As the Lee group descended further into the bowels of the underground laboratory complex, the tension in the air grew palpable. Every step seemed to echo in the dimly lit corridor, a haunting reminder of the unknown dangers that lurked ahead. The faint hum of the elevator's machinery was the only sound, but it couldn't drown out the feeling that they were being watched, stalked like prey in a predator's hunting ground.

when lee enter the lab he could feel the danger coming from around him

a low growl shattered the silence, and three short-faced bears emerged from the shadows, their eyes fixed on the intruders.

Jan with terrified face look on the tree bears-great those bears again

ira giggle a little- at least they don't have Goldilocks with them

Lee quickly interjected, "Not now, Ira."

Without hesitation, Lee lunged at the nearest short-faced bear, his left fist connecting with its face, and then, with a fierce determination, he jabbed his fingers into the bear's eye. A painful howl erupted from the wounded bear, which now had just one eye left.

The second short-faced bear, witnessing the gruesome fate of its comrade, attempted to tackle Lee. However, before it could execute its plan,

bang bang bang

Ira unleashed a hail of bullets from her dual handguns, sending shards of bone and fur flying.

Roaring with fury, the injured bear continued its charge, blindly aiming for Lee. With a deft sidestep, Lee evaded the bear's assault, causing it to collide with its one-eyed companion.

Seizing the opportunity, Lee pounced on the second bear's neck, his powerful hands hammering down relentlessly.

The bear roared in agony, attempting to dislodge Lee, but the relentless assault continued. Lee's legs locked around the bear's neck as his fists continued to pound away at its head. Finally, the bear succumbed to its injuries, lifeless on the cold laboratory floor.

"Killed short-faced bear - gained 150 points and a D-rank reward," a familiar system voice chimed in.

Lee, hearing the notification, dismounted the second bear's lifeless form and turned his attention to the remaining two bears.

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The first short-faced bear, which had lost an eye earlier, remained alive, albeit severely wounded. It faced off against Jan and Ira, both of whom bore wounds from the relentless battle.

In a daring move, Jan seized an opportunity, thrusting her Machta weapon into the bear's open mouth. The bear bled profusely, but its tough hide prevented the weapon from reaching its brain. In a sudden twist, Ira, with remarkable strength, pushed the Machta deeper into the bear's mouth until it penetrated its brain.

ding

system message appeared two both of them

Meanwhile, Oscar took on the third short-faced bear. Injecting a slow-acting poison he got in the clinic into the bear, he left it feeling dizzy and disoriented. Then, with precision strikes from his ax, he ended the bear's life.

Lee couldn't help but smile at his friends' prowess. "I see you all have gotten stronger."

Ira approached Lee, "From all the fighting we've done all of us got experience in battle against these animals"

Jan smile a little - she right even I did

Jan chimed in with a faint smile, "She's right. Even I've improved."

Their laughter filled the eerie atmosphere of the laboratory, a brief respite from the relentless danger that surrounded them.

lee suddenly feels something from one side of the lab, he turns around and yells to it - go out, I know you are there

ira look around her and didn't see anything- who are you talking to lee, there is no one here besides us

Ira scanned the surroundings but saw nothing. "Who are you talking to, Lee? There's no one here besides us."

A disembodied voice responded, "Oh, you're sharper than I thought, Lee."

Footsteps, agonizingly slow, drew nearer. The tension in the room heightened with each approaching step until a figure emerged from the shadows it was Chris

Chris - but before we continue, here a small gift from me to you

Chris smirked, "But before we continue, here's a small gift from me to you."

With lightning speed, he produced a peculiar-looking black gun and fired it at Jan.

"Bang!"

The bullet struck Jan's left shoulder, causing her to wince in pain and briefly lose consciousness. Ira rushed to her side, cradling her friend in concern.

Lee's eyes burned with fury as he demanded, "What did you do to her?"

Chris chuckled, "Oh, just gave you a reason to visit Professor Adam. The bullet I shot her with carries a mutation from the creatures we put in the food. She'll die in about twenty minutes unless she gets the antidote, which is with Professor Adam. I suggest you hurry."

Lee's fists clenched, his desire to confront Chris head-on warring with the urgency of Jan's condition. Oscar stepped in, his expression unusually serious.

"Lee, I believe we might not need the antidote this time. Remember how the guide healed us before the mission? It could happen again, though I'm not entirely sure. But regardless, we still need the key to complete this mission. You're the strongest among us right now. You have to go to Adam to get the key. You can't afford to fight Chris. Let me handle him."

Lee contemplated Oscar's words, impressed by his friend's clear-headedness despite the overwhelming anger he felt.

"Alright, Oscar. I'll leave it to you. Keep yourself safe, buddy, until I retrieve the key."

"You too, Lee. Good luck."

With that, Lee and Ira carefully laid Jan's unconscious form in a corner of the lab and ventured deeper into the ominous facility. Oscar and Chris remained, their tension building.

Oscar gritted his teeth, his gaze locked on Chris. "Now that we're alone, shall we begin?"

Chris grinned wickedly, "Soon, my pet hasn't arrived yet."

A thunderous roar shook the lab, and from behind Chris, a massive creature emerged. It was unlike anything Lee had ever seen. Three meters in length and two meters in height, it boasted brown fur with three ominous black stripes running down its back. However, what truly mesmerized and horrified the onlookers was the creature's colossal head, with a jaw that could rival a car tire, armed with formidable teeth.

Chris nonchalantly mounted the creature, addressing Oscar with a smirk, "Meet my pet - the Andrewsarchus, the latest creation of this island and one of the most dangerous creatures in this world. Now, shall we begin?"