Research Log Entry Date: March 15, 2024 (Overcast)
I stand before the gates of Facility 756, and the air feels damp and cold.
The complex, surrounded by towering mountains, looks like a slumbering giant. Its gray-white exterior is overtaken by deep green vines. The job briefing described this place as a typical research institution, but just the infrared cameras barely visible behind the glass windows are enough to tell me this place is anything but ordinary.
My name is Wang Ming, and starting today, I officially join the research team at Facility 756. This remote mountain facility will be the starting point of my search for the truth behind my sister's disappearance.
At 4 AM, I received an encrypted message—simple and to the point: coordinates and a time. When I drove along the rugged mountain road to the designated spot, it was still dark, and the surrounding fog seemed particularly eerie.
"Identity code." A cold voice came from the guard booth.
"KX-23-789," I calmly stated the code I received in my orientation email. My voice was steady, but my palms were already slick with sweat. This number wasn't easy to get—I'd spent two months crafting a perfect resume, even resorting to some less-than-legal methods to secure it.
The iron gate slowly creaked open, revealing the true face of Facility 756.
To be honest, its exterior was disappointing. Had I not known what kind of research was being conducted here, I might have assumed it was just another pharmaceutical plant. A gray-white main building, standard office structure, with the only distinguishing feature being the dense array of cameras, their lenses like countless eyes, watching every corner.
Director Li, the middle-aged man with the standard professional smile, was the first person I met here. He wore a white lab coat with his ID badge clipped to it. The smile in his photo was identical to the one on his face now, down to the exact curve of his lips. The mechanical precision of it sent a chill down my spine.
"Please show me your medical report," he said.
I handed him the envelope. I'd had a thorough checkup just three days ago, but they insisted on doing another. This reminded me of my sister's last message: "The medical exams here are strange... they seem to be looking for a specific 'physique'."
The medical exam room on the third underground floor was unsettling. The hum of machines filled the air. The doctor drew my blood, took a urine sample, and conducted a series of tests I had never even heard of. The strangest was a helmet-like device that caused a mild sting when worn.
"What's this test for?" I asked.
"Brainwave resonance frequency," the doctor answered without looking up. "Standard procedure."
The results came quickly. Director Li glanced at the report, his expression thoughtful. "Interesting. Your data is quite unique."
My heart skipped a beat. My sister's exam results were also strange... "What's so unique about it?" I asked, forcing myself to stay calm.
"You'll find out soon enough," he said cryptically. "Welcome to Facility 756."
As we stepped into the elevator to go to the office area, I noticed something odd about the button panel. The ground floors were labeled 1 through 3, but the underground levels were marked B1 to B5. When Director Li pressed B5, the elevator display flickered: 1, B1, B2, B3, B5.
Where did B4 go?
Before I could think further, the elevator doors opened. The scent of disinfectant hit me immediately, and on either side of the hallway were rows of labs. Through the glass, I could see researchers immersed in their work, data and graphs flashing on their screens.
I was assigned to Lab 3 on B5. The workstation was simple: a computer, a manual, and a stack of documents to go through.
"These are recent experimental data," Director Li said. "You need to analyze and archive them. Pay special attention to anomalies, especially...," he paused, "samples with energy fluctuations above the threshold."
Just then, a sharp alarm blared over the intercom: "Attention, energy fluctuations detected on B4. Relevant personnel, please respond immediately. Repeat..."
I instinctively glanced at Director Li, only to see his expression suddenly turn serious. The researchers around us stopped their work, and the air seemed to freeze.
"Ignore the alarm," Director Li's voice was ice-cold. "Focus on your work. Remember, confidentiality is the first rule here at Facility 756. Whatever you see or hear, pretend it never happened. Understand?"
I nodded, but inside, my mind was racing. B4? The floor that was skipped in the elevator?
I opened the computer and logged in with the credentials assigned to me. As the screen lit up, a small chat box briefly appeared in the corner:
[Help us]
The text was in bright red.
In that instant, I realized that my investigation might be far more dangerous than I had anticipated. What had my sister discovered here?
I glanced down at the manual in my hands. It contained the following internal regulations for Facility 756:
1. No staying after hours without authorization
2. No entering unauthorized areas
3. No unnecessary contact with experimental subjects
4. No recording or carrying any experimental data
5. Violators will face the consequences
The corner of the manual had a barely noticeable crease, as if it had been read repeatedly. When I examined it more closely, I found a faint mark in the paper's crease: [B4-7].
Had my sister left this behind?
The alarm continued to blare, but no one seemed to care. They were all absorbed in their work, as if it were just another ordinary day. And me? I had officially become part of this secretive place.
I put the manual down and began processing the data in front of me. On the surface, I was just doing the work a newcomer would do; but in reality, every number, every document, could be a key to uncovering the truth.
Sister, I'm coming for you.