Free Web NovelChapter 916: Chapter 912: Back to the Surface
The crackling sound like firecrackers, the dazzling sparks generated by electric light, this scene resembling a festive celebration didn’t bring Xiao Tian a shred of joy.
Xiao Tian’s original intention was to use the terrain advantage of the underground laboratory to temporarily secure a breathing space, or at worst, to destroy the instruments and the data in the database using the destructive mucus of that giant creature.
But he hadn’t anticipated this change; his actions at the time when the exits were blocked and the situation unknown were somewhat reckless.
Nonetheless, reaching this point, Xiao Tian had no time to regret anything and could only hide in a relatively safe corner, observing the reaction of the goo on the ground.
After a long while, the underground laboratory was already completely dark, the instruments and facilities around were all seriously damaged, and the dark green goo had disappeared, leaving only large traces on the ground proving it once existed.
However, when Xiao Tian used his perception power to probe carefully, he realized that a familiar thing had appeared over the dark green traces—a tea-colored unknown organism carrying a mutated virus.
Yet this tea-colored organism now appeared much smaller than when he first saw it, and it no longer moved wildly, jumping about; it had become much more docile.
This discovery immediately led Xiao Tian to suspect one possibility: the giant creature might never have been anything other than this now much-diminished, tea-colored organism, and through sheer chance, he had managed to neutralize its mutated form.
Of course, it might also be that the mutation of the giant creature had a strict time constraint, and now the time was up, reverting it to its original form. Xiao Tian merely had good luck, hitting the timing perfectly.
Regardless, whether it had a time limit, or whether Xiao Tian’s seemingly reckless actions just played a role, the result of the giant creature’s disappearance and the tea-colored organism’s serious weakening both remained unchanged.
Looking left and right and finding no complete container, Xiao Tian took out a small wooden box from his backpack, removed the herbal medicine inside, and suddenly slapped it down onto the laboratory floor.
The palm carrying true qi landed, and the bright yellow ripples spread around, just enough to lift the tea-colored organism into the air; seizing the opportunity, Xiao Tian immediately extended the box forward under the organism.
In an instant, the tea-colored organism settled steadily into the small wooden box. Xiao Tian was somewhat astonished, as he didn’t feel any weight, nor did he hear any sound, but he quickly closed the lid of the wooden box.
After doing all this, still feeling a bit uneasy, Xiao Tian wrapped an additional layer of true qi around the wooden box’s exterior, before carefully placing it back into his backpack.
Although the threat of the giant creature was gone now, the over thirty experts from the Water Drop Organization outside remained a problem. At least with Xiao Tian’s current strength, while defending himself was easy enough, defeating them was not so straightforward.
Unless all thirty-plus people had minds like Zhou the Third’s, Xiao Tian could take them down one by one without much trouble, but clearly, that was impossible.
Closing his eyes, sensing the surrounding machines had completely stopped operating, Xiao Tian arrived before a machine resembling one from an arcade in the 1980s, albeit much more advanced.
This rectangular device, as tall as a person, connected numerous long wires, recording data from various instruments running; calling it invaluable might even be an understatement.
Opening the back cover of the machine, Xiao Tian pulled out all the connecting wires and retrieved a large white hard drive. Without further hesitation, he took it and left.
Exiting through the stair-like passage that had been almost completely destroyed, Xiao Tian saw dozens of people gathered on the ground level, all intently watching the laboratory’s dark door.
Seeing Xiao Tian come out of the underground laboratory unharmed, the dozens of people from the Water Drop Organization seemed a bit taken aback, clearly not expecting him, but the giant creature instead.
After standing still for a moment without sight of the giant creature, everyone’s faces turned grim.
With Adison Claire not found and the giant creature now missing, either matter was something they couldn’t bear, destined to incur blame from higher-ups.
The ordinary bottom-level personnel were slightly better off since they were merely following orders. Even if troubles arose, naturally, there would be someone higher up to take the heat.
But the heads of the two squads, Liu and the burly man, appeared significantly more anxious than their subordinates.
By now, with so much time passed, Adison Claire likely had already fled far away. Looking further would undoubtedly be like finding a needle in a haystack.
Thinking this, Liu couldn’t help but glance at Zhou the Third, who was usually mocked by everyone in the team, wondering silently if this was why he remained at the bottom.
Especially recalling the earlier discourse on purgatory, Liu’s heart felt even colder, as if autumn nights had never been so chilly.
Little did he know, the leader of the other squad, the burly man, also secretly regretted, thinking if he hadn’t been so eager for credit at that time, they wouldn’t be in this situation.
...
After a long standoff, both leaders tacitly placed their hopes on Xiao Tian. If they could control him, perhaps there was still a chance to turn things around.
Thinking this, Liu stepped forward forcefully and asked, "Where is Adison Claire?"
Xiao Tian shrugged, letting out a light chuckle, "You didn’t find her with so many people; how would I know?"
"Stop playing dumb!"
The burly man glared at Xiao Tian aggressively, saying, "Hand her over and maybe we..."
"Will spare me?" Xiao Tian interrupted, his eyes full of mockery, as if watching a clown act.
"You’re asking for death!"
The burly man shouted angrily, his face revealing an agitated look, then suddenly stepped forward and punched toward Xiao Tian.
Xiao Tian did not dodge, instead extending his right fist for a clash, but just before contact, he abruptly retreated a step, transforming his fist into a claw, swiftly grabbing and releasing towards the left front. The burly man staggered forward, carried by inertia, and barely regained his balance after being brought forward three or four steps.
The man’s face flushed red, near purple, suddenly felt his face burning hot, as if all his blood had surged to his face. The veins on his forehead bulged, making him look terrifying.
After missing the punch, the burly man suddenly tore off his outer clothes, revealing bronzed muscles, causing everyone to gaze in fear...
