After acquiring the two passive skills, [Keen Observation] and [Resilient Will], Dunn became increasingly adept at his daily Nighthawks work. Not only could he handle various Beyonder incidents faster (mostly low-SequenceBeyonders causing trouble or Sealed Artifact leaks), but he could also more accurately grasp the state of his team members.
He could sense the faint, barely perceptible greed hidden beneath Old Neil's concentration when he was mixing certain special potions; he could feel the occasional, age-inappropriate world-weariness and scrutiny that Leonard Mitchell revealed beneath his seemingly casual demeanor; and he could also more clearly perceive the nearly instinctive caution and strange familiarity with certain specific knowledge (such as ancient Chinese history and certain special symbols) behind Klein Moretti's rapid progress.
All of this confirmed his suspicions and made him even more certain that the gears of fate were turning toward a predetermined direction, and before that happened, he had to acquire enough power to leverage fate itself.
A few days later, a name finally landed on Dunn's desk via the Nighthawks' intelligence network—Magoes.
The report indicated that this young woman claimed to be pregnant with the child of a certain noble (later verified to be a wealthy silk merchant), but the man refused to take responsibility. Her mental state was extremely unstable, alternating between crying and anger, and recently, abnormal physiological reactions and statements had begun to appear. Clerical staff responsible for external monitoring reported that abnormal mass deaths of insects and plant wilting were occurring around her residence, and the air occasionally carried a faint, sickeningly sweet stench.
Dunn's fingers lightly tapped the desktop, making a muffled sound. He knew that what was gestating was no ordinary thing, but the offspring of an Evil God, guided by Ince Zangwill using 0-08! It was the core of the conspiracy targeting Klein and the entire Tingen CityNighthawks Squad!
Almost simultaneously, Klein also noticed the abnormality through his own channels (likely divination) and proactively reported it to Dunn.
"Captain," Klein's expression was unusually serious, even carrying a hint of imperceptible paleness, "Regarding Ms. Magoes... I performed a divination, and the result showed... extreme danger, filled with unspeakable evil and filth. I feel something is very wrong."
Dunn looked at this young "compatriot" before him, his heart filled with mixed emotions. Using [Keen Observation], he could clearly see the hidden fear and determination deep within Klein's eyes. He stood up, walked over to Klein, and patted his shoulder firmly, his voice steady, powerful, and reassuringly magnetic:
"Your intuition and divination results are very important, Klein. We have already noticed her abnormality and increased the monitoring level. Don't worry, the purpose of the Nighthawks' existence is to deal with these threats. We will not allow any evil to threaten the citizens of Tingen City, including you, and including every one of us."
He had to give Klein confidence, stabilize his emotions, and at the same time, demonstrate the competence and determination expected of a Nighthawk. But he knew that confidence and determination alone were not enough.
That night, Dunn activated the Simulator again. The previous two simulations, one focused on rules and mind, and the other on survival and will, had provided him with great assistance. But facing the impending offspring of the Evil God, he needed more diverse methods, perhaps an item that could temporarily boost his strength or save his life.
He chose the riskier [Random Unknown World Fragment].
[Selection confirmed. Starting link to unknown information stream... Loading... Warning, world rules unstable... Consciousness projection!]
This experience was rougher, as if his consciousness had been thrown into a high-speed centrifuge. When his senses stabilized, he found himself in an enclosed space filled with futuristic technology. Flexible screens displaying complex data and structural diagrams flashed around him, the silver-white metal walls emitted a cold sheen, and the air was filled with the smell of disinfectant and ozone.
But the place was clearly severely damaged. Some screens flashed red warning signs, wires hung down from broken pipes in the ceiling, sparking tiny electrical flashes. The piercing alarms grew louder, and outside the heavy metal door, there were sickening scraping sounds and deep, inhuman, destructive roars.
[Identity: Arkham Biotech Company, Seventh Gene Laboratory, Level Three Research Assistant.]
[Mission: The Laboratory Core Isolation Zone has been breached by "Primary Abnormities." The system will initiate the Final Purification Procedure (High-Temperature Incineration) in three minutes. Before the countdown ends, please proceed to the B-7 Sample Storage, extract the "Primary Gene Stabilizer" sample labeled "GST-β," and escape to the safe zone via the backup ventilation duct on the right (Code V-4).]
[Hint: The "Abnormities" are sensitive to sound and life aura, and their vision is degraded. The Sample Storage requires a Level Three Access Card (obtainable at the Duty Supervisor's Office). Be careful, they are fast.]
Time was pressing! Dunn immediately took action. Using [Keen Observation], he quickly scanned the nearest console screen, which displayed a simplified structural map of the laboratory, marked with "Final Purification Countdown: 2 minutes 47 seconds." The Duty Supervisor's Office was at the end of this corridor, while the B-7 Sample Storage was on the other side.
He lowered his body, moving as silently as a civet cat. [Resilient Will] allowed him to ignore the irritation caused by the alarms and the fear triggered by the roars behind the door. The corridor was a mess, with deep claw marks on the walls, and scattered instrument parts and congealed, strangely colored liquid on the floor.
The door to the Duty Supervisor's Office was ajar, and bone-chilling chewing sounds came from within. Dunn held his breath and peered through the crack—a grotesque Monster, twisted in form and seemingly cobbled together from the limbs of various creatures, was gnawing on a corpse dressed in a white lab coat. It had no clear eyes; its head was just a constantly opening and closing cavity lined with sharp teeth.
Dunn calmly assessed the situation. Forcing his way in was too risky and would attract more Monsters. He noticed a metal filing cabinet in the corner of the office that seemed relatively stable. Cautiously, he picked up a piece of scrap metal from the floor, calculated the angle and force, and threw it hard toward the other end of the corridor!
"Clang!" The sound of metal hitting the wall was exceptionally clear in the brief silence between alarms.
The Abnormity inside the office suddenly raised its head (if it could be called a head), let out a muffled roar, and rapidly crawled toward the source of the sound with astonishing speed!
Dunn immediately slipped into the office, where a heavy smell of blood rushed at him. He suppressed his discomfort, his gaze quickly locking onto a blue-flashing ID card on the desk. He snatched the card, and simultaneously, his peripheral vision caught sight of a multi-functional wristwatch on the supervisor's wrist that seemed to still be working.
[Keen Observation] allowed him to notice that a tiny icon representing vital sign monitoring on the watch screen had turned gray, but another environmental detection module was still operating. A thought struck him, and he quickly unclasped the watch and put it on his own wrist.
[Item Acquired: Simple Environmental Detector (Simulated Version).]
There was no time to examine it closely; he immediately exited the office and sprinted toward the B-7 Sample Storage. Only ninety seconds remained on the countdown!
The metal door of the Sample Storage required a card swipe. Dunn placed the access card against the sensor area. With a soft "drip," the door slid open. Inside were neatly arranged cryogenic storage cabinets. He quickly located the cabinet labeled "GST-β." Inside, several tubes of faintly glowing azure potion were neatly placed. He took one tube; it was cold to the touch.
[Mission Item Acquired: Primary Gene Stabilizer x1.]
The moment he obtained the potion, the detector on his wrist suddenly vibrated slightly, and a red dot on the screen was rapidly approaching from the other side of the corridor! It was the Abnormity from before, or one of its kin!
Dunn didn't hesitate, turning and rushing toward the V-4 ventilation duct entrance marked on the map. It was a circular passage located near the bottom of the wall, requiring a manually twisted valve to open. He struggled to turn the cold valve, as the scraping and roaring sounds behind him grew closer!
"Screech—" The valve finally twisted open. Dunn crouched down and squeezed inside, forcefully closing the valve from the inside simultaneously.
Almost the instant the valve closed, sounds of violent impact against the metal and angry roars came from outside.
Dunn dared not stop, struggling to crawl forward in the narrow, dark, and dusty duct. Behind him, the low roar of the Purification Procedure starting up could be heard, along with the faint heat transmitted through the pipe.
After crawling for an unknown duration, a glimmer of light and an exit grate finally appeared ahead. He kicked the grate open forcefully and tumbled out, finding himself in a spacious hall resembling an emergency assembly point. This area seemed temporarily safe.
[Mission complete! Fragment ends!]
His consciousness returned, and Dunn felt the exhaustion of surviving a disaster, surpassing even his previous experience on the Battlefield of Faith. The tension of racing against unknown Monsters in an enclosed space had severely drained his mental energy.
[Simulation ended. Calculating reward...]
[Based on the host's performance in the "Gene Laboratory" fragment (quick decision-making, utilizing the environment, successfully acquiring the target item, and escaping), you have obtained the items: Primary Gene Stabilizer (Simulated Version) x1, Simple Environmental Detector (Simulated Version) x1.]
[Primary Gene Stabilizer (Simulated Version): Can be used in reality. Its effect is to significantly enhance physical stability and cellular vitality for a short period (approximately 30 minutes), provide resistance to physical attacks, conventional toxins, and minor curses, and mildly suppress mental instability/loss of control. (One-time use)]
[Simple Environmental Detector (Simulated Version): Can be used in reality. Passively detects unnatural energy fluctuations, malicious prying, and spatial anomalies within a certain radius, and forms a simple warning in the host's consciousness. (Disappears after energy depletion)]
A life-saving item! An auxiliary reconnaissance item! Dunn was overjoyed. These two items might play a crucial role in the upcoming battle!
He sank his consciousness into the temporary storage space attached to the Simulator. The tube of blue-glowing potion and the highly technological wristwatch lay there quietly, ready to be retrieved at any time.
"But why do I always feel like I've forgotten something recently? Is it because my soul transmigrated into Dunn and inherited his forgetfulness?" Dunn thought.
The scales of hope had tipped slightly further. He looked out the window; the night over Tingen City was still deep, but he knew the storm was coming. And he had made more preparations.