Chapter 35: Entry

Lin Xinghai stepped out of the vehicle and joined the others in gazing at the building before them.

The Spacecraft Research Institute was remarkably well-constructed. One did not need a formal inspection to see that. Most buildings that had managed to survive the Great Catastrophe were of superior quality; otherwise, they would have collapsed long ago. This institute, however, showed almost no significant damage on the exterior, which was quite extraordinary.

The group gathered in a relatively open area, and Fang Tianhe climbed down from his mech. He scanned his surroundings before getting straight to the point. "According to the original plan, we will split into two teams here. I will personally lead one team inside to retrieve the energy crystals."

"The other team will be led by Shen Han. If we encounter danger and call for support, you are to use micro-missiles to blast a path and come to our rescue."

"Now, those willing to join me inside the institute, raise your hands. Of course, I must state clearly that those who enter will certainly face greater danger."

"The energy crystals inside the institute are in an unstable state, and the radiation they emit interferes with our detectors. Therefore, we are completely blind to the situation inside," Fang Tianhe said in a deep voice.

*Swish!*

A crowd of people raised their hands, Lin Xinghai included. Since leaving the shelter, he had spent his time either sitting in a vehicle or preparing to sit in one; he felt like walking for a change. As for the danger, it wasn't that he hadn't considered it, but he wasn't worried. This wasn't because he was overconfident; it was just that old saying—if two people encounter a man-eating tiger, you don't need to run faster than the tiger, you only need to run faster than the person next to you. With his Speed ability, there was no way he would be the one left behind in a retreat.

Seeing that more than half the people had raised their hands, Fang Tianhe couldn't take them all. The squad had only 17 members, and he estimated that an eight-man team would be sufficient. After a moment of contemplation, he pointed to several people in succession, including Roger, Wu Yan, and Xu Haishui. Soon, only one spot remained. After a brief thought, he added Lin Xinghai to the roster.

A mercenary's combat effectiveness depended not only on their degree of genetic optimization but also on their weaponry, especially firearms. Given Lin Xinghai's marksmanship, if he were equipped with a Ripper rifle, no one would dare underestimate his combat power. More importantly, Lin Xinghai had successfully promoted to a Genetic Optimizer and had awakened the Speed ability, meaning he could protect himself and wouldn't become a burden to the team.

Once the personnel were finalized, Fang Tianhe did not delay and led the team inside.

He gripped a heavy saber in his right hand and a hand cannon in his left, taking the lead. The others followed closely, spontaneously forming a defensive formation. Lin Xinghai, of course, didn't know the specifics of such a formation, but he didn't need to; he simply followed Roger and stayed in the middle of the pack. As a sharp-shooting marksman, that was exactly where he belonged.

They chose not to enter through the main gate, as it was made of alloy and would be far too tedious to pry open. Instead, they opted for the nearest window. Without waiting for Fang Tianhe’s command, one member stepped forward and used a vibration dagger to easily cut away the entire window frame.

They hopped inside gracefully to find a long, pitch-black corridor that seemed to lead into an abyss. Fang Tianhe didn't seem surprised; he activated the lighting system on his combat suit and continued to lead the way. The others followed suit. The lighting systems on their combat suits used glowing fibers integrated into the fabric, so the light was not intense, but once everyone had them activated, visibility was sufficient.

The group moved forward. The corridor was long and dead silent, which was enough to make anyone’s skin crawl. At least, that was how Lin Xinghai felt, and he even began to regret volunteering. But since they were already inside, regret was useless. He felt he needed something to soothe his fragile heart—perhaps checking Fang Tianhe’s stats. It was something he had wanted to do earlier, but he had hesitated, fearing he would waste his free uses of the Scout skill.

*Ding!*

As Lin Xinghai activated the Scout skill, the system panel immediately displayed the relevant information.

Name: Fang Tianhe
Constitution: 83
Strength: 97
Speed: 72
Genetic Optimization: 97%
Tier 2 Ability: Heaven-Splitter (Releases energy with intense cutting properties that can be imbued into objects to enhance attack power.)

Seeing the level of Fang Tianhe’s genetic optimization, Lin Xinghai was somewhat shocked. Although he knew the man’s optimization exceeded 90%, he hadn't expected it to reach 97%—it was so close to 100%! With stats like these, he could crush even high-level zombies with ease.

What surprised Lin Xinghai even more was that the man’s ability was only Tier 2. It was no wonder the ability was so powerful, but this also proved from another perspective that Fang Tianhe had missed an opportunity to upgrade his ability. Theoretically, at 90% genetic optimization, one could possess a Tier 3 ability, which was Lin Xinghai’s own goal. With the system as a cheat, Lin Xinghai didn't need to worry about probability. The only thing he had to worry about was his own Blood Energy.

While he was lost in thought, he noticed that Fang Tianhe, who was leading the way, had stopped. He scanned his surroundings cautiously, but it wasn't because of danger; they had reached a fork in the road.

Left or right?

"Old Roger, if it were you, which way would you choose?" Lin Xinghai asked, trying to strike up a conversation to break the suffocating atmosphere.

"That question is meaningless. In this situation, only the Captain can make the choice," Roger replied. Seeing the look of disdain Lin Xinghai shot him, he understood what the younger man was thinking. He explained with a huff, "Don't think I'm just kissing up to him. Our detectors are useless now; we can only rely on sensory perception. But our perception range is too limited—we have to depend on the Captain."

Lin Xinghai’s heart skipped a beat; he had almost forgotten about that. He quickly closed his eyes and pushed his own sensory perception to the limit. Soon, he detected a faint, lingering sense of danger coming from deep within the left corridor. He was no stranger to that feeling—it was… a zombie.

At that moment, Fang Tianhe made his choice. Instead of choosing the safer-looking right path, he led the team toward the left.

Lin Xinghai’s lips moved, but in the end, he said nothing and silently followed along.