Chapter 121: Cursed Spirit (Memoir I)

The hundred-meter trek felt like a form of torture for both Wang Yong and me. I couldn't help but feel that the architect of this underground prison was deliberately trying to disgust us; placing these harmless yet repulsive things here was clearly intended to break the spirit of anyone with a weak constitution.

Finally, we fought our way to the elevator entrance. Once inside, we were finally rid of those "Ghost Ninjas." I truly wondered how Jiang Luyu had managed to make it through here in the first place.

"You two have it easy," Jiang Luyu said, looking at me and Wang Yong—who were both covered in that disgusting white slime—and laughing as he spoke. It turned out he had known exactly what we were in for all along and had set us up for a prank. "When I broke through here alone, I suffered far more than you. It was pitch black and terrifying. I practically crawled my way through, and I was nearly played to death by those Ghost Ninjas!"

Hearing that, we couldn't just let it slide. Wang Yong and I, both being of the Night Clan, immediately stood on common ground. While two against one might not have been perfectly fair, it seemed acceptable enough under the circumstances. The elevator was soon filled with the sound of pig-like squeals.

"Click, hummm..."

"Dong, stop hitting me! We're already here," Jiang Luyu gasped. "This is the transfer point for the tenth floor. To get to the seventeenth, we have to cross this two-hundred-meter-long corridor. This floor is extremely dangerous; I nearly died right here!"

The elevator doors had just opened, and before we could even step out, Jiang Luyu began explaining the situation. As he spoke, I kept feeling as if the green glow in the distance was staring at us like a pair of eyes.

"What is that? It looks like an elevator button," I asked, puzzled.

"Don't kid around, brother," Jiang Luyu replied, shivering with excitement. "That was a product of the Japanese Unit 731 experiments in China, codenamed 'Curse Spirit.' It’s just like a boss from *Resident Evil*—impervious to blades and bullets. I never imagined that after all these decades, this thing would still be alive, and that it has actually evolved!"

Listening to him, I felt a strange thrill at the prospect of fighting such a creature. The unknown is always filled with mystery, though a flicker of fear managed to creep into my heart. Jiang Luyu pointed toward the entity and said, "I once learned about the Curse Spirit from a veteran of Unit 731..."

*(The following is a visualization of his story)*

As Jiang Luyu spoke, I fell into a deep meditation. It was during the War of Resistance, when a detachment of Japan's Unit 731 used Chinese people for live human experimentation. They indiscriminately injected various bacteria and viruses into their bodies. Most of the victims died within half an hour, their ends gruesome and tragic.

Essentially, every victim's body was ravaged beyond recognition by the bacteria and viruses within thirty minutes. Only those with exceptionally strong constitutions managed to hold on. Yet, what awaited them was not the release of death, but endless experimentation, until their corpses were carried out wrapped in white sheets to be cruelly incinerated.

Finally, there was one last Chinese survivor in the lab. He was recorded as a "miracle" of Unit 731 in China. But no one expected that three days later, it would mark the end for the twenty-six members of that detachment.

With one hour left to go, the laboratory was as it had always been. The room, filled with instruments and vats of bacteria, contained only one pale, skin-shedding test subject who was gritting his teeth in agony. Twenty or so Japanese members went about their business, their white antiseptic uniforms creating a chilling harmony with the white room.

"Clink, clatter." The sound of glass containers colliding was the only noise besides the groans of the "Maruta" (log).

This was an underground base for Unit 731, guarded by two squads totaling fifty soldiers. The innermost room was shielded by countless decontamination checkpoints, with quicklime scattered outside and heavy blast-proof doors that even hand grenades couldn't easily shatter.

With ten minutes remaining, Jiang Luyu’s narration grew more intense. Even Wang Yong and I couldn't help but clench our fists as we heard these cruel details. I stitched these images together in my mind like a film, each scene feeling as real as if it were happening before my eyes.

Everything was as usual when one Japanese man approached another with a glass test tube filled with bacterial solution. "Ikehara-kun, this is the newly developed X-bacteria. Why don't you test it?"

"I don't think that's a good idea, Saito-kun," Ikehara replied. "This is the only Maruta with such strong survival capabilities. Besides, he is already very weak. Why not wait until tomorrow?"

"The Empire cannot wait," Saito snapped. "We need a bio-force capable of combat. Besides, there are plenty of Chinese people here; we aren't short of this one. Let's start now, Ikehara-kun!"

Saito pulled back the white sheet covering the Maruta, drew the bacterial solution into a glass syringe, and handed it to Ikehara. Ikehara looked at the needle, then at the fearful, furious eyes of the man struggling on the white bed, and frowned. As a doctoral student in biology, he had come to Unit 731 specifically to study human mutation; he didn't want to let such a rare specimen die so quickly. Reluctantly, he said, "This... this isn't right!"

"Hurry up! I am ordering you in the name of the Major! Inject him now, or you’ll be the one to die!" Enraged, Saito didn't want to waste words. He pulled his pistol from his holster, pressed it against Dr. Ikehara’s head, and roared.

Ultimately, lacking military authority, Ikehara was forced to submit to Major Saito. He unwillingly injected the new bacterial solution into the weak Maruta.

Five minutes to go.

The bacterial fluid flooded the young Chinese man’s body. His veins bulged, his expression went blank, and aside from his body trembling violently, he looked as if he were on the verge of death. After two minutes of this, he suddenly went still. His bloodshot eyes turned dull and lifeless, his pale lips sealed shut, though blood began to trickle from the corners of his mouth.

"Major Saito, I told you! Even if the Empire is in a hurry, you cannot act like this. You have ruined my experiment!" Dr. Ikehara stared at the body on the bed, his rage boiling over. He ignored the gun still pressed to his head, turned to face Saito, and shouted at him.

"Doctor, I am truly sorry. I was too impatient. Please accept my apology!" Saito, feeling guilty for the loss he had caused the Empire, shamefacedly holstered his gun and lowered his head.

"Enough. Go back to your duties. I don't want any more soldiers interfering in this lab. I demand that you and your men leave immediately." Dr. Ikehara flicked his white lab coat and pointed toward the decontamination door, signaling them to leave.

Even as arrogant as he was, Saito dared not provoke Ikehara further. Cultivating a doctor for the Empire was no easy feat; if he were to shoot Ikehara, he would certainly be sent to a military tribunal. Wisely, he led his men out of the lab, standing in the outer room to watch the laboratory’s movements through the glass.