174: Preparations for the War, Journey to the East

Everyone left the building one after another.

Several black, unmarked sedans were already parked at the entrance.

Chairman Cheng, Su Lei, Dean Wang, and Vice Dean Qin got into the cars.

The motorcade slowly started, heading towards the military base.

After passing through several checkpoints, they drove into a secret underground tunnel.

Approximately twenty minutes later, the car gently halted, stopping inside a hidden mountain.

"We're here. This is the Federation's First Research Institute."

"Please follow me."

Dean Li led everyone into an elevator, which descended for a full three minutes before stopping.

When the metal doors slid open, a bone-chilling cold blast hit them.

Before them was an alloy gate half a meter thick, its biometric device flashing with cold blue light.

"Iris, voiceprint, and gene triple verification."

Dean Li explained in a low voice as he pressed his eye to the scanner, "This door can withstand the impact of a megaton-class nuclear explosion."

The moment the gate opened, an underground space the size of a football field appeared before their eyes.

Hundreds of researchers in protective suits moved between holographic projections.

The hall's floor was made of special glass, with liquid nitrogen flowing beneath for cooling.

But the most shocking sight was the giant cylindrical container standing in the center.

It was a hundred meters long, and submerged within it was the severed Demonic Beast cheliped!

The dark carapace was covered in strange patterns.

Even after many days, black viscous fluid was still seeping from the severed end, staining the specialized solution a murky, inky black.

"It's still alive?" Su Lei asked softly.

"Cellular activity is maintained at 97.3%," Dean Li's voice came from behind him.

"We've tried laser cutting, plasma scorching, and even antimatter bombardment..."

He pointed to a display stand in the corner, where various twisted and deformed experimental equipment was arrayed.

Suddenly, an alarm blared through the air.

The solution in the container began to churn violently, and the tip of the cheliped suddenly twitched!

"It's starting again!" A researcher quickly pressed the emergency button.

A protective shield instantly rose, completely isolating the container.

Dean Li sighed and gestured for an assistant to play a holographic recording.

In the footage, the seemingly dormant cheliped suddenly flared up, its tip piercing the chests of three researchers like a spear.

Within a few short seconds, the fallen bodies began to twist and deform,

Bones pierced through skin, and in a blink of an eye, they transformed into half-human, half-beast monsters!

Dean Li turned off the recording and looked at Su Lei.

"This is why I was unwilling to give it to you."

"Without complete containment measures, recklessly releasing it would cause an irreversible major accident, with unimaginable consequences."

Su Lei did not respond immediately.

His gaze penetrated the explosion-proof glass, falling on the cheliped wriggling like a living thing inside the container.

He suddenly stepped forward, and to everyone's horror, placed his hand on the glass.

Five golden runes swirled in his palm, imprinting glowing patterns on the explosion-proof glass.

"Buzz—"

A strange resonance echoed within the container.

The wildly thrashing cheliped suddenly froze, and the strange patterns on its carapace began to flicker erratically.

It rapidly contracted as if encountering a natural predator, instantly curling into a ball at the other end of the container.

"Activity index dropped to 15%!"

"Dark Qi field concentration plummeted!"

"My God, how is this possible!"

...The researchers' exclamations rose and fell.

Vice Dean Qin's data pad fell to the ground with a "clatter."

The dangerously high indicators frantically flashing on the screen were plummeting to safe thresholds at an astonishing speed.

A sharp glint flashed in Chairman Cheng's eyes, and he subtly took a half-step forward.

"It seems Your Excellency, the President's decision was not wrong..."

His voice was very soft, yet it silenced the entire laboratory.

The glow of the runes gradually faded, and Su Lei withdrew his hand, turning to look at everyone.

"Besides star marrow, lazurite, and mithril,"

"We also need starfall iron, Nether Sand, scarlet refined copper..."

With each name he spoke, the researchers' expressions grew more astonished.

Seeing Vice Dean Qin hesitate, Chairman Cheng had already answered for him.

"All approved."

"Utilize special reserves, open the S-class Materials warehouse."

Dean Li's Adam's apple visibly bobbed.

"Some of the Materials are readily available, but the starfall iron needs to be transferred from the research center in the south."

"The troublesome part is that the scarlet refined copper reserves were depleted last week; we'll have to wait for them to mine it in the southern Secret Realm..."

Chairman Cheng waved his hand, interrupting him, "How long will that take?"

Dean Li hesitated for a moment, then slowly said, "At the fastest, it will take three days."

"I'm giving you 24 hours to get it done."

Looking at the busy Dean Li,

Su Lei pondered for a moment, then slowly said, "In that case... while the Materials are being transported, I'll make a trip to the East."

"You want to deal with Lei Mietian?"

Chairman Cheng frowned slightly; as the Federation's second-in-command, he had long investigated Su Lei's background and knew he had a grudge with the Lei Family.

"The grievances should be settled," Su Lei said calmly, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes, "and if this hidden danger isn't resolved, the Federation won't be able to fully deal with the Demonic Beasts in the North."

The laboratory immediately fell silent. Several researchers instinctively shrank their necks.

The name Lei Mietian was a taboo in the Federation.

Chairman Cheng pondered for a moment, then gently shook his head, "The situation there is unclear; if you go rashly..."

Su Lei clearly understood his concerns.

Since the last operation, the Federation's intelligence on the East had been cut off.

The Federation no longer dared, or rather, had no suitable candidates to infiltrate the West.

Whether the Demonic Beasts in the Eastern Theater Command had escaped or not, and what the situation of the Three Great Families was, they knew nothing.

Meeting the other party's grave gaze, Su Lei said indifferently, "Don't worry, I won't gamble with my life."

"The problem is..." Chairman Cheng took a deep breath and said in a low voice, "Currently, the Demonic Beasts in the East Sea are being held back by the Three Great Families. If you eliminate Lei Mietian, we will have to face two Demonic Beasts simultaneously."

"The optimal strategy right now is to first resolve the issue in the North, then launch a general offensive when the Three Great Families and the East Sea Demonic Beasts are both heavily wounded, and reclaim the East in one fell swoop."

Su Lei's lips curved slightly, "So, all the more reason to get intelligence from there, isn't it?"

Chairman Cheng frowned deeply, still somewhat hesitant.

"Under no circumstances can the operation in the North be affected."

"The President's private plane is about to arrive at Imperial Capital Airport, it will be here in an hour, and the mechanization will be completed in 48 hours."

"During this time, you must also complete the forging of the weapon."

"In three days, we will officially commence the operation."

"You are the most crucial part of the plan. If you are delayed in the East for too long, or if something unexpected happens..."

Su Lei turned and walked towards the elevator entrance.

"Don't worry, I'll get it done within a day."

"I hope that when I return, the necessary Materials will already be prepared."

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