Apocalypse: the Most Ruthless Person

Zhang Su and his group walked out of the house, turned a corner after passing through the corridor, and the large laboratory almost occupied half of the fifth floor. This showed Liao Youzhi’s commitment to it. Of course, in terms of sheer size, Cui Leng Pavilion wasn’t lacking either, though it was a bit deficient in hardware.

”When the time comes, we’ll transport the equipment here back, and Dr. Fu’s research will definitely thrive with it.”

Zhang Su walked happily to the door of the laboratory, tugged at the handle, but couldn’t open it. He discovered another password lock and frowned, ”Why the hell is there a password lock everywhere? Was there a special counter for password locks in Lego Mall before?”

”That’s right...”

To his surprise, Pan Ru confirmed his guess with a strange expression, pointing downstairs, ”There’s a Mi Union experience store over there. These door locks and some household appliances were all found in that showroom...”

”Unbelievable...”

Zhang Su felt speechless. The city was full of such useless junk.

He initially intended to try to crack it but remembered he could ask those researchers they’d captured. But as he took out the walkie-talkie, he realized that Guo Dachao should be almost at Celestial Horse Island by now and couldn’t be contacted at all.

Frustrated, he patted the password lock, turned around, and asked, ”I heard Gong Chengming also lives on this floor?”

”That’s right, he’s in that small room we passed earlier. Gong Chengming’s room is small, and he usually isn’t in his room except for sleeping at night.”

Ouyang Qiao clearly understood Gong Chengming’s situation and explained calmly.

Pan Ru pursed her lips in self-deprecation, knowing she couldn’t compare to Ouyang Qiao, whose spy identity was intrinsic.

”Let’s go, have a look! Don’t tell me there’s another password lock!”

”I remember there isn’t.”

Ouyang Qiao recalled.

The group arrived at the door of the small room. It was indeed just an ordinary door lock. Not only was the lock ordinary, but the door itself looked old, like an old wooden door removed from somewhere.

”Gong Chengming lives quite frugally!”

Zhang Su looked at the wooden door. Compared to Liao Youzhi’s grand double doors, this place could be called a humble abode.

He placed his hand on the doorknob, turned it and it opened easily, even without a latch, it could be opened from outside with ease!

”This... hey.”

Zhang Su opened the lock but didn’t push the door, sensing something strange. As he slowly opened it, a pencil lead fell from a string inside, landing silently on the welcome mat inside, something only detectable if enveloped by a special sensitivity.

As expected, only Ju Mumio noticed this little mechanism; the others were unaware.

”I didn’t think Gong Chengming was so careless, leaving without locking his door...”

Ouyang Qiao remarked with surprise, looking at the neat room.

”Careless?”

Zhang Su smiled knowingly and looked at Ouyang Qiao, then bent down and carefully picked up the slender pencil lead from the welcome mat, holding it between his fingers.

”He wasn’t careless; on the contrary, he’s very cunning!”

”What do you mean?”

”Pencil lead?”

”Lead means cunning?”

Everyone present was perplexed.

”It’s an anti-surveillance tactic. The pencil lead was placed on the string after safely closing the door. If someone entered, the lead would fall. So when Gong Chengming returns and sees the pencil lead hasn’t fallen, it means someone entered his room!”

”I bet Gong Chengming opens the door slowly every day, looking relaxed and carefree, right?”

Zhang Su looked at Ouyang Qiao and Pan Ru.

Pan Ru pondered while looking at the door and slowly nodded, ”It does seem like that!”

”Wow, no way?”

”Oh my... this is like ’Mission Impossible’!”

”Is it necessary to be so cautious at headquarters?”

”More than just pencil lead!”

Ju Mumio stepped forward, pointing to the welcome mat, ”This mat is deliberately not placed flush with the door frame. It looks skewed, but I’m sure the distance between its corners and the frame is specific. Only Gong Chengming knows it. Also...”

Ju Mumio beckoned Zhang Su to step away from the door, then pointed at the doorknob, ”Look, the doorknob is very loose, moving up and down more than ten degrees. I suspect, before we opened the door, it was left at an angle only Chengming knew.”

”Wow, what a schemer!”

Around him, Zheng Xinyu, Zhao Dezhu, and Lu Yubo were all stunned.

”Damn, is this even his home? Why go through such trouble?”

Zhao Dezhu couldn’t help but ask.

”It’s probably because Gong Chengming is guilt-ridden. He’s long wanted to rebel against Liao Youzhi and feared leaving traces. But if he set up so many tricks and left the door wide open, it means there’s nothing important inside. These measures are just to see if anyone investigates him.”

Zhang Su stepped into the room, entering straight into the bedroom, similar to a cheap studio rental. A double bed lay in the corner, neatly covered with a quilt.

”Better safe than sorry. If Gong Chengming hadn’t participated in yesterday’s operation, I wouldn’t have targeted him. Unfortunately, he got greedy!”

As he spoke, he walked to the bed and opened the wardrobe. It was full of clothes, and in the corner lay two beautiful daggers and a micro submachine identical to the one in Zhang Xin’s hand hung on the side.

”Uncle!”

While they were all exploring Gong Chengming’s little room, Pang Dakun’s excited voice called out.

”Chengming certainly wouldn’t leave any useful information here. Feel free to look around if you’re interested. I’m more interested in Liao Youzhi’s office.”

With that, Zhang Su turned and left the room.

”No secrets, no problem. We need to take these weapons!”

Zhao Dezhu approached the wardrobe gleefully to grab the daggers and micro submachine inside.

Unexpectedly, Ju Mumio moved faster, swiftly snatching the daggers in her hands like a ghost.

”Hey, that’s unfair. I saw them first...”

Zhao Dezhu protested, annoyed to see her smiling at the daggers, ”Give me one. Why do you need two?”

”Sorry, can’t give it to you. I’ll keep one and give the other to Xiaoling.”

Ju Mumio fondly caressed the special quenched light blue dagger blades. The two daggers, one long and one short, were similar in style, perfect as a couples’ set.

”Hmm...”

Zhao Dezhu felt deflated. He had the same idea, planning to give one to Yu Qing, but since he couldn’t beat Ju Mumio in front of him, reasoning didn’t work either, as she’d already grabbed them...

So he grudgingly took the micro submachine and left.

”Uncle, did you time it?”

Seeing Zhang Su, Pang Dakun’s first question puzzled him.

”Time it for what? Move on, no one’s being particular about ten minutes or a quarter-hour. By the way...”

Zhang Su just started moving and pointed to the end of the corridor, ”Go to the end and turn right, you’ll see a big room, the laboratory, and the door has a password lock. Go study it.”

”Is it? Haha, great, I’ll tackle it. With experience, I’ll be done in three to five minutes!”

Hearing another password lock needed unlocking, Pang Dakun excitedly ran over.

Zhang Su led everyone back to Liao Youzhi’s place and headed straight for the secret room. The others wanted to follow but the room was too cramped, with only seven or eight square meters of space occupied by a desk, chair, and bookshelf, leaving little room to move, so they didn’t squeeze in.

The first thing that caught Zhang Su’s attention was a row of labeled walkie-talkies on the bookshelf, which he inspected one by one, with labels of various Survivor Forces’ names. There were eleven in total, including Civilization Guardian, Little Eagle Association, and Apocalypse Corps—groups Xiao Xuejian mentioned, like the Water Bear, and even Development Zone’s Absolute Justice were there too.

Forces able to exchange walkie-talkies typically had at least several dozen members, forming significant groups. Liao Youzhi, running such a trade hub, while facing risks, also got to know these Survivor Forces nearby, likely taking on a role in gathering information as well.

At the desk, Zhang Su saw the notebook Pan Ru mentioned, its brand-new leather surface feeling cool to the touch. When he opened it, it was completely blank...

”Damn it!”

Zhang Su felt greatly disappointed. He sat down, pulled open a drawer, which was locked but not very sturdy; with a forceful pull, it came open. Inside was a jumble of newspapers and magazines, and under them lay a notebook similar to the one on the desk.

When he opened it, it was filled with scribbles recording various things...

”What’s the point, this is nowhere near Chengming’s level!”

Zhang Su couldn’t help but think critically. Liao Youzhi was clearly laying false trails, but his tactics were rather low-level.