The next day was Wednesday, and it was time to go to work again.
Don't ask why Wednesday comes after the weekend, it's just the K-science time.
As usual, Suzuki Byakuya clocked in for work and had breakfast in the pharmaceutical factory's cafeteria.
As soon as he entered the security room, he was surrounded by a group of security guards.
They served him tea and water, rubbed his legs, and massaged his shoulders, treating him like an Empress Dowager.
Their excessive enthusiasm made him a little confused:
"Have you done something big?"
"No, no, Captain." Fukaken rubbed his hands and said with a smile, "We all saw you on TV yesterday."
"Ah, so what?"
Byakuya had gone to bed early last night and hadn't paid attention to the TV programs.
Yamada gave him a thumbs-up and praised:
"I can't believe it, Captain, you're actually a criminal investigation consultant for the police."
"No, no, I was just going to the art exhibition on my day off. I happened to come across a murder, so I helped solve it. Unexpectedly, when I left, I was surrounded by reporters, and the lights made my eyes hurt. Luckily, there were officers escorting me, and I didn't say three words to the cameras. How did this even make the news?"
They had been working together for half a month, and their relationship had become more relaxed, allowing them to joke around:
"As expected of the Captain, you're amazing. You helped solve a murder on the way."
Byakuya could hear a hint of sourness in their voices, so he shrunk his neck back:
"Hey, you kid, don't talk to me like that!"
"How dare I, Captain, I'm just praising you."
Seeing that the atmosphere was unusually harmonious today, Byakuya's eyes lit up with a plan.
He wanted to take this opportunity to inquire about the information on the third laboratory:
"By the way, I want to ask you guys something."
Everyone was very enthusiastic and unsuspicious, readily agreeing:
"What is it?"
"Captain, just ask anything, I'll tell you what I know."
Seeing that everyone was cooperating, Byakuya blurted out:
"The other day, I was called to the third laboratory, do you guys remember?"
Hearing this, the security guards' faces changed instantly, like a scumbag caught red-handed.
Byakuya noticed the change, but he could only press on:
"At that time, I helped the guards arrest the infected monster. That scene still haunts me. Lately, I've been thinking, maybe this job is too dangerous, so I want to learn more from you, to avoid dying a foolish death."
Everyone was reluctant to discuss this topic and laughed dryly:
"What's there to know?"
"Knowing the layout of the third laboratory in advance can improve our survival rate. If we get called in to help and something happens, we'll know how to escape. Besides, we're all security guards at the pharmaceutical factory, there's no chance of leaking secrets."
Seeing that everyone remained silent and seemed to be hiding something, Suzuki Byakuya made a bold decision.
He took out a few mahjong tiles from the box and arranged them on the table to form a map:
"You guys have all been to the third laboratory, I won't explain the area near the entrance. After entering, you pass the corridor, the left side is Dr. Shiho Miyano's laboratory and residence. The right side, I haven't been there yet."
Yamada didn't want to talk about this topic, but it was a matter of life and death, and more knowledge meant more safety.
He stared at the mini-map made of mahjong tiles on the table and added:
"On the right side, it's the male research staff's laboratories and resting rooms."
With someone starting, others no longer felt restrained:
"I went there to move things last month. It's a cultivation room. There's a door next to it, I don't know what's behind it."
"I know, it's a corridor about thirty meters long, with a guard post at the end."
"This should be Professor Tokiwa's residence, and the washroom is next to it."
One by one, they quickly completed the laboratory map.
The room where Suzuki Byakuya had found the infected individual was also marked separately.
The entire third laboratory was divided into three areas: outer, middle, and inner.
The outermost areas were staff dormitories and some biological laboratories.
Many animal experiments and live subject experiments were conducted in the middle area.
This area also had guards' living quarters, separated from each other by corridors.
As for the inner area, no one present had ever been inside.
The place where the infected individual was found last time was very close to the inner gate.
With the help of everyone, Suzuki Byakuya had a general understanding of the layout of the third laboratory:
"Do you know why I asked you to help? I'm afraid one day, my brothers will die without knowing why. These are safe areas, these are dangerous areas, you have to understand. Only by knowing more and understanding deeper, when we get called to do something, we won't be afraid and worried about breaking some taboo."
The security guards looked at each other and accepted the captain's approach.
They had seen the scaly corpses more than once privately.
They needed money, their families needed money, and they couldn't find such high benefits at other companies.
Therefore, even though they knew there was danger, everyone still stayed at their posts.
"I believe everyone here is like me, we all have our reasons for staying. Come on, don't just stand there, let's mark the dangerous areas. I subdued the infected person here, and the rooms nearby are empty, without any signs of human habitation. The air there is rather stuffy, there should be a way to go further down. Over here, I heard the sound of bats."
Mentioning bats, Fukaken hesitated for a moment and added:
"There are many red doors leading to the inside in the middle area. Whether it's researchers or guards, they all wear noise-canceling headphones or something like that. There's not so much attention paid to the outer area, they don't usually wear them."
"Yes, I've seen them too. Captain, the unmanned area you just mentioned should be the isolation zone between the middle and inner areas."
Through their gradual information-sharing, Byakuya gained a deeper understanding of the third laboratory.
The furthest distance the security guards had been to was the isolation zone between the middle and inner areas.
The purpose of this area was very clear, it was to create a buffer zone.
To protect the safety of the middle area, and to prevent anything inside from escaping.
With red doors as boundaries, there were many guards armed with guns.
It was quite remarkable that he could gather so much information by piecing together bits and pieces.
Byakuya stared at the map made of mahjong tiles, lost in thought.
The black room that the main mission required him to investigate was somewhere in the inner area.
The exact location was still unknown:
"By the way, does anyone know anyone from the inner or middle area?"
"No."
The security guards all shook their heads, saying that they couldn't talk to those people.
It made sense, after all, why would normal researchers befriend them?
He'd have to investigate the information about the inner area when he got the chance.
"Knock knock."
The sudden knock on the door interrupted Suzuki Byakuya's thoughts.
Turning around, he saw Masao, who asked with a smile:
"What, is the doctor going out?"
"No, the boss called you to his office."
…