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Li Haotian pulled Lin Mo into the teaching building. The doors slowly opened, revealing a pitch-black interior. A strong, pungent smell of rotting lilies wafted out. Lin Mo tugged at Li Haotian's sleeve. "Dazhu, it stinks here, and there are so many little bugs crawling around."

Li Haotian gripped the bronze dagger tightly. Golden flames danced in his palm. He stepped into the darkness. "Little bug, it's these scumbags."

Inside the teaching building, it was pitch black. Only a faint light seeped through the cracks in the windows, barely outlining the corridor. The two walked on the floor, making soft footsteps. Silence reigned. This silence was unsettling.

"Su Wan, where is the underground laboratory in the teaching building?" Li Haotian asked in a low voice.

Su Wan's urgent voice came through the earpiece. "Target locked, third basement level of Sector B. A large energy reaction is being activated there."

"The cafeteria is underground," Lin Mo suddenly said. She pointed to a stairwell at the end of the corridor. It was pitch black there.

Li Haotian looked in that direction. His gaze pierced through the darkness. He saw a faint light shining from below the stairwell. "Let's go."

The two descended the stairs. A strange aroma, mixed with the stench of decay, wafted up from below. The aroma smelled like meat, but it also carried an indescribable, foul stench.

"This tastes off," Li Haotian said.

Lin Mo wrinkled his nose. "It doesn't smell like braised pork; it smells a bit rotten."

At the end of the stairs was a huge underground space. The lighting was dim. It truly resembled a cafeteria, with dozens of tables set up. Food scraps were carelessly scattered on the tables. A faint scent of lilies filled the air, several times stronger than outside.

Several figures in white chef's uniforms were busy in the corner. Their movements were stiff. Some "diners" sat at the table, motionless, like statues.

"When did this No. 3 cafeteria move underground?" Li Haotian asked. He pulled Lin Mo along and found a reasonably clean table to sit down.

A man in a chef's uniform approached. He carried a huge stainless steel basin filled with sticky, dark purple chunks of meat. "What would you like to eat?" the chef asked in a hoarse voice.

Lin Mo glanced at the meat in the bowl. She picked up her chopsticks and took a piece. There were some strange white, wriggling bits of meat on the surface. "It doesn't taste like that," Lin Mo immediately spat out. She pushed the bowl away in disgust. Then she pointed to a cook in the corner serving food. "He ate bad meat."

Li Haotian looked at the chef Lin Mo had pointed to. The chef had his back to them. He was holding a huge serving spoon, scooping chunks of meat from one bowl into another. He moved slowly.

"The taste is a bit off," Li Haotian said. He stood up and walked to the food cart next to him. The cart was filled with various kitchen utensils. He casually picked up a large spoon for picking up food. The spoon was heavy.

Li Haotian walked behind the cook serving food. He slightly raised his arm and gently tapped the cook's nape with a large ladle.

A muffled thud. The chef froze. The spoon in his hand fell to the ground with a jarring metallic clang. The chef slowly collapsed, revealing a purple tattoo on his neck. The tattoo was a strange symbol; its lines resembled veins, pulsating slightly beneath the skin.

The surrounding "diners" and "chefs" began to move. Eerie smiles appeared on their faces. Beneath their skin, faint purple veins pulsated, appearing exceptionally clear under the light. Their movements were slow, but each step drew them closer to Li Haotian and Lin Mo.

"This looks delicious," Lin Mo said, pointing to the chef lying on the ground.

Li Haotian ignored Lin Mo. His eyes swept around. He noticed the underground cafeteria door was locked from the outside. Outside the glass wall, several pioneering men wearing monocles appeared. They held controllers, directing several drones hovering in the air. The red lights on the drones flashed.

"Looks like we've lured them into a trap," Li Haotian said, pulling Lin Mo's hand. "It seems this pork trotter rice isn't going to be a peaceful meal."

"You call this pork trotter rice?" Lin Mo scoffed.

Li Haotian glanced at the large ladle in his hand. He twisted his wrist, and the ladle spun nimbly in his hand. He then slammed the ladle onto the ground.

A deafening boom echoed. Golden-red flames enveloped the large ladle. The ladle slammed into the ground, creating a large crater. The entire underground dining hall shook violently. The tableware on the tables jumped up and down.

"Su Wan, what's going on?" Li Haotian asked.

Su Wan's voice in the earpiece carried a hint of tension. "The energy fluctuations are rapidly increasing; they're activating the core device here."

The "diners" and "chefs" who had gathered around quickened their pace. They no longer concealed their true intentions. Their faces contorted in rage, and they emitted low, hissing growls. Their bodies began to swell, and the purple veins beneath their skin became even more prominent.

Li Haotian overturned the dining table beside him. The table spun in the air. He kicked the table at a charging "diner." The "diner" was hit by the table, his body making a screeching sound. He was dragged by the table and slammed against the wall behind him.

"You guys are such a killjoy," Li Haotian said. The large ladle in his hand reignited with golden-red flames. He swung the ladle, smashing it towards the few "chefs" rushing towards him.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!" The giant ladle, glowing with golden-red flames, sent one "chef" flying with each swing. The bodies of these "chefs," subjected to the flames and immense force, emitted a burnt smell. Purple liquid spurted from their bodies, landing on the ground with a sizzling, corrosive sound.

Lin Mo squatted on the ground. She looked at the purple liquid with a disgusted expression. "So dirty."

"Dazhu, there are too many of them," Su Wan's voice came through. "They're activating the entire underground space."

Li Haotian looked around. More "diners" and "chefs" poured out of the darkness. Their eyes were vacant. They moved nimbly. They held various cutlery in their hands. Forks, knives, and even broken plates became their weapons.

"What's the use of having more people?" Li Haotian said. He wielded the large ladle in his hand even faster. Golden-red flames flashed throughout the cafeteria. Each attack precisely struck the enemy's vitals. Those struck were immediately engulfed in flames, letting out piercing screams of agony.

Outside the glass wall, a pioneering man wearing a monocle had an excited expression on his face. "Li Haotian, I didn't expect you to actually deliver yourself to my doorstep." Another man picked up a walkie-talkie. "Activate Plan A. Capture the Mother alive, eliminate Li Haotian."

The cafeteria lights suddenly dimmed further. Dozens of searchlights on the ceiling simultaneously illuminated the room, their blinding white beams shining on Li Haotian and Lin Mo.

Lin Mo was startled by the light. She covered her head. "It's so bright!"

Li Haotian narrowed his eyes slightly. He turned slightly to the side, blocking Lin Mo's path. He could feel a powerful energy gathering in the surrounding air.

"Looks like they're serious," Li Haotian said. He looked up at the ceiling, where countless mechanisms were hidden.

"Dazhu, the passage is blocked," Su Wan's voice came through. "They've cut off all the exits."

"Is that so?" Li Haotian's lips curled into a smile. He slammed the large ladle in his hand into the ground. Golden-red flames instantly spread along the ladle, burning through the ground and revealing a dark void beneath.

"Let's go!" Li Haotian grabbed Lin Mo and leaped into the hole he had burned open.

"Boom—" The moment they jumped, the entire cafeteria floor collapsed. Countless tables, chairs, and the "diners" and "chefs" were swallowed up. The enormous sound was deafening.

The pioneering man wearing a monocle stormed into the canteen. He stared at the collapsed ground, his face contorted with anger. "He got away?"

"The target's energy level is dropping rapidly," one of his men reported. "He's gone into an underground tunnel."

"Chase him!" the man with the monocle roared. "We can't let him get away with the Matrix Core!"

Underground. Li Haotian carried Lin Mo, rushing rapidly through the dark passage. The passage was filled with the smell of rotting lilies and a nauseatingly sticky odor.

"There are even more little bugs here," Lin Mo said. She pointed to the walls on both sides of the passage. The walls were covered with densely packed purple growths. Countless tiny tentacles grew from these growths, writhing in the air.

Li Haotian waved his hand. A golden-red flame flew from his palm. The flame burned across the wall. The tumors and tentacles immediately let out shrill screams and were burned to charcoal.

"Su Wan, where does this lead?" Li Haotian asked.

"Based on the energy reaction analysis, you are approaching the second level of the core laboratory," Su Wan said. "That's the cultivation area. A large number of mirror organisms are hatching there."

Li Haotian quickened his pace. He sensed it. At the end of this underground passage, a powerful aura was awakening—an aura several times stronger than that of the "diners" and "chefs" from before.

"Big Pillar, that smell is getting stronger," Lin Mo said. She pointed to the end of the passage. There was a huge iron gate there. The gate was covered in rust and strange runes. The runes emitted a faint purple light.

"Looks like this is the real meal," Li Haotian said. He drew his bronze dagger. Golden sparks danced on the blade. He kicked the iron door hard.

"Boom!" The iron gate made a loud noise. The entire underground passage shook. He kicked a huge dent into the iron gate, but it didn't open completely.

"This door is sturdy enough," Li Haotian said. He raised his foot again, preparing for a second attack.

"Wait!" Su Wan suddenly shouted. "There's high voltage behind the iron gate!"

Li Haotian kicked out, his toes wreathed in golden-red flames. He struck the dent in the iron door directly. The flames instantly spread, burning away the runes on the door and melting the internal wiring. The door emitted a crackling sound of electricity before falling silent.

"Now, the power's out," Li Haotian said. He kicked again. The iron gate made a screeching sound as he forcefully kicked it open.

Behind the door was a vast, circular space. Countless glass petri dishes stood there, each containing various bizarre creatures. These creatures were not yet fully formed; their bodies were twisted, and they had tentacles and eyes.

In the center of the space, a gigantic cocoon of flesh floated. Purple veins were clearly visible on the cocoon. Within the veins flowed a liquid that emitted a faint glow.

"Su Wan, what is this?" Li Haotian asked.

"The incubation chamber of the core matrix." Su Wan's voice was filled with shock. "They actually hid this thing here."

Beneath the fleshy cocoon, a man in a white lab coat stood. He wore a monocle and held a controller in his hand. He looked at Li Haotian and Lin Mo with a sinister smile.

"Welcome to our paradise," said the man with the monocle. He abruptly pressed the controller in his hand.

A loud "crack!" echoed as the glass of the petri dish shattered. Countless bizarre creatures poured out, emitting piercing roars as they lunged at Li Haotian and Lin Mo.

"This braised pork trotter rice comes with so many side dishes," Li Haotian said. The bronze dagger in his hand burst into flames. He pulled Lin Mo along, preparing for battle.