Chapter 792: Secrets Under the Red Moon
by xennovel“What’s wrong?”
At the sound—its authenticity uncertain—that had startled Lu Xin enough to whip around and fixate on the Research Institute, Doctor An quietly joined him. Standing shoulder to shoulder, they gazed ahead at the dark cluster of buildings as she took a deep breath and said:
“This is the legendary Red Moon Research Institute.”
“It’s said to have been built during the Pre-Civilization Era. I don’t even know exactly when it was founded.”
“All I know is that this institute, spanning the era before and after the Red Moon Incident, is connected to the very beginning of everything.”
“…”
Lu Xin stood silently for a moment, choosing not to mention the sound he’d just heard.
Because even he couldn’t quite tell if it was real.
After a brief pause he turned slightly and, looking at Doctor An, murmured:
“You’re with the current Moon Eclipse Research Institute, and your status isn’t low. Yet you know so little about the former Red Moon Research Institute?”
“…”
“Too much happened in between…”
Doctor An shook her head softly and said, “The present Moon Eclipse Research Institute is indeed a continuation of the Red Moon Research Institute.”
“But we must admit: the reputation of the Moon Eclipse Research Institute in our time far exceeds that of its predecessor. Still, their understanding of certain matters and grasp of many crucial secrets are on entirely different scales.”
“Even among the researchers themselves…”
She paused and cast a glance at the trio—Zhang, Li, and Wang—huddled together sharing compressed biscuits, then shook her head.
Dr. Wang was picking out a piece of compressed biscuit with egg yolk, feigning indifference as he handed it to Master Li.
Master Li barely glanced at it before casually passing it on to Dr. Zhang.
Just as Dr. Zhang was about to bite, Dr. Wang snatched it back and swapped it for a five-nut variety.
Dr. Zhang immediately complained loudly at Dr. Wang.
Master Li, irritated by the clamor, retorted, “Are you done yet?”
“…These three are such a mess.”
Lu Xin thought, relieved that Xiao Dong hadn’t shown up…
After all, Xiao Dong is just a master’s degree holder—he never had any business coming to his doom.
…
“The talents nurtured during the Pre-Civilization Era far surpass what we have today.”
Meanwhile, as Doctor An’s eyes swept over the trio, she sighed, “I know you harbor deep resentment towards your old Orphanage Director.”
“But you must admit, along with that genius researcher who jumped from the building upstairs and our idiotic director who spends every day playing mahjong, they are the finest second-generation researchers in this world under the Red Moon.”
“Each one of them has greatly influenced the layout of our world.”
“And yet, some still say they merely inherited the fading glow of the first generation.”
“Just imagine how formidable the first generation of researchers was…”
“…”
Lu Xin listened, momentarily taken aback, and turned to look at her.
Doctor An smiled gently and waved her hand, saying, “Well, that’s not entirely inaccurate.”
“But after the Red Moon Incident, the initial collection of key experiment subjects, the theoretical analysis on Mental Alteration, the subsequent organization of data, and even the early construction of the Seven-Step Theory were all painstakingly carried out in these very buildings.”
“…”
Listening to Doctor An’s low, deliberate explanation while staring at the gloomy buildings ahead,
Lu Xin suddenly felt an overwhelming mix of emotions.
From his current perspective, these structures suddenly seemed unfamiliar.
Yet, judging by the timeline, he must have been here before.
After all, his journey to Qinggang began when the Old Director whisked him away during the relocation.
In other words, at the start, he and the other children of the Orphanage had all spent time somewhere within these walls.
Or perhaps, they were all studied here.
This inexplicable feeling held him silent for a long while until he softly asked, “What exactly happened here?”
Doctor An fell silent as if weighing her answer.
Slowly, she began, “I once lived here for a while. But I was just a child then, staying here as a family member—so I had no access to their research projects or high-level secrets.”
“It was only later, through my own experiences, that I learned what had roughly transpired.”
“After the Red Moon Incident, the whole world plunged into disaster.”
“It was then that most of the researchers—or rather, the so-called first-generation researchers—at the Red Moon Research Institute vanished. Only a few remained, shrouded in secrecy about past studies, left to clean up the aftermath and investigate the cause of the Red Moon’s appearance.”
“Amidst that chaos, the Red Moon Research Institute maintained an extraordinary calm, with baffling countermeasures against many mysterious phenomena. Thus, during that tumultuous period, the second-generation researchers emerged.”
“The institute began establishing basic theories on Mental Alteration and methods to combat Demented Persons.”
“Of course, it was around then that the conflict between Professor Wang and Dr. Lin began to intensify.”
“…”
Lu Xin listened in silence, as details from his own memory began to match her words.
At that time, the institute had already been debating whether to continue experiments on mutated subjects.
Back then, he and the Orphanage children probably suffered many hardships.
“And then?”
His recollections and speculations about those times remained surprisingly calm.
Doctor An couldn’t help but glance at him before continuing, “And then the institute relocated.”
After a brief pause, she added, “Most people believe the relocation and renaming were measures to stabilize the world order and protect the surviving humans. But in my recollection… I remember things clearly ever since I could recall.”
“I only remember that the decision to relocate wasn’t the result of long-term planning—it happened all of a sudden…”
“As if we were forced out by something…”
“Unfortunately, I still don’t know the secrets behind the relocation.”
“All I know is that the institute moved to what is now Central City, was renamed the Moon Eclipse Research Institute, and began liaising with the major settlements—not only sharing methods to counter the onslaught of Demented Persons but also strategies to combat Mental Pollution.”
“At the most critical moments, they even dispatched a large number of trained specialists to various regions.”
“By the way, these professionals, sent to the high-wall cities, have come to be known as the third-generation researchers.”
“Today, most of them are leading figures in the major high-wall cities.”
“Professor Bai from Qinggang is among the third generation as well.”
“…”
“Professor Bai?”
Lu Xin’s tense demeanor eased slightly.
He had always held a favorable impression of this old man who loved philosophical debates.
But as he listened intently to Doctor An, not letting any detail slip by, his brow couldn’t help but furrow.
Perhaps because she hadn’t performed well before, he was inclined to doubt her, suspecting she was still holding something back.
Unable to contain his curiosity, he asked, “So, who actually knew the secrets behind the institute’s relocation?”
“Only the remaining first-generation researchers knew.”
Doctor An glanced at Lu Xin and said, “But during the relocation, they all disappeared.”
“From that point on, the first-generation researchers completely exited the stage.”
“If anyone other than the first-generation researchers had any inkling of the truth back then…”
“…”
She paused and said, “I believe only two people knew.”
“One was that genius researcher who leapt from the high-rise—his intellect was unmatched.”
“The other was your old Orphanage Director…”
“No matter what he did, you have to admit he was a genius in his own right…”
“…”
“…”
“A genius-level figure, huh?”
Lu Xin’s emotions churned with complexity.
Everyone’s feelings toward the Old Director were equally conflicted.
Some feared him, some were terrified, some despised him. Even Lu Xin—who had once lost his memory—felt a mix of gratitude and a firm resolve to ensure his shadow never darkened his world again.
Truly, he was a complex man.
He wasn’t a good person, yet one couldn’t deny he was formidable.
…
…
“Now that we’ve arrived, you might as well tell me what it is you truly want to investigate, right?”
Taking a deep breath, Lu Xin looked at Doctor An, his eyes clearer than ever.
When he first decided to come, Doctor An had said she wanted to investigate materials related to the Genesis Hard Drive.
But upon arriving at the institute and taking a closer look, he realized that within these gray-black buildings lay countless hidden secrets. How could Doctor An, risking her life, be here just to investigate that one matter?
“The true investigation purpose was made clear from the start.”
Doctor An turned to Lu Xin and replied calmly, “It was to look into everything related to the Genesis Hard Drive.”
“Hmm?”
Lu Xin’s expression instantly morphed into one of sly suspicion reminiscent of Zang Hu Xiao Liang.
Meeting his sly doubt with a chuckle, Doctor An added, “Of course, it doesn’t hurt to investigate a few extra things along the way—like busting into a vault for gold and spotting a diamond next to it. Why not take both?”
“Eh?”
That analogy clearly struck a chord with Lu Xin, who relaxed and quickly asked, “So which diamond are you after?”
“The Classified Archive in the western wing of Area A—the secure underground repository.”
Doctor An stated briskly, her eyes gleaming with a mysterious light as her voice took on an enigmatic tone:
“There, the original secrets of our world are recorded…”