164: underground laboratory

"I understand, Mr. Wang," Shen Mingyuan finally spoke, his tone returning to its usual professionalism. "I respect your motivation and persistence."

"From a legal perspective, our current focus is to clarify the objective facts of this incident, especially the specific circumstances and evidence at the scene. You mentioned earlier that there might be surveillance at the location?"

Wang Ming's face showed a hint of embarrassment and uncertainty: "Well... I was only focused on helping the person and making the call at the time. I really didn't notice if there were any cameras around."

"However, I remember the location very clearly. It's on the sidewalk about a hundred meters east of the intersection of Qingsong Road and Fenglin Street. Can we go check the scene?"

Shen Mingyuan nodded and was about to speak when he saw Wang Ming suddenly remember something, frantically rummaging through the pockets of his jacket.

"Ah! That's right, Lawyer Shen, I have this!" Wang Ming said, pulling out a small, compact device resembling a sports camera or body-worn camera from his pocket.

The device looked somewhat old but was well-maintained. He explained with a hint of shyness and seriousness: "Actually... actually, I wasn't completely unprepared."

"This... when I go out on the street, if I feel I might go to crowded places or places prone to disputes, I clip it to my collar or chest pocket and start recording. I thought... if something happens, at least there's a record."

He placed the small camera on the table and pushed it toward Shen Mingyuan: "I checked it after the incident. It did record everything, and the process is very clear. It can prove that I only went to help the person and didn't make any collision or similar actions."

Shen Mingyuan picked up the miniature camera, examined it carefully, then looked up at Wang Ming. This time, a clear, almost appreciative understanding flashed in his eyes.

This young man was not the purely reckless, impulsive idealist he had initially judged based on his "multiple defendant" experiences.

On the contrary, while adhering to his beliefs, he had already learned to use a simple but practical method to try to find a balance between altruistic actions and self-protection.

"Very good, Mr. Wang," Shen Mingyuan handed the camera back, his voice carrying a clear note of affirmation. "This is very crucial information and a strong piece of potential evidence. At least it proves you weren't completely defenseless."

Hearing the lawyer's affirmation, Wang Ming breathed a sigh of relief, then smiled somewhat sheepishly: "I don't want to always be the 'scapegoat'... It's best to help people, but I don't want to get myself into trouble every time. It's just... sometimes when I'm in a hurry, I still rush forward first."

"Having good intentions first, then being prepared—these aren't contradictory," Shen Mingyuan stood up, swiftly organizing the case files on the table and placing them into a lightweight briefcase. "What we need to do now is verify the content of this recording and conduct an on-site inspection to look for other possible corroborating evidence or surveillance angles."

He tucked the briefcase under his arm and looked at Wang Ming: "Bring your device. We'll go to the scene and your residence now—if we need to access the stored data. On the way, you can recall every detail of that day in more detail. The more specific, the better."

Wang Ming quickly nodded, carefully storing the miniature camera, and stood up as well. The anxiety on his face was replaced by an expectant and nervous "finally taking action" expression: "Okay, Lawyer Shen! Let's go!"

[Wild Fox Ridge Mountain Area]

The slightly hot afternoon mountain wind blew through the sparse trees, sweeping across a temporarily cleared open space in the mountain hollow. Several dark gray off-road vehicles with GUPA markings were parked nearby, their engines still running, emitting a low hum.

Lu Jianchuan leaned against his sleek, silver-and-red motorcycle, arms crossed, calmly watching the mountain ahead, half-hidden by vines and shrubs.

He wore a dark tactical vest and pants suitable for movement. Although he had lost the extraordinary power of his silver armor, his body, enhanced by the evo factor, remained upright, exuding a steady demeanor tempered by life-and-death experiences.

His motorcycle stood quietly nearby, its metal surface shimmering with a fine luster in the sunlight. Occasionally, the indicator lights on the front would flash very subtly, as if possessing an independent life pulse.

Standing slightly behind him was Zhou Zihui. The youth also wore GUPA's dark inspector uniform, standing straight, but a lingering heaviness remained between his brows.

His gaze occasionally swept over the surrounding environment and the fully armed combat personnel, carrying scrutiny and a restrained effort to fit in.

The long tail once used for combat was now tightly retracted into a specially made waistband, leaving no trace.

The squad leader in charge of this exploration operation—a rugged-faced middle-aged man with the codename "Mountain Leopard"—stood on a protruding rock, holding a tactical tablet that constantly refreshed data, quietly communicating with several team members responsible for perimeter reconnaissance.

Squad Leader "Mountain Leopard" ended the call, jumped down from the rock, and quickly walked over to Lu Jianchuan and Zhou Zihui, his expression serious.

"The entrance is confirmed," he said succinctly, pointing to a rock crevice on the side of the mountain that appeared natural but had signs of artificial modification. "Based on residual heat signals and recent activity traces, it's here."

"The internal structure is more complex than expected. Preliminary scans show at least two underground levels. The power System seems to have independent backups, with weak energy readings still present in some areas."

He paused, enlarging a signal graph with intense fluctuations on the tablet to show the two: "Most notably, deep inside, in a sealed area roughly in the southeast corner of the second underground level, our remote detectors captured an extremely active, abnormally high-concentration evo factor signal source."

"But the interference is strong, and the distance is far. We can't determine its specific form, size, or even whether it's a biological entity or some kind of high-concentration aggregation device."

Lu Jianchuan's brow furrowed slightly. A high-concentration evo factor signal deep in an abandoned enemy stronghold was definitely not good news.

This was likely the "trouble" The Forger had warned about earlier, possibly left behind by the other side.

Zhou Zihui stared at the signal graph, unconsciously pursing his lips. The evo factor within him seemed to resonate faintly with this distant, homologous but unstable signal, causing a slight palpitation.

"Any signs of life?" Lu Jianchuan asked.

"Remote equipment isn't precise enough to determine," Squad Leader Mountain Leopard shook his head. "But based on Prometheus's consistent modus operandi, the possibility of leaving a 'live surprise' isn't low."

"Although the signal is active, its fluctuation pattern is strange. It doesn't seem like a fully conscious or freely moving state, more like a... high-energy reaction under forced dormancy or restraint."

He glanced around at the six combat team members who had already assembled and checked their equipment, then looked at Lu Jianchuan and Zhou Zihui: "The higher-ups' orders are clear: investigate the situation, assess the threat, and try to recover any high-value samples or data if possible."

"If encountering uncontrollable high-risk targets, authorization is given for on-site disposal. Advisor Lu, Trainee Zhou, stay close to me. The 'silver skeleton' motorcycle..."

He glanced at the quiet motorcycle, "according to the plan, it stays at the entrance as a rapid response point, on standby, ready to provide support or block the exit at any time."

Lu Jianchuan nodded, patting the motorcycle's seat. The motorcycle's headlights flashed lightly twice in response.

"Understood," Lu Jianchuan turned to Zhou Zihui. "Stay close to the team, pay attention to your senses, report any abnormalities immediately, and don't act rashly."

"Yes," Zhou Zihui replied briefly, his hand unconsciously resting on the specially made equipment belt at his waist. Besides regular tools, it contained restraint agents and several non-lethal flashbangs issued specifically to him for emergencies.

"Good," Squad Leader Mountain Leopard pulled down the night vision goggles on his helmet and made a few concise gestures to the other team members. "Team A leads, Team B covers the rear, maintain silent communication. Let's go in."

He led the way toward the hidden rock crevice entrance, followed closely by two team members carrying breaching equipment and detectors.

Lu Jianchuan took a deep breath and followed, with Zhou Zihui falling in slightly behind and to his side. The remaining team members spread out in a tactical formation, gradually disappearing into the shadows cast by the mountain.