Online Game: I Started with Max Charisma and Caught the Goddess's Eye

Although Rephovers wasn't particularly skilled, her appearance and figure were impressive, which made her quite favored by Professor Marx. If her earlier words had reached his ears, even if she didn't die, she'd at least be skinned alive.

Having learned from this lesson, both John and Doe immediately reined in their behavior, becoming obedient and docile, following orders without question, as they made their way toward the laboratory.

As they walked, Luca kept a close eye on the underground secret base, observing that it seemed to be focused on biological experiments.

He frequently saw lab personnel hurriedly passing by, carrying containers that held strange creatures.

Some of the things he could recognize as parts of monsters, while others were completely unidentifiable.

For example, a creature the size of a thumb, resembling a green bamboo stalk but covered with red tendrils. Another example was a human head, completely covered in eyes—just looking at it sent shivers down the spine.

What in the world were they doing here?

A biochemical research facility? Luca couldn't help but feel puzzled, though he had a vague sense that the artificial monsters and the experiments being conducted here were likely connected, and might even have ties to the humanoid creations of the Via Empire.

While he was mulling this over in his mind, John and Doe arrived at Professor Marx's laboratory.

It was a room of around four or five hundred square meters, bathed in a kaleidoscope of flashing colored lights. Various ancient relics were scattered about haphazardly. Seven or eight researchers, all wearing white lab coats like John and Doe, were busy working, with the leader being a peculiar figure with a full head of white hair, yet his face looked youthful, almost like a young man.

At that moment, his eyes were alight with intensity, completely absorbed in observing a massive container in front of him. He didn't notice John and Doe's arrival. Luca instinctively followed the professor's gaze and his pupils contracted sharply.

Because in the container's azure liquid, there was the unmistakable figure of a naked female corpse!

Her hair spread out like seaweed, her face was stunningly beautiful, resembling a masterpiece carved by God's own hand, but her eyes were tightly shut. Her pale body was covered in countless intravenous tubes.

The instruments nearby displayed her various bodily data. To Luca's surprise, the woman didn't seem to be completely dead. He noticed faint brainwave activity from her, suggesting she might still be alive.

After entering the laboratory, John and Doe quickly walked up to the peculiar figure and respectfully said, "Mr. Marx, we heard you were looking for us."

"Inject the Pu-37 gene serum into Experiment Subject 096," Marx commanded coldly without turning around, his eyes still fixed on the woman in the container.

Upon hearing the command, John and Doe didn't hesitate and immediately began to get to work.

Luca's attention, however, remained fixed on Professor Marx. From the moment he entered, Luca had sensed something peculiar about the professor's aura. Upon reflecting on it, he realized that the energy around Marx seemed somewhat similar to that of Tracer.

Could this guy also be an artificial monster?

The thought left Luca somewhat stunned. It wasn't entirely impossible. Many scientists conducted experiments on themselves or those close to them, though most of them were madmen, like Leipoder.

Soon, John and Doe returned with the Pu-37 gene serum that Marx had mentioned.

The two vials, no larger than a thumb, contained green liquid and were stored in a silver, locked briefcase. Luca could faintly sense a strong life force emanating from them, much more potent than typical high-level magical potions.

This was likely a magical-tech refined magical gene serum, something Luca was familiar with.

Though he had never used one himself, in his previous life on the Battlefield of the Heavens, he had often seen the children of noble families using these, and their price and potency were several times greater than regular magical potions.

John and Doe took the two vials from the case and carefully connected them to the serum injection ports beneath the massive container.

The contents of the vials were quickly extracted and began flowing through the infusion tubes into the body of Experiment Subject 092.

Suddenly, the calm, deep-blue liquid in the container began to ripple, and the previously pale and perfect body of Subject 092 visibly flushed with a red hue.

The blue liquid in the container began to boil as if heated to high temperatures, and the nearby instruments started showing erratic fluctuations in their readings.

"Professor Marx, the Pu-37 gene serum is incompatible with Experiment Subject 092, the subject is having an adverse reaction," one of the researchers said, sweat pouring down his face. John and Doe also looked tense. It was clear this experiment was extremely important to them.

Professor Marx furrowed his brows slightly and issued another command. "Inject anesthetics and sedatives first. Bring over the Pu-12 gene serum and the Pa-03 gene serum, and also..."

He issued a string of orders, and the lab became even busier. At this point, Luca was certain that the Zenith staff were conducting research on artificial monsters. However, he still couldn't understand why they were researching these creatures. With Zenith Technology Company's capabilities, they shouldn't have any need for such things.

It was a question that seemed destined to remain unanswered.

As various serums were injected into Subject 092, Luca noticed that what had previously seemed like a lifeless corpse in the container now showed subtle signs of movement. First, her fingers twitched slightly, then suddenly, her eyes snapped open. Her silver-white eyes, as clear as crystal, were filled with pain.

She began to violently struggle within the container, like a fish drowning in water. The infusion tubes broke free from her as she thrashed, and her blood, a deep crimson, stained the liquid in the container.

Many people were startled. The flashing lights of the various instruments in the laboratory grew faster, and the sound of reports from the researchers filled the air. Professor Marx's brow furrowed deeper and deeper.

Unfortunately, no matter how much they tried to salvage the situation, it was all in vain. Under everyone's watch, Experiment Subject 092's struggles grew weaker and weaker until her arms dropped lifelessly and there was no more movement. The eyes that Luca had seen in two lifetimes, the most beautiful eyes, lost all their brilliance, becoming hollow and dull. Amid the flashing red lights and alarms, the life data of Subject 092 also disappeared.

"Subject 092, experiment failure," one of the researchers said in a dry voice. The other researchers in the lab fell silent as well.

Professor Marx exhaled deeply, calming his emotions, and said, "Collect the experiment data and send it to me. Let's see where the problem lies. I want it today."

With that, he strode out of the laboratory, never once glancing at the corpse in the container.

The other researchers in the lab only seemed to pause for a moment before quickly resuming their work. It was clear that they had long since become numb to this kind of outcome.

Soon, someone brought over a white cloth bag, and there was no need to guess what was inside.

Watching the woman's body being retrieved from the container, her eyes still open in death, Luca remained silent for a long time in the shadows, feeling as though a heavy stone was pressing down on his heart.

There are many people in this world who cannot be called human, because their actions are even worse than those of the beasts in the Abyssal Demon Realm.

If there were laws and rules in place to restrain them, perhaps they would show some restraint. But now, in this collapsed world where order has shattered, these hateful, despicable faces have been fully exposed.

Human experimentation, genetic serums, biochemical modification, artificial monsters… who could imagine that just a short distance from the Imperial Capital, on a nearby mountain, such inhumane experiments were being conducted daily?

Luca took a deep breath, making a silent vow in his heart. No matter what, he would make these monsters pay for their actions—he would make them pay!

After one last, lingering look at the tragic woman wrapped in the body bag, he followed John and Doe out of the laboratory.

The information and intelligence Luca had gathered during his time at Dragon Gate Mountain had far exceeded his expectations. He could leave right now, as the hypnotic effect on John and Doe would soon wear off, and staying longer could put him at risk.

However, he still wanted to stay a bit longer, hoping for any unexpected gains. After all, the more he understood his enemies, the better his chances of gaining the upper hand.

Following John and Doe's steps, Luca discovered that this underground laboratory was far larger than he had imagined. In addition to the laboratory and the living quarters for the personnel, there were even entertainment and recreational facilities. Moreover, the structure spiraled downward, meaning the deeper they went, the larger the space became. This made him suspect that Zenith's people might have hollowed out the entire interior of Dragon Gate Mountain.

Luca also learned from John and Doe's conversation that, at the very bottom of the underground laboratory, there was a massive underground prison. Apart from holding experimental subjects that were presumably captured from unknown places, it also housed some of the top-tier talents who refused to submit to and swear loyalty to Zenith. Leipoder was one of them.

John and Doe had been ordered by Professor Marx to head to the prison, mainly to see if they could extract any useful information from Leipoder.

Fortunately, this underground laboratory was equipped with an elevator. Without it, who knew how long it would take to walk to the deepest part of the prison?

Hiss—!

The valve opened, and John and Doe, both in white lab coats, stepped out of the elevator. They walked through a hallway, passing guards and various security checks before reaching a brightly lit corridor.

On either side of the corridor were small prison cells, each with only a small window. Inside, people of various ethnicities and skin colors were locked up. As soon as they saw someone approaching, they cast their eyes toward the newcomers, their gazes filled with resentment, pleading, despair, and fear in varying degrees.

John and Doe paid no attention to the prisoners' gazes and walked straight toward the deepest part of the underground prison.

Those locked in the deepest cells were not ordinary people. In addition to some highly knowledgeable top scientists, there were also many infamous criminals and notorious figures from around the world. For instance, some were elite assassins who had killed multiple national leaders, while others were top hackers who had stolen the highest national secrets from Eastern nations.

Once they entered this area, John and Doe noticeably quickened their pace. Luca could feel their heartbeats accelerating, and he could imagine the psychological pressure this place was exerting on them.