182: The Apocalypse Society and the Land of Cherry Blossoms

The Sea God Cruise Ship, top floor ballroom.

The level of luxury here was astounding.

Although the crystal chandeliers had shattered all over the floor during the storm, it didn't affect the richness of the feast spread across the dining table.

"Crunch."

The claw of an Australian lobster was snapped off.

Lin Yuan sat in the main seat, his feet propped on the Phoebe zhennan dining table, holding half a King Crab that was larger than his face.

"This thing's meat is too tough."

He complained indistinctly while chewing the crab meat.

He casually tossed the crab shell behind him.

Thwack.

It landed right on Xiao Zhenhai's face, who was standing behind him acting as a waiter.

The Gang Leader of the Black Shark Gang didn't dare to dodge, instead forcing a smile as he took the sauce-covered shell off his face and placed it in the trash can.

"Master Lin is right to instruct me."

Xiao Zhenhai bent ninety degrees at the waist and roared at the lackeys by the door.

"Did you hear that?! Master Lin said the meat is tough! Tell the kitchen to slice up that Bluefin Tuna! We need the fattiest O-Toro! Hurry up!"

The tattooed men at the door shivered in fear and scrambled toward the kitchen.

Zhao Ya sat at the other end of the long table, a glass of plain water in front of her.

She watched the man, who was devouring the food like a whirlwind with terribly ugly manners, and simply couldn't connect him with the savior who had just conjured a nuclear explosion with his bare hands.

"You've already eaten ten servings."

Zhao Ya couldn't help but remind him.

"Even for an ability user, that amount of food will burst your stomach."

"That's you guys."

Lin Yuan didn't lift his head, grabbing another roasted goose leg.

"My stomach leads directly to another dimension."

Of course, he wouldn't mention that the "Heaven's Punishment" he just unleashed had nearly drained him completely.

Although electrical energy was his main source of sustenance, this physical body still needed massive amounts of carbohydrates and protein to replenish the deficit.

"Hiccup—"

Lin Yuan let out a long burp and tossed the bone in his hand.

He grabbed the tablecloth and wiped the grease from his mouth and hands.

"I'm full."

Lin Yuan patted his stomach, leaned back in his chair, and looked utterly content.

"Gang Leader Xiao, put this meal on the tab. I'll settle it with you later."

The flesh on Xiao Zhenhai's face twitched.

"Master Lin, you jest. This meal is a small tribute from your subordinate..."

"Even close brothers settle their accounts clearly."

Lin Yuan waved his hand, cutting off his polite remarks.

"I am a respectable person; I don't take a single thread or needle from the masses."

Su Wanqing stood by the window, holding a tablet computer, rapidly recording something.

Hearing this, the finger she used to tap the screen paused, and she rolled her eyes.

He doesn't take threads or needles.

You only take entire treasuries.

"Now that I've eaten and drunk my fill, it's time for business."

Lin Yuan pulled out the scepter belonging to the Sea God Cult.

It was still stained with the Three-headed Serpent's stomach acid and some unidentified minced meat.

All sense of sanctity was gone.

"Does anyone recognize this thing?"

Lin Yuan tossed the scepter onto the table with a crisp clang.

Zhao Ya and Su Wanqing leaned closer.

Xiao Zhenhai also craned his neck, but not daring to approach too closely, he could only watch from the side.

"This is the Sea God Cult's 'Divine Guide'."

Xiao Zhenhai interjected quietly.

"I heard only the Great Priest can hold it, and it is the key to opening the Sea God Treasury."

Hearing the word "Treasury," Lin Yuan's previously sleepy eyes lit up.

"A treasury?"

Lin Yuan snatched the scepter and weighed it in his hand.

"Where is it?"

Xiao Zhenhai pointed downward.

"It's on the lowest deck of this ship, originally the location of the engine room, which they converted into a Forbidden Ground."

"Only this scepter can open it."

Without another word, Lin Yuan stood up and walked toward the exit.

"Lead the way."

...The cruise ship's bottom deck.

A heavy, thick door blocked Lin Yuan's path.

There was no keyhole or keypad on the door.

Only a single slot.

The shape perfectly matched the scepter.

"Move aside."

Lin Yuan pushed aside Xiao Zhenhai, who was blocking the front.

He held the scepter and measured it against the slot.

"Open Sesame."

Click.

The scepter slid in.

It was a perfect fit.

The alloy door slowly opened to both sides, revealing the space inside.

Lin Yuan rushed in immediately.

"Gold bars? Spirit Stones? Antiques?"

He quickly calculated in his mind.

However.

When he clearly saw the scene inside, the smile on Lin Yuan's face froze.

There were no mountains of gold and silver.

Nor were there piles of Spirit Stones.

This was a laboratory filled with a sense of science fiction.

Rows of transparent glass tanks stood in the center of the room, filled with green nutrient solution.

And submerged in that liquid were not rare specimens.

But people.

To be precise, they were deformed human bodies.

Some had grown gills, some had arms that turned into tentacles, and half of one person's head had transformed into the structure of some kind of crustacean.

Just like the ones he had seen previously at the Qin Family.

"This..."

Zhao Ya, who had followed him in, gasped sharply.

"Human experimentation."

"The Sea God Cult, those beasts..."

Su Wanqing walked up to an operating console, her fingers rapidly tapping the keyboard.

The screen lit up.

Massive streams of data scrolled past.

"It's not just human experimentation."

Su Wanqing's expression grew increasingly grim as she looked at the report on the screen.

"This is the 'Gene Fusion' project."

"They are attempting to implant gene fragments of Abyssal Creatures into human bodies to create 'Abyssal Candidates'."

"Moreover..."

Su Wanqing pulled up an encrypted document.

The header of the document bore two logos.

On the left was the Sea God Cult's wave emblem.

On the right was the symbol of the Apocalypse Society.

The moment she saw the symbol, Zhao Ya's pupils contracted violently.

"The Apocalypse Society."

These three words were squeezed out from between her clenched teeth, carrying intense killing intent.

"Just as expected."

She slammed her fist onto the operating console, denting the metal surface.

"This isn't merely a rogue cult causing chaos."

"This is a joint operation between the Apocalypse Society and Sakura Country!"

Zhao Ya turned around and looked at the test subjects floating in the nutrient solution, her eyes blazing with fury.

"We must report this to Headquarters immediately."

"This is an act of war!"

Just as Zhao Ya was righteously indignant.

A sound of frantic searching and rummaging came from nearby.

"Clang! Crash!"

Lin Yuan was squatting in front of a safe, violently dismantling the door.

Sizzle.

Electricity flashed.

The thick steel plate was cut open.

Lin Yuan reached in and rummaged around.

He pulled out a stack of documents.

Threw them away.

Then pulled out a hard drive.

Threw it away.

Finally, he turned the entire safe upside down and shook it.

Only a few coins rolled out.

"Bums!"

Lin Yuan was so angry he slammed the safe violently onto the floor.

"Such a huge secret base, and not a single gold bar?!"

"Where did these research guys spend their money? Did they buy all these broken jars?"

He pointed at the glass tanks holding the monsters, his face full of disappointment.

Zhao Ya was stunned by his sudden outburst.

"Lin Yuan!"

She was slightly annoyed.

"Look closely! This is irrefutable evidence of the Apocalypse Society colluding with Sakura Country!"

"The value of this information is higher than mountains of gold and silver!"

"This concerns national security, and the survival of humanity!"

Lin Yuan turned his head and looked at Zhao Ya.

He picked up a document from the floor and casually flipped through it.

It was all incomprehensible chemical equations and gene maps.

"Captain Zhao."

Lin Yuan tossed the document to Zhao Ya.

"You also said this thing is very valuable to the country."

"Then what value does it have for me?"

He spread his hands.

"I fought tooth and nail to take this place down, almost losing my life in the process."

"And this is what I get to look at?"