CHAPTER 255: CHAPTER 65: THE WAY OUT

The newly acquainted Sherlock is a Cave Person, later modified by an Alchemist, with most of his organs replaced by machinery.

According to Sherlock, he only needs a minimal amount of energy for his daily needs, the main source being a refined mineral, a piece of which can sustain him for half a year.

"Do you know this place completely?"

Su Xiao needs to gather as much information about Sherlock as possible; the route out requires Sherlock’s guidance.

"Apart from some classified locations, I’m familiar with all other areas. In short, there’s no problem leaving here. Wait a moment."

Sherlock approached the experiment table and took out a yellowed paper from a drawer.

"This is the map of the ’Bilumake Alchemy Testing Ground’. Our current position is here."

Charlotte pointed towards the middle rear of the map, and Su Xiao stepped forward to check.

He was already deep into the ’Bilumake Alchemy Testing Ground’; going further would reach the core area.

Su Xiao noticed a specially marked location on the map - the emergency route.

"We are currently in the ’Seventh Cultivation Room’; this place is mainly responsible for the creation of Alchemical Creatures. The emergency route is not far from here; just pass through this."

Sherlock pointed to a red area on the map:

"What’s this?" Su Xiao asked.

"This is the Sanctum of Birth, considered the most dangerous area of the ’Bilumake Alchemy Testing Ground’.

There are many Alchemical Creatures like me here in the ’Bilumake Alchemy Testing Ground’. I was created to assist Alchemists in processing Alchemy Materials, so my combat ability is weak, unlike other Alchemical Creatures. I must say, you are quite lucky. If you had gone to the ’Second Cultivation Room’, you definitely wouldn’t leave alive."

As Sherlock spoke, he constantly held onto the map, allowing only a look, as he was on guard against Su Xiao.

"Sanctum of Birth? What was born there."

"A monster, a monster capable of destroying an Empire. It’s laughable that those Alchemists poured their efforts into creating that monster, but in the end, they were all disposed of due to the royal family’s fears."

Su Xiao felt some headache; this unknown monster might be very powerful.

"How does this monster you speak of compare to the Cave-keeper?"

Charlotte looked at Su Xiao in astonishment.

"Those guards? Are you joking? The purpose of creating those guards was not for combat. You should have heard of the Supreme Teigu, right?"

Su Xiao nodded, and Sherlock continued:

"In front of that monster, the Supreme Teigu is utterly fragile. Within five minutes, that monster can turn the Supreme Teigu into a pile of scrap metal."

Su Xiao felt even more troubled.

"Such a strong presence must have a keen perception, right? We can’t possibly pass by it safely."

"No need to worry about that, it’s been dormant, no activity for four hundred years already."

"Trustworthy?"

"Of course, I’m a legend as a six-hundred-year-old Cave Person."

Sherlock puffed up his chest, full of pride.

"Then let’s set off and leave this place quickly."

"Wait, I need to pack my belongings."

Sherlock took out a gray cloth bag and started packing things in the room. A parchment was put into the cloth bag, and Su Xiao vaguely saw a purple glow flickering on it.

With the sack on his back, Sherlock waddled out.

"Just follow me, the guards here only patrol three times a day, it’s very safe now."

Su Xiao said nothing, but he remained vigilant.

Sherlock strutted ahead, looking quite pleased.

As Sherlock had described, no other Alchemical Creatures appeared again in the ’Seventh Cultivation Room’.

A thousand years ago, this place was glorious, but now it’s in ruins.

Back then, each cubicle housed an Alchemist who experimented, lived, and died here.

The royal family poisoned the food of the Alchemists, killing more than ninety-five percent of them.

After that, the ’Bilumake Alchemy Testing Ground’ became a Human Forbidden Zone, where anyone entering, except royal family members, would be attacked by Alchemical Creatures.

After the monster in the Sanctum of Birth was created, the royal family began to fear the Alchemists’ abilities, and the end for Alchemists approached, with all of them hunted by Empire troops, only a few surviving in remote areas.

Without Alchemists, the ’Bilumake Alchemy Testing Ground’ was gradually forgotten by the royal family.

The royal family did not destroy that monster; they were unwilling to give up such power. Of course, there were other reasons too.

With Sherlock leading the way, the group efficiently exited the Seventh Cultivation Room in less than ten minutes, reaching the Sanctum of Birth, which was adjacent to the Seventh Cultivation Room.

After passing through a corridor filled with large test tubes, Su Xiao reached the Sanctum of Birth.

It was different from what he had imagined; there were no experimental instruments or powerful Alchemical Creatures, just an icy metal room spanning several thousand square meters, entirely empty.

"Is this the Sanctum of Birth, where’s that monster?"

Su Xiao looked around; he couldn’t figure out where a monster might be hiding. If possible, the only...

Sherlock pointed to the floor.

"Right beneath us. Don’t make too much noise. Though it’s been dormant for hundreds of years, no one knows when it might wake up. If unlucky, it might wake up in the next moment."

Hearing "unlucky," Su Xiao’s heart tightened. His luck seemed, perhaps, not too good, so he instinctively quickened his pace.

As it turned out, the monster that had been sleeping for centuries was not so easy to awaken. Su Xiao passed through the Sanctum of Birth smoothly, reaching a diamond-shaped metal door.

At the lower part of the metal door, there was a face with complete features, its mouth wide open.

"This is the emergency route. Kid, it’s your turn."

Sherlock motioned for the Little Emperor to step forward.

"Me?" The Little Emperor pointed at himself.

"What... what do I have to do?"

The Little Emperor was uncooperative; he sensed Sherlock’s hostility.

"Put your hand in there."

Charlotte pointed at the gaping mouth on the metal door, but the Little Emperor immediately shook his head.

Su Xiao was not going to seek the Little Emperor’s consent. The emergency exit was right there, and this guy was hesitating. He directly approached the Little Emperor.

"Hey, don’t come any closer. If you do, I’ll run."

"Shut up."

The Little Emperor saw a shadow flash in his eyes, and Su Xiao was already in front of him.

"Don’t kill him, he needs to be alive."

Sherlock said urgently.

Five seconds later, Su Xiao covered the Little Emperor’s mouth to prevent him from shouting, inserting the Little Emperor’s hand into the big mouth of the metal door.

"Mmm~ mmm~."

The Little Emperor struggled with all his might, but to no avail.

Click.

The eyes of the face on the metal door opened, with hundreds of scales that could rotate.

"Leave it to me, I’ll handle it within thirty seconds."

Sherlock’s hand trembled, right in front of him was the gate to freedom.

The Little Emperor, realizing there was no danger, stopped struggling. Su Xiao released him, as he had no further use.

Boom!

A sudden tremor came from the ground, shaking Su Xiao’s legs, and Sherlock collapsed to the ground.

"What’s happening."

"Th-that-that monster might be waking up."

Sherlock trembled like a leaf.

"Quick, open this door!"

"Yes, escaping is priority."

Charlotte quickly rotated the eyes on the face.

Click.

The metal door slowly opened, but it wasn’t the door opening sound; it was the sound of the metal floor beneath them cracking, as something beneath was about to emerge.