The world has turned into Hell's Game, why should I stay human?!-Chapter 1286 - 791: The Whereabouts of Bai Tianshi (2)
"First, there’s the trivial matter of no toilet paper in the bathroom, then the cleaning agent was mixed wrong and nearly poisoned me, and finally, I was selected by Yang Fengdian as an experiment subject."
He said.
"Could it be a coincidence?"
"It’s possible, but I’m more inclined to believe it was caused by that scream."
Luo Ping replied.
"Alright, then let’s give it a try."
Liu Zheng took out the Ancestor Bowl.
"Brother Bai San, do you sense any trace of Bai Tianshi?"
He asked.
Bai San’s soul nodded vigorously and pointed in a direction with his hand.
However, the direction he pointed to was not the under-construction building, but a vacant lot not far from it.
"Is it above ground or below?"
Liu Zheng asked further.
After all, it was a hospital; having an invisible and untouchable structure isn’t surprising.
Bai San sensed again, then pointed downwards with his index finger.
"So, this under-construction building is just a facade?"
He raised an eyebrow.
"Or maybe, the building is an entrance to the underground laboratory."
Luo Ping suggested another possibility.
"That’s also possible."
Liu Zheng nodded and began thinking about how to enter the underground laboratory.
Assuming Luo Ping’s guess was correct, they should first enter the under-construction building.
But even setting aside the accuracy of Luo Ping’s guess, entering the underground lab through the normal entrance is not the best choice. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺
It’s like a museum; the main entrance security might not be the heaviest, but there will definitely be some.
"Should we just blast open the ground?"
Launch a central explosion and take Bai Tianshi amidst their confusion.
But this plan also has issues, especially the power of the Anti-Evil God Grenade.
Liu Zheng wasn’t worried about the grenade being underpowered; he was worried it was too powerful.
Last time at Kowloon Walled City, he had filled the grenade to its limit; if it ended up blowing Bai Tianshi to bits, Bai San would be furious to the point of his soul dissipating.
The level of offense would be akin to the Chinese team fighting its way to the World Cup final and then scoring an own goal to hand the victory to Japan.
And if he’s already using the Anti-Evil God Grenade, why not just use the supreme version cosplay suit to force his way in?
"Are you thinking about how to get in?"
Luo Ping asked.
"Yes, I’m debating whether to blast open the ground or go through the building."
Liu Zheng replied.
"I suggest the latter if you don’t want the whole hospital attacking you."
Hu Tutu said.
Grabbing a Bai Tianshi isn’t much; even if they slaughter the underground lab, it might not provoke a mad retaliation from the hospital because secret projects don’t stand public scrutiny.
But if you resort to explosions, retaliation will be inevitable because others might imitate it.
With the hospital’s high fees and methodology, they’ve offended countless people.
They not only have to retaliate but do so swiftly and severely to make the entire Metropolis aware of the consequences of crossing them, thereby deterring those with ill intent.
"I also recommend the latter."
Luo Ping chimed in.
"Alright, majority rules."
Liu Zheng shrugged.
"Once you get him out, your job is done."
He told Hu Tutu.
"Don’t you need me to go in with you?"
Luo Ping asked.
"Are you good at fighting?"
Liu Zheng asked in return.
"Not really compared to you."
"If you can’t fight, you’re just a burden here."
He said bluntly.
"Right, take him to the ’Imhotep’ Clinic and inform Doctor Nile of his condition; the doctor will know what to do."
Liu Zheng further instructed Hu Tutu.
"Alright. But in that case, I might need your suit."
Hu Tutu said.
"Here."
He handed over his suit to Luo Ping, who, like him, put it over his existing clothes.
"Alright, off you go."
Liu Zheng opened the door and prepared to exit.
"Wait a moment, take this; it might be useful."
Luo Ping shoved his fingers down his throat and gagged out a key.
"Seriously, aren’t you supposed to be a famous detective? Don’t you have a proper storage device?"
Liu Zheng asked disdainfully.
"I do; this is it."
Luo Ping opened his mouth for him to look inside.
Liu Zheng peeked in and barely discerned something resembling a testicular sac but without the testicles.
"This is worse off than just hiding it in your stomach."
His disdain grew.
"I can’t help it; this is all my dad left me, no choice there."
Luo Ping said, spreading his hands.
"Alright then."
Liu Zheng cleaned the key on his clothes, and a description window popped up.
"Name: Key with Incorrect Opening Method (Single Use)"
"Type: Tool"
"Quality: Excellent"
"Effect: Can open any door not sealed by Extraordinary Power; after entering, you will exit from another unsealed door within a kilometer."
"Note: Is this why you ended up in this lady’s bathroom?"
"Is it transferrable from the instance: Yes"
"Why didn’t you use it when Yang Fengdian was onto you?"
He asked.
"I couldn’t. It caught me while I was choking on water, no time to retrieve it before being controlled."
Luo Ping said with a constipated expression.
"That unlucky? Here, try wearing this."
Liu Zheng removed the "Evil Cowboy Hat of Lucky Luke" from his head and handed it to him; the crimson hat soon turned white.
Luo Ping felt puzzled but donned the hat nonetheless.
Under Liu Zheng’s gaze, the brim gradually turned crimson again.
"You’ve done your share of bad deeds, huh."
He raised an eyebrow.
"Only rich folks hire detectives, and the wealthy seldom have clean hands. But Mr. Liu, what notorious acts have you done?"
Luo Ping exclaimed in shock.
Upon wearing the hat, he understood its effects.
"Just common stuff, blew up a street and two buildings, razed a city and some gods, and delivered a bunch of takeout."
Liu Zheng replied calmly.
Luo Ping was speechless, giving him a thumbs-up instead.
After a brief unease, he felt relaxed.
With someone like this as a guardian, the kids shouldn’t be locked up in school, should they?
"Alright, you guys should go now."
Liu Zheng exited the car, watching the nanny van speed away.
"Let’s go, soldier; onto the next mission."
He pulled a small machine gunner from his pocket and set it on his shoulder.
"Awaiting your orders, Commander."
The little gunner saluted, its face soot-stained.
"Did you really smoke all of that? Aren’t you dizzy?"
Liu Zheng chuckled.
"Commander, did you forget? I’m made of plastic."
The little gunner looked at him like he was an idiot.
"Oh. Continue your mission then."
Unfazed, Liu Zheng put it back in his pocket.
He strode into the building unimpeded.
Which made sense; if it were sealed with barriers, it’d be too conspicuous.
Inside, Liu Zheng headed straight for the elevator.
There were three elevators; the left and right ones were off, only the middle was lit.
There was a down button, indicating this building indeed had a basement.
However, the elevator was currently stuck on the sixth floor.
"Hmm..."
A suspended construction site with functioning elevators is odd enough, even more so being stuck on the sixth floor.
In reality, elevators often set the ground floor as a "base station" that returns autonomously after periods of inactivity, saving energy and ensuring accessibility and maintenance.
If the Metropolis mirrors reality, someone was recently on the sixth floor.
Anyone visiting this building now is likely connected to the underground lab.
Liu Zheng pressed the up button; the elevator rapidly descended as he gripped his knife handle.
"Ding!"
The elevator doors slowly opened, revealing an empty cabin.
He stepped in and pressed 6.
The elevator ascended swiftly, reaching the sixth floor quickly.
He dashed out, knife in hand, expecting an ambush.
However, outside the elevator remained deserted.
