I am the Holy Poisoner, the Empress advised me to calm down

As night fell, a thin layer of fog enveloped the city's edge. Lin Chen and his group hurried under the dim streetlights. The newcomer, a young man named Xiao Jie, looked nervous, but a strange light glimmered in his eyes.

"The old city ruins are ahead. There are many abandoned buildings and tunnels there, and the terrain is very complex." Xiao Jie whispered, trying not to let his voice sound too trembling. "According to the information my father gave me, the underground laboratory is under an old factory."

Shen Shiyan nodded thoughtfully: "It seems that we need to find the location of the old factory first, and then try to get into the basement."

Suddenly, a volunteer patrolling the roadside noticed this well-equipped team. "Are you here to help clear out the monsters?" he said, approaching with a look of gratitude and awe. "Thank you so much!"

Xiao Liu smiled brightly and patted the other man on the shoulder: "This is what we should do. Have you seen those red lights?"

"Yeah, I saw something there before. It was pretty scary." The volunteer pointed southeast. "There's an area over there where strange lights have been appearing frequently lately, and some people have reported hearing strange noises. Be careful if you go there!"

Li Wei nodded. "Thank you for your reminder. We will pay attention. What's the situation here? Are all the citizens safe?"

The volunteer gave a weary smile. "Most people have already evacuated to the shelters, but some are still hiding in their homes and refusing to come out. It's really worrying."

Chen Xiang said seriously, "You continue to maintain order here. We will resolve this issue as soon as possible and create a safe environment for everyone."

The group quickened their pace and soon arrived outside a dilapidated old factory. Weeds grew all around the factory, and the air was filled with the smell of rust. Xiaojie pointed to a hidden entrance and said, "Go down here and you'll find the underground laboratory."

The technician activated a detection device, and the data on the screen indicated a strong energy reaction. "There's definitely something unusual happening nearby. Everyone, stay alert."

Lin Chen led the team carefully into the dark tunnel, relying only on the flashlight in their hands to illuminate the way ahead. After walking for a while, they suddenly heard light footsteps and the sound of metal clashing coming from not far away.

"Someone!" Xiao Liu immediately raised his weapon, ready to fight any enemy that might appear. At this moment, a young girl ran over in a panic, holding a map in her hand.

"Excuse me, are you also here to find out the truth?" she asked anxiously, her voice trembling.

Lin Chen gently waved his hand to signal Xiao Liu to put down the gun, and asked, "Who are you? Why are you here alone?"

"My name is Ling'er. I'm a college student, and I've been researching the underground history of this place." She took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down. "I found some important information about that laboratory, and I wanted to see if I could find any further clues..."

Shen Shiyan took the map she handed over, examined it carefully for a few seconds, and then said, "These drawings will be very helpful to us. But you must act with us now. It's too dangerous to act alone."

Ling'er nodded in agreement and quickly joined the team. As they continued to go deeper underground, the air became increasingly damp and cold, and occasionally they could see moss and unknown insects crawling on the walls.

"This laboratory has conducted many unnatural research projects," Ling'er explained as they walked. "Many scientists have claimed to have witnessed inexplicable phenomena."

Just at this moment, a dull sound came from the front, accompanied by the appearance of several red lights, which made everyone stop.

"What is that? Could it be the energy source we have been looking for?" Chen Xiang asked with a frown.

Carl replied calmly, "It's very likely. But I sense a powerful threat approaching... We must be fully prepared."

Li Wei turned around and looked at the new members: "Everyone cheer up, the real test is coming! No matter what, we must unite and trust each other, only then can we achieve victory!"

"That's right! I believe we can overcome all these difficulties no matter what." Ling'er agreed confidently.

"Me too!" Xiaojie also raised his fist firmly.

Just as they were preparing to face the unknown challenge, a cold voice suddenly echoed throughout the corridor: "It's finally here, human heroes... Welcome to the stage of this final battle. Are you truly ready?"

Lin Chen and the others looked in the direction of the sound, only to see a tall, dark figure gradually appear in the distance—that was the moment when the true identity of the mastermind behind the scenes was about to be revealed...

The story is far from over. New challenges await these fearless explorers... As that cold voice rang out, everyone's nerves tensed. In the darkness ahead, the shadows gradually became clearer, and a tall human figure came into view. Lin Chen and the others quickly assumed combat stances, ready to engage.

"Don't be nervous, I'm not an enemy." The shadowy figure slowly moved forward, his voice becoming calmer. As he approached, Lin Chen and the others realized he was a man wearing a strange robe. His face was youthful, but his eyes revealed a trace of age. "I'm one of the researchers in this lab, my name is Ares."

"Researcher?" Xiao Liu asked doubtfully, "Then why were you hiding in the dark?"

Ares smiled slightly and said, "You have just entered my laboratory. I must be careful until I can confirm that you are not ordinary intruders."

Ling'er immediately took out a map and compared it with the layout in front of her. "If I remember correctly, there's an area specially marked as 'Experimental Restricted Area' on this map. That's where we just passed, right? What kind of experiments were conducted here?"

After hearing Ling'er's question, Ares sighed: "Those are some technological research and development projects that go beyond conventional scientific cognition - research on the transformation of time, space, and even life itself. But then a series of uncontrollable events occurred..."

Carl frowned, "So what's the problem with this experimental area now?"

"Some unknown power has awakened," Ares replied. "It was originally sealed at the core, but now it seems to be trying to break free. If it succeeds, the entire city will face catastrophic destruction!"

Hearing this, everyone gasped. Shen Shiyan said seriously, "It seems we have no choice but to move on. Do you know how to completely seal this energy?"