The next morning, Rain met Siobhan at the lift, arriving five minutes before nine.
"Good morning," Rain greeted.
"Good morning to you, Rain," Siobhan replied with a smile as they stepped into the official lift, finding themselves alone.
As the lift descended, Siobhan commented, "I checked the building address—it's about a ten-minute walk from the lift."
Rain nodded. "I reviewed the case information this morning. Did you know Lily found out Martin got his vacation as a gift when he bought cultivation resources from the Heshi Store? It's linked to the Heshi Research Institute."
Siobhan's expression turned serious. "Do you think Heshi is behind the disappearance of the iron wood and Hector?"
Before Rain could respond, Siobhan's BIT pinged, interrupting their conversation. She glanced at the message. "The man who gave Martin that gift has also disappeared. His role in the Hei family is similar to Hector's—the Hei family is one of the backers of the Heshi Research Institute."
Rain's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. As the lift doors opened, they stepped out and began walking toward their destination.
As they walked, Rain asked, "How's your control of genetic energy going? I've managed to shape the outline of a bird's head, but it's still pretty rough."
Siobhan gave him a thoughtful look. "Rain, you should switch to practicing the shape of a super-healing lizard instead of a bird."
Rain raised an eyebrow. "Why a lizard? What difference would it make?"
Siobhan explained, "Teacher Sky told me that practicing with the form of a beast related to the genetic medicine you're using is more effective. It helps detect impurities more easily. Once you can shape the energy perfectly into that beast, you can use it for attacks. It'll also be more compatible with your genetic energy."
Rain considered her words, realizing there might be merit in this method. "That makes sense. I hadn't thought of it that way."
Siobhan smiled. "It'll help you progress faster. I've been practicing with the ice cat form, and my refined percentage has increased to 0.097 percent in just three days. At this rate, I'll break through to the middle D-rank within a year."
Rain nodded. "Thanks," he said, then instructed his BIT to check for images of the super-healing lizard for practice. The BIT informed him there was one available for 100 credits. Rain authorized the purchase, planning to study it later.
Just then, Siobhan stopped. "We've arrived," she said.
Rain looked up at the modest three-story building. They entered, finding a gym filled with people working out. Rain approached a man standing idle, engrossed in a device.
"Excuse me, is there anyone in charge we can speak to?" Rain asked.
The man barely looked up. "The people in charge are on the first and second floors. This floor is just a free gym for anyone to use."
"Who owns the building?" Rain asked.
"Gu Body Training Centre," the man replied.
Thanking him, Rain gestured to Siobhan, and they headed to the back of the building, where they found a staircase. After climbing to the first floor, they entered through a glass door and approached a female receptionist at the desk.
The receptionist greeted them warmly. "Welcome! How can I assist you? Are you here to join the Gu Body Training Centre?"
Siobhan stepped forward. "We're here to inquire about what makes the Gu Body Training Centre unique. What's your specialty?"
The receptionist responded promptly. "Our specialty is preparing special poisons that strengthen the bodies of both ordinary humans and D-rank genetic warriors."
Siobhan nodded, then displayed her holographic police ID. "We're from the police," she said calmly. "We'd like to speak with the owner of the training centre."
The receptionist's friendly demeanour shifted slightly. "One moment, please," she said, using a device to call someone. Shortly after, a bald man arrived, introducing himself.
"Hello, I'm Zun Gu, the owner's son. How can I help you?"
Rain didn't waste time. "We're here to ask about Hector Cressey. Do you know him?"
Zun Gu nodded. "Yes, Hector was a member here. With our help, he was stuck at the beginning of D-rank for two years, but after using our specially prepared poisons, he broke through to the middle D-rank within six months."
Rain raised a brow. "If your poison is that effective, why isn't it more well-known?"
Zun Gu smiled. "Because it requires immense willpower. When we apply the poison, the body feels like it's burning, and most people can't handle that."
Siobhan looked concerned. "Isn't that dangerous?"
"It can be, which is why we apply poisons below the individual's rank, helping them build tolerance. The poison is applied here under supervision, once a week," Zun Gu explained.
Rain, thinking of his own resilience, asked, "Can the poison only be applied here? Or can someone take it home?"
Zun Gu's expression became serious. "It can be taken home, but only after signing a contract. If you die from the poison, we're not responsible."
Turning back to Hector, Rain asked, "Did Hector make any friends here?"
Zun Gu shook his head. "No, Hector kept to himself. He came, trained, and left. He hasn't shown up for his last two sessions. We tried calling him, but he didn't answer."
Rain and Siobhan exchanged looks. They knew Hector had been seen entering the building, but Zun Gu claimed otherwise. "Hector was here on the 15th of this month for at least three hours," Rain pressed.
Zun Gu frowned. "Check our register and cameras. He wasn't here."
Rain activated his BIT, projecting a video of Hector entering the building at 6:47 p.m. and leaving at 9:12 p.m.
Zun Gu's eyes widened in shock. He turned to the receptionist. "Missy, show them the video from the 15th."
Missy complied, and the footage clearly showed Hector entering the building at 6:47 p.m. Zun Gu, now visibly confused, said, "I was here that night. How is this possible?"
Rain asked, "What do you have to say now?"
Zun Gu stammered, "There must be a mistake. Missy, show them the footage of him entering this floor."
They watched the video from 6:47 p.m. to 9:04 p.m., but Hector never appeared on the first floor. Rain asked, "Is there a camera on the ground floor?"
"No, there isn't," Zun Gu admitted.
Siobhan signaled that it was time to return to the office. As they turned to leave, Rain stopped. "Can I buy some of your special poison?"
Zun Gu raised a brow. "What's your rank?"
"Beginning of D-rank," Rain replied.
"Then you should start with E-4," Zun Gu advised. "Our poisons are divided from E-0 to E-4 for ordinary people, and from D-1 to D-4 for D-rank genetic warriors."
"I'll take the D-1 version," Rain insisted.
Zun Gu frowned. "E-4 will test your tolerance. It won't kill you, and it'll help you adjust to our method."
Rain stood firm. "I want D-1."
Zun Gu sighed. "As you wish, but you'll need to sign a contract, and it'll cost you 300 credits for one gram."
Missy brought out a large display, and after typing for a few moments, Zun Gu presented the contract to Rain. It clearly stated that the Gu Body Training Centre would not be held responsible if Rain died from the poison, complete with the city council's stamp for legal approval. Without hesitation, Rain signed the contract, paid the 300 credits, and received the poison. The instructions were immediately sent to his BIT.
As they descended the stairs, Siobhan commented, "For you, using this poison to refine your body won't be dangerous. Your body is immune to anything below a B-rank poison, and with your self-healing, any damage will instantly be repaired."
Rain nodded, "Yeah, I'm curious to see how effective this training will be." As they reached the ground floor, he continued, "Something must have happened to Hector here. We'll need to watch the whole day's footage to identify everyone who entered the building and interview them. Let's go and inform the team leader of the new developments."
Siobhan shook her head slightly, "No need to head back to the office. I've already logged our entire conversation into the case file, and Teacher Sky has reviewed it. He told us to go to the lab on 6th Street and urge the researchers to figure out if the ironwood's energy signal can be masked."
Rain nodded again, "Where's the lab?"
"It's right behind the police headquarters, not far from here," Siobhan replied.
After about half an hour, they stood at the lab's outer gate. From there, they could see the imposing structure—a large glass building reaching up to the 6th floor. They presented their identification and explained the reason for their visit. After verifying their details, the gate opened, followed by the glass doors of the building.
As they entered, they were struck with awe. Inside, the lab resembled a massive greenhouse, filled with lush trees and the sounds of birds, insects, and small animals. It felt like stepping into a small forest rather than a laboratory.
"Wow!" Siobhan exclaimed.
Rain was equally impressed. "This is incredible," he muttered, marveling at how the space felt like a real forest, not the inside of a building.
They continued down the straight path ahead, enjoying the serene environment. Rain briefly forgot they were underground, immersed in the natural beauty around them. After walking for a while, the path split into three directions. One continued straight, while the left path was marked as number 1 and the right as number 2.
"Our way is number 3," Rain said.
They continued straight, following the sign for the third path. After a short distance, the road split again, this time to the left, which was marked with the number 3. They took the left turn and eventually reached a small, one-story white building labeled 3-1. Passing by it, they continued to the next two buildings until they arrived at 3-4.
Upon reaching the door marked "3-4," they pressed the alarm by the entrance, signaling their arrival.