Chapter 36: Structural Diagram

The group moved forward with swift vigilance, their combat boots making virtually no sound against the alloy floor. As they progressed, Lin Xinghai’s perception of the zombies became increasingly distinct; he could sense them distributed along both sides of the corridor. He was not alone in this—others like Roger, who had also broken through the second genetic lock, had noticed as well. However, beyond tightening their grips on their firearms, they made no unnecessary movements.

Soon, isolation doors appeared along the walls. Although these doors were thick, the mercenaries possessed extraordinary hearing, and in the profound silence of the facility, they could clearly hear the movements behind them—footsteps, objects colliding, and claws scraping against metal. It was clear that zombies were lurking behind every door.

At this point, Fang Tianhe slowed his pace to observe the nameplates above the doors. "Found it!" Upon spotting the words "Monitoring Room," he immediately signaled the team to halt.

The team member responsible for breaching windows earlier stepped forward again with a sonic dagger. However, since the doors were crafted from high-strength alloy, even the sonic dagger struggled to cut through them. The operative only cut through the locking mechanism before stepping back. Fang Tianhe then moved forward, hooked his fingers into the groove, and exerted a sudden burst of strength.

*Creak!*

Fang Tianhe’s massive strength stat of 97 points was on full display. The partially severed lock snapped instantly, and the five-centimeter-thick alloy door was forced open.

*Roar!*

Before the door had opened even 15 centimeters, a zombie’s head lunged out, snapping at Fang Tianhe. But Fang acted as if he had anticipated it; with his other hand, he reached out, gripped the zombie’s head, and yanked it backward. The entire head was ripped off by his bare hands, while the body remained wedged behind the door.

*Gulp.*

Lin Xinghai couldn't help but swallow hard. This was the gap in absolute power—treating a zombie like a mere chick. Fang Tianhe tossed the head aside and delivered a fierce kick to the headless body behind the door.

*Boom!*

Under the terrifying force, the headless corpse flew backward like a cannonball, knocking down all the zombies following behind it. Only then did Fang Tianhe fully open the alloy door and step inside. The team followed, quickly finishing off the four fallen zombies with their guns. The entire process was swift and effortless.

"Power-type genetic optimizers are truly imposing," Lin Xinghai muttered, following the team inside.

"Roger, I need the structural blueprints of this research facility. It's on you," Fang Tianhe said, pointing to the monitoring computer.

"Piece of cake!" Roger opened his wrist-mounted computer and pulled out a black metal cube, gently placing it against the computer’s connection port. Lin Xinghai watched as the cube slowly morphed, fitting perfectly into the interface.

"Liquid metal?" Lin Xinghai whispered, looking at the holographic screen projecting from Roger’s wrist. Code was cascading down like a waterfall.

"Tch! Even though it's a 20-year-old antique, this firewall isn't simple. It’s a spaceship research facility, after all," Roger remarked while watching the code.

"How long will it take?" Fang Tianhe asked.

"About a minute," Roger replied.

Fang Tianhe frowned but said nothing. Roger caught the subtle expression instantly. "Captain, if you think it's too slow, just allocate some special funding later! Get me the latest model of decoder, and I guarantee I’ll get it done in 10 seconds."

"Ahem! Let's talk about that later," Fang Tianhe replied.

Roger curled his lip. "Let's talk later" could be translated directly as "No." However, a minute wasn't long, and the group passed the time with a bit of banter.

"Done!" Roger tapped the virtual keyboard, and a 3D structural map of the spaceship research facility was projected into the air. Fang Tianhe stepped forward, studied the hologram, zoomed in, and pointed to a section. "The energy room is here, on the third basement level." He then synced the data to his own wrist computer to calculate the optimal route.

"Let's move! This way." Fang Tianhe resumed the lead. With the map in hand, things were much easier, and they quickly found the stairs leading downward.

When they reached the first basement level, everyone’s field of vision suddenly opened up. The upper levels of the facility were mostly office areas, and even the labs were partitioned into small rooms. But the first basement level was almost entirely open. It was filled with massive machinery, and in the very center stood a partially assembled spaceship.

The sheer size, the streamlined hull, and the high-tech aesthetic left Lin Xinghai stunned. Had the Great Disaster not broken out, the space age might have already begun. However, his reflection didn't even last a second before the roar of zombies pulled him back to reality.

This entire floor was an assembly workshop with no obstacles to block their view. The hundred-plus zombies on this floor spotted them immediately and charged like a pack of starved wolves. Without the protection of an armored vehicle, facing a hundred zombies made Lin Xinghai feel a bit uneasy.

"Keep up the pace!" Fang Tianhe, at the front of the team, showed no fear or hesitation, charging toward the next stairwell entrance. As the zombies rushed them, he swung his blade, cleaving one down, and followed with a horizontal slash that cut two more in half. It was clean and efficient, without even a stutter in his stride.

Everyone following behind, including Lin Xinghai, felt a sense of relief. They fired their weapons while keeping close. Although there were over a hundred zombies, they were spread across the vast floor, meaning only a dozen or so posed a direct threat during their sprint. Once they reached the stairwell, Wu Yan, who was covering the rear, closed the door behind them, and that was that.

The second basement level was primarily for engine research. The assembly workshop there was divided into smaller, individual rooms, making the passage relatively easy. However, when they reached the third basement level, Lin Xinghai used his perception and suddenly froze in place.