Chapter 18
1014 Words
Su Hongxiu let out a breath of relief, her shoulders slumping slightly. She walked over to the window and parted a corner of the curtains.
A black sedan was parked downstairs. It hadn't left.
Its headlights were off, but shadowy figures could be seen inside.
"A surveillance post," Su Hongxiu said, dropping the curtain back into place. "They won't launch a frontal assault just yet; they're waiting for reinforcements."
Qin Lie hopped down from the operating table. He staggered slightly as his feet hit the floor, but quickly regained his balance.
"The intel."
Su Hongxiu turned around, retrieved a data chip from a safe, and inserted it into her computer.
The screen display shifted.
A 3D structural schematic appeared before their eyes. It depicted a maze of complex piping and layer upon layer of blast doors. Red markers highlighted the guard patrol points.
"This is the internal layout of 'Ark,'" Su Hongxiu said, pointing to a specific section deep within the facility. "Facility B-7 is merely the surface level. The true core lies three levels underground."
The cursor moved to highlight a sealed chamber.
"The guard shift schedule is right here," she said, pulling up another document. "At 4:00 AM, there will be a fifteen-minute window—a security 'vacuum'—during which the surveillance systems reboot."
Qin Lie stared intently at the sealed chamber.
"What's inside?"
Su Hongxiu paused.
Her fingers tapped a few keys on the keyboard. An encrypted log file was decrypted.
An audio file began to play.
A guttural howl.
It was not human. Nor was it the cry of an ordinary beast. It was the howl of a wolf—yet it was laced with agony and utter despair.
"Deep within the laboratory, a living entity is being held captive," Su Hongxiu said, meeting Qin Lie's gaze. "It's not a mere experimental specimen. It is one of our own kind."
Qin Lie's pupils contracted sharply. The short sword on the table vibrated, emitting a low hum.
"How many?"
"There's only one signal source," Su Hongxiu said, turning off the audio feed. "But I'm not certain it's the only one. The Silver Cross has poured massive resources into the 'Wolf-Breed Optimization Project'; they wouldn't have stopped at capturing just a single subject."
Qin Lie reached out and pressed his hand against the short sword. The vibration ceased.
"Four o'clock," he said.
"Your body can't handle it right now." Su Hongxiu placed her hand over his. "The Silver Toxin has only been temporarily suppressed. If you force a transformation, your blood vessels will rupture."
"Is there a way around that?"
Su Hongxiu fell silent for a moment.
"There is a serum that can stabilize genetic fluctuations. However, it's still in the testing phase." She walked over to the medicine cabinet and retrieved a refrigerated case. "The side effects are unknown."
Qin Lie took the case. Its icy touch helped clear his mind slightly.
"Give it to me."
"Qin Lie." Su Hongxiu called out to him.
Qin Lie paused.
"The Silver Cross's Grand Archbishop is observing this operation from the shadows," Su Hongxiu said, pulling a card from her pocket and handing it to him. "This is an internal access pass. It works for only one swipe."
Qin Lie accepted the card and slipped it into his pocket.
"Thanks."
"Don't die in there," Su Hongxiu said. "I need you to make it out alive—and bring the truth with you."
Qin Lie offered no reply. He pushed the door open.
Outside, the rain was still falling.
Inside the black sedan parked at the mouth of the alley, a red light blinked once.
A surveillance camera pivoted, centering its lens on the clinic's entrance.
Qin Lie pulled the brim of his hat low and stepped out into the curtain of rain.
His silhouette vanished into the darkness.
Su Hongxiu stood in the doorway, gazing in that direction until he was no longer in sight.
Her assistant approached and closed the door.
"Dr. Su, they'll be back."
"I know." Su Hongxiu turned back toward the inner chamber and began cleaning the bloodstains from the operating table. "Raise our defensive systems to maximum alert."
"And Mr. Qin...?"
"He's gone to rescue his own kind," Su Hongxiu said, pulling on a pair of gloves. "We need to ensure that when he returns, this place is still safe."
On the computer monitor, the monitoring curve representing Qin Lie's vital signs gave a sudden flicker.
It was a signal transmitted by his tracker. The runes on the short sword flared for an instant, then faded.
Su Hongxiu stared at the screen, her fingers tapping lightly against the desktop.
The rhythm was rapid.
It sounded like a countdown.
Outside the window, thunder rumbled past.
A flash of lightning illuminated the silhouette of a black sedan parked at the mouth of the alley. Inside the vehicle, a figure picked up a walkie-talkie.
"Target has left the sanctuary."
"Continue pursuit."
"Acknowledged."
The rain intensified.
It washed away the bloodstains on the ground.
And it washed away the veneer of calm that cloaked the city.
Qin Lie ran through the darkness.
The gel covering his wounds began to grow warm—a signal that its medicinal effects were wearing off.
He reached into his pocket and touched the serum vial.
A layer of condensation beaded upon the surface of the insulated case.
Ahead lay the industrial district.
The entrance to the "Ark" Laboratory lay hidden within the shadows of an abandoned factory.
Four o'clock.
Three hours remained.
Qin Lie came to a halt, leaning against a utility pole to catch his breath.
Rainwater trickled down his cheeks and slipped beneath his collar.
He raised his head, gazing toward the laboratory.
There was no fear in his eyes.
Only the focused intensity of a predator sighting its prey.
The short sword strapped to his back grew faintly warm.
As if answering a silent summons.
Qin Lie pulled his hood lower over his face and pressed onward.
His footsteps were soundless.
Like a phantom, he slipped deeper into the heart of the night.
- Writer
