Beginning with the Ubume Bird-Chapter 326 - 52 The Prime Culprit

Chapter 326: Chapter 52: The Prime Culprit!

Chapter 326: Chapter 52: The Prime Culprit!

Li Yan rubbed his ears; the tungsten steel door in front of him had been battered to pieces, with holes of various sizes forming a patchwork of destruction.

After changing the ammunition, even greater was the power of “Crazy Shocker.”

He touched the scalding door and pulled out the Tiger Head Great Spear to smash the edges, then, leveraging the edges of a hole, he jumped in.

Before him lay a long corridor, dimly lit all around, with countless dust particles dancing in the light, agitated by the violent shotgun blasts.

On both sides were staggered wooden doors, some half-open, with fog-like Sudu birds dispersing and drilling into the rooms on either side, countless images flashing before Li Yan’s eyes.

Suddenly, his eyebrows rose, and he swiftly entered a door on his left.

This was an old room, piles of documents and metal filing cabinets strewn about, littered with waste paper, a Sudu bird circling next to the desk; Li Yan approached, and on the desk a stapler pinned down a yellowed photograph, dozens of people in white lab coats sitting in several rows, Li Yan immediately spotting Yu Shu sitting in the very front.

Ponytail, rimless glasses perched on the bridge of her nose, eyes haughtily raised.

The other researchers, male and female, were also a very diverse mix of ethnicities.

Li Yan searched through the documents and waste paper on the floor, most of which contained data, blueprints, and outlines of human models, as well as some notes from the staff and miscellaneous photographs. Because of their age, most of the scientific notes were of little value now, but Li Yan collected these photographs and files, spending half an hour reading them carefully, and gradually sketched out an image of Yu Shu, completely different from his own previous impression.

Yu Shu, core researcher at the Big Ben Research Institute, founder and significant shareholder of Cloud Sea Pharmaceuticals during the Age of Winter.

In terms of personality, reticent, slovenly, focused.

She presided over numerous developmental experiments related to genetic potion, a pioneer in the field of genetic medicine in Asia Zone. She disappeared mysteriously more than ten years ago…

These descriptions of Yu Shu didn’t surprise Li Yan much; in the South Seas, he too had the label of “pirate lady’s ‘adoptive lover’ Tianbao.” Yu Shu having a plausible origin in this world meant that she had visited this world before Ghost Master Qiong Qi took possession of this ‘fruit.’

The so-called major shareholder of Cloud Sea Pharmaceuticals was just another guise of Earth Endurance, and as for her mysterious disappearance, Li Yan surmised that Yu Shu had defected from Yan Fu back then, so naturally, Earth Endurance saw no need to cover for her and simply abandoned the false identity.

Before long, Li Yan found a thick album in another room, its cover labeled “Farewell Group Photos of Attendees from Various Shuishu Park Meetings.”

He licked his lips and began flipping through the photographs.

…

“Shuishu Park” salon gatherings had been held ninety-three times ever since the emergence of the first fourth-order potion, with as many as ten or so held in a single year at their peak, and at least four or five in quieter times.

The first “Shuishu Park” took place on the opposite side of the ocean, in the ruins of Washington, hosted by the current dean of the Big Ben Research Institute, a Chinese-American named Su Ling. Yu Shu did not attend.

After that, Shuishu Park gatherings accelerated in frequency. It wasn’t until the third Shuishu Park that Yu Shu joined; at that time, the breakthrough subject in the scientific community was the first genetic potion capable of maintaining peak physical fitness and appearance within a finite lifespan.

Thereafter, Yu Shu participated in the fourth, seventh, and tenth Shuishu Park meetings. Following this, corporations’ research into genetic abilities reached a boom period, and various unique genetic potions emerged one after another. Yu Shu nearly always made her presence felt during this time.

The participants in the photos had about a dozen familiar faces, present at every meeting; the majority were Caucasians, making the Asians stand out prominently.

However, aside from Yu Shu, at each “Shuishu Park” salon gathering, Li Yan could identify at least seven or eight Asian researchers; some attended three or four times, others only once or twice.

Another pattern was that virtually every “Shuishu Park” would introduce new faces, and they were always Asian…

It didn’t take long for the photos to be went through, and indeed, they were merely simple group shots from the gatherings.

After a moment of closed-eye contemplation, Li Yan opened his eyes with a start.

“`

He quickly flipped through the photo album again, this time with a purpose, seemingly searching for something specific. Finally, his gaze settled on the face of a man.

This was a robust and spirited man who, despite wearing a white coat, could not conceal the inadvertent haughtiness that emanated from him.

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Even though they had only met once, Li Yan was certain that he was not wrong.

Feather Lord, Cao Yuanchao!

Li Yan was sure he was not mistaken; the face was indeed that of Cao Yuanchao, with an expression identical to the one he had when they encountered each other in the world of Yan Capital.

The salon Cao Yuanchao participated in was hosted by Pompeii Armaments’ laboratory, which had developed a fourth-tier genetic potion called “Sky Storm,” the capabilities of which Li Yan could not find a written description. Nor could he know the details.

Li Yan continued searching patiently and, sure enough, found several familiar faces, including the current Jie Master, Zhan Yuejin, and even the Proxy Traveler of the Bifang Bird they had met at the shooting range, a woman named An Jing.

These were the powerful and enigmatic prostitutes of Yan Fu that Li Yan had met, all of whom had participated as researchers in the salon gatherings at Shuishu Park!

…

At Great Demon Lake, the ice chunks that were several meters thick and dappled on the surface of the lake year-round suddenly shattered violently.

Numerous black warplanes streaked across the sky, their ammunition belts swinging, their fire tongues tearing at the positions below.

A Black Star soldier wielding a strange gun shot twisted blue electricity toward the sky; it skillfully dodged by the warplanes, while he was engulfed in flames from an incendiary round.

The existence of the Winter Yak made the Black Star’s armored vehicles abandon combat equipment that relied on thermal systems, such as fire and explosives, but the zombies could use them freely without any hindrance.

A Yak Zombie named “Vera” unilaterally banned combustion reactions, with the largest covering a diameter of over two hundred kilometers. Together with Ramu Jue, including three Black Buddha aircraft, a total of seventeen warplanes forming the Four Heavenly Kings squadron’s powerful firepower, they once made it impossible for Black Star’s armored vehicles to raise their heads.

After Liang Zhengyong came to Great Demon Lake, he brought targeted airflow shock weapons and a large number of electric guns. He also airdropped a large amount of metallic catalysts above the metal fortresses held by the zombies. Using the superb qualities of Black Star’s soldiers and their tactical coordination, he took several of Ramu Jue’s key positions in one fell swoop, temporarily reversing the tide of battle.

However, the situation in the war inevitably slid towards a horrific trend, with Black Star suffering its most significant losses since the attack on Zone B.

Red-eyed with fury, Liang Zhengyong utilized his command privileges to attempt a long-range missile strike from over 500 kilometers away. Yet, as the tactical warhead entered the range of Winter Yak’s abilities, the propelling flames were quickly extinguished, and they fell from the sky with a whine.

Some proposed the use of virus weapons, but the effect was poor; the zombies were not affected by this tactic. Great Demon Lake was already enveloped in radiation, and Ramu Jue’s soldiers were well-prepared for protection.

The most viable strategy was to decapitate the Winter Yak on the battlefield; as soon as the Winter Yak died, Great Demon Lake would collapse in an instant.

But ironically, the Sixth Army could muster at most five fourth-tier combatants, while the enemy was preliminarily estimated to have as many as eight.

Meanwhile, more bad news came from all over Zone B, with large numbers of fanatics carrying explosives attacking the Black Star troops. Although they did not cause significant casualties due to the disparity in equipment, it made the situation in Zone B increasingly tense. Liang Zhengyong wasn’t afraid of the suicide attacks of Medicine Buddha’s followers, but he was concerned that the native forces he had forcefully subdued would become problematic if Great Demon Lake remained unconquered for too long.

Moreover… the deadline set by the committee for securing “Endless Yak” was drawing closer…

On the other hand, warplanes stumbled down the runway; the young pilot rubbed his blood-red eyes and staggered out of the warplane, jumping down. He hadn’t walked far when he was met by Dr. Yakov with white short hair.

“Sergei, we can’t hold out much longer,”

Yakov’s face looked extremely grim.

“Hold on for a little while longer.”

Sergei, or rather Ramu Jue, was expressionless.

“`

“If you can hold out, hold out; my people can’t take it anymore.”

Yakov screamed.

Ramu Jue was silent for a moment, then sighed and asked, “And what about the research? I heard that all the data and samples related to Autumn Yak have been lost. If there are no results, we are truly done for this time.”

His words sounded disheartened, yet his expression gave nothing away.

“The new equipment you brought has been a great success; even without the Autumn Yak, it’s enough to complete the framework. At the highest fifth level, it could become our greatest bargaining chip.”

“That’s good to hear…”

Ramu Jue angrily took off his flying cap, “Then let’s lay our cards on the table.”

…

“Commander, we have intercepted a telegram from the enemy.”

A communications officer hurried over.

“What does it say?”

“To Commander Liang of the Black Star Armored Division, the Sixth Army: the recent battle situation shows Commander Liang’s brave leadership and the soldiers’ fierce fearlessness intensifying the assault. Our side was barely hanging on; the general’s disregard for casualties must be due to pressure from the committee. I’m merely…”

“Let me see it myself.”

Liang Zhengyong scanned the telegram swiftly. It was written in Ramu Jue’s tone, requesting that Liang Zhengyong ceases fire for an hour to negotiate.

Despite the saying that what one can’t get on the battlefield, they can’t expect to get from the negotiating table, the current situation was such that Liang Zhengyong urgently needed Endless Yak, and Great Demon Lake had proved to the Black Star Armored Division how difficult it would be to annihilate them. Thus, there was room for negotiation between the two sides.

Liang Zhengyong didn’t consider for too long; he instructed the female secretary to notify Qiao Xing and Liang Wei at the front line to cease fire within half an hour.

As the last bullet ceased fire, the Black Star Armored Division had special personnel bag the bodies of their comrades and began to withdraw. Before long, from the direction of the Great Demon Lake forts, an old armored car slowly made its way toward the tents of the Black Star Armored Division.

In the end, the ones getting closer to Liang Zhengyong’s tent were a few men wearing woolen coats, a girl in a Western dress missing a little finger on her right hand, and a young man dressed as a pilot.

“How shall you introduce yourselves?”

Liang Zhengyong sat with his boots crossed in the center, while Liang Wei and Qiao Xing sat behind him, each with injuries. Qiao Xing’s injuries were much more severe, his upper body wrapped in bandages and his face deathly pale.

“They are Dr. Yakov’s assistants, once soldiers of the iron-blooded Soviet; the girl’s name is Nina; as for me, Commander, you can call me Sergei,”

Liang Zhengyong’s expression was an ambiguous smile, “Sergei?”

He leaned back leisurely and said, “In the immeasurably distant past, when this world was as muddied as now, a Buddha appeared, known as the Lightning Tathagata, who preached the three vehicles of Dharma and instructed all beings.”

The youth wiped his hands in slight discomfort, “Alright, you can also call me Ramu Jue.”

As he pronounced this name, the atmosphere in the tent visibly tensed, but even Qiao Xing and Liang Wei refrained from any rash actions, making Ramu Jue feel even heavier inside; the leadership of the Black Star Armored Division, even the two young men, were much more composed than he had anticipated.

“Are you here to surrender?”

Liang Wei’s words were laced with sarcasm.

“You could say that. The Sixth Army is much stronger than I imagined. I thought that at least when the Black Star Armored Division deployed the First or the Third Army, I would step in… but I didn’t expect…”

Ramu Jue shrugged.

His frankness left Liang Wei not sure how to respond.

“Hand over all Yak gene samples and research outcomes, and I’ll let you spend the rest of your life in a cell.”

Liang Zhengyong got straight to the point.

“Oh, Commander Liang is truly merciful,”

“When you slaughtered the personnel of the Fourteenth Army of the Black Star, you sealed your fate,”

Qiao Xing said coldly.

“Colonel Qiao, I recognize you. But you know very well there’s no price that must be paid with blood. On the contrary, repaying blood with blood is the last thing any astute politician wants to see,” Ramu Jue replied.

Qiao Xing interrupted Ramu Jue, his expression grim: “After repaying with blood, we will still get what we want.”

Liang Zhengyong waved his hand, motioning towards Ramu Jue to continue with a tilt of his chin, “Go on.”

Ramu Jue smiled and produced a box, in it were three dark golden syringes.

“These are the results of over twenty years of research by Great Demon Lake and Medicine Buddha. By the way, before I came here, I’ve already destroyed all the computer data and paper documents, along with hundreds of remaining samples, all thoroughly smashed. Now, the only thing you can get from Great Demon Lake are these three fragile potions, as well as the bodies of Yak fighters. However, if the negotiations fail, we will use a gene-contaminating potion before we die, and then you’ll get nothing.”

Liang Zhengyong’s expression softened, “Tell me, what is it that you want?”

He knew very well how important Yak gene research results were to the committee; his bottom line was to execute Medicine Buddha’s leader Ramu Jue in name, while secretly allowing Ramu Jue and his men to join the Black Star Armored Division with concealed identities, as long as he proved valuable, all of it was negotiable.

“My request is simple; I want Commander Liang to watch a documentary that I privately produced.”

Liang Wei snorted with laughter.

Liang Zhengyong didn’t smile but furrowed his brows, “What’s the documentary about?”

Ramu Jue pulled out previously prepared projection equipment.

“About politics, order, power and desire, about…”

Ramu Jue’s expression hardened, “The root cause of humanity’s near-extinction since the onset of the Age of Winter.”

He pressed the play button.

A familiar logo appeared on the screen:

A spire, a clock.

The Big Ben Research Institute.