The carriage halted on the road at the foot of the mountain. The coachman, wearing a metal mask, gave a reminder:
"When you complete the mission, head east along this road for three kilometers. You’ll find me at the fork there. If it takes you more than a week, you’ll need to walk back to Zion."
Gazing up at the hill adjacent to the city of Vinal,
In Yi Chen's former world, this place would have been developed into a tourist attraction—with cable cars, entertainment facilities, and perhaps even a temple on the summit.
However, here there were no elevators or cable cars, not even stone steps on the mountain path.
The four of them could only climb the steep trail, holding onto trees, experiencing the primal joy of hiking.
During the ascent, Yi Chen gnawed on some bark and touched plants to sense the surroundings of the hill.
Nothing happened along the way—not a hint of danger, not even a small animal in sight.
Edmund stretched lazily,
An apparently casual movement, but in reality, he was adjusting the team’s formation.
Dagbert, carrying a massive sword, immediately moved to the front. Edmund and Juliana aligned themselves behind him, forming a stable triangular formation—second nature to them.
Edmund glanced at their new teammate. "William, your vision is better than ours. Stick close to Dagbert during the initial exploration phase, alright?"
The four of them approached the gate.
Dagbert extended his muscular arm, marked with the "Muscle Emblem." His open palm pressed against the iron door,
Shifting his weight downward,
Both feet sinking into the ground,
He strained against the gears inside the door, forcing it open.
Dagbert’s profession—[Strongman]—came from the Blue Letter.
Characteristic: "Muscle Development"
This further unlocks the individual’s muscle potential, optimizing and rearranging muscle cells, raising the upper limit of the "Physique" standard. It introduces a seventh level—'Transcendence.'
This allows the individual to exceed their physical limits, achieving even greater heights.
Standing closest, Yi Chen could clearly see the rhythmic movement of muscle fibers in Dagbert’s arm as he pushed the iron door. It was as if powerful waves were surging through him, granting incredible strength.
‘What an impressive physique!
The enhancements from his profession are terrifying. If I had chosen the Blue Letter, I might control mountain plants or turn roots into spears like the undead, greatly boosting my combat ability.’
But Yi Chen dismissed the thought; given the choice again, he would still pick the Purple Letter.
They stepped through the gate.
The three-story main building stretched out before them.
The front courtyard was flattened, showing the many footprints of previous recovery teams.
The doors and windows of the main building were almost entirely damaged,
The walls had some cracks,
But the structure remained intact and solid.
At this point, Edmund gave instructions:
“The first day’s exploration doesn’t need to be too thorough. Focus on understanding the clinic’s layout and identifying potential dangers… Avoid acting alone, and stay in small teams throughout.”
Lighting the kerosene lamp, the team stepped into the abandoned Twilight Clinic.
Upon entering, they immediately saw a large portrait of Dr. McCoff fallen on the ground. The area above the mouth was completely burned.
The counter next to the door was also in ruins; all the drawers were open, and discarded documents lay scattered across the floor.
Directly opposite the entrance stood an elevator that led to the second and third floors. The iron elevator shaft was severely deformed, as if a violent struggle had taken place inside, rendering it unusable.
Furthermore, the presence of the elevator and wall lamps indicated that the clinic once operated on electricity.
Due to the power outage, the hallways leading to the left and right were shrouded in darkness, with no visible end.
“Let’s start with the right side.”
After a preliminary exploration, the clinic appeared ominously eerie but posed no immediate danger. Even Little Grape's keen eyesight detected nothing unusual.
The hospital had a simple three-floor structure:
- The first floor was the standard treatment area.
Gentlemen with common injuries or surface infections would receive quick treatment here. Secret transactions for medicines or even secret medicine also took place discreetly.
- The second floor housed inpatient rooms on the left and operating rooms on the right.
This area treated gentlemen with severe, life-threatening injuries. A strict evaluation system was in place; if an injury or disease reached a certain severity, the clinic could refuse treatment or even execute the patient in advance. Some gentlemen, knowing their condition was hopeless, sought euthanasia here, donating their ailing bodies to the clinic for research.
- The third floor had an apprentice rest area on the left and a storeroom for instruments, standard medicines, and miscellaneous items on the right.
However, the team noticed one issue: there was no area dedicated to secret medicine in the main building.
Leaving through the front door and skirting the perimeter wall to the backyard, they discovered a sealed metal tower standing deep in the courtyard, near the edge of a hill.
On the way to the tower, numerous warning signs were planted in the ground, each with different messages:
- "Danger Zone: No Unauthorized Access"
- "Clinic Restricted Area: Trespassers Will Face Consequences"
- "Unauthorized Entry Will Result in Immediate Execution"
“Is this where they make the secret medicine?”
The tower's main entrance had already been breached by the salvage team. Passing through a cold, dark stone corridor, they entered a starkly different area inside the tower, contrasting sharply with the main building's style.
[Material Extraction Zone]
Even after two months, the air was still thick with the smell of blood. The kerosene lamp’s light reflected off bloodstains and liquids, creating a deep red scene.
Most of the extraction equipment had been destroyed, leaving only scattered remnants.
Yi Chen could vividly reconstruct a terrifying "Torture Chamber" in his mind due to his specialized training over the past six months.
The intense lessons from Zed’s “Paradise” had left an indelible mark. Any sign of torture or suffering immediately triggered unpleasant memories.
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