The Abyssal Garden: No Room for the Idle
Chapter 416 - 268 DX-515 Dark One Specimen_2

Somebody's expression darkened slightly, "How do you know that?"

"The so-called backdoor control panel has already lost control. Once the gates of the disinfection room came down, there should have been no other means to open it."

A team member frowned tightly, "How could it have lost control?"

"Is that so?"

With his guide cane pointed toward the three corpses of the monsters, Su Qi spoke softly, "The workers that were killed by them also harbored the same desire to escape as you all. I believe he understood the layout here better than you. In their despair, they chose the only path to survival, yet they couldn't open the exit door."

"There are two possibilities."

"One is that they didn't have enough time to operate the controls before the monsters caught up and killed them."

"The second is..."

Su Qi hadn't finished speaking.

The Captain picked up right where he left off, his voice hoarse, "Someone didn't want them to get out."

He had actually guessed that this was the most likely scenario, but he still wanted to try if there was even a sliver of hope.

"Let's have the two of us go and check it out. You rest here for the time being and see if there are any other methods," a team member said, turning to leave at the Captain's signal.

After all, the factory was quite large, and it would take a few minutes to get back.

"What should we do if we can't get out? Are they planning to imprison us in order to cover up what's happened here?" A newcomer murmured.

"This is not imprisonment."

The long-haired young man spoke solemnly, "They want us all dead!"

"How can this be!" someone said in despair, "Then we really can't leave? I had just joined the Superpower Association filled with hope..."

"Lift your head, my friend." Du En clenched his fist, "We still have a chance to leave! We must report the darkness here."

You are... good at painting a rosy picture.

However.

The despair will probably be greater when the time comes.

Having barely escaped, only to find out that the very entity they hoped to report to is the manipulator behind everything.

"Captain."

Su Qi, wearing sunglasses, coolly looked at the Captain, "There should be a description of the main control area on that map, right?"

The Captain pulled out the map they had put away earlier, squinting slightly, "Yes, that's right, it does exist. And there, there's a chance to open all the gates. But how did you know?"

"I've worked in an electronics factory, it's always like this."

Working was indeed true, but the existence of the main control area was information he had seen for himself.

The other party offered a way out, wanting them to go deeper into the third level for the sake of survival. Such a plan was executed with control over the big picture, playing with people's hearts, and showing disregard for life.

As well as a despair of having no chance whatsoever.

Su Qi didn't know how many people had been subjected to this plan, but he knew... at least there was someone behind them wielding the Chaotic Liquid.

Chaotic emerged for the first time in Evil Town, then was taken by him.

According to the plan left by the Venerable.

Chaotic was controlled by the Abyss Power, an important and powerful object held by the Venerable.

"Leaving aside these guesses that came from unexpected gains, I have reason to believe, could there also be a Venerable behind them?"

Venerables were numerous by themselves.

Su Qi had become one of them, but he still hadn't figured out what was hidden in the deep pools of the Abyss Church.

So, upon realizing this.

Su Qi did not stir up the snake in the grass in this world. The enemy was in the dark, and so was he. Without clear knowledge of the enemy's strength, he chose to delve deeper into exploration first.

Of course.

This was certainly not because... of any unrelated speculation like his pupil's strength being uncontrollable, fear of being exposed by the Abyss Church, or fear of his identity as a Despicable Person, and the Evil God causing an uproar following the power of the pupil.

What a joke.

Evil God, good friend, good brother.

Of course.

Before completely mastering that strength, he would not consult its venerable self.

Those two also quickly returned, shaking their heads, "We tried, but the control panels for the disinfection room gates are all out of order."

"Then it seems, we only have... one recourse now, to head to the main control of the third level," the Captain said with a grave expression, looking at the newcomers:

"And you must prepare to go into battle."

"Distribute weapons to the newcomers."

From the backpack, various combat knives were pulled out.

"Why not guns?"

"Do you know how to use them? Can you aim?" a team member rolled his eyes.

"Your physical qualities have already far surpassed those of ordinary people, and your five senses' responsiveness has greatly increased. You're better off using knives than guns, and I don't expect you to kill the enemy, just to defend yourselves."

The captain said softly,

"Also, these monsters, although they possess strong healing abilities, have the same fatal weakness as humans— their hearts."

Su Qi didn't refuse the knife that was passed to him; he tossed it directly to the Dark Star to devour.

He fed the Dark Star anything, so the Dark Star could also transform into anything, even if it lacked any attribute or function. But with the enhancement of the "Dark Star," even the guide cane in his hand... attained the quality to be used as a primary weapon.

The team continued to move forward.

The first floor... it seemed that aside from those three monsters, there were no other creatures.

And the team managed to reach the elevator to the second floor as they wished.

"The other side has only given us the method to activate the elevator to the second level," the captain looked at the map and information. "It seems there was premeditation, luring us toward the third level."

However,

Knowing it was a trap, they still had to step inside.

After the captain input a series of symbols as the password on the control panel of the gate, the elevator leading to the second floor thunderously opened!

"Let's go."

The elevator was spacious inside, large enough to accommodate three big trucks, meant for transporting giant cargo.

Once the team stepped in,

they noticed... bloodstains on the ground, but no corpses in sight.

With a rumbling noise, the elevator gate closed and began to descend.

Each floor seemed to be at a considerable distance from the next.

Just descending to the second floor, one could feel the elevator's speedy descent, at least five meters per second, which continued for nearly half a minute.

Then they heard it!

"Clack!"

The mechanical gears inside the elevator made a heavy sound!

The team members felt a jolt under their feet!

A chime indicating arrival sounded!

"Here it comes," the captain warned in a deep voice.

The elevator gate rumbled open! The shrill sound of the motors made everyone unconsciously shiver!

And at the next moment,

The team's faces turned pale!

The entire second sub-level was a large experimental area constructed of numerous glass tanks, and yet simultaneously... it was a purgatory, filled with an abundance of corpses and flesh splattered everywhere!

"How... how many people died here?"

Su Qi's voice came through: "The facility's scale could house thousands. Judging by the current situation, it's possible they either became those monsters or were all killed."

Du En trembled a bit; although afraid and disgusted, more than anything, anger surged within him as he clenched his fists: "Those beasts!"

Su Qi looked at Du En with surprise.

When this guy became emotional, that strange strength also started to fluctuate, and he even faintly noticed that some objects around seemed to have moved imperceptibly due to the recent disturbance.

"The elevator to the third sub-level requires a passcard, but we probably won't be able to find one now," the captain looked towards a blood trail in front of him. "So we have to go... through other passages."

The map indicated a staircase leading downward, located in an area towards the left side of the second sub-level.

Just as the captain was about to start moving, a newcomer suddenly turned pale and vomited profusely.

"I can't take this, can we wait for a moment, just a moment?"

The captain looked at him calmly and said, "Move."

Then he stepped forward without any hesitation, followed solemnly by other experienced team members without a word.

"Why is he like that?" someone's eyes widened.

"Don't you guys get it yet? I really resent being lumped with fools like you," the long-haired young man gripped his military knife: "This is a matter of life and death, there's no time for you to adjust. They probably won't protect us from now on either. If you want to live, you can only rely on the knife in your hand."

"If you can't manage."

"Then you die."

The long-haired young man briskly followed suit.

Du En looked towards Su Qi: "Brother Su, it's inconvenient for you, stay behind me, I'll lead the way."

Su Qi responded with a laugh, "Okay."

The cameras around quietly shifted, watching their every move, as if observing prey walking into a trap.

At the same time,

What the team didn't know was...

Su Qi's "Super Dream Protocol" had already silently invaded the control panel of the sterilization room and the elevator gate control panel on the second sub-level.