"A monster’s coming!"

Wang Yi squinted, sizing up the corridor ahead without a trace of fear.

He possessed the Mountain and River Body Refining, making him immune to all poisons and unafraid of heat or cold. His body was so tough that not even Qin Mo’s Sword Pill could pierce his palm. An ordinary monster couldn’t hope to harm him.

Besides, he had Yu Hualong, the weapon quality inspector with the title of Gods and Ghosts Avoidance, right by his side.

Wang Yi just watched quietly. Soon, a monster crawled out from around a corner in the corridor.

Its body resembled a tailless lizard, about the size of a rhinoceros. It had crocodile-like front claws, and its torso was covered in grayish-green vines. These vines waved slowly like tentacles, with small blue flowers growing at their tips. Its hind legs, however, were clearly human—very muscular, but short in proportion to its body.

It had a human head with a bald, skinless face. Its eyes bulged like lightbulbs. Everything from the neck up was a bloody mess, yet it seemed to wear a savage grin.

"This damned thing is designed to be pretty terrifying. Damn it, take it out!"

Wang Yi glanced at the monster, feeling a bit queasy. At his command, the group of Feng Yuxiu rushed forward and engaged the monster in a fierce battle within the corridor.

Although they only had two sets of the Yellow Springs Lock, the Brocade Guard Feng Yuxiu were all armed with Swords and Sabers. They moved with swift agility, scaling walls and ceilings as flashes of steel sliced through countless vine-like tentacles.

But the monster just cackled sinisterly. It had thick skin and hide, and it swung its massive front claws with immense power. Its vine tentacles, however, were even more dangerous, lashing and stabbing like venomous snakes.

"Fall back!" Yu Hualong shouted. "Leave this to me. Go clear the last corridor!"

"Yes, sir!"

The Feng Yuxiu executed their Body Techniques and quickly retreated from the corridor. Yu Hualong glanced sideways into the passage, his powerful Inner Strength locking down the space. The monster was instantly lifted off the ground as if grasped by a pair of invisible hands. It twisted and contorted, rapidly being crushed into a ball.

"Fuse! Fuse with me! Become a god and obtain eternal life!"

It suddenly let out a hysterical roar as six tentacles shot out from its body. The small blue flowers on their tips instantly spun and flew toward Yu Hualong like bullets.

Yu Hualong raised his right hand and pushed forward, and the six blue flowers immediately froze in mid-air.

"Pathetic tricks!"

Yu Hualong snorted. With another flick of his arm, his Gods and Ghosts Avoidance Inner Strength sent the six flowers flying back. The monster’s body then collapsed inward with a spray of green blood. Its entire form was compressed to the size of a human head before it exploded with a BOOM, kicking up a cloud of gray mist.

And just like that, it was done. Yu Hualong always looked so calm and aloof.

"Doesn’t even drop a Treasure?"

Wang Yi muttered, pinching his nose as he braved the discomfort to explore the corridor.

The corridor led to a residential area with numerous rooms. Wang Yi entered one of them. A quick scan revealed a room of about forty square meters containing a bed, a desk, two chairs, two rows of cabinets, and an attached bathroom. That was it.

He rummaged around and found many personal effects: uniforms, shoes, cups, blankets, a mirror, and some yellowed photographs.

Judging by one of the photos, the room’s former occupant seemed to be a female researcher named Yi Yun.

’This damn system is too obsessed with realism and detail,’ Wang Yi thought. ’Why make things so complicated? There are no supplies or clues. Couldn’t it just drop a Treasure Chest? Searching room by room for clues and items is way too time-consuming...’

Wang Yi shook his head. He was sure he could find useful items and probably some information by searching these residential rooms, but he clearly didn’t have the time for it.

’Forget it. I’ll have Yang Qingniu and Zhang Lengzi bring more people to loot the place later...’

Wang Yi left the residential area.

By this time, the third corridor had also been cleared.

Wang Yi entered it and received a system notification. This third corridor led to an "Exhibition Hall"!

There were no monsters in the "Exhibition Hall." Inside, Wang Yi found six large glass jars. The first contained a "Grass Blade" suspended in liquid!

Unlike the jars outside, when Wang Yi looked at these, he could see descriptive information.

[Specimen C49-019: The first Grass Blade successfully created by the Yi City Laboratory. It marks a major breakthrough in Yi City’s biochemical experiments and represents Yi City’s first step into the field of Eco-Warriors.]

Wang Yi then looked at the second glass jar. To his surprise, it contained Ma Changgui in a half-Treant form!

[Specimen C49-069: The first Wood Knot Warrior successfully created by the Yi City Laboratory. It possesses powerful defensive and regenerative abilities, has no personal emotions, and displays considerable combat talent. It is a fully qualified Eco-Warrior!]

A shiver went down Wang Yi’s spine.

’I’ll be damned. The system directly used the dead Ma Changgui as monster material.’

’Is there no respect for human rights?’

’If I died, would the system mercilessly use me to create a monster too? Or write me into the plot of a Secret Realm or something?’

Wang Yi felt a chill and quickly pushed the thought away. He looked at the third glass jar. It also contained Ma Changgui, but not in a half-Treant form. This one looked like a hybrid of a human, a giant frog, and a Treant. It was larger and even more ferocious and terrifying in appearance.

[Specimen C49-189: The first Transformed Wood Knot Warrior successfully created by the Yi City Laboratory. Its abilities are a comprehensive improvement over the initial model. Its body can expand and withstand conventional firearms. It is a high-quality Eco-Warrior, comparable to other Transformed Eco-Warriors!]

Wang Yi looked at the fifth glass jar. It still contained Ma Changgui, but this version was closer to a human form, with only its torso being plant-like.

[Specimen C49-319: Our experiments have achieved a major breakthrough. This is the first Spirit Transformation Wood Knot Warrior successfully created by the Yi City Laboratory. Its body has gained the ability to produce metallic elements. Although we are thrilled to have created a Spirit Transformation-type Eco-Warrior, we are also puzzled and worried by the inexplicable ability of Spirit Transformation.

Starting with the Spirit Transformation type, the research into Eco-Warriors has begun to slip beyond human control. 319 is not an isolated case; all Spirit Transformation Eco-Warriors are like this! The study of Eco-Warriors is a global trend, and we will not give up...]

Wang Yi then turned to the last glass jar. Suspended inside was... a Chaos Egg.

[Specimen C49-666: We know that this is no longer a Wood Knot Warrior. Once activated, it could transcend Spirit Transformation and become a "Celestial Calamity," a "King," an "Incarnation," a "Destiny," or something else entirely. The base’s current technological power is insufficient to suppress it. Not daring to take the risk, we had no choice but to drain its energy, turn it into a specimen, and display it here.

Eco-Technology is quietly changing the world order. Our laboratory’s technological level is still mid-tier, far behind the top powers. However, we predict that Eco-Technology will continue to change the world, and the humans who master it will one day stand shoulder to shoulder with the gods!]

"Stand shoulder to shoulder with the gods? Is that why this place became the Divine Suffering Place, and you all got yourselves wiped out?"

Wang Yi narrowed his eyes. He guessed that the plot of this Secret Realm World was probably about humanity suffering a backlash from its own technology, creating something it couldn’t control and bringing about the apocalypse.

However, the specific details were still unclear. He would need more information and clues to figure out how to clear this world.