Hunter of Mysterious Creature

"Since it's a training area, shouldn't we be able to find some clues from the past exercises?" the Fisherman said. "At least we would know what kinds of things the institute was researching back then, right?"

"Unfortunately, none of these simulation training grounds were put into use before the institute was abandoned," Shino sighed. "The buildings you see are actually just half-finished."

Back then, the largest proportion of people who "disappeared" on the Nameless Island were not the institute's staff, nor the island's garrison, but the engineers at various expansion sites—at least six engineer battalions from the Siberian Federation and the Xiazhou Federation were involved, yet none of these people made it back in the end.

"Doesn't that seem odd to you?" Sun Hang suddenly spoke up.

"Odd? What's odd?" The Fisherman was a bit baffled. "If you want to talk about strange things, I find everything I've seen to be odd, there's not a single normal part."

"When the accident happened back then, there were thousands of people on the island, yet only a handful escaped back to the mainland. What about those who didn't escape?" Sun Hang asked.

"Probably dead." The Fisherman shrugged instinctively. "Even if they didn't die back then, it's been over a hundred years now, they'd all be dead of old age by now!"

"And what about the bodies of those who died?" Sun Hang asked again. "Didn't you notice that we haven't seen a single corpse along the way?"

"Ah... that's true!" The Fisherman's face changed slightly. "Not a single body... whether on the ground or buried underground..."

Aside from those Hunters killed by the Yamata Orochi on the beach, they have only encountered four bodies now.

One was an Indian Hunter who died in the eerie forest due to emotional breakdown.

Another was an Angsa Hunter with a natural Shield Curse ability, killed by companions and made into a "Protective Talisman."

One was an Angsa female Hunter driven mad by a curse and shot dead by Sun Hang.

And the last one was that unlucky soul wedged in the wall just recently.

These four bodies are all from Hunters who landed this time, whereas those from earlier exploration teams and, further back, the "natives" on the Nameless Island over a hundred years ago have never appeared within sight.

The only "native" body was one Sun Hang saw in a dream, the guy who died on the toilet.

"Could there be some strange thing on the island that specializes in devouring bodies? The kind that doesn't even leave bone fragments?" The Fisherman scratched his head, saying, "Just like the ghouls often found in fantasy games."

"On the contrary, I think maybe everyone on the island was concentrated in one place back then, which is why we haven't seen any bodies," Shino said. "When designing such an institute, some rooms are always reserved as 'secure rooms' filled with a large amount of weapons, ammunition, and life supplies, protected by thick alloy walls. If outside intrusion or containment breach occurs and non-combat personnel can't evacuate, they would hide inside these secure rooms..."

"Where's the nearest secure room from here?" The Fisherman asked.

"There's no secure room on the first basement level," Sun Hang blurted out—at that moment, even he was taken aback. He hadn't intentionally recalled the design of the Nameless Island Research Institute; he just said it from some inexplicable familiarity.

"Correct," Shino nodded. "Because of the railway, there are no secure rooms on the first basement level. There are eight secure rooms on the second basement level, each accommodating fifty people on average; and four secure rooms on the third level, each accommodating twenty. Of course, the numbers refer to design specs, but in a critical moment, these secure rooms could be packed with four to five times the number of people, though supplies might be tight."

"I really envy your memories," the Fisherman said. "I've seen the design plans too, but now I can only recall a vague outline, can't distinguish one part from another."

They naturally had the design plans for the Nameless Island Research Institute, both in paper and electronic forms—however, both the portable computers storing the electronic versions and the waterproof folders containing the paper versions were left back on the beach.

"I memorized the institute's blueprints over three nights before heading out," Shino said.

"Three nights... The Dubhe Tower people sure know how to pull strings," the Fisherman noted. "Unlike us who only got this intel after boarding the ship."

"I have to admit, the Dubhe Tower underestimated the danger of this mission," Shino sighed again. "Even if the Yamata Orochi hadn't appeared, a considerable number of people might still die in this trial."

"I'm quite curious, though, about who decided to make the Nameless Island a trial element," Sun Hang asked.

"I'm just a Level 2 researcher; I don't have insight into decision-making," Shino said, "but the final decision must have been made by the Tower Master."

"The Tower Master? That last name Pei guy?"

"Yes," Shino nodded. "Mr. Pei holds the highest authority in Dubhe Tower. Anything as significant as an advancement trial must be submitted to him for approval."

"Didn't he consider that the Hunters participating in this advancement trial might all perish on the Nameless Island?" Sun Hang frowned. "Over the last century, out of four expeditions, three were completely wiped out, and the fourth came back empty-handed... isn't that telling enough?"

"Mr. Pei shouldn't... he shouldn't..." Shino attempted to defend, but found any excuses seemed rather powerless.

Dubhe Tower's higher-ups probably understood the island's dangers far better than these Hunters.

"Have you met the Tower Master? What kind of person is he?" Sun Hang asked again.

"I've only seen his holographic projection in his public class..."

"Meaning you've never seen him in person?"

"Not only me... most people in the Dubhe Tower haven't seen the real Mr. Pei," Shino said. "It's said that to maintain his physical condition for his role as Tower Master, Mr. Pei rarely leaves the specially designed rehab chamber, and even Dubhe Tower's upper echelons rarely meet him in person."

"I see..." Sun Hang fell into contemplation.

But just then, the previously dark district suddenly lit up section by section!

"What's happening? Who turned on the lights?" The Fisherman was startled and promptly assumed a defensive stance. "Wait! How are these lights on? Where's the electricity coming from?"