CHAPTER 6 The Hidden Facility (Part 2)
Xia slowly stepped out of the taxi, her eyes fixed on the towering warehouse before her.
"Thank you..." she said, reaching into her handbag for her wallet,before she could pull out any cash, the taxi's engine rumbled.
"Huh?"
She looked up just in time to see the driver pull away from the curb.
"Wait! I haven't paid you yet!"
The man didn't respond,the black taxi accelerated smoothly and disappeared down the road without stopping once.
Xia stood frozen for a few seconds, still holding her wallet in her hand.
"...What a strange man."
Shaking her head, she turned her attention back to the enormous warehouse.
A broad road led to a massive iron gate nearly twenty feet tall. The pavement was spotless, while rows of carefully trimmed trees lined both sides of the entrance, giving the place an almost peaceful appearance.
Yet that illusion vanished the moment she noticed the guards.
Three heavily armed soldiers stood motionless before the gate. Their black tactical uniforms were immaculate, and each carried an assault rifle across his chest. Covering one of their eyes was a sleek, high-tech monocle that constantly emitted a faint blue glow.The devices looked far more advanced than anything Xia had ever seen.
She swallowed nervously.
"Why would a warehouse company need this level of security?"
As she approached, one of the soldiers suddenly stepped forward.
"Stop!"
His commanding voice echoed through the silent entrance, causing Xia to flinch and freeze
"Identify yourself." The soldier said
"I-I'm Xia Zhao," she replied quickly. "I... I applied for the Dem and Stark job opening."
The soldier stared at her without saying a word,for several tense seconds, only the soft breeze could be heard.
He then raised two fingers to the communication device attached to his ear.
"Entrance One to Control."
A brief pause followed.
"Applicant Xia Zhao has arrived."
He listened silently before nodding.
"Confirmed."
Lowering his hand, he stepped aside.
"Open the gate." He ordered
With a loud mechanical rumble, the giant iron-net gate slowly slid open.the movement revealed a long road leading deeper into the facility.
"You may enter."the soldier said
Xia thanked him quietly before stepping through,another soldier immediately approached her .
"Follow me."
She nodded and quickly followed the soldier who was already walking away.
The deeper they walked into the compound, the more unbelievable everything became. Military patrols moved with disciplined precision,armored vehicles were parked near several buildings,security cameras rotated continuously from every corner. Even the atmosphere felt different.
No one smiled.
No one chatted.
Every person moved with urgency, as if the entire facility was preparing for something enormous.
"This... this doesn't feel like a workplace."
"It feels like a military base." Xia said to herself
They eventually stopped before the gigantic warehouse-like building she saw from the taxi earlier,from outside, it looked old and ordinary,but the moment the thick steel doors slid open, Xia's eyes widened,the interior was nothing like a warehouse,bright white lights illuminated spotless hallways.
The polished floor reflected the ceiling lights like a mirror,the air smelled clean, almost sterile.
Waiting near the entrance was a young woman dressed in a white laboratory uniform.
She offered Xia a gentle smile.
"Welcome, Miss ZhaoMy name is Mia. Please come with me."
Xia returned the smile, though her nervousness remained.
As they walked down the hallway, Xia noticed something strange.
Mia's smile looked natural...but her hands trembled ever so slightly.She kept clasping them together, trying to hide the shaking.
"Is she... nervous?"
"Why?"
Before Xia could ask, they stopped before another room.
"This way." Mia said with the same smile not leaving her face .
Inside was a neatly folded set of white work clothes.
"Please change into these." Mia instructed
Xia hesitated.
"Why do I have to change?"
"It's part of our safety protocol," Mia replied politely.Everything inside this facility must remain free from outside contamination."
Although confused, Xia nodded.
After changing, Mia led her to a small glass chamber.
"The sterilization room."
The transparent doors sealed shut behind her.
A soft mechanical voice echoed through the chamber.
"Sterilization sequence initiated."
Warm air rushed around her body.
A fine mist sprayed from hidden nozzles before disappearing almost instantly.
Blue lights scanned her from head to toe several times.
A few seconds later...
The same mechanical voice said
"Sterilization complete."
The doors opened once more.
Xia blinked in surprise.
"I've never seen technology like this before."
They continued walking.
This time, the hallway opened into an enormous underground laboratory.
"W-Wow..."
The words escaped Xia's lips before she could stop them,rows upon rows of cutting-edge computers filled the room.
Dozens of scientists wearing white coats hurried from one station to another.
Some analyzed holographic displays,others studied glowing samples inside sealed glass containers.
Several researchers discussed complicated formulas using scientific terms Xia could barely understand. The entire laboratory buzzed with activity.
It looked more like something from a science fiction movie than a real workplace.
"How can something this advanced be hidden beneath an ordinary warehouse?"
Her curiosity only grew stronger.
At the end of the laboratory stood a large office with glass walls but she couldn't see the inside of those glass walls since it was opaque .
Mia stopped outside the door and knocked twice.
"Professor Franklin," she called softly.
"One of today's applicants has arrived."
A tired voice answered from inside.
"Send her in."
Mia opened the door and said to Xia
"Please go ahead."
Taking a deep breath, Xia stepped into the office.An elderly man, around sixty years old, sat behind a large wooden desk.
Stacks of files surrounded him.His silver hair was slightly messy, and deep bags rested beneath his eyes, evidence of countless sleepless nights,yet despite his exhausted appearance, his sharp blue eyes radiated intelligence.
He stood and extended his hand with a warm smile.
"Welcome.You must be Miss Xia Zhao."
Xia shook his hand respectfully.
"Y-Yes, sir."
"I heard you were among the first people to respond to our recruitment announcement.
Please, have a seat." The old man said
As Xia sat down, she couldn't help asking,
"Were you the person I spoke with on the phone?"
The old man chuckled.
"No.But I've been fully briefed about your situation."
His voice was calm, though slightly hoarse from overwork.
Xia hesitated before asking the question that had been bothering her since arriving.
"Professor... what exactly is this place?"
The smile on the old man's face faded,for a moment, silence filled the room.
Finally, he looked directly into her eyes.
"You'll receive the answers you seek...but only after you decide whether you're willing to become part of this project."