#373 - Chapter 373: The Dark One
Evening.
Mentang Town.
Green Origin Main Base.
Inside the chief's office.
Qin Jin sat in his specially reinforced chair and let out a long sigh.
“Phew—”
“Research really isn’t that easy to get results!”
He muttered to himself, his eyes narrowed.
He had just returned here from the base's laboratory.
Today was another day with little progress.
The previous discovery of the D protein on Lin Runwei by Zhou Qihang, along with its amazing effects, had excited him for a while.
He thought he could open the door to physical evolution again immediately.
Unfortunately.
Reality poured a bucket of cold water on him.
Even with ample experimental materials, sufficient equipment, and Zhou Qihang, a researcher with certain professional skills, personally leading the team, they still couldn't achieve results in a short time in the exploration of D protein.
It still needed time for slow experimentation.
Indeed, research couldn't be rushed; it was impossible to achieve success without sufficient experimentation.
This afternoon, he personally accompanied Zhou Qihang in preparing various experiments, causing the domesticated animals in the base to jump around, and who knows how many unlucky ones suffered, ultimately yielding very little useful experience.
Moreover, Old Zhou, this madman, almost fainted in the laboratory later, giving him a big scare.
When he learned that he had barely slept for several days and had been pushing himself until now, Qin Jin quickly ordered him to return to the dormitory to rest!
Old Zhou couldn't die from overwork now!
Many secrets had yet to be uncovered!
This talent, whose knowledge and experience far surpassed his own half-baked skills, absolutely couldn't fall first!
At least not before finding the key to evolution!
Another important factor affecting the current experimental progress was the insufficient quantity/dosage of D protein.
This magical substance, which could only be extracted from Miss Lin's body, couldn't be replicated or cultivated additionally.
They could only extract, separate, and purify it from her little by little.
They couldn't possibly drain her dry, could they?!
So, he had also instructed the kitchen and the laboratory to provide Lin Runwei with the highest level of food, all kinds of supplements, especially blood-boosting ingredients and medicinal herbs, without restraint!
This young lady was definitely one of the most important treasures in the base now!
“Should I assign her a dedicated combat team for better security?”
Qin Jin sat in his chair, talking to himself, considering whether to raise Lin Runwei's security level again.
“Ah, better not make such a big fuss, it would make people feel like I'm trying to hide something...”
The internal security of the Green Origin Main Base should be considered strong right now.
If someone could break in here, adding more defenses around her wouldn't make much sense.
There was also the issue of her occasionally attracting zombies.
He and Old Zhou had discussed some plans.
For example, using a helicopter to take her away into the sky when she fainted and had an attack, or digging a bottomless hole in the base to bury her, or even making an airtight iron coffin with survival equipment inside and closing it up.
In the end, they felt that these plans were not very realistic.
Because according to the zombie swarms attracted some time ago, the attraction emitted by this young lady was an invisible and intangible form that exceeded their understanding.
Zhou Qihang speculated that it was a biological pheromone they had never seen before!
He had heard of an insect pheromone called bombykol in nature that could spread for several kilometers!
If a human-sized individual emitted a special pheromone, it was indeed possible to achieve such a terrifying effect!
Therefore, based on the previous situation, even zombies dozens or hundreds of kilometers away were affected, so their plans were likely to be ineffective.
In the short term, it seemed they could only choose to endure it.
He wondered if they could find a better way after further research.
“Ah, let’s take it slow! There are many things to do, but they will all be solved eventually.”
Qin Jin lit a cigarette and puffed away. He didn't know when he had started to enjoy this feeling of exhaling smoke.
Watching the smoke transform into various unpredictable shapes in the air, it was just like the fate of humanity.
The difference was that he could now slightly control this fate.
He was the one exhaling the smoke.
******
Sub-base.
Approaching nightfall.
The personnel who came to work here from several residential areas had already returned to their respective homes by shuttle bus.
Only those who permanently resided in the sub-base were qualified to spend the night here.
At this time, the sun in the sky outside had not completely set, and the faint sunlight on the horizon was still stubbornly asserting its dominance. The summer night had not yet been able to usurp the throne and take the stage.
“Everyone, please line up and come over to receive today's cooling herbal tea~~”
A female voice amplified by a loudspeaker rang out in the sub-base square.
It was Zhao Ling, the base cadre, distributing welfare to everyone again!
In recent days, the weather temperature had been rising day by day, easily reaching thirty-five or six degrees during the day, and the road surface under the sun at noon was even forty degrees!
Personnel engaged in outdoor operations had recently begun to complain that this damn weather was becoming more and more abnormal.
In the past, such extreme temperatures were not unheard of, but they basically only occurred during the hottest months of July, August, and September in the south?!
It was only May now, and it was already so hot, making it hard not to suspect that they would face even more unbearable heat later.
Therefore, as a cadre in charge of the base's livelihood, Zhao Ling found some medicinal materials piled up like mountains in the warehouse and brewed some heat-reducing soup for the base personnel to receive and drink after work.
This could at least reduce the occurrence of heatstroke or physical discomfort among the personnel.
“Miss Zhao is so kind~! I heard that she often seeks welfare for everyone, not only applying for electricity and water quotas for our sub-base but also for the residential areas outside. She also distributed a lot of clothes to everyone some time ago, and now there is cooling tea to drink. This life is simply amazing~!”
While queuing, some people occasionally showered Zhao Ling with praise.
Zhao Ling only smiled and ignored them when she heard this.
These things were not even a drop in the bucket for the current Green Origin Base and would sooner or later become stockpiled items occupying the warehouse if not used.
It was better to occasionally take them out to earn some good reviews from these personnel who were already considered half her own people.
As time went by, everyone's recognition of the Green Origin Base would become higher and higher.
Just as Zhao Ling was watching the sub-base personnel receive the cooling tea, a slightly noisy sound came from a distance.
What happened?
She walked over there with curiosity. As a base cadre who happened to be present, she would naturally pay attention to anything that happened in the base.
Before long, she arrived at the wall of the sub-base gate, where several people were discussing animatedly.
“What happened?”
Zhao Ling asked the people curiously.
“Oh? Miss Zhao is here. We just notified Captain Qin. A car suddenly came below, surrounded by several zombies. There is a girl inside who seems to want to enter our sub-base. We are waiting for the captain to tell us how to handle it.”
Oh?
Someone was still coming over at this time?
She glanced at the sky on the horizon that was about to completely darken. It was not surprising that zombies began to appear at this point.
Then she walked to the wall and looked at the car that the team members were talking about, which had arrived late at night for some unknown reason.
This was a car with a relatively intact appearance. She didn't know where it had been parked before, but it was still well-preserved.
Several zombies were patting the car doors and windows with their hands, trying to dig out the delicious flesh and blood inside!
Through the windshield, Zhao Ling saw the driver in the car.
It was actually a woman?!
And she didn't seem to be very old?!
Who is this?
(End of this chapter)
