Chapter 87-I Clean Up Garbage in a Wasteland World
Chapter 87 Experimental Subject
The end is nigh, we are all but ants.
The same words had been on the wall in the garbage room, next to her own corpse.
Zhu Ning immediately opened her Sub-Brain and pulled up the photo. She had taken it in the garbage room before, and later she had destroyed the evidence.
The two sentences were identical. Gao Yingcheng's handwriting was crooked and twisted, as if he had already gone mad when he wrote it. The sentence on the wall was similarly crooked due to the angle. But both sentences now conveyed the same eerie atmosphere.
It was as if all seemingly unrelated events could be connected by a single thread, ultimately pointing to the same answer.
Zhu Ning had once speculated about who had carved that sentence in the garbage room. There were two possibilities—one was the killer, the other was herself.
If it was the killer, then carving words beside the corpse could be understood as a kind of ritual. Many serial killers had this kind of ritualistic behavior.
Perhaps it was some lunatic with certain beliefs, using Zhu Ning to complete some kind of summoning ritual.
But if the one who wrote it was herself—the original owner of the body—then its meaning changed entirely. It was a clue left for her.
What did this sentence actually mean? The literal meaning was that the apocalypse was coming. But the apocalypse had already come. The current world's rules were built on the post-apocalypse. Could there be another one?
[Long-term Side Quest: Seek the truth of your death. Key clue found. Search progress: 50%]
The System's cold, mechanical voice sounded. This voice had always been very mechanical, devoid of any emotion. Zhu Ning had heard it many times—when rewards were given, when missions were issued. For a long time, Zhu Ning had treated the System as part of herself.
It might be her cheat code, the golden finger bestowed upon her by the world.
Zhu Ning acted under the System's guidance, receiving feedback and rewards. She grew stronger and stronger.
No—was it really her getting stronger? Wasn't it the System getting stronger?
Zhu Ning entering contaminated zones, gaining abilities, obtaining new talents—wasn't that a form of developing the System?
She fundamentally couldn't remove the System from her brain. Would she be controlled by this thing for the rest of her life until death?
Prometheus, strictly speaking, wasn't controlling her. At most, he was making big data recommendations. But the System was truly controlling her, because it was inside her brain. It could genuinely occupy her neural pathways.
Why had her reaction been so intense when she connected to Prometheus? Why did the System's presence diminish to its lowest whenever she connected to Prometheus?
Because one brain couldn't accommodate two parasites. They couldn't simultaneously occupy her neural pathways. Before the white mycelium could wrap around her neural network, the System had already claimed it.
If Zhu Ning had still harbored doubts before, hearing the System's announcement now made her certain. The System said the side quest progress for the truth of her death was already past halfway. This meant she had found the right answer.
This single announcement directly validated what she had been searching for.
But she felt no sense of accomplishment whatsoever. She was clearly sitting on a bed, wrapped in blankets, yet couldn't retain a shred of warmth. She was freezing all over, her limbs numb.
Drip—
A drop of blood fell onto the notebook, instantly spreading into a blot. Zhu Ning touched below her nose and only then realized she had a nosebleed.
She had never felt so clearly that she was probably an experimental subject.
No—she really was an experimental subject.
...
A certain underground laboratory.
This laboratory was deep underground, completely unlike the Sanitation Center's towering buildings. It seemed to keep digging deeper and deeper into the earth.
Layer upon layer of defense networks, layer upon layer of shielded doors, layer upon layer of checkpoints. Very few people had clearance to go underground. Chu Qing was one of them.
At this moment, he stood before a transparent glass wall, coldly observing what was inside.
The glass wall had high-strength bulletproof and pressure-resistant capabilities, ensuring his safety. Inside the glass wall was a deep pit.
In the pit was a massive metal door. Its weight was measured in tons. By all rights, there shouldn't have been any gaps. But something underground had already forced it open a crack.
A mass of dark red, viscous liquid was squeezing through. Cameras were trained on it, not daring to miss any of its reactions.
Contract... expand...
The viscous liquid was currently contracting. The frequency was very low, like a heart in a different sense.
Chu Qing's primary experimental project was this. He observed and recorded data from the side, tracking its growth.
The experiment was tedious, because its changes weren't significant. In three years, there hadn't been much change. But any minute change could represent some kind of breakthrough that could alter the entire world.
Chu Qing was extremely busy. He was the brain of the entire team. He didn't have time to watch Zhu Ning every day. Other researchers continued monitoring Zhu Ning.
But that didn't mean Chu Qing had lost interest in Zhu Ning. He very much enjoyed hearing news about her. Every time a researcher reported the latest developments, it was a form of entertainment for Chu Qing.
It was like watching a new experimental subject. No matter how mundane her actions, in Chu Qing's eyes, they were adorable.
This wasn't an exaggeration. From a researcher's perspective, Zhu Ning was the same as the Contaminants in the laboratory. Any discovery was incomparable.
Chu Qing felt that at this rate, he might fall in love with Zhu Ning. She was simply too delightful.
"Where did she go this time?" Chu Qing asked.
Researcher: "The Ant Nest."
Chu Qing: "The Ant Nest?"
The researcher then realized that "The Ant Nest" was a name given by later developers. As a first-class citizen, Chu Qing wouldn't know the name of a slum.
Researcher: "The Cube experimental base in District 103."
"The Cube, huh..." Chu Qing searched his mind for related information. It was a very old experimental base that had existed before Chu Qing joined Eternal Pharma. He didn't know much about the Cube, but he possessed the gift of eidetic memory, so he found the information easily.
Chu Qing asked, "Wasn't it shut down?"
He remembered the Cube had been shut down long ago, before he even joined Eternal Pharma. The experimental base was gone.
Eternal Pharma operated with high efficiency. They had removed all related equipment and shouldn't have left any materials behind.
What was Zhu Ning doing at an old experimental base? Was there information there?
The researcher swiped through data on his Interface, reporting the materials he had just found. "There was a researcher back then named Gao Yingcheng. He later left Eternal Pharma."
Chu Qing said nothing, meaning the researcher should continue. He wasn't interested in other people.
"Records show that after Gao Yingcheng left, he stayed at the Cube—or rather, what is now The Ant Nest—as a community doctor."
Researcher: "It seems Gao Yingcheng stayed in The Ant Nest out of guilt. The experimental base there was heavily contaminated with metals. He didn't want the poor to be contaminated but couldn't stop it either, so he stayed to treat them."
Chu Qing said nothing. Gao Yingcheng's actions struck him as extremely childish and boring. He had no interest.
Eternal Pharma had withdrawn. The developers took over the business. The people who moved in did so voluntarily. They already knew about the heavy metal contamination inside. Moving in anyway could only be called stupidity.
Gao Yingcheng was actually so weak as to feel guilty over these people? And as a researcher, he should have understood the consequences of metal contamination very well, yet he was still willing to live there.
Was Gao Yingcheng committing suicide? Chu Qing simply could not comprehend humanity's self-destructive tendencies.
Chu Qing: "I recall all personnel had to have chips implanted and their memories erased?"
Eternal Pharma didn't bother with non-disclosure agreements. They had more secure methods to ensure experimental data wouldn't leak.
All employees received chip implants on their first day. Once they left the experimental base, the chip would be extracted. After signing the termination contract, related memories would be simultaneously erased.
More effective than any confidential document in this world. If you went to the HR department's archives now, you could probably still find this researcher's chip.
If they wanted to read a researcher's memories, they could simply read the chip directly.
Gao Yingcheng shouldn't have remembered any related experiments.
The researcher said, "Yes, and he's been dead for many years. His chip is still safely stored and hasn't been stolen. If he had done anything during his lifetime, we would definitely know."
Even if Gao Yingcheng remembered something, he should only have had vague impressions at best, not clearly understanding what he had recorded.
And even in the worst-case scenario—if Eternal Pharma's procedures had failed and Gao Yingcheng had obtained experimental data—he would have chosen to sell it to someone or do something else with it. He wouldn't have stayed this quiet.
So many years without any related news proved that Gao Yingcheng remembered nothing. Even if he did, he probably couldn't understand what the images in his memory meant.
Researcher: "But very soon, the Sanitation Center's people arrived at The Ant Nest. Then they dispatched the Abnormal Incident Investigation Team."
Now things were getting interesting.
Researcher: "Internal intelligence says The Ant Nest has developed an environment resembling outside-the-wall conditions. The interior is severely contaminated. There are Xenomorphs inside."
Chu Qing pondered. The Ant Nest hadn't been demolished. The high-concentration metal contamination had been left in place. Combined with The Ant Nest's unique structure, the place was like a breeding ground for contamination. It wouldn't be strange for something to have been incubated there.
Researcher: "She was probably just there to purify the X-Level Contamination Zone."
This was the most reasonable explanation. They had always known Zhu Ning worked under Prometheus. Prometheus's dead post teams were clearing old contaminated zones. Zhu Ning had also disturbed Chu Qing's Experimental Subject 777 through this channel.
Zhu Ning's several private missions had all involved purifying contaminated zones. This looked like just another routine mission for her.
Researcher: "Probably for money or something."
Civilian Demon Hunters entered contaminated zones for money.
Chu Qing was silent for a moment. "No. She doesn't need money. After the Mechanical Oceanarium incident, she received a 40-million reward. That sum was specially approved by Xuan Qing."
The Sanitation Center paid well and gave generous rewards, but 40 million was still an outrageous amount. Most people couldn't earn that much in a lifetime.
A normal person receiving that sum could retire. Even without retiring, they should at least take a couple of days off to enjoy themselves.
Why had Zhu Ning immediately gone on another mission? Every contaminated zone was dangerous. She had to have sufficient motivation to accept a mission.
Some people's motivation was justice. Some were curious. Some urgently needed money. Zhu Ning's motivation was definitely not money.
What was she doing?
Chu Qing never underestimated his opponents, especially with Prometheus behind Zhu Ning. She wouldn't do anything meaningless.
Chu Qing: "Where did she go afterward?"
Researcher: "To a Lu family apartment. We didn't follow."
Zhu Ning had gone to the Lu family's territory. Eternal Pharma and Creation Technology observed a certain unspoken agreement—they tacitly refrained from encroaching on each other's turf.
The Lu family? Zhu Ning had gained the Lu family's protection?
No. The whole thing was extremely strange. Too bizarre.
Everything about Zhu Ning radiated incongruity. She was full of contradictions. Chu Qing liked logical things. Even the slightest contradiction would catch his attention.
Chu Qing: "Are there still experimental bases in District 103?"
Researcher: "We have a branch there."
They were completely unfamiliar with the branch's operations. In fact, if Zhu Ning hadn't disturbed Experimental Subject 777, they wouldn't have paid much attention to District 103.
Eternal Pharma as a whole was simply too massive. Like a giant machine, every employee was just a cog in it—including Chu Qing. They really only focused on their own small patch.
Internal communication between departments was minimal. Unless you reached a high enough level, you couldn't access the full picture.
Chu Qing didn't communicate much with the District 103 branch. But because of Zhu Ning, he had looked into the Mechanical Oceanarium case. Bao Ruiming had raised a batch of Transparent People based on the characteristics of Mechanical Jellyfish.
An interesting experiment, but for Chu Qing, it was nothing special. That experiment was too small. Chu Qing couldn't be bothered with it.
Chu Qing: "What experiment was Gao Yingcheng involved in back then?"
Researcher: "I don't have clearance. It's an SS-level classified project. But his position wasn't high. He shouldn't have had access to anything significant."
Gao Yingcheng was a Level 9 researcher. At his rank, he couldn't access any classified documents. That was why they had been so relaxed about him.
An SS-level classified project—forget the researchers, even Chu Qing couldn't access it. The classification was too high. In the entire corporation, aside from the original project lead, fewer than ten people could view it.
Unfortunately, Chu Qing was excluded this time.
Chu Qing wasn't surprised. He needed to step outside this matter to think. Zhu Ning could use multiple types of abilities and multiple contaminated items. If she was using abilities, then she was absolutely a genius—which was why Chu Qing was so eager to study her.
But—but what if she wasn't? What if what Zhu Ning was using wasn't abilities at all?
Chu Qing suddenly had a very strange hypothesis. So strange that it didn't even conform to his usual rigorous logic, so he didn't even dare draw a conclusion.
Chu Qing didn't say anything more to the researcher. He turned and left. But the researcher was used to Professor Chu's style. He never really cared about the people below him. All subordinates were just objects to him.
Chu Qing returned to his computer. His screen had been displaying experimental data. This time, he opened Eternal Pharma's intranet.
He logged in with his ID and went to check the experimental project Gao Yingcheng had participated in. Even the project name was redacted. He indeed didn't have clearance to view it.
But Chu Qing wasn't disappointed. Very calmly, he opened the waste disposal page.
Experiments inevitably produced waste. Besides conducting experiments, they spent a great deal of effort on disposing of experimental waste.
Disposing of experimental subjects, test sites, and experimental materials was extremely troublesome. They had a dedicated department for this, which was how they minimized all losses.
The Ant Nest situation had been handled by outsourcing to developers, who dealt with the test site's aftermath.
Disposal required filing. Even classified experiments would leave traces.
Chu Qing had been willing to join Eternal Pharma because a project back then had fascinated him. While still a student, he had been following Eternal Pharma's research direction.
Eternal Pharma's theories back then had been so novel, so cutting-edge in academia. They had only held one lecture at his university, and Chu Qing was completely captivated.
Before even graduating, Chu Qing had already decided he would definitely join Eternal Pharma. The world of the future belonged to Contaminants, to abilities. He wanted to work with the world's most advanced biotechnology.
But unfortunately, by the time he joined, that experimental project had already been shut down. He never heard anyone mention that novel theory again.
Chu Qing browsed through the waste disposal catalog. If anyone walked past his screen, they would have been incredulous. His browsing speed was extraordinarily fast—the information scrolled by as if leaving afterimages.
The phrase "reading ten lines at a glance" couldn't even describe this reading speed. Yet Chu Qing could fully absorb the information. And he wasn't relying on any external technology—his original brain was more than capable.
Found it. Chu Qing's gaze stopped. He paused at a particular entry. One piece of data matched the current situation perfectly.
A batch of human experimental subjects had been disposed of. After processing, the experimental waste had been transported to... the District 103 Waste Processing Center.
Author's Note
Seven consecutive days of work. I was about to turn into a salted-fish Contaminant from the misery, but then I saw that favorites had passed 10,000 and I'm so happy! Thank you all so, so much for your support! I originally wanted to do a bonus update to celebrate, but I've been working overtime constantly. When I have time later! Wait for me!
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