Chapter 233: Into the Shadows

The corridor was empty, illuminated only by the faint, white light of the ceiling lamps.

Yan Chuan followed He Sai closely.

“Remember,” said the young man with green eyes, his expression serious, as they left the cell. “Don’t be surprised by what you see or hear. Stay silent; it has no eyes. Making a sound could draw its attention, understand?”

“It” presumably referred to the monster.

The monster had no eyes, thus it couldn’t see anything.

Yan Chuan silently absorbed this information, nodding like a chick pecking at grain.

He Sai was somewhat surprised by Yan Chuan’s quick acceptance. However, he appeared well-trained and didn’t elaborate, informing Yan Chuan, “Let’s move; the way out of the cell is open. We’ll head to the guards’ office.”

Yan Chuan obediently agreed.

The long corridor was only lit by the harsh, pale lights above, alongside ominous green indicator lights.

The prison remained lit at night, with the metallic walls casting dim shadows. This arrangement made it easier for Yan Chuan and the others to navigate without walking in complete darkness.

Yet at times, seeing was more terrifying than not seeing.

Yan Chuan held his breath, nearly hearing his own heartbeat.

The corridor looked manageable during the day, but at night, it felt endless, stretched out infinitely. The hallway curved, requiring them to pause cautiously at each corner.

He was wary of stumbling upon something sinister.

Yan Chuan understood this well and remained vigilant, just like He Sai.

He certainly didn’t want to collide head-on with a “monster” whose appearance was unknown to him.

Fortunately, they were not too unlucky and did not encounter anything immediately upon exiting.

He Sai waved his hand, signaling Yan Chuan to follow him around the corner.

Entering another hallway, they soon faced the guards’ office.

There were cameras in place, but for some reason, the cameras weren’t glowing red; instead, they were shrouded in darkness—

Someone had shut off the surveillance.

Yan Chuan wasn’t sure if this was to facilitate “destroying evidence” or if He Sai had done it to avoid being detected while wandering in the dimly lit prison.

He glanced at He Sai, who wore a tense expression that showed little surprise.

Yan Chuan nodded silently.

This situation also favored his mission, as the backdrop for the **Confinement Island Prison** script was set in modern society, where surveillance was omnipresent. If he was found while trying to complete a task, he could directly head to the prison warden’s office.

He Sai moved to a hallway they had passed earlier.

Right in front of them stood a steel door, locked with a key and secured with a metal chain.

It was evident that no one had come here for a long time, as a thick layer of dust covered even the chain.

Judging by the dust’s thickness, it must have been at least half a year.

Yan Chuan saw He Sai carefully inserting a thin wire into the keyhole.

He nervously glanced between He Sai’s actions and behind him, afraid of being unprepared for any surprises.

Time felt stretched, and what might have been only a minute felt like an hour to Yan Chuan.

He could sense cold sweat running down his back.

For some reason, as they reached this point, the feeling of being watched intensified…

As if someone was lurking in a place he couldn’t see, peering at him.

Yan Chuan suppressed his unsettling emotions.

He Sai had instructed him to remain calm and not to make a sound, and perhaps that was precisely why he felt this way.

Furrowing his brow, he pressed his lips tightly together.

After a brief rustling sound, He Sai managed to unlock the heavy door.

Yan Chuan followed him inside.

The floor was covered in a thin layer of dust, and each step left clear footprints.

Yan Chuan used his sleeve to cover his nose.

Before him was a small, dimly lit room that appeared to be a research lab, with various unknown instruments piled in the corner. All were covered with dust cloths, some high, some low, as if something lay beneath.

Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be solely experimental equipment.

Yan Chuan caught a strange scent in the air.

It was reminiscent of the dampness that mingles after a rain, with a fishy undertone—neither particularly unpleasant nor appreciated.

Laced with a hint of decay, it resembled amber trapped in resin, static until exposed.

The room had been sealed away for so long that as soon as the door opened, this odd yet somewhat familiar odor flooded into his nostrils.

Yan Chuan frowned.

So that was where the strange aroma he had been perceiving all along was coming from.

However, he didn’t have time to ponder how the scent originated. He Sai entered with a clear purpose, heading directly to the cabinet in the corner.

Laboratories always required research records, and this one was no exception, a pile of them neatly stored inside the cabinet.

“Click,” He Sai opened the cabinet, using the faint light creeping in from outside to locate the material he needed.

Yan Chuan took a glance but couldn’t see the specific details; he only noticed the date on the cover page.

xx40, month x, day x.

Based on Yan Chuan’s time of imprisonment, this document was a report from ten years ago.

Yan Chuan furrowed his brow and joined He Sai in examining the records on the white pages.

They had little time, and the door remained slightly ajar; they needed to swiftly review the materials while also staying alert for anyone approaching outside.

Yan Chuan’s attention was caught by a particular line of text.

The paper appeared to be made of a material that had remained unyellowed despite being stacked for a long time, with clear writing adorning its surface.

The strokes were somewhat hasty, filled with chemical symbols and codes that Yan Chuan couldn’t comprehend, likely referring to various reagents and experiments.

He could only flip through the pages, guessing what kind of information was recorded there.

Month x, day 1, compatibility test for reagent XII.

Yan Chuan furrowed his brow again.