Chapter 216: The Rescue

Chapter 216: The Rescue

In the Setagaya District of Edo, the Tanabe Primate Research Laboratory was located on Kurazawa Street.

Lin Zeyu drove a nine-seater MPV through the streets of Setagaya, heading towards the laboratory.

At this moment, the vehicle was overcrowded, carrying a total of 17 passengers.

In terms of numbers, it was severely overloaded.

However, the Banseer people were relatively small in stature, and two of them could easily fit in one seat, leaving enough space in the aisle for additional movement.

Banseer scout Hack patted the genuine leather seat beneath him and praised, "Mr. Lu, your transportation here is truly unique. You don't even need lizards to pull the cart."

Upon hearing his exclamation, Lu Heng and the other two couldn't help but laugh.

In fact, since arriving in the human world, this group of Banseer people found everything novel and fascinating.

Etana joined the conversation, "If only we could bring one back to Stone Hammer Fortress."

Lin Zeyu was well-versed in the prices of such large machinery and waved his hand, saying, "That's a bit difficult. It consumes too much Divine Energy."

If it didn't consume much Divine Energy, he would have already obtained a Gundam from the Saxxon Civilization.

Iron Arm, leaning on his war hammer, maintained a solemn expression, not in the mood to joke with his fellow tribesmen.

After all, his daughter had been captured, and for experimentation, no less.

The experiments he envisioned were akin to the Dark God's minions cooking living flesh in a cauldron.

Lu Heng patted him on the shoulder and comforted him, "Don't worry, Mia will be fine."

Iron Arm sighed and said, "This child has always been so reckless. Once we get her back, we must teach her a lesson."

Of course, Mia didn't share this belief; she insisted that it was bravery.

When they were three kilometers away from the Tanabe Primate Research Laboratory, Su Muyu suddenly spoke up, "There are five vehicles approaching from behind at high speed. They don't seem to be passing by."

Lu Heng turned to look back but couldn't see the vehicles yet. He immediately ordered, "Activate the invisibility and drive into the side road to let those five vehicles pass."

"Alright." Su Muyu raised her hand and released an invisibility curtain, enveloping the entire MPV.

The vehicle quickly faded and disappeared, then drove into a side street and stopped.

In less than a minute, the five vehicles roared past them.

Not long after the vehicles passed.

Su Muyu frowned and said, "They've turned around. It seems like they're coming for us."

Lu Heng quickly pondered and asked, "Did the Seer on the other side detect us?"

Su Muyu furrowed her brows in thought, unsure, "Probably not. If they had detected us, they would have stopped when they passed by just now. But since they turned around, they must know our approximate location."

Currently, the MPV was in an invisible state, parked by the roadside. If the Seer on the other side had discovered the MPV, they should have stopped and opened fire just now, instead of speeding past them.

Lu Heng reached out and asked for the phone.

Su Muyu raised her eyebrows and took out her phone, saying, "Did they locate me through my phone?"

"It's likely that the phone exposed our location," Lu Heng said after some thought, guessing the reason for their exposed whereabouts.

Two operations had already been carried out that night. First, they had eliminated a White Glove Psychic Security Company, a front for the Sumitomo Corporation, and then they had taken out a manager of the Oni Warrior Mercenary Company.

Especially the elimination of the White Glove Psychics had caused quite a stir, likely alerting the higher-ups of the Sumitomo Corporation.

Given the ruthless methods of the Sumitomo Corporation, they would undoubtedly respond immediately.

As for the phone exposing their location, it was probably due to the large-screen advertisement displaying the phone number.

The phone number left behind was written in Banseer script.

Ordinary people would definitely not understand it, but any metahuman who had entered the Banseer-related Abyssal world would be able to read it.

So, it wouldn't be surprising if one or two metahumans under the Sumitomo Corporation could decipher that string of numbers.

Additionally, this string of numbers was written in Banseer script, and Mia was a Banseer.

These two pieces of information were not difficult for the Sumitomo Corporation to obtain.

Connecting these two pieces of information, it was natural to deduce that the information on the advertisement screen was a Banseer contact code.

As long as someone within the Sumitomo Corporation could analyze this, the next step would be to track the phone signal and send assassins to hunt them down.

As long as the phone had power, even if it was turned off, it could still be located.

Lu Heng made a swift decision, "This group might be from the Oni Warrior Mercenaries. We need to rescue Mia first. After ensuring Mia's safety, we'll deal with them. You have the Celestial Phoenix take the phone and lead them away, while we head to the laboratory to rescue Mia."

"Alright." Su Muyu nodded in agreement, rolled down the car window, and threw the phone out.

The Celestial Phoenix picked up the phone in mid-air and flew along the highway at a speed matching that of a car.

As expected, the five vehicles roared past them once again.

Su Muyu, leaning against the car window, watched the five vehicles disappear into the distance and said, "They've been led away. It's a pity that my invisibility skill can't block electromagnetic signals yet, or they wouldn't be able to track us at all."

Lu Heng asked, "How's the proficiency level?"

Su Muyu smiled and replied, "Almost full, but my Divine Energy is almost depleted. I only have a few hundred points left, not enough to upgrade skills."

Lu Heng patted Lin Ze Yu's shoulder and said, "Let's go, we're heading to the lab to rescue Mia. We need to move quickly."

"Alright."

Lin Ze Yu stepped on the gas and sped towards the Tanabe Primate Research Laboratory.

The three-kilometer distance was covered in just over a minute.

With the five Oni Warrior Mercenary Company vehicles in pursuit, if they realized their target was suspicious, they would undoubtedly turn around and give chase.

Therefore, this operation had to be swift and decisive.

Lu Heng jumped out of the car and turned back, saying, "You guys attack from the front, I'll enter through the walls to find Mia. Once I find her, I'll notify you to come and support me."

"Okay, I'm counting on you, our trusted Banseer friend." Iron Arm extended his hands, palms together, and clasped Lu Heng's hand with his eyes closed, as if in prayer.

"Let's move."

Lu Heng entered the Shadow Traverse state and passed through the walls into the laboratory.

This was just a laboratory, and its defense level wasn't particularly high.

Lu Heng moved at an incredible speed, circling the lab, and quickly located the warehouse where the experimental creatures were held.

There were numerous glass chambers of various sizes, each containing mutated creatures.

However, Mia was not in this warehouse.

Lu Heng checked the time; he had a few more seconds in the Shadow Traverse state, so he continued to move forward.

With his shadow vision, he quickly scanned the various rooms inside the laboratory.

In the final second of the Shadow Traverse state, he finally spotted a Banseer girl strapped to an operating table in a surgical room, struggling weakly.

At that moment, a Japanese researcher in a white lab coat was drawing a serum from an ampoule, preparing to inject it.

Lu Heng transformed into a Shadow Lightning bolt and rushed into the operating room. He raised his hand and crushed the Japanese researcher's neck with a pinch, then turned his head to look at the Banseer girl, whose hands and feet were restrained on the operating table.

Mia had clearly been injected with a sedative and lack of strength were evident as her drooping eyelids lifted upon seeing Lu Heng, and her eyes immediately lit up with joy. "Am I dreaming?" she asked.

"Yes, you're dreaming," Lu Heng joked with her.

Mia exhaled and said, "Then it must be a beautiful dream."

She was about to close her eyes and continue the beautiful dream when Lu Heng tapped her forehead and said, "Wake up, Iron Arm is about to break in."

Mia furrowed her brows in anger. "This old man always interrupts my beautiful dreams."

Lu Heng unfastened the straps around her hands and feet, helped her sit up, and pressed the communicator on his ear. "I've found her. What's the situation on your end?"

Lin Ze Yu replied, "We're in a fight. There are a few metahumans in the lab who dared to resist, but I took care of them. We'll clean up soon."

"Meet up after cleaning up. Su Muyu, keep an eye on those five vehicles," Lu Heng reminded.

"I've been watching them. They turned around just now, and they'll be at the lab in three minutes at most," Su Muyu responded.

"In that case, set up an ambush and take out this team of Oni Warriors as well. Everyone, prepare your area-of-effect skills. As soon as those five vehicles arrive, blow them up," Lu Heng commanded.

Lu Heng escorted Mia out to meet up with Iron Arm.

When Mia saw her father, she still had a dazed expression, as if she were still in a dream. "You're here again."

Iron Arm tapped her forehead in annoyance and scolded, "Snap out of it! You've been missing for two days. Do you know how hard we've been searching for you?"

After being tapped, Mia immediately became more alert and remembered the moment she was captured. She quickly widened her eyes and said, "I've discovered a demon. There's a demon here."

Everyone became alert and tensely scanned their surroundings.

"No, we've cleared out all the metahumans here and haven't found any demons," Lin Ze Yu said, looking puzzled.

Due to the Banseer tribe's centuries of survival in the Abyssal world, they had gradually developed a racial ability to sense the presence of demons.

Iron Arm agreed, "I've been here for a while, and I haven't sensed any demons."

Mia quickly added, "There definitely is one. I've smelled that scent several times over the past few days."

Lu Heng thought for a moment and immediately guessed what it could be.

If it had been a regular demon, it would have already charged out to fight by now.

Since it hadn't appeared and was moving stealthily, it was likely a Soul Snatcher.

This biological laboratory was under the control of the Sumitomo Corporation, and the research projects were naturally tailored to the corporation's needs.

Therefore, the study of creatures infested with Soul Snatchers was likely a crucial research project.

If such a project existed, it was possible that Soul Snatchers were present here.

Soul Snatchers typically parasitize other creatures' bodies, consuming their souls and energy.

If there were Soul Snatchers here, they would most likely be within the experimental creatures.

Lu Heng immediately returned to the warehouse where the mutated creatures were held and noticed that one of the glass chambers had its door open, and the mutated creature inside was dead, lying in a peculiar position within the chamber.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end