Fantasy Game: Infinite City

Chapter 587 The Second Container

"Scan completed, searching for target area..."

After about twenty minutes, the contractor's equipment completed a scan of the entire underground space. The results confirmed Christina's claims. At the bottom of the underground space, there was indeed a large research facility, and the conditions inside were similar to what she had recalled. Aside from more advanced equipment and tighter security measures, everything else was essentially the same as Christina had described. By hacking into the facility's systems with the contractor's equipment, he personally confirmed the conditions and even obtained a wealth of experimental data. This included Christina's previous experimental data. While the information was limited, it clearly proved that Christina had not lied.

"The lockdown is complete."

A check of the contractor's surveillance equipment confirmed that Christina was indeed still inside the base. She was carefully studying the contractor's teleporter on the second floor, but she couldn't figure anything out. After fiddling with it for a while and finding it impossible to activate, Christina wandered around the base.

Christina really had no intention of leaving her base, so there was no need to worry about her for now. This vast underground space wasn't just the research institute, so Han Zu planned to explore it and visit areas with high-concentration energy reactions, perhaps finding something useful.

Aside from the isolated and remote research institute at the bottom of the underground space, the remaining areas of the underground space are divided into five levels, connected by dedicated elevators, emergency stairs, and freight passages. Each level has independent ventilation, lighting, and emergency support systems. The power used by these infrastructure is not connected to the metal structure that supports the stability of the underground space. Depending on the location of the contractor's equipment, each level has its own independent generator or energy device. Some floors also have single or multiple backup generators.

The first level of the underground area consists of three modules. The first module is the main entrance hub, or simply the entrance and exit to the underground area. Unlike conventional underground complexes, there are no elevators or platforms leading to the surface. All those wishing to enter or exit the underground area, whether people or goods, must pass through a strange circle of symbols. Han Zu observed several people entering and leaving the underground area and noticed that they all wore ritual ornaments that resembled those of shamanic or similar faiths. Some might be simple necklaces, others armbands, and other shapes, but generally, these ornaments were made of bone or stone. When these people disappeared or reappeared in the center of the symbolic circle, Han Zu could detect faint energy fluctuations from these ornaments through his perception. This must be their method of entering and exiting the underground area.

The second module, judging from its function, should belong to the public service area for these underground personnel. There is an open database and a large rest area. There are special people to provide food and drinks. The drinks are normal, just like normal beverages, but those foods look like many different kinds of nutritional pastes. Han Zu was curious before and had eaten similar things. Those things tasted very light and not delicious, but the energy they could provide was much higher than regular food.

The third module is a disinfection area with four channels. It is located between the first and second floors. Anyone who wants to enter the second floor or any goods must pass through one of the four channels for disinfection, but strangely, this is not necessary when coming out.

The second floor was also divided into three modules, each housing three different types of laboratories: a physics lab, a chemistry lab, and a cleaning lab specifically for handling waste from the first two labs. Han Zu glanced at the information detected by the contractor's equipment. The three modules on the second floor were all performing routine experiments, and Han Zu was not at all curious.

The third floor is a comprehensive large residential area, which includes modular dormitory areas. Each dormitory can accommodate two to three people. It has complete internal facilities, good ventilation, and independent constant temperature equipment. Except for the small size, the living standard here is very good. It can be seen that the people living here should have good welfare benefits.

To the right of the residential area is a cluster of lifestyle facilities, primarily a medical center and fitness area. While the medical center isn't large, it's well-equipped to handle everything from scrapes and colds to major surgeries. The fitness area is also quite crowded, and it's clear they don't seem too exhausted from their work and still have time for exercise.

On the left side of the residential area is the ecological regulation system, which contains an artificial photosynthetic greenhouse and grows a large number of plants, including species native to the Earth and plants that do not belong to the Earth. These plants alone can fully meet the breathing needs of everyone in the entire underground area, and there is even a lot of surplus oxygen produced, which can be used in experimental projects that require them.

At the rear of the residential area, there was a large enclosed warehouse. The goods inside were food and water that could be stored for an extremely long time. Even if the underground area was completely sealed and no one could leave, the food and water stored here would be enough for them to survive for several months.

The fourth underground level served as the facility's power and maintenance hub. The central energy supply center housed several miniaturized nuclear reactors, capable of powering all the facility's power-hungry equipment. Additionally, the energy supply center housed several smaller backup power sources, two of which appeared to be products of Infinite Company technology. However, Han Zu was intrigued by something resembling a stone pillar. He sensed that this stone pillar was one of those powerful, inherently energetic objects he had previously observed.

This level also boasts a comprehensive water purification and sewage treatment system. The water purification system is highly advanced, capable of purifying most wastewater, except for highly radioactive wastewater, into drinking-quality water. However, based on observations elsewhere, the purified water here is primarily used to feed the plants in the third-level ecological conditioning system. Unless necessary for experiments, no one drinks it.

Another important item here is a supercomputer that occupies a quarter of the fourth floor. It's responsible for detecting safety hazards within the underground area, performing calculations required for experiments, and controlling the operation of a large number of basic equipment serving other personnel within the underground area. Inspections revealed that this supercomputer was supposed to have artificial intelligence, but for unknown reasons, this functionality was directly disabled and completely blocked by someone with high-level privileges. Han Zu took a quick look at the information the contractor's equipment was collecting from the supercomputer. He found nothing of interest, so he left the processing and analysis of this information to the equipment itself.

The fifth floor seemed to be a large biological sample storage area. There were virtually no ordinary personnel here, only heavily armed soldiers guarding several large storage warehouses. Anyone wishing to enter the fifth floor required specific authorization to pass their inspection. But the inspection didn't end there. Those entering the fifth floor also had to undergo authorization verification, biometric verification, and other tedious procedures. Therefore, aside from the soldiers, almost no one else passed through this floor.

What currently intrigued Han Zu the most were the unusual energy fluctuations. These energies essentially originated from the fifth floor and the underground research institute at the bottom. Besides the stone pillar-like object, there were other similar energy signals on the fourth floor. However, Han Zu quickly discovered that the other energy reaction on the fourth floor actually came from the supercomputer's independent power supply, which was actually quite useless.

Han Zu planned to examine each of these energy anomalies one by one, so he decided to start with the stone pillar. After using disguise to blend in with the maintenance team, Han Zu quickly reached the energy center on the fourth floor. He found an opportunity to break away from the maintenance team and act alone. With his own perspective and perception abilities, and the cooperation of the contractor's equipment, Han Zu quickly arrived at the cabin where the stone pillar was located.

Aside from a pile of stone pillars in the center, the entire cabin seemed relatively empty. While there were quite a few stone pillars, more than a dozen in total, most were badly worn, some even crumbling into rubble. The only intact one was the one Han Zu had sensed.

After confirming that no one was around, Han Zu closed and locked the hatch. With the contractor's equipment, he didn't need to worry about surveillance systems. Han Zu quickly made his way through the damaged stone debris and reached the only intact stone pier. He placed his hand on it and activated his energy conversion ability, quickly and quietly absorbing all the energy from it.

Han Zu sensed something peculiar about the energy absorbed by these stone pillars. Based on their volume, the energy stored within them was minimal, insufficient to serve as a suitable backup energy supply. Strangely, even this small amount of energy, while being absorbed, Han Zu felt a sticky sensation, similar to that of a larger amount of energy. At the same time, Han Zu noticed that the energy he had completely drained was slowly replenishing. The stone pillars weren't connected to any other energy devices, which aroused Han Zu's suspicions. Using his clairvoyance to peer inside, he discovered a small groove in their center, within which something resembling a circular symbol appeared. The energy slowly filling the empty stone pillars was flowing from these symbols.

"Bang bang."

Han Zu enveloped the stone pillar with his bio-force field, manipulating his own energy. While ensuring the stone wouldn't shatter under his own blast, he penetrated the central groove, marked with a strange symbol, and shattered it directly. As expected, as the symbol was destroyed, the slowly filling energy also abruptly ceased. Han Zu memorized this symbol, intending to study it after leaving this place. It seemed the energy fluctuations he'd sensed weren't from the stone pillar that was previously filled with energy, but from this symbol within.

Having now roughly explored the first few levels of the underground area, Han Zu carefully sensed them and, using the contractor's equipment, examined the fifth level, where the biological samples were stored, attempting to locate any objects emitting sufficient energy. After a while, Han Zu located several targets. Two of them were energy cores powering the fifth level's sentry system, though they were unremarkable. Another was a biological specimen resembling a marine creature. While Han Zu himself didn't know much about it, the contractor's equipment confirmed it wasn't native to Earth. However, his observations revealed that the specimen was also engraved with the same symbols. Han Zu attempted to disrupt these symbols with his own energy, but the energy he sensed suddenly ceased. This confirmed that the abnormal energy fluctuations were also originating from the symbols, and there was no need to investigate further.

However, before Han Zu left the fifth floor and prepared to find his way into the research institute at the bottom of the underground area, he used his clairvoyance to spot a familiar object. It was a rectangular container. Although the material was unclear, Han Zu could roughly determine that it might have come from the same place as the container containing the mineral cylinder he had found.

Han Zu wasn't sure if the strange symbols had any other functions besides transmitting energy and teleporting, so he didn't act rashly or enter the heavily guarded area on the fifth floor. He first used the contractor's equipment to investigate the inventory of the storage equipment and, following the serial number, found the description of the rectangular container. According to the description, the personnel in the underground area also didn't know what the rectangular container contained. They had opened the rectangular container before, but Han Zu was intrigued by the discovery of a strange liquid inside. Even after leaving the container, this liquid retained its shape and volume perfectly, without dripping or evaporating. According to relevant experimental reports, all personnel who came into contact with the liquid, regardless of whether they wore protective gear or not, died inexplicably after 12 hours. Because the liquid was extremely dangerous and the personnel here were unable to determine its function or material, but it was undoubtedly important, they sealed the container in the storage area to study it later. However, the latest reports on the rectangular container were at least two years old. So until now, no one has touched it again.

"Anchor locked, ready for teleport."

Another thing that surprised Han Zu was that the rectangular container, which looked similar in material to the round one, could actually be located and transported by the contractor's equipment. Although puzzled, Han Zu didn't hesitate. He immediately used the contractor's technology to transport the rectangular container sealed inside the storage facility back to the fourth floor of his base.