Chapter 53: The Truth Begins to Dawn, Mao Yu Turns the Tide

The night was as thick as ink, enveloping the entire Paranormal Research Center like a giant beast with its dark jaws agape.

Mao Yu moved through the dim corridor silently, agile as a gecko.

His figure flickered—now vanishing into the shadows, now darting past like a ghost, moving with such speed that only afterimages remained.

"This place really is a labyrinth," Mao Yu muttered internally while scanning his surroundings with sharp vigilance.

The air carried a faint scent of disinfectant, accompanied by an inexpressible sense of oppression.

He could feel the blood boiling within him, adrenaline surging, and his palms slightly damp.

He knew that, like a lone hero, he was deep behind enemy lines.

"Professor Su, you better not have run off!" Mao Yu chanted inwardly, involuntarily quickening his pace.

The events of the past few days flashed continuously through his mind, and anger burned in his chest like a fire.

Finally, Mao Yu stopped in front of a door bearing the sign "Senior Laboratory."

Taking a deep breath, he gently pushed the door open.

"Who is it!" cried a slightly terrified voice—it was Professor Su.

Sitting in front of the computer with bloodshot eyes, his hands hammered frantically at the keyboard as if trying to escape something.

Seeing Mao Yu appear out of nowhere, he bolted upright as if struck by electricity, his plump body trembling like a fleshy ball.

"Professor Su, long time no see!" A cold smirk curved the corner of Mao Yu's mouth, his tone laced with playful mockery.

He closed in on Professor Su step by step, his overwhelming aura forcing the professor to retreat reflexively.

"You... why are you here?!" Professor Su's voice trembled, his face as pale as a sheet of paper.

"Why wouldn't I be here?" Mao Yu retorted, his gaze chillingly cold, as though he could see right through Professor Su. "I came today to ask you a few questions, and I hope you'll answer honestly."

"I... I don't know anything!" Professor Su stammered, his eyes darting away, hands gripping the hem of his clothes tightly like a frightened little rabbit.

"You don't know?" Mao Yu's tone suddenly turned sharp. With a fierce slam of his hand on the desk—a resounding *bang*—the documents on top leaped into the air.

Professor Su shuddered, nearly collapsing to the floor.

"Do you think playing dumb will save you?" Mao Yu's fists cracked as he clenched them. Feeling the fury within him reach its boiling point, he closed in further. "Don't play games with me. I know you definitely know something!"

Feeling the oppressive weight radiating from Mao Yu, cold sweat streamed down Professor Su's forehead, dripping onto the floor.

"I..." Professor Su opened his mouth, trying to offer another excuse, but Mao Yu grabbed him by the collar.

"I'll ask you one last time!" Mao Yu's voice was low and dangerous, like an enraged beast growling. "Who is behind this plot against me?!"

Professor Su's face turned even paler. He swallowed hard, his throat bobbing with difficulty. "I... I... I can't say..."

"You can't say?" Mao Yu's eyes narrowed.

At that moment, Professor Su suddenly looked toward the door, as if laying eyes on something terrifying. His face instantly drained of all color, and he stammered, "They... they're coming..." Professor Su's complexion turned abnormally ashen, his entire body shaking as though he were witnessing his worst nightmare.

Mao Yu stared fixedly into his eyes, sensing an invisible oppressive force.

Right then, Professor Su whispered abruptly, "I'll tell you, but you have to help me, or I'm a dead man!" Desperation and helplessness filled his voice.

Mao Yu frowned, but he released his grip on Professor Su and said in a deep voice, "Speak, I'm listening."

Professor Su took a deep breath, seemingly making up his mind. "The mole is the deputy director of the laboratory. He colluded with that mysterious organization, manipulating the experiments from behind the scenes. They want to use the power of mutated paranormals to achieve their dark objectives."

A surge of anger flared instantly in Mao Yu's heart. Gritting his teeth, he asked, "What about Lin the paranormal? Where is he now?"

"He... he's at the abandoned hospital in the suburbs. Go quickly! Otherwise, something terrible will happen!" Professor Su's voice was urgent and trembling.

Mao Yu nodded, a swell of fulfillment rising in him.

He knew he was one step closer to the truth.

Turning immediately, he sprinted toward the door.

In the night, his figure vanished swiftly, leaving behind only a gust of wind and Professor Su's trembling form.

Amidst the ruins of the abandoned hospital, the eerie atmosphere made one's scalp tingle.

The surrounding walls were dilapidated and broken, and shattered medical equipment littered the ground.

Relying on his acute senses, Mao Yu quickly tracked down Lin the paranormal.

Suddenly, a frantic howl echoed from the dark, and Lin the paranormal pounced at Mao Yu like an out-of-control beast.

"Mao Yu, you'll regret this sooner or later!" Lin's voice was hoarse and crazed as he flailed his arms, kicking up wild gales that battered the surrounding environment into a shambles.

Mao Yu retreated swiftly, calmness and determination gleaming in his eyes.

He activated his system analysis, observing every single movement of his opponent.

Lin's attacks were like a violent storm, but relying on his extraordinary reflexes, Mao Yu dodged the lethal strikes time and again.

His fighting spirit soared; every successful evasion only fortified his resolve.

"Do you really think you can take me down like this?" A cold smile tugged at the corner of Mao Yu's mouth as he dodged, searching for the optimal moment to counterattack.

In the nearby ruins, a few onlookers holding their breath watched with eyes full of terror and anticipation.

As Lin unleashed another ferocious assault, Mao Yu suddenly accelerated, darting to his side and delivering a heavy punch straight to his ribs.

Lin let out a miserable scream and staggered back several steps. Seizing the momentum, Mao Yu pressed the attack relentlessly, a flurry of blows leaving Lin virtually defenseless.

"You bastard, today you're done for!" Decisiveness filled Mao Yu's voice. Throwing another punch, he completely shattered Lin's last line of resistance.

Just then, a bizarre smile crept onto the corner of Lin's lips, as if some final hidden scheme remained unspooled. A flash of vigilance crossed Mao Yu's eyes, and he delivered a powerful flying kick squarely to Lin's chin. With a crisp *crack* like breaking bones, Lin flew backward like a tattered sack, slamming heavily into a pile of rubble and kicking up a cloud of dust.

He struggled a few times before collapsing powerlessly to the ground, entirely stripped of his ability to resist.

"Done!" Mao Yu clapped his hands, a triumphant smile curving his lips. It turned out a special virus was at fault, eroding Lin's nervous system.

The system quickly provided a solution. Operating according to its instructions, Mao Yu soon purged the virus from Lin's body.

"Where... where am I? What happened?" Lin slowly regained consciousness, the madness in his eyes gradually fading, replaced by bewilderment and pain.

Mao Yu stepped forward and helped him up.

"You were infected by a mutant virus, but you're fine now."

Looking at Mao Yu with gratitude, an intense will to survive compelled Lin to blurt out the truth without reservation: "It's them! A mysterious organization has been controlling us all along! They want to turn us into... into monsters!" Fear laced his voice, but rage predominated.

Frowning deeply upon hearing this, Mao Yu said, "Rest assured, I'll hunt them down." His tone was resolute, a deep sense of accomplishment welling up inside him. The truth was peeling back layer by layer like an onion, and the feeling was simply exhilarating!

Having dealt with Lin, Mao Yu immediately hurried back to the research center.

Finding Mao Ling, he saw her pouting with a pitiful expression, and his heart instantly melted.

"Ling'er, I..." Before Mao Yu could finish, Mao Ling turned away, ignoring him.

Sighing helplessly, Mao Yu walked over to her and gently pulled her into an embrace.

"I'm sorry, Ling'er, I didn't mean to ignore you." Regret tinged Mao Yu's voice as his large hand gently stroked her hair. "I was just too busy and didn't get a chance to explain."

Feeling Mao Yu's warmth, the grievance in Mao Ling's heart melted away.

Turning around, she buried herself in his chest, holding him tight.

"I... I know, Brother Yu... I was just... just a bit worried about you." Mao Ling's voice was soft and sweet, like an affectionate little cat.

Sensing her attachment, warmth flooded Mao Yu's heart.

He tenderly cupped her face and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead.

"It won't happen again, I promise."

Mao Ling's smile returned, radiant as the sunshine, chasing away all the shadows in Mao Yu's heart.

They embraced tightly; for that moment, the world seemed to consist of only the two of them.

Right then, Mao Yu's phone rang.

Glancing at the caller ID, a meaningful smile touched his lips.

Releasing Mao Ling, he picked up the phone, his voice low and firm: "Hello? I have enough evidence here. Are you... ready?"

With a confident arc to his smile, Mao Yu reappeared in the public eye like a returning king, bringing along Lin and Professor Su.

Camera flashes clicked ceaselessly, and reporters thrust their microphones forward like bamboo shoots after a spring rain, practically shoving the lenses into Mao Yu's face.

"Ladies and gentlemen, there is only one truth!" Mao Yu's voice boomed like a bell across the venue as he pointed to Professor Su beside him, exposing the crimes of the laboratory's deputy director and the horrifying conspiracy of that mysterious organization.

An immediate uproar erupted in the audience, discussions surging like a tidal wave.

"What? It was actually the deputy director?!"

"Good god, what on earth were those people trying to do?!"

"Mao Yu is incredible to have uncovered all of this!"

Reporter Wang held up his microphone, expression twisting as if he had swallowed a fly. His previously self-righteous "inside scoops" now looked like a joke, slapping him hard across the face.

Ignoring the clamor, Mao Yu looked into the camera, his gaze steadfast. "Those paranormals affected by the mutations are not monsters—they are victims, too! I will certainly track down the masterminds and bring them to justice!"

At these words, the entire venue erupted.

The crowd's admiration for Mao Yu rolled on like a boundless river.

No longer the framed "conspirator," he was the hero who saved the paranormal city!

Standing outside the crowd, Feng Yao watched the high-spirited Mao Yu on stage, an expression of gratified relief blooming naturally on her face.

System notification chimes rang out in Mao Yu's mind, informing him that his reputation value had skyrocketed and his attributes had all improved.

Mao Yu knew this was only the beginning; the road ahead was still long.

"This was just a warm-up. Next comes the real main event," Mao Yu thought to himself.

He gazed into the distance of the paranormal city, where a layer of mysterious shadows still lingered.

At that exact moment, his phone rang once more. Checking the caller ID, a knowing smile curved his lips.

Answering the call, he lowered his voice and spoke slowly, "Hello? I've got that item. Where are you?"

He turned around, his figure gradually dissolving into the crowd, leaving behind only a suspenseful silhouette.