Base 09 was nicknamed the “Monster Base.” As the name suggested, everyone inside was a monster—both the researchers and those locked within.
When Li Sang learned that Ji Lin was willing to come with them, she immediately informed her superiors. This superior wasn’t Lin Shushan, but another heavyweight who had been present alongside him: Tang Yunzhou, also known as Academician Tang.
Lin Shushan focused mainly on mechanical and future technology, while Tang Yunzhou specialized in biological research. To the uninitiated, all researchers seemed eccentric, but Tang Yunzhou truly lived up to the stereotype; he was remarkably odd.
They say there’s a fine line between genius and madness, and Tang Yunzhou was the quintessential example. He had won numerous awards throughout his life, yet he didn’t care for fame; he was simply obsessed with biology. Any biological entity that exhibited even a slight deviation from the norm would catch his eye.
Li Sang had heard from others that the creatures Tang had studied included, but were not limited to: eight-legged frogs, two-headed rabbits, seven-leaf clovers… and even a human born missing a leg. He had an incredibly eccentric temper, but he was a verified genius; currently, no living person surpassed him in biological research.
When he heard that Ji Lin, a powerful ability user, had been found, Tang Yunzhou was so excited he couldn’t even type properly. The messages sent to Li Sang were actually typed by his students. At that moment, he was pacing back and forth in his lab, his face flushed with excitement, much to the bewilderment of his students.
“Teacher, why are you so excited?” one student finally asked, unable to contain their curiosity.
“You’ll find out soon enough,” Tang Yunzhou replied, refusing to sit still, as if only pacing could suppress the thrill in his heart.
“Send another message. How much longer until they arrive?” He looked at a student holding his phone, which was wrapped in a plastic bag. Tang’s hands were shaking too much to type properly, so he had simply handed the device over.
Li Sang received the message, and before the car even reached its destination, a second one arrived from him. She switched off her phone and turned to Jiang Tai’an. “Captain Jiang, how much longer? Old Tang can’t wait anymore.”
“Half an hour,” Jiang Tai’an replied coldly.
He was precise. Almost exactly thirty minutes later, Jiang Tai’an successfully pulled the car into the parking lot of Base 09.
Base 09 was constructed similarly to Base 08, but while 08 was hidden deep in the mountains, 09 was built beneath a desolate wasteland, accessible only through a secret underground passage.
Entering the massive parking lot—the size of several basketball courts—Ji Lin began to look around curiously. Unlike any parking lot he had seen, this place was brilliantly lit without a single shadow. The floors and even the ceilings were completely encased in silver-white metal, looking exactly like the high-end research facilities he had seen in movies. Even the support pillars were wrapped in heavy metal, reflecting the bright lights.
As everyone began to get out of the car, Ji Lin followed suit. As soon as he stepped out, he noticed a national flag embedded in one of the pillars. He blinked slowly and muttered, “You… are quite patriotic.”
He hadn’t expected to see the flag on the very path into the facility. Even now, he wasn’t entirely convinced these people belonged to the state; he thought they were just a powerful organization.
Li Sang’s eyelid twitched. She didn’t bother explaining and simply said, “You’ll see even more flags once you go inside. Just feel our passionate love for the country.”
The main difference between Base 09 and Base 08 was the mandatory requirement for protective suits. According to Tang Yunzhou, the suits weren’t for their protection, but for the protection of his research subjects. Though Li Sang had her complaints, she endured it; if they didn’t wear the suits, they’d be stuck in the parking lot. Even Ji Lin had to change into one.
“Do you always have so many rules here?” Ji Lin asked. He struggled with social anxiety, but in a situation like this, he couldn’t help but ask.
Ling Lan glanced at him. “Only Base 09 is this picky. Base 08 isn’t.”
There’s a Base 08 too? Ji Lin thought. Just how big is this organization?
He followed the group, seeing many flags along the corridors as Li Sang had promised. Occasionally, they passed portraits of historical figures he recognized from his textbooks. As they went deeper, Ji Lin’s skepticism began to fade. This place felt like a police station—everywhere you looked, there were emblems or flags. He then saw a large, clear emblem for the “XX Research Institute” with small text reading “Base 09 Branch.”
It was too real to be fake.
“Where is Old Tang? These hallways are so winding,” Li Sang complained. The maze-like design was making her feel dizzy.
“He’s in the core area. We’re almost there,” Jiang Tai’an replied briefly.
As they rounded a corner, Li Sang saw Tang Yunzhou in the distance. Before she could reach him, the professor came sprinting toward them. Li Sang was surprised; she hadn’t seen him in days, but was he really this happy to see her?
As it turned out, Tang Yunzhou sprinted right past her and lunged toward Ji Lin.
“Are you Ji Lin? Do you feel any discomfort? Any abnormalities other than not needing sleep? Shall we do a full-body checkup?”