Chapter 179: The Research Institution

Yang Dian and Ned were frustrated. The exploration team that they were trying to save belonged to Louis Research Institution, and it was Louis Research Institution that entrusted them with the rescue mission. After Han Xiao left, they had rested for a while and started searching with caution. Eventually, they found the target at the valley that the exploration team had lost contact in.

However, all of them had been infected by Death Virus and had mutated. Bone spurs grew on their bodies, and they had turned into crazed beasts. There was no way to save them anymore.

The leader of the exploration team had been able to retain a small part of his sanity. He gave the duo a metal suitcase and told them it contained an important material that could create the cure for Death Virus. With his remaining rationality, he requested that they take it back to the Research Institution.

The duo had no choice but to abandon the incurable exploration team and leave the forbidden zone with the suitcase. They were attacked by a herd of beasts on their way out, and they protected the suitcase with their bodies. They luckily escaped with the suitcase undamaged, but they were covered in wounds

Yang Dian and Ned dragged their exhausted bodies onto the plane and came to Kaylos feeling pitiful. They could not save the exploration team and were ready to be blamed by the research institution, as they felt they did not live up to the trust they had been given.

A guy with spectacles and looking like someone of a high position walked out the lift and trotted toward the duo with a face full of hope.

“Heroes, you have returned.” He sounded very welcoming.

“Sorry Mr. Kate, we failed the mission,” Ned said in a very apologetic tone.

Kate’s expression changed. “Are they all dead?”

“Sorry, they were infected. We couldn’t do anything.” Yang Dian could not look at Kate’s grief-stricken face.

“It’s not your fault...”

Seeing Kate taking off his spectacles and rubbing his eyes made the duo feel even worse. Ned took out the metal suitcase and said, “The exploration team asked us to make sure this is delivered to you. It’s an important material that can solve the Death Virus!”

Kate took over the metal suitcase and gave it a gentle touch. “Sigh, I wish they made it back alive. This is their accomplishment, and we’ll never forget that. If we are able to make a cure out of this, it will be named after them.”

The duo could not agree more. Yang Dian sighed and said, “They are heroes. Not being able to save them is a regret that I’ll remember for life.”

“Don’t feel that way. Their hard work wouldn’t have paid off if not for you guys. You have done what you could, and you shouldn’t blame yourselves for that. If you don’t mind, we would like to take care of your wounds for free,” Kate said with appreciation.

“No need to, I can’t trouble you any further.” The more appreciation Kate showed, the sorrier the duo felt. They rejected the invitation and walked out with straight backs.

Kate pushed his spectacles and watched the duo leave. He then walked toward Han Xiao with a smile and said, “Greetings, do you have any business for the Research Institution?”

Han Xiao returned the smile and opened the metal suitcase, showing Kate the mutated heart.

“This is a Death Virus infected heart from a very strong being.”

Kate’s eyes sparkled, and he said with an even brighter smile, “Please, follow me.”

Kate led the way into the elevator, and they went up to the thirteenth floor. A long, white corridor came into sight after the doors opened. At the sides of it were many experimental labs with glass windows. Some of them had people that were running experiments, some had machines and materials, and there were also a few free researchers that were chatting in the corridor.

The thirteenth floor was one of the experimental floors of Louis Research Institution. As he led the way, Kate said, “The Death Virus has always been a very important project in our research. We kept running into obstacles and meeting limits because we don’t have enough supplies of lively materials. This heart is very important to us; we might be able to make a drug out of it straight away. As usual, we will give you a dose of it once it’s completed, but of course, we can exchange that for something else if you would like other rewards.”

“No need for that, I want the drug.” Han Xiao pointed at the metal suitcase in Kate’s hands that came from Yang Dian and Ned and said, “I thought you already have the material.”

“This? Hehe, well, this is important, too.” Kate laughed it off and did not explain further.

They stopped outside a big biological experiment lab. “Please kindly wait here. Unauthorized personnel are not allowed in the experimental lab.”

Han Xiao passed the suitcase to Kate, who then walked in with both suitcases and spoke to someone that seemed to be the supervisor of the experimental lab. The suitcases were opened on the table. Inside the other suitcase was a white colored egg. Han Xiao was unsure what creature was it from.

Kate and the lab supervisor spoke quietly, but with Han Xiao’s LV 55 senses, he could hear everything they said.

“What happened to the exploration team. All dead?” the supervisor asked.

“Yes,” Kate replied, “the heroes couldn’t save them.”

“At least the stuff is delivered. Never mind that they died, with this heart, we can make the drugs very soon. What did the ‘heroes’ say?”

“They felt they couldn’t live up to our trust. Hehe, employing these heroes is so much cheaper than mercenaries. As long as we give them a good reason, they might even do things for free. Saved me quite some money.”

“You didn’t get found out, did you?”

“Of course not, they’re stupid and naïve. A few lies, and they were easily touched and even almost cried. These so-called heroes are the easiest to convince. A little compliment and appreciation will make them lose their senses. They thought that they did a very honorable thing when they left. I almost burst into laughter.”

“Don’t offend these heroes. Do our best to build a good relationship with them.”

“Don’t worry, I gave them a good impression. If there are any dangerous things, we can still find them. They will not reject us as long as we give them a good reason.”

Han Xiao waited calmly without changing his expression.

Kate finished the conversation not long after. He came back outside the room and said with a polite smile, “It takes one day to make the drug. If you don’t mind, we can provide a room for you to rest, and the drug will be handed to you as soon as it’s done.”

“Okay.” Han Xiao did not object.

They took the lift to the residential floor, and Han Xiao was given a guest room. Kate mentioned a few areas that he was not allowed to enter and found an excuse to leave.

Han Xiao checked the room for cameras and found two of them, so he took out his laptop and hacked into the system, controlled the cameras in his room, and set it to a loop.

He then hacked into the database of the research institution without hesitation to look at their research projects.

[Elementary Coding] was already at the highest level. His hacking skills could get him through most of the firewalls on Planet Aquamarine, except for the Six Nations, Germinal Organization, the core of the Dark Net, and a few other large organizations. A small research institution could not stop him at all. He entered with ease without triggering any alarms, and he could erase his traces afterwards, so no one would be able to find out he had ever hacked into the system.

He opened the projects file of the research institution, and names appeared on the screen.

“Green Lizard Potion, Wild Bull Steroid, Thunder Claw Extraction, Stone Plaque Pathogen...”

Many names were drugs that players received in his previous life. After some time of finding, he finally found the Death Virus project. Its full name was [Death Virus Enhancement Agent]. In its detailed description, this was an experiment that could enhance one’s physical capabilities, and the research institution was certainly not doing any research on the cure that Yang Dian and Ned talked about.

Han Xiao’s eyes flashed as he clicked his keyboard, and he had planted a program.