Chapter 352 The Arbotte Laboratory
The usually quiet and meticulous Arbotte Laboratory suddenly became a hub of activity. It was a world-renowned research facility.
While it was just a laboratory, its research projects garnered global attention. Many countries coveted the opportunity to collaborate with this facility. Despite its small size, consisting of only a dozen members, each was a globally recognized genius in their field.
The laboratory primarily focused on cutting-edge technology, excelling in physics and chemistry research. Every research achievement from the laboratory had the potential to change the world. However, this laboratory was shrouded in mystery; little was known about its members or location.
The only means to obtain information about the laboratory was through two channels. The first was to monitor the sporadic updates on the Arbotte Laboratory’s website, which sometimes went without new details for the entire year.
The second option was to obtain information through the black market, but Arbotte Laboratory’s information was notoriously expensive and required significant sacrifices. As everyone knows, anything can become a currency if it holds value in the black market!
No one expected this world-renowned and enigmatic laboratory to be hidden within the bustling neighborhood of Oceanvile.
Amidst the dilapidated old city, with its labyrinthine alleys, an unremarkable residential building from the 1990s stood. At first glance, it appeared ordinary, a common sight in this aging city. Two slender teenagers were standing and whispering to each other outside the building,
“Rodge Milton, do you think the chief will come?” Scott Theo asked innocently, looking at Rodge with anticipation.
Rodge was on the verge of being driven crazy by the constant chatter. While he was also excited about the chief’s arrival, he couldn’t stand the continuous talking.
He gave Scott a cold glance and said, ” Brat, shut your mouth. Be careful; she might cut off your tongue when the chief arrives. The chief doesn’t like talkative people!”
Scott was frightened and immediately fell silent. In his eyes, the chief was his idol, and he was a simple person. He admired whoever was more potent than him.
As for the chief, he did not doubt that she was far more powerful than anyone he had ever met. She was his ultimate role model.
Therefore, the chief had to be his only idol. Rodge checked the time as their meeting with the chief was approaching. His heart raced with excitement. He had been a laboratory member for three years, and this would be his first encounter with the chief.
He couldn’t help but feel thrilled. After all, the chief was a genius and a visionary leader. As he eagerly anticipated her arrival, his heart soared.
Just as he had finished admonishing Scott, he saw a slender figure dressed in black approaching from a short distance away.
Rodge was momentarily stunned. She had to be the chief just by judging her overwhelming aura. How could an ordinary person possess such a powerful presence?
Scott, who was next to him, widened his eyes and couldn’t find words to speak. He could only grasp Rodge’s hand and shake it eagerly.
Rodge was nearly infuriated by this annoying kid. He was the youngest science champion in Halleywick, yet he lacked this much composure. Catherine walked up to the two of them. They were still pushing and shoving each other, but they stopped when she cleared her throat.
Rodge immediately stood up straight, his demeanor much more respectful. He cautiously spoke, “Excuse me, are you the chief?”
Catherine replied in a soft voice, ” Hello, Rodge.”
It was a charming feminine voice, and she sounded pretty young. Rodge was stunned. When the chief contacted them, she always used a voice modulator. So, apart from their team leader, nobody knew if the chief was male or female, old or young.
Rodge had considered that the chief might be an older man with a full beard or a middle-aged man with extraordinary charisma After all reaching the height of leadership required a lot of time and experience.
However, he never would have imagined that the chief was a woman. Moreover, she was a very young woman based on her voice. Rodge hadn’t had a chance to look at Catherine yet, as her face was mostly hidden under a cap, and he dared not to stare at her closely.
On the other hand, Scott, who was even younger than Rodge, was excited to the point of losing his composure. If it weren’t for Rodge instinctively holding him back, he would have thrown himself into Catherine’s arms.
“Chief, I’m Scott. Do you remember me?” said Scott. Catherine glanced at the young boy, who looked even younger than Rodge. Scott had an adorable cherubic face.
His eyes would crinkle when he smiled, giving him an endearing and friendly appearance. She recognized him, a young physics genius who joined the lab over a year ago.
He was still relatively young but had made significant contributions to physics research. She nodded slightly, “I read your paper last month, and your arguments were well done.”
“Really?” Scott was overjoyed. He beamed at Catherine. “Chief, you’re so kind, praising me like this!”
Rodge, on the other hand, was worried that Scott’s thoughtlessness might offend Catherine. He tried to guide the conversation and said, “Chief, shall we go inside the lab first?”
Catherine gave a slight nod, and Rodge led the way. They entered the core of the laboratory, a room that appeared quite ordinary and furnished.
But when Rodge glanced at the decorations near the entrance, the originally whitewashed walls suddenly began to move aside.
A hidden high-tech laboratory tunnel slowly revealed itself. The decorations had iris recognition devices, allowing only lab members to open the mysterious door and access the laboratory’s interior.
However, this door was just the first obstacle. There were many more mechanisms inside to ensure the lab’s security.
For outsiders, entering the lab was practically as difficult as reaching the heavens. Rodge escorted Catherine to the innermost part of the laboratory, the core area.
“Chief, please have a seat. I’ll retrieve the data for you,” said Rodge. Catherine showed no courtesy as she walked over to a nearby sofa and plopped down, adopting a casual and unreserved posture, exuding the air of a big shot.
On the other hand, Scott looked like an enamored fan. He rested his chin on his hand and gazed in fascination in Catherine’s direction.
No matter how he looked at his idol, he felt that she was incredibly beautiful. Their chief had come in person, and Rodge couldn’t afford to be lax. He promptly prepared the data and handed it over to Catherine.
“Chief, here are the results of our current research phase. The initial findings are already available. Please review and let us know if you’d like to proceed with the second phase of experiments,” said Rodge.
As he handed the documents to Catherine, Rodge inadvertently looked up.
He was frozen in shock and his mouth agape, as if he had encountered something immensely startling.
