What's going on?
Su Zhan's first reaction was that it was a trap.
Had the other party planned this all along?
From the moment they accepted this mission, had they already fallen into a trap?
If that were truly the case...
It would mean someone within Vermilion Bird Academy had leaked mission intelligence.
Or even worse.
The aberrant forces had already infiltrated the academy's upper echelons.
This thought sent chills down his spine.
But the next second, he dismissed this overly extreme speculation.
No, that's too exaggerated.
What's more likely is that these black-clad figures were already hiding here, thoroughly familiar with the industrial zone's layout.
They might have discovered the surveillance.
Intentionally luring the team into the factory building before escaping through secret passages.
What made him even more certain this wasn't a trap was that over thirty seconds had passed since they entered this factory building.
The enemy still showed no movement.
If this were a trap, they should have attacked long ago.
Su Zhan's breathing steadied again.
"Wait!"
Su Zhan immediately reacted, saying to Liu Ziming: "When you arrived, did you carefully examine the drone's thermal imaging footage?"
"No."
Liu Ziming shook his head: "After confirming they were in the central factory building, I only focused on watching the road."
"Give me the drone remote."
Su Zhan extended his hand.
Taking Liu Ziming's drone remote, he quickly replayed the thermal imaging recording.
The red figures on the screen clearly showed.
Those dozen black-clad figures walked to a corner of the central factory building, then one by one gradually lost their heat signals, as if being swallowed by darkness.
"They didn't disappear."
Su Zhan narrowed his eyes: "They went down. Young Master Liu, your 3D model doesn't seem to include this area."
"Damn it!"
Liu Ziming cursed: "After this mission ends, I'll have my dad demand an explanation. Isn't this screwing us over?"
Su Zhan nodded, not blaming him further.
Because such secret rooms most likely wouldn't be easily exposed on blueprints.
After all, if a secret room isn't "secret," can it still be called a secret room?
It was normal that Liu Ziming didn't obtain complete blueprints.
Su Zhan quickly walked toward where the black-clad figures disappeared, his boot soles grinding through the dust on the ground, revealing stone slabs beneath.
Liu Ziming, Xie Xi, and Xu Hao followed closely behind.
The three carefully examined a seemingly ordinary concrete floor area.
"Here!"
Xu Hao exclaimed softly, his fingers brushing over an almost invisible seam on the ground: "There's airflow!"
Su Zhan crouched down. The method to determine if the ground was hollow was to tap it, judging by the sound transmitted.
He couldn't be sure if the enemy had detected him and his teammates.
He couldn't rashly tap the ground now.
Because the resulting sound might be heard by them, alerting them to newcomers.
Feng Jue's voice came through the communicator: "Find anything?"
"Hidden door."
Su Zhan felt along the seam.
Finding a rusty metal ring cleverly disguised as discarded parts in the corner: "Feng Jue, come quickly. Prepare to breach."
"Okay."
Feng Jue responded.
Liu Ziming had already taken out micro explosive devices: "Should we just..."
"No."
Su Zhan stopped him: "Too much noise. This might be their nest below. We need to enter silently."
He forcefully pulled the iron ring.
A two-meter square floor panel slowly lifted, revealing a dark passage below.
A strong stench of rot and blood surged upward.
Xu Hao couldn't help covering his nose: "What is that smell?"
"Holy crap, this smell..."
Liu Ziming immediately pinched his nose and retreated two steps, his face turning green: "Like a public toilet that hasn't been cleaned for ten years mixed with a slaughterhouse."
Feng Jue's voice came through the communicator: "Specific description."
"Rotten excrement."
Su Zhan frowned: "And... very strong blood smell."
"Should we wait here to ambush them?"
Liu Ziming suggested in a low voice: "We set up an ambush here, catch them all when they come out."
Xu Hao immediately retorted: "But, but what if they escape through another exit?"
"The industrial zone floor plan doesn't mark this secret room, meaning it was likely built privately by them."
Xie Xi analyzed calmly: "Such secret bases usually design multiple escape routes."
As she spoke, she looked scrutinizingly at Liu Ziming, her gaze sweeping from head to toe over his expensive custom designer outfit:
"And, Liu Ziming, you're not suggesting this because you're afraid of getting dirty, are you? After all, you're used to your rich lifestyle—probably never even been near a garbage dump."
"Impossible!"
Liu Ziming's expression changed: "It's just a bit smelly, might get a little dirty..."
He stiffened his neck, deliberately taking another step toward the passage entrance, only to be assaulted by the rising stench that made his eyes twitch.
But he still forced himself not to retreat: "If a woman isn't afraid, why should I be!?"
Xu Hao stood beside them, shoulders shaking with suppressed laughter.
"I'll take point."
Xie Xi couldn't be bothered with him anymore, turning to Su Zhan: "If certain young masters can't handle it, they can keep watch above."
"Who said anything about keeping watch!"
Liu Ziming was about to retort.
Xu Hao silently handed him a vomit bag.
Liu Ziming: ...
"Xie Xi is right."
Su Zhan nodded, his gaze sweeping over his teammates: "Since the secret room isn't in the intelligence, there are likely other exits. When Feng Jue arrives, we'll take the initiative and strike directly at their heart."
The best way to complete the mission was to go in and find them.
Liu Ziming tutted: "Seeking wealth through danger, right?"
"Exactly."
Su Zhan continued: "This is the best way to complete the mission."
Faint footsteps sounded in the distance.
Feng Jue's figure appeared at the factory building entrance.
All personnel present.
Let's move!
Everyone slowly descended along the rusted metal staircase.
Deliberately lightened footsteps were almost inaudible in the narrow passage.
Xie Xi took point.
Su Zhan followed closely behind.
Liu Ziming was still being assaulted by the increasingly strong stench, his eyes rolling back.
Xu Hao and Feng Jue brought up the rear, keeping vigilant watch in the darkness behind them.
The further down they went, the stronger the mixed smell of rot and blood became.
The nauseating odor permeated their nostrils relentlessly.
Liu Ziming's Adam's apple kept bobbing, but he persisted.
Turning a corner.
The scene before them made everyone freeze instantly.
Dozens of aberrant creatures of various forms stood in a circle, tearing at several fresh corpses.
And around them—
Excrement piled up like mountains, yellowish-brown filth forming a viscous swamp on the ground.
Further away, mutilated human corpses were stacked in corners like garbage, some already rotting with maggots, others still oozing fresh blood.
Liu Ziming suddenly covered his mouth, stomach acid rushing up his throat.
Su Zhan's pupils constricted.
A bold idea emerged in his mind.
A breeding farm.
These aberrant creatures had turned this place into their nest, and those missing humans... were being kept like livestock.
No waste disposal system, no ventilation equipment—all to conceal the secret room's location!
No wonder the smell was so horrifying.