75 DISGUSTED BY THE SIGH

The soldiers left the aircraft in a quick and efficient fashion. They clutched their weapons to their chests tightly, ready to deal with any eventualities. They were not foolish, so they understood that the matter would not be so easy to handle. Their enemies had to have their own power.

Unfortunately, once they were outside, they could not find the entrance to this underground lab even though the information clearly indicated that this was the precise location of his base. The commander also seemed confused by the absence of anything that indicated human presence. It was not that he expected a beacon; it's just that there was nothing.

The situation seemed dire, and they did not have the equipment to automatically detect the structure. If they had underground penetrating radar, they might still not be able to find the entrance of the base. After all, it would need to be powerful and suitable for the environment. Moreover, thermal imaging did not seem to work due to thick ice cover or external technology.

The commander felt that they should have waited for longer and prepared more for this mission. But after thinking about Mr Zhong, he knew that this was impossible.

When he was about to order his men to spread out and look for the entrance in the larger area, Mr Zhong walked towards the hill overlooking the low area on which the jet had landed. The commander felt that this man was being wilful, but he did not say anything.

Again, he remembered that this refined man had been the key that had helped the international taskforce find this place. Who knew what he knew? He indicated for the others to follow him as he followed Mr Zhong. Before long, they reached a strange place where the low slope hill became flat but seemed to have a smaller but steeper hill on top, almost like a pile.

The handsome man looked around it and touched the icy sides of this smaller hill. Just as the soldiers were getting impatient, the white wall of the small hill slid to the side like magic. If the military men were not well trained, they would have gasped in shock. Behind the hill was a wide door that seemed at odds with the environment.

Zhong Feng stood back, not sparing these people a glance. He did not care about their thoughts. Right now, all he cared about and hoped for… She was definitely here. And she would be alright. It had been three years since he had seen her. Three years of searching. She had to be here.

The soldiers used a small explosive to force the heavy door open before they entered the hidden base. These people were not called the elite for nothing. Once they gained access to the structure, they systematically checked every area of the large ground floor until they found an elevator. It seemed that they did not expect company in this remote place because there was no security personnel.

The group entered in formation into the lift. The buttons indicated that there were six floors. They would need to stop on each floor on their downward descent, checking for signs of human life and handling the situation as needed.

The first three floors did not have a single person. The first floor was completely empty. The second had discarded equipment, a combination of household appliances like heaters and strange lab machines. The next seemed to be a storage room filled with rations, toiletries, clothing and other random things.

When they descended to fourth floor, things changed. As soon as the elevator doors opened, they faced a group of people with firearms holding guns to their faces. However, this did not stop the elite soldiers or deter them for a second. Unlike the private military, they did not need to confirm whether the other group was friend or foe. They assumed that everyone they faced within this illicit structure was an enemy.

The seconds of hesitation cost the mercenaries the battle. The soldiers subdued these guards quickly using various means. Though one or two people were injured, there were only surface wounds. With this obstacle out of the way, they cleared the floor and captured all the personnel on the floor, including a woman in a pantsuit who looked like the person in charge. It seemed that the fourth floor was where the people rested, ate and slept. The soldiers were surprised to find that the place was well-equipped and had a gym, a library and a media room with a large screen.

Zhong Feng became tenser as he looked at the situation. Though his face remained neutral, he was terrified deep within. He was afraid that she was not here or worse. However, he did not crumble. He remained unmoving and outwardly calm between two soldiers who were tasked with protecting him.

Once that floor was cleared, they descended to the fifth floor. Just as they had expected, it was the heart of the building. The laboratory was designed by someone with money. Everything on the floor looked expensive and exceptional. From the equipment to the clean ambience, it was obvious that this was a cutting edge lab.

However, these intruders were not interested in assessing the value of the building and its content. The soldiers eliminated the mercenaries protecting the lab and found the scientists on one corner, afraid but calm. Cuffing them was not a challenge.

Looking deeper into the lab, they found multiple glass cages in which there were test subjects in various conditions. Some seemed to be deformed while others seemed to be in relatively good condition. There were eight living subjects in total. In another area of the floor, there was a large morgue.

The soldiers looked utterly disgusted by the sight. While they had killed in war, they could not believe what was in front of their eyes. There were numerous bodies in the transparent compartments which seemed to be missing various body parts and covered in countless stitches. In a cabinet, there were jars filled with organs, no doubt from these dead people.

In one of the cases, there was a man who seemed to be completely intact. He was properly dressed and looked even dignified. If it was not for the long stitched slash around his neck, one would assume that he had been frozen alive.

Zhong Feng approached the compartment and looked at the man with cold eyes. He knew this person: Hu Ming. This was the father who had, without doubt, caused Hu Lei to leave Supreme City. He did not care for this divine doctor even if he had saved his life in the past. However, he felt his heart freeze as he thought about the implications of his presence and death.

"Mr Zhong…" The commander spoke in a low tone.

It was obvious that this man was yet to find his wife, living or dead. Even though there was another floor remaining, she was unlikely to be there. They had found everything that would be in this type of illicit lab. However, he did not know what to say without causing a negative reaction.

"Let's go to the next floor." Zhong Feng spoke coldly before the commander could continue.

The descent in the elevator felt longer, and the tension was palpable even for the soldiers who did not know what was going on. When the doors opened, everyone was glad to be outside the box.

It turned out that the final floor had a simple prison. One of the soldiers found a switch to light up the dark floor once they entered the lighted hallway past the elevator. This prison was not like the dungeons of ancient times, even though it was in the bottom of the building.

However, it was no better than an olden prison. The entire place was white especially against the harsh cold lighting. Also, the temperature in this level seemed lower than the rest of the building, but it was not freezing. It looked like the numerous cells were empty. But one couldn't help but wonder what they were intended to hold.

The group separated into pairs moved in different directions of the floor. As they walked around the empty level, they checked every corner while maintaining their vigilance. Just when they were certain that there was no one, a soldier shouted out indicating that there was someone in one of the cells.