American comics: I am full of martial virtues and I love to be kind to others.

“It looks like the equipment here is more advanced than we thought,” Mark said in a low voice. “Charlie really knows how to hide a place like this here.”

“Yes.” Lynn nodded, his gaze grave. “Our next task is to locate Charlie’s core laboratory. We must obtain more crucial information as soon as possible.”

The two continued forward, passing through several security gates until they arrived at a secluded area. Lynn stopped and carefully observed his surroundings.

Lynn and Mark stood silently before the entrance to the enclosed area, an undeniable tension hanging in the air. The walls here were even more solid than outside, and the corridors were lined with rooms filled with various electronic surveillance devices; every corner was heavily guarded. Lynn stared at the heavy steel door ahead, took a deep breath, and felt his heart race involuntarily, but his face remained impassive.

“This door is probably the next hurdle we have to overcome,” Lynn said in a low voice, his eyes fixed on the complex locking system above the steel door. “It looks like we’ve reached the most critical part.”

Mark nodded and replied in a low voice, "The security system of this door is probably more complex than the one outside. We must be careful."

Lynn took out his portable device and began scanning the security lock on the door. His eyes were focused, his fingers swiping rapidly across the screen, searching for all the encryption programs on the lock. He had faced similar situations many times in the past few years, but this security system still made him feel some pressure. The locking system on the door was very advanced, employing multiple layers of encryption, even including biometric technology. Lynn could clearly sense that behind this door lay a more complex and dangerous secret.

“It seems that the security system here is not just a physical barrier, but also involves high-tech biometrics,” Lynn said in a deep voice. “Without the corresponding password or fingerprint, we would have almost no chance of getting through.”

Mark frowned, clearly frustrated: "How do we crack this?"

“We need to find a way to temporarily bypass these security systems.” A decisive glint flashed in Lynn’s eyes as he quickly pulled a tool specifically designed for hacking biometrics from his backpack. This device could simulate or deceive biometric systems in a short time, making it a key tool for their infiltration.

"Can this thing really crack the code?" Mark looked at the tool in Lynn's hand, seemingly uncertain.

Lynn smiled slightly and said in a low voice, "I don't have time to explain. Follow me."

He quickly connected the device and plugged it into the slot next to the door lock. The device started working, displaying a complex encryption program on the screen. Lynn's eyes were glued to the screen, his fingers constantly moving across the device. About five minutes later, the device emitted a low "beep," the red indicator light on the door lock went out, and then the door gently opened a crack automatically.

“It worked!” Mark said softly, a hint of surprise on his face. “That’s incredibly efficient.”

Without pausing, Lynn quickly pushed open the door and silently led Mark inside. The environment was completely different from the outside; the interior layout was more modern and clean. The walls were covered with various LCD screens and monitoring equipment, while in the center was a large laboratory table covered with a layer of transparent glass, seemingly conducting some kind of biological experiment. Various chemicals and glass test tubes were scattered around, and the entire laboratory was filled with a strong chemical odor.

“This is Charlie’s core laboratory.” Lynn’s gaze locked onto the central experimental table. “We’ve finally found it.”

Mark looked around and realized that the lab's layout wasn't just for basic research; it resembled a high-security biological laboratory. "This doesn't look like an ordinary research institute. It looks more like a secret base for some arms company or illegal organization."

“That’s right.” Lynn nodded. “Charlie must be using the equipment here to conduct drug research. We need to find the relevant experimental data as soon as possible.”

They walked towards the computer workstations in the lab, where the screens displayed chemical formulas for a drug. Lynn rapidly typed on the keyboard, and experimental data began to appear on the screen, showing a drug development project called "X-12." Lynn's gaze locked onto the data, his expression growing increasingly serious.

“X-12?” Mark asked in a low voice. “What is that?”

Lynn quickly skimmed through the documents, grasping their contents. "X-12 is a drug Charlie is developing. It's a genetically modified project aimed at enhancing human abilities and endurance." He paused, then continued, "Moreover, the side effects of this drug are extremely severe. According to this experimental data, once a test subject receives an injection, their body undergoes drastic changes, even leading to uncontrollable violent behavior."

A look of shock flashed in Mark's eyes. "Does this mean Charlie is developing a drug that can make people stronger, or even mutate?"

“That’s right.” Lynn’s voice was low and cold. “Moreover, this is only the initial stage of the X-12 drug. Some test subjects have already shown extremely strong abilities, but they have also suffered from serious mental problems. Charlie’s goal is to commercialize this drug or use it for larger experiments.”

“What about those test subjects?” Mark asked. “Where are they now?”

Lynn browsed through the documents and noticed some test subject numbers mentioned. One name caught his attention—test subject numbered "E-17". According to the documents, E-17 was a test subject with special abilities, but during the experiment, the drug in his body mutated, causing his body to completely spiral out of control, turning him into an uncontrollable superhuman.

“E-17…” Lynn repeated the name softly, a sudden unease rising in his heart. “This test subject clearly didn’t go as planned. Charlie probably realized long ago that the drug’s instability was far greater than expected.”

Mark frowned, clearly deeply uneasy about the information. "If these test subjects get out of control, can Charlie control them?"

Lynn stood in front of the computer, his expression grave. "Charlie doesn't intend to control them. On the contrary, he'll likely use these unstable test subjects as weapons, or for larger-scale experiments."

Mark's expression grew increasingly serious. "We cannot allow this drug to leave the lab. It's not just a weapon that could harm ordinary people; it could also cause a disaster."

Lynn took a deep breath and nodded. "Next, we need to find E-17 and terminate the experiment."

They left the computer workstations and headed deeper into the laboratory. The quiet corridor made their footsteps exceptionally clear. Suddenly, heavy footsteps ahead broke the silence. Lynn and Mark stopped immediately, staring intently ahead. The footsteps grew closer; they were clearly patrolling security personnel. Lynn and Mark quickly hid behind the door of a temporary storage room, holding their breath. A few seconds later, three security personnel passed by them, completely unaware of their presence. Lynn and Mark exchanged a glance and continued moving forward in perfect unison.

After several careful maneuvers, they finally reached the deeper parts of the laboratory. This was clearly the area for storing test subjects, filled with various high-end equipment and cold storage warehouses. Lynn and Mark passed through a series of doors and finally arrived at a room heavily protected by encrypted locks. Inside the room, in a huge cold storage pod, E-17 was asleep. The test subject on the bed was enormous, with clearly defined muscles, but the expression on his face was unusually distorted, as if he was still enduring the severe effects of the drug.

“This is E-17,” Lynn said in a low voice. “It doesn’t look completely out of control, but things could change at any moment.”

Mark stared at the test subject inside the refrigerated chamber, a hint of unease in his eyes. "We need to act quickly to avoid any accidents."

Lynn slowly approached the refrigerated compartment and began operating the control panel. With a soft "click," the compartment door slowly opened. E-17 remained motionless. Lynn breathed a sigh of relief, but he knew this was only temporary calm. According to the data, the medication in E-17's body was almost at its critical point; if it got out of control, the consequences would be unimaginable.

“We need to take him away first,” Lynn said resolutely. “We’ll get him to a safe place and then decide what to do next.”

Mark nodded and quickly took out his equipment to take measurements. "He should no longer be aggressive, but we can't let our guard down."

Just as they were about to turn and leave, a sudden, violent noise shattered the tranquility of the laboratory. Lynn whirled around and saw that E-17 in the refrigerated compartment had suddenly opened its eyes, which flashed with an extremely intense red light and instantly became exceptionally violent.

"Oh no!" Lynn reacted quickly. "He's out of control!"

Mark immediately drew his weapon. "We have to get out of here!"

E-17 leaped from the bed with tremendous force, nearly destroying the surrounding facilities. They had no time to linger and raced towards the laboratory exit.

Lynn and Mark rushed out of the lab, their hearts pounding. They could feel the ferocious aura emanating from the out-of-control E-17; the power to tear everything apart seemed to be right behind them. Lynn quickly analyzed the surroundings, searching for possible escape routes, but the deafening roar coming from the refrigerated compartment nearly disrupted his thoughts.

“We have to get out of here right now!” Mark shouted from behind, his voice filled with anxiety. “He’s completely out of control!”

"Don't turn around!" Lynn responded calmly, gripping his weapon tightly and scanning the corridor ahead with his eyes. He could hear E-17's furious roar behind him, its footsteps growing louder and louder, shaking the entire corridor floor and almost shattering the entire laboratory. Clearly, E-17 possessed superhuman speed and strength in its enraged state, which instilled in Lynn an unprecedented sense of crisis.

They passed through a makeshift storage area, the door slamming shut, seemingly keeping the E-17 out for the time being. However, Lynn knew this was merely a temporary delay; the E-17's power was more than enough to overcome any obstacle.

"Turn left ahead and get into that lab as quickly as possible." Lynn pointed to a door ahead, which led to a relatively secluded room. They barely had time to stop, rushing towards their target, pushing open the door, and quickly entering.

They breathed a sigh of relief the moment the door closed, but the tense atmosphere lingered. The room was clearly a temporary research area, piled high with various experimental materials and equipment, but no one had had time to clean them up. Lynn quickly glanced around, choosing a secluded corner where he could easily be seen, and stood quietly against the wall.

“Isn’t there an exit here?” Mark’s breathing was still rapid, and his voice revealed his tension. “If the E-17 catches up soon, we will have no chance of escaping.”

Lynn didn't answer immediately, but instead focused on examining some information around them. "Don't rush, Mark," he said slowly, "there should be some hidden passages or escape routes here. We need to stay calm."

Just then, the roar of the E-17 echoed outside, its massive footsteps once again shaking the entire corridor. Lynn frowned; although they were now hidden inside the room, given the E-17's speed, it was hard to imagine how long they could remain hidden here.

“If he catches up, the only thing we can do is fight back.” Mark already had his weapon in his hand. “However, I’m more worried that if he loses control, he’ll destroy the entire lab.”

Lynn nodded. "Yes, we need to find a way out. Fighting back is not our best option right now."

He continued to quickly sift through the surrounding documents, searching for any possible clues. Just then, his eyes suddenly landed on a document marked "Emergency Evacuation Passage." He quickly picked up the document, glanced at it, and his expression changed slightly. "Found it, Mark! There's an emergency passage ahead leading to the underground shelter! Let's get going!"

Mark didn't hesitate and rushed over immediately. "Go!" They practically ran, completely disregarding everything.

Crossing the room, Lynn and Mark discovered that the entrance to the emergency exit was hidden in one of the laboratory walls. This entrance was highly concealed and could only be opened with a specific password. Lynn quickly operated the equipment, entered the relevant code, and the door clicked open.

The air inside the corridor was fresh and cool, a stark contrast to the sweltering heat outside. The two quickly entered, closed the door, and could faintly hear the footsteps of E-17 growing closer through the crack in the door, as if it were right behind them.

"Hurry! Don't stop!" Lynn urged, his heart still pounding. Although they had temporarily escaped their pursuit, they knew that this underground passage was not safe, and might even be a trap carefully designed by Charlie to hide his secrets.

"How far is this passage?" Mark's voice was filled with anxiety. "Will we be able to escape from here?" (End of Chapter)