"Laboratory Three?" Gonzales asked in surprise. "I know it!"
Ji Ruyue raised an eyebrow. "You know it?"
Gonzales nodded. "Laboratory Three was set up by the Rhine Company. Their research project is the secondary awakening and strengthening of artificial humans' genetic abilities. I was once invited to participate in their experiments."
Bai Ye grumbled internally, "To be precise, it should be an experiment to transform powerful artificial humans into crystalline humans!"
Besides this, Bai Ye also knew the research contents of Rhine Company's Laboratory One and Laboratory Two.
Laboratory One used gene cloning to directly create crystalline humans.
Laboratory Two was an experiment on the mass production of crystalline humans.
There was also a fourth laboratory called the Combat Simulation Training Laboratory, which selected crystalline humans with higher completion rates for simulated combat.
Ji Ruyue looked at Gonzales. "You didn't go?"
Gonzales said, "Yes, the experimental reward was quite high, and I had already decided to go. However, a wealthy tycoon in the affluent district offered a high price to hunt a red-headed white crane. I figured that if there was a first phase of the experiment, there would be a second, so I chose to go hunting."
Bai Ye curled his lips. It's good you didn't go, otherwise, you might have been among these crystalline humans.
Ji Ruyue asked, "Then, are the crystalline humans Bai Ye brought back really from the Rhine Company?"
Allen squatted in front of a crystalline human. "Have you interrogated it?"
Ji Ruyue spread her hands and explained the condition of the crystalline human.
Allen pondered for a moment. "Does this world also have the Rhine Company? What kind of place is this? What is the origin of these crystalline humans?"
Allen asked three questions, and Bai Ye silently gave him a thumbs-up.
This was his hidden mission, and it was also what Bai Ye hoped Allen would figure out. As long as Allen figured out these three questions, his hidden mission would be considered complete.
Bai Ye said, "I think these three questions are not difficult to answer, at least the first and third questions should have answers."
Allen asked, "Go to Laboratory Three?"
Bai Ye smiled. "Isn't that right?"
Allen nodded. "Indeed, we can get the answers that way. Gonzales, since you were invited to participate in Laboratory Three, you should know the location, right?"
Gonzales looked a bit troubled. "I know the location, but..."
Allen waved his hand. "I'll talk to your boss, so you won't be in a difficult position."
Gonzales said, "Alright then."
Ji Ruyue, Davis, and Gonzales had all come with missions, which was to find resources.
They might not lack interest in exploring the truth, but they had to do their jobs after taking the money.
However, since Allen was willing to take the blame, there was no problem. They all knew that Allen had a close relationship with the boss.
Bai Ye silently gave Gonzales a thumbs-up again.
Laboratory Three, Bai Ye also knew how to get there, but it was inconvenient to say it directly. Now that Gonzales could lead the way, it saved Bai Ye a lot of trouble.
Gonzales said, "It will take some time. That place is in the affluent district."
Allen nodded and looked at Ji Ruyue. "Ruyue, are there any more crystalline humans around?"
Ji Ruyue shook her head. "No more."
Allen said, "Let's find a car and then head to Laboratory Three."
Davis said, "There's a decent-looking car ahead. It looks like it can be driven."
Allen nodded. "Let's try it. Gonzales, help Ruyue move things."
About fifteen minutes later, Davis drove back in a black car, peeking his head out from the driver's seat. "Let's go. The car is in pretty good condition, it just lacks energy."
Allen nodded. "Move the stuff!"
Everyone loaded their belongings into the car and then drove forward.
Davis drove the car slowly, partly because they might encounter crystalline humans, and partly for the exploration of the mirrored world.
A world that was exactly the same!
What appeared before them was the familiar Ruined City. The surrounding buildings were exactly the same, even...
"That's my home!" Ji Ruyue exclaimed, looking at a dilapidated apartment building covered in cracks. "Why is it like this?"
Allen asked, "What's wrong?"
Ji Ruyue said, "Look at that black paint stain on the side wall. That's when I was drying clothes on the roof and accidentally knocked over some paint someone had left on the roof, causing this mark."
Davis nodded. "Look over there, Old Famba's repair shop. That's the shop I frequented."
Bai Ye peeked over and almost spat out a mouthful of blood. "Are you sure this is Old Famba? Isn't the dot missing?"
Davis spread his hands. "The owner of that shop is named Old Famba. As for the dot, it's been broken for over two years, and I haven't gotten it repaired, but you should understand what I mean."
"Mmm," Allen nodded. "The dot on the sign here is also broken."
Bai Ye thought to himself, this is stating the obvious.
This is a mirrored world. The Rhine Company projected and replicated the Ruined City exactly one-to-one, so of course, it's the same.
However, Bai Ye knew the answer, so he didn't find it amazing, but it was different for Allen and the others.
"Stop for a moment," Allen said, pointing to a shop ahead. "Let's go take a look. At least it's a way to account for it to the boss."
Davis nodded. "I'll go."
Ji Ruyue said, "Don't worry, there are no crystalline humans. However, I don't feel any energy fluctuations either."
The shop Allen pointed to was a shop that specialized in selling energy firearms of various models, so naturally, it should sell consumables like energy blocks.
Without energy blocks, energy firearms would be nothing more than scrap metal, right?
And energy blocks were naturally very important resources.
The boss was willing to form a team with Allen precisely for the sake of various resources.
Davis said, "I'll go take a look first."
No energy fluctuations meant that there were no energy blocks present.
What others said might not be credible, but after Ji Ruyue's brain mutation, she could clearly sense even energy fluctuations.
However, since they had already arrived at the doorstep, no one wanted to give up.
Unfortunately, after Davis walked around the shop, he came out with a helpless shrug.
"None. Nothing useful," Davis said. "Let alone energy blocks, there are no firearms either."
This was within Bai Ye's expectations.
Although the mirrored world was a perfect one-to-one replica of the ruined world, it couldn't have replicated the resources along with it.
Otherwise, wouldn't the Rhine Company have inexhaustible resources?
Therefore, not to mention firearms and energy blocks, there would be no resources like water, food, or anything else. The mutated creatures they had seen on the road were either captured by the Rhine Company for experiments or had wandered in by mistake.
...