PFRG: Chapter 83

As previously agreed, Chi Ting converted the person in charge of Area B into a volunteer under Yue Ren’s name.

As for himself, he chose another researcher with a relatively high degree of alienation to register.

Seeing that the personal alienation of Chi Ting was already higher than 80%, the progress of the research seemed to be quite calm.

Once everything was ready, Chi Ting opened the panel to confirm it and found that it showed there were three players in Area A.

The two of them were naturally him and Yue Ren. The remaining one could only be…

Chi Ting didn’t forget that boy surnamed Cang. This person’s personal skill was very beneficial in this instance. It should be a matter of time before he slowly advanced and cleared the instance. It was just that the situation of the Watchtower team meant it was no longer suitable to take their time. Chi Ting was personally more willing to complete the clearance in his own way than to let others take risks to meet the life-saving demand. This meant he temporarily ignored the existence of Cang Si.

What he didn’t expect was that when they weren’t paying attention, this teenager would quietly open the access right to Area A.

Such a discovery also made Yue Ren laugh. “It seems that he is much more familiar with this instance than us. Before, he was so weak when asking for protection. But in the blink of an eye, he advanced so eagerly. Do you feel that this person’s goal probably isn’t as simple as wanting to clear the instance?”

The goal of this instance was nothing more than a safe clearance and more achievement points and points.

If the purpose was the latter, was Cang Si also anxious to rush up the rankings like them?

This type of inference was undoubtedly the most logical, but Chi Ting vaguely felt it wasn’t that simple. Thus, he took a step forward without stopping. “Just go to take a look and we will know.”

The entrance to Area A wasn’t far from Area B. It seemed to be just around the corner. However, compared to the messy scene next door, the former seemed like nothing had happened. Everything looked orderly.

But at this time, the more peaceful the scene was, the stranger it felt.

After all, they were both areas inside the Ark Laboratory. The NPCs in Area C were at least a bit panicked and afraid of being affected by the outbreak in Area B. Why did Area A seem to have no idea about what was going on?

In addition, there was the situation of the NPCs here. Rather than saying that they were highly alienated researchers, it was better to say that they were aliens with no human appearance at all.

Following the NPC who came to guide him toward the office of the person in charge, Chi Ting was very patient and didn’t take action directly.

The appearance of the ‘researcher’ in front of him was full of ulcers and barbs. According to the consistent standards of their world, he would be treated as an alien species and destroyed humanely when seen.

Chi Ting endured it very hard and could only sigh secretly in his heart. Then he heard Yue Ren laugh from next to him. “Isn’t the person in charge of Area A also like this? Then there is no way to ask about the situation at all.”

The ‘researcher’ NPC leading the way looked back after hearing this.

He was obviously very dissatisfied with Yue Ren’s evaluation. On this face that had only one eye left, the dense barbs that popped up now stretched slightly threateningly.

Such a scene would be horrifying in anyone’s eyes, but Yue Ren obviously didn’t fall for this at all. He raised an eyebrow. “Do you think what I said is wrong? Why don’t you reply to me?”

The ‘researcher’ NPC: “……”

The barbs on him stood up densely, causing his whole head to turn into a ball of thorns. Even so, he had already lost his ability to speak and was unable to refute it.

“Look, all the provocation methods have no effect. These NPCs are really hopeless.” Yue Ren pointed at the ‘researcher’ before looking at Chi Ting with a very sad expression. “This Area A is basically a monster display area. I suspect that all the finished products that have been developed to 100% are gathered here. This Ark Laboratory really doesn’t look like a serious laboratory. It is more like it is secretly doing terrible experiments behind everyone’s back.”

“If this instance really does represent the real situation inside the Ark Laboratory…” Chi Ting thought for a moment. “The truth behind the destruction of my world might have a bigger problem.”

As they spoke, they passed through a few winding corridors. Finally, they were led by the NPC to the office door of the person in charge.

Chi Ting glanced around after entering. Then he found that the person in charge wasn’t inside.

Just as he was about to ask, he turned around and found the NPC didn’t seem to want to stay for a moment longer and left directly. Looking at this somewhat angry back, it seemed he was full of resentment about what Yue Ren had just said.

Chi Ting was speechless. Once he turned around, he saw the instigator also staring at this back while touching his chin thoughtfully.

After a pause, he asked, “What are you thinking about?”

“I’m thinking about this NPC…” Yue Ren frowned slightly, obviously trying to figure out a problem in his eyes. “Does he not change the clothes he wears every day? Or does he need to put on a new one once he takes it off? Otherwise, how else does he make all the barbs of his body fit into every hole in his clothes so accurately?”

“……”

Chi Ting held his forehead and walked directly into the office without looking back.

Yue Ren followed him from behind and walked in. He glanced at the screen covering the wall and captured the scene of Ji Xingque and Song Xuefeng inside. Then he let out a low tsk. “It seems that we have always been under someone’s surveillance.”

Chi Ting looked away. Finally, his eyes fell on the bookshelf filled with folders.

Since the person in charge of Area A was always observing the actions of everyone in the laboratory, he should naturally know that they would come at this time. Since that person was so relieved to leave them alone in the office, there was no harm in taking this opportunity to wander around.

There might be more clues in this place compared to the database where the valid data had been deleted.

“Sometimes, I feel that you are the most noble person I have ever met. Other times, I feel that your sense of morality isn’t that high. Isn’t it a bit bad to peek at things in another person’s office while they are away?” Yue Ren noticed Chi Ting’s behavior and came over. He said this, but he naturally pulled out a document on the bookshelf next to him and raised it with a low sense of morality.

“I’m sorry. It isn’t just about my sense of morality. By now, you should know that I lack many strong human emotions,” Chi Ting responded calmly while quickly scanning the contents of the documents in his hands. Finally, his gaze paused on the final signature, and he said, “This might be Professor Jael’s office.”

“The person in charge of Area A, who has the highest authority in the Ark Laboratory, is indeed a suitable identity for Jael.” Yue Ren nodded before smiling in an inexplicable manner, “But it seems that this person doesn’t deserve the honorific of ‘Professor.’ What he does is no different from taking human life lightly.”

This shelf contained a volunteer’s experiment record in each folder.

Judging from the timing, they were the contents that had been missing from the database since a month ago. For some reason, Jael chose to hide them here in paper form because he didn’t want others to see them.

In one of them, Chi Ting saw a very familiar description. It was the same as the ‘researcher’ NPC who brought them here.

The development rate of this barbed monster so far was around 95%. The fact that he could still maintain the instinct for life under such circumstances was probably a result of Jael’s experiment.

Therefore, the Ark Laboratory didn’t choose to study how to resist the occurrence of alienation but instead promoted the probability of increasing the degree of alienation as a human being.

Looking through them one by one, it could be seen from the photo records inside that the volunteers in Area A had, without exception, developed a very strange appearance. Some had lost their human behavior patterns but still retained their appearance. They would be kept for further observation, but once ‘indiscriminate aggression for unknown reasons’ appeared in the record, a scarlet cross would be drawn on it and stamped to confirm its erasure.

Chi Ting was very familiar with the word ‘erasure.’

For some superpowers who went out of control during missions, the relevant departments would carry out such operations.

Chi Ting put another document back on the shelf. Then he glanced over and saw the locked cabinet in the corner.

Without any hesitation, he stretched out his hand and exerted force. A ‘click’ was heard, and the cabinet door was opened very forcefully.

This movement attracted Yue Ren to look over.

Before he could speak, Chi Ting said very calmly, “That’s it. My sense of morality isn’t high, but it is often very low.”

Yue Ren laughed loudly. “I can see it.”

Chi Ting raised an eyebrow noncommittally upon hearing this teasing. His eyes swept over the document he took out from the cabinet and his gaze paused slightly. “This is…”

At this moment, his voice stopped abruptly.

Chi Ting felt something falling from the top and pulled Yue Ren back very neatly.

In an instant, several metal walls descended from the sky and fell around the entire office, tightly surrounding him.

In an instant, there was silence except for the flickering lights from above.

Chi Ting recognized these metal walls.

They often used it to bind highly evolved alien species when performing tasks.

Each one weighed dozens of tons, which was enough to prevent any alienated subject from escaping. Once such a high-strength cage appeared, what followed was often…

He suddenly looked up and found a surveillance camera in the corner.

As if noticing his gaze, a gentle and elegant voice sounded slowly. “Hello, two players. Welcome to the Ark Laboratory. However, randomly looking through other people’s offices seems to be bad behavior, right?”

The title ‘player’ fell into his ears and made Chi Ting think of something. He subconsciously looked toward Yue Ren.

The latter didn’t seem to be paying attention to this.

The moment Yue Ren was pulled, his whole body almost leaned on Chi Ting. He maintained this posture without moving at all. Hearing this, he raised an eyebrow slightly. “Jael.”

“It’s me.” The tone should be gentle and decent, but due to Jael’s somewhat strange voice, it was like an invisible knife gently slicing his ears. “I’m sorry. It isn’t my intention to target you, but you seem to be trying to figure out something you shouldn’t know. This has forced me to take action. Of course, I am always willing to give everyone a chance. So you two players, it doesn’t matter where you come from or why you are here. As long as you can get out of the cage smoothly this time, you are welcome to come to me. I will willingly answer everything you want to know.”

There was a pause before he repeated with a slight smile, “Of course, that is on the premise that you come out smoothly.”

There was the brief sound of electricity, and the surroundings fell silent again.

“This person is more or less a voyeur.” Yue Ren commented when seeing the dense surveillance screens around him. Seeing that Chi Ting was remaining silent, he turned around and asked, “What’s wrong? Is it difficult to get out of this place?”

Chi Ting said, “You will know after you try it.”

Yue Ren shook his head without thinking. “Forget it. Fragile shadows can’t penetrate these walls. What about you? Do you have a way to get out?”

Chi Ting had to admit that Yue Ren was indeed very self-aware sometimes.

He didn’t say a word about giving up on the spot. The corners of his lips curved up coldly. “It is definitely okay if I am given some time, but the most troublesome thing now is probably not how to get out.”

Yue Ren noticed something from Chi Ting’s words.

Just as he was about to look at the surrounding metal walls, he vaguely felt a huge coercion envelop him.

He glanced over quickly. Sure enough, the degree of alienation on his panel started to soar at an alarming rate.

He slightly raised an eyebrow and it wasn’t known what he was thinking. Not only did he not show any fear, but his eyes even lit up slightly.

“This is to prepare to completely turn us into an alien species like the NPCs outside.” Chi Ting held his forehead that was about to hurt violently. In such a situation, he actually laughed. “It is the highest standard of treatment. It is really good for us…”

He knew there was no time to delay.

He lowered his eyes slightly and suddenly pulled. The bone beads connected to the red threads instantly scattered all over the floor.