Chapter 362: Unforeseen Consequences
by xennovel“It’s over…”
“The Black Table special pollution incident has been cleaned up.”
“Basic data recording for Escaped Lab Experiment Subject Number Nine is complete.”
“The Abyss…”
“…No significant reaction observed!”
…
Central City, Second Main City, Research Institute Observation Room Five.
Staring at the detection data on the electronic display screen rapidly returning to low amplitude fluctuations the two staff members in front of the computer let out long sighs of relief. One slowly stretched letting out a groan as his bones popped satisfyingly.
The other picked up a paper notebook beside him and began meticulously filling in the data:
Special Pollution Incident No. 1022
Location: Water Buffalo City
Cause: Black Table Forbidden Experiments
Core: Life
Threat Level: S-Level
Cleanup Personnel: Qinggang—Mr. Lone Soldier (Confirmed as Escaped Lab Experiment Subject Number Nine. Detected Distortion Trait and Fear Trait. Confirmed possession of a Black Factor Ability with exceptionally strong vitality. Observation conditions unavailable specific details undetermined. Preliminary estimate: Ability Level S-Level Loss-of-control risk 80%. Recommendation: Implement Recovery Plan.”
…
Then he casually tossed the notebook aside and said with a smile, “We can tell them to store the S-Level weapons now.”
“Let’s go!”
They made plans together, “Hope they haven’t sold out of the sweet and sour pork ribs…”
…
“Three minutes longer than I expected…”
In the Research Institute Apartment Area inside a seemingly ordinary small building covered in green plants was a study decorated in an antique style. It didn’t look like the workspace of a researcher but rather the study of an old-fashioned scholar who wore Tang suits daily composed poetry teased birds and studied ancient texts.
Right then a square table was set up in the study.
Covered with a silk tablecloth two people sat facing each other on the east and west sides shuffling mahjong tiles.
On the east side was a fat old man in a Zhongshan suit.
He wore small round black-rimmed glasses and had two short tufts of a mustache. When he smiled his eyes crinkled into thin lines.
Across from him sat a cold stunning female researcher with bright red lips and dark eyeshadow. Despite wearing a loose white lab coat it couldn’t conceal her curvaceous figure. Occasionally she crossed one long captivating leg over the other.
There were only two people yet the table seemed to have four playing.
The mahjong tiles on the table clattered as if eight hands were shuffling them.
The old man in the Zhongshan suit shuffled the tiles while saying with a smile, “Looks like Old Wang was quite formidable having such hypotheses and insights over a decade ago. It’s just that he wasn’t very good at teaching students focusing only on ability while neglecting moral character development. The Black Table has caused such a huge disturbance… I think we should urge the Administrative Main Hall to severely crack down on these kinds of forbidden experiments.”
“Hmph…”
The cold female researcher sneered disdainfully, “Play dumb for too long and you might actually turn into a real idiot.”
The scolded old man looked embarrassed his mustache twitching. He glanced at the cold female researcher then quickly looked away.
He muttered under his breath, “Looks like I need to strengthen the moral character development of my students too…”
The wall was built. Two tiles flew up and landed on the south side of the mahjong table.
It was as if an invisible hand had grabbed them accompanied by a thin voice:
“Will the Research Institute just indulge the ambitions of the Administrative Hall?”
…
The old man in the Zhongshan suit also reached for a tile moving a bit too quickly. The cold female researcher slapped his hand.
He sheepishly withdrew his hand and chuckled, “That’s just how the world is. Wherever there are people there will be power struggles. As the faction in power within the Administrative Main Hall they’re always suppressed by a Research Institute hanging over their heads making them feel constrained in their actions facing numerous obstacles when trying to push administrative orders. So their accumulated resentment grows and they finally dare to try and reclaim power. Isn’t that quite reasonable?”
“I believe we shouldn’t interfere too much with their actions. This pursuit of power might sound bad but it has its necessary place. A normal complete social order needs the existence of these ambitious people.”
“We can easily say what they’re doing is wrong but we cannot deny that their existence is justified.”
…
The cold female researcher glanced at the old man and sneered, “Letting a bunch of idiots control power is a dangerous thing.”
“This bunch of idiots having the idea of wanting to control power is equally dangerous.”
…
“But in a way it’s just as dangerous for us to grasp power.”
The old man in the Zhongshan suit set up his tiles his face flashing with excitement his voice rising slightly, “Let capable people handle what they’re good at whether it’s politics or research. But for either side to meddle in the other’s affairs is foolish and naturally dangerous. That’s why I’ve always disagreed with letting the Research Institute try to get involved in administrative matters and vice versa.”
“Simply put compared to some in the Administrative Main Hall wanting to control the Research Institute someone within the Research Institute wanting to gain more power is actually a far more dangerous matter. They will only get some people killed. We… we could doom the entire world.”
“The Research Institute has its own problems to solve; we don’t have the energy to meddle too much.”
“Remember power is the greatest source of pollution!”
…
“So they secretly funded the Black Table and did something like this and we just let it go?”
The old man’s words brought a moment of silence to the mahjong table. After a pause the cold female researcher rolled her eyes.
“Of course not.”
The old man in the Zhongshan suit gently stroked the tiles in his hand and smiled:
“It’s like I said the right people do the right things. We only handle research; administrative matters aren’t our concern.”
“Since someone chose to do such a thing violating the rules then naturally people from other departments will punish these individuals. When that time comes Central City will still be Central City. It won’t affect the rare peace we have now…”
“The newly appointed people seeing the fate of these individuals will surely be more cautious in the future.”
…
As he spoke he looked at his hand with satisfaction then played a tile with a beaming smile.
“Nine Bamboo.”
“Chi!”
“Peng!”
Two players responded the one calling Peng taking the tile.
The old man in the Zhongshan suit suddenly looked awkward craning his neck to see.
The cold female researcher leaned back slightly her white coat falling open revealing a stunning sight.
She looked coolly at the old man and said, “You always forbid the Research Institute from touching power but others don’t think that way. They only see the Research Institute as high and mighty like a retired emperor. This isn’t the first time something like this has happened nor will it be the last. There will always be more dangerous incidents even ones we can’t handle composedly. So what do you plan to do?”
The old man in the Zhongshan suit stared at his tiles remaining silent for a long while seemingly deeply troubled.
“Then let them know what the Research Institute truly wants to do?”
He muttered finally making a decision and firmly playing a tile: “Eight Bamboo!”
“Pa!”
The tiles on the north side were pushed down—a single wait for “Eight Bamboo”.
The old man in the Zhongshan suit’s eyes widened. He slammed his own tiles down pointing and muttering, “I… All one suit…”
“You… A junk hand?”
…
The female researcher sneered, “Why are you always trying to be so flashy…”
The old man’s expression changed rapidly. He glared intently at the revealed hand then suddenly stood up in anger.
He snatched the phone beside him and hit a speed dial key.
A few seconds later he roared into the receiver, “Immediately initiate the recovery plan for Escaped Lab Experiment Subject Number Nine! Now!”
…
“Is it over?”
At the Water Buffalo City East Forward Outpost the white-haired old man looked at the suddenly quiet Water Buffalo City then at the mental radiation detectors positioned around the camp facing the city. Their detectors weren’t as precise as the Research Institute’s. While the Institute’s monitors still showed some fluctuations the numbers on their detectors had now completely dropped to zero.
He stood up staring intently at those zeros an expression of disbelief on his face:
“Did it really… just end like that?”
…
“Phew…”
After an unknown amount of time the surrounding personnel finally reacted turning to him with expressions of admiration.
“Indeed… Indeed the Commander’s decision was correct!”
“Unexpectedly the ability user in the city could actually solve this problem…”
“Excellent! Observations indicate minimal damage to the hundred thousand drifters in the outer city. The flesh monsters created by the Black Table have been completely eliminated and the pollution hasn’t spread. Only some buildings in the abandoned city were destroyed… A perfect cleanup mission!”
“We still need to investigate carefully exactly how it was cleaned up…”
…
Amidst the relieved compliments and congratulations the white-haired old man’s lips trembled his face pale.
“That’s not right. The experiment was clearly successful so how did it suddenly disappear?”
“If… if the experiment we anticipated for so long ultimately ends like this…”
“Then what was the point of all our years of preparation those bold arrangements and actions?”
The surrounding staff’s compliments about his accurate grasp of the situation and his composure in the face of crisis now felt like the greatest mockery. He stared silently at the utterly still Water Buffalo City unable to speak for a long time.
“Wu…”
Just then a lone black Jeep drove over from the distance.
The beams of its headlights shone directly onto the white-haired old man’s face like an imposing gaze.
…
“So…”
In the dark meeting room an unknown amount of time had passed and it had become deathly silent.
Those who had ambitiously wagered their biggest chip suddenly saw the revealed hand.
And it felt like they’d been struck over the head.
There was no transition between the imminent joy of victory and the sudden disastrous turn of events.
“So we just…”
Someone suddenly laughed self-deprecatingly, “…initiated the most ridiculous coup in history?”
No one else answered. It was an unbearable embarrassment they didn’t want to accept.
“But…”
Someone suddenly slammed the table stood up and shouted, “Impossible! How did the Research Institute do it?”
“Clearly the Research Institute didn’t react at all to this matter not even sending out any messages…”
His voice trembled. Was it confusion or resentment?
“Perhaps… that’s what makes the Research Institute truly terrifying…”
Someone gave a bitter smile, “Either it means their reaction was undetectable even by the people we placed inside or it means they saw through our carefully prepared game from the start like… like teasing children?”
Amidst the awkward silence someone suddenly asked, “So… what now?”
Everyone remained silent their gazes suddenly converging on one person among them.
He was the only one near the long conference table whose face had been revealed.
This person’s eyes widened instantly his mouth gaped open but he couldn’t catch his breath.
He seemed subconsciously about to raise his hand to cover his face.
But ultimately he didn’t commit that childish and shameful act.
“Ring ring ring…”
Just then someone’s phone suddenly rang.
“Ring ring ring…”
“Ring ring ring…”
…
Immediately after everyone’s phones began to ring.
Someone sensed something was wrong swallowed hard then pressed the answer button.
A gentle pleasant female voice sounded, “Hello Commander Xu. Commander Zhang Mr. Li and Colonel Zhao are also there right?”
“Tell them not to bother answering their phones the message is the same. You have violated the core security protocol between the Central City Administrative Main Hall and the Research Institute. The Research Institute now hopes you will immediately proceed to the First Main City Administrative Main Hall to explain the situation…”
“See you in half an hour. Please don’t be late…”
“Beep beep…”
Only the dial tone echoed in the silent meeting room. Everyone slumped in their seats as if deflated.
A long silence followed.