst.

Its massive maw split open, and it bit straight at Zhang Tie's unprotected legs.

It would crush this bug, then grind him up bit by bit and swallow him!

"Duck!!"

Suddenly.

Almost at the very instant the Species bit down, Ye Lin's voice rang out.

Zhang Tie's heart jolted. Reflected in the Species' eye, he saw a gun-wielding figure standing atop a refrigerated cabinet open fire.