279: A strange doctor.

After listening to Cynthia's description, both Shen Mingyuan and Lu Jianchuan realized that this groundless yet exceptionally strong "sense of familiarity" was likely an important clue pointing toward a hidden truth, perhaps even related to that potential "mole" or "Doctor X."

But for now, they needed to address a pressing tactical issue.

"If someone really is after the vaccine—whether to steal, destroy, or disrupt the research—they won't just waltz in through the front door."

"Waiting for them might stop an overt attack," Shen Mingyuan analyzed in a low voice, "but against someone who might be hidden deep within and knows how to exploit the System and the loopholes in the rules, passive defense is too inefficient."

Wei Ziqing nodded. "We need to take the initiative to find anomalies. At the very least, we need some sort of early warning."

Lu Jianchuan fell silent for a moment, his gaze sweeping over the server cabinets with their flashing indicator lights and the data ports scattered throughout the lab.

An idea took shape in his mind. He seemingly casually slipped his hand into his coat pocket, but his fingers were already quietly sliding across his phone screen.

He tapped on his only contact, the one with the starry sky avatar.

Lu Jianchuan: The Forger, are you there? I need your help with something.

Almost instantly, a reply arrived.

.**: Speak.

Lu Jianchuan: We're currently at the GUPA Key Laboratory in Haichuan City, providing security for a critical vaccine project. We suspect there might be an internal issue but lack effective monitoring tools.

Can you... find a way to access the local network or surveillance System here? I don't need control, just keep an eye out for anomalous data access, non-compliant access control logs, or any suspicious electronic traces attempting to approach the core research area.

Alert us if anything happens.

.**: I can. But I need physical contact with a node to establish a hidden channel. Bring your Coordination Unit close to any device with a network interface or data port—preferably a terminal or server that's currently running. I'll handle the rest.

Lu Jianchuan immediately understood. "I'll go check the equipment specifications over there."

He said this to Shen Mingyuan and Wei Ziqing, making it sound like he wanted to better understand the lab configuration. Then, he naturally walked toward a row of auxiliary data processing terminals along the wall, slightly away from Professor Yang.

Seeing this, Cynthia, though still unsettled, instinctively moved to help block Professor Yang's potential line of sight.

Shen Mingyuan immediately picked up the conversation, asking Professor Yang a detailed question about the vaccine's storage temperature range to draw his attention.

Lu Jianchuan walked over to a terminal, pretending to read the nameplate on the side of the screen, and naturally rested his left hand on the side of the cold metal chassis. His wrist pressed slightly against the casing.

There was almost no light or sound.

Only Lu Jianchuan could feel a very faint, tingle-like sensation of electric current passing through the inside of his armband. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he seemed to catch a glimpse of several strands of dim light—thinner than hair and dark, almost black-red—flashing and disappearing into the gaps of the device's interface like living things.

The entire process took less than two seconds.

The phone in his pocket vibrated gently.

.**: Channel established. If there's a clear anomaly, I'll notify you. Keep your communication lines open.

Lu Jianchuan quickly withdrew his hand and turned back with a normal expression, giving Shen Mingyuan and the others an imperceptible nod.

[Real World · Doctor Chen Ruian's Perspective]

Late at night, most of Area B of the GUPA Key Laboratory had fallen into the dimness of energy-saving mode, with only a few safety indicators and instrument standby lights emitting a faint glow. However, a soft, cool white light still shone inside an independent analysis room in the core experimental area.

Doctor Chen Ruian had taken off the crisp white coat he wore during the day and changed into a set of dark lab clothes that were easier to move in. The approachable, standard public smile had long since vanished from his face, replaced by a focused calm that even hinted at a trace of fanaticism. He was alone in the analysis room, various precision instruments running quietly as a complex waterfall of data flowed across the screens.

On the sterile workbench in front of him sat several micro-petri dishes and precision mixing devices containing viscous liquids of various colors, faintly glowing with bio-luminescence. His movements were steady and swift, like those of a master surgeon, as he used a micropipette to draw different liquids and mix them into a specially made conical reaction cup in a specific sequence and ratio.

Just then, the screen of a device on his left wrist—resembling an ordinary fitness tracker—quietly lit up, displaying a multi-encrypted communication request without any identifiers.

Without even a twitch of his brow, Doctor Chen Ruian lightly pressed the side of the band with his left thumb to connect. A voice, heavily distorted and indistinguishable in gender or age, spoke directly into his ear via bone conduction:

["They've arrived, and their objective is clear. GUPA high-level management might have already narrowed down the range of suspicion. The team sent this time is officially here for escort and routine security, but unofficially, they're likely here to 'clean house' or 'go fishing.' Your risk level has increased."]

Doctor Chen Ruian's hands didn't pause for a second as he added another drop of pale gold liquid to the reaction cup, watching the mixture begin to flow autonomously in a slow, swirling vortex. He responded calmly to the air in a near-whisper, "Understood. As expected. I'll keep an eye on old man Yang, and I'll handle those 'guests' carefully."

["The most important reminder,"] the distorted voice warned with unquestionable gravity, ["is to temporarily abandon any thoughts regarding the 'vaccine prototype.' Any unconventional operations targeting it right now would be equivalent to directly exposing your existence and intentions to them. GUPA is itching to find a handle on you."]

"Heh," Doctor Chen Ruian chuckled almost inaudibly. He finally stopped his mixing and carefully drew the resulting 10 milliliters of unstable, iridescent mixture into a specialized pressure-resistant syringe. "I understand, of course. I know my priorities. The virus... can be redesigned and re-cultured at any time. Let them study this vaccine in peace. It's just a pity..."

He picked up the syringe and observed the liquid against the light, a flicker of regret passing through his eyes.

"...The gene sequences I recompiled to adapt to that 'special carrier,' and the 'expression trigger conditions' that were finally stabilized, will have to be scrapped and started over. It's quite a lot of work." His tone sounded more like he was complaining about a troublesome experimental problem than discussing a creation that could bring about disaster.

["As long as you understand."] The voice on the other end seemed to breathe a sigh of relief but remained serious. ["Lurking and concealment are the top priorities. The 'fruit' needs time to ripen."]

"Don't worry." Doctor Chen Ruian securely placed the syringe into a portable thermostatic box and snapped it shut. His voice regained its calm confidence, even carrying a hint of playfulness. "I know what I'm doing. Even if... the worst-case scenario occurs, I 'won't' be caught by them. At least, not in a form where they can conduct an interrogation."

The other end of the line fell silent for a moment, as if wanting to say something, but finally, only one sentence came through: ["In any case, be careful."] Then, the communication was unilaterally cut.

The screen on Doctor Chen Ruian's wristband went dark. His expression remained unchanged as he picked up the portable box and walked to a seemingly ordinary wall in the analysis room. He pressed several spots on the wall and performed an iris scan. The wall slid open silently, revealing a narrow metal staircase leading downward, just wide enough for one person, with a stark white light shining from within.

He stepped inside, and the wall closed silently behind him without a trace.

At the end of the stairs was a narrow but well-equipped secret room, resembling a temporary medical observation pod or a detention cell. The air held a faint scent of disinfectant and an indescribable, sweet-metallic smell like spoiled protein.

On a restraint bed in the center of the room, a figure was struggling and twitching violently. It was a young male who looked to be in his early twenties. His eyes were bloodshot and unnaturally bulging, and something seemed to be moving and crawling beneath his skin, appearing as irregular, bluish-purple vein-like protrusions. A rasping sound, like a broken bellows, came from his throat, filled with extreme agony.

As Doctor Chen Ruian walked in, the young man struggled to turn his head. Using all his strength, he squeezed out a broken and desperate plea through gritted teeth: "Kill... kill me... please... just kill me... it hurts so much... my whole body... is burning... tearing apart..."

Doctor Chen Ruian walked to the bedside, his face devoid of pity, showing only the focus of observing an experimental subject's changes and a faint, hard-to-detect anticipation. He opened the portable box, took out the iridescent syringe, and purged the air.

"What nonsense are you talking about?" His voice was gentle, even slightly reproachful, like he was advising a willful child. "Haven't you always dreamed of becoming a hero with extraordinary powers who saves others, just like in those tokusatsu dramas?"

The young man's clouded eyes were full of fear and confusion. Those words seemed to touch upon some memory or obsession, causing his struggling to cease for a split second.

"And I," Doctor Chen Ruian leaned down, precisely piercing the needle into the violently throbbing vein on the side of the young man's neck and slowly pushing the plunger, "am helping you 'realize your dream.' Just bear with it; this time... we're switching to a slightly more 'gentle' expression carrier."

As the iridescent liquid was fully injected, the young man's body suddenly arched into a bow. A non-human, shrill, and extreme howl erupted from his throat. The sound was mostly absorbed by the secret room's soundproofing Materials, leaving only a dull and hair-raising echo.

Doctor Chen Ruian calmly withdrew the needle and stepped back. He carefully recorded the data jumps on the various physiological monitors connected to the restraint bed, his eyes focused and burning with intensity, as if he were admiring a nearly finished "work of art."