The two walked down the stairwell. They encountered people along the way, who, upon seeing their protective suits, immediately lowered their heads and fell silent, as if they were afraid.
The doors to the 19th and 18th floors were tightly shut, with two black-suited men armed with guns guarding them.
The entire 17th floor was the cafeteria, and the aroma of food wafted out as soon as they entered.
It was a buffet, with coffee, juice, fruits, congee, noodles, soup, and rice – not much different from the real world.
The tables were neat, and though there were quite a few people, everyone queued up to get their food willingly.
She glanced at her watch. It was 11 o'clock, nearing mealtime.
The two found a secluded corner to sit down.
Xu Qian lowered her voice and said, "I suspect the 18th and 19th floors are storage rooms."
She wore a blue mask, her hair completely covered by the white protective suit, and a transparent hood on her head, revealing only her calm, dark eyes.
He chuckled softly, his voice low, and replied, "Let's finish eating and take a look at the 16th floor before deciding."
Xu Qian frowned. "Are we really eating?"
"If it's free, why not?"
Soon, a woman in a black professional dress hurried over.
"Professor Zhu, Professor Huang, why are you sitting here? A private room has been prepared."
Mei Yuebai was taken aback for a moment, then quickly recovered.
He lowered his voice slightly, averting his gaze, and said, "It's too stuffy inside, we just wanted to chat for a bit."
The woman paused, not sensing anything amiss. After spending all day in the lab, anyone would need some fresh air.
"Alright, Professor Zhu, Professor Huang, please follow me. The dishes have been prepared, and they'll taste better while they're hot."
"Mm."
The two followed the woman to a corner of the cafeteria.
She opened a door, revealing four rooms inside. She pulled open the door to one of them.
"Please."
The room was not large but was exquisite and bright, with oil paintings on all four walls. There was a wooden table for four, and five dishes and one soup were laid out on the dining table.
There was shrimp, fish, and meat – an abundance of food.
The woman did not enter with them, but closed the door for them and waited outside.
Mei Yuebai locked the door, took out a pair of glasses from his pocket, and put them on, scanning the room.
"No cameras, we can eat."
Xu Qian was truly curious about why he had so many strange items. Even as the grandson of the person in charge, he wasn't that peculiar.
She pulled down her mask and removed the transparent hood.
"How do you have so many strange things?"
Mei Yuebai picked up his chopsticks, paused, and then said, "Every time I go out, my grandfather gives me a pack and tells me to protect myself."
"Oh, let's eat first then."
Everyone has their secrets. The future leader of the A City base would undoubtedly be different from ordinary people.
This was the first time the two ate alone. They ate quickly and finished in a short while.
Just as they were about to leave, faint sounds emanated from the adjacent room.
Xu Qian froze and quickly pressed her ear against the wall.
"I've reviewed the experimental data this time, and it's truly disappointing. When will the animals in our G Province start mutating in large numbers?"
"Haven't we succeeded with one batch? They're all in the garage."
"But it's been a week. We need to give them an explanation. A City has already had a large-scale mutation."
"Alright, alright, don't worry, don't worry. We'll discuss the data with them after we finish eating."
Xu Qian narrowed her eyes slightly. Give them an explanation, who were they?
After the sounds from the next room completely ceased, the two pushed the door open and walked out.
The woman was surprised for a moment, then quickly composed herself. She was the personal assistant to the two professors, handling their miscellaneous affairs. She knew the experimental data had been poor recently, and the professors likely had no appetite. Yet, they had eaten so quickly today.
She sighed softly and said, "Professor Zhu, Professor Huang, while experimental data is important, your health is equally vital. You need to eat well to have the strength to work."
Mei Yuebai responded with a low hum.
The woman lowered her eyes and thought for a moment. "Or perhaps you could go to the 16th floor to relax for a while? I can arrange a private room for you."
Xu Qian's lips curved into a smile. It was all falling into place effortlessly.