The security clearance process for the Research Department's laboratories was an incredibly complex procedure. The more advanced the research facility, the more intricate its authentication protocols became. It wasn't a simple matter of requesting access and being granted entry. Such a straightforward approach was utterly impossible in this high-security environment.

To gain access to a laboratory, one typically needed to go through a series of stringent identity verification steps. These included presenting a position card, undergoing fingerprint and retinal scans, bone structure analysis, and a slew of other identity confirmation procedures. Only after successfully clearing all these hurdles could the highest-level administrator grant permission to enter the lab.

Therefore, the fastest way to access the Elevator No. 1 laboratory complex was either to find a high-ranking official with clearance or, in extreme cases, to forcibly break in.

Truth be told, the interim director was tempted to opt for the latter. He was thoroughly fed up with these troublesome situations and longed to return home for a good night's sleep. After all, he had early morning experiments to conduct!

However, despite three of the authorized personnel having been recently "derailed," there were still three remaining. Forcibly breaking in was not a viable option.

With a grimace, the interim director initiated a communication link with one of the remaining authorized individuals.

The Research Department's external communication signals were completely cut off. As with any top-secret research facility, internal personnel were subject to extremely strict limitations on outside communication. This was especially true for the Imperial Research Headquarters.

Nevertheless, as the director – albeit interim – he did have certain privileges.

The Elevator No. 1 laboratory complex, including both its experimental records and the facility itself, was highly classified. Throughout the entire Research Department, those with clearance to access and enter could be counted on one hand.

The middle-aged man who received the communication looked terribly upset. The interim director knew this wasn't due to sleep deprivation from conducting experiments. This individual was among those under investigation and hadn't set foot in the Research Department for nearly a week.

"The Elevator No. 1 laboratory has been breached," the interim director stated bluntly, opting for straightforward honesty.

The middle-aged man's expression changed instantly. "Breached?!"

"Yes. I suspect there might be a dangerous situation developing down there," the interim director replied, his tone surprisingly calm despite the gravity of his words. "Do you know if anyone is currently conducting experiments in the Elevator No. 1 lab?"

"No one!" the middle-aged man responded without hesitation. "Wait there. I'm coming over immediately!"

The interim director didn't quite believe the claim that no one was down there. Besides the few with proper clearance, who else could enter the Elevator No. 1 laboratory undetected?

Personally, he suspected that their attempt to experiment on the cat had backfired spectacularly, and now all hell was breaking loose down below.

"Let them cause chaos," the interim director thought to himself. "With any luck, it'll be the end of those troublemaking old fogies!"

He couldn't help but feel frustrated. Instead of focusing on legitimate research, they were always stirring up trouble. At their age, one would expect them to be more considerate, but no – they were as bothersome as ever.

After ending the communication, the interim director contemplated for a moment before reaching out to silence the incessantly blaring alarms.

The two young researchers standing nearby exchanged glances, their curiosity getting the better of them. "Deputy Director, what exactly is going on in the Elevator No. 1 lab...?"

"Classified. Tell everyone to disperse," the interim director replied. Then, looking at the two young men, he sighed and patted their shoulders. "I think our department is missing something important."

The young researchers were puzzled. "What's that?"

The interim director waved his hand dismissively. "Come on, let's make two banners to hang in the main hall."

"Banners?"

"Yes. The first one will read 'Respect life, appreciate life, protect life.' The second one will say 'Familiarize yourself with the Basic Law for everyone's benefit.' And let's add a third: 'Whoever steals a cat again is an idiot, and we'll beat them on sight.'"

The young researchers were speechless.

"But what about the situation in Elevator No. 1...?"

The interim director waved off their concerns. "Just assume the matter has been resolved. Don't ask questions. Even if someone comes, they certainly won't take us down there."

"Are you implying that they're really conducting those kinds of experiments down there...?" One of the young researchers made an exaggerated gesture.

"Stop speculating! What are you getting so curious about? Shut your brain!" The interim director playfully swatted the young man's head. "If I don't have clearance to know, how could you possibly know? Come on, let's go make those banners!"

The two young researchers seemed to grasp the underlying message and promptly closed their mouths, scurrying after the interim director.

Meanwhile, down in the Elevator No. 1 laboratory, Yue An remained blissfully unaware of the commotion above.

To be honest, Yue An hadn't quite mastered the art of storing items in an interdimensional space. He had foolishly believed that lazy cat who told him he couldn't practice the technique without sleeves. Even now, he hadn't managed to shake off this misguided notion.

After all, when it came to conceptual magic, one's subjective impressions were paramount. If you couldn't change your mental image, no amount of practice would help.

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The white ball of fur waited for a few minutes, but when no one came, he decided to take matters into his own paws. With reckless abandon, he leaped onto the drawer and, without a hint of hesitation, used his paws to shatter all ten vials of catnip solution in one fell swoop.

The sound of breaking glass was crisp and clear, accompanied by an overwhelming aroma of catnip.

Since he couldn't take it with him, Yue An figured he might as well indulge right then and there. Inhale now, escape later – what could be better?

Yue An found himself completely enveloped in the intoxicating scent of catnip, his excitement growing by the second.

Each vial contained only about 10 milliliters of the solution, which rapidly evaporated upon contact with the air. In no time, the entire laboratory was filled with the enticing aroma of catnip.

Yue An rolled around on the floor, contorting his body into various shapes – first an S, then a C, occasionally flattening himself into a long, pancake-like form.

When he could no longer contain his excitement, he would spring up and scratch at the walls, leaving menacing claw marks across half the laboratory's surfaces.

He was at least aware enough not to touch any of the laboratory equipment or other strange objects. After all, hadn't he seen countless movies where someone accidentally breaks a vial in a lab, releasing a virus and causing a zombie apocalypse? The expendable characters always died first due to excessive curiosity.

With a powerful kick of his hind legs, Yue An launched himself at the wall, spreading all four paws wide to stick to the surface. Then, relaxing his back legs, he allowed himself to slowly slide down, his front claws leaving long scratches accompanied by a drawn-out "screeeeech" as he descended.

The laboratory's specially reinforced walls, designed to withstand all manner of scientific mishaps, were no match for this small white furball who had decided to use them as the world's most expensive scratching post. All four walls now bore the marks of his claws.

As he continued his catnip-fueled frenzy, a stray thought crossed Yue An's mind: "I should ask Ji Xiuqiu what material these walls are made of. They'd make for an excellent scratching post back home."

As Yue An continued scratching the wall, he slowly slid down to the floor. Retracting his paws, he backed up a couple of steps, ready to leap again. That's when his eyes caught something in the crevice he had just created – a small chip.

It was tiny, a black square about the size of a thumbnail, carefully preserved in a transparent case. The white ball of fur stared at it with his beautiful azure cat eyes, tilting his head curiously as he approached for a closer look. He noticed a line of text on the case housing the chip:

"029 - Catnip Reagent Experiment Records"

Well, well! As the saying goes, 'Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.' Yue An decided this was a treasure worth acquiring.

With a soft paw that belied its strength, the white furball shattered the case and grasped the chip in his mouth before turning to leave.

Chip in tow, he squeezed out of the Plant Science lab and glanced at the adjacent Genetic Science laboratory. Similarly, there were specific experiment record names listed under Genetic Science.

Yue An noticed, near the top of the list, an experiment record labeled: "SS-Grade Genetic Entity Basic Exploration."

The white furball, still clutching the first chip, hesitated at the door of this lab for a long while. Eventually, he decided against entering, fearing he might accidentally release some T-virus and cause a zombie apocalypse.

Instead, he carefully tore a long strip in the wall, peering inside at the chips, pulling them out one by one to examine. When he finally found the SS-grade genetic entity chip, he happily smashed its case and took it, then forcibly opened the hidden drawer, setting fire to the remaining muscle tissue and blood samples inside.

With two chips now in his possession, the little furball turned towards the door. His pointy ears twitched, and in the next second, he vanished from sight, slipping out of the laboratory.

Just then, two middle-aged men burst through the elevator doors, one of whom was the person the interim director had contacted earlier. Both wore grim expressions.

Yue An watched as they retrieved weapons from the entrance and stormed into the two labs with damaged doors. They found nothing.

Boldly, Yue An sat nearby, observing their paranoid behavior. He padded around them silently on his short legs, damaging a few more lab doors right under their noses.

"Who's there?!" one shouted.

"The heat sensors aren't picking up anything," the other replied.

"...This is insane."

The invisible ball of fur, chips still in his mouth, turned his attention to the elevator. He proceeded to scratch the doors, floor, and ceiling to shreds.

Swishing his tail, he watched the two middle-aged men rush towards the elevator. With a proud snort, he floated upwards. Without the elevator, neither of those two below would be able to leave.

Feeling quite pleased with himself, Yue An reached the top floor hall. He dispelled his invisibility spell and, tail swaying happily, pushed open the perfectly cut steel piece in the corner of Elevator No. 1's door. As he poked his little head out, his body still wedged in the hole, he looked up – directly into Marshal Ji Xiuqiu's face, which was so dark it could have dripped ink.

The Marshal was surrounded by a circle of soldiers, their backs turned to him, forming a human wall that blocked the puzzled Research Department personnel outside.

Ji Xiuqiu stared at Yue An's little head poking out from the corner, slowly pulling at his gloves. The aura of killing intent around him was palpable, his gaze sharp enough to cut.

This look frightened Yue An so much that he shuddered, causing the two chips in his mouth to fall to the ground with a "plop."

The Marshal crouched down, discreetly pocketing the two chips.

"Having fun?" Ji Xiuqiu asked in a low voice that only he and Yue An could hear.

Yue An: "..."

I didn't... I haven't... Don't make wild accusations.

...Okay, fine.

Maybe he had enjoyed himself a little bit.

Especially when inhaling that catnip.

The Marshal looked down at his cat and calmly said, "Come out."

Yue An's ears flattened in submission. He dejectedly squeezed out of the hole, not even bothering to shake out his fur. He trotted over to the Marshal's feet on his short legs, rubbing against him affectionately.

Marshal Ji pressed Yue An to the ground, ignoring his affectionate meows. He thoroughly examined the cat, checking for any injuries or abnormalities. Finding none, he let out a long sigh, his expression finally softening a bit.

He picked Yue An up and turned to face the human wall.

The soldiers quickly made way for him.

The cat in the Marshal's arms looked so submissive that his ears were barely visible, almost resembling a small seal. He appeared thoroughly frightened, burrowing deeper into the Marshal's embrace.

The interim director, upon seeing Yue An's behavior, wore a pained expression.

It's all over, he thought. Even a cat with enough fighting prowess to take on the heavens has been reduced to this state. The bigwigs downstairs must have done unspeakable things to Yue An.

The interim director could already envision the Research Department's second shutdown.

"Why is my cat in the Research Department?" Ji Xiuqiu's voice was ice-cold with fury, each word clearly enunciated.

"Why is he so frightened?"

Yue An, who had been desperately trying to burrow into the Marshal's arms to curry favor, heard Ji Xiuqiu's words and froze for three seconds. Then, puzzled, he poked his little head out from the embrace.

Ji Xiuqiu expressionlessly pushed his fluffy little head back into his arms.

The Marshal swept his gaze across the surrounding research personnel and asked again, "Why did my cat escape from the highest security Elevator No. 1 laboratory?"

"Can anyone give me an explanation?"

"We are... truly, deeply sorry, Marshal Ji," the interim director said, his face full of guilt. "Although I don't know the truth of this matter, as the acting director, I bear inescapable responsibility."

Yue An: ...

Yue An: ????

Isn't this scenario a bit off?

Shouldn't it be that his sneaky intrusion was discovered, and Ji Xiuqiu came to cover for him?

Why does this conversation sound so... wrong?

Why is this interim director apologizing?

Once again, Yue An curiously poked his little head out of Ji Xiuqiu's arms, and once again, the Marshal calmly pushed him back.

"I don't want apologies or explanations," Ji Xiuqiu said, pointing towards the elevator doors of the No. 1 lab. "I want to know what they did to my cat."

The Marshal declared, "I'm going down there."

Yue An: "..."

Wait, what kind of development is this??

Is this... is this what they call getting ahead of... no, wait, turning the tables??

Is this really you, Ji Xiuqiu??