Apocalypse Survival Guide for a Beta [GB] - Chapter 60

At the very last second before the doors fully shut, an iron pillar wedged itself between them, allowing Qiu Tu to slip inside the 621 Biopharmaceutical Research Institute.

The moment he entered, the iron pillar was crushed with a bang and warped under immense pressure, and the doors sealed shut.

Everyone’s expressions changed as they saw Qiu Tu had made it in. Elena didn’t waste a second. “Follow me!” she commanded.

The inside of the 621 Biopharmaceutical Research Institute was completely different from its plain, ordinary exterior. The interior was sectioned off by walls made of the latest metal-stone technology. Each floor had independent, suspended laboratories, with fluid, curving corridors weaving in a complex, crisscrossing network. At a glance, the entire institute resembled a massive three-dimensional maze.

Elena led the group around a wall and into a laboratory.

By the time Qiu Tu caught up, the lab’s doors had already closed. He immediately conjured flames, intending to blast his way in.

Each laboratory in the 621 Biopharmaceutical Research Institute was built to be extremely durable but even the sturdiest doors couldn’t withstand Qiu Tu’s relentless fire attacks. After two or three powerful blasts, a hole was blown open.

When Qiu Tu stepped inside, the laboratory was empty except for two lifeless zombies lying on the ground.

Then, behind him, a low growling sound echoed.

***

After entering the lab, Lou Tiannan’s group was immediately attacked by two zombies in white lab coats. Being closest, Lou Tiannan and Tang Mary swiftly took action, snapping the zombies’ necks.

Hearing the explosions outside, Elena didn’t stop. She walked to a section of the lab’s wall, pressed a hidden panel, and a concealed electronic verification screen popped out. After she entered a code, a previously seamless metal wall slid open to reveal a hidden doorway.

They had thought they had only entered a standard reception-like room but beyond the wall lay an entirely different space.

Once everyone was inside, the metal wall sealed shut again, leaving no visible trace of an entrance.

Tang Mary clicked her tongue in admiration. “Now this is real Federal funding at work. The research institute is even fancier than my Guangming Tower.”

“Far more advanced,” Bai Chuan added, staring intently at some bottles inside the lab.

He was a researcher too, though his field had nothing to do with pharmaceuticals or chemical compounds. His focus was on skin tissue engineering. After all, he was in the adult toy industry. The more realistic the products, the more they appeal to consumers.

Tang Mary scoffed, “No one asked for your input.”

Elena led them through two more laboratories and in the third, they encountered four third-tier zombies.

However, dealing with four third-tier zombies was hardly a challenge for them.

Without needing the entire team to act, Lou Tiannan, Tang Mary, and Elena quickly dispatched them.

After passing through two more corridors, Tang Mary suddenly exclaimed in surprise, “We’re on the second floor already?”

Bai Chuan examined their surroundings carefully before saying, “So the laboratories here aren’t actually separate. They’re all connected.”

Earlier, they had seen that each lab appeared to be isolated, with some even suspended in midair. But now, walking through the corridors, they realized that wasn’t the case. The research institute must have used some kind of advanced technology to create an illusion that made the labs seem independent from the outside.

“Not all of them are connected,” Elena clarified. “Only the lower-level labs are linked.”

“Why did the alarms go off?” Tang Mary asked, looking at the flashing red warning lights around them.

“It’s Qiu Tu,” Lou Tiannan said, spotting him in the corner.

Qiu Tu was rampaging through the first-floor laboratories, blasting them apart one by one. His powerful flames swept through several labs in a row, setting off continuous alarms. Some of the facility’s automated security systems attempted to capture him but he barely paid them any attention.

“We need to hurry,” Elena said. “If the alarms keep going off, they’ll trigger the upper-floor alerts. Once that happens, the facility’s protection protocols will activate, putting the entire research institute on lockdown. Getting inside will be nearly impossible.”

“How many floors do we need to go up?” Tang Mary asked.

“The seventeenth,” Elena and Lou Tiannan answered in unison.

That was the floor where Xiao Hehua’s laboratory was located.

“Move, move, move!” Seeing that the alarms had already reached the second floor, the group wasted no time and rushed upstairs behind Elena.

As they sprinted through the corridors, Qiu Tu noticed them and began chasing after them, hurling fireballs as he ran.

Elena led the group to the mechanical elevator and pulled an ID card from her pocket to scan it. But the screen displayed, [ID card locked. Access denied.]

“The Federation locked my card,” Elena said, withdrawing it in frustration. “We’ll have to run up the stairs.”

“Can’t Captain Lou’s card work?” Bai Chuan asked. They were both captains, so Lou Tiannan’s ID should have clearance, right?

“He doesn’t have permission,” Elena replied without hesitation. She knew for certain that Lou Tiannan wouldn’t have the necessary clearance.

“Then let’s hurry—”

[Beep beep. Access granted,] a robotic voice interrupted Tang Mary mid-sentence.

Everyone turned in shock toward the scanner. A slender, pale hand was pulling back an ID card and its owner was Lin Bai.

“How do you have clearance?” Elena asked in astonishment.

Lin Bai replied calmly, “I told you, my partner worked at the institute. Isn’t it normal for me to have a pass as a family member?”

“Less talking, more moving! That rabid dog is catching up!” Tang Mary didn’t wait for an explanation. She shoved everyone into the elevator.

The doors slid shut.

[Elevator ascending. Destination: 17th floor.]

The five of them stood inside the elevator, falling into an eerie silence.

The floor numbers kept changing rapidly. Elena kept eyeing Lin Bai suspiciously. When the display jumped to 6, she could no longer hold back and asked, “How does your partner have such high clearance?”

In the Security Bureau, the number of people with direct access to the 17th floor of the research institute could be counted on one hand. Even her own clearance had only been temporarily upgraded by Xiao Hehua after the apocalypse began. Who exactly was Lin Bai’s partner to have such high-level access?

Thinking back on Lin Bai’s strange behavior and the faint sense of familiarity she felt, Elena had the feeling that there was just a thin layer of paper separating her from the truth. If she could just pierce through it, she would have her answer.

“She worked here for many years,” Lin Bai still seemed unwilling to reveal her partner’s identity and gave only a brief explanation.

Just as the floor number was about to reach 13, a loud explosion sent violent tremors through the elevator.

Thrown off balance, Lin Bai crashed into someone beside her. Before she could see who it was, a strong arm wrapped around her shoulder, steadying her. As soon as the elevator came to an abrupt stop, the arm quickly withdrew.

Lin Bai didn’t need to look. She could tell from the higher-than-average body temperature that it was Lou Tiannan.

“Damn it, Qiu Tu sabotaged the elevator shaft!” Tang Mary pried open the top hatch of the elevator and saw an iron rod jammed into the shaft above them.

Everyone immediately realized they had to get out. If Qiu Tu’s flames reached the elevator, they would all be burned alive.

Tang Mary swung her iron chain, hooking it onto a rail inside the shaft, and then climbed onto the roof of the elevator.

They were close to the door on the 15th floor. Despite her slightly plump build, Tang Mary moved with surprising agility. Gripping the chain with one hand, she used the other to push against the elevator door.

After stepping onto the edge of the door frame, she tested it with an iron rod, frowning. “No good, the door won’t open.”

Before she could say more, the elevator shuddered again, tilting as if it was about to fall. Tang Mary quickly wedged an iron bar into the traction cables to prevent it from dropping further.

“You guys climb out first. I’ll make some footholds for you.”

Staying inside the elevator was too dangerous. Tang Mary created metal plates and embedded them into the shaft wall, giving everyone a place to step onto as they exited the elevator.

Just as the last person, Bai Chuan, stepped onto the metal plate, the iron bar holding the elevator in place finally gave way. The elevator plummeted several floors before the emergency brakes kicked in, stopping it abruptly. From below, the sound of violent impacts echoed up the shaft.

Tang Mary cursed, “Damn that Qiu Tu! Once I’m done with this, I’m chopping that rabid dog into pieces!”

“We need to climb up. For now, Qiu Tu won’t be able to follow us from outside,” Elena said. She was well-versed in the institute’s security mechanisms. Every floor required identity verification to access. The lower levels might be vulnerable to brute-force destruction but the upper floors were far more secure. Breaking in by force wouldn’t be an option.

Right now, the only option was to climb up through the elevator shaft. Fortunately, it was only a four-story distance.

The five of them climbed up the iron cables toward the 17th floor.

“Lin Bai, look, it’s a good thing I followed you in. Otherwise, wouldn’t it be too dangerous for you alone?” Tang Mary whispered to Lin Bai who was on the adjacent cable.

She thought she was speaking softly but the enclosed elevator shaft had a natural echo effect, amplifying her voice so that everyone heard her words.

Elena immediately picked up on the intimacy in Tang Mary’s tone and her doubts deepened.

Bai Chuan was puzzled. “President Tang, why are you so concerned about my A’Bai?”

Tang Mary looked at Bai Chuan with disdain. “Get lost! What do you mean ‘your A’Bai’? You’re an Omega and you don’t even feel ashamed! Have you asked Lin Bai’s opinion on this?”

Bai Chuan was so angry that his nose almost twisted out of shape. “I’m willing to court her! What era do you think this is? Why are you so old-fashioned? Don’t you know Omegas have freedom?! If Lin Bai and I go out, we’ll get our marriage certificate right away!”

As soon as he finished speaking, Bai Chuan felt a chill down his spine. He wondered if there were zombies nearby and glanced around warily, only to catch sight of Lou Tiannan’s gaze. He sucked in a sharp breath. What the hell? Did Captain Lou eat something wrong? His expression was downright murderous.

Tang Mary didn’t notice Lou Tiannan’s look. As she climbed, she continued mocking Bai Chuan, “Getting married? More like becoming a mistress! Aren’t you embarrassed?”

Fuming, Bai Chuan climbed up next to Tang Mary and snapped, “President Tang, you should mind your own business before meddling in others’ affairs!”

“Others?! Lin Bai and I—”

“We’re here,” Lin Bai interrupted their argument.

Lou Tiannan glanced at Lin Bai who had timely stopped Tang Mary and a contemplative look flashed in his eyes. ‘Lin Bai and I…’ Did she and Lin Bai have some kind of relationship?

Meanwhile, Elena instantly recalled that Zhu Liang had mentioned Tang Mary was searching for her son, Peter, and daughter, Vera. But if Lin Bai were Tang Mary’s daughter, the ages wouldn’t match.

Tang Mary was, at most, 39 years old that year, while Lin Bai was already 30. There was no way they could be mother and daughter. Then what kind of relationship did they have?

As Elena pondered the matter, Bai Chuan and the others reached the 17th floor and began figuring out how to open the elevator hall doors.