#2124 - Acquire

Fang Heng raised his head and looked at the research staff. "To make a long story short, I'm looking for the withered branch of the Tree Spirit race's sacred tree. I know they were transferred here. If any of you can lead me to them, everyone will be saved, otherwise..."

"I know! I know! They are placed in research lab V-12, right next door!" Among the researchers, a young man raised his hand immediately after hearing this. "I was the one who placed them there! They are in the special laboratory environment of V12 research lab!"

"Very good, I appreciate your courage and honesty. Now, you can take me there."

As Fang Heng spoke, he snapped his fingers.

Immediately, the remaining researchers felt a tightening in their hearts at the same time, followed by a flush on their faces, and a painful expression. One by one, they collapsed.

Only the young man who raised his hand was left standing.

Seeing his companions collapse, he was immediately frightened and his face turned pale. He looked at Fang Heng with a pleading gaze.

"Don't be nervous, they're just temporarily unconscious. Of course, if you lie to me, no one will be better off, including you."

The researcher nodded repeatedly, "No, no, I'll take you there right away."

"That's for the best, lead the way."

Soon, the researcher led Fang Heng to a laboratory across the way.

The researcher stepped forward and pressed his fingerprint to unlock the door.

"Click, verification successful."

The door opened in response.

Fang Heng stepped into the laboratory.

Immediately, the sensor lights in the laboratory lit up.

A large laboratory, with a super large tempered glass wall directly in front of the entrance.

Inside the glass wall, the rock cave environment he had seen before was simulated.

Twelve withered branches of the sacred tree were planted in the artificial environment.

"Very good."

Fang Heng muttered to himself.

However, the sacred tree branches are quite large.

How can I find a way to get them away next?

Fang Heng looked at the researcher beside him and said, "Open it!"

"I can't." The researcher looked helpless and explained, "The simulated space inside is closed. It requires the permission of the research institute's director or higher to open it."

Fang Heng glanced at the tempered glass in front and walked forward.

Whoosh!

The sacred giant sword appeared in his palm.

"Whoosh!!!"

The giant sword swung up, and then with a bang, it slammed heavily on the tempered glass.

"Bang!!!"

A violent impact!

Under the astonished gaze of the researchers, the entire solid tempered glass wall in front of them instantly shattered!

"This..."

Fang Heng stepped over the broken tempered glass fragments and walked straight into the simulated rock cave environment, coming to a withered branch of the sacred tree and reaching out to touch the withered tree.

[Hint: Player discovers an unknown tree].

[Hint (Advanced Naturalism triggered): It is discovered that this tree once possessed great power, but the power it currently contains has completely dissipated].

[Hint: Player lacks relevant skills and cannot obtain more effective information].

[Hint: This item cannot be directly placed into the backpack. Players can choose to cut it down into wooden blocks and then place it into the backpack].

How can I take them all away?

Fang Heng thought for a while, looked back at the researcher behind him, and said, "What is their current state?"

"We have tried many methods to awaken or restore the sacred tree branches, and even grafting has been considered, but there has been no progress. They are completely dead."

Forget it.

Let's just do it the hard way!

Fang Heng raised his head and began to control the Licker swarm outside.

"Chirp, chirp chirp!!!"

In a moment, more than a dozen Lickers darted into the laboratory.

The researcher quickly shrank into a corner to the side, with a bit of fear on his face.

"Chirp, chirp chirp... chirp..."

The Lickers quickly condensed into cocoons of flesh in place.

In a short while, the cocoons of flesh broke open.

What are those things?

Are they zombie creatures seen in movies?

Only to see the zombie clones staggering out of the broken cocoons of flesh, slowly stepping into the broken tempered glass.

Under the astonished gaze of the researcher, the zombie creatures gathered in front of one of the withered branches of the sacred tree, slowly circled around it, and then squatted down and began to dig with their bare hands!

The researcher was stunned.

"This... this may damage the roots of the sacred tree branch..."

"Don't worry, they are professionals."

Fang Heng curled his lips. The zombie clones inherited his various academic skills. In the past, in order to transplant plants, he had specially learned MAX-level plant planting and other skills.

Now, with the assistance of advanced naturalism, the damage to the plants during excavation is minimal.

Besides, the sacred tree branches have already withered into this state, how else can they be harmed?

Fang Heng looked at the researcher and continued, "Also, I need the overall map of the research institute."

"Okay, okay..."

The researcher's Adam's apple rolled, "It's in the research lab just now."

"Take me there."

Soon, Fang Heng returned to the previous research lab again.

The researcher quickly tapped a few times on the console in front of the screen, displaying the internal map of the research institute on the large screen.

Fang Heng quickly observed the overall layout of the research institute.

"It seems I have to use that trick again."

Fang Heng muttered to himself.

The sewers!

The research institute uses an independent sewage system, which is isolated from most of the outside area.

But there are still oversights.

Several key points are connected to the outside area for drainage.

If only a small portion of excavation is needed...

With the zombie clones, I believe a passage to the outside world can be opened in the sewers soon.

The only trouble.

For the withered sacred tree branches, passing through the underground area is somewhat crowded.

It is difficult to avoid some bumps and collisions in the process.

Never mind!

Let's do this first!

After all, judging from the game's prompts, there are a large number of semi-mechanized modified warriors from the Federation outside. The risk of a direct confrontation is too great, and the sacred tree branches are more likely to be damaged.

Let's go through the sewers!

Fang Heng immediately made a decision, raised his head and looked at the researcher beside him, "Let me ask you something."

The researcher was startled by Fang Heng's gaze, and couldn't help but take two steps back, "Wh-what?"

"By the way, are there any digging tools here? Shovels or something?"

"Huh?"

Hearing this, the researcher looked at Fang Heng with a strange expression.

Did I hear correctly? What do you need a shovel for?

Are you going to dig a tunnel out of here?

......

At the same time, the North District branch of Wanling Technology Company research institute.

The federal team under Boris gathered at one of the tunnel entrances leading to the research institute.

A large number of Licker creatures crowded the several must-pass roads inside the research institute, completely blocking the entire tunnel!

The federal semi-mechanical modified warriors were helpless.

For more than half an hour, they kept using beam weapons to attack the Licker swarm from the outside, and even went up for close combat a few times.